For five years, Kayden kept me at the center of his world. But when my heart condition worsened and I became a burden in his life, all his tenderness went to a perfectly healthy girl named Cherry. He forgot my fatal allergies, missed my emergency rescues, and was even late to sign my pre-surgery consent forms because he was busy fixing Cherry’s leaking pipes. He always assumed I was trapped on a hospital bed, unable to go anywhere, so he could take his sweet time. But he forgot one thing. When a woman’s heart goes completely cold, she strips away all your privileges. When I crossed his name off my emergency contacts and medical proxy forms, one by one—and when I reclaimed my life under the care of my lead surgeon—the man who was always late finally lost his mind, kneeling in the rain, begging me to look back. The lights in the bridal shop were blindingly bright, making my pale face look even more ghostly. I stood in front of the giant floor-length mirror, draped in a long, trailing lace wedding gown. Beside me, the consultant stood with a tight, awkward smile. “Miss Summer, is Mr. Kayden still not here? The back of this dress really needs his input for the final fit…” I looked down at my phone. The screen was completely blank. Half an hour ago, Kayden had sent me a quick voice note. The background noise was incredibly loud, like he was standing on a busy street. “Summer, the pipes in Cherry’s rented apartment burst, and her landlord is ignoring her. She’s just a girl, sitting in a flooded room crying. I’m going over to help her handle it. Try the dresses on yourself first, okay? Be a good girl.” “Be a good girl.” He always used those words to brush me off. I took a deep breath, and a familiar, sharp pain shot through my chest. It felt like an invisible hand had clamped down hard on my heart. Breathing suddenly became a struggle. “Miss Summer?” The consultant noticed something was wrong and rushed to support me. My vision went black, and I lost consciousness completely. When I woke up, I was on a hospital bed. The sharp smell of bleach burned my nose, and the heart monitor beside my bed beeped rhythmically. The ward door was suddenly pushed open. Kayden rushed in, panting, sweat dripping from his forehead. In his hand, he held a cup of Starbucks. “Summer, you scared the hell out of me! How do you pass out just from trying on a wedding dress?” He walked over to the bed and held the coffee out to me. “I grabbed this on the way. Your favorite, a hazelnut latte. Drink some while it’s hot.” I stared at the steaming cup, making no move to take it. Hazelnut. I have a severe, life-threatening nut allergy. Even a tiny trace would cause my throat to swell, suffocating me. For a heart patient like me, it was a death sentence. The nurse beside the bed gasped and was about to speak, but a well-defined hand reached out and snatched the cup away. “She has a severe nut allergy. Are you trying to put her back in the ICU?” The voice was cold, calm, and carried an undeniable authority. It was my lead surgeon, Dr. Ethan Vance. He was in his white lab coat, his silver name tag gleaming under the fluorescent lights. Kayden froze. He looked at his empty hand, then at Dr. Ethan, and finally at me. A flash of embarrassment crossed his face. “I… I got it mixed up. I bought this one for Cherry. She was so shaken up today and insisted on having something sweet. I just grabbed one for you on the way, I forgot you can’t have nuts.” On the way. Cherry’s apartment was in the far north of the city. The bridal shop was in the south. The hospital was dead center. To comfort a “shaken” female coworker, he had driven across the entire city. Yet, he forgot that his fiancée, who had a severe heart condition, couldn’t touch a single peanut. I looked at him, and suddenly, everything felt incredibly pointless. “Just leave,” I said softly. Kayden frowned. “Summer, what are you throwing a tantrum for now? I told you, I just got the orders mixed up. If it’s that big of a deal, I’ll go buy you another one.” “No need.” I turned over, facing the wall, leaving my back to him. “I want to rest.”

The hospital room fell dead silent. Kayden stood by the bed for a moment and sighed. “Fine, get some sleep. I’ll come back to see you later. Cherry’s place is still a mess, so I need to head back and supervise the plumbers for her.” The door clicked shut. I opened my eyes and stared at the sterile white wall. Dr. Ethan walked to the foot of my bed, flipping through my chart. “Summer, your heart is at its absolute limit. You cannot afford any emotional stress.” “I know, Dr. Ethan.” He closed the file and looked at me, his eyes softening slightly. “We are still waiting on the donor list. Until then, you must keep your emotions stable.” “I will.” He turned to leave, but stopped just before the door. “I’ve noted your nut allergy on your bedside chart. From now on, the nurses will verify any food brought into this room.” “Thank you.” Dr. Ethan didn’t say anything else. He pushed the door open and stepped out. I pulled out my phone and opened SnapChat. The pinned chat at the very top was my conversation with Kayden. The background was a photo of us at the beach two years ago. He was holding me in his arms, laughing under the sun. He had told me back then, *Summer, as long as I’m here, I’ll never let you suffer.* I changed the chat background back to the default plain white. Then, I tapped his profile and opened his location on Snap Map. Three days ago, he had voluntarily shared his live location with me, claiming he wanted to give me “peace of mind.” The little icon was pulsing. It was parked right outside a single-apartment building in the north end of the city. He really did go back to Cherry’s. Does supervising a plumber take all night? I didn’t know. All I knew was that my heart monitor had spiked violently just a moment ago. But very quickly, it settled back into a flat, steady rhythm. Like a pool of stagnant water, it could no longer be stirred. The next morning, my mom arrived. She brought a thermos of hot, homemade chicken soup. As she poured it into a bowl, she sighed. “Kayden called me last night. He said you fainted while trying on dresses and that he was worried sick.” I blew on the soup, keeping my head down. “He also said he wanted to stay here with you, but his department had an urgent project that he couldn’t walk away from. He asked me to come keep you company.” An urgent project. So Cherry’s burst pipe had now officially become a company project. I set the bowl down. “Mom, the soup is delicious.” My mom looked at me, hesitating. “Summer, did you and Kayden get into a fight?” “No.” “Then why…” She paused, lowering her voice. “Back during the Christmas holidays, Mrs. Gable told me she saw Kayden at the mall shopping with a girl. She said the girl was holding his arm, looking very intimate.” Christmas. I was lying in the ICU for three days due to sudden heart failure. Kayden had stood outside the glass window of my ward, took a phone call, and left in a hurry. He told me it was end-of-year billing and he couldn’t get out of it. So, he was actually out buying clothes for someone else. “Her name is Cherry. She’s his coworker,” I said, my voice as calm as if I were talking about a stranger. My mom got anxious. “Coworkers hold hands at the mall? Summer, how can you be so careless about this! With your health the way it is, if Kayden really has someone else…” “Mom,” I interrupted her. “I’m tired. I want to sleep for a bit.” Seeing how pale I was, my mom swallowed the rest of her words. “Alright, go to sleep. I won’t nag. Just focus on getting better, nothing else matters.” She tucked the blanket around me, packed up the thermos, and left.

I was alone in the room again. I opened my phone and scrolled through Instagram. A few posts down, I saw one from Lily, Kayden’s cousin. It was a group photo at Disneyland. It featured Lily, her boyfriend, Kayden, and Cherry. Cherry was wearing Minnie Mouse ears, beaming at the camera, leaning her body naturally against Kayden. Kayden was holding two ice cream cones, looking at her with pure tenderness. The caption read: “Double date weekend! Big bro and sis-in-law treating us!” Sis-in-law. Lily used to reserve that title exclusively for me. Now, it belonged to someone else. I tapped the photo, zoomed in on Kayden’s face. This was the man I had loved for five years. Now, his love belonged to someone else. I calmly closed Instagram. I opened my contacts and searched for Kayden’s name. His contact name used to be “Hubby ❤️”. I deleted the heart. I deleted “Hubby.” I changed it to “Kayden.” Clean and simple, without a single trace of emotion left. At three in the afternoon, Kayden showed up. This time, he didn’t bring coffee. He brought a bouquet of lilies and a box of pre-cut fruit. “Summer, how are you feeling today?” He put the flowers in the bedside vase and pulled up a chair. “Much better,” I said flatly. He poked a piece of apple with a toothpick and held it to my mouth. “Have some fruit. I went to the organic market specifically to get the ones you like.” I didn’t lean in. “I don’t want any.” His hand froze, and he put the apple back in the box. “Summer, are you still mad about yesterday? I really just got confused. Cherry is all alone in this city, and it’s not easy for her. As her senior colleague, it’s only right that I look out for her.” “Yes, it is,” I said, looking at him. “So to look out for her, you can abandon me while I’m trying on our wedding dress.” Kayden’s face darkened. “It wasn’t intentional! The burst pipe was an emergency. I couldn’t just leave her to drown, could I?” “And me?” I looked into his eyes. “I fainted in the bridal shop. Does that not count as an emergency?” Kayden ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. “But you’re fine now, aren’t you? The doctor said it was just exhaustion. Summer, you never used to be this unreasonable.” Unreasonable. So, me fighting for my life on a hospital bed was just “unreasonable” to him. His phone buzzed. Kayden glanced at it, and the tension in his face instantly melted, a faint smile playing on his lips. He quickly typed a reply, then flipped the phone face down on his lap. “Summer, something came up at the office. I have to run back. I’ll see you tomorrow.” “Kayden,” I called out. He stopped at the door and turned around. “Next Wednesday is my pre-surgery risk assessment. I need a family member to sign the consent forms.” Kayden blinked, then nodded quickly. “Right, I got it. I’ll definitely be here next Wednesday.” He left. His steps were hurried, like he was rushing to a date he had been anticipating all day. I looked at the lilies on the table. I hated lilies. Their scent was too heavy and always made my chest feel congested. But he never remembered. When Dr. Ethan came in for his rounds, he frowned at the flowers. “Take these out and throw them away,” he told the nurse behind him. “For heart patients, strong scents and pollen are major triggers.” The nurse quickly gathered the bouquet and walked out. Dr. Ethan walked to my bedside and looked down at me. “Did he send those?” “Yes.” “Does he not know anything about your condition?” “Probably not.” I forced a smile. “He’s a very busy man.” Dr. Ethan stared at me for a long moment, asking no further questions. “Rest well. For next Wednesday’s assessment, have your mother come.” I was taken aback. “Why?” “Because,” Dr. Ethan’s voice was cold and firm, “I don’t need a medical proxy who can’t even remember your basic allergies deciding whether you live or die.”

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On the day the school district posted the disciplinary notices for the AP exams, my mildly autistic younger sister, Chloe, took a three-hour bus ride to my house. She stood outside my study door for a long time, clutching the notification stamped with “Cheating Investigation Pending” in red ink, before she finally found the courage to walk in. “Julian… I was the only one in that testing room. I swear I didn’t cheat.” Her voice was barely a whisper, as if she was terrified of bothering anyone. My husband, Julian Carter, was the Head of the Academic Integrity Board. Nobody knew the rules of single-student testing rooms better than him. Yet, he didn’t even look up from his laptop. “Being alone in the room doesn’t prove your innocence, Chloe. If you have a grievance, take it up with the Ethics Committee.” Chloe froze. Her hand, which had been reaching out to show him the paper, hovered in the air. She didn’t know what to do with herself. Slowly, she folded the letter and stuffed it back into the pocket of her faded denim jacket. It was a clean jacket. She had ironed it herself just to look presentable for Julian. My throat tightened. But as I turned my head, my eyes caught the document open on Julian’s laptop screen. *Application for the ‘Academic Integrity Star’ and Early Decision Ivy League Recommendation for Scarlett Vance.* Scarlett Vance. She was the younger sister of Serena Vance—Julian’s first love, his “one that got away.” She was also the sole witness who had reported my sister for cheating. There was zero security footage, zero physical evidence. It was just Scarlett’s word against Chloe’s. As Chloe bent down to tie her sneakers at the entryway, her knee hit the shoe cabinet with a dull thud. She quickly waved her hand at me, trying to smile. “I’m fine, Nina. Julian is busy. Don’t let me get in the way of his important work.” I stood by the door, my fingernails digging deep into my palms. This neglected, emotionally exhausting marriage—I was completely done with it.

“Nina? Why are you just standing by the door staring into space?” Julian walked out of the study, holding an empty coffee mug. “Chloe didn’t bring an umbrella. It’s pouring outside.” I turned around to grab the umbrella from the entryway rack. “She’s a grown girl. She can just call an Uber,” Julian said smoothly. His tone was warm and gentle. It was as if the cold, power-tripping man in the study just minutes ago didn’t exist. “She has autism, Julian. When it rains, she gets too overwhelmed to even speak to strangers. She can’t call an Uber.” I quickly slipped on my shoes and ran out into the pouring rain. By the time I reached the bus stop, the last bus heading to the outer suburbs was already pulling away. The icy rain pelted my face, freezing me to the bone. When I got back home, I didn’t even take off my soaked coat. I marched straight to the living room medicine cabinet. Chloe had gotten drenched. She was already physically weak from the stress, and the last time she ran a high fever, she almost had a seizure. I opened the white first-aid kit. The three boxes of imported cooling patches and liquid fever reducers that I always kept on the top shelf were gone. “Don’t bother looking, Nina.” Julian walked in from the balcony, just finishing a phone call. He casually took off his suit jacket and handed it to me. “Scarlett caught a cold from the rain and was sneezing. She has a delicate immune system, so I stopped by and gave her those meds just in case.” He said it so naturally, as if he were merely telling me what he wanted for dinner. My hand holding the empty medicine box froze in mid-air. “Chloe almost had a seizure the last time she had a fever. Those specific meds were prescribed and imported just for her.” I stared at him, my voice cracking. Julian sighed, walking over to wrap his arms around me. “Don’t be so sensitive all the time, Nina.” “Chloe has autism. Her pain tolerance is much higher than normal people.” “But Scarlett is different. She has a major art exhibition tomorrow. She can’t afford to be sick.” “Be a good girl. You can just buy more for Chloe tomorrow.” I took a step back, dodging his touch. “Those are Chloe’s emergency meds. You didn’t even bother to ask me before giving them all to Scarlett?” Julian frowned slightly, looking at me with the patronizing patience one might show to a throwing-tantrum child. “Scarlett is Serena’s sister. Serena trusted me to look after her before she moved to Europe.” “I can’t just stand by and watch her sickness ruin her future.” “Besides, Chloe’s disciplinary case isn’t finalized yet, and Scarlett is the key witness.” “If you treat Scarlett a little better right now, maybe she’ll soften up and drop the cheating accusation against Chloe.” I stared at the handsome, sophisticated man in front of me. He always found the most noble excuses to justify his cruelest actions. “Chloe did not cheat,” I said, pronouncing every single word clearly. “She was the only one in that room.” “Scarlett accuses her with zero proof, and you just blindly believe her.” “You’d rather trust an outsider than my sister?” Julian rubbed the bridge of his nose, looking exhausted. “I am the Head of the Academic Integrity Board. I have to be responsible for all students.” “Scarlett has been an honors student her whole life. She has no reason to frame Chloe.” “And let’s be real—Chloe can barely speak a coherent sentence on normal days. How could she suddenly solve the extra-credit advanced calculus problem at the end of the exam?” He turned toward the bathroom. “Is my bath ready? I have an important district board meeting tomorrow morning.” I stood frozen, watching his tall back walk away. We had been married for three years. To take care of his daily life, I had resigned from my dream job as a senior data analyst. I thought my sacrifices and patience would buy his respect and care for Chloe. But instead, he dragged my boundaries through the mud just to please his ex-girlfriend’s sister. “Run the water yourself,” I said quietly. Julian stopped in his tracks and looked back at me, seemingly surprised. “Nina, stop throwing a tantrum. Go make me some hot ginger soup. I want it after my bath.” He wasn’t angry. He just spoke in that usual, commanding tone, absolutely certain that I wouldn’t dare refuse him. I ignored him completely. I pulled out my phone and called Chloe’s landlady. “Hi, Mrs. Gable. Could you please check on Chloe for me? If she has a fever, please call me immediately.” After hanging up, I threw Julian’s suit jacket onto the sofa. The sound of running water came from the bathroom. I walked out to the balcony, staring into the pitch-black, rainy night. My phone screen lit up. It was a Snapchat message from Scarlett. “Thanks for the meds, Nina! Julian is such a lifesaver. The cooling patches work like a charm! ❤️” Attached was a selfie of her with a cooling patch on her forehead. The background was the luxurious leather interior of the sports car Julian had gifted her. I didn’t reply. I just swiped left on her chat and deleted it. The rain grew heavier, rattling against the glass. One by one, I turned off all the lights in the living room. Julian came out of the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel. “Nina, where’s my soup?” In the darkness, the only sound was the water dripping from his towel onto the floor. “I didn’t make any,” I said from the sofa, my voice flat. He paused, then switched on the light. “What is wrong with you today? Are you seriously throwing a fit over a few boxes of cheap medicine?” “Fine. Tomorrow I’ll have my assistant buy ten boxes and send them to Chloe. Satisfied?” He walked over, towering over me. “I’ve had a exhausting day at work. Can you please be a little supportive?” I looked up into his eyes. “Julian, do you honestly think this is just about a few boxes of medicine?” His frown deepened. “Then what? What else do you want me to do?” “Go apologize to Chloe? Or humiliate Scarlett?” “Nina, you’re an adult. Stop acting like a prickly teenager.” I looked down, digging my nails into my palms. I didn’t say another word. Because I realized that no matter what I said, in this man’s eyes, I would always be the one who was “unreasonable.” He honestly believed that a few cheap favors could always keep me quiet and obedient. I stood up, walked past him, and headed to the bedroom. “I’m staying somewhere else for a few days starting tomorrow.” Julian let out a soft, arrogant chuckle behind me. “Sure. Take a few days to cool off. Just don’t forget to pack my daily stomach meds into my organizer before you go.”

The next morning, carrying the newly bought medicine and cooling patches, I took a three-hour bus ride to the rundown suburban trailer park where Chloe lived. When I pushed the door open, the room smelled of damp mold. Chloe was curled up on her single bed, her forehead burning hot. Biting back my tears, I gave her the medicine and placed a fresh cooling patch on her forehead. She was delirious with fever, but her hand was clutching a piece of drawing paper with a death grip. “Nina… didn’t… didn’t cheat…” she mumbled. I gently pried her fingers open and pulled the paper out. It was a drawing of a sunflower, completely filled with complex numbers and intersecting lines. To anyone else, it looked like random, chaotic graffiti. But I knew better. This was Chloe’s encrypted visual diary. Because of her autism, she used this unique system to record everything that happened to her daily. By noon, Chloe’s fever finally broke. She sat up, carefully smoothing out the drawing on the desk, and began adding more numbers with a pencil. Just then, there was a knock on the door. I went to open it. Julian was standing outside holding a fruit basket. Beside him was Scarlett, wearing a designer dress and holding a Starbucks iced latte. “Nina, I brought Scarlett to see Chloe,” Julian said warmly. He walked right in, putting the fruit basket on a scratched coffee table. “While you’re here, make some homemade lobster bisque for Scarlett. She said she’s craving it.” He wasn’t here to visit my sick sister. He was here to order me around. I stared at his entitled face and didn’t move an inch. “There’s no lobster here, and there’s no kitchen for that.” Scarlett wandered around the tiny studio, pinching her nose in disgust. “Julian, this place is so gross and sketchy. The air smells weird.” She walked over to Chloe’s desk, her eyes landing on the paper. “Ooh, what’s this?” She reached out to grab Chloe’s drawing. Like a cat getting its tail stepped on, Chloe violently lunged forward to shield the paper. “Don’t… Don’t touch it!” Chloe’s voice shook with terror. Scarlett gasped, taking a step back and looking at Julian with pouty, tearful eyes. “Julian, I just wanted to look at it. Why is Chloe being so mean to me?” Julian’s face darkened. He walked over and grabbed Chloe by her shoulder. “Chloe, stop being rude.” Scarlett stared at the drawing, a calculating glint in her eyes. “Julian, my art exhibition tomorrow is actually missing a piece of modern abstract art.” “This messy drawing actually fits my theme of ‘Chaos and Order’ perfectly.” She tugged at Julian’s sleeve, whining. Without a second thought, Julian reached down and snatched the drawing right out from under Chloe’s arm. “Be good, Chloe. It’s just a piece of scrap paper.” “Scarlett needs this for her portfolio to get into her dream college. Think of the bigger picture.” “I’ll buy you a strawberry cake later.” Chloe panicked. Lacking the words to express her distress, she desperately reached out to grab it back. “Give it back! It’s mine!” In the struggle, Chloe’s wrist slammed hard against the sharp metal edge of the desk. There was a sickening *thud*. Chloe pulled her hand back, whimpering. The fair skin on the back of her hand instantly swelled up, a dark purple bruise forming at a terrifying speed. She didn’t cry out loud. She just bit her lip raw, tears welling up in her eyes. I rushed over, shielding Chloe behind my back. “Julian, give the drawing back. Now.” I glared at the paper in his hand. Julian handed the drawing to Scarlett and looked at me coldly. “Nina, is this how you raise your sister?” “Scarlett is just borrowing it. She’ll return it.” “A child’s scribble helping Scarlett win an award is a blessing for Chloe.” “Do you really have to make everyone miserable over such a trivial thing?” Scarlett held the drawing, a smug smirk playing on her lips. “Don’t be so stingy, Nina.” “Once I win the prize, maybe I’ll buy Chloe a nice dinner.” Looking at Chloe’s bruised hand, the last bit of warmth in my heart turned into absolute ice. “Get out.” I pointed at the door. Julian’s expression turned icy. “Nina, look at yourself. You’ve become so toxic.” “I brought Scarlett here out of the kindness of my heart, and this is how you treat us?” “You seriously need to fix your attitude.” He took Scarlett’s hand. “Let’s go, Scarlett. Let your sister cool her head first.” The door slammed shut. The room fell into a dead silence. Looking at the empty desk, Chloe finally let her tears fall. “Nina… my drawing…” I knelt down, gently stroking her hair. “Don’t worry, Chloe. I will get it back for you. I promise.” I stood up, pulled out my phone, and opened a hidden data analysis software backup folder. Julian thought it was just a piece of scrap paper. He had no idea that the numbers on that paper recorded the exact timestamps and evidence of Scarlett destroying Chloe’s AP exam prep sheets. I watched the data codes flashing on my screen. All the pain and humiliation I had suffered during this marriage transformed into a freezing, calculated calm. I wasn’t going to yell anymore.

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The hemp rope cut brutally into the back of my neck, the stinging pain finally bringing me back to reality. My former fiancée, the woman who once swore she would marry no one but me, had tied me up in an underground VIP gambling parlor. She was using me as a living dartboard target, all for the sake of her precious childhood sweetheart. Ten razor-sharp throwing knives grazed my skin and slammed into the hardwood board behind me. Blood slowly seeped down the wood grain. She stood right beside the dartboard, looking down at me. Her voice was as cold as poison. “Ethan Reed, you owe this to Christian. Your mother stole his father’s life-saving donor heart back then. It’s only fair you pay it back with your life.” I grit my teeth, refusing to make a sound. She had promised me that if I survived these ten knives, she would pay the overdue medical bills for my little sister in the ICU. She had no idea that when the truth finally came out, it would completely break her. Back then, it was my mother who had willingly signed the donor agreement to save Christian’s father. My mother didn’t steal anything. In fact, she was framed by the Cole family while trying to protect the original agreement, and she died miserably in a prison cell. Years later, Serena found my sister’s grave. She knelt before the tombstone, slapping her own face repeatedly until her cheeks bled. I stood by the roadside, glanced at her coldly for a brief second, and turned around to link arms with the person beside me. I wouldn’t give her even a shred of forgiveness.

The air in the underground gambling parlor was thick with the sickening stench of copper blood and cheap cigars. I was bound tightly to a massive wooden spinning wheel. “Ms. Vance, are we really going this far?” a rich playboy next to her asked, rubbing his hands together with a cruel, excited gleam in his eyes. Serena Vance sat in the center of the room on a plush leather sofa. Her long legs were crossed, and she was casually flipping a gleaming, silver throwing knife in her hand. Christian Cole sat right beside her. His face was pale, but a smug, barely noticeable smirk played at the corner of his lips. “Serena, let’s forget it. Ethan looks like he’s already hurt pretty badly. It’d be bad if something actually happened to him.” Serena let out a cold laugh, her gaze sweeping over my face like a blade. “A killer’s son? Since when does he deserve pity?” She stood up and walked to a spot about fifteen feet away from me. “Ten knives, Ethan. As long as they don’t hit your vitals, I’ll give you a hundred thousand dollars for each one.” “Finish all ten, and you get a million. That should be enough to cover your sick little sister’s surgery and ICU bills.” My dry, cracked lips parted. “Deal.” No hesitation. No begging. A flash of sheer violence crossed Serena’s eyes. Three years ago, I was the pampered young heir of the Reed family whom she held in the palm of her hand. Now, I was just a broken piece of trash who would discard his life for money. She flicked her wrist. *Whoosh—* The first knife grazed my cheek, slicing off a few strands of my hair before thudding deeply into the wooden board right next to my ear. The coldness of the blade sent a shiver down my spine. I didn’t blink. “One hundred thousand,” I said, my voice completely flat. Serena clenched her jaw so hard her facial muscles tensed. The second knife grazed my neck. The third knife brushed past my waist. Each throw carried the sound of tearing wind, packed with her desire to tear me into a thousand pieces. The crowd around us erupted into cheers. I kept my eyes locked onto Serena’s. Those eyes, which used to be filled with deep affection, now held nothing but disgust and sadistic pleasure. As the eighth knife was about to fly, Christian suddenly gasped. Pretending to lose his balance, he bumped hard against Serena’s arm. The trajectory of the knife shifted. *Squelch.* The blade sank straight into my left shoulder. Blood erupted instantly, soaking through my faded, washed-out white shirt. An agonizing pain ripped through my nerves. I let out a muffled groan, cold sweat immediately drenching my back. “Oh my god! I’m so sorry, Ethan! It was an accident!” Christian gasped, covering his mouth, but his eyes were dripping with pure malice. Serena froze. Looking at the blood gushing from my shoulder, the hand holding the remaining two knives trembled slightly. But she quickly masked her reaction, looking at me coldly. “Does it hurt?” “When your mother bribed the doctor and snatched the heart meant for Christian’s father, Christian felt ten thousand times worse than this.” “Sins of the mother, paid by the son. You deserve every bit of this.” I looked at her and forced a pale, blood-stained smile. “Ms. Vance, does this knife count? If it does, that makes it eight hundred thousand.” Serena stared at the smirk on my lips, the rims of her eyes turning a furious red. She suddenly slammed the remaining two knives onto the floor. “Ethan Reed! Do you get off on degrading yourself like this?!” Tied to the board, my blood dripped slowly from my fingertips onto the floor. “Ms. Vance, if I don’t degrade myself, my sister dies.” “Give me the money.”

The air in the private lounge froze instantly. Serena stared at me, her chest heaving violently. She strode over and grabbed my collar, pulling it so hard she nearly ripped my shirt apart. “Are you really that desperate for money? To the point of throwing away your dignity?” Forced to look up, I met her furious gaze. “Can dignity pay for my sister’s life?” “If it can, Ms. Vance, give me a price. I’ll sell it to you by the pound.” Serena’s pupils dilated. She let go of me instantly, as if she had been burned. “Get him down,” she ordered the bodyguards, her voice sounding raspy. The moment the ropes were untied, my legs gave out, and I collapsed onto the floor. The wound on my left shoulder was still bleeding, staining the expensive carpet. Serena pulled out a checkbook, quickly scribbled a check for one million dollars, and walked over to me. She didn’t hand it to me. Instead, she let it go. The check fluttered down, landing right in an ashtray filled with sharp, broken glass shards. “Get it yourself,” she said, looking down at me from above. I didn’t say a word. Pushing myself up from the floor, I reached out my right hand and shoved it directly into the ashtray. The sharp glass sliced into my fingers. Blood and ash mixed together instantly. But I felt the paper. I gripped the check tightly in my fist. “Thank you for the charity, Ms. Vance.” Struggling to stay upright, I clutched my bleeding shoulder and took slow steps toward the exit. “Hold on,” Christian suddenly spoke up. He stood up and walked over to block my path, a sneer on his face. “Ethan, you got your dirty blood all over Serena’s carpet. Do you really think you can just walk away?” “Get on your knees and clean the carpet.” I stopped and looked back at Serena. She stood in the shadows, making no attempt to stop him. She was allowing it. I looked down at the blood-stained check in my hand. One million dollars. My sister Lily was waiting for this money in the ICU to stay alive. I closed my eyes, and my knees slowly began to bend. Just as my knees were about to hit the floor, the heavy door of the VIP lounge was kicked open with a loud bang. Fiona Sterling strode in, wearing a long black trench coat, carrying the cold wind of the storm with her. She immediately saw me swaying on my feet, and the shocking amount of blood on my shoulder. “Ethan!” Fiona rushed over, catching me before I fell, and pressed her trench coat against my bleeding shoulder to stop the bleeding. She spun around, glaring at Serena with eyes like daggers. “Serena Vance, do you even have a soul?!” Seeing Fiona holding me, Serena’s eyes turned to ice instantly. “Fiona, this is a private matter between Ethan and me. It’s none of your business.” “Private?” Fiona sneered. “You mutilated him! This is aggravated assault! Ethan, let’s go. We’re calling the cops.” I grabbed Fiona’s arm and shook my head weakly. “Fiona, please… take me to the hospital.” “My sister is waiting.” I couldn’t call the police. If the police got involved, Serena had a hundred ways to make sure that check got frozen, and I would never see a single dime. Fiona looked at my pale face, a flash of deep heartache in her eyes. She wrapped my arm around her shoulder and helped me walk out. “Ethan Reed! If you walk out that door with her tonight, you won’t get a single penny of this money!” Serena’s furious voice roared from behind us. Leaning against Fiona, I didn’t look back. “Ms. Vance, I already have the check.” “The transaction is complete. We owe each other nothing.”

It was pouring rain outside. Fiona helped me into her car, slammed her foot on the gas, and sped toward the municipal hospital. The heater was blasting, but I was still shivering violently, my body freezing. The wound on my left shoulder had gone completely numb. I gripped the check like it was my sister’s very last breath. “Ethan, are you insane? She wanted to use you as a dartboard and you just let her?” Fiona yelled as she drove, her voice trembling with suppressed tears. I stared out the window at the blurred city lights. “Fiona, I had no choice.” “The hospital gave me a final ultimatum. If I didn’t pay the overdue bills tonight, they would take Lily off the ventilator.” “My mother already died in prison. I can’t lose Lily too.” Fiona slammed her hand against the steering wheel, her eyes rimmed with red. “I told you I was getting the money together! Why won’t you just take my money?!” “Because I can never pay you back,” I said softly. Three years ago, when the Reed family went bankrupt and my mother was imprisoned, everyone avoided me like the plague. Only Fiona, a poor student I had once sponsored who was now a brilliant elite lawyer, braved Serena’s heavy suppression to help me in any way she could. I already owed her far too much. The car screeched to a halt in front of the hospital lobby. I pushed the door open and stumbled inside. “Nurse! I have the money! One million! Set up my sister’s surgery right now!” I rushed to the billing window and slammed the blood-stained check against the glass. The night nurse took one look at the check, then at my bloody clothes, and gasped in shock. She quickly took the check to verify it. A few minutes later, she walked back, her expression incredibly grim. “Mr. Reed… this check has been frozen.” My brain went completely blank. “What? That’s impossible! That’s a Vance Corporation corporate check!” “The bank just notified us. The issuer has canceled the payment order,” the nurse said, looking at me with pity. Serena Vance. It was her. She really was never going to let me go. All the strength left my body in an instant. I slid down the cold wall, collapsing onto the floor. “Ethan!” Fiona rushed over to support me. I grabbed Fiona’s arm, my teeth clattering. “Fiona… she stopped the payment… she stopped the check…” “What about Lily? What is going to happen to Lily?!” Just then, my phone buzzed. It was a voice message on Snapchat from Christian. With trembling fingers, I tapped it. “Ethan, Serena says if you want the money, crawl back to the Vance mansion.” “Start from the front gates, and beg on your knees all the way to the living room.” “If you beg loud enough, she’ll release the million dollars immediately.” In the background of the voice message, I could hear Serena’s cold, uncaring chuckle. I gripped my phone so hard my knuckles turned white. “Ethan, don’t go! I’ll call some people right now to get a loan!” Fiona tried to snatch the phone from my hand. I pushed her away gently and stood up, leaning against the wall. “There’s no time.” “Fiona, watch over Lily for me.” I turned and ran straight into the pouring rain.

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Julian and I are immortals. On the night of our one-hundredth anniversary, he suggested we play Truth or Dare. I lost. “Dare! Come on, what do you want me to do?” Julian looked at me, his voice flat and calm. “Eve, let’s take a break. For a hundred years.” I froze. He gave me a helpless, indulgent smile, the kind he always used when I was being stubborn. “There’s this girl. She’s been chasing me for three or four years. She’s incredibly persistent, and I don’t want to break her heart. So, I agreed to be with her.” “And what about me?” My fingernails dug so hard into my palms that they drew blood. He brushed it off like it was nothing. “Mortals only live for about a century anyway. Once she’s gone, I’ll come back to you.” “Besides, she’s pregnant. You’ve always loved kids. When the baby is born, you can be the godmother. Isn’t that perfect?” The sheets beneath us still bore the messy creases of our recent intimacy. I let out a bitter, hollow laugh. He had no idea. Monsters like us are completely sterile. We can never conceive. 1 “When did you sleep with her?” My voice shook. Julian raised an eyebrow. “Which time?” It felt like a cold hand had reached into my chest and squeezed my heart to pieces. I gripped the white sheets, twisting the fabric until my knuckles turned white. Julian chuckled softly. He casually tugged open his collar. On his collarbone were two distinct, fresh bite marks. I never had the habit of biting him. Julian gently traced the marks, a look of lingering satisfaction on his face. “Too many times to count, honestly.” “She kept saying she wanted to be with me for the rest of her life. You have no idea how beautiful she looked when she was trying to hold back her tears.” “I just couldn’t resist.” A wave of intense nausea hit me. The thought of him touching me after being with someone else made my stomach wrench. I bolted to the bathroom, throwing up until my throat burned. Julian’s voice drifted in from the bedroom, cold and mocking. “Why are you acting so disgusted?” “She’s only twenty. You’re over a hundred and twenty, Eve. If anyone should be disgusted, it’s her.” I snapped my head up, my eyes bloodshot as I glared at him. Being immortal was my ultimate nightmare. Mortals envied our eternal youth, but they didn’t know the price. No family, no friends, constantly running, constantly hiding. Living like sewer rats. I used to have Julian by my side to survive it. But now, I wouldn’t even have him. I took two steps back, my voice incredibly raspy. “Julian, we’re done. Officially.” He assumed I was agreeing to his “hundred-year break” proposal. His tense face instantly relaxed. “That’s my girl.” He reached out to hug me, but I flinched away. “I’m not waiting a hundred years for you,” I said. “We are over. Forever.” Julian let out an annoyed sigh. He reached over and patted my head patronizingly, like he was soothing a pet. “Eve, stop playing games.” “You only survive in this world because of me. With your terrible disguise skills, you would’ve been dragged into some underground lab for experiments a long time ago.” His eyes drifted to the dense scars on my arms from old needle marks. “Have you forgotten what they did to you back then?” My chest tightened, and I quickly covered my arm. My fingers trembled uncontrollably. Julian and I were both products of a failed immortality experiment. Exactly a hundred years ago today, I was strapped down to a freezing metal operating table. I couldn’t move. I could only watch as a strange, glowing blue-green serum was injected into my veins. My body swelled up like raw dough. Even moving a finger was agonizing. I thought I was going to die. Until a massive, roaring fire swept through the facility, burning everything to ashes. The lab became a graveyard of concrete and steel. A young Julian had carried me out on his back, walking one painful step at a time under the setting sun. He had whispered: “Don’t be scared, Eve. I burned all the bad guys!” “From now on, you’re with me. I’ll protect you forever!” The boy’s promise felt so real back then. But “forever” turned out to be far too long… A loud crack of thunder shattered my thoughts. Outside, a heavy storm had begun to rage. Julian’s expression suddenly changed. He stopped arguing with me, grabbed his phone, and bolted for the door. I grabbed his sleeve. Seeing my tear-stained face, Julian hesitated for a brief second. A flash of guilt crossed his eyes. But then, he peeled my fingers off his arm, one by one. He broke my last shred of hope. Julian gave me a helpless smile and kissed the corner of my lips. “She’s not like you, Eve. She’s fragile. She’s terrified of thunderstorms and she’ll cry if she’s left alone.” “Use this time to calm down. We’ve been together for a century. You can’t just throw that away.” Bang— The door slammed shut in my face. Hot tears spilled from my eyes, dripping onto the floor, mimicking the sound of the rain outside. I stood there for a long time. Then, I reached for the doorknob. 2 I left the villa behind. The rain was pouring hard. I struggled to hold my umbrella against the wind as I walked down the street. I didn’t even know why I was following him. Maybe it was just habit. Or maybe it was sheer denial. As I turned the corner of the block, my heart stopped. Under the awning of the local diner we always visited, Julian had Chloe pinned against the brick wall, kissing her passionately. They were kissing so deeply, oblivious to the storm. I could hear their heavy, breathless whispers. “It’s pouring outside. Why did you run out? Do you know how dangerous that is?” I instinctively spoke up. “I—” But a weak, tearful voice cut me off. “I don’t care! Why were you at her place instead of being with me?” “You promised you’d never see her again. You lied to me…” Chloe sobbed, looking incredibly fragile and hurt. Julian, who rarely lost his cool, panicked. He awkwardly wiped away her tears. I gripped the handle of my umbrella. My heart ached with a dull, throbbing pain. So, those worried words he said earlier weren’t meant for me at all. After ten minutes of their passionate makeup session, Julian finally let go of her lips, his hand resting on her waist. As he turned, our eyes met. Before I could say a word, Chloe’s eyes welled up with tears. She pretended to hide behind him, but then glared at me defiantly. “Babe, Julian already broke up with you. Keep your distance!” “Otherwise, I’ll tell everyone you’re a homewrecker!” So, she knew who I was. I stared at her pretty, innocent-looking face, and everything clicked. Her name was Chloe, and her family owned this diner. She usually helped out here. I couldn’t eat spicy food, but Julian loved it. So, I had endured stomach aches just to accompany him here, week after week. And while I was suffering from heartburn, these two were secretly messing around behind my back. I forced a bitter smile. Julian looked slightly uncomfortable. “Eve, look…” He made a move to come over to soothe me, but before he could take a step, Chloe shoved him back. She sobbed dramatically: “Fine! Go to her then! Go to your side chick!” “You two are the real soulmates. I’ll just leave!” “And the baby… you can forget about the baby too!” With that, Chloe turned and ran into the pouring rain. She looked so weak, yet so dramatic. Julian panicked, grabbed her arm, and pulled her back into his embrace. He began to coax her endlessly. “Babe, don’t say such stupid things.” “You’re the only one I love. I’ve been bored of Eve for years. She doesn’t compare to you.” “Fine,” Chloe pouted proudly, pointing a finger at me. “Then tell her to get lost!” Julian looked over at me, his gentle expression instantly turning into irritation. He said coldly, “Eve, go home.” The rain was freezing, splashing against my skin. It was impossible to seek shelter here anymore. I bit my lip and opened my umbrella to leave. But Chloe grabbed my hand, tilting her head with a sweet, mocking smile. “Hey, I don’t have an umbrella. Can I have yours?” 3 Julian stood silently behind Chloe, doing nothing. His silence was his consent. I was shaking all over. I violently shook Chloe’s hand off, turned around, and walked away. But Julian finally moved. He leaned in close to my ear, his voice dropping into a threatening whisper. “Eve, you’re an immortal. Your body can handle a little rain.” “But Chloe is different. She’ll get sick.” “Be mature for once. Stop throwing a tantrum.” I let out a cold laugh. The man who once swore to protect me from every storm in the world was officially dead to me. I slowly lowered my umbrella, dropped it on the ground, and walked straight into the heavy rain. As if things couldn’t get worse. Just as I walked a few yards away, a car lost control on the slick road and sped straight toward me. Crash— I couldn’t dodge in time. I was thrown into the air and slammed hard onto the asphalt. Julian seemed to realize something was wrong and looked over. A pool of bright red blood began to spread on the dark road. I lay there alone, like a broken doll. Lifeless. Julian took a step toward me, his lips tight. But the next second, Chloe covered his eyes from behind. She whispered seductively in his ear, “Babe, I’m wearing that thing you like tonight.” “The white lace one…” Julian’s response was swallowed by another kiss. In his mind, it didn’t matter. An immortal wouldn’t die anyway. Why care if she got hit by a car? Chloe smiled with pure satisfaction. My body felt shattered. Unbearable pain tore through me, but it was nothing compared to the agony in my chest. Even though immortals don’t die, we are still human. We still feel pain. As the sound of their soft whispers faded, my heart died. The panicked driver ran out of the car, his knees shaking, trying to call 91

I struggled to crawl up. I stopped him. If the police got involved, my fake identity would be exposed. Under the terrified gaze of the driver, I limped away into the dark. I didn’t know how long I walked. By the time the rain stopped and the sun came up, the streets were getting crowded. People pointed and whispered: “Oh my god, look at her. She’s covered in blood!” “Her clothes are a mess. Did she get beat up by some wife for sleeping with her husband?” “Probably got kicked out of some guy’s house, haha…” By the time I regained my senses, I was inside a hospital. The doctors and nurses were horrified by the blood, but after a quick examination, they looked even more shocked. “This makes no sense… why don’t you have any actual wounds?” I froze. I was so out of it that I forgot my body heals itself instantly. I dragged my exhausted body back to the villa, only to run into the happy couple at the entrance. I accidentally bumped into Chloe. Before I could even apologize, Julian shoved me hard. I fell to the cold ground, my head spinning. A familiar voice sounded, filled with uncertainty. “Eve?” My heart sank. Predictably, Chloe’s mockery followed immediately. “Are you kidding me? Is this actually Eve?” She walked around my disheveled self, looking at me like I was a piece of trash. “How did you turn into a homeless dog overnight?” “How pathetic.” I struggled to stand up. “I don’t need your pity!” I gritted my teeth and swung a hand to slap her, but Julian caught my wrist mid-air. He glared at me, his grip so tight I could hear my bones pop. He shielded Chloe behind his back. A lump formed in my throat. My mind flashed back to the summer when I was twenty. In a dark alley, Julian had easily taken down a creep who was harassing me, slamming the guy’s face against the brick wall. “Apologize to her,” Julian had snarled. The creep had begged for mercy, kneeling and bowing. I had laughed and asked Julian, “Hey, why are you so good to me?” The young boy’s face had turned bright red. “Because… you’re my family.” “Just family?” He had nodded, then shook his head, completely flustered. I still remembered how cute and innocent he was back then. Chloe let out a dramatic gasp, her eyes turning red as she squeezed out a few tears. Julian’s voice was ice-cold. “Apologize.” I kept my mouth shut. Chloe bit her lip, acting terrified. “Babe, it’s fine if she doesn’t want to.” “I… I’m okay…” She shed a couple of perfect tears. Julian’s frown deepened. He held a medical report in one hand and used his other hand to force my head down, forcing me to bow to Chloe. “Apologize to her. Don’t make me say it again!” 4 During the struggle, the paper in Julian’s hand fell to the ground. My breath hitched. The report read: *Pregnant, six weeks.* No wonder. No wonder he was acting like this. “I’m sorry,” I whispered. Chloe smirked. “What was that? Speak up, I can’t hear you.” My head was forced lower, my vision blurring. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have bumped into you.” “It was my fault.” “I was wrong.” Chloe looked satisfied. Julian finally released his grip on the back of my head. He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look up, and scoffed. “Why are you crying?” Was I crying? I wiped my face and felt the cold moisture on my fingers. Julian picked up the report, rubbing his temples in frustration. “You see this? Chloe is actually pregnant.” “This baby is a miracle. You need to stop picking fights with her.” “I know you love kids. I can convince Chloe to let you be the godmother. That way, your dream can come true too.” Chloe pouted. “No way.” Julian smiled indulgently, stroking her hair. “Fine, fine. I’m just saying it to quiet her down. Our baby belongs only to us.” They walked past me, hand-in-hand, leaving me alone in the empty hospital lobby to be swallowed by the whispers of strangers. Julian was wrong. I was never the one who wanted kids. He was. He craved a family more than anything. Over the decades, I had seen him stare longingly at children playing in the park. What was he thinking back then? Probably that I was broken because I couldn’t give him a child. But he was wrong. It wasn’t just me who was sterile. His resentment had built up over the years, forming a bitter knot in his heart. And I had been too blind to see it. Lost in thought, I walked aimlessly until I stopped in front of a run-down brick apartment building in the old industrial district. This was the very first place we bought together. The furniture inside was exactly as it was decades ago, covered in a thick layer of dust. I washed off the dried blood and changed into my favorite bright red dress. I stood in front of the mirror. My reflection was still youthful, looking exactly the same as it did a hundred years ago. For a second, I saw Julian hugging me from behind in the reflection, burying his face in my neck. “Eve, what’s for dinner tonight?” I had asked him back then, “I didn’t have a name before. Why did you call me Eve?” He had laughed softly against my shoulder. “Heh, it’s a secret.” I smiled at the memory, but the smile quickly faded. I picked up a decayed wooden box from the closet and walked out without looking back. My phone buzzed twice. It was a text from Julian. [Bring the keys of the villa back. Chloe wants them.] [I’m busy right now, so she’s waiting for you at the gate. Don’t make her wait.] How efficient. In just two days, a person could change so completely. It made me feel like a century had passed in a flash. I sighed. I needed to give him the wooden box anyway, so I might as well go. When I arrived, the entrance of the villa was blocked by moving trucks. Chloe’s belongings were being carried inside, filling up every corner. Meanwhile, my clothes, shoes, and personal items were tossed onto the muddy driveway like actual trash. I clenched my fists, shaking with anger. “What right do you have to throw my things away?” Chloe looked down at me from the porch. With Julian gone, she didn’t bother pretending anymore. She sneered: “I threw them out. What are you going to do about it? Hit me?” She picked up one of my silk nightgowns with two fingers, pinched her nose in disgust, dropped it in the mud, and ground her heel into it. I stepped toward her, suppressing my rage. “Stop right there.” 5 Chloe didn’t look scared at all. Instead, she whipped out a yellowed notebook and waved it in front of me. The sun was hot, but I felt a sudden chill run down my spine. She smiled maliciously. “So, immortals really do exist.” “Eve, guess what will happen if I turn this journal over to the authorities?” My mind went completely blank. I looked at her, silently begging. Chloe’s grin widened. She pointed her manicured finger at the muddy nightgown on the ground. “Put it on, and I’ll keep your little secret.” The nightgown was so filthy you couldn’t even see its original color. I slowly bent down. My hands shook as I picked it up and walked toward the house. “Where do you think you’re going?” Chloe grabbed my shoulder, pointing at the driveway. “I want you to change right here.” What…? I stared at her in disbelief. This was outside the villa. There were dozens of moving guys walking back and forth, their vulgar gazes already lingering on me. Chloe’s voice was cold. “You have two minutes, or I’m calling the cops.” I gripped the dirty fabric. My head spun, and memories of being strapped to that cold operating table flashed before my eyes. Trembling, I began to unzip my dress. I let it slide down. Chloe immediately pulled out her phone. The sound of her camera clicking and her cruel laughter filled my ears. My face was completely pale. I barely registered what was happening. “Are you happy now?” I whispered. Chloe smirked. With pure malice, she said, “I lied. I’m posting this video online right now.” My eyes flared with anger. I lunged forward and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her violently. “You—” “Ah!” Two voices sounded at once. Chloe suddenly fell backward onto the ground, clutching her stomach in agony. I stood there, stunned. Just then, Julian’s car screeched to a halt. He sprinted over and knelt beside Chloe. He tried to lift her, but his hands were instantly covered in bright red blood. She was miscarrying?! Julian roared in fury, glaring at me like a wild beast. I panicked. “No… it wasn’t me…” “She fell on purpose! I only shook her!” Julian’s face was terrifyingly dark. He stood up, towering over me. “You’re saying she framed you?” “Would she kill her own baby just to frame you?!” I opened my mouth, but no words came out. He already believed I was a murderer. Nothing I said would matter. Chloe sobbed in pain. Julian gently lifted her into his arms, comforting her. “Don’t cry, babe. It’s going to be okay.” “I called 911. They’re coming. Don’t be scared.” My heart went completely cold. There was a time when I was terrified of being discovered, and Julian would wrap his arms tightly around me, whispering: “Don’t be scared, Eve.” “I’m here. I’ll always be here.” “I won’t let anyone find out your secret, even if it kills me.” But those days were long gone. Chloe pointed a trembling finger at me, screaming through her tears. “Julian! She killed our baby!” “Call the cops! I want her to pay! I want her in jail!” Julian stiffened slightly. His voice sounded strained. “Chloe, let’s get you to the hospital first. I’ll make her apologize later.” “But calling the police… let’s not do that.” Chloe’s eyes widened in outrage. “Julian! I’ve been with you since high school! How can you protect her?!” She struggled out of his arms, grabbed a fallen pocketknife from the ground, and pressed it against her own throat. “Either she goes to jail, or I die right here!” Blood began to bead at the tip of the blade. Julian looked lost for a moment. He stared at me, his eyes filled with a complicated darkness. Eventually, he took the knife from her hand. The wail of police sirens echoed from down the street. I suddenly burst out laughing. Like a madwoman, I began smashing everything around me. Even the old wooden box was shattered into pieces. The officers rushed in and immediately pinned me down. Before they threw me into the back of the police car, I looked back at Julian. I was completely calm. “Julian, you are so incredibly stupid.” “Pathetic.” Julian froze. His eyes fell on the papers that had slid out of the shattered wooden box. As he read the bold letters on the top sheet, his pupils shrunk to the size of needles.

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On Christmas Eve, I drove six hours through sleet to surprise my fiancé. By the time I reached Logan Pierce’s penthouse, my hands were raw from carrying grocery bags, my boots were wet, and the city below his windows was glowing with Christmas lights. His doorman knew me. His spare key still worked. That was how stupid I was. I let myself in, took off my coat, and spent three hours cooking the Christmas dinner I had imagined us eating together before we called our families on video and told them we were finally ready to announce the engagement date. Roast chicken with rosemary butter. Garlic mashed potatoes. Cranberry sauce from scratch. A chocolate cake cooling by the sink. I even wrapped his gift and placed it under the tree: a vintage watch strap he had once mentioned for half a second and forgotten. I remembered everything Logan forgot. While the gravy simmered, I checked my phone. A post had gone viral on Threads. How do you know a man is obsessed with you? The top answer was from a girl with a soft-focus profile picture and a Christmas tree emoji in her bio. He told his family he had an emergency board call tonight because I couldn’t stand spending Christmas Eve alone. My fingers stopped moving. She continued. He was supposed to get engaged to his girlfriend this holiday, but I said I wasn’t ready to watch him choose her, so he postponed it. He remembers my coffee order, my birthday, my favorite Christmas song. He even made the passenger seat of his car mine. The kitchen went quiet except for the low hiss of the stove. Logan had told me he couldn’t come home for Christmas because of an emergency board call. Logan had postponed our engagement announcement two weeks ago. Someone replied: Girl, that sounds like being the other woman. The girl answered with a laughing emoji. The woman he doesn’t love is the other woman. He told me his fiancée is only a responsibility. I get the man. She gets the title. Then another line appeared. We’re going to look at Christmas lights now. The attached photo showed half of a man’s face under gold string lights. Sharp jaw. Straight nose. Black wool coat. A hand resting on the steering wheel. On his ring finger was the platinum band I had given Logan on our third anniversary. The same ring he said made him feel “already married.” I enlarged the picture until the pixels broke apart. Then I shrank it. Then enlarged it again. I tried to believe another man in this city had Logan’s jaw, Logan’s coat, Logan’s ring, and Logan’s habit of resting his thumb on the wheel like he owned the road. Then the girl posted a second photo. Two hands intertwined over a cashmere blanket. His watch was visible. So was the bracelet I had bought him last Christmas. My stomach dropped. I called Logan. The phone rang for almost a full minute before he answered. In the background, Christmas music played. A woman’s laugh slipped through before he moved away from it. “Ava?” Logan’s voice was warm. Too warm. “What’s wrong?” I looked at the dinner I had made. “Where are you?” “At the office,” he said smoothly. “I told you. Board call.” If I hadn’t seen the post, I would have believed him. That was the worst part. “I’m at your place,” I said. The silence on his end lasted long enough to kill five years. Then he said, “Stay there. I’m coming.” He came back thirty-two minutes later. He did not come alone. The woman beside him had glossy lips, soft brown hair, and a cream coat that looked expensive but useless against the cold. Her cheeks were pink, her earrings were tiny gold stars, and his scarf was wrapped around her throat. I knew her. Sienna Cole. Logan’s assistant. She had drifted through enough of our video calls to become familiar. Always in the background. Always carrying coffee. Always smiling at him like she had a secret key to a room I didn’t know existed. When Logan saw me standing beside the dining table, the first thing that crossed his face was not guilt. It was annoyance. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” My gaze dropped to his clothes. The black wool coat. The ring. The scarf missing from his neck and wrapped around hers. I couldn’t lie to myself anymore. “I wanted to surprise you,” I said. My voice sounded strange. Flat. Like it belonged to a woman watching this from far away. Turns out he had prepared a better surprise first. I looked at Sienna. “Do you and your assistant usually spend Christmas Eve board calls together?” Logan’s jaw tightened. “You should have told me earlier. I would’ve picked you up.” I almost laughed. I had driven six hours in sleet to reach him, and he had not asked whether I was tired, hungry, or safe. Sienna smiled at me. “I didn’t expect you to remember me, Miss Carter. Mr. Pierce and I really were working. When he got your call, he rushed home right away.” Home. She said it like she lived there. Like I was the woman who had arrived without permission. Logan looked at her, and the corner of his mouth softened. It was quick. Private. A smile he had not given me in months. Then he turned to me. “Ubers are impossible tonight. I couldn’t leave her standing outside in this weather. I’ll take her home later.” Sienna blinked at me. “You don’t mind, do you?” Before I could answer, Logan said, almost amused, “Ava isn’t as dramatic as you.” Sienna pouted. “I am not dramatic.” They laughed. Just a little. Enough. They sounded less like CEO and assistant and more like two people who had spent too many nights making each other comfortable. My burned finger pulsed from where hot butter had splashed earlier. Sienna’s eyes moved over the table. “Oh my God. You cooked all this?” She tilted her head. “That’s sweet. I’m awful in the kitchen. Logan doesn’t even let me hold a knife. He says my job is to sit there and look pretty while he cooks.” Logan looked away. But not fast enough. I turned to him. “I don’t like her.” Sienna’s smile froze. “Logan,” I said, each word clean and sharp. “Fire her.”

Sienna looked at Logan immediately. Not like an employee. Like a girl waiting to see if her man would choose her. Logan was quiet for two seconds. Then he said, “Fine. I’ll handle it.” Her face went white. “Logan…” He glanced toward the windows, where the city was already buried in holiday traffic. “It’s late. I’ll take her home.” I stared at him. “You just said you’d fire her.” “I will.” His voice dropped, the way it always did when he wanted me to stop embarrassing him. “But I’m not letting her walk home in sleet on Christmas Eve.” Of course not. Sienna had to be protected from the weather. I had apparently been built to survive anything. They left together. The door clicked shut. The Christmas playlist kept playing. The chicken went cold. The gravy formed a skin. The cake sat untouched under the warm kitchen light. Two hours later, Logan came back. By then, I had thrown the entire dinner into the trash. He paused at the sight of the empty table. Then his eyes moved to me. “Ava—” His collar was open. One button near his throat had been fastened wrong. His hair was slightly damp at the nape, as if snow had melted there—or as if someone had run her fingers through it. On the edge of his white shirt was a faint smear of pink gloss. Sienna had posted again ten minutes earlier. His fiancée showed up and made him promise to fire me. Poor thing. Next line: He still walked me to his car. He still kissed me until the windows fogged. He went back upstairs with my gloss on his collar and his shirt buttoned wrong. She added a winking emoji. Merry Christmas to me. Everything matched. The two hours. The collar. The gloss. The way Logan stood in the doorway like a man already preparing to lie. He reached for me. I stepped back. “Don’t touch me.” His hand stopped midair. “Ava.” The scent hit me then. Not his usual cedar cologne. Vanilla. Sienna’s perfume. It was on his coat, his shirt, the air around him. My stomach turned. I ran to the bathroom and gripped the sink. Nothing came out. My body only shook, dry and useless, like even my nausea had been humiliated. Logan followed. “Are you sick?” He rubbed my back. “Did you eat something?” I flinched away from his hand. “Is Sienna just your assistant?” He frowned. “Of course she is.” I laughed. It sounded ugly. I pulled up the posts and handed him my phone. “Then what’s this?” Logan took it. He read. For a long time. I watched his face carefully. Shock would have been nice. Anger would have been better. Guilt would have been something. Instead, he only looked tired. “She’s young,” he said. “She likes attention. She exaggerates everything online.” “She exaggerated the Christmas lights?” “Ava—” “She exaggerated your ring in her hand?” His mouth tightened. “She exaggerated the lip gloss on your collar?” Logan looked away. There it was. The smallest confession. Not enough to be honest. Enough to insult me. “Don’t make this bigger than it is,” he said. I stared at him. “Do you know I hate cinnamon?” He blinked. “What?” “Do you know I hate cinnamon?” He didn’t answer. Because he didn’t know. Every December, Logan bought cinnamon candles because he liked how they made his apartment smell “warm.” I had sneezed through them for five years. He did not know. But Sienna’s post said he remembered she liked peppermint mocha with oat milk, no whipped cream, extra chocolate drizzle. He knew that. “Do you know I like spicy food?” I asked. His expression grew confused. “You never—” “I stopped asking because your stomach hurt every time we ate it.” Silence. “And the passenger seat?” I continued. “Remember when I brought that little ceramic fox from my first work trip and wanted to put it in your car?” Logan’s jaw flexed. “You said you hated clutter,” I said. “But Sienna has a pink blanket, lip balm, a stuffed reindeer, and a glitter sign that says Princess Seat.” He rubbed his temple. “I’ll clean the car.” “That’s not the point.” He looked at me then, and his voice softened. “After Christmas, I’ll transfer her. I’ll make everything normal again. We can still have the engagement party in January.” Normal. As if betrayal were a table he could wipe down. As if my ring, my dinner, my six-hour drive, his assistant’s perfume on his shirt—none of it mattered if he paid someone to delete a few posts. Sienna had written that I only had the title. Maybe she was right. If being his fiancée meant standing in his kitchen while another woman documented the places her mouth had been, she could have the man. I looked at Logan. “No.” His eyes sharpened. “No what?” “No engagement party.” “Ava.” “No wedding registry. No venue. No January announcement.” He stared at me like I had spoken a foreign language. I took the ring off my finger and placed it on the sink between us. “I’m done.”

Logan stared at the ring. For one second, something like relief flashed in his eyes. It was small. Ugly. Fast. But I saw it. Then he covered it with a sigh. “Ava, don’t say things you can’t take back.” “I already did.” “If you don’t want the party in January, we can delay it.” His tone turned patient, like he was negotiating a contract with a difficult client. “I’ve been under pressure. The company is preparing for funding. You know how busy I am.” I looked at his collar. The pink gloss was still there. “You were busy in Sienna’s car too?” His face darkened. “That’s enough.” No. It had been enough a long time ago. Five years together. Two years long-distance. Hundreds of flights, drives, calls I stayed awake for because his schedule mattered more than mine. The night I was supposed to meet his parents, I had cried from nerves in a hotel bathroom and then smiled through dinner because his mother called me “our future daughter-in-law.” When Logan asked to postpone the Christmas engagement announcement, I had swallowed my disappointment and said work came first. Now I knew whose feelings came first. Not mine. “All this because of a few stupid posts?” he asked. “Not the posts.” My voice was quiet. “It’s the fact that every post is believable.” Before he could answer, his phone rang. Not his normal ringtone. A girl’s voice filled the bathroom. Mr. Pierce, pick up. Your Christmas princess is calling. Ignore me and I’ll cry. The sound bounced off the tile. Logan snatched the phone and declined the call. His face tightened. “It was a joke.” The phone rang again. Same voice. Same Christmas princess. This time, he walked into the hallway and answered. He lowered his voice, but not enough. “What happened? The heat went out? Did maintenance come? Don’t cry. I’ll be there.” He came back into the bathroom with that look on his face. The one I already knew. He was going. “There’s an issue at the office.” I laughed once. On Christmas Eve, he couldn’t even respect me enough to invent a decent lie. “At the office?” He avoided my eyes. “I don’t know when I’ll be back. You should sleep here tonight.” Sleep here. In the apartment where I had cooked his Christmas dinner while his assistant waited for him downstairs. The apartment that smelled like vanilla perfume and cold gravy. “No,” I said. I walked out of the bathroom and grabbed my suitcase. Logan followed me. “Ava, don’t do this.” “Don’t do what? Leave a man who is leaving me?” His phone buzzed again. Sienna. Of course. He looked at it. That was answer enough. I took my coat from the chair. When I reached the door, he said, “I’ll make it up to you tomorrow.” I turned back. He looked handsome in the warm Christmas light. Tired. Expensive. Ruined in small ways only I knew how to read. “Tomorrow,” I said, “I’ll be gone.” Then I left. I checked into a hotel ten blocks away. Outside the window, the city glittered with Christmas lights. Couples crossed the street hand in hand. Someone in the hotel lobby laughed under a hanging wreath. I sat on the bed in my coat and opened Sienna’s profile again. I hated myself for it. But I looked anyway. Fifteen minutes earlier, she had posted a carousel. Christmas with the person I actually want. Nine photos. Logan’s hand on a steering wheel. His coat thrown over the back of her chair. Two mugs beside a half-built gingerbread house. Her legs tucked under the pink blanket in his passenger seat. A close-up of the glitter sign on his dashboard: Sienna’s Seat. The last photo was a mirror selfie. Her face was tilted up. His face was half-hidden behind hers. His hand rested low on her waist. The caption read: His fiancée can have the ring. I get Christmas Eve. I stared until my vision blurred. Then I booked the earliest flight home. At 2:13 a.m., Logan called. “I’m staying late,” he said. “Sienna’s heat is out, and she’s scared. Go to bed. I’ll explain tomorrow.” In the background, she laughed softly. Not scared. Satisfied. I ended the call before he finished speaking. Then I typed one message. Logan, we’re over. This time, I did not wait for him to reply.

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I have a habit. Whenever I eat, watch a movie, or take a cab, I always leave an empty seat next to me. I used to believe that Austin would suddenly show up in my city and give me a surprise. But during our three years of long-distance relationship, he never came. Not once. So, I ended up doing everything alone—trying on wedding dresses, booking the venue, running myself ragged until my body finally broke down. With trembling hands, I sent him a Snapchat message. [I have a fever. It’s 102°F, and I don’t have any medicine at home.] He didn’t reply until half an hour later. [And?] [What do you want me to do, grow wings and fly over to drop off some Tylenol?] [I’m still reviewing a project proposal. Just order something on UberEats.] My fever was so high that I couldn’t even lift my fingers. I drifted into unconsciousness. When I woke up, my best friend, Chloe, was sitting by my bed with red eyes, holding a glass of warm water and medicine. “He’s only taking advantage of how understanding you are,” she said softly. “If it were me, I would have thrown a tantrum long ago.” Two weeks later, Chloe also came down with a high fever. I wanted to rush over to take care of her. But then, she posted a photo on Ins. It was a close-up of a man’s hand holding a spoon. [Sick during the season change. Thank God my knight in shining armor flew across three time zones overnight just to make me dinner.] I couldn’t have mistaken that hand. On Austin’s wrist was the luxury watch I had saved up half a year’s salary to buy him. At that moment, it hit me. The empty seat beside me wasn’t vacant because he couldn’t make it. It was because he simply didn’t want to. Since that was the case, keeping that seat open for him would just be foolish.

Holding a bag of medicine, I stood outside the door of Chloe’s apartment. The door wasn’t fully closed. Inside, Chloe’s nasal, congested laughter drifted out. “You flew back overnight? What about the NYC project? Are you really planning to stay in L.A. for good?” Austin replied without a second of hesitation. “I don’t care about the project anymore.” “I couldn’t focus knowing you were here having a fever alone. I’ve already applied for a transfer back to the L.A. branch. No more long-distance for us.” Chloe’s tone was playful. “If Elena finds out, won’t she be thrilled to death?” “I only care about your happiness.” My fingernails dug into the plastic handles of the bag, leaving bloodless white marks on my skin. Three years ago, holding my mother’s critical illness notice, I had grabbed his sleeve and begged him to stay. I asked him if we could not do long-distance. He had packed his suitcase and walked out without looking back. “Elena, you know how crucial this promotion is for my career. I’m doing this for our future. Be mature.” The night he chased his bright future, my mother passed away. I shook and cried alone in an empty house. Over the past three years, I had suggested ending the long distance countless times. I was even willing to compromise, to give up my career in L.A. just to move to NYC for him. But he rejected me every single time. “The cost of living in New York is too high. If you move here, you’ll only drag down my progress.” “Stop trying to hold back my career with your emotional insecurity.” But his precious career and future suddenly became worthless when Chloe got a common cold. I took a deep breath and pushed the door open. Austin was sitting by the bed, holding a bowl of warm soup. The moment he saw me, his brows knitted together. “What are you doing here?” I placed the bag of medicine on the nightstand. “I came to see Chloe. And, of course, to see the knight who flew across three time zones.” Chloe quickly waved her hands in panic. “Elena, please don’t blame Austin. My fever was just so high last night, and I complained to him on Snapchat.” “I didn’t expect him to leave his work and fly back. If it bothers you, I can tell him to leave right now.” Austin’s face darkened. “You’re this sick. Why should I leave?” He set the bowl down, his expression completely unapologetic. “Elena, stop being so passive-aggressive.” “Chloe is your best friend. She had a 102-degree fever. Did you expect me to just let her rot in this apartment alone?” I looked at the seafood chowder in the bowl. It was a recipe I had spent half a month perfecting, writing down every single step on a sticky note to teach him. He had complained that takeout chowder never tasted right. And now, he was using the recipe I taught him to nurture another woman. “I also had a 102-degree fever two weeks ago,” I said quietly. “You told me to use UberEats.” Austin’s eyes flickered with a brief moment of guilt. “But you got through it fine on your own, didn’t you?” “Chloe is different from you. She isn’t as independent as you are. Are you seriously getting jealous of your own best friend?” Suddenly, I found my past self—the girl who had desperately messaged him for help—utterly pathetic. A self-mocking smile crept onto my lips. Seeing me smile, his expression relaxed, looking relieved. “Good, now that you’ve smiled, let’s put this behind us. Don’t bring it up again.” “I’ve already applied to transfer back to L.A., so we won’t be apart anymore. You got what you wanted. Chloe just said she wanted some macarons from the boutique bakery downtown. Go grab some for her.” I turned and walked out. My phone vibrated in my pocket. [Hi Ms. Elena, the wedding dress you fell in love with has arrived in our boutique. When would you like to come in for a fitting?] [No need. Please cancel the order and process a refund.] I used to think long-distance relationship was just a long queue. As long as I kept the seat next to me empty and waited patiently, he would eventually sit down. Now I realized that a flight from NYC to L.A. only took six hours. It wasn’t that he couldn’t come back. He had just changed his destination long ago. There was no point in waiting anymore.

I didn’t go buy the macarons. Instead, I went straight back to my apartment and started packing. I threw the toothbrush, the dark grey towel, and the rinsing cup on the vanity straight into the trash can. No matter which apartment I moved to, I always kept a double set of daily essentials. I had always hoped he would suddenly show up in L.A. and surprise me. So I stubbornly left half of my space empty for him. Now he was back, but the surprise wasn’t for me. Austin didn’t come home that night. Chloe posted another update on Ins. [The best perk of being sick is having someone watch a 2 A.M. movie with you.] The picture showed a projector screen, with the side profile of a man looking focused and gentle. The movie was the one I had wanted to watch for a long time. I had mentioned it to Austin a thousand times, but he always dismissed it as boring. I gave her post a “like.” Three minutes later, a message from Austin popped up. [Get ready and come downstairs. Today is Grandma’s 80th birthday gala. I’ll pick you up on the way to the estate.] According to our original plan, today was also the day we were supposed to officially announce our engagement to his family. When I walked down, Chloe was already sitting in the passenger seat. She was holding a steaming latte, while her other hand played with a spare key to Austin’s apartment. On the keychain was a lucky charm I had personally woven for him. It was now stained with coffee. She turned to me with a sweet smile. “Hey El, you don’t mind me hitching a ride, do you?” Austin played a French song Chloe liked on the car stereo. “Chloe just got over her fever, and I didn’t feel safe leaving her alone. I figured taking her to the family estate would help her get some fresh air.” “Besides, she’s still weak from being sick.” “You sit in the back.” Half an hour later, we arrived at the estate. Chloe couldn’t wait to unbuckle her seatbelt. “Oh my god, I can already smell the delicious food!” She naturally walked up to Austin’s side, and they walked in shoulder to shoulder. I walked behind them like an irrelevant assistant. In the living room, the matriarch of the family was sitting on the sofa. “Austin, bring your girl over to let Grandma have a look.” Chloe walked up gracefully. “Happy birthday, Grandma.” The old lady smiled and patted her hand. “This must be the sweet girl Austin brought home last Christmas, right?” “So beautiful. No wonder Austin loves you so much.” Several relatives who actually knew me looked at each other, their eyes turning toward me in unison. I picked up my teacup and took a sip of warm water. Last Christmas, I was alone in L.A., staring at a table of cold Christmas dinner. Austin had told me over FaceTime that there was a massive issue with his project, and the entire team had to pull an all-nighter at the office. It turned out his “all-nighter” was bringing Chloe back to meet his family. The old lady slipped a stunning sapphire bracelet off her wrist and put it directly onto Chloe’s. “This is a gift from Grandma.” “Grandma… I couldn’t possibly accept this. You’ve mistaken me for someone else,” Chloe said, but her hand didn’t make any move to take the bracelet off. Austin leaned in and whispered in my ear, “Elena, let Chloe wear the bracelet for now. I’ll ask her to give it back to you after the party.” “Be mature. Don’t throw a fit today.” I shook my head. “No need to return it.” Austin froze, a flash of approval in his eyes. “I’m glad you see it that way. It actually looks quite nice on Chloe. I’ll buy you a new one some other day.” I put down my teacup. The tea was Earl Grey, Chloe’s favorite. Even Austin’s grandmother remembered her preference. While this was my first time entering the family estate, Chloe had already been here countless times. “Since you’ve given her the bracelet, let her keep it.” I looked at him calmly. “Austin, let’s break up.”

The smile on Austin’s face vanished instantly. “Just because of a bracelet? Elena, when did you become so incredibly petty?” “Yes, just because of a bracelet.” Chloe immediately started frantically trying to pull the bracelet off. “Elena, please don’t be mad. I’m taking it off right now. You two have been together for nine years, you can’t let it ruin your relationship because of me.” She pulled so hard that her wrist turned bright red, and tears welled up in her eyes. Austin grabbed her hand to stop her. “Why are you taking it off? You did nothing wrong.” “Chloe is still recovering. Do you have to humiliate her in front of everyone, Elena?” I couldn’t stand being there for another second. I turned and walked out. Behind me, whispers echoed through the hall. “She has such a terrible temper.” “Exactly. Men sometimes play around, she should just turn a blind eye.” Chloe spoke in a worried voice, “Austin, go after her. Elena is acting out of anger, what if something happens to her?” Austin sneered. “We’ve been together for nine years. She’s a thirty-year-old woman. Who else is going to take her in if not me?” He raised his voice so I could hear him. “If some people want to play hard to get, then our wedding date will just have to be pushed back even further.” The wedding boutique manager sent me a photo of the dress to confirm. [Ms. Elena, the deposit is non-refundable. You came in so many times for this. Are you sure you don’t want it anymore?] I stared at the screen for a long time. I had tried on seventeen wedding dresses in that shop all by myself. Every single photo I sent to Austin was met with a cold, automated reply: [Busy. You decide.] It turned out that one person’s expectation could never carry a future meant for two. [Cancel it,] I replied. The next morning, I went to work. A transfer notice was sitting on my desk. [Given Elena’s recent poor performance, she is being transferred to the administrative support team.] Right after, an announcement was posted in the company group chat: Chloe had been promoted to Senior Account Manager. Along with that, the project proposal I had spent seven sleepless nights and fifteen drafts perfecting now bore Chloe’s name as the lead. At the very bottom of the document, the approver’s signature was Austin’s. I called Austin immediately. “Saw the notice? I was just about to call you,” he said. “Austin, why is Chloe’s name on my proposal?” He chuckled softly. “You embarrassed Chloe at Grandma’s birthday party yesterday. She cried all night because of you.” “Giving her this project is to comfort her, and also to give you a little lesson.” Chloe’s congested voice came through the speaker. “Elena, if you’re unhappy about this, I can give the promotion back to you.” Austin cut her off. “Why would you give it back? She brought this on herself.” “Elena, as long as you behave and apologize to Chloe, the wedding is still on.” “I’ll make sure you get the next promotion slot.” I found it incredibly absurd. He was using my hard work to please another woman. I simply said, “Okay.” After hanging up, I submitted my resignation and clicked “accept” on an international job offer in Paris.

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My roommate, Chloe, was completely obsessed with cheesy romance novels. On our very first day as roommates, she curled up on the couch, clutching her phone with glowing eyes, and said, “Look! In all the trending stories now, the female lead leaves her front door unlocked at night, and the hot male lead accidentally wanders in. It’s love at first sight!” So, she decided to leave our apartment door unlocked every single night. I warned her multiple times, but she just waved her hand and laughed. “You don’t get it, Harper. Real love always starts with a beautiful accident.” In my past life, I stopped trying to argue with her. But the “accident” did come. A man wearing a black baseball cap pushed our unlocked door open and walked right in. Chloe was working overtime and wasn’t home that night. The man couldn’t find her, but he found the fresh cash and the laptop on my desk. I woke up in terror only to feel a cold blade pressed against my neck, forcing me to give him my PayPal password. I gave it to him. But he slit my throat anyway. The last thing I heard before I died was his muttered curse: “What kind of idiot leaves their front door wide open these days?” Then, I opened my eyes again. I was back to our first day of renting the apartment. Chloe was holding her phone right in front of my face, pointing at a paragraph. “Look, Harper! The female lead only found her thrilling, dangerous romance because she left her door open!”

Chloe shook my hand, her face full of starry-eyed delusion. “Harper, we should stop locking the door from now on! Just leave it on a crack every night!” “I’m definitely going to find my own thrilling, break-in kind of love!” The sudden shaking snapped me out of my trance. I gasped, quickly pulling my hand back and touching my neck. In my past life, Chloe was brainwashed by those trashy romance books. She constantly fantasized about some gorgeous stranger breaking in and starting a passionate, life-changing love story with her. I had tried to tell her it was all fiction. The person breaking in wouldn’t be a charming prince; he would be a predator. But she wouldn’t listen. Every night after I locked up, she would sneak out and unlock the door, leaving it slightly open. Every morning when I found the door unlocked, I would confront her. But the next night, she would do it again. Then came that horrific night. A man broke in. He ransacked the place. I woke up, got held at knifepoint, gave him my passwords, and was murdered in cold blood. Chloe didn’t return until the next morning. Seeing my lifeless body, she cried and called the police. But in front of the neighbors and the cops, she sobbed, “I just wanted to find love. Harper knew I was working overtime, yet she didn’t lock the door properly. She only has herself to blame!” Thinking of this, I rubbed my neck again. I could almost still feel the phantom pain of the blade slicing through my flesh. Seeing the grim expression on my face, Chloe pouted, looking annoyed. “What’s with the attitude, Harper? I just want to find love. What’s wrong with that?” I didn’t waste my breath on her. I stood up, walked to the front door, shut it hard, and turned the deadbolt. Chloe instantly flipped out and jumped off the couch. “Why did you lock it?! How is my soulmate supposed to get in if you lock the door?!” “How can you be so heartless? You’re literally ruining my chance at true love!” I stared at her, my face completely expressionless. “Your fantasy love shouldn’t be built on my safety.” “If you want to put your life on the line, go ahead. But don’t drag me down with you.” With that, I grabbed my keys, walked into my bedroom, and locked the door behind me. Lying on my bed, I ignored her loud banging on my door. I immediately unlocked my phone and started searching for new apartments. I needed to move out. Fast. Outside, Chloe’s whining continued. “Harper, you have no right to stop me from finding my destiny! Just because you’re single and lonely doesn’t mean you can ruin things for me!” “Besides, you have no looks and no money. Even if a bad guy did break in, he wouldn’t even look at you!” I was speechless. Did this girl have nothing but romance in her brain? Did she have zero concept of basic safety for women living alone? The real estate agent replied quickly on WhatsApp: “Hi Miss Harper, I’ve found a great place for you. We can do a viewing tomorrow.” I texted back: “No roommates. I want to rent the whole place. How’s the security?” The agent replied instantly: “Guaranteed. The building has 24/7 security guards. It’s a smart lock—only your fingerprint will be registered. Plus, there’s a police precinct right across the street.” Relieved, I started packing my bags. The next morning, I dragged my suitcase out of my room and ran into Chloe, who was about to head out. Seeing my heavy bags, her eyes instantly turned red. “What is this, Harper? Are you abandoning me?” I looked at her coldly. “Where I live is my business. It has nothing to do with you.” She blocked the doorway, refusing to let me pass. Then she pulled out her phone and called our landlord, Mason. “Mason! Harper is trying to move out early and break the lease! You need to come over right now!”

Mason arrived quickly, clutching a spare set of keys, sweating slightly. He looked at my suitcase, then at the tearful Chloe. He frowned. “Harper, you signed a one-year lease. You paid a security deposit and the first month’s rent.” “If you leave so suddenly, how am I supposed to find a tenant to replace you? Chloe is just a young girl. Do you expect her to pay the entire rent by herself?” I opened the digital contract on my phone and showed him the clause. “According to the lease, if I terminate early, I forfeit my security deposit as a penalty. I am willing to pay that, Mason.” Mason paced around the living room with his hands behind his back and sighed. “Why are young people always so impulsive? Sure, Chloe’s ideas are a bit naive, but you guys are roommates. Can’t you just talk it out? She didn’t mean any harm…” My voice went ice-cold. “She didn’t mean any harm? She’s waiting for a literal burglar to walk in!” “Mason, someone tried to pry open the security door of this building last night. The property management posted a warning in the WhatsApp group. If she keeps leaving the door unlocked, she’s not going to get a boyfriend. She’s going to get us killed!” Hearing this, Chloe’s tears flowed even faster, looking like the ultimate victim. “Stop cursing me! I looked up safety tips online! If I only leave the door open a crack, bad guys can’t get in!” I laughed out of sheer frustration. “So you’re saying only ‘good guys’ can fit through a cracked door? Are you insane?” “Stop reading those trashy novels. They’ve rotted your brain.” Just then, the front door of the apartment next door opened. Our neighbor, Rachel, poked her head out, looking curious. “What’s all the noise so early in the morning? Is Chloe upset again?” Seeing Rachel, Chloe ran toward the door like she had found a savior. “Rachel! Harper is moving out, and she’s mocking my dreams!” Rachel let herself in, patting Chloe’s back to comfort her while giving me a disapproving look. “Harper, Chloe is just a sweet, naive girl. She hasn’t done anything wrong. Her parents aren’t around, so as her roommate, you should be a bit more understanding.” “Rachel, she leaves the front door unlocked every single night. If a criminal comes in and robs or assaults us, will she take responsibility?” “What is wrong with me wanting to protect my own life?” Rachel choked on her words, looking embarrassed. “Well… nothing has happened yet. Our neighborhood has been pretty safe for years, hasn’t it?” I let out a cold laugh. “Once something happens, it’ll be too late.” Chloe sobbed louder, her tears dripping onto the hardwood floor. She grabbed her phone, opened our building’s Snapchat group chat, and started typing furiously. A few seconds later, my phone buzzed repeatedly. Over a dozen notifications popped up. Chloe had posted a picture of me standing by the door with my suitcase, along with a message: “My roommate Harper is moving out just because I don’t lock the door at night. She’s even cursing me, saying our place will get robbed! She says I’m delusional and don’t deserve love. Am I really the bad guy here?” The group chat immediately exploded with replies. “I know Chloe. She’s a sweet girl, just a bit of a romantic.” “Leaving the door unlocked isn’t great, but moving out over it? That’s a bit dramatic.” “Young people have no tolerance these days. Roommates need to compromise.” “Harper is overreacting. She made Chloe cry. How heartless.” I stared at the screen, my fingers turning cold. In my past life, they saw my brutalized corpse, yet they only pitied Chloe for being “traumatized.” A few tears from her, and she became everyone’s darling.

Rachel stood in the center of the living room, acting like a self-appointed mediator. “See, Harper? Everyone in the group chat thinks you’re overreacting. Chloe is just a young girl with romantic fantasies. You’re older, you should be the bigger person.” Mason tossed his keys onto the coffee table, his tone turning stern. “Harper, if you want to leave, I won’t stop you. You’ll pay the penalty. But do you really have to paint Chloe as some kind of accomplice to murder before you go?” “A bad guy? I’ve lived in this building for ten years. It’s perfectly safe.” I looked at Mason, dead serious. “So because the odds are low, you think I should gamble my life with her?” “If someone actually breaks in, you guys will be sleeping soundly while I’m the one bleeding out on the floor.” Chloe snapped her head up, her eyes red. “Who are you calling dead? How can you be so vicious, Harper? I told you a hundred times, I only leave it open a crack! Bad guys can’t get in through that! Why do you keep cursing me?” She grabbed a throw pillow from the couch and threw it at me. It missed and hit the wall. Rachel quickly held her back. “Okay, okay, calm down.” I bent down, picked up the pillow, and placed it back on the couch. I didn’t even look at her. “I just want to stay safe. Is that a crime?” “Chase your ridiculous break-in fantasy all you want. But do not leave the door open so a predator can walk right past my bedroom.” Mason frowned, silent for a long moment before pulling out a cigarette. After a minute, he seemed to make a decision. “Alright, Harper. Don’t rush to move out. Let’s handle this contract properly.” “Give me one week. Once I find a new tenant, we’ll sign the lease termination, and I’ll refund your deposit in full. If I can’t find anyone, you stay for one more month while I keep looking. Deal?” Hearing this, Chloe immediately started crying again. “Mason! You’re not taking my side either? You’re going to make me change too?” Mason waved his hand dismissively. “I’m not taking sides. I just want some peace! Chloe, you do need to stop this door-unlocking nonsense. If someone actually gets in, crying won’t save you.” Chloe bit her lip and stayed silent, tears trembling on her eyelashes. Rachel chimed in: “Harper, Mason made a huge compromise. If you still refuse, you’re just being difficult. Everyone has roommate conflicts. You can’t just ruin someone’s life over one minor disagreement.” I looked at Mason. His expression made it clear that this wasn’t a request; it was an ultimatum. I knew exactly what they were thinking. Deep down, they didn’t think Chloe was doing anything dangerous. They just thought the drama was annoying. I thought about it. Finding a place and moving takes time. I could wait a week. I let go of my suitcase and nodded. “Fine. Seven days.” “But I have one condition.” “I am installing a deadbolt lock on my bedroom door, and I will lock it from the inside every night.” “If the front door is left unlocked or open again, I won’t warn anyone. I will call the police immediately. If anything happens during these seven days, it is not my responsibility.” Mason frowned. “Do you have to be so cold? You guys live together. Calling the police?” “Yes.” Rachel scoffed, pulling Chloe toward the kitchen. She whispered, “Whatever, let her lock herself in. A few days and she’ll get over herself.” That night, I installed a heavy-duty chain lock on the inside of my bedroom door. I tested it three times to ensure it couldn’t be forced open from the outside. I also locked my laptop and cash inside my desk drawer and set up an emergency speed-dial on my phone’s home screen. Sitting on the edge of my bed, I rubbed my neck, feeling the phantom blade. A cold shiver ran down my spine.

The next few days were strangely quiet. Chloe went to work during the day and spent her evenings glued to her phone on the couch, completely ignoring me. I didn’t speak to her either. We coexisted like ghosts. Mason did come by every night around nine. He would knock on the door, check the lock on the front door, and leave only after making sure it was secure. Meanwhile, the building’s Snapchat group chat was full of gossip about me. “That Harper in 702 is such a drama queen. She’s making sweet Chloe’s life a living hell.” Someone even tagged me, telling me to “stop bullying a young girl.” I ignored every single message. On the fifth day, Mason called to tell me he had found a new tenant who would move in over the weekend. On the sixth day, I breathed a sigh of relief. I scheduled the movers for Saturday morning. Friday night. I packed all my important documents and cash into my backpack and placed it under my pillow. I plugged my phone in, fully charged, right next to me. Before going to sleep, I double-checked my bedroom door, making sure the lock was turned all the way. At 2:00 AM, I woke up. A sliver of light was coming through my bedroom door. It was open. The moonlight from the living room was spilling onto my floor. A cold sweat broke out across my back. I had locked the door. I had installed a new lock. The only key was supposed to be under my pillow. I reached under my pillow. The key was gone. Then it hit me. I had left my jacket in the living room this afternoon, and my keys were in the pocket. Chloe had taken them. I held my breath and grabbed my phone. Just as the screen lit up, the door was pushed wide open. A man in a black baseball cap stepped into my room, a folding knife open in his hand. Seeing that I was awake, he paused for a second, then let out a low chuckle. “You’re awake.” I gripped my phone tightly, my thumb frantically tapping the emergency speed-dial without looking. The phantom pain on my neck flared up violently. “Where’s the money?” He pointed the blade at me. I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady. “The backpack under my pillow. There’s about two thousand dollars in cash. My laptop is in the desk drawer. You can take it all.” He walked over, grabbed the backpack, and quickly checked the cash. He stuffed it into his pockets, then pulled the laptop from the drawer, tucking it under his arm. Everything was going so smoothly that he let his guard down. But as he turned to leave, my phone suddenly rang. He looked down at my screen. It was an incoming FaceTime call from Chloe. He looked at me, a sadistic grin spreading across his face. “Answer it. Put it on speaker.” I swiped the screen. “Chloe? What are you doing?” “Hey, Harper! Is there a guy in your room right now?” My face went cold. “Did you do this? Are you insane?!” Chloe’s voice came through the speaker, dripping with twisted excitement. “Hey, handsome! My roommate isn’t bad-looking, and she’s got a great body!” “Don’t be picky! She’s always lecturing me about how real romance doesn’t exist. Why don’t you show her what ‘destiny’ feels like tonight?” The intruder froze for a second, then burst into a crude laugh. He turned back to me. “Wow. Your roommate is pretty generous.” “Chloe!” I screamed, my voice shaking. “You unlocked the door just so a robber could ‘gift’ me a fantasy?” The line went quiet for two seconds before Chloe spoke up, completely self-righteous: “Harper, don’t be ungrateful! I wanted this destiny for myself, but since you’ve been so mean to me lately, I decided to let you have him! You don’t have to thank me!” The man laughed out loud, shoved my phone into his pocket, and stepped toward my bed. “Well, since your roommate put in a good word for you, it would be rude of me to leave without having some fun, wouldn’t it?” My fingers finally managed to hit the emergency SOS button on my smartwatch. The moment the call connected, I screamed the address at the top of my lungs: “7 Oak Street, Apartment 702! Armed robbery! Help me!” The man’s expression changed instantly. He lunged at me to grab my wrist. I rolled off the bed, pulling the heavy duvet over myself to block him. He grabbed my ankle and dragged me back, my knee slamming hard against the bed frame. “You bitch! You called the cops?! Now you’re dead!” “I was gonna let you live, but you asked for this!” The cold blade pressed against my neck, just like in my past life, cutting a thin line into my skin. I felt a warm trickle of blood. I fought with everything I had, but my strength was nothing against a grown man. My muscles began to give out. Was it going to end the same way again? I closed my eyes, ready to accept the inevitable. Suddenly, the bedroom door was kicked off its hinges. Three police officers stormed in, their flashlights and firearms aimed directly at him. “Police! Drop the knife! Get on the ground now!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “436171”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

Eight years ago, I lost the hearing in my right ear at a music festival. The person behind the “accident” was Chloe, my best friend. She was also the childhood sweetheart Ethan had protected since they were toddlers. After the accident, Ethan deleted all of Chloe’s contact info. He locked his piano and swore he would never play again. He never opened a single apology letter she sent. When she was banned from the music industry and fled the country, he didn’t say a single word to defend her. Since then, Ethan stayed by my side. He helped me learn lip-reading and supported me as I adapted to a world with only half its sound. I always thought he did it out of love. I thought he truly cherished me. Until the year Chloe made her comeback. She wanted to hold a solo piano concert and begged Ethan to be her special guest. I declined on Ethan’s behalf. I told her, “He hasn’t played in years. There’s no need for him to get back on stage just for you.” But Ethan suddenly laughed. As he laughed, his eyes grew red. “It’s been eight years, Summer.” “I haven’t seen her, I haven’t comforted her, and I haven’t spent a single birthday with her.” “Because of you, she’s been hiding abroad for eight years, too scared to even come home.” “You only lost the hearing in one ear.” “But she lost me.” The hearing aid in my hand slipped and crashed onto the floor. But he didn’t even blink. “I’m about to marry you. Why can’t you just let her go?” “Do you really need her to die alone in some foreign country to be satisfied?” My world was already missing half of its sound. At that moment, even the remaining half went completely dead silent. It turned out that all these years, he didn’t avoid the piano because he cared about my ears. It was because every time he touched the keys, he would think of Chloe. That night, I signed the concert contract and mailed it to Chloe’s studio. Then, I booked a one-way flight out of the country. From now on.His music, his childhood sweetheart, and his belated pity had nothing to do with me anymore.

After mailing the contract, I didn’t go home. Instead, I went to the old recording studio registered under Ethan’s name. That was the place where he had proposed to me. Eight years ago, after I lost my hearing at that music festival, he locked this place up himself and said he would never touch the piano again. He said he was afraid that the sound of music would trigger my trauma. I believed him for eight years. But when the studio manager saw me, he didn’t look surprised at all. He familiarly greeted me, “Mrs. Miller.” My fingertips froze. The manager smiled and opened the door for me. “Mr. Miller hasn’t arrived yet. Would you like to wait inside? He comes here on the fifteenth of every month and records for the whole night.” The fifteenth of every month. The hearing aid behind my ear suddenly buzzed. The tiny static electricity made my right ear throb with pain. I pushed open the innermost music room. The piano was dusted and polished perfectly. The walls were covered with the setlist for Chloe’s comeback concert. The opening piece was titled The Return. I stared at those words for a long time. That was the piece Ethan had promised to play for me at our wedding eight years ago. He had said that once my ear recovered, he would play it for me. But my ear never recovered. And that song was never played. Yet now, it was the opening song for Chloe’s comeback concert. On the table sat a pair of custom in-ear monitors. Next to them was a tuning log. Chloe’s right ear is sensitive to high frequencies. Needs individual adjustment. Looking at those words, I suddenly wanted to laugh. My right ear had been deaf for eight years. My cheap, old hearing aid had been malfunctioning and leaking static shock for three years. I had asked Ethan if we could replace it with a better one. He told me that weddings were expensive, and asked me to just bear with it a little longer. But he remembered that Chloe’s right ear was sensitive. He remembered she hated high frequencies. He remembered to customize the most comfortable ear monitor for her. The computer next to it was still on. A folder was open on the screen. It contained hundreds of audio files. The file names were simple. For Chloe’s Insomnia. Slow Tempo for Chloe’s Birthday. Don’t Be Scared for Chloe’s Comeback. I clicked on one of the files. The moment the piano music flowed out, my right ear felt like it was being pierced by a needle. I instinctively turned down the volume of my hearing aid. At the end of the recording, Ethan’s voice was incredibly soft and low. “Don’t be scared, Chloe. I’m always here.” I glanced at the recording date. It was my birthday. That day, my ear canal had become severely inflamed from the old hearing aid. The pain kept me awake all night. I called Ethan. He told me he was in an important board meeting and told me to just take some painkillers. So, he wasn’t in a meeting. He was here, recording a soothing birthday song for Chloe. Suddenly, footsteps came from the doorway. Ethan rushed in. Seeing me standing in the cold room, his face instantly paled. He took off his coat and draped it over my shoulders. When his hand brushed against my red, inflamed ear, he visibly stiffened. At that moment, I ridiculously thought he was feeling sorry for me. The next second, his eyes fell on the recording list on the screen. He immediately pushed past me and slammed the laptop shut. I stared at his back. “I thought you said you hadn’t touched a piano in eight years?” Ethan remained silent for a long time. “I just didn’t want you to hear it.” “Were you trying to save me from feeling sad,” I asked, “or were you just trying to hide the fact that you’ve been playing for her this entire time?” His Adam’s apple bobbed, but he said nothing. I asked again, “On my birthday, you told me you were in a meeting. Were you?” His eyes grew red. “Chloe had a mental breakdown that day. She said she couldn’t take it anymore.” I nodded slowly. “So my pain is something I can just ‘bear with.’” “But her crying is an absolute emergency.” He panicked, “Summer, it’s not like that.” Just then, his phone rang. Chloe’s voice leaked through the speaker. “Ethan, there’s something wrong with the speakers in the rehearsal hall. I can’t hear my own piano.” Ethan’s hand was still on my shoulder. He gripped me tightly for a split second. But in the end, he let go. “Summer, I need to check on this first. I’ll explain everything when I get back.” He grabbed the custom ear monitors. And he took the sheet music for The Return. I stood alone in the empty, silent room. Suddenly, I understood. The thing he had locked away wasn’t the piano. It was the door for me to enter his world.

After packing my bags, I went to the hospital where I used to do my hearing rehabilitation. The doctor recognized me. His first words were, “Why did you never come back for the second-stage cochlear implant surgery?” I froze. “Ethan said the risk was too high. The success rate was less than thirty percent.” The doctor frowned. He pulled up my old medical records. The lines of text popped up on the screen. Auditory nerve damage is not completely dead. Surgery within three months offers a seventy percent chance of recovery. The surgery cost was $70,000. The person who authorized the payment: Ethan Miller. Looking at the receipt, my heart squeezed painfully. He really did want to save my hearing once. But that warmth only lasted for a few seconds. On the next page was the cancellation form. The signature at the bottom: Ethan Miller. The date of cancellation was the exact day before Chloe was about to be sued by the Music Association. The reason for cancellation read: Patient is emotionally unstable and has chosen to give up the surgery. I stared at the words “chosen to give up.” The static noise in my right ear suddenly became incredibly sharp and piercing. I had never even known this surgery existed. That year, Ethan had held me in his arms, crying and telling me his company’s cash flow had dried up. He said if I insisted on the treatment, it might ruin his startup project. I didn’t want to be a burden to him. So I comforted him instead. I told him I didn’t need it. I told him having one working ear was enough. The doctor sighed. “The hospital tried to contact your family multiple times back then. Mr. Miller kept telling us that you refused to go through with it because you couldn’t take any more stress.” I left the hospital with a copy of the records. My phone buzzed with an Instagram notification about Chloe’s comeback press conference. The headline was eye-catching: Returning After Eight Years, Still Ready to Embrace the Music. I suddenly wanted to know. Where did my $70,000 actually go? I rushed to the backstage of the press conference. Before I could even enter the dressing room, I heard Chloe’s sobbing voice from inside. “Ethan, if you hadn’t paid that $70,000 penalty fee for me back then, would I have been sued and forced out of the industry forever?” Ethan’s voice was low and quiet. “It’s in the past.” Chloe asked again, “But that money… was supposed to be for her ear surgery, wasn’t it?” The room fell dead silent. Ethan didn’t deny it. He said, “She had already lost hearing in that ear anyway. But if you were sued, your entire life would have been ruined.” “I can make it up to her slowly.” “But back then, Chloe, you only had me.” Standing outside the door, even my breathing felt heavy. So he wasn’t broke. He had just taken my surgery money to buy Chloe a fresh start. I pushed the door open. Chloe’s eyes were bright red, looking as though I had just violated her sacred peace. When Ethan saw me, the color completely drained from his face. I threw the medical bills and the cancellation form right in front of him. “$70,000.” “You didn’t lack the money back then.” “You gave me hope, and then you personally snatched it away.” Ethan opened his mouth, but not a single word came out. Chloe cried out, “I didn’t know that was her surgery money!” Ethan immediately turned to look at her, his eyes filled with reassurance. Looking at his reaction, the last spark of warmth in my chest died. I looked at him and asked, “What about me, Ethan?” “What does my ear mean to you?” Ethan’s voice was hoarse. “I’m sorry, Summer.” “I will find you the best doctor in the world. I promise.” I laughed. “The golden window for recovery passed years ago.” “Just like my love for you. It expired long ago.” Chloe suddenly clutched her chest, claiming she couldn’t breathe. Ethan instinctively reached out to support her. The hand he had extended toward me froze mid-air. Ultimately, it landed on Chloe’s shoulder. I didn’t wait for his explanation. I walked out of the backstage, opened my phone, and rescheduled my flight to three days later.

On the day of Chloe’s comeback showcase, I received an address from Ethan’s assistant. He said my original copy of the concert contract was at the venue and needed to be signed in person. But when I arrived, I realized the entrance was swarming with media. On the sign-in board, my name was printed under the “Special Reconciliation Guest” section. I turned to leave. But a staff member blocked my way. “Miss Summer, Mr. Miller has already approved the schedule.” I looked at the schedule sheet. Summer takes the stage to sign the reconciliation agreement regarding the accident eight years ago. So, he had even planned my silence in advance. Backstage, Chloe was wearing a beautiful white dress, crying in front of the cameras. She claimed she had carried an unjust reputation for eight years and had finally waited for this day of justice. Ethan stood right behind her. He whispered, “Don’t be scared.” Chloe was wearing those custom ear monitors. But my cheap, old hearing aid was buzzing painfully in the chaotic noise of the venue. When Ethan spotted me, panic flashed in his eyes, and he walked over. But Chloe spoke first. “Summer, do you still refuse to forgive me?” In an instant, all the cameras turned to me. The host handed a document to me. It read: The accident eight years ago was due to equipment malfunction and had nothing to do with Chloe. I looked at Ethan. He avoided my gaze. “It’s just a formality, Summer.” “She worked so hard to come back. We can’t let the past ruin her again.” I asked him, “Then what about my ruined right ear?” He went silent. The loud murmurs of the crowd and the flashing cameras made my ear throb with intense pain. I suddenly remembered the security footage I had retrieved last night. The day before the festival eight years ago, my custom ear monitor had mysteriously gone missing. Ethan had customized it for me. He said my ears were sensitive and standard monitors would hurt me. I had been frantically searching for it backstage. Then, Chloe had walked over with a backup ear monitor. She had smiled and said, “Use this one first, otherwise Ethan’s performance will be wasted.” I had hesitated. But when Ethan rushed over, he only glanced at it briefly. He said, “Chloe is just trying to help. Get on stage first.” So, I wore it. Before I could even sing the first line, a deafening explosion of sound blasted directly into my right ear. High pitches, static feedback, and distorted noise tore through my eardrum all at once. I fell straight off the rising stage. Blood poured from my ear. I grabbed Ethan’s hand, telling him something was wrong with the monitor. His face changed. Because he saw Chloe standing in the corner. Clutched in her hand was my original custom ear monitor. She was crying, saying, “I just wanted to see what your custom monitor felt like. I didn’t know this would happen.” Ethan had clearly seen it. He knew exactly who had handed me that dangerous backup monitor. But he had turned around and shielded Chloe anyway. He said, “Let’s not make a scene out of this first.” The staff wanted to call the police. But Ethan stopped them. “She didn’t do it on purpose. A criminal record would destroy a young girl’s life.” Later, he stayed by my hospital bed. He cleaned my wounds, brought me water, and helped me practice lip-reading. I thought he finally cherished me. Until I saw that footage. In the video, Chloe had hidden my monitor in her bag. Right after the accident, Ethan had immediately taken her bag away. He told the media he was just protecting her from reporters. He didn’t miss the truth. He had simply decided, earlier than anyone else, to bury the truth for her. And now, he was pushing this reconciliation agreement in front of my face. I didn’t take the pen. Instead, right in front of all the cameras, I tore the agreement in half. The entire venue fell into dead silence. Chloe’s face turned paper-white. Tears streamed down her face. She claimed that if we didn’t reconcile today, her solo concert tomorrow would be canceled. She said she had waited eight years and couldn’t lose her stage. Ethan finally panicked. He grabbed my wrist, his voice dropping to a low, desperate whisper. “Summer, don’t make a scene here.” “You can hit me or yell at me all you want once we get home.” “Just help her this once, and I will do whatever you want in the future.” I looked at him and asked, “Is that what you thought eight years ago too?” “Protect her first, and comfort me later.” His eyes turned red instantly. But his grip on my wrist didn’t loosen. Right at that moment, a technician near the stage screamed in panic. The sound system briefly went out of control. A sharp, deafening high-frequency squeal blasted through the speakers. My right ear was hit with an explosive, agonizing pain. It felt as though the wound from eight years ago had been violently ripped open again. My vision went black, and I had to grab the microphone stand to keep from falling. When my fingers touched my ear, they came away wet with hot, fresh blood. Ethan saw it. His face turned instantly pale. He took a step toward me. For a brief, ridiculous second, a tiny spark of hope flickered in my chest. Would he choose me first this time? But Chloe screamed. “Ethan, my hand!” She had knocked over a music stand near the piano, cutting a line of blood onto her right hand. She sobbed hysterically, “Ethan, my hand is bleeding!” Ethan’s steps froze.

The high-frequency noise hadn’t completely stopped. I leaned heavily against the microphone stand as blood trickled down my neck. Ethan stared at me. For the first time, true terror flashed in his eyes. He took another step toward me. But Chloe’s cries rang out again. “Ethan, it hurts so much! Tomorrow is my concert, I can’t be ruined!” The venue fell into complete chaos. Reporters pushed forward frantically, flashing their cameras. People called for doctors; others called for security. Someone shoved a microphone right in front of my face, asking if I had intentionally caused this chaos to ruin Chloe’s comeback. I couldn’t hear them. My right ear was filled with nothing but a sharp, endless ringing. The venue’s first-aid doctor rushed over. He looked at Ethan and asked urgently, “Who do I treat first?” Ethan stood right between Chloe and me. I looked at him. Chloe clutched his sleeve, trembling and crying. “Ethan, I’m a pianist. My hands are my life.” Ethan’s Adam’s apple bobbed. Finally, he spoke. “Check her hand first.” The moment those words left his mouth. The last thread of hope in my heart snapped. The doctor immediately turned to Chloe. Ethan pulled her into his arms, applying pressure to the cut on her wrist. I couldn’t hold myself up anymore. I collapsed onto the floor. My old hearing aid slipped off and was instantly crushed under the shoes of the rushing reporters. The agonizing squeal in my head abruptly died. My world became completely, utterly silent. Someone stepped on the back of my hand. Someone was shouting, accusing me of driving Chloe to self-harm. Someone said I was a monster for not letting her go after eight years. Ethan turned and saw me covered in blood. His face was white as a ghost. He tried to come over. But Chloe held onto his collar tightly. “Ethan, my fingers are numb. Will I never be able to play again?” Ethan froze. In the end, he didn’t let go of her. As he passed by me, his footsteps paused for a fraction of a second. “I’ll have my assistant take you to the hospital.” I looked up at him. He avoided my eyes. Chloe buried her face in his chest. He added, “She’s a pianist. Her hands can’t have any scars.” I suddenly smiled. Eight years ago, my ear was on the line. But he chose to protect her reputation. Eight years later, my ear was bleeding again. But he chose to protect her hand. When the ambulance arrived, they took Chloe first. Ethan got in with her. Before the door closed, he turned and called my name. I didn’t answer. I couldn’t hear him anyway. And I didn’t want to. Another ambulance brought me to the hospital. When I woke up, the room smelled heavily of disinfectant. My right ear was wrapped in thick gauze. On the bedside table lay the crushed pieces of my hearing aid. The nurse told me my ear canal was bleeding and I needed to stay for observation. She also mentioned that a Mr. Miller had called dozens of times, asking if I was awake. I didn’t call back. I reached for my phone and emailed the digital copy of our separation agreement to my lawyer. Then, I called the airline and changed my flight from tomorrow morning to tonight. I changed out of the hospital gown. I slipped off the engagement ring. I put the ring and the broken pieces of the hearing aid into an envelope. On the front, I wrote: To Ethan. Half an hour later, Ethan rushed to the hospital. He ran to the nurse’s station. “Where is Summer’s room?” The nurse handed him the envelope. “Miss Summer has already checked out.” “She said… not to look for her.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “436170”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

Ethan kept me as his plaything for three years. In bed, he called me his baby. But the moment he got up, he forced birth control pills down my throat. Behind my back, he told everyone I was just a pet, a human shield to protect the woman he actually loved. He said he would throw me away when he got bored. The day I found out I was pregnant, he personally pinned me to the operating table. He ordered the doctors to scrape my womb clean, without any anesthesia. So I jumped into the freezing ocean, faking my death along with our unborn child. Three years later, I stood right across from him at his own engagement party. Linking arms with another billionaire, I slapped the Vance Corporation’s bankruptcy and acquisition papers right onto his face. “Mr. Vance, who is the pet now?” With bloodshot eyes, he fell to his knees in the pouring rain, begging me to look at him. What he didn’t tell me was that he was already carrying a terminal cancer diagnosis in his pocket. But when our little boy collapsed in front of him from a sudden heart attack, this ruthless man, the one who once wanted me dead, did the unthinkable. He let the doctors drain one-third of his own blood without any anesthesia to prime a mechanical heart for our son. With a weak, dying smile, he whispered to me. “Chloe, I am giving my life back to your son. Can you please stop hating me?”

Chloe’s POV It was burning hot. In the cramped, sweat-slicked space, the heavy scent of sex and raw pheromones was suffocating. Inside this ultra-luxury penthouse in Manhattan, the floor-to-ceiling glass windows reflected the glittering neon lights of the New York skyline, and our tangled, sweating bodies. I was pressed hard against the cold glass, gasping as Ethan thrust into me from behind. Ethan’s grip was punishingly tight, as if he wanted to crush my bones and fuse me into his own body. His burning chest was glued to my bare back, every deep stroke filled with an undeniable, brutal dominance. “Focus, Chloe,” his low, raspy voice whispered against my ear. His hot breath brushed my skin as he bit down hard on my earlobe, sending a violent shiver straight down my spine. I bit my lower lip raw, refusing to let out a single whimpering cry. My vision blurred with tears, and the city lights outside smeared into dizzying halos. Three years. I had been with this man for three whole years, yet I could never get used to his sheer madness in bed. To the world, Ethan Vance was the untouchable, cold-blooded billionaire CEO. But only I knew that behind closed doors, he was an insatiable monster. He was addicted to my body. He would kiss every single inch of my skin. And at the peak of his desire, he would grip my waist so hard it bruised, growling my name over and over again. I used to think this toxic, beautiful obsession was love. Until the final moment, when Ethan flipped me over, pinned me to the plush carpet, and let himself go. The second his passion peaked, the desire in his eyes vanished like a retreating tide, leaving only a freezing emptiness. The air still smelled heavily of sex. Ethan stood up, completely naked, and walked into the bathroom. The sound of running water started. I lay on the carpet like a discarded rag doll, so sore I couldn’t even lift a finger. My inner thighs were covered in angry red friction marks, proof of how rough he had just been. Half an hour later, Ethan walked out. He was already fully dressed in a tailored black suit. His tie was perfectly straight, and his silver-rimmed glasses sat high on his nose, masking any trace of warmth in his eyes. He was back to being the powerful, ruthless head of the Vance empire. He walked over to the desk, poured a glass of warm water, and took a small white bottle from the drawer. He shook out two pills. Turning around, he looked down at me with absolute indifference, holding out the water and the pills. “Take them.” His voice was flat, like he was giving an order to a low-level employee. My heart squeezed painfully. Birth control. For three years, after every single session, he would watch me swallow these pills with his own eyes. I pushed myself up, my muscles aching. I didn’t take the glass. I just looked up at the man I had loved for three years and whispered, “Ethan, my stomach hurts today. Can I please just…” “No,” Ethan cut me off, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. His long fingers gripped my chin, not hard enough to bruise, but with absolute control. “Be good, Chloe. I don’t want any accidents.” An accident meant a baby. He would never allow me to carry his blood. I lowered my eyelashes to hide the stinging tears. I took the glass and swallowed the bitter pills dry, right in front of him. Ethan let go of my chin, his thumb gently brushing my pale cheek, briefly returning to his role as the doting boyfriend. “I’m flying to Europe tonight for a few days. Stay in the penthouse. I just wired five million dollars to your account. Buy whatever you want.” Then, he pulled a sleek invitation card from his suit pocket and tossed it onto the coffee table. “Next month, on the eighth. I’m getting engaged.” Boom. My brain went entirely numb, a sharp ringing echoing in my ears. I snapped my head up, staring at the elegant, mocking invitation on the table. “What did you say?” My voice shook violently. “Are you deaf?” Ethan slowly buttoned his cuffs, his tone as casual as if he were talking about the weather. “I’m marrying Leilah Rose.” Leilah Rose. New York’s premier heiress. The girl Ethan grew up with. The woman he actually loved. My nails dug so deep into my palms that they almost drew blood. My eyes burned red as I choked out, “You’re getting married. Then what am I to you?” Ethan let out a soft chuckle that didn’t reach his eyes. He leaned down, placing both hands on the arms of the sofa, trapping me beneath him. His gaze was mocking and merciless. “Chloe, you’re a smart girl. Why ask such a stupid question? What are you? You’re my pet, of course. Don’t worry. Even after I marry Leilah, I won’t cut you off. As long as you stay obedient, this penthouse, and I, will still be yours.” His words were like a poisoned blade, tearing open my chest and trampling my dignity into the dirt. He wasn’t just marrying another woman. He wanted to lock me in this penthouse forever as his dirty little secret. Ethan didn’t care about my ghostly pale face. He stood up straight and walked toward the door. With a heavy thud, the door shut, locking me in the freezing silence. I stumbled into the bathroom, fell over the toilet, and shoved my fingers down my throat. “Gag…” I retched violently until the stomach acid and the half-dissolved pills were forced out. Staring at my bloodshot eyes and ruined face in the mirror, my tears finally spilled over. In truth, I hadn’t taken the pills last month. I had secretly swapped them with vitamins. And my period was already ten days late.

Chloe’s POV The next morning, wearing a low-profile cap and a face mask, I slipped into a private clinic in downtown Manhattan. It was an ultra-exclusive clinic known for its strict NDA policies. I had booked an appointment with their top OB-GYN. After a series of agonizing tests, I sat in the doctor’s office, my hands sweating as I gripped each other. The doctor pushed up his glasses, looking at the ultrasound sheet with a heavy expression. “Miss Sterling, congratulations. You are indeed pregnant. About five weeks along.” My heart skipped a beat. An overwhelming rush of joy mixed with a terrifying wave of panic crashed over me. I really had a baby. Ethan’s and my baby. “But…” The doctor’s voice turned grave. “Your physical condition is extremely fragile. You suffered severe trauma in the past, and your uterine wall is as thin as paper. Honestly, it’s a miracle you even conceived.” My face drained of color. The memory of being thrown into a freezing lake in upstate New York by my abusive father when I was ten flashed in my mind. I had almost died back then, and my body had never fully recovered. “Doctor, what does that mean?” “It means,” the doctor sighed, “if you want to keep this baby, you have to be bedridden. Any physical shock or stress will trigger a massive, life-threatening hemorrhage.” When I walked out of the clinic, the bright Manhattan sun blinded me. I clutched the crumpled ultrasound sheet in my pocket like it was my actual lifeline. This was my only chance in this lifetime to be a mother. But would Ethan ever want this child? Just yesterday, he had coldly reminded me that he was marrying Leilah. He would never tolerate an “accident.” I sat on a park bench near the clinic for two solid hours. My mind replayed all the sweet things Ethan had done for me over the past three years. He had canceled billion-dollar board meetings just to stay up all night holding a warm compress over my stomach when I had bad cramps. He had ruthlessly ruined a socialite who mocked my poor background, shielding me behind his back. Maybe… maybe he did care about me, even just a little? If he knew I was pregnant, if he knew this was my only chance to have a child, would his heart soften? Would he call off the marriage with Leilah for our baby? Even if there was only a one-in-a-million chance, I had to try. I took a deep breath, hailed a cab, and went straight to the Vance Corporation headquarters. The Vance tower pierced the New York clouds. As Ethan’s “personal secretary” (my official title to the public), I had executive elevator access directly to the penthouse office. The top floor was quiet. The assistants were busy at their desks outside. I walked up to the heavy mahogany door of the CEO’s office. Just as I raised my hand to knock, I heard laughing from inside. The door wasn’t fully shut; a tiny crack was left open. It was the voice of Julian Cole, Ethan’s wealthy best friend. “So, Ethan, the invites are out. You’re really marrying Leilah? What about your little kitten at home? Chloe has been with you for three years. She’s so sweet and obedient. Are you really just going to throw her away?” My hand froze in midair. My breathing stopped. From inside the room, Ethan’s voice drifted out, utterly careless. “Why wouldn’t I? She’s just a toy.” His voice was so chillingly cold, a complete contrast to the passionate man who had held me in his bed last night. Julian chuckled. “A toy? You’ve spoiled her rotten for three years, completely ignoring Leilah’s feelings. Everyone in our circle knows you’d jump in front of a bullet for Chloe.” “It was all a game,” Ethan sneered, tossing his gold pen onto the desk with a sharp clack. “You know how brutal the power struggle within the Vance family has been these past three years. My grandfather was plotting against me, and my uncles were waiting for me to fail. The attacks were coming from everywhere. Leilah just returned to the country; I couldn’t let her become a target.” Ethan paused, his voice utterly calculated. “Chloe had no family, no backing. She was easy to control with just a little cash. By pushing her into the spotlight and acting like I loved her, all the threats and assassination attempts aimed at me landed on her instead.” “Now, I have absolute control over the company. The family can’t touch me anymore, and Leilah is perfectly safe. It’s time to sweep the trash out.” Outside the door. I clamped my hand over my mouth, tears instantly streaming down my face. A target. A human shield. The three years of absolute devotion, the car crashes he “shielded” me from, the poison he saved me from… none of it was because he loved me. It was because those attacks were meant for him, and he had used me as a meat shield to keep Leilah safe! The man I thought was my savior was actually my executioner. A violent wave of nausea hit me. I couldn’t listen to another word. I turned around, desperate to run away from this suffocating place. But the moment I turned, I slammed right into someone. The overpowering scent of Chanel No. 5 hit my nose. I looked up, meeting a pair of eyes filled with smug satisfaction and disgust. Leilah Rose stood there in a Chanel haute couture suit, holding a limited-edition Hermès bag. “Oh, look who it is. Miss Sterling,” Leilah sneered, looking at my pale face. “Eavesdropping on the boss? That’s a fireable offense, sweetie.” Leilah didn’t bother to lower her voice. The men inside heard her instantly. The office door was thrown open. Ethan’s towering figure appeared. The moment his cold eyes landed on my shaking body, the casualness in his expression turned into a sheet of solid ice. “What are you doing here?” he asked coldly, without a single shred of warmth.

Chloe’s POV The air in the hallway turned to ice. Ethan’s gaze swept over me like a frozen blade. He didn’t even ask why I looked like I was about to faint. His first reaction was simply to scowl, annoyed that my presence had disrupted his perfect little world. Leilah immediately slid her arm through Ethan’s, leaning her body against his chest. She said sweetly, “Ethan, maybe Miss Sterling has some urgent work. But, you know, after we get married, I’ll be very jealous if you keep such a pretty young secretary around.” Her words were laced with venom, marking her territory while trampling on my dignity. Ethan looked down at Leilah, his sharp jawline instantly softening. He pinched her nose playfully, his voice dripping with affection. “Don’t be silly. She’s being reassigned tomorrow anyway.” Reassigned. With one careless sentence, he had erased me from his life. I stared at the happy couple, watching the genuine, unguarded tenderness Ethan showed to Leilah. It wasn’t an act. That was real love. He was a master actor, separating business from pleasure. He slept with me in his bed, while plotting my death behind my back. I felt a metallic taste in my mouth and forced myself to swallow the blood. My hand instinctively went to my flat stomach. The crumpled ultrasound sheet in my coat pocket burned like hot coal, making me shake. “Mr. Vance,” I spoke, my voice disturbingly calm. “I’m not here for work.” Ethan’s scowl deepened, his eyes flashing a warning. “Chloe, know your place. If you have personal matters, we’ll talk at the penthouse.” Did he think I was here to throw a tantrum about his engagement? “The penthouse? You mean the cage where you keep your pet?” I let out a hollow laugh, tears finally spilling over. Leilah’s face stiffened, and she gasped in mock shock. “Ethan, what is she talking about? What pet?” “Shut up!” Ethan snapped, his face turning completely dark. He marched over, grabbing my wrist in a grip so tight I heard my bones pop. “Chloe, have you lost your mind? Who gave you the right to make a scene here!” The pain in my wrist was agonizing, but I didn’t even flinch. I looked straight into his dark, ruthless eyes and said quietly, “Ethan, we’re done. I’m just here for my severance pay.” Ethan froze. He probably expected me to scream, cry, beg, or even threaten suicide. But he never expected me to just ask for cash. For three years, I had been the perfect, quiet doll who never asked for anything. “Severance pay?” Ethan laughed, his eyes filled with pure disgust. “So the sweet act is finally over? Showed your true colors, huh? Is five million not enough to buy your silence?” He turned to Julian and barked, “Go to accounting. Cut her a check for fifty million.” Julian worked fast. Within minutes, he ran back with a signed check. Ethan took the check and slapped it directly onto my face. The sharp edge of the paper sliced a thin red line across my cheek before fluttering to the floor. “Take the money and get the hell out of my sight. Don’t let me ever see your face again,” Ethan growled. I didn’t look at him. I calmly knelt down and picked up the fifty-million-dollar check from the floor. My movements were slow, but my back was straight. “Thank you for your generosity, Mr. Vance.” I folded the check, putting it in my pocket, and gave him one last look. There was no love left in that look. No hate, either. Just a vast, freezing wasteland. I was looking at a complete stranger. Ethan instinctively reached out to grab me, but I had already turned around, stepping into the elevator without looking back. The moment the elevator doors closed, my strength gave out. I collapsed against the cold metal wall, sobbing hysterically. It was over. Truly over. With shaking hands, I dialed my best friend, Serena Cross. “Serena… help me… I need to get out of New York… tonight…” At 8:00 PM. I dragged my exhausted body back to the penthouse. I didn’t turn on the lights. I walked straight into the bedroom to pack a few basic clothes. Serena had already arranged a private boat to take me out of the country tonight. I didn’t want to spend another second in a place that smelled like Ethan. Just as I zipped my duffel bag, the bedroom lights suddenly flashed on. The blinding light made me wince. “Where do you think you’re going?” A chilling voice echoed from the doorway. My eyes snapped open, my heart jumping into my throat. Ethan was sitting on the armchair in the corner of the room, his legs crossed. He held a lit cigarette, the red tip glowing in the dim light. At his feet lay a crumpled piece of paper. My eyes landed on it, and my pupils shrank. It was my ultrasound sheet! It must have fallen out of my pocket when I was changing in the cab earlier! Ethan slowly blew out a ring of smoke, standing up. His leather shoes clicked against the hardwood floor like a countdown to my doom. He stopped right in front of me, his eyes burning with a terrifying, wild rage. “You’re quite the actress, Chloe. You secretly stopped taking the pills, got pregnant with my heir, took my fifty million, and now you want to run away with my child?” He suddenly lunged forward, locking his fingers around my throat and slamming me hard against the wardrobe. “Did you honestly think you could escape me?”

Chloe’s POV “Let go…” He squeezed so hard my toes barely touched the floor. The air was being choked out of my lungs. I thrashed, clawing at his iron grip, my face turning purple from the lack of oxygen. Ethan watched my desperate struggle with zero mercy, his face twisted in pure, savage fury. He suddenly let go, and I collapsed to the floor like a broken rag doll, coughing violently as I scrambled to suck air back into my lungs. “When did you swap the pills?” Ethan roared, looking down at me like an angry god. “Speak!” “I…” I coughed up tears, looking up at this monster in absolute despair. “I didn’t plan this… it was an accident… I’ll leave, I won’t let the baby get in the way of you and Leilah…” “An accident?” Ethan mocked, letting out a dark laugh. “Chloe, do you think I’m an idiot? I watched you swallow those pills every single time. If you hadn’t swapped them behind my back, how could there be an accident!” He knelt down, grabbing a fistful of my hair and forcing my head back. “Did you think that getting pregnant would force me to marry you? Did you think you could use this bastard to climb over Leilah’s head?” His words were like poison-dipped daggers, tearing my soul apart. My heart was already numb. I let out a broken laugh. “Ethan, is that all I am to you? A worthless gold-digger who’d use a baby to trap you?” “What else would you be?” Ethan’s eyes filled with pure disgust. “You’re a street rat who lived off my charity. You think you’re worthy of carrying my blood? Leilah is innocent. I will never let her be humiliated by a bastard child.” The word bastard felt like a physical punch to my stomach. I instinctively wrapped my arms around my belly, shaking violently. “Ethan, the doctor said my body is too weak. If I lose this baby, I will never be able to have children again! I’m begging you, let me leave. I swear we will never show our faces in front of you again!” I begged him, literally crawling on my knees to grab the hem of his trousers. But Ethan just kicked me away, his expression cold and detached. “Whether you can have kids or not has nothing to do with me.” He casually straightened his suit, looking at me like I was trash. “I just want this threat gone.” He pulled out his phone and dialed his security team. “Bring the car around. Call Dr. Miller. Prep the OR for an abortion.” My eyes widened in pure horror. “No! I’m not going! Ethan, you can’t do this to me!” I scrambled up like a madwoman, trying to bolt for the door. But before I could make it, Ethan grabbed my hair from behind and dragged me back onto the floor. “You don’t have a choice!” He dragged me out of the penthouse like a piece of dead meat, throwing me into the back of his black Maybach. The doors clicked shut, locking automatically. The silence inside the car was suffocating. I curled up in the corner, holding my belly tight. My tears had run dry, leaving only a hollow void of despair. I clawed at the door lock, but it was completely dead. I turned to the man sitting beside me, my voice raspy. “Ethan, you will regret this. You are murdering your own child. God will punish you!” Ethan snapped his eyes open, grabbing my jaw in a crushing grip. “Shut up! Say one more word, and I’ll have the doctor rip it out of you right here in the car!” The car sped through the rainy night, finally screeching to a halt in the underground garage of the private hospital. A team of doctors and nurses was already waiting by the elevator with a gurney. The door was thrown open, and the guards dragged me out, pinning me down onto the gurney. “Let go of me! Help! Somebody help me!” I thrashed wildly, my wrists turning black and blue under their heavy grip. I was rolled straight into the operating room. The cold metal table. The blinding overhead lights. The nurses stripped my pants off, strapping my legs into the stirrups. The clinking of surgical tools echoed like a horror movie soundtrack. I saw Ethan standing in the corner of the room, dressed in sterile scrubs, watching everything with a blank face. “Mr. Vance, the patient is extremely hypertensive due to panic. If we administer general anesthesia, she might suffer cardiac arrest,” the lead surgeon reported nervously. “Then strap her down tighter. Skip the anesthesia. Do it dry,” Ethan said, his voice completely devoid of human emotion. The doctor gasped. But no one dared to defy Ethan Vance. He slowly approached the table with the metal speculum. The moment the freezing metal stretched me open, a blood-curdling scream ripped from my throat. “AHHHHHHH!” Just then, the heavy double doors of the OR were violently kicked open! “Stop! Everybody step the fuck back!” Serena burst in with four massive bodyguards, throwing the prep table over and pushing the doctor away.

Chloe’s POV The operating room fell into absolute chaos. Serena rushed to the table. Seeing me tied down, pale as a corpse, with blood already trickling down my legs, her eyes filled with tears of pure rage. “Chloe! Oh my god, Chloe!” She frantically clawed at the leather straps binding my arms. Ethan’s eyes turned lethal. He marched over, grabbing Serena by the collar of her jacket, and threw her across the room. “Who the hell let you in here? Get out!” Serena slammed against the floor, but she scrambled up like a protective mother lion, pointing right at Ethan’s face. “Ethan Vance, you absolute monster! Are you even human?! Do you have any idea what her medical history is? Performing an abortion without anesthesia? You are literally trying to torture her to death!” “This is between me and her. It’s none of your business,” Ethan said coldly, turning back to the terrified doctors. “What are you waiting for? Keep going!” “We can’t do it! Mr. Vance, we physically cannot do it!” Dr. Miller suddenly threw himself onto his knees in front of Ethan, holding up a freshly printed blood report. “Mr. Vance, Miss Sterling’s uterine wall is too thin, and she has a rare O-negative blood type! She’s already showing signs of an active miscarriage from the struggle. If we perform a forced curettage now, she will hemorrhage. We have zero matching blood in the hospital’s bank. If she starts bleeding out, she will die!” Die. Ethan’s pupils shrank. His gaze snapped back to me on the table. I was hovering on the verge of passing out from the pain, lying there like a broken doll, blood staining the white sheets beneath my thighs. I heard him roar at the doctors. “Save her…” Ethan’s voice actually trembled, a rare crack in his armor. “Use whatever it takes. Keep her alive! If she dies, I will bury this entire hospital with her!” “Yes! Yes! Quick, get her to the ICU!” After a frantic scramble, I was wheeled into the intensive care unit. The hallway went dead silent. Because Serena’s voice was incredibly loud, I could hear her screaming at Ethan through the thick glass door. “Ethan, you keep calling her a toy. But she gave you her whole heart for three years! Are you fucking blind? You killed your own child just to keep Leilah safe. You will rot in hell for this!” But Serena didn’t know that Dr. Miller had actually been bribed by me. I was indeed O-negative, but the situation wasn’t fatal. The blood on the sheets was from a medical blood bag Dr. Miller had hidden under my gurney. It was a dangerous gamble Serena and I played to save my baby. We gambled on whether Ethan had a single shred of humanity left for me. And we won. Three days later, I was moved to a luxury VIP suite. Ethan didn’t bring up the abortion again. Instead, he turned my room into a high-security prison. Four bodyguards stood outside twenty-four hours a day. Not even a fly could get in or out. For three days, Ethan was nowhere to be seen during the day. He only showed up late at night. We didn’t exchange a single word. The silence between us was suffocating. I leaned against the headboard, staring blankly out the window. Suddenly, my phone buzzed. It was a video from Leilah. In the video, Leilah was spinning around in front of a mirror, wearing a breathtakingly expensive wedding dress. The camera panned over to the sofa, where Ethan sat, looking at her with a gentle smile. “Ethan, do I look pretty?” Leilah’s sweet voice asked in the video. “Beautiful. You’re the most stunning bride in the world,” Ethan’s voice was deep and filled with love. The video ended. Then came a text message: Chloe, see that? Ethan loves me. He’ll get rid of that bastard in your womb sooner or later. If you’re smart, run away before I have to make you. I stared at the screen, my heart completely numb. When pain reaches its limit, you stop feeling it. I calmly deleted the video, picked up the glass of water, and swallowed my prenatal vitamins. Suddenly, there was a commotion outside, and a woman dressed in a nurse’s uniform, wearing a surgical mask, pushed a cart into my room. The moment she locked the door, she pulled down her mask. It was Serena. “Chloe, everything is ready,” Serena whispered, her eyes shining with determination. “The engagement party is tomorrow. Ethan will be too busy to watch you. I got us tickets for a cargo ship leaving for international waters. Once we’re on that boat, he’ll never find us.” I touched my flat stomach, my gaze turning cold and sharp. “Okay. Tomorrow, we leave.” The night before the engagement party. The rain tapped softly against the window, bringing the chill of late autumn into the room. The door clicked open, and Ethan walked in, smelling heavily of whiskey. His coat was gone, his tie was loose, and his eyes were bloodshot. I was about to sleep. Seeing him walk in, I instinctively shrank back, my eyes filled with defensive fear. “Why are you hiding?” Ethan marched over, grabbing my chin and forcing me to look at him. The smell of strong alcohol mixed with his expensive cologne washed over me. I looked at him coldly. “Mr. Vance is getting engaged tomorrow. With your beautiful bride waiting, why are you acting like a maniac in my room?” “Are you jealous?” Ethan let out a dark laugh, his fingers tracing my lips roughly. The desire in his eyes flared up like wildfire.

Chloe’s POV He violently tore my hospital gown open, exposing my skin to the cold air. “Ethan, what are you doing! Let me go!” I panicked, thrashing as I shielded my stomach. “The doctor said no stress! I’ll lose the baby!” “Don’t worry, I’ll be gentle,” Ethan ignored my pleas entirely, pinning my hands above my head as his heavy body pressed down on me. Like a starving beast, he bit down on my neck and collarbone, leaving dark, painful marks. His movements were rough, urgent, driven by a sick, possessive need. “Listen to me, Chloe,” Ethan growled in my ear as he forced himself into me, his voice raw and cruel. “Tomorrow, I marry Leilah. She will be Mrs. Vance. But you… you will always belong to me.” “Once your body heals, you are getting rid of this bastard. I’ll buy you the biggest mansion, the most expensive diamonds, and keep you for the rest of your life. I can give you everything, except my last name.” This was Ethan’s twisted logic. He wanted power, he wanted his pure socialite wife, and he wanted me as his obedient pet in the dark. He thought money and control could keep me chained to him forever like a dog. I closed my eyes, a single tear of pure humiliation sliding down my temple. Disgusting. He was absolutely disgusting. Suddenly, I stopped fighting. I let him have his way with my body. I even wrapped my arms around his neck, actively matching his rhythm. Ethan froze for a second, then his eyes flared with absolute triumph. He probably thought I had finally broken, that I was accepting my fate. “Good girl… that’s it…” He kissed the tears from my eyes, his movements growing wilder. That night, I acted like a lifeless doll, letting him use me however he pleased. I swallowed all my hatred and disgust, just to make him drop his guard. The next morning. Ethan was fully dressed in a tailored white tuxedo, looking incredibly handsome. He stood by the bed, looking down at me as I pretended to sleep, and kissed my forehead. “Wait for me to come back.” The door closed. I snapped my eyes open, bolted to the bathroom, and scrubbed my skin with cold water until it was raw and bleeding. At 10:00 AM. The sound of heavy footsteps echoed outside the suite. Ethan hadn’t let his guard down. In fact, he had doubled the security. Ten massive men in black suits completely blocked the hallway. “Mr. Vance’s orders. Not even a fly leaves this room today,” the guard captain said coldly through the door. I walked to the window, looking down. Eight floors. Jumping meant instant death. Outside the door were ten highly trained guards. A cold smile touched my lips. I pulled out the burner phone Serena had left me and sent a single text: Start the fire. Five minutes later. The hospital’s fire alarm blared through the building. Thick grey smoke began billow through the vents, and the smell of burning plastic filled the air. “Fire! Run!” “The eighth floor is on fire! Evacuate the patients!” Panic erupted outside. Even though the guards were trained, the blinding smoke and stampeding crowd threw them into chaos. Bang. The door was kicked open. Two guards rushed in to grab me, but the bed was completely empty. The bathroom door was locked. “Miss Sterling! Open up!” The guards kicked the bathroom door open, only to find my discarded hospital gown on the floor. As they searched the bathroom, I slipped out from behind the door, dressed in a nurse’s scrubs, a wig, and a surgical mask. I blended right into the screaming crowd, running down the emergency stairs without looking back. In the alley behind the hospital. An unmarked black sedan was waiting, its engine humming quietly. Gasping for breath, I burst through the back exit and threw myself into the passenger seat. Serena, wearing a baseball cap, slammed her foot on the gas, and the car shot forward like a bullet. “We did it!” Serena yelled, checking the rearview mirror to make sure no one was following before letting out a massive sigh of relief. I ripped off the wig and mask, panting heavily, my forehead soaked in sweat. I held my stomach as a dull ache throbbed in my lower abdomen from the running. “Chloe, are you okay? Does your stomach hurt?” Serena asked nervously. “I’m fine. I can make it,” I said, my face pale but my eyes burning with a wild, cold determination. “Drive to the Brooklyn Bridge.” “The Brooklyn Bridge? Aren’t we going to the harbor?” Serena was confused. “The harbor is too easy for him to check. Ethan’s network covers all of New York. The second he realizes I’m gone, he will lock down every port.” I took a deep breath, my voice freezing over. “I need him to think I’m dead. Completely destroyed.” Serena gasped, instantly realizing my plan. We had hidden a speedboat under the bridge pier beforehand. I was going to stage a fatal car crash off the bridge to cover my escape.

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The very night Ethan proposed to me, my company sent me on a business trip. Halfway there, I got a call saying it had been canceled. I dragged my suitcase home and pushed open the front door. Ethan’s hand rested on my best friend Chloe’s bare back as he gently slipped the strap off her shoulder. My fingers instinctively brushed the diamond ring on my left hand. I stared at the two people I trusted most, unable to believe what I was seeing. Sensing my presence, Ethan didn’t look guilty at all. “Maya,” he said calmly, “I don’t want to hurt either of you. Let’s just have an open relationship.” Chloe stepped in front of him as if to protect him. “Maya, if you need to hit someone, hit me. Ethan didn’t do anything wrong.” I laughed. Ten years ago, when she stood between me and my school bullies, she had said those exact same words. Now, she was using them again—after destroying everything I had. Maya’s POV The very night Ethan successfully proposed to me, my company sent me on an urgent out-of-town business trip. But halfway there, I got a text saying the trip was canceled. When I dragged my suitcase back home and pushed the door open, Ethan’s hand was on my best friend Chloe’s back, gently sliding her dress strap down her shoulder. I touched the diamond ring on my ring finger, staring in utter disbelief at the two people I trusted most in the world. They had betrayed me. Sensing my presence, Ethan turned around. His face was shockingly calm. “Maya, I don’t want to hurt either of you. Why don’t we just try an open relationship?” The moment those words left his mouth, my mind went completely blank. The blood in my veins ran ice-cold. Ethan stepped in front of Chloe, shielding her. “Maya, let me explain. We didn’t mean to lie to you. Honestly, so many people are in open relationships these days. Chloe is totally fine with it.” I let out a cold laugh. Chloe was the home-wrecker here. What right did she have to be “fine” or “not fine” with anything? I raised my hand, pointing the diamond ring right at his face. “Then what the hell are we? If you’re in love with Chloe, why did you propose to me today?” Why give me the happiest moment of my life just to crush me with the ultimate nightmare? “Maya…” Biting back my tears, I raised my hand to slap his face. But Chloe suddenly lunged forward, throwing herself between us and taking the blow for him. I stared at Chloe’s face in shock. A bright red mark bloomed on her pale skin. Her eyes welled with tears. “Maya, if you want to hit someone, hit me. Ethan did nothing wrong.” My lips trembled. Suddenly, my mind flashed back to six years ago, when Chloe had stood in front of me to block the bullies at school. That was my freshman year at our elite private prep school. My mom worked as a housekeeper for Chloe’s family, which was the only reason I got in on a tuition waiver. I was the only girl in the entire school who couldn’t afford designer clothes. Many kids called me Chloe’s pet dog. Some girls even ripped up my homework, looking at me with pure disgust. “Everyone in this school is just passing time until we inherit our family businesses. You’re the only one studying like crazy. Don’t you feel out of place?” “What’s the point of getting good grades? When you apply for a job at my dad’s company, you’ll still have to beg me.” “Shut up! If you mess with Maya, you mess with me!” Back then, Chloe had stood in front of me, glaring at them until they all backed down. She had turned to me with a warm smile. “We’re best friends, Maya. If anyone bothers you in the future, just come to me.” After that, Chloe always stood up for me, even getting into fights for my sake. I finally let my guard down and took her as my sister… I never imagined that one day, Chloe would be standing on the opposite side, defending the man who broke my heart. I watched as Ethan pulled Chloe into his arms, his eyes filled with tender worry. He glared at me, his voice sharp. “That’s enough, Maya! Chloe has been spoiled her whole life. She’s never faced this kind of abuse. Now that she took a slap for you, are you finally satisfied?” Staring at his angry face, a sharp, stabbing pain pierced my chest. He was the second person at that prep school who had ever protected me. Our first meeting was in an alleyway near the school. Ethan, sitting in his family’s luxury car, had spotted me being followed by a group of sketchy guys. He had immediately jumped out of the car, calling his driver and bodyguards to chase the guys away. I still remembered the look in his eyes back then. It wasn’t condescending. He looked at me with the same equality that Chloe did. “If you’re ever in danger again, just call me.” After that, everyone at school knew I had two powerful protectors. We ate lunch together, took classes together, and I even tutored them. On graduation day, Ethan confessed his love to me. He promised he would never let me feel hurt or abandoned. Now, he had broken every single promise. I squeezed my fingers tight, the diamond ring cutting into my skin until it went numb. “How long have you two been seeing each other behind my back?” “Six months ago, our parents set us up on a blind date. We started talking more after that.” “Our families want us to get married. It’s for the family business merger.” My grip on the ring tightened, and my confidence crumbled bit by bit. There was a massive wealth gap between Ethan and me. After graduation, I worked myself to the bone, hoping to close that gap. But some gaps can never be bridged. Just like my self-esteem, there was always a piece missing. For the past six months, I had been working overtime and traveling constantly just to get a promotion. I didn’t want anyone to say I wasn’t good enough for Ethan. But I never realized my dedication to work would give them the perfect opportunity to hook up. “But you don’t have to worry. Chloe and I won’t get married. We would never hurt you like that,” Ethan added quickly. “Maya, if you just agree to this, we can keep the open relationship going. Just the three of us. I promise I’ll treat you exactly the same as before.” “I don’t agree.” I turned around, trying to leave. Ethan grabbed my arm. “Don’t be stupid, Maya. Staying with us gives you endless perks. It’s been years. How are you even going to survive without us?” I found myself unable to say a single word of rebuttal. Because my current job was recommended by Chloe, and many of my high-paying clients were introduced to me by Ethan. Just like he said, it seemed I really couldn’t survive without them. But was I really going to endure this humiliation forever just for a career? No. I do not tolerate betrayal.

Maya’s POV My phone suddenly buzzed with a notification from work. I walked straight past Ethan into my room to grab my laptop, refusing to give him an answer. After quickly resolving the work issue, I opened my email and dragged a message out of my trash folder. It was a job offer from a top firm in Seattle. In the past, for the sake of stability and to stay by Ethan’s side, I had rejected countless offers from amazing companies. But now, I decided it was time to leave this city. Suddenly, Chloe pushed the door open. She grabbed my hand, her voice soft. “Maya, we’re still friends, right?” Her tone was exactly the same as it was ten years ago when she first asked me to be her friend. That was the day my mother and I first moved into Chloe’s family mansion. It was the first time I saw Chloe’s bedroom, which was literally larger than my mom’s entire apartment. My self-esteem had shattered into a million pieces at that moment. After that, I tried my best to avoid her and never spoke to her. But one rainy night, my mom asked me to wait at the gate with an umbrella to welcome Chloe home. I went out reluctantly. Chloe had just returned from a high school gala, wearing a designer dress that cost more than my mother’s yearly salary. I held the umbrella over her, letting the cold rain soak half of my own shoulder. Suddenly, Chloe wrapped her arm around my shoulder. “Maya, can I call you that? I hear your mom call you that all the time. I heard you’re a genius at school. Can we do our homework together? I really want to be your friend.” Her eyes had been so bright and genuine. I had nodded. But just five minutes ago, that ten-year friendship had completely shattered. Seeing my silence, Chloe began to cry. “Maya, I’m so sorry. I never planned to steal Ethan from you. But when our parents forced us to go on dates six months ago, I suddenly developed feelings for him. You know how love is… it’s just so unpredictable.” “Chloe, we can’t be friends anymore.” Suddenly, the bedroom door was pushed open. Ethan stood there, looking panicked. “Quick, hide! Our parents are here!” He was speaking to me. Our relationship had always been a secret. Whenever Ethan’s wealthy parents visited, I had to hide. I was already used to it. Ethan looked at me apologetically. “Both of our parents are pushing us to move in together to fast-track the engagement. I told them Chloe was moving in tonight, and they wanted to drop by and see the place.” Without a word, I headed toward the door to leave. But a sudden knock at the front door stopped me in my tracks. Ethan quickly grabbed my arm and dragged me back into the bedroom, shutting the door. In the rush, my leg slammed hard against the sharp corner of the bed frame, slicing a deep gash into my calf. I struggled to stand up. The wound throbbed with pain. I looked around for some disinfectant or a bandage, but there was nothing in the room. I could only sit there and watch the blood flow down my leg. As the physical pain peaked, the sound of laughter from the living room felt like a slap in the face. “I’ve wanted to bring these two together for ages! Our families are a perfect match!” “We should definitely move up the wedding date. I can’t wait to hold my grandbabies!” Sitting behind the closed door, I let out a mocking laugh at myself. I felt like a clown, hiding in the dark, watching other people celebrate their perfect life. The pain from my leg spread throughout my entire body, but the place that hurt the most was my heart. Living around them for so long, I had almost forgotten the gap between us. But now, the pride that had been crushed ten years ago was being ground into dust once again. We were never from the same world. Once the voices outside finally faded, I slowly stood up. Looking at the dried blood on my leg, I pushed the door open to find some medicine. But the moment the door swung open, the scene in the living room froze me in my tracks. Chloe was completely naked, and Ethan was holding her legs, pressing her against the couch. Their clothes were scattered all over the hardwood floor, and on the coffee table sat a violently ripped-open box of condoms… They gasped in shock, turning their heads to look at me. “Oh… I’m so sorry, Maya. I forgot you were still in the bedroom,” Chloe squeaked, barely trying to cover herself. My chest felt incredibly tight, as if a thick rope was wrapping around my heart and squeezing the life out of me. I dragged my injured leg and walked straight toward the front door. The moment I pushed the door open, tears finally streamed down my face. I had tried to rationalize their betrayal. I had told myself to just let go of this relationship and move on. But seeing them intimately wrapped around each other with my own eyes still ripped my heart to shreds. Ethan rushed out after me, grabbing my arm in the hallway. “Maya, it was just a heat-of-the-moment thing. We couldn’t control ourselves. I promise it won’t happen again!” I slid the diamond ring off my ring finger and dropped it into his palm. “We’re done.” He violently pulled me into his arms, wrapping his hands tight around my back. I felt nothing but intense disgust. “Maya, I can’t lose you! I just happen to love two people at the same time. What did I do that was so wrong?” I shoved him away with all my strength. “There’s an emergency at the office. I have to go.” Ethan tried to say something else, but his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen and let go of me. “Fine, if you have work, go. But I don’t accept this breakup.” Watching his retreating figure, I couldn’t help but recall an incident from two years ago. I had found out that a gorgeous, incredibly wealthy socialite had confessed her feelings to Ethan. That night, I had lied about working overtime and went to the park by the lake to cry my eyes out. Ethan had actually walked along my usual commute route for hours until he found me. “Maya, in my eyes, there is no one in this world better than you. You are the only one for me.” Now, even the flimsiest excuse was enough for him to let go of my hand. Everything between us had changed. I stayed at a hotel near my office that night. The next morning, I received a text from Ethan. “Chloe and I are getting married. Will you be her maid of honor?”

Maya’s POV My mind was completely clear now. Before I could even process the disgust, another text popped up. “Where are you? Let’s talk in person.” I didn’t reply. But an hour later, I saw Ethan’s luxury sports car parked right outside my office building. Before I could walk past, I was dragged into the back seat. Chloe sat there, handing me a piece of paper. It was an ultrasound photo. “Maya, Ethan and I are having a baby. You’re my best friend. Surely you don’t want my baby to grow up without a father, right?” I stared at the medical report, calculating the dates. Conception had happened exactly one month ago, the night of my car accident. That night, the rain was pouring. Ethan had told me he had an incredibly important business dinner and asked me to drive across town to deliver a file to his office. On the highway, my car was T-boned by a drunk driver. I was thrown ten yards and lost consciousness immediately. When the ambulance brought me to the ER, the doctors called my two emergency contacts, Ethan and Chloe, over twenty times. Not a single call was answered. So, while I was fighting for my life in a pool of blood, they were busy celebrating their passion in bed. “Maya, will you please be my maid of honor?” Chloe asked, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. “I will not be your maid of honor, and I never agreed to join your sick open relationship!” I reached for the door handle, but Ethan grabbed me back roughly. “What right do you have to throw a tantrum at us? Have you forgotten how much you’ve benefited from being with us all these years? Chloe is pregnant. You shouldn’t speak to her like that.” Chloe’s eyes welled with tears. “It’s okay, Ethan. I won’t force Maya. But… we promised each other in high school that we’d be each other’s maid of honor.” Her crying made my ears ring with annoyance. “You ruined my relationship, and now you’re trying to guilt-trip me?” Ethan shoved me hard. My back slammed violently against the car door, and a sharp pain shot up my spine. “Maya! Are you really trying to cut ties with us?” Ethan sneered, his voice dropping to a threatening whisper. “Have you forgotten about the photos and videos we took in bed? Do you really want those leaked online?” “Do you want the whole world to see your face and hear your voice on those tapes?” I clenched my fists so hard my nails dug into my palms, drawing blood. I looked at Ethan, utterly unable to recognize the sweet boy I had loved for years. He had turned into an absolute monster. “So, Maya, do we have a deal?” Ethan asked with a smirk. I bit my lip, forcing a single word out of my throat. “Fine.” I got out of the car, a chilling breeze washing over me. That night, I submitted my resignation letter. The next day, I spent the entire afternoon handing over my projects at work. I was exhausted. When I finally walked out of the office lobby, Ethan was standing by his car, waiting. “Get in. The wedding rehearsal is starting.” “A wedding rehearsal in the middle of the night?” I asked coldly. “Isn’t this to accommodate your precious schedule? You should really thank Chloe. She’s pregnant, yet she’s staying up late just to make sure you can make it. And look at you. You do nothing but snap at us.” “I didn’t ask her to get knocked up.” The moment the words left my mouth, a loud, stinging slap landed across my face. It was Chloe. She had rushed out of the passenger seat, her eyes flashing with rage and tears. “Maya, I’ve had enough of your attitude! Who do you think you are? Do you honestly think that being my friend and dating Ethan for a few years makes you one of us? You’re just trash! Dirt under our feet!” I clenched my fists, biting my lower lip to keep from crying. Her words hurt far more than the slap. They pierced straight into my most fragile insecurity. I raised my hand and slapped Chloe back, hard. “Chloe, what makes you so proud? Both of you are disgusting cheaters. The child you’re carrying is nothing but a product of betrayal!” Ethan rushed over, shoving me aside to hold Chloe. He glared at me, his eyes spitting fire. “Maya! My child with Chloe will be born with a silver spoon. He will never suffer a day in his life, and he sure as hell will never have to live in the maid’s quarters of a mansion like you did. His future is bright, unlike yours!” Breathing heavily, I turned to walk away. But Ethan grabbed my arm. “The rehearsal is still happening. Chloe is pregnant, and you’re her best friend. Even if you’re mad, you’ve thrown your tantrum. Now, get in the car and do your job.” “Why? Why should I always accommodate her? She’s the one who…” Before I could finish, he dragged me forcefully into the back seat.

Maya’s POV The car pulled up to a luxury hotel in downtown Manhattan. The interior was lavishly decorated in the over-the-top, extravagant style Chloe loved. Chloe threw a bridesmaid dress at me. “Go put it on.” In the fitting room, I looked at my swollen cheek in the mirror. A raging fire burned in my chest. My tears touched the raw skin, stinging like crazy. I lowered my head, feeling utterly suffocated. When would I finally be free of this nightmare? Suddenly, a knock rattled the door. “Maya! How long does it take to change a dress? Everyone is waiting for you!” I quickly threw the dress on and walked out. Chloe was standing right outside. The wedding gown she wore looked incredibly familiar. She looked down her nose at me. “Do you remember this dress? Three years ago, you pointed at this exact gown in the boutique window and said you wanted to wear it when you married Ethan. I bought it just to remind you. From the moment you started dating him, you were never destined to be his bride.” Staring into Chloe’s smug eyes, my heart broke into a million pieces. Chloe reached out, her fingers brushing against the red mark on my cheek. Her laugh was chilling. “I think I’ve been too nice to you for too long, Maya. You’ve forgotten who is the master and who is the servant. I’ll let your words slip tonight, but don’t ever raise your voice at me again.” Just then, my phone vibrated in my pocket. It was a confirmation email. The flight tickets for my mother and me were booked for tomorrow afternoon. Suddenly, a bridesmaid coordinator shoved a velvet box into my hand. “Carry this. Hand them to the bride and groom during the ring exchange.” I popped the box open. Inside were custom-designed diamond rings. The rock on Chloe’s ring was several times larger than the one Ethan had used to propose to me. The wedding march began to play. I stood there, watching Ethan hold Chloe’s hand at the altar. Their smiles were radiant. This was the scene I had dreamed of for years. I let out a self-deprecating laugh. How did I end up so pathetic? Why was I standing here witnessing the union of the two people who ruined my life? I threw the ring box onto a nearby table and turned to walk out. But as I reached the corridor, several familiar faces blocked my path. My blood ran cold instantly, and my heart hammered against my ribs. Standing before me were Ethan’s groomsmen. They were the very same guys who had bullied and harassed me in the dark alleys during high school. Terror threatened to swallow me whole. Suddenly, a hand clapped onto my shoulder. “The ring exchange is about to start. Where do you think you’re going?” It was Ethan. My whole body trembled as I pointed at the men in front of me. “You know who they are. Why the hell are they here?” Ethan shrugged indifferently. “Chloe was worried you’d make a scene at the wedding, so she invited them to keep an eye on you.” My chest felt suffocated, and my legs went completely numb. “Stop standing there like an idiot. Get up on stage and hand us the rings.” I bypassed the groomsmen and walked toward the stage, trying to stay as far away from them as possible. But after only a few steps, my long dress caught under my shoe, and I tripped, crashing hard onto the floor. The sound of laughter echoed from all corners of the room. My legs refused to move. Ethan walked over, pulling me up roughly by my arm. “What is wrong with you? What are you doing?” When I didn’t answer, he dragged me into the VIP bridal suite. Before I could even catch my breath, his phone rang. Chloe was calling him, and he left immediately. I sat alone in the quiet room, shivering from the cold. Five minutes later, the door clicked open, and Chloe’s voice echoed through the room. “Maya, do you really think playing the victim is going to work? Ethan and I are getting married. This fake-limping drama is so outdated.” I stared at her. “Did you invite those bullies on purpose?” “Those guys are my friends. What’s wrong with inviting them to my wedding?” My jaw dropped. “Your… friends?” Chloe giggled, a malicious glint in her eyes. “I was the one who paid them to bully you in high school, Maya. I just wanted to see what it felt like to play savior to a charity case like you.” I snapped. The ten-year friendship I had nurtured and protected was a lie from the very beginning. I lunged forward and shoved Chloe with all my strength. “You monster! How could you do that to me?!” “From the moment I was born, everyone kissed my feet. You were the only one who tried to act all proud and independent. I just wanted to break you.” “Chloe!” For ten years, she was my only friend. Blind with rage, I shoved her again as she tried to get up. Chloe fell backward, crashing heavily against the corner of a heavy wooden cabinet. She let out a sharp scream and collapsed, clutching her stomach. Within seconds, a pool of crimson blood began to seep through her white gown. Panic seized me. I quickly dialed 911 as I ran out of the room. “Chloe… she’s bleeding. I think she’s having a miscarriage!” The moment the words left my mouth, Ethan came rushing down the hall. He pushed past me into the room, lifting Chloe into his arms. His voice was shaking. “It was Maya! She pushed me, Ethan! She killed our baby! She wants us dead!” Chloe wailed. The paramedics rushed in, pushing me aside. I stood frozen by the door, feeling like I had been plunged into an arctic abyss. Ethan glared at me, his eyes filled with pure hatred. “If anything happens to Chloe or the baby, I will make you pay.” My mind was a chaotic mess. I tried to ask about Chloe’s condition, but Ethan completely ignored me. Half an hour later, I tried to leave the hotel. But as I reached the exit of the lower lobby, those same groomsmen blocked my path. Seeing them close in on me, panic set in. “What do you want?” The leader smirked, cracking his knuckles. “Ethan told us to teach you a lesson. You know what we do to girls who cause trouble, right?” Bang. They grabbed me, throwing me hard against the floor of a secluded holding room. “He told us to ‘entertain’ you so you wouldn’t have the energy to ruin their wedding.” I curled into a ball, my entire body shaking violently. “So, is it true that this trash was actually dating Ethan for years?” “Please, a charity case like her? She probably made it all up in her head. If Ethan actually cared about her, would he have handed her over to us?” One of them slapped me across the face. “Tell us the truth. Was Ethan really your boyfriend? If you confess, maybe we’ll go easy on you.” My voice was raw and broken. “Yes… he was…” Their laughter grew louder. “Well, we’re about to rip your pretty dress off, and where is your prince charming to save you?” The sound of fabric tearing filled the room. I fought with everything I had, but I couldn’t stop them. “Please! I beg you, stop! Please!” The struggle was loud, but the heavy doors were locked from the outside. An hour later, the ordeal was cut short by a phone call. I heard Ethan’s voice coming through the speaker of one of the men’s phones. “Chloe is awake. Stop whatever you’re doing. You didn’t go too far, did you?” One of the guys kicked a used condom wrapper under the couch and smirked. “Don’t worry, man. Just gave her a little warning.” “Good.” I closed my eyes, completely numb. Once the men finally walked out, I lay on the cold floor for another half hour before I found the strength to stand up. By the time I dragged myself back to my apartment, it was past midnight. I showered ten times, scrubbing my skin until it bled, but I couldn’t wash away the feeling of filth. I curled up on the bathroom floor, sobbing hysterically. The soap stung the raw cuts on my body, but the pain in my heart was far worse. I didn’t sleep a wink. The next morning, I grabbed my packed suitcases and headed straight for the airport. My mom was waiting for me at the gate. I wore a heavy coat and a scarf to hide every single bruise on my body. “We’re going to Seattle, Mom. We’re starting over.” We held hands tightly. Three hours later, the plane touched down in Seattle.

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