**Chapter One** “Breathing so heavily, aren’t we? How many dicks have you taken?” Julian Vance gripped Elara Thorne’s chin, his body pressing into her, a cruel force. His eyes were dark, simmering with fury. Just a curtain separated us. Outside, the college reunion buzzed with laughter and teasing. “Classic Julian, playing it rough! This girl sounds hot, mind if a few of us have a turn later?” Others chimed in, egging him on. Julian’s voice was lazy, dripping with mockery as he stared at me. “No way. I’m not done with her yet.” “Unless, of course, I get bored.” I bit my lower lip, a scorching wave of hatred washing over me. Julian’s fiancée, Anya Petrova, had drowned herself. He’d sworn I was the one who drove her to it. After that, he’d forced me to marry him, demanding I replace the wife I’d supposedly taken from him. Years into our marriage, Julian had never once acknowledged our relationship publicly. But the ways he found to torment me? They changed all the time. He’d humiliate me without a thought for my well-being, all to avenge his dead saint, Anya. I’d resisted sleeping with him once, and he locked me away for seven days and seven nights. I’d angered his trophy girl, and he’d turned around and leaked my private videos to the media. I refused to break, longing for home every single day, until news came that my parents had been run over and killed by a speeding sports car. Then, to make matters worse, a fire burned my house to the ground, leaving me homeless. To him, I was nothing more than a cheap plaything. The more I suffered, the happier he seemed. Julian watched my humiliated expression, then grabbed my wrist, his eyes sparkling with malice. “Impatient, are we? Just get on your knees and say you love me, and I’ll take back everything I just said.” I stared into his eyes, refusing to utter a single word. Kneel and say I loved the man who’d brought me so much bloody misery? I’d die before I ever did that. Julian just smirked, already used to my guarded demeanor. “Such a tough nut to crack,” he murmured, his fingertip tracing the tear-mole near my eye. “All these years, you’ve never once given in to me. Not even when your parents died did you shed a tear in front of me. You’re truly ruthless.” My eyes were already cold and numb. I endured the humiliation by his side to drag the entire Vance Group down with him, to bury it alongside my parents. But he was always so careful. It took me five agonizing years to find even a faint clue. Just three more days. In three days, I would have all the evidence of his crimes, enough to send him straight to hell. Julian, however, remained completely oblivious. He chuckled. “Your first love is out there, do you want him to see you moaning for me?” He was a madman… My nails dug deep into my palms. Sensing my trembling, Julian’s interest only grew. “Remember how you’d rather die than marry me? You ran out into the pouring rain to beg him, but he was too afraid of the Vance family’s power, so he shut the door in your face.” A playful glint flickered in his eyes, but his voice deepened. “What exactly did you see in him?” Seeing I wouldn’t answer, he leaned in, whispering into my ear. “No answer? Then how about I start a live stream for him? Let him get a good look at his ex-girlfriend enjoying herself under me.” With that, Julian raised his phone. My mind buzzed, then exploded. The accumulated shame and fury finally erupted. My nails raked wildly across his body, desperate to tear him apart. His shirt was loose and open, his exquisite collarbone marred by my messy claw marks, little beads of blood surfacing, a truly shocking sight. Julian’s eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of irritation darkening his brow. “You’re already married to me, and you still dare to think of him?” Ignoring my struggles, he pinned me beneath him, his actions growing more reckless, his voice a cold, low command. “Scream. Let him hear it loud and clear.” The brutal retaliation rained down on me. My muffled whimpers slowly transformed into uncontrollable moans of arousal, tears streaming down my face from the pain, yet he wouldn’t stop. A mix of shame and rage, I wildly slapped him across the face, my voice trembling, tearful. “Julian Vance, you animal!” He looked at my reaction, utterly satisfied, a cruel smile playing on his lips. Outside, the others finally sensed something was wrong. “Blake, doesn’t that voice sound like your ex-girlfriend, Elara?” **Chapter Two** The mention of Blake Carrington made me reel. Back in high school, local delinquents with dyed hair had whistled and leered at me. They were influential troublemakers in the area. Before, one female student had been assaulted, and the school, wanting to avoid trouble, expelled her. She later jumped to her death. I was terrified. A few of the punks dragged me into an alley, pinning my hands and feet, tearing at my underwear. Passersby ignored my desperate pleas. When I heard the sound of a zipper, I almost despaired. It was Blake Carrington, wearing his blue and white school uniform, who rushed in. He fought them off, almost breaking his arm. That day, he was covered in blood, his chin weakly resting on my shoulder. The proud young man, backlit by the sun, asked me with eyes full of tenderness and sincerity: “My 99th confession, Elara… will you be my girlfriend?” “Blake, you’re such an idiot.” I cried as I said yes, believing I’d found salvation. Our seventeen-year-old secret was him secretly writing “I love you” a thousand times on the flyleaf of my book, it was his profile from under the cherry blossom tree, my gaze lingering a thousand times. After Anya Petrova’s death, Blake was the only one who came to comfort me. He even gave me a fruit wine, disguised as a proposal. I thought I’d found love, a beautiful ending from campus to wedding gown. Who knew Blake had drugged my drink and sold my first time to Julian Vance? That night was the beginning of my nightmare. Later, I learned that he’d pursued me only to make Anya jealous, and the thugs were hired by him, part of a setup. As for the thousand “I love you’s” on the flyleaf of that book? They were love letters written to Anya… After Anya’s death, Blake hated me to his core. So, he feigned a proposal, when in reality, it was all to ruin my innocence. From start to finish, I was just a joke. “Why bring her up? She’s as flat as a board, and stiff as a plank in bed. Boring.” Blake Carrington swirled his wine glass, his lean fingers tapping restlessly. Hearing my name, he clearly looked annoyed. Someone chuckled, “Back then, she was so poor she only ate bread and drank tap water, so she was just underdeveloped. You can’t tell me, Blake, you never felt anything for that seductive face of hers?” “Blake doesn’t lack women, but plenty of brothers have had their eye on her for years, wishing they could get her in bed…” Those words seemed to stir Blake’s memories. He’d seen too many women. My figure held no appeal for him, but my face was undeniably alluring. One glance and his stomach would burn. He frowned, then started walking towards the curtain. The curtain was suddenly yanked open. I instinctively trembled and squeezed my eyes shut. If Julian Vance was a nightmare, Blake Carrington was a wolf in human skin, pretending to be kind but always scheming and exploiting. I’d die before I ever saw him again. The next second, a black suit jacket was draped over me, hiding the numerous hickeys covering my body. Julian pressed me into his arms, his voice mocking. “Well, well, Blake. In a hurry, aren’t we?” Blake’s gaze swept over the messy scene, his face darkening. “You and Anya were best friends. You drove her to her death, and you still have the nerve to do this with her fiancé…” His tone was cold and thin, a flicker of unconcealed disgust in his eyes. “Do you have any conscience left?” I closed my eyes slightly. “I told you, I didn’t force her…” That year, Anya had jumped into the sea. Before she died, she pointed at me, accusing me of stealing Julian Vance, then jumped to her despairing death right in front of me. But I never even liked Julian Vance. Why would I force Anya to die? Blake scoffed. “After her death, you grandly married into the Vance family. If it wasn’t you, who else could it be? And you still have the nerve to show your face at this reunion… Elara, don’t you disgust yourself?” Disgusting. The word was like a knife, plunging deep into my chest, causing a dull ache. After Julian took my first time, Blake had comforted me, full of feigned sympathy. Later, he indulged his appetite, whispering countless intimate words to me in hotel beds. Now, he called me disgusting. Perhaps Julian noticed the fleeting hurt in my eyes. His brow raised in amusement. “She’s my wife. Is it for an outsider like you to decide if she’s disgusting or not?” “You…” Blake’s face turned ashen, and he spun around and left. Julian, however, seemed to be in a good mood. He carefully covered me up, then personally carried me back to his latest Rolls-Royce. In the car, Julian’s fingers grazed my lips, then pressed down hard. “Your first love didn’t save you. Disappointed?” I closed my eyes, expressionless, unwilling to respond. Julian wasn’t satisfied. He bit my earlobe, his voice low. “If you don’t answer me, I’ll do it right here in the car. It’ll be a nice show for all the passersby.” People were coming and going all around us. I snapped my eyes open. “You’re insane!” **Chapter Three** Perhaps my tone was too agitated. Julian’s lips curved slightly, playing with my hair. “Just kidding, why so tense?” His voice was unusually gentle. He ran his fingers through my hair. “I’m not happy with your behavior today. I have some company matters to deal with, so go home, be a good girl, get cleaned up, and wait for me. I’ll be back later to keep you company.” Every time he wanted to punish me, he’d use every means to make me submit. Recalling those details, a wave of nausea washed over me. My gaze was cold as I said, “I’m not feeling well.” Julian’s expression subtly tightened. He brushed a stray lock of hair from my face. “I have tens of thousands of your private videos.” My face paled, my nails digging deep into my palms. Back then, Julian, to retaliate against me and ensure I couldn’t escape the Vance family, had recorded tens of thousands of intimate videos during countless nights—thousands of gigabytes, all stored on his computer. “Don’t look at me like that,” Julian loosened his tie. His black suit made his legs look exceptionally straight and long, and his eyes held a playful, unreadable smile. “Otherwise, I’ll think you’re inviting me right now.” His tone was incredibly suggestive. I bit down, straightened my messy collar, then got out of the car and hailed a taxi. Soon. My nails dug deeper into my palms. Soon, I would have collected all the evidence, sent Julian Vance to prison, and started a new life somewhere else. I opened my phone and suddenly saw an anonymous post. [Documenting the 99th humiliation plan: Making the heartthrob publicly humiliate his best friend at a party, embarrassing her in front of her ex-boyfriend!] The poster claimed she had a crush on a guy in high school, but he fell for her best friend. In a fit of rage, she found a corpse and faked her own suicide by jumping into the sea. Afterward, the heartthrob was filled with regret and married the best friend, tormenting her for five agonizing years. Just as the heartthrob grew disheartened, the poster went to the hospital, got plastic surgery to become her own double, and made the heartthrob avenge his “dead” self, orchestrating a “hundred humiliations plan.” As soon as he completed a hundred plans, she would accept his proposal. The contents of these plans were practically dog training, including but not limited to locking her best friend with chains for seven days and seven nights, recording thousands of gigabytes of private videos, and so on. Even more absurdly, the heartthrob actually carried out each one. The more I read, the tighter my brows furrowed. My heart pounded as I scrolled to the top and saw the latest post, uploaded five minutes ago. It included a picture of a girl in a white dress, smiling sweetly at the screen. That face was nine-tenths identical to the deceased Anya Petrova! And the content of the latest post was: [Documenting the 100th humiliation plan: Getting the heartthrob to abandon his wife to celebrate my birthday. Another day of being a little princess~] A sudden chill swept over me, my mind in turmoil, but I instinctively denied my suspicions. No way. It must be another one of Julian’s sick jokes. When Anya died, I had seen her body with my own eyes, bloated from the water. The birthmark on her shoulder couldn’t have been wrong. I stared intently at the address on the post, then told the driver in a low voice, “To the Imperial Luxury Hotel.” The car sped towards the opulent hotel. The lobby was grand and magnificent, illuminated like daytime by dazzling crystal chandeliers, filled with wealthy and renowned figures. I stared at the scene before me, stunned. The two men who had seemed at odds at the party—Julian Vance, CEO of Vance Group, and Blake Carrington, a powerful socialite—now stood beside a woman who bore an uncanny resemblance to Anya Petrova. Under the soft lighting, the noble and unruly Julian Vance inclined his head slightly, personally placing a silver tiara on Anya’s head. Beside him, Blake Carrington knelt on one knee, gently placing crystal shoes worth hundreds of millions on her feet. It was exactly like a scene from a romantic drama. Julian handed her an exquisite crystal bottle, his usually stern eyes softening a few degrees. “For you. Happy birthday.” Anya gasped. “This is the aurora sample I mentioned offhand last time, Julian. How did you get it?” Julian chuckled softly. “Knew you liked it. Saw it at an auction and just picked it up.” Only I knew he was lying. Such a rare, priceless item could only be found in the deepest parts of the polar regions, a place even professional exploration teams dared not venture. That day, Julian had traveled to the Arctic alone, nearly losing his life. When he was rushed to the ICU upon his return, he was still clutching that crystal bottle tightly. Looking at that aurora crystal bottle, my heart twisted inch by agonizing inch. Julian, such an arrogant and cold man, would only ever risk his life for one woman. “Thank you, Julian.” Anya deliberately rubbed against Julian’s neck, deliberately exposing a white molar-shaped birthmark on her shoulder. The expression, the tone, and the shape of that birthmark—they were identical! The ironclad evidence became the last straw that broke the camel’s back. I could barely stand. I stumbled forward, gathering every ounce of strength to walk over to Anya Petrova. Julian finally noticed me, his gaze unperturbed, showing no awkwardness at being caught. I opened my mouth, my voice trembling as I asked, “Who is she?” He raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk on his face. “What answer do you want to hear?” “Julian Vance, is she…” My eyes reddened. I took a deep breath, then choked out the question, “Is she Anya Petrova?” Julian seemed genuinely surprised. No matter how much humiliation I suffered in the past, I never shed a single tear. Not even when my parents died did I bat an eye. But now, my entire body was trembling. Seeing my red eyes, he raised an eyebrow. “No.” “She’s not Anya,” Blake Carrington subtly stepped in front of Anya, his brow furrowed. “Elara, have you forgotten? Anya was killed by you long ago.” I had seen with my own eyes Anya “die” in front of me. Back then, Anya and I were the best of friends. After she drowned, I carried a crushing guilt for five years. Every night I closed my eyes, I’d dream of Anya’s desperate, helpless gaze. But now, the face from my memories merged with the face of the woman before me. Anya’s red lips curved slightly, and she smiled sweetly. “Hi, I’m Anya, Anya as in ‘Anya rising’ if you know what I mean, big sister.” **Chapter Four** Anya Petrova, Anya. Just an elaborate fake death scheme. I suddenly felt like a complete joke. My best friend, my husband, my ex-boyfriend—all of them had conspired together to weave this massive web of revenge, tormenting me until I was a walking corpse, wishing for death.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297121”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance

Everyone said Liam Blackwood was absolutely obsessed with me. Even after my mother and I were kicked out of our home, he still went through with our engagement. He even rehearsed our perfect wedding ninety-nine times, all by himself, just for me. They had no idea. The brides at those weddings? They were chosen by drawing lots from the ninety-nine kept women Liam Blackwood maintained. “Ava, you’re already Mrs. Blackwood. It’s just a wedding for each of them. That’s not asking too much, right?” I numbly took the large box of cash he handed me, then rushed to the hospital. It wasn’t until my own wedding, when he walked down the aisle with my father’s illegitimate daughter, that I finally couldn’t hold back my tears. “Anyone else, but why her?” I choked out. A chilling smile played on Liam’s lips. “She’s carrying my child.” “Ava, be generous. Don’t be like your mother. She got so old, and you still had to beg people for her medical bills.” Under the mocking stares of every single guest, I clutched the money and fled in a panic. But at the hospital entrance, I saw my mother plunge. Her blood splattered across my face, her eyes wide. With her last breath, she rasped, “Ava Sterling, don’t ever beg him again.”

