Vanessa threw away the ten thousand blessings she once demanded as the price for marrying her the moment Damon returned. That single action confirmed that the five years I spent with her carried no weight and that I was never more than a temporary stand-in. I did not argue, negotiate, or wait for an explanation. I submitted my resignation, closed every point of contact between us, and chose to leave the city and the life she controlled. After my visa was approved, I went home to pack. The moment I opened my closet, Vanessa popped out, startling me. “Adrian! I’m the hunter, and I’ve caught my prey!” She was beaming, her cheeks flushed, laughing heartily. I knew she’d used a “business trip” as an excuse these past two days, but she was really just traveling with Damon to avoid me. In the past, I would have greeted her with a warm smile, asking about her trip. Now, I just pulled her aside and started rummaging for my clothes. Vanessa stood there, looking a bit lost. After a long moment, she poked my arm. “Adrian, what’s wrong? Are you still mad about me not lending you money that day? I was trying to complete Damon’s dare. We’re friends, and he was about to lose in fifteen minutes. I didn’t have time to transfer money. Didn’t I soften up later and have the finance department give you an advance?” I gave a bitter laugh, suppressing the sting in my nose, and kept stuffing clothes into my suitcase. That day, Mom had just arrived from out of town when she saw her future daughter-in-law on a giant screen, holding another man’s hand and making their relationship official. She collapsed on the spot. I rushed to the scene, falling to my knees in front of Vanessa, pleading with her to give me back my savings for Mom’s medical bills. It would have taken less than three seconds to pull out her bank card from her bag. But she just coldly kicked me aside, telling me to figure it out myself. Then, she used every last cent from my card to buy Damon a luxury car. Later, when I went to the finance department for an advance, the finance officer rolled her eyes at me. “Adrian, who do you think you are, dreaming about someone like her? Mr. Damon and CEO Vanessa are the golden couple.” She deliberately dragged out the process. I ran around the company, completing eighteen different procedures, which took three hours, just to get a $200 advance. The finance officer said it was Vanessa’s order, and they couldn’t do anything about it. By the time I rushed to the hospital, Mom had already passed away. Vanessa saw I wasn’t speaking, snatched the clothes from my hands, and threw them onto the bed. “That’s what I dislike about you small-town guys. You’re so petty. You hand over a few hundred thousand, and then you try every trick to get it back. Honestly, I bought Damon that sports car just to cut off your idea of getting into my pockets!” My heart felt like it was squeezed hard. I took a deep breath. I thought if I just poured my heart out and gave her all my earnings, Vanessa would eventually let go of her suspicions. But I never imagined she still thought I was after her money. Damon and she had broken up and gotten back together three times. Each time, it was her winning him back with luxury cars and lavish homes. So why was it suddenly me who was being petty? I finished packing, picked up my suitcase, and curled my lips into a sarcastic smile. “It won’t happen again. Keep your money for Damon to spend.” Vanessa’s eyes widened. She grabbed me. CRASH! A storage box was knocked over, sending countless paper slips covered with blessings fluttering to the ground like snow. These were all the blessing messages I had pleaded with anyone and everyone I met on the street to write for me. She had said she’d had enough heartbreak. Unless I collected ten thousand blessings from strangers to prove my sincerity, she wouldn’t marry me. The ten thousandth blessing was from a passenger sitting next to my mom on the train ride into the city. When Mom handed it to me, she wished Vanessa and me a long and happy life together. But Vanessa still announced her relationship with Damon just because of one sentence from him. All my boundaries, all my efforts, were a joke. Vanessa picked up a slip of paper. Her beautiful brows relaxed, and she sighed. “Alright, Adrian, stop sulking. I’ll give you another three hundred. Take your mom to get some nice clothes and good food. Later, I’ll take her on a trip. I’ll do my duty as a daughter-in-law.” In the past, I would have taken the out and praised her as a good wife. But now, the bitterness in my heart wouldn’t let up. I just couldn’t swallow it. I covered her transfer screen with my hand and said coldly, “No need. You’re not her daughter-in-law. We’re over.” My words were swallowed by the sound of a key in the lock. “Vanessa, I’m here to pick you up! Didn’t we say we’d treat everyone to dinner to celebrate?” Damon walked in, looking surprised. “Assistant Adrian, why are you at Vanessa’s place?” Vanessa coughed, putting distance between us. “Adrian’s mom needed money, he just asked if he could get an advance on his salary.” We’d been in a secret relationship for five years. She always kept me at arm’s length, and I couldn’t even post about her on Ins. I thought it was because she didn’t want an office romance. Turns out, keeping it from everyone was just about keeping it from *him*. Damon looked righteous and reprimanded me sharply. “Assistant Adrian, don’t go too far. I didn’t even say anything about you causing a scene at the announcement, but you have hands and feet. You can’t just take advantage of Vanessa’s kindness and demand money from her!” Vanessa frowned, about to speak. I curled my lips. “You’re right, that’s exactly what I think. So I’m leaving now.” With that, I picked up my suitcase and walked past Vanessa, heading downstairs. She took a step as if to follow, glanced at Damon, then calmly said, “Be careful on your way.” As I walked out of the building, Vanessa sent me a SnapChat message: “Adrian, don’t worry. This is the last time I’ll help Damon out. I’ll make time in a couple of days to take your aunt out, and we can discuss our wedding plans and get married soon.” I scoffed. I just opened my chat with William, the HR from the overseas company. “William, my visa is done. Flight’s tomorrow afternoon. See you there.”

I hailed a cab to the company to pick up my files, but the HR officer looked impatient. “CEO Vanessa has been holding up your resignation application. Come back next Monday to ask again.” I called Vanessa, but it just rang busy. It was always like this when she was with Damon. I should have waited for her to approve my resignation before rushing off earlier. Frustrated, I frowned and left the company. Behind me, a burst of laughter erupted. “When Mr. Damon and CEO Vanessa made their relationship official, he was there singing and dancing, even kneeling and begging Vanessa for money! So embarrassing!” “Didn’t you see how awful his face looked when he couldn’t get through to CEO Vanessa just now? If I were her, I’d block a leech like that too!” I was used to these mocking words by now. My phone pinged with a notification – a taunting message from Damon. The photo showed the blessing slips stuffed into a reