Just before my final exams for college, my roommate suddenly gifted me a ridiculously expensive necklace. She said it was an early celebration, wishing me luck getting into a top-tier Ivy League university. But then, I got a message from Willow, our dorm’s resident mystic. [Chloe, don’t wear that necklace. If you do, you’ll turn into a total blank slate before the exams.] The moment the dorm lights flickered on, my roommate Tiffany held out a shimmering silver necklace. “Chloe, this is a special gift I had made for you when I traveled to Japan. Consider it an early celebration for getting into your dream university.” Tiffany was a true heiress; she spent every break traveling. I was genuinely surprised she remembered my birthday. I quickly took the necklace, thanking her profusely. Right after, my roommate Willow handed me her gift – a bracelet inscribed with ancient, mystical symbols. You could tell she’d made it herself. Willow was always obsessed with spiritual and occult studies. But whether it was expensive or cheap, the thought counts, and that’s priceless. I accepted both. Still, being a girl, I couldn’t help but feel Tiffany’s gift was clearly superior. “Come on, let me put it on for you myself.” Oddly enough, the necklace felt icy cold against my skin, making me shiver. Seeing this, Willow wasn’t to be outdone. She urged me to put on her bracelet too. But Tiffany quickly stopped her. “Maybe not. Our first major mock exam is tomorrow, and that bracelet is covered in symbols. What if the proctor gets suspicious?” Tiffany had a point. I could only apologize to Willow, promising to wear her bracelet as soon as the exam was over. Normally, Willow would insist on having her way. But this time, she just frowned, saying nothing more. Just as I thought my birthday celebration had ended perfectly, right after my shower, Willow grabbed my arm. Her eyes burned into my neck as she said, her voice serious: “Chloe, you can’t wear that necklace. If you do, you’ll turn into a total blank slate before the exams.” Hearing her, I thought she was still upset about the earlier incident. I quickly tried to reassure her. “Willow, don’t be mad. I’ll wear your bracelet right after the exam tomorrow.” “No, I’m not mad. The necklace Tiffany gave you… its previous owner was a complete academic failure. She made a pact with it, and it feeds on *your* essence to give *her* power!” What was she talking about? This was getting ridiculous. “Just listen to me, okay? Take it off, now.” Without a word, Willow spun me around, trying to unfasten the necklace. But Tiffany walked right in on us, having just returned to the dorm. She thought Willow was forcing me to wear her bracelet and instantly lost her temper. “Are you serious? You’re allowed to give gifts, but mine’s no good? Or are you just targeting me?” Seeing the tension fill the air in our dorm, I quickly intervened to smooth things over. “I just have some pimples on my neck, and Willow was helping me put on some cream. Tiffany, don’t misunderstand.” Willow saw my signal and didn’t argue. Instead, she discreetly sprinkled some fine powder near my bed. Before I fell asleep, she kept signaling me with her eyes, urging me to take off the necklace. Lying in bed that night, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Willow’s words kept replaying in my mind. It wasn’t until the latter half of the night that I finally started to feel drowsy. Then, a rustling sound woke me up. It sounded like someone was dragging ill-fitting jeans across the floor. But that didn’t make sense, did it? Willow preferred simple, natural fabrics like cotton and linen. Tiffany came from money and favored designer clothes; she’d never wear anything ill-fitting. My heart pounded in my chest. I secretly pulled back the curtain a crack. Through the faint moonlight from the window, I saw a distorted, shadowy figure of a “person” dragging its limp limbs, twisting eerily across the dorm floor, inching closer to my bed… I woke up, scared senseless. It was just a nightmare, I realized. Still shaken, I lay back down, pulling the covers over my head, and vaguely managed to stay like that until morning.

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My mercenary husband, Caleb, was on a mission when he found himself acting as a ‘cure’ for Sera, a new operative on his team. They explored every intimacy imaginable within that cave. He didn’t return for three full days and nights. He knelt before me, his voice filled with despair and pleading. “Aubrey, it was all for the mission, a matter of life and death. As captain, I couldn’t just stand by.” “But you’re the only one I truly love.” To show his commitment, he removed Sera from the team. He also promised to leave the mercenary life in three years and return as the heir to the Davies family fortune. I cradled the tiny two-month-old life inside me and forgave him. Three years later, having just suffered yet another miscarriage, I saw Caleb Davies at the hospital, when he was supposed to be on a mission. He was holding Sera, who was covered in blood, screaming at the top of his lungs for a doctor. It turned out Sera had taken a bullet for Caleb, the slug missing her heart by mere inches. And her child was already three years old. It was Caleb’s. Caleb knelt before me, his face pale as death. “That time, three years ago, she got pregnant and raised the child alone. I just came to see them, mother and son, because I felt sorry for her, and then… this happened.” “Aubrey, there’s nothing between us. Even if you can’t carry a child, you’ll always be my wife.” Sera, still recovering from her injuries, looked at me, her eyes filled with tears. “Mrs. Davies, please, I beg you, save my child! He has leukemia and needs umbilical cord blood from a full sibling…” Caleb looked at her, his expression filled with tenderness, then turned to me. “Aubrey, you’re the kindest person I know. I can’t just let him die. Don’t worry, we’ll just do IVF.” I stared at him, thinking of the investigation report I’d received. I spoke calmly, “Then while we’re at it, let’s get a divorce. We wouldn’t want the child to be born out of wedlock, that would be too sad…” “Aubrey, I knew you’d understand me perfectly!” Caleb’s face visibly brightened with joy. “Don’t worry, once the baby is born and registered, we’ll remarry.” I ignored him and walked straight out. I pulled out a golden card and made a call. “Your offer, I accept.”

Caleb’s relief was almost palpable when he heard me suggest divorce. He quickly helped Sera to her feet, adjusted her hospital gown, and gently scolded her. “You just healed, and you’re already worrying me. My Aubrey is so kind, stop kneeling all the time.” Sera, her face pale, shook her head. “You don’t understand, only a woman truly understands another woman.” “You see Aubrey acting all calm and composed, but she’s really hurting inside. Promise me, you’ll spend some real time with her.” Every word she spoke sounded perfectly reasonable and compassionate to Caleb. But I knew, she was rubbing it in my face, flaunting the undeniable intimacy she shared with Caleb. Caleb glanced at me, then seemed to realize something. “Aubrey, why are you at the hospital?” I felt the cold ache radiating from my lower abdomen. I hid my trembling hands. I thought of the phone call I hadn’t made, not wanting to distract Caleb from his mission. A self-mocking smile touched my lips. “Just visiting a friend,” I said softly. But Caleb reached for my hand, finding it icy cold. I pulled away as if I’d been shocked. Sera gasped dramatically at just the right moment, diverting his attention. He pulled out a tissue and, with practiced ease, wiped her forehead. “I told you to stay in bed. Everything’s resolved now, let me help you back to rest.” Then he turned back to me. “Aubrey, you can go back by yourself. Sera was injured for me, after all. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t stay with her for a couple of days.” I walked out in silence. Caleb called out to me. “Oh, Aubrey, I’ve already prepared the divorce papers. Remember to sign them.” I hung my head low, stubbornly refusing to let my tears fall. As I walked out of the hospital, I saw Caleb’s parents. Of course, I only knew who they were after doing my own research. Caleb had never introduced me to his family. They were holding onto each other, their voices full of satisfaction and relief. “Last grandchild, you gave fifty million. This time, it needs to be double!” “Right, right! And we need to arrange the wedding quickly. Our grandson’s mother is Miss Kingston, she absolutely can’t be an illegitimate child!” “What illegitimate child? Our Caleb isn’t even married yet.” My hands clenched tightly. So Caleb had never told his family about my existence at all. And he and Sera already had another child on the way. Tears finally, unwillingly, streamed down my face. I raised a hand to wipe them away. The jade bangle on my wrist slipped from my sleeve. Mrs. Davies, sharp-eyed, immediately stepped forward, grabbing my hand, her voice sharp. “Who are you? How dare you steal my daughter-in-law’s bangle!” I was about to protest. But the Davies’ bodyguards stepped forward and restrained me. Mrs. Davies tried to yank the bangle from my wrist, instructing the bodyguards to call the police. Hearing the commotion, Caleb rushed over, panicked. “Mom, Dad, you’ve misunderstood. This is… one of our family’s bodyguards. She’s just helping Sera take her things back.” I stared at him, seeing that familiar plea in his eyes. It was the same look he had when he begged for my forgiveness after sleeping with Sera three years ago. Suddenly, I felt utterly disgusted. I deliberately slipped the bangle off my wrist and placed it in Caleb’s hand. “Mr. Davies, returning what’s rightfully yours.” Caleb’s face went ashen. He lowered his voice, his tone tense. “Aubrey, wait, I’ll explain everything later…” I curved my lips into a cold smile. “No need. Wouldn’t want your family to misunderstand.” Then, without looking back, I left. Once on the street, I pulled out my phone and dialed. “Your offer, I accept.” The voice on the other end was low. “Good. Don’t worry. In three days, you will ‘die’ taking a bullet for Caleb. After that, you will only ever be Mrs. Kingston.” I hung up. A cold laugh echoed in my mind. Caleb Davies, since you choose Sera every single time. This time, I’ll make sure you lose me forever because of her.

Back home. My phone buzzed with a SnapChat friend request. My heart fluttered. I knew instinctively who it was. Sure enough, after accepting, I saw Sera’s profile picture. More precisely, it was a photo of her and Caleb from behind. Her feed was filled with screenshots from the Davies family SnapChat group. Three years ago, after she gave birth, everyone in the Davies family had sent their congratulations. It turned out that after Caleb sent her away back then, she immediately contacted Mr. and Mrs. Davies. She’d used their son to completely charm the elder Davies. Caleb had compromised for his child, again and again. When he lied to me about going on missions, he was actually spending time with them, mother and son. Because of that, he missed both of my miscarriages. He missed every one of my birthdays. Her most recent post was a video. The filming location was the hospital. Caleb was nervously watching Sera as she got her check-up. When the doctor said the fetus was perfectly fine, he let out a sigh of relief. He took the bangle he’d snatched from my wrist and placed it on hers. Sera let him put it on, but protested with her words. “This is Mrs. Davies’s, how can I wear it?” Caleb leaned down and kissed her forehead. “You’re always so considerate. Don’t worry, if I give it to you, you wear it. After all, in Mom and Dad’s social circle, you’ve already been Mrs. Davies for a while.” Sera shook her head. “I know you only love Aubrey. In your heart, only Aubrey is Mrs. Davies.” Caleb looked into her eyes, his voice, warm and melting like the spring snow. “Everything else besides love, I can give to you.” Then he eagerly kissed her lips. At the end of the video, Sera provocatively glanced at the camera, then unbuttoned Caleb’s shirt. I pressed a hand to my chest, but I couldn’t stop the cold wind that seemed to blow right into my bones. I stumbled to my study. With a firm hand, I signed the divorce papers. Our divorce process didn’t require a cooling-off period. I told myself, *only three more days.* In three days, I would never cry for Caleb Davies again. The next day, Caleb called. His voice was deliberately low. “Aubrey, I’m sorry about Mom and Dad yesterday. You know how elders are, they just want grandchildren.” “Since you can’t have children, let Sera and the baby stay with them in the future. It’ll save them from bothering you.” I scoffed. “Mr. Davies, you don’t need to explain. We’re already divorced.” Caleb’s breathing hitched. His voice turned anxious. “Aubrey, are you mad? I told you, once the baby is born, we’ll remarry…” “Wait for me, I’m coming home now.” I didn’t bother listening, hanging up directly. I started clearing out my old belongings. My gaze fell on a blood-stained shirt, and I drifted into thought. Caleb and I met five years ago. I had been dragged into a dark alley by some thugs when a man saved me, even taking a knife for me. In the darkness, I hadn’t seen his face clearly. But when I woke up in the hospital, what I saw was that blood-stained shirt and Caleb sitting by my bedside. My gratitude turned to affection. We spent five years together. Because of his special identity, our marriage was kept secret. He said it was to protect me. I once cherished that secretive affection. Now, it was nothing but a joke. I snapped back to reality and threw the shirt, along with all my other old belongings, into the trash. Who knew, Caleb actually came back.

And he brought Sera with him. Caleb carefully helped her out of the car. Sera saw me and lifted her neck, covered in faint marks. “Sister Aubrey, would you be my bridesmaid tomorrow for our wedding?” I looked at her, utterly bewildered. Caleb’s face looked unnatural as he explained, “Aubrey, Mom and Dad insisted that Sera and I have a wedding. It’s all for the child…” I scoffed. “It hardly seems appropriate for an ex-wife to be at your wedding.” Sera’s eyes reddened at the corners. “Sister Aubrey, you know Caleb only loves you. Please don’t be sarcastic and upset him…” Caleb stepped forward, gently comforting her. “There, there, you have a baby in your belly, you can’t keep crying.” Then he looked up at me, his eyes full of helplessness. “Aubrey, the wedding is just a formality. No matter what outsiders think, you’re the only one in my heart.” I stared coldly at Caleb. Just like that, he was shamelessly standing here. Yesterday, he was begging me to agree to their IVF. Today, he brought pregnant Sera home. He swore up and down he loved me, yet he was marrying another woman and having children with her. Was I truly naive, or was he just deluding himself? Seeing me turn to leave, Caleb’s temper flared. He frowned deeply. “Aubrey, Sera is already being so understanding. Why are you still not satisfied?” “What exactly do you want us to do to make everyone happy?” I closed my eyes briefly. “Fine. I’ll go tomorrow.” *And then leave you forever.* That night, after I showered, Caleb appeared before me. His eyes held that familiar warmth. He reached out to hug me from behind, but I stepped away. He didn’t give up, chuckling softly, his warm breath fanning my neck. He mysteriously pulled a small box from his pocket. Inside was a pink diamond ring. His voice husky, he said, “Aubrey, after the baby is born and we remarry, we’ll go on a honeymoon trip.” “Sera and the baby are just for Mom and Dad.” “She’ll never interfere with us.” He leaned in for a kiss. A knock on the door came at the perfect moment, saving him from the slap I was about to deliver. It was Sera. Her face was pale. “Caleb, my morning sickness is really bad this time. Can you make me the sour plum soup you made when I was pregnant before?” She glanced at me, then covered her mouth, as if she’d said something she shouldn’t have. Caleb peered at my expression. “What are you talking about? I don’t know how to make that!” He slammed the door shut. Blocking Sera’s tear-streaked face from view. I lay still, and soon *fell asleep*. Caleb, who had been restless, finally quietly opened the door and left. Sera’s SnapChat feed updated immediately. The picture showed a steaming bowl of sour plum soup. [Someone scolded me for running around with morning sickness, so he punished me by making me drink two bowls.] [Hmph, he messed up, so he’s punished by having to rub my back.] Then she sent a direct message on SnapChat. [Sister Aubrey, I heard you were the principal dancer in your dance troupe. But why did he say my waist was softer than yours?] I screenshot the message and turned off my screen. I remembered. Three years ago, I heard Caleb had fallen into an icy lake during a mission. I forgot I was pregnant and jumped in after him. After three hours of searching, when I was pulled out, I’d lost the baby. The next day, Caleb returned and held me, crying as if his heart would break, his eyes full of tenderness and guilt. “Aubrey, it’s okay if we never have children.” Only a few days ago, through my investigation, did I discover that he hadn’t participated in that mission at all. He had been taking care of Sera, who was suffering from severe morning sickness. He didn’t care if I could have children. Because he already had one. I laughed at myself bitterly in my mind. *Fool.* Even more foolish for crying over such a liar. As I drifted into a hazy sleep, I felt someone wiping away my tears. When I woke again, Caleb was by the bed, putting on his wedding suit.

“Aubrey, can you help me with my tie?” His voice was intimate and lazy. It gave me a fleeting illusion that we were back to the beginning. But seeing the hair tie on his wrist, which wasn’t mine, immediately brought me back to reality. Just as I was about to refuse, his phone rang. Sera’s voice, sickly sweet, came through the speaker. “Caleb, can you come help me zip up my dress?” Caleb hesitated for a moment, then nodded gently. “Wait for me.” Then he grabbed the silk tie and left without a backward glance. I changed into the dress I wore the day Caleb and I first met. I placed the lucky charm we’d gotten together inside the chest of my dress. I numbly watched Caleb lift Sera into the wedding car. Her long wedding dress didn’t even touch the ground. He turned and saw me. He hurried over. The scent of freesias from Sera’s dress clung to him. He tried to put the ring box into my hand. “Aubrey, when it’s time to exchange rings, bring them up to us.” I looked at him steadily, not taking it. He shoved it into my arms, his face full of impatience. “Aubrey, not now. Don’t make a scene.” I dodged his hand as he tried to pat my head. He awkwardly lowered it. “I’ll come back to you tonight.” I didn’t answer. I glanced around. I wondered where *that person* would appear. Soon, we arrived at the wedding venue. It was an outdoor setting, flowers everywhere. Guests gathered in small groups. Caleb’s family sat on a long bench. The child was held by Mrs. Davies. The family looked happy and harmonious. Only I had foolishly waited for his promise to leave the mercenaries in three years. When it was time to exchange rings, Caleb and Sera’s eyes locked, practically melting together. He didn’t spare a single glance for me, standing right beside them. As the wedding atmosphere reached its climax, the child in Mrs. Davies’s arms suddenly started crying. In the confusion, Caleb rushed off the stage to check on the child. Bang— A gunshot rang out. The crowd erupted in chaos. Sera clutched her stomach, crying out in pain. Caleb rushed back, scooped up Sera, and began to leave. He looked up at me, his eyes darting away. “Aubrey, Sera’s pregnant, hide yourself. I…” Before he could finish, a whistling bullet pierced my chest. Mrs. Davies had pushed me, making me shield Caleb. “Let this bodyguard take the bullet! Son, grab your daughter-in-law and run!” Caleb stared at me in a panic, his voice trembling. “Aubrey, wait for me, I’ll call an ambulance.” I collapsed to the ground, blood gushing from my chest. Though the blood was fake, watching him walk away with Sera without hesitation, The heart that had beaten for him for five years finally died. Caleb Davies, we are over. A few days later, it would be the grand wedding of Miss Kingston and the heir to the Kingston family. ———-此处为截断点———- Caleb placed Sera in the ambulance and was about to grab a nurse to rush back. “Quick, hurry back with me to save Aubrey!”

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My fiancé was dirt poor. So poor I had to fashion my wedding dress from a mosquito net, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way. During our rare vacation, when we’d finally saved enough for a trip, Blake left me in the car while I was sleeping and walked away. Men stuck on the highway took turns, one after another, in the car, but I was completely unaware. When we finally got to the Airbnb, he, usually so reserved and controlled, started playing increasingly twisted games. It wasn’t until he was showering that I saw him sharing photos and videos of me in the car, and in the public restroom near the rest area, in a group chat. Disbelief choked me. I wanted to confront him, but another message popped up in the chat. “Just ten thousand for Young Master Blake’s fiancée? I’ll pay thirty thousand upfront!” “Young Master Blake really knows how to play! Pretending to be poor for all these years, just to get revenge for Scarlett Zhao. Finally, he’s playing for high stakes!” Before I could even process why my fiancé was being called “Young Master Blake,” the man in the shower instantly replied: “Scarlett Zhao only went into the woods with those guys back then to save me. I just want to get revenge for her.” Tears streamed down my face, hitting the screen. It hit me like a lightning bolt. I was the one who went into the woods with those ten men to save him back then…

The chat continued to buzz. “Ten thousand a pop, tsk tsk. Young Master Blake must have made hundreds of thousands these past few days, right?” “You really think Young Master Blake needs money? Did you see Scarlett Zhao’s Ins post? Young Master Blake just gifted her a three-hundred-million villa yesterday!” I vaguely heard a cheerful chuckle from the bathroom. “I was supposed to take Scarlett to France for the May Day holiday, but couldn’t make it, so I just got her a small gift as compensation. It’s fine. At least this island trip let me get revenge for what happened to her back then.” The group members showered him with praise, but one person, seemingly unable to stomach it, asked: “But Young Master Blake, you’ve been pretending to be poor for so many years, and only Harper Su stuck by you. Last time it was your birthday, she even sold blood to buy you a gift. Aren’t you going a bit too far treating her like this…?” It felt like someone had violently squeezed my heart, and my breath hitched. A moment later, Blake replied with an eye-roll emoji and a few sentences: “If it weren’t for her, Scarlett wouldn’t have gone through that, having to leave the country to escape the backlash.” “If it weren’t for her, Scarlett and I would have been together ages ago. Everything Harper’s going through is her own damn fault.” “Harper needs to experience a hundred times the pain Scarlett did. Tonight’s guests won’t be charged. Come on in, everyone who wants a piece of her.” Amidst the cheers of dozens of people in the group, Blake sent the Airbnb’s location and our room number. “Once she drinks the milk, she’ll be out cold. Just take it easy on her.” I wanted to rush in, snatch his phone, and stop him, but my body trembled uncontrollably, my limbs completely unresponsive. Hearing Blake about to walk out of the bathroom, I mustered my last bit of strength, marked all the tablet messages as unread, and then collapsed onto the bed, wracked with pain. “Baby, what’s wrong?” Blake rushed over. Seeing my eyes red-rimmed and tears streaming down, he looked surprised. “Why are you suddenly having an episode?” He knew I had bipolar disorder. Sometimes I’d be tormented by intense depression, wanting to leave this world. Other times, I’d become abnormally manic, practically wanting to grab a knife and kill everyone. When an episode hit, my observations became even sharper. For the first time, I saw it: under Blake’s mask of concern, a flicker of well-hidden disgust in his eyes. Blake’s gaze fell on the tablet, and he probed thoughtfully, “Did you see something?” My throat felt like it was choked with rocks and sand. I couldn’t utter a single word, only shaking my head silently. Blake checked the tablet, confirming the messages were unread before he turned and hugged me with feigned tenderness. “I’m sorry. Have we been doing too much these past few days? Is it too much for you?” “It’s all my fault for being useless, for not being able to take you to a doctor… The medication for bipolar disorder is too expensive. I’m sorry, baby…” A man who could give a three-hundred-million villa as a “small gift” was now telling me he couldn’t afford even a few dozen dollars for medication. My stomach churned. His embrace made me sick. I struggled to break free from his arms. He hesitated for a moment, a hint of struggle on his face. I almost卑微地 thought, if only Blake, you still cared about me, even just a little, if only you’d abandon your plan… In the end. I watched him get up and pour a glass of milk. “Drink some milk and get some sleep. You’ll feel better tomorrow.” Since the May Day holiday, Blake had prepared a glass of milk for me every day. It wasn’t until I saw the messages in the group chat that I understood why I’d slept soundly for four or five hours on the highway, why I slept so deeply every night at the Airbnb, only to wake up with shameful marks all over my body the next morning. I thought Blake had finally opened up, developed a taste for me, but I never expected… The thought of those hundreds of photos with all sorts of different men made me sink deeper into despair. Even with me in this state, having an episode, he still intended to let those men come and take their revenge on me? My hands trembled as I slapped the glass of milk, sending it flying. Blake’s face instantly flashed with a flicker of annoyance. But when he saw me, pale as a ghost and slumped on the floor, wildly hitting my head with my hands, he said nothing, just let out an almost imperceptible sigh and turned to leave. I stared blankly, letting the waves of depression and self-loathing wash over me. I don’t know how much time passed, but suddenly, there was a faint click of the doorknob from outside. Were Blake’s “friends” finally here? One, two, or… how many?

The doorknob gently turned, and a man stealthily crept in. I stared at him in the darkness, my eyes bloodshot. He was clearly startled. “Oh, crap, you’re still awake…” Before he could finish, Blake’s urgent, sharp voice cut him off. “You’re drunk! Wrong room!” Blake forcibly dragged the man out, speaking in hushed tones outside the door. I caught fragmented pieces of their conversation: “She’s having an episode… Go back… there will be other chances…” The man’s voice rose. “I even prepared the little pills! How can I…” I don’t know what Blake said in the end, but the surroundings fell silent. Throughout the rest of the night, similar situations happened twice more. I stayed awake, sitting motionless on the floor. Blake didn’t come in to check on me. I thought blankly, was it worth it for Blake to pretend for ten years, all for this day? I had met Blake even earlier than he thought. I was in the middle of the road, bipolar disorder suddenly striking, rendering me unable to move. Just as the traffic was about to rush towards me, a young man suddenly appeared and saved me. Later, I inquired about him everywhere and found out he was known as the poorest student in school. A gambling father, a sick mother, and him – kind and silent. From then on, my entire youth revolved around Blake. From high school to college, I pursued him for seven long years until we finally got together. When he had no money for food, I would eat cheap buns every day, giving him all my living expenses so he could have proper meals with meat and vegetables. He envied other boys who had the latest sneakers. I endured harassment working at a busy diner for two months, buying him three pairs that made every guy in school incredibly jealous. He was even beaten by ten thugs and almost lost his life. It was me who swallowed my pride and agreed to go into the woods with them so he could escape unharmed. Last year, his mother’s illness worsened, requiring hundreds of thousands. I begged everyone, even kowtowed to my stepfather who used to bully me when I was little, just to raise the money. I thought sharing hardships would lead to undying love, but it turned out to be a cruel prank by a rich man. But why? WHY?! Blake had forgotten to take his tablet, and new messages kept popping up: “Young Master Blake is being so unfair. He said we could come, and now he won’t let us.” “Don’t even get me started, I really want to know what it’s like with a woman having an episode… I heard some get super excited!” “I really want to experience Young Master Blake’s life. He pretended to be poor in high school, had Harper working like a dog, sacrificing everything for him, and also had a beauty like Scarlett Zhao who, to save him, willingly went into the woods with other men. Tsk, tsk, tsk.” “Oh, come on, you playboy, you don’t even have a tenth of Young Master Blake’s devotion. Scarlett Zhao just returned to the country, and Young Master Blake not only bought her a car and designer bags but also purchased an entire piece of land in Grandview Estates, planning to build a mansion there someday. He doesn’t even care if Harper finds out and jumps off a building.” These words were like sharp knives, tearing repeatedly at my already tattered heart. Blake and I, broke and with nothing, crammed into a tiny studio in a sketchy part of town. He once held my hand and said that if we worked hard together, one day we’d be able to afford a subsidized apartment near Grandview Estates. I always thought a bright, clean apartment with one bedroom and one living room was our unreachable dream. It turned out everything was so absurd. I frantically picked up the fruit knife beside me. Just as I was positioning it against my wrist, a sickeningly intimate moan suddenly came from the room next door: “Blake~ Mmm…”

The Airbnb had terrible soundproofing. The woman’s voice was almost a taunt in my ear: “I missed you so much too… Just thinking about you and Harper on your honeymoon here, my depression acts up…” “I’m so sad, boo hoo hoo. I keep dreaming about going into the woods with those men…” I recognized it instantly. It was Scarlett Zhao’s voice. I never thought Blake valued her so much that he’d even bring her to our “honeymoon” and arrange for her to stay in the room next door. Blake’s voice was husky, filled with endless tenderness and heartache: “Scarlett, I’m so sorry for what I put you through.” “Don’t be afraid. The top psychology team from abroad is already on their way. Just get some good sleep, and by tomorrow, the doctors will be here, okay?” After I got together with Blake, I’d had several episodes. Each time, he claimed he couldn’t afford the expensive treatment. I was sensible too, daring not to spend an extra dime. I’d just lock myself in the room, refusing to eat or drink, enduring it until it passed. One time, I almost died. At the last moment, a surge of survival instinct made me dial for emergency help. The doctor said if I’d been a few minutes slower, I would have been gone. Afterward, Blake even blamed me for spending the rent money. I just listened in silence, went and sold blood once, and paid the rent. It turned out that when he loved someone, he could spend a fortune to fly in foreign experts overnight, instead of scolding her for wasting money by going to the hospital. Scarlett Zhao’s voice stretched out, whining, “Blake, seeing Harper have an episode, aren’t you feeling bad for her?” In the long, yet fleeting darkness, I heard Blake softly scoff, “How could I? In this whole world, the only person I truly care for is you.” Scarlett Zhao, with a hint of petulance, giggled and asked him, “You’ve been sleeping here with me every night, listening to other men play with Harper. Don’t tell me you have some kind of kink, you like other people using your wife? If that’s the case, I won’t have anything to do with you.” He said in a low voice, “Scarlett, you know I’m doing all of this to get revenge for you. As for Harper… I won’t marry her. After being used by so many men, she’s not worthy of being the Blake family’s young mistress.” Soon, unspeakable sounds came from next door. My phone lit up with two notifications. One was “3rd Anniversary with Blake,” and the other was “Happy 25th Birthday to me.” The man I had given my entire youth and everything to, the man I loved, was spending my 25th birthday, on our three-year anniversary, while I was suffering terribly from a bipolar episode, indulging in a night of debauchery with another woman in the room next door. My heart shattered completely. I sent a text to my step-brother, Sawyer Hayes: “Sawyer Hayes, can you come pick me up? I don’t want to be with Blake anymore.” He replied instantly: “Okay, wait for me.” A tidal wave of exhaustion washed over me. Amidst overwhelming self-loathing, I slowly drifted to sleep. But I forgot to ask Sawyer how he knew where I was.

The next morning, I was woken again by the sounds from next door. I lay with my eyes closed, letting tears stream down. An hour later, the frolicking next door stopped, and the sound of running water from the shower began. Another hour passed before Blake walked in as usual, though his ears were still unusually flushed. Blake acted as if nothing had happened and took me downstairs for breakfast. Malicious gazes, a mix of curiosity and malice, landed on me. “Is that her? She looks like…” “I remember two days ago when she checked in, she was wearing that mosquito net wedding dress…” “She looks so innocent, but behind closed doors, she’s really…” My body stiffened. The whispers in my ears magnified, growing louder and louder… Did they all know? Had they all seen? Seen me in that ridiculous mosquito net wedding dress, in the back of the car, in the public restroom by the highway rest area, in the Airbnb… like a broken rag doll, used and discarded? My hands trembled violently. My fork clattered to the floor. All eyes instantly and shamelessly focused on me. Cold sweat drenched my back. I squeezed a sentence through gritted teeth: “What… what are they saying…?” Blake shot a warning glare at the people around us, then patted my hand reassuringly. “They’re not talking about you. Don’t overthink it.” How could that be?! They definitely saw it! How much did Blake hate me?! After letting countless men humiliate me, he even uploaded the videos online?! My pupils constricted, and a scream tore from my throat before I even realized what I was doing. Blake looked at me, bewildered, a hint of guilt and unease flickering across his face. My hands instinctively covered my eyes. Overwhelming panic suffocated me, making it impossible to breathe. Through my fingers, I saw Sawyer Hayes striding towards me. Just as I thought I was about to be rescued. Blake looked at him and snapped, his voice sharp and urgent. His words made me plummet into hell instantly: “I told you to come tonight! What are you doing here now!” Sawyer Hayes was my step-brother, only three years older than me. When I was little, my stepfather, right in front of my mom, reached into my shirt. It was Sawyer who grabbed a beer bottle, injured him, and dragged me out of that hellhole.

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I was a world-renowned professional angler. After marrying Grant Sterling, the eldest son of the Sterling family, I helped him close dozens of deals by using our shared passion for fishing to build connections, doubling the company’s profits. The day after I found out I was pregnant, I suffered an accidental miscarriage in the middle of the vast ocean. His childhood friend, Summer Hayes, hooked the bit of tissue that had slipped from my body, then gave me a sly, taunting wink: “Quick, cast a line while it’s fresh! I bet the fish out here have never tasted bait like *this* before! You’re not angry, are you, Harper?” I looked at Grant Sterling, pleading for help, but he just chastised me: “You’re just on your period, right? You can single-handedly lift those heavy water coolers, why are you acting so delicate? Next time, remember to bring tampons! You’ve made a mess of my boat!” I begged him to turn back, but a fish bit his line, and he told me to wait. Only after he reeled in the fish did Grant have time for me. “Didn’t you say you had something to tell me today?” The air was silent. “Nonsense. Say it or don’t.” Grant said impatiently. I closed my eyes. Suddenly, I felt like *I* was the one who was wrong.

It was a marlin, its head bristling with long, sharp spikes, weighing about a hundred pounds. Grant and Summer had fought it for almost an hour. Summer excitedly posed with the fish from different angles for photos: “Fishing is so much fun! I’ve decided I’m going to enter the sea angling competition Grant is sponsoring! Grant, you can fish with me, and since Harper isn’t feeling well, she can just drive the boat for us.” “Sounds good. She’s the most familiar with all the trivial stuff like picking out tackle and preparing bait anyway.” I shoved her away like a maniac, desperate to pry open the marlin’s mouth. Summer let out a delicate gasp, her legs buckled, and she almost tumbled into the sea. My two-month-old baby hadn’t even fully formed. That bloody tissue was already torn apart, its shape unrecognizable. “Slap!” A stinging slap landed on my face. Grant held the startled Summer in his arms: “What kind of animalistic behavior is that? Is this how you act as Mrs. Sterling? If you’re done with being my wife, just say so!” I grew up by the sea, the daughter of a fisherman. After marrying Grant, I spent every waking moment learning proper etiquette and bearing, never daring to relax. But thank goodness I wasn’t some fragile, helpless rich girl, otherwise, how could I have endured such pain? Beneath my dark athletic shorts, a horrifying gush of blood streamed down my thighs. By the time the boat docked, it had already dried. Many of the fishing enthusiasts showered Grant and Summer with compliments: “This beautiful lady caught Mr. Sterling’s exclusive lucky fish on her first try! It seems you two really are meant to be!” “If it were just a little bigger, it could break the record of the one in the center of the Sterling Group’s lobby, right?” Summer’s face was flushed crimson from the sun, looking utterly adorable. She tilted her head towards Grant: “How big does it need to be to break the record?” Grant stroked her head. The corners of his lips, usually stern and aloof, curled into a rare, doting smile: “You don’t need to break any records. As long as you want it, we’ll turn *your* fish into a specimen and hang it in the Group’s lobby. How about that?” “Then I’ll really have to try my best!” The marlin specimen displayed in the Sterling Group’s lobby? Grant caught that one under my guidance. It was 3.4 meters long, weighing a massive 450 pounds – three times the size of today’s catch – and it broke the national record for marlin sea fishing. No one has beaten it since. That fish that made him renowned throughout the entire fishing community. That fish that made him see me as his lucky charm. That fish that symbolized the Sterling Group’s unyielding spirit. Somewhere along the way, it had become utterly worthless. Grant went into the boat cabin to pack his fishing gear, his gaze on me filled with disgust: “Wait until Summer and I are far away before you leave. Don’t let anyone see you looking so disgraceful.” “Grant Sterling, let’s get a divorce.” My voice was hoarse. I cupped a handful of seawater, poured it into my insulated bottle, and hugged it tight. Grant froze for a moment, seeing the utter despair in my eyes. Then, he reluctantly softened his tone: “The Sterling Group and the Hayes Corporation have many collaborations ahead. I’m just playing nice with Summer to keep old Mr. Hayes happy, understand? You’re on your period, so just go home and rest. I’m letting today’s incident slide. But tomorrow, when Summer goes fishing, you still need to be there. You’re strong; half a day’s rest is plenty.” “I’m not going back. Tonight, I’m sleeping with the ocean.” He paused for a moment, seemingly unable to comprehend why I had suddenly become so sullen and rebellious. But he still forgave me magnanimously: “Alright, alright, fine. Consider this your sincere devotion to the sea tonight. Just make sure tomorrow you help Summer catch a fish even rarer than that golden moonfish she posted on her Ins, so she can post about it and be happy, okay?” I frowned, but then burst out laughing. My heart didn’t ache as it usually did. That child, as it left my body, took with it the last shred of my illusions about him.

The next day at noon, I bought my own fishing yacht. Before that, I went to the hospital and picked up a pile of vitamins and medication to help with the miscarriage, scattering them loosely on the boat deck. Next to the pills was a registration notice for the sea angling competition. The competition was set to start the day after tomorrow. I had pulled some strings in the fishing community to get a spot. I was sick of being Grant Sterling’s business tool. I needed to return to my own world. Grant and Summer walked up together. Summer innocently asked: “Is this our fishing yacht for today? Harper chose it herself, so it must be good!” Grant glanced at the items on the yacht and chuckled: “I’ve already spoken with the organizers about Summer joining the competition as a sponsor… But since you helped her register, that was thoughtful of you. Let’s go to a nearby shop and pick out some fishing gear for her. You’re the professional; you know best.” I just stared at him, speechless. I pulled out a signed divorce paper from my bag and handed it to him. Grant didn’t take it. Instead, he pulled me aside, and for once, he tried to softly coax me: “You actually like Summer too, don’t you? She’s such a spirited, free-spirited girl. When I look at her, it’s like seeing a younger you. If we had a child, they’d probably be just like her.” My heart ached for a second. Treat her like a child? He must be treating me like an utter fool. Summer was only three years younger than me. I pulled away from him: “We’re getting a divorce. There won’t be any children.” Grant’s face hardened: “Harper, don’t be so ungrateful!” I scoffed and walked directly toward the tackle shop. I needed to buy a new set of gear for my competition the day after tomorrow. Grant wrapped an arm around Summer’s waist, leaving me behind. The tackle shop was run by a local fishing association, with a wall covered in medals and trophies from its members. I had a wall like that in my own room, but it was all mine. Grant and Summer whispered to each other, pointing at the trophies. They exchanged knowing glances and shared a quiet laugh, just like a couple of young lovers. Suddenly, Summer walked over, frowning as she looked at the fishing gear I had carefully selected: “This rod isn’t good. I don’t like blue. And this lure is so ugly! I need to take pictures for my Ins that day!” Grant coldly ordered me: “Get a lighter set. It’s too heavy for Summer to hold. But not too light either, or the fish will pull it away. No colors other than black. Hurry up; we need to go to dinner soon.” I was baffled. “I’m buying fishing gear for myself. What does that have to do with you two?” “Are you out of your damn mind?” Grant thought I was just throwing a tantrum and laughed, annoyed. My fishing gear was already very complete; buying a whole new set now was indeed unnecessary. But Summer had used my most comfortable set that day, and I found it disgusting. I left the fishing gear with the shop owner. As I stepped out, I received a message from Grant: [We’re already at the restaurant. Here’s the address. Hurry up, don’t delay Summer’s fishing trip this afternoon.]

I still went to that restaurant because I learned that his assistant, Chris, would be there to deliver some documents to Grant. “Mrs. Sterling, is everything alright?” Chris’s hand trembled as he took the divorce papers from me. “I don’t have time to chase him to sign this. You can hold onto it for me,” I said curtly. Suddenly, a pink figure descended from upstairs. It was Summer. She sweetly called out to me: “Harper, you’re finally here? Come quick, that bluefin tuna is waiting for you!” I frowned, then heard a few servers, who had been standing by the door for a long time, whispering: “Didn’t Ms. Hayes say she invited the sea angling champion to our restaurant? Who’s this?” “Ugh, I even prepared my camera for a photo op…” My brow twitched. I had been a sea angling champion five years ago, so of course, no one remembered me. But a bad feeling still rose in my gut. The next second, several chefs walked out, carrying a fresh bluefin tuna. “Harper, I’m worried the restaurant won’t prepare this fish well. Only a professional like you can slice it properly.” I scoffed. This kind of high-end seafood restaurant—if someone catches a rare fish offshore, they’ll buy it for a high price immediately. Their chefs can handle any fish. Summer walked up to me, all pretense of innocence gone from her face. It was replaced by intense mockery and arrogance. She whispered in my ear: “If Grant hadn’t married you, you’d probably be just like the guy who caught this fish – bowing and scraping, just to get it onto someone else’s table after a quick photo, wouldn’t you? I’m giving you a chance to slice it for me. You should really appreciate it.” The servers watched as the fish was taken to the private room, and they started whispering again: “Ugh, what champion? She’s just a fish butcher.” “Probably some champion from a bush-league competition. Ms. Hayes is just being nice by saying that.” I looked at Grant, who stood not far away, watching me with a smirk, as if enjoying a show. I knew he was telling me that without him, I was nothing. My phone vibrated. It was a photo from the movers I’d hired. They cautiously asked me: “Should the things in the trophies… be packed too?” The photo showed a trophy accidentally knocked over, spilling out a sticky, damp mess of used condoms. Every single trophy contained them. My temples throbbed. Grant would never have allowed that when he was with me. It could only be Summer and him. Recalling their snickering at the tackle shop, I sneered. I casually pulled out the small knife I always carried and, with one swift, clean cut, gutted the fish. Its internal organs spilled out onto the floor. Summer screamed, covering her eyes. Grant put his arm around Summer and snapped, “Harper Vance, aren’t you disgusted with yourself?!” He’d once praised the exact same action, calling me free-spirited and charming. Now, his eyes were full of nothing but disgust. “Not as disgusted as you two make me!” Grant froze, seemingly shocked that I dared to talk back. I turned to leave, and my phone immediately buzzed. It was a voice message from Grant. He was truly enraged: [Harper Vance, I didn’t want to tell you, but I only liked you at first because of the suspension bridge effect. You got off easy being Mrs. Sterling for five years; it’s gone to your head!] The suspension bridge effect: It means when you’re in a high-stakes, exciting situation, you mistake your racing heart for actual feelings for the other person. That night, we had fought that marlin for almost seven hours. The fishing yacht had nearly capsized several times. It was certainly stimulating enough. So that’s what he considered our love. But I no longer cared. Seeing that I didn’t reply, he assumed I was intimidated and added: [You scared Summer. I’m ordering you to drive the boat for her during her competition tomorrow, to apologize with your actions! Otherwise, don’t blame me if I actually sign the divorce papers!] I scoffed and replied: [My pleasure.]

The next day, it was the sea angling competition. I arrived at the beach early with my gear, looking for my boat. From a distance, I saw a scattering of white and yellow medicine boxes floating in the water around my fishing yacht. It suddenly dawned on me that I hadn’t taken a single one of the pills I got from the hospital. I let out a bitter laugh, then noticed the entire fishing yacht was shaking unnaturally. As I got closer, the sickening sounds of their tryst from inside the cabin drifted into my ears, carried by the waves. I took a deep breath, stepped onto the boat to pick up the remaining medicine boxes, and through the cabin window, I met Grant’s gaze. Grant squinted at me, a taunting smirk on his face, and then deliberately intensified his movements. The fishing yacht rocked even more violently. Fighting back nausea, I left, returned to the tackle shop, and rented a new fishing yacht. Just then, I received another message from him: [This is your punishment. Every time you’re stubborn, I’ll punish you again.] I scoffed, amused, but I had no time for him. The competition was still two hours away, and I had something important to do. I arrived at a small, weathered chapel by the sea. Growing up, before my father went fishing, we always visited a similar shrine to offer prayers. I carried that insulated bottle, knelt, and bowed my head three times, praying that this child’s soul would find peace. The chapel was quiet. A kind-faced attendant wearing simple robes approached me. “Hello, ma’am, would you like to buy a blessed charm?” “Do you have any that bless children?” I asked hesitantly. Just then, Summer’s laughter drifted in from the doorway. She had red marks on her neck and twisted her body, looking innocent, as she walked up to me: “Harper, you really are here! I told Grant you fisher-folk loved to come pray at this chapel, but he didn’t believe me! What are you looking at, Harper? What are these?” The attendant was interrupted and seemed to momentarily forget what I had just asked. He instinctively pulled out two charms: “This one’s for a harmonious marriage, and this one for fertility and a blessed child. Which would you prefer?” I fell silent. Grant’s expression turned playful. He pulled Summer’s hand and walked into the chapel: “If you don’t appreciate your own blessings, no charm in the world will help you.” My brow twitched. I suddenly remembered my insulated bottle was still beside the prayer mat. Sure enough, the next second I heard Grant’s voice: “Harper Vance, are you ditching your crappy insulated bottle?” Then came a jarring clatter. He kicked the bottle aside with his foot. But I’d unscrewed the cap, hoping to receive the chapel’s blessing for the seawater inside. With that kick, the seawater spilled onto the ground, not a single drop remaining. It was like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over my head. I had planned to go out to sea today and pour the blessed water from the bottle back into the ocean, hoping it would allow the child’s soul to rest. But I hadn’t expected that even this private wish would be denied.

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My husband had a daughter with his first love, Seraphina. I always knew. I thought if I just stayed by his side. If I used our daughter to hold him, he would eventually come back to me. That we could build a happy family. To get his attention, I pushed our daughter, Aria, to study hard, controlling her every move, molding her into a proper, elegant lady. I never imagined Aria couldn’t take the pressure and took her own life. My husband then sent me to a mental hospital. With me out of the way, he successfully brought Seraphina into our lives. But I woke up, filled with burning hatred. I was reborn. Aria jumped from a high-rise building, and I couldn’t bear the shock. I passed out. When I woke up, I was told my husband had already taken her body for cremation. I hadn’t even gotten to say goodbye to my own daughter. I found my husband, demanding to know why he wouldn’t let me see her one last time. But he was embracing Seraphina, surrounded by a group of people. He told them to take me to a mental hospital. It hit me then, a sickening clarity. He was an absolute scumbag. Aria’s body wasn’t even cold, and he was already planning to send me away, seize my family’s assets, and install Seraphina as his wife. I wouldn’t accept it. I truly wouldn’t. I lunged forward, confronting him, demanding to know why he was doing this to me. He slapped me, hard. “You killed Aria. If you hadn’t pushed her so hard, controlled her every move, why else would she have taken her own life?” My husband also claimed he only married me because of my father. He only married me because I had a powerful dad. How pathetic and laughable I was. I’d always known his intentions were impure. But I believed my true heart could win his. I knew he couldn’t forget Seraphina, that he even had a daughter with her. I once thought that if I stayed by his side, if I raised Aria into a perfect lady. He would finally look at me. It turns out, I was just deluding myself. My husband was discussing with the medical staff how to deal with me, when Seraphina suddenly walked over, crouching down to whisper in my ear. At that moment, she wasn’t gentle or frail at all. All that remained was pure malice. She hissed, “You look pathetic. What good did getting his body do? You’ll never have his heart. And now, even his body belongs to me too.” Aria’s death had already shattered me, and I couldn’t control my emotions any longer. I yanked her hair, forcing her forehead to the ground, making her grovel as if begging for my daughter’s forgiveness. Seraphina shrieked in terror, drawing Damian’s attention. He rushed toward us, and I felt a sedative injected into my neck by the medical staff. The last thing I saw was my husband gently comforting Seraphina, then casting a look of utter disgust my way. Hatred coiled around my heart, a venomous snake. If I got another chance, I would never let that cheating couple get away with it.

When I opened my eyes again, hatred still surged through me. I thought I had been sent to the mental hospital. But I looked around and realized, wasn’t this our piano room? Suddenly, I heard a quiet sob. Aria knelt before me, her eyes brimming with tears, her palms red and swollen from being hit. I stood there, arms crossed, a ruler still clutched in my hand. Seeing my daughter alive and well, I couldn’t help but burst into tears of joy. I quickly tossed the ruler aside and hugged her tightly. Aria seemed startled by my strange behavior. Her body involuntarily flinched. She cautiously whispered, “Mom?” “Yes, sweetheart?” Aria saw me crying. She looked disbelieving, but also asked with concern what was wrong. I wiped away my tears. “Mommy’s just so happy.” I didn’t know how, but I had returned to the time when Aria had just started her junior year of high school. No matter what, this time, I wouldn’t let the previous tragedy happen again. All those rules about being a lady, all those strict manners, I’d throw them to the wind. This time, all I wanted was for my daughter to grow up healthy and happy. As for that despicable couple, I wouldn’t let them off easy either. Especially that scumbag husband. I would make sure he lost everything and everyone. I stroked Aria’s head, telling her she didn’t have to learn piano if she didn’t want to. She looked at me, disbelief in her eyes, then cautiously said, “Mom, didn’t you always say a proper lady had to learn piano?” I sighed. What was I thinking back then? Why did I keep pushing my daughter, making her so miserable, making her speak to her own mother so timidly? I looked at her seriously. “From now on, do what you want to do. Mom used to think those things were for your own good, but I never considered if you actually needed them.” “From now on, Mom just wants you to be happy.” A flash of surprise crossed Aria’s eyes, but her gaze was still filled with doubt. My heart ached a little. It seemed I truly had been awful before. Even my own daughter didn’t believe I could truly change. But years of ingrained behavior don’t change overnight, and I understood that. I would prove it with my actions. I would earn her trust.

At dinner, Aria was still very reserved. I remembered how she used to come home from school, excited to share her day’s stories during dinner. But I would sharply hit her arm with my fork. Back then, I’d glare at her and say, “What did Mom teach you? No talking at the dinner table. Silence while eating, silence while sleeping.” After that, she remembered it well. Now, thinking about it, we were a family. Why did we need so many rules? I served Aria her favorite braised pork ribs, telling her to eat more. “From now on, you can tell Mom anything.” Aria looked surprised but obediently said, “Okay.” After dinner, Aria dutifully went back to her room to study. I sat in the living room, sipping tea, thinking about how to deal with that despicable couple. Suddenly, Mrs. Davis, our housekeeper, walked over. “Madam, this package is for you.” I opened it. It was a photo, dated for today. In the picture, my husband was hugging Seraphina, celebrating their daughter’s birthday. In the past, seeing this would have sent me into a furious rage. Now, I just felt a quiet sense of irony. Well, isn’t that convenient? I needed to save this. Wasn’t this clear evidence of Damian’s infidelity? The photo, without a doubt, was sent by Seraphina to provoke me. It wasn’t the first time I’d received something like this, but before, my mind wasn’t clear, and I’d just endured it. This time, I planned to remain calm, not to swallow my anger. It was just that I couldn’t divorce him yet. I needed to regain control of the company first. Even though the company shares were still in my name. Damian had been managing the business for so many years that he had successfully sidelined me from the company’s management. Once I had control again, I’d kick that scumbag out, leaving him with absolutely nothing. Then, I’d like to see if his love with Seraphina was truly as solid as gold.

My in-laws, Eleanor and Richard, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time, suddenly showed up at the house. Damian was away on a business trip. Aria, ready for school, dutifully went forward to greet her grandparents. But Eleanor just stared at her, then sighed. “Why is she just a girl?” My eyes turned cold. I spoke up, “A girl is wonderful. I’m very happy with her.” This old-fashioned preference for boys was unacceptable. For years, Eleanor had looked down on me and my daughter for not having a grandson. Before, out of respect, I had endured it. So much so that when I read Aria’s suicide note, she wrote that she felt like an unwanted child. Eleanor, however, ignored me and continued, “What good is a girl? She can’t take care of you in your old age or bury you. And the family fortune will go to someone else eventually.” She even wanted me to have another child. Hah, I scoffed. But Aria looked a little hurt. I took her hand and comforted her. “Don’t worry, Mom will only ever have one daughter, you.” I told her to go to school first and ignore Eleanor’s unreasonable demands. Eleanor sat on the sofa and said, “Your brother-in-law, Jasper, is getting married. Give him one of your properties for his wedding home.” So that was her real purpose for coming. But what was with that condescending attitude? Was that any way to ask for a favor? I refused. I told her I was leaving all my properties to my daughter. Eleanor shamelessly claimed, “If you give your property to Jasper, and his wife has a son, then his son can take care of you in your old age.” The nerve! I said coldly, “I don’t need anyone to take care of me. I can go to a retirement home.” Eleanor was furious, cursing me as a “cursed woman.” “What’s wrong with giving Jasper a property? It’s not like you’re losing an arm or a leg!” “I’ll say it again. All my assets will go to my daughter. No one else will touch a single penny.” Why didn’t this old hag ask her own son to buy him a place? She just wanted to take advantage of me. In my past life, I had given my all for their family. Yet they showed no gratitude. They still wanted to scheme for my assets. Hmph. Eleanor’s face twisted in rage, and she lunged at me, intending to hit me. But Richard held her back. He tried to smooth things over, saying Eleanor was confused. He pulled Eleanor into a room, and I could still hear them whispering. “Damian hasn’t gotten the shares yet. Don’t ruin things with her.”

Truly, there’s no limit to shamelessness. It seems I need to accelerate my return to the company. But before I could even start making plans. That evening, Aria’s homeroom teacher called me, saying Aria had gotten into a fight at school. I rushed over, only to find my husband, Damian, who was supposed to be on a business trip, already there. In the office, besides him, was Seraphina, his mistress. She was crying hysterically, holding her daughter, Celeste, and accusing Aria of bullying her. My daughter stood helplessly to the side. Damian showed no inclination to defend Aria. He even wanted her to apologize to Seraphina’s daughter, Celeste. Aria stubbornly said, “I didn’t do anything wrong, why should I apologize?” Seeing this, Damian raised his hand, intending to slap Aria across the face. I pushed open the door and walked in, radiating power. “Try to hit my daughter, I dare you.” His hand froze in mid-air, unable to strike. Damian glared at me with disgust. “Look at the daughter you’ve raised! Bullying others!” I scoffed. “My daughter would never bully anyone. And you, you want her to apologize without even knowing the reason?” “Are you even her real father? Anyone would think you’re someone else’s dad!” His expression flickered with panic for a second. I ignored him. I asked Aria what happened. She said Celeste was bullying Chloe, and she stepped in to defend Chloe. It was then I noticed a small girl in the corner of the office, likely Chloe, the girl Aria mentioned. I patted Aria’s shoulder, reassuring her. To my surprise, my husband actually interjected. “Why are you so reckless, sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong? And you scratched Celeste’s face like that!” It was just like in my previous life. Damian had always sided with his illegitimate daughter, blaming Aria for being reckless and for stepping in. Back then, I also thought Aria was undignified, not behaving like a proper young lady. I completely ignored Aria’s intentions and just kept scolding her. This time, I absolutely wouldn’t do that again. I glared at him. “Shut up.” I turned to Aria’s homeroom teacher, who hadn’t spoken yet. “I believe the teacher has already clarified the situation.” “My daughter was acting heroically. I don’t believe she did anything wrong.” The one who was wrong was the bully, Damian’s illegitimate daughter. The girl Aria had protected, Chloe, looked timid. But she also confirmed that Aria had stepped in for her. As a homeroom teacher, she naturally knew the character of the students in her class. The teacher asked Celeste to apologize to Chloe and Aria, but Celeste looked defiant. Seraphina also wouldn’t let her daughter apologize, insisting that her daughter would never bully anyone, that she was a good girl. She then cast a pitiful look at Damian, daring to flirt and provoke me right in front of me. I scoffed. Damian looked conflicted. He shamelessly spoke up, “How about we just let it go? It’s not like Aria was hurt.” I scoffed again. “Whether we ‘let it go’ or not is not up to you.”

Chloe was an orphan. In my previous life, once I found out, I forbade Aria from playing with her. Aria had a huge fight with me then, and later, I heard Chloe had been bullied until she took her own life. I couldn’t imagine if Aria had also been bullied. I only knew that this time, I had to help Chloe. I would even sponsor her education, because she was a friend my daughter accepted. In the end, Celeste reluctantly apologized. Seraphina looked as if she had suffered the greatest injustice. After settling the matter, I took Aria home. Damian followed us. On the way, I couldn’t help but taunt him. “Weren’t you on a business trip? How did you get here so fast?” Damian pompously declared that no matter what, nothing was more important than his daughter. Which daughter was he talking about? Who knows. Aria nestled close to me. She had finally completely believed that I wasn’t the controlling mother I used to be. I felt immensely relieved. That night, I slept with Aria. The next day, I went to see Uncle Liam, a highly respected elder and my father’s most trusted friend. He also held shares in the Sterling Group. I stated my intentions, and he pondered for a while. He said Damian had been diligently managing the company for so many years; kicking him out wouldn’t be easy. He could bypass Damian and arrange for me to start at a lower level, prove myself, and then be transferred back to headquarters. Otherwise, the old directors on the board might not approve of me. I assured him I would achieve great results. I used to focus solely on family, but thankfully, I hadn’t forgotten everything I’d learned before. Uncle Liam acted quickly. I was soon assigned to a struggling subsidiary of the Sterling Group. This company had been losing money for a long time, and morale was low. The first thing I needed to do was stabilize their confidence.

I parachuted in to take over this company that was on the verge of being shut down. On my first day, the existing executive director tried to put me in my place. Whatever materials I requested, she claimed weren’t available. Employee morale was also very low. The company was a mess, and that executive director even arrogantly said, “This is how we usually operate.” I flew into a rage, deciding to make an example out of her. I fired her on the spot. I told her to go to accounting to settle her severance. She was furious, claiming I had no right to fire her. I ignored her shouting and simply encouraged the others, “I’ve taken over this company, and I will lead you to success. Work hard with me, and I won’t let you down.” No matter how nice the words sounded, without actual results, there was no convincing power. What I needed most was a big deal, one that could revive this company. That evening, I arranged a meeting with some potential partners and, accompanied by a young assistant, went to negotiate a contract. To my surprise, I met a bald Mr. Henderson. He brazenly eyed me up and down, then coarsely insisted I drink with him. I thought, “I’ll endure this if I can.” For the sake of the deal, I drank. But then he reached out, trying to grope me. My assistant was a man, waiting outside the private room. I wanted to twist his arm off, but then someone walked into the room. The moment Mr. Henderson saw him, his eyes lit up as if he’d struck gold. He ran over like a bootlicker. “Well, Mr. Caleb! It’s rare to see you here. Come, come, let me toast you.” I looked up. It was Caleb Sullivan, my old university classmate. I never imagined he’d be doing so well now. Caleb exchanged pleasantries with Mr. Henderson, then sat down. He said, “I hear you’re discussing a contract with Ms. Sterling, Mr. Henderson. I wonder if I could get a piece of that action?” Mr. Henderson smiled obsequiously, “Of course, Mr. Caleb! With your involvement, it would be twice as easy. Everyone knows following Mr. Caleb means good profits!” Just like that, a major deal was sealed. I looked at Caleb with gratitude. It was all thanks to him that things went so smoothly. I took the opportunity to add Caleb’s contact information.

After that deal was secured, I distinctly felt the company’s morale rise significantly. I instructed the finance department to issue a bonus to every employee as encouragement for their hard work. This would better maintain employee loyalty. I also specifically promoted the young assistant who had accompanied me to the negotiation, putting him in charge of liaising with Mr. Henderson. And I specifically invited Caleb to dinner at an elegant, traditional restaurant. Caleb and I chatted about our university days. I couldn’t help but remark, “You were quite the campus celebrity back then, you know. So many girls had crushes on you.” Caleb just smiled, not saying anything. “And now you’re doing so well! What lucky woman gets to marry you?” Caleb paused for a moment, then said, “I’ve been divorced for a long time.” I felt a little awkward. It seemed I had said the wrong thing. Caleb smiled, reassuring me, “It’s been a long time. I’ve moved on.” With him saying that, I didn’t know what else to say, so I just chuckled and changed the subject. I asked Caleb why he suddenly appeared that day to help me. He then told me a story. He said that once, a young man, poor and about to drop out of school, met an old man fishing in the park. Seeing how distraught he looked, the old man kindly asked what was wrong. At that time, the young man told him he was going to quit school. The old man disagreed and urged him to continue his studies, assuring him not to worry about tuition. The old man asked for his ID and school details. He thought that day he had met a con artist, but it turned out he had met a savior. Because soon after, a sum of money appeared in his bank account, enough to see him through to university graduation. Caleb looked intently into my eyes. “That man was your father.” “After I started university, I met you. But back then, you already had a boyfriend.” “I told myself that if you ever faced any difficulties, I would help you with all my might.” “That day, I appeared on purpose.” So, it was my deeply loving father, helping me all along. My eyes welled up with tears. What goes around comes around. I would carry on my father’s generosity. Once I fully took over the group, I would establish a foundation. To help those in need.

fter dinner, I declined Caleb’s offer to drive me home. I decided to browse a mall and buy a gift for Aria. I walked into a jewelry store, and a sales associate warmly greeted me. I said I was looking for a piece of jewelry suitable for a young girl. The sales associate recommended a very beautiful protective pendant, with a braided cord chain that was durable and looked understated. I decided to buy it on the spot. As I finished paying and was about to leave, I saw Seraphina. She was intimately holding a man’s arm, picking out jewelry. After they exchanged some words, she even happily kissed the man in front of the sales associate. I internally exclaimed, “Well, isn’t that something!” Damian is about to get cuckolded. I quickly took out my phone and snapped a few pictures, then quietly slipped away. I wouldn’t tell Damian yet. It wasn’t the right time. I wanted them to tear each other apart when the time was right. Back home, I placed Aria’s gift in her room, planning to surprise her. But when I went downstairs, I saw Damian sitting on the sofa. I raised an eyebrow. The moment he saw me, he started questioning me. “When did you go back to work at the company?” “Whenever I felt like it. What’s it to you?” Damian had the nerve to say, “I hope you put your focus on the family. Aria still needs your guidance.” “Leave the hard work of earning money to me.” Was he starting to panic already? I decided to mimic his hypocritical act. “How could I let you suffer alone? I’m willing to share the burden.” My husband’s face cracked. He pompously stated, “I was just trying to care for you. Don’t be so sarcastic.” I rolled my eyes. “Don’t bother. If you’re so concerned, maybe care about your own daughter.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296845”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #狼人Werewolf

