The day I was acknowledged by the wealthy family, I had a three-year-old child by my side. Sophia, the adopted daughter, covered her mouth and laughed, “Sister, life must have been tough for you these years, huh? You even had a bastard child. How dare you come back to the Sullivan family?” My ex-fiancé, Mark Foster, immediately darkened his face and turned to Mr. Foster Sr., saying, “I absolutely refuse to marry a woman with such a questionable background.” I lowered my head, gently stroking my child’s soft hair, and nodded obediently, “Alright.” After all, this child belonged to his uncle. In the tea room of the Foster family mansion, Mr. Foster Sr. sat in the main seat with a grim expression. Mark’s mother, Linda Foster, who had slept her way to her current position, was crying in a shrill voice, “Mr. Foster, Mark is your only grandson. How can he marry a woman with a bastard child? What will people say?” She glanced at me sideways, her words full of insinuation, “Some people will do anything to climb the social ladder.” My mother laughed coldly, “Mrs. Foster, didn’t you also rely on an ‘accidental’ pregnancy to enter this family? How ironic that you’re now calling others impure.” Linda’s face instantly turned ashen. Mark suddenly slammed the table, throwing a disgusted look at me, “I’ll release a statement tomorrow to break off the engagement.” I lowered my eyes to hide my smile. That suits me just fine. Mr. Foster Sr. frowned deeply, his gaze moving back and forth between me and my child. But my little one wasn’t shy. He looked up with his small face and chirped sweetly, “Hello, Grandpa!” Mr. Foster Sr. was taken aback, his stern expression cracking slightly, “This child… seems quite clever.” Seeing this, Linda immediately shrieked, “Mr. Foster, don’t be fooled! Who knows where this bastard child came from…” Before Linda could finish, my mother had already slammed her teacup onto the saucer with a loud “clang”. “Mrs. Foster, mind your words. You have no right to comment on my family’s bloodline.” Linda’s face alternated between red and white, “What do you mean? Are you saying this child is…” “Enough!” Mr. Foster Sr. suddenly roared, his dragon-headed cane striking the marble floor with a startling sound. The tea room instantly fell silent, with only my child shrinking into my arms uneasily. I gently patted his back, feeling his tiny body trembling slightly. “All of you, shut up!” Mr. Foster Sr. sighed, “This matter ends here! Everyone get out!” My mother laughed coldly, standing up gracefully, “Perfect, we Sullivans don’t want to stay any longer either.” She gave me a look, “Olivia, let’s go.” The little one seemed to sense my mood and touched my face with his soft little hand, “Mommy, don’t be angry. Little Bean will protect you.” I didn’t look back, just held my child tighter. My mother’s hand holding mine trembled slightly, her eyes almost overflowing with guilt. She had originally intended to use this arranged marriage to let me return to the Sullivan family properly, to reclaim everything that belonged to the true daughter. After all, the engagement with the Foster family was originally meant for me. But she hadn’t expected that this carefully arranged meeting would turn into a scene where my dignity was trampled. Linda’s acerbic mockery and Mark’s disgusted looks all stabbed at her heart like knives. Her voice choked, “Olivia, it’s Mom’s fault…” I shook my head, gripping her hand back. This humiliation was never our fault.

By the time we returned to the Sullivan mansion, it was already dark. The hall was brightly lit, with my father sitting on the sofa reviewing documents. Sophia was leaning against him, smiling coyly. Seeing us enter, a flash of mockery crossed her eyes as she deliberately raised her voice, “Dad, sister has come back with her child.” My father looked up, his gaze falling on the child in my arms, his brow instantly furrowing, “You have the nerve to come back?” Before I could speak, Sophia was already covering her mouth and laughing lightly, “Sister, you’ve certainly had an exciting life out there. Having a child out of wedlock, bringing back a little bastard, how scandalous if word gets out.” “Sophia!” my mother rebuked sharply, “Watch your mouth!” But my father raised his hand to stop my mother, his eyes coldly fixed on me, “Whose child is this exactly?” I took a deep breath, my nails almost digging into my palms. Those memories I had deliberately buried came flooding back. Three years ago, on that rainy night, I found Ethan Foster covered in blood. I sent him to the hospital and cared for him day and night. Ethan had lost all his memories due to the car accident. I took care of him, accompanied him through rehabilitation. He always liked to hold my hand in the warm afternoon sun, saying softly, “Olivia, when I’m better, let’s get married.” His palm was warm and dry, his gaze so focused as if I was the only person left in the world. Later, as he gradually recovered, we lived in a small house by the sea. He would brew coffee in the early morning and gently kiss my forehead. He would also hold me in his arms during thunderstorms, saying “Don’t be afraid, I’m here.” At that time, he was so gentle, unlike the cold young master of the Foster family, but just an ordinary man who loved me deeply. But later… His memory returned. One morning, when I woke up, the bed beside me was already empty. A check was left on the table, the amount so large it hurt my eyes. He also left a note, saying he would come back for me. I hated him for leaving without a word, so I burned the note and left that place. After leaving, I found out I was pregnant. I didn’t want to abandon this little life, so I chose to give birth. Three years later, the Sullivan family found me. “Can’t say it?” My father sneered, “You’ve completely disgraced the Sullivan family!” “Disgrace?” My mother suddenly stood up, her voice shaking, “When you brought Sophia home back then, didn’t you feel disgraced? Now you dare to blame Olivia?” My father’s face turned ashen, “How can that be the same? Sophia is my biological daughter!” “And what about Olivia?” My mother’s eyes were red, “Isn’t she your flesh and blood? Your favoritism should have a limit!” Sophia pretended to mediate from the side, “Auntie, don’t be angry. Dad is just worried about sister’s reputation…” “No need for your fake kindness!” My mother pushed her away. Sophia staggered a few steps, deliberately falling to the ground, tears instantly welling up, “Dad, I was just trying to calm Auntie down, but she pushed me…” My father flew into a rage, raising his hand to strike my mother. I rushed forward to shield her, but suddenly heard my child burst into tears. “Mommy… I’m scared…” he tightly hugged my leg, his little face covered in tears. At that moment, my heart felt like it was torn in two. I crouched down and hugged him, my voice trembling, “Little Bean, don’t be afraid. Mommy’s here.” My father’s hand froze in mid-air, finally dropping heavily. He rubbed his brow wearily, “Go back to your room, don’t stand here annoying me!” My mother still wanted to argue, but I held her back and shook my head. As I carried my child upstairs, Sophia’s triumphant gaze stabbed into my back like knives. Closing the door, my child nestled against my shoulder, sobbing softly, “Mommy, why doesn’t Grandpa like us?” I bit my lip hard, tears finally falling. Why? I wanted to know why too. Why did Ethan leave without a word? Why did my father only have eyes for Sophia? Why did my child have to bear all this malice? Outside the window, thunder rumbled, and raindrops slammed against the glass. I held my child tightly, as if I could shield him from all the storms of the world this way.

Early the next morning, there was a commotion downstairs. Followed by Sophia’s exaggerated giggles. “Mark, why did you suddenly come?” Sophia’s voice was sickeningly sweet, “Did you miss me?” Mark’s voice carried impatience, “Where’s your sister?” My heart suddenly sank. What was he doing here? The door was suddenly pushed open. Mark stood at the doorway with a gloomy face, Sophia hanging on his arm with a malicious smile. “Sister, Mark has something to say to you.” Mark coldly swept a glance at the child in my arms, frowning in disgust, “Olivia Sullivan, I’m warning you, don’t think you can cling to the Foster family just because you have a bastard child.” My fingers unconsciously tightened, and my child whimpered softly in his sleep. “I’m not…” My voice was barely audible. “Not?” Mark sneered, “Then why did you choose this time to return to the Sullivan family? What, can’t afford to raise the child anymore? Want me to pay for the bastard’s milk powder?” Sophia added fuel to the fire from the side, “Sister, life must have been tough for you these years? Raising a fatherless child…” “Enough!” I suddenly looked up, “Who gave you permission to call my child a bastard?” Mark seemed to be angered by my reaction. He strode over and grabbed my wrist, “Olivia Sullivan, stop playing the victim! If it weren’t for the relationship between our families, I wouldn’t have agreed to marry you in the first place!” His grip was shockingly strong, causing a sharp pain in my wrist. My child was startled awake. Seeing the scene before him, he immediately burst into tears. “Mommy! Don’t bully Mommy!” He reached out his little hands, trying to push Mark away. Mark shoved the child away. His small body hit the wall with a dull thud. “Little Bean!” I broke free from Mark’s grip and rushed to hug my child. A red mark had appeared on his forehead, and he was crying uncontrollably. “Mark Foster! He’s just a child!” I shouted hoarsely, tears blurring my vision. Sophia laughed gleefully from the side, “Oh my, Mark, this child is quite protective, just as shameless as his mother.” Mark looked down at us coldly, his gaze icy, “Olivia Sullivan, I’ll make a public statement tomorrow to break off the engagement. If you dare to cause any trouble…” He didn’t finish his sentence, but the threat was clear. I held my child tightly, feeling my heart shatter into pieces. Why? Why treat us like this? What wrong had my child done? He’s just an innocent child… Mark turned to leave, Sophia shot me a triumphant look and followed, clinging to his arm. “By the way,” Mark stopped at the door, not looking back, “Uncle asked me to tell you, stop dreaming. The Foster family will never acknowledge this bastard.” Those words were like a knife, stabbing deep into my heart. Ethan… This child is his own flesh and blood. The door slammed shut. I could no longer hold myself up, sliding to the floor with my child in my arms. My child’s little hands frantically wiped away my tears, “Mommy, don’t cry. Little Bean will blow the pain away…” I held him tightly in my arms, my tears soaking his collar. The man who had promised me a home three years ago now wouldn’t even acknowledge his own child. All those gentle whispers, those passionate promises, turned out to be nothing but a joke. “Mommy, why doesn’t Daddy want us?” my child suddenly asked softly, his voice filled with confusion and hurt. My heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand, the pain almost unbearable. How could I answer? Outside the window, the rain grew heavier, thunder rumbling. I hugged my child tightly. In the Sullivan house, apart from my mother who truly cared for me, it was just me and my child depending on each other. “Little Bean, don’t be afraid,” I said softly, my voice trembling terribly, “Mommy will never leave you.”

The day the invitation to the Foster family banquet arrived at the Sullivan house, my mother slammed it on the coffee table in front of my father. “Olivia must go,” she said, her nails almost digging into the leather sofa. “My daughter is not some dirty secret to be hidden away.” My father frowned, looking at the child in my arms. Sophia immediately chimed in with her sweet voice, “Auntie, won’t it be more embarrassing if sister brings the child?” “Shut up!” my mother snapped, then turned to my father, her eyes red, “Sullivan, search your conscience. What exactly has Olivia done wrong? Is it her fault she was abandoned? Is it her fault she’s raising a child alone?” My father remained silent for a long time, finally turning his face away, “Do as you please.” I bit my lip hard until I tasted blood. My child seemed to sense my emotions, his little hand clutching tightly at the hem of my clothes, his big eyes full of unease. On the night of the banquet, my mother chose a dark green velvet gown for me. As she styled my hair, her fingers trembled slightly, “Olivia, hold your head high tonight. You’ve done nothing wrong.” I looked at myself in the mirror, forcing a smile onto my pale face. My child, dressed in a little suit, lay on my lap looking up at me, “Mommy, are we going to see Daddy?” My heart suddenly clenched. “Little Bean,” I knelt down to adjust his bow tie, my voice barely audible, “If… if Daddy doesn’t recognize us, don’t be sad, okay?” He nodded innocently, but in his clear eyes, I saw my own reflection full of nervousness and anxiety. The Foster family mansion was brightly lit. As soon as we stepped into the banquet hall, I heard a familiar deep voice coming from the direction of the balcony. “She’s nothing but a gold digger,” Ethan’s voice was full of contempt. “Bringing a child of unknown origin, thinking she can latch onto the Foster family. How laughable.” I froze in place, my blood instantly turning to ice. My mother angrily wanted to rush over, but I held her wrist tightly, shaking my head. “I heard the child looks like someone from the Foster family?” someone asked curiously. Ethan let out a cold laugh, “I’ve seen this trick many times. Mark was right to break off the engagement. Who knows how many men she’s been with…” His words suddenly stopped. Because I had walked out from behind a Roman column, holding my child’s hand. Under the crystal chandelier, Ethan’s wine glass shattered on the marble floor. He stared at me intently, his pupils contracting violently, cracks appearing for the first time on that usually composed face.

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On our wedding anniversary, my wife Rachel, a professional translator, once again received an urgent assignment and couldn’t spend the day with me. But before I knew it, she appeared in Ryan’s social media video, hurling insults at a group of old ladies in eighteen different languages. Gone was her usual elegant demeanor. The caption read: “Grandma says having a translator for a daughter-in-law is great. No one in the village will dare argue with me now.” I chuckled and liked the post, commenting: “Quite the spectacle.” My colleagues quickly flooded the comments section, even placing bets on whether I would explode this time. Rachel immediately called me, her voice cold as ice: “Jack Thompson, who told you to comment? Are you deliberately trying to embarrass Ryan in front of the team?” “He was being bullied in his hometown, what’s wrong with me showing some support? Someone like you, who’s been pampered all your life, wouldn’t understand how hard life can be for ordinary people.” “Delete that comment right now. I’ll make it up to you with another anniversary celebration in a few days.” I hung up with a bitter laugh, rubbing my aching stomach. In three days, the divorce cooling-off period would be over!

I asked the doctor to change my pain medication to an appendectomy. The doctor looked at me quizzically, “Why the sudden change of heart? Not going to be with your wife?” I smiled bitterly, “Because she just died.” The doctor froze for a moment, then gave me a strange, sympathetic look without saying anything more. As soon as I opened SnapChat, I saw Ryan tagging everyone in our work group: “Sorry for the misunderstanding, everyone. The post I shared earlier was just a joke. I hope you all don’t read too much into it.” This deliberate show-off of an apology made me want to vomit. Rachel immediately replied: “Ryan, you don’t need to apologize. It’s obviously a joke, and we’re not all so thin-skinned that we’d take it seriously.” As soon as our head translator spoke, those cunning colleagues who had been lurking suddenly chimed in: “Exactly! The office atmosphere is usually so dull, it’s refreshing to have some young blood cracking jokes.” “Rachel, your comeback was so sharp! That’s why you’re our boss!” “Ryan, looks like our only thin-skinned colleague hasn’t responded yet. Maybe you should message him privately to explain!” Watching my colleagues constantly sucking up and putting others down, I felt a mix of emotions. Half of these people were my former mentees. The more affectionately they used to call me “mentor,” the more cold-hearted they were now. What could I expect when Rachel was the head of the translation team and Ryan was her new favorite? To them, I was just a pushover who had cut ties with my parents for Rachel’s sake. I sighed deeply and exited SnapChat, not wanting to let them ruin my mood. But before I could put down my phone, Rachel called again. I answered impatiently, “What do you want?” She took a deep breath on the other end, seemingly suppressing her anger: “Jack Thompson, I need you to write a peace speech in English and Farsi right now. Ryan needs it for tomorrow! Make it easy to read, don’t use any complicated words, got it?” Her tone left no room for refusal, as if she were ordering a dog around. I instantly flared up. This trip to the Middle East wasn’t just about giving a peace speech; it also involved coordinating with humanitarian aid teams from multiple countries and communicating with locals. Ryan’s mediocre English skills were nowhere near sufficient for the job. But Ryan wanted this experience as a stepping stone for his career advancement, so he had begged Rachel to let him go. Rachel, completely focused on him, had assigned Ryan without any discussion. Now, with the departure date approaching and Ryan not even having prepared a speech, they were scrambling to have me clean up their mess. How shameless! So it wasn’t an emergency back home, but rather realizing his incompetence and potential exposure. Rachel took her little troublemaker to play the role of a grandson in the countryside, while leaving me here to write the speech. No way! “Hey, did you hear me? Send it to me for review first! If it’s good, I’ll pass it on to Ryan.” Rachel’s tone was impatient. I laughed coldly and refused outright: “I’m not writing someone else’s speech. If Ryan can’t write it himself, why don’t you help him? After all, you’ve been doing most of his work during his probation period. What’s wrong with helping him advance his career?” “Ms. Head Translator, if there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up.” Before I could end the call, Rachel’s furious voice nearly split my eardrum: “Don’t you dare hang up! Jack Thompson, have I been giving you too much face lately?”

“It’s me who’s been giving you too much face, or else how would you have the nerve to ask me to clean up after your little mistress!” I couldn’t be bothered to hold back anymore and lashed out at her. There was a moment of silence on the other end before she spoke again, suppressing her rage, “Jack Thompson, what’s wrong with you? You’re being so vulgar. Have all those years of education gone to waste? I told you I’d make it up to you when I get back, why are you still angry!” “If I don’t receive Ryan’s speech in my inbox by tonight, then let’s just call it quits!” I clenched my fists tightly, “Fine, let’s call it quits. Who wants to be with you anyway!” Before I could finish, I heard Ryan’s voice on the other end, “Rachel, Grandma’s calling you for dinner.” Rachel covered the mouthpiece, her voice suddenly as sweet as a well-mannered college student, “I’m just arranging some work, I’ll be right there.” Then she turned back to me, her voice cold enough to kill: “What did you just say?” I laughed: “Rachel Walker, listen carefully. I said if you enjoy being a lapdog so much, then keep at it. Don’t get cocky and provoke your grandma into teaching you a lesson!” Rachel barely contained her fury as she shouted: “Ryan was bullied in the village, and I, as his mentor, am just helping him save face. What’s wrong with that? Do you think everyone is as heartless as you?” “Jack Thompson, if you can’t even write this speech well, then you don’t need to stay in our team anymore!” She hung up abruptly after saying this. I sat at the cold entrance of the operating room, rubbing my stomach, feeling a surge of bitterness rising within me. My relationship with her was like this painfully inflamed appendix – it should have been cut out long ago. After the surgery, I went home and fell asleep alone. But early the next morning, I was woken by urgent knocking on my door. I opened it to find officers from the National Security Department. They said someone had reported me as a foreign spy and asked me to cooperate with their investigation. I felt a sudden sense of unreality and reflexively asked, “How could I possibly be a spy? I’m even a member of the counter-espionage team!” But they showed me the report directly. I immediately felt dizzy and followed them back to the office. As soon as I entered, I saw the disappointed look in my boss’s eyes, and my heart sank. The report mentioned several translation receptions that I had indeed led, and confidential information had been leaked afterward. It was hard not to suspect me. But when I saw the witness, everything became clear. The so-called witness was the meeting recorder, also Ryan’s most loyal lackey. Remembering how the two of them had acted separately from the team several times, I suspected they might be the real spies. I hurriedly tried to explain: “Officers, he can’t be a witness. Everyone knows he’s Ryan’s man, and Ryan has a grudge against me!” “Besides, during those translation receptions, I was with everyone the whole time and had no chance to leak information. But those two…” “Shut up, don’t embarrass our translation team!” Rachel angrily interrupted me. She took two big steps towards me, keeping a disdainful distance: “What grudge? I think you’re just randomly accusing people because you’ve done something wrong!” “Jack Thompson, I used to think you were just petty and lacked quality, but at least I didn’t think you’d betray the country. I never imagined you’d do something so inhumane!” “Do you know what the punishment is for falsely accusing a public official? I can’t believe you’ve become so depraved as to turn traitor. You’re not human, you scum! You don’t deserve to be my husband!” My throat felt like it was blocked by a red-hot iron, and I couldn’t utter a word. After a long while, I finally squeezed out a few hoarse words, “Rachel, in your heart, am I the kind of person who would betray my country out of jealousy?” I stared straight at her, but saw her gaze growing colder and colder, “You didn’t have a chance to leak information on the day of the reception, but you knew several people from the visiting delegation. Who knows what you might have said when you met them privately?” Rachel’s righteousness in condemning her husband led to my immediate suspension pending investigation. Suddenly, a family member of one of the victims picked up a chair and smashed it on my head, causing me to bleed profusely. “You beast! You traitor! It’s all your fault for leaking secrets that got my sister killed!” The man unleashed all his strength on me, beating me until I was nearly unconscious. He only stopped when he saw I was barely breathing. As I lay on the ground, I saw Ryan approach, looking down at me with glee. “Jack Thompson, of all things, why did you choose to be a traitor? Now you’re getting what you deserve.”

Seeing his smug, disgusting expression of getting what he wanted, I struggled through the pain to get up from the ground and sneered back: “You know exactly what you’ve done, Ryan Miller. Your retribution will come sooner or later!” A flash of wariness crossed Ryan’s eyes, but he quickly adopted a righteous tone, pointing at me accusingly, “Jack Thompson, don’t try to implicate others! I’m not like you. I would never betray my colleagues! Let alone become a traitor! You’ve disgraced our entire team, our whole country!” I laughed bitterly, too tired to argue with him, and slowly started to move away despite the pain. But Ryan wouldn’t let it go. He came forward and grabbed me, touching my wound and making me wince in pain. Before I could react, he suddenly fell on his butt and started wailing like a bad actor. Rachel, who had been keeping a straight face until now, instantly panicked. She took two big steps, pushing me aside, and anxiously helped Ryan up from the ground, gently patting his back and comforting him softly. Seeing he wasn’t hurt, Rachel glared at me angrily, “Well, Jack Thompson, your parents worked hard to put you through twenty years of school, and this is what you learned? Betraying your country and deliberately hurting people? Apologize to Ryan right now!” I laughed coldly, but before I could speak, Ryan whined pitifully, adding fuel to the fire, “I just wanted to see if Jack was being wrongly accused. He just misunderstood me, he didn’t mean to push me.” But Rachel’s face darkened, “There’s no misunderstanding. He’s getting what he deserves now!” I had no outlet for my anger, and all I could manage was a flat statement, “You know who really deserves punishment.” Rachel’s face, which I once loved to death, now seemed completely unfamiliar to me. Even if she saw through Ryan’s act, even if she was willing to let me bear the label of a traitor and ruin my life, Rachel still chose him without hesitation. I don’t have evidence now, but the truth will come out eventually. I couldn’t be bothered to argue with them anymore. Pressing the bleeding wound on my head, I hurried to leave. Staying with them for another second made me want to vomit. As I was leaving, Rachel called out, “Jack Thompson, you’re a suspect now. You’re not allowed to leave the city. Report your whereabouts to me every hour.” Without turning back, I walked out of that dark room, saying, “Fine, but you’d better keep a close eye on Ryan Miller. Otherwise, you might end up in jail or worse!” Thinking about Rachel’s gritting teeth, I felt a secret satisfaction. She had intended to pressure me into cleaning up after Ryan, but this time I didn’t give an inch. She had hit a wall. And this spy accusation was far more complicated than it appeared on the surface. After leaving the office, I contacted a real estate agent to list the house I had bought for our marriage. The agent said that houses in good school districts were in high demand, and she had a buyer willing to pay even more than my asking price. The price didn’t matter to me. What mattered was that anything associated with Rachel now felt like a thorn in my side. Then I drove straight to the civil affairs bureau and finally got the divorce certificate I had been longing for. This mutually torturous marriage was finally over!

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After graduating from medical school, I broke up with James. “Just because I went to her medical lecture instead of your graduation ceremony?” He smirked sarcastically. I nodded silently. “You really never grow up, do you?” He laughed coldly. “Fine, have it your way. But don’t come crawling back to me later.” From age twelve to twenty-five, I had always been chasing after him, so insecure that everyone thought I couldn’t live without him. But this time, I was truly exhausted. He didn’t know that I had already applied to study abroad. In a country far, far away from him. From now on, no one would stop him from doing things for his sister-in-law anymore. 0 “I went to Megan’s medical lecture,” James explained coldly. Megan was his sister-in-law. She once said, “We’re all the same age, don’t call me sister-in-law. It makes me feel old.” So James started calling her “Megan” without hesitation. “I know,” I bit my lip. “You know and you’re still angry?” He sounded exasperated. “Can you stop acting like a child?” “James,” I clenched my fingers, gathering the courage to look him in the eye, “Let’s break up!” James leaned back in his office chair, looking at me coldly: “Just because I didn’t go to your graduation ceremony?” I nodded silently. “You really want to break up?” he asked. “Yes.” “Sophia.” “Hmm.” “I don’t have the patience to play this ‘on-again-off-again’ game with you. Adults should think carefully before they speak.” “Hmm.” “You really never grow up, do you?” He laughed coldly. “Fine, have it your way. But don’t come crawling back to me later.” I nodded: “Don’t worry, I won’t!” As I turned to leave, I ran into Megan coming through the door. “James, want to grab dinner? I have a question…” Megan looked surprised to see me: “Sophia, what are you doing here?” She glanced between James and me. “Did you two have a fight?” “Is it because James didn’t go to your graduation ceremony?” she asked me. Then she explained: “Sophia, don’t misunderstand! This was my first time giving a medical lecture, it was really important to me, so I asked James to stay and help me prepare. I didn’t think it would take so long and make him miss your graduation. I’m so sorry!” Her words were flawless, making me look childish in comparison. This was what I hated most about her. Seeing my silence, she linked her arm with mine: “Come on! Have dinner with us.” She teased James: “Your girlfriend’s here, let’s not eat at the cafeteria today! Let’s get sushi! I haven’t had it in ages. James, you’re treating!” Then she covered her mouth and laughed: “Oh, I forgot, you always treat.” She turned to me: “Sophia, I heard from James that you like sushi too, right?” I froze, glaring at James: “Really? I don’t remember that.” Megan frowned slightly: “Oh, maybe I remembered wrong. But no worries, just tell us what you want to eat. Don’t be shy!” She was treating me like a complete outsider. James didn’t seem to notice anything wrong, and just stood up, calmly taking off his lab coat: “Let’s go. Sushi it is.” I pulled my arm away from Megan: “You two go ahead. I’m going home.” Then I fled. As I left, I heard James say calmly: “Just ignore her. She’s being childish. It’s time she grew up a bit.” 0

That night, I saw Megan’s social media post. It was a photo of James listening to her lecture, head bowed. The caption read: [So glad to have you.] Not long after, she posted a picture of sushi: [Thanks for still remembering what I like.] I threw my phone aside. Hugging my pillow, I felt miserable and couldn’t sleep all night. The next day, Megan updated her social media again. It was a photo of James sleeping. The caption was extremely suggestive: [You worked hard, handsome.] There were no likes from any mutual friends. I guess it was posted just for me to see. My chest felt tight. A while later, James sent me a message. It said: “My mom wants you to try on wedding dresses. Megan has an important surgery today, her first time as lead surgeon, so I need to supervise. I can’t go with you.” I blocked him immediately. When I went downstairs for breakfast, my mom had just gotten off the phone with James’ mom. She smiled and waved me over, saying James’ mom had taken the day off to go dress shopping with me. She said she’d also taken the day off to come along. She went on: “I’ve always liked that James since he was little. My intuition was right, he’s grown up to be so outstanding. Sophia, marrying him is like winning the lottery in your past life.” I bit my lip and gathered my courage to say: “Mom, I broke up with him, so naturally the engagement is off.” Mom’s expression changed instantly. “You’re cancelling the engagement without any notice? Do you think this is some kids’ game?” My body trembled: “I thought James would have told you.” “James is so busy, and he has to put up with you playing these childish games. You really never learn to grow up, do you?” Tears started falling uncontrollably: “That’s right, I can’t grow up. No one ever taught me how, so how am I supposed to grow up?” My usually quiet dad suddenly spoke up: “If you don’t want to get married, then don’t. What’s the big deal?” Then he asked me: “You’re not going to work at his hospital anymore?” I answered: “No, Dad. I want to study abroad for a while.” Mom got even angrier and was about to speak, but Dad silenced her with a look. “If you want to go, then go. This is the first time I’ve seen you be so decisive about something. That’s good. Don’t worry, I’ll handle the engagement cancellation.” Just then, I got a message from my best friend: “Sophia, my brother’s having a heart attack. He’s at your fiancé’s hospital now, but the process is so complicated. I’m worried my brother can’t wait that long. Could you ask your fiancé to help take a look?” On the phone, I was silent for a few seconds. My friend suddenly apologized: “I’m so sorry, Sophia. I’m just too worried. You’ve said before you don’t like this. I’m sorry! I’ll figure something out myself!” I sighed and said: “I’ll head over first!” 0

Ten minutes later, I arrived at the hospital. My friend’s brother’s condition looked quite serious. I asked the nurse why none of the cardiology specialists were available. The nurse grumbled that they had all been called to the operating room by James. Megan was performing her first surgery as lead surgeon, and he wanted to ensure everything went perfectly. Megan didn’t have that kind of authority. I knew this was James’ doing. After all, this whole hospital basically belonged to the Johnson family. I called James many times. But his phone was always off. So I ran to wait outside the operating room. After waiting for a long time, the surgery light finally went off. James came out carrying Megan in his arms. He glanced at me: “Why are you here?” I grabbed his arm: “My friend’s brother is in serious condition…” Before I could finish, James shook off my grip and strode forward. I jogged after him all the way to his office. He carefully placed Megan in his rest area. Then he sat down at his computer, staring intently at the screen. I hurried over: “Dr. Johnson, my friend’s brother is having a heart attack. It’s urgent. Can you please go take a look?” He looked up: “Why are you still here? Isn’t my mom waiting for you to try on dresses?” I emphasized again: “Can you please go check on him?” James sighed slightly: “Megan just finished surgery. I’m worried she might have nightmares.” My heart ached, but I still persisted: “Then can you send another doctor over?” “I can’t. They need to monitor the patients’ conditions. I won’t allow any mistakes.” “James, don’t you have any professional ethics? I’ve told you there’s a critical patient outside. As a doctor, shouldn’t you at least go take a look?” He seemed surprised by my outburst. He frowned and said coldly: “Sophia, how many times have I told you? In our profession, the most taboo thing is having empathy. No matter how serious a patient’s condition is, we have to follow hospital procedures. When it’s my turn to go, I’ll go on time.” My voice softened: “Emma is my only friend left. Please, I’m begging you!” He laughed coldly: “Didn’t you just say yesterday that you wouldn’t beg me anymore?” “This is the last time!” Tears started streaming down my face. James seemed to soften a bit. But suddenly Megan’s voice came from inside: “James, are you there? I’m scared.” James stood up and said coldly to me: “If you really can’t wait, you can transfer to another hospital.”

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My relationship with my wife is complicated. I give her $8,000 a month for living expenses. The house and car are in our daughter’s name. To outsiders, I’m the perfect husband. But I have a secret. I know she knows. She knows I know she knows. But we both… pretend not to know. I thought we could go on like this forever, in our unspoken agreement. But one day, she suddenly said to me: “It’s been hard these past few years. Let’s get divorced.” “I’ve transferred this month’s money to you,” I said casually, lounging on the sofa and addressing Sophia’s back. She was bent over, feeding the gecko in its terrarium. After a while, she slowly straightened up and turned to me with a smile. “Yes, I’ve received it.” Her voice was as gentle and warm as ever, matching her overall demeanor. I paused, then spoke again: “Oh, there’s something I need to tell you. I have to fly to Jiuzhaigou for a few days tomorrow. Work’s been stressful lately, and the team’s been clamoring for a change of scenery to relax, so…” “In that case, why don’t you stay a few extra days? Do you need me to pack for you?” she asked, standing at a comfortable distance. A faint smile played on her lips. “No need. There are, uh, some spare clothes at the office,” I replied. She nodded, then added as an afterthought: “The temperature varies a lot in the mountains. Remember to bring a jacket, or you might end up sick in the hospital again.” As she said this, her expression was serious and sincere, clearly genuinely concerned about my health. I couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. Sophia was a gentle soul. That was everyone’s unanimous impression of her, including mine. Throughout our marriage, she had been exemplary, truly deserving of the title “virtuous wife and loving mother.” She devoted herself to raising and nurturing our daughter Chloe; For me, she was endlessly accommodating and attentive. Last year, when I was hospitalized with pneumonia after getting caught in the rain, she was constantly bustling about, making me nourishing soups and seeking out traditional remedies. The doctor said it would normally take a month to recover, but I was better in just two weeks. Still not satisfied, she repeatedly confirmed with the doctor: “Are you sure he’s fully recovered? Can he go back to work now?” Only after receiving the doctor’s assurance did she seem to let out a long-held breath. I knew with absolute certainty. Sophia loved me. Apart from our daughter, I was her whole world. Any small matter concerning me became the center of her universe; a minor illness or pain was enough to consume her entirely… I really shouldn’t have been leaving at this time. In two days, it would be the death anniversary of her parents. They had died in a car accident, and following their wishes, their ashes were scattered in the mountains. The annual memorial trip required a grueling four to five-hour hike. In fact, Sophia and I first met during one of my hiking trips, when I encountered her making the solitary journey to pay respects to her parents. It wasn’t safe for a woman alone in the wilderness, so after we got together, I made it a point to accompany her every year without fail. But. Zoe had been in a mood lately. I had promised to take her to Jiuzhaigou to cheer her up.

The next morning, I had barely settled into my office chair when Zoe burst in, wearing a bright red floral dress. “So, did you and the wifey have a passionate reunion last night?” she teased, perching on my desk and swinging her legs. I took a sip of the coffee my secretary had prepared. “We’ve been sleeping in separate rooms for years now, as you well know.” Zoe smirked and scoffed. “Separate rooms? That’s nothing. It’s just a matter of going through one door and into another. Didn’t you once dramatically threaten to kill yourself over your wife?” I looked at her helplessly. “You know I promised Sophia I’d go home at least twice a week to be with Chloe, no matter how busy work gets. I’m purely there for our daughter; you’re reading too much into it.” Zoe was silent for a moment, then tilted her head. “No, I want you to prove it to me.” I laughed. “How am I supposed to do that?” She bit her lip lightly, using the tip of her high heel to nudge my crotch. “Let it prove it.” I glanced at the half-open office door. “There are people outside. We’re flying to Chengdu this afternoon anyway, so tonight we can—” Before I could finish, Zoe’s hand was already reaching for me… with practiced ease. “They won’t come in if they see me here. Besides, isn’t it more exciting with people around?” she purred. Zoe had been insatiable lately, her desires reaching alarming levels. She would also get angry suddenly, and I often didn’t even know why. To avoid trouble, I had been trying to go along with her whims. I caught her wandering hand, chuckling, “Try to keep it down a bit, will you?” “Make me!” she challenged. “…” Zoe was my business partner and my lover. We had been together for four years. She and Sophia were two completely different types of women. If Sophia was a gentle, harmless rabbit, then Zoe was a lioness. Confident, proud, vibrant, always brimming with strength and courage. Zoe and I were both VPs at local investment banks, originally competitors from different companies. After crossing paths in various professional settings, we developed a mutual admiration. She was a firm believer in never marrying or having children. Her bold declaration was well-known in the industry: “I make $200,000 a year, I’m rich, beautiful, and capable. Why would I need a man or a child to lower my quality of life?” This statement made her an idol among her female subordinates, who saw her as a role model for women. I suppose many men go through a complex process of struggle, hesitation, and testing before they cheat. But I later realized that when the time, place, and person are all right, the brain doesn’t have time to think. Like my first time with Zoe. It was at an industry dinner. We’d had a few drinks, and we ran into each other in the elevator on the way back to our rooms. Somehow, we ended up kissing passionately. The elevator doors opened and closed, but we couldn’t bear to part. We stumbled into the room, barely making it inside. We didn’t even make it to the bed. It happened right there against the door. … The coffee had gone cold. I stood up, wiping lipstick off my pants. Zoe sat on the desk, touching up her makeup. Her phone on the table rang, and she casually picked it up, giggling as she read the message. “Your wife says she’s prepared some medicine for you and is having it delivered. She doesnd some medicine for you and is’t want you to get sick while in Jiuzhaigou. Hah, I have to admit, I can’t compete with that level of devotion!” Whenever Zoe mentioned Sophia to me, she never used her name or called her “your wife.” She always said “that woman of yours,” as if Sophia wasn’t even worth mentioning. She probably thought the only reason Sophia was still my wife in name was because Zoe herself adhered to her no-marriage policy. Because she had no interest in competing for the position. After all, in terms of looks, education, and ability, the two women weren’t even in the same league. So in Zoe’s mind, Sophia’s current comfortable life was something she had graciously allowed her to have. I suddenly felt an inexplicable irritation rising within me. I snatched the phone away, snapping, “She’s still my wife. If she doesn’t care about me, who will? You?” Zoe froze, staring at me in shock.

Zoe was angry. She put on her underwear stiffly and stomped out in her high heels. In the past, when she acted like this, I would have rushed after her, apologizing and trying to smooth things over. But this time, watching her slam the door shut, I found I had no desire to move. The sunlight outside was bright and energetic. I sank into my chair, closing my eyes in exhaustion. At some point, Sophia’s face popped into my mind. Lately, I seemed to be frequently recalling our past together. Sophia was a biology teacher at a public high school. She was small and slender, with skin a few shades paler than most. She spoke softly and always wore a faint smile. Her eyes were actually quite beautiful. When she focused on someone, they were liquid and bright, reminding me of a celebrity crush from my youth. But in recent years, she always wore glasses. Through the reflective lenses, I often found it hard to discern certain emotions in her eyes. I remembered how she looked when I first met her. On that hiking trip, I had been bitten by a snake. My foot was so swollen I couldn’t walk. I was in the middle of nowhere, feeling desperate and helpless. Then Sophia appeared, wearing a black windbreaker and carrying a backpack, descending the mountain path with light, graceful steps. I felt both joy and disappointment. She looked so small and fragile, not at all like someone who could help. But after carefully examining my injury, she calmly told me it wasn’t a venomous snake bite. Then she left for a while, returning with a handful of herbs. She chewed some up and applied the paste to my wound. An hour later, my foot, which had swollen to the size of a bun, gradually returned to normal. I could walk again, albeit with difficulty. I asked her in amazement who she was, saying she must be an angel sent from heaven to save me in my time of need. She smiled and said, “I’m a high school biology teacher.” That day, I leaned on her slight frame as we slowly made our way down the mountain. … My affair with Zoe was a secret, separate from my ordinary life. Men, after all, have many facets. When I first entered the workforce, I was a green rookie. I couldn’t hold my liquor at business dinners or assert myself in negotiations. One day, after a meal, an industry veteran patted me on the shoulder and said: “Act the part for whatever situation you’re in. The sooner a man understands this, the more successful he’ll be.” It was an epiphany for me. From then on, I put this advice into practice. Sure enough, as the veteran had said, my career took off, and I found myself living a more relaxed and uninhibited life. As for Sophia. I played my part as a husband well, to the fullest. That made me a successful husband. And her a happy wife. My affair with Zoe was a different aspect of my life, one Sophia had no need to be involved in! But paper can’t wrap up fire forever, and Zoe was never one for discretion. Six months later, Sophia found out. As luck would have it, Zoe and Chloe shared the same birthday. Zoe was big on celebrations, and it was our first birthday together, so naturally I had to be with her. I apologetically told my wife and daughter that I had to go on a two-day business trip and would miss the birthday. Chloe was 8 at the time, a quiet girl just like her mother. She came up to me, shyly kissed me on the cheek, and said in a soft voice: “It’s okay, Daddy.” “Take care, Daddy.” We had originally planned to spend two secluded days in a hotel, but Zoe suddenly had a craving for a particular dessert and insisted on going out to buy it. At the dessert shop, as Zoe was playfully smearing cream on my nose, I looked up and saw Sophia and Chloe. They were standing there hand in hand, looking surprised. Their first reaction wasn’t suspicion or anger, but delight. “Honey, you’re back!” “Daddy, did you come to buy my birthday cake too?” Zoe glanced at them, then sauntered to the side, casually eating her cake with a spoon. I quickly composed myself and smiled, “Yes! I came back early to surprise you.” Mother and daughter joyfully came to take my hands. “Thank you, Daddy!” Chloe’s face bloomed like a flower. Zoe suddenly spoke up in a casual tone: “Mr. Chen, didn’t we agree to work on the project all night? Have you forgotten?” Sophia turned to look at Zoe. Her expression slightly clouded. Zoe met her gaze with a smile. I made a quick decision. In that situation, denying Zoe’s words would only raise suspicion. So I slapped my forehead, exclaiming, “Oh no, how could I have forgotten about that!” I looked at Sophia apologetically. Sophia stared at me for a moment, then quietly asked: “Honey, do you really have to go?” I nodded solemnly. “Yes, this project is crucial. I can’t skip it.” I ordered the most expensive princess birthday cake for Chloe, making her clap her hands in delight. “Thank you, Daddy! You’re the best!” As Zoe and I were leaving, I glanced back. Sophia stood on the busy sidewalk, holding Chloe’s hand, watching us silently. The setting sun behind her created a blinding halo. I squinted. Her face was a bit blurry. That night, I punished Zoe severely for her careless words earlier. She squirmed and laughed. “Hah, looks like all those thousands you give her every month are wasted. You don’t even have the guts to stand up to her!” An inexplicable anger burned inside me, and I became even rougher. The next afternoon, I really did receive an urgent assignment requiring a week-long business trip. I rushed home from the hotel to pack some things. On the way, I called Sophia, wanting her to prepare some clothes for me in advance. She didn’t answer. I called again, and this time she hung up on me. Irritated, I returned home with a dark expression. But the house was empty and quiet. During summer vacation, Sophia rarely went out, usually staying home to tutor Chloe. Yet today, of all days, she was nowhere to be found. Fuming, I hastily packed a few clothes myself. As I went into the study to get my laptop, I noticed the screen wasn’t fully closed.

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Soon after I died, Liam’s grandfather, Mr. Sterling, Sr., fell gravely ill and passed away. Liam’s parents were in a car crash and lay unconscious in the ICU. The Sterling family’s stock plummeted. Victoria sought out a mystic, claiming it was all due to my deep resentment and restless spirit. Little did they know, she was the one who killed me! She framed me and destroyed my reputation, all to steal Liam away. “You shameless woman, get out of the Sterling house!” “I was framed! Why won’t you believe me?!” I left, utterly heartbroken, but Victoria drugged me, locked me in the basement, and subjected me to unspeakable torment. She gouged out my eyes, cut out my tongue, broke my legs, and severed the tendons in my hands and feet. Then, she threw me into a den of men, letting them bind me and violate me. When she found out I was pregnant, she sliced open my stomach. I ultimately bled to death. Liam immediately demanded the Mystic suppress my spirit. And all this time, under the Sterling family garden, lay the undeveloped fetus. It was Liam’s and my child.

“Your resentment is too deep. You cannot enter reincarnation.” The Envoy’s gaze was chilling as he blocked my path. I was already dead, killed by my own sister and the man I loved most. Even as a wisp of a soul, I couldn’t forget my past. “How can I get rid of this resentment?” My voice was a hollow whisper, my eyes dead as I looked up and asked. The Envoy flipped through the records of my life, seeing my body riddled with wounds, not a single unmarred patch of skin, and how I’d been dismembered and scattered after death. His brow furrowed with tension. “When love and hate vanish, your resentment will scatter.” The Envoy sighed. “Don’t you want your beloved to know the truth? Are you content to die unremembered?” I clenched my fists, then released them weakly, letting out a bitter laugh. “I’m already dead. What good would that do now?” “I can help you.” My eyes lit up with a flicker of hope as I looked at the Envoy. “After all, only when your resentment disperses and you enter reincarnation will my task be complete.” I quickly bowed in thanks. “Thank you. I just want Liam to see the people around him clearly, to see the truth, to see my pain.” The Envoy was silent for a moment, then nodded, granting my request. Days later, Liam stared at the plunging stock market, his brows tightly furrowed. Beside him, Victoria stomped her foot in a fit of rage, arms crossed, muttering irritably, “The Mystic said it himself! It’s that damn b*tch Aurora, causing trouble even after death, ruining the Sterling family like this!” “Enough!” Liam said sharply, agitated as he lit a cigarette. “Where did you find this Mystic? Is he even reliable?” Victoria’s face twisted in an indignant sneer. “What do you mean by that? I pulled so many strings to find him! I think you’re just still hung up on that b*tch, still carry a torch for her.” Liam slowly exhaled a puff of smoke. “How could I be? You, on the other hand, have worked hard lately, running around for the Sterling family.” Liam’s frustration seemed to melt away as he looked at Victoria with tender affection. Victoria’s scowl softened, replaced by a demure blush, and she whined, her voice syrupy sweet, “Oh, you! I’m your wife, of course I’ll help you.” Soon after I died, Liam’s grandfather, Mr. Sterling, Sr., fell gravely ill. He coughed up blood incessantly, his face growing paler and thinner, as if his life force had been drained. Before this, he’d always been in robust health. What was strangest was that doctors couldn’t find any cause. A few days later, Mr. Sterling, Sr. passed away. Immediately after, Liam’s parents were in a car crash. They were turning at a green light, but in the next second, the light turned red. A large truck slammed into them. Both were critically injured, still lying unconscious in the ICU. Most bizarre of all, the Sterling family’s stock market, after these consecutive misfortunes, went into a tailspin. It plummeted for days, and many whispered that the Sterling family’s luck had run out. Liam hadn’t slept for days, frantic and overwhelmed. Victoria, introduced by a friend, found a Mystic. The Mystic, after a quick divination, claimed that a vengeful spirit was plaguing the Sterling family, causing their household to be disturbed and misfortunes to arise. The vengeful spirit, of course, was me, who had died half a year ago. It was Victoria who brought the news of my death back to the Sterling family. She said I had contracted a shameful illness abroad and died in a hospital bed, abandoned. Liam merely frowned slightly at this, sneering dismissively. “She truly was a dirty woman. Even after leaving the Sterling family, she couldn’t settle down. Good riddance, saves me from seeing her disgusting face.” He cursed me without mercy. All because, after I married him, I was falsely accused of having an affair with another man. In a fit of rage, he kicked me out of the Sterling home. No matter how much I pleaded my innocence, he turned a blind eye. And it was my dear sister, Victoria Maxwell, who orchestrated the whole scheme to ruin my reputation. She had a childhood betrothal to the Sterling family, but back then, the Sterlings were struggling financially. She refused point-blank, running off to live abroad by herself. That’s when I met Liam in a coffee shop on the corner of Blossom Lane. We fell in love at first sight. I endured hardship, helping him build up the Sterling family until they became the biggest business dynasty in the country. The first thing Liam wanted to do after his success was to marry me. But Victoria returned then. She, too, fell for the handsome, wealthy Liam at first sight. Unwilling to let me enjoy this good life, she drugged me, took photos of me in bed with another man, and anonymously sent them to Liam. Then, she pretended to lead Liam to “catch us in the act,” completely severing the bond between us. Seeing his complete lack of trust, I was utterly heartbroken and disillusioned, planning to leave quietly. But unexpectedly, Victoria imprisoned me in the Sterling family’s basement. I suffered unspeakable torment and ultimately met a tragic end. My eyes welled up. Now I was just a wisp of a soul, lingering in the Sterling home, watching him and Victoria maliciously slander me, trying every way to utterly destroy my soul. My heart ached as if pierced by a thousand needles. “Tomorrow, I’ll have that Mystic come over. I don’t believe he can’t subdue that damn b*tch Aurora. She’s truly shameless, getting a shameful illness and then having the nerve to haunt us after death. It’s absolutely disgusting!” Victoria’s eyes gleamed with cruel malice, a look I had seen countless times in life. The next day, the Mystic arrived as promised, accompanied by my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell. They were accomplices in my death too! They knew full well what Victoria was doing, yet they turned a blind eye. They even helped Victoria steal Liam away, all because they were biased and doted on her more. “Can this Mystic really do it? Are you sure he won’t expose anything?” My mother pulled Victoria aside and asked, worried. “Don’t worry, Mom. Aurora’s been dead for over half a year. There’s no such thing as ghosts in this world. I just asked the Mystic here to put on a show. As long as Liam believes it’s Aurora’s doing, that’s all that matters.” Victoria shrugged dismissively, not even bothering to acknowledge me. “Mystic, our home has been plagued by misfortunes lately. So, my wife asked you to come and take a look. Whatever it takes to secure the Sterling family’s foundation, I’m willing to pay.” My eyelashes trembled, and a bitter smile touched my lips. In his eyes, my injustice was far less important than money and profit. “Don’t worry, leave it to me.” The Mystic nodded, taking out a set of tools. He instructed them to arrange the tools at various points, then sat cross-legged in the center, closed his eyes, and mumbled something softly. “Is the vengeful spirit your former wife?” Liam was silent for a few seconds, then reluctantly nodded. “She betrayed me. I never thought she’d also harm my family! Dying a hundred times wouldn’t be enough.” The Mystic said nothing, continuing to close his eyes and chant. “It’s not that she intentionally wants to harm your family. It’s that her injustice remains unresolved. She refuses to enter reincarnation like this, so she seeks justice from you.” The Mystic spoke softly, his face grim, white mist rising around him, as if truly conversing with a departed soul. “How is that possible? I saw her betray me with my own eyes! What injustice could she possibly claim? I think she’s just looking for an excuse to harm us!” Liam didn’t believe it at all, his face full of scorn. “Exactly, Mystic! My sister was promiscuous. She even died from a shameful illness. How could she possibly be wronged?” Victoria linked her arm through Liam’s, adding solicitously, “Mystic, you must be careful. That b*tch is incredibly cunning. Don’t let her trick you.” “She’s right! Aurora was entitled and manipulative since she was a child. She was always best at lying. The Mystic must have been scared by her!” My parents also chimed in, eager to pin the blame on me. The Mystic didn’t respond. After a while, he suddenly opened his eyes. His face was pale, his eyes bloodshot, veins covering the whites, making him look truly terrifying. “This vengeful spirit’s obsession is too deep. It will be difficult to suppress. Only by clearing her name can she depart.” “Clear her name? What do you mean?” Liam quickly asked. The Mystic took a deep breath, his complexion gradually returning to normal. “She told me she didn’t die of illness. She was murdered!” Victoria’s eyes darted nervously, then she quickly rebutted, “How could that be? She died from a shameful illness. We all know that!” “She has already told me. The one who murdered her was you!”

The Mystic’s hand pointed firmly at Victoria. Liam immediately spoke up. “Impossible. Victoria is her sister. Besides, she’s gentle and proper, devoted to the Sterling family. How could she do such a thing?!” “That’s right, Mystic! Our little Victoria has been well-behaved and sensible since childhood. She never competed with her sister. Aurora was always the one bullying her. How could she kill Aurora?!” “You’re a fraud! I don’t think you know any spiritual arts at all. You’re just here to trick us out of money! You think we’ll believe you just by flapping your gums? You’re truly insolent!” Victoria saw so many people defending her and smirked triumphantly. “You’d better give me an explanation, or you won’t be leaving the Sterling family gates today!” Liam’s expression was grim, his gaze cold and threatening towards the Mystic. “Mr. Sterling, I just spoke with the vengeful spirit. She recounted her entire painful ordeal to me, which is why my blood boiled over, causing my face to contort into that ghastly mask. She said if you don’t believe her, you can look at her diary. All the truth is inside!” The Mystic quickly bowed, eagerly defending himself. “What nonsense are you spouting?! That diary was burned long ago…” Victoria realized she had slipped up, instantly cutting herself off, blinking frantically. “I mean, after she died, all her things were disposed of. How could there be a diary? Don’t pretend to be a ghost here. I think you’re just trying to buy time to escape.” Victoria naturally didn’t dare let Liam see my diary. In it, I had poured my last breath, writing with hateful blood. It was horrifying. “Mr. Sterling, if you truly want to resolve this urgent matter, please trust me. The diary is in the storage room right now!” Liam pondered for a moment, then glanced at a distracted Victoria. Victoria shook her head frantically, trying to stop Liam. “Then let’s go see what tricks this woman is trying to pull!” With that, Liam strode purposefully towards the storage room. Victoria’s shoulders trembled slightly, but she had no choice but to follow. As soon as she entered the storage room, she cautiously searched around, hoping to hide it first. “It’s here.” The Mystic’s voice drew everyone’s attention. Victoria bit her lower lip nervously, glaring at the Mystic with hateful eyes. I hovered nearby, watching them. When I saw that familiar diary, my eyes burned, and my heart ached so much I couldn’t breathe. Tears streamed down. It chronicled my painful, desperate life, just like this tattered diary, my life was already ruined. Liam hesitated. He lowered his gaze, examining the cover, reluctant to open the first page. His constant swallowing told me he was afraid. Finally, Liam steeled himself and turned to the first page of the diary. [How could I have been with that man? I didn’t even know him. I remember my sister brought me a glass of water, and after that, I wasn’t coherent.] [Why won’t Liam believe me? I know nothing. I was framed. I loved him so much, how could I cheat?!]

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The intern, Chloe Miller, screwed up the monitoring equipment, and it caused a patient to hemorrhage badly. But Declan Hayes – my boyfriend of six years, who was also my chief physician – he made *me*, the nurse manager, take the fall. My boyfriend sacrificed me to protect his new fling’s future. He didn’t bother coming home at night anymore, spending his time with Chloe. I was just a disposable pawn, ready to be used and discarded. “Chloe’s still an intern, Anya. One mistake could ruin her whole career.” Declan looked at me, his eyes cold, his tone utterly dismissive. “You’re experienced. Taking some responsibility is nothing for someone like you.” His face was grim, his gaze filled with disdain, as if I were nothing. “Anya, you need to know your place. You think you’re so great? If I hadn’t pulled strings for you, do you really think you’d be the nurse manager?” I stared at the man I’d dated for six years, and my heart turned to ashes. Six years of my youth, and all I got was his ruthless humiliation and betrayal. But I was going to show him. Without him, I’d thrive even more. **1** Blood. Everywhere. The monitor shrieked a piercing alarm, the patient’s blood pressure plummeting. “Clamps! Now!” Declan’s voice roared through the operating room. My hands trembled, but I quickly handed over the instrument. “Anya Stone, what did you just do?” Declan’s gaze sliced through me like a blade. “I didn’t —” “Did you touch the monitor to make it alarm?” He cut me off, his voice chillingly cold. I froze. The monitor had indeed gone off, but I hadn’t touched it. It was Chloe, the new intern. She’d clearly bumped the equipment a moment ago. I instinctively glanced at Chloe. She stood innocently in the corner, her eyes red-rimmed and wide. “Dr. Hayes, I really don’t know what happened.” Chloe’s voice was soft and sweet. “I was just watching from the side, I didn’t touch anything.” Declan frowned, his gaze sweeping between Chloe and me, finally settling on me. “Anya, you’re the nurse manager. It’s your responsibility to ensure safety in the operating room. Now the patient’s bleeding, someone has to be held accountable.” I opened my mouth, wanting to say that Chloe had touched the monitor. But seeing her innocent, helpless look, the words died on my tongue. *Forget it.* I’m the nurse manager. Taking responsibility is part of my job. “I’ll write the report,” I mumbled. Declan nodded and returned his focus to the surgery. Where he couldn’t see, Chloe flashed me a smile. It sent a shiver down my spine. After the surgery, Declan walked into the office. “Report done?” “Almost.” He glanced at the screen, then nodded. “This sounds appropriate.” “Chloe’s still an intern. One mistake could ruin her whole career.” “You’re experienced. Taking some responsibility is nothing for someone like you.” I looked up at him, the man I’d been with for six years. “Declan, do you really think this was my fault?” “It’s not *your* fault, but someone has to take responsibility.” His tone was flat. “The hospital needs to give the family an explanation.” “Then why not Chloe?” Declan frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean? Are you trying to pass the blame to an intern? Anya, when did you get so petty?” I stared at him, suddenly feeling like I was looking at a stranger. Six years, and in his eyes, I was just a tool, someone he could push forward to take the blame at any time. “I’m not trying to pass the blame.” I turned back to the computer screen. “I’ll write it as you said.” Declan patted my shoulder. “That’s my girl. You’ve always been the most understanding.” *Understanding enough to lose myself.* He turned to leave, but I called out, “Declan, let’s have dinner together tonight?” “Can’t tonight. I need to take Chloe through the hospital procedures. She’s new, there’s a lot she doesn’t know.” “How about tomorrow?” “We’ll see,” he said, walking away without a glance back. **2** The next day, Chloe was already at the nurses’ station, bright and early. She saw me and immediately flashed a sweet smile. “Anya, good morning! Thanks again for yesterday.” “Just do your job well,” I said. “Oh, by the way, Dr. Hayes took me to dinner last night. At that Italian place near the hospital,” Chloe gushed, beaming. “He said I have a lot of potential.” A knot tightened in my stomach. That Italian restaurant was where Declan and I had our first date. “Oh, Dr. Hayes asked me to bring you this coffee,” she said, handing me a mocha. “How did he know I like this?” “I asked him yesterday!” Chloe’s smile was triumphant. “Dr. Hayes didn’t even hesitate. He said mocha, and sugar-free, because you’re on a diet lately.” My grip tightened on the coffee cup. He’d told Chloe my preferences, and in such detail. Just then, Declan walked in. He wore his white coat, still the same detached expression, but when he saw Chloe, his face softened visibly. “Chloe, do you remember what I taught you yesterday?” “Yes!” Chloe nodded enthusiastically. “Dr. Hayes, can I shadow you on your rounds today?” “Of course.” Declan nodded, then looked at me. “Anya, the hospital received your accident report yesterday. Your evaluation this month might be affected.” “I know.” “But it’s fine. Just be more careful next time.” His tone was flat, as if discussing something trivial. Chloe murmured beside him, “It’s all my fault. If only I wasn’t so new and didn’t understand anything, Anya wouldn’t have had to take the blame.” Declan patted her shoulder. “It’s not your fault, Chloe. Everyone has an adjustment period when they’re new. Anya’s the nurse manager; handling these things is her responsibility.” *Right. My responsibility.* So, her mistakes are my responsibility too? I lowered my head and drank my coffee, not wanting them to see my expression. “Alright, let’s go on rounds,” Declan said to Chloe. They walked off, one after the other. I watched their backs, an unreadable feeling swirling inside me. That evening, I got home, but Declan still wasn’t back. I remembered what Chloe had said today: Declan had hugged her and told her she reminded him of someone he used to know. The sound of keys jangling outside broke my thoughts. Declan was home. “What kept you so late?” I asked. “Just practicing procedures with Chloe. It took a while,” he said, taking off his jacket. “The hospital has a medical conference tomorrow. I’m taking Chloe with me.” *Chloe, again.* “Why are you taking her? She’s just an intern.” “She’s very talented. It’ll be good for her future development to see more,” Declan said, looking at me. “Do you have an issue with that?” “I don’t have an issue, I just think it’s a bit strange.” “What’s so strange? Is there a problem with me developing my subordinates?” Declan’s voice was tinged with impatience. “Anya, what’s wrong with you lately? You’re always targeting Chloe.” *Targeting? When did I ever target her?* “I’m not targeting her. I just think you’re being too good to her.” “Too good?” Declan scoffed. “I’m good to her because she deserves it. She’s diligent and hardworking, unlike some people who just overthink everything.” *Some people? Was he talking about me?* “Declan, what do you mean by that?” “What do *you* think I mean?” His eyes were cold. “Chloe told me recently that you keep giving her dirty looks, making her feel stressed. She’s just a young girl who just started, do you really have to be like that?” Chloe told him I gave her dirty looks? When did I ever do that? “When did I ever give her dirty looks?” “You know perfectly well yourself.” Declan turned and walked towards the bedroom. “I suggest you rein it in, before people start to talk.” **3** The next day, Chloe wore a new dress, a pale blue one. “Anya, Dr. Hayes is taking me to a medical conference today! I’m so nervous,” she said with a sweet smile. “How do I look in this dress? Dr. Hayes said blue looks really good on me.” Declan complimented her on blue? Just then, Declan walked over. “Chloe, ready?” “Ready!” Chloe nodded excitedly. Declan glanced at me, said nothing, and turned to leave. “Declan, wait.” I called out. “What is it?” “Did you talk trash about me to Chloe yesterday?” Declan frowned. “I didn’t talk trash about you. I just objectively analyzed the situation.” “What situation?” “Anya, your behavior lately has been worrying.” Declan’s tone was calm. “As a nurse manager, you should be more tolerant and magnanimous, not let personal emotions affect your work.” *Personal emotions? Did I affect my work?* “When did I ever let personal emotions affect my work?” “Your attitude towards Chloe says it all.” Declan looked at me, a flicker of disappointment in his eyes. “She’s just a recent graduate, do you really need to target her like that?” I sighed inwardly and cut him off. “Forget it. You two go.” Around noon, Liam called me. “Anya, have you thought about yesterday’s offer?” “I want to go back.” I said the words with almost no hesitation. “Really?” Liam’s voice was filled with surprise. “That’s fantastic! When can you come?” “Let me sort things out here. Probably about a month.” “Great! I’ll go talk to Dr. Vance right away and secure a spot for you.” I hung up, feeling a huge weight lift from my chest. In the afternoon, Declan and Chloe returned. Chloe’s face was flushed with excitement. Declan walked over and glanced at the content on my screen. His face instantly changed. “A resignation letter? You’re resigning?” “Yes.” I turned to face him. “I’m going back to my family’s town.” “Why?” Declan frowned. “Is it because I’ve been busy and haven’t had time for you?” “It’s not that.” I looked at him. “Declan, do you think we still have a future?” “What do you mean?” “We’ve been together for six years. Have you ever thought about marriage?” Declan paused. “Marriage? My career is on the rise right now. It’s too early to get married.” *Too early? We’re almost thirty. Is that still early?* “Then when won’t it be early?” “Give it a few more years,” Declan said casually. “Marriage isn’t good for career development right now.” *Not good? Or is it that I’m just not important to him anymore?* “Declan, do you still love me?” The moment the question left my lips, I saw a flicker of panic in Declan’s eyes. “Why are you asking that?” “Answer me.” Declan was silent for a long time before he finally spoke. “What is love? We’ve been together for so long, it’s gone beyond love. It’s family now.” *Family?* I looked at him, a chill spreading through my heart. In his eyes, I had gone from a girlfriend to a relative—someone who could be easily ignored. “I understand.” I stood up. “Let’s break up.” Declan seemed not to have heard me clearly. “What did you say?” “I said, let’s break up.” I repeated, my voice calm. **4** “Anya, are you crazy?” Declan’s voice rose. “You’re breaking up with me because of Chloe?” “It’s not because of Chloe. It’s because we don’t have love anymore.”

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Back from the dead, I decided to write my fake heiress sister Stella’s name on the 3-billion-dollar gift deed. This time, I was all in for Stella inheriting the family fortune. This life, I’d beat my parents to it, giving Stella the 3 billion and even my wealthy fiancé. I personally orchestrated every picture-perfect family moment between Stella and our parents. They moved to Montclair City with her. I didn’t say a word, packing my bags for a leading engineering school out West. In my last life, I took the 3 billion my parents gave me, single-handedly salvaged our family’s fortune, turning a 300 million debt into a 6 billion empire, securing their lavish lifestyle for generations. But I worked myself to death, literally, until I got stomach cancer and was bedridden at a young age . My parents not only showed no sympathy, they even gifted all my assets to Stella, ensuring she had a grand wedding with my fiancé. Reborn, I don’t want the billions, I don’t want to inherit anything. All I want is to be a soaring eagle, free to fly.

“Just fill in your name and give it to me.” My pampered mother, Eleanor, impatiently tapped on the desk. I stared at the asset gift deed, my fingertips lightly tracing the smooth A4 paper, my thoughts adrift. In my last life, this was the happiest day. I’d carefully, stroke by stroke, filled in my own name, then eagerly dragged Dad to buy a car. I wanted the car so I could pick them up from work, because after being apart for twenty years, I felt like I hadn’t had enough of their affection. But Dad had ripped into me, yelling that I was just a typical orphanage brat who’d never seen money before. He was in a hurry to go with Mom to Stella’s art exhibition. I mumbled, “Got it, got it.” I glanced up at Mom’s agitated expression and the hand that kept checking her phone. Mom was wearing a luxurious silk gown today, half-sleeved, showing off her slender, pale forearms. I remembered Stella loved her in that outfit, saying Mom looked so aristocratic, exuding an intimidating elegance, effortlessly outshining everyone else. “Mom, Dad, if you have something important to do, go ahead,” I forced down the bitter ache in my chest, trying to sound casual. “I’ll turn it in myself once I’m done.” Mom visibly relaxed, her tone softening a bit. “Don’t worry, now that we’ve found you, we’ll take responsibility for you.” “But you need to stop being jealous of Stella. Even though she’s not related by blood, we’ve raised her for so long. You know, she’s family, and we’ve raised her. Who could just abandon her without feeling anything? People would call us heartless.” I stayed silent. In my last life, I’d explained countless times, but in their eyes, I was just a jealous, petty older sister who simply couldn’t stand her frail, kind adopted sister. She didn’t say anything more, turning and hurrying off with Dad. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my erratic heartbeat, my mind replaying all the painful memories from my previous life. Buying Stella the prettiest dresses, taking her on world tours to broaden her horizons. For my coming-of-age party, they used Stella’s illness as an excuse, not coming home all night. They only took Stella when going out to business meetings, patiently and gently teaching her the ropes of the business, dead set on having her replace me, but she was always slow on the uptake. And then, right before I died, my parents didn’t shed a single tear. “You, while you still have a breath left, quickly sign the property transfer agreement. You’re not as good as Stella in any way.” “If you didn’t have a bit of business talent, why would I let you occupy the company for five years? Let go, it all belongs to Stella.” From my hospital bed, I watched my cold fiancé, Ryan, who stood silently beside them. His deathly silence was all the confirmation my parents needed. I bit down hard on my lower lip until I tasted a hint of blood before slowly releasing it. No, not this life. I won’t repeat my mistakes. I picked up the pen and, in the beneficiary column, slowly wrote three words: Stella Monroe. Mom, Dad, since you love her so much, let it be as you wish. I handed the filled-out gift deed to the notary and walked away without looking back. I wasn’t sad. Instead, I felt an inexplicable sense of liberation. 2. Stella Monroe was the child of our family’s former housekeeper. The housekeeper, envious of our privileged life, secretly swapped us as infants. Stella was a sweet-talker and a schemer. She managed to charm Mom and Dad into simply firing the housekeeper, giving her a large sum of money, and letting her “sell” Stella to them, without pursuing any further legal action. They treated Stella even better than their own daughter. When I came back, my parents weren’t happy. Instead, they blamed me for disrupting their family harmony. For the family alliance, Mom had long planned for Stella to marry my fiancé. But the other family’s elders insisted on a pure-blooded Monroe daughter for the marriage, so the intended spouse had to be me. Ryan and Stella were childhood sweethearts, and he was already deeply in love with her. He resented me for breaking them apart. In reality, Stella was just leading him on. At the time, Ryan was just a trust fund kid from the city’s old money families, and she was waiting for someone better. When no one else came along, she grudgingly pretended to agree to marry him. I took a trip to the leading engineering school out West, making sure I understood all the requirements for admission and the living expenses. Only then did I feel at ease enough to head back. Arriving back at the luxurious Monroe family villa, I walked in just as I heard Stella’s saccharine, childish whine cooing, “Mom, Dad, you even canceled your meetings to come back and be with me. Aren’t you going to accompany Clara to the West? Will she be mad?” “We can accompany her anytime. She’s always been a wild child.” “But you always get cramps during your period, and we didn’t feel right leaving you alone at home.” Stella smiled happily, then feigned sadness, saying, “Will Clara still be nice to me after she inherits the family business?” “Of course,” Mom’s voice was firm. “If not to you, then to whom?” “If your sister isn’t good to you, I’ll take back the 3 billion. If it weren’t for fearing it would be too much work for our Stella, I would never have let her inherit the family business!” I clenched my fists so tightly I thought my nails would dig into my palms, just to suppress the overwhelming bitterness in my chest. Even after everything, hearing my own mother speak of me with such coldness still hurt. I composed myself and walked into the villa as if nothing were wrong. 3. Mom and Dad emerged from Stella’s room, a hint of awkwardness on their faces. “We… we just came back early to check on Stella because she wasn’t feeling well.” I hummed vaguely and turned to go back to my room. In my last life, I’d argued with them countless times about their favoritism towards Stella. This life, I didn’t want to waste any more time or energy. Dad called out to me, “Clara, how about we buy you a car? You’ve got your driver’s license now, we should get you one.” I looked at him in surprise. Then I figured it was probably their way of compensating me for not arguing or making a fuss. “No need. My most important task right now is studying. It’s not easy for you to earn money, Mom and Dad.” He froze, probably finding it hard to believe I’d actually refuse that offer. “Is Clara mad because Mom and Dad came home to take care of me?” Stella emerged from her room, her babyish voice cooing, accompanied by a look of wronged innocence. She deliberately exposed her wrist, where she wore the jade bracelet I had bought specifically for Mom. I had saved up for six months, working crazy part-time jobs on weekends, without telling my parents, just to buy it. I’d presented it to Mom like a priceless treasure, but she’d scoffed, saying I was just a wild brat who just runs around, bringing home cheap junk to try and impress her. Seeing my gaze, Stella flusteredly explained, “I saw Mom’s jade bracelet today and thought it was pretty, so I wanted to try it on. I forgot to take it off.” She lowered her head, twisting her fingers nervously, looking like a child who had done something wrong. Mom instinctively started to say, “Clara, you shouldn’t…” I cut her off, my voice calm: “It looks quite nice on Stella. Just keep it. Anyway, I bought it from a street vendor.” “No, no, I can’t take Sister’s things. Mom and Dad have already given me so much since I was little.” In my last life, after saying that, Stella, despite her supposed illness, took off the bracelet, “accidentally” dropping it and shattering it on the ground. Seeing the broken bracelet on the floor, I cried and ran back to my room, only to be scolded by my parents who followed me in. Thinking about it now, it still makes my skin crawl. Under their surprised gazes, I returned to my room and locked the door. 4. I pulled out a package, inside was my acceptance letter—to the leading engineering school out West. In my previous life, I’d always loved the rich history of the West, especially its defense industry, which was my favorite field. Last life, for Mom and Dad, I gave up my passions and my university dreams, willingly starting from the bottom in Montclair City. With the 3 billion they gave me, I single-handedly salvaged our family’s fortune, which was 300 million in debt, literally working myself to death from stomach cancer. This life, thankfully, it’s not too late. I just want to live for myself. I checked my phone. Ten days left until I could leave this place. Time was tight, but I had to prepare every minute. A sudden knock on the door. I opened it impatiently. Mom stood there holding a bowl of noodles, her voice gentle, “Hungry? Mom made you a bowl of noodles. I haven’t cooked in years, come and try Mom’s cooking.” I felt a moment of unreality. In my last life, Mom was either cold as ice or spoke to me with venom, let alone cooking for me. It was as if I was the one who tore the family apart. It had been a long time since I’d seen Mom so amiable. “No thanks, I already ate out.” “How could you?!” “You’ve always been so frugal, haven’t you?” Her words stung. I used to be frugal, saving every penny, spending most of the money I earned from part-time jobs trying to please them, buying them things. But they always complained they were too cheap. Now I was going to university, and I had many expenses. Every penny had to be carefully budgeted. I looked up at her, my voice calm: “I remember a few days ago, I developed a paid app optimization for Mom’s company.” “You seem to be using it quite smoothly. Can I have the development fee now?” She froze, then awkwardly explained: “That app… I put it under Stella’s name. You know, your sister isn’t as capable as you, but she needs to establish herself in the high society circles.” I couldn’t help but curl my lip. How boring. Always the same. “If there’s nothing else, I’m closing the door to sleep.” “I’ll give you the money tomorrow,” she said, a hint of annoyance in her voice. “We’re family, do you have to be so calculative?” I couldn’t help but scoff, “So I pulled all-nighters to make that app, and the credit goes to someone else, the money goes to someone else, and I can’t even complain?” She knew she was in the wrong, but still stubbornly mumbled, “Unreasonable.” I didn’t want to argue with Mom any longer. I slammed the door shut. 5. For the next few days, I locked myself in my room, furiously coding and listing everything, valuable or not, on eBay. In my previous life, I had treasured the gifts my parents gave me. Now, compared to what Stella received, they were just cheap junk. I didn’t want to take a single piece with me. I packed them all up, turning them into cash for university. That afternoon, as I continued sorting my luggage, Mom stood before me, holding a card, saying stiffly, “Here’s your hundred thousand dollars.” I took the money and nodded. “Thanks.” She looked at me, her eyes complex, then her gaze fell on my light luggage. “We’re planning to have Stella move to Montclair City with us first. You don’t need to pack.” I didn’t stop packing, just nodded. She seemed unaccustomed to my attitude, looking somewhat uneasy. “What’s wrong with you lately? You’re like a different person.” I turned away impatiently. I didn’t want to stir up more trouble. Even though Mom and Dad didn’t love me, if they found out that Stella’s name was on the gift deed… It was highly likely they would make me sign a new gift deed for Stella’s sake. I didn’t want any more involvement with the Monroe family. “Nothing, just trying to pack.” “Once you’re in Montclair City, I can move back to the orphanage.” She breathed a sigh of relief, then explained, “It’s not that we don’t want you.” “It’s just that Stella loves Montclair City so much and wants to settle there. We’ll come pick you up in a few months, once we’re settled.” I nodded absentmindedly. In my previous life, for five whole years, they never came to pick me up. Not until I was utterly exhausted and on my deathbed did they rush back to break off my engagement and devour my assets to host a lavish wedding for Stella. She looked at me uncomfortably. Usually, whenever we were alone, I would chatter non-stop. Now that I was using so few words, she grew uneasy. “Weren’t you always wanting to attend the debutante ball? How about we go try on gowns tomorrow?” I knew attendees had to be 16 or older, of good character, from reputable families, with parents of good standing and no criminal record or bad conduct. No way. Tomorrow, I planned to go to a tech company to discuss a collaboration project, to earn money for university tuition and living expenses. I was about to find an excuse when Stella walked in. She intimately linked arms with Mom. “Mommy, when are we going to the debutante ball? Stella wants to go too, Stella wants a gown!” Mom lovingly stroked Stella’s head. “Alright, we’ll go together tomorrow.” “You go ahead. I have plans tomorrow.” Mom frowned. “What could be more important than attending the debutante ball?” “Go pick a gown first. Whatever you like, I’ll buy it for you.” Her voice was forceful, brooking no refusal. Stella whined, “Exactly, is Sister not going because of me?” I didn’t want to argue anymore and nodded, agreeing to go. 6. First thing in the morning, I heard Mom and Dad speaking in hushed, coaxing tones, trying to get Stella out of bed in her room. The stark numbers on my phone reminded me: four days left. In four days, I could completely escape this life. Just as I was about to lose my patience, they finally dragged themselves out of the room. Dad solicitously brought warm water, and Mom personally washed Stella’s face. The old me must have been blind, to naively believe that if I gave them my all, they would reciprocate. I was lost in thought when Dad awkwardly walked over to me, jingling a Maserati car key. “Stella doesn’t have her driver’s license yet, but we already got her a car. I can’t play favorites, so I bought one for you too.” I didn’t take it. In my last life, it was a 300,000 dollar BMW, not this expensive, luxury car. And Stella already had a Bentley before she was even old enough to drive. Stella saw it and immediately pouted. “Oh, it’s so beautiful! I want it too!” I generously offered, “Then you can have it.” Dad’s face instantly darkened. “Don’t be ridiculous, your sister passed her driving test but never had a car!” Stella snatched the car key, holding it up and jingling it at Mom and Dad. “Mom, Dad, will this be my motivation to get my driver’s license, huh?” Mom and Dad looked at Stella, their eyes full of doting affection, and reluctantly nodded. Then Dad guiltily turned to me, whispering, “I’ll… I’ll buy you one next time.” I nodded indifferently. I’d heard their promises too many times; none of them had ever been kept. At the evening gown boutique, Stella chose first, trying on numerous dresses. When it was my turn, the store manager brought out the most magnificent gown. When I put it on, gasps of admiration filled the room. “Oh, I’m so sorry.” Stella “accidentally” spilled a cup of coffee on the gown. I secretly cheered inside, but kept a poker face. “Oh, never mind then.” I picked a simple, understated black gown. Walking out of the boutique, Dad pulled a job offer from his pocket—for a position on the assembly line at the family company in Montclair City, starting in four days. “We didn’t mean to abandon you,” he said. “We want to train you to take over the family business, starting from the ground up. In Montclair City, we’ve rented a small studio apartment for you. It wouldn’t be convenient for you to live at home while working undercover from the bottom.” The assembly line job was six days on, one day off. When business was good, they often worked overtime until midnight. I didn’t know how they thought I could endure it. Besides, I had done some digging. The small studio apartment Stella had rented for me was in the worst part of town, and it was a shared living space with a bizarre couple who had their days and nights flipped. At night, they were either screaming passionately or throwing all-night parties. The previous tenant couldn’t sleep at all, lost handfuls of hair, and was drowsy all day, even getting her hand caught in machinery. 7. Seeing me accept the offer, Dad visibly relaxed. “Don’t worry, even if you don’t live in the Montclair City villa, Mom and Dad won’t abandon you.” “We’ll be good to you, and we’ll hand the company over to you eventually. You just need to treat Stella like your own sister.” My expression softened for a moment. When had Dad ever spoken such soft words? Suddenly, a mugger wielding a kitchen knife burst into the store, charging straight at us. Mom and Dad pulled Stella into their embrace, ducking away. In the chaos, someone shoved me. The mugger held the knife to my throat. My body was stiff with fear, unable to move. “Hand over the money, or I’ll kill her.” A streak of blood appeared on my neck. It stung, making me wince, but I dared not make a sound, fearing I would enrage the mugger. Others in the store slowly gathered around, pointing and whispering. My gaze pierced through the onlookers, settling firmly on Mom and Dad. They were comforting Stella, completely oblivious to my situation. Perhaps they noticed, or perhaps they simply didn’t care. It was Stella, however, who bravely rushed out, yelling at the mugger. “How dare you touch my sister?! We’re the Monroe family from the Capital City! You want money? You won’t get any. Mess with the Monroes, and you’ll rot in prison for the rest of your life.” The mugger became agitated and was about to slice my throat. *Bang, bang, bang!* A sniper took him down. Only then did Mom and Dad dare to approach, embracing and comforting me. I gave a bitter smile. The last shred of hesitation in my heart vanished completely. So, this was their idea of “being good to me.” The 3 billion they gave me was just to pay off the 300 million family debt and ensure their own future comfort. 8. The driver took me to the hospital. After a thorough check-up, thankfully, it was just a scare, and a minor superficial cut on my neck. I lay in the hospital bed, my neck aching from the bandage, but my heart was strangely calm. It was late when Mom and Dad finally walked into the hospital, their faces tired. They saw me sitting on the bed, and a flicker of panic crossed their faces. “Clara, how are you feeling? Are you better?” I looked at them coldly, saying nothing. Dad nervously rubbed his hands, awkwardly explaining, “Stella was too scared, she’s been blaming herself for not protecting her sister. We’ve been with her, comforting her, so…” Under my gaze, Dad sheepishly fell silent. “Clara, listen to me. The situation was too urgent. Stella was closer to us, and I instinctively just…” He paused, seeming to choose his words carefully. “I didn’t know you’d be taken hostage by the mugger.” I cut him off. “Dad, when are you planning to go to Montclair City?” Dad cautiously replied, “We leave tomorrow.” “Got it. I want to rest. The doctor wants me to stay for a few days for observation, so I won’t see you off.” I closed my eyes, dismissing them. Dad wanted to say more, but he eventually left, realizing it was futile. 9. The next day, Ryan’s mother, Mrs. Margot, came. She carried an insulated food container, her face wreathed in smiles. “Clara, Ryan’s so busy. He heard you were hurt and asked me to come take care of you.” “Are you feeling better?” “Much better, thank you, Mrs. Margot.” As she served me soup, she chattered on, “That boy, Ryan, he’s so stubborn. He keeps making a fuss in front of us…” Mid-sentence, she seemed to realize something and awkwardly shut her mouth. “Mrs. Margot, I won’t be marrying Ryan. His intended spouse is Stella Monroe.” Mrs. Margot froze, then after a long moment, she reacted. “You… what did you say?” “I have no feelings for Ryan. Stella is his perfect match.” Mrs. Margot’s face first showed shock, then morphed into unbridled joy. “Clara, you truly are a good girl! I knew you were the most sensible one!” She excitedly gripped my hand. “Clara, thank you! Thank you for making them happy!” I smiled faintly, saying nothing. Making them happy? No, I was just making *myself* happy. Mrs. Margot had always favored Stella. In my previous life, even if I tried my best to please her, all I got was endless ridicule. After I died, she gave most of her assets to her son as a dowry to lavishly marry Stella. The two families spent 100 million dollars on their wedding. “Mrs. Margot, please don’t tell Ryan or Stella about this yet.” Mrs. Margot beamed, unable to contain her joy. “Good, good, Mrs. Margot understands!” “So… what are your plans for the future?” “I’m leaving in a few days too.” I didn’t reveal my exact destination. Eleanor still wanted to ask more, her mind consumed by their wedding plans.

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To save my childhood sweetheart, Serena, who suffered from congenital heart disease, my wife Valerie tricked me into signing an organ donation agreement. Then, she found a semi-truck and had me run over right outside the hospital. As I was barely clinging to life, Valerie coolly removed my heart. When my body was wheeled out of the operating room, Serena rushed to my side like a madwoman. She saw the gaping, unstitched void in my chest and screamed, tears streaming down her face: “I’m so sorry… I was too late… If there’s a next life, I won’t let you suffer like this again…” Her tears landed exactly where my heart used to be, and I even felt a strange warmth. She spun around and stormed into the operating room. When she emerged, Valerie and Dylan Hayes were lying in pools of blood. Then, she slit her own wrist, taking her life for me. Before she died, she ordered them to bury us together. When I opened my eyes again, I was reborn. Valerie, dressed in a wedding gown and holding a bouquet, was proposing to me. I immediately flung the bouquet in her face, then turned and embraced Serena in the crowd. But after just a year and a half of marriage, she changed. Valerie and Dylan Hayes became inseparable, openly letting him move into our home. She even let him drive over my cat—my beloved cat that I’d raised for seven years—claiming its incessant meowing was disturbing his sleep. I couldn’t believe this was the woman who had loved me so fiercely in my last life. My eyes burning, I demanded, “What the hell is wrong with you?” But Valerie’s eyes were glacial. “Nothing. Just fell out of love.”

After burying my cat, I stopped by a copy shop on the way back and printed two copies of a divorce agreement. As soon as I got home, the housekeeper came up to me. “Sir, the madam has been busy in the kitchen all morning. She’s probably trying to apologize to you. She really cares about you.” I could only force a hollow smile. Clutching the divorce papers, I walked towards the kitchen. Valerie was packing up the food she’d just made. The kitchen was a disaster zone. When she saw me, she immediately stopped, pulling off her apron as she headed for the door. “I’m going to change. Help me pack this up. Eat whatever else is on the table, and then come with me to bring food to Dylan.” So, all that effort was just to make a meal for Dylan. Of course. Knowing Valerie, she would never cook personally just to apologize to me. I reached out and stopped her hurried exit, handing her the divorce agreement. “Sign this.” She frowned, staring at me. Her hand already flipped to the last page, where she scribbled her name. She casually stuffed the papers back into my chest, then rushed off, saying, “Hurry up. I’ll be down in two minutes.” I scoffed. She had signed the divorce papers, so I was free to leave. As I was about to head out, Valerie, already changed, ran down the stairs. She saw me by the front door, without the lunchbox she’d prepared, and immediately blew up. “Caleb Reed! I’m stressed out of my mind, and all I asked you to do was put the lunchbox in a bag! Why are you just standing there like an idiot?!” “Dylan works hard overseeing the site. He only gets a short break to eat. Are you going to take responsibility if he misses his meal?” She stormed into the kitchen, packed the lunchbox in two swift movements, then grabbed it and strode back to me, shoving it into my arms. The steaming hot container made me flinch, but before I could react, she dragged me out the door. After tossing me into the car, she stomped on the gas, and the car sped off. When we arrived at the construction site, Valerie was wiping Dylan’s sweat and fanning him. They looked so intimate, truly like an affectionate couple. Even I, her actual husband, was green with envy. Valerie insisted on dragging me along, no doubt just to mess with me. I was almost gone anyway, so I didn’t care anymore. “Look out!” A startled cry rang out. Valerie, beside me, reacted first, but she shoved me aside. As I fell, I saw Dylan embracing Valerie, leaping away. A steel beam crashed down exactly where we had been standing, sending up a cloud of dust. I scrambled to my feet and rushed over. Valerie pushed Dylan off her, her hands flying to her lower abdomen in a panic. “My baby!” Dylan scrambled back to Valerie’s side, carefully helping her up, his eyes overflowing with urgency. I stood there, stunned, staring at Valerie’s belly. “You… you’re having a baby?” Valerie was pregnant? But the last time we were intimate was a year ago. So… she loved Dylan enough to have his child?

The car keys Valerie threw at me hit my forehead, giving me my answer. “What else? You think it’s yours?” Maybe it was my imagination, but as the heavy keys struck my head, I distinctly saw a flicker of something in Valerie’s eyes. But her voice remained icy. “What are you waiting for? Get in the car! Take me to the hospital!” Stunned, I unconsciously obeyed, starting the car and speeding towards the hospital. It wasn’t until I went to pick up Valerie’s lab results that a passing nurse gasped, looking at my head. “Your head is bleeding!” I reached up and touched it, realizing the blood from the gash on my forehead had already coagulated. After cleaning the wound, I returned to Valerie’s exam room with the results. Just outside the door, I overheard the doctor’s caution: “Ms. Thorne, it’s a miracle your baby is alright this time. Please be extremely careful from now on.” “This pregnancy was conceived through IVF, and with unstable implantation, the risk of miscarriage is very high.” IVF? Why IVF? I was a bit confused. Valerie and Dylan’s relationship was almost public. Was IVF really necessary? As I was pondering, Valerie walked out of the room and bumped into me. I looked steadily into her eyes and asked, “What’s this about IVF?” She froze for a second, her gaze darting away. Even her words were stuttering. “Wh-what IVF? There’s no such thing!” Her reaction was exactly like someone caught in a lie. My brows furrowed. Could it be… this child… A sudden pang in my chest. I stared at her, my voice rising unconsciously. “Valerie! What’s going on with the IVF?!” Under my direct gaze, Valerie’s shoulders began to tremble. Her breathing grew rapid, as if she was about to break and tell me the truth… “Valerie, is the baby okay?” Dylan’s concerned voice suddenly broke through, making her jump. She immediately shoved me away and yelled, “Mind your own business! Caleb Reed, don’t you dare try to hurt Dylan and my baby!” Her words hit me like a bucket of ice water. All my desperate hopes crumbled. Indeed, this was her and Dylan’s child. How they conceived it was their business. I scoffed, a self-deprecating smile on my face, and handed the car keys back to Valerie. “I guess I was meddling.” “If there’s nothing else, I’ll leave. I won’t disturb you resting up for the baby.” I turned to leave, but Dylan clapped his hands. “Caleb, I still have to learn from your acting skills!” “I knew you took a long time getting the lab results. Turns out you were staging a scene.” “It’s just a small cut, why wrap it up like that? All to make Valerie feel sorry for you, right?” Valerie finally noticed the gauze on my forehead. A fleeting look of concern crossed her eyes. She reached out, as if to check my injury, but then grabbed my arm instead. “I can’t drive. Dylan can’t drive. You’re taking us home.” “And make dinner. Then bake a cake. It’s Dylan’s birthday tonight.” It hit me then. Today was Dylan’s birthday, but it was also mine. Even though I was five years older than Dylan, our birthdays were on the same day, same month. In my last life, when I was with Serena Vance, she never celebrated my birthday. Only Valerie Thorne did. But the Valerie Thorne in this life had completely forgotten about me. I looked into her eyes, my voice firm. “No.” This was the first time I had ever refused Valerie. In my last life, she avenged me after my death, and insisted on being buried with me. From the moment I was reborn, I had decided to love her with everything I had. But now, I was truly exhausted. Dylan gently tugged Valerie’s sleeve. “Caleb doesn’t want to, forget it. No cake, no big deal. It’ll just be an incomplete birthday.” “Enough! You don’t have the right to refuse!” Without giving me a chance to argue, Valerie dragged Dylan and me into the car. Back at the mansion, seeing me methodically start on the cake, Valerie finally looked satisfied and left the kitchen. I remembered the first time I made her a cake. Her eyes were full of stars as she watched my every move. Sure enough, anything, given enough time, becomes tiresome. I sighed softly and opened the oven, ready to take out the baked cake base. “Not ready yet? I’m starving, man.” Dylan’s voice came from behind me. I ignored him, but the next second, a strong push came from behind, and I stumbled forward uncontrollably. In my panic, my hand landed squarely on the scorching hot oven rack. “Ah!” A burning pain shot through my palm. I struggled to pull my hand away, tearing off a piece of skin that sizzled in the oven. Dylan immediately tapped the oven with his finger, then clutched his hand and sank to the floor. “Caleb! I’m sorry!” “What happened?!” Valerie rushed into the kitchen, asking anxiously. I clutched my wrist, my palm trembling slightly. I expected Valerie to go to Dylan first. But a familiar scent filled the air, and she actually ran straight to me, grabbing my wrist. Seeing my horribly mangled hand, her eyes filled with concern. “How did this happen…” She urgently looked up at me, meeting my confused gaze, and her eyes instantly filled with panic. “Caleb, I know you’re upset about making my cake, but I was just trying to help you get the cake base. You didn’t have to try and ruin my hand…” Dylan’s tearful voice drifted over. Valerie immediately dropped my hand, turned to help Dylan up, and glared at me, her voice unnatural: “Caleb Reed! Do you really have to be so vicious? You’d hurt yourself just to frame him? You don’t need to go this far…”

I scoffed, my gaze locked on Valerie’s eyes. “There’s a security camera in the kitchen. Just check it yourself and you’ll know…” “No need for that.” She cut me off directly, refusing to back down. “Dylan wouldn’t lie.” Her words were a dagger plunged into my heart. With every beat, the pain intensified. Clearly, the Valerie Thorne of now wouldn’t feel anxious for me. But the next second, she suddenly placed a first-aid kit in front of me. “Handle it yourself. Once the cake is done, get out. Go to the hospital or wherever you want, I don’t care.” With that, she turned and pulled Dylan away, gently applying medicine to him in the living room. I endured the excruciating pain in my hand and finished the final step of the cake. Consider it the last thing I’d ever do for Valerie. After tidying the kitchen and setting the cake out, I walked straight to the door. She didn’t spare me a single glance until I closed the door behind me. The night wind was a bit chilly, but at that moment, I felt completely light. Walking to the hospital alone, I saw a figure running towards me from a distance. When they got closer, I realized it was Serena Vance. Breathless, she grabbed my wrist, carefully examining the injury on my hand, and her eyes instantly welled up. “Caleb, you’re so badly hurt. Did she bully you?” “She already has you this life, why isn’t she cherishing you properly?! Just wait, I’m going to kill her!” I coldly shook off her hand. “It’s none of your business.” But she looked at me stubbornly, tears streaming from her red eyes. Her expression seemed genuine. I stood there, stunned. The person who hurt me most in my last life was now weeping for me in this one. And the person who loved me fiercely in my last life was now the source of all my suffering. Serena’s hand trembled as she pulled a share transfer agreement from her bag and presented it to me. “Last life… I did a lot of things to hurt you. This… this is a birthday gift, and my apology.” “I owe you… too much… Can you forgive me?” After my rebirth, I had cut all ties with Serena Vance, but she had continued to pester me. From small things like clothes and accessories to big things like houses and cars, she gave me so much, eventually running her family’s fortune into the ground. I sighed softly. “I can’t forgive you.” “I won’t take these things. It wasn’t easy for your parents to build this company. Don’t let it fall apart in your hands.” Serena was now crying tears streaming down her face. She stubbornly grabbed my hand, choking out, “But… if I don’t have you, what’s the point of having any of this…” Her words were drowned out by the wail of an ambulance. A stretcher was then pushed out of the ambulance and rushed towards the hospital entrance. “Make way! Make way!” “Caleb Reed! What grudge do we have?! Why would you poison me?!” It wasn’t until Dylan Hayes’s voice rang out that I realized the person on the gurney was him. The next second, a slap landed on my face. I turned my head to see Valerie, her eyes red, rushing to my side. She forcefully pulled Serena Vance’s hand from mine and roared, “Caleb Reed, you’re becoming more and more irrational!” Before I could reply, she had already grabbed Serena and chased after Dylan, who had disappeared into the hospital. I gently touched my still-stinging cheek, letting out a bitter laugh. I turned and walked in the opposite direction from her. Perhaps, leaving such an impression on Valerie’s mind in the end wasn’t so bad. I picked up my phone and booked a flight to Europe for tomorrow. I planned to find a hotel for the night, pick up the divorce papers tomorrow morning, and then head straight to the airport. But as I was walking, Valerie’s call suddenly came through. My hand trembled, and I accidentally answered. Her urgent voice blasted through the phone. “Caleb Reed! Dylan’s heart condition flared up because of the poison you gave him! Get to the hospital immediately and get a match for him!” Alarm bells blared in my mind. Painful memories from my previous life, right before my death, flooded back. A hint of terror colored my voice, trembling as I spoke. “No, I won’t go.”

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My intention in marrying Julian Thorne wasn’t pure. Yes, I liked him, but more importantly, he was the world’s leading cardiothoracic surgeon. So, I used every trick in the book to lure him, to make him forget Seraphina, the woman who truly held his heart, and willingly marry me. After we got married, he was like a devout believer. He held my hand and promised to personally perform my heart transplant surgery, to give me a second chance at life. Just when I thought he had fallen in love with me, Seraphina got into a car accident. He rushed off to operate on her, completely forgetting that today was the day he was supposed to perform my heart transplant. I was already prepped, sedated, and had been lying on the operating table, waiting for him for what felt like forever. The waiting room light outside the operating theater went out. I lay on the cold gurney, feeling the warmth of life draining from my fingertips, little by little. The familiar, agonizing pain in my chest intensified, each breath feeling like glass shards scraping my windpipe. The head nurse walked over, her face etched with professional pity. “Mrs. Thorne, Dr. Thorne had a more urgent emergency surgery come up. Your procedure will have to be postponed.” I nodded, unable to utter a single word. The heart meant for me, chilling in its preservation box, had only a few hours of viability left. And my life? Only a few hours remained, too. My phone vibrated. It was my brother, Liam. He immediately roared into the phone, “Chloe! Where is that bastard, Julian Thorne? I just got word, the donor family has signed, and the heart is on its way!” I opened my mouth, but the sound that came out was hoarse and dry. “Liam, he… he went to save someone.” A deathly silence hung on the line, then an even louder roar. “Save someone? Who is he saving? That woman, Seraphina Dubois?! Does he have any idea how much money our family spent, how many connections we pulled to find that perfect match for this heart?! This is your life!” Liam’s voice trembled with fury. I knew every word he said was true. To keep me alive, our family had poured almost everything we had into this. Julian Thorne had said that with a perfectly matched heart, he was ninety-nine percent sure he could save me. I once thought he was the light in my life. Now, I knew he was also the devil who personally pushed me into the abyss. “Mrs. Thorne, do you need a sedative?” The head nurse looked at me with concern. I shook my head, my vision starting to dim. The door to the operating room, usually a symbol of hope, now seemed like the entrance to hell—cold and despairing. On the TV at the end of the hallway, an urgent news bulletin flashed. “Renowned pianist Miss Seraphina Dubois was involved in a serious car accident this afternoon. Her condition is critical, and she has been rushed to Metropolitan Hospital for emergency surgery. The lead surgeon is none other than her fiancé, the internationally acclaimed cardiothoracic specialist, Dr. Julian Thorne…” Fiancé? The ink on my marriage certificate hadn’t even dried. It turned out that in his heart, I didn’t even deserve the title of his wife. A bitter, metallic taste filled my throat, and I violently coughed up a mouthful of blood, staining the pristine white sheet. Liam burst into the room to this exact scene. His eyes were bloodshot, like a furious lion. “Where is Julian Thorne?” I weakly pointed to the television. Liam slammed his fist into the wall, plaster flaking down. He stared at me, asking each word deliberately, “What did he say to you before he left?” I recalled Julian’s departure. He’d received a call, his face instantly changed, and he’d grabbed his jacket, bolting out the door without even a backward glance. Only a chilling sentence hung in the air from the doorway. “Wait for me to come back.”

I didn’t wait for Julian Thorne to return. Instead, his mother, my mother-in-law, arrived. She wore an expensive designer suit and a massive diamond ring the size of a pigeon’s egg. Her face was etched with undisguised contempt. “Chloe Maxwell, where’s my son?” She stood imperiously beside my bed, as if scrutinizing a soiled object. “He… he’s in surgery.” “Hmph, at least you have some self-awareness.” She sneered. “Seraphina is a million times more important than you are. It’s only right that Julian went to save her. Someone like you, on the verge of death, shouldn’t drag him down.” The pain in my chest was nothing compared to the agony her words inflicted. I looked at this elegant, imposing woman and suddenly felt ridiculous. It was she who had approached my family, claiming to admire me, hoping I would marry Julian. She’d said she would cherish me like her own daughter. All that warmth, all that affection, had been a lie. “Today was the day of my heart transplant surgery,” I stated calmly, simply stating a fact. “So what?” Eleanor Thorne rolled her eyes, her tone incredibly sharp. “It’s just a heart. If it’s gone, find another. Seraphina is an internationally renowned pianist! If her hands were crippled, that would be a loss to the entire world!” She paused, her gaze turning even more malicious. “Ultimately, you’re just bad luck. If it weren’t for you, Julian would have married Seraphina ages ago. You should just die now and stop occupying the Mrs. Thorne position, you’re an eyesore.” I closed my eyes, refusing to look at her ugly face any longer. Liam pushed the door open, entering just as she finished speaking. His body radiated a terrifying aura of rage as he slowly advanced toward Eleanor. “Say that again.” Eleanor flinched back, startled by his intensity, but quickly straightened her posture. “Did I say something wrong? This sickly girl is clearly not good enough for my son! If you know what’s good for you, sign the divorce papers now and stop delaying my son and Seraphina’s perfect future!” “Smack!” A crisp slap echoed through the hospital room. Liam had put all his strength into it; Eleanor’s face instantly swelled, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth. She clutched her cheek, screaming in disbelief, “You dared to hit me! You uncultured brute!” “I’m hitting you, you disrespectful hag!” Liam was furious. “Is my sister’s life worth nothing in your eyes?! Your family didn’t contribute a single penny for that heart, and now you speak so lightly of it!” “You… you’re talking nonsense! What money?!” “That heart cost the Maxwell family thirty million dollars! We bought it from an overseas channel to give my sister a chance to live!” Liam’s voice was filled with a mix of tears and fury. “Now, that chance has been personally destroyed by your son!” Eleanor’s face instantly turned ashen.

Julian Thorne returned late that night. He took off his blood-stained surgical scrubs, his face showing a hint of fatigue, but a triumphant joy was unmistakable in his eyes. “Seraphina’s surgery was a success.” He walked to my bedside, his tone flat, as if merely discussing an insignificant matter. He noticed my pale face and the dried pool of blood on the bedside table. His brow furrowed slightly. “What happened?” “Julian Thorne, let’s get a divorce.” I used every ounce of my strength to utter those words. He froze, seemingly taken aback by my bluntness. “Chloe, don’t be ridiculous.” He reached out to touch my forehead, but I turned my head, avoiding his touch. “I’m not being ridiculous.” I looked at him, my eyes icy cold. “That heart is no longer viable. I don’t have much time left. I don’t want to be Mrs. Thorne when I die.” His face finally darkened. “Just because I didn’t operate on you?” He looked directly at me, his gaze tinged with scrutiny and impatience. “Seraphina’s condition was more urgent than yours. I’m a doctor; I had to make the optimal choice.” “Optimal choice?” I laughed, tears streaming down my face. “So, my life isn’t a life, is that it?” “Chloe, can’t you be more rational?” He raised his voice. “A heart can be found again. If anything happened to Seraphina’s hands, her entire career would be ruined.” He was the epitome of male arrogance, always so full of himself. Liam walked in from outside, a file in his hand. He threw it directly into Julian’s face. “Julian Thorne, this is the heart’s purchase contract and transfer records. Thirty million, not a penny less. Either you pay up, or we’ll see you in court.” Julian looked at the contract, his pupils contracting sharply. He turned to me, his eyes filled with shock and inquiry. “You bought it?” I didn’t answer him. Yes, he had always assumed this heart was a free resource, obtained through his connections and reputation. He reveled in the glory of being a savior, never realizing the immense sacrifice my family had made behind the scenes. “The money, I’ll pay.” Julian’s voice turned cold. “But the divorce, I won’t agree to it.” He looked at me, his gaze deepening. “Chloe, you are my wife. That will never change.” He turned and left, his back resolute. But in his eyes, I caught a fleeting glimpse not of love, but of calculation. My heart sank completely. He didn’t want a divorce because he loved me; he wanted it because I was still useful to him. But what use could I possibly be? I was a woman on the verge of death. The next day, a nurse secretly slipped me a note. On it, only one line was written: Seraphina’s car accident was fake.

My world completely crumbled at that moment. Fake? The accident that cost me my chance at life, the one he rushed to so selflessly, was fake? I clutched the note, my knuckles white from the force. The agonizing chest pain returned, more violent than ever before. I felt like a fish thrown onto shore, gasping for air, but only inhaling despair. Liam rushed in. Seeing my state, he immediately pressed the emergency call button. Doctors and nurses swarmed into the room, connecting various instruments to me. Through my blurry vision, I saw Liam’s bloodshot eyes. “Chloe, hang in there! Your brother’s here!” I grabbed his hand, using my last ounce of strength to press the note into his palm. “Investigate…” One word, and all my energy was gone. I drifted into unconsciousness. When I woke up again, I was in the ICU. Julian Thorne was sitting by my bedside, holding my hand. His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked utterly exhausted. Seeing me awake, a flicker of joy crossed his face. “Chloe, you’re awake.” His voice was hoarse, tinged with a hint of lingering fear. If he wasn’t acting, I almost would have believed he genuinely cared. I pulled my hand away, looking at him coldly. “Julian Thorne, you sicken me.” His body stiffened, the expression on his face frozen. “Chloe, I know you’re still angry.” He took a deep breath, attempting to explain. “This time was my fault. I promise, I’ll find you a new heart source as quickly as possible. I will save you.” I looked at him and suddenly laughed. “You save me? How will you save me? By fabricating another lie, by making me wait in vain again?” His face turned grim. “Chloe, what on earth are you talking about?” “Seraphina’s car accident was fake,” I stated, each word clear and deliberate. His pupils abruptly constricted, a flicker of panic in his eyes, quickly masked. “Who told you that? Don’t listen to their nonsense.” “Whether it’s nonsense or not, you know perfectly well.” I stared into his eyes, not missing any subtle change in his expression. “Julian Thorne, what exactly are you after?” He fell silent. After a long moment, he finally spoke, his voice low and dangerous. “Chloe, some things, you don’t need to know.” He stood up, looking down at me, his gaze as cold as a surgical scalpel. “You just need to remember, you are my wife. Without my permission, you can’t go anywhere, and you certainly cannot die.” He leaned closer, whispering in my ear. His tone wasn’t a lover’s murmur; it was a demon’s pronouncement. A chill ran through me. I finally understood. He wasn’t trying to save me; he was trying to imprison me. This man was a madman.

Liam arrived. He brought the answers I craved. “Seraphina never had a car accident. That day, she just fainted from low blood sugar. The reason Julian rushed over so desperately was because a senior elder in Seraphina’s family had a sudden heart attack and specifically requested him to perform the surgery.” Liam’s voice was filled with anger and disdain. “That elder is the head of the Dubois family, and also the target Julian has been trying to curry favor with.” So, for his career, for currying favor with the powerful, he had unhesitatingly sacrificed me. How ridiculous. I once thought that marrying a doctor would bring me closer to health. But I never imagined that he would be the one to personally push me toward death. “Chloe, let’s go.” Liam’s eyes were filled with an unbearable heartache. “We’ll go abroad. Your brother has already arranged for the best medical team. We won’t beg him anymore!” I nodded, tears silently tracing paths down my face. But we had underestimated Julian Thorne’s shamelessness. As we prepared to leave, he appeared with a group of bodyguards, blocking the hospital room door. “Julian Thorne, what is the meaning of this?” Liam shielded me behind him, glaring at Julian. Julian didn’t look at Liam; his gaze fell directly on me. “Chloe, I told you, without my permission, you’re not going anywhere.” His voice was calm, but the obsession and madness in his eyes were chilling. “Julian Thorne, this is unlawful imprisonment!” Liam trembled with rage. “I am her husband. I have the right to decide her treatment plan.” Julian’s lips curved into a cold smile. “Mr. Maxwell, if you continue to obstruct me, I won’t hesitate to have security escort you out.” The bodyguards behind him took a collective step forward, their presence intimidating. I pulled back the impulsive Liam, looking at Julian, and asked, word by word, “What exactly do you want?” He slowly walked toward me, raising his hand, his cold fingertips brushing my cheek. “I don’t want anything.” His voice was eerily gentle. “I just want you to live, well, and by my side.” I looked into his bottomless eyes, and a terrifying thought surged through my mind. He didn’t want me to live. He wanted me to be unable to live, and unable to die. “You’re insane!” I pushed him away with all my might. But he used my momentum, grabbing my wrist, his grip so strong it felt like my bones would shatter. “Chloe, don’t force my hand.” His voice turned chilling. “I have many ways to make you compliant. You wouldn’t want to find out.” Liam could no longer hold back and threw a punch. The room instantly erupted into chaos. Bodyguards and Liam’s people started to brawl. Julian clutched me tightly, dragging me into his embrace. I struggled desperately, but it was no use. In despair, I saw Liam get hit from behind, collapsing slowly. “Liam!” I let out a piercing shriek, and my vision went black. I lost consciousness again. I was taken back to our matrimonial home by Julian Thorne. Here, it wasn’t so much a home as a luxurious cage, built with money and power.

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On the eve of our wedding, I discovered a message my fiancé had sent to his ex-girlfriend. “Sophie, we missed our chance after all.” I confronted him with his phone, giving him two choices. Either delete it, or cancel the wedding. He ultimately chose the former, but didn’t smile once on our wedding day. Even later during the delivery, there wasn’t a hint of anticipation in his eyes. Until he received a phone call and suddenly stood up. “Ethan, my parents are forcing me to marry a 50-year-old pig. Please help me…” His grip loosened, leaving only his retreating back. My weak voice called out from behind: “Ethan, if you take one step out that door, our child will never call you dad.” He paused, but still left. That day, I had an emotional breakdown. The delivery was difficult and I nearly died. 0 The baby was eventually born. I didn’t die either, but lost several liters of blood. Family members crowded around the newborn, while I stared at the empty doorway. Ethan never came back. At that moment I regretted it, regretted giving him two choices back then. First, because I couldn’t let go of our years together. Second, because I was already pregnant then. So I took a gamble, betting he would forget her and have a change of heart. At first I thought I had won, since he deleted all her contact information in front of me. But with each passing day, I felt my odds of winning slipping away. On our wedding day, he was distracted and even put the ring on backwards. Later, he smiled less and stopped sharing his daily life with me. Waking up at midnight, his side of the bed was always cold. His texts always said he was too busy. He’d rather sleep on the couch in his office two miles away than come home and breathe the same air as me. I should have understood earlier. Once when he finally came home after two weeks, I grabbed his hand and said seriously: “If you don’t want this anymore, we can divorce. I can raise the child on my own.” Even though I was the one suggesting separation, my voice trembled badly. I was afraid, afraid he would easily say okay. But he just fell silent for a while, then patted my head: “Don’t overthink things, I’m just a bit tired.” “You’re also anxious because of the pregnancy. It’ll be better after these few months.” Then he picked up his bag and left again. He stayed home for less than three minutes. Watching his resolute back, my stomach churned violently. I hugged the toilet and vomited for a long time, until tears rolled down my face. Now, looking at the empty doorway. I suddenly felt relieved. I finally saw clearly, it wasn’t too late for everything. Ethan came back the next day. Behind him was a petite girl in a wedding dress. He let go of the girl’s hand, leaving her to the side. Then he went to the incubator, using his finger to tease the little baby inside. When he turned his head, he met my cold face, and the smile froze on his lips. He walked up to me, gripping my hand tightly: “About yesterday, I was too impulsive, but don’t misunderstand my relationship with Sophie.” He beckoned, and the girl obediently came over, reciting to me as if reading from a script: “I only know Ethan in this city, and only he could help me.” “I’m sorry, sister-in-law. I didn’t know you were in labor, otherwise I would have rather married that pig than…” “Don’t talk nonsense.” Ethan instinctively interrupted. “You deserve better.” Watching their back-and-forth, I smiled self-mockingly. Before I could speak, my father rushed in with a thermos and slapped him. “You dare come back? Yesterday you abandoned my daughter, causing her difficult labor and massive blood loss. If anything had happened to her, our family would never forgive you!” Ethan frowned, his gaze towards me turning cold. “But she’s fine now, isn’t she?” “Besides, I’ve already apologized.” The implication was that he had already given me a way out. I and my family shouldn’t embarrass him. Especially in front of his ex-girlfriend. I had imagined Ethan’s reaction when he came back – remorseful confession or material compensation. But I never expected this. He showed not a shred of remorse towards me. Whether I almost died from blood loss didn’t matter at all. After Ethan said this, I asked him to leave. He nodded, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. “I’ll come see the child in a few days. I’m busy these days.” I didn’t say anything, just turned to look at the happy family of three in the next bed. Ethan followed my gaze, panic flashing across his cold face. But I didn’t say anything, just softly hummed and turned away. He breathed a sigh of relief, taking Sophie’s hand as he strode out. The moment they stepped out, the baby burst into loud cries. I cradled him in my arms, gently rocking. “Baby doesn’t like daddy either, right?” “Since we don’t like him, let’s not see him again, okay?”

Ethan never came until the day I was discharged. He only sent his assistant midway to deliver some care products. When he came, he was also carrying a bunch of luxury shopping bags filled with women’s clothes and dresses. “Did you come to deliver these to me on your way?” The assistant hesitated, but still nodded. “Then please continue on your way and throw them in the trash.” He threw away the things, and also relayed my words verbatim. My phone immediately lit up with a bunch of chat records between him and Sophie. The records were all transfer receipts, indicating he was just shopping for her. But he forgot that Sophie was the girl who had stayed with him through his early poverty-stricken entrepreneurial days. He also forgot that the phone number he had deleted in front of me years ago rang promptly on the day I gave birth. How hard they must have worked to put on act after act for me. Carrying bags big and small back home, a woman threw herself into my arms. “Ethan, you’re five minutes late from work today, I missed you so much.” Seeing the girl’s face instantly turn red, her whole body awkward in front of me. I smiled and ignored her, but she didn’t even dare enter the door anymore. The pouring rain outside drenched her, until the returning man hurriedly shielded her in his arms. Those broad shoulders were full of a sense of security. From the upstairs window, I traced the man’s silhouette, once having been moved by it too. Soon after, the door was flung open violently. I lowered my head to fiddle with the baby’s fingers, not even raising my head: “Are you here to question me? There are cameras in the house, I don’t want to waste energy explaining.” A light chuckle came from above, as Ethan produced a cake from behind his back. “I know you’re not that heartless.” “Honey, did you forget today is your birthday?” I finally looked up, surprised at the cake in front of me. Complicated emotions welled up inside. Until at the dining table, he suddenly spoke: “Sophie has nowhere to go recently, she’s staying at our house for a while.” I finally understood what drug was in the cake. Seeing I didn’t speak, he added: “She’s very attentive, she can also help you take care of the child, share some of the burden.” At that moment, I suddenly didn’t want to ask anymore. Didn’t want to ask why he, worth millions, wouldn’t buy her a new house. Didn’t want to ask why she needed to help when we already had three nannies. “I see.” I put down my chopsticks and turned to go upstairs. As he said, Sophie tried very hard to help me. Every morning she would bring me a warm glass of milk. But I didn’t drink a single sip, and though Ethan said nothing on the surface, I could see the disappointment in his eyes. This disappointed gaze filled every moment of life, after all, since Sophie moved in, he came home every day. Sophie taught him how to mix formula and control water temperature. He learned very seriously, his eyes full of joy when she approved. I stepped forward to take it, but Ethan immediately snatched it back. “Olivia, go rest. We’ve got this.” “You’re a pampered lady, how would you know how to do these things? Sophie is different from you, she’s helped her mom with chores since childhood, she’s more efficient than you.” The servants all stared at me pointedly, seeming to worry I would get angry. I forcefully suppressed the violent heaving in my chest, trying to keep my tone calm: “Ethan, I am his mother.” He froze, then handed the bottle back to me. I took it, but Sophie bumped into me, spilling the scalding milk onto the child. The tiny arm instantly turned red, erupting in earth-shattering cries. I hurriedly stepped forward with a cloth to wipe it, but was directly pushed away by him. His voice filled with warning: “Get out.” He carefully picked up the child, while Sophie took ointment to apply on the baby. The happy family of three, while I was like a nanny who had made a mistake. I ran out crying with red eyes, Ethan only glanced before lowering his head. Afterwards, the nursery was either occupied by the two of them, or guarded by the nanny. “Mr. Gu instructed to let Madam stay away.” I stepped back a few paces, smiling as I returned to my room. Then smashed everything I could smash.

Ethan rushed home upon hearing the news, staring blankly at the mess on the floor. “Olivia, what are you throwing a tantrum about again? The baby is still sleeping, don’t scare him.” At that moment, the long-suppressed emotions finally erupted. I suddenly rushed over, grabbing Ethan’s collar. “Throwing a tantrum? Bringing another woman home and flirting with her right under my nose, who’s really gone crazy!” “Ethan, that’s the child I painstakingly gave birth to, who could care for him more than me!” Surprise flashed in Ethan’s eyes, he had never seen me like this before. Never seen me angry, much less cry. Even on the eve of our wedding when I saw that message, I had only reddened eyes. The air fell silent, until a cry came from the child. I let go of his collar, messily wiping the tears from the corners of my eyes. He sighed, taking out a handkerchief to gently wipe away my tears. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have treated you like this.” I yanked away the handkerchief, unceremoniously throwing it to the ground. Then I shoved him away, diving straight into bed, covering my face as I cried until I couldn’t breathe. He sighed, gently patting my back through the blanket. “Don’t be angry anymore, okay? I was wrong.” “I was just worried about the child, I didn’t mean anything else.” After a long while, I lifted the covers, the light in my eyes mostly scattered. I looked at my now-flat belly and asked him: “Ethan, if I hadn’t been pregnant back then, would you still have chosen me?” He froze, then sighed again, somewhat helplessly: “Olivia, stop clinging to things from the past.” No answer was the best answer. His answer was that without the child, he would never have chosen me. Olivia, why bother humiliating yourself further at this point. I pushed away his hand at my waist, telling him to get out. He froze, then smiled, not coming home that night. Early the next morning, he and Sophie entered the house one after another. I sat at the dining table, pushing a divorce agreement in front of him. The man and woman opposite both froze. “Sophie, go upstairs first, I need to speak to my wife alone.” After she obediently went upstairs, Ethan looked at me, his gaze complex. “Olivia, I’ve already coaxed you, you’ve vented your anger, why are you still throwing a tantrum?” I sneered, just as he had laughed at me yesterday. Ethan frowned. Then he sighed helplessly. “It’s because of Sophie, right? I understand.” “Since you can’t accept her, I’ll send her away.” He compromised, but I didn’t miss the unwillingness in his eyes. I understood his reason for resisting divorce – not because he loved me, but because of that prenuptial agreement. When I married him, I was a famous socialite in high society, while he was just a small business owner whose company had recently gone public. To prevent him from coveting assets, my father had specially drawn up a prenuptial agreement biased in my favor. According to the agreement, if I unilaterally filed for divorce, all property would belong to me. Faced with such an unequal treaty, Ethan had signed without hesitation. At the time I thought it was because he loved me deeply. Now I realize it was just because he was certain I would never leave him. Thinking of this, I picked up the pen and unhesitatingly signed my name. Ethan’s pupils flashed violently. “Sign it, be quick about it.” In the end he still picked up the pen, signing his own name. The once flowing signature was now crooked from hesitation. With the documents signed, he grabbed my hand. “There’s still a three-month waiting period, do I still have a chance?” I pulled my hand away, not answering. That night I drank bottle after bottle with a friend. “If you want to cry, just cry.” She gently patted my head, but I immediately shook my head. “Can’t cry.” “Finally ending a terrible relationship, I should be happy.” “Cheers.” Maybe I was too drunk, I didn’t notice a tear had already slid down the corner of my eye. That night I sat on the doorstep for a long time, only going in after the alcohol had worn off. I didn’t want him to see me so heartbroken, still for his sake. A man walked out from behind, draping his jacket over my shoulders. “I’ve already sent her away.” The wind blew past us, but still couldn’t stir up a single word.

Waking up in the morning, he was tightly hugging my waist, his long-absent breath tickling my neck. I shifted an inch towards the edge of the bed, and he followed an inch. Ethan really wanted to win me back, he was proving it with actions. He turned down a lot of work, making time to accompany me and the child. In the nursery, he shook a little bell to soothe the crying baby. “Baby, say dad, come on.” Mentioning the word dad, he deliberately turned his head to look at me leaning against the doorway. But the moment our eyes met, I coldly turned away without a glance. The bell sound behind me stopped. Ethan thought I was angry, but I was just afraid. Afraid of indulging in this sweetness again, afraid of falling back into this terrible marriage. Until late at night I heard him on the phone with his secretary by the window. “How’s the project going? It needs to be fast.” That moment I finally woke up, Ethan was proud. His concessions were rarely for love, mostly for profit. So all his kindness now was just because he couldn’t bear to part with these hard-earned achievements. From that day on, all his gentleness seemed laughable to me. I was determined not to give him another chance, but he still refused to give up. Until one day, Sophie burst in again. She had only a few scraps of cloth left on her body, her neck covered in red marks, her skin full of bruises. Ethan immediately dropped the milk bottle and rushed out, taking her into his arms. The usually gentle girl now seemed to have gone mad, pounding his chest. “It’s all your fault! It’s all your fault! If you hadn’t dumped me for your career back then, how could I have ended up like this!” “They… they were angry I ran away from the marriage, they found a group of people to humiliate me… I, I don’t want to live anymore!” Saying this, she shoved him away, crashing into the doorpost, blood flowing freely. Ethan frantically picked her up and rushed towards the door. As he stepped over the threshold, I reminded him: “Do you know what you’ll lose if you leave?” Wife, child, and years of hard work. But Ethan didn’t pause for even a step this time, going straight to the car. I stood in the wind and rain, feeling like the biggest joke in the world. From that day on, Ethan stayed by her side day and night. Three months flew by, and I sent him a time, reminding him to go get the divorce certificate. The message quickly showed as read, but there was no reply. Later, he only hurried over when the civil affairs bureau was about to close. After not seeing him for days, he looked much more haggard, with dark circles under his eyes. I looked at the two divorce certificates in my hand, finally feeling relieved. When I looked up at Ethan, he was lowering his eyes, clearly depressed. The sky suddenly began pouring rain, I turned back to look at him: “Did you bring an umbrella? I’ll walk you out?” We were husband and wife after all, might as well part on good terms. But Ethan shook his head, his gaze fixed on a woman running towards him in the distance. Sophie held her slightly swollen belly, her eyes full of smugness. They walked arm in arm back into the civil affairs bureau. Only after their silhouettes had completely disappeared did I turn back to find the umbrella above my head had somehow tilted off course. I took off my soaked outer coat and called my father, asking him to arrange for me to go abroad to clear my head. Soon WeChat pushed a contact who said he would take me traveling the world. Before boarding the plane, a message from Ethan popped up on my phone. [I’m sorry, but I owe her too much.] After reading this, I blocked him. Hugging the child tightly in my arms, I looked out the window at my freedom.

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