During an experiment in the quantum computing lab, the graduate student I was mentoring suddenly asked me, “Professor, do you know the saying, ‘From chaos, duality’?” I set down the equipment I was holding, but before I could answer, she let her lab coat slip from her shoulders, followed by everything else. She guided my hand to the warmth between her legs. Her captivating eyes locked onto mine. “From chaos, duality,” she whispered. “From duality, unity.” “The highest form of purity is also the highest form of debauchery.” That night, my restraint finally broke. 1 My wife’s beauty had long since faded, and my life was consumed by my work. It had been a long time since I’d felt such a release. Afterward, I rested my hand on Isabelle’s waist. “What do you want?” I asked. Her eyes were fixed on the ceiling, strangely vacant. “Someone once said that for kids from towns like mine, the most powerful person we’ll ever meet is our university advisor.” “I refused to believe that was my limit. I sent my resume to company after company. They’d grant me an interview out of respect for you, but the questions were always about you. Once they realized our relationship was purely professional, the offers would vanish into thin air. I haven’t received a single one.” “Professor,” she said, her voice hardening, “I want a position at Elysian Dynamics. I’ve given you the most valuable thing I have to trade for it.” She added, almost as an afterthought, “It was my first time.” In the dim, hazy light, I studied her. She was undeniably beautiful; otherwise, she never could have tempted me to cross this line. Her face was a portrait of conflict: one half pained innocence, the other half ruthless ambition. I dressed and, before leaving, told her, “You’ll get what you want. The offer from Elysian will be in your inbox tomorrow.” My reputation in the field is formidable. A word from me was all it took. After I made the call, I found my wife staring at me. Her expression was placid, but her words were like needles. “You’ve never involved yourself in student placements before.” “What’s different today?” “Is there something special about this student? I think I saw her once, at that university gala.” “She’s very beautiful. It makes sense you’d take such an interest. I just…” “That’s enough.” I cut her off before she could finish. “She’s from a poor background. Life is harder for kids like her. Besides, her academic record is exceptional. I’m just giving her a hand up. Is there a problem with that?” My wife, Connie, looked at me, stunned. I rarely used such a sharp tone with her. But tonight, for some reason, the sight of her sagging cheeks and her shocked expression filled me with an intense irritation. My mind involuntarily flashed back to Isabelle’s smooth, pale skin, and the flicker of panic in her eyes as I entered her. I couldn’t stop myself. I went to see Isabelle again. She smoothed her hair, her voice unnervingly calm. “Professor, a one-time transaction can be born of desperation. But to continue… that would make me no better than a prostitute.” She bowed deeply. “Professor, despite what happened, I still believe you are a man of principle. You wouldn’t force me if I wasn’t willing, would you?” After she left, I sat there, rubbing the rim of a paper cup. She was right. I wouldn’t force her. But there were other ways to make her willing. Isabelle was gambling on my character. I was gambling on her breaking point. Isabelle’s new job at Elysian quickly became a nightmare. She was hitting roadblocks at every turn. It was my doing, of course. I hadn’t needed to say much. Just a single, casual comment to a senior executive: “That student of mine, Isabelle… I don’t know what’s gotten into her. She’s become rather difficult lately. I suppose a big offer from a company like yours has gone to her head.” We were all seasoned players. The executives at Elysian understood immediately. They began applying pressure from all sides. I expected her to last a week, maybe less. To my surprise, two weeks passed, and she still hadn’t contacted me. A flicker of annoyance sparked within me. I had been a master puppeteer for years; this was the first time a string had gone slack in my hands. I called the executive and arranged a dinner meeting for that evening. Isabelle, naturally, was required to attend. Throughout the dinner, she played her part perfectly, smiling and making conversation as the wine flowed. But afterward, her face was etched with fatigue. “Professor,” she said, her voice low. “I didn’t think a man like you would resort to such petty, dirty tricks.” I cornered her by the restrooms, my hand moving to her blouse, undoing the buttons one by one. “Isabelle, there’s a beast I’ve kept caged inside me for a long time. You’re the one who unlocked the cage. Are you just going to walk away and leave it hungry now?” Just as the pale curve of her breast was about to be exposed, she clamped her hand over mine. Her eyes, when they met mine, were shockingly resolute. “Don’t push me, Professor. I told you, our transaction is over. Don’t try to use my job to threaten me. I may be an ant trying to shake a tree, but if I make our story public… even if no one believes me, even if I have no evidence… it would still damage your reputation, wouldn’t it?” Her voice was cold and steady. “You value your reputation above all else. You wouldn’t want to tarnish it, would you?” She then proceeded to button her blouse, her gaze never wavering from mine. I let out a soft, sharp laugh. To kill a snake, you strike it where it’s most vulnerable. I had been too hasty. I had someone look into her background. I needed to understand this sudden, fierce resistance. Once you take the easy road, it’s hard to go back to walking the hard path. The report arrived on my phone that afternoon. It turned out Isabelle’s fiancé had come to the city to be with her. Interesting. According to the file, he had paid for her entire education, from her undergraduate degree through her master’s, with his own labor. They had planned to get married in a month. I sighed, zooming in on a photo of the two of them on my phone. Her fiancé—a man named Rocco—looked like he’d just finished a shift on a construction site, covered in grime. But Isabelle was kneeling beside him, holding a lunchbox, looking at him with a smile of pure adoration. True love… If it was true love, then why did she climb into my bed? Another hypocrite, tainted like the rest. After some thought, I made a call to a friend in real estate. The very next day, Isabelle was in my office. “Professor… was it you?” I feigned ignorance. “What are you talking about?” She took a deep breath. “My fiancé… he doesn’t have the connections. No one would just hand him a major construction contract out of the blue. I don’t believe in miracles. So, what is your price?” I gestured behind her. She turned her head. Through the one-way glass of my office wall, she could see Rocco in the hallway, his face alight with a joyous, triumphant smile. I felt her entire body begin to tremble. I stepped closer, putting my arms around her. “Don’t be afraid. He can’t see in. But look at him… look how happy he is. Do you have the heart to shatter that beautiful dream of his?” As she watched him, I pressed her against the cold glass and slipped my hand beneath her blouse. Once you’ve tasted something, you develop a craving. I was beginning to realize I was becoming obsessed with her. The first person to notice my change was my wife. She confronted me, holding up one of my shirts, a smear of lipstick on the collar. “Alistair,” she pleaded, “this was a mistake, wasn’t it?” I could see the desperation in her eyes. She was begging me to lie. How pointless. To come looking for an answer you already know, hoping I’ll tell you what you want to hear. I took the shirt from her calmly. “No, Connie. It’s exactly what it looks like. I’m having an affair.” She began to shake. “But… why?” Why? My mind drifted back to a suffocating summer afternoon decades ago. I was just a junior lecturer back then, a boy from a small town who had clawed his way to the big city. I was called a genius back home, but here, I was just one among many. I had neither top-tier talent nor powerful connections. Advancement seemed impossible. The day before my tenure review, when I had finally understood the unwritten rules of the world and was on the verge of despair, Connie told me she had to work late. The Dean, however, had told me to wait for him in the office next to his. He had something to discuss with me. I assumed he wanted a bribe for the promotion, a bribe I couldn’t afford. But I didn’t wait long.

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1 After the breakup, my feelings became tradable commodities. A single dose of heartbreak could sell for ten thousand dollars. A flare of anger was worth five grand. I fast-tracked my way to financial freedom entirely on the back of getting dumped. Just as I was about to bundle up ten pounds of sorrow to sell to the system, my ex-boyfriend suddenly showed up. He cornered me against a brick wall, his eyes bloodshot, his voice trembling. “Why aren’t you sad anymore? Did you ever even love me?” I looked right past his face. Hovering above his head was a massive, glittering orb of affection, easily worth a cool million. Without a second thought, I reached out and grabbed it. Sold! … On the first day after Carter and I broke up, I locked myself in my room and cried until I was severely dehydrated. Three years together. From cramped college dorms to the ruthless corporate world, I really thought we were going to make it to the altar. Reality handed me a brutal slap in the face. Carter’s family company hit a massive financial crisis. To save it, he chose another girl, someone who could offer him the perfect corporate marriage of convenience. That girl was Valerie. His childhood neighbor and our mutual friend. On the day we split, Carter couldn’t even look me in the eye. Guilt dripped from his every word. “Stella, I’m so sorry. I don’t have a choice. This company is my dad’s entire life’s work. I can’t just stand by and watch it go under.” I stared at him, finding the whole thing incredibly absurd. “So your solution is to throw away everything we built just to buy a bailout with a wedding ring?” He stayed silent. When I dragged my suitcase out of the cozy little apartment we had shared, all those sweet memories we made suddenly morphed into jagged shards of glass, slicing my heart to ribbons with every step I took. I barely made it back to my cheap, rundown rental before I completely broke down. Just as I thought the suffocating grief was literally going to kill me, a mechanical, synthesized voice echoed inside my skull. [Severe emotional fluctuation detected. Emotion Trading System officially activated.] [Host, would you like to sell your ‘Heartbreak’?] I froze. I honestly thought the crying had finally short-circuited my brain. “Who is that? Who’s talking?” [I am Emotion Trading System 007. My primary function is helping the Host convert useless emotions into immense wealth. I have detected a premium-grade ‘Heartbreak’ currently in your possession. Estimated market value: $10,000. Would you like to sell?] Ten thousand dollars? The number hit me like a freight train. Since when did a broken heart pay out in cash? I tested the waters, asking in my mind: “How do I do it?” [Please confirm by selecting ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.] Well, I was already at rock bottom. Could things get any worse? “Yes!” I screamed in my head, clenching my jaw. In the very next second, the tearing, agonizing pain in my chest receded like a pulling tide. My heart still felt hollow, but the suffocating torture was completely gone. Right on cue, my phone buzzed. A banking notification popped up on the screen. [City Bank: A deposit of $10,000.00 was made to your account ending in 4592 on October 25. Current balance: $10,521.34.] Before I could even celebrate, another line of tiny text flashed across my vision. [System Warning: High-energy emotional trade detected. Market regulation protocols have been triggered. Please regulate your trading behavior.] Regulation protocols? I didn’t care at all. I brushed it off as some standard terms of service nobody reads. I just kept staring at those digits on my phone screen, counting the zeros over and over to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating. It was real. This was actual money! A tidal wave of absolute ecstasy drowned out whatever lingering doubts I had. Who cares about the pain of a breakup? If it could be swapped for cold hard cash, that was the ultimate comfort! 2 To test the system’s limits, I started digging up every little memory Carter and I shared. From the first time he smiled at me on the college basketball court, to the nights he stayed up late just to queue for that limited-edition vinyl record I wanted, all the way to our early startup days when we practically lived on cheap ramen… The more I thought about it, the more a bitter, burning sensation bubbled up in my chest. Why should I be sitting here mourning our past while he gets to comfortably prep for a flashy engagement with another woman? Why did three years of loyalty mean absolutely nothing against a single corporate bankruptcy threat? [Medium-grade ‘Anger’ detected. Estimated market value: $5,000. Would you like to sell?] “Sell! Absolutely sell!” [City Bank: A deposit of $5,000.00 was made to your account…] That suffocating fury vanished into thin air. I actually wanted to laugh out loud. This felt incredibly surreal. All I had to do was flick a mental switch, dwell on some ancient history, and money literally deposited itself into my bank account. For the next few days, I became obsessed with my new career as an emotion trafficker. I scrolled through our old text threads, staring at his “Goodnight, my sweet girl” messages. Then I sold the ‘Sweet Nostalgia’ for two grand. I pulled up the photo gallery of him lifting me over his shoulders at a music festival. I sold the ‘Melancholic Longing’ for three grand. Eventually, I actively started looking for triggers. I clicked onto Valerie’s Instagram. She and Carter had officially announced their engagement. The photo showed Carter looking sharp in a tailored tuxedo, with Valerie draped in a custom white gown. The blinding sparkle of their diamond rings felt like a physical jab to my eyes. The comment section was flooded with congratulations, mostly from people in our shared friend circle. [Complex emotion ‘Jealousy and Resentment’ detected. Premium quality. Estimated market value: $15,000. Would you like to sell?] “Take it!” Watching my bank balance skyrocket, I realized for the very first time that getting dumped was the absolute best thing the universe could have done for me. In just one week, my pathetic savings skyrocketed into the six-figure range. The very first thing I did was pack my bags, ditch that depressing little rental, and sign a lease on a gorgeous luxury loft right in the heart of downtown. I went on a massive shopping spree, swiping my card for designer bags and clothes I used to only admire through storefront windows. I booked the most expensive spa treatments and soaked up top-tier luxury. But there was a catch. My emotions were drying up. When I opened up Valerie’s page to look at their couple selfies again, I felt absolutely nothing. A flatline. The system stayed dead silent. My emotional gold mine was completely tapped out. No, I had to manufacture some new feelings. I tried binging tragic romance movies and listening to indie sad-girl playlists, but the results were pathetic. Best case scenario, I squeezed out a few bucks worth of ‘Mild Melancholy’. Better than nothing, but hardly a living. Just as I started stressing over my future cash flow, the system dropped a new objective. [Milestone Task: Bulk Sale. Accumulate 10 pounds of ‘Sorrow’ for a packaged transaction. Price payout will be doubled.] Ten pounds of sorrow? Since when did feelings come with a weight limit? Still, double the payout sounded way too good to pass up. I went on the offensive. I called up my best friend Brooke, met her for coffee, and put on an Oscar-worthy performance. I tearfully unloaded all of Carter’s sins onto her, successfully harvesting a solid wave of ‘Grievance’ and ‘Self-Pity’. [Accumulating Sorrow. Current progress: 0.5 / 10 pounds.] It worked like a charm. I figured out that venting to an audience was the ultimate sorrow-production factory. For the next couple of days, I went on a systematic pity tour, visiting every sympathetic friend I knew and repeating my tragic sob story on a loop. My acting skills leveled up. I could summon tears on command and build a heartbreaking atmosphere out of thin air. Soon enough, my sorrow inventory hit nine and a half pounds. I was inches away from the finish line. I needed a grand finale. I picked the city park where Carter and I had our very first date to brew that final batch of misery and close the big deal. Sitting on a familiar green bench, I forced myself to visualize that exact afternoon. The sun had been perfect. Carter was wearing a crisp white button-down, blushing furiously as he nervously handed me a bouquet of roses. Just picturing his clumsy teenage smile actually brought a genuine, long-forgotten ache to my chest. [Accumulating Sorrow. Current progress: 9.8 / 10 pounds.] So close! I took a deep breath, ready to push out the last few tears. But right at that moment, a shadow fell over me. A familiar yet strangely foreign figure stood blocking my light. It was Carter. He looked like absolute garbage. Dark circles bruised his eyes, a rough shadow of stubble coated his jaw, and his insanely expensive suit looked like he had slept in it. He was staring at me, his eyes rimmed red. 3 My first reaction wasn’t shock. It was pure annoyance. What the hell was he doing here? He was interrupting my cash flow. I stood up, planning to just walk around him. Instead, his hand shot out and gripped my wrist. “Stella, please. We need to talk.” “What is there left to talk about?” I yanked my hand back with icy precision. “Mr. Sinclair, you are an engaged man. Messing around with your ex-girlfriend in a public park is a bad look. Aren’t you worried Valerie might get the wrong idea?” My words hit him like a physical blow. All the color drained from his face, and his voice visibly shook. “Why? Why aren’t you hurting at all?” He pointed a shaking finger at my brand-new designer coat. “You’re doing great, aren’t you? You upgraded your apartment, you bought a new car… Did you ever even care about me?” Looking at his dramatic breakdown, I found the whole thing incredibly hilarious. “I’m devastated, obviously.” I brushed a piece of lint off my sleeve. “I’m so devastated I managed to commodify my grief and achieve financial independence.” He clearly thought I was just throwing out sarcastic insults. “Stella, please don’t do this to me.” He took a heavy step forward, trapping me against the brick wall of the park’s pavilion. His tall frame completely boxed me in. “I’ve been losing my mind these past few days. I close my eyes and all I see is you. I know I’m a bastard. I know I picked the company over us. But I physically cannot stop thinking about you.” He sounded so raw, so agonizingly sincere. A tear actually slipped from his red eyes. If this were the old me, I probably would have caved instantly. But right now, he was just loud and annoying. And that was when I saw it. Hovering right above his head was a massive, blindingly bright, golden orb of pure energy. [Alert. Ultra-pure unowned emotion detected nearby: ‘Love’. Quality: Legendary. Estimated market value: $1,000,000.] [Severe Warning. Any unauthorized extraction of external emotions is a major violation and will trigger high-level regulatory intervention.] [Notice: This emotional energy is exceedingly massive. Direct absorption may cause system shock. Attempt capture anyway?] One million dollars? My eyes practically turned into dollar signs. Violation? Regulation? Those threatening words briefly flashed through my mind, only to be instantly vaporized by the blinding glow of that seven-figure payout. I had already triggered a warning once anyway. What was one more? Fortune favors the bold! Without a single drop of hesitation, I reached my hand up and grabbed that giant orb of ‘Love’ right off the top of his head. The second my fingertips breached the golden light, a surging, scalding wave of power rushed down my arm and flooded my veins. Carter’s entire body went rigid. The look in his eyes morphed instantly. All that agonizing, desperate affection evaporated, replaced entirely by a hollow, vacant void. It was as if I had violently ripped out his soul. Meanwhile, inside my head, the system alerts were screaming like air raid sirens. [WARNING! Ultra-high energy contraband emotion breach! System overload! Initiating forced upgrade sequence!] [Ding! ‘Legendary Love’ captured successfully. $1,000,000 deposited into system escrow. Funds will be available for withdrawal upon upgrade completion!] [System Upgrading: 1%… 10%… 50%…] Before I could even process the absolute chaos happening in my brain, Carter’s knees buckled. He collapsed forward, dead weight against my shoulder. I shoved him off me, scrambling to check his pulse. He was breathing. But the way he looked at me… it was like looking at a blank wall. Empty. Devoid of any recognizable human feeling. My stomach plummeted. I think I just went way too far. I didn’t just sell all my own sorrow. I literally ripped his love right out of his chest and pawned it.

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Twenty years ago, when I was completely over the moon thinking we were about to welcome a new life, my wife asked me to get a vasectomy. I agreed without a second thought. But shortly after the surgery, she told me she was pregnant. The news left me utterly bewildered, yet entirely overjoyed. Time flew by. Two decades later, at the company’s annual shareholder meeting, my wife suddenly announced she was transferring forty percent of her equity to our twin boys. In that moment, I noticed Tristan’s reaction. He looked even more ecstatic than I was. At the time, I just figured he was happy for us. It wasn’t until the meeting wrapped up and the two boys ran straight toward Tristan, sweetly calling him “Dad,” that the truth hit me like a freight train. I finally understood the reality behind that “accidental pregnancy” twenty years ago. 1 I stared at the two names on the equity transfer agreement. Asher and Blake. My knuckles turned white, joints aching from how hard I was gripping the paper. How did forty percent of the Sinclair Group end up under the names of two kids I had never even heard of? The secretary mentioned my wife had it notarized just last week. A loud, deafening ringing echoed in my ears. Ten years ago, my mother-in-law suddenly announced she was retiring to the French Riviera. It turned out she was just paving the way for these two boys. “Sylvia, what the hell is going on with these kids?” I slammed the agreement onto the dining table. The clatter of silver knives and forks made Sylvia flinch. She looked up at me, her eyes darting away instantly. “They are Tristan’s boys. I was a surrogate for him ten years ago.” A surrogate? A bitter, hollow laugh escaped my throat. Ten years ago, she packed her bags for Switzerland, claiming she was attending a six-month executive program. When she came back, her suitcase was stuffed with baby clothes. When I asked about it, she brushed it off, saying she was bringing them back for a friend. Now it all made sickening sense. There was no friend. She had given birth to them herself. “You told me you didn’t want kids. That’s the only reason I got the surgery.” My throat felt tight, choked with gravel. “All these years, when our parents pressured us, I took the fall. I let everyone think I was shooting blanks. I swallowed those shady, experimental fertility pills for five years until they gave me a bleeding ulcer. And you just played me like a fool?” Sylvia dropped her fork. Impatience laced her tone. “Tristan’s mother was on her deathbed. She begged me to leave their family an heir.” “I figured we wouldn’t have to raise them anyway, so I did IVF and came right back after they were born.” She stood up, reaching out to hug me. “Please don’t be mad. I just didn’t want you to suffer through a reversal surgery. Besides, the Sinclair empire is going to need heirs eventually…” I shoved her away. Back when the Sinclair Group was facing bankruptcy, I dragged myself through hell for her. I swallowed my pride, begged every investor in the city, and drank at business dinners until I was vomiting blood just to secure our first lifeline contract. She had cried in my arms, telling me she couldn’t survive without me. Now that the company was a titan, she handed over the shares to another man’s kids and spoke as if it were the most logical thing in the world. “Those annual overseas business trips you take… You’ve just been playing house with them, haven’t you?” I unlocked my phone and swiped to the photos my private investigator had sent. Pictures of her wearing an apron, feeding two little boys. Pictures of Tristan with his arm wrapped intimately around her shoulder, both of them beaming. “Even your mother knew. I was the only idiot kept in the dark.” All the color drained from her face. “Arthur, you hired someone to follow me?” I ignored her. In the photos, my mother-in-law was holding the boys, laughing so hard her eyes crinkled. It was a stark contrast to the cold, disgusted glares she gave me when she was forcing those fertility treatments down my throat. They had treated Tristan and his sons like real family for a decade. And I, the devoted husband who married into their wealth, was nothing more than a glorified corporate slave working to build their empire. 2 “Come on, Arthur. Sylvia did it for the future of the company. Stop making a scene.” Cousin Marcus slid a cup of coffee across the table toward me. “It’s not like you have to pay for the kids’ college funds. Just look at them as two extra nephews.” “Shut your mouth.” My hand trembled as I slammed it on the table. The living room was packed. Sylvia’s parents, a few of my own relatives, and the old board members from the company were all crowding around, trying to talk me out of a divorce. My mother-in-law rolled her eyes. “You can’t even give her a child, and you’re throwing a tantrum? Sylvia is generous enough to let you keep your dignity. Don’t push your luck.” Sylvia stood by the window. The afternoon sun stretched her shadow across the hardwood floor. She twisted her wedding ring and spoke softly. “Arthur, I know you feel wronged. But Tristan really doesn’t have any ulterior motives. He just wanted to give the boys a proper title.” “A proper title?” I burst out laughing. “So you give forty percent to the boys, and ten percent to Tristan. I’ve bled for this company for twenty years, and I don’t even get the scraps?” My father-in-law slapped the armrest and stood up. “You married into our money, and now you want to fight over the assets?” “Sylvia’s shares belong to her. She can give them to a stray dog if she wants!” He pointed a trembling finger right at my face, looking exactly like the creditors who used to spit on me and call me a gold-digger. Sylvia walked over and grabbed my arm. The cloying scent of Tristan’s signature cologne clung to her clothes. The investigator told me she went to Tristan’s suburban estate every weekend. She attended parent-teacher conferences where the sign-in sheet clearly read “Mr. and Mrs. Tristan.” And me? I was always stuck at home, waiting for texts about her “international meetings,” not even knowing what time she’d walk through the front door. “Arthur.” Sylvia suddenly dropped to her knees. The heavy thud echoed in the silent room. “I’m begging you, don’t file the papers. I’ll visit them less. We can even change the equity agreement.” “Change it?” I pulled the divorce papers from my briefcase. “It’s already notarized. What’s left to change?” “When we stood at the altar, we promised no lies, no secrets. You played me for ten years.” My mother-in-law sneered. “Men who shoot blanks are always the most sensitive. Sylvia is giving you an out. Take it.” “That’s enough!” I cut her off, my voice echoing off the high ceilings. “Haven’t I swallowed enough of your garbage? I ruined my stomach on your quack medicine. I let the whole social circle mock me for being half a man. All because I was protecting her decision to be child-free.” “And now I find out she secretly baked someone else’s kids in her oven. What the hell am I to you people?” Sylvia wrapped her arms around my legs, sobbing openly. “Arthur, I’m sorry. I’ll listen to you from now on. Let’s go reverse your surgery. We can have our own baby, okay?” I pried her fingers off my legs one by one. A freezing chill settled deep in my chest. Ten years ago, when she was pushing those babies out, did she ever think about the day I lay on that operating table, signing the consent forms to end my bloodline? Did she ever think about the endless nights I carried the shame of infertility just to shield her? “Let go.” I grabbed the handle of my suitcase. “You never had room for me in your heart. Just your ‘duties’ and your precious ‘heirs’.” As I walked toward the door, my mother-in-law was still hurling insults. Marcus was still making useless excuses. Sylvia was crying hard enough to tear her vocal cords. But I didn’t want to look back anymore. For twenty years, this marriage was a building I held up all by myself. Now I finally saw the truth. The child-free vows were fake. The “building our future together” was fake. I was just the idiot who handed over his beating heart on a silver platter. This marriage was over. 3 At my father-in-law’s seventieth birthday banquet, I stood by the champagne tower and watched Tristan walk in with the twins. He wore a custom-tailored suit and a polished, arrogant smile. He looked absolutely nothing like the scrawny college kid who used to wear faded t-shirts. Beatrice rushed forward to greet him, practically glowing. She took the velvet box from his hands, pulled out a diamond-studded watch, and immediately strapped it to her wrist, laughing loudly. “Tristan always has the best taste. Unlike some people who bring bad luck.” She threw a sideways glance at me, then tossed the vintage Rolex I had carefully selected straight into the messy pile of discarded gift bags. Sylvia had been resting her hand on my arm. The second she saw the kids, she dropped me like a bad habit. “Asher, Blake, did you miss Mommy?” She crouched down in her designer gown, pulling both boys into a tight hug, kissing their cheeks repeatedly. Tristan walked up and naturally wrapped his arm around her bare shoulders, pressing a soft kiss to her temple. “Tired from the drive? Hope the boys weren’t too much trouble.” Sylvia smiled affectionately, brushing an invisible speck of dust from his lapel. They looked like a picture-perfect married couple. I clenched my fists so tight my fingernails dug into my palms. In twenty years of marriage, this was the first time I had ever seen her look so painfully tender. When I was hospitalized with exhaustion, she stayed for three hours before claiming the office needed her. The night my ulcer ruptured and I was coughing up blood, she cried and said she was heartbroken, but she didn’t even stay the night in my room. “Arthur, this is Asher, the older brother.” Sylvia led the boy over to me, a lingering smile still warming her face. Asher looked up, his eyes filled with pure disgust. “You’re ugly. Not as handsome as my dad.” He twisted away and tugged at Sylvia’s dress. “Mommy said you got me a huge present for my tenth birthday. What is it?” “Be polite. This is your Uncle Arthur.” Sylvia gave him a light, playful tap on the shoulder. There was absolutely zero discipline in her voice. Asher stuck his chin out, glaring at me. “I know who he is. He’s the loser who stole my mom!” “We hate you! Go away!” The grand ballroom went dead silent. Beatrice cleared her throat, trying to smooth things over by muttering that kids say the darnedest things. She didn’t ask him to apologize. Tristan walked over and patted Asher’s head, though his tone carried a thick layer of smug satisfaction. “Watch your mouth, buddy. Uncle Arthur is Mommy’s friend.” Friend? I stared at Sylvia, waiting for her to reprimand the brat. But she just sighed and whispered that I shouldn’t take it personally. Then, she turned around, taking a silver tray from a waiter. She pulled off the velvet cloth to reveal three keys to luxury sports cars, the deed to a penthouse downtown, and a matte black limitless credit card. “Tristan, you guys will live in the city from now on. Use the cars and the card however you like.” Applause erupted. The wealthy guests swarmed Tristan with congratulations. I stood completely ignored in the corner, watching the light in Sylvia’s eyes. It was the exact same look she gave me when I signed our first million-dollar deal. Now, that light belonged to another man and his sons. The family lawyer took the microphone and stepped onto the stage to announce the equity transfer. “Forty percent of Sinclair Group is hereby gifted to Asher and Blake. Ten percent is gifted to Mr. Tristan.” A murmur rippled through the crowd. I heard a socialite nearby whisper, “The poor husband worked like a dog for two decades, and the outsider gets the goldmine.” Sylvia walked back toward me, reaching for my hand. Her fingertips were still warm from touching Tristan. “Arthur, giving them the shares is just a business move for the Sinclair legacy. Please don’t…” “Don’t what?” I cut her off coldly. “For the legacy? So you treat the man who built this company from the ground up like a ghost?” “When I was on my knees begging for loans with you, you promised me the shares would be ours. What happened to that?” She opened her mouth, but no words came out. Tristan strolled over, wrapping his arm around her waist and physically guiding her back toward the crowd of elites. As he passed me, a flash of pure mockery crossed his eyes. “Sylvia, I don’t think I’ve met the CEO of Vanguard yet. Care to introduce me?” After they walked away, I sat alone on a velvet sofa and downed half a bottle of neat bourbon. I remembered twenty years ago, taking a punch to the jaw from a furious creditor to protect her. She had cried, holding my bleeding face, swearing we would make it. I remembered the night in the ER, where she swore she would never leave me. Now, her “never” meant a happy family of three with another man. The next morning, Sylvia brought the kids back to our house. “Asher, Blake, play nice with Uncle Arthur. Mommy needs to run to the office.” She crouched down, adjusting their collars with a softness she never showed me. The moment the heavy oak door clicked shut, Asher marched right up to me, his eyes full of venom. “Mommy went to see my dad. He said you’re just a pathetic leech nobody wants.” “This is our house now. Get out!” I reached into my pocket to call Sylvia. Asher lunged, snatching the phone from my grip and smashing it against the marble floor. The second the glass shattered, he threw himself backward, wailing at the top of his lungs, smearing a tiny scrape on his hand against his shirt. “Dad! He hit me!” Tristan arrived faster than Sylvia did. He scooped Asher up, acting like a devastated father. “Arthur, if you have a problem, take it out on me. Don’t touch my son.” His eyes were red, every word perfectly calculated. Sylvia walked in right at that moment. Her face hardened into ice. “Arthur, you’re taking this out on a child?” “I didn’t…” A sharp slap echoed through the foyer, cutting off my sentence. A burning sting spread across my cheek and settled right in the center of my chest. Her eyes held a coldness I had never seen in twenty years. She pointed a trembling finger at the front door. “This is the Sinclair house. Asher is the heir. What gives you the right to treat him like dirt?” I looked at her, and suddenly, I chuckled. So this was it. In her heart, I wasn’t even worth the benefit of the doubt against a lying ten-year-old. I crouched down, picked up the crumpled divorce agreement from the coffee table, smoothed it out, and signed my name in bold, steady strokes. Sylvia’s voice came from behind me, suddenly laced with panic. “Arthur, where are you going? I’m sorry, don’t…” The rumble of my suitcase wheels drowned out her words. As I reached the door, Asher peeked out from behind Tristan’s legs and stuck his tongue out at me. Beatrice was leaning over the upstairs balcony, screaming about the ungrateful leech leaving. Sylvia’s tears hit the hardwood floor. I didn’t look back. Twenty years ago, I walked into the Sinclair family for love. Twenty years later, I finally understood that some people’s greed is a bottomless pit that true love can never fill. This time, I was going to make every single person who looked down on me regret it.

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Ever since the new intern at our company found out I hold a lifetime Platinum card with Apex Airlines, her attitude toward me became suspiciously warm. Right before the Memorial Day weekend, she slid over to my desk and batted her eyelashes. “Sarah, do you want to fly to Paris with me for the holiday? If we use your miles to book the tickets, we wouldn’t have to spend a dime.” I politely declined, telling her I had plans with my family. I didn’t expect her to cross her arms and casually drop a threat. “Well, if you aren’t going, then I’ll just go by myself.” My heart skipped a beat at those words. A flight to Paris, even a cheap economy ticket, would cost well over a thousand dollars. This girl was so cheap she smuggled rolls of toilet paper out of the office bathroom. How could she suddenly afford a European vacation? The more I thought about it, the more something felt off. Was she plotting to steal the miles off my Platinum card? My gut instinct was spot on. She actually tried to hack into my loyalty account behind my back, using my hard-earned miles to book four luxurious First-Class tickets for her entire family. But she didn’t stop there. She booked the VIP lounge, premium in-flight Wi-Fi, and even pre-ordered expensive duty-free luxury goods under my name. When her family was sitting in the VIP lounge, stuffing their faces and eagerly waiting to board their luxury flight, reality hit them like a freight train. 1 I was staring at my monitor, frantically trying to finalize a pitch deck, when our new intern, Jessica, leaned over my partition with an overly sweet smile. “Sarah, you’ve been working so hard this month. The Memorial Day long weekend is coming up. Want to take a trip to Paris together?” “Domestic tourist traps are going to be a nightmare. Paris is gorgeous this time of year. We should totally go.” I had already promised my family a trip to Florida for the long weekend, so I shut the idea down. “I’m spending the holiday with my family. I can’t go.” Her face immediately fell. Trying to soften the blow, I suggested an alternative. “I don’t think Riley has any plans for the weekend. Why don’t you ask her?” Jessica’s expression soured even more. “Her? She’s so broke she probably couldn’t even afford the passport renewal fee. If I travel with her, I’d end up subsidizing her whole trip. It’s way more fun traveling with you, Sarah. You’re like a walking blank check.” She had always been a gold digger with a massive superiority complex, looking down on anyone she deemed beneath her. I was going to laugh it off and get back to work, but my brain snagged on her exact phrasing. What did she mean by a blank check? Did she honestly expect me to fund a European getaway for the two of us and act as her personal ATM? She must have noticed the shift in my expression because she awkwardly laughed and quickly changed the subject. “Well, since you aren’t going, I guess I’ll just go by myself.” I watched her walk away, my suspicions kicking into overdrive. Jessica had only joined the firm three months ago as an intern, and I was her direct supervisor. She was a textbook social climber, obsessed with money but completely unwilling to spend her own. Every single day, she swiped a box of premium tissues from the supply closet before clocking out. She regularly emptied the reception snack bowl into her purse. Worse, she borrowed money and suffered from sudden amnesia when it was time to pay it back. Last week, she borrowed fifty bucks from Riley to cover her electric bill and still hadn’t returned a single cent. There was no way she could afford a last-minute flight to Paris on a holiday weekend, let alone the exorbitant costs of European hotels and dining. Even with my salary, I would have to budget for a trip like that. Where was her money coming from? Then it clicked. A cold realization washed over me. She wanted to use my Platinum miles to book her tickets. A month ago, a colleague in our department had a family emergency. His father was critically ill, and all the last-minute flights home were sold out. I called Apex Airlines, gave them my Platinum member number, and used my miles to secure him a seat on the next flight out. Jessica must have assumed that all you needed to book a free flight was a member ID. Now that I thought about it, she had asked an uncomfortable amount of questions that day. “Do you just give them your phone number?” “Can anyone in your family use it?” “Do you get a text alert when a flight is booked?” She had interrogated me like a detective. I had brushed it off at the time, casually mentioning that I got so much spam from the airline that I never checked their text alerts anyway. I distinctly remember her eyes lighting up. She had smiled a little too brightly. Looking back, that smile was pure, calculated greed. My lifetime Platinum status with Apex Airlines was the result of over a decade of grueling business travel. It took millions of flown miles to earn. The points sitting in that account were enough to book over a dozen First-Class international flights, complete with VIP lounge access and duty-free shopping perks. It wasn’t about being stingy. If a coworker was in a genuine crisis, I was more than happy to help. But the sheer audacity of Jessica casually planning to commit identity theft and drain my account filled me with absolute disgust. Still, I couldn’t exactly confront her without proof. After some careful thought, I picked up my phone and dialed the airline’s customer service line. 2 “Hi there. I have a security question. If someone knows my frequent flyer number, can they redeem my miles for a ticket without my explicit consent?” The representative replied almost instantly. “Please don’t worry, Ms. Davis. Redeeming miles requires not only your member ID but also a two-factor authentication code sent directly to your personal mobile device. Without that code, no booking can be finalized.” “When you booked a flight for your colleague previously, you were calling from your registered phone number, which verified your identity automatically. Rest assured, if a third party tries to use your account online or at a desk, the system will demand the authentication code.” Perfect. As long as she needed a code sent to my phone, Jessica’s little scheme was dead in the water. I breathed a heavy sigh of relief. I didn’t have to cause a scene at the office, and my miles were safe. The next morning, I had just sat down at my desk when Jessica strutted into the office. She looked completely different. She was wearing heavy, glamorous makeup and a pair of ridiculously high designer heels. A shiny gold bracelet wrapped around her wrist. She intentionally rolled up her sleeves and paraded around the open-plan office, making sure everyone got a good look. “Oh, this?” she said loudly. “My dad just got back from Paris and bought it for me. It’s Cartier. I told him not to spend so much, but he just insists on spoiling me.” I glanced at her wrist. The metal looked cheap and too yellow. The engraving was blurry. It looked like it came straight out of a vending machine. As someone who frequently shopped at high-end boutiques, I could spot a counterfeit from a mile away. That thing was a cheap knockoff from Temu, worth maybe twenty bucks at most. Brenda from accounting let out a sharp laugh. “Wow, Jessica. Cartier is seriously expensive. How much did that set your dad back?” Thrilled that someone had taken the bait, Jessica launched into an elaborate, entirely fictional backstory about the bracelet. When it finally came to the price, she waved her hand dismissively. “Oh, it wasn’t that much. Only around thirty grand. My dad told me to just wear it for fun as a reward for surviving my first three months of the internship. Money isn’t really an issue for my family anyway.” Riley, who was taking a sip of her morning coffee, nearly choked. My phone buzzed with a direct message from her. “Thirty grand for that cheap junk? I literally saw the exact same one on Wish.com last night for $13.80 with free shipping.” I let out a soft snort of laughter. Completely oblivious to the awkward atmosphere, Jessica kept bragging. “For the long weekend, my whole family is flying to Paris. Four tickets. First Class, obviously.” Another coworker raised an eyebrow. “Is Paris really all that?” Jessica scoffed, looking at him with pure disdain. “Paris is the ultimate luxury experience. You don’t know what true civilization and high culture look like until you’ve been to Europe. But I guess people who have never been just wouldn’t understand.” She kept talking, hyping up France as if even the oxygen there was superior. But everyone had lost interest. People turned back to their monitors and put their headphones on. Realizing her audience had evaporated, Jessica packed up her ego and sauntered over to my desk. “Sarah, you’ve probably never been to Europe, right? If you come with me this weekend, we could book a luxury spa hotel and get massages.” “Are you absolutely sure you don’t want to come?” 3 I smiled and shook my head. “I promised my family I’d spend the holiday with them. Plus, I have to drop a friend off at the airport. I’ll pass.” Jessica’s fake smile stiffened. “What a shame. Maybe next time.” She stared at me for a few agonizingly long seconds. I could practically see the gears turning in her head, calculating her next move. I pretended not to notice and went back to typing. But the whole interaction left a bad taste in my mouth. She was definitely plotting something. That night, after working late, I was scrolling through Instagram on my couch. A post from Jessica popped up. It was a glossy, filtered photo of the Eiffel Tower. The caption read: Paris bound for the long weekend! Living my best life! Underneath, a coworker had commented: Look at you, flying international for the holiday! Must be nice to be rich. Jessica replied: Hehe, the world is my oyster! When your family has the means, you have to explore the globe. Reading her replies brought that uneasy feeling rushing back. It felt exactly like being targeted by a con artist. Everything I owned was earned through years of sleepless nights and relentless hard work. If this girl managed to exploit a loophole and drain the miles I had spent a decade accumulating, I would be genuinely furious. I opened the airline app and checked my balance. Everything was normal. Still paranoid, I called customer service one more time. “Hi, I just need to be absolutely certain. If someone has my account number and password, is it physically impossible for them to book a ticket without the SMS code?” The agent was very patient. “Yes, Ms. Davis. We recently upgraded our security protocols. Even if they somehow guessed your password, the system will not authorize a booking without the two-factor authentication code. For high-value transactions like First Class international flights, it even prompts for facial recognition on the app. No one can steal your miles.” I finally relaxed. The morning of the holiday weekend, I drove my friend to the international terminal. After dropping her off, I walked past the Apex Airlines VIP Lounge, planning to grab a quick espresso before heading home. As I approached the frosted glass doors, a familiar figure caught my eye. It was Jessica. I stopped dead in my tracks and stood out of sight, observing the scene through the glass walls. Jessica was standing in the center of the ultra-exclusive lounge with her parents and younger brother. The contrast was jarring. Her parents were wearing faded, worn-out clothes that looked like they came from a thrift store bargain bin. Her brother’s jacket was visibly stained with grease. It completely shattered the “old money heiress” illusion she maintained at the office. Her brother was standing at the gourmet buffet, grabbing handfuls of food with his bare hands, taking a bite, and throwing the half-eaten pieces back onto the trays. A lounge attendant rushed over, keeping a polite customer-service tone. “Excuse me, young man. Please use the tongs provided.” Jessica’s mother rolled her eyes dramatically. “He’s just a kid, his hands aren’t dirty. Why are you being so bossy?” Meanwhile, Jessica’s father was walking around with five plates stacked high with enough food to feed an army, far more than they could ever eat. When the staff looked away, the mother pulled several plastic grocery bags from her oversized purse and started shoveling fresh pastries and expensive fruit directly into them. Instead of stopping them, Jessica actually helped. “Mom, these artisan cakes are super expensive outside. Grab a few more. They’re delicious.” The younger brother started sprinting laps around the quiet lounge, shrieking at the top of his lungs. The wealthy business travelers around them glared in absolute disgust. Jessica’s family didn’t care at all. Her mother laughed loudly, her voice booming through the glass. “This place is fantastic! That coworker of yours is amazing for letting us use this for free!” Jessica flipped her hair, looking incredibly smug. “Of course. I basically do all her work for her at the office. She owes me big time. She practically begged me to use her account.” She lied with such flawless conviction it was almost impressive. I let out a dark, quiet laugh. When exactly did I owe her a favor? Listening to her boast, everything fell into place. It wasn’t me being paranoid. She genuinely believed she had successfully stolen my Platinum benefits. Thank god I had double-checked the security protocols. If I hadn’t, this leech would have actually gotten away with it. 4 Jessica set up a small tripod on a table and started vlogging inside the lounge, even harassing the waitstaff into taking family photos of them. Minutes later, she updated her Instagram with a nine-photo carousel, tagging her location at the VIP First Class Lounge. The first photo was the Boeing jet on the tarmac. The second was the luxurious interior of the lounge. The third was a selfie of her posing with a crystal coffee cup, trying to look like a brooding billionaire. The fourth was a massive table covered in high-end food, featuring a massive, perfectly roasted whole lobster. The caption read: The lunch spread at the VIP lounge is to die for. You can even order whole Maine lobsters a la carte! So blessed. The service is a bit mediocre though, they really need to train their staff better! I zoomed in on the last photo. I could clearly see the menu price for the a la carte lobster. Two thousand dollars. Seeing that price tag made me laugh out loud. She wasn’t just stealing; she was trying to bleed my account dry. Did this idiot actually think she could pay for a la carte luxury dining with frequent flyer miles? The comments section on her post was pure gold. Wow, Jessica is loaded! Dropping two grand on a lobster while waiting for a flight! Wait, don’t you need a lifetime Platinum card to even get into that specific lounge? Living the dream! So jealous! Jessica replied with her signature fake humility. Oh, it’s nothing special. Just my standard travel routine! A few of our colleagues couldn’t resist calling her out. If you’re so rich, why did HR publicly reprimand you for stealing toilet paper from the office bathroom last week? I snorted. Just last month, the office manager caught Jessica stuffing her tote bag with premium coffee pods and paper towels. She was officially written up and ordered to pay fifty bucks to restock the supplies. She had made a million excuses, trying to get out of paying, until the accounting department threatened to deduct it directly from her paycheck. She finally paid the fine, glaring at everyone. The very next day, she went right back to stealing paper towels. Her greed truly knew no bounds. Suddenly, my phone vibrated in my hand. It was a call from Apex Airlines customer service. “Hello, Ms. Davis. We have a situation at the terminal. A Ms. Jessica gave the desk agent your frequent flyer number, claiming to be your immediate family member. She requested to use your miles to book four First-Class tickets to Paris.” “Due to a system error on our end regarding guest passes, they were temporarily allowed into the lounge while the booking was pending. However, the transaction requires your SMS verification to process. Did you authorize this redemption?” I didn’t hesitate. “I am not flying today, and I absolutely did not authorize anyone to use my miles or my account.” The agent’s voice turned strictly professional. “Understood, Ms. Davis. Furthermore, her party has accrued a significant bill for a la carte dining inside the lounge. Do you authorize the charge to the credit card linked to your profile?” “Absolutely not. That has nothing to do with me.” “Understood completely. We will handle the situation immediately.” I hung up the phone and looked through the glass one last time. Jessica and her family were still tearing into their lobster, completely oblivious. I shook my head, let out a cold laugh, and walked away from the airport. An hour later, I pulled into my driveway. When I checked my phone, I had 99+ unread text messages and over a hundred missed calls. All from Jessica. Before I could open the chat, a text notification popped up from the airline. Dear Member, a request has been made to deduct 500,000 miles from your Platinum account ending in 6688 for four First-Class tickets and VIP lounge access. If you authorize this, reply with code 27054. If you did not authorize this, reply NO.

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What my wife, Stella, did completely shattered my understanding of human decency. At the time, she mistakenly thought I was lying about her mother being bitten by a venomous snake and clinging to life. As a result, she literally stood by and watched her favorite male student inject the only vial of universal antivenom into a stray dog. Worse still, she stood there viciously cursing her own mother, wishing death upon her. Seeing her true colors, I simply replied to her message with a single word. Pathetic. I immediately turned around and uploaded the audio recording of our conversation, along with screenshots of that male student boasting about the dog on his social media, straight to the university’s public message board. I even had the perfect title ready. Risking Her Own Mother’s Life to Save a Stray Dog. Is This Our University’s ‘Daughter of the Year’? She loved to gloat, didn’t she? Well, she could just wait. Once the tidal wave of public outrage drowned her, I wanted to see if she could still smile. 1 In less than ten minutes, the comments under the forum post had surpassed a thousand. Stella was a highly respected professor at the university. Now that she had committed such an unforgivable and twisted act, the university board was furious. Rumors were already circulating that they were going to strip her of her position. Furious, she bombarded me with over a dozen voice messages, ordering me to delete the post. “My mother has always been in poor health. If the snake venom had really reached her heart, she wouldn’t have survived long enough for me to get the serum to her anyway. Rather than wasting it, it’s better to help a poor animal!” I let out a bitter, disbelieving laugh. “The person bitten by that snake is your own mother! Get your ass to the ER right now!” The other end of the line was dead silent for a second. Then, the cursing began. “Do you think I’m an idiot, Arthur?” “My mom has bad knees. She would never go hiking in a state park.” “Besides, if she was really hurt, wouldn’t she have called me herself?” If my mother-in-law could have reached her, she wouldn’t have had to call me as her last resort. Just then, the red light above the resuscitation room behind me flicked off. The attending doctor walked out, shaking his head with a look of deep regret. “The venom has spread entirely. The patient is experiencing multiple organ failure. You should go in and say your final goodbyes.” I immediately sent Stella a video call request. I pointed the camera directly at the sterile hospital bed. When the call connected, the screen didn’t show Stella. It showed Felix’s face. “Arthur, there is something I’m really curious about. Silver Peak is a highly regulated state park. How could there be venomous snakes there? Are you just making this up to steal the formula for the universal antivenom?” “I am not!” Stella scoffed coldly from somewhere off-camera. “No wonder you’ve been so obsessed with the progress of the antivenom lately. Now you’re cursing my mother to death just to get your hands on my finished samples?” “You are absolutely shameless, Arthur!” A second later, she snatched the phone and terminated the video call. I laughed out of pure anger. Just as I was about to dial back, my mother-in-law’s trembling hand gripped my wrist. Her eyes were unfocused, darting around the empty room. “Is it Stella? Why isn’t she here yet?” I knew Martha had been holding on by a thread solely to see her daughter one last time. But the person she was waiting for was never going to show up. I stayed silent for a long moment before my voice broke. “Traffic is really bad. She’s almost here. Just hold on a little longer, Martha.” Her pale lips quivered. She clearly had something left to say. I leaned in close and caught her raspy, choked whispers. “Arthur, I failed at raising my daughter. I am so sorry for what she put you through. Please, don’t give up on her.” I didn’t say a word. Last month, at Martha’s sixtieth birthday dinner, Stella had brazenly brought Felix along. Right at the dining table, in front of our entire family, she had hand-peeled shrimp and fed them to him. I demanded a divorce right then and there. The shock and humiliation triggered a mild heart attack for Martha. The ordeal only ended when Stella swore to me that she would cut off all contact with Felix. But from that day on, she stopped coming home. Not long after, using her research project as an excuse, she started sleeping around with him again. That was exactly why Martha had traveled up the mountain. She had gone to an old chapel at the peak of Silver Peak to pray for our crumbling marriage. She had no wilderness experience. When she was bitten, she didn’t even know if the snake was venomous until the toxins rapidly spread through her bloodstream, leaving her on the brink of death. The only thing that could save her was a dose of broad-spectrum universal antivenom. Coincidentally, the latest breakthrough at Stella’s research institute was exactly that. I had called her the absolute second I found out. She had sworn up and down that she would deliver it in time. Yet, it still ended like this. I couldn’t even describe the twisted knot of grief and rage in my chest. Meeting Martha’s desperate, hopeful gaze, I finally let out a heavy sigh. “I will take good care of her for you. I promise.” 2 Stella blocked me on every single platform. But someone had to handle Martha’s funeral arrangements. I had no choice but to go to the city clerk’s office to get the necessary next-of-kin paperwork. The clerk behind the glass looked at my ID, frowned, and pushed the documents back to me. “Sir, our system shows that your marital status is single.” “You must have a power of attorney signed by the deceased’s immediate legal family member before we can process anything for you.” I froze. Three years ago, Stella and I went to City Hall together. I literally watched the clerk stamp the official seal onto our marriage certificate. How on earth could I be single? “There must be a glitch in the system. Here is our marriage certificate. Could you please run the names again?” The clerk typed a few things into her keyboard and turned the monitor toward me. “Stella’s legal husband is named Felix.” “The state database doesn’t make mistakes like this. As for how this happened, I really couldn’t tell you.” I stared blankly at the timeline on the screen. The date of their marriage registration was last October. A memory suddenly clicked into place. Around that time, Stella told me her institute had taken on a highly classified government project. As her spouse, she claimed I needed to sign a strict non-disclosure agreement. She had rushed me so aggressively that I signed the paperwork without reading the fine print. Looking back now, the problem was definitely hidden inside that stack of papers. What an incredible bait-and-switch. No wonder she didn’t look panicked at all when I demanded a divorce at the family dinner last month. Stepping out of City Hall, I received a call from the hospital morgue. They were asking when Martha’s body would be transferred for cremation. Martha’s dying pleas echoed in my ears. She had begged me to believe that Stella was just being manipulated, that she had simply taken a wrong turn in life, and begged me not to blame her. But legally, I was a complete stranger. I had absolutely no right to offer forgiveness, let alone plan a funeral. “I am sorry,” I said calmly into the phone. “I am not Martha’s legal family. I don’t have the authority to make those decisions.” “Furthermore, her daughter hasn’t even seen her one last time. Please transport the body directly to the university campus to find her daughter.” I hung up and took a cab back to my house. But the moment I unlocked the front door, I saw Felix pinning a half-undressed Stella against my living room sofa. Hearing the door click, they scrambled to sit up in a panic. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming back?” Stella frowned at me in deep annoyance. The fresh red hickeys on her neck were blindingly obvious. I sneered, stepping inside and deliberately stepping right on Felix’s expensive jacket that had been tossed onto the floor. “Do I need to report to you when I return to my own house?” “I am giving you five minutes. If you aren’t out of my sight by then, I’m calling the cops and reporting a home invasion.” Hearing this, Felix put on a sickeningly pathetic face and bowed to me apologetically. “I am so sorry, Arthur. I was just worried about the Professor walking home alone, so I escorted her. Please don’t misunderstand.” Escorting her home. Did that require lying half-naked on the sofa? I didn’t have the energy to argue. I turned and walked straight into the master bedroom. Staring at the massive wedding photo hanging on the wall, I felt nothing but pure irony. Stella was living in the house I paid for in cash, yet she had tricked me into signing a divorce agreement. And now, she was brazenly bringing Felix into my living room. I walked over, ripped the wedding photo off the wall, and threw all of our matching couple’s items directly into the trash. Just as I finished, I heard the front door slam shut. I intended to walk out and finally lay everything on the table with her. But the moment I stepped into the hallway, I found two police officers standing in my entryway. Stella pointed a manicured finger right at my chest. “Officers, I want to report this man for attempting to steal classified national research formulas for illegal profit!” 3 My head snapped up in utter shock. “You are lying!” “Stella, I never lied to you today. Your mother was really bitten by a venomous snake and needed that serum.” “She called your name until her final breath, and you didn’t even care enough to check. If you don’t believe me, I will call the morgue right now.” Stella marched forward and slapped me hard across the face. She let out a cruel laugh. “After all those words, you’re just mad that I didn’t fall for your trap, aren’t you?” “You said my mom was dying? Open your eyes and look closely. My mom texted me half an hour ago to tell me she was perfectly safe!” She shoved her phone screen directly into my face. The contact labeled ‘Mom’ had indeed sent a message thirty minutes ago. Princess, everything is fine. But I knew Martha inside and out. She never, ever called Stella ‘Princess’. That message was absolutely not sent by her. I opened my mouth to point this out. But Felix stepped right into my personal space. He threw an arm over my shoulder in a mock-friendly gesture. “Arthur, the institute invited you to join us earlier this year, but you rejected the Director’s offer because you weren’t happy with the salary. Now you’re jealous that we made a breakthrough, and you want to steal the formula to sell it? That is just pathetic.” “When you get to the station, make sure you confess everything. Maybe you can learn to be a better person when you get out.” His blatant provocation completely snapped my last nerve. Not even caring that the police were standing right there, I drove my fist straight into his smug face. “Why don’t you just die, you absolute piece of trash?” The man beneath me didn’t even try to fight back. He practically absorbed my punches, making sure to dramatically cover his face and whimper. “Arthur, I know you hate me.” “But I never blamed you for interfering in my marriage or harassing my wife. How do you have the nerve to play the victim here?” Stella decided to drop all pretenses. She forcefully shoved me away from him. Then, she pulled a document from the coffee table drawer and threw it directly at my face. “You are the one trespassing, and you are the one who deserves to rot!” “Read it carefully, Arthur. Half a year ago, you voluntarily signed an agreement giving up all marital assets. What right do you have to bark in my house?” “You maliciously slandered my mother’s name for your own selfish greed, and you assaulted my husband. I am not letting this go!” The sharp edge of the thick paper sliced a thin cut across my cheek. But I acted as if I couldn’t feel it. My hands tightly gripped the thin sheets of paper. So, she had planned this all along. Even this house, the one I had purchased entirely with my own money, was now legally a “voluntary gift” I had handed over to her. After a long silence, I looked up, a mocking smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. “You really played a good game, Stella.” “But I promise you, you are going to regret this.” She crossed her arms, watching coldly as the police handcuffed me and led me to the cruiser. Right as the car door was about to close, I saw Felix pull a phone out of his pocket behind Stella’s back. My mind exploded. My eyes went wide. That was Martha’s phone. Why on earth did he have it? Felix shot me a triumphant, arrogant smirk. I could clearly read his lips. You are always going to be a loser. 4 It wasn’t until I was sitting in the interrogation room that I finally processed everything. Martha had always treated me well. When my own parents were hospitalized from a bad accident, she drained her retirement fund just to help me cover their medical bills. Every holiday, there was always a plate of sweet and sour ribs on the table, just because she knew it was my favorite. In the past, Stella used to mock me for it, saying a grown man shouldn’t have a sweet tooth. But Martha never cared. She always defended me to Stella. “Arthur works hard for this family. I’m just glad he likes my cooking.” And now, after her tragic death, she was being used as a pawn in a sick game, and I was forced to watch the mastermind gloat. After I gave my statement and the police verified the actual timeline of events, they realized the assault was a minor domestic dispute and the espionage claim was baseless. I was released without charges. As I walked out, my phone buzzed with a text from Stella. For the sake of our past, I’ll drop the assault charges. But the condition is that you must publicly apologize to Felix. Otherwise, once the allegations of you trying to steal state research go public, your entire career is over. Seeing how blissfully unaware of her own impending doom she was, I typed out a quick reply. I agree. Stella thought I was terrified. She happily called me, demanding I take a cab straight to the university campus. I was to apologize in front of the entire university board for my behavior. On the ride over, I called the funeral home. “Please transport Ms. Martha’s casket to Oakbridge University right now.” “I sent you her daughter’s phone number earlier. When you arrive, just call her to accept the delivery.” The director readily agreed. I hung up the phone and pushed open the door of the cab. Stella was already waiting for me with the university board and a swarm of local media reporters in tow. “I invited everyone here today primarily to clarify a few things,” she announced, her voice steady and professional. She didn’t even glance in my direction. “As many of you know, Arthur and I were married for three years. But we legally divorced six months ago. Despite that, for the past half-year, he has continued to harass me. He aggressively tried to force his way between me and my new husband, Felix.” “Out of respect for our past, I tolerated his behavior. But I never imagined that because he couldn’t have me, he would try to destroy me. He lied about my mother being bitten by a snake, trying to trick me into abandoning the institute’s serum.” “Arthur caused this disaster, and he should take full responsibility for it.” The crowd erupted. The reporters sighed in sympathy for Stella’s “endurance” and turned their cameras toward me, openly spitting insults. Amidst the flashing cameras, Felix stepped forward. “Arthur, Stella and I are willing to let the past go. But to try and steal classified research for your own profit is unacceptable.” “Since everyone is here today, give a proper apology. You owe it to all the researchers who worked on that project.” “Get on your knees. Show some actual sincerity.” I curled my lips into an icy smile. “I can apologize. Forget kneeling, I’ll even bow my head to the floor.” “But before I do that, I have a few things to say as well.” I pulled out my phone and played the audio clips of Felix’s provocations, swiping through the screenshots of his obnoxious social media posts. “You claim I have no shame and that I interfered in your marriage. But for the past six months, I am the one who has been constantly harassed.” “And I never lied about today. I can prove it to you right now.” Without missing a beat, I dialed Martha’s phone number in front of the dozens of rolling cameras. A second later, a loud ringing sound vibrated from Felix’s coat pocket. He panicked, frantically pressing his hand against his pocket to muffle the sound, but it was useless. Stella rushed over and ripped the phone out of his coat. “Why do you have my mother’s phone?” Felix stuttered, completely unable to form a coherent sentence. Right at that exact moment, Stella’s own phone began to ring. A gruff voice echoed over the murmur of the confused crowd. “Which one of you is Ms. Stella? We need a signature for the delivery of your mother’s body.”

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My husband is Bren, the Alpha of the Dubois pack. He’s also the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Outsiders always assume I must be incredibly wealthy after marrying Bren. Whenever I hear that, I can only smile bitterly. Later, while organizing files in Bren’s study, I accidentally discovered a yellowed gift agreement hidden in the bottom drawer. It was a breakup settlement Bren had given his ex-girlfriend Vivian for free: 30 million in cash, 2% of the company’s equity, and ownership of two commercial buildings in the pack’s business district. I’ve been married to Bren for seven years, but before our wedding, he had me sign a cold, impersonal prenuptial agreement. I don’t have any assets under my name, let alone any involvement in his business. Even the villa we currently live in has nothing to do with me. Just as I’m feeling angry, Bren appears in the doorway and scolds me: “I told you not to go into my study. You broke the rules again.” I hand him the gift agreement he gave his ex-girlfriend and say calmly: “Bren, let’s get divorced. I want to break our mate bond with you.” He frowns and tears the document in my hands to shreds: “Just because of this agreement?! I can do whatever I want with my own property. Do I need your approval? Besides, this is all in the past.” With that, he doesn’t spare me another glance and leaves the study. And I simply call my lawyer calmly.

When the divorce lawyer sent over the divorce agreement, she was still trying to convince me: “Luna Una, are you sure you want to give up all assets? Although you signed a prenuptial agreement, Alpha Bren has always been generous. You can fight for your legal rights.” Hearing the lawyer’s words, a bitter smile appeared on my lips. Legal rights? I actually have nothing. After marriage, Bren only takes a $1 salary from the company each month. The company’s equity distribution was made very clear before I married him. All core assets belong to him personally and have nothing to do with me. On our wedding day, he had a professional lawyer present as a witness, while I faced a thick stack of prenuptial agreements. Actually, I didn’t think there was anything wrong with it before. Bren is a natural Alpha leader and businessman, skilled at planning and very rational. At that time, I loved him as a person, not his wealth, so I didn’t care at all. But it wasn’t until I saw how generous he was with his ex-girlfriend that I realized how much of a fool I’d been. My chest tightened painfully, but I still replied calmly, “No need. Just proceed with this agreement.” After hanging up with the lawyer, I removed my ring: Inside the ring was an English inscription: B&V. Only at this moment did I suddenly realize this was actually an abbreviation for “Bren and Vivian.” This reminded me of three years ago when I accidentally left my ring at an art exhibition. When Bren saw I wasn’t wearing my ring, he immediately lost his temper. He dragged me to the door. “Why aren’t you wearing your ring? Where did you put it?” The coldness on his face made me panic. I quickly explained: “I went to see an art exhibition during the day and accidentally left it in the restroom. The staff said they’d bring it tomorrow.” After hearing my explanation, although Bren didn’t say much more that night, he had his assistant retrieve the ring from the exhibition staff overnight. Even this villa we live in was purchased because he had planned to marry Vivian. Vivian left him but took away assets I could never obtain in my lifetime. What I’m jealous of isn’t just the unfair distribution of assets, but his favoritism toward his ex-girlfriend all these years. For the next seven full days, he barely spoke a word to me. He didn’t touch any of the breakfasts I prepared. He didn’t even come home two nights. Thinking of all these past events, numbness and sourness surged through my heart again. Afraid tears would burst forth, I removed the ring and placed it on the table. After the lawyer delivered the agreement, I decisively signed my name on the divorce papers and left the villa without looking back.

With a friend’s help, I quickly found a suitable apartment. I’ve never been picky about living conditions, so that same afternoon I finalized the lease with the landlord. By the time I finished cleaning thoroughly, it was already nine o’clock at night. I decided to return to the villa to talk to Bren face-to-face about the divorce and breaking our mate bond. But I waited until eleven o’clock at night, and Bren still hadn’t returned. I sat blankly in the living room waiting for him. At one in the morning, Bren pushed open the door, reeking of alcohol. Seeing me sitting there, he immediately showed signs of impatience. He took off his suit jacket and casually threw it over the back of a chair, saying coldly to me, “Going to fight again? I don’t have time for that.” With that, he rolled up his shirt sleeves and was about to head straight to his room. The whole time, he didn’t glance once at the divorce agreement I’d placed on the table, nor did he say an extra word to me. My throat tightened slightly, but I still called out to him, “Bren, this is the divorce agreement. Please sign it. Let’s get divorced and break our mate bond.” Bren’s steps paused slightly. He turned back irritably to look at me. “Still angry about the breakup agreement with my ex? You’re my wife now. Don’t you even have that much grace?” Hearing these words, I suddenly wanted to laugh. So in Bren’s view, the only reason I wanted a divorce was because he gave his ex a breakup settlement? But if it were really just about money, I wouldn’t have chosen to marry him in the first place. Maybe Bren will never know that I’ve silently loved him for many years. I once wrote him 99 love letters but never dared to deliver them personally. Like a humble observer, I quietly watched everything about him from the sidelines. I watched Bren fall in love with Vivian, watched Vivian break up with Bren and leave for another pack, watched Bren look utterly devastated. Not long after, I discovered Bren and I were fated mates. At that time, Bren took the initiative to ask me to date him. I was beyond thrilled—I thought he’d let go of Vivian. Even if he didn’t love me that much, I wasn’t afraid. I thought people can change, that my sincerity would eventually move him. After we started dating, although he rarely took initiative with me, he always maintained a certain politeness. He spent very little time with me, but he was willing to accompany me to a movie on Valentine’s Day. He’d give me gifts on my birthday, though the gifts were only chosen by his secretary. But even these small bits of sweetness made me feel very content. After dating for a year, we got married smoothly. There was no touching marriage proposal, no romantic wedding. It was simply because his parents urged him to get married, so he agreed to marry me. Four years of secret love, one year of dating, seven years of marriage. Now it’s enough. I don’t want to continue anymore. Suppressing the stabbing pain in my chest, I took a deep breath, “Bren, I really want a divorce.” With that, I stood up first, repeating calmly and firmly, “So, I hope by tomorrow morning, this agreement will already be signed. After that, we’ll find a day to break our mate bond.” After saying this, I imitated his usual cold manner, walked past him toward the guest bedroom, and locked the door. Bren suddenly shouted angrily behind me, “Fine, Una! You want a divorce, right? Okay, I’ll sign it right now. Even if you come crawling back begging me later, I won’t take you back!” Soon, the sound of a door slamming came from the next room. Listening to the commotion outside, even though I was mentally prepared, I still felt a dense, stabbing pain in my heart. Perhaps Bren had long forgotten that during these seven years of marriage, I had begged him in a low voice countless times. On the first anniversary after our marriage, I pleaded with him to celebrate at the beach. He agreed readily, but when the appointed time came, he sent me a last-minute message saying he had an emergency meeting that evening. After that, he never explained again and just hung up the phone directly. Seven years have passed, and every year I ask if he has time, saying I want to travel somewhere with him. But every year, he says his schedule is too tight and he has no time. Just like that, the trips he owes me have been postponed again and again. Actually, I never understood before why even after years of marriage to Bren, there always seemed to be an invisible wall between us. Not until that gift agreement surfaced. Only then did I understand—it’s all simply because he doesn’t care about me at all. I have to admit one thing: Where a man spends his money is where his love is.

The next morning, Bren was already gone. Only the living room remained, littered with shredded pieces of the torn divorce agreement. Looking at the mess, for a brief moment, I felt somewhat dazed. Perhaps… Bren isn’t really that heartless toward me? Did he tear up the divorce agreement because he couldn’t bear to let me go? It wasn’t until my phone buzzed with a new message that I snapped back to reality. The message was from a strange girl. A week ago, she suddenly wanted to add me as a friend on my Ins account. Her verification message read, “Third wheel, I’m back. Time to return Bren to me, don’t you think?” Out of curiosity, I accepted her request. Since then, she’s been frequently sending me various photos and documents. Photos of Bren accompanying her to concerts; Video screenshots of the two of them watching fireworks together at the beach; Even photos of them kissing in a parking lot late at night. Even that agreement in Bren’s study—she was the one who tipped me off about it. This time, she sent a photo of Bren sleeping peacefully on a hotel bed, captured from the side. “I heard you went through Bren’s study and saw that agreement. So, have you given up yet?” “By the way, the jewelry Bren left for you—I hope you’ll send it for cleaning and disinfection soon.” “I have a cleanliness obsession. I don’t like things that other people have touched.” “Making Bren marry you was only because I thought you were clean enough. Men have physical needs, you know. Better he relieves himself with you than goes looking for prostitutes outside.” “Also, you only have three days to get divorced, or I’ll go public with our relationship.” “Don’t think Bren can’t bear to lose you. You have no idea how proactive he is.” “Ever since I returned to Dubois pack, he’s been coming to find me almost every day. Alright, enough talking. Bren’s about to wake up. We’re going to take a bath together.” The messages stopped abruptly there. And my tears fell one by one onto the keyboard. Through blurred vision, I forced myself to reply: “You said you don’t like things other people have touched, but over these years, Bren and I have had sex a thousand times already.” After I sent the message, there was no further response from her. My chest felt suffocated, like being punched into cotton. That sharp, piercing pain surged up instantly. No wonder he stormed out in the middle of the night. At the time, I thought it was because my mention of divorce had upset Bren. Turns out he was just rushing off to relive old times with his ex-girlfriend. The last thread in my heart snapped. With trembling fingertips, I sent him a message, “Bren, are you free today? I want to break our mate bond with you. We can go to City Hall and handle the procedures.”

I sent my message a full half hour ago, and Bren still hasn’t responded. Calling him goes unanswered too. Instead, Vivian sent me a voice message. “Are you annoying or what? Why do you keep calling Bren? Don’t you know? Bren and I hate being disturbed when we’re alone together.” I suppressed the anger in my heart and replied to her: “I’ve already told him I want to reject him. If you don’t want to remain nameless forever, have him come back and break the mate bond with me.” Vivian stopped responding. I really had no patience to wait for Bren’s message anymore. I directly contacted a moving company and started packing all my belongings. Including all the various gifts I’d given him over the years. Oil paintings I’d made for him, ties and cufflinks I’d bought him… He’d thrown all these things in the storage room like garbage. Since he doesn’t want them, I’ll throw them all away—along with the heart that once loved him. Although I’d lived in this house for seven years, it took only three hours to load all my things onto the moving truck. As I was leaving, I ultimately couldn’t hold back and burst into tears again. I had just moved to my new apartment and was simply organizing my things. That’s when I received another message from Vivian: “Come over. Bren is at my hotel suite. He’s agreed to break the mate bond.” Looking at this message, my fingers tightened unconsciously around my phone. In the end, I only replied: “Okay.” Before leaving, I’d already formed a revenge plan in my mind. I changed into a quick-dry outfit and grabbed a camera with a telephoto lens. Then I took a taxi straight to the hotel Vivian had sent me. I’d been humiliated by Vivian for a whole month. It was time to let her experience what being humiliated feels like. Even though I knew Bren would be furious and we’d both lose in the end.

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The moment I won the championship, I instinctively looked for Payton. But the VIP section was empty. On my phone, news flashed. He’d spent millions to rent every billboard in the city. All to celebrate his first love Sophia’s birthday. Meanwhile, the trending topic was my scandal. “Extreme skydiving champion Lily is the mistress of the Payton heir.” But I was supposed to be his fiancée. I rushed to his office to confront him. Instead, I walked in on an intimate moment. He calmly lifted Sophia off his lap and looked at me coldly. “Sophia’s back. You can get lost now.” Seven years of being by his side meant nothing. I looked at his smug face and laughed. I turned and walked into the elevator, dialing his half-brother and bitter rival. “Jace, that collaboration you mentioned before. I’m in. Let’s make Payton lose everything.” Lily’s POV As I leaped from four thousand meters high, the wind roared in my ears. I calmly pulled the ripcord. The massive main parachute exploded open above my head, violently yanking my rapidly falling body upward. Landing, detaching the chute, unfastening the safety buckle. My movements were fluid. Enthusiastic cheers erupted around me. This was my third extreme skydiving world championship this year, and also the highest-level commercial endorsement I’d secured for Payton Corporation. After removing my goggles, I instinctively looked toward the VIP viewing area. I scanned all around but never found the figure I’d been expecting. Payton hadn’t come after all. My assistant Shay approached hesitantly, holding out my phone. “Lily, Payton, he…” On the screen was a news article. “Payton heir makes grand romantic gesture, spending millions to rent citywide billboards for Sophia’s birthday!” In the video, the usually cold and taciturn Payton was gently fastening a diamond necklace around a girl’s neck. The girl shyly nestled into his embrace like a startled fawn. Below this news article hung another glaring headline. #Extreme skydiving champion Lily is the Payton heir’s mistress#. The netizens’ mockery flooded in. “She flies around in the sky every day and actually thinks she’s a socialite?” “Who doesn’t know Lily signed with Payton Corporation for money back then? She’s just a money-making tool.” “Our Sophia is afraid of heights. Mr. Payton won’t even let her near the second-floor terrace. Lily skydives every day and Mr. Payton never cares about her. That’s the difference between true love and a mistress!” I calmly turned off the screen, concealing all emotion in my eyes. “Miss Lily, are you okay?” Shay looked at me with concern. “I’m fine. Pack up the equipment. We’re going home.” During the thirteen-hour flight, I didn’t sleep once. My mind was filled with the look in Payton’s eyes as he fastened the necklace around Sophia’s neck. That careful, protective gaze. He used to look at me like that too. Seven years ago, my mother was dying. I knelt in the rain outside the Payton estate, begging for money. It was Payton who walked up to me with an umbrella and pulled me to my feet. He paid for her treatment. He sent me to the best skydiving school. He said, “Lily, you belong to the sky. You shouldn’t be held back by this mud.” I thought it was love. But I was wrong. He was just seeing someone else in me. Someone too afraid of heights to ever fly herself. Now, that woman had returned. As soon as I got off the plane, I called Payton. The phone rang for a long time before he answered. In the background was soft piano music. “What is it?” The man’s voice carried cold indifference. “I saw the news.” I gripped my phone tightly, my knuckles turning white. “Payton, we’re legally married.” A slight snort came from the other end. “Lily, don’t try to control me with that piece of paper. Whatever compensation you want, contact my secretary directly.” “I just won the championship.” I didn’t know why I said this. Perhaps I still held onto a laughable shred of hope. “Mm, congratulations.” His tone was perfunctory. “Sophia has a bit of a cold. I don’t have time to listen to you report your achievements. If there’s nothing important, I’m hanging up.” Beep. The sound of the call ending pierced my eardrum. Standing in the airport, I suddenly felt that the cold at four thousand meters was nothing compared to this moment. When I returned to the villa, it was already late at night. I opened the door and froze. The originally minimalist living room was now filled with pink throw pillows and stuffed animals. My favorite skydiving oil painting of the snowy mountains had been taken down and carelessly tossed in a corner, replaced by an enormous solo portrait of Sophia. Payton sat on the sofa, playing with an exquisite music box. Hearing the noise, he looked up, his brow furrowing slightly. “Why did you come back so suddenly?” “This is my home. Can’t I come back?” My voice was hoarse. Payton stood up and walked over to me, looking down at me from above. “Sophia likes this place. She doesn’t sleep well and needs quiet. Your skydiving equipment takes up too much space. I’ve already had it moved to the apartment in East City.” His tone was flat, as if he were discussing the most ordinary matter. “You’re kicking me out?” I looked up, staring hard into his eyes. “Just having you change where you live.” Payton was somewhat impatient. “Lily, you’ve always been independent and strong. Sophia is timid. Don’t scare her.” Looking at this man I’d loved for seven years, I suddenly felt he was completely unfamiliar. I was independent and strong, so I deserved to be kicked out? She was timid, so she could rightfully take over everything that belonged to someone else? I didn’t make a scene. I didn’t cry. I simply turned around calmly, dragging the suitcase I hadn’t even opened yet, and walked into the night. He didn’t try to keep me. Behind me, only the crisp music of the music box played on, as if mocking my pathetic state.

Lily’s POV The apartment in East City was tiny, not even big enough to store my parachute pack. I spent the entire night packing up the equipment I’d once treasured like precious possessions, stuffing them one by one into the cramped storage room. At dawn, Payton’s secretary called. “Mrs. Payton, Mr. Payton has instructed that for next month’s extreme sports reality show, he hopes you can help Miss Sophia.” The hand wiping my helmet paused. “Sophia? Isn’t she afraid of heights?” The secretary gave an awkward laugh. “Miss Sophia says… she wants to challenge herself. After all, Mr. Payton feels this show has very high viewership, which would help Miss Sophia’s career…” “And Mr. Payton’s intention is for you to serve as her dedicated safety instructor, protecting her throughout.” Have a world champion serve as a safety instructor for a delicate female celebrity? And watch my own husband dote on another woman in front of a national audience? “I refuse.” I coldly uttered those words. “Mrs. Payton…” The secretary’s voice lowered. “Mr. Payton said if you refuse, Payton Corporation will withdraw all sponsorship of your skydiving team for the second half of the year.” I shut my eyes tightly. My heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand. Payton, you’re so cruel to me. My team had over a dozen colleagues who’d been with me for a long time. They desperately needed this sponsorship to maintain the high training costs. “Fine.” After hanging up, I looked at myself in the mirror with reddened eyes and forced out a smile more painful than crying. The debt I owed Payton. I was close to finally paying it off. On the day of filming, the weather was hot. Sophia wore a custom pink skydiving suit and was surrounded by a cluster of assistants as she approached. She wore delicate makeup and had her hair carefully styled. She didn’t look like someone here to skydive. More like she was walking a red carpet. Payton followed beside her, holding a parasol, carefully shading her from the sun. “Hello, Lily.” Sophia walked up to me with a sweet smile. “I’m really afraid of heights. Payton insisted I try skydiving. You must protect me, okay?” I handed her a set of basic protective gear with an expressionless face. “Put it on. Check the buckles.” Sophia suddenly cried out, looking at Payton with grievance. “Payton, this buckle is so hard. It hurt my hand.” Payton immediately dropped the umbrella, took her hand with concern and blew on it gently, then turned to look at me coldly. “Lily, can’t you help her? What am I paying you for?” The surrounding crew members all turned to look, their eyes full of curiosity. I took a deep breath, stepped forward, and efficiently fastened Sophia’s safety buckles, tightening the straps. “It hurts! Be gentler!” Sophia’s eyes immediately reddened. Payton shoved me aside and shielded Sophia behind him. “Lily, you did that on purpose, didn’t you?” His eyes were icy, as if I were a criminal. The push made me stumble backward, my back hitting the hard cabin door. “Skydiving isn’t acting. If the straps aren’t tight, there could be an accident.” I looked straight into his eyes, my voice completely flat. “If Mr. Payton is worried about her, you can take her and leave right now.” Payton’s expression was terrible. He was about to speak when Sophia tugged at his sleeve. “Payton, Miss Lily is just looking out for me. I’m fine. I can handle it.” He glanced at me coldly. “If anything happens to Sophia, even one hair on her head, I’ll make you pay.” The plane took off. As altitude increased, the cabin pressure began to change. Sophia’s face turned pale. She clutched Payton’s arm tightly, trembling all over. “Payton, I’m scared… I don’t want to jump anymore…” Her voice took on a tearful quality. Payton held her tightly, constantly comforting her, then turned and roared at the pilot. “Turn back! Can’t you see she’s uncomfortable!” The pilot looked at me somewhat helplessly. “Miss Lily, this…” “We can’t turn back.” I looked calmly at the instrument panel. “The air currents are unstable right now. Forcing a landing is too risky. We must either jump at the designated altitude or circle to burn fuel.” “I told you to turn back, don’t you understand!” Payton suddenly stood up, rushed over to me, and grabbed my collar. “Lily, do you want to make Sophia uncomfortable? You crazy woman!” Looking at him, I suddenly felt utterly absurd. I was a professional skydiving athlete using my professional knowledge to protect everyone’s safety, yet in his eyes, I’d become a vicious woman jealous of someone else. “Payton, let go.” I said coldly. Just then, the plane suddenly encountered strong turbulence. The fuselage shook violently. Sophia screamed and fainted. Chaos erupted in the cabin. I quickly steadied myself and checked Sophia’s vital signs. She’d only fainted from extreme fright. Nothing serious. But Payton had completely lost his rationality. He shoved me away, held Sophia tightly in his arms, and glared at me with bloodshot eyes. “Get away! Don’t touch her!” I sat on the cold metal floor, watching him hold another woman while trembling, and my heart felt like it was being pierced by millions of needles simultaneously. The pain made even breathing taste of blood.

Lily’s POV The plane ultimately landed safely. Sophia was rushed to the hospital. Payton stayed close by her side. Meanwhile, I, as the “instigator” of this “farce,” was kept at the tarmac, subjected to questioning by the production team and Payton Corporation’s PR department. “Miss Lily, why did you refuse to turn back? Was this decision mixed with personal emotions?” “There are rumors that you hold a grudge against Miss Sophia and deliberately tampered with the equipment. Are these accusations true?” Countless microphones thrust toward me, camera flashes blinding. I repeated that same sentence expressionlessly. “Weather conditions didn’t permit it. I only made the most professional judgment.” No one believed me. With Payton’s tacit permission, public opinion completely turned toward Sophia. She became the innocent victim. Someone bravely challenging herself but persecuted by a vicious instructor. And I became the jealous lunatic. My social media accounts were flooded with hate. Countless vicious private messages poured in. People even mailed dead rats and razor blades to my apartment. I ignored it all, just locked myself in my room, reviewing the meteorological data from that day over and over. I wasn’t wrong. But I knew that in Payton’s eyes, even my breathing was wrong. Three days later, Payton’s mother, Claire, personally came to this small apartment. She wore a haute couture suit. Looking around, a flash of disgust crossed her eyes. “Lily, look at yourself now.” Claire sat in the only clean chair, her tone condescending. I brought her a glass of water. “Why are you here?” “Don’t call me Mom.” Claire coldly interrupted me. “If Payton hadn’t insisted on marrying you back then, do you think you could have entered the Payton family? Think about what your status is.” I lowered my eyes and didn’t refute her. “I’m here today to inform you of something.” Claire took out a document from her bag and tossed it on the table. “You must win the World Championship next month. Payton Corporation just acquired an overseas sports brand. We need this championship to expand brand awareness.” I looked at the document, sorrow welling up in my heart. “What if I can’t win?” “What did you say?” Claire sneered. “Lily, don’t forget that your mother’s medical bills back then, and your training expenses over these years, were all paid by the Payton family. The contract states it clearly. If you lose, not only do you have to pay ten times the penalty, your team will have to disband too.” She stood up, looking down at me from above. “Win the championship, fulfill the responsibilities in the contract, and then voluntarily divorce Payton. Sophia is the one I approve of. You’ve occupied this position long enough. It’s time to give it up.” The door slammed shut heavily. I collapsed to the floor, looking at that cold contract, and finally couldn’t hold back my tears. So in their eyes, I was never Payton’s wife. I was just an employee who’d signed an unequal treaty. For the next month, I practically lived at the training facility. The high-intensity training aggravated my old injuries. My shoulder and knee hurt so much I couldn’t sleep. I could only get by on painkillers. I dragged my exhausted body back to the apartment, only to see Payton’s car downstairs. He leaned against the car door, a cigarette between his fingers. Seeing me, he stubbed out the cigarette and strode over. “Where were you? Why do you look so haggard?” “Training.” I flatly uttered that word and walked past him, preparing to go upstairs. He grabbed my wrist. I gasped, the severe pain in my shoulder instantly draining the color from my face. Payton froze for a moment and instinctively released his grip. “What’s wrong with you?” “Nothing.” I stepped back, creating distance. “Mr. Payton, is there something you need?” Irritation flashed in his eyes. “Sophia has a very important red carpet event tomorrow. She needs a beautiful necklace. I remember you have one called Heart of the Sun. Lend it to her for a day.” I jerked my head up, looking at him in disbelief. That “Heart of the Sun” necklace. The ring he’d proposed with had been remade into it. Later, he’d personally fastened it around my neck, saying he wanted that necklace to stay against my heartbeat forever. Now he wanted me to lend this necklace to another woman? “No.” I said stubbornly through gritted teeth. “Lily, can you stop being so selfish?” Payton’s voice turned cold. “It’s just a necklace. It’s not like you wear it.” “That’s a memento from my mother!” I blurted out, randomly making up a lie. I didn’t want to tell him I’d been wearing that necklace all along. Payton sneered. “Your mother left it to you? Lily, when you lie, don’t you think first? I bought that for you back then. Since I bought it, I have the right to use it now.” He reached out and directly pulled open my collar. The silver chain glinted coldly in the moonlight, and that blue diamond rested quietly at my collarbone. Payton froze. He clearly hadn’t expected that I’d been wearing it all along. Looking at his shocked expression, my heart no longer held a ripple of emotion. I reached up without hesitation and yanked hard. Snap. The chain broke, its sharp edge cutting a bloody line across my neck. I hurled the necklace, still warm with my body heat and blood, hard against his chest. “Take it! Now get the hell out!”

Lily’s POV The necklace struck Payton’s chest, then fell to the ground with a crisp sound. Payton looked down at the necklace on the ground, then at the blood seeping from my neck, an extremely complex emotion flashing in his eyes. He instinctively reached out, wanting to touch my wound. “Lily, you’re insane…” I violently slapped his hand away, my gaze cold as ice. “Payton, take your things and get out of my sight.” I didn’t look at him again. I turned and walked into the dim stairwell. Only after closing the door did I slide powerlessly to the floor, covering my neck, letting tears flow. That necklace wasn’t just his proposal token to me. It was the only thing that could give me strength during countless high-altitude descents. Now, even this last bit of warmth had been personally stripped away by him. The next day, photos of Sophia wearing that “Heart of the Sun” on the red carpet dominated all entertainment news headlines. The caption read: “Limited edition blue diamond gifted to beauty, Payton heir and Sophia’s relationship going strong.” I turned off my phone, forcing myself to focus on the tactical board in front of me. The World Championship was about to begin. I had no time to heal my wounds. “Miss Lily, your shoulder…” Shay looked at my trembling hand with concern written all over her face. “Give me a nerve block injection.” I instructed the team doctor expressionlessly. The doctor frowned tightly. “Lily, are you insane? If you get another nerve block with this injury, you might never be able to lift your arm again!” “It’s fine.” I raised my head, my eyes resolute. “I must win this competition.” If I won, I could completely repay my debt to the Payton family. If I won, I could completely leave Payton. The moment the nerve block entered the joint cavity, the pain nearly made me bite through my teeth. The World Championship was held in Switzerland. The snow winds of the Alps were bone-chillingly cold. I stood at the helicopter cabin door, looking down at the continuous snow peaks below, and took a deep breath. I leaped, like a bird, diving into the vast whiteness. Wind roared in my ears. I endured the severe pain in my shoulder, precisely controlling my posture, completing one high-difficulty maneuver after another. Opening the chute, gliding, precision landing. When both my feet landed steadily on the bullseye, thunderous applause erupted throughout the venue. I won. I’d won this gold medal with the highest value, and also completed the task Claire had assigned. On the day I returned home, the airport was filled with my fans and media. Wearing sunglasses, I struggled to make my way out under security escort. Suddenly, a commotion erupted in the crowd. “It’s Mr. Payton! Mr. Payton came to pick her up!” Payton wore a black haute couture suit, holding a large bouquet of bright red roses, striding toward me. Media camera flashes went crazy, trying to capture this touching scene. Payton walked up to me, handed me the roses, his eyes so tender they seemed to drip water. “Darling, congratulations. I knew you could do it.” He called me “darling.” He hadn’t used that term in three years. I didn’t take the flowers. I just looked at him coldly. “Mr. Payton, don’t put on an act here. I just finished competing. I’m very tired.” The smile on Payton’s face froze. He stepped forward, trying to put his arm around my shoulder. “Stop making a scene. So many media are watching. I’ve already made reservations at a restaurant to celebrate for you.” I dodged his touch, my voice not loud but clear enough for the surrounding media to hear. “Mr. Payton, your fiancée Miss Sophia is still waiting for you. You’ve given the flowers to the wrong person.” As soon as I said this, the entire venue erupted in shock. Payton’s expression instantly darkened. He said angrily, “Lily, do you have to make a scene at a time like this?” “What did you say?” I laughed coldly. “Payton, you’re using the championship I risked my life for to advertise your company, then you turn around and act affectionate toward me. Don’t you find that disgusting?” I didn’t acknowledge his ugly expression again. I walked straight through the crowd and got in the car. The moment the car door closed, I saw Payton violently hurl that bouquet of roses to the ground. When I returned to the apartment, the first thing I did was print out divorce papers. I signed my name on them, then put them in an envelope and mailed them to Payton. I wanted nothing. I only wanted freedom.

Lily’s POV Three days after I mailed the divorce papers, Payton didn’t respond. Instead, Sophia posted a photo of herself trying on wedding dresses on social media. The caption: “Seven years of feelings, not as good as one grand wedding. Looking forward to next month’s wedding.” Looking at that post, I had no reaction. Seven years. The length of my marriage to Payton was also exactly seven years. Today was our seventh wedding anniversary. In previous years on this day, no matter how busy he was, he would cancel all social engagements to spend time with me. But today, he was accompanying another woman trying on wedding dresses. In the evening, someone knocked on the apartment door. I opened it to find a drunk Payton. His tie was loosened, his eyes reddened, staring hard at me. “Lily, how dare you?” He shoved me aside, stumbled into the room, and threw the crumpled divorce agreement on the table. “Giving up all marital assets? Do you think that makes you noble?” I closed the door, coldly watching him lose control. “I’ve fulfilled my contract obligations. I don’t want Payton Corporation’s sponsorship anymore either. Payton, I don’t owe you anything.” “What did you say?” He whirled around, grabbed my chin in a vice grip, the force almost crushing my bones. “Lily, you owe me a life! I saved your mother’s life! You think you can leave me?” I was forced to look up at this face I’d once been so infatuated with. “Oh? Do you want me to give my life back to you?” Payton seemed stung by the deathly stillness in my eyes. He suddenly released me, irritably loosening his tie. “Take back the agreement. I can pretend this never happened.” His tone softened somewhat, carrying arrogance. “Sophia’s wedding is just for show. She needs a wedding to solidify her status in the entertainment industry. You’re still my wife.” I could hardly believe my ears. “Payton, are you insane? You want me to watch you hold a wedding with another woman, and then I’m still supposed to continue being Mrs. Payton?” “What do you want? Money? Resources? I can give you anything!” He shouted loudly. “Lily, don’t be too greedy! You’re flying around in the sky every day. How would you have time to take care of home? Sophia can provide me happiness that you can’t!” “Happiness?” I chewed on this word, feeling utterly desolate. “When I was getting nerve block injections to skydive for your company, nearly dying on that snowy mountain, you were helping her pick out necklaces. When I was being cyberbullied across the internet because of your coercion, you were helping her try on wedding dresses.” “Payton, you don’t want happiness. You just need an obedient pet and a good employee who can make money for you!” Slap! The crisp sound of the slap echoed in the small apartment. Payton’s hand hung in mid-air, trembling slightly. I turned my head to the side. My cheek hurt badly. I tasted blood at the corner of my mouth. This was the first time he’d hit me. The air was deathly silent. “Lily… I…” Payton seemed to realize what he’d done. Panic flashed in his eyes as he tried to reach for me. I stepped back, avoiding his touch. “Payton, consider this slap the last bit of gratitude I’m repaying you.” I pointed at the door, my voice utterly devoid of warmth. “Please leave my home immediately.” Payton stood in place, his chest heaving violently. He looked at me. Ultimately saying nothing, he turned and slammed the door as he left. The next day, I contacted a lawyer and formally filed for divorce with the court. Since he wasn’t willing to divorce by agreement, we’d go through legal procedures. Just as I was preparing to go to the law firm, I received a call from my coach. “Lily, something’s happened! The training facility’s property rights were transferred by Payton Corporation. The new owner is demanding we all move out within three days!” My head buzzed. That facility stood on the last piece of land my mother had left me. Later, to raise training funds, I’d mortgaged this land to Payton Corporation. Payton had once promised me that as long as I won the World Championship, he’d return the facility’s property rights to me. He’d broken his promise. “Who’s the new owner?” I asked, suppressing my fury. “It’s… it’s Sebastian.” All the blood in my body instantly froze. Sebastian, Sophia’s father. He was also the man who’d scammed my mother out of all her money years ago, causing her heart attack and ultimately her death! Payton had actually given my mother’s memento to my enemy!

Lily’s POV I don’t know how I rushed to Payton Corporation’s building. Security tried to stop me. I shoved them aside. Eyes red, like a cornered beast, I kicked open Payton’s office door. Inside the office, Payton sat on the wide leather sofa. Sophia leaned against him, holding a document, laughing happily. That document was the property rights transfer for the facility. Seeing me burst in, Sophia cried out in alarm and shrank into Payton’s embrace. “Miss Lily, why are you here…” She looked at me timidly, like a frightened little rabbit. Payton’s expression darkened. He shielded Sophia behind him, looking at me coldly. “Lily, what are you doing? This is the office!” I stared hard at the document in his hands, my voice trembling with extreme anger. “Payton, you gave the facility to Sebastian?” Payton frowned, his tone very impatient. “It’s just a broken-down facility. Sophia’s father wants to invest in extreme sports. I saw that land was sitting empty, so I transferred it to him. If you want one, I’ll buy you ten better ones.” “Broken-down facility?” I laughed miserably, tears finally bursting forth. “Payton, that’s what you promised to return to me! That’s the only thing my mother left me!” “Lily, stop making a scene.” Payton stood up, looking down at me from above. “Your mother’s been dead for so many years. What’s the use of keeping a piece of land? Sophia’s father is a businessman. That land can only achieve maximum value in his hands.” “Businessman?” I pointed at Sophia, questioning him. “Do you know what kind of person Sebastian is? He scammed my mother out of all her money years ago! He’s the murderer who killed my mother!” Sophia’s face paled. She immediately burst into tears. “Miss Lily, you can’t slander my father just because you’re jealous of me! My father has always done honest business. How could he possibly scam anyone…” “Shut up!” I roared. “Stop!” Payton suddenly slammed a document on the desk, making a huge noise. He walked up to me, his eyes utterly devoid of warmth. “Lily, you’re becoming more and more disgusting. I know better than you what kind of person Sophia’s father is.You could fabricate such lies just to take over that land?” He looked at me with eyes full of disappointment and disgust. “You used to be jealous of Sophia, but at least you were honest. Now? You’re like a lunatic spouting lies!” Looking at him, my heart shattered completely into dust. He didn’t believe me. He’d rather believe a con artist’s daughter than his wife of seven years. “Payton, I’m asking you one last time.” I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm. “Give me back the facility, and we’ll have nothing to do with each other ever again.” “Impossible.” He refused without hesitation. “I already promised Sophia. It’s a gift for her father.” A gift. He was giving my mother’s memento to the enemy who killed her. “Fine.” I nodded, wiped away my tears, and straightened my spine. “Payton, you’re going to regret this.” I turned and walked out of the office without looking back. I didn’t return to the apartment. Instead, I went straight to the law firm. “Mr. Zhang, help me investigate all of Sebastian’s financial transactions over the years, and find evidence of the fraud he committed against my mother back then.” I slammed a bank card on the table. “This is all my money.” As I left the law firm, I got a call from Old Lee. “Lily, the facility… Sebastian brought people to demolish the buildings!” I rushed to the facility like a madwoman. Bulldozers were roaring. The row of trees my mother had planted with her own hands had already been uprooted. Sebastian stood to the side, smoking a cigar, looking smug. “Stop! Everyone stop!” I rushed forward, trying to block the bulldozers. “Well, well, if it isn’t Miss Lily?” Sebastian exhaled a puff of smoke, looking at me with a smug grin. “What’s wrong? Didn’t Mr. Payton tell you this land is mine now?” “Sebastian, you bastard! Give me back the land!” My eyes were bloodshot as I lunged at him, trying to attack him. Several security guards immediately stepped forward and pinned me to the ground. The rough gravel scraped my cheeks. I struggled desperately, but it was useless. “Demolish it!” Sebastian waved his hand. I watched as the bulldozers knocked down the training tower, watched as those buildings that held countless hours of my sweat and memories turned to rubble. My heart died along with those ruins.

Lily’s POV Through the clouds of dust, the security guards tossed me to the roadside like garbage. My knees and elbows were scraped raw, blood mixed with dirt running down. I watched Sebastian drive away in his luxury car, laughing, watched the bulldozers crush the last traces of my mother. I didn’t cry. I’d run out of tears yesterday. I dragged my stiff body back to that cramped apartment, step by step. I opened my laptop and began organizing all the commercial endorsements and competition prize money I’d earned for Payton Corporation over the years. Payton thought I was just an athlete who could only skydive, but he forgot that over these seven years, to help him solidify Payton Corporation’s market share in the sports industry, I’d been exposed to many core confidential matters. If Sebastian dared to take over the facility, he would definitely use Payton Corporation’s resources for money laundering and illegal financing. I dialed an encrypted number. “Help me check Sebastian’s recent fund flows, especially any connections with Payton Corporation’s overseas accounts.” A low male voice came from the other end. “Lily, you’re finally willing to contact me.” That person was Jace Payton. Payton’s half-brother, the child of the Payton family who’d always been exiled abroad. He was also the one who, years ago in that rainstorm, had actually paid the first installment of my mother’s surgery fees. But later Payton appeared, forcefully took over everything, drove Jace out of the country, and became my “benefactor.” “Jace, help me.” My voice was hoarse. “Alright. Three days.” Jace didn’t ask a single question and hung up directly. For those three days, I didn’t leave the apartment. Payton didn’t look for me either. My phone was filled with news about Sophia and Payton preparing their wedding of the century. On the third night, Jace sent me an encrypted email. Inside was not only evidence of Sebastian using the facility for money laundering, but also evidence of Sophia’s early involvement in illegal gambling. Most damning of all, Sebastian’s money laundering channel used Payton’s private overseas accounts. Looking at the evidence on the screen, I smirked coldly. Payton, for the sake of a con artist, you personally handed me the knife. I packaged all this evidence and set it to send on a timer. Target: the police department and all major mainstream media outlets. After finishing this, I received a call from Payton. “Tomorrow is Sophia’s wedding. You must attend.” His voice still carried that commanding tone. “In what capacity should I attend?” I asked flatly. “Ex-wife, or the stray dog you kicked out?” Payton was silent for two seconds, his tone tinged with displeasure. “Lily, stop making a scene. There will be a lot of media tomorrow. You attending as Payton Corporation’s spokesperson will dispel rumors that we’re on bad terms. As long as you cooperate, I’ll compensate you double for the facility’s loss.” “Compensation?” I laughed lightly. “Payton, some things once broken can never be fixed.” “Lily! What exactly do you want!” He finally lost his patience. “I’m warning you, if you dare not show up tomorrow, or if you dare cause trouble at the wedding, I guarantee you’ll never be able to stay in the skydiving world!” “Fine, I’ll go.” I calmly hung up. I would give them a wedding gift they’d never forget. The next day, the weather was terribly gloomy, strong winds rolling with dark clouds. The wedding of the century was held at an outdoor estate owned by Payton Corporation. I wore a black trench coat with no makeup, my face pale as a ghost. Payton wore a white custom suit. Seeing me, he frowned deeply and strode over. “Why are you wearing this? Didn’t I have someone send you a dress?” “The dress was too dirty. I found it disgusting.” I looked straight into his eyes. Just then, Sophia approached in a trailing wedding dress, supported by Sebastian. “Miss Lily, you came.” Sophia smiled happily, showing off as she touched the blue diamond necklace around her neck. I looked at this revolting father and daughter, then at Payton standing beside them, his eyes fixed on Sophia. “Yes, past matters should be completely resolved today.” I raised my wrist and checked the time. Ten o’clock sharp. The time the scheduled email was set to go out. Almost simultaneously, piercing sirens suddenly sounded outside the estate. Over a dozen police cars roared up, directly breaking through the estate gates. Several police officers strode up to them. “Sebastian, you’re suspected of massive fraud and illegal money laundering. Please come with us. Mr. Payton, your private accounts are suspected of involvement in international money laundering. Please cooperate with our investigation.” Cold handcuffs were directly clamped onto Sebastian’s and Payton’s wrists. Sophia screamed and collapsed to the ground in fright. Payton looked at the handcuffs on his wrists in shock, then suddenly turned to look at me. “Lily… was this you?” His voice was trembling. I stood in place, looking at his pathetic state, not a ripple of emotion in my heart. “Happy wedding, Mr. Payton.” I smiled slightly and turned to walk into the strong wind.

Lily’s POV The police cars roared away. The originally lavish wedding of the century instantly became a farce. I didn’t look back once. I walked straight out of the estate. The wind grew stronger and dense raindrops began to fall from the sky. I drove to the wilderness skydiving facility in the suburbs. Today would be my last jump. I wanted to leave all the Payton family’s taint from these seven years in the wind. When I reached the facility, heavy rain had already fallen. The meteorological station issued a thunderstorm warning. Skydiving in this weather was tantamount to suicide. But I didn’t care. I put on that pure black skydiving suit without any sponsor logos and shouldered my original old parachute pack. The helicopter pilot gripped the cabin door tightly. “Lily, you’re crazy! In this weather, if you encounter strong wind shear, the chute won’t open at all!” “Let me fly once.” I looked at him, my eyes as hollow as a dry well. “Just this once. If I don’t jump, I’ll suffocate.” The helicopter climbed with difficulty through the wind and rain. I sat by the cabin door, looking down at the city shrouded in dark clouds and rainstorm. My phone vibrated frantically in its waterproof bag. It was Payton’s number. He must have been released on bail. I pressed the answer button. “Lily! Where are you!” On the other end, Payton’s roar almost pierced through the wind and rain. “You dared to give that evidence to the police! Do you know how much Payton Corporation’s stock price dropped today!” “Isn’t this what you wanted?” Facing the violent wind pouring into the cabin, my voice was oddly calm. “You broke the law for Sophia’s sake. I just helped you wake up.” “Come back right now! Tell the media that evidence was forged by you! Otherwise, I’ll make sure you never touch a parachute again in your life!” “Payton.” I interrupted his ranting. “Do you remember what you said to me seven years ago? You said I belonged to the sky, that I shouldn’t be held back by mud. But these seven years, you personally dragged me into the filthiest swamp.” “What do you mean? Lily, don’t change the subject!” “Payton, let’s divorce. I’ve already signed the agreement and mailed it to your lawyer.” “No way! You can’t just leave me, Lily. You owe me…” “I owe you nothing!” I screamed into the phone. “I paid for my mother’s life with seven years of my youth. With all my championships. I even got revenge for the facility. Payton, after today, we’re done. Forever.” I violently threw my phone out of the cabin, watching it tumble through the air, finally disappearing into the rainstorm. “Open the door!” The cabin door opened. The violent wind instantly enveloped me. Without a moment’s hesitation, I leaped into that pitch-black thunderstorm. The moment the weightlessness hit, I closed my eyes. My body tumbled violently in the strong air currents, completely losing control. I didn’t pull the main chute. Memories of these seven years flashed through my mind. The altimeter was frantically alarming: 1000 meters… 800 meters… 500 meters… Just as I was about to give up struggling and let myself fall, a dark shadow suddenly swept down from above at high speed, breaking through the rain curtain, precisely grabbing my reserve chute ripcord. “Bang!” The reserve chute was forcibly deployed. The massive pull made my vision go black, my shoulder sending tearing pain. Two bodies collided violently in the strong wind. I barely opened my eyes. Through my blurred goggles, I saw a pair of deep, anxious eyes. It was Jace. He’d actually jumped down after me. “Lily! Do you have a death wish!” He roared at me through the wind and rain, holding me tightly, using his own body to shield me from the raging wind. We glided with difficulty through the strong wind, ultimately deviating from the landing point and crashing heavily into a muddy forest. The massive impact made me completely lose consciousness. When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed. My right shoulder was in a thick cast. The hospital room door opened. Jace wore a black shirt, his face somewhat pale, his left arm also wrapped in bandages. Seeing me awake, joy flashed in his eyes. He quickly walked to the bedside. “Lily, you’re finally awake.” I looked at him, my voice hoarse. “Why… did you jump after me?” “Because I can’t lose you again.” Jace gripped my uninjured left hand tightly, his gaze intense and stubborn. “Seven years ago, I was one step too late and let Payton take you away. You suffered for seven years. This time, I absolutely won’t let go.” I was stunned, my eyes gradually reddening. Just then, the hospital room door was violently kicked open. Payton charged in, his eyes bloodshot like a crazed beast. When he saw Jace holding my hand, his rationality seemed to completely snap. “Jace! Let go of her!” Payton rushed over and grabbed Jace’s collar. “You dare touch my woman!” Jace sneered and pushed him away. “Your woman? Payton, do you deserve that?” He pulled out a stamped document from his pocket and threw it in Payton’s face. “Look carefully. The court has officially accepted the divorce lawsuit. From now on, Lily has nothing to do with you.” Payton stared at the document, his face deathly pale. He turned to look at me, his voice trembling with a hint of panic. “Lily… is this true?” I looked at him, my gaze as calm as if looking at a stranger. “Mr. Payton, please leave now. I need to rest.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “394572”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

I secretly loved Ethan for ten years. For five years, I was his substitute wife. In that fire, I lost hearing in my left ear and covered my back with scars to save his life. But he believed Cherry saved him. He said I stole someone else’s credit. He said I disgusted him. Then he brought her to our bed. Told me to buy the condoms. Inside the bedroom, Ethan’s stifled, wild groans mixed with Cherry’s shaking moans. Outside, I clutched the condoms, my knuckles white, the wounds on my back reopening. Can’t I just give up? The day I signed the divorce papers, I booked a one-way ticket to an island. My left ear is deaf. I’ll listen to the waves with my right. He doesn’t love me. Fine. I just want to be Summer Lynn again. Summer Lynn POV “Miss Lynn, you have severe hearing loss in your left ear.” The doctor handed me a report, his tone heavy. “Five years ago, you inhaled toxic smoke in the fire. It damaged your auditory nerve. Over the years, you’ve also had severe chronic depression. Your immune system has collapsed. Now even your right ear is starting to fail.” I sat in the chair without a sound. The doctor thought I didn’t understand, so he repeated himself. “If you don’t adjust your emotional state, your right ear will be affected too.” I looked at the diagnosis report. After a few seconds, I folded the thin sheet of paper neatly and placed it in my bag. “I understand. Thank you, doctor.” I stood up and left the consultation room. Outside in the corridor, a rainstorm had begun. I couldn’t help but think of that fire from five years ago. Ethan’s villa had caught fire. His leg was crushed, and he was trapped in the second-floor bedroom. I was the one who rushed in through the high heat. When the beam collapsed, I threw myself over Ethan and shielded him with everything I had. My back was severely injured, and my left ear was damaged by the toxic smoke. It kept bleeding. I dragged the unconscious Ethan out of the fire, then fell into a severe coma myself. But after I spent three days and nights being resuscitated in the ICU and finally woke up, everything had changed. That hospital was a private facility the Harrington family had invested in. Ethan’s mother, who had always despised me, suppressed my true medical report. Sitting by Ethan’s hospital bed was Cherry Collins. In Cherry’s hand, she clutched a watch she’d brought out from the fire. Cherry Collins was Ethan’s first love, the one who held his heart. Five years ago, Cherry, as Ethan’s girlfriend, had secretly left to study abroad on the night of their engagement, turning the Harrington family into a laughingstock. The Harrington family urgently needed a replacement to complete the engagement. I, who had secretly loved Ethan for ten years, stepped forward and willingly became the substitute for this marriage. That day, Ethan expressionlessly slid the diamond ring originally custom-made for Cherry onto my ring finger. From that moment on, I was nothing but a substitute. And when that fire happened, Cherry had just returned to the country. Ethan’s mother told Ethan that Cherry had rushed into the fire to save him, while I had only run in afterward to steal the credit. Ethan believed her. He was convinced that Cherry had risked her life to rush into the fire and save him. I dragged my still-bleeding back to explain, but all I got in return was Ethan’s extremely disgusted look and one cold sentence: “Summer, to make me love you, you’d even steal a life-saving deed? You truly disgust me.” After that, I never brought it up again. I took out my phone to call a car. A sedan suddenly screeched to a stop in front of me. The window rolled down. Ethan sat in the driver’s seat. He frowned slightly, his gaze resting on my rain-soaked shoulders, his tone cold. “Get in.” Ethan spoke. “Stop making a scene. If you get sick, I’ll have to arrange for someone to take care of you.” My hand holding the phone paused. I raised my head and looked past Ethan to see Cherry sitting in the passenger seat. Cherry didn’t turn around. She just leaned slightly to the side. If this were before, I would have stared hard at the passenger seat position, yanked open the car door, and demanded an explanation from Ethan about why he said he’d be at a company meeting but drove the car here instead. I would have asked, red-eyed and stubborn, for an explanation. Ethan was used to my questioning. But this time, I just glanced once, then calmly withdrew my gaze. “No need.” I stood on the steps, my tone devoid of emotion. “The hospital is full of germs. I’m afraid of infecting you both.” Ethan’s hand on the steering wheel paused slightly. “Ethan.” Cherry spoke softly. “Is Summer upset because I’m sitting here? Maybe I should get out. I can just take a cab back.” “Stay seated.” Ethan interrupted Cherry, his gaze still on me. “Summer, don’t test my patience. Are you sure you want to stand here in the rain?” “I called a car. It’ll be here soon,” I replied. Ethan looked at me, then finally let out a cold laugh. “Fine.” The window rolled up. The sedan merged back into traffic and quickly disappeared into the curtain of rain. I hadn’t called a car. I opened the umbrella in my bag and walked into the rain. I returned to the villa. It was already seven in the evening. I closed my dripping umbrella and walked straight into the kitchen. I walked to the counter and pulled open the bottom drawer. Inside was a very thick notebook. Opening the cover, it was filled with my notes. Five years ago, Ethan was admitted to the ICU because of a stomach hemorrhage. After that, I visited every hospital in the city and wrote down these precautions. For the past five years, I’d followed this notebook and made nutritious meals for Ethan every day. My hands still bore two permanent scars from burns. And Ethan’s evaluation of the nutritious meals was usually just a cold “just leave it on the table,” or he simply wouldn’t come home. I flipped through two pages. The paper made a dry rustling sound. Then I closed the notebook and threw it into the nearby trash can. I looked at my left ring finger. This ring was personally designed by Ethan for Cherry back then. The ring size was also made to Cherry’s measurements. So the ring was a bit tight on my finger. Every time I accidentally bumped it, the band would dig hard into my knuckle. But I never complained of pain. I insisted on wearing this ring for five years.

Summer Lynn POV The knuckle of my ring finger had long since developed a ring of stubborn dead skin from being squeezed. I squeezed out a large blob of hand soap and spread it on my ring finger. I gripped the wedding ring with my right hand and pulled hard outward. The stinging pain of broken skin came. The metal scraped against my knuckle. The ring gradually left my finger. The moment the ring came off my finger, I stood by the sink for a long time. I dried my hands, then walked out of the bathroom. I lifted the covers and lay down. I closed my eyes. My right ear listened to the sound of rain outside the window. My left ear existed in absolute, dead silence. I should have gone to the living room to turn on a dim lamp, then stayed up all night waiting for Ethan to come home. But tonight. I didn’t turn on a light for him. I didn’t wait anymore either. The next morning when I came downstairs, Ethan and Cherry were already sitting in the dining room. Cherry picked up a bowl of hot milk and walked over. “Summer, you got caught in the rain last night. Drink some hot milk while it’s warm.” I didn’t speak. I pulled out a chair and sat down. I hadn’t slept all night. My stomach sent a wave of pain through me. I picked up the hot milk and took a sip. After just a few seconds, my face instantly changed. There was peanut powder in the milk. I had an extremely severe peanut allergy. Ethan knew this. If I touched even a little bit, I would have an allergic reaction, triggering acute asthma or even shock. My airway felt like it was being squeezed shut by an invisible hand. I covered my throat, desperately gasping for air, but couldn’t draw in a single breath. I fell from the chair in agony, my face quickly turning purple. “Ah!” At the same moment, a cry rang out from the kitchen. “Ethan, it hurts… I cut my finger.” Cherry held up her finger with a small trace of blood, her eyes red. Ethan, who had been watching the morning news, heard the sound and immediately stood up, striding toward the kitchen. I collapsed on the floor, my vision starting to blur. I used every ounce of strength to crawl toward the table. In the drawer there was my epinephrine emergency pen. My fingertips finally touched the edge of the table. Just as I was about to pull open the drawer, Ethan rushed past. Bang! To get to Cherry faster, he kicked the trash can beside the table. It knocked away the emergency kit I’d barely managed to reach. The medicine vial rolled to the deepest part under the sofa. I desperately reached out my hand and grabbed Ethan’s pant leg, making agonized sounds in my throat. Ethan looked down. He looked at me but didn’t stop. Instead, he shook off my hand. “Summer, can you stop making a scene?” Ethan’s tone was filled with undisguised disgust. “Cherry cut her finger. She faints at the sight of blood. I have to take her to the hospital right away!” He walked straight over, picked up Cherry, and strode quickly toward the door. At the doorway, he coldly threw out a sentence: “Call yourself a car to the hospital!” The door closed. I lay on the cold floor. My vision was already going black from lack of oxygen. I bit down hard and dragged my heavy body inch by inch toward the sofa. My nails scraped across the floor with a harsh sound, drawing out threads of blood. Finally, I touched the emergency pen. With trembling hands, I removed the safety cap, aimed it at the outside of my thigh, and stabbed it hard into my muscle! Along with the intense pain of the thick, long needle piercing in, the medication was rapidly pushed into my body. Ten minutes later, my airway slowly opened. I lay on the floor, gulping in air. I had almost died here just now. I’d always thought that the person I’d saved with my life all those years ago would also save me when I was in danger. But only at this moment did I finally understand. In Ethan’s eyes, my life wasn’t worth even a bit of broken skin on Cherry. I should give up.

Summer Lynn POV I lay on the cold floor for an entire night. Until dawn broke, Ethan hadn’t returned. He hadn’t called even once. I propped up my numb body and slowly climbed up from the floor. I opened my computer, printed out a divorce agreement, and dialed a number I’d never actively called in five years. “If you’re calling to say that Ethan is with Cherry again, don’t bother. I told you long ago. You’re just a substitute.” “Now that Cherry is back, Ethan doesn’t need a wife with no social standing like you.” Over these five years, Ethan’s mother had never hidden her disgust for me. Every time Ethan brought Cherry to public events, she either permitted it or even supported it, trying to force me to leave on my own. My voice was calm. “I agree to the divorce, and I’ll leave here forever, but I need you to help me with something.” The person on the other end was clearly stunned, then said, “As long as you’re willing to leave Ethan, I’ll agree to any condition you want. How much money do you want?” “I don’t want a single penny.” I looked at the agreement I’d just signed beside me. “I just need you to use the Harrington family’s connections to quietly finalize the divorce within a month. And… erase all my information. Ethan can’t find out.” Ethan’s mother laughed. “Fine. In thirty days, I’ll have someone deliver your new identity to you.” After doing all this, I found a number in my contacts. This number belonged to a gallery director. Five years ago, I’d had the chance to have my own art exhibition. But to take care of Ethan, I put down my paintbrush and picked up cooking instead. “Marcus, that beach house you mentioned. Is it still available?” “Of course! Finally ready to paint again?” “Yes.” I replied. “I want to rent that house.” I wasn’t going to be Mrs. Harrington anymore. After hanging up, I booked a one-way ticket for thirty days from now. I was going to that island where no one knew me, to become Summer Lynn again. That evening, Ethan came back alone. He walked into the living room and saw me sitting quietly on the sofa reading. I didn’t rush up to him with hot milk like before. I didn’t even lift my head. Ethan asked coldly, “Did the family doctor come treat you this morning? Stop eating random things from now on.” I turned a page in my book, my tone calm. “It’s fine. I won’t die.” “There’s a charity auction gala tomorrow. Come with me. Don’t you always want me to introduce you to the public?” My gaze moved from the book. I was about to refuse when Ethan’s phone suddenly rang. Cherry’s delicate crying voice came from the other end. “Ethan, can you take me to tomorrow’s auction? I just got back to the country. I don’t know anyone. I’m so scared to go alone…” Ethan glanced at me. I remained sitting quietly, as if I hadn’t heard the phone conversation at all. He suddenly blurted out, “Okay, I’ll pick you up tomorrow.” After hanging up, Ethan looked at me. “You don’t need to go to tomorrow’s gala. Rest at home. I’ll take you to another gala in a few days.” If this were before, I would have demanded through red eyes why he was going back on his word. But today, I looked at him and gently closed the book in my hands. “Okay.” I nodded, no unwillingness in my tone. “I understand.” Ethan looked at me. He suddenly yanked off his tie, turned around, and strode upstairs. What he didn’t know was that the moment he turned to go upstairs, I took out my phone. On the phone screen was a ticketing message from the airline. “You have successfully booked a one-way ticket to Hawaii departing in thirty days.” Ethan’s mother had also sent a message: “The divorce has entered the process. It will take thirty days. In thirty days, I hope you keep your promise.” I replied, “Thank you.” Then I opened my calendar and silently began counting down.

Summer Lynn POV The next day, Ethan took Cherry to the charity gala as expected. When he returned, he even tossed me a gift box. “Auction item from last night’s gala. For you.” I sat on the sofa, my gaze falling on that gift box. I didn’t take it. I didn’t open it either. “Do you need me to open it for you?” Ethan’s brow furrowed slightly. He walked over and opened the gift box clasp with one hand. Inside lay a dazzling diamond necklace. “I saw Cherry really liked the main piece from this collection, so I bought it for her. This starry one is the secondary piece. It happens to suit you.” My fingertips curled slightly under my sleeves. What he gave Cherry was the main necklace worth tens of millions. What he gave me, his wife, was just a secondary gift piece. If this were before, I would have asked him through red eyes, “Ethan, in your heart, will I always only get the things she doesn’t want?” I would have been too upset to sleep, while he would only think I was making a fuss and habitually use money to wipe away my tears. But tonight, I just felt like my heart had been injected with anesthesia. Even the pain had become dull. I looked at the necklace reflecting cold light and pulled at the corners of my dry lips slightly. “Thank you.” My voice was as light as a feather landing on the ground. “The necklace is beautiful. I really like it.” Ethan’s movements paused. I didn’t look at the necklace anymore. My gaze returned to the book in my hands. “Summer, stop making a scene.” His voice deepened, carrying suppressed displeasure. “I’m very tired today. I don’t have time to humor you.” “I’m not making a scene.” I turned a page in my book, my tone as calm as stagnant water. Ethan stared at me for a while, then let out a cold laugh, turned around, and strode toward the second-floor study. Bang! The study door slammed shut. I didn’t try to keep him. I looked at the glittering necklace on the table. What flashed through my mind was a scene from ten years ago. That year I was only sixteen, hiding in a corner of the Harrington family villa, watching that handsome young man. I’d secretly loved him for a full ten years. When his fiancée ran away from the wedding, I was willing to wear an ill-fitting wedding dress and shield him from all the embarrassment. On our wedding day, I naively thought that as long as I was obedient enough and understanding enough, someday I could make him love me. Even though he put a ring that didn’t fit my finger onto my hand, even though he wouldn’t spare me a glance, I still felt that at least I was standing beside him. But that fire not only took away my hearing. It also completely burned away my love for him. For Cherry’s sake, he didn’t even care about my life. Once a person wakes up, they understand everything. For the next two weeks, I silently erased all traces of myself. I listed designer bags and clothes on secondhand websites at low prices, keeping only a few of the most ordinary clothes. In the huge master bedroom, the traces of my presence grew fainter and fainter. That afternoon, the villa’s doorbell suddenly rang. Cherry walked in. I walked out of the storage room holding a wooden paint box covered in thick dust. I looked up and saw Cherry. Around Cherry’s neck, she was conspicuously wearing that dazzling main diamond necklace. That huge central diamond rested perfectly on her delicate collarbone, so bright it hurt the eyes. “Summer, you’re home.” Cherry walked into the living room, deliberately tucking her hair behind her ear to fully expose the necklace to my view. “A few days ago at the auction, Ethan insisted on buying me this jewelry set. I said it was too expensive and I couldn’t accept it, but he wouldn’t listen. He even put it on me himself.” Cherry smiled happily. “He said this necklace had a secondary gift piece that he brought home for you. Did you see it?” My fingers holding the paint box tightened slightly. I listened to Cherry’s boastful words and looked at that necklace, but my eyes didn’t show even a ripple of emotion. I pointed at the box. “If you like it, take that along with you.”

Summer Lynn POV Cherry froze in place. After all, my reaction carried an uncomfortable sense of dismissal. Cherry bit her lip unwillingly. Her gaze shifted and landed on the old paint box I was holding. “Summer, what are you packing up?” Cherry walked forward, pretending to be curious as she reached out to touch the box. “Don’t touch it.” My voice turned slightly cold. I instinctively stepped back. This was the last memento my mother left me before she died. It was also what I planned to take to the island. My hope for starting a new life. Cherry didn’t pull her hand back. Instead, she twisted her wrist hard, using my own backward movement as cover. Crash! A dull, heavy sound. The heavy wooden box slipped from my hands and fell hard onto the marble floor. The wooden box shattered instantly. The paint tubes I’d treasured for years broke into pieces, paint splashing out everywhere, staining the expensive carpet and splattering onto my clean pant legs. I stood frozen, staring at the broken wooden box, my brain blank for a moment. “Oh no!” But Cherry cried out first. She quickly stepped back two paces, her eyes instantly reddening like a startled deer. At the same moment, the second-floor study door was pushed open forcefully. Hearing the commotion, Ethan quickly came downstairs. “What happened?” He glanced at the paint all over the floor, his brow knitting tightly. Cherry immediately grabbed Ethan’s sleeve with red eyes, her voice choking with tears. “Ethan, I just wanted to help Summer with something… Summer might still be mad at me. She threw the box down and almost hit my foot…” Ethan’s gaze followed Cherry’s pointing finger and landed on me. He looked at the mess on the floor, then at my face. “Summer, what exactly are you trying to do?” Ethan’s tone was ice-cold, with undisguised disgust. “They’re just some paint tubes. Do you really need to make such a scene?” These paints were my mother’s favorites when she was alive. Five years ago, to take care of Ethan who had a stomach hemorrhage from inhaling smoke, I gave up my own art exhibition. Now, the items I treasured most from my mother had been smashed to pieces by Cherry’s own hands, yet he directly pinned all the blame on me. I slowly raised my head and looked at Ethan. “You think this is just some paint?” My voice was very light, but carried a kind of deathly stillness that made people’s hearts skip. “What else?” Ethan looked at me coldly, pulling out a checkbook from his suit pocket. “How much money do you need? A hundred thousand or two hundred thousand? I’ll write you a check.” I looked at him for a few seconds. Looking at this man whose life I’d saved with my own, even at the cost of my left ear’s hearing. I suddenly found it absurd. I nodded. I didn’t reach for that check. I turned around and looked at the servant standing timidly to the side. “Sweep all this garbage into the trash.” Ethan’s hand holding the check froze in midair. “Summer…” Ethan frowned. He seemed like he wanted to say something to make me stay. I had already turned and gone upstairs. In this house, there was nothing left worth looking at even once more. Back in the bedroom, I closed the door and leaned weakly against it. I closed my eyes and bit down hard on my lower lip until I tasted a hint of sweet, bloody iron, finally forcing down the sourness in my throat that nearly tore me apart. I took out my phone and opened the calendar. Only seven days left until my flight departed. After heavily crossing off today’s date, I took a deep breath. Very soon, I could be completely free.

Summer Lynn POV I moved out of the master bedroom and into a guest room. I no longer asked Ethan what time he’d be home. Even when Cherry occasionally walked around the living room wearing Ethan’s shirt, I just ignored it. This complete indifference seemed to provoke Ethan. One evening, Ethan pushed open the guest room door. I was sitting by the window reading. Hearing the sound, I didn’t even lift an eyelid. Ethan walked over and placed an invitation on the small table in front of me. His tone was cold. “My friends are having a party tonight to celebrate Cherry’s gallery securing a location. Come with me.” My gaze finally moved from the book pages and landed on that invitation. For five years, Ethan had never brought me to meet his friends. His friends looked down on me as a substitute, and he never felt it necessary to have me attend. But today, he wanted to bring me along. “I’m not going.” My voice held no emotion. Ethan’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. He looked at me, his eyes gradually growing cold. “Summer, stop making a scene.” His voice was heavy. “You need to attend the party tonight.” He still wanted to control me like before. Over these five years, whenever he used this tone, no matter how wronged I felt, I would immediately comply, afraid of making him unhappy. I looked at him for a few seconds. I didn’t have the energy to endure his cold violence anymore. “Fine.” I stood up. I casually grabbed a high-necked long-sleeved shirt and put it on, covering the hideous burn scars on my back. Half an hour later, I arrived at the private room. Ethan pushed open the door and led me inside. The lively conversation in the room instantly went quiet for a moment. In the center of the sofa, Cherry wore a beautiful white dress, surrounded by several friends chatting. Seeing me, Cherry’s smile stiffened for a moment, then she happily came forward. “Summer, you came.” A flash of mockery crossed Cherry’s eyes as she deliberately stood at Ethan’s side. I paid no attention and walked straight to the most secluded corner of the room to sit down. Ethan was pulled to sit in the center of the crowd. Cherry naturally sat close beside him. During the meal, everyone gathered around Cherry. A few deliberately lowered mocking remarks occasionally drifted over from the sofa area, carrying undisguised malice. “Cherry and Ethan really look like the perfect married couple. Some people use dirty tricks to become substitutes, but they still can’t compare to Cherry.” I sat quietly in the corner, as if all of this had nothing to do with me. The music in the room was very loud. I was sitting on his left side. My left ear had complete nerve death from that fire five years ago. I couldn’t hear anything from it. In such a noisy environment, sounds coming from my left were, to me, an area of complete dead silence. In the corner, I kept my head down looking at my phone, motionless. For some reason, the people in the room gradually stopped talking. The atmosphere became awkward. Suddenly, Ethan strode over and pulled me up from the sofa. “I’m talking to you. Can’t you hear me?” Ethan looked at me, his tone carrying displeasure and coldness. I was caught off guard and stumbled from being pulled. I was forced to raise my head and meet Ethan’s ice-cold eyes. If this were before, I would have desperately explained. I would have told him through red eyes that I really couldn’t hear. But now, I looked at him and calmly spoke. “Yes.” I looked into his eyes, my voice devoid of any emotion. “I can’t hear.” Ethan froze for an instant. Then his eyes turned completely cold. “Stop acting in front of me.” He released my hand. I rubbed my aching wrist where he’d gripped it, turned around without hesitation, and walked straight out of the private room. I didn’t want to stay in this place anymore.

Summer Lynn POV I walked out of the private room. The air in the corridor was cold and cutting. I rubbed my painfully squeezed wrist and didn’t wait for Ethan. I walked straight toward the club’s exclusive elevator. I had just pressed the down button when the elevator doors opened. Just as I was about to step in, urgent footsteps sounded behind me. Ethan strode over with a dark expression, Cherry following closely beside him with reddened eyes. The three of us, one after another, walked into the narrow elevator car. The elevator doors slowly closed and began descending smoothly. Cherry seemed like she wanted to say something to break the awkward silence, but after glancing at Ethan’s grim profile, she swallowed her words. Just as the elevator numbers hit the twentieth floor, a violent explosion shook the building. BOOM. The entire structure shuddered. The lights in the car instantly went out completely. The overhead ventilation fan made a piercing shriek before stopping entirely. Immediately after came a terrifying sensation of extreme weightlessness that made hearts leap into throats. The elevator was out of control. The entire car, in complete darkness, plummeted downward at a horrifying speed! “AH” Cherry let out a piercing scream. I was thrown against the elevator wall by the sudden jolt. The pain made my vision go black. In the darkness, weightless and disoriented, survival instinct took over. I reached out, trying to grab anything to steady myself. I grabbed the nearest thing. The hem of Ethan’s suit jacket. After dropping for more than ten floors, the elevator’s emergency safety clamps finally locked onto the tracks with a death grip. The car was like it had hit an invisible wall, abruptly suspended in midair. The massive recoil force threw us all heavily to the floor. In the pitch darkness, I could only hear heavy breathing. Above our heads came the sound of metal scraping as steel cables snapped. The car swayed precariously in midair.”Ethan…” Cherry curled up in Ethan’s arms, crying uncontrollably. I leaned against the cold metal corner of the elevator car. My right ear was filled with Cherry’s crying and the terrifying sound of steel cables about to snap. My left ear existed in absolute, dead silence. This extreme sense of being torn between half noise and half silence instantly pulled me back to that fire from five years ago. In the old villa five years ago, after the flames died down, it was this same suffocating darkness. The collapsed beam pressed on my back. I had shielded Ethan beneath me. I waited for rescue in that narrow, scorching, suffocating rubble. Since then, I’d developed severe claustrophobia. Whenever night fell, whenever I was in an enclosed space, I would uncontrollably tremble all over, break into cold sweats, even have difficulty breathing. So for these five years, in the villa’s living room, a lamp was always left on for me. At this moment, the claustrophobia was completely triggered in the darkness. My whole body began trembling. Cold sweat instantly soaked through my back. I opened my mouth, desperately trying to draw in the thin oxygen in the elevator car. I don’t know how much time passed. Suddenly, the roar of an electric saw cutting through metal came from the elevator ceiling. The top panel was forcibly pried open, creating an extremely narrow gap. A beam of blinding flashlight pierced down through the gap, cutting through the darkness inside the car. A rough rescue rope was thrown in. “Listen!” The rescue personnel shouted with all their might from above. “All the load-bearing cables have snapped! The opening is too narrow. We can only pull one person up at a time! Quickly put the safety harness on yourselves!” Suddenly, the elevator dropped sharply downward. Ethan didn’t hesitate at all. He grabbed the rope and without a second thought secured it around Cherry, locking the safety clasp tight. Then he forcefully lifted Cherry upward. “Pull her up! Hurry!” Ethan roared toward the opening at the top. The people above began pulling. Cherry’s body was gradually hauled out of the car bit by bit. Ethan kept his head tilted back, his hands constantly supporting Cherry’s waist until he confirmed she was completely safe. Only then did he turn his head. In the faint remaining light of the flashlight, he looked toward me curled up in the corner. “Summer, wait another ten minutes. They’ll lower a second rope right away.” Ethan showed not a trace of guilt toward me. “Cherry developed severe claustrophobia from the fire scene years ago. She can’t stay in the dark. I have to send her up first.” I leaned against the cold elevator wall. The flashlight’s beam shone on my face, illuminating the absurdity and desolation in my heart. The person who risked her life to shield him in that burning villa back then. It was clearly me. The one who truly developed claustrophobia. It was me! But Ethan had believed Cherry’s lies. I lowered my head. In the residual light of the flashlight, I looked at my own hand. From extreme fear and the instinct to survive, from the moment we started falling, I had been desperately clutching the hem of Ethan’s suit jacket. My knuckles had turned white from excessive force. Even my fingernails had drawn blood. I looked at that wrinkled corner of fabric I’d been gripping, and suddenly felt that my persistence over these five years was nothing but a joke. What exactly was I clinging to? Why did I love a man who didn’t even care about my life? Why did I continue to maintain a marriage built on lies and humiliation? The elevator shook violently again. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Then I gradually loosened my fingers. I released that corner of fabric I’d been desperately clutching.

Summer Lynn POV “Summer?” Ethan spoke in the darkness, a trace of panic in his voice. “Say something.” No response came from the corner. “Summer! Don’t play dead on me right now!” He took a step toward me, undisguised irritation in his tone. “Cherry has claustrophobia. What’s wrong with me letting her go up first? Your turn is coming right away. Why do you still have to make me angry?” “I’m not playing dead.” Finally, my voice came from the darkness. Calm, weak, yet carrying a frightening emptiness. “I just think,” I leaned against the cold iron wall, slowly closing my eyes, “if this steel cable snaps right now, at least I’ll have given you back the life I owe you.” Ethan fell silent for a moment. “What are you talking about?!” He suddenly reached out his hand and grabbed my shoulder hard in the darkness. “Are you insane?!” My entire body was trembling violently. My clothes were completely soaked with cold sweat. My body temperature had dropped to a terrifying level. Ethan must have noticed my abnormality. After all, he’d never seen me like this before. Even five years ago after that fire, when I woke up in the ICU and he accused me, I’d only bitten my lip hard, my face pale. I’d never been like this. As if I were an empty shell that could shatter at any moment. “We’re pulling you up right now!” The rescue personnel’s shout came from above again. Immediately after, a second rope was thrown down. When I left the elevator, the lights outside were so bright I couldn’t open my eyes. I was pulled out of the elevator shaft. My legs went weak and I sat directly on the corridor floor. Medical personnel immediately surrounded me. On the other side of the corridor, Cherry was throwing herself into Ethan’s arms, crying pitifully, clutching his clothes and refusing to let go. “Ethan, I thought I’d never see you again…” Medical personnel were taking my blood pressure. My face was deathly pale, but I didn’t glance at Ethan even once. “Sir, this lady has an extremely rapid heart rate with mild shock symptoms. She needs to be taken to the hospital for observation immediately.” The emergency doctor turned to shout at Ethan. Ethan’s brow furrowed. He was about to push Cherry away and come over. But Cherry suddenly hugged his waist tightly, her body trembling violently. “Ethan, I feel so dizzy… I can’t breathe…” Cherry closed her eyes and fainted directly in Ethan’s arms. “Cherry!” Ethan’s face changed dramatically. He scooped up the pretending Cherry, turned around, and rushed toward another ambulance parked outside the club entrance. I sat on the ground, watching Ethan’s back as he ran wildly holding Cherry. When facing danger, he chose someone else. After the danger passed, he still chose someone else without hesitation. The doctor beside me urged anxiously, “Miss, where is your family? Have him accompany you in this ambulance!” “I don’t have any family.” I withdrew my gaze, my voice calm. “I’ll go by myself.” I pushed away the nurse’s outstretched hand, supported myself against the wall, slowly stood up, and walked onto the ambulance alone. In the emergency room at the hospital. After finishing my IV drip, it was already late at night. I didn’t notify anyone. I removed the needle myself, took a cab, and returned to the villa. The villa was still pitch dark. Ethan would definitely spend tonight at the hospital watching over his Cherry. I didn’t turn on the lights. I opened my computer and logged into my personal bank account. I returned all the money Ethan had transferred to me over these five years. A full five million dollars was transferred back to Ethan’s private account. In the refund note, there was only one simple sentence: “We have no relationship from now on.” After finishing all this, I closed the computer and walked to the bed. I took out my phone. The screen lit up, reflecting my pale face. I opened my calendar and glanced at the date. I calmly turned off my phone, lay down on the cold bed, and closed my eyes. I didn’t suffer from insomnia. The next day, as soon as dawn broke, I got up to pack my luggage. After packing, I placed the already-printed divorce agreement on the table. I removed my wedding ring and gently pressed it on the signature line of the agreement. I dragged my suitcase and walked out of the villa. The cold early autumn wind hit my face, blowing away the last trace of the oppressive atmosphere from this house that clung to me. A taxi I’d reserved was already waiting outside the door. The driver got out and helped me put my suitcase in the trunk. The car slowly started up, heading toward the airport. I turned off my phone and wearily closed my eyes. “Please drive faster.”

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In the fourth year of our arranged marriage, Nathaniel still loved that fragile human, Sophia, his fated mate. Even though I was his wife now, it didn’t matter. After Sophia got injured, he even wanted to drain half his blood for her. Alpha blood had strong healing powers. It could prevent scars from forming on her wounds. Sophia shattered the keepsake my grandmother left me. Yet he grabbed me by the throat and forced me to apologize to Sophia. To make him happy, I chose to break the mate bond and leave on my own. Two months later, he found me in Paris and begged me to come back to him. But he didn’t know. I had found my fated mate. Amelia Johnson POV On the phone, Moore, my father’s beta, had a calm and professional voice. “Amelia, Alpha Silas has carefully considered your proposal. He admits that Nathaniel has done far too much for that human, things a qualified alpha heir shouldn’t do. Therefore, the cooperation with Moonclaw Pack can be terminated. You can leave Moonclaw Pack after that ridiculous marriage contract expires and go anywhere you want.” His voice paused, taking on a hint of amusement. “If the money isn’t enough, you’ll have to talk to your father yourself.” “Thank you for your help, Moore.” I hung up and looked at the enormous photo hanging in the center of the living room wall. In the picture, I wore a formal dress, standing beside Nathaniel. That was the only time in my life I dared to stand so brazenly close to Nathaniel. Yet his expression was so cold. Love or the lack of it needed no words. It hung there, naked and obvious. “It’s finally going to end.” I sighed. Four years ago, my father sent me to Moonclaw Pack for an arranged marriage when I was twenty-two and still hadn’t found my fated mate. After arriving, I learned that Nathaniel had already found his fated mate. It’s just that his fated mate was human, a human that Nathaniel’s father, Alpha William, refused to accept. So Alpha William ordered him to give up that human and be with me. On my wedding night, there was no tenderness, only Nathaniel’s cold, cutting words and a ridiculous marriage contract. “Amelia, remember your place. This is just an arranged marriage between us. And this arrangement only lasts four years. During these four years, do what you’re supposed to do and don’t fantasize about anything that doesn’t belong to you. After four years, give up your position to its rightful owner.” Back then, I naively thought that four years would be enough to warm a block of ice. I thought we could become mates who loved each other. But four years passed, and I finally understood: some ice would never melt for me. A soft sound at the door interrupted my thoughts. Nathaniel was home. His tall figure brought a sharp chill as he stepped inside. I took a deep breath and went to meet him. I took his coat and hung it up. I knelt down in front of him, opened the shoe cabinet, and took out a pair of soft house slippers. I had practiced this routine for four years. Nathaniel had long grown accustomed to it all. He loosened his tie and tossed it carelessly on the shoe cabinet: “Next month is the pack’s full moon festival. Don’t forget to attend.” My movements as I changed his shoes froze for a moment. I shook my head gently: “I’ll probably be busy that day. I won’t go.” After that day, I would no longer be Nathaniel’s mate. But I couldn’t bring myself to say those words. Hearing this, Nathaniel’s brows furrowed immediately. “What are you throwing a tantrum about now?” His voice was full of impatience. “Because I’ve been spending more time with Sophia lately? Amelia, I warned you on the first day of our marriage. Don’t fantasize about things that don’t belong to you. And put away that pathetic victim act. It only disgusts me.” I was simply preparing to disappear completely from his world after the contract expired, to never be an eyesore again. Yet he thought I was protesting his kindness toward Sophia in this way. I opened my mouth but ultimately said nothing. Nathaniel’s phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID, and his expression instantly softened. A tenderness he had never shown me. Sophia’s crying came through the receiver. Nathaniel asked nervously and gently: “Sophia? What’s wrong? Don’t cry, take your time.” Sophia on the other end seemed to be saying something intermittently. Nathaniel kept comforting her: “Don’t be afraid, I’m here. Where are you now? Okay, I’ll be right there!” He hung up and didn’t even glance at me still kneeling on the floor. He grabbed his car keys and rushed outside. He moved so urgently that his shoulder slammed hard into me. I was already off-balance, and this powerful impact sent my body stumbling backward uncontrollably. My forehead struck hard against the sharp corner of the door frame. Searing pain exploded from my temple, and stars burst before my eyes. But Nathaniel’s figure had already disappeared outside the door. He rushed into the cold night without even a backward glance. The huge house instantly fell silent. I supported myself against the wall and slowly stood up. The pain at my temple made me dizzy. I walked to the mirror in the entryway and looked at the pale-faced woman in the reflection. I wore a blue floral dress, looking docile and harmless. But I wasn’t always like this. I was my father’s favorite child, inheriting his combat talents. I could shift at sixteen and beat down those guys who drooled after me. I never imagined becoming someone’s mate, bearing his children, managing a household. For four years, I had disguised myself as a weak, unthreatening woman. All to win Nathaniel’s love. It was laughable, but I had to do it to maintain the alliance between our packs. I was an alpha’s daughter. This was my duty. At least it would all end soon. It wasn’t until late at night that my phone rang. It was Nathaniel. I answered. His voice came through, completely flat: “Come to the hospital.” I instinctively asked: “What happened? Are you hurt?” “Come and you’ll see.” The call was mercilessly disconnected, leaving only the cold dial tone. Without thinking, I grabbed a coat and rushed out. The night wind was freezing. I drove at top speed all the way. What could have happened? Was it an accident with Sophia? Or was it him? I arrived at the hospital as fast as I could. From a distance, I immediately saw Nathaniel in the hospital room, holding the crying Sophia and comforting her. They were embracing tightly. The scene felt so ironic, as if I, who had rushed here, was the third party.

Amelia Johnson POV The air in the corridor felt especially cold because of the disinfectant smell. I stood there, feeling like all the blood in my body had been frozen by this chill. I watched the two people embracing tightly in the distance. Nathaniel lowered his head, softly comforting Sophia who was crying in his arms. The lines of his profile were as gentle as if he were a different person. That was the tenderness I hadn’t earned even after four years. I could barely breathe. It took me a long time to move my stiffened legs again, walking toward them step by step. Nathaniel heard the sound and looked up. The moment he saw me, the tenderness that flashed in his eyes quickly faded, replaced again by that familiar coldness. “What happened?” I forced myself to speak. Nathaniel looked at me with those terrifyingly calm eyes and spoke slowly: “Sophia had an accident. The wound is long, and she’s lost a lot of blood.” I instinctively asked: “What?” “She needs a blood transfusion.” Nathaniel looked at me as if stating a fact as mundane as the weather, completely unrelated to her: “My blood can not only save her but also prevent the wound from scarring.” “You want to give her your blood?!” Alpha blood did indeed have powerful healing abilities. But that didn’t mean it should be used at times like this, especially not for the reason of preventing a human from having scars. This was absurd. He would go this far for Sophia? “I didn’t call you here for your opinion.” Nathaniel coldly interrupted me. “Just to inform you.” “Nathaniel, you can’t do this!” I stepped forward, my voice trembling with urgency. “Losing a large amount of blood is dangerous even for you. This is too risky!” “Dangerous?” A mocking smile curved Nathaniel’s lips. “That’s none of your concern. My decisions aren’t for you to question.” “I’m your mate!” The words burst out, carrying a desperation I hadn’t even noticed in myself. “Mate?” The mockery in his eyes deepened. “Remember your place, Amelia. You’re just a conveniently suitable arranged marriage partner when I needed one. Now, move aside.” I see. So my only value as his mate was to be a silent background prop when told he’d decided to risk himself for another woman. How ironic. “Fine.” I stepped back, feeling all the strength drain from my body. Nathaniel released Sophia and helped her sit in a nearby chair. He comforted her with gentle words, then turned and strode toward the treatment room. Just as the door was about to close, I called out: “Nathaniel!” He stopped and turned to look at me without emotion. For a moment, I wanted to ask him: In these four years, did you ever care for me, even for a second? But meeting those cold eyes, I knew the answer would only disappoint me more. In the end, I only said: “Be safe.” His gaze seemed to flicker slightly, but he said nothing in the end. He turned and went to give blood without hesitation. I finally understood completely. His love for Sophia was profound enough that he would give his precious blood for her. And my four years of devotion and waiting were nothing but a joke. In the corridor, I sat on the cold bench. Sophia walked out of the hospital room, wiped away her tears, sat down beside me, and spoke in a gentle tone: “I’m sorry for troubling Nathaniel again because of me. You know, when I first learned about you, I was really angry. But he said you were just a tool he used to deal with Alpha William. With you around, Alpha William wouldn’t make things difficult for me, and I could have more freedom.” I knew what this meant. Alpha William was an extremely strict werewolf alpha. He didn’t allow any female werewolves to leave the pack, or even go to bars alone. He was even stricter with Nathaniel’s mate. He forbade me from leaving the pack, required me to wait at home when Nathaniel returned, demanded I personally take care of all of Nathaniel’s needs. So Nathaniel knew this life was restrictive, but he didn’t care about me, so he couldn’t see my pain. “You know what? One year, he secretly flew to Paris just because I casually mentioned I liked a certain vintage pendant that was about to be released.” Sophia smiled and continued to provoke me. “But I was still angry at the time, so I threw the jewelry box right back at him.” I remembered that pendant. When Nathaniel returned from Paris that time, he casually tossed an exquisite velvet box to me, his tone indifferent: “Someone gave it to me. I don’t like it. You deal with it.” I was so happy when I opened it and saw the necklace. I thought it was the first and only gift he’d ever given me. I treasured it at the bottom of my jewelry box, never daring to wear it, often taking it out and looking at it for hours. It turned out that what I treasured was just the garbage Sophia had disdainfully thrown away. “And another time,” Sophia’s voice drifted over leisurely, “I was in a bad mood late at night and posted something really sad on social media. Guess what? He actually flew to New York overnight to be with me. Even though I didn’t want to see him, he stood in the rain all night.” I remembered that time. When Nathaniel came back from his business trip, he was soaking wet and pressed me hard beneath him, taking me fiercely. I naively thought at the time that it was proof of his longing for me after our separation, a breakthrough in our relationship. It turned out that wasn’t love at all, much less genuine feeling. It was just him venting all his unfulfilled desire for another woman on me, a substitute he could use whenever he wanted. “These four years,” Sophia’s voice was full of pride, “I ignored him, wanted him to give up, but Nathaniel pursued relentlessly. Every day he had someone send me a bouquet of lisianthus.” The flower language of lisianthus is unchanging love, eternal waiting. I felt dizzy and disoriented. He didn’t like having any plants in the house. He said he was allergic, so I, who had always loved fresh flowers, hadn’t bought a single one in four years. Yet he easily ordered flowers for someone else for four entire years. I was a complete fool. Four years of arranged marriage, an elaborately planned deception. “I’m leaving.” I didn’t want to hear her continue. I stood up and pushed through the hospital doors, finally breaking into a run. I was afraid that one second later, I would completely drown in this four-year-long fantasy.

Amelia Johnson POV After escaping from the hospital, I locked myself in the villa for three whole days. So the pendant I had carefully treasured was someone else’s discarded garbage. So what I thought was passion was just a tool for venting. So my joyful late-night companionship was just witnessing a prolonged confession. Four years, one thousand four hundred and sixty days: I had become a complete substitute, a shadow. Not even a shadow, just an insignificant background prop in his love story. On the fourth day, Beta Henry knocked on my door: “Amelia, Alpha William wants you and sir to remember to attend the gathering tonight.” I didn’t refuse. This was Moonclaw Pack’s rule: a monthly banquet, rain or shine. I spent a long time using thick concealer to hide the exhaustion and pallor on my face. I changed into a proper long dress and played the role of Nathaniel’s gentle and virtuous mate once again. This would be the last time. In the evening, Nathaniel came home, his face slightly paler than usual but still upright. Seeing me, he only nodded faintly as a greeting, then went straight upstairs to change. From beginning to end, he didn’t ask why I had suddenly left that day or how I’d been these past few days. As if I were just a prop needed to attend the banquet together. The pack’s council hall was built large and usually served the function of hosting banquets as well. The huge dining table was filled with pack members, but the atmosphere was as oppressive as always. No one dared to make noise around the stern and rigid Alpha William. Nathaniel’s father, Alpha William, sat at the head of the table. Halfway through the meal, an elder spoke up with concern: “Nathaniel, you and Amelia have been together for four years. Why hasn’t she gotten pregnant yet?” At these words, everyone’s gaze focused on my flat abdomen. Oh no. Nathaniel put down his utensils and wiped the corner of his mouth with a napkin, his tone indifferent: “No rush.” These three casual words instantly ignited Alpha William’s fury. He slammed his fork heavily on the table. “No rush?!” William glared at him. “You’re already thirty years old. How much longer do you want to wait? Amelia, as Nathaniel’s mate, don’t you have any sense of responsibility?!” The attack instantly turned toward me. I put down my fork, stood up, and bowed my head slightly: “Dad, it’s my fault.” “Of course it’s your fault!” William’s voice grew even harsher. His sharp gaze cut into me like a knife. “I heard that a few days ago, Nathaniel gave a lot of blood for that human woman! Alpha blood is so precious and powerful. How can it be casually given to others, especially to a fragile human?! You’re his mate and you were there. Why didn’t you stop him from doing something so dangerous and reckless?!” “Dad, this was my own decision.” Nathaniel frowned and spoke up. “You shut up!” William scolded. “You don’t get to speak here! Amelia, you’ve been married to Nathaniel for four years without bearing an heir for the pack. Now you can’t even take care of Nathaniel’s health, letting him deplete himself for some damned human! You’re failing completely as a mate!” Yes, this was another reason I decided not to continue the marriage arrangement. This Alpha William was even more domineering and tyrannical than a king. Especially, he hated all women. That included me, of course. He believed women should stay obediently at home, locked up in chains, only needed to bear children. So his mate, that brave Luna, tried to resist and ultimately chose suicide. The death of his fated mate only intensified this tyrant’s obsession. In these four years, I had endured too many such insults. I hadn’t planned to respond. But William gestured to a nearby servant. The servant immediately brought over a bowl of dark, bitter-smelling medicine. “This is medicine I specially had the healer prepare for you. It will help you get pregnant. Drink it!” William commanded. I looked at the bowl of medicine, my stomach churning. For the first time, I chose to resist. “Dad, I’m sorry. I won’t drink this medicine.” Everyone was shocked, including Nathaniel, who looked at me with surprise. William’s face turned ashen. He pointed at my nose and roared: “You dare defy me! Are you challenging Moonclaw Pack’s rules? Guards!” Two tall guards immediately stepped forward. “Take her to the yard! Give her ten lashes with the silver whip!” I didn’t resist, letting the guards drag me out. From beginning to end, Nathaniel just sat there, watching coldly. He didn’t even say a word in my defense, only looking away the moment I was taken out. As if what was about to happen in the yard had nothing to do with him. The late autumn night was bitterly cold. William was always strict. He had established many rules. This wasn’t my first time being punished, but it would be my last. Wounds left by silver weapons were difficult to heal. The cold penetrated through the wounds into my bones, making me shiver all over, yet I also felt a burning pain spreading. Through the study window, I could clearly see Nathaniel’s silhouette. He didn’t come out. He sat on the study sofa, holding his phone and making a call. I couldn’t see his expression, but I could imagine that the person on the other end must be Sophia. Time passed minute by minute. The intense pain and cold from my back gradually blurred my consciousness. After the whipping ended, I felt my body growing colder and heavier, and the scene before my eyes began to spin. In the second before I completely lost consciousness, I saw Nathaniel in the study finally hang up the phone, stand up, and draw the curtains. He completely shut out my last shred of hope. So he simply didn’t care. Everything went black. Then nothing.

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After discovering my CEO husband can’t let go of his divorced single-mother ex, I started teaching our son to call him “uncle.” When our son had a fever and his ex called him away in the middle of the night, I touched our son’s burning forehead and had him say “goodbye, uncle.” When he promised to attend our son’s parent-teacher conference but his ex called crying about how her son had no father to accompany him, my husband left without a second thought. I didn’t even look up. I handed our son my phone and had him send the teacher an excuse email on behalf of “uncle.” Every time, our son hesitated for so long. Until later, when my husband finally realized what he owed us. He took the initiative to suggest we take family photos together. At the entrance of the photo studio, the ex called again, sobbing on the phone: “Evan, can you come pick up Tanner from kindergarten right now? The other kids are making fun of him for not having a dad…” Reluctance flashed across my husband’s face. He was about to crouch down and explain to our son. This time, without any prompting from me, our son waved him away. “It’s okay, uncle. You go be with your other kid. Mom and I are enough for a family photo.”

The moment our son said those words, both Evan Harrison and I froze. During the 28 days since I discovered Evan’s heart wasn’t with our family anymore, every time he abandoned me and our son because of Vivian White, I would have our son call him “uncle.” To remind both myself and our son not to be hurt by someone who wasn’t worth it. But our son didn’t see it that way. He was only seven years old, at the age when he needed his father most. Every time I asked him to say “uncle,” he would hesitate for a long time before quietly calling out the word. But today, he said it on his own. He said it smoothly and naturally, as if he’d rehearsed the word countless times in his heart. Seeing us both stunned, our son took my hand and said to Evan: “Uncle, you go ahead.” Then he looked at me. “Mom, let’s go. We’re going to be late for our appointment.” He pulled me along, step by step toward the photo studio. The family photo session was something Evan had suggested to make up for missing our son’s school event. Our son had been looking forward to it for half a month. I stiffly followed him, my heart feeling like it was being crushed by a stone, the suffocating pressure making me want to cry. I discovered Evan’s affair by accident. He went to celebrate Vivian’s child’s birthday, and when he came back, he forgot about the tickets in his pocket. Three tickets to Universal Studios. For our son’s sixth birthday, he wished for the whole family to go to Universal Studios together to see his favorite Minions. Evan thought it was childish and rejected the idea without hesitation. A few days later, though, he went with Vivian’s child. I found Vivian’s Instagram post on Evan’s phone. [The most magical place should be visited with the best dad.] The photo showed Evan and Vivian holding a child—a picture of the three of them together. Vivian was his first love, divorced with a child. That night, we had our most explosive fight. I insisted on divorce and taking our child with me. Evan accused me of being unreasonable. He asked how I could bear to let our child grow up without a father. He swore to God that he only felt sympathy for Vivian. Looking at our son’s obviously frightened face, I bit my lip until it nearly bled. I knew that if I forced our son to leave with me, he would never forget Evan. But I also knew that if it happened once, it would happen a second time, a third time. I didn’t want my child to suffer because of his so-called sympathy. So I chose another approach—I tricked Evan into signing divorce papers. Thirty days until the divorce became official. During those 30 days, if Evan came to his senses, I would pretend nothing had happened for our son’s sake. If not, I would spend those 30 days doing everything I could to help our son become “desensitized.” Today was day 28. Our son had called Evan “uncle” on his own. I felt our son’s slightly trembling body, but I wasn’t happy. It felt like a thousand needles piercing my heart. As we crossed the street, Evan finally snapped out of it. He took a few steps after us, wanting to ask our son what was going on, when Vivian called again, still with that delicate sobbing voice: “Evan, where are you? Tanner keeps crying and saying he wants his daddy. I can’t calm him down.” Evan’s steps halted. He stared at our backs, phone in hand, and replied: “Okay, I know. I’ll be right there.” After hanging up, he sent me a text saying “Let’s talk tonight,” then turned and left without hesitation. The roar of a car engine started up, then faded into the distance. Our son stopped walking and buried himself in my arms, his tears soaking my clothes. “Mom.” “Can we not have Dad anymore?”

We didn’t take the photos. I took our son straight home. I started packing. While I was booking plane tickets back to my hometown, Vivian sent me a video. The setting was another well-known photo studio in the city. Vivian and Evan were wearing matching outfits, holding a child around five years old, posing for the camera. At the end of the video, Vivian taunted me as usual. “It’s just a family photo. Evan and I can take one anytime.” If this had been before, seeing Vivian’s provocation, I definitely would have snapped back immediately. But now, watching our son carefully organizing his toys, I only had one thought: how pointless. I exited the chat and booked two tickets to Seattle for the day after tomorrow. Just after I paid, Evan came home, carrying a strawberry cake. Both our son and I stared in surprise. In the past, he hated strawberry cake the most. Because of this, even though our son inherited my crazy love for strawberries, he would only choose Evan’s favorite matcha mousse for his birthday. But today, why did he suddenly bring home a strawberry cake? Our son and I looked at each other, both finding it unbelievable. Evan slowly walked in and saw the open luggage. His expression changed slightly. “Tanner was crying so hard, I stayed with him a bit longer. On my way back, I remembered you both love strawberry cake, so I bought one.” “Why are you packing? Are you going on a trip?” I shook my head, then nodded. “I guess so.” With only two days left until the divorce became official, I didn’t want any unexpected complications. Hearing my words, Evan seemed to breathe a sigh of relief before continuing: “The photo studio called me and said you didn’t show up. I rescheduled. How about tomorrow?” “I absolutely won’t bail this time.” He crouched in front of our son and said it very seriously. Our son paused while organizing his toys, looked at him, then at me. As if he was torn, or as if he didn’t dare believe anymore. I noticed our son wavering, and my heart softened. “Okay.” It was only going to be the last time anyway. After I agreed, our son’s eyes immediately lit up. He grabbed his toys and ran into his room. After he left, I continued packing. Evan came over to me. He struggled before speaking: “By the way, about our son calling me uncle today…”

My heart skipped a beat. I looked up at him. Evan crouched down, placing the strawberry cake beside me. His voice was helpless but affectionate: “Zoe, I know what you’re thinking. You think I’m too nice to Vivian and that I’ve been neglecting you and our son.” “But I swear, I only feel sympathy for Vivian. She’s a single mom—I just don’t want her to suffer too much.” He took my hand and placed it solemnly over his heart. “Give me a little more time. I promise I’ll handle things with Vivian and her son properly. I won’t let you and our son be wronged.” I stared at him blankly. I could barely remember the last time he looked at me so seriously. Maybe it was at our wedding. In the pristine chapel, he held my hand and vowed to treat me well for the rest of his life. Or maybe it was the day our son was born. In the hospital delivery room, he carefully held our son in his arms and trembled as he kissed my forehead. Then he said: “Zoe, I will never let you or our son suffer any injustice.” Thinking about those past moments, I was silent for a long time. Finally, I decided to tell him about the divorce. “Evan, actually…” “Oh, where did you put that limited-edition LEGO set I bought for our son last time? Is it in the study cabinet? Vivian says Tanner’s really into LEGO lately. I’ll take it over for him to play with for a few days.” After speaking, Evan went to the study, found the LEGO set, grabbed his car keys, and hurried out the door. “Bang”—the door closed. Evan’s figure disappeared. I stared quietly at the door for a long time. Then I finished the sentence I hadn’t completed. “Actually, our son and I don’t need you anymore.” Only two days left until we left.

At midnight, after finally finishing all the packing, I lay exhausted in bed. My phone lit up. It was a message from Evan. [Tanner really loved the LEGO. I spent the whole evening helping him build it. Vivian specifically asked me to thank you.] At midnight, my husband was thanking me on behalf of another woman. I pulled at the corner of my mouth, too speechless to even laugh. But I was too tired to be angry. The outcome was already decided anyway. I opened the chat and casually replied: [No need to thank me. I didn’t give it to her.] [Also, that LEGO was our son’s favorite birthday present. He’s been waiting for you to have time to build it with him.] After sending that message, I turned off my phone and closed my eyes to sleep. I didn’t care about Evan on the other end, whose expression changed when he saw the message. The next morning at eight, Evan came home unusually early. He took off his coat as he entered and saw several neatly arranged suitcases in the living room. He froze in place. “Do you need to pack this much for a trip?” Without even putting down his coat, he walked to the bedroom with visible panic and asked me. I was helping our son get dressed and didn’t look back. “We’re going far.” Upon hearing this, he immediately looked at our son. Only after receiving a confirming nod did his expression relax. Then he put his coat aside and took out three Universal Studios tickets. “Haven’t you been upset that I didn’t take our son to Universal Studios?” “I bought tickets for today. The three of us can go together.” He displayed the tickets in front of me and our son like he was showing off, his face full of indulgence. For a moment, I wondered if I’d misheard something. It had been almost a month since that incident, and he was only thinking of it now? But then I thought of the string of unread messages on my phone when I woke up this morning, and I suddenly understood. So it was compensation. I didn’t say anything and continued focusing on dressing our son. But our son was incredibly excited, his eyes blinking as he stared at me. “Mom, I want to go!” My eyes curved into a smile. Before I could speak, I heard Evan stammer: “But if you want to go, there’s one condition. Vivian found out we’re taking family photos today, and she’s worried Tanner will be upset if he hears about it, so… the family photo thing… let’s do it another time.” As he said this, his expression was full of guilt. Our son froze. The smile in his eyes visibly receded bit by bit. “I see…” He slowly lowered his head and said nothing more. His eyes turned red. But Evan didn’t notice. He continued: “It’s just this one small request from Vivian. I thought about it, and it shouldn’t be a big deal.” “We’re just postponing the photos this time. There’s always next time.” “Leo, what do you say?” He didn’t know that our son and I would be leaving tomorrow. This was his last chance. But neither our son nor I said anything. We just nodded silently. “Fine.” “Okay.” Evan breathed a sigh of relief, his face visibly showing a smile, as if a weight had been lifted. “Then I’ll tell Vivian right now. Three o’clock this afternoon, meet at Universal Studios.” After speaking, he got up to leave. When he reached the door, he turned around. “Honey, Leo, you’re both so wonderful.” Our son and I didn’t say anything. After he left, our son jumped down from the bed and took out a backpack he’d prepared from the closet. “Mom, I don’t want to see uncle anymore. Can we leave early?”

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