Julian Thorne’s ex, Seraphina, was back from overseas, divorced, and pregnant. The moment she returned, my husband of five years, Julian, just told me to take care of her every need. I didn’t argue or make a fuss; I simply accepted. After all, everyone in the family knew I was just a stand-in for Seraphina. All these years, he’d ignored my dedication to this family. One casual comment from his ex about wanting a ‘servant’ and I’d be running myself ragged for her. If she so much as sighed, Julian would practically hand her his soul. When Seraphina saw me, she immediately flung herself into Julian’s arms. “Brother Julian always had good taste, marrying a free housekeeper.” “I just wonder if asking Amelia to take care of me will make her angry…” Angry? There was no need. Julian had already signed the divorce papers three days ago. From now on, we were going our separate ways, no strings attached. “My mother’s still in the hospital. Seraphina and I have plans tonight, so you go take care of her.” Julian said, pulling on the clothes I painstakingly ironed and laid out for him every day. He didn’t offer a single word of comfort, just grabbed Seraphina and walked straight out the door. He left the breakfast table a total disaster, and even though he knew I hadn’t eaten, he dumped the extra portion straight into the trash. The house was terrifyingly quiet, leaving me alone in a mess. “Oh, you poor thing, Amelia. You really slave away for us day in and day out.” “Now there’s just Seraphina, too, but I’m sure you can handle it. My brother trusts you, that’s why he gave you the task of looking after the whole family.” Julian’s sister, Chloe, muttered a sarcastic remark as she passed me. I knew she’d always disliked me. I mean, who asked me to ‘steal’ her dear Seraphina’s husband, right? Even though I was Julian’s legal wife, Julian and the entire Thorne family’s favoritism toward Seraphina was plain for all to see. I was already exhausted from work every day, yet he ordered me to spend ten hours at the hospital taking care of his mother, who was paralyzed from the waist down. Julian and I had a huge fight about it. Everyone in the Thorne family saw my distress. Even when I yelled and screamed like a banshee, not one of them would say a word in my defense. Even though I’d tirelessly played the part of the perfect daughter-in-law and wife for five long years. This was my last argument. I was exhausted from constantly fighting to stay afloat in this toxic family dynamic. I listed out all the care instructions for Mrs. Thorne in a neat table and sent it to Seraphina. Isn’t she so eager to climb the ladder? Might as well give her a head start on what it means to be a Thorne daughter-in-law. She stomped her foot in anger. “What’s this supposed to mean, Amelia? You’re complaining about taking care of Aunt Thorne?” “Besides, Brother Julian, you know I’m frail and sickly…” So Julian had the absolute audacity to tell me to quit my job and become Seraphina’s full-time caretaker. I stood before them, watching them flirt and intertwine. They both seemed to be waiting for me to get angry, to rage. But none of that happened. I simply said, flatly, “Okay.” And so, today’s scene unfolded. He seemed determined to humiliate me, all just to win a smile from his ex. Julian believed that leaving me utterly devastated was proof of his love for Seraphina. I should have recognized the truth long ago: Julian never loved me. Julian and Seraphina’s love story was the kind people dreamed of, a real fairytale, the kind you read about: childhood sweethearts, perfectly innocent and inseparable. But when the Thornes went to propose, they were utterly shut down. Apparently, the Cross family looked down on the Thornes’ social standing, thinking Julian was just a toad trying to snatch a swan, and married Seraphina off to a wealthy foreign businessman instead. Julian wanted to elope with Seraphina, but she refused, tears in her eyes. She claimed it was for her family’s benefit, but in truth, she had just snagged someone richer than Julian. And so, they parted ways. Seraphina went to live overseas with her husband, and Julian vowed never to marry. But Julian’s parents wouldn’t have it. That’s when they found me. Julian and I met on a rainy day, a scene straight out of a romance movie. I was being harassed by some thugs, and he stood up for me. Then I held my umbrella over him as he stood drenched in the rain. From that moment, love took root in my heart. It had been ten years since then. At first, he strongly resisted, but then, after meeting me, he compromised. It was only then that I realized the truth: it was because my face was an uncanny eight-tenths match for Seraphina’s. Now Seraphina was back, and it was time for me to go.

It was past midnight when I finally finished taking care of Mrs. Thorne. Mrs. Thorne was famously difficult: petty, cruel, and demanding. Even though I tried my absolute best, she was always finding something to complain about, even if it meant splitting hairs. If anything was even slightly not to her liking, she’d start throwing things around the hospital room and cursing me with all sorts of foul language. As a daughter-in-law, my conscience was clear. Tonight was no different. I was only a minute late bringing her food, and she made me kneel by her hospital bed until she fell asleep before I could leave. In the dead of night, taxis were scarce, so I had no choice but to hobble home, my knees swollen and red from kneeling. I couldn’t afford to waste time; I had a major project to follow up on at the company first thing in the morning. Then a notification popped up on my phone. I squinted, and it was from Julian Thorne. He had never actively messaged me before, and for a second, a flicker of surprise, even hope, stirred in my heart. But as I opened the message, my heart died completely. It was a photo of him kissing Seraphina. Behind them, fireworks exploded, and drones lit up the night sky, spelling out a message: “Seraphina, Julian Thorne loves only you, this life and forever!” All the grand gestures were custom-made for Seraphina. Julian’s next message was ice-cold. “Sent it to the wrong person. It was meant for Seraphina.” “Whatever. You saw it, you saw it. Doesn’t matter.” In five years, I had only ever made one request of him: to receive a single bouquet of roses from him. But he had refused. “Roses? Can’t eat ’em, so what’s the point!” Hearing that, I had only felt a quiet sadness, assuming he was just a pragmatist, not into grand gestures. Turns out, Julian wasn’t clueless about romance; he just wasn’t willing to put in the effort for me. The joyful, blissful expression on Julian’s face in the photo was something I had never seen before. I opened my social media feed, and it was completely dominated by Seraphina’s posts. The comment sections were filled exclusively with messages from relatives and friends. “I knew Seraphina and Julian were always the perfect match.” “When is Julian finally going to divorce that old hag, Amelia Vance?” “Wishing them eternity.” Those comments were like daggers plunging into my chest, leaving me breathless. My finger slipped, and I accidentally liked one of Seraphina’s posts. Her message popped up instantly. “Today is the 10,000th day since Brother Julian and I met. He insisted on giving me a surprise, and I forgot to block you, Amelia, which might have upset you.” “But Amelia, you’re such a generous person, I’m sure you won’t mind, right? Oh, and I forgot to tell you, the photo Brother Julian just sent you? I accidentally sent that too.” “Accidentally”? I almost choked laughing at her ‘accident.’ How she managed to ‘accidentally’ pick me out from hundreds of contacts and send that photo, she knew damn well. Seraphina just wanted to see me furious and raging, didn’t she? Well, I was truly going to disappoint her. What once felt like the end of the world now just felt… trivial. At that moment, I calmly downloaded the photo Julian had sent me and the photos from Seraphina’s social media feed, zipped them into a file, and sent them to my lawyer. Everything I was owed, I would get every single penny. I had already wasted too many of my prime years on Julian Thorne. From now on, I would live for myself. I dialed my family’s number. “Big brother, I’ve made up my mind. It’s much more comfortable inheriting the family fortune back home. Will you still welcome me?” My brother was practically weeping with joy. “My little princess is finally willing to come home! There’s always a place for you here, sis.”

Julian didn’t come home, so I immediately called my private investigator. Sure enough, an hour later, I had the video of them ‘doing their thing’ at a hotel. I was determined to get my share of the Thorne family’s assets. After we got married, Julian always wanted to start his own company. So, I handed over the millions of dollars my family gave me as a wedding gift, letting him go all in. He just happened to catch a massive trend, and the company took off, making the Thornes richer and richer. But Julian, with his pea-sized brain, couldn’t even manage to pass his classes back in the day – how did he think he could run a company? He actually believed he was some kind of business genius! If I hadn’t called in financial executives from Vance Group to advise him, he’d have lost his shirt by now, along with everything else. But instead of gratitude, Julian only became more arrogant, and that whole pack of ungrateful wolves in the Thorne family looked down on me even more. How they saw me no longer mattered. Sooner or later, they would reap what they sowed. I just considered all the money and time I’d invested over the years as wasted, thrown to the dogs. First thing the next morning, as I was packing my bags to leave, Julian called and told me to attend the Thorne family dinner. “Don’t forget the family dinner at noon. Just dress casually, nothing too fancy. You know my parents don’t like you dressing too extravagantly, and it wouldn’t look good for the relatives and friends to see you overly made up. Even if the Thornes are rich, we can’t have you being too wasteful.” Before I could refuse, he’d already hung up. Maybe he was afraid I’d argue with him again, or perhaps he was afraid I’d beg him to forgive me over the phone, considering I was always the one meekly going to him to make up after every argument. Whatever he was afraid of, it didn’t matter anymore. I was about to be completely free. My family’s fortune was waiting for me to inherit. No need to work hard, no need to endure being belittled. How great would it be to just ‘lie flat’ and still get paid? The divorce papers were already effective, and I had collected all the evidence of his infidelity. Attending one last family dinner wouldn’t hurt. But when I arrived at the banquet hall, I was stunned. Everyone was dressed to the nines, while my outfit could only be described as pathetic in comparison. No wonder he told me to dress simply. He was setting me up! The most dazzling person in the crowd was undoubtedly Seraphina, wearing a haute couture gown, its skirt shimmering with diamonds, making her look absolutely radiant. Julian had clearly gone all out to make me look bad and let Seraphina shine, putting in a truly pathetic effort. But when I looked closely at the design of the dress, I froze. Wasn’t this the gown design I had personally created? I stood at the entrance of the banquet hall, watching Julian put his arm around Seraphina’s waist and dance elegantly. People around me started whispering. “Is that Julian’s ex-wife? Why is she dressed so shabbily? How embarrassing!” “She clearly knows she can’t compare to Seraphina, yet she still showed up? Talk about overconfident!” “Tsk, tsk, tsk, she looks way too much like Seraphina. Did she get plastic surgery to look like that?” A wave of laughter swept through the room. Seraphina spoke up, feigning concern for me. “What’s so funny? Amelia spends all day slaving away in the kitchen at home. It’s perfectly normal she doesn’t know how to dress herself up.” Anyone who didn’t know better would think Seraphina was being noble, but in reality, she just wanted to embarrass me, pure and simple.

Too tired to deal with them, I turned to leave, but Seraphina grabbed my arm. “Amelia, you just got here! Why leave so soon? Stay and enjoy the party!” “Didn’t Brother Julian prepare a gown for you? I thought he’d arrange something for you too!” I raised my eyes and stared at Julian, but he nervously avoided my gaze. Seraphina continued to chatter. “Oh, that’s right. Amelia, you’re such a rough person, I guess you wouldn’t know how to wear a gown anyway. No need to waste Brother Julian’s money.” I cursed silently in my heart. Sweetie, when I was wearing gowns, you were probably still crawling around in diapers. But I maintained a polite expression. “Oh, you’re absolutely right. I’m just a crude country bumpkin. But Seraphina, you’re so generous, I’m sure you’d be happy to take off your gown and let your ‘older sister’ wear it, wouldn’t you?” Julian spoke up. “Amelia Vance, do you really have to be so difficult with Seraphina? It’s just a dress. I’ll buy you one, okay?” I smiled, looking at Julian. “Oh, yes, just one dress. But everyone at this party is dressed elegantly, and you specifically told me to dress simply. What was your intention, then? To make me a mere backdrop for your first love?” Julian looked a little flustered. “Do you have to be like this, Amelia? I already told you, Mom and Dad don’t like their daughter-in-law dressing too flashy.” I swirled the red wine in my glass, watching Julian perform his little act. “Is it really your parents who don’t like it, or is it your beloved first love?” Seraphina quickly interrupted. “Amelia, if you think it’s me, then it’s me! As long as you don’t fight with Brother Julian, I’m willing to take the blame.” “I’ll toast to you, hoping you’ll calm down.” She raised her glass, trying to clink it with mine. I scoffed. “I have a severe phobia of trash, so no, I won’t be clinking glasses with a b*tch.” Julian roared, “Enough! If you can’t behave, then get lost! Don’t be an eyesore.” I turned to leave, but Seraphina suddenly rushed forward and knelt in front of me, grabbing my hand and trying to pull it towards her face. “It’s all my fault, Amelia, please don’t be angry.” In Seraphina’s violent tug, I lost my balance and spilled the red wine from my glass onto her gown. She shrieked in terror. “Amelia, how could you do this? You can hit me, curse me, but how could you take it out on this gown? This is a haute couture gown worth millions, the only one in the world!” “If you can’t afford to pay for it, Amelia, you’ll be facing jail time. And I truly wouldn’t want to see that happen to you.” I just laughed. A chilling, slow smile that spread across my face. Seraphina looked confused. “Amelia, you’re about to go to jail. Why are you still laughing?”

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The company’s annual gala was a blur of shimmering dresses and forced smiles. Then, Chloe, the new intern, publicly accused me of deliberately tripping her and staining her designer gown. My husband, Liam, didn’t hesitate. He told me to hand over the dress I’d picked out for our anniversary to compensate her. When I refused, she flew into a rage, humiliating me in front of everyone: “You’re nothing but a discarded toy, auctioned off and shamed by your ex-fiancé! How dare you even think of marrying Liam?!” With that, she threw a glass of red wine over my head. “I heard your compromising photos were auctioned off for a dollar! There are so many people here today, why don’t you show off your wet body to everyone?” A collective gasp swept through the room. My heart clenched, and I stared at my husband in shock. My mind raced back. I’d been drugged and tricked into a sham marriage by my ex-fiancé, and my intimate photos were livestreamed for auction. Luckily, my childhood friend, Liam, came to my rescue, buying off all those photos at an astronomical price. But now, I realized the salvation I thought I’d found was just a casual joke to him. If that’s the case, I choose to leave.

I was drenched and stunned by the glass of red wine Chloe threw at me. Before I could even react, her voice lashed out again. “Audrey Smith, you only got your position because of Mr. Scott, didn’t you? Don’t think everyone doesn’t know about your past!” “Remember when your nude photos were auctioned off for a pittance, causing a massive scandal that rocked the entire city? Tsk, tsk, what a show!” Every word she uttered felt like a poisoned needle piercing my wounds. All eyes in the room fixed on me – shocked, disgusted, and gleefully malicious. A chill ran through me, the humiliation from years ago washing over me again. Instinctively, I looked at my husband, Liam Scott. I still remembered how he saved me when I was at my most desperate, buying all my private photos for an astronomical sum. I’d always seen him as my savior. But now, he stood just a few feet away, motionless. He saw my plea for help in my eyes. Yet, he only frowned, his gaze flickering before he looked away. No defense, no explanation, not even a hint of concern. He silently condoned Chloe’s insult and didn’t care about the judgment raining down on me. My breath hitched in my chest. Seeing this, Chloe leaned triumphantly towards Liam. “Mr. Scott, I didn’t mean to. It was Manager Smith who… she pushed me first!” Liam patted her arm reassuringly. “I know.” Then he pointed at me, clearly annoyed. “Audrey, what are you even doing? You’ve been so unreasonable lately.” “You weren’t like this before.” His words stabbed into my heart like a knife. Before? Yes, I was so “reasonable” then. I never questioned him when he didn’t come home at night. I cleared his name when rumors about his affairs spread. But what did my “reasonableness” get me? In my panic, someone tripped me, and I stumbled backward. The wine glass in my hand shattered on the floor. I instinctively put my hand down to brace myself, feeling a sharp sting. Blood stained the polished floor. I looked up, wincing in pain, and met Liam’s gaze. Those eyes, once filled with tenderness, now held only icy disgust. In that moment, I clearly understood: in his eyes, I was perhaps never a cherished lover. I was just a shameful stain in his life, someone to be constantly reminded of, lest I embarrass him. I had always believed those sordid past events were a secret between only him and me. But I never imagined he’d casually tell an outsider like Chloe, giving her ammunition to attack and humiliate me. My heart turned to ice, inch by painful inch. I picked myself up from the floor, blood still flowing from my palm, but I no longer felt the pain. I just wanted to escape this place. I ducked my head, pushing through the crowd, and stumbled out of the ballroom. Liam’s voice pursued me. “Audrey Smith, where are you going? Get back here!” I didn’t look back, quickening my pace. I had just found my car in the parking lot when he appeared, like a ghost, behind me. “Audrey, have you had enough?” He grabbed my arm. I looked at him with vacant eyes. He seemed a little uncomfortable and let go of my arm, but his tone remained firm. “Chloe is young, why are you making such a big deal out of it?” “Where’s that dress in the car? Chloe’s dress is ruined, she can wear it as a backup.” I paused, then remembered the dress I’d specially prepared, sitting on the back seat. I’d intended to wear it for our anniversary. How ridiculous it seemed now. Seeing my inaction, he impatiently opened the car door himself, roughly pulled out the dress box, and without a glance at me, turned and walked away. I deflated, too drained to go after him and question him. Chloe jogged over from a short distance away. Liam handed her the dress box, and she broke into a delighted smile, intimately linking her arm with his. Then, as if to spite me, she pulled the dress out and threw it on the ground, stomping on it several times with a look of vengeful satisfaction. Liam stood by, watching her foolishness with a tolerant smile. I closed my eyes, feeling the last bit of strength drain from my body. They walked away together, leaving me in the parking lot with the soiled dress on the ground. As I was about to get into my car, several dark figures suddenly surrounded me. Leading them was my ex-fiancé, Derek Stone. He smiled maliciously, closing in on me. “Long time no see, Audrey Smith.” “What, you’re Mrs. Scott now? I hear Liam can’t satisfy you, so you remembered me?” The men behind him chuckled obscenely. A warning bell rang in my head, but I forced myself to stay calm. “Derek, what do you want?” “What do I want?” He sneered. “Chloe’s under my protection. You’d better not get in her way, or else…” He reached out for my face. I recoiled in terror, screaming, “Don’t come any closer!” But they pressed in, cornering me against my car door. My vision blurred, and I completely lost consciousness. When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed. The nurse said a passerby had found me and brought me in. She also told me I was about six weeks pregnant. My mind exploded with a *boom*. I was pregnant? This was Liam’s and my child… My emotions were a complicated mess. The nurse gave me instructions for early pregnancy care, then left the room. I lay on the bed, staring blankly, my hand unconsciously stroking my lower abdomen. Here, a tiny life was forming. Liam and I had always wanted a child. But for various reasons, we’d put it off. Now I had his child, but our relationship was no longer intimate. In the evening, I completed the discharge procedures. My body was still weak, but a certain thought in my mind grew clearer and clearer. I returned home. The living room was dark; he hadn’t come back tonight. I wearily walked towards the bedroom on the second floor. As I reached the staircase, I heard gasping sounds coming from under the bedroom door. The sounds were all too familiar: Liam and Chloe. I was rooted to the spot, unable to move. My fingers dug into my palms, but I felt no pain. I turned and walked back down the stairs. No tears, no hysterics, not even a flicker of emotion. There is no greater sorrow than a heart that has died. I left the house and wandered the streets. The night wind blew cold on my face, but it was nothing compared to the chill in my heart. As dawn approached, I made a decision. I booked an abortion for early the next morning and a flight to another country for three days later. Finally, I contacted an agency specializing in faked deaths, paid a large sum, and asked them to stage an accidental death for me. Three days from now, there would be no more Audrey Smith in this world.

The next morning, I woke up in a hotel. My phone’s notification sound was buzzing frantically. I looked, and my work WhatsApp group was blowing up. Someone had forwarded a video—the humiliating footage from three years ago that Derek had coerced me into filming. Although key parts were pixelated, anyone could tell the person in the video was me. Under the video were various vile comments. My phone also showed dozens of missed calls, all from Liam. I sneered, turning off my phone directly. The next second, the hotel room door suddenly burst open! Liam stormed in, his face contorted with rage, and slammed a photo down in front of me. “Audrey Smith, explain yourself! What is this?!” he roared. It was a photo of Derek and me in the parking lot last night. The angle was tricky, making it look intimate and ambiguous, like we were kissing. “That’s not…” I started to explain. “Not what? Not you throwing yourself at him?” Liam cut me off, his voice filled with disgust, not waiting for my explanation at all. “Audrey Smith, I never thought you’d be so depraved! Being my wife on one hand, and still hooking up with your ex-fiancé on the other!” “I didn’t! This is clearly staged!” I couldn’t help but retort. But Chloe peered out from behind him, chiming in, “Mr. Scott, please don’t be angry. Manager Smith probably didn’t intentionally meet someone in the middle of the night. Maybe she had a reason.” “What reason could she have?” Liam snorted. “I think she’s shameless and promiscuous!” “She did something disgraceful herself, and she still has the nerve to be jealous of you, deliberately making things difficult for you at the party!” “Audrey Smith, you will kneel and apologize to Chloe right now!” I stared at him in disbelief. Was he crazy? He wanted me to kneel and apologize to Chloe? “Liam Scott, how dare you order me around?!” I trembled with anger. “Because I’m your husband! Because you did something to betray me!” His tone was absolute. “I didn’t!” I stubbornly met his gaze. “Still haven’t learned your lesson yet? Have you forgotten how your compromising photos were auctioned off back then?” He grabbed me and threw me to the ground. I hit the floor unexpectedly, my knees throbbing with pain. But it was nothing compared to the despair in my heart. I looked at the man I had loved for so many years and felt, for the first time, how utterly foreign he seemed. I humiliated myself by kneeling. “Chloe, she knows she was wrong.” He wrapped his arm around Chloe and walked away haughtily. Not long after, I saw the entertainment trending topic – #ScottGroupCEOPubliclyDisplaysAffectionWithNewLover# The accompanying picture showed the doting and indulgent look he gave her. My heart felt nothing. I wrote a divorce agreement and sent it to Liam via express delivery. After all this, I lay on the hospital operating table. As the cold instruments took away the little life inside me, I didn’t shed a single tear. I just felt incredibly cold. After the surgery, I returned home. Opening the door, I saw a bracelet shattered into several pieces on the coffee table. This was our promise bracelet, Liam’s and mine. Sunlight streamed through, and I stared at the fragments. Perhaps, from the moment he allowed Chloe to humiliate me, this bracelet, along with our feelings, had already shattered. Suddenly, my phone rang. It was Liam. I hesitated but answered. “Audrey, where are you?” His voice sounded a little tired, but still impatient. “Do you need something?” My tone was flat. “That bracelet… Chloe accidentally broke it. She didn’t mean to.” He explained, his voice a bit stiff. “I understand.” “Don’t overthink it. I’ll buy you a better one later. Tomorrow is our third wedding anniversary, by the way, I’ve prepared a surprise for you.” Third wedding anniversary? He still remembered. But to me, it no longer mattered. “No need,” I refused coolly. “I have to make an impromptu trip to a neighboring country tomorrow. I’ll be catching an early flight and will be back in the evening.” There was silence on the other end for a few seconds. “So sudden?” He seemed a little surprised. “Then I’ll drive you to the airport tomorrow.” “Okay.” I replied faintly, then hung up. That night, Liam didn’t come home. Alone in the house, I personally burned all the memories of him and me. Photos I once cherished, gifts he had given me, and things we had used together. The firelight reflected on my calm face. Everything should end now. The next day, when I was about to leave, Liam called. “Audrey, I’m sorry, I can’t take you to the airport today,” his voice carried a hint of apology. “Chloe’s puppy suddenly got very sick and is making a big fuss. I have to go with her to the vet.” “You go to the airport alone, be careful on your way.” Chloe’s crying could be heard from the other end of the line, and Liam was gently comforting her. I chuckled mockingly. See? I was not even as important as Chloe’s dog. “Okay,” I replied emotionlessly. After hanging up, I unhesitatingly blocked his number and tossed my phone SIM card into the trash. Then I pulled my suitcase and walked towards the airport without looking back. Boarding, takeoff.

That evening, at the city’s most exclusive revolving restaurant, Liam had meticulously set up a romantic scene. Red roses adorned the table, along with a velvet jewelry box containing a diamond necklace he had specially chosen. He held a bouquet of flowers in his arms, glancing at his watch repeatedly. Why wasn’t Audrey here yet? Liam called her, but the ring tone indicated her phone was off. He tried again from a different number, still off. He felt an inexplicable irritation and unease. Chloe’s call came in just then, crying that her dog’s condition had worsened and urging him to come quickly. Liam felt annoyed and quickly brushed her off. His heart grew increasingly unsettled. He suddenly remembered Audrey’s unusual coldness and calmness during their phone call yesterday, and his heart tightened. She seemed… different. He instructed his assistant, “If my wife arrives, tell her to wait for me for a while. I’ll be back soon.” Then he left the restaurant in a hurry. At the vet, though he was with Chloe, his mind was completely elsewhere. He kept checking his phone; there was still no news from his assistant, and Audrey hadn’t shown up. He felt a sense of panic he’d never experienced before. He couldn’t sit still any longer and decided to go look for Audrey himself. He planned to say goodbye to Chloe, but as he reached the door of the examination room, he heard Chloe’s deliberately lowered voice inside. “Derek, don’t worry, Liam is completely wrapped around my finger now.” “As for that bitch Audrey, she’s utterly disgraced now. I doubt she can cause any trouble.” “Once I climb into the upper class, we can team up, find more wealthy housewives like Audrey, take their private photos, and then we won’t have to worry about money, right? Hahaha…” Liam’s eyes instantly turned bloodshot. So, this was all a setup! Chloe and Derek had conspired to frame Audrey! And he, like a fool, had been played by Chloe, personally pushing his own wife into the abyss! Regret and fury instantly consumed his heart. Liam was about to burst into the room when his assistant called. “Mr. Scott, it’s bad! I just received a delivery—a divorce agreement from your wife!” A divorce agreement? Liam felt as if he’d been struck by lightning. She wanted to divorce him? No, impossible! She loved him so much; how could she bear to divorce him?! He refused to believe it, couldn’t accept it. He frantically called Audrey, but the line was still busy.

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My first act after being reborn was to pour my best friend’s ashes down the drain. In my previous life, my best friend’s wife cheated on him, not only emptying their joint accounts but also leaving him drowning in debt. He ended up homeless, beaten to a pulp by loan sharks, barely clinging to life. When I finally reached him, he was barely breathing, and he begged me to raise his daughter. Seeing how young the child was, I soft-heartedly agreed. To take care of her, my girlfriend broke up with me, and my parents kicked me out of the house. I poured my blood, sweat, and tears into raising her. When she became an adult, she became a rising model after shooting a commercial. Everyone envied me for having such a wonderful daughter. But as I was celebrating her success, my best friend, who had supposedly died years ago, appeared, arm-in-arm with my ex-girlfriend. “Looks like you passed my test.” Seeing my confusion, my ex-girlfriend explained arrogantly. “Derek is the heir to a multi-billion dollar fortune. Who knows if you were only friends with him for his money.” “But now that you’ve honestly raised our daughter, you’ve proven yourself worthy.” I furiously stepped forward, ready to punch them, but my adopted daughter threw a drink in my face. “You sick freak! How dare you lay a hand on my parents?!” I choked on my rage, my vision blurring, and then I just… collapsed. When I woke up again, I had been reborn to the very day my best friend was beaten by thugs.

“Cough, cough… Alex, you’re finally here…” Derek lay on the ground, filthy and covered in an ugly mosaic of purplish-blue bruises. Deep gashes bled on his arms and legs. I froze, then suddenly realized I had actually been reborn! “Alex, what are you standing there for… cough, cough, take me to the hospital…” Derek lay weakly on the ground, speaking to me without an ounce of strength. In my last life, I received his desperate call and rushed to find him. The sight of him covered in blood sent me into a panic, and I immediately thought of calling 911 for an ambulance. But Derek insisted the location was too remote, and he’d be dead by the time 911 arrived. So, I personally carried him on my back, stumbling for over two hours, back to the city, and straight to the hospital. But now, the thought of it all being his elaborate scheme made a wave of profound disgust wash over me. “No need to call 911, it’s too remote here… just carry me…” Derek coughed a few times, looking at me pleadingly. I frowned, feigning discomfort, and bent down to rub my ankle. “I’m sorry, I wish I could carry you, but I just twisted my ankle. I really can’t carry you.” Afraid he wouldn’t believe me, I even pulled up my pant leg to show him my visibly swollen and red ankle. In my last life, I had endured the pain to carry him, and by the time we reached the hospital, my ankle was practically useless. It cost a fortune to heal. This time, I wouldn’t be so foolish. Derek’s face instantly paled, looking as if he was truly on his last breath. Just then, an SUV pulled up beside us. The driver, a kind stranger, warmly asked if we needed help. To avoid raising suspicion, I quickly smiled and accepted. At the hospital, Derek was immediately rushed into the emergency room. Soon, a female doctor, Dr. Evans, hurried out, saying Derek had lost too much blood and needed a transfusion. “The hospital’s blood bank is severely low. A transfer would take too long and could delay treatment.” “Mr. Miller said you have the same blood type as him. Please come with me to prepare for a blood transfusion.” I scoffed internally at her words. This was the exact same spiel as in my last life. This doctor had used the same excuse, drawing 600cc of my blood without a single word of explanation. Normally, blood donations don’t exceed 400cc, but I was too distraught to notice then. After the blood draw, I felt weak all over and dizzy. And Derek had used that moment to plead with me to take care of his daughter in the hospital room, and I, in my dazed state, had nodded and agreed. So I told Dr. Evans, “I apologize, but I have low blood sugar and anemia. I can’t donate blood. You’ll have to find another solution.” Dr. Evans didn’t expect my refusal. She stomped her foot angrily and hurried back into the emergency room. Another twenty minutes passed. Dr. Evans emerged, her face filled with sorrow. “I’m sorry, we did our best, but Mr. Miller’s condition is too severe. There’s nothing more we can do.” “He’s still conscious now. You can go in and spend his final moments with him.” I nodded, my face calm, and walked in. Sure enough, Derek was lying on the hospital bed, pale and weak, just like in my previous life. He faintly called my name. I walked to his side. “What is it? Do you have anything you want to tell me?” Tears welled up in Derek’s eyes. “Alex, you’re my best friend. Why didn’t you donate blood for me? If you had, maybe I…” Dr. Evans, standing nearby, interjected indignantly. “Yes, Mr. Miller truly considered you his best friend, yet you refused. It’s a tragedy Mr. Miller is so young and can’t hold on. You’re truly heartless.” I said calmly, “You should blame your hospital for not even having the blood a patient needs. I have low blood sugar and anemia. If something happened to me because of a blood donation, would your hospital pay with its life?”

My words left Dr. Evans momentarily speechless. Derek’s face was grim, but he quickly composed himself, his eyes red. “Forget it, Alex isn’t to blame for this. It’s just my bad luck…” “I’m dying now. My wife betrayed me, my family sold me out, I don’t even want to live anymore.” “But I still have a daughter who just turned one. She’s so pitiful, abandoned by her mother, and her father can’t live on. I just can’t bear to leave her.” “Alex, you’re the only good brother I have. Please, I beg you, raise her for me.” Dr. Evans, ever the empath, let two streams of tears fall. “Look, Mr. Miller is begging you like this. Just say yes. You’re his best friend, could you really be so cruel as to refuse? If so, you don’t deserve to be a man!” Watching them play good cop, bad cop, perfectly coordinated, I felt nothing but disgust. In my last life, I had too much blood drawn and was disoriented. Derek even colluded with Dr. Evans to set a trap for me. I was genuinely soft-hearted, which was why I agreed to take care of his daughter. But no good deed goes unpunished. My girlfriend was hostile toward this adopted daughter, believing her to be my love child with another woman. She refused to listen to my explanations, packed her things, and left me, also falling out with her family. At that time, I hadn’t even graduated from my Master’s program and couldn’t juggle both studies and the child, so I had to drop out. Because my major was a combined Bachelor’s and Master’s program, and due to the circumstances, I didn’t even have a Bachelor’s degree; I was just a college dropout. Without a good degree, I could only do arduous manual labor. To better support the child, I worked three jobs a day, often sleeping only three or four hours. And the child had poor health from a young age, constantly ending up in the hospital, even undergoing several major surgeries, with money flowing like water. I gritted my teeth and took out high-interest loans, but with the interest compounding, I couldn’t pay them back at all. The debt collectors were brutal, causing constant harassment for everyone, and my landlord refused to renew the lease, kicking me and the child out. To avoid the debt collectors, I moved many times, living in dirty, dilapidated places. After finally enduring the hardest ten years, I met a kind female boss. She was divorced with a child herself and sympathized with my hardship, so she hired me to work at her barbecue restaurant. After my job stabilized, I also thought about finding a partner. However, I had no house, no car, nothing to my name, and I was raising a child in her early teens. It was truly difficult to date. Finally, I met a simple woman from the countryside who seemed to genuinely not care about my financial situation. I thought I could settle down, but after less than two months, she ran off. She only left me a note, apologizing and saying she could never let go of her ex-husband and child, so she had to quietly leave. From then on, I completely gave up on looking for a partner. Eighteen years passed. I painstakingly raised the child into an adult. But at her celebration party, Derek, who was supposed to be dead, appeared. And he claimed it was all just a test for me. Did I *have* to be his friend? I wasted the most precious eighteen years of my life! Without that child, I could have smoothly graduated with my Master’s, joined a good company, had a respectable job, and a loving, happy family. My life should have been thriving, but it was ruined because of him! Even the child I poured my heart and soul into, chose her biological parents at the moment of conflict, and turned against me. Thinking of this, the hatred surging within me threatened to drown me. I clenched my fists, saying each word clearly, “No, I refuse.” “I can send her to an orphanage, but I will absolutely not raise your child.”

Hearing my refusal, Derek stopped playing the dying man, sat up abruptly, and pointed at me, yelling full of vigor. “Alex, are you even human?! You call me your brother, but in reality, you’re ungrateful, cold-blooded, and heartless!” “You wouldn’t donate blood to save me, fine. But you won’t even raise my only daughter? What kind of a brother are you, you piece of garbage!” I watched him coolly. “Oh, Derek, you seem pretty energetic now, don’t you? You don’t look like you’re about to die at all. Did this quack doctor misdiagnose you?” As I spoke, I glanced at Dr. Evans, who stood by, and she instinctively averted her gaze. Realizing his performance was off, Derek suddenly clutched his chest and collapsed, gasping for air and trembling all over. I had to admit, his acting was good. Dr. Evans immediately reacted, pushing me out, saying she needed to perform emergency aid on Mr. Miller. I wanted to see what other tricks Derek had up his sleeve, so I stood outside the emergency room and waited. About ten minutes later, Dr. Evans came out holding a cooing baby. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Miller is gone. That was just a final surge of life.” “This child is his daughter. His dying wish was for you to care for her until she grows up.” “As for the adoption procedures, don’t worry, Mr. Miller made all the arrangements before he passed. The paperwork will be completed within two days.” “You just need to raise the child well. If you abandon her, that’s illegal, and if I find out, I will absolutely make sure you go to jail!” After saying this, she tried to thrust the baby into my arms. I immediately stepped back. Are you kidding me? Forcing a child on someone like this is actually illegal! In my last life, blinded by so-called brotherhood, I never questioned the truth of this series of events. Thinking about it now, it’s ridiculous. Even with proper adoption procedures, it couldn’t happen this fast. “You said Derek died, right? Fine, then I want to see his body.” Saying this, I bypassed her and rushed into the emergency room. It was completely empty inside. Dr. Evans’s urgent voice rang out. “What are you doing! You can’t just go in there!” I pointed at the empty emergency room. “Didn’t you say he died? Where’s the body? Where did you send it?” Dr. Evans said matter-of-factly, “The body was, of course, sent to the crematorium immediately for cremation.” I asked again, “Sent to the crematorium that quickly? Alright, I’ll go to the crematorium now to see him off.” Saying this, I ignored her protests and strode out of the hospital. Want me to be a fool and raise his kid? In your dreams! Upon arriving at the city crematorium, I immediately inquired with the staff about Derek’s remains. To my surprise, they actually had registered information. Soon, a staff member brought me Derek’s urn. In my previous life, I was too distraught. I just took his daughter home and only attended Derek’s funeral a week later after receiving notification. “Is this Derek’s ashes?” “Yes.” The staff member gave a brief reply and quickly left. But I still felt something was off. Normal cremation of a body doesn’t happen that fast. Even at the quickest, it takes at least a day. And now, less than three hours had passed between Dr. Evans announcing Derek’s death and me receiving his urn. It was practically a mockery of my intelligence. So the next moment, I opened the urn and unhesitatingly poured its contents onto the floor.

Grayish-white powder spilled across the floor. A staff member nearby immediately shrieked. “Hey! What are you doing?!” People who were at the crematorium to handle arrangements for their deceased family members quickly backed away. “Is that person crazy? Why are they scattering ashes on the ground?” “They must be sick. Don’t they know that’s bad luck? How unlucky!” “Did something trigger them? Never mind, I’ll just stay away.” Everyone murmured, pointing at me, their gazes unfriendly. I expressionlessly kicked the “ashes” on the ground. “Look closely, everyone. Are these really human ashes?” At my words, everyone’s gaze fell to the ground. “It does look a bit strange. Why aren’t there any small pieces or fragments of bone?” “Now that you mention it, you’re right. Cremation can’t turn all bones into dust.” I curved my lips into a slight smile and said loudly to the staff member, “Don’t you think you owe me an explanation?” “The crematorium staff gave me fake ashes? Do you have any professional ethics left?” “There are so many bereaved families here. Does this mean the ashes they received are also fake?” At my series of questions, many family members’ faces turned ugly. The staff member anxiously said, “Don’t talk nonsense! We follow all procedures!” I pressed on. “Is that really true? Derek was declared dead at the hospital just two hours ago. How could his body have been successfully cremated two hours later? When did your efficiency become so high?” The crowd instantly erupted. “What? Two hours?!” “Are you insane?! I thought handling everything for my loved one was fast, and it still took a full day. How could it be cremated in two hours?” “No wonder the powder on the ground didn’t look like ashes. There really *is* something fishy going on!” Under the barrage of questions from the crowd, the staff member stammered nervously, completely flustered. He never imagined I would scatter the ashes in public and then question the cremation time. He managed to appease the crowd with a few hurried words, then rushed inside. A moment later, he walked up to me, his face plastered with a forced smile. “My apologies, we had a mistake in our work. The ashes we just gave you belonged to someone else. Your friend’s body is still undergoing cremation. Please wait a bit longer.” Several hours later, the staff member brought me another urn. And the female doctor from the hospital suddenly appeared at the crematorium. “Mr. Hayes, before Mr. Miller passed, he instructed me to ensure his child was given to you to raise. This was his dying wish, and you must fulfill it.” “You were the best of brothers in life, so now that he’s gone, his child is your child.” “Also, here are his life savings, a total of fifty thousand dollars. He hopes you will raise his child well.” Her words were grand and righteous. She then thrust the baby and the bank card into my arms. The onlookers, unaware of the full story, were deeply moved and applauded me. I looked down at the child and let out a soft laugh. Derek, you *really* want me to raise your child, don’t you? Then I’ll grant your wish.

Eighteen years passed in a blur. Over these past decades, after earning my first significant capital, I started running my own Twitter account. I never appeared on camera myself; instead, my sweet, innocent child was the star. She was a natural in front of the camera, every movement graceful and captivating, instantly capturing the audience’s attention. Within a year of starting the account, her follower count reached over a million. She had been a child model since she was little, and even at a young age, she had endorsed several major national clothing brands, her sweet smile leaving a lasting impression. As she grew older, she ventured into the modeling industry. Whether it was photoshoots for print ads or walking runways for major designers, she excelled at everything, a true darling of the camera. Her fame now was far greater than in my previous life. To celebrate her successful completion of a major brand fashion show, I specifically hosted a small celebration banquet for her at a five-star hotel. My colleagues and friends were there, along with many of her industry connections. The room was filled with dazzling personalities. But just as Autumn raised her glass to toast with everyone, Derek appeared. He wasn’t alone; his arm was linked with my ex-girlfriend, Sarah, both dressed to make a statement. Derek, his face filled with a tender smile, reached out and took Autumn’s hand. “Daughter, Daddy finally sees you.” Everyone froze, trying to figure out what kind of stunt this was. Autumn immediately pulled her hand away, stepping back warily. “My dad passed away a long time ago. Why are you pretending to be him?” Derek’s face was filled with emotion. “Silly child, I am your father. Back then, I was severely injured and died on the way to the hospital. Before I passed, I entrusted you to Alex.” “But unexpectedly, I woke up on the way to the crematorium and my life was saved.” “Later, I came back to look for you, but you were already gone.” “I’ve been searching for you for eighteen years. I’ve always loved you! I’m your real dad!” Derek even shed tears as he spoke, looking overjoyed to be reunited. I watched him perform with a faint smile. He clearly thought everything was playing out just like in my last life, believing this successful new model whom *I* had raised, was his biological daughter. But I had been reborn. How could I fall for his trick again? “Derek, you want to claim paternity, do you?” “Of course! I think about my child every single day!” I smiled, looking at him. “But you’ve got the wrong person. She’s not your daughter.” Derek exploded. “What do you mean she’s not my daughter?!” “Don’t think that just because you raised her for eighteen years, she now has your blood running through her veins!”

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My girlfriend and my childhood best friend indulged in their desires non-stop for days, while I stood by, silently handing out condoms to men. “Don’t worry, they can handle it. Just have fun.” In my past life, a plane crash stranded everyone who attended a company interview on a deserted island. After the disaster, the CEO teamed up with other men to hoard food, making women trade their bodies for survival. I tried to convince the women to uphold their dignity, but my usually conservative girlfriend just mocked me for being old-fashioned. “Are you jealous of the CEO’s kindness?” “We’re on a deserted island now, who cares about morals and dignity? You’re not going to break up with me over this, are you?” “You’re useless, but you can’t deny me a chance to survive, can you?” Almost all the women were swayed and walked over, but Chloe, my childhood best friend, stayed firmly by my side. It wasn’t until the company’s bodyguards arrived to take us back that everyone realized this was just a corporate compliance test. Those who passed successfully would get to stay with the company. Chloe and I were fired, but my girlfriend, Briana, successfully joined the company due to her outstanding performance and even married the CEO. When Chloe found me, I had just uncovered the truth about the company. But she stabbed me, again and again. “Why did you stop me? Do you know how much I wanted to get into this company? How much I wanted to marry him?” “If it weren’t for you, I would have succeeded long ago. How could I let someone else snatch it away?” It was then I realized she had been secretly in love with the CEO all along. When I opened my eyes again, Chloe was asking for my opinion. I pushed her forward. “Fight for it. If you want something, go snatch it.”

“Liam, do you think they really don’t regret it?” “Isn’t this just selling their bodies? It’s disgusting.” The moment I opened my eyes, I heard that familiar complaining voice. I looked at Chloe. Though she claimed it was disgusting, the envy in her eyes was almost palpable. It was so obvious, yet how could I have been so blind in my past life? Just as I was about to speak, Darian, the CEO, who was holding my girlfriend, Briana, looked at me with disdain. “Liam, this is my way of making sure everyone survives.” “There’s no absolute fairness in this world. Only those who hold power get to make the rules.” The men who had benefited nodded in agreement. “Exactly. You’re not, like, embarrassed to show yourself to women because you’re bad in bed, are you?” “They don’t mind, so why do you, a grown man, care so much? Just drop the holier-than-thou act.” Briana couldn’t help but snicker. “Don’t even get me started. We’ve been together this long, and he never even touched me. Who knows what’s wrong with him.” It used to be her who refused my touch, saying I only cared about her body. But now, she was turning it around, questioning my masculinity. Sure enough, for the person she desired, she could say anything. I didn’t beg her for an explanation as I had in the past. Instead, I turned to Chloe. In my previous life, everyone had accepted this twisted way of life. Only she, after my desperate pleas, was the sole person who didn’t go along with it. Later, she even agreed to start a business with me and move towards marriage. I thought she was the only sane one. But I never expected that the moment I uncovered the truth, she would stab me, even pouring out her deep affection for Darian. This love was hidden too perfectly, even I, her childhood best friend, hadn’t noticed. Just then, Darian’s gaze fell upon her. “You’re quite pretty. If you’re willing, you could play with me for a few days.” His flippant words easily made Chloe’s breathing erratic. Seeing her about to lose control and walk over, I simply stood up to leave. But she grabbed my hand. I was stunned. I thought she would leave with me, just like in my past life, but her complex gaze met mine. “Most of the girls here are single, but your girlfriend isn’t. Can’t you take her with you?” In that instant, it felt like an electric current shot through me, from head to toe. Chloe, had she also been reborn? As if to confirm my thoughts, she walked over, took Briana’s hand, and placed it in mine. Her eyes were filled with wariness. Right. Darian was a sucker for a pretty face. Besides Chloe herself, Briana was the most beautiful here. “Are you trying to get me killed?” Briana gnashed her teeth, scoffing as she yanked her hand away from mine. “If I don’t get into that company, I swear I’ll haunt you two even in death.” She whispered it, but my hearing had always been excellent since childhood. I heard it loud and clear. I felt like I’d been struck by lightning. So, my girlfriend from the last life already knew this was a company compliance test? No wonder she was so proactive. And she could just watch so many people go down a path of no return? My heart grew even colder. I couldn’t help but sneer, but Chloe was still wary of me, afraid I’d ruin her plans. “Liam, try to be open-minded. This is actually very normal.” “If you can’t accept it, then just leave us alone. Don’t bother us.” She was solely focused on competing with Briana, but she had no idea the path she was on now was a dead end. Joining that company was their first step towards despair. The company was a playground for perverted rich guys, offering them ‘toys’. They had no real jobs, just endless forced performances. The reason Briana married Darian was because she had lost all value. Her ultimate fate would be the same as his previous wives – a convenient ‘accident’. I had investigated all this, but Chloe wouldn’t give me a chance to speak. Thinking of the suffocating feeling of being stabbed to death in my past life, I pushed Chloe forward. “Fight for it. If you want something, go snatch it.”

The moment the words left my mouth, they all stared at me, astonished. They seemed unable to believe those words had come from me. Briana looked at me with pity. “I know it’s unfair to you that two women you like are involved with someone else, but I’m in a special situation right now. Just put up with it.” “If you can’t handle it, then let’s just break up for now.” The old me would always be sensitive to her jokes like that, forcing her to take back any mention of breaking up. But now, I just smiled. “I thought we broke up ages ago, the moment you chose to trade your body.” With that, I turned to leave. It was just three days, right? I could wait. Briana’s smile froze. Before I could take a step, Darian grabbed me. “Alright, don’t act like I stole your woman. We’re all men here, no need for so much fuss. Come on, join us.” A few men stepped forward, grabbing me by each arm. I struggled wildly. “No, I won’t! Let go of me!” Remembering what they wanted me to do, my stomach churned, and I pushed them away and threw up. Darian’s face was grim for a moment, then he suddenly burst out laughing. “I’ve never seen a guy as pure as you.” “You’re so stubborn. Now I really want you to join us.” Briana and Chloe clearly didn’t want me to, but Darian just looked at them with an arrogant smirk. “If I don’t make him come, he’ll go around spreading rumors about me stealing his woman.” “Don’t worry, we won’t do anything like that. It’s just a simple party. You’ll see when you get there.” Chloe’s outstretched hand froze, but she still managed a strained smile. “I knew Mr. Darian wasn’t like that. How could he possibly lust after our bodies?” Briana, though disappointed, also breathed a sigh of relief. “Yeah, who would be so blatant about trading bodies? That’s illegal. It’s just a joke.” “Alright, Liam, the misunderstanding is cleared up. Only if you go yourself will you believe Mr. Darian’s good intentions. Stop making a fuss.” Others chimed in. “Exactly! Even if we’re stranded on a deserted island, it’s still a civilized society. No one would seriously do that.” “Since you don’t care about us, just go watch your girlfriend. She definitely won’t do anything out of line.” The more they tried to make me go, the more uneasy I felt. I struggled desperately. “I broke up with her! I’m not going!” Briana rolled her eyes impatiently. “It’s not like we haven’t broken up before. We’ll still end up together, won’t we?” I almost choked. Was she going to cling to me even to death? I struggled violently, but more people held me down, forcibly dragging me away. In despair, I desperately clutched Chloe’s clothes. “Once you go, there’s no turning back! You know this isn’t just a compliance test, it’s…” Chloe suddenly yelled, cutting me off, covering my mouth and whispering in my ear. “I know there’s something wrong with their company.” “But how can you guarantee I won’t be the one Darian treats specially?” “There’s no way I’m worse than that idiot Briana, right?” My eyes widened, and I even forgot to breathe. She really was crazy for what she called love, to this extent. I opened my mouth to yell and snap her out of it, but someone shoved a rag in my mouth. “Shut up! You’ll find out when we get there.” I was shoved into a metal barrel and rolled away, unable to make a sound. I could only stare wide-eyed at Chloe, hoping she’d understand what I meant. But she only bothered to flirt with Darian, completely ignoring my fate. But when I finally reached their tent, I couldn’t help but gasp. Screams echoed in my ears.

Before my eyes were men and women, pantsless and engaging in orgies. They seemed to have forgotten the world, lost in their own pleasure. All the girls covered their faces, yet couldn’t help but peek. The air was thick with a foul, musky scent. Realizing someone had arrived, they stopped, brazenly exposing themselves as they looked at us. Darian watched our stunned expressions and then let out an abrupt laugh. “Don’t be scared. These are just savages from the island. They don’t count as women. At best, they’re just human sex dolls.” “We would never treat actual women like this.” Only then did everyone look closely and realize they indeed looked different from regular humans, covered in an alarming amount of body hair. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but my heart was filled with despair. Since we’d landed on the island, Darian’s people had thoroughly explored the entire place. There was no way to escape. Darian handed each girl a cup of grass juice, saying that if they drank it, they could join them and be protected. Facing the girls’ suspicious glances, Darian merely smiled faintly. “This is a potion our male doctor researched. After drinking it, you’ll just fall asleep. It’ll make you feel refreshed and cleanse all toxins, with no other side effects.” He made it sound appealing, but I clearly smelled the scent of an aphrodisiac within it. I desperately tried to signal Chloe, who was also a medical major, hoping she would reveal the truth. But she was the first to step forward. “He’s right, this really is good for us.” With that, she drank it directly. Once one person started, others quickly followed suit. Briana, unwilling to be outdone, drank two cups. Her face flushed, she looked at Darian. “Can we pick our favorite man to protect us while we’re passed out?” I couldn’t watch anymore. I broke free from the men holding me and sharply slapped Chloe across the face. “Are you insane? Spit it out, quickly!” “If the drug takes effect, no one can save you!” Chloe pushed me away, kicking me hard. “This has nothing to do with you! If you dare to interfere, I swear I won’t let you go!” My head buzzed. I felt like the world had completely surpassed my expectations. They were all crazy. I gritted my teeth. “Don’t forget, you all have to go back to civilization! What will your families think if they find out?” “Then you just don’t say anything! No one will ever know!” Seeing the naked killing intent in her eyes, I utterly lost my voice. She was no longer the little sister who used to follow me around, calling me Liam. That last flicker of hope in my heart was thoroughly extinguished by cold water. Meanwhile, Briana had already collapsed into Darian’s arms. She restlessly tugged at her flimsy, barely-there clothes, yet she still didn’t forget to scorn me. “What could possibly happen? You’re making such a big deal out of nothing!” “Liam, how can you make up such lies just to target Mr. Darian?” “He said it was just a joke before, and now he’s helping us with our health! Do you just despise him that much?” Not just her, several other girls had started stripping their clothes. The men who had tasted the sweetness had their eyes glued on them. Their warning gazes all turned to me. “Are you done yet? What do you do all day besides maliciously guessing at people?” “This is just a normal treatment, isn’t it? Look how much your girlfriend is enjoying it! You don’t know a good thing when you see it!” Several people were already kissing. I couldn’t imagine what would happen if I stayed here, so I frantically ran out of the tent. A few men immediately came up and dragged me back inside. Briana, mustering her strength, struggled over and kicked me. “You just can’t stand to see me doing well.” “Since he’s so ungrateful, just forget about him! Throw him into the sea to feed the sharks! Don’t let him bother us!” Darian smoothly pulled her shoulder closer, his lips curling into a scornful smirk at me. Then, right in front of me, he slid his hand into her clothes, eliciting moans from her. However, the R-rated scene didn’t play out in front of me. Chloe, who suddenly rushed out, interrupted them. She twisted Darian’s neck and kissed him fiercely. Darian froze for a moment, then pressed into her.

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On the day my ex-wife Natalie, a renowned perfumer, announced her engagement, we crossed paths again at an upscale club. Five years had passed. She had become a millionaire, while I, driven by desperate circumstances, had taken a job as a male escort at the club. Her fiancé, intent on humiliating me, dangled $200,000 as bait, challenging me to compete with a dog for food. Natalie watched as I bent down, her lips curling in disdain. “So, this is the ‘better future’ you spoke of when you left me? Becoming an escort for others’ amusement?” “Lucas, I should thank you for abandoning me. Looking at you now makes me sick to my stomach.” What she didn’t know was that I was in the final stages of uremia. Five years ago, when she was on the brink of death, I had given her my kidney. Now, as I swallowed my pride and allowed others to trample on me, it was only to secure a decent burial plot. As I woke up, I saw the blood-stained sheets and couldn’t hold back my tears. While I was clumsily trying to clean the bloodstains, my phone buzzed. It was a message from the cemetery manager: “Mr. Foster, the burial plot you’re interested in only needs another $200,000 to complete the transaction. If you’re certain, please make the payment soon.” This burial plot was the final resting place I had chosen for myself. After replying, I changed into my club uniform, preparing for work. A few days ago, I had been hired as a male escort at a high-end club. Although the job was far from respectable, I had no other choice if I wanted to quickly save up $200,000. Little did I know that as soon as I stepped into the club’s lobby, I’d hear a familiar voice. I looked up to see Natalie and her fiancé Simon standing not far away. My heart clenched, and I instinctively wanted to avoid them. But Simon deliberately called out loudly: “Isn’t that Lucas? So you work here now? Let me see your number tag.” I lowered my head, not wanting them to see the expression on my face. Simon, however, was relentless. He grabbed my arm and read out the number on my tag loudly: “250! What a fitting number.” Natalie’s face darkened. “Lucas, how did you end up like this?” I clenched my jaw, not wanting to appear weak in front of them. But Simon didn’t give me a moment’s respite: “Lucas, I hear being an escort here pays well. With your looks, you must make at least $50,000 a day, right?” The onlookers burst into laughter, and I felt a sharp pain in my chest. But I knew I couldn’t cause a scene here. “Simon, what do you want?” He smiled slightly. “Nothing much, just want to give you an opportunity.” Saying this, he pulled out a check from his pocket and waved it in the air. “$200,000. It’s yours if you’re willing to compete with my pet dog for food.” My heart skipped a beat, and a wave of humiliation washed over me. But looking at that check, I felt torn. Natalie, standing nearby, had contempt in her eyes. “Lucas, are you really willing to give up your dignity for money?” My heart ached, but I turned to Simon and said, “Fine, I’ll do it.” Natalie looked at me, her eyes full of disappointment and disgust. “Lucas, you’re still as revolting as ever.” She turned and left. Simon dragged me to a private room and placed a dog bowl in front of me. Then he sneered, “Come on, eat up. Don’t disappoint me.” With trembling hands, I reached for the food in the bowl. At that moment, Simon suddenly grabbed my hair and shoved my face into the dog bowl. My face pressed against the bowl, humiliation and anger nearly made me lose my mind. “Hahaha, Lucas, you’re such a fucking loser.” Simon laughed out loud and released his grip. After a long while, I finally raised my head. Wiping the food residue from my face, I felt utterly hopeless. “What’s with that look? Not happy? Should I say sorry, big bro Lucas?” Simon exchanged glances with his friends, their faces filled with undisguised mockery. Natalie sat there with a dark expression, silently downing her drink. Seeing this, Simon’s eyes flashed with jealousy, and he stood up, intending to humiliate me further. But this time, Natalie stopped him. She grabbed my arm and coldly left the room.

A loud crash came from behind us, and I knew it was Simon venting his frustration. When we reached the end of the hallway, I quickly shook off Natalie’s hand. She let out a cold laugh, her tone full of disdain. “So this is the great future you spoke of?” “Lucas, you abandoned me when I was on the verge of death, all for the sake of becoming an escort? You really have foresight.” Five years ago, Natalie had fallen seriously ill, with both her kidneys infected by a virus. Without her knowledge, I had myself tested for compatibility and, surprisingly, was a match. I didn’t hesitate to make the exchange. But my body had a severe rejection reaction, and I lost ten pounds in just three days. The doctor said I wouldn’t last a year. To spare Natalie from experiencing the same pain as me, I staged a scenario to trick her into divorcing me. But I never expected to hold on for over five years. After being heartbroken by me, Natalie met a benefactor who helped her rise to become a top perfumer. She also established herself in the entertainment industry and fell in love with the superstar Simon. They had just announced their engagement yesterday. Coming back to my senses, I gave her a bright smile. “You’re right, the money comes fast. It suits a gold digger like me.” “Natalie, congratulations on your engagement to Simon. I wish you a lifetime of happiness.” As soon as I finished speaking, Natalie slapped me hard across the face. Her eyes were red, and the air around her became heavy. “This is for the me who once dreamed of growing old with you. Lucas, get lost. I never want to see you again.” I suppressed the urge to cough and used all my strength to stand up, but the medical report in my pocket accidentally fell out. Natalie picked it up first. After reading it, her brows furrowed. The next second, she slapped me again. “You knew I was coming today, so you deliberately prepared a fake medical report, didn’t you?” “Lucas, you’re wrong. Even if you died in front of me, I wouldn’t shed a single tear for someone like you.” Hearing Natalie’s words, my heart felt like it was being stabbed by countless needles, making it almost impossible to breathe. But in the end, I managed to nod, forcing a smile that looked worse than crying. “It’s best if you think that way.” With that, I turned to leave. But before I could take more than a few steps, my vision suddenly went black, and I collapsed to the ground. In the last moment of consciousness, I vaguely thought that leaving like this wouldn’t be so bad. At least I wouldn’t have to see Natalie’s eyes filled with disgust anymore.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself lying in a hospital bed, feeling a surge of panic. If Natalie were to find out about my condition, everything I had been holding onto would have been in vain. I tried to get up, but my body felt as heavy as lead. Just then, I saw Natalie come and sit down in the chair next to the bed, looking at me with a complex expression. The disgust and contempt were gone from her eyes, replaced by an indescribable complexity. “You’re awake,” Natalie said softly, with a hint of concern that was barely noticeable. I was stunned for a moment, then quickly recovered and managed a smile. “Yeah, I’m awake.” Natalie frowned slightly. “Why did you suddenly faint? The doctor said you have severe hypertension.” My heart tightened, but I quickly composed myself. “Oh, I might just be too tired lately, not getting enough rest.” But Natalie clearly didn’t believe me. She stared at me, her eyes full of inquiry. “Lucas, what are you hiding?” “Was that medical report really fake?” I panicked a bit but tried to maintain my composure as I explained, “Of course it was fake. What, don’t tell me you’re having old feelings resurface and want to get back together?” Just then, Natalie’s phone suddenly rang. She glanced at the caller ID, her brow furrowing slightly, but she still answered the call. Simon’s voice came from the other end of the line, with a hint of tears. “Natalie, where are you? Are you still choosing him?” Natalie looked at me, hesitation flashing in her eyes, but she quickly soothed Simon in a gentle voice, “No, don’t overthink it. I just came to check on him, after all, he was once my husband.” Simon on the other end of the line clearly didn’t believe her, his voice becoming more agitated. “Natalie, don’t lie to me. Just tell me, do you still love him?” Hearing this, Natalie was silent for a moment, then said, “Simon, I love you. Only you. Don’t overthink it, I’ll be back soon.” I closed my eyes tightly, not wanting to hear her profess her love for Simon. After Natalie hung up the phone, she still didn’t leave. We stared at each other for a long time, neither of us saying anything. After a while, I was the first to look away. “What do you mean by this? Didn’t you say you were leaving? Why are you still sitting here?” “Lucas, have you ever regretted it in these five years?” Natalie stared at me calmly. “We were together for seven years. If it wasn’t for that illness, I never would have believed that you would be the kind of person to abandon me at a critical moment.” Back then, I had given my heart and soul to Natalie, so after our abrupt divorce, she fell into severe depression for a time. At this moment, my nails dug deep into my flesh, and only the intense pain allowed me to calm my nervous emotions. “I’ll never regret it, Natalie. When love is gone, it’s gone. Why are you so insistent on asking me for an answer?” She slapped me, her long, sharp nails leaving deep red marks on my face. Then she turned her back to me, tilting her head back to wipe away her tears.

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