After graduation, I accepted the marriage proposal from Julian, my childhood sweetheart, who had been chasing me for eighteen years. That very night, he made passionate love to me, whispering words of devotion that felt as countless as the stars. But no sooner had I confirmed my pregnancy than he seized my family’s company. My dad was reduced to a janitor, and my mom was forced to entertain his clients as a mere hostess for their amusement. I clutched my pregnant belly, my pleas raw with agony, and demanded to know why. He just laughed, a cruel, mocking sound. “Eighteen years ago, your family merged with ours, and my sister was bullied so relentlessly at her elite boarding school that she jumped to her death.” “Now, all I’m doing is making your family taste a bit of that humiliation. What’s so unbearable about that?” He reached out, his hand cupping my face. “Tonight’s clients are the very same people who tormented my sister back then. If you don’t want your mother to be ruined in her old age, you’ll go entertain them yourself.” After an obscene amount of alcohol, I lost the child I’d carried for only two months. But Julian, instead of using the money to pay off my parents’ workers’ wages, bound them with contracts, turning them into his personal servants. I yearned for their freedom. I sold myself: 100 for a drink, 200 for a night. I endured this for seven grueling years. Yet, on the very day I gathered enough money, his mistress had a group of men corner me, clearly intending to violate me. My parents were brutally beaten to death. When I woke up, I shattered the wine bottle in my hand, the trembling shards resting against my wrist. But he was staring at his sister, who had returned perfectly unharmed. That’s when I truly broke.

Julian had barely stepped downstairs when he heard Mrs. Davies’s complaints and lunged, his hand clamping around my throat. “You gave Chloe cold porridge! How *dare* you!” “If anything happens to the baby she’s carrying, I swear, I’ll destroy you!” Ever since Julian assigned me the task of tending to his mistress during her pregnancy, the household staff, eager to curry favor with Tiffany, began to frame me relentlessly. It was only when he noticed my high temperature that he unconsciously loosened his grip. “Why are you so hot? Are you running a fever?” I merely squatted, scooping the spilled hot porridge into the trash with my bare hands. “I’ll drink more tonight. Don’t deduct my pay.” One of Tiffany’s ways to control me was to manage my parents’ debts. If she wasn’t happy, she could complain about anything, even rolling dice to arbitrarily cut the money I was saving for my parents. My only recourse was to drink even more at the evening parties. The more I vomited, the happier Julian’s sister, Chloe, seemed. Last time, after I was so weak from a bleeding stomach ulcer that I was nearly assaulted by several men, she even ‘generously’ added a few thousand to my payment. Now, only five more drinking parties stood between me and collecting enough money. Julian looked down at me, his jaw clenched. “Did you visit my sister this morning?” Seven years ago, after Julian revealed everything, I was forced to go to Chloe’s grave every morning to ‘repent.’ Thinking about what happened this morning, I weighed my words carefully, trying to find a way not to anger him. “Tiffany, she…” But the moment I spoke her name, he grabbed my collar. “Trying to frame Tiffany again? Who taught you such a rotten habit?” When Tiffany had pushed me down the stairs, I had only muttered that someone pushed me. He had punished me by forbidding me from eating for three days, supposedly to cure me of my ‘suspicious’ habits. Now, just speaking her name, he assumed I was trying to frame him. I closed my eyes, quietly waiting for his wrath to unleash. I couldn’t risk the fleeting concern I’d seen in his eyes moments before. A cough echoed from upstairs. Julian immediately flung me to the floor and rushed up. My lower abdomen screamed with piercing pain from the impact. I finally made up my mind, my hand trembling as I opened my phone and selected a flight. For seven years, my parents believed Julian still cherished me, and willingly remained at his company, holding the lowest positions, just to be near me. Their half-century of dignity, trampled underfoot. Just five more days, and I could take them away.

That evening, as I changed, Mrs. Davies, as usual, spat viciously behind me. “Ugh, going out to sell herself every day. It’s sickening to watch.” “Good thing Ms. Reed had the foresight to sever your basic function as a woman.” I ignored her, heading to the party. The dull ache in my lower abdomen grew steadily worse, until I could barely stand straight. The clients, startled, stopped grabbing my chin and force-feeding me drinks, instead calling Julian. “Mr. Stone, Ms. Reid looks terrible. Is she…?” They thought I was pregnant again. The night I miscarried, the pain had been just like this. That night, Julian had sat outside the delivery room all night, his voice raw with agony, demanding the doctors ensure I woke up. From then on, everyone knew Julian cared for me, but scorned me after learning about my family’s ‘harm’ to him. Yet, they dared not arbitrarily decide the extent of my punishment. Until a cold voice spoke on the phone. “She upset Tiffany this morning and received a small punishment. Continue.” This morning, Tiffany had forced me to take a whole bottle of medication designed to prevent pregnancy. “Only I can give him children, you slut! You ruined his sister’s life so badly. You don’t deserve to have children, not in this lifetime.” Blood began to trickle endlessly. I crawled to the hospital. The diagnosis: I could never conceive again. Later, I learned Tiffany had been so agitated because Julian had mumbled in his sleep the previous night, “Skylar, I’m thirsty.” She thought he still had feelings for me. I laughed, a desolate, bitter sound. She hadn’t seen how madly Julian had loved me before, so she couldn’t comprehend the depth of his hatred now. “Skylar, the eighteen years I chased you were the happiest of my life.” “I swear, you’ll be my most cherished treasure, always.” But his deceased sister. She made it all seem like a cruel joke. It was dawn when I finally stumbled out, clinging to the last shred of consciousness, seeing Julian’s car waiting in the distance. The hostesses behind me scoffed, unapologetic. “Still doesn’t know her place. She’s just an escort now, but she still gets a ride every day.” “You don’t understand. Mr. Stone orchestrates this spectacle purely to humiliate her, a constant reminder of her former status as a privileged heiress, now forced to play hostess and feign smiles for men.” I touched my belly. Four more days. For the remaining days, I desperately fed myself painkillers, not daring to miss a single party. I even forced more alcohol down my throat, as if doing so would make time pass faster. Finally, on the last day, after downing the last bottle, I exhaled the easiest breath I’d taken in seven years. Excitedly, I reached for my phone to call my parents, to share the good news. Just as I stood up, one of the men grabbed me. “Where are you off to, Mrs. Stone? We’re just getting started.” A group of men rose from their seats, converging on me.

As they pressed me down, I screamed desperately. “Stop! I’m Julian Stone’s woman! He’ll destroy you if he finds out!” The man grinned, revealing yellowed teeth, as if I’d told the funniest joke. “You might be ‘Mrs. Stone,’ but we follow orders from the one Mr. Stone *truly* cherishes!” Seeing his phone on a call, I instantly guessed who was on the other end. “Tiffany! Why are you doing this to me?!” Tiffany’s casual sneer was audible. “Your debts are cleared tonight, so I need something else to control you.” “Don’t worry, they’re all pros; they’ll make sure you have a ‘good time,’ in shifts. All you have to do is cooperate while they take a few pictures. No harm done, right?” Because of her, I could no longer have children, and now, in front of all these men, my dignity, my very self, would be stripped away. My eyes burned, bloodshot, wishing I could reach through the phone and throttle her. “Tiffany, if you let them continue, I swear, tomorrow I will kill you!” “You? Please. By the way, I have a surprise for you. It’s going to tear your heart out even more.” The next moment, Julian’s concerned voice came through the phone. “The floor’s cold. Why are you out of bed?” Her voice instantly turned weak and tearful. “Sister, just because you saved your parents, do you want to kill me?” But I was staring at my parents, hogtied, gagged, and dragged in, my mind reeling, breath caught in my throat. My dad was already unconscious, and my mom was looking at me with horror and grief. The men around me leered, closing in on her. I didn’t have time to explain. I desperately begged Julian on the phone. “Julian, please, I beg you, let my parents go! It’s all my fault, I upset Tiffany!” “You can do anything to me, just don’t touch them!” “Don’t let *anyone* touch them!” I screamed, my throat raw. Julian paused for a moment. “What do you mean? I wouldn’t go as far as touching them.” I suddenly understood. This was all Tiffany’s doing. I fought with all my might, snatching the phone from the man. “Julian, I’ve saved enough money!” “But Tiffany, she’s tied up my parents, and she’s got a bunch of men trying to…” Before I could finish, Mrs. Davies’s gasp suddenly came through the phone. “Ms. Reed, are you feeling dizzy again?” “Mr. Stone, Ms. Reed has been unwell lately, she hasn’t left the house and has been resting. She can’t bear such false accusations!” But I only watched as my dad’s breathing grew weaker and weaker. He had asthma, and now with his mouth gagged, his life was in danger at any moment. I frantically tried to think of what else I could offer. “Julian, I know you hate me.” “Just let my parents go, and I’ll turn myself in for murdering your sister, or I’ll take my parents and leave this city. I promise, you’ll never see me again.” “Never see you again?” Julian’s voice was sinister, laced with an unyielding fury. “Skylar Reid, your solutions are certainly decisive.” As my dad’s chest stopped rising and falling, and the men drew closer to my mom, I screamed and lunged forward, one hand protecting the phone, the other pushing the men away. “Come and see for yourself! The driver is right outside, just have him come in and he’ll know everything!” Julian suddenly laughed, his voice so cold it seemed to freeze the blood in my veins. “Chloe isn’t feeling well today. I sent the driver to get her medication. Did you plan this whole charade for today?” I froze, completely stunned, my eyes meeting my mom’s desperate gaze. Though her mouth was gagged, I could almost hear her say, “My daughter, your dad and I are dragging you down.” I suddenly understood something, and tried to run to her, but the men around me seized the opportunity and pinned me down again. “Haha, the daughter’s still fresh meat.” “Mr. Stone’s wife being played by us, just thinking about it feels good.” Obscene words echoed above me. I only watched as my mom struggled to her feet, lunging at the men on top of me, only to be brutally shoved away. Her forehead slammed against the corner of a table, blood gushing uncontrollably. “Mom!” Blood splattered on my face. Like a wild beast, I roared, shoving the men off me, and rushed to her side. But her eyes would not open again. Her eyes and nostrils were clogged with blood. A drop of blood splattered onto the phone, and Julian’s voice amplified. “Skylar, still acting?” The men around me spat, then pinned me down again. My mind went blank. I stopped resisting. Until my clothes were ripped to shreds, and I screamed out with every last ounce of strength, “Julian, I hate you!” Then, I lost consciousness completely. 6. “No!” Julian roared, rushing forward to stop me. I saw it, the look the hostess had described. No, it was even more profound. Julian’s eyes were bloodshot, his body trembling. He reached out to pull me back but didn’t dare get close, unable to form full sentences.

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Three years ago, my sister, Chloe, and I secretly married the Thorne brothers. I was married to Dominic Thorne, the CEO, and Chloe married his younger brother, Leo Thorne, the VP. One night, the brothers took Serena Hayes, the woman they’d always pined for, to a hotel. When reporters caught them, they called Chloe and me to bail them out. I was forced to wear an identical outfit to Serena’s, meant to distract the paparazzi. Instead, Serena’s obsessive stans dragged me into an alley and beat me to death. Chloe, who was supposed to meet me, suffered the same brutal fate. By the time Mom arrived, Chloe and I were already gone, our bodies lifeless in a growing pool of crimson. We had stopped breathing. Heartbroken, she called Dominic for help. All she got in return was Dominic’s venomous curses. “She couldn’t even handle a simple task like distracting reporters. What right did Ava have to live? She should have died ages ago!” I died then, but my soul remained, forced to hear his cruel words. My heart was ripped to shreds. Chloe’s soul floated over, trying to comfort me, saying Leo would surely come. Mom called Leo, only to be met with the same merciless ranting. “Serena was caught by the paparazzi! I’m busy doing damage control; I don’t have time for your drama. Didn’t you say Ava was about to die? Let her die then!” Chloe clung to me, her sobs echoing through the void, a raw, piercing sound. Later, news of Chloe’s and my gravestones leaked. The brothers, upon hearing the news, knelt before our graves, weeping floods of tears.

“Ava, Chloe, my daughters…” Mom sat slumped in her wheelchair, clutching two urns. Her face was a mask of hollow despair, tears streaming down, an endless torrent. Overnight, her black hair had turned white, wrinkles deepening, making her look twenty years older. After Chloe and I died, our souls didn’t dissipate. We lingered by Mom’s side. Hand in hand, our faces a canvas of brutal bruises, blood streaking our lips, our clothes tattered and torn, we remained in the gruesome state we were in when we were killed. We watched as Mom dragged her exhausted body, painstakingly arranging our funerals until the early hours of the morning. She lifted the urns, pressing them to her cheek, just like she used to hold Chloe and me. Tears, heavy and silent, rolled down her cheeks. “Ava, Chloe, why did you leave your mother? What’s the point of living without you? Once you’re laid to rest, I’ll come join you.” Her voice, raw and hoarse from endless weeping, scraped at my soul like a blunt knife tearing flesh, each sound a fresh torment. I knelt before Mom, my own silent sobs tearing through me. “Mom, Mom, Chloe and I are right here. Please, don’t do anything reckless. Please, don’t…” But it was no use. I was dead. Mom couldn’t hear my voice. The tears that welled in my spectral eyes evaporated into shimmering motes of light, vanishing before they could fall. Chloe embraced me, crying, “Sis, I can’t bear to leave Mom. I want to stay with her forever, so much, so much…” And I felt the same. As if by some invisible thread of a mother’s intuition, Mom suddenly stopped crying. Her gaze, unfocused, darted around the room. She murmured dreamily, “Ava, Chloe, is that you?” *BANG!* The door was suddenly kicked open. Mom flinched, startled, as three menacing figures barged in. Years of psychological trauma made her quickly hide the urns under the coffee table. “Ava Anderson, get your ass out here!” It was the Thorne brothers, Dominic and Leo, along with their delicate Serena Hayes. Dominic scanned the room, his face a mask of fury. “Ava, I told you to lead the reporters away, and you couldn’t even manage that simple task. What good are you to me? I might as well have adopted a dog!” “Now look! The reporters got pictures of Serena, and she’s so upset she can’t eat. This is all your fault. Get out here right now and apologize to Serena!” Leo searched room by room. Chloe clutched my hand, pressing close to me. Even in death, she trembled with terror. Mom gripped the blanket covering her legs, her eyes swimming in tears. “Ava and Chloe, they… they’re gone…” She had cried for a day and a night, her vocal cords severely damaged, each word a tearing agony. Yet, when she spoke Chloe’s and my names, her voice remained gentle and overflowing with love. Serena suddenly feigned tears, whimpering piteously. “It must be Ava and Chloe. They’ve often had to help me distract reporters, and they’ve been through so much. They must be deliberately hiding from me.” “Dominic, please don’t be mad at them. I understand why they might hate me.” Seeing her pathetic act, Dominic’s eyes softened. He reached out to wipe away tears that weren’t there. Leo returned from his search, empty-handed. Seeing Serena so distraught, he exploded. In a fit of rage, he kicked the plastic chair next to him. It slammed against the wall, cracking into pieces. “You old hag, where did you hide Chloe?!” “Serena is being so generous, why don’t you hurry up and tell her to come out and beg for forgiveness?!” Enough, Leo! Mom wasn’t lying. Chloe and I were dead. You brothers and that bitch killed us! Chloe looked at me, confused. “Sis, what did we do wrong? Why do they treat us like this?” I held her close, gently stroking the back of her head, my heart twisting with agony. The only mistake we sisters ever made was marrying those beasts! *** Chapter Two Eight years ago, Dominic and I met at a student club meeting. From that day on, he deliberately created opportunities for us to spend time together. Soon, we grew close. On the night of the Freshman Orientation Week welcome party, Dominic played and sang on stage, drawing cheers from all the girls in the audience. I watched, captivated. When the song ended, he picked up the microphone, holding a bouquet of flowers, and hurried down to me. He knelt on one knee, presenting the flowers. “Princess, may I be your prince?” The hall erupted in applause. “Say yes! Say yes!” The unexpected surprise made my mind go blank. I covered my mouth, tears of joy welling up, and took the flowers, nodding vigorously through my tears. After graduation, we married smoothly, and Chloe and Leo also tied the knot. Our marriage was good at first. It wasn’t until last year, when Serena returned from overseas, that I learned she was Dominic and Leo’s first love, the one they’d always pined for. They had loved Serena for many years, but she was always out of reach. From then on, Dominic and Leo frequently visited Serena, sometimes not even coming home at night. I even caught them both entering a hotel with Serena. Dominic explained it was for work, saying their company was planning to promote Serena heavily. As it happened more often, he became irritable, even slamming the door and staying away for weeks. Chloe tearfully confided in me that Leo no longer loved her. If she even mentioned Serena, he would hit her. I confronted Leo, but he told me I had no right to interfere in their marriage. I went to Dominic. He looked utterly impatient. “You’re already Mrs. Thorne, living a life of luxury. Isn’t that enough for you? Serena would never be so petty.” At that time, I was naive enough to believe Dominic was just momentarily misguided, that one day he would come back to his senses. After all, we had such a beautiful past. It wasn’t until Chloe and I were beaten to death in that alley by Serena’s obsessive stans, and I heard the brothers’ curses, that a harsh realization hit me. With Serena in their lives, there was no longer any room in their hearts for Chloe and me. Now, hearing Leo’s words, Mom suddenly lifted her head, her eyes burning with resentment. “Are you deaf? I just told you, Ava and Chloe are gone.” “They’re dead!” Mom shrieked, her voice raw. Her chin trembled, and her eyes were red and swollen. They say a son-in-law is like a son. Mom had always treated Dominic and Leo like her own sons. But now, facing the murderers who killed her two daughters, she could no longer suppress the hatred festering inside her. Noticing Mom’s unusual behavior today, Dominic and Leo instinctively exchanged uneasy glances, a flicker of surprise and suspicion in their eyes. “How is that possible?!” “No way!” The air thickened with tension. Mom glared at the two Thorne brothers, her lips trembling with agitated fury, about to speak. Just then, Serena knelt in front of Mom, her face a mask of false grievance. “Auntie, I know you don’t want to see me, but you shouldn’t curse your own daughters like that. I’ll leave right now, please don’t be angry.” “But Auntie…” Serena glanced at the stunned brothers, then turned back to Mom, pouting her lip, feigning hurt. “But after I leave, I hope you’ll tell Ava and Chloe to come out and properly apologize to Dominic and Leo.” “Even if your daughters were a bit thoughtless, as long as they admit their mistake, Dominic and Leo will forgive them.” “Sis! I’m going to kill her, kill her!” Chloe lunged forward, but my ethereal form phased right through Serena. Chloe slumped to the ground, a guttural cry tearing from her. “Sis!! Why us? Why couldn’t it be her?” In that moment, tears streamed from my spectral eyes. But just as I was about to speak, a resounding slap echoed through the room. I looked in astonishment, seeing Mom suddenly slap Serena across the face, shouting, “You vixen, get away from me!” “The reason they treated Ava and Chloe like that is because you ruined their relationship!” “If anyone needs to apologize, it’s them to my two daughters!” Serena tumbled to the ground, clutching her face, letting out a pained shriek. Dominic and Leo’s faces instantly turned pale with shock. They rushed to help her up. “Serena, are you okay?” Dominic clenched his fist, his gaze locking onto Mom, fierce as an enraged lion. His eyes burned with malice. I instinctively spread my hands, trying to shield Mom. “Dominic, what are you doing?!” He walked right through my translucent form, terrifying me. “Chloe, quickly, push Mom away! Hurry!” Chloe nodded frantically, scrambling to grasp the handles of the wheelchair. But her hands passed right through them. She tried several times, unable to grip anything, crying out in frustration, “Sis, Sis, I can’t hold it, I can’t hold it…” Before she finished speaking, Dominic’s open palm struck Mom’s face, knocking her off the wheelchair. Her head struck the sharp edge of the coffee table. Blood instantly bloomed. “You old hag! How dare you hit Serena?!” “No wonder Ava couldn’t tell right from wrong, always causing trouble. Turns out, the problem lies with you, old woman.” “Apologize to Serena right now!” Mom stared at him defiantly, saying nothing. Dominic exploded in a fit of rage. He grabbed Mom’s head, slamming it down, forcing her into a humiliating bow to Serena again and again. “I told you to apologize to Serena! Did you hear me? Apologize! Apologize!” I flailed wildly, trying to hit him. “Stop, Dominic, stop it!” But my hands passed through his body, again and again. Despite all my efforts, I couldn’t stop Dominic from hurting Mom. Chloe frantically jumped up and down. “Sis, what do we do? If this keeps up, Mom will be seriously hurt!” Then, she suddenly looked at Leo. *** Chapter Three Chloe rushed to Leo, falling to her knees, pleading, “Leo, I beg you, tell your brother to let go of Mom! Her health isn’t good.” She bowed her head, hitting the floor again and again. But Leo couldn’t hear her. He was holding a tissue, carefully dabbing the redness on Serena’s face, his eyes filled with tender concern. Leo glanced back at Mom, his eyes cold, burning with resentment. “Like mother, like daughter. You taught Chloe to be so deaf!” As soon as he finished speaking, Dominic strode forward. “Mom! Dominic!” Amidst my desperate screams, Dominic grabbed Mom’s hair, dragging her violently into the bathroom. Mom cried out in searing pain. Strands of white hair clung to his hand. I rushed after him, yelling desperately, “Dominic, let go! Let go! Let go!” I wanted to kill him. Six months ago, I’d caught him and Serena being intimate in their car, but I hadn’t hated him this much. Dominic turned on the bathtub faucet, his expression twisted with malice. “You old hag! I’m giving you one last chance. Call Ava back to see me.” “Otherwise, she won’t be Mrs. Thorne anymore.” Mom gritted her teeth against the searing pain in her scalp and spat at Dominic. “The biggest regret of my life was marrying Ava to a beast like you. I’d rather die today than let you see Ava.” “You don’t deserve it.” Mom absolutely loathed Dominic. Every time she saw a bruise on my face, she’d hug me and cry, blaming herself for having mobility issues and not being able to stand up for me. Now Dominic wanted to see me. Forget being dead. Even if I were alive, Mom would never agree. “You’re asking for it! Do you really think I won’t do anything to you just because you’re old? Go to hell!” Dominic slammed Mom’s head into the bathtub water. *Gurgle, gurgle!* Mom’s hands thrashed wildly, her body trembled violently, and she strained her head, desperate for air. But Dominic’s fingers, like bands of steel, clamped around Mom’s head, holding her immovably. She couldn’t break free. “Mom! Mom!” I stood right by the bathtub, watching Mom being tortured until she was barely clinging to life. But I was powerless to stop it. Oh, God, please, just let me get revenge on him. Just once. Even if it means I’m dragged to hell. Even if it means my very being is obliterated! I’d be willing! Please, God! “Mom, Mom…” Chloe reached out again and again, grabbing nothing but air. She screamed hysterically, bloodshot eyes nearly popping out of her head, on the verge of madness. Water from the bathtub splashed onto Dominic. He abruptly shoved Mom. She hit the edge of the tub with a dull thud. Her already weak body collapsed heavily onto the floor. Her face was ashen, her mouth agape, but no sound escaped. She was teetering on the brink of death. “Mom! Mom!” Chloe and I knelt before her, our voices hoarse from crying. Watching Mom like this, I could only kneel there, sobbing. “Mom, it’s all my fault. I was disloyal, marrying this beast, and causing you such suffering. I was disloyal…” Chloe and I cried until our hearts ached, hating the three of them to our very bones. But we were dead. We couldn’t do anything! Why, why?! You cruel fate, why do you do this to our family?! After almost two minutes, Mom slowly recovered, starting to cough violently, as if her lungs would come out. She spat out the water she had choked on, and her body began to convulse violently, left with barely a breath after Dominic’s torture. Chloe wept tears of joy. “Sis, Sis, Mom’s alive! She’s alive!” I let out a shaky breath. I was so afraid Mom wouldn’t make it. A raw, bald patch marred her scalp. Large clumps of white hair lay scattered beside her. Dominic had ripped these directly from Mom’s head. Mom lay on the floor, her eyes devoid of light. But when she saw the urns on the coffee table, her gaze softened with maternal love again. Those were Chloe’s and my ashes. They were the only things we sisters had left for Mom. She cherished them more than life itself. Serena followed Mom’s gaze, saw the urns, and immediately ran over, picking them up, examining them closely. “Give them back!” Mom frantically crawled forward, oblivious to her frail body. *** Chapter Four Mom painstakingly crawled to Serena. She looked up, pressing her hands together in a pleading gesture, her eyes red and swollen from crying. “Please, I beg you, give them back to me. I’m begging you…” But before she finished speaking, Serena ripped open the urn. Inside were two smaller bottles, each containing Chloe’s and my ashes. “No!” Amidst Mom’s desperate, hoarse shriek, Serena’s face contorted with disgust. “Auntie, it’s just some powder. Why are you so dramatic? Fine, since you want it so badly, I’ll give it back to you.” Serena extended the urn to Mom. Mom, trembling with excitement, reached out to take it. Just as her fingers brushed against it, Serena let go. The urn slipped past Mom’s fingertips and crashed to the floor. *CRACK!* It shattered into pieces. “No!” Mom cried out, trying to scoop up the scattered ashes. But Dominic’s grip on her head tightened, forcing her face down onto the floor, mercilessly grinding it against the ground. “Let me go! I can’t let Ava and Chloe…” Dominic’s hand lashed out, slapping Mom hard across the face. He roared, “Shut up! Stop pretending! How could that be their ashes?!” My heart turned to stone as I stared at him. Dominic and Leo were company executives; they had plenty of people working for them. A simple check would have revealed the truth. But they didn’t care enough to investigate. Mom didn’t answer Dominic, frantically trying to scoop the ashes with her hands. “Ava, Chloe, don’t be afraid. Mom is here. Mom won’t let you be without a home even in death.” “Auntie, I’m so sorry! I’ll go get a broom and sweep it up right away.” Serena’s arm brushed a switch on the wall. The ceiling fan roared to its highest setting. A powerful gust of wind immediately swept down. The handful of ashes Mom had just gathered were blown away by the strong current, slipping through her fingers. The ashes on the floor scattered everywhere. She couldn’t catch them. “No, no. My daughters, my daughters…” Mom cried out in gut-wrenching despair. At that moment, even though I was already dead, my heart twisted with excruciating pain. “Sis, Sis…” I snapped my head up, horrified to see Chloe’s body shimmering, fading with the wind. The scattering ashes meant Chloe’s soul was dissipating. “Chloe, Chloe…” I rushed forward, reaching for Chloe’s hand. But at my touch, she disintegrated like fine sand. Gone. I couldn’t hold on. Because my own ethereal body was slowly disappearing too. “Sis, we’re fading away. But I… I can’t bear to leave Mom. She’s old, and she has mobility issues. What will she do if we’re both gone…” I turned back to look at our battered mother, my heart ripped to shreds. “I can’t bear it either.” The ashes on the floor were being blown towards the window. “Ava, Chloe!” A powerful surge of maternal love ignited a surprising strength within Mom. Her body suddenly erupted with astonishing power. She crawled forward with desperate speed. Before I could react, she had already grasped the windowsill. It was dozens of stories high; jumping meant certain death. But Mom didn’t hesitate for a second. She flung herself out, reaching out to grab Chloe’s and my ashes. “Ava, Chloe, Mom is so sorry. Mom is coming to join you now…” “Mom, no!” “Mom!” Chloe and I immediately rushed to the window. My hand was almost reaching Mom. Just as I was about to touch her, my hand suddenly dissipated. A chilling cold enveloped my entire being. “Mom!” My scream ripped through the air. My ethereal body, from transparent, became real. Dominic turned, his face filled with utter astonishment, staring directly at my suddenly visible form. His eyes widened in shock, almost bursting from their sockets. “Av-Ava?!” At the same time, Leo crumpled to the floor, a pathetic heap. “Sister-in-law?!” *** Chapter Five “Dominic, what did you just shout?” Serena walked to the window, staring intently at Dominic. Dominic snapped back to reality, his expression still blank, his words fumbling. “I… I think I just saw Ava Anderson. She was standing right here.” “Here?”

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I was reborn, and so was Blake. In our last life, we were the perfect couple in everyone’s eyes. I was a master of investment, my wealth limitless. He was an artist, his works endless. I often made time and spent money to help him host art exhibitions, and he never refused to accompany me to social and business gatherings. Until I became a business mogul and he a top artist, our lives were harmonious, filled with mutual respect. Then, during an outdoor sketching trip, heavy rain triggered a mudslide. We were swallowed whole, perishing together. Reborn again, he shamelessly declared in front of everyone, “Vivian is all about money, crude and shallow. We artists pursue real thought and artistic expression, something vulgar people just wouldn’t get.” Watching Blake tenderly hold Daisy’s hand while they painted, I finally understood. He wanted a different life. Well, I’d give him exactly that. “Blake, you and Vivian have been together for three years. When are you getting married?” “She values money too much; it makes me sick. Vivian and I aren’t from the same world. Dating is one thing, but for marriage, I need someone more suitable.” Blake casually lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and nonchalantly uttered these words to the guys in front of him. “Yeah, right. Our Blake is going to be an artist. Vivian, on the other hand, spends all day mingling with men at business dinners. She calls it networking for money, but who knows what her actual relationship with those men is?” “Alright, enough. She’s not like that. Just try to keep your distance from her from now on.” Blake simply stomped out his cigarette, his face completely devoid of anger. My whole body trembled with rage, my chest tight as if I couldn’t breathe, my mind a blank. The first thing I did after being reborn was rush here from a business dinner. Because on this very day in our last life, it was Blake and my third-anniversary. He had organized an art exhibition especially for me at the gallery, proposing to me in front of everyone and speaking of his deep love for me over the past three years. Remembering all that, I’d chugged half a bottle of vodka to leave the dinner, my stomach churning and aching relentlessly. But the thought of seeing Blake soon had momentarily suppressed the pain, filling me with excitement and joy. The reality was, I stood backstage at the gallery, listening to Blake and his friends ridicule and insult me. “Brother Blake, your paintings are so beautiful! Can you teach me?” A female voice reached my ears. A girl in a white dress, holding a drawing board, walked towards Blake, her smile blooming like a flower. Blake’s usually sharp eyes suddenly softened, his voice mellowing. He stepped forward, taking her hand holding the paintbrush, and guiding it across the canvas. “Daisy, this exhibition is specifically for you. You can learn anything you want, I’ll teach you.” “Daisy is so hardworking and talented. She’ll definitely be a renowned artist someday.” His large, strong hand gently enveloped her small, delicate one. Daisy was almost cradled in Blake’s arm, both of them smiling happily. The scene before me stung my eyes. I shifted my gaze, only then realizing that all the paintings around me were of that girl in the white dress; none had anything to do with me. In that instant, I knew. Blake had been reborn too. He wanted a new life. After we got married in the previous life, I had once seen a photo in Blake’s drawer. It was of him and this girl in the white dress. They sat under a blossoming tree, heads together, gazes locked. They looked like a couple straight out of a romance movie, perfectly in sync. Back then, Blake told me she was just a junior student, that they often collaborated, and their relationship was slightly more intimate than casual acquaintances. Now I knew. This girl, Daisy, was his new choice after rebirth.

In my last life, I felt like I was always looking up to Blake, spending my whole life chasing his shadow. In high school, he excelled at painting, sweeping almost every art award. His voice always echoed from the school radio station, deep and clear. His figure was always on the school awards stage, tall and upright, his youthful back always straight and strong. I just looked up at him and his paintings, harboring a single thought: to earn tons and tons of money, to host countless exhibitions for him so his brilliant art could be seen by the world. Later, he went to a top art university to hone his painting skills, and I chose finance. To earn money, to forge more connections, I attended eight business dinners a day, holding my breath and chugging down cheap bottled liquor, only to spend hours in the restroom, throwing up until I was dizzy and disoriented. I did all this to make myself excellent enough, to be capable of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Blake. I spared no expense, investing heavily in Blake’s exhibitions, securing better resources for him, and introducing him to influential people in the art world. Looking back now, my last life felt like I lived entirely for Blake. I was like a pathetic dog begging for scraps; all he had to do was crook a finger, and I’d eagerly rush to him. It was time for me to be myself again, to start a new life. I turned and walked away, heading home to put on exquisite makeup and a stunning dress, ready for the evening’s cocktail party. Just as I opened the door, about to head downstairs to hail a cab, I saw Blake standing at the entrance. He wore a white suit, sleek gold-rimmed glasses, his hair meticulously combed back. Refined and incredibly handsome, this image had made my heart flutter countless times. But seeing him again, my heart was calm as still water, without a ripple. Seeing my lack of reaction, Blake spoke first, his voice cold and devoid of emotion. “I promised to take you to the business dinner tonight. Let’s go.” He subtly glanced at my high heels, then extended his hand towards me. “Be careful on the stairs with those heels. Don’t fall.” I once thought these small gestures, hidden within his actions, were signs of his care, his love and protection for me. Only after years of being together did I realize that his meticulousness, his adherence to promises, his good manners, and so on, were simply because that’s who he was. He inherently possessed these qualities; he didn’t become this way *because of* me. Blake opened the car door for me, shielding my head as I slipped into the back seat. A female voice drifted from the front, clear and delicate. “Hello, ma’am, I’m Blake’s junior, Daisy. I’d love to learn more about the world. Could you take me along to see what a business party is like?” Daisy looked at me with crescent-shaped eyes, but there was no real smile in them, only a hint of challenge. Having spent so many years in the finance world, I’d seen all kinds of people. For a girl like her, I wasn’t going to stoop to her level. To my surprise, before I could even speak, Blake interjected, trying to smooth things over for her. “You know, your heavy makeup really does make you look older. Just bring her along. Your business dinners aren’t exactly high society, are they?” I scoffed, then closed my eyes to rest, ignoring both of them.

The two followed me into the private room. The eyes of everyone in the room immediately focused on the three of us. Many of my business partners were there; they naturally knew my relationship with Blake. But now, Blake stood behind me, and Daisy shyly looped her arm through his. Blake’s eyes held a hint of indulgence, and he gently comforted her, telling her not to be afraid. I chuckled inwardly. In my previous life, no matter how much I tried to please Blake, he always remained aloof and indifferent. It turns out he preferred this ‘innocent damsel’ act. “Vivian, this is…” Someone in the room asked. I smoothed my slightly tousled curls and replied casually, “Daisy. My boyfriend’s new girlfriend.” Everyone’s eyes widened in disbelief. Blake’s face stiffened, turning an uncomfortable shade of purple. To ease the awkwardness, he stepped forward, pulled out a chair for me, and politely smiled at everyone, saying, “Vivian loves to joke. Please don’t take her seriously.” “Yeah, it’s just a joke.” I gave them both a meaningful look, then decided not to embarrass them further. Once seated, I busied myself chatting with partners about new investment projects, maintaining professional appearances. Blake and Daisy, meanwhile, were openly intimate, laughing and talking. When the food and drinks arrived, Daisy picked up her forks and began eating without a care. Blake watched her tenderly, even reaching out to pat her back, urging her to eat slowly so she wouldn wouldn’t choke. My heart ached. I remembered his art exhibition’s appreciation dinner in our last life. I hadn’t eaten all day and was dizzy from low blood sugar. I just wanted to grab some food from the table to feel better. But he had slapped the forks right out of my hand, his voice stern. “With so many people here, eating before everyone else is incredibly rude. What will people think of you? What will they say about me behind my back?” I used to think that as an artist, he was just incredibly particular about table etiquette. Now I knew, his strict demands were only for me. “Looks like our little sister is hungry! We don’t have so many rules here. Let’s all have a drink and eat!” someone in the crowd noticed Daisy’s actions and spoke up to ease the atmosphere. “Daisy, you’re still young. Don’t drink alcohol. I’ll pour you some juice.” Blake downed the wine that was originally in Daisy’s glass and then filled it with juice, placing it in front of her. Everyone raised their glasses, waiting for Daisy’s move. Daisy picked up her juice-filled glass, suddenly stood up, and her hand holding the glass tilted in my direction. Instantly, the liquid splashed out, drenching my face. Sticky liquid ran down my cheeks. Daisy rushed over with a wet wipe, vigorously scrubbing my makeup off while apologizing. “Oh, I’m so sorry! I wasn’t stable, I was so clumsy! Let me help you wipe the juice. I’m so, so sorry!” Daisy’s smug smile vanished in an instant; all her actions were clearly intentional. I didn’t want to stoop to her level, but that didn’t mean I would always back down. I grabbed her wrist, picked up my own drink, and splashed it all over her face. She might have choked. I snatched the wet wipe she’d used to smear my makeup and shoved it into her mouth. “Are you choking, little sister? Let me help you wipe.” “Vivian, you’re going too far!” Daisy burst into tears. Blake stepped forward and forcefully pushed my shoulder, pulling Daisy into his embrace. “Daisy didn’t mean to do it. Do you have to be so petty? Someone as narrow-minded as you can only make friends with these uncultured, crude people who just drink and brag all day!” Having been with him for years, I knew Blake’s emotional intelligence was usually high; he wouldn’t easily offend anyone. But now, for Daisy, he had just insulted every finance professional in the room. “Mr. Blake, what do you mean by ‘uncultured, crude people’? Isn’t that a bit inappropriate?” Someone, offended by his words, questioned him. “What’s inappropriate about it? What kind of depth do you people have? You just stumble into some money through luck. Compared to us artists, you’re absolutely nowhere!” Blake’s face turned red with anger, speaking recklessly. His words infuriated everyone present. My face was grim. I didn’t hesitate, raising my hand and delivering a sharp slap directly across his face. Blake froze, his eyes widening in disbelief. “No one invited you to this party. You both shamelessly elbowed your way in.”

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My husband personally sent me to a reform school for the sake of his childhood sweetheart. I was abused to death there, while he threw a lavish birthday party for his true love. A year later, he finally drove to pick me up and take me home. Later, when he was about to go on a date with his sweetheart, I kissed him sweetly and said, “Go ahead, darling. I’ll wait for you to come back.” He was very pleased: “Sending you to that reform school was the right decision after all.” I smiled faintly: “Yes, darling.” But what he didn’t know was that this person wasn’t really me. The real me was already dead. Chloe came to visit our home and broke the only thing my grandmother had left me. Looking at the shattered purple jade bracelet on the floor, I pushed her away. I didn’t use much force, but she fell to the ground, her cry bringing my husband running. Lucas immediately slapped me across the face and helped Chloe up: “Are you okay, Chloe?” The tenderness in his eyes and voice was something I had never heard before. Chloe leaned into his arms, quietly sobbing, “I… I accidentally broke Olivia’s bracelet. I’m so sorry…” Lucas glanced at the bracelet on the floor and comforted her, “It’s fine, that’s not important.” I stared at them in disbelief. This was the only thing my grandmother had left me. And he said it wasn’t important? My fingers trembled with anger, but Lucas just walked away with her in his arms. That evening, his assistant rushed over with a new bracelet. It was prettier and more expensive than the one that broke. But I didn’t want it. Lucas handed me the bracelet, telling me not to be so petty – it was just a bracelet, not worth getting so worked up over. I clutched the new bracelet, staring at him blankly, “That was my grandmother’s wedding gift to me.” My grandmother was the only one in the family who was ever kind to me. She had set aside this wedding gift, but wasn’t able to attend my wedding. Lucas just paused briefly, then frowned, “Chloe didn’t mean to. What do you want?” “I saw her take it out of the drawer and throw it on the floor herself. How was that not intentional?” “Enough!” Lucas cut me off harshly, “Olivia, there aren’t many people as petty as you in this world. You’ll say anything to slander Chloe.” I was suddenly at a loss for words. Looking at him was like looking at a stranger. Seeing my stunned expression, Lucas softened his tone: “Don’t be angry. I’ve already found someone to repair the bracelet. You can have it back in a few days.” Hearing that, I felt a little better. But I still couldn’t entirely let go of my resentment, clearly remembering the stinging slap he had given me without hesitation.

The next day, Chloe suggested going to see a movie and brought me along. It was a romantic film. Chloe cried throughout, quietly sobbing. Lucas wiped her tears and rubbed her back soothingly, pulling her into his arms to comfort her. I sat to the side, feeling like an outsider. The quiet theater felt like an invisible knife, slowly torturing me. When it was time to leave, Chloe said she had left her purse in the theater and Lucas went to get it for her. As soon as he left, Chloe touched her reddened eyes and smiled at me. She had finally dropped the act. “Mrs. Lucas, don’t you think you were quite eye-catching today?” I was in such a foul mood that I didn’t want to respond to her. Seeing that I wasn’t saying anything, she began to size me up. “I don’t know how Lucas ever fell for you and actually married you.” “Oh right, I left him so decisively back then, I must have broken his heart. He probably married you just to spite me.” “He doesn’t love you anyway, so of course he doesn’t care what you look like.” My anger turned to bewilderment. Her words played over and over in my mind as I struggled to process them. My fingernails dug into my palms, the pain barely registering. I suddenly understood. So that’s how it was. No wonder all these years I always felt Lucas was too reserved, never telling me he loved me. It turns out there was always someone else in his heart. And now that person had come back, which is why he suddenly seemed like a different person. Actually, he hadn’t changed – he just didn’t love me. “Mrs. Lucas, why don’t you bow out gracefully? If you drag this out, you’ll only embarrass yourself in the end. I don’t want to be the bad guy here.” “After all, Lucas really likes me. With just one word from me, he’d dump you in a heartbeat.” Chloe was very confident. Judging by how Lucas had been doting on her these past few days, she certainly had reason to be. However, I didn’t want to give up. Lucas was the man I had secretly loved for years and finally managed to win over. At the very least, I was still Lucas’s wife right now. Hearing my response, Chloe sighed sympathetically. “You’re going to lose.” With that, she grabbed my hand and pushed herself down the stairs. A figure immediately rushed over and caught her in his arms. In that moment, I thought she was actually quite desperate. If Lucas had asked for a divorce, I probably would have packed my bags and left immediately. However, he didn’t.

He drove me out to the suburbs, and when I asked where we were going, he said he was taking me to meet someone. When we arrived at our destination, there was no one there to meet. There was only an old iron gate with a sign that read “Reform School.” I struggled desperately, trying to escape, but it was no use. I was tied up and thrown inside. Lucas stood outside the gate, coldly watching me, saying he would come pick me up and bring me home in a year. But three days later, I died in a cramped, stuffy dormitory. In those three days, I was beaten with sticks, electrocuted, forced to kneel for hours, made to roll on beds of nails, taught how to be a proper person, and instructed in the ways of female obedience. Bruised and battered, I returned to the dorm room and was about to lie down when the door was suddenly kicked open. A group of men dragged me from the bed to the floor. The leader grabbed my chin, looking me over. Someone said, “She’s quite a looker, boss.” He sneered, “Well, she is Lucas’s wife. Even with his poor taste, he wouldn’t choose someone too ugly.” “You’re unlucky to run into me. Who told Lucas to mess with me?” “He bankrupted my family. Is it too much for me to mess with his wife?” The lackeys chimed in, “How could that be too much? Lucas brought this on himself. Go ahead boss, we’ll keep watch.” “Keep watch? What kind of brothers are you if you don’t join in?” The man laughed cruelly and started tearing at my clothes. I cried and struggled, but with just one hand each, they could pin me to the floor, unable to move, at their mercy. Despair and anguish spread through my chest as I recalled Lucas’s cold expression when he left me here. And how carelessly he had said he would come pick me up in a year. Suddenly all my strength drained away as I stared blankly at the moldy ceiling. They took videos and photos, but decided it wasn’t enough – they wanted to call Lucas too. “No… please don’t!” I shuddered violently, then shook my head desperately, crying and begging him not to do it. The man laughed loudly as he dialed the number. Thankfully, Lucas didn’t answer. They tried calling several times with no luck. The man hung up and showed me a video. It had just been posted moments ago. It was from Chloe. In the video, she was holding a bouquet of bright red roses, wearing a birthday crown, sitting next to the man who had sent me to this place. Lucas turned to look at her, his eyes overflowing with tenderness and love. I stared blankly, forgetting the pain, forgetting where I was. “Tsk, sending his wife to a place like this while throwing a birthday party for another woman. This Lucas sure knows how to play.” The man put the phone away, lamenting that it was a shame Lucas couldn’t witness his wife being violated in person. They tormented me all night long. On the third night, I died in that dormitory.

One year later. When Lucas drove up to the reform school, the sky was already growing dark. A woman stood at the entrance, smiling gently at him. He got out of the car, and before he could get close, she ran over and hugged him. “Darling, I’ve missed you so much.” Lucas paused, then smiled in satisfaction: “How was it in there?” The woman tilted her head thoughtfully, then said: “Not bad at all.” Lucas brought his now obedient and submissive wife back home. He called her Olivia. But I was already dead. The one by his side was my twin sister, Sophia. I followed them back to the city in spirit form. Lucas was especially patient with his newly returned wife, telling her about the changes at home and what he had been up to over the past year. He told her everything, except about Chloe. But I knew. After death, my spirit had left my body and wandered the human world. I knew everything he had done crystal clear. Including every meal with Chloe, every movie, every intimate encounter. His change in attitude was probably out of guilt, wanting to make it up to me. That evening, after showering, Sophia put on a lacy nightgown and slipped under the covers, wrapping her arms around the man’s waist. Lucas instinctively locked his phone, which was open to a chat window. Sophia acted like she hadn’t noticed, snuggling against him like a kitten. Looking down at the woman’s cleavage, his Adam’s apple bobbed. As if sensing the man’s heated gaze, Sophia looked up, her eyes sparkling, red lips parted slightly as she let out a soft moan. Lucas paused, his eyes flickering. No longer paying attention to the messages popping up on his phone, he flipped her over and pinned her beneath him. I had thought that after a year, nothing he did would affect me anymore. But the stabbing pain in my heart at that moment was undeniable. My Sophia was now lying beneath my husband, begging for his attention, with a triumphant smile playing at her lips. The next day, Sophia went to a cemetery on the outskirts of town, stopping in front of a blank headstone. She placed a bouquet of jasmine flowers before the grave, her slender fingers lightly tracing the unmarked stone. A crazed smile spread across her face. “Rest in peace, sister.” “Your husband is mine now.”

Returning to the mansion, Sophia ran into Lucas dressed in a tailored suit, his hair carefully styled, wearing men’s cologne. She smiled at him, “Are you going out, darling?” “Mm,” he paused, then said, “I’m going to see Chloe.” Lucas and Chloe’s chat the night before had been cut short, and Chloe was upset. He was going out now to appease her. If it had been me before, I definitely would have questioned him and thrown a fit. But Sophia just kissed him sweetly, “Go ahead, darling. I’ll wait for you to come back.” Lucas was very pleased with this response: “Sending you to that reform school was the right decision after all.” The woman’s lips curved into a smile: “Yes, darling.” Of course it was right. How else would I have died? How else could she have taken my place? Sophia had liked Lucas for a long time. In high school, the three of us went to the same school. Lucas was the golden boy – wealthy family, top grades, strikingly handsome. There was hardly a girl in school who didn’t have a crush on him. Lucas and I were in the same class. My secret crush on him was the only joy in my otherwise dull high school life. I realized Sophia also had a crush on him when she started frequently coming to our classroom during breaks. Sophia and I looked about 60% alike, but in terms of delicate features, she wasn’t as pretty as me. Despite coming to our classroom every day, she never entered Lucas’s field of vision in those three years. When it came time for college applications, Lucas didn’t go abroad, but applied to a local university instead. Fortunately, after three years of hard work, I finally caught up to him and we entered the same university. Sophia, on the other hand, got sick and had to take a year off from high school. She was still in her senior year when I started college as a freshman. She missed her chance with Lucas. I started dating Lucas in the second semester of sophomore year. We got married after graduation. In all those years, Sophia never appeared before me. So Lucas didn’t know Sophia. After I was sent to the reform school, Sophia came to see me and somehow found out I had been abused to death. She made a deal with them. Later she got plastic surgery. When she reappeared at the reform school, no one recognized her anymore. Sophia took my place, while the reform school kept my death a secret. She came back this time to stay by Lucas’s side in my stead.

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My husband, Liam Miller, and his secretary, Bella Hayes, were kidnapped. The kidnappers demanded, “Give us a hundred million dollars, and you can take one person. Give us three hundred million, and you can take both.” Liam didn’t hesitate, transferring a staggering hundred million dollars – his *entire liquid assets* – to the kidnappers to free Bella. As he left, he looked at me, his voice a calculated calm. “I can only spare this much right now. You’ve always been so strong, so resilient, Chloe. Bella isn’t like you; she’s so fragile. I have to save her first. I promise, I’ll figure out a way to get you out next.” After they left, I was brutally thrown from the building by the kidnappers, sustaining severe injuries. When I woke up, Liam was holding my hand. “Bella scratched her arm on some glass. We had a piece of skin grafted from you onto her.” “She’s at that age where looks really matter. If she knew she’d have a scar on her arm, she’d be heartbroken.” I was so furious, but utterly helpless, unable to move a single muscle, let alone hit him. As soon as I was discharged, I booked a flight to Europe seven days later. Liam Miller, prepare for your downfall.

The next time I opened my eyes, I was met with Liam’s relieved gaze. “Chloe, you’re awake! Are you uncomfortable anywhere?” “This is all my fault. If I hadn’t put you in danger, you wouldn’t have suffered like this.” “I thought he’d give me time to negotiate, but then the kidnapper threw you right from the window in front of me. I almost went insane then.” “I couldn’t imagine what meaning my world would hold if I lost you.” “Thank goodness, you’re still here. I’ll make it up to you, I swear.” Seeing Liam’s guilt-ridden, weary expression, my heart couldn’t help but soften a little. I tried to lift my hand to touch his cheek, only to find my entire body was completely paralyzed. What followed was excruciating pain radiating through every inch of me. Liam reached out and squeezed my hand, his voice thick with what sounded like emotion. “The doctor said you have multiple fractures and need complete bed rest. You absolutely can’t move around, or it’ll hinder your recovery.” Just then, the doctor knocked and walked in. After checking me with various instruments, he said, “No fever, and no inflammation or infection at the wound site. It seems there were no adverse reactions after the skin graft surgery. Just focus on resting.” He finished speaking and wheeled his equipment out. My eyes widened in shock as I looked at Liam. “What are you talking about? What skin graft surgery?” Liam slowly helped me sit up, propping pillows behind me. “When the kidnappers threw you, flying glass cut Bella’s arm.” “The doctor said the wound was too big and would leave a scar. She’s at that age where looks really matter; how could she possibly accept a scar on her arm? Her eyes were so swollen from crying.” “Besides, this whole mess started because of *you*. And you always wear long sleeves and pants, so losing a piece of skin from your arm won’t really affect you, right? Plus, you’re unbelievably lucky to have just fainted after falling from that height. So, I took the liberty of telling the doctors to graft a piece of skin from your stomach onto her arm. Think of it as making amends for what happened.” I trembled with rage, trying desperately to reach out and grab him, to demand *why*. But then Liam’s phone rang. After he hung up, he said anxiously, “Bella’s getting her skin graft done. Girls are so delicate and afraid of pain; she needs me there.” “You’re awake now, you’ll be fine on your own. But Bella can’t manage without me. I need to go be with her.” With that, he placed a bouquet of roses on the bed and left me, utterly paralyzed, turning and walking away. But I’m severely allergic to real flowers. For our first anniversary, he’d ordered 999 roses for me. When they arrived, I broke out in hives, my breathing seized up, and I passed out cold. After that, any roses he gave me were always carefully crafted from silk. He completely forgot, didn’t he? It was Bella, his little secretary, who loved roses. Now, those real roses by my bed were practically a death sentence. My whole body started itching, my breathing grew more rapid. Enduring the searing pain, I stretched my hand, struggling to reach the call button on the bedside table. Just a hand’s length away, I tumbled from the bed. My head hit the corner of the table, blood gushing over my face. Unable to breathe, and losing too much blood, I finally blacked out.

When I regained consciousness, I vaguely heard Liam’s voice. A faint flicker of hope ignited in my heart. Had he remembered my rose allergy and come back for me? But the words that followed shattered my heart, one by agonizing one. “She’s just having an allergic reaction, isn’t she? Just keep her alive while you draw the blood, what’s so hard about that?” The doctor’s voice replied, “She has multiple fractures and an acute allergic reaction, plus she hit her head and lost a lot of blood. Her body can’t withstand such a large blood draw right now; it could be life-threatening.” Liam was silent for a few seconds, then his cold voice came through clearly. “She survived a fall from that height; clearly, she’s practically invincible. A simple blood draw won’t put her in danger.” “Bella needs blood for her graft, and their blood types match, so it’ll save you a trip to the blood bank. Just take 500 milliliters. And hurry up. If you drag your feet, I’ll report all of you.” I snapped fully awake, struggling desperately, but Liam pressed down on my arm. “Be a good girl, or the doctor will have to stick you again.” Pain shot through the back of my hand. My eyes red, I looked at him. “Liam Miller, what did I do wrong? Why do you keep hurting me again and again for Bella Hayes?” A flicker of hesitation crossed his eyes, but when he looked back up, only ice remained. “Bella got hurt because of you. You’ll be fine after a good sleep.” My eyelids grew heavier and heavier. When I woke up again, the entire room was empty. Liam was gone. The only good news was that I could move. As I shuffled around on crutches, I passed a patient room, and the scene inside froze me to the spot. Liam was carefully peeling an apple for Bella, who lay in the hospital bed. He then cut it into small pieces, feeding them to her one by one, his eyes full of tenderness. Liam’s affection had once been solely for me. Now, only the recipient of that love had changed. Bella, her eyes wide with feigned concern, leaned into Liam. “Oh, Chloe isn’t mad at me, is she? I swear, I had no idea the kidnappers would throw her! Otherwise, I would have absolutely taken her place!” Liam gently pulled Bella closer. “Stay put. This isn’t your fault. Why would *you* apologize? If anyone should apologize, it’s *her*. If it weren’t for *her*, you wouldn’t be caught up in this mess, suffering like this!” He then picked up his phone from the bedside table. A moment later, my phone vibrated. I stood outside the door and answered Liam’s call. “I hear you can walk now. Get down to Room 305 downstairs.” “Don’t come empty-handed. Bella loves mangoes. Go buy some and bring them over.” He hung up before I could even react. Ever since Bella joined the company, she’d added Liam on SnapChat as his secretary. She’d constantly message him on SnapChat, asking for favors. At first, Liam would dismissively refuse, telling me she wasn’t as independent as I was. But over time, his impatient expression slowly changed. He started mentioning Bella more and more often to me, his tone always gentle and doting. Seven years of commitment, all for nothing against a newcomer.

I went back to my room and quickly checked out of the hospital. Just as I got home, my phone rang. The moment I answered, Liam’s furious voice boomed, “I told you to go apologize to Bella! Where the hell did you run off to? Do I have to come drag you over there myself?” I said calmly, “Didn’t you say she loves mangoes? Then she can just wait.” Liam’s anger died down a bit. “Alright, that’s better. Buy them and get over here, fast.” After hanging up, I switched my phone off. If she wanted mangoes, she could wait forever. I wasn’t buying them. Liam and I were college sweethearts. On our graduation night, amidst cheers from students and faculty, he knelt on one knee and proposed. After we got married, I turned down offers from major companies to start a business with him. When project stakeholders made things difficult, I pushed through, nearly getting alcohol poisoning, just to secure the deal. If a proposal wasn’t quite right, I’d spend days and nights perfecting it. When we were short on staff, I handled everything myself until the company grew bigger and bigger. Slowly, I moved from the frontline to the background. I became the woman behind his success. I even thought we were the most compatible partners, both in business and in marriage. But now, I knew this marriage had to end. I finished organizing all my client files when I heard the front door open. It was Liam, with Bella in his arms. He frowned the moment he saw me. “What’s wrong with you? You just vanished without a word to buy mangoes, and your phone’s off. You have absolutely no intention of admitting your mistake or apologizing.” “Bella is so much more forgiving than you. She’s been nothing but nice, saying good things about you.” I scoffed. “If you ask me, she’s not really into mangoes. She’s more into playing the innocent victim.” “So eager to bring her back here? What, are you expecting me to leave so you two can get down to business?” A flash of anger crossed Liam’s face. He raised his hand and slapped me. My right cheek instantly stung. He said coldly, “I think you’re getting more and more out of line. I brought Bella back so she could change for the company banquet, not for what you’re implying.” Then he walked towards the walk-in closet. Just then, Bella approached me, a challenging smirk on her face. “Chloe, what makes you think you can compete with me? At the hospital, Mr. Miller was constantly fussing over me. All the doctors and patients on our floor were so envious, saying I had such a wonderful boyfriend. And you? Fractured all over, with no one to even take care of you.” “And tonight’s banquet? Mr. Miller is taking *me* as his date.” Then, she suddenly lifted her hand and slapped herself hard across the face. She burst into tears, saying, “Chloe, I’ll take any punishment you dish out, as long as it makes you feel better.” “Just please don’t blame Mr. Miller anymore. He’s been through so much these past few days.” Liam violently pulled me away. “Chloe Spencer, what are you doing? I’m warning you, I brought Bella back here. Don’t go too far.” I stepped forward, but Liam immediately shielded Bella behind him. I sneered, then raised my hand and slapped Liam across the face. “I don’t have some self-harm fetish like *some* people.” “If I’m going to hit anyone, it’ll be the beasts who can’t control their own bodies.” With that, I turned and left. That night, I showed up at the banquet wearing a long black dress. Consider it a fitting end to seven years of marriage. I was surrounded by former business partners. “Long time no see, Chloe. Your reputation as a female powerhouse was legendary back then!” “It was such a shame you suddenly retired.” “How have you been? You should show up more often, let’s catch up sometime.” I smiled, responded to each old partner, and re-added their contact information. Then I found a quiet corner and leisurely sipped an orange juice. I had stepped back then because of Liam’s words: “Our company has grown, and we’ve brought in a lot of talent. You can finally rest easy, just be the woman behind me, and I’ll shield you from everything.” I had retreated to the background, becoming a full-time homemaker. But all I got in return was his wandering heart and betrayal.

The click of high heels echoed from behind me. Bella stood there, arms crossed, a mocking glint in her eyes. “You really are persistent, aren’t you? Following him everywhere.” “Didn’t that kidnapping incident make it clear to you? He doesn’t love you at all; he just can’t bring himself to divorce you.” “He even took skin from your body and grafted it onto mine, all for me.” She smiled, showing off her unblemished arm. “What’s the point of clinging to this marriage?” “What do you have that can compare to me? I’m young and beautiful, while you’re old and faded.” I calmly looked at her. “What’s the use of telling me all this? I’m not like you, a parasitic vine clinging to others.” “Without him, I’m still *me*. But you? Without him, you’re nothing, are you?” I was about to turn away when I noticed the necklace around her neck. It was the sapphire Liam had spent nine million dollars on, for me. It was so valuable that after I received it, I only tried it on once before putting it in a safe. Now, it was around Bella’s neck. I scrutinized her. “For someone of your standing, even a genuine piece looks like a cheap knockoff on you.” “You just can’t pull it off.” Bella suddenly grabbed my arm, her voice pleading, and dropped to her knees. “Chloe, please don’t be angry with Mr. Miller. I truly didn’t know this necklace was yours.” “He just lent it to me because I didn’t have any suitable jewelry for such a formal dinner. I’ll give it back right now. If you’re angry, take it out on me. I’ll endure whatever you dish out, a beating or a scolding.” She was about to take off the necklace. My temple throbbed. Bella was pulling this trick again. Just as I reached out to stop her, she cried out, “Ah!” and tumbled down the stairs. Liam emerged from the crowd. The moment he saw me, a flicker of admiration crossed his eyes. He was about to walk towards me when Bella, who had fallen, called out to him pitifully. Liam shoved me aside and rushed downstairs to pick up Bella. When he looked up again, his face was contorted with furious accusation. “What’s wrong with you now? Why are you giving Bella such a hard time? She’s just a sweet, innocent girl.” Bella, her eyes red, clung to his neck, sobbing softly. “I’m fine, really. I just lost my footing and fell down the stairs. It’s not Chloe’s fault.” “Mr. Miller, please go explain things properly to Chloe, don’t let this misunderstanding between you two get any worse because of me.” Liam lowered his head, his voice full of tender concern. “Are you hurt anywhere? Don’t be scared, I’m here.” Bella blinked her big, wet eyes, like a frightened deer, up at Liam, then pointed to her ankle. “It hurts… my foot hurts so much…” Liam bent down and scooped her up amidst her soft gasps of pain. As he passed me, Liam paused. His voice was icy. “You’re too jealous. Bella always seems to be in danger around you. I’m going home to pack some clothes and stay with her for a while. When you realize your own issues, come apologize to Bella.” “Otherwise…” I looked at the face I had loved for seven years. My voice was flat. “Divorce me, Liam Miller.” “I don’t want you anymore.” A ripple of murmuring swept through the room. Bella’s hand gripped Liam’s suit jacket, tense, afraid he might hear my words and change his mind, come back to me.

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The day the Suttons’ true heiress returned, I, the imposter, became an outcast. My parents doted on her, telling me to yield to her in everything. She wanted the position of the Sutton family’s charity ambassador, and I let her have it. She wanted the heirloom bracelet my biological parents left me, and I gave it to her. But when she demanded I take her place at the altar and marry Dorian Blackwood, the notoriously brutal and reclusive scion of the powerful Blackwood dynasty—a man rumored to be confined to a wheelchair—I hesitated. Yet, my childhood sweetheart and fiancé, Julian Davies, sneered, “You stole twenty years of Scarlett’s life from her; isn’t that enough? Do you really have to steal her marriage too?” In that moment, I decisively broke off the engagement and agreed to marry in her place. But at the wedding, seeing Dorian Blackwood, who was supposed to be paralyzed, stand up, Scarlett Sutton and Julian Davies’s facades completely crumbled! “Stella, I know this is unfair to you, but Scarlett is our biological daughter after all. Your engagement to Julian… please, just let her have it.” My mother held my hand, her face still filled with that familiar, gentle affection, but her words sliced into my heart like a dagger. I was *still* the daughter you’d raised for twenty years. I ignored her plea, turning instead to face Julian Davies, my childhood sweetheart and fiancé, who stood behind me. Marriage wasn’t some childish game; it wasn’t something I could just hand over. “Julian, tell me, who do you want to marry?” Julian froze, seemingly surprised I’d asked him. After a moment of hesitation, he walked over and stood beside the tearful Scarlett Sutton. “Stella Sutton, haven’t you stolen enough of Scarlett’s life over these past twenty years?” “Now you want to steal the marriage that rightfully belongs to her too?” I couldn’t believe those words had come from Julian’s mouth. I thought he would fight for me. He had once said that no matter what my identity was, whether I was the Sutton heiress or not, he would always be good to me. But now, those vows meant absolutely nothing! What Julian Davies truly loved was nothing but the wealth, status, and influence that came with being a Sutton, and what my family could do for his! I was just an imposter, a cuckoo in the nest, a pawn he could discard at any moment. The last flicker of hope for love in my heart extinguished, and I spoke calmly, “Fine, I’ll break off the engagement.” Hearing my answer, Julian’s grim expression instantly softened. “Stella, thank you. I’ll take good care of Scarlett.” Seeing this, Mother immediately smiled and said to Julian, “Julian, the wedding date is approaching fast. You and Scarlett should go pick out some wedding dresses now. Richard and I want to chat with Stella for a bit longer.” “That’s right, you two go on ahead. Stella and I have some private things to discuss.” Julian gave my parents a grateful look, then turned and quickly left the study with Scarlett. The study door closed with a soft click. I thought this was the extent of their cruelty towards me, that this farce was finally over. To my surprise, the moment Julian left, the subtle relief on my parents’ faces quickly faded, replaced by expressions even more troubled and grave than before. “Stella, there’s one more thing…” Mother began, wringing her hands, her eyes darting away from mine. “Scarlett and the Blackwoods originally had an engagement.” “Now that she’s marrying Julian, the Blackwood engagement…” She couldn’t finish her sentence, covering her face and starting to cry. My heart sank, inch by agonizing inch, as I already had a premonition. “The Blackwoods specifically requested a Sutton daughter, so you’re the only one who can marry in Scarlett’s place,” Father finished for her. Dorian Blackwood. I had heard of him. Rumor had it he wielded immense power in the city’s elite circles, but was notoriously brutal, ruthless, and moody. More importantly, a few years ago, he’d suffered an accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down—a cripple. It wasn’t enough that they made me give Julian to Scarlett. They wanted me to live as a ghost in a loveless marriage for her, to face a crippled man with a twisted personality! “Dad, Mom,” my voice was dry. “Are you serious?” Mother avoided my gaze. “There’s no other way. It’s not like Scarlett was willing to go.” “We can’t afford to offend the Blackwoods. There has to be a Sutton daughter to marry into their family. Stella, you’re the most sensible. Just consider it helping the Suttons, and helping your sister.” Father’s face hardened. “The Suttons raised you for twenty years. Now it’s time for you to repay them.” I looked at them, suddenly feeling utterly alienated. The grace of being raised for twenty years, it turned out, was just a bargaining chip to be exchanged at any time. I knew I had no choice in the matter. My heart felt like it had a huge hole, with cold wind whistling through it. I had despaired of Julian. Now, even the familial love of these twenty years had completely shattered.

There were three days left until the wedding. I thought that by agreeing to break off the engagement and marry in her place, I could spend these three days in peace. But as I walked to the dining table for breakfast as usual, Mrs. Davies emerged from the kitchen, let out a shriek, and rushed over to snatch the plate from in front of me. “Mrs. Davies, what are you doing?” I frowned. “Miss Stella, this breakfast is for Miss Scarlett. And the seat you’re in right now? That’s Miss Scarlett’s too.” She deliberately emphasized “Scarlett.” “From now on, you’ll sit over there,” she pointed to the very edge of the dining table. A surge of anger flared in my chest. Even if I was the imposter heiress, it wasn’t a servant’s place to bully me. “Who gave you these rules?” My voice turned cold. “Sister, don’t blame Mrs. Davies. I was the one who said I wanted to sit here.” Scarlett Sutton appeared, I didn’t know when, her voice soft and weak, her eyes slightly red-rimmed. She was dressed in a beautiful lace nightgown, a picture of innocent vulnerability. “Scarlett, why didn’t you sleep longer?” Mother, hearing the commotion, also came out of the kitchen, carrying a nourishing smoothie. “Mom, I was afraid Sister would misunderstand Mrs. Davies…” Scarlett lowered her head aggrievedly. Father walked over too, and seeing the scene, his face immediately darkened. “Stella Sutton! Are you bullying Scarlett again!” “Scarlett is our biological daughter! Get your identity straight!” “She just came back; she’s not used to many things. Can’t you just make allowances for her?” Mother echoed him, “That’s right, Stella. Scarlett suffered so much hardship outside. As her older sister, you should be more understanding.” I stood rooted to the spot, watching them, a picture of a happy family of three, while I felt like an unwanted outsider. All the accusations shot at me like sharp arrows. This blatant favoritism made my chest feel suffocating. Injustice swelled up like a tide, but I pushed it down fiercely. What else could I say? If I said I hadn’t bullied her, would they believe me? If I said I was also a victim, would they feel sorry for me? No, they wouldn’t. In their eyes, every tear Scarlett shed was precious and deserving of pity, while all my feelings were insignificant. I silently walked to that corner, pulled out a chair, and sat down. Scarlett Sutton picked up the smoothie, sipping it delicately, a smug smile playing on her lips.

“Stella Sutton, you know your place now, don’t you?” “You’re nothing but a dog the Suttons raised for twenty years.” “Now that I’m back, you, this dog, can be abandoned at any time.” Her words were ugly, but they were the brutal, cutting truth. After my parents finished breakfast and left, only Scarlett and I remained in the dining room. The challenge and smugness in her eyes were undeniable. I looked at her coldly, not wanting to waste my breath. Scarlett’s gaze fell on my wrist, and her eyes lit up. It was an heirloom bracelet I had worn for many years, an antique piece, a rich emerald green, shimmering with an inner glow. “That bracelet is nice. I want it,” she said, reaching out to snatch it. I instinctively protected my wrist. “This is mine!” “Yours?” Scarlett scoffed. “What do you own that’s truly yours?” “Everything you eat, wear, and use in the Sutton household, isn’t it all the Suttons’?” “And what belongs to the Suttons, naturally belongs to me!” “Let go!” I snapped. This bracelet was the only keepsake my biological parents had left me before they died. It held profound significance for me. “My biological parents left this to me!” I tried to explain. But Scarlett reacted as if she’d heard the biggest joke. “Your biological parents? Who are they? Does it matter?” “Anyway, I want this bracelet now, and you *will* give it to me!” She pulled with force, her nails digging into my skin, the pain twisting my face. In the struggle, the bracelet slipped from my wrist. With a “smash!” it fell onto the hard floor. The crisp sound of it breaking shattered in my ears like a clap of thunder. The bracelet split into several pieces, and my heart, too, shattered into a million fragments. It was the only memento my biological parents had left me, the only way I could feel their presence in this world. Now, it too was broken, just like my heart at this moment, incapable of ever being whole again. Scarlett froze for a moment, then a flicker of panic crossed her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure. She hypocritically bent down and picked up a shard. “Oh, sister, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to.” “If you had just given it to me earlier, it wouldn’t have broken, would it?” Her apology was light and empty, devoid of any sincerity. Julian Davies, I didn’t know when, arrived, having heard the commotion. Seeing the broken pieces on the floor and Scarlett’s “aggrieved” expression, he immediately turned on me. “Stella Sutton! What are you doing now!” “Scarlett only liked your bracelet; couldn’t you have just given it to her? Did you have to make a scene like this?” Julian tenderly took Scarlett’s hand. “Don’t be afraid, Scarlett. It’s just a bracelet. I’ll buy you a better one.” Then he frowned at me. “Stella, Scarlett just came back; she’s still innocent. She suffered a lot outside. Can’t you be more understanding?” He didn’t ask me a single question, didn’t understand the circumstances, and didn’t even see the red marks Scarlett’s nails had left on my wrist. He simply condemned me, as if I were some unforgivable criminal. For some reason, at that moment, I found myself looking forward to the day I would marry Dorian Blackwood. Julian’s tone grew increasingly annoyed. “Why do you always have to be at odds with Scarlett? Are you trying to get my attention?” “Let me tell you, my bride is already decided—it’s Scarlett. You don’t need to play these useless little tricks anymore. I’m never going to marry you!” I hadn’t realized Julian thought this way; I felt as if I had never truly known him. “Julian Davies, you have no right to tell me what to do. We stopped being anything to each other the day I broke off the engagement!” I ignored his endless accusations, simply knelt down, picked up the fragments, and rushed out of that suffocating house. I didn’t notice the stunned, complex look in Julian’s eyes as I turned and left.

My wedding and Scarlett’s were set for the same day. Early in the morning, the Sutton mansion was bustling with activity. Scarlett, in her pristine white wedding gown, beamed with happiness, like a princess held in the palm of their hands. I, too, had changed into a deep red gown, simple but perfectly fitted. When Julian came to pick up Scarlett, his eyes immediately found me, also dressed in a wedding gown. He froze, then a look of disgust spread across his face. “Stella Sutton, what do you think you’re doing?” He walked over, lowering his voice to confront me. “Do you think wearing a wedding gown will let you steal Scarlett’s wedding?” The narcissism and certainty in his tone made me want to laugh. “Julian, do you think too highly of yourself? Do you think you’re the center of the universe, and everyone revolves around you?” Scarlett walked over, hooked Julian’s arm, her voice mournful. “Sister, are you deliberately trying to embarrass me?” As she spoke, her eyes reddened again, and she turned to my parents with a pitiful look. Father casually explained, “Julian, Scarlett, Stella is also getting married today.” “She’s marrying Dorian Blackwood, the Blackwood family’s head.” Scarlett’s eyes flickered with glee at the mention of it. So she’s marrying that cripple Dorian Blackwood. She didn’t care for that, so my marrying him instead was perfect. Julian, however, looked as if he’d heard something unbelievable, his brows furrowing tightly. “Marrying Dorian Blackwood? That cripple?” “Stella Sutton, are you crazy?” “Don’t think this way you can get my attention. Let me tell you, it’s impossible!” He stubbornly insisted that I was deliberately wearing a wedding gown to sabotage his and Scarlett’s wedding. I was too tired to argue with him. Just then, the sound of car engines reached us from outside. Several black luxury cars slowly drove up, stopping in front of the Sutton mansion. From the leading car, a well-dressed, respectful middle-aged man emerged. He was the Blackwood family’s butler. “Miss Stella Sutton, the ceremony is about to begin. Mr. Blackwood sent me to pick you up,” the butler said, bowing slightly as he approached me. In that moment, Julian’s arrogance and certainty finally cracked. He stared at me in shock, then at the Blackwood’s impressive wedding car procession, seemingly only then believing that I was truly marrying Dorian Blackwood. As I was about to step into the car, Julian suddenly stepped forward and blocked me. “Stella Sutton, you can’t marry him!” “Snap out of it! Don’t you know what kind of person Dorian Blackwood is? You’re ruining your future!” His tone was urgent, even with a hint of panic he himself hadn’t noticed. I looked at him coldly, feeling only a bitter irony. “Julian Davies, in what capacity are you stopping me now?” “You’re Scarlett Sutton’s groom, aren’t you?” My words hit him like a bucket of ice water, drenching him to the bone. Julian’s face turned a shade of sickly green, then stark white, and he opened his mouth, but not a single word came out.

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For five years after we got married, Julian Hayes pushed me into compromising situations with his business partners over a hundred times. Every night I spent with those men, he’d bring his little trophy girlfriend home and party all night long. I endured it, over and over again, for the sake of the baby I was carrying. Then, his trophy girlfriend, Bella Stone, decided she wanted to see “the limits of human drinking.” Right after my prenatal appointment, he dragged me from the hospital to a private lounge and forced countless bottles of hard liquor down my throat. Tears streamed down my face, blurring my vision, but Bella just pointed and laughed. “Look at her! Doesn’t she look like a pathetic clown?” Blood gushed out from beneath me, flowing down my thighs and onto the floor. Yet, Julian didn’t spare me a single glance. He looked at me with disgust, a sneer twisting his lips. “You’re filthy. Who knows where this filthy vagrant came from?” “Do you bleed like that on other people’s beds too? Hahahahaha, you’re right, she’s a clown.” I watched the blood pour from me, and there was no pity, no guilt in his eyes. Instead, he took his trophy girlfriend to the beach right after, celebrating their pet hamster’s 100-day adoption anniversary. He forgot. Today was my birthday. CHAPTER

I woke up three days later. I stared at the ceiling for a long time before making the call. After a long, drawn-out ring, he finally picked up, his voice still ragged with post-coital gasps. “Julian Hayes, let’s get a divorce.” A clearly impatient voice came from the other end. “Elara, what pathetic stunt are you pulling now?” “Can’t you just go a day without causing a scene? Are you *that* miserable?” My heart felt like it was drowning in bitter seawater, stinging my eyes. Julian never cared about my feelings, nor did he ever care about my health. “Julian Hayes, the baby’s gone.” “I’m stepping aside for your Bella.” Five years. I’d been tormented, body and soul, left bruised and broken. This relationship, which only I was fighting for, I couldn’t bear to continue. Julian clicked his tongue. I could tell he was forcing himself to be patient with me. “Stop being dramatic, Elara. I’ll have my secretary send you a blank check. Just fill in whatever amount you want.” “Julian Hayes, you still don’t understand.” “I want a divorce.” Julian’s patience with me usually lasted for only a sentence or two. I heard him explode into a furious shout. “Elara, don’t push your luck!” “You were always damaged goods, and for all I know, that kid in your belly wasn’t even mine!” “So what if it’s gone? You were so careless with yourself before, ruined your own body; that’s why you lose every baby you conceive!” “Are you trying to pin this on Bella now?!” I felt a moment of suffocating disbelief. I truly thought I had married for love, that I had the best husband in the world. I truly thought I would be happy for the rest of my life. But five years of memories, countless incidents, stung me. “Don’t even think about divorcing me. Even if you die, I’ll make sure your ashes never find peace!” Then he hung up. I slowly lowered my arm, tears streaming uncontrollably down my face. This was Julian’s seventh child. Every miscarriage was caused by him, or by Bella Stone’s unreasonable demands. My doctor had warned me repeatedly during my sixth miscarriage. “If you have another miscarriage, your chances of getting pregnant again will be almost zero for the rest of your life.” I had told Julian more than once that we had to protect our seventh child. Just last month, when I brought him my prenatal report, I emphasized that we needed to be extra careful this time. But Julian was always impatient. “Don’t be so dramatic.” “Your pathetic attempts to get attention haven’t changed one bit.” He flung the prenatal report in my face, slammed the door, and stormed off to find Bella. Later, he still didn’t care and insisted on sending me as a “gift” to his business partners. I even held scissors to my neck, threatening my life, but it still didn’t earn me a shred of understanding or consideration from Julian. He had his bodyguards knock the scissors out of my hand and then slapped me viciously. “What’s with all the fuss?” “I think you just don’t want to.” “You’re nothing but a used plaything, so stop acting like some virtuous saint. Who are you putting on this show for?” My eyes bloodshot, I met his gaze. I couldn’t see any emotion in those eyes. They were cold, like he was looking at nothing more than an animal. Every memory connected to him seemed filled with the stench of blood and conflict. A crushing sense of helplessness wrapped around me, dragging me into an abyss, suffocating me bit by agonizing bit. My hands trembling, I booked a divorce appointment for a month later, screenshotted the confirmation, and sent it to Julian. The message was like a stone sinking into the ocean. Or perhaps, Julian saw it. But he probably just thought it was another one of my pathetic tantrums. But this time, I was truly giving up. CHAPTER

The next time I heard from Julian was one evening. “Come take care of Bella. She’s pregnant, and it’s my baby.” I stared at the words on my phone, my mind momentarily blank. Above it was the divorce screenshot I had sent him. I chose to ignore it, just as he had ignored mine. But not long after, the front door was violently kicked open. It was Julian’s bodyguards. They forcibly dragged me all the way to Julian and Bella Stone’s house. Every corner of the house was filled with the bubble-headed dolls Bella loved. Even the wallpaper was Julian’s least favorite pink, yet he’d personally put it up all over the house for Bella. I suddenly wondered, when was the last time Julian came back to *our* house? I couldn’t even remember. All I remembered was Julian coming home completely drunk every time, and without asking my consent, dragging me into the bedroom. It was less like an assault and more like an outlet for his frustration and anger. His tenderness was never for me. Or rather, the tenderness he now possessed, was no longer for me. Julian sat on the sofa, his leather shoes gleaming in the sunlight. He looked like a superior being, not even bothering to look me in the eye. “You’ve carried so many babies, you’re more experienced than any nanny.” “Bella’s daily care and diet will be your responsibility from now on.” Bella skipped out of the bedroom, and Julian immediately stood up to greet her. Bella jumped, and Julian caught her steadily. She clung to him like a sloth, her eyes filled with mockery and triumph as she looked at me, crumpled in the corner. “How are you still acting like a child even though you’re pregnant?” Julian held Bella, gently placed her on the sofa, then turned back to the bedroom to get her slippers, lovingly kissing her pale, tender foot. “Remember to wear your slippers, or you’ll catch a cold, and then I’ll have to take care of you.” Bella pulled Julian’s hand and swung it playfully. Their sweet display stung my eyes. I felt like a rat in a sewer, watching my husband and his mistress. “It’s okay, big sister will take care of me from now on.” As she spoke, Bella blinked innocently at me. She walked up, took my hand, and led me to Julian’s side. “So, big sister, I’ll leave me and the baby to you.” “Julian really loves this baby, so big sister, you can’t be as careless as you were with your own babies, okay?” Julian snorted, his gaze softening completely as he looked at Bella. “She’s not just careless, she’s utterly despicable. She ruined her own body, that’s why she loses every baby she conceives.” Bella pouted. “How can you say that about big sister? She didn’t mean to.” “Oh, by the way, big sister, how many babies have you carried?” CHAPTER

Seven. A bitter wave washed over me, choking me speechless. Julian, seeing my prolonged silence, coldly answered Bella’s question. “She probably can’t even keep track of how many there were.” I choked, struggling to look up at him, my voice raspy. “What about you, Julian Hayes? Do you remember how many I carried?” Julian fell silent for a moment, his face instantly turning ugly. “Hmph, you carried so many, I don’t even know how many were mine. How dare you ask me that?” Bella, sensing the tension, tugged on Julian’s arm, sweetly pouting for him to go back inside and get her a blanket. The moment Julian entered the bedroom, Bella turned to me. Her eyes were sharp, utterly different from the soft, gentle gaze she’d just given Julian. She leaned close to my ear and whispered, “It was seven, right?” She took half a step back, narrowing her eyes as she looked at me, her gaze slowly dropping to my lower abdomen. “Your first, third, fourth, and sixth babies were all miscarried because I deliberately tormented you.” “Julian knew all about it, but he didn’t care at all.” “He doesn’t even know how many babies you’ve actually carried.” “Believe me, Julian won’t care if this one in your belly lives or dies either.” Rage surged through my chest, consuming me. My eyes turned bloodshot, and my body trembled. “You deserve to die!” I clamped my hands around Bella’s throat, putting all my strength into it. Julian, emerging from the bedroom, witnessed the scene. He kicked my lower abdomen, then rushed to Bella, asking about her condition. My body, having just suffered a miscarriage, couldn’t withstand such a brutal impact. The agonizing pain in my lower abdomen nearly killed me. Warm blood seeped out from below, soaking my clothes. “Bella, are you okay?!” Once Bella recovered, she immediately threw herself into Julian’s arms, sobbing. “Big sister didn’t mean to. She just loves you too much and doesn’t want me to carry your baby…” Julian gently stroked Bella’s back, then gave a look to the bodyguards standing nearby. “Since she’s so jealous and so promiscuous, take her to the hospital and cut out her uterus.” “I will only have children with Bella.” “Perfect, you’ll be accompanying clients later anyway, and it saves me from having my cuckold’s horn grow too deep!” I vaguely heard those words. More than the physical pain, my very soul felt ripped apart, making it hard to breathe. As the bodyguards hoisted me up, fresh blood streamed down my legs and onto the floor. Julian looked at the crimson pool, not with pity, but with sheer disgust. “Where’s the maid? Quick, mop the floor. Her blood is filthy.” I forced myself to stand, leaning on the bodyguards, every word I spoke costing me immense effort. “Julian Hayes, you forgot about Arthur…” Julian seemed to be struck by a deep-seated collapse and darkness. He raised his eyes, filled with a brutal malice, and the air around him became chillingly oppressive. “Tell the doctors, no anesthesia. Cut the baby out of her stomach alive to appease Arthur.” I was carried directly to the hospital by the bodyguards, feeling as if all the blood in my body had drained away on the journey. I lay on the operating table, the blinding white light making it hard to keep my eyes open. I had no strength left to resist. Besides, with the bodyguards standing at the door, even if I had the energy to get off the table, I couldn’t escape. As alcohol swabbed my skin, a profound sorrow enveloped me. My mind replayed the five years I’d dedicated to Julian, like a frantic carousel. The operating room was eerily quiet. Tears silently streamed down my cheeks. A cold scalpel pressed against my lower abdomen. At that moment, I couldn’t even utter a sound for help. I thought I wouldn’t make it out of this operating room alive. Dying like this wouldn’t be so bad. Julian Hayes, if there’s a next life, I won’t choose you again.

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My prenatal check-ups had all been cleared. Yet, my child was born with an incurable, rare genetic disease. Only later did I discover that my doctor husband, Julian Hayes, had deliberately concealed the check-up results for his idealized love, Celeste Sterling’s, graduation thesis. He tricked me into giving birth to a ‘guinea pig’ for Celeste’s medical research. Utterly devastated, I jumped from the hospital rooftop, holding my son, who was wracked with pain. I woke up to find myself reborn when I was seven months pregnant… Clutching the prenatal report that confirmed my baby was healthy, I gently stroked my prominently swollen belly. My mind was reeling, still unable to process the shock of rebirth. Julian Hayes wrapped his arm around me, his face beaming with joy. “Honey, this is wonderful! The prenatal results are perfect. Our baby is perfectly healthy!” His eyes sparkled with excitement, showing no trace of pretense. I subtly slipped out of his embrace. “That’s great. I’m heading home now. You can get back to work.” He stood up with me, took my hand, and personally walked me out of the examination room, his voice still gentle. “Remember to call me when you get home. Eat on time, and don’t forget your prenatal vitamins.” Passing nurses cast envious glances my way. “Dr. Hayes is such a devoted husband. Even with his busy schedule, he personally oversees his wife’s diet and daily life. So many expectant fathers come and go in this hospital, but none are as attentive as Dr. Hayes!” “Right? I even heard Dr. Hayes booked a VIP delivery room ages ago. Their relationship, from high school sweethearts to husband and wife, is truly enviable.” In my past life, hearing words like that would have made me feel like the happiest woman in the world. But now, a cold shiver ran down my spine. Julian didn’t care about me at all. His tenderness and meticulous care over the past seven months had only one purpose: to ensure I’d smoothly deliver an unhealthy child to serve as a human observation experiment for his idealized love, Celeste. If I hadn’t accidentally overheard his conversation with Celeste Sterling in my previous life, while clutching my son as he struggled in agony, I would never have believed it. All for a graduation thesis, he was willing to sacrifice his own flesh and blood. I walked out of the hospital in a daze, my mind replaying the moment I discovered Julian’s secret. Celeste had asked Julian, “Julian, don’t you feel any pain watching your own son suffer like this every day?” Julian sighed. “How can I feel pain for someone I’ve never emotionally invested in? I just see him as a guinea pig for the lab. This is his fate…” “Julian, what if Elara finds out—” “Don’t worry, she doesn’t understand medicine. She’ll believe whatever I tell her. Besides, the baby won’t survive past their first birthday. By then, there’ll be no one to contradict me.” “Julian, thank you. Thanks to you, my thesis will create a sensation in the academic world. My advisor has already approved my direct Ph.D. application.” Julian’s voice was filled with excitement. “Celeste, you never have to thank me. I’d do anything to help you…” They embraced, kissed, and exchanged intimate whispers in the dark stairwell. When I learned the truth, my world crumbled. I took my son, climbed to the rooftop, and jumped. When I woke up again, I found myself reborn, seven months pregnant.

I went to several other authoritative obstetrics and gynecology hospitals in the city for check-ups. The results were drastically different from before. All the doctors unequivocally told me. The baby in my womb suffered from an extremely rare congenital genetic disease. Even if born successfully, they would suffer from recurrent lung infections due to organ dysfunction, indigestion, and stunted growth. According to current medical advancements, they wouldn’t survive past their first birthday. I remembered watching my child in the previous life endure one painful treatment after another after birth. I saw them hooked up to countless tubes, the cold needles piercing their delicate skin. Their tiny body struggled in pain, breathing rapid and shallow, each breath a desperate effort. Their normally chubby cheeks turned blue and lifeless. I couldn’t bear to see the child I’d carried for ten months endure such immense suffering. With tears in my eyes, I suggested giving up. But Julian refused. He firmly told me, “Honey, even if this is a hopeless battle, I will not surrender to cruel fate! I will never give up on our son!” Every night, he would scour academic websites for information about the child’s condition, not missing any possible treatment plan. I was deeply moved, believing I had married such a responsible and good man. Netizens, hearing his story, flooded the comments section with praise. “This is a true hero, shouldering his child’s entire world.” “May this unwavering father’s love light up the path of hope for his child’s life!” Julian’s story spread throughout the medical community. The hospital honored and rewarded him, bringing him both fame and fortune. Only now, looking at the thick stack of reports in my hand, did I understand. Why, despite all my prenatal check-ups being perfectly clear, I had given birth to a child with a rare genetic disease. Julian had hidden the three key data points that could have identified the illness! The doctor looked at the results on the report, her eyes filled with regret and confusion. “It could have been detected at three months pregnant. Why did you wait until now to come in? Oh, what a shame. The baby is fully developed now…” Suddenly, I felt the baby in my belly stretch a leg. A sharp, stinging pain shot through my heart, and tears streamed down my face. I endured the pain and told the doctor, “Please help me schedule an induced abortion.” Baby, don’t blame your mother for being cruel. I simply can’t bear to bring you into this world only to see you suffer so much… Walking out of the hospital, all maternal softness left my eyes, replaced by icy resolve. In my past life, when I learned the truth, I cowardly chose to end my life with my child. Fate pitied me and gave me a second chance. This time, no matter the cost, I would not let Julian have his way.

Hate kept me awake all night. The next morning, Julian returned from his night shift and noticed the dark circles under my eyes. He immediately frowned in displeasure. “Elara, were you up late again? I told you to get enough rest so the baby can be born safely!” I lowered my gaze, hiding the resentment in my eyes, and said nothing. Seeing my silence, Julian softened his voice, coaxing me. “Honey, you’ve worked so hard. I promise, we’ll only have this one baby. After this, I couldn’t bear to see you suffer again. Just for me, bear with it for a few more months.” He leaned down and kissed my forehead. His eyes held a depth of love as vast as the ocean, as if I and our child were the most precious treasures of his life. If I hadn’t personally uncovered his secret in my previous life, I doubt I would ever believe this was all an act. I smiled faintly, subtly slipped out of his embrace, and got up to pour him a glass of milk. Due to his profession, Julian was always cautious. Even when catching up on sleep after a night shift, he was a light sleeper. So, I had no choice but to spike his milk. After a few minutes, he fell into a deep sleep. I picked up his phone and unlocked it. The pinned chat on SnapChat was, predictably, Celeste Sterling. I tapped into it. Julian, who always claimed to be too busy, was chatting heatedly with Celeste every day. The chat history made my hands and feet numb, my whole body trembling with rage. Our relationship, from high school sweethearts to husband and wife, spanned ten years, yet I hadn’t realized he was cheating on me with a fellow student right under my nose. I struggled to suppress the overwhelming fury inside me, sliding the screen to start recording. Four months ago, Julian had told Celeste: [Celeste, Elara’s genetic test results are back. The baby might have a rare genetic disease.] [Once she aborts the baby, I’ll propose divorce to her.] [Oh my God… This disease is extremely rare; currently, there are fewer than a hundred known cases worldwide. My graduate thesis is on genetic diseases. If I could get a specific case for in-depth research, my thesis would definitely impress my advisor…] [Julian, are you really going to falsify the prenatal report to trick your wife into having an unhealthy baby for me?] [Celeste, don’t feel guilty. Just consider it my contribution to academia…] [It’s Elara’s and that baby’s honor to fill a gap in current medical research. You could say it’s their proper end.] I thought I had prepared myself mentally, but when the ugly truth was laid bare before my eyes, the flames of anger nearly consumed my reason. If I wasn’t determined to cherish this hard-won second chance at life, I would have rushed into the kitchen immediately, grabbed a knife, and ended the sleeping Julian right then and there. However, for now, I simply collected all the evidence of Julian tampering with the medical reports. Then, I quietly packed my important belongings. The induced abortion was scheduled for two days later. Just as I was fretting over how to evade Julian’s suffocating ‘care’ and constant monitoring, he suddenly looked hesitant and discussed something with me. “Honey, there’s an academic conference in the city, and the hospital is sending me to attend… But don’t worry, I’ll be back as fast as I can.” I suddenly remembered that Celeste Sterling’s birthday was in these few days. As he went into the room to pack his luggage, I secretly called the hospital’s main line. My suspicion was confirmed: he had indeed requested a week of annual leave from the hospital. But this was also a godsend. My top priority now was to escape his sight and successfully undergo the induced abortion. If I lost this opportunity, as the pregnancy progressed, his surveillance over me would only become stricter, and I might well repeat the same tragic fate. As I thought this, my gaze inevitably turned cold. Julian, seeing this, thought I was upset about his sudden trip and quickly embraced me. “Sweetheart, don’t be mad. You must take care of yourself at home alone. I’ll rush back to be with you as soon as I’m done. Right now, you’re the most important thing to me!” Watching his eager departure, I called out to him. “Julian, I heard the nurses at your hospital say you’ve been spending a lot of time with your colleague, Celeste Sterling, lately. Are you going to abandon me and the baby?” His back stiffened. He turned around to reassure me. “Honey, don’t listen to those gossiping busybodies. They’re just jealous of how talented Celeste is. I swear to God, I only love you!” I looked at his feigned affectionate gaze. I barely managed to suppress the urge to vomit my afternoon meal onto his face. Love me? Is loving me disregarding our years of shared history and having an affair with Celeste Sterling? Is loving me concealing prenatal results, tricking me into carrying a sick child for ten months, and then offering them as a human experiment to his mistress? I could hardly believe that the man I had loved so deeply, whose every thoughtful gesture seemed to be for me, was actually hiding such a cruel and horrifying agenda. Julian said many more sweet words to coax me into resting well. After he left, I immediately packed my luggage and checked into the hospital, preparing for the induced abortion.

Two days later, the surgery time arrived. I lay on the hospital bed, being wheeled into the cold operating room. The blinding lights came on, and tears I couldn’t hold back finally streamed down my face. The anesthetic slowly entered my body from my spine. In a daze, I seemed to see that poor child from my previous life. They seemed to have grown a little, reaching out their tiny hands, calling to me: “Mommy…” I grasped their hand and never let go again. When I woke up again, the surgery was over. My swollen belly had deflated, replaced by bandages. I turned my head to look at the fully developed fetus next to me. A barely tolerable pain shot through my abdomen. But this physical trauma was far less than the emotional devastation in my heart. I stared at the ceiling, tears silently falling once more. The doctor in the operating room, seeing my tears, took a piece of gauze and gently wiped them away. She said with sympathy, “An unhealthy child would only suffer if they were born… You’re still young; you can have more children.” The nurse also chimed in, “Don’t cry. You shouldn’t cry during recovery; it’s bad for your eyes.” I weakly nodded. Even strangers showed me compassion, yet my own husband, to please another woman, was willing to make me endure the pain of separation, of losing my own flesh and blood. That night, Julian called me as usual. “Honey, how are you and the baby doing?” “We’re fine,” I said evasively. The intense pain in my abdomen made cold sweat bead on my forehead with every word I spoke. After two days of recovery at the hospital, I checked out and transferred to the hospital’s affiliated maternity center for continued recuperation. Julian’s “business trip” should be over by now. It was time to settle all scores, old and new, between us. So I dialed his number. “Honey, come back quickly! The baby—” Before I could finish, Julian anxiously cut me off, “What’s wrong with the baby?!” I didn’t explain over the phone, just gave him the hospital address and urged him to hurry.

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My best friend stole all the condoms from the supermarket and vanished. When I saw her again, she was the Queen of Beasts. She was scantily clad, with several male beasts lounging at her feet. She pointed at one of them, a generous smirk playing on her lips. “This one’s quite the catch, strong and… exceptionally talented. I’m only letting him go for you, Chloe. Consider it a sacrifice for our friendship.” I recoiled in horror. “No, no, thank you! I’m here mainly to find *you*!” Male Beast #1 growled, “Brothers, this woman’s here to steal our Queen!” Male Beast #2 added, “Someone get this woman! Throw her to the wild wolves!” Then, ignoring my pleas, disregarding my very life, she turned back to her beasts, resuming their wild, chaotic ‘games’. And I was left trembling, abandoned in the wolves’ territory… Three years ago, my best friend Seraphina and I went on vacation and each bought a matching charm bracelet. Strangely, after we returned, my life started getting better and better, while hers plummeted. She became weak, constantly muttering nonsense. “Chloe, I don’t want to live anymore.” I quickly clamped my hand over her mouth. “Woah, no! Don’t say such morbid things. We’re fine!” She tugged at the charm bracelet on her wrist, a strange, possessive attachment in her eyes. My heart lurched. Could that bracelet be affecting her? I told her to throw it away, but her reaction was abnormally intense! “No! You haven’t thrown yours away, so why are you telling me what to do?” She glanced at the supermarket behind me, then walked away thoughtfully. At the time, I just thought she was in a bad mood. I never imagined that a few days later, when I opened the supermarket doors, all the household goods and food were gone, even the condoms. Hundreds of thousands in losses, and the security cameras didn’t capture a thing. Even stranger, there were no signs of forced entry, not a single footprint or fingerprint. The police concluded it was an inside job and started investigating everyone around me. Just then, Seraphina’s mom suddenly found me, weeping. “Chloe, have you seen Seraphina?! She’s gone!” My heart pounded. Remembering Seraphina’s words and seeing the ransacked supermarket, a terrible feeling washed over me. Something was definitely wrong. I took my bracelet to Sage Elias. He examined it, his eyes wide with shock. “Where did you get this?” I told him everything, and he sighed deeply. “These are Twin Beast God Bracelets. One brings luck, the other brings romance. If I’m not mistaken, your missing friend is no longer in the human world!” I gasped. “Seraphina’s dead?” Sage Elias wagged his index finger. “NO. She’s in heat. She disappeared to the Beast World to find male beasts!”

I patted my chest in relief. Thank heavens she wasn’t dead! But then I caught myself. “What? The Beast World! How do I get her back?” “Difficult,” Sage Elias sighed, his thumb and forefinger rubbing together meaningfully. “Unless… well, unless the right ‘opportunity’ presents itself.” My face darkened. I placed a stack of cash on the table, and the Sage’s face broke into a wide smile. “That bracelet Seraphina has? It’s made of fourteen beads, each representing a male beast from their world. For three long years, those beasts have rotated through her dreams, coupling with her. Their destinies are sealed, Chloe. To save her, she has to be willing to cut ties and return to the human world herself!” I was confident I could convince her. “Seraphina will come back with me. Who would like wild beasts, anyway?” Sage Elias smiled a deep, knowing smile. “Hard to say, hard to say!” I also asked about the supermarket theft. Sage Elias yawned. “Well, Seraphina had no dowry, did she? Going to a whole new world, she had to make some… arrangements.” I was astonished that she could have moved so much merchandise all by herself, without a sound. Sage Elias rolled his eyes. “That’s because she had fourteen husbands helping her!” Sage Elias said I had a “connection” with him. As I left, he gave me one last piece of advice. “Little lady, if you go to the Beast World, remember to bring some food that animals like. It might save your life!” I went back to my empty supermarket, on the verge of tears. Ugh, only a few bags of dog food left in the corner. I guess I’ll take these! I had no idea then that this dog food would not only save my life but also change it completely. The Beast World was still a matriarchal society. Although I was female, the problem was I was human. Sage Elias threw me into a primeval forest in the Beast World. I walked for three days until I finally saw two wild bears. Two bear-headed, human-bodied beasts, their lower halves joined front-to-back, their bodies constantly thrusting. Ugh… I think I just interrupted something. As I lifted my foot to turn away, a bear’s roar ripped through the air, and then a huge paw slowly swung towards me. I’m screwed! Looks like this is where I die today. I squatted on the ground, covering my head, waiting to be flattened into a meat patty. “Huh? Isn’t this the Queen’s bracelet?” At the crucial moment, a she-bear, adjusting her shorts, stepped over, her pointed fingers picking up my bracelet. Both bears looked at me with suspicious eyes. “Tell us, how did you get the Queen’s bracelet? Did you steal it?” I quickly tugged at my torn clothes. “Please, Bear Sires, you’ve got it all wrong! I just arrived, lost in this forest for three days. I have no idea about any Queen’s bracelet!” The two bears didn’t believe me. “This is a treasure only the Queen of Beasts possesses! You little thief, now confess!” Mr. Clawson raised his hairy paw to hit me again, and I wanted to cry. “Please, Sires, calm your rage! This bracelet, besides mine, my best friend has one too. Perhaps she’s your Queen.” As soon as I said that, Mrs. Clawson burst out laughing. “Hahaha, that’s hilarious! You? You think *you* could be worthy?!” The two bears scoffed as if they’d heard the funniest joke, mocking me while boasting about how amazing their Queen was. “Our Queen is a rare beauty in the Beast World, a high-and-mighty human girl! What’s a tiny Dog Tribe like you?” “Dog Tribe? What?!” I pointed at my nose. “Me? Dog Tribe? Sires, are you mistaken? I’m also a high-and-mighty human, just like you said!” The two bears snorted, crossing their arms, pointing at my shadow on the ground. “Hmph, just look at the Sun God. He’s showing your true form! Stop pretending to be human!” The sun was directly overhead. I looked down, and sure enough, the short black shadow in front of me looked exactly like a dog! Its two ears even wiggled. I stared, wide-eyed in disbelief, but every time I moved, the dog’s shadow moved with me, identical movements. I shrieked. “Ahhh! Help! Why am I a dog?!”

No matter how much I explained, Mr. and Mrs. Clawson didn’t believe me. They treated me like a slave and even planned to make me marry the Wolf Prince in place of their daughter. I grumbled about how different species couldn’t possibly intermarry, but Grizzly Clawson glared at me. “Your Dog Tribe and those savage Wolf Tribe are considered the same kind! This marriage isn’t a hardship for you.” I squatted in the corner, utterly wronged. “If it’s no hardship, why don’t *you* go?!” Grizzly Clawson sneered. “How could a noble Clawson maiden like me marry that poor, dull Wolf Tribe?” I got annoyed. “You’re a noble Clawson maiden, and I’m a noble Queen’s best friend!” Grizzly Clawson rolled her eyes. “Laughable! If you were the Queen’s best friend, I’d shave all my fur off and make you shoes!” That’s a good idea, I told her to wait. She said the Wolf Prince was handsome and brave, and that I should just wait obediently to marry him, dismissing everything else as wishful thinking. Ha, she really thought I was stupid. I’d been in the Beast World long enough to hear plenty of rumors. After the Beast Queen took charge, the Wolf Tribe, serving as border generals, had always been loyal. But recently, due to political disagreements with the Queen, the Wolf Tribe was stripped of their military titles and their home ransacked. The Queen’s methods were ruthless; she banished their entire tribe to the barren desert. The Clawson Tribe, seeing the Wolf Tribe’s decline, became fence-sitters. But they also wanted to leave themselves a backdoor, which is why they came up with the idea of a substitute marriage. They must have lost their minds! Not only did they think I was blind, but did they really think a giant ‘woof-woof’ like me could pass for a human bride, and the Wolf Tribe wouldn’t notice? But my purpose here was to rescue my best friend, Seraphina. In this world of survival of the fittest, I could only pretend to agree for now. I behaved obediently for a while, and when the Clawson family saw me quiet down, they began preparing my dowry. But all they prepared were wild boar bones from the forest, and unknown animal droppings made into ‘poop candy’. Even the blanket was shaped like a dog bed. I ground my teeth in anger but had to comply. Because I looked at the map, the wedding procession would pass the Queen’s palace. All I could do for now was endure. Seraphina, wait for me. I will surely save you and bring you back to the human world! My luck was surprisingly good. Before the wedding procession even reached the palace, we heard that the Queen had left for an inspection tour. I just didn’t expect to see Seraphina again in such a shocking manner. She was wearing a two-piece swimsuit, stolen from *my* supermarket, lounging on a high platform. A shaggy lion lay at her feet, and behind her, a spider beast had conjured several hands to massage her shoulders and legs. On either side of her, a White Tiger and a White Horse, transformed into humanoids, were feeding her grapes, mouth-to-mouth. The glistening juice flowed from Seraphina’s lips down her pale neck and across her chest. A leopard, who had been waiting for a long time, eagerly bowed its head to lick it all up, not missing a single drop of sweetness. A soft sigh escaped Seraphina’s lips, and she stroked the leopard’s head, her eyes filled with doting affection. This scene of lavish debauchery assaulted my senses. I couldn’t bother to keep watching. Tears streamed down my face. Oh my god, I finally found Seraphina! Seizing a moment when the Clawson Tribe wasn’t paying attention, I struggled free of the pressure on my shoulders, stood up, and shouted her name across the crowd. “Seraphina! Seraphina! It’s Chloe! Look at me, I came for you!” But the horde of beasts gathered to gaze upon the Queen’s beauty was too vast, and my voice was quickly drowned out. A bear paw slammed onto my head. I looked up to see Grizzly Clawson’s mocking face. “What? You actually think you can get close to the Queen?” Grizzly Clawson scoffed. “Go look in a puddle, little dog. You’re not even fit to lick her boots!” Grizzly Clawson ordered her soldiers to tie me up and gag me. I struggled, but heavy bear paws hammered down on me, blow after blow. They dragged me into a nearby alley and started tearing off my clothes.

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I was the wife of New York City’s wealthiest man, but on the eve of giving birth, I found myself kidnapped and thrust into a brutal reality TV show. Heavily pregnant, I fled desperately through the woods. Suddenly, I heard the voice of Dominic’s friend over the loudspeaker: “Hey Dominic, shouldn’t you be with Aria while she’s in labor? What are you doing here? Is Vivian acting up again?” Dominic chuckled softly, his voice filled with indulgent affection. “Yeah, Vivian insisted on watching this crazy show. Aria thinks I’m at work. She even sent me away when her water broke. She’s so silly.” I frantically pounded on the monitor, begging Dominic for help. But when Vivian screamed in fright, he immediately pressed the punishment button. A violent electric shock coursed through me. Amniotic fluid mixed with blood pooled at my feet as I curled up, tears streaming down my face. As the footsteps of my pursuers grew closer, the betting reached a fever pitch. Everyone was wagering on who would survive. Only Dominic’s voice remained cold: “One million dollars. I bet that crazy pregnant woman dies!” 0

Hearing Dominic’s words, the crowd laughed and shook their heads. In their eyes, this was a losing bet. How could a pregnant woman outrun wild dogs and fit young men? But Dominic didn’t care. He lazily pushed out his chips. “One million dollars to make my darling Vivian happy.” “Wow, Mr. Dominic is so generous! Casually dropping a million for your mistress while your wife’s engagement ring probably cost $100. Aria would cry if she knew!” Dominic lit a cigar, speaking matter-of-factly: “Mistresses are meant to be spoiled. Aria is so virtuous and understanding, she’s happy with just a joint bank account.” I listened to his voice, unable to reconcile it with the husband who once loved me to the bone. We had been in love for eight years. I stood by him as he climbed from a poor college student to New York City’s wealthiest man. When he proposed on one knee, holding out a simple $100 ring, he was crying so hard he could barely speak. I ended up kissing him first, saying yes through my laughter as I held out my hand for him to slip on the ring. I thought I had a perfect love story envied by all. I never imagined he had kept a mistress for five years. To live up to his million-dollar bet, the TV show’s henchmen roughly grabbed me. They yanked on the rope around my neck, displaying me to the cameras from all angles like a piece of meat. I dangled limply, feet off the ground, swaying like a broken doll. A pool of red spread beneath me. The host projected my stats onto the big screen with a whistle. “Wow, 99.9 cm belly circumference! That’s rare – a sign of lifelong happiness!” Through the hood, I saw Dominic’s eyes narrow as he loosened his grip on Vivian slightly. For a moment, I thought he had recognized me. A wave of bitterness washed over me. But the next second, a smile curved his lips. “I thought my Aria was already rare enough. Who knew we’d find someone with such similar measurements.” Watching his back settle into the chair again, I was filled with despair. I used all my strength to make a hand signal. It was one we had agreed upon years ago when I got lost at an amusement park. Dominic had gazed at me tenderly then. “Aria, if you ever get lost, make this signal. Even if you’re wearing a mascot costume, I’ll spot you instantly in a sea of people!” But now when I finally used our signal, he looked at me with disgust. He ordered his men to break my fingers without hesitation. “Only Aria can use that signal! You look half-dead already, how dare you try to seduce me by impersonating her!” “Release two more wild dogs. I’ll teach her a lesson she won’t forget!” Foul-smelling jaws clamped down all over my body. I screamed and thrashed, trying to protect my belly as blood streamed down my legs. His friends cheered, full of envy. “I’d say Aria is the lucky one, pampered by you all these years. She must be the happiest woman in New York!” 0

“This pregnant lady isn’t so fortunate! Stuck with a bastard husband, what rotten luck.” In the darkness, I managed a bitter smile. No one knew that the man embracing Vivian, repeatedly trying to kill me, was my husband. And I could only watch helplessly as the man who had held me that morning, promising to pluck the stars from the sky for me, professed his love for Vivian again and again before the crowd. The wild dogs inched closer to my throat. In my daze, I saw Death beckoning to me. Just as I thought I was about to die, Vivian’s voice rang out from the stands: “I’ve changed my mind. I want to play a new game.” “Since she’s going to die anyway, darling, why don’t we guess…” “The gender of her baby?” Vivian’s malicious voice, amplified by the speakers, exploded in my ears. Dominic’s brow furrowed. I thought he had remembered our promise. For this hard-won child, he had once knelt and kowtowed nine times at the most spiritual temple. He had obtained a blessed Buddhist bracelet for the baby, vowing not to commit any sins related to children. The bracelet was still on Dominic’s wrist, but he lovingly stroked Vivian’s hair. His voice dripped with honeyed poison: “Alright, whatever makes you happy!” Through the blood-soaked hood, my blood froze inch by inch. So when it came to Vivian, Dominic could abandon all his principles. Next, I was dragged onto an operating table by ropes as thick as my wrists. Vivian laughed mockingly as she lifted my mask, spitting in my face. “What a shame. He didn’t even recognize you or keep his promise!” Seeing me staring intently at her shoes through the gap, Vivian deliberately raised her foot to kick the operating table. “See clearly? Your husband buys me all the same gifts as you! Once you’re dead, I’ll be the only one!” “You don’t know, do you? Every night he said he was on a business trip, he was playing sexy card games with me.” “When your father died on the operating table without a doctor, it was because my dog got sick. He gathered all the doctors to give it hospice care.” With each sentence, my heart was stabbed with needles. Finally, the dense pain crashed over me like a tidal wave, burying me completely. The blood flowing from below was like a flood with the floodgates opened. The doctor hesitated several times before making an incision on my abdomen. He looked at Dominic, who was striding over: “Mr. Dominic, this is far too risky. One wrong move and…” Dominic’s eyes flashed with hesitation. Suddenly, Vivian cried out. “Darling, this bitch scratched me! What if she has some infectious disease? Waaah…” Under Dominic’s concerned gaze, she removed her hand. The red marks she had scratched herself weren’t even bleeding, but Dominic was furious. He slapped me hard across the face: “How dare you hurt Vivian? Continue the procedure as planned. No anesthesia! I want to see how tough she really is!” He stared at me coldly through the hood. I stared at the three teeth that had been knocked out on the ground, my heart a wasteland. Vivian leaned weakly against Dominic, meeting my gaze with undisguised smugness. “I’m sorry, ma’am.” The doctor put the anesthesia back on the tray and said quietly with sympathy: “Don’t blame me. I’ll try to finish the surgery as quickly as possible to minimize your suffering.” The moment the cold scalpel fell, my soul shook with pain. I could no longer hold back my piercing screams. Amidst my wails, the Buddhist beads on Dominic’s wrist snapped one by one. He whipped his head around to look at me. “That voice… it sounds just like Aria’s?” 0

I struggled to lift my head, trembling as I tried to grab the hem of Dominic’s shirt. But Vivian stepped forward in feigned shock, blocking me from Dominic. “I can’t believe it! She even learned to mimic Aria’s voice to seduce you!” “How terrifying!” The suspicion in Dominic’s eyes was replaced by deep disgust. He grabbed a handful of cotton from the hospital bed. And stuffed it forcefully into my mouth. I widened my eyes in shock, struggling with all my might. So much fine fluff entering my airways would be unbearable for a normal person, let alone someone with severe asthma like me! But what awaited me was another slap. Dominic’s eyes were cold, but his expression turned joyful when his phone rang. “Aria’s gone? She must be in the delivery room!” “Quick! Buy a full set of the most high-end baby products in New York! And book the $300,000 postpartum care center in advance! This is wonderful, I’m going to be a father!” Dominic trembled with excitement, completely oblivious that the person lying before him was his Aria. As the knife cut through my belly layer by layer, my breathing grew weaker and weaker. To keep me alive, the doctor gritted his teeth and injected me with adrenaline shot after shot. By the end, I had lost all reason. Even my soul seemed to have left my body. The baby’s clear cry snapped me back to consciousness. I heard Vivian click her tongue. “It’s a girl.” The baby was full-term and crying loudly when taken out, but was smothered to death. Carelessly tossed onto the cold table like a useless piece of trash. Vivian’s voice was coquettish: “Tell everyone outside it’s a boy! I have to win this bet!” Looking at the baby’s tightly closed eyes, as if just sleeping, I coughed up a mouthful of blood in heartache. In the darkness, all I could see was Dominic’s delighted face, over and over. We had married young and been together for eight years. It wasn’t until this year that we finally conceived a child. Dominic treasured this baby like gold, constantly listening to its heartbeat against my belly. “Honey, we finally have a baby. Boy or girl, it will be my sole heir!” “If it’s a son, I’ll teach him horseback riding and archery.” “If it’s a daughter who looks like you, I’ll make sure she becomes the happiest little princess in New York!” Now I knew that “sole heir” and “happiest” were all lies he told me! Dominic was still thinking about what gifts to buy the baby, not sparing a glance for his daughter who had died silently. His mind was solely on instructing his assistant on the phone: “Go to that Buddhist temple in the suburbs and get a safety amulet each for my wife and child!” His gaze fell on the broken beads on his wrist, an inexplicable unease rising in his heart: “Get another string of prayer beads too. I want my child to be absolutely safe!” I stared hard at Dominic’s face, my heart full of bitter irony. Too bad the prayer beads didn’t protect your child this time. The safety amulet certainly won’t protect me either. The monitor by the hospital bed started blaring alarms. But Dominic walked out with his arm around Vivian. Without looking back. The doctor helplessly passed by my side, then suddenly returned after a long moment. As if he had struggled greatly with his conscience. “I’m a doctor. I can’t stand by and let someone die. Maybe this will bring some good karma for my wife’s unborn child.” He dragged me out of the dissection room and called an ambulance. As they carried my stretcher past Dominic, my hand fell limply in the jostling. The silver band engraved with forget-me-nots glinted dazzlingly in the sunlight. Dominic’s pupils suddenly constricted. “Wait!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296748”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #校园School