I clutched my mother’s rapidly stiffening body, my own blood turning to ice. My mouth hung open, but no sound escaped. Liam Blackwood’s phone rang, a frantic sound. I answered it instinctively. His lazy voice drifted through the line. “Ava, it’s Skylar’s and my wedding night. We’re out of protection at the house. Go buy a box and bring it back.” My fingers trembled, ready to hang up, but his voice came again. “Oh, right. And grab a box of milk candies. My little one’s afraid of pain, I’ll just sweet-talk her.” My mind flashed back to the night Liam Blackwood came to pick up my mother and me from our run-down apartment. He gently slid a ring onto my finger. “Trying to hide from me? You had me looking for so long.” “Even if you’re not the Thorne family’s eldest daughter, you’re still my wife, Ava. I’ll give you a perfect wedding.” On our first night, I was in so much pain I teared up. He slipped a milk candy into my mouth and murmured tenderly, “My little one, will sweetening you up with a milk candy make you forgive me?” Even though I knew about Liam Blackwood’s notorious playboy reputation, I still greedily fell in love with him. I never cared about those kept women. I knew he was just putting on a show. But Skylar Thorne was different. He allowed her to carry his child. In our five years of marriage, no matter how passionate Liam got, he always made sure to use protection. My greed finally met its punishment. His one exception was the person I hated most. If not for Skylar Thorne, my mother wouldn’t have lost her husband, and I wouldn’t have lost my father. He hung up first, as always. I stared blankly as the funeral home staff took my mother away. When they handed me a small box, I finally lost control, sobbing uncontrollably. After getting the death certificate, a call came in. “Miss Sterling, the DNA report shows that your mother was Mr. Sterling Senior’s biological daughter, lost years ago.” “Your plane tickets are booked. Would you like to meet your grandfather? Don’t worry, the old man isn’t as terrifying as rumors suggest.” I clutched my mother’s urn tightly, tears streaming down my face. “Yes.” “Then in three days, bring your identification. Someone will pick you up.” I returned home numbly, only to hear a group of drunken playboys loudly discussing. “Liam, Skylar Thorne is your wife’s half-sister. Didn’t you hate her the most? How did she suddenly become the bride for today’s wedding?” Liam Blackwood slowly swirled his red wine, chuckling softly. “Can’t help it. The mother of my child needs to have noble origins.” After the guys cheered, someone cautiously asked, “So, Liam, what about your wife?” Liam’s smile turned wicked. “Ava? Oh, she’s very obedient. I’ve been with other women right in front of her, and she’d still obediently hand me protection. It’s just a wedding. I can always give her another one later, right?” The group burst into laughter. “Liam, aren’t you worried your wife will actually get angry and leave? After all, if not for Skylar Thorne, your wife would still be the Thorne family’s eldest daughter!” Liam replied indifferently, “No way. Even if I kick her out, she’ll still kneel on the ground, crying and begging me not to abandon her.” “After all, her frail mother still depended on me to keep her alive.” I staggered backward, bumping into someone who had silently appeared behind me. “Sister, you’re back.” I turned, my eyes darkening as I saw Skylar Thorne’s face. “I don’t have a sister.” I turned to walk out the side door, but Skylar suddenly shrieked. “Ah!” Instantly, the chatter in the living room ceased.

Liam Blackwood walked over, hands in his pockets. He saw Skylar Thorne on the floor and gave me a meaningful look. “Did you push her?” Skylar quickly explained, “No, no, Sister didn’t push me. I just tripped accidentally.” Then she sobbed softly, “Liam, my stomach hurts a bit. Is the baby…?” Liam clicked his tongue, then scooped Skylar up in his arms. He looked back at me, his voice cold. “Come here.” He carried Skylar back into the mansion, setting her gently on his lap, like a delicate, precious gem. The playboys exchanged glances and quietly cleared out. I walked in silently. The playboy I brushed past whistled, as if watching a show. Before, no matter how much of a playboy Liam Blackwood was, they never dared to openly disrespect me. They were smart enough to see that Liam’s treatment of Skylar Thorne was different from the ninety-nine kept women outside. So, I was now treated like those kept women – free for anyone to tease and toy with. When I realized this, a sharp, jagged pain sliced through my already numb heart. He didn’t ask anything. He just looked at me with cold indifference. “Ava, apologize.” I bit my lip hard until my mouth filled with the coppery taste of blood. “I didn’t push her.” A cruel smile played on Liam Blackwood’s lips. He instructed the butler, “Go get the madam’s cat.” My pupils constricted. “What are you doing?” Liam Blackwood’s smile was savage. “Ava, Skylar is different from those other women. She’s my business partner, the Thorne Group’s eldest daughter, and she’s carrying my child.” “I cannot tolerate anyone bullying the mother of my child, including you.” “So, you need to pay a price to understand your mistake.” The moment he finished speaking, the cat was thrown into a pot of scalding liquid, letting out a horrific shriek. I lunged forward, but Liam Blackwood grabbed me. He pressed my head down onto the table, making me watch as my little cat, who had been with me for ten years, was scalded alive. Liam Blackwood leaned close to my ear and whispered, “Ava Sterling, this time it’s just the cat. If you dare to bully Skylar again, next time, you’ll have to consider your mother’s life.” The tears welling in my eyes fell silently. The memories of him protecting me in front of those kept women now felt like a cruel boomerang, striking me right in the heart. Next, Liam Blackwood placed a divorce agreement in front of me. “Sign it. My child can’t be born out of wedlock.” I trembled as I stared at the cat floating in the pot. It had been my only solace when my mother and I were thrown out of our home. Now, like my mother, it was completely gone. This marriage no longer held any meaning. I took the agreement and swiftly signed my name. Liam Blackwood frowned imperceptibly, seeing no hesitation in me. He gave a soft “Hmph.” “Since you’re no longer Mrs. Blackwood, move to the staff quarters. Your mother’s future medical expenses will be earned through your labor.” I forced a bitter smile, recalling my mother’s dying wish. I said faintly, “No need.” Just then, sounds of vomiting came from my room. My heart sank. I rushed into the room, only to see my mother’s handmade bedsheet covered in vomit. Skylar Thorne got up, looking apologetic. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Sister. I just couldn’t hold it in.” She then pulled a ten-dollar bill from her wallet. “This bedsheet looks old anyway. Here, ten dollars for it.” *“Slap!”* My eyes were bloodshot. I slapped her hard across the face. “Skylar Thorne, you’ve gone too far!” Skylar Thorne clutched her face, looking utterly wronged at Liam Blackwood behind her. “Liam, I didn’t mean it. I already apologized to Sister.” The next moment, a searing pain exploded on my own cheek.

He used all his strength, knocking me to the ground, without even sparing me a glance. He walked straight to Skylar Thorne, carefully checking her face. “Are you okay?” Skylar Thorne whimpered, burying her face in Liam Blackwood’s embrace. “It’s my fault. I ruined Sister’s bedsheet with my vomit.” Liam Blackwood’s gaze finally fell on the stained bed. He said indifferently, “Burn it.” “No! That’s my mother’s! I can wash it myself, don’t burn it!” But he knew perfectly well that I had nightmares every night and could only sleep peacefully while holding that bedsheet. He ignored my pleading gaze and instructed the housemaids behind him, “When the new madam moves in, throw out all these old things.” *“CRASH!”* The wedding photo on the wall crashed to the floor, swept out of the room like trash. Yet, all I could hear was his vow from when we took those photos. He had once sworn in front of everyone, “I, Liam Blackwood, will only ever love Ava Sterling.” When the bedsheet caught fire, I rushed to the brazier, grabbed it with my bare hands, and smothered the flames with my body. Blisters immediately swelled on my hands. Liam Blackwood rushed over in a flash, grabbing my hand, his eyes sharp. “Does it hurt?” Skylar Thorne suddenly clutched her stomach, pointing at the already opened urn. “I’m allergic to dust. Why is Sister bringing back a pile of ashes?” “Cough, cough, cough! Liam, help me!” I lunged forward. “No!” But my mother’s ashes were kicked over by Skylar Thorne. I could no longer control the rage burning within me. I rushed at her, tearing at her hair, my eyes blazing red. “You did that on purpose?!” “Slut! Wasn’t it enough that your mother was a homewrecker who seduced my father? Now you’re rushing to be a mistress, stealing someone else’s husband!” Skylar Thorne shrieked, “Liam, Sister’s gone crazy! She’s going to kill me!” I squeezed Skylar Thorne’s neck with all my might, but Liam Blackwood kicked me away. The moment I fell to the ground, fresh blood streamed from beneath me. I crawled to gather my mother’s ashes, leaving a glaring trail of blood across the floor. Tears dripped onto the ashes. “Mom, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…” But the next moment, Liam Blackwood snatched the urn from my arms. He coldly emptied all of my mother’s ashes into the toilet! *“WHOOSH!”* The sound of the flushing water almost shattered my eardrums. I knelt there, stunned, in front of the toilet, looking up to meet Liam Blackwood’s gaze, my eyes burning red. “Liam Blackwood, I will never! Never forgive you!” His eyes flashed with shock and pain, but it was only for an instant. Skylar Thorne held the handful of hair I’d torn out, crying like a wilting flower. “Liam, Sister pulled out so much of my hair! I don’t want to have your baby now, having babies makes you so ugly!” Liam Blackwood tenderly picked her up, cooing, “No, you won’t, Skylar is the most beautiful girl in the world, she won’t turn ugly.” Then, his gaze fell on me, like I was a lifeless object. He ordered the maid standing outside, “Get me some scissors.” He took the scissors, stood before me, and contemptuously pinched my chin. “Ava Sterling, have I been spoiling you too much?” With that, he pressed the scissors against my scalp, cutting off my long hair, strand by strand, as if he were trimming useless weeds. Just the day before our wedding, he had held my hair, treating it like a precious treasure, “I love Ava’s long hair the most.” He didn’t stop until my head was practically bare, with only a few sparse strands left. Then, Liam Blackwood threw the scissors aside. He turned, embraced Skylar Thorne, and reverently kissed her hair. “Do you still think you’re ugly now?” Skylar Thorne’s tears turned to laughter. She looked at me, her eyes full of triumph. “Heh, Sister looks like a little clown!”

My eyes stared blankly at everything before me. I cried and laughed at the same time. Pointing at Liam Blackwood, my voice was icy. “You will regret this.” But Liam Blackwood had someone bring a dog leash. He casually applied ointment to Skylar Thorne’s wound, not even looking up. “Tomorrow is Skylar’s birthday party. It seems the only way to keep you in line is to tie you up.” A maid stepped forward to fasten the leash around my neck. Her eyes widened when she saw the blood beneath me. She looked at Liam Blackwood repeatedly, hesitating. “Sir, the madam… she seems to be bleeding.” The next instant, the maid was struck by the scissors Liam had thrown. A cruel smile spread across Liam Blackwood’s lips. “It seems Ava Sterling has been bribing you all quite a bit. I’ll give you one more chance. Tell me, who is the madam?” The maid immediately knelt, begging for mercy, facing Skylar Thorne. “I’m sorry, Madam. I spoke out of turn. I’ll punish myself!” With that, the maid furiously slapped herself. Skylar Thorne, however, clutched Liam Blackwood’s arm, whimpering, “Liam, maybe I should just go. No one here likes me.” Hearing this, the maid immediately turned and fastened the leash around my neck. Like training a dog, she kicked me. “Crawl, now!” Then she turned back to Skylar Thorne with a fawning smile. “Madam, please don’t worry, we all love you!” Skylar Thorne finally gave a satisfied smile, while Liam Blackwood’s gaze remained solely on Skylar Thorne the entire time. He watched her, utterly captivated. I was leashed like a dog in front of the mansion gates, listening to the sounds of passionate intimacy from upstairs for an entire day and night. The next evening, guests arrived in a steady stream. Liam Blackwood and Skylar Thorne stood at the entrance, welcoming guests like a truly loving couple, completely oblivious to my presence. The wives who used to be close to me now fawned over Skylar Thorne. They approached me, showering me with insults. “Well, well, isn’t this the former Mrs. Blackwood? How did your hair get cut like some bald, pathetic creature? Standing guard here?” “Oh, my heavens, you’re giving her too much credit! ‘Mrs. Blackwood’? Please! She’s even more worthless than the kept women Mr. Blackwood keeps outside.” “Haven’t you heard? After she and her mom got kicked out of the Thorne family, she got involved in some shady dealings. She’s all used up, that’s why she can’t even have kids…” “…” The playboys still whistled, “kindly” tossing a piece of meat in front of me, their hands tracing indecently over my body. “Looks like Liam really dumped his wife. Why not come with me?” The group cheered, “Liam doesn’t want her anyway. What’s wrong with us brothers having a taste of his ex-wife?” With that, someone unfastened the leash from my neck. They impatiently stripped off my clothes. Some even sat on me, ignoring the fresh blood staining me, and began to move on their own. Loud, lewd laughter filled the air. The moment I looked up, I met a pair of cold, indifferent eyes on the second floor. Liam Blackwood swayed his wine glass, watching coldly the entire time. Perhaps he was annoyed by the noise, but he turned and walked away without a backward glance. I finally closed my eyes in despair, but the tears streaming down my cheeks were covered by a warm sensation. I opened my eyes to see the man who had been on top of me lying sprawled to the side, eyes wide and unseeing. The blood gushing from his neck splattered onto my face. The vile men scattered like they’d seen death itself. When I finally made out the face in the dim light, I gasped in shock. “How are you here?” A few minutes later, Liam Blackwood received the land transfer agreement signed by the Thorne family. His lips curved slightly.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297120”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance

Seven months pregnant. With my belly showing, I helped Caleb Prescott secure the latest quarterly partnership. Then, checking his location discreetly, I headed to the bar, planning to surprise him. Just before pushing open the private room door, I heard his voice, laced with a cynical laugh, mingling with his friends. “Caleb, won’t Audrey be mad if she finds out you deliberately sent her on that business trip just so you could celebrate Chloe finishing high school and getting into college?” Caleb scoffed, utterly dismissive. “I’ve pampered Audrey for years. What more could she possibly want? Besides, she’s pregnant, easily agitated. I kept it quiet just to prevent her from getting jealous.” “True, Audrey has been with you for so long, she probably can’t live without you. But you’ve raised Chloe for all these years, and now she’s an adult, and so beautiful. Don’t you have… any thoughts?” Caleb reached out, casually wrapping his arm around Chloe Sterling’s delicate shoulders, his voice thick with doting affection. “That depends on whether our Chloe is willing.” “I… I’m willing to marry Uncle Caleb.”

I pushed the door open. The conversation inside the private room died instantly. Caleb instinctively pulled his hand back from Chloe’s shoulder, his doting expression quickly morphing into calm. “Audrey, what are you doing here? Is the contract settled?” Caleb’s friends, seeing my upset face, quickly tried to smooth things over with smiles. “Audrey, Chloe just finished high school today, and we’re all celebrating. Caleb was just about to call you to join us!” “No, thanks. You all have fun. I’m heading back.” I looked at Caleb and Chloe, their intimate posture a punch to the gut. I forced a strained smile onto my face and turned to leave. “Audrey.” Caleb called out, getting up and coming to my side. “Chloe just lost a game and has to drink ten penalty shots. I’ll be driving later, so could you take them for her?” I clutched my pregnant belly, fighting back the burning sensation in my nose, staring at Caleb in disbelief. “You want *me* to drink?” “It’s a celebration for Chloe. Just cooperate, don’t spoil the fun.” “Fine.” I picked up a glass and chugged it. The beer rushed down my throat, the foam stinging my nose, and my stomach churned, threatening to revolt. One glass. Two glasses. … Caleb’s friends started to look uncomfortable, one finally speaking up. “Caleb, maybe that’s enough.” “It’s fine. Back when Audrey helped me close deals with clients, she could down a liter of hard liquor without batting an eye. This is nothing to her.” I held the last glass, feeling nothing but bitter amusement. The year we got married, Caleb’s company hit a rough patch. I wanted to help him by drinking with clients to secure partnerships, but he stopped me, swearing solemnly that no matter how tough things got, he’d never let me suffer that humiliation. But then Chloe came into our lives. Caleb said she was a friend’s orphan, and he needed to take responsibility as her guardian. From that moment on, all his attention shifted to Chloe. For his company, I started to repeatedly drink and smile for investors. Until six months ago, I was force-fed by an investor until I had stomach bleeding and was almost taken to a hotel. I only escaped by slitting my wrists, threatening to end my life. And that night, he used the investment I had begged on my knees for to throw an all-night fireworks display to celebrate Chloe’s birthday. I finished the last drink, nothing left in my throat but a raw, bitter taste. “Caleb, I’m leaving.” “I’ll drive you back…” Caleb was about to reach out and help me, but then he heard Chloe’s saccharine tone. “Uncle Caleb, I don’t have any family left in this world. Could you… divorce Audrey and stay with just me, forever?” The private room fell into a deathly silence. I froze, looking at Caleb. He didn’t hesitate, handing me a divorce agreement, a pleading look in his eyes. “Audrey, Chloe rarely asks for anything from me. I don’t want to disappoint her.” “Fine. I’ll sign.” I managed a desolate smile, fighting back the tears stinging my eyes, and picked up the pen to sign the divorce agreement. As I walked out of the room, I heard Caleb’s friends trying to reason with him: “Caleb, a divorce agreement isn’t a joke. If Audrey truly gets angry, you might take things too far.” “Audrey’s been with me for eight years, and now she’s pregnant. She can’t leave me. I’ll just sweet-talk her later, it’ll be fine.” Tears finally streamed down my face, uncontrolled. I took a deep breath, wiped them away, and cast one last look at the joyous private room. Then, I pulled out my phone and dialed the hospital. **[截断点]** “Please schedule an abortion for me. The sooner, the better.”

Just as I left the bar, Caleb rushed out after me. “It’s too late. I’ll take you home.” I reached for the passenger side door, but he stopped me. “You’re pregnant. The front seat isn’t as safe for you. You should sit in the back.” Caleb then opened the passenger door for Chloe himself, and thoughtfully buckled her seatbelt. I looked at the “Wife’s Seat Only” sticker on the dashboard, finding it incredibly ironic and blindingly painful. “Uncle Caleb, can I date when I’m in college?” “No!” Caleb’s tone was stern. Chloe giggled, playfully feeding a snack into Caleb’s mouth: “Okay then, Uncle Caleb, I’ll listen to you. I’ll only be with you, forever.” I glanced at the car’s interior, decorated with a girlish touch. The mini-fridge that used to hold my milk and pregnancy snacks had long been replaced with Chloe’s favorite candies. This car, the one I brought into our marriage, felt utterly foreign now. Chloe had quietly, insidiously woven herself into Caleb’s life, yet he deluded himself into believing he was merely a guardian, never truly falling for her. How ridiculous. How utterly ironic. Noticing my gaze, Caleb spoke up. “Chloe said she’s never stayed in a hotel before, so I’m going to drop her off to experience that first. I’ll take you home later.” The car soon stopped outside a hotel. I watched Caleb lead Chloe into the hotel, my eyes falling on a discarded receipt on the passenger seat. The receipt clearly showed purchases of condoms and lingerie – all Caleb’s preferred styles. These two things hadn’t been used since I got pregnant. I remembered when Caleb and I got married, he told me his mother had taken her own life because she couldn’t bear her husband’s infidelity. He hated all unfaithful men in the world. He promised he’d protect me forever, never betray me. But as I stood outside that hotel room, hearing a woman’s sweet cries and a man’s muffled grunts from inside, His past vows felt like a cruel illusion. My eyes welled up, but I had no courage to burst in and catch them red-handed. If you couldn’t keep your word, why make those promises in the first place? … Two hours later. Caleb returned to the car, his hair damp. “That girl Chloe is so clingy. She wouldn’t let me leave, so I just took a quick shower. Sorry to keep you waiting.” I silently stared at the hickeys on his neck. Suddenly, this man I’d lived with for eight years felt like a complete stranger. Caleb noticed my silence and sat beside me. “Audrey, Chloe’s just a kid. Don’t be so hard on her.” “That divorce agreement was just to humor her. The terms clearly state I’m leaving with nothing. Don’t worry, once she loses interest, we’ll get back together right away.” I just smiled, saying nothing. Get back together? Caleb, I loved you for eight years. It’s time for it to end.

Early the next morning. Chloe burst into my room with a housekeeper. “Audrey Prescott, you’ve already divorced Uncle Caleb, so why are you still living here? I’m the lady of this house now, get out!” The housekeeper began clearing out my things. I didn’t stop them. I simply picked up my pre-packed suitcase and walked out of the house without looking back. “Wait! Open your suitcase. Who knows if you’ve stolen anything valuable? Uncle Caleb said everything in this mansion is mine now.” The housekeeper snatched my suitcase, ransacking it. Inside were only a few clothes I’d bought before marrying Caleb. Nothing else. “Can I go now?” “No! You haven’t been searched yet. Strip her!” The housekeeper stepped forward, pulling at my clothes until I was completely naked. Chloe looked at my pregnant belly with disgust. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. Are those stretch marks? So ugly. No wonder Uncle Caleb said he didn’t want to touch you.” I clenched my fists, enduring the housekeeper’s mocking stares, and squatted down to pick up my clothes and put them back on. Suddenly, Chloe rushed toward me, slapping my belly hard. I instinctively raised my hand. But Chloe stumbled first, falling to the ground and pointing at my suitcase, sobbing. “Uncle Caleb, Audrey won’t let me move in, and she threw my suitcase!” Caleb glared at me, barely suppressing his rage. “What’s going on?” “Uncle Caleb, Audrey called me a fatherless child and told me to stay away from you. She said I was a burden to you. If only my dad were still here…” Chloe continued to sob. Caleb’s fury could no longer be contained. He slapped me hard across the face. “Apologize to Chloe, now!” Blood seeped from the corner of my mouth, my eyes blurring with tears. “Caleb, we’ve been together for eight years. Is this truly how you see me?” “And why wouldn’t I! Chloe’s just a child. Would she lie about you?!” Chloe clung to Caleb’s arm, acting utterly wronged, and pointed at a frog mascot costume. “Uncle Caleb, I want to see Audrey wear that.” “Did you hear her? Put it on and apologize to Chloe! Don’t forget your dad is still in the ICU. I can stop his medical treatment any time!” Caleb said, already dialing the hospital. “No! I’ll wear it.” I endured the mocking stares around me, painstakingly pulling on the frog costume. The tight fabric pressed painfully against my belly. “Uncle Caleb, look at Audrey in that frog suit! Her belly’s all puffy like that, doesn’t it look like a pregnant toad?!” “As long as Chloe likes it. You can wear it every day to make her happy.” The mascot costume was stifling. My head spun, and sharp pains radiated from my lower abdomen. I don’t know how long passed, then a wave of dizziness swept over me. I fell heavily to the ground.

I woke up in the hospital. Caleb was by my bedside, holding my hand. “Audrey, don’t be mad. Chloe’s just a kid, playful. Just go apologize to her properly later, and this whole thing will blow over.” “What if I don’t?” “It’s just an apology! Why are you arguing with a child?! I swear, you’ve gone completely crazy since you got pregnant!” Caleb angrily threw my hand away and stormed out. A nurse quickly rushed over, her voice urgent: “Ms. Sterling, your father’s medical treatment has been stopped. His condition suddenly worsened, and he’s not doing well. You need to go see him one last time!” My pupils constricted. I instinctively tried to get up. But Caleb, leading a team of doctors, burst into the room and dragged me to the operating theater without a word. “Caleb! Let me go! I need to see my dad…” “Audrey, Chloe just had a sudden severe anemia, and she needs umbilical cord blood to save her life. You can see your dad anytime. You need to give birth now.” I was forcibly strapped to the operating table. “Mr. Prescott, the patient is only six months pregnant, far from her due date. Administering labor-inducing drugs now could have a fatal impact on the fetus.” “Saving a life is more important! Do it!” Caleb snatched the oxytocin syringe from the doctor’s hand and brutally plunged it into my belly. Restraints tightly bound my limbs. I struggled desperately, looking at Caleb, trying to find a flicker of compassion in his eyes. But Caleb’s expression remained coldly indifferent. He just injected one syringe of oxytocin after another into my body until all five were empty. The doctor urgently tried to stop Caleb’s hand: “Mr. Prescott, five syringes are the limit! Any more and the baby will die from premature birth!” “Get out of my way! I only care if Chloe lives!” Caleb brutally plunged in the sixth syringe. An excruciating pain surged through my entire body. I couldn’t hold on any longer and completely passed out. … When I opened my eyes again, My abdomen was flat once more. I desperately got up and rushed to my father’s room, only for the nurse to tell me I was too late. My father had passed away just as Caleb dragged me away. The nurse said his last words were my name, whispered repeatedly. Passing a VIP room, I heard Chloe’s voice. “Uncle Caleb, it’s all my fault for being so sick. It caused Audrey’s baby to be born prematurely and die. She won’t be angry, will she?” “It’s fine. If the baby’s gone, Audrey can just have another one. All that matters is that you’re okay.” I touched my flat abdomen, closing my eyes in despair, letting tears stream down my cheeks. Caleb and I started trying to conceive right after we got married. We bought piles of baby clothes and toys, and he devoured books on childcare, saying he wanted our baby to be the happiest child in the world. Seven months ago, when I finally got pregnant, he was so excited, holding me and listening to the baby’s movements all night. That was the child we had hoped for for seven years. How could he be so cruel?! Three days later. I finished my father’s funeral and buried the baby’s tiny body alongside him. Leaving the cemetery.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297119”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance

Just because I accidentally hurt Julian Vance’s mistress while bathing her. Julian threw my gravely ill mother out into the pouring rain, leaving her to die alone. After Mom passed, I handed him the divorce papers, begging him to let me go. But he just stared at me with a stone-cold face, kicking me to the ground. “Anya Reed, you’re really getting into this act, aren’t you? Haven’t you heard that people can actually die from getting rained on?” “Besides, I’ve supported you two parasites for so many years. If you want to leave, you’ll have to compensate me tens of millions.” I nodded calmly. A few days later, a massive sum landed in his account. He didn’t know, that was the price of my life. No sooner had the words left his mouth than a ledger slammed into my face. Julian Vance used the tip of his leather shoe to nudge the ledger open. “See that clearly?” His voice was chilling, like ice. “Every single penny you’ve spent since the day you married into the Vance family is right here.” The ledger was filled with his scrawled, almost aggressive handwriting, detailing every one of my expenses. From an extra slice of toast at breakfast to my mother’s emergency hospital bills. Every detail was meticulously recorded, down to the last cent. My fingers instinctively curled, staring blankly at the ledger as tears streamed down my face, uncontrolled. I never imagined Julian would go to such lengths. “A total of thirteen million two hundred thousand.” He bent down, his warm breath brushing my ear. “I’ll round it down for you, Anya. With that much money, you’d have to prostitute yourself from now until they’re defiling your corpse, wouldn’t you?” I snapped my head up, my gaze locking onto the icy disdain in Julian’s eyes. The man who once seemed like my closest confidant was now spewing words that bordered on pure venom. A bitter ache filled my throat. I glanced at Celeste Hayes, who was clinging to Julian’s arm, and let out a self-deprecating laugh. “If I recall correctly, Miss Hayes, the necklace around your neck is worth ten million alone, isn’t it?” The esteemed Mrs. Vance, after five years, had spent less than a single piece of jewelry on his trophy girlfriend. A sharp shove sent me sprawling to the ground. Celeste irritably rubbed her wrist, scoffing, “You old hag, who do you think you are, daring to compare yourself to me?” She whined, stretching her palm out to Julian, “This old hag is so thick-skinned, she actually hurt my hand~” Julian didn’t spare me a glance. Instead, he dotingly blew on Celeste’s palm. “Next time, don’t lay a hand on her yourself. It breaks my heart.” A wave of dizziness washed over me. I collapsed onto the floor, clutching my face as blood gushed from my nose. “Ugh!” Celeste shrieked, pulling up her skirt. “You old hag, how disgusting! Your nosebleed got on my shoe!” Seeing the crimson blood on the floor, a flicker of panic crossed Julian’s eyes, but it quickly turned to disgust when he spotted the divorce papers lying nearby. “Anya Reed, what trick are you trying to pull now?” That cold, hateful gaze reminded me of our wedding day, when Julian had gripped my throat, pinning me against the champagne tower, his face contorted with dark fury: “Anya Reed, your mother killed mine. And you still think you can marry me? You wicked woman, I’ll strangle you right now!” That day, he didn’t strangle me. But every day since had been a living hell. I said nothing, just wiped away the blood, and shakily got to my feet, intending to leave. But Celeste yanked me back by my hair. “You stained my shoe, old hag. You have to lick it clean.” I stumbled back down to the floor, but my eyes burned with stubborn defiance. Lick a mistress’s shoe? Never! I grabbed the table, trying to stand, but Julian kicked me hard in the back of my knee. “You want a divorce, don’t you? If she tells you to lick it, you lick it.” My entire body stiffened. I bit down hard on my lower lip, the metallic taste of blood flooding my mouth. Divorce… once I’m divorced, I’ll be free. My last shred of dignity shattered, I could only humiliate myself, extending my tongue. Again and again, I licked Celeste Hayes’s high heel until it gleamed. Celeste wrapped her arms around Julian, pouting, “Julian, darling, since this old hag is so good at licking shoes, why don’t we send her to Nightfall Bar to lick all the customers’ shoes?” “I still haven’t settled the score with her for hurting me~” I clenched my fists, staring at Julian’s face in disbelief. We weren’t divorced yet. I was still officially Mrs. Vance. Was he really not going to spare me even a shred of dignity? Julian’s gaze lingered on me, then he lifted his foot and deliberately ground it into the divorce papers. “Anya Reed, you deserve a lesson.”

The bar manager took pity on me and didn’t make me actually lick anyone’s shoes. He just handed me a flannel cloth and told me to kneel and wipe the customers’ shoes clean. Drunken patrons insulted me freely, some even stepping on my face with force. But I just calmly polished their shoes until they gleamed. A group of rich kids in front of me stared at their phones, laughing loudly. “Holy crap, Mr. Vance must really adore his new favorite! He’s put out a hundred-million-dollar bounty for a matching heart for her!” “Heard when that girl was diagnosed with heart disease this afternoon, Mr. Vance was so furious he almost trashed the whole hospital. Those doctors nearly peed their pants.” “A hundred million! Mr. Vance is way too generous. If you ask me, she’s just a little bird, so what if she dies?” “You don’t know anything. Celeste is different. They all say she looks just like Anya Reed from back in college…” I froze, my gaze drawn to their phone screens. Bold black letters clearly stated that anyone who was a match and agreed to donate a heart to Celeste Hayes would receive a one-hundred-million-dollar reward. If I remembered correctly, my blood type and all my health indicators matched Celeste’s. I had even been dragged by Julian to donate 3000cc of blood because of it. The screen’s light illuminated my face. The rich kids in front of me looked at me in surprise, then burst into laughter. “Isn’t that Mrs. Vance? Why aren’t you serving your Mr. Vance’s new darling? How’d you end up here shining our shoes?” “If you ask me, you should just sleep with us, it’d be better than being the Vance family’s dog.” Lewd gazes roved over my body, and several hands reached out to touch me. I recoiled in terror, grabbing a beer bottle, just as I was about to make a run for it, three bodyguards rushed in, kicking the rich kids far away. Ignoring their angry curses and wails, they turned and grabbed me. “Madam, it’s time for you to assist Miss Hayes with her bath.” My expression was numb. I let them drag me into the car. Outside, thunder and rain raged, just like the day my mother died in my arms—cold and piercing. The moment the door opened, a sticky, foul-smelling lace thong was flung at my face. On the sofa, Julian, looking utterly sated after his latest tryst, held Celeste close and lit a cigar. “Still remember how to come back? I thought you’d be too busy licking shoes to get off the bed by now.” I ignored his words, simply walking up to Celeste and saying, “Miss Hayes, it’s time for your bath.” *SLAP!* My face snapped sideways from the sudden blow. Julian flicked his cigarette at me, his eyes blazing with displeasure. “Can’t you speak properly?” I staggered a few steps before regaining my balance, clenching my fists, swallowing the metallic taste in my throat, and choked out, “Miss Hayes, please allow me to assist you with your bath.” “No way!” Celeste hid in Julian’s arms, whining, “That disgusting old hag will definitely hurt me on purpose! Let her bathe Little Monster tonight, it’ll be good practice for her.” Little Monster was Celeste’s pit bull terrier, and it had bitten me many times. What was the difference between bathing it and walking into a death trap? I shivered uncontrollably, instinctively resisting. “No, I won’t!” “You won’t?” Julian stood up, grabbing my hair and pulling me close, humiliatingly patting my face. “What right do you have to refuse? Don’t you care about your mother’s life anymore?” **截断点**

At the mention of my mother, my eyes instantly welled up. Seeing my tears, Julian paused for a moment, then roughly shoved me to the ground. “Anya Reed, a heartless woman like you can cry?” “If you hadn’t desperately stopped me from finding my mother back then, she wouldn’t have been pushed down the stairs by your mother. You’re the culprit!” “If Celeste isn’t happy today, you and your mother can both go to hell.” His eyes burned with raw hatred, yet he refused to look at me. Tears streamed down my face. I clutched my chest tightly. To keep that secret all those years ago, my mother and I had suffered so much. Yet, Julian still hated me so deeply… If that’s how it was, then after the divorce, I would tell him the truth and clear my mother and my names! Thinking this, I suddenly felt a sense of relief. All along, Julian had hated the wrong person. I wondered how desperate he would be the day he learned the truth. I staggered to my feet and walked towards the tightly shut metal door. From deep inside the room, I heard the growls of a dog. Fear surged through me. I turned to run, but the metal door slammed shut. Julian’s voice was icy. “I’m taking Celeste to watch the fireworks. Don’t let her out to bother us.” As the sound of his footsteps faded, the vicious dog instantly lunged at me, sinking its teeth into my arm. My pathetic screams and the fireworks outside erupted simultaneously. When I was finally let out, my body was covered in over a dozen lacerations, big and small. The dog kennel was littered with torn flesh and fresh blood. A bodyguard threw me a roll of gauze and a check. “Mr. Vance said for you to get lost.” I picked up the check with trembling hands. The amount was exactly enough for my mother’s treatment this month. But it wasn’t needed anymore. I tore the check into pieces and threw it on the ground, forcing myself to stand and leave. I would never come back to this place. I took a cab to the hospital, had my wounds stitched, received a vaccine, and then contacted the hospital director using the number on the bounty notice. “Are you sure you want to voluntarily donate your heart?” The hospital director looked at my medical report with satisfaction, nodding. “You are indeed the most suitable candidate for Miss Hayes’s heart transplant. However, the surgical risks are very high…” “It’s fine.” I raised my hand and signed the voluntary donor agreement without hesitation. If death was a release, could anything be worse than this? After signing the agreement and confirming the precautions, I had just stepped out of the hospital when Julian’s call came through. “Are you the one donating a heart to Celeste? What’s your name?” I gripped the phone tightly, my breath catching in my throat. “I…” Before I could speak, Julian impatiently cut me off, “Proceed with the surgery as soon as possible. The payment will be transferred to your card afterward.” The call disconnected. Staring at the name “Husband” on my phone, a mixture of sarcasm and bitterness twisted into an indescribable pain in my heart. If only he had looked at how he’d saved my contact, he would have known who I was. On my phone, a news headline popped up: *Vance Group CEO Spends Millions Lighting Up the City with Fireworks to Win His Beloved’s Smile.* Meanwhile, I clutched my wounds, found the nearest park, and spent the night lying on a cold bench. When I woke up, I received a call informing me that my mother’s grave had been arranged. To ensure they could be together, I used all my remaining savings to purchase a burial plot next to Mrs. Vance. After visiting my mother’s grave, I bowed three times to Beatrice Vance’s as well. Just as I was about to stand, a powerful force from behind kicked me. “You, the daughter of a murderer, what right do you have to visit my mother!”

My wounds ripped open, and blood seeped, staining my black dress. Julian Vance appeared before Beatrice Vance’s tombstone with Celeste Hayes. His eyes raged with hatred, and he flung a bouquet of flowers at my face. “Anya Reed, didn’t I warn you not to appear before my mother?” I clutched my arm, grinding my teeth. “I am not the daughter of a murderer!” My mother was right there. I couldn’t let her be slandered even from the grave! *SLAP!* A stinging slap landed on my face, making my ears ring. Celeste, in her towering heels, deliberately ground her foot into my wounds. “You old hag, aren’t you pathetic? Are you here to show off that Julian didn’t kill you, and even paid for your mom’s hospital bills?” At her words, Julian’s fingers trembled, his eyes filled with immense guilt towards his mother. When he looked at me, it turned into overwhelming fury. He grabbed my hair, dragging me like a dead dog, then kicked my knee. Before I could even stabilize my kneeling position, he grabbed my head and forcefully slammed it against the stone slab. “Today, you’ll kneel here and kowtow, and properly apologize to my mother.” “As for your mother, that wretched culprit, I’ll have her tortured mercilessly, making her wish she were dead!” I clutched my forehead, laughing a desolate, bitter laugh. “But my mother is already dead, isn’t she?” The portrait of Beatrice Vance before me smiled gently and kindly, as if she had found solace. The sense of grievance and pain in my heart almost overflowed. I murmured bitterly, a soft, broken whisper: “But my mother… she’s already dead…” She died painfully, miserably. “What did you say?” Julian staggered back a step. He stared at me, his voice trembling uncontrollably. “Anya Reed, do you think lying to me like this will atone for your sins and hers?!” “She’s right there!” My whole body trembled. I pointed to my mother’s tombstone beside us. If Julian just looked, he would see my mother’s photo. “Go look, Julian Vance, just look! My mother has already been killed by you. Are you satisfied?!” Julian’s eyes widened. He stared intently at the nearby tombstone, his entire posture visibly slumping. He reached out a trembling hand, about to push aside the flowers in front of the gravestone. *Thump!* Celeste collapsed to the ground, her face pale, hands clutching her chest, her breath shallow and weak. “Julian, darling, my heart hurts so much…” Julian instantly turned back in a panic, sweeping Celeste into his arms, ready to leave. “Wait!” I lunged forward, desperately grabbing his pant leg. “If I pay back that ten million, you’ll sign the divorce papers, right?” Julian’s body stiffened. He didn’t look back, only his cold voice echoed in my ears. “Anya Reed, I will never let you or your mother off the hook.” I smiled, tears filling my eyes. Julian Vance, you don’t need to let us off. Because my mother and I are both leaving your world. Just as I walked out of the cemetery, my phone rang. It was the hospital. “Miss Reed, Mr. Vance is demanding the heart transplant surgery immediately. We need you to rush over!” “Alright,” I gripped my phone. “But I have one condition: conceal my identity until after the surgery. Don’t let anyone know who I am.” I lay in the hospital bed, then was wheeled into the ICU. Julian Vance, pacing anxiously outside the door, glanced at me with a solemn expression, then rubbed his eyes and turned away, dismissing the flicker of doubt in his gaze. It was laughable. For a moment, he actually thought the woman before him was Anya Reed. How could that be? After all, she was such a cowardly woman, so afraid of death, she’d cry over a mere scratch… The surgery was a success. To celebrate, he bought Celeste a thirty-million-dollar emerald jewelry set and had it displayed on the front page of the news. In front of him, Celeste smiled and called his name, but Julian seemed distracted. He pulled out his phone, wondering if Anya Reed had reacted at all. Suddenly, a text message popped up. [Bank transfer: $100,000,000.] The sender was Anya Reed. A terrible premonition surged within him. Julian’s pupils constricted. He quickly grabbed a passing nurse, urgently asking: “What was the name of the person who donated the heart?” The young nurse was startled, stammering, “I think it was… Anya Reed…” “The poor girl was covered in injuries when she arrived.” “I heard her mother passed away just a few days ago after failed resuscitation efforts.” “What…” Julian’s lips trembled slightly. He staggered a few steps, grabbing the wall for support, his eyes filled with disbelief.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297118”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance

Rachel Thompson once had a happy family. Her husband, Thomas Wilson, ran a successful restaurant, while Rachel stayed at home as a full-time mom. However, fate had other plans. In May 2005, Thomas, with whom Rachel shared a deep bond, passed away in an accident, leaving her with a 1600-square-foot house and a 3-year-old daughter. At 28, Rachel felt her world crumbling, but for her daughter’s sake, she had to be strong. 0 One morning, Rachel took her daughter Lily to the supermarket. While storing her bag in a locker, she turned around to find Lily gone. Panic-stricken, Rachel searched the entire store but couldn’t find her little girl. She was terrified, having already been pushed to the brink by her husband’s death. The thought of losing her daughter was unbearable. Just as despair was setting in, Rachel ran out of the supermarket and saw Lily standing not far away. The little girl was contentedly eating a lollipop, her other hand firmly held by a young man in his mid-twenties. Rachel rushed over, hugging Lily tightly while profusely thanking the young man. He sheepishly scratched his head and explained that he had found Lily alone on the street, guessing she had gotten separated from her mother. Fearing for the child’s safety, he had waited with her, believing her mother would come looking. He advised Rachel to be more careful, warning about the dangers children could face. Rachel agreed, insisting on treating him to a meal as a thank you. During their conversation, Rachel learned that the young man’s name was Jake Collins. He came from a rural background, with parents who were farmers. After finishing middle school, he had moved to the city to make a living, starting as a construction worker. Through hard work, he now ran his own construction contracting company. After the meal, they exchanged SnapChat contacts. Jake often messaged to ask about Lily. Rachel later found out that Jake was three years younger than her and unmarried. His fondness for children and their shared experiences brought them closer. As they spent more time together, Jake expressed his feelings for Rachel. He admired her independence and capability, sympathized with her struggles, and wanted to help her care for Lily. Rachel, in turn, accepted Jake’s affection. However, their relationship faced opposition from Jake’s parents in the countryside. They couldn’t understand why their son would choose a woman three years older, especially one with a child. But Jake was determined, willing to cut ties with his parents to marry Rachel, which both surprised and deeply moved her. 0

On February 14, 2006, Rachel married Jake, who was three years her junior. Jake’s parents, still strongly opposed to the marriage, didn’t attend the wedding. The newlyweds moved into Rachel’s house. Jake was an excellent stepfather to Lily, often doing more than Rachel herself in caring for the child. A year later, Rachel gave birth to their son, Kevin. While Kevin’s arrival brought joy, it also increased their financial burden. Rachel, overwhelmed with childcare, temporarily leased out her restaurant, leaving Jake as the sole breadwinner. Unfortunately, Jake’s company faced a crisis when two employees died in a work accident, resulting in hefty compensation claims. To make matters worse, Rachel developed mild postpartum depression, often lashing out at Jake and the children. Jake had no choice but to ask Rachel’s mother, Linda, for help. With her support, Rachel’s condition gradually improved. Feeling the weight of financial pressure, Jake desperately sought a higher-paying job but was repeatedly turned down due to his lack of qualifications. One day, while pondering how to make money amid piles of steel pipes at his worksite, an idea struck him – he decided to sell the pipes illegally. Knowing the high demand for steel pipes at construction sites, Jake thought he could siphon off a small amount without anyone noticing and sell them for a good price. On his night shift, he arranged for a scrap dealer to help him transport the pipes. Unfortunately, they were caught by a site worker who had forgotten something. The construction company reported the theft, and Jake was sentenced to one year in prison for embezzlement, along with a $5,000 fine. During Jake’s imprisonment, his parents, upon learning of the situation, came to Rachel’s house and caused a scene. They didn’t even inquire about their newborn grandson or visit Jake. Instead, they berated Rachel, calling her a seductress who had bewitched their son into marriage and now caused his imprisonment. They demanded $30,000 in compensation from Rachel. She scraped together the money to send them away, then broke down crying in her mother’s arms, lamenting her misfortune and Jake’s poor choices.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297117”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance

On my birthday, my wife Zoe, who had promised to spend the day with me, was nowhere to be found. I waited from morning till night, asking everyone I knew, but no one had heard from her. Just as I was about to call the police, I saw trending photos online of my adopted brother Leo passionately kissing Zoe. Above them were dazzling, grand fireworks. The headline read: “Evans Corp CEO Lavishes Millions on Adopted Brother – Sibling Love or Secret Affair?” Leo even posted birthday celebration photos with Zoe on Instagram. There was a small cut on Zoe’s lip. The caption read: “I’ll always love you, sis.” I commented: “Wishing you a lifetime of happiness together.” Immediately, I was bombarded with calls from Zoe: “What do you mean by wishing us happiness? Leo and I are just siblings, don’t be so jealous!” “Leo’s fictional skin condition* flared up on his birthday and he was suicidal. What’s wrong with me keeping him company for a normal birthday? Do you want his birthday to become his deathday?” “Leo saw your comment and thinks he’s a homewrecker now. He’s really upset. Delete it and apologize right now! Otherwise I’ll divorce you!” I coldly replied: “Fine, let’s get divorced then.” *Note: “Skin hunger syndrome” is a fictional condition invented for this story, not a real medical diagnosis.

There was a long silence on the other end. Just as I was about to hang up to clear my head, Zoe started cursing angrily: “Jack Evans, you’ve got some nerve!” “You think I’ll fall for your divorce threat? You chased after me for seven years like a lovesick puppy. Now you’re trying to play hard to get?” I clung to one last shred of hope: “What if I’m not playing hard to get this time?” Zoe’s voice dripped with disdain: “You think I’d believe that?” Then, amidst the roar of fireworks, I heard increasingly heavy breathing on the other end of the call. Remembering how Zoe said she was just keeping Leo company for a normal birthday without his “skin condition”, I felt like a complete fool. We dated for three years and have been married for four. Zoe always treated intimacy with me as a chore, never initiating or showing enthusiasm, always finding excuses to avoid it. But now, she was doing those things with another man under the fireworks… Perhaps my prolonged silence made Zoe feel guilty. She tried hard to steady her shaking voice as she commanded: “Stop being unreasonable! Go delete that Instagram comment right now! Apologize to Leo!” “I’ll be home soon after I finish keeping Leo company!” Keep him company? How exactly? By getting as physically close as possible? She held me in such low regard that she barely bothered to hide it anymore. I couldn’t keep swallowing my pride and ignoring this blatant cheating. I swallowed the bitterness and took a deep breath: “Zoe Chen, I’m not playing hard to get. Let’s meet at the courthouse tomorrow at 10 AM to file for divorce.” I had given her countless chances. Before, when she and Leo would hug intimately in public, I could believe her explanation that they were just close siblings. When Leo would always kiss her cheek affectionately, I chalked it up to habits from living abroad. I didn’t want to think the worst of the woman I loved and idolized. But Zoe kept pushing it further and further, rubbing my face in it! She knew how long I had planned our birthday trip together in advance, but she still didn’t care at all. Zoe was about to keep yelling at me when her voice suddenly changed pitch. Leo’s fake innocent voice chimed in: “I didn’t mean to, sis! You won’t be mad that I was too rough, right?” The phone was snatched away. The sound of slapping became clearer, and though my wife stayed silent, she couldn’t hold back her soft moans. Even if I was a complete idiot, I knew exactly what was happening on the other end now. In a fit of rage, I threw my phone across the room. It shattered the mirror, but also hit the volume button. The dirty sounds grew louder, drowning out the fading fireworks. “Ah! Leo, stop!” The call was abruptly ended. I picked up my cracked phone from the glass shards and dialed a long-unused number. “Grandfather, I’m willing to come home now. I also agree to the arranged marriage with the Xu family.”

After ending the call, I pondered for a long while. Zoe and I never should have met. I shouldn’t have thought she was a good person just because she looked like my first love. Zoe is Zoe, Olivia is Olivia. A fake is just a fake. Thinking back to when I first met Zoe, I could only laugh at myself. I had just graduated then, before being recognized by the Evans family. My father was gravely ill and I was drowning in debt. The Xu family used a $1 million check to buy me off, so Olivia could study abroad. $1 million is barely enough for a watch to me now. But back then, that $1 million not only covered my father’s medical bills, but also cleared all my debts. I used the remaining $100,000 as startup capital to become a clothing reseller. Luckily, I quickly earned back $1 million. After that, I invested in some unpopular internet and AI companies. Unexpectedly, in just a year, those companies turned a profit and were raking in money. Zoe was the daughter of a distributor, working part-time in accounting at her family’s company. When I paid the final installment early, she was surprised: “Didn’t you say last month you needed to delay payment for your father’s surgery? How can you pay so quickly now? Does that mean you don’t need to keep paying?” She carefully probed: “My condolences…” Good news puts people in high spirits. Seeing her face so similar to Olivia’s, I smiled and explained: “My father’s surgery was very successful. The stocks I invested in also multiplied several times over, so paying the final installment is no problem. Thank you for your concern.” She put away her prying curiosity and surprise, returning a sweet and innocent smile. Seeing that smile on a face 90% identical to my first love’s, I couldn’t help falling for her. Even knowing she wasn’t truly innocent, but calculating and probing, I still fell deeper and deeper in love with her. When I love someone, I want to give them my best. So I catered to her every whim. She said she was close with her adopted brother and hoped I would help mentor Leo. So I introduced Leo to my business connections as my future brother-in-law and even helped him land some big deals. But she would often go stay overnight at Leo’s apartment to keep him company. Whenever I expressed the slightest doubt, she would immediately explode: “You know Leo has that skin condition*! We can’t let anyone find out about it. Only I can help him as his sister. Stop meddling in my family’s private matters.” A notification popped up – it was the divorce agreement from my new lawyer. I was about to open it when I saw 999+ notifications on Instagram. I clicked in and found someone had logged into my account. After logging back in, I saw Zoe had posted an apology to Leo using my account: “As a brother-in-law, I shouldn’t have left inappropriate comments on my wife’s brother’s post, insulting their sibling relationship. I was being dirty-minded and narrow-hearted.” She even attached an animated gif of my face photoshopped onto a pig, repeatedly bowing and saying “I’m not human.” This was my main account with many followers and clients. My inbox was flooded with people asking what was going on. Some even asked if I had some kind of threesome fetish. I was furious, wishing I could strangle Zoe. Right after the apology post came a call from Leo. He arrogantly said: “My sister married a boring guy like you because she thought you were reliable and family-oriented. But now you want a divorce just because you’re jealous of me? Don’t you understand? Marriage isn’t something you can just end on a whim.” “My sister is already exhausted from keeping me company. Now she has to deal with the mess you made in the comments. You really know how to make trouble for people!” *Note: “Skin hunger syndrome” is a fictional condition invented for this story, not a real medical diagnosis.

I laughed bitterly. Zoe and Leo really were raised together – even their twisted logic was identical. They fool around under the guise of a sister keeping her brother company on his birthday. They stand me up on my own birthday, and then have the nerve to blame me! I coldly hung up on Leo, deleted the Instagram post, and made a new post clarifying my account had been hacked. Then I sent the finalized divorce agreement to Zoe and blocked her and Leo’s contact info. However, an unknown number started blowing up my phone. Thinking it was one of Zoe’s tricks, I angrily answered: “Mr. Evans, due to the withdrawal of medical support, your father has passed away. Please come to the hospital to claim the body as soon as possible.” My blood ran cold. I felt like I’d fallen into an icy pit. I struggled to steady my shaking body, my voice trembling: “W-what? Could you please repeat that?” The person patiently repeated the message. My head was spinning. I couldn’t accept this reality. My father had a heart attack and became paralyzed 8 years ago. Although his heart surgery was successful, he needed long-term care and rehabilitation, requiring large monthly medical payments to keep him alive. I had set up automatic payments for his medical fees long ago. How could the medical support possibly have been withdrawn? I was silent for a long time. The staff member, likely used to people unable to accept a loved one’s passing, suggested I log into the system to confirm myself. I took a deep breath, held it, and logged in with my eyes squinted to tiny slits, afraid to look. But I still gradually confirmed the fact of my father’s death. As grief overwhelmed me, a text came from the unknown number: “Jack Evans, you’ve really done it now! Not only do you dare to bring up divorce, you even dare to block and delete me!” “Did you forget that I control all your bank cards and assets? Now, unblock me immediately, add me back, and get on your knees to apologize! Otherwise your dad can just wait to die!” So Zoe was the one who withdrew my father’s medical support! I stared at those vicious words with an icy gaze, wishing Zoe would die in my father’s place. Back then when Zoe said she felt insecure and feared I would cheat once I got rich, I put all my assets in her name. I originally thought Zoe was just promiscuous and unfaithful. I never imagined she would be so vicious as to use my father’s life to threaten me! I gritted my teeth in hatred, my eyes blood-red, nearly crushing the phone in my grip. Out of what little remained of our marital affection, I had planned to let her off easy. But she shouldn’t have been so vicious. She shouldn’t have killed my father who was all I had left! I will make her pay double for this! The housekeeper brought over the Xu family’s engagement token. I opened it to find the phoenix jade pendant my first love had given me. It came with a note that said: “Returning the jade intact.” This pendant was the token of love my first love had given me. Hers had a lovebird engraving. The lovebird and phoenix, a perfect match made in heaven. She said the pendants were family heirlooms, only given to their most beloved. Later when we were forced to break up, the Xu family took back the pendant. I never expected it would return to my hands again! I suppressed my excitement and solemnly wrote on the paper: “Together until our hair turns white.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297116”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance

Just before I took my last breath, I finally agreed to sign the divorce papers. Ten years of love couldn’t withstand one taunt from his first love. I clutched the pen and died in Jack’s arms. Jack, who had patiently asked me for divorce 100 times after our marriage, Broke down crying uncontrollably after my death. Later, he took my ashes and disappeared into the sea. Just before the waves engulfed him, he said: “Lucy, I was wrong. If there’s another life, I’ll make amends.” Perhaps moved by his words, when I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the fifth year after we first met. Looking at the completely changed Jack before me, I finally understood. Maybe our ending was too tragic in the previous life, so in this life he just wanted to choose the path he truly desired. But when I was lying in the hospital bed again, He cried until his eyes were red, cursing himself over and over for being useless. “Who do you choose, me or her?” Mia clung to Jack’s arm, dragging her suitcase. Though phrased as a question, her tone left no room for doubt about the answer she expected. I stared blankly ahead, muttering, “The feelings were never that deep anyway. No need to pretend to be heartbroken.” Jack looked up sharply at me. “What did you say?” I jolted, meeting his gaze. His eyes swirled with complex emotions – Suppressed feelings, reluctance to let go, and the joy of reunion after a long separation. With just that one look, I knew he had come back too. I looked at this man who had tormented each other for ten years in our past life. Fighting the pain in my chest, I opened my trembling lips: “I said…” Mia impatiently cut me off. “God, you’re so annoying!” She stepped forward, jabbing my shoulder with her long, manicured nails. “Someone like you, apart from your pretty face, is completely ordinary in every other way. Just finish school like a good girl and don’t covet what isn’t yours.” In the past, I would have argued endlessly with Mia. But now I knew that no matter what, Jack would always take Mia’s side. Forget it. Looking past Mia, I saw Jack’s pained expression. She turned and linked her arm through Jack’s, her eyes glinting slyly. “Let’s go. My dad is waiting for us. I heard their new drug research is making progress…” Jack’s brow furrowed, then he spoke in a cool voice: “This kind of life is too cloying. Mia and I rented an apartment near campus. You can come visit sometime if you’d like.” With that, the two of them turned and left. The 20-year-old Jack was just like the 25-year-old Jack. For Mia’s sake, he abandoned me again without hesitation. It made sense. Given another chance at life, he surely didn’t want to repeat past mistakes. Tears welled up in my eyes. Emma beside me mistakenly thought I was crying because of them. She rolled up her sleeves, ready to chase after them. I grabbed her sleeve to stop her. “Let it go, Emma. He’s choosing what he wants. There’s nothing wrong with that.” Jack turned back at my words. Though his expression remained calm, his eyes were turbulent, Full of sorrow and reluctance to part. I wiped away my tears, avoiding his gaze. I didn’t want to read too much into his thoughts. Then I pulled Emma with me back to the dorm. Ending our entanglement while there was still a chance to salvage things might not be such a bad thing. In our past life, to please Mia, He gave me 100 divorce papers after we married, Just to satisfy all of Mia’s unreasonable demands. Even in my final moments, one phone call from Mia was enough to draw him away from my hospital bedside. He simply didn’t love me anymore. I was foolish not to let go until my dying breath. Heaven took pity and gave us another chance, But no one asked if I wanted to go through it all again. I suddenly remembered Jack’s last words before he died: “Lucy, I was wrong. If there’s another life, I’ll make amends.” But no matter what he meant, I didn’t want to keep tormenting each other anymore. Lucy, don’t soften your heart. Lucy, don’t look back.

Suddenly I felt warmth trickling from my nose. I reached up to touch it – a streak of bright red. The same pitiful state as my past life… At least Jack didn’t see it. I spent the whole night processing the emotions of reliving this life. The next day I went to class with puffy eyes. Just as the bell rang, Jack slipped into the classroom. The 20-year-old him wasn’t as composed and mature yet. His fluffy head would often burrow into my arms like a puppy. But now, we could never go back to that. My heart ached at the thought. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t even notice someone sit down beside me. Seeing no reaction from me, the person slammed their backpack loudly on the desk. I startled, finally turning to look. Jack’s face was scrunched up in annoyance, dark circles under his eyes. He ignored my gaze, burying his head in his arms like he was sulking. He quickly fell asleep, his breathing even. His phone kept buzzing on the desk. On impulse, I picked up his phone. I tried my birthday as the passcode. It worked – he hadn’t changed it. The first thing I saw was his chat with Mia. All the previous messages had been deleted. There was just one message from him: “Are you still mad?” Mia’s messages came flooding in one after another: “Who told you to sleep in the study last night!” “You said you were over Lucy!” “You promised me! Don’t blame me if I change my mind!” My hands trembled uncontrollably. I couldn’t help remembering countless nights in our past life, When Jack would rush off at Mia’s phone call. Even when I was on my deathbed, Mia only had to tell a small lie, And Jack abandoned me without hesitation. Though I had resolved to let go in despair, My heart still ached unbearably in this moment. I still couldn’t face the reality that he didn’t love me. But life is for living. This time, I refuse to watch the one I love treat me coldly again. I refuse to repeat the same mistakes. When Jack woke up, I was long gone. I thought avoiding him would keep things peaceful between us. But I didn’t expect to see Jack again so soon in the cafeteria. Even though I had told myself countless times to let go, Seeing him again still made me panic for a moment. In just a few days, the once sunny and cheerful Jack had changed drastically. He now spent his nights in bars and clubs, reeking of cigarettes and alcohol. At the moment, he had his arm around Mia, smiling down at her. He looked like the stereotypical rich playboy. He let his friends joke crudely: “Why bother eating here in the cafeteria, Mia? Don’t tell me you and Jack are looking for a new place to get frisky!” Amid the raucous laughter, Mia scolded coyly: “Don’t be silly. I just happened to have class today and wanted a change of scenery with Jack for lunch.” I had my back to them, But every word stabbed into my heart. Jack used to hate cafeteria food. In the past, he only came because I begged him to accompany me. Now he moved naturally, his arm around Mia as she leaned into him. He must be very happy now. This is good. It strengthens my resolve to leave.

I clenched my fists so tightly my nails dug into my palms. Taking a deep breath, I stood up to leave. A voice stopped me in my tracks. “Is that Lucy?” Mia’s surprised tone drew everyone’s attention. My pride was trampled under her feet. She continued speaking: “Oh my god, you’ve gotten so thin! You need to eat more, or you’ll look even more pathetic and poor!” She shoved a plate of food in front of me. Jack’s smile faded as he finally broke his silence, his voice cold: “That’s enough, Mia. Let’s go.” Mia glared at Jack, her face darkening. But in the blink of an eye, she put on an innocent expression again. “Oh, okay!” Then she tilted the hot plate of food towards me, spilling it all over me. I couldn’t dodge in time and fell backwards onto the floor. Mia gasped dramatically, crouching down to help clean the food off me. Her sharp nails left bloody scratches all over my skin. I cried out in pain, trying to stop her: “Stop! Stop! It hurts! It really hurts!” The scratches from her nails were unlike normal cuts. They kept oozing blood in tiny beads. Jack rushed over, yanking Mia away. He frowned as he examined my wounds, his voice shaking: “How did this happen? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?” I pulled my wrist from his grasp, but before I could answer, Mia’s shrill voice cut in: “Jack! If you can’t keep your promise, don’t blame me for changing my mind!” Jack’s face darkened ominously. He seemed to be holding back his anger, on the verge of exploding. Their friends looked at my face and joked: “Hey Jack, she looks familiar. But lately I’ve seen her getting into some rich guy’s Porsche a lot.” At those words, Jack’s eyes flashed dangerously. He snapped his head up, fury and jealousy in his voice: “Whose car?” “Are you that desperate?” “Or do you only go for rich guys? How many backups do you have besides me?!” His accusations made me angry and hurt. He was the one who chose someone else, Yet I became the target of everyone’s criticism. But any explanation would be useless now. I struggled to stay calm, just looking at him steadily. I forced a smile and said: “So what if I did?” He violently flung my arm away. I stumbled backwards. Emma had just gotten her food when she saw this scene. She rushed over and shoved Jack hard. “Jack, what the hell is wrong with you!” When she picked me up, I had already passed out. A streak of red trickled from my nose. Jack was frozen in shock at the blood on my face. “How… how did this happen…” “It’s too early… no… this isn’t right…” He moved to carry me to the hospital. Mia dramatically collapsed to the ground, her voice urgent: “Jack! Think carefully!” Jack’s feet seemed rooted to the spot. Emma clutched me tightly, glaring viciously at the two of them. In the silence, Emma grit her teeth and used all her strength, Somehow managing to carry me on her back and push through the crowd to the hospital.

I was woken by Emma’s sobs. When she saw me open my eyes, she cried even harder. “How could you get sick? Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Why didn’t you come to the hospital sooner!” I tried to raise my hand to wipe her tears, But my body felt like it was on fire. I had no strength to lift my arm. The hospital room door was suddenly flung open with a bang. Jack rushed in. When he saw me lying pale and lifeless in the hospital bed, All the strength seemed to leave his body. He broke down sobbing. I lowered my eyes to look at his wretched state. Just like in our past life – too little, too late. Why? Emma thought Jack was faking his deep love after abandoning me. She got up and started shoving him out. The commotion attracted a doctor. Jack was forced out. My eyelids felt heavy. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. My body was already so weak at this point. Even in this new life, fate hadn’t spared me. I felt like my strength was draining even faster this time. Before I could rest, Mia pushed open the door, her face full of disdain. What a lively day. She smiled smugly. “Lucy, did Jack come?” “Hah, you don’t really think he came to see you, do you?” She waved her wrist. “My wrist just twinged a little and he insisted on rushing me to the hospital.” I barely opened my eyes, my voice flat: “You’ve seen how pathetic I am. Now get out.” She seemed unsatisfied with my response and got angry. “Stop acting all high and mighty!” Then she seemed to think of something and sneered: “Aren’t you curious why he obeys my every word?” I stared at her intently. I knew she was blatantly flaunting Jack’s preference for her, But I still couldn’t help wanting to hear her say it again. She snorted derisively. “Aren’t you curious why someone as young as you got this disease?” My brows furrowed. The strange rapid progression of my illness this time had bothered me, but I never thought there was a reason. Hearing her words sent chills down my spine. “To tell you the truth, your illness is from drugs I had people put in your dorm water cup. It took time, but finally showed results, hahaha!” My mind was reeling. But she got more and more excited as she spoke. “I originally just wanted to teach you a lesson, but Jack felt bad for you! How could he feel bad for you! He clearly likes me! Back then I only joked about dating his friend as a prank! Who told you to show up in the middle!” Mia was nearly hysterical. “Don’t you deserve to die? Just enjoy… enjoy your last moments alive.” “Oh right, that idiot Jack actually believed me when I said I had medicine that could cure your illness, how hilarious hahaha…” SLAP! Emma rushed over and slapped her hard across the face, her eyes blazing red as she roared: “You murderer! You’ll pay for this!” Mia clutched her face, her expression turning vicious. “What can I possibly pay for! You bunch of nobodies, what power do you have to make me pay! It’s her own fault! She should never have appeared in Jack’s life in the first place!” I finally understood. In both lives, All my suffering came from Mia’s selfish desires.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297115”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance

The private island I gifted my daughter for her graduation was brazenly used by my wife’s male secretary to host a scandalous party. Ryan Thompson, my wife’s secretary, was covered in suspicious marks as he forcefully tried to make my daughter Emma play strip poker with him. I landed a solid punch on his face and ordered him off the island. But he had his bodyguards pin me to the ground. He then pressed his filthy foot onto my face, grinding it down. “Your wife gave me this island, you kept man. You have no right to tell me to leave,” he sneered. “This is all courtesy of your wife. Why don’t you lick my foot clean? Then have your daughter entertain us properly, and I might spare your miserable life.” As I watched him lunge towards Emma, my expression darkened completely. I pressed the panic button on my smartwatch. “If you dare touch my daughter,” I growled, “you’ll pay for it with your life!” 0 Halfway through my daughter’s coming-of-age party, the doors burst open. A drunken man stumbled in, followed by over a dozen burly bodyguards. His eyes locked onto the nearest girl, and he ordered his men to drag her over. As his hand reached for her chest, I stepped in, furious. I shoved him away with my shoulder and shouted at the security outside, “What are you doing? Get this man out of here now!” The drunk steadied himself and puffed out his chest. “Do you know who I am, kid? I’m Olivia’s chief secretary, Derek Chen. You should be bowing and calling me Mr. Chen!” He jabbed a finger at the ground. “I run this place in Sullivan Industries. This island? Olivia bought it for my birthday celebration!” His bodyguards jeered, “Better show some respect, boy. If you make Mr. Chen happy, you’ll be set for life!” I felt sick to my stomach. Over the years, I’d heard rumors that my wife Olivia was keeping a lover. But I’d been too focused on helping our daughter Emily overcome her severe PTSD to pay much attention. I’d turned a blind eye to Olivia’s indiscretions. I grabbed Derek by the collar and lifted him off the ground. “Listen here. I’m the majority shareholder of Sullivan Industries. If you don’t want to die in international waters, take your trash and get off my island. Now.” Derek froze for a moment, then burst into mocking laughter. “Oh my, if it isn’t Olivia’s useless stay-at-home husband in the flesh!” He called out to his men, “Look here, boys! This is the loser Olivia keeps around to do the laundry and look after the kid. She’s been done with him for years and he doesn’t even know it!” The bodyguards roared with laughter. Derek looked me up and down with disdain. “Get on your knees and beg, and I might let you live.” I stared at him coldly and pulled out my phone. “Luke, bring extra security to the ballroom.” Before I could finish, several bodyguards pinned me down. Derek snatched my phone and tossed it into a champagne bucket. I let out a cold laugh. “You can’t afford to replace that, boy. Your life is hanging by a thread now.” Derek grinned wickedly. “Can’t afford it? A nobody like you? Olivia would give me the whole company if I asked!” “I’m trying to teach you a lesson here, for your own good. You should be thanking me on your knees!” The pressure holding me down suddenly increased. As I gritted my teeth to fight back, Derek’s eyes raked over me lecherously. Without warning, he delivered a vicious kick between my legs. Blinding pain shot through me. My face went pale as I lost all strength. Derek cackled. “Useless piece of trash. Might as well castrate you and feed you to the dogs!” “You’re just a kept man. Go back to doing the laundry and changing diapers instead of playing businessman.” “Calling for your assistant? As if you have the right!” “I’ll cripple you today, and Olivia will praise me for it.” 0

Derek pointed at the shocked guests. “Listen up, you peasants! This island is my birthday gift from Olivia. It’s my territory!” “If you want to live, you’d better behave. If I’m in a good mood, I might let you all leave alive!” “We’re overseas, not far from international waters. If I’m not happy, I’ll feed you all to the sharks!” My daughter Emily was red-faced with anger. She raised her hand to point at Derek, but before she could speak, he leered at her and lunged forward. I struggled against the bodyguards holding me down, but more piled on top of me. Emily tried to run, but Derek deliberately stepped on the hem of her dress. The fabric tore and Emily fell to the ground in a heap. Humiliated and furious, Emily shouted, “Olivia is my mother! Aren’t you afraid she’ll punish you for treating me like this?” Derek laughed nastily. “Olivia told me I’m the apple of her eye now.” “You’re just a mistake from when she was young and stupid. If I get rid of you and your useless father, Olivia will praise me for removing the obstacles to her freedom as a woman!” He grabbed Emily roughly and grinned at the guests. “Since you’ve come to play on my island, I’ll arrange some entertainment as the gracious host.” He shoved Emily forward. “This little bitch loves playing princess, doesn’t she? Ever seen how the girls serve drinks at a nightclub?” “Go get some alcohol and use your mouth to feed it to every man here!” “If you don’t perform well, I’ll strip off that fancy dress and make you dance for us all.” Emily struggled desperately. I broke free from the bodyguards and rushed to shield Emily behind me. Derek spat on the ground. “How dare you ruin my fun? Beat him to death, boys.” Over a dozen men swarmed me, raining down blows. I curled around Emily, protecting her with my body. My only thought was to keep her from having an episode. The click of high heels approached. Olivia walked into the ballroom, surveying the chaos with confusion. “Why are you all still on my island?” A classmate nervously explained, “Mrs. White, we’re celebrating Emily’s coming of age party.” Olivia’s eyes widened in realization. “Oh, I got the date wrong. I thought you’d all left yesterday.” Derek’s arrogant demeanor vanished. He threw himself into Olivia’s arms, sobbing. “Darling, these peasants won’t let me stay on the island. They even beat me!” Olivia’s gaze swept coldly over the guests. “I don’t recall inviting you all to meddle in my personal affairs. Please leave immediately.” Emily broke free from my protection and stumbled forward in her torn dress, crying out. “Mom, it’s my coming-of-age party today! This creep deliberately ripped my dress to humiliate me!” Derek clung to Olivia’s leg, wailing. “Darling, it’s not true! The little slut stripped to seduce me!” The bodyguards chimed in, “It’s true, Mrs. White! Mr. Chen was badly bullied. They even called him useless!” Emily burst into tears. “He hit Dad and bullied me first! Get out, all of you!” Olivia’s eyes flashed dangerously. With a resounding slap, she struck Emily across the face. “Shut up! You’re just as useless as your father, hiding at home and playing crazy since you were little!” “How did I give birth to such a worthless thing!” “Apologize to Derek right now! Then take your loser friends and get off this island!” “Remember, I’m in charge of this family!” “You and your useless father will obey me without question!” Derek wrapped his arms around Olivia’s waist, putting on a show of distress. “Darling, don’t be angry. A little hardship is nothing to me.” “But your daughter… she shouldn’t have taken off her clothes to seduce me!” “I’m your man after all. I… I’ve betrayed you!” My stomach churned with disgust. I felt like I might vomit. Olivia patted Derek soothingly. “Don’t worry, dear. I don’t even consider that useless girl my daughter anymore.” She turned to Emily. “You little bitch, trying to steal my man at such a young age!” 0

Rage surged through me. I stepped forward and slapped Olivia twice across the face. “Olivia White, you seem to have forgotten who gave you everything you have today! How dare you lay a hand on Emily!” Olivia was the daughter of my father’s war buddy. When her parents died when she was young, she came to live with my family. My parents raised her like their own daughter. I pursued her for ten years before we married. After the wedding, I gave her everything. I started a company for her. When she said she didn’t want to be a housewife, I left the company to fully support her from behind the scenes. And now, for the sake of this scumbag, she publicly struck our daughter! Olivia cradled her cheek, disbelief written across her face. “James Sullivan, you dare to hit me?” Derek immediately began shrieking. “How dare you! A kept man hitting people! Beat him!” The coward had seen me take on several bodyguards earlier, so he hid behind Olivia and urged the others to attack. Over a dozen men rained blows on me as Emily cried out. “Mom, stop them! Don’t hurt Dad!” Olivia approached, her voice ice cold. “Do me a favor. Apologize to Derek and take the ungrateful brat home.” “Then we can still be a family!” I spat out a mouthful of blood. “Apologize to him? He’s not worthy.” Derek wailed even louder. “Darling, it’s all my fault. I’m not worthy. I’ll leave! I’ll jump into the sea as soon as I’m outside. I’ll let your kept man and the little girl have their way!” Olivia’s expression changed. “James! Don’t forget you promised to listen to me in everything when I agreed to marry you.” I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth. “Do you still deserve that promise now?” Olivia snarled, “He’s just a secretary who makes me happy! What about you?” “You spend all your time fussing over that useless brat! Ignoring my feelings, neglecting the business. You’re nothing but a shameless parasite!” Emily broke down sobbing. “You’re the shameless one! I don’t have a mother like you!” “You abandoned me alone in the park back then! The nanny took the blame for you!” “You told her to buy coffee, then took a call and left!” “I was almost assaulted by a homeless man! It was all your fault! You’re a monster!” Emily’s accusations hit me like a thunderbolt! So the root of our daughter’s long-standing fears was abandonment by her own mother! “You bitch!” I slapped Olivia again, enraged. “You’re not fit to be a mother! If I’d known you were the one who hurt Emily, I would have thrown you out long ago!” Olivia’s head snapped to the side from the force of the slap. When she turned back, her eyes glittered with venomous hatred. “You dare bring up the past? I should have stripped her naked and thrown her to the beggars back then!” Her poisonous glare pierced Emily. “You stole your father’s attention as a child, and now you want to seduce my man? You want men that badly? I’ll give you what you want!” She jabbed her finger at Emily and screeched. “Tear off her clothes! Whoever ruins her gets a million dollars!” The bodyguards lunged at Emily like hungry wolves! I struggled desperately to reach her, but the earlier kick and my injuries left me pinned down by two burly men, unable to move. “No! Stop! She just turned 18. I’ll do anything, just let her go!” I howled in anguish as I watched over a dozen rough hands rip at Emily’s dress. My daughter’s pale skin was exposed to the cold air. The sound of tearing fabric pierced my ears. The bodyguards hastily undid their pants, their heavy bodies pressing down on Emily’s trembling form.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297114”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance

I Took Care of My Critically Ill Girlfriend for Three Years When I was about to propose to her, I overheard her talking on the phone with her first love: “I never planned to marry Daniel Thompson. Back then, I broke up with you because I found out I had severe kidney disease. He was willing to stay by my side and take care of me, so I reluctantly stayed with him. Actually, I just treated him like a servant. Now that I’ve found a kidney donor, we can get married after my surgery.” What she didn’t know was that the kidney being donated to her was mine. 0 Hearing Lily say this, I looked at the diamond ring in my hand and laughed bitterly, then turned and gave the flowers to the nurse’s station. Three years of constant care and devotion still couldn’t compete with her ideal first love. I needed to wake up. She was no longer that innocent little girl who would let me ride in the same car with her to school, who would warn bullies not to pick on me, and who would secretly slip me her snacks. I went back to my car and ate the lunch I had made myself. Low salt, low oil, barely palatable. She had to eat this kind of food to control her condition. To help her adjust, I went from only knowing how to cook instant noodles to now being able to make hundreds of dishes. I also had to vary the staple foods. If two meals in a row had the same dishes, she would throw a tantrum and refuse to eat. I still had to deliver meals to the hospital on time every day, watch her eat, and then finish her leftovers. Sometimes she would smile innocently and joke, “Daniel, you’re really like a dog.” At least now I wouldn’t have to eat those awful leftovers like a dog anymore. Thinking about it this way, I suddenly felt much lighter. It turns out my love for her had also been worn away over these three years. No wonder I didn’t feel heartbroken or want to cry, just disappointed and feeling these three years were wasted. Love is a two-way street. Fortunately, I’ve woken up now. Lily called. “Daniel, where the hell are you? I’m starving to death!” I had already adjusted my mindset and calmly said, “Lily, Chris is coming back. I wish you both happiness.” Lily was stunned. “You overheard my phone call? How could you eavesdrop on my calls? That’s my privacy! I don’t care, you come apologize to me right now, or else I’ll…” I continued, “You don’t want me anymore? Fine, I’ll hire a caregiver for you. I’ll explain the breakup to your father.” Lily was silent for a long time, then said, “Daniel, I’ll say it one more time. If you don’t come apologize right now, even if you come begging on your knees tomorrow, I won’t forgive you.” I hung up the phone. The hospital called again to confirm the kidney donation information. I said, “I’m sorry, I’ve decided not to donate.” 0

Back at the company, I deleted the hourly alarms reminding me to send her jokes, and buried myself in work. Not having to rack my brains for jokes, I felt more relaxed, and my work hours became much more productive. I hadn’t been this immersed in work for a long time, and I momentarily forgot about the end of the workday. Until my secretary came to knock on the door. Without looking up, I said, “Come in.” Hearing my voice, the secretary seemed surprised and said as she entered, “Mr. Thompson, didn’t you go to the hospital to deliver food to your girlfriend?” I looked at the time – it was already 5 PM. Usually, I’d have to rush home by 4:30, buy ingredients, cook, and run to the hospital to deliver food without even having time to take a sip of water. The nurses often teased me: “The most devoted boyfriend ever.” “Not going anymore. Is there something you need?” I asked. The secretary hesitated before speaking, “The company is having a dinner tonight. Would you like to join us…?” “Sure, it’s on me,” I replied. I used to devote all my energy to Lily, and I didn’t even realize how long it had been since I’d had dinner with my employees. Everyone enjoyed this meal very much. After dinner, we went to a bar for round two. As soon as we sat down, I saw a familiar figure. Lily was dressed scantily, but her sickly body held no beauty. Flanked by her two best friends, she was confidently dancing in the center of the floor. Her body couldn’t handle this kind of partying. In the past, I always earnestly advised her to focus on treatment and not go out playing with her friends. Now, with no one to stop her, she was indulging recklessly. I sent a message to Mr. Sanders, asking him to come pick Lily up. Many of my employees were my college classmates, and they immediately recognized Lily. Pointing in that direction, they said, “Boss, isn’t that your girlfriend? Isn’t she sick?” I smiled bitterly as I drank, but before I could explain, we heard Lily shouting while holding a bottle: “Finally free from that lapdog Daniel! Now no one can stop me from coming to bars anymore!” Her friend asked, “Lily, did you really break up?” Lily scoffed, “We were never really together. He was just my servant. Chris is my real boyfriend. Now that he’s back in the country, of course I have to keep my distance!” They were about to come say hello, but hearing Lily say this, they were all dumbfounded. “Boss, you…” I waved my hand, also pretending to be nonchalant: “That’s right, she was never my girlfriend. I was just taking care of her for Mr. Sanders because she was sick.” They clearly didn’t believe me, but out of respect, they didn’t expose the lie. Hearing my words, Lily walked over, pointing at me with a slightly drunken look in her eyes. “Daniel, what are you doing here? This place is so expensive, can your salary even afford one bottle? You guys probably don’t know, but your coworker here is the son of my family’s driver. I’m his employer.” My employees couldn’t sit still anymore and wanted to stand up for me. I waved my hand, gesturing for them to calm down. Five years ago, I founded this company. Last year we went public, and my net worth skyrocketed. Now even Lily’s father wouldn’t dare to be disrespectful to me. The reason my dad still worked as a driver was that he was sentimental and didn’t want to be idle, so I bought the villa next to the Sanders’ for him to live in. Lily had been in the hospital for years and didn’t follow financial news, so she had no idea I was no longer a small-time employee. 0

I picked up a beer bottle from the table and asked my secretary, “How much is this beer per bottle?” The secretary replied, “Twenty dollars.” Lily crossed her arms and sneered, “Did you hear that? Twenty dollars. For someone like you who thinks taking a cab is too expensive and always carpools with coworkers, that must hurt, right? Considering your dad’s loyal service to my family, I’ll treat you to this bottle. Drink up and get out of here. Don’t embarrass yourself.” I had indeed changed cars quite frequently this past year. Some were gifts from business partners, some I bought because I liked them. Every time the driver dropped me off at the hospital, Lily would see me getting out of a luxury car from the window with my lunchbox, and she’d say with disgust: “Why don’t you just buy a car? Or at least take a cab. Stop carpooling with rich coworkers all the time. You’re poor but pretentious. I find it embarrassing even if you don’t!” I never explained. I was planning to tell her when we got married as a surprise. Who knew… “No need for you to treat me,” I said. I looked around at the people watching the scene unfold. When Lily was speaking recklessly earlier, the bar owner thought there was trouble and even stopped the music. So now everyone was watching us. I smiled and said, “Drinks are on me tonight. Everyone, drink as much as you want. It’s all on my tab.” The crowd was stunned. After hearing Lily say how poor I was, they thought I was joking. My secretary stood up and said, “Our CEO is treating everyone to drinks.” When they heard I was actually a CEO, everyone cheered excitedly: “Thank you, Mr. Thompson!” The bar owner cheered the loudest. A few young women in revealing outfits came over: “Mr. Thompson, are you single?” I nodded, “Of course.” They all rushed over to toast me: “Mr. Thompson, can we add you on SnapChat?” “Sure,” I accepted without hesitation. Lily snorted lightly and pushed those women aside: “Are you all blind? He’s just putting on an act! He has no money! He’s definitely not a CEO! Daniel, is this really necessary? Are you willing to spend your father’s life savings just to stand tall in front of me for once? Do you want me to call your dad?” My secretary couldn’t help but retort: “What life savings? Our CEO is one of the top 50 on the new rich list. He’s handsome, talented, and worth over a billion dollars. You’re the blind one for not treasuring such a great man!” Lily didn’t believe it at all: “I know you’re his college classmate. I’d be an idiot to believe you covering for him. Worth over a billion? How dare you say that. If he’s really worth over a billion, I’ll kneel down and lick his shoes.” “Then go ahead and lick,” I said. My subordinates pulled up all the news reports about me and shoved their phone screens in Lily’s face. 0

Lily was surprised. Not by the news, but by how these coworkers were all protecting me. “I didn’t realize you had such good connections, Daniel. How much did you pay them to cover for you like this?” The girls who wanted to add me on SnapChat exclaimed while looking at their phones: “Wow, it’s true! Daniel Thompson, CEO of Thompson Tech. A new generation entrepreneur who shot up the rich list. A role model for young entrepreneurs. Mr. Thompson, you’re amazing!” Lily was stunned. Just as she was about to search for herself, her friend shouted: “Chris! Over here! Come quick, someone’s bullying Lily!” Lily’s face immediately lit up: “Chris!” Chris walked over in designer clothes, clearly giving off rich kid vibes. He glanced at the thin, sickly Lily with a hint of disgust in his eyes, but still put his arm around her shoulder affectionately and said, “Who dares to bully our Miss Sanders?” Lily’s cheeks flushed as she said proudly: “See? You ignorant girls who’ve never seen real rich people. This is a true wealthy heir, the son of the city’s top billionaire family, my boyfriend.” She looked me in the eye, emphasizing the word “boyfriend”. In our three years together, she had never publicly called me her boyfriend. Even when her father asked, she only said: “Some lapdog is willing to revolve around me. I pity him, so I didn’t reject him.” After showing off, Lily pointed at me: “Chris, it’s him. I’ve already made things clear, but he won’t stop pestering me.” Chris pushed up his sunglasses arrogantly: “Daniel Thompson, why are you still bothering Lily? She doesn’t like you, and your status isn’t worthy of her. Considering you took care of her for three years, when we get married, I’ll specially reserve a seat for you. You don’t need to bring a gift, just bring some takeout containers.” I snorted with laughter: “First of all, let’s be clear, I’m not bothering her. Our company is having a dinner and we happened to run into each other. Secondly, for your wedding, I won’t come empty-handed. I’ll definitely give you two a big gift.” Lily rolled her eyes: “Alright, stop putting on airs. I’ve already texted your dad to come see what you’ve become. If you kneel down and apologize now, I’ll have Chris cover the trouble you’ve caused tonight. Otherwise, you might have to work here for ten years to pay it off.” Chris looked confused: “What trouble?” I took out a black card and put it on the table: “Thanks for the concern, but I can afford this small amount. I’ve also texted your dad to come see what you’ve become.” Lily was startled: “Why did you text my dad? Still so nosy! Chris, hit him! Beat him up!” Chris stared at my black card in shock. He knew this wasn’t something a small-time employee could possess. Lily pushed him: “What are you waiting for? Hit him!” Chris didn’t dare move: “Daniel, you… you’re not being kept by some rich older woman, are you?” “Chris!” My company’s HR manager, who had just arrived, heard Chris say this. He rushed over to defend me: “How dare you talk to our CEO like that?” Chris was utterly confused: “CEO? He’s a CEO?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297113”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance

**1.** Seven days left. The scene was terrifyingly clear: a blood-splattered zombie lunged at me, its pale, decaying face looming larger and larger. I didn’t even know where it bit me before I blacked out. Now, I was waking up, it was evening. After college, I chose to be a streamer. I’d gotten into the habit of sleeping in the afternoon and starting my stream once I woke up. I wasn’t sure if the previous image was just a dream, but one detail stuck with me vividly. If this was a second chance, then tonight, one of my favorite celebrities was about to have their world come crashing down. The only reason I remembered it so clearly was because I used to be a huge fan of this particular star. My childhood crush was just too perfect, leaving a deep impression. Sure enough, at 9 PM, a trending topic suddenly exploded: “Jax’s secret baby bombshell.” It was a rebirth! Seven days from now, a global catastrophe would erupt – the zombie virus. At first, it only appeared in a few coastal cities, quickly debunked by officials. I never paid attention to such unsubstantiated rumors. I just went with the flow online, yelling a few times about “believing in science,” then ignored it. Just three days. Only three days. The zombie virus spun out of control. Initially, the government still used drones to announce they wouldn’t abandon anyone. Days later, even the drones vanished without a trace. In my previous life, I survived for a month and a half purely on the snacks I’d hoarded. Once they ran out, I had no choice but to venture out for supplies. I hadn’t even made it out of my apartment complex before a zombie tackled me to the ground. It was truly horrifying. The signal went out too fast in my last life. What I regretted most was dying without knowing if my parents were safe. Thinking of this, I immediately called them. “Hey, Mom, Dad. It’s been snowing a lot in Silverwood City lately. Could you come visit? I’m craving Mom’s homemade lasagna, could you come help me make some?” My parents were those caring parents who always grumbled about how useless I was, still unable to make lasagna at my age, even as they promised they’d be right over tomorrow. Thankfully, they lived in the neighboring town of Maple Creek, so it wouldn’t take too long to get here. The sooner I got them close, the sooner I’d feel at ease. After retiring from their teaching jobs, they’d been enjoying retirement at home. I’d tried countless times to get them to move in with me, but they always felt they’d be a burden, stubbornly refusing. They’d visit every month or so, always bringing a carload of food. This thought made me frantically SnapChat my dad: “Dad!!!! Don’t forget my cured sausages!!!!” Cured sausages last forever, even without a fridge. In my last life, the power went out on either the third or fourth day of the apocalypse. I frantically scribbled notes about the power issue on a piece of paper. My paper was already filled with notes. Since finishing my college thesis, I hadn’t used this much brainpower. Honestly, my thesis wasn’t even this exhausting, because this was literally a matter of life or death. It had been so long since I really thought. Even after my nap, I was still incredibly sleepy. I tucked the paper under my pillow, thinking about the tough fight ahead tomorrow, and drifted into a deep sleep. **2.** First, I needed to reinforce the doors and windows. My apartment was on the twenty-first floor. I bought this top-floor unit after college with my streaming income. To be honest, I was broke and didn’t want to ask my parents for money again, so I chose a place far from the city center. Who would’ve thought that when the apocalypse hit, this complex would actually be safer? There weren’t many supermarkets nearby, but luckily, there was a Costco warehouse store. With that thought, I immediately called an installation company to have technicians come and reinforce my doors and windows. “Miss, your door is sturdy enough already. It’s like a fortified steel door, like something out of a bank vault. No need to reinforce it.” “My dad insisted on replacing this door for me. He always said a girl living alone wasn’t safe. If it were up to me, I wouldn’t like such a heavy door, but I couldn’t win against my dad back then.” I then had the technicians replace all the glass in the apartment with the highest-grade bulletproof glass, and also add a one-way film. It was supposed to take three days to complete, but I just slipped them an extra ten thousand dollars. The technicians’ eyes practically disappeared into smiles. “Can you guys try to finish this afternoon? My mom’s coming over, and she’s incredibly security-conscious, always worrying about worst-case scenarios.” Perhaps seeing that I was someone who wasn’t afraid to spend, one of the technicians even asked if I wanted security bars installed. “Install them!” I couldn’t drive, which posed a huge problem for getting supplies. My dad forced me to learn in college. At first, I was enthusiastic, until my driving instructor almost broke my spirit, and I failed the road test five times in a row. I finally gave up. To keep my dad from yelling at me, I even tried to brainwash him: “Don’t worry, self-driving cars will be the norm soon anyway!” I first took a taxi to Costco. On the way, I used my banking apps to check how much money I had. My streaming career had been pretty lucrative over the years. All in all, I still had over seven hundred thousand dollars. I’d tell my parents when they got here. With their savings, we’d probably have over a million and a half. **3.** I needed to buy so many things, and I didn’t dare choose home delivery. In the apocalypse, people were the scariest things. I headed straight for the shelf-stable food section. Normally, I could order these online and have them delivered in batches to different locations, but the problem was that Silverwood City had been hit by a continuous health advisory this year. There were still two active lockdown zones, so deliveries couldn’t get in. I cleared out the entire shelf of ready-to-eat meals: about 150 shelf-stable meal kits, 100 ready-to-eat meals, and over fifty dehydrated soup pouches and instant noodle cups. Fortunately, Costco’s shopping carts were huge; I pushed two. While waiting in line to pay, I got a call from my dad. Don’t let his age fool you; my dad had a commercial driver’s license (CDL). I just made up an excuse and called him over. “Dad, can you rent a cargo van and come to Costco? Yeah, yeah, I’m a streamer, remember? I’m planning a big giveaway.” The installation workers sent a message saying the bulletproof glass was replaced. Without a second thought, I paid them and added, “The local health situation is getting tricky again, guys. Buy more food to keep at home.” My dad would be here soon, which meant I could buy even more things. So, I immediately left my unpaid items with a store associate, asking them to watch it, and then pushed a shopping cart to start a new round of purchases: 10 cases of yogurt, 12 bottles per case 15 cases of sparkling water, 12 bottles per case 20 cases of instant noodles, 24 packs per case 50 high-capacity power banks 50 cases of bottled water, 12 bottles per case 15 cases of spicy ramen packs, 12 packs per case 10 bags of flour, 20 kilograms per bag 10 bags of rice, 20 kilograms per bag 100 boxes of potato chips, 20 cases of pull-apart bread, 50 bags of soy milk powder, 50 bags of black sesame paste Thinking I’d set up solar panels in the afternoon, I also bought 50 pounds of pork, 50 pounds of beef, and 50 pounds of lamb. My home fridge was too small; I’d need to buy two large chest freezers. These things definitely weren’t enough. Even though Costco was a warehouse store, I couldn’t buy too much from just one place. I’d need to visit several stores. Just as I finished paying, Dad arrived in a large cargo van. Seeing the supermarket staff loading items into the truck, my dad joked, “Sweetie, are you going all out? How much are you planning to give away?” As soon as I got in the car, I noticed my old man had turned serious. “Avery, what’s really going on? The house glass has been replaced, you’ve bought so much stuff, and you’re rushing your mom and me over.” I had thought about this question last night, and coming up with excuses had given me a headache. I also knew I couldn’t hide it from them, so I decided to tell them the truth. My parents were older and had lived through tough times. Perhaps because they’d been high school teachers, constantly interacting with kids from the new era, their acceptance of new things was sometimes even stronger than mine. When I told them I died in my apartment complex in my previous life, my dad’s eyes reddened. Perhaps death felt far away, but parents always empathize with your suffering. “Just reinforcing the doors and windows isn’t enough. We need to make it soundproof. What if someone hears something and tries to break in?” My dad was a whirlwind of action. As he spoke to me, he called my mom. Just like that, the worry that had kept me awake all night about an excuse was resolved. There was still a third of the cargo van’s space left. We followed the navigation straight to the farmer’s market and bought a huge haul there too: 10 bags of potatoes × 150kg 10 bags of cabbage × 150kg 10 cases of apples × 20kg 10 cases of oranges × 20kg I remembered reading zombie apocalypse hoarding stories in college where the protagonists raised chickens. I quickly mentioned this idea to my dad. “No, chickens make noise.” My gaze shifted, and I saw fish. I clapped my hands. “We’ll raise fish!” Today was Wednesday. Most people in the complex were at work, and since the location was a bit remote, the occupancy rate wasn’t high. Our family of three moving supplies up to our small attic, trip after trip, didn’t attract any attention. My mom, a biology teacher, looked at the existing supplies and suggested we buy some seeds. We still lacked too many things. We left my mom to organize at home, and my dad and I rushed out again. We headed straight for another Sam’s Club in Silverwood City. This time, with my dad’s decades of experience, buying things was much more organized: 20 bags of rice × 20kg 20 bags of flour × 20kg 50 cases of canned fruit, 20 cans per case 30 cases each of various canned meats, 20 cans per case 50 packs of dried noodles 50 cases of bottled water, 12 bottles per case 15 cases of bread 50 packs of instant rice noodles 15 cases of spicy ramen packs, 12 packs per case 20 buckets of soybean oil × 20kg 20 bottles of dish soap × 2L 20 packs of toilet paper × 12 rolls 30 bottles of body wash × 700ml 50 bottles of laundry detergent × 2L (might not use this much, as water would become a luxury later, but my mom had a slight obsession with cleanliness. If push came to shove, we could purify rainwater. Silverwood City, though in the north, was quite rainy, like a traitor to its northern location.) 50 toothbrushes 50 tubes of toothpaste 20 bars of soap (only my dad used these) 50 bottles of shampoo × 600ml (a little from each brand) 20 boxes of egg yolk pastries, 6 per box 50 bags of ham sausage I cleared out the entire shelf of sanitary pads. Looking at the quantity, it should last me until menopause, no matter what. This Sam’s Club was far from home, and since I worked as a streamer, hardly anyone in Silverwood City recognized me, so I shopped freely. Remembering that the power would go out soon after the zombie outbreak, and natural gas would also be gone, my lazy self quickly told my dad to install solar panels. As a former high school physics teacher, this small problem was no challenge for him. If natural gas was gone, our stove wouldn’t work. Thinking of this, I hurriedly bought 5 air fryers, 5 small pans for cooking, 5 rice cookers, and 2 induction cooktops for hot pot. At the checkout, my dad’s acting skills kicked in. “Avery, your boss is really something. Donating to charity is one thing, but why decide to donate supplies? And then make a young woman like you come buy it all!” We had bought so much, the cashier’s eyes were practically slits from smiling. “It must be for the lockdown zones. Companies come here to buy things like this quite often these past few years.” After the staff loaded everything onto the cargo van, my dad and I headed straight to the mall. My mom had reminded me about this. If zombies could break out, who knew if the weather would turn abnormal? Even though Silverwood City was in the north, what if we encountered extreme weather? 5 sets of summer pajamas per person, 5 sets of winter pajamas per person, 10 sets of loungewear 10 pairs of summer slippers per person, 10 pairs of winter slippers per person. 7 pairs of sneakers per person. 15 thick blankets, 15 thin blankets 20 sets of bed linens 8 down jackets per person, 10 sweaters, countless summer clothes 500 sets of disposable underwear When we got home, we found the soundproofing already underway. Perhaps because my mom paid generously, there were eight or nine technicians in our thousand-square-foot apartment. When no one was paying attention, I asked my mom where she put the supplies. “On the rooftop.” This was an unspoken agreement among the complex residents: the rooftop always belonged to the top floor. When I bought this apartment, I had visited the rooftop. Because the building was so tall, the rooftop railing was a good five feet, three inches high, and this building was the tallest in the vicinity. If you bent down, you wouldn’t be seen from below. Luckily, I had my parents; I honestly hadn’t thought about soundproofing or anything like that. With money paid, the work naturally sped up. It was finished by around 8 PM. After seeing off the installation technicians, our family moved everything from the rooftop to the attic, and then brought up the rest of the supplies from the truck. “We still need to buy some medicine. And some multivitamins. Water isn’t enough either. Here, Avery, tomorrow you and your dad go buy water. Visit several stores, buying a little from each. I’ll go buy seeds and soil tomorrow. I’m just worried no pharmacy will dare sell antibiotics because of the health advisory.” I paused for a moment. Medicine might actually not be an issue. I rushed into the room and brought out two large medicine chests. “Oh, Mom, you forgot! You and Dad always bring me so many medicines when you visit, and they’re all recently dated. The last time was about ten days ago…” Seeing the two overflowing medicine chests, our family finally felt relieved. “Even though your dad and I don’t have high blood pressure or anything, it’s always good to have some just in case.” My dad and I were busy moving supplies from the rooftop. We were truly exhausted today. My mom just boiled some noodles for a quick dinner. The next morning, we just had some milk powder and bread before heading out again. **4.** Six days left. “Dad! Don’t forget the solar panels and the large chest freezers. The freezers can go in the study. There should be enough space for two large ones.” No sooner said than done, we headed straight to the mall to buy two large chest freezers. Good thing it was cold now, otherwise the meat we bought yesterday would have spoiled. We also bought several sets of solar power systems. No particular reason, just in case one broke. My dad said he could fix them, but what if? While buying the solar systems, we also popped into the neighboring store and bought several thick blackout curtains. There was still space left in the cargo van, so I took my dad straight to buy water: 10 large water jugs × 19L 10 packs of bottled water × 12 bottles Then we went to pick up what my mom had bought: 50 packs of various seeds (including easy-to-grow vegetables and fruits like cabbage, bok choy, potatoes, tomatoes, and cucumbers.) 10 bags of unhulled wheat × 30kg (These have a long shelf life; we can grind them by hand if needed.) 50kg chicken breast 20kg chicken wings 20kg chicken feet 20kg beef These items filled the cargo van. On the way back, we stopped at pharmacies to buy medicines that didn’t take up much space: vitamins, blood pressure medication, etc., buying small amounts from multiple stores. We also bought 20 tubes of anti-itch cream, 10 tubes of corticosteroid cream, and 20 bottles of Vitamin E lotion. The whole morning passed like this. Thankfully, the elevator was spacious enough for the freezers. We moved things up trip after trip. After a quick lunch, my mom, whose stamina couldn’t keep up, stayed behind to organize. My dad and I continued shopping, this time heading straight for larger supermarkets like Auchan: 70 bags of salt 10 cases of soy sauce × 12 bottles 5 cases of vinegar × 12 bottles 3 cases of oyster sauce × 12 bottles 20 packs of paper towels × 12 rolls 20 packs of facial tissues × 12 packs We also bought soybeans. If soy sauce ran out later, we could brew our own. My mom used to do it when she wasn’t so busy, back when I was a kid. At this point, all the shopping coupons from three supermarkets—Dafasco, Yonghui, and Yaohan—were used up. “Heh heh, I had no idea I’d accumulated so many coupons.” **5.** Five days left. Today’s task was much easier. So far, the only thing we were short on was water. We needed to buy water in multiple trips. Oh, right, and we needed to buy some self-defense tools. To be fully prepared, we drove the cargo van and bought another 50 large jugs of water, 19L each. I also bought several kitchen knives and a few small knives for defense. Passing by a gym, I had a sudden idea to buy a treadmill for home. I could run on it every day; otherwise, my physical fitness wouldn’t keep up. Even though we had tried to make every possible preparation, what if? Thinking of this, I went to a car dealership and looked at an RV. The salesperson raved about it, saying it was bulletproof, had a high chassis, and was super safe. Last night, at dinner, I mentioned that if things got really bad, we’d have to leave, so a car with high safety ratings was essential. I went with the salesperson to complete the paperwork and arranged to pick up the RV in three days. When I got home, I found my mom had bought a lot of lemons. These last a long time if refrigerated. This would be our vitamin supplement for when the apples and oranges ran out and the tomatoes weren’t ripe yet. Four days left, my dad dragged my mom out to stock up on even more supplies. I don’t know how my dad managed it, but he even brought back several barrels of gasoline. “We’ll put it in the RV when it arrives. If things get bad, we’ll leave.” For the next few days, I tried my best to go live every day, reminding everyone to stock up on supplies. Forgive me for not being able to say more; I was too insignificant. I just wanted my family to be safe. I truly couldn’t be a savior. When we got home, my mom went to organize supplies as usual, and my dad continued working on the composting toilet on the rooftop. Our apartment, aside from paths for walking and sleeping, was completely filled with supplies. My grandparents passed away early, and my parents didn’t have other siblings, so that was one less thing to worry about. But my mom had many colleagues. She subtly hinted to a few close ones to buy more things for home, using the old line about the health advisory getting serious again, better safe than sorry. My mom had been strict all her life, so her words carried a lot of credibility. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to be direct, but this whole thing was just so unscientific. If not for their blind trust in me, my family would never have believed it. My parents lived in a faculty apartment complex bought by their high school. It was crowded, in a busy downtown area, and an older complex, so the safety factor wasn’t good. That’s why we decided to stay in Silverwood City. Of course, that’s what I told them when explaining why they should come over. All in all, we bought 200 large water jugs of drinking water. Besides various bottled waters and drinks, we also bought several large water collection systems, and plenty of water purification tablets. Water wouldn’t be an issue. A few days ago, my dad had already connected the solar panels. After testing them and confirming they worked, he connected the fridge and the two large chest freezers to them. The garbage problem was tricky. I heard the unit next door was empty, so I simply rented it out specifically for garbage storage. We had to handle sanitation properly. With just one day left, the internet, just like in my previous life, reported malicious attacks in coastal areas. Our family exchanged glances. My dad took out the heavy-duty locks he bought from the hardware store and locked the stairwell from the 19th to the 21st floors. After observing for days, these floors seemed to be empty. “Dad! Mom! We’re going to be okay!” **6.** The zombie outbreak. Ever since it hit Ins, we’d set up a watch schedule at home. Mainly because I’d forgotten exactly when the zombies appeared in Silverwood City. While we still had internet, the three of us quickly got our phones, iPads, and whatever else we had to download variety shows and TV series. My mom even bought a stack of books, saying learning never stopped as long as there was life. Whether we’d actually study, I didn’t know, but I figured that pile of books would hurt if you threw it at someone. It was my turn to watch tonight. I was watching an old TV show while looking out the window. With my extensive experience from my previous life, I knew these zombies were especially sensitive to light. So, at night, we no longer turned on any lights. This trick not only protected us from zombies but also from other people. Suddenly, I saw the security guard at the complex entrance stumbling towards us, followed by two blood-covered “people.” The guard was running and screaming for help. It was too late, after 2 AM. Besides me, no one else was likely awake. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to help, but there was truly no point. My eyesight was always good, and the complex had streetlights, so I could vaguely make out the blood-splattered arm of the guard. It took less than two minutes, and the guard stopped screaming for help, instead stumbling around like a headless chicken. I dialed 911, reporting the situation in the complex, while also rushing back inside to wake up my parents. My dad was okay; he adapted quickly to new things. My mom, however, wasn’t. It took a fright before she spoke: “Will these things turn into people?” I didn’t need to answer; I believed my parents already knew the answer. My dad, seeing my mom was scared, put an arm around her shoulder and comforted her, “What’s there to be afraid of! We’re all together! Even if the sky falls, I’ll protect you two.” This commotion probably meant no one was getting back to sleep, so we decided to hold a family meeting and discuss everything. “To kill them with one blow, you have to hit their heads. Hitting other places is useless. They don’t feel pain anymore.” “Don’t worry,” my dad said. “Your mom and I already know all about this from watching *The Walking Dead* the other day.” Seeing my parents calm down, I took a deep breath and said one last thing: “Dad, Mom. There’s one thing I have to say. In the apocalypse, the scariest thing is human nature. We can only ensure our own safety; we can’t be saviors! I know you’ve been teachers your whole lives, but this is the apocalypse! You have to protect yourselves!” Thankfully, my parents weren’t the type to be overly compassionate. They exchanged glances and slowly but firmly nodded. “Don’t worry, we understand. As long as our family is safe.” **7.** Day one of the zombie outbreak. I stayed on watch until 6 AM. Unable to sleep, I decided to wait until my mom made breakfast before going to bed. Around 7:50 AM, people started leaving for work. My heart sank, and I saw a man from the building across the street exit, briefcase in hand. Perhaps it was a common ailment of modern young people, but he was walking and looking at his phone, completely oblivious to a “person” lunging at him from behind, biting his arm and refusing to let go. “Damn it, are you crazy?!” With his shout, another zombie rushed over. The man finally realized something was wrong, running back towards his building and yelling for help. An old man, out for his morning walk, suddenly stepped forward and knocked both zombies down. Before he could say anything, the man who had just been bitten tackled him to the ground. “Get off me! Get off!” I couldn’t bear to watch the scene below. Many people were leaving for work in the morning, which meant there would undoubtedly be many casualties. The complex residents finally realized something was wrong, and no one else came out. Sleepiness washed over me. I gave my parents a few instructions and then went back to my room to sleep. When I woke up at noon, my mom had already prepared lunch. Now that the zombies had just broken out, electricity and water were still stable, but we’d agreed last night that we shouldn’t use the range hood. The range hood was noisy. Zombies were one thing; they were mindless. But we were afraid of attracting other survivors. With our family’s physical condition, we’d be easy pickings. It was okay if our quality of life was lower. With our amount of stored supplies, we could definitely wait for rescue. If supplies ran out and rescue still hadn’t come, then we wouldn’t survive anyway. One difference from my last life was that we still had a signal this time. The complex residents’ SnapChat group was tallying the number of survivors in each household. Since the outbreak had just begun, some people still fantasized that order hadn’t completely broken down. My dad and I discussed it. “Let’s not report our numbers. We have enough supplies anyway. And we’re a small group. What if someone comes to raid us?” I agreed wholeheartedly. While I was washing my face, my mom served lunch, saying, “I saw in the group chat this morning, everyone’s doing pretty well.” The group she mentioned was her old colleagues. My mom had subtly hinted to them, and they had all stored some supplies. Lunch was stir-fried cabbage and tomato beef. After eating, we each got an orange. “After lunch, I’ll stand watch. Avery and your dad can take turns on the treadmill.” Just then, my phone suddenly rang. It was a FaceTime call, and the ringtone was extremely loud. I quickly lowered the volume and switched to voice mode. It was one of the complex’s property management staff. “Hello, resident, are you home? We’re counting survivors. Why haven’t we seen your reply?” My family exchanged glances. “Oh, I’m not home. I’m back in my hometown.” “Okay, okay then.” After hanging up, we looked at each other. “What do you think he meant by making a video call?” My dad reacted quickly. “I remember now, a few days ago, your mom and I were driving the RV to buy stuff, and we ran into someone on the way back who asked us why we were buying so much!” This could be a big deal or a small one. The three of us immediately put down our bowls. “Even though I got the other elevator card a few days ago, using the excuse that I lost mine, what if?” This complex had two units per floor, and you couldn’t get up without an elevator card. “Avery, do you remember when the power went out?” “Probably in two or three more days.” “Crap.” My dad went out first, stopped the elevator on the twenty-first floor, and then cut its power. “Even though this isn’t humane, there’s no other way! As long as our family can be safe!” To be honest, we didn’t know how many families lived in this building. Not stopping the elevator before was a consideration for other people’s escape. “Actually, this is better. The stairs are safer. The elevator would be a disaster if something went wrong.” We could only comfort ourselves this way. I wasn’t a saint. I wouldn’t put myself in danger to let others escape. But I still felt inexplicably uncomfortable. “Avery, don’t think about it. Your dad and I checked before. Even though the elevator goes straight to the underground parking, the elevator shaft is pitch black, making it far more dangerous. Taking the stairs, whether up or down, offers a higher chance of escape.” We could only comfort ourselves like this. After dinner, my dad grabbed the watering can and went to water the seeds in the foam boxes. Since it was daytime, a tiny corner of the thick blackout curtains on the balcony was opened, just enough for sunlight to spill in. Before he finished watering, we saw a drone flying in the distance. Along with the drone came an automatically playing broadcast. “Dear residents, we are facing an unprecedented disaster. Please stay home and await government rescue. Please trust us, we will not abandon anyone.” Honestly, I was really curious why I never saw rescue in my last life, even when I died. I was too ordinary, too insignificant, and too selfish. Even with a second chance, I only wanted my family to live well. After watering, I started watching the self-defense videos I downloaded a few days ago. The complex’s loudspeaker suddenly blared. “Attention, residents! Let us believe there will be hope!” Instantly, zombies from all directions began to scurry like headless chickens, searching for the source of the sound. The complex’s loudspeakers were installed at the entrance of each building. I couldn’t really understand why, in the 21st century, when everything could be solved by phone, they needed these loudspeakers. As the loudspeaker blared, the zombies near our building immediately swarmed around. I couldn’t help but curse them as idiots in my mind. “Avery, will they come up?” I didn’t remember this part. In my last life, I was alone and so scared during the day that I’d just drift into a daze. “Mom, don’t worry. We’re on the twenty-first floor. We’ll be fine.” I said that, but I wasn’t so sure myself. Luckily, it was just a false alarm. The loudspeaker fell silent, and the zombies went back to wandering aimlessly. My sharp eyes spotted the man who had gone to work this morning with a briefcase. His arm was covered in blood, and he was stumbling around. He was still wearing his suit, looking like an executive. What a waste. **8.** Day three of the apocalypse. Still just the daily drone broadcasts telling everyone to stay home and not give up, with rescue nowhere in sight. Most of the young people living in this area worked at a large tech campus nearby. Young people, you know, not many have the habit of hoarding food. In my last life, if it weren’t for all the snacks I hoarded during Black Friday sales, plus the freebies from manufacturers, I wouldn’t have survived even a month. In the morning, when Dad was on watch, he saw a man and a woman emerge from the building across the street. They were completely bundled up, moving cautiously. Around the thirteenth floor, a window opened, and two heads, an old man and a boy, popped out. The boy, about twelve or thirteen, was holding a drone. A phone was attached to the drone’s tail. Seeing the man and woman go down, he quickly launched the drone and flew it in the opposite direction. Not everyone parked their cars in the underground garage; some were parked along the road in the complex. The drone flying in the opposite direction suddenly made a loud noise, loud enough to attract all the zombies. The man and woman seized the opportunity to get into their car, an SUV. I remembered this couple vividly. They were the first to go out for supplies and return safely, bringing back a significant amount. Anyway, I remembered that in my last life, this family didn’t venture out again before I died. Sure enough, about an hour and a half later, the couple drove back. The little boy kept staring at the complex entrance. When he saw his family’s car, he quickly launched the drone in the opposite direction again. The couple had quite a haul. The trunk and back seats were packed, probably every inch of space except for where people sat was full. Just like in my last life, after they took their supplies upstairs, they turned back. I knew they were going to look for solar panels, and they’d come back with two cars. In every way, this couple’s courage was admirable. Soon, as residents ran out of supplies, everyone would have to go out looking for more. The number of zombies would increase, and searching for supplies would become even harder. Around 2 PM, the couple returned with two vehicles. The man was driving a cargo van, and the woman was in their SUV. The nearby zombies had already been led away by the little boy. The couple quickly moved the goods upstairs. The cargo van was entirely filled with water and rice. This life, I lived in relative comfort, allowing me to observe more closely what the couple brought back. Solar panels, various canned goods, rice, flour, oil, daily necessities. I even spotted seeds and soil. Oh, and they brought back a huge bag of potatoes. Potatoes were easy to grow and could become a staple food later on. The woman opened the passenger door, revealing a huge bag of medicine inside. Even though I knew they got home safely in my last life, I still breathed a sigh of relief. The couple must have reached home safely; the little boy reeled in the drone and closed the window. This couple sent a signal to the outside world: hurry and go out to find supplies, while there weren’t so many zombies, while there were still supplies outside. My mom stopped watching TV, focusing intently on that family. Seeing them arrive home safely, she breathed a sigh of relief. “They’re really brave, aren’t they?” “They’ll be even braver tonight. That couple will go out again. If I remember correctly, they might clear out the entire Costco.” Around 11 PM, it was my turn to stand watch. I saw the couple who had just returned in the afternoon leave again. The little boy operated the drone, flying it far away, even attaching a small light to it, putting all his effort into protecting his parents. To be honest, while I didn’t know what the outside world looked like right now, judging by this couple’s two safe returns, their fighting prowess wasn’t weak. Sure enough, this time they brought back two large cargo vans, two truckloads of supplies in one go. The last time, the couple drove the cargo vans back and returned in their own SUV, finishing up all the hauling by almost 5 AM. Generally, families with elders and children would have the highest level of security for their doors and windows. So, this family might be able to live comfortably until the very end. My mom had been a high school teacher for many years, even serving as a head of department for a long time. Her biological clock woke her up before 6 AM every morning. I told her about what happened, and she sighed, “Everyone’s struggling.” **9.** Day four of the apocalypse, water and electricity were cut off. At first, only the water stopped. I was preparing to cook, and when I tried to add a spoonful of water, the faucet wouldn’t run. My dad, who was brushing his teeth, still had a mouthful of foam. Then the electricity went out. My dad watched the TV and sighed. This would make life even harder for ordinary residents. Even if someone wanted to go out for supplies, most residential buildings were seventeen or eighteen stories high. Modern young people generally lacked physical exercise, so carrying things up floor by floor might kill them. And that was the best-case scenario. What if there were zombies on one of the floors? When I woke up in the afternoon, I found the internet was also cut off. The complex residents’ SnapChat group messages stopped this morning, still saying, “Please wait for rescue.” This had little impact on our family. My dad, the old man, was still happily watching TV, emphasizing to my mom, “This martial arts master’s last name is Miller, just like ours. Maybe we were family five hundred years ago!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297112”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance