I saw an art class girl being assaulted by someone weirdly dressed. I stepped in, saved her, and called the police. The next day, she accused *me* of being the attacker. She even claimed I forced her to make a false statement the day before. Then, the police took me away, and I lost my guaranteed spot at a top-tier university. My dad, who had a disability in his leg, wrote a desperate letter in his own blood, pleading my innocence, then took his own life outside her house. With insufficient evidence, I was released, but I’d lost my university admission and missed the college application deadline. My life was pretty much over. I drifted aimlessly for six months, then saw the art class girl and her actual assailant walking hand-in-hand. Furious, I charged over, demanding why she’d betrayed me. The attacker shoved me, and I was hit by a speeding car, sent flying. When I woke up again, I was back to the night it all happened. “Don’t touch me, or I’ll scream!” “Help! Someone, help me!” “Is anyone out there?!” I should be dead. Why could I still hear those screams from six months ago? Not far away, hidden in the bushes, a man in strange clothes was assaulting a helpless woman. It wasn’t just familiar; it was exactly the same scene. I stood frozen on the sidewalk. A car flashed its hazard lights and honked, shaking me out of my trance. I quickly moved to the other side of the road. In my past life, I saw Tiffany, a girl from my art class, being assaulted. My sense of justice flared, and I rushed over, throwing my backpack at the attacker’s head. The man clutched his head with one hand, pulling up his pants with the other, swearing as he left, not forgetting to threaten me, “Alex Miller from Year 11, right? I’ll remember you. You’ll pay for this!” It was Blake, the school’s resident jerk. I didn’t take his threat seriously. I took off my shirt to cover Tiffany, comforted her as she reeled from the trauma, and even encouraged her to call the police. When I got home, I told my dad about my heroic act. Years ago, my dad had his leg broken stepping in to help someone, but he never regretted it. He patted my shoulder proudly. “That’s my boy. I’m proud of you.” But the next day at school, Tiffany showed up with the police to arrest me. She was an acting student, alright. The tears flowed like a faucet, and she looked utterly distraught, enough to fool anyone. “Alex Miller assaulted me yesterday, and he threatened to kill my whole family if I ever told anyone.” She wiped her tears, glaring at me with venom. “The worst part is, he played the victim, making me out to be the hero, demanding our family give him a commendation banner in front of all the teachers and students.” It was like I’d been hit by a truck, completely disoriented. It wasn’t until I was in the police car that I reacted. “That’s not true! I helped you! I got rid of that guy and even comforted you. How could you betray me like this?” Her eyes were red, and she started crying again. “A girl’s reputation is everything. I wouldn’t joke about something like this.” Everyone seemed to believe her.

I became a pariah, a public enemy. It didn’t help that most people sided with her, the ‘victim.’ The online mob attacked me, and they doxxed my dad. They even claimed my dad’s heroic act years ago was just because he knew the kid he saved was from a rich family and he was trying to get a payout. I lost my guaranteed spot at a top-tier university and was expelled from school. My dad wrote a desperate letter in his own blood, then took his own life outside Tiffany’s house. The news blew up, and public outrage reached a fever pitch. The police reopened the investigation, and I was released, innocent. But no university would accept me anymore, and more importantly, I’d lost my dad, the only family I had. I drifted aimlessly for six months. Outside an apartment complex, I saw Tiffany and her real attacker, Blake, walking hand-in-hand. Furious, I charged over, demanding why she’d betrayed me like that. “How could I, just a regular person, fight against the heir of the Blake Corporation?” “If I hadn’t done what he said, my whole family would have been killed. I had no choice but to accuse you.” I yelled, “Do you know you ruined my entire life?!” “You’re still alive, aren’t you? So what if you went to an Ivy League school? You’d just end up working for rich people anyway.” “But my dad died!” She showed no remorse. “Everyone dies eventually. Better off dead, honestly.” I was so angry I grabbed her by the throat. Blake, who had been silent, yanked my collar. “Loser, hands off my girl!” He shoved me hard. I was hit by a speeding car, sent flying, and landed on the curb, dying instantly. Now, hearing those screams nearby, a bitter smile touched my lips. Not this time. No way I’m making that mistake again.

I walked to the night market. My dad was calling out to customers for his hot dogs. I hurried over to help. My mom died when I was born, and my dad never found another partner. After his leg was broken, no company would hire him. He also refused help from the person he saved. So, every night, he’d come to the night market to sell hot dogs, just to put me through school. Seeing his lean, busy figure, my heart ached. In my last life, I ruined everything for you, Dad. Not this time. I’m going to turn things around. I’ll go to the best university, get the best job, and make sure you can enjoy a comfortable retirement. But things didn’t go as I hoped. The next day at the school gate, Tiffany grabbed me and slapped me hard. “Why didn’t you help me last night?” I took a deep breath, then slapped her right back. I’m a guy, so my slap had force. She was stunned, covering her face. “You… you dared to hit me back.” “I’m not a doormat. Why would I just take it if you hit me?” “Why didn’t you help me yesterday?” “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Class starts soon. Please stop bothering me.” My expression was cold and distant as I clutched my books and walked inside. She rushed at me from behind, snatched my books, and threw them on the ground, stomping on them. “Are you working with him? Were you a lookout for him?” “You’re a despicable, disgusting person for not helping me! You deserve to die, just like him!” I pushed her away, bent down, and picked up my books. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “You ruined my reputation for life by not helping me! Don’t you know you’re wrong?” She unleashed all her frustration on me, like a madwoman. She lunged, pushed me down, and started clawing at my face. I wasn’t about to give her the chance. I used my hands and feet to push her away. Her face contorted in fury, and she rushed at me again. Other students who were passing by quickly intervened, pulling us apart, and then called Dean Miller.

Dean Miller was a big, imposing man with a stern look, and all the students were a little scared of him. He just stood there, and no one dared to make a sound. In my last life, everyone believed her, but he was the only one who comforted my distraught dad. His sharp eyes swept over us. “What’s going on? You have less than a month until exams. Do you want to disrupt everyone’s studies?” “Alex Miller has a guaranteed spot at a top-tier university. What about you? You, on the other hand, only qualified for some basic art program at a lesser-known college. What are you even making a fuss about?” Tiffany immediately got angry and said indignantly, “Dean, even though I’m an art student, I want to study hard too. Alex got into an Ivy League, but you can’t just cover for him because of that!” “Covering for him? I don’t cover for anyone. Come on, both of you. To my office, now, and explain everything!” In the office, Tiffany embellished the story of what happened last night. “So, you’re saying Alex Miller saw you being assaulted but ignored you. You were upset, so you confronted him at the school gate this morning, and a fight broke out?” Tiffany nodded. I said, “First, I didn’t hear any cries for help. Second, even if I did hear them and knew it was you, helping you would be an act of kindness, but not helping you is my right. Now you’re trying to twist the story and guilt-trip me? That’s messed up, isn’t it?” Thinking of what she did in my past life, I added, “You didn’t catch the real attacker, so you’re trying to blame the victim, aren’t you? Are you planning to say *I* was the one who assaulted you?” I wanted to cut off her escape route right then and there. Tiffany’s face turned bright red, and she shrieked, “You scumbag! How could you think that of me? And to think you’re a top student with a guaranteed spot at an Ivy League university! You’re worse than dirt!” “No matter how angry or upset you get, I can’t testify to something I didn’t see, and I won’t admit to something I didn’t do.” She was furious and lunged at me, trying to choke me… Dean Miller barked, “Enough! If you can’t sort this out, then call the police! You two are seriously wasting everyone’s time. What are you thinking, acting like this now?” Perhaps Dean Miller just said it casually, but Tiffany’s face immediately went pale, and her hands trembled. “If I call the police, my life will be over.”

I watched her coldly. “Since you don’t want to call the police, then deal with it yourself. High school students are busy; let’s not waste each other’s time.” Dean Miller nodded. “That’s right. You decide. Call the police or find another way to resolve this. It’s up to you.” Tiffany lowered her head, hesitant. She’d caused a scene at the school gate, and many students had seen and heard it. Word would spread like wildfire, and her story would quickly become public. In a small town like ours, news travels fast. And for a girl to go through something like this… people would talk, her reputation would be ruined, making it impossible for her to have a normal life or find someone to settle down with. But worse than any of that, the whispers and rumors are what truly destroy a person. After much thought, she nodded. “Alright. Call the police, then.” After an investigation, I was just a passerby, not even a witness, and was immediately released. But Tiffany screamed in the police station, “He must have seen the attacker! He didn’t help me; he just watched me get assaulted! He must be an accomplice; you can’t let him go!” The officers exchanged glances, clearly thinking she was out of line. “Alex Miller was just passing by, he wasn’t…” Tiffany interrupted the officer frantically, “Don’t think he’s a good person just because he got into an Ivy League. He might be the attacker’s accomplice! They might have teamed up to assault me together! People like him should be locked up!” She was completely irrational. The officers shook their heads repeatedly. “Don’t overthink this. This is a police station; it’s a place of fairness and justice. You can’t just falsely accuse people or make wild guesses. Based on your statements, this incident has nothing to do with Alex Miller. Unless you have evidence.” “I clearly saw him glance over at me! He must have seen it!” Dean Miller wanted to speak up for me, but I quickly gave him a look. If he spoke, Tiffany would surely think he was covering for me. My gaze was firm, and I said in a low voice, “I already told you I didn’t see anything. It was late at night; how could you possibly see that I saw it? Do you have telescopic vision?” “No, you definitely saw it! You’re an accomplice! An accomplice!”

The officers’ patience ran out. “Alright, that’s enough! Alex Miller, you can go. Tiffany, you stay here for further investigation.” Tiffany wasn’t happy. She sat directly on the floor, kicking her legs and waving her arms like a child throwing a tantrum, or a woman completely losing her mind. “You just think I’m an easy target because I’m a girl with no family or background! He clearly saw me being assaulted and just walked away! That’s wrong!” “He deliberately let me be humiliated! He deliberately wanted to see me embarrassed! People like him should go to hell!” “My life is ruined anyway, and even if it is, I’m taking someone down with me! Alex Miller, who did this, can’t get away with it!” … I rubbed my ears, watching her in exasperation. “I just passed by that road, and that makes me a criminal? That means I deserve to die? There must have been other people passing by that night; why don’t you go after them? Oh, I know! Because you and I are from poor backgrounds, with no one to back us up, so you just randomly accuse me?” The officer frowned, looking at the girl on the floor. “Tiffany, you’d better get up and cooperate with our investigation, or your behavior could constitute obstructing an officer in the line of duty, and the consequences will be severe…” Tiffany froze, then quickly stood up, embarrassed. “I… I was just angry and confused. I didn’t mean to obstruct you. Let’s continue, let’s continue.” I gave her a long, hard look, then turned and left. This time, things were already different from my last life. I hoped everything would continue on the right path. But the next day, right before school let out for lunch, Tiffany burst into the school with the police. I had just come out of the teaching building when I saw her approaching, and I froze. This scene was exactly like before. Was she going to put on another act? Sure enough, she and the police blocked my path. “Officers, this is Alex Miller, the man who assaulted me the night before last!”

I stood there, stunned. It had only been a day and a night since yesterday, and she had suddenly changed completely. In the crowd, I saw Blake, the person who had truly assaulted her that night. Someone nearby was holding a phone, starting to record. The more people there were, the straighter Tiffany stood, as if being assaulted wasn’t shameful now, but something to brag about. “It was him! That night, he had evil intentions towards me!” Besides the students leaving school, there were parents picking up their kids and passersby at the gate. Everyone leaned in, trying to catch what was being said. “Oh my god, Alex Miller, our class genius, is an attacker? That can’t be true!” “Yeah, he’s always so polite to girls. How could this happen?” “Some people just put on a holier-than-thou act, but deep down, their minds are rotten and their hearts are vicious.” “Tiffany is our school’s campus beauty; she was really… by her own classmate?” “Yesterday, Dean Miller took both of them to the police station; so that’s what it was about.” “I don’t believe Alex Miller would do something like this. He’s got a guaranteed spot at an Ivy League university, a bright future ahead of him. Why would he do something so disgusting? I’m with Alex Miller.” “Yeah, I also think Alex Miller is innocent. On the other hand, this campus beauty, Tiffany, has always used her looks to hook up with countless guys. Who knows who she was flirting with or who assaulted her?” … Everyone was chattering, but it was already different from my last life. In my past life, everyone watched as the police took me away. I was so nervous and scared that I didn’t know how to defend myself. Later, Blake even sent people to spread all sorts of rumors about me online, and all the students sided with her, convinced that I was the one who assaulted Tiffany. Actually, many people knew that Tiffany didn’t exactly have a clean reputation. Our families lived in the same complex, and on the way to and from school, I often saw her with different guys. So, I should thank her for throwing that tantrum at the school gate yesterday; it gave the students room to think. Plus, I was much calmer than in my last life. I knew how to explain and refute, and everything was slowly changing. I calmly looked at her. “Is the police station yours to command? Yesterday, your statement was that I was just passing by. How did I suddenly become the attacker today?” “You threatened me and made me say that.” Tiffany said it without batting an eye, looking at the officer beside her. “Quick, arrest him!” The officer took out handcuffs, ready to cuff me. Before I could speak, a tall, dark figure rushed over and blocked the officer. “I was at the police station yesterday too. Tiffany clearly stated then that the attacker was someone else. Why has she suddenly changed her story today? And you’re just going to put handcuffs on him, without any concrete

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When the police arrived, I had already dismembered my wife and hacked off my son’s legs. I sat amidst a pool of blood, casually carving up my wife. The gruesome murder of my wife shocked the entire nation. Everyone condemned me as a monster, yet I couldn’t be immediately sentenced to death. Because I had hidden my one-year-old grandson. No one knew if he was dead or alive. Under intense police interrogation, I demanded a nationwide live broadcast. “Dad… why? Why did you do this?” My son, Milo Hayes, dragged his severed legs, struggling to crawl towards me. Just then, I brought the axe down, severing my wife’s head. Blood splattered into his wide-open mouth, and he let out a horrifying shriek. Tonight was supposed to be my thirtieth wedding anniversary with my wife. Milo had meticulously decorated the mansion, even replacing the carpets with new ones. The decorative flowers on the walls hadn’t even wilted, but the pristine white carpet was already completely drenched in blood. At the peak of her happiness, I plunged a knife into her abdomen. Twenty consecutive stabs. Until her last breath, her beautiful eyes tragically questioned me, “Why?” When the police stormed into the mansion, I had already chopped my wife into unrecognizable pieces. Even my salt-and-pepper hair was dyed crimson, dripping with blood. A dozen guns were pointed at me. I calmly lowered the axe and obediently extended my hands, letting them cuff me. From the moment I committed the murders, I had no intention of hiding anything. The mansion’s front door was wide open, blood spilling onto the street. The area around the mansion was sparsely populated, but not entirely empty. I saw my neighbor dart past the entrance, but I didn’t stop them. BANG! The fluorescent lights flickered on, their harsh glare stinging my eyes. “Name.” “Victor Hayes.” “Why did you kill them?” “…” Detective Miller, the officer interrogating me, stared with undisguised disgust. “Please take our questions seriously. We have gathered overwhelming evidence for your murder charges. The case is closed. Your struggle is futile!” I remained silent, eyes closed, leaning back in the chair. It had been years since I felt this relaxed. The police’s intense questioning sounded like a lullaby to me; I was actually starting to feel drowsy. He asked several more questions, but I offered no reply. Not until he finally asked, “Where have you hidden your one-year-old grandson, Leo Hayes?” I opened my eyes and grinned maliciously. “Guess?” Detective Miller’s face darkened, absolutely furious. I had no doubt that if it weren’t for laws prohibiting torture, he would have lunged at me. “Victor, do you have any heart?! That’s your beloved grandson! You’ve raised him since birth! The child is so young, he knows nothing, he’s done nothing wrong!” See? I’ve committed murder, yet these cops can only cycle through their interrogation tactics, unable to inflict any real harm. I wasn’t in a hurry at all. I just watched the officers hustle in and out with stacks of files, knowing they’d never find my grandson. As a renowned philanthropist in the city, the news of me murdering my wife and mutilating my son instantly dominated the headlines. No one dared believe I could commit such a monstrous act. To outsiders, I was a devoted husband, a loving father. My social media was filled with snippets of my wife and child, and I frequently donated to charities supporting people with disabilities. But the truth was, I did it. I didn’t even spare a one-year-old child. Online communities started digging deep into my past, searching for any signs of cruelty. I feigned ignorance of all this, still refusing to answer the police’s questions. Just as our stalemate continued, a young, energetic officer burst into the room. “Detective Miller, urgent news!” Detective Miller took the paper. After a single glance, his expression turned grave, and he sharply met my gaze. “You’re not Victor Hayes. Who are you?!” I sneered. After interrogating me for so long, they finally figured it out.

“Who *are* you? Why do you look exactly like Victor Hayes? Where’s the real Victor Hayes?” I replied calmly, “The car accident three years ago. That’s when I became Victor Hayes.” “Three years ago?” Detective Miller flipped through his files. “April 21st, three years ago, Victor Hayes was involved in a car crash on Highway 301. The vehicle caught fire. His driver, Arthur, was pronounced dead. Victor Hayes was unharmed…” “You’re Arthur.” Detective Miller stated, certainty in his voice. I simply smiled, neither confirming nor denying. “We’ve checked. You had no deep-seated animosity towards the Hayes family. Quite the opposite, they treated you well. High wages, Victor himself would often share good liquor and cigars with you. Eleanor even tried to set you up with women, seeing you as a lonely single man.” “So what was your motive for murder? Was it simply pure envy of their wealth and happiness?” “You’ve successfully assumed Victor Hayes’s identity, living a lavish life without anyone suspecting. You’ve been living the high life. I don’t understand why you killed Eleanor. If it was just to tie up loose ends, you made no effort to clean the crime scene.” I replied, “Officer, you have a lot of questions. If you want the truth, I have a condition.” Detective Miller frowned. “Remember your current status. A criminal has no right to make demands.” “Then you’ll never know where the child is.” It had been a day since the child disappeared. A one-year-old has no chance of survival on their own, so the police had no choice but to compromise. “I want Milo to live stream himself kneeling before me.” It was a strange demand. Detective Miller went out to send someone to negotiate with Milo. He would agree. Because when I cut off his legs, I also crushed his manhood. That child was his only remaining heir, his only hope for a family. He had to compromise for him. Milo, still not out of danger, was wheeled into the police station. He started the live stream, then painfully crawled off his wheelchair, scuttling like a dog to my feet, kowtowing repeatedly. “Please, I beg you! All the mistakes are ours! If we ever offended you, just kill me! Please, don’t harm my son!” Seeing his pathetic, disgraced state, a smirk of satisfaction played on my lips. The live stream comments were filled with insults against me. Some even threatened to dox me and dig up my entire past. Milo’s eyes burned with hatred as he looked at me, his lips bitten raw. “I’ve kowtowed. Now will you tell me where my son is?” I looked down on him, sneering, “When did I ever promise I’d tell you just because you kowtowed?” “You! You son of a bitch! I’ll kill you!” He lunged at me, his face contorted with rage through the iron bars, as if he wanted to tear my flesh with his teeth. I burst into laughter. Detective Miller couldn’t stand it. He tapped his baton against the bars, warning me. I stopped laughing and told Detective Miller, “Agree to one more thing, and I’ll tell you exactly where the child is.” Detective Miller’s face was grim. “Don’t waste our police resources and time. We don’t have time to play games with you. No matter how much you stall, you can’t change your death sentence!” I shrugged. “Fine by me. Then the child can join me in the grave.” “No, no, no! Detective Miller, agree to his terms! My son can’t be harmed!” Milo grabbed Detective Miller’s pant leg, snot and tears streaming down his face.

“I want you to investigate the truth behind the death of a little girl named Lily Arthur, who died on the train tracks ten years ago.” Detective Miller’s sharp eyes narrowed. “Arthur? What’s your connection to this girl?” “She was my daughter.” I closed my eyes, a vivid image of the little girl’s innocent smile appearing in my mind. Our conversation was still live-streamed. After hearing my daughter’s name, online users immediately started researching what happened back then. Lily’s death had even made the news. Reports stated that a six-year-old girl, unsupervised, wandered onto the train tracks and was crushed by a speeding train. Over a dozen trains. Her small body was pulverized into the damp earth, her blood painting the tracks with a thick layer of crimson rust. I still remember that day. Seeing Lily’s mutilated remains, my hair turned white overnight. I spent a week, from dawn till dusk, slowly searching for Lily along those tracks. A tiny finger, a fragment of liver… Each time I found a piece, I felt both a surge of joy and overwhelming sorrow. My Lily was the prettiest little girl; I couldn’t let her leave incomplete. But a large part of my Lily was still missing. My Lily was so obedient. After school, she’d dutifully wait by the school gates for her dad to pick her up. But that day, someone lured her away. Detective Miller, following my lead, reopened the investigation. The case had originally been classified as a tragic accident caused by a child’s mischievous play. He initially only gave the files a perfunctory glance, but unexpectedly, he discovered inconsistencies. The railway surveillance only showed snippets of Lily being run over by the train, but there was no footage of her arrival. He exerted considerable effort trying to locate the surveillance footage from the first train that hit Lily ten years ago, but too much time had passed. That specific train had even been decommissioned by higher-ups who deemed it ‘unlucky’ after the incident. But any intelligent person could connect the dots: Lily’s death had to be linked to the Hayes family. This provided a clear motive for my revenge against them. While the police were bogged down with endless applications and procedures just to get information, skilled hackers among the online community had already uncovered crucial clues. The hackers and the police approached the investigation from different angles. The hackers started by looking into Lily’s school, using big data to sift through surveillance footage from around the school ten years ago, pinpointing clips that showed Lily’s face. Finally, they found a blurry video. In it, three or four teenage boys were leading six-year-old Lily towards a secluded area. The hackers used advanced techniques to enhance the faces, and one of the boys bore a striking resemblance to Milo Hayes. Once the video was released, it ignited a firestorm online. [I *knew* Arthur had a grudge against the Hayes family! Otherwise, why would he be so brutal?] [Holy crap! So Milo led the little girl onto the tracks? He’s responsible for her death, indirectly, right?] [Then Arthur’s revenge against the Hayes family makes sense. But why kill the others? Milo was the one involved!] [But it’s been so long, and Milo wasn’t even an adult back then. He didn’t directly kill the little girl. The chances of him being sentenced are slim, right?] [I guess that’s why Arthur cut off his legs.] Milo, who had just returned to the hospital, was cuffed by police who had seen the video and ‘invited’ him back to the station.

“Milo, can you explain why you took Lily?” I stood outside the one-way glass, gazing at the pale Milo. The officers guarding me couldn’t help but cast pitying glances my way. Milo’s eyes darted nervously. “I-I was just playing a prank, that’s all! It was so long ago, and besides, I didn’t kill her…” BANG! The interrogating officer slammed his hand on the table, making Milo jump. “Was it *really* just a prank?” Milo tried to regain some composure. “Of course! I was just a kid back then, didn’t know any better. If I’d known this would happen, I’d never have done it, not even if you killed me!” The officer sneered, slamming several printed SnapChat group logs onto the table in front of him. “Then explain *this* group chat, will you?” Milo stiffly lowered his head. When he saw the chat logs, he started trembling uncontrollably. “N-no, this isn’t me! You’ve got it wrong… You’ve got it all wrong!” Never underestimate the power of internet sleuths. They will go to any length to uncover the truth. They dug up Milo’s entire life history, from childhood, even exposing his school bullying and academic fraud. Someone even hacked into Milo’s account and unearthed a SnapChat group he’d long since left, buried deep in his archives. A [CANNIBAL] group! I didn’t know what a [CANNIBAL] group meant. I turned my bewildered gaze to the officer beside me, my voice hoarse. “Officer, what… what does a [CANNIBAL] group mean?” The young officer kept his head down, avoiding my eyes. I gripped his arm tightly, my handcuffs rattling. With tears in my eyes, I asked him, word for agonizing word, “Tell me. What does that mean?” The officer’s voice was barely a whisper. “Some people have a condition called pica, where they crave non-food items like dirt or paint chips. And then there are others…” He paused, then continued, “…who crave human flesh.” Tears streamed down my face. A chilling answer began to form in my mind. “So, what does this have to do with my daughter’s death?” “You said your daughter’s body was missing a part. That part… was eaten by them.” The hackers… The group they found had remained active for ten years, never disbanding. It contained a chilling archive of cannibalistic videos. And ten years prior, a few young teenagers, driven by morbid curiosity, joined this ‘cannibal’ group.

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The night of my 18th birthday celebration, my sister, Isabelle, disguised as me, slipped into my boyfriend Alex’s bed. Lost in the haze of passion, Alex, still just a young man, sensed something was off. His face contorted with pure disgust as he ordered her to get out. At 22, on my wedding day, Isabelle arrived in a wedding dress, loudly inviting Alex to elope with her. Alex calmly instructed security to escort her out, but I saw a flicker of raw emotion in his eyes. At 23, when I was holding my positive pregnancy test, my heart swelling with joy, Isabelle stepped in front of Alex, taking a blade meant for him from some business rivals. The blow damaged her spine, leaving her unable to dance ever again. By her hospital bed, Alex gently kissed Isabelle’s hand, promising to take care of her for the rest of his life. Later, I quietly ended my pregnancy and filed for divorce. Alex’s eyes were filled with guilt, but he eventually signed the divorce papers. “I’m sorry, Chloe. Isabelle only has me.” At 25, I returned for his and Isabelle’s wedding, a dazzling diamond ring sparkling on my finger. Alex, his eyes bloodshot, cornered me. “Don’t find a fake just to spite me. This ring was designed by Ayu, known as ‘The Divine Pen,’ for his wife. How could it be on your hand?” “Guess why he’s called Ayu?”

The Miller family and the Dubois family were set to join in marriage. In the engagement photos released, my sister, Isabelle Dubois, wore a radiant smile, while my ex-husband, Alex Miller, looked at her with doting affection. Actually, this was the second time they’d been photographed together in wedding attire. The first time was at my own wedding. Alex stood by my side in his groom’s suit, while Isabelle, in a wedding dress, stood opposite me. She smiled brightly, extending a hand to my husband. “Alex, will you elope with me?” My wedding ended abruptly and messily, but their story had just begun, painted in bold, dramatic strokes. Back then, Alex had the security escort her out. Now, after all that back and forth, they were finally together. Some busybody dug up old photos from my wedding, capturing the scene of two women fighting over one man: “If I were Chloe Dubois, I wouldn’t even dare to show my face back at the Dubois family home. She wasted a loving couple’s time for years.” “Isabelle Dubois is just too kind-hearted, still caring about her sister. She even specially invited her back for the wedding.” “Isabelle Dubois is still too naive. Isn’t she afraid Chloe Dubois still harbors feelings for Alex? Especially now that Alex Miller is the head of the Miller family; so many people want to cling to him.” It seemed everyone sided with Isabelle Dubois. My name is Chloe Dubois. But my sister’s name is Isabelle Dubois. It was clear that Isabelle was the family’s precious gem, the apple of their eye. And I was the one blamed for my mother’s death during childbirth. When registering my name, my father casually pointed to a random name on the registration desk’s list – Chloe. The clerk paused, a hint of pity in her eyes. And so, I was named Chloe. My name could be changed, but my family’s affections never would. From childhood, anything Isabelle wanted, she eventually got. And anything that was mine, Isabelle wanted. Alex was an exception. Despite Isabelle’s endless attempts to lure him away, Alex remained unmoved, steadfastly choosing me. For Isabelle’s sake, my father even stooped so low as to beg Alex. “The Dubois family will be inherited by Isabelle. If you choose Isabelle, the Dubois family is willing to give up fifty percent of its profits.” Alex tightly gripped my trembling hand, his voice firm and resolute. “Mr. Dubois, my marriage is not a commodity. My alliance with the Dubois family is solely because I love Chloe.” After the wedding, due to Isabelle’s outrageous behavior, many families interested in her backed out. My father, fearing Isabelle’s sadness, sent her to London to study dance. I once thought I was lucky, having stubbornly grown for years, finally chosen decisively by someone. However, the time when passion fades is when the real test begins. It was another thick, sultry night. Alex’s voice was hoarse as he coaxed me for another round, his hot breath caressing my collarbone. A special notification sound rang out. Alex froze for a moment, glancing quickly at his phone. Then, the ravenous beast of a man transformed back into the polished, suited professional. He kissed the sweat from my forehead. “There’s a problem with business in the city. I need to go check it out.” After Alex left, I idly flipped through the books on the shelf. It felt like destiny. A book from the very top shelf, which I usually couldn’t reach, just happened to fall, revealing the corner of a photo tucked inside. I pulled it out casually, and froze. It was a photo from my wedding with Alex. But the main subject in the picture was Isabelle, her hand outstretched dramatically towards Alex. The photo looked like it had been repeatedly caressed, its edges already frayed. On the back of the photo was Alex’s bold, flourishing script: “Maybe I’ll never find love this raw and passionate again.” Clutching the photo that weighed a ton in my hands, I called Alex. His voice was as gentle as ever. “Chloe, the weather in the city is very dry. My mouth is swollen from being overworked. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water at home, okay?” I said okay, then calmly hung up. Alex was lying. He didn’t notice, but in the background, Big Ben chimed. He was clearly in London. The city where Isabelle was. The day I decided to divorce him, Isabelle took a knife for Alex, blocking an attack from his enemies. That knife wound damaged her spine, leaving her lower body paralyzed. Isabelle could never dance again. When I rushed to the hospital, Alex was tightly holding Isabelle, sobbing and promising to take care of her for the rest of his life. Seeing me arrive, Isabelle deliberately hooked her arm around Alex’s neck, trying to kiss him. Alex saw me and frantically tried to pull away, but he couldn’t bring himself to push away Isabelle, whose eyes were brimming with tears. They kissed passionately, a long, silver thread of saliva stretching between their lips when they finally pulled apart. I turned to leave, but after only a few steps, the world spun around me. When I woke up again, the nurse chided me disapprovingly. “You’re two months pregnant, and you still haven’t been eating properly. You fainted from low blood sugar. Luckily, you were at the hospital.” My mind went blank. I didn’t know how to face this tiny life. No matter what, Alex had to know. “Alex, we have a…” “Chloe, you’re too reckless.” Alex rushed in, his face full of disapproval. He didn’t even have the patience to let me finish a sentence, much less notice my pale face. My father, whom I hadn’t seen in ages, reached out to hit me. Alex stopped him, but my father pointed at me, spitting venom. “You curse! Your sister is already in that state, and you have the audacity to fake illness just to drag Alex away!” A chilling desolation settled deep in my soul. This was my family, my beloved. Perhaps seeing how truly awful I looked, Alex stopped my father’s tirade. “It’s alright, Dad. Isabelle needs someone there. We should go back quickly.” Watching them walk towards the door without a backward glance, I spoke again. “Wait.” This time, Alex frowned, a flash of impatience crossing his face. “Chloe, I’ll come back to see you in a bit.” “No need.” I spoke calmly. “Alex, let’s get a divorce.”

After getting the divorce certificate, I quietly ended my pregnancy alone. Taking the large portion of assets Alex had divided for me, I found a picturesque little town in Switzerland to recover. They found me an eyesore; two years passed, and not a single phone call came from my closest relatives. I was content with the peace and quiet. Until recently, when my sister called. “Chloe, Dad is seriously ill. Come back to see him one last time.” Dying? Well, that might be worth going back to enjoy the show. So, I boarded a flight home. When I arrived home, the dark, oppressive clouds hung very low, signaling an impending storm. As soon as I pushed open the door, my eyes fell on vivid red celebratory decorations. My father sat solemnly on the couch, his stern gaze sweeping over me. Isabelle seemed oblivious, clinging affectionately to my father’s arm, playfully coaxing him, and his usually strict gaze instantly softened with doting affection. I’d lived through such blatant favoritism for over a decade, and the pain had long since dulled. But clearly, he was perfectly healthy. “Father, I heard you were seriously ill?” I raised an eyebrow, smiling as I looked at my sister. “You brat!” A glass cup whizzed past my forehead, shattering into pieces. A sharp sting on my forehead, and I turned to leave. My sister seemed to react just then, quickly rolling her wheelchair to my side, affectionately grabbing my hand. She had changed so much. Before, she was always arrogant and overbearing with me. Now, she appeared much calmer on the surface, but her eyes held a hint of deranged madness and a sick obsession. I guessed that being unable to dance ever again was a huge blow to her. After all, once, simply because a dance teacher praised my talent, she secretly scattered marbles on the stairs. Luckily, someone discovered Isabelle’s actions and warned me. But I still followed Isabelle’s unspoken wish and fell. I controlled my fall, making it not too light, not too heavy, but pretending it was very serious. I missed the chance to participate in the dance competition. From then on, I deliberately hid my talents, choosing to be Isabelle’s shadow. How could such a fiercely competitive person like her endure needing help even with basic bodily functions? My sister forced a gentle smile. “Chloe, on such a joyous day, what silly things are you saying?” At this point, there was nothing I didn’t understand. They had tricked me into coming back to witness Alex and Isabelle’s wedding. Meeting my sister’s hidden smugness and challenging gaze, I replied calmly and sincerely, “Then, congratulations to you both in advance, sister and brother-in-law. May you have a hundred years of harmony and many children.” Isabelle’s challenging smile froze on her lips. The person who had just opened the door and stepped in paused, his steps faltering for a moment. “Alex!” My sister called out cheerfully. Two years had softened Alex’s youthful sharp edges, adding a newfound tenderness. He walked past me, his hands behind his back, and knelt in front of Isabelle’s wheelchair. His familiar voice carried a doting tone I’d never heard before. “Guess what today is?” My sister chirped with delight and pride. “I smell it! It’s jasmine!” Alex took the jasmine flowers he’d hidden behind his back and placed them in Isabelle’s arms. He seemed to notice me only then, giving me a polite nod. “Chloe’s back.” We just looked at each other, and I smiled and nodded. Isabelle linked her arm through Alex’s and enthusiastically invited me, “My wedding is next week. Why don’t you stay here at home until then?” “No need.” I refused directly. Isabelle immediately looked wronged, her eyes filling with tears. “Chloe, are you still mad at me and Alex for being together…?” Seeing my sister cry, Alex frowned at me. It was clearly a warning, yet his eyes held a mix of curiosity and secret delight. “Don’t worry, brother-in-law is just brother-in-law. I’ll attend the wedding.” Alex’s lips tightened into a thin line, and Isabelle’s face was a picture, like she’d just swallowed a lemon. It was strange. I was doing exactly what they wanted, yet the two in front of me looked unhappy. But soon, it was my turn to be unhappy. As I prepared to leave, the dark, oppressive clouds finally unleashed a torrential downpour. The rain was too fierce; I had no choice but to stay the night. At dinner, facing a group of truly sickening faces, I had no appetite. At night, I tried to force myself to sleep, but my stomach rumbled like thunder, protesting. Creeping into the kitchen in the dark to find something to eat, I accidentally knocked over a glass. Before it could fall, a large hand with prominent knuckles caught the cup mid-air. Alex remained in his forward-leaning posture, catching the cup, trapping me between him and the counter. His voice was slightly hoarse. “How can I be at ease when you take such poor care of yourself?” Closer now, he saw the wound on my forehead. “Does it hurt?” He reached out to touch it, but I pulled away. A fleeting flicker of pain crossed his eyes, and Alex’s voice held a dangerous edge. “Did he hit you again?” “It has nothing to do with you.” “How can it have nothing to do with me!” I looked directly into Alex’s eyes, watching his agitated emotions cool inch by inch under my steady gaze. “I apologize. I was worried Isabelle might overthink things earlier, but I still want to ask you, how have the past few years been for you?” “Without you, I naturally haven’t been able to sleep, my heart ripped to shreds.” As Alex looked on in shock, I grabbed his tie, pulling him towards me. “Satisfied with that answer?” “Brother-in-law.” Ignoring the now petrified Alex, I turned and went upstairs. Only when I was safely tucked into the soft bed did I finally let out a long breath. His distressed expression when he saw my injury didn’t seem feigned, just like the young man who, years ago, would furiously lash out for me whenever he saw me hurt. Alex had been mature beyond his years, yet his first act of rebellion was hitting my father. Although the Miller family was more powerful than the Dubois family, my father was still an elder. That time, Alex was pressured by his own father to apologize, and though the cane lashed fiercely against him, he bit his lip and didn’t utter a sound. Later, as I cried while applying ointment to his bloody, bruised back, my tears falling onto him, he could still smile and wipe away my tears, saying it was worth it. But nothing lasts, not even the purest joy of young love.

At five in the morning, everyone in the Dubois family mansion was awakened by a violent knocking at the door. I looked down from my second-floor window. A long convoy of cars almost surrounded the mansion. A team of well-trained men in black suits and sunglasses emerged from the vehicles. I leisurely sipped my tea to perk up, knowing it had nothing to do with me anyway. Until I saw the person who stepped out of the lead car. I choked on my tea. Oh, crap! Just as I was about to hide behind the curtains, I met a pair of charming eyes that crinkled with amusement. I dragged my luggage and scrambled downstairs. Halfway down, Alex grabbed my arm. “Something’s not right outside. Don’t run around.” Before he finished speaking, the door swung open. Julian Thorne wore a mask, his hat brim pulled low, revealing only a pair of slightly narrowed, alluring eyes. As soon as he stepped inside, he saw Alex and me wrestling, and the curve of his eyes deepened. The angrier this man got, the brighter his smile became. A shiver ran down my spine. I shook off Alex’s hand and practically launched myself into Julian’s embrace. “You were in such a hurry to see me?” “My wife just returned to the country and immediately met up with her ex-husband. Who wouldn’t be in a hurry?” A wave of guilt washed over me, silencing my retort. Alex’s voice, thick with suppressed anger, broke the silence. “Chloe, who is he?” Julian raised an eyebrow, giving Alex a sidelong glance. “Clearly, the current one.” Alex was about to say more when the sound of a wheelchair rolling broke through. Isabelle laughed lightly, covering her mouth. “How thoughtful of Chloe to hire actors overnight for our entertainment. It really is quite amusing.” Alex’s tense expression relaxed, a “I knew it” look crossing his face. “Tch.” Julian couldn’t help but chuckle. The next second, he saw the red swelling on my forehead, and his smile froze. “Acting, huh? I like it.” Julian crooked a finger, and a swarm of bodyguards surged forward. “Next up, we’re going to demonstrate how to teach these rotten relatives a painful lesson.” In the ensuing chaos, Julian swept me up with one arm and turned to leave. I hooked my arms around his neck. “Quite the dramatic entrance.” “Hmph, I was in such a rush to catch you, I didn’t even bother with much fanfare.” “Oh, poor you,” I teased.

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I was Julian’s Nine-Tailed Kitsune slave, his kept woman – fragile, obedient, and compliant with his every demand. Everyone thought I was madly in love with him. Then came the day of his engagement party, when he planned to send me back to the Beastkin Containment Facility. “My fiancée can’t stand the sight of dirty things like you. Be a good girl, I’ll visit you later.” I cried my eyes out in front of him, then turned around, shifted into my true form, and burrowed my large tail right into his best friend’s arms. Much later, Julian regretted it, thinking he could give me a chance to tempt him again. But by then, I was already in Arthur’s bed. The man, usually so composed, had eyes blazing red with urgency. His pale fingers fumbled shyly with my white shirt. “Just let me touch your tail, please. I’m begging you.” … It was an ordinary evening when I found out Julian was getting engaged to Chloe, the heiress of the Sterling family. He was lounging in his bathrobe, a cigarette between his fingers, his face still holding a hint of lingering satisfaction. “You should pack your things these next couple of days. I’ll have someone send you back to the Beastkin Containment Facility.” My heart sank. I clung to his arm, delicate and sweet, my voice laced with a tempting purr. “Did I do something wrong?” His gaze swept over my body, indifferent, as if stating the most mundane fact. “I’m getting engaged.” “Chloe is pure and innocent; she can’t tolerate dirty things like you. Be a good girl, and I’ll visit you later.” His words felt like a chokehold, suffocating me, tears threatening to spill. But meeting Julian’s dismissive stare, I swallowed them back. Julian hated weepy women. I had no right to cry in front of him, especially since I was just his kept Beastkin slave. Still, I couldn’t accept it. I’d gone through so much to escape that place and cling to him. For five years, I’d been utterly compliant, hoping for freedom one day. I lifted my wet eyes. “But Willow can’t leave Mr. Julian. You could keep Willow outside, or… release my indenture contract. I’ll go far away, I promise not to bother Ms. Chloe.” He didn’t respond, just blew out a smoke ring, his eyes distant. “Go wash up.” I rose, quiet and obedient, not daring to let the tears fall until I was safely in the bathroom. I was Julian’s indentured Beastkin, considered lower than a mistress in the eyes of the world. In this world, Beastkin are born inferior. Some people with specific preferences keep a portion of Beastkin as slaves for the wealthy to choose from. The Beastkin Containment Facility is where these Beastkin are bred. Rules there are strict, and Beastkin are treated no differently than commodities. I’d been with Julian for five years, assuming he’d release my bond when he married, granting me my freedom. I never imagined that the first thing he’d do after his engagement was send me back to that hell. I hated that place, but unless a human was willing to buy me and set me free, I had no options. Seeing my tear-reddened eyes, a flicker of secret triumph crossed Julian’s gaze. He spoke, as if granting a reward. “I have a reception tomorrow. You can come with me.” Our Nine-Tailed Kitsune tribe is naturally beautiful. Whenever I accompanied Julian, different men would always stare at me with awestruck eyes. Before, I never cared, but today was different. My eyes darted around, assessing the men in the room. Married men were out. Men who wouldn’t dare offend Julian were out. Unattractive men were out. Finally, only two viable targets remained: one was Julian’s best friend, Arthur. But he was known for his impeccable character, a paragon of virtue who maintained strict personal boundaries. He’d never be interested in someone like me, and might even tell Julian. The other was Dorian, Julian’s sworn enemy. Since they had a feud, seducing him would be twice as effective. Even an idiot would know who to choose. I picked up a glass of red wine and, while Julian was chatting with someone else, discreetly made my way toward Dorian. He was leaning against the railing, practically radiating “do not approach.” Men like that are the easiest to hook. I’d just get close, pretend to accidentally spill red wine all over myself. I slowly approached him, mentally rehearsing the script a hundred times. But just then, I was bumped hard. The wine glass flew from my hand, the red wine splashing entirely onto the white suit in front of me. The room went silent for a moment. Arthur looked down at his stained suit. His excellent upbringing kept him calm and gentle even now. “Ms. Willow, you’ve soiled my suit.” I hadn’t expected this. I stepped back, testing the waters. “So, do you want Julian to pay for it?” His eyes lowered slightly, a gentle smile curving his rosy lips. “That won’t be necessary. Your dress is stained too. Let’s go upstairs and change.” Only then did I notice the red wine on my own dress. I had no choice but to follow him upstairs. I deliberately lingered in the room for a long time, assuming he would have left. When I finally opened the door, I found myself face to face with him. “What a coincidence.” He had changed into a gray suit. Under the bright lights, the clean lines highlighted his lean, strong waist. I didn’t want to talk to him. I mumbled a few perfunctory words and descended the stairs, one step behind him. As soon as I reached the bottom, I headed straight for Dorian. I was confident that with my looks and Dorian’s terrible relationship with Julian, I could make something happen with just one move. I composed myself, putting on an innocent, harmless facade, and walked toward where Dorian had been standing, only to find the railing deserted. Arthur came up from behind me, swirling his wine glass, his expression mild. A fleeting smile seemed to flash in his dark eyes. “Are you looking for Dorian?” “He had an emergency and just left.” My hopes completely deflated. I hung my head dejectedly. I really didn’t want to go back to that place. My gaze shifted, landing on Arthur beside me.

I shifted, then turned back to him with a innocent smile. “No, why would I be looking for him?” “I just thought the view here was nice, and quiet.” “Do you like it here too, Mr. Arthur?” He adjusted his shirt, looking around as if unsure what was so appealing about the corner of a staircase. “I think the people are more beautiful.” “Huh?” I was taken aback, then followed his gaze to the crowd in the main hall. Julian was among them, holding the hand of a girl in a white dress, protectively cradling her. Unlike the perpetually cold and arrogant expression he always wore for me, he was melting with tenderness. I secretly scoffed, realizing this must be the young Sterling heiress. She was indeed very different. Unlike my feigned innocence, she exuded a pure, untouched cleanliness, like someone raised in a crystal vase, shielded from the world by money. I lowered the corners of my mouth in self-derision. Someone like me, who had to struggle and roll in the dirt to survive, probably didn’t even have the right to envy her. After watching for a long time, I finally tore my eyes away, feeling a bitter ache. Arthur shrugged. “Looks like he won’t be taking you home tonight. I’ll drive you.” Under the bright crystal chandelier, his smile was clean, like an easy mark. I smiled. “Alright, that would be helpful.” Unlike Julian’s coldness and cruelty, Arthur’s chivalry seemed ingrained in his very being. He gently opened the car door for me. Noticing my nose reddened by the cold wind, he took off his jacket and draped it over my shoulders. A soft woody scent enveloped me. As I buckled my seatbelt, I subtly brushed against his arm, feigning an accident. He didn’t react. I wiggled my hips slightly, then spoke in a soft, quiet voice. “It’s so late, and going upstairs alone can be a little scary.” He gripped the steering wheel, not even glancing at me. “I’ll drop you off downstairs and wait until you’re upstairs before leaving. The lights are on, there’s nothing to be scared of.” I fell silent. The car was about to pull into my apartment complex, and all the tricks I’d learned to seduce people failed me. I couldn’t think of anything suitable. I sighed inwardly. Fine, I’d just have to find a way to approach Dorian another day. Suddenly, the smoothly driving car screeched to a halt at the side of the road. Arthur’s face was flushed, his breathing rapid. He leaned against the steering wheel, struggling, as if hit by a sudden illness. I gasped, forgetting all about seduction. I quickly leaned over. “What’s wrong? Do you have any emergency medicine in the car? Should I call your assistant or 911?” He seemed to be in immense pain, his voice trembling slightly. “No need. They can’t help.” I grew even more frantic. If something happened to him while he was with me, I didn’t know how many people would want to skin me alive. “Then what do we do?” He lifted his head, the corners of his eyes red. He seemed to be struggling with something difficult to confess, hesitating for a long time before finally speaking. “This is a psychological trauma from my childhood… I need something to soothe it.” “If… if it’s okay, could I… touch your tail?” I froze. He seemed equally embarrassed. “I know it’s a huge imposition, but my condition is very particular…” “I… forget it… just let me suffer… it’ll pass in a bit…” He lowered his head, gasping with difficulty, as if he was about to collapse. After a moment of hesitation, I released my tail from behind me. In the human world, I was always careful to hide these Beastkin features. To humans, they were symbols of our otherness. Julian particularly hated my tail; I never dared to show it in front of him. But on Arthur’s face, I saw no disgust. He stared at my fluffy, large tail, his eyes even showing a hint of pathological craving. “Can I?”

With my permission, he immediately wrapped his arms around it, burying his face in the soft fur. The snowy white fluff brushed against his face, and he let out a comfortable sigh. His hand stroked my tail tip, slowly moving downwards. A shiver ran from my tailbone up my spine, then spread through my entire body. With each movement of his fingers, I couldn’t help but blush, and my fox ears uncontrollably popped out from the top of my head. I felt a little embarrassed. When he buried his face in my tail for the third time, I couldn’t help but ask softly, “Are you feeling better?” “Much better.” He wiped his face and released my tail, sitting up straight as if nothing had happened. Only his ears remained bright red. I finally managed to compose myself and retract my tail. But then he held out two snowy white strands of fur to me. “I’m sorry, I accidentally pulled these out just now.” I didn’t understand what he meant, and hesitated before replying, “No, it’s… it’s okay?” He cleared his throat. “This condition of mine usually comes on suddenly, and for so many years, I haven’t found any effective way to relieve it. I heard Julian is sending you back… could you stay with me?” “Huh?” I was stunned, never imagining things would turn out this way. On his face, he seemed to feign a certain nonchalance, adjusting his clothes, putting on the air of a perfect gentleman. “Don’t misunderstand, it’s just that my condition is quite peculiar. I’ve tried many things, but nothing makes me as comfortable as you just did… I’m not that kind of person; I don’t mean to do anything to you.” His earnest expression looked exceptionally gentle in the moonlight. I nodded demurely. “Then you can send me back first. When Julian sends me back in a few days, you can come pick me up.” He smiled. “Didn’t you just say you were scared because it’s dark? Don’t go back then. You’ll be coming with me anyway. I’ll just tell him to bring the paperwork over.” With that, he picked up his phone and called Julian. Julian’s voice on the phone held a hint of laughter, seeming very pleased. When he heard I was in Arthur’s car, he chuckled. “Perfect! I’m going to be with Chloe these next few days. You can handle her for me.” “I was wondering what to do with such a big nuisance. You truly are my best friend. I’ll have someone send you the paperwork right away. You can help me send her back.” I sat beside him, the voice from the phone clearly audible in my ears. Arthur’s face changed. He carefully watched my expression. “Willow has been with you for so many years; this is a bit too… humiliating.” Julian’s voice was nonchalant. “You don’t understand, Beastkin like her are cheap. She’s desperately in love with me. What’s wrong with me sending her back?” “Later, when I have time, I’ll go see her, and she’ll still come crawling back.” “Alright, alright, I’m busy setting up the proposal venue for Chloe. Just deal with it.” As Julian hung up, the car fell silent. Arthur looked at me cautiously, as if apologizing for his friend’s words. “Julian, he… he just has that kind of temper.” But I didn’t feel as humiliated as I expected. Hadn’t I known this all along?

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My own sister tricked me into choosing a fox as my Beast-kin mate. I tore off my arm for him, plucking rare herbs to help him grow his nine tails. Yet, at the most crucial moment, when I was about to claim victory in the trials, he betrayed me. He personally pushed me into a fiery abyss, all to help my sister seize the Clan Leader’s position. But then, my eyes snapped open. I was back. Reborn to the very day I had to choose my Beast-kin. Kaelen, the fox, looked at me with yearning, his eyes wide and hopeful. Under his expectant gaze, I pointed to the small, unnoticed wolf standing quietly in the corner. “I want him!” Kaelen instantly crumbled, clinging desperately to my leg. “Please, take me with you!” The little wolf, Ryker, kicked him away. “She’s mine! Don’t you dare try to snatch her!” In our Clan, the women hold all the power. Women can have multiple partners and attendants, but their primary mate must always be a Beast-kin. So, once a girl turns eighteen, she must choose a Beast-kin to be her lifelong companion. Today was the big day. Mom was taking my sister, Valerie, and me to choose our Beast-kin. The arena buzzed with excitement. A spectacular Beast-kin challenge was in full swing. On the platform, a magnificent Leopard Beast-kin, massive and imposing, had won eight matches in a row, unchallenged. Below, the crowd roared with cheers, and girls showered him with flowers, tossing them onto the stage. Valerie immediately set her heart on that formidable, awe-inspiring Leopard Beast-kin. But I was the older sister, and according to tradition, I was supposed to choose first. “The Leopard is my lucky spirit beast, Mom! He’s perfect for me! I want him!” Before I could even speak, Valerie threw her arms around Mom’s arm, whining and trying to charm her. In my previous life, to prevent me from picking the strongest Beast-kin, she’d tricked me, poisoning me with a potent sedative. I never even made it to the arena, too incapacitated to choose a Beast-kin. This time, I’d poured out that spiked bird’s nest soup. Valerie knew I might pick the strongest, so she’d tried to get ahead of me. Mom, doting on Valerie, patted her hand. Then she turned to me, her voice brooking no argument. “Cassandra, the Leopard isn’t right for you. Since Valerie likes him so much, just let her have him!” Valerie’s father was Mom’s favorite partner, and her favoritism for him spilled over to Valerie, making her the darling of Mom’s heart. My own father, though he was Mom’s primary mate, was aloof and proud, never one to curry favor with her. Three years ago, he’d fallen ill and passed away. Mom had always been biased, but now it was a blatant display of favoritism.

I paused for a moment, then nodded. “If Valerie likes him, then I’ll follow Mom’s wishes. She can have him.” They hadn’t expected me to agree so quickly. Delighted, they eagerly started helping me choose my Beast-kin husband. Mom, as the Clan Leader, gave an order, and a parade of handsome, exceptional Beast-kin males were presented before me. “Cassandra, this is the last group. What kind do you even like?” Mom was starting to get impatient, seeing me take so long to choose. Valerie, ever eager, chimed in. “Sister, that fox Beast-kin is so handsome! His perfect face makes my heart flutter. If I didn’t have my Leopard, I’d definitely pick him!” Kaelen exchanged a complex glance with Valerie, then his eyes, burning with expectation, turned to me. Under his hopeful gaze, I calmly pointed to the frail-looking young Beast-kin standing on the very edge. “I want him!” The young Beast-kin had a tall, slender build. He’d just come down from the arena, still covered in wounds, looking utterly worn out. But when he looked up and saw me, his beautiful eyes instantly lit up. Kaelen’s pupils dilated. A mix of hurt and disbelief plastered across his face, as if silently asking why I no longer wanted him. In my past life, I’d always been a sucker for good looks, utterly defenseless against handsome men. So, after Valerie’s schemes led to my unexpected bond with Kaelen, I chose him as my sole Beast-kin mate. I loved him, I gave him my everything, my whole heart. Anything he desired, I’d move heaven and earth to get for him. He was a six-tailed fox, desperate to become a nine-tailed fox. To help him achieve his dream, I went to the sacred Spirit Peaks to gather mystical herbs. The guardian beasts there bit off my arm. After he got the herbs and grew his nine tails, he tearfully embraced me, swearing I was the one who loved him most in the world, promising to never leave my side. But what was the result? When Valerie and I entered the trial dungeon, competing for the Clan Leader position, he actually betrayed me, pushing me into a fiery abyss, a point of no return. Only as I died did I understand: Valerie had always been the ‘one true love’ of his life. He hated me for claiming him, for keeping him from her. I struggled in agony in the inferno. He just watched me coldly, unmoved. Then, he turned and walked straight into Valerie’s embrace. This time, I wanted a man fiercely loyal to me, no matter what. I would reclaim what was rightfully mine — the Clan Leader position! And I would make them all pay the price they deserved!

At that moment, Mom looked worried. “Choosing a Beast-kin means choosing someone to face life and death with, to go through trials with. This wolf is too weak, Cassandra. Are you sure you want him?” “Sister, you should still choose the fox! He’s a six-tailed fox, much stronger than that wolf Beast-kin!” Valerie pushed for Kaelen. This made me seriously suspect they’d already conspired, waiting for me to fall into their trap. Mom was the Cloud Clan Leader, and Valerie and I, as heir candidates, had to enter the Clan Leader assessment dungeon with our Beast-kin. That dungeon was treacherous and dangerous; most who entered never returned. Only by successfully navigating it and retrieving the Clan Leader’s Staff could one inherit the position. So, powerful and mighty Beast-kin were hot commodities. They thought the wolf Beast-kin I chose was useless! But the truth was, only I knew he was hiding his true strength, how incredibly powerful he actually was! He was the infamous Beast-kin, Ryker, who later unified the entire Beast-kin tribes. Yet, for me, he’d torn up the Beast-kin and Cloud Clan marriage treaty and used all his spiritual power to destroy the Cloud Clan’s sacrificial altar, just to give me a chance at rebirth. In my memories, Ryker and I had never crossed paths. I didn’t understand why he would sacrifice so much for me. So, this time, I chose him. Not only to repay his kindness, but also to unravel the mysteries in my heart. “Wolves have only one mate for life. I only like loyal men.” Seeing my firm stance, ready to leave with Ryker, Kaelen desperately grabbed my arm. “He’s the weakest of all the Beast-kin! He was just brought in to fill a spot, he’s practically dying! Why do you want him? Choose me, I’ll be loyal to you!” Loyal to me? That was the funniest joke I’d ever heard. “Get lost! I hate foxes!” He scrambled up and hugged my leg, his posture incredibly pathetic. “I’ll do anything you want, just don’t leave me! I can be a secondary…” “Valerie, he’s so devoted to you, why don’t you keep him?” High-ranking women in our Clan could have multiple partners. Mom even said if I was willing, she wouldn’t mind if I got another Beast-kin. If I hadn’t lived through the last life, I might have wavered. But now, I certainly wouldn’t invite a fox into my den to cause trouble again! Ryker watched Kaelen, his face growing darker and darker. Without a word, he kicked Kaelen away. “Good boy.” I playfully squeezed his smooth, pale cheek. He nervously turned his head, the tips of his ears flushing slightly.

With my careful nurturing, Ryker’s injuries healed completely. His spiritual power surged incredibly fast, and he grew stronger with each passing day. When we were alone, he’d often shift into his wolf form and play with me. When he got tired, he’d automatically transform into my soft, furry pillow. It was only later that I realized: whenever he was in human form, he’d blush uncontrollably around me. So, the sly guy just decided to stay in wolf form to avoid the awkwardness. What truly puzzled me was that Ryker, in this life, couldn’t speak for some reason. I guessed it was a heavenly punishment for helping me defy fate and change my destiny. To cure his muteness, I took him to countless doctors, but they all said it was incurable. The whole clan, hearing that my chosen Beast-kin was not only the weakest but also mute, secretly mocked me for my poor judgment. They guessed I’d never get the Clan Leader’s Staff and started flocking to Valerie, sucking up to her. I, however, enjoyed the peace and quiet. One afternoon in the garden. I leaned back against Ryker. I idly played with his fluffy ears while telling him the story of the scar on the back of my hand. His bright eyes misted over with a gentle haze as he tenderly licked the scar. His soft tongue felt like silk, tickling me deep inside. I couldn’t help but laugh, pushing his head away, telling him to stop licking. He seemed incredibly happy, rolling over and shifting into his human form. He held my hand, his gaze burning as he looked at me. “Oops, am I interrupting something?” Valerie walked over, a bright smile on her face. Seeing the sticky look in her eyes as she gazed at my Ryker, I sent Ryker away to fetch me a shawl. “Did you need something?” Valerie reluctantly pulled her gaze away. “I never would have guessed that little wolf no one wanted would turn out to be such a handsome man! Too bad he’s mute!” Seeing my face darken, she smirked slyly. “I have an East Sea Pearl here that can cure Ryker’s muteness. Do you want it, Sister?” Valerie snapped her fingers. Kaelen, holding a brocade box, walked over, his head bowed submissively. “Sister, Kaelen got this treasure for me, using every method he could, risking his life for it. He wants to serve in your household, and this is his welcome gift.” Legend had it that the East Sea Pearl was a rare treasure, capable of completely curing any kind of blindness, deafness, or muteness. 5

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I’m an embalmer, always dealing with the dead. But now, I’m battling a living ghost for my husband’s heart. My husband, Julian Sterling, fell in love with a dead woman. He’d make me breakfast in the morning and hold me in his arms at night, gently whispering ‘Harper.’ But I knew all his tenderness was separated by a chilling layer of ice. Because his heart had been buried with Eleanor, the love of his life, three years ago. Then I got pregnant. I held the pregnancy test results, hoping this baby could finally break through the ice between us. But Eleanor’s sister, Chloe Reed, threw a scalding hot liquid onto my stomach. “My brother-in-law said he’d never touch any woman but my sister.” Her smile twisted into something cruel. “Harper, your husband said he never touched you.” “Now tell me, whose bastard child is that?” I was putting the final touches on an eighty-year-old man’s appearance. His children cried their hearts out around him. My hands meticulously mended the traces left by life. In my eyes, death was never an end, but another beginning. “Lisa, today’s a priority case from the police department. Dr. Sam Miller is really pressing for it.” I was giving instructions. My phone rang. “Harper, are you off work? It’s our third wedding anniversary today. I ordered that ridiculously pricey French dessert from your favorite French restaurant.” Julian Sterling’s voice was as gentle as a spring breeze. My colleague, Lisa, peered over, her eyes full of envy. “Harper, your husband is so thoughtful! Three years married and he still remembers your anniversary. My guy forgot ages ago.” I hummed in response and hung up. Three years. He’d never forgotten a single important date. Birthdays, anniversaries, holidays. Every one was remembered perfectly, prepared impeccably. It was so perfect, it felt less like love and more like a pre-programmed routine. Back home, candlelight flickered in the living room. Julian Sterling, dressed in his loungewear, was arranging the table. There was my favorite red wine steak and that insanely expensive French dessert. “Rough day, Harper?” He walked over, took my bag, and kissed my forehead. “Do you like it?” He pulled out a velvet box from behind him. Inside lay a diamond necklace, sparkling under the light. It must have cost a fortune. “It’s beautiful,” I said honestly. It truly was beautiful, and truly expensive. Just like last year’s bracelet and the year before’s earrings. Julian Sterling personally fastened the necklace around my neck, his fingers gently brushing my skin. His movements were incredibly tender, yet his gaze drifted somewhere far away. I suddenly thought of the elderly man’s family from earlier today. They were crying out, “How could you bear to leave us?”

Dinner was quiet. Julian Sterling occasionally served me food, asking if work had been tiring. I responded mechanically, my mind drifting far away. Three years. Our conversations were always the same. Work, weather, health. Never about our feelings, never about our future. We were like two polite, distant roommates. Late at night, Julian Sterling held me as usual until he fell asleep, his breathing even. But I was wide awake. His body’s warmth felt alien, as if he were just a stranger lying beside me. Getting up for water in the living room, I suddenly stopped outside the study. A faint draft, carrying a stale scent of old perfume and dust, wafted from behind the heavy bookshelf. I’d lived in this house for three years and had never noticed such a current of air. I approached the bookshelf, tapping gently with my fingertips. Most of it was solid, but the third shelf on the right sounded hollow. Mimicking a scene from a movie, I pulled out that row of hardcover *History of Architecture* books. Sure enough, I found a subtle indentation on the inner wall. With a strong push, the bookshelf silently slid open, revealing a hidden room. Everything inside was frozen in time. Eleanor Reed’s favorite perfume sat on the vanity, her preferred floral bedspread covered the bed, and intimate photos of her and Julian Sterling hung on the wall. This room held no trace of me. I stood in this territory belonging to the ‘dead,’ suddenly feeling the silk pajamas Julian had bought me were nothing but a grotesque funeral shroud. “What are you doing?” Julian Sterling’s voice came from behind me. Gone was his usual tenderness, replaced by cold vigilance. I slowly turned, seeing him barefoot in the doorway, his eyes filled with a raw panic I’d never witnessed, and… a chilling flicker of murderous intent. It was the look of a wild animal whose territory had been violated. “This place,” he enunciated each word, his voice heavy with suppressed rage, “is not for you.” I looked at him and suddenly laughed, tears welling up in my eyes. For three years, it was the first time I’d seen such genuine emotion in his eyes. Not scripted affection, but real, unadulterated fury, ignited for another woman. “Julian Sterling,” I pointed at the photos in the room, “isn’t our home a little crowded?” “Let’s go. Back to bed.” Julian Sterling walked over and closed the secret room door. His hand gently stroked my back, guiding me back to the bedroom as usual. I quietly followed him back to bed. He wrapped his arms around me again, his chin resting on the top of my head. “Harper,” he murmured my name softly. Again and again. As if trying to hypnotize himself, or maybe even me. I closed my eyes, but sleep wouldn’t come. At that moment, I finally understood. The woman in his arms was never Harper Hayes. It was just a substitute with Eleanor Reed’s similar features. A living, breathing mannequin.

When I woke up that morning, my stomach was churning violently. I clung to the sink, dry-heaving for a long while. Julian Sterling knocked on the door from outside, concerned. “Harper, are you okay?” “I’m fine, probably ate something bad last night,” I wiped my mouth with a towel, my voice still weak. On the way to the hospital, I told myself it was just a normal stomach bug. But when the doctor handed me that pregnancy test report, my hand trembled uncontrollably. Pregnant. I sat on a hospital bench, staring at the report in my hand, my feelings a complicated mess. This tiny life arrived without warning, like a sudden light in the darkness. Perhaps, this was a turning point. No matter how lost Julian Sterling was in his longing for Eleanor, surely his own child would stir something in him? This child would make him re-examine our marriage, and me, his living wife. I carefully tucked the report into my bag. That afternoon, I took a taxi to Julian Sterling’s architecture firm. I imagined his reaction to the news – tension, surprise, then that unique sense of responsibility a man feels when he’s about to become a father. As the car pulled up to the company building, I saw a familiar figure leaning by the entrance. Chloe Reed. She was wearing a pale yellow dress, her makeup meticulously applied, looking down at her phone. Hearing footsteps, she looked up, her gaze visibly pausing when it swept over me. “Well, if it isn’t Harper Hayes.” Her voice held a clear edge of provocation. “Here to see my brother-in-law?” I didn’t want to engage, so I walked around her towards the building entrance. “Stop.” Chloe Reed caught up in a few steps, blocking my path. “I have something to say to you.” “I have nothing to say to you.” “Oh really?” She sneered, pulling out an ultrasound photo from her designer bag and slapping it directly onto my face. “Don’t play innocent, Harper.” Chloe Reed’s eyes turned vicious. “Harper, don’t think I don’t know what you’re trying to pull. Holding a pregnancy report, hoping this baby is your ticket to power?” My heart plummeted. She leaned closer, her voice a venomous whisper. “My brother-in-law swore to me, his body and heart belonged only to Eleanor, for life. He never even touched you.” “…Whose bastard child is that in your belly?” Those words plunged me into an abyss. If Julian Sterling had never touched me, then what was our intimacy every night? What was all that tenderness I thought was real? My hand trembled as I touched my lower abdomen, where a life was growing. At that moment, I couldn’t tell if I was losing my mind, or if my entire life was built on a massive lie. And this child, whose was it, really?

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Ever since I moved into my stepfather David’s house, he’d give me a glass of warm milk every night. After drinking it, I’d immediately fall into a deep sleep, only to dream of being tormented by two men. One time, I skipped the milk. Soon after I lay down, the door creaked open. The two men from my dreams appeared. “I’m tired of her being half-asleep. How about we try it with her wide awake tonight?” “What do you say, Rose?” “Rose, drink your milk and go to bed early.” As soon as I got home, David handed me a glass of warm milk, a slightly fawning look in his eyes. David was Mom’s new husband, only five years older than me. I worried Mom was being scammed, so I decided to spend some time getting to know him better. Mom had us move into David’s place. It was close to my office, which was convenient. But Mom’s job was far, so she only came over on weekends. I felt awkward being alone with David, but Mom insisted it was the only way to truly understand him. So, from Monday to Friday, it was just David and me. I finished my milk and went into my room, planning to read a bit. But I barely turned a few pages before drowsiness hit. I slumped onto the desk, drifting off to sleep. In my dream, a man’s hand wrapped around my waist from behind. Two fingers deftly undid my sleepwear, leaving me utterly vulnerable. “Open your mouth.” Another man’s deep voice guided me, close to my ear. At that moment, my throat felt incredibly dry, and I involuntarily opened my mouth. “Good girl, Rose. I’m really starting to like you more and more.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my reflection in the mirror. Two figures, one in front, one behind. I vaguely recognized one man wearing a suit, a silver ring on his finger. Bang! Bang! Bang! A knock on the door startled me awake. I opened my eyes in a daze. I was lying on my bed, still in my sleepwear. “Rose, are you up yet? You’ll be late for work!” It was David’s voice, urging me from outside the door. “Oh, right.” I mumbled, climbing out of bed. The bedsheets were tangled in a mess, and my body felt sticky, as if I’d sweated a lot. I quickly took a shower and headed to the office. During work, I couldn’t help but slack off, posting online about my recent dreams. Replies quickly flooded in. [LOL, OP, are you single? Get a boyfriend, and you won’t have dreams like that. Hehe, or maybe just go on a date?] [My dreams are way weirder. It’s fine, totally normal.] [Aw, sweetie, sounds like you’ve got a crush! Totally normal!] Seeing that I wasn’t the only one eased my mind. “Rose, let’s go to the meeting.” My manager, Brenda, tapped my desk. My eyes widened. “Me?” “Yes, you. What are you staring at? Come on!” Brenda said, striding towards the conference room. I scrambled to follow her. I’d only been interning at this company for less than a month. I hadn’t even touched a project, let alone attended a meeting. Usually, I just did odd jobs. Brenda suddenly taking me to a meeting made me a little panicked. When we reached the conference room, about twenty-something people were already seated. A moment later, two stern-faced men walked in. Brenda whispered in my ear, “Those are our company’s two bosses. The one with the blue tie is Mr. Julian, and the other is Mr. Marcus.” I’d heard colleagues privately discuss how both bosses were incredibly wealthy, handsome, and successful – the total package. But they rarely came to the office. Seeing them in person today still stunned me. They were both good-looking enough to be movie stars. As I was admiring them, Julian’s gaze suddenly swept over. I quickly averted my eyes, startled. That’s when I noticed the silver ring on Marcus’s finger. That ring… It seemed identical to the one worn by one of the men in my dream last night. And their builds, they were so similar to the two men in my dream! Julian’s voice, too, sounded just like the man who told me to open my mouth. But this was my first time seeing them. It had to be a coincidence. “Next, the colleagues whose names I call will be traveling with me to the branch office for a week, starting tomorrow.” “Rose…”

Hearing my name, I shot up, my face flushed with panic as I stared at Julian. Brenda pulled me back down, giving me a disgusted glance. “What are you so excited about? Traveling with the bosses isn’t always a good thing. Perform well, or you won’t even pass your internship.” I lowered my head, mortified. The branch office was in another city. Eleven colleagues were going, and when I arrived, they were already settled in the cars. Both vehicles were packed, and I was assigned to ride with the two bosses. How could something so awkward happen to me? The bosses’ car was an extended luxury van. When I got in, Julian and Marcus were seated on opposite sides. My toes were practically trying to dig through my shoes from the sheer awkwardness. Neither side felt comfortable. Couldn’t they just sit together and leave one side for me? Fine, I bit the bullet and sat in the closest seat, which was next to Marcus. The instant I sat down, I distinctly saw a smirk curl on Marcus’s lips. He even shot Julian a cocky, triumphant glance. Was I seeing things? I looked at Julian. He sat perfectly upright, one leg casually crossed, holding a glass of red wine. “It’s a long drive. Have some snacks, take a nap, and we’ll be there.” Marcus looked at me kindly, gesturing to the food on the small table beside him. I hadn’t had any dreams last night and slept incredibly soundly, which was why I almost overslept today. I hadn’t eaten breakfast either, so seeing the cream cake on the table, I couldn’t resist taking a small piece. Soon after eating, I felt drowsy. The extended van’s seats were incredibly soft, and I leaned back, falling asleep in no time. In a haze, I heard Marcus’s teasing voice. “Rose likes sweets, huh?” “But there’s so much cream left, don’t waste it…” In my dream, I dreamt that Julian and Marcus were feeding me cream, spoonful by spoonful, until my mouth was full… I don’t know how long I slept, but the driver woke me up. Julian and Marcus were gone, and the red wine and cream cake were nowhere to be found in the car. A sweet, cloying scent still lingered in the air. I looked out the window. The car had already arrived at the branch office building. Oh no. I must have overslept. As I started to get out, a damp, sticky feeling made my whole body shiver involuntarily. Damn it, I actually dreamt of eating cream with the two bosses. I wondered if I moved around in my sleep, or if I made any weird faces or sounds… These dreams were getting too frequent. Did I really need to find a boyfriend? My face burning, I pulled my luggage out of the car. I’d be staying in the company dorms for the week. There were fewer people at this branch, so everyone got their own private room, and the environment was pretty good. After putting down my luggage, I got a message from Brenda saying that Julian and Marcus’s personal assistants couldn’t make it, and I was to temporarily assist both of them. When I saw that message, a shiver ran down my spine. Thinking about my fantasies about them in the car, I immediately felt guilty. Soon, Julian called me, asking me to go with him to a business dinner that night. The destination was a Japanese restaurant. Our partner was a fifty-year-old man, and as soon as he walked in, his eyes ceaselessly scanned me. “Mr. Julian’s company truly has a lot of talent. I’d love to poach a few people from your firm if I get the chance.” “No can do. Let’s focus on our partnership, shall we?” Julian said as a server came in to pour tea. I caught a whiff of fragrant matcha and instinctively swallowed. “The wine here is excellent. Shall we eat and talk?” The middle-aged man said, raising his glass. Julian raised his too, glancing at me from the corner of his eye. Feeling a bit flustered, I quickly picked up my own glass. One glass of wine down, a burning sensation. I quickly took a gulp of tea to wash it down. *Ring! Ring!* My alarm clock jolted me awake. I rubbed my eyes, finding myself lying on the dorm bed. “Huh?” I pressed my head, but I couldn’t remember how I got back last night. But I seemed to have had *that kind* of dream again. This time, it was even crazier. I dreamt I was lying naked on a long table, my body arranged like a platter, adorned with food. “Caviar tastes best with a little body heat.” Julian’s deep, magnetic voice echoed in my ear. Then I felt something wet glide across my chest.

It was getting late, so I quickly pushed the absurd dream from my mind and got up to go to work. While waiting for the elevator, Julian walked up. “Good morning.” I greeted him awkwardly. He nodded, his expression cool. The elevator arrived, and we both stepped inside. In the confined space, he stood in front of me. My eyes fixed on his broad shoulders, and my mind couldn’t help but replay last night’s dream. It had felt so real, especially the sensation of skin against skin… “Oh, by the way, Mr. Julian, did I drink too much last night? I don’t remember anything. I didn’t cause any trouble, did I?” I asked softly. Julian turned his head, his dark eyes fixed on me. “It was quite troublesome, actually.” My heart immediately sank. “You drank too much last night and fell asleep on the table. I called a female colleague from the company to send you back to your dorm.” “However, I didn’t expect you to be so… articulate when drunk. Mr. Caldwell really enjoyed chatting with you. The contract was signed smoothly last night, and he even specifically invited us to his hot spring resort tonight. You should pack a swimsuit.” *Ding-dong.* Just as Julian finished speaking, the elevator doors opened. Before I could even process Julian’s words, my gaze met Marcus’s eyes outside the elevator. “Rose, come with me for a bit.” Marcus said, stepping into the elevator and pressing the first-floor button. Julian, who had just stepped out of the elevator, turned his head, a meaningful smile playing on his lips. My heart was doing acrobatics. I was articulate when drunk? “I heard you drank too much last night. Are you alright?” Marcus looked at me, a hint of tenderness in his eyes. “I’m fine, totally fine.” I quickly shook my head and replied. “Good then.” Marcus said, looking down at his phone. I didn’t say another word. I spent the whole day running around with Marcus, and I didn’t have time to buy a swimsuit. When we arrived at the hot spring resort in the evening, I had to pick one from the small shop at the front desk. But all the conservative styles were sold out, leaving only very revealing ones. Thinking that tonight would just be a casual hang-out, and I probably wouldn’t even run into the bosses, I casually chose a dark red swimsuit. After changing, I walked to the innermost pool. The lighting here was dim, and it was my favorite rose petal pool. Soaking in it felt incredibly comfortable. As I was closing my eyes to relax, I heard footsteps approaching. “Ma’am, remember to drink water to stay hydrated.” It was a server, bringing tea and fruit. I was thirsty, so I drank more than half a cup of water immediately. The cool, refreshing grapes also seemed especially sweet. This business trip was truly a treat. I had looked up the prices for this hot spring resort online; a single visit would probably cost me a month’s salary. After eating and drinking my fill, I leaned against the pool again, closing my eyes. The fragrance of roses in the pool filled my nose, and soon I dozed off. In a daze, it seemed someone entered my pool. I heard the sound of water rippling. Then, a large hand scooped my body out of the water. “Don’t move. Let’s try it in the water.” It was Marcus’s voice. “Alright, I haven’t tried that in the water yet.” Julian’s voice chimed in. Then my body was gently lowered back into the water. And the water in the hot spring pool swayed more and more violently. Beneath the surface, two hands seemed to press down on my legs.

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Before I died, I was just a regular college student. A notorious gang leader, Victor Shaw, set his sights on me. He had a classmate lure me out, and during his attempted assault, I accidentally fell and died. My death also took my mother’s life. My rage exploded, tearing through the heavens, consumed by a single desire: revenge. Kaelen Stone, a special agent from the Paranormal Investigations Agency, found me. He guided me to become an investigator, and in the end, he even sacrificed his own life force to bring me back… Predatory student loan schemes had been running rampant on campus, and Victor Shaw, the one controlling our area, had taken an interest in me. I ignored his advances, never imagining he’d use my classmates to set a trap. Seven nights ago, he had a classmate invite me to meet at the library, pretending it was about something important. Naively, I went, only to discover his sinister intentions. He tried to assault me. He even threatened to take explicit photos to force me into his debt. I fought back with all my might, but in his struggle, he pushed me down the stairs. My neck snapped. After I died, my soul detached from my body. I watched Victor Shaw flee the scene in a panic, and I witnessed my own gruesome death. I tried to touch my body, but as a ghost, I couldn’t. I could only hover by my own corpse, with nowhere to go. My parents had been divorced for years, both having started new families. I’d come to this unfamiliar city for college alone, with barely any friends besides a few not-so-close roommates. No one discovered my death right away. I watched Victor Shaw and his thugs sneak into the library three times, meticulously erasing every possible piece of evidence. Seven days later, my decaying body was finally found by a student who came to that quiet corner to study. Instantly, the entire campus erupted in panic. The police quickly launched an investigation, and the media widely reported on the campus murder. My soul followed my remains to the morgue. I saw my father’s remorse and self-blame, and my mother’s heart-wrenching sobs. Their genuine grief brought me a flicker of comfort. They still cared about me, after all. Because Victor Shaw had cleaned up so thoroughly, and there were no surveillance cameras in that corner, the case remained unsolved for a long time. My body was kept in cold storage. I felt the biting chill, yet no one knew my suffering. And so, an entire year passed. Even though the case hadn’t been cracked, my parents eventually went through the procedures, having my body cremated and buried. After being laid to rest, I did feel a little more at ease. My resentment never truly faded, but the intense hatred for Victor Shaw’s deception and attempted assault, for him never being caught, slowly diminished with time. Each year around the anniversary of my death, I would watch my parents mourn and weep by my grave, which slightly rekindled my lingering resentment. I wished for news of the murderer being brought to justice, but it never came. My obsession persisted; I wasn’t willing to move on. Seven years flew by. This year, it wasn’t my mother who came to visit my grave, but my stepfather. He stood before my headstone and said, “Maya, after you left, your mother had restless nights. She blamed herself for not being a good enough mother and kept pursuing the investigation into your killer. She swore she would find your enemy herself to avenge you, but she overworked herself and, in a moment of exhaustion, fell down the stairs and passed away. Maya, so many years have passed, and now your mother is gone too. I wonder if you’ve already let go of your obsession and been reborn.” My stepfather left after saying those words. Learning that my mother had died due to overworking herself because of my case, my slowly settling resentment erupted like a volcano, soaring into the sky. I hadn’t let go of my obsession. All I wanted was revenge! I felt the air around me twist, dust swirling everywhere. When everything settled, I had transformed into a more tangible entity, breaking free from the confines of my grave, able to move far beyond the burial site. “A vengeful spirit reborn, tonight, blood will be repaid with blood!” I growled, flying towards the headquarters of Victor Shaw’s criminal organization.

I arrived in front of a luxurious office building—this was the gang’s main base. I effortlessly phased through the walls and took the elevator to the top floor. Inside the office, Victor Shaw was entangled with a seductive woman. “Honey, I saw this limited-edition handbag…” the woman purred. “Serve me well, and I’ll buy you anything,” Victor Shaw replied with a lecherous grin. I felt a wave of nausea. Victor Shaw using material things to force women to sell themselves was disgusting. This murderer, who had taken my life and indirectly caused my mother’s death, was living so freely and happily. This world was truly unfair! I hesitated no longer. I reached out, channeling all my resentment. A blade, made of pure vengeful energy, materialized in my palm. Just as I was about to hurl it at Victor Shaw, a strange male voice called out from behind me, “Stop!” A searing orb of energy whizzed past, shattering my blade of resentment. I spun around, seeing a man in a black trench coat standing at the office doorway. A colorful knitted pouch hung from his waist. Black with vibrant colors—a truly quirky contrast. In his hand, he held what looked like a talisman, and his entire being exuded an aura that filled me with dread. “You, a vengeful spirit, are you truly planning to commit an irreversible crime?” the man asked in a deep voice. I sensed danger and began to retreat, wanting to escape. But the man simply said, “Thinking of leaving? I’m afraid it won’t be that easy.” With that, he pulled a small jade vial from his knitted pouch. A suction force surged towards me. Before I could react, I was pulled into the vial. Lightning crackled within the vial, and intense pain shot through my entire body. I couldn’t help but scream. “One last chance,” the man said. “Give up your revenge, and I can help you move on. Otherwise, your soul will be completely annihilated.” I wanted to defiantly refuse, but the pain was unbearable. If I remained stubborn, I truly feared my soul would be scattered into oblivion. “I… I give up…” I managed to say. The man seemed somewhat surprised. He then released me from the jade vial. “Since you promised to give up revenge, you must keep your word.” I nodded obediently. He was surprisingly honest, easy to fool, I thought. I felt like I could escape him after all. “Come with me,” the man said, pulling out what looked like a small, plain jug from his bag. “Enter this vessel.” Turns out he wasn’t so dumb. He just swapped me to a less delicate container. Still couldn’t escape easily. While I was still hesitating, the office door suddenly burst open. Victor Shaw stepped out, a look of disdain on his face, clearly disturbed by our confrontation. “Who are you? Dressed so weirdly, showing up in the middle of the night—are you trying to steal something?” Victor Shaw couldn’t see me, but he could see Kaelen Stone. Kaelen Stone’s expression was cold and stern. Dressed in his black trench coat, with the colorful knitted pouch slung across his body, he held the plain yellowish-white jug he was preparing to put me in. “I am a Special Agent from the Paranormal Investigations Agency. I’m here tonight to thoroughly investigate your crimes!” “Paranormal investigation? Don’t try to fool me. Get out!” Victor Shaw, of course, didn’t believe him. Kaelen Stone sneered. He pulled an ancient-looking talisman from his trench coat’s inner pocket, murmured a few incantations, and flicked his finger. The talisman flew and stuck to my soul form. I braced for pain, instinctively closing my eyes, but the anticipated pain never came. Instead, I felt my body suddenly become solid. In my ghostly state, Victor Shaw couldn’t see me. But after Kaelen Stone’s talisman hit me, I fully materialized, appearing right in front of Victor Shaw.

The moment Victor Shaw saw me, his smug face instantly turned ashen, cold sweat beading on his forehead. “Ah, a ghost!” His legs gave out, and he stumbled backward in a panic. I said chillingly, “Victor Shaw, you attempted to assault me and then murdered me. My blood is on your hands! You indirectly caused my mother’s death, and now you still show no remorse…” As I spoke of my grief, my eyes became bloodshot, and resentment surged through me. How could I, a vibrant young woman, have suffered such a cruel death at the hands of this monster? How could I ever swallow this hatred? The air around us seemed to turn blood-red. My enemy was right before me, and I could no longer suppress my desire for revenge. Victor Shaw’s legs trembled uncontrollably. He turned to Kaelen Stone for help. “Aren’t you a Special Agent investigating urban paranormal events? There’s a ghost here, this is paranormal! Catch her quickly! I’ll pay you!” A sliver of fear crept into my heart. Kaelen Stone’s power was profound. If he helped Victor Shaw against me, I wouldn’t stand a chance. Unexpectedly, Kaelen Stone simply stood quietly to the side, making no move. Combined with his earlier declaration to “thoroughly investigate your crimes,” I immediately understood that Kaelen Stone was tacitly allowing me to act. “Hmph, I only said I wouldn’t harm the innocent. I never said I’d let a scumbag like you go!” My eyes blazed. My fingernails instantly grew several inches long, and I lunged at Victor Shaw. “Help me!” Victor Shaw was terrified out of his mind. In his panicked flight, he grabbed the pregnant woman beside him and shoved her towards me. My killing intent was surging. Seeing the woman flying towards me, I truly wanted to tear her to shreds. However, in that split second, through my translucent vision, I clearly saw a tiny fetus in the woman’s womb! Her belly wasn’t noticeably large yet. She was innocent, and she was carrying an innocent life inside her. Even as a vengeful spirit, I couldn’t bring myself to harm the innocent. I flashed past the pregnant woman, and in the nick of time, used my telekinesis to gently guide her onto a nearby sofa cushion, narrowly avoiding a sharp table corner. It was in that moment of distraction that Victor Shaw snatched the jade Buddha pendant from his neck and slammed it hard into my back! “Ah!” I let out a piercing shriek. The immense force knocked me to the ground. My vision blurred, and my body struggled to hold together… Was this what it felt like for a soul to be shattered? “Collect!” In that critical moment, Kaelen Stone pulled the jade vial from his knitted pouch, chanted an incantation, and pointed it at me. The next instant, I was sucked into the jade vial. Before my consciousness plunged into darkness, I couldn’t help but think: *Sure enough, men with such strange quirks are never good news. I knew he had ill intentions… attacking a young woman like me when I was off guard.* I didn’t hear Kaelen Stone’s words after I passed out: “My apologies, I couldn’t save you in time.” When I woke again, I found myself in an unfamiliar room. The lights were dim, but I could see many suspicious figures subtly radiating an ominous aura. I quickly retreated to a corner, fearfully surveying everyone present. No one paid me any mind. They whispered amongst themselves, yet it felt like they were all secretly observing me. The eerie atmosphere only heightened my fear. Just as I stood there, lost, Kaelen Stone reappeared before me. Seeing his familiar figure now, it was like seeing a savior. I quickly rushed forward and grabbed his arm. “Why did you bring me here?” The people around me were just too terrifying. Kaelen Stone cast a helpless glance around, his gaze sweeping over everyone. Their expressions varied, but with a strange synchronicity, they transformed into wisps of green smoke and vanished. This bizarre scene almost made my jaw drop. They weren’t human! No wonder I felt so scared. But I was a ghost too, so why was I still so afraid of ghosts? Kaelen Stone slowly walked to an altar, reverently lit three sticks of incense, and then turned to me. “What’s your name?” “Maya…” I stared blankly at Kaelen Stone, utterly bewildered as to what this mysterious man with peculiar hobbies was really up to… Kaelen Stone gazed at me. “My name is Kaelen Stone. I’m a Special Agent from the Paranormal Investigations Agency. Our agency specializes in handling all sorts of supernatural events. Can you smell the incense? I offered it for you.”

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My Wife Gifted My Estate To Her Secretary. She Paid The Price. My wife actually gifted my private estate to her male secretary. The garden swing was burnt, and my mother’s cherished flowerbeds were ruined. I confronted my wife in a fury, but she just casually replied, “What’s the big deal? You’re a grown man, why are you so hung up on this?” I roared, “Get everyone out by ten, and restore everything to how it was. Or else…” Just like before, my wife blocked me again. So, I immediately called the police, citing illegal trespassing on private property and malicious destruction of private assets. Then, I turned around and donated all her beloved jewelry and designer bags. Since some people don’t listen, I don’t mind teaching them a lesson in ‘boundaries’! I had just picked up my teacup when my phone suddenly rang. It was Seraphina Hayes, the woman who’d just blocked me. “Liam Sullivan, what the hell are you doing? Why did Julian get arrested?!” she demanded, her voice thick with anger. My tone was flat, completely devoid of emotion. “That estate is my private property. I suspected illegal activities were going on, so I had the police confirm.” After a few seconds of silence, Seraphina’s voice softened. “Liam, have you been listening to rumors? Julian is just my secretary. There’s absolutely nothing going on between us.” “And don’t you think you acted too impulsively this time?” I glanced at our wedding photo and let out a laugh. “Seraphina, you drove him home on Wednesday, then gifted him a limited-edition watch on Friday. Don’t you know where to draw the line yourself? And now you’re lecturing me?” She ignored my question and changed the subject. “You have so many properties sitting empty. I was just reasonably utilizing one for a team retreat. Are you seriously going to quibble over that?” “Besides, Julian and I are completely innocent.” Before I could reply, she impatiently cut in again, “Liam Sullivan, don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.” I took a sip from my teacup, a cold sneer twisting my lips. “If Ms. Seraphina is *so* generous, she shouldn’t mind donating some jewelry, right?” With that, I sent her the photos from the auction. The camera showed Seraphina’s treasured jewelry and designer bags being happily taken away by their new owners after being sold. I heard her heavy breathing, then a voice, three words gritted out through clenched teeth: “Li-am.” I knew that tone all too well. Whenever she was furious, she used my full name. I slowly spun the wedding ring on my ring finger. “Next time I see you getting involved with another man, you’ll lose more than just a few pieces of jewelry and some bags.” Without waiting for Seraphina’s response, I ended the call and tossed my phone onto the sofa. Five years of marriage, and I rarely had such explosive arguments with her. But that didn’t mean I’d put up with everything just to maintain a facade of peace. If you give an inch in a marriage, they’ll take a mile. Especially when this marriage was a business arrangement from the very beginning. Back then, the Hayes family wanted to break into the city’s leading families, so they set their sights on my family, the Sullivan’s. That’s how this arranged marriage came about. I remember our first meeting. She wore a white dress, looking gentle and sophisticated. I thought then, marrying someone like her would at least spare me petty arguments and insignificant troubles, so I agreed to the marriage. After we married, we did spend a happy time together, making me believe, for a while, that I’d found love. Later, the spark faded, and life settled into a routine, but that was normal. I never imagined, though, that a third party would intrude. I’ve always had a rule since I was a child: I don’t want anything someone else has touched. If an object has been used by someone else, it goes straight into the trash. And if a person gets involved in something shady, they should naturally be discarded like trash too.

For several days, Seraphina didn’t come home. She always avoided confrontation and gave me the silent treatment whenever her wrongdoings were exposed. That night, my good friend Leo Davis sent me a SnapChat message. “Liam, I called your name a few times, why didn’t you answer?” “But you and your wife are really going all out, coming to the bar together.” I paused, frowning as I typed back, “I’m working late at the office. You must have the wrong person.” “No way! I saw you wearing the suit you had custom-made last week and that prized watch. Seraphina was even holding your arm! Unless…” “Hold on, bro, I’ll snap a front-facing pic for you!” Soon, I received a slightly blurry photo. Seraphina, in a sexy slip dress, was intimately holding the arm of Julian Thorne, who was wearing *my* suit and watch. My face darkened as I stared at the image. Suddenly, another message popped up on my phone from Sarah Miller, my assistant. “Boss, the custom suit you ordered last week was spotted on Mrs. Hayes’s secretary.” Then Sarah sent several screenshots of Julian’s Ins posts. “Just said I wanted to check out the Royal Bar, and Ms. Hayes brought me here! Ms. Hayes is so good to me.” In the photos, he deliberately showcased the custom-made suit and watch, along with a smiling Seraphina. I suddenly remembered: Seraphina never went to bars. Once, a partner insisted on meeting at a bar, and she refused the collaboration rather than go. I guess I’ve been too lenient. She not only brought her male secretary to a bar she’d never been to, but she also let him wear my suit and watch, and even post about it on Ins. My face was grim as I forwarded the photos to her, my voice cold as I demanded, “Seraphina Hayes, can you explain this properly now?” To my disbelief, she blocked me again! Ten minutes later, I took a picture and sent it to Sarah, instructing her to forward it to Seraphina. Soon, Leo’s message popped up: “What happened? Why did Seraphina just storm out of the bar looking furious? What did you do?” I didn’t reply to Leo, because Seraphina’s FaceTime call was already coming in. Her voice trembled, laced with panic and fury. “Liam, put the wallet back. We can talk this out.” I smiled, looking at the wallet in my hand. Inside, neatly arranged, were perfectly preserved items. A few photos, a lock of short hair, a watch. The young man in the photos smiled with a wild abandon. This was Seraphina’s foster brother, Caleb, the man she loved but could never be with, who had died young from an illness. I’d accidentally seen her pouring out her affections for him in her journal. I instantly understood all her recent erratic behavior. It was because Julian had a striking resemblance to Caleb, especially in his eyes. “Liam, don’t touch that wallet!” Seraphina pleaded. “Seraphina, you know I don’t allow anyone to lay a hand on my things.” “Now, tell Julian to take off my clothes and watch.” Silence stretched for a few seconds before she spoke, gritting her teeth. “Liam, you have so many suits you’ve never worn. What’s the harm in him wearing a few?” I scoffed coldly. “Even if I throw my things away, no one else has the right to touch them.” “I’ll give you two choices. Either he changes immediately, or…” I held the wallet over a flickering flame. Then, I ended the FaceTime call.

Leo’s SnapChat messages kept coming. “Liam! What did you do to Seraphina?!” “She just rushed into the bar, face as white as a sheet, and dragged Julian out.” “Wait, they’re back!” “Whoa! Why is Julian wearing a male model’s outfit?!” I curled my lips into a slight smile. “Send me some photos.” Leo instantly replied with a nine-grid collage. Seraphina sat at a booth, her face ashen. Julian was huddled in a corner, his deep-V top exposing his entire chest, hair disheveled, the watch and suit crumpled in a ball in his arms. “The Royal Bar’s policy was no leaving during peak hours. He has to stay in that outfit for two hours.” Leo’s message carried the thrill of gossip. “In just a short while, several groups have already come to harass Julian.” “Seraphina’s face is practically black.” “Julian truly doesn’t know his place, daring to provoke you. He won’t even know what hit him.” When the peak hours ended, Leo sent the last photo. The custom-made suit and watch were lying in the trash can by the entrance. I forwarded the photo to my Ins story with a single caption: “If it’s tainted, it belongs in the trash.” The likes quickly soared past a hundred. Everyone knew that the suit and watch were the very ones Julian had flaunted on his Ins. The message was crystal clear. “Liam, Seraphina must be fuming today. Will she cause a scene when she gets home?” I replied calmly, “No, she won’t. She’s in the wrong, so she won’t dare.” When Seraphina came home late that night, her face was filled with anger. “Liam Sullivan, where’s my wallet?” she asked, her voice hoarse. I leaned back on the sofa, flipping through a financial magazine, without looking up. Seraphina struggled to suppress her churning emotions. “Liam, I admit I was wrong today.” “But I’ve already done what you asked. Can you please give me back my things?” I closed the magazine. “Explain.” She stopped in front of the rug, her knuckles white from clenching. “Julian and I are just superior and subordinate. I brought him to the bar because he closed a big deal, it was a special reward.” I scoffed coldly, put down my documents, and stood up. “Seraphina Hayes, there are a thousand ways to reward someone. Why did you insist on making him wear my personal items?” “You knew that suit was custom-made just last week.” She stammered, “You never wore it. I thought you didn’t like it…” “You’d rather give up a collaboration than go to a bar, yet you went just because he said a word?” As I spoke, I stepped closer. “I heard Julian messed up three collaborations last month. Does that kind of ‘skill’ deserve your special reward?” Seraphina gripped the sofa arm, her knuckles white. After a long silence, she squeezed out through clenched teeth, “He smiles… a little like Caleb.” Caleb, her foster brother’s name. I pulled a leather wallet from the drawer and pushed it toward her, speaking softly. “Seraphina, I know you’re sentimental, but a stand-in will never truly be that person.” “I hope you understand that projecting your regret for a deceased person onto someone else both demeans their memory and betrays me.” Her fingers trembled as she took the wallet. Then, she suddenly lunged into my arms. “Liam, I’m so sorry. I truly made a mistake.” “There’s really nothing inappropriate between Julian and me. I promise I’ll keep my distance from him from now on.” “Nothing like this will ever happen again. Please don’t be angry anymore, okay? Husband!” Her voice softened, laced with a playful plea, as she leaned into my embrace. I sighed helplessly, ultimately choosing to concede. “This is a warning. Remember it well. There won’t be a next time.” She didn’t pull away, but instead held me tighter, her voice muffled against my shoulder. “There won’t be a next time.” I scooped her up by the waist and carried her straight to the bedroom.

After a night of passionate abandon, a large part of the anger in my heart dissipated. The next day, the Royal Bar incident and my insinuation-filled Ins post made Julian the target of widespread ridicule. And Seraphina’s deliberate distancing from him further cemented everyone’s attitude. There’s no shortage of opportunists in the workplace. Colleagues who had been fawning over him just the day before would now be considered merciful if they didn’t kick him while he was down. Someone even anonymously posted photos of Julian in the male model outfit in the company’s main WhatsApp group. In the pictures, he looked disheveled and miserable. Everyone openly pointed and whispered about him: “Look, that’s the one who wore the CEO’s clothes. He probably wants to become the CEO’s male mistress.” Julian’s situation at the company became increasingly awkward. In the break room, someone would “accidentally” spill coffee on him. When he went to the warehouse to retrieve department supplies, the door would suddenly be locked, trapping him inside for an entire afternoon. The most ironic part was that everyone turned a blind eye to his plight. He sent messages to Seraphina for help, only to see a red exclamation mark. When Sarah reported these incidents to me, I shook my head. “Sarah, don’t overestimate my patience, and don’t underestimate his ambition. If he chose the path of climbing the social ladder, he’ll have to endure the pain of falling.” A week later, Sarah informed me that Julian had been absent for three consecutive days. I thought he had finally given up and resigned, but I still underestimated his schemes. That day, Seraphina had a multi-million dollar international collaboration negotiation. Ten minutes into the meeting, her personal phone vibrated insistently. It was a call from Julian. She hung up expressionlessly, but immediately received a message: “Ms. Hayes, I’ve been kidnapped! They want to make me disappear forever. Save me!” Seraphina’s face instantly turned pale. She frantically called back, but there was no answer. She quickly instructed the tech department to pinpoint his location. Then, without a word, she blurted out ‘negotiations postponed’ and rushed out of the conference room. When she arrived at the abandoned factory where the kidnappers were supposedly holding him, she witnessed Julian being pushed from the third floor. Seeing Julian clinging to life, barely conscious, Seraphina felt a sudden rush of dread, as if she were back on the day Caleb died. Seraphina nearly broke down on the spot and rushed him to the hospital for emergency treatment. Fortunately, he was rushed to the hospital in time, and Julian ultimately pulled through. Seraphina’s fury surged when she learned he had been tormented at the company recently. Meanwhile, I was completely unaware of this, clutching my medical report, preparing to leave the hospital. Just as I turned, I bumped into Seraphina hurrying towards me. I instinctively offered a smile, but then a sharp sting erupted on my cheek – she’d slapped me, hard. My smile instantly froze. I stood there, stunned. In all our years of marriage, before Julian appeared, Seraphina had always been gentle and considerate. She had never even said a harsh word, let alone laid a hand on me. But now… “Liam Sullivan, how could you be so vicious!” Her eyes were filled with fury and disgust. “I already cut ties with Julian as you demanded, yet you still arranged for him to be kidnapped and planned to make him disappear permanently.” “He’s lying in the ICU right now, fighting for his life. Are you satisfied?” “The biggest regret of my life was marrying a scumbag like you.” I tried to explain, but she cut me off. She didn’t even spare me a glance, turning and walking away. It wasn’t until Sarah called that I pieced together the ‘truth’ from her furious accusations. Julian had been kidnapped, and Seraphina was convinced I was behind it. “Mr. Sullivan, Ms. Hayes just fired me for abuse of power, and she’s appointed Julian as my successor.” “It’s not just me; every employee who ever had a conflict with Julian has been fired.” Seraphina had made her stance clear in the most absolute way possible: she chose the ‘substitute,’ the man who looked so much like her deceased brother. My nails dug deep into my palm, blood beads trickling onto the floor. I suppressed the rage boiling in my chest, forcing myself to calm down, yet a cold sneer twisted my lips. Seraphina Hayes, since you’ve burned all your bridges, don’t blame me for abandoning all sentiment. The cost of crossing me has never been something you can easily bear. I instructed Mr. Henderson, my butler, to pack my things, and I returned to the Sullivan family estate that very night.

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The moment my breath stopped. My mission in this parallel world was finally complete. My heart went to Mom, my kidney to Dylan, and my spleen to Michael. When I died, beneath the white sheet, both my legs were missing. They were amputated to save Dad when he nearly fell down the stairs. They knew nothing of this. So, when Mom didn’t see me after her surgery, her heart turned so cold she wanted to disown me. Dad immediately canceled my card. Then, a call from the crematorium reached Mom, who was busy preparing Chloe, my adopted sister’s, coming-of-age party. “Excuse me, but your daughter’s body is starting to smell.” “When will you transfer the cremation fee?” … When the call from the crematorium came, Mom was laughing and chatting with guests. In the lavish ballroom, Chloe, wearing a princess dress and looking utterly innocent, stood beside her. Mom had the phone on speakerphone, and the crematorium employee’s words clearly reached everyone present. Mom was startled at first, then her face morphed into a furious glare. “What nonsense are you talking about? My daughter is standing right here in front of me, perfectly fine! And her body is smelling? Scammers nowadays will do anything for money!” Chloe glanced at the phone screen, her expression subtly shifting. “Mom, that looks like Audrey’s phone number. It’s not a scammer.” My transparent body trembled slightly. Ever since I died, I’d been following my family around. They just couldn’t see me. But I never expected Chloe, who always bullied me, to remember my phone number. Mom’s face gradually twisted into horror, and the phone almost slipped from her grasp. Chloe calmly took the phone, her voice soft. “Audrey, stop with the pranks. Mom just had heart surgery, she can’t handle this kind of shock.” “Even though you weren’t there when Mom had her surgery, you’re still her biological child. She won’t blame you.” Mom exploded in a rage, snatching the phone back. “You have the nerve to play pranks? You didn’t even come home for your own mother’s surgery! How could I have given birth to such a heartless wretch? If you want to die, then die outside and don’t ever come back!” She hung up abruptly. Wiping away tears, she helplessly explained to the guests. “Audrey has always been rebellious and unruly, always trying to take Chloe’s things, forbidding us from being nice to her sister, or else she’d throw tantrums and self-harm.” “A kind person donated a heart to me for my surgery, and she didn’t even bother to visit me in the hospital. Her conscience is completely gone!” “Now, to ruin her sister’s coming-of-age party, she’s throwing a tantrum and running away from home, even hiring shady characters to threaten us and extort money.” “I truly wish I had never given birth to this daughter!” “If only Chloe were my biological daughter.” I heard those words, and tears streamed down my face. No, Mom. I was right there beside you when you had your surgery. I wasn’t threatening you, I just… couldn’t be a dutiful daughter to you anymore. Chloe’s coming-of-age party was grand. The gift wall was overflowing. Michael, my eldest brother, a busy lawyer, gifted Chloe a villa in the city, so she wouldn’t feel like an outsider anymore. Dylan, my second brother, who owned a Taekwondo studio, gave her a platinum credit card, with an unlimited spending limit. Dad gave her a 10% ownership stake in his company, so no one would ever look down on Chloe. Mom gave Chloe her most treasured artwork. I remembered that piece; I accidentally stained it a year ago. Mom was so furious she grounded me and didn’t let me eat for three days and nights. But now, that same artwork was so easily given to Chloe. I suddenly felt like I couldn’t breathe. Chloe and I were a year apart. After I was kidnapped at seven, Mom and Dad adopted six-year-old Chloe. Six months later, the police found me, and I returned home to find I had a younger sister. The System told me it was the butterfly effect of this parallel world, and Chloe was the variable. It also said I’d suffer a bit, but I didn’t care. Just being able to see my parents and brothers safe and sound again, I was content. To ward off disaster for them, I was more than willing. But the surging memories quickly swallowed me. Last year today was my coming-of-age party. Although Mom and Dad favored Chloe over me, they still arranged a grand party for me. But before it even started, Dad twisted his ankle going downstairs, breaking a bone and ending up in the hospital. Michael got into a minor car accident on his way there. Dylan’s phone was stolen while camping, and he lost contact. Mom was so anxious she had a heart attack. I stayed by Mom’s bedside. When she woke up, she displaced her anger onto me, throwing her phone at my forehead. She called me a jinx and told me to get out. Carelessly wiping away the blood streaming down my forehead, I quietly left the hospital room. I curled up on the cold floor by the door, and stayed there all night. My one-in-a-lifetime coming-of-age party, with no blessings, no gifts. All I remembered was Mom’s look of hatred and disgust, and the cold, dark night in the hospital hallway.

The System suddenly appeared, asking me if I regretted it. “If you hadn’t come to this world, in your original world, you would be living a wonderful life, your family had already paved the way for your future.” I came from another world. There, I grew up loved and cherished. But later, for various reasons, they died tragic deaths. I suddenly became an orphan. The System gave me a chance to see my family again. It brought me to this parallel world, to live another life. But it also told me that in this world, my family would also meet tragic ends. Unless someone took the fall for them. Now my mission was over, and they were finally safe. I shook my head, denying, “No regrets. Being able to see them again, to protect them as they once protected me, I’m content.” “I just wish for them to be safe and happy. Even if they hear the news of my death, with Chloe by their side, I’m sure they won’t be too sad.” The System seemed to sigh, “Why are you so silly? Never mind, I’ll apply to headquarters to get you a special benefit.” The System told me to stay in this world for now, waiting for its message. So I lingered, staying with my family. Then I saw my high school teacher come to the house, complaining that I’d skipped class. Dad frowned deeply, and Chloe by his side seemed to hesitate before speaking. “Dad, last Wednesday, I think I saw Audrey and a guy with bright dyed hair go into a hotel.” I froze. Last Wednesday… I was already lying in the funeral home, waiting for cremation. How could I have gone to a hotel with a guy? She was clearly making things up. Even though I was gone, why was she still trying to throw dirt on my name? My family wouldn’t believe such a cheap lie. But I never expected Dylan to immediately burst out cursing. “Going to bed with just any guy at such a young age, how trashy!” Michael, impeccably dressed in his suit, looked displeased and disappointed. He turned to Chloe, admonishing her. “Sister, no matter what you saw, don’t follow your sister’s conduct. Girls need to have self-respect.” I stood there, dumbfounded and incredulous. Chloe pursed her lips, smiled shyly, and pulled out her report card. “Brother, I don’t understand those things about Audrey. I just want to focus on my studies.” Seeing her top grades in every subject, even Mom and Dad, who had been scowling, broke into relieved smiles. Chloe struck while the iron was hot, proposing that she wanted to skip a grade. Dad looked troubled. “The spots in the honors class for seniors are already full.” Dylan looked at Chloe, his face full of concern. “That’s easy, isn’t it? Someone’s just hogging a spot and doing nothing with it, kick her out, and then little sister can go to school!” A sharp pain pierced my heart. I could only look at Mom and Dad with pleading eyes. Mom and Dad knew how much I suffered to get into that honors class. At least, don’t be so cruel to me. But in the end, they disappointed me. Mom and Dad hesitated for only a moment, then nodded under Chloe’s eager gaze. “Then let’s process Audrey’s withdrawal and give her spot to Chloe.” I slumped to the floor, tears splattering onto the back of my hands. Chloe took my spot, beaming as she went to school. In the evening, she came back with injuries. Mom, Dad, and my two brothers looked grave and worried. Chloe, her tears streaming down her face and looking incredibly fragile, refused to say anything. It wasn’t until Dad threatened to call the police that Chloe stammered out a classmate’s name—Riley. I huddled in the corner, slowly lifting my head. Riley. She was my best friend in high school. The next day, Mom, Dad, and my brothers took Chloe to school and summoned Riley and her parents to the dean’s office. Riley was expressionless and refused to apologize. Dad was so angry he was about to call the police right there. Unexpectedly, Riley insolently threatened. “If you dare to call the police, don’t blame me for exposing your daughter’s pregnancy!” Everyone was stunned, looking at Chloe. Chloe was mortified, crying that it wasn’t her. Mom immediately hugged her, comforting her. “Don’t cry, Mom believes you, you wouldn’t do something like that.” Dad also scowled fiercely, glaring at Riley. “You’re an adult now, spreading rumors carries legal responsibility!” Michael acted immediately, directly informing Riley’s parents that they would pursue legal action. Dylan, hot-tempered as ever, stepped forward and kicked Riley. “My sister is so well-behaved and sensible, how could she be pregnant? If you keep throwing dirt on her name, believe me, I’ll kill you!” I bit my lower lip hard, watching this scene, my heart aching. Was I not their daughter too? Why, for the same thing, did they believe Chloe but not me? Riley was enraged and cursed back furiously. “I never said *she* was pregnant! Does your family only have one daughter?” “Can you deny that your sister, Audrey, isn’t at school because she’s hiding away to have the baby?” “If you blow this up, don’t blame me for spreading the shameful news of Audrey’s pregnancy out of wedlock all over the school!” “And you, you like to complain, right? Next time I see you at school, I’ll beat you up!” Chloe’s eyes welled up with tears at this, looking incredibly wronged. “No, you can’t! Don’t tell anyone! I won’t make you apologize, just don’t ruin my sister’s reputation! If you want to hit me, hit me, I don’t care.” Mom and Dad grew even more concerned when they saw this. Their gaze towards Riley became even colder. “Chloe, the good are often taken advantage of. This kind of morally corrupt student is absolutely not suitable to be your classmate.” This farce ended with Riley being forcibly withdrawn from school. To protect Chloe, Mom and Dad pulled strings to have Riley expelled, completely disregarding my reputation. Sure enough, after Riley was withdrawn, the news of my pregnancy out of wedlock spread throughout the entire school. I let out a bitter laugh. Good thing I was already dead. Otherwise, such gossip would have been enough to drive me to death. And those who caused all this were the very family and friends I once trusted the most, those I was willing to give my all for. But a question still lingered in my heart. Why would Riley say I was pregnant? I followed Riley and found that she was secretly meeting Chloe. Chloe, shedding her innocent little rabbit image she presented to the family, leaned against a wall, smoking, and handed Riley a wad of cash. “Well done. This money should be enough for your mom’s surgery.” Watching Riley walk away, I felt a knot in my chest. So, she did it for her mother’s surgery.

But what about Chloe? She already had all the love from my family; what else could she possibly want? After floating home, I became even more quiet and withdrawn. Before, no matter if Mom and Dad could hear me, I would tirelessly share interesting things. Now, I would just curl up in a corner, a silent observer. Chloe had a heart episode. It was said she was provoked at school. Dad investigated and found that my supposed pregnancy out of wedlock had also caused Chloe to be talked about behind her back. And Dad had never hidden the fact that Chloe was adopted. This also led to Chloe being excluded and targeted. Chloe on the bed was pale as a sheet, yet she looked so strong it hurt to watch. I inexplicably remembered when Mom had a heart attack before, Chloe innocently said. “Mommy’s heart is broken? Then I’ll give my heart to Mommy, and Mommy won’t hurt anymore, right?” At that time, when Mom heard it, the pity on her face was almost uncontrollable. And I, being oblivious, just quietly peeled an apple and offered it to Mom. Mom pushed me away, and the apple rolled a few times on the floor, covered in dust. “Look at your sister, and then look at you. You have no conscience at all!” But Mom, I truly was willing to give you my heart. And her heart condition? It was fake. I guessed Chloe faked her heart episode, perhaps to pull another trick. Sure enough, after listening to Chloe’s tearful complaints. Mom and Dad immediately made a decision. They would publicly announce that Chloe was their biological daughter. And I was the adopted one. Michael casually fiddled with the watch I’d given him, fully agreeing. “Chloe is excellent in every aspect. I have no objections.” Dylan’s face, however, was full of sarcasm. “I have no objections either. Audrey did such disgraceful acts, I stopped wanting to acknowledge her as my sister a long time ago. It’s Chloe who makes us proud, always top of her class.” Chloe covered her face with a pillow, feigning embarrassment. “Dylan, don’t say that.” On the sofa, the family of four was warm and harmonious, but I felt a chill. Their faces, in my eyes, began to look strange and distorted. It seemed my existence in this family had long become irrelevant, even superfluous. For the first time, I began to waver. Was everything I gave worth it? After all decisions were made, Chloe wore a sated smile. But at dinner, Michael suddenly suggested bringing me back. The entire family’s forks froze. After a while, Dylan nodded. “Good idea. That girl’s been out causing trouble for so long, she’s probably suffered quite a bit.” I could hardly believe my ears and stood up from the corner. Were they concerned about me? Nearly half a month had passed, had my family finally remembered me? I wiped away my tears and floated closer. I knew it, they couldn’t be that heartless. But before I could even smile, I heard Dylan continue. “Let’s give her an excuse to come back. Have her return as soon as possible these next few days. Once she’s back, we’ll lock her up.” I stumbled slightly, my spiritual body feeling unstable. Lock me up? What did that mean? Soon, Michael clarified it for me. “Dylan suggested this. Chloe’s college entrance exams are coming up soon, and I’m worried that if Audrey keeps not showing up, she’ll cause trouble on the day of the exams and ruin Chloe’s future.” “So, we’ll just coax Audrey back home, lock her up, and prevent her from affecting Chloe’s exams.” As his words fell, the light above flickered for a moment, then returned to normal. I collapsed to the floor, my face numb. Mom hesitated. “What if she comes home and insists on taking the college entrance exams? After all, it was originally her year to take them…” Dylan eagerly interrupted. “Mom, have you forgotten she’s pregnant? That bastard child, we don’t even know how far along she is! Do you want her to go to the exam hall with a big belly? Haven’t we lost enough face already?” Ultimately, the entire family reached an agreement. For the first time since I disappeared half a month ago, they actively called my phone. The call connected quickly; it was an unfamiliar man’s voice. “Hello, this is Evergreen Funeral Home. Are you Audrey’s family? You finally picked up! Please come over as soon as possible!” Dad’s hand, holding the phone, trembled. “What?” Michael and Dylan, hearing this, also uncharacteristically looked flustered and helpless. Chloe subtly raised an eyebrow, a hint of malicious glee in her eyes. Only Mom, exploded in a rage. “Audrey, have you made enough trouble? Isn’t half a month of messing around outside enough? Do you really want me to disown you?” I calmly lowered my gaze, my eyes hollow. Then disown me. Anyway, I had nothing left. I was only grateful now that I was dead, so I didn’t have to live and endure this endless torment. Dad looked at Mom, bewildered. “What in the world is going on?” Mom explained the call on the day of Chloe’s party, then her face tightened with gritted teeth. “How could she be dead? If it were an accidental death, the police would have notified us. This is just her retaliating against us, playing a deliberate prank.” I gave a sarcastic smile. Of course, I didn’t die by accident; it was a premeditated suicide. Because heart donation could only be done after death. At that time, I was naive enough to think Mom wouldn’t accept my heart. So I signed an anonymous donation agreement and arranged for a one-stop service with the funeral home. I was supposed to die quietly, and my parents would discover it later and report my death certificate. But I never expected Dad to cancel my card, which led to my body not being cremated for so long. The funeral home had a thirty-day free storage period. If cremation wasn’t done after that, they would call the police to handle it with the family. Mom took the phone, her face cold. “Audrey, you were shameless enough to get pregnant out of wedlock, bringing endless shame to our family, and now you’re still so inconsiderate, playing such a cruel joke. I’m truly disappointed in you.” On the other end of the line, there was a long silence. The funeral home employee asked, bewildered. “Who’s pregnant? This 19-year-old female body has no reproductive function whatsoever. Are you even Audrey’s family?” “Tomorrow is the final deadline. If you don’t come to pay the fees and claim the body, we’ll have to contact the police to issue a public announcement for identification.” This time, the employee’s tone was very stern, and he hung up after speaking. Mom’s cold expression froze, and she stood motionless.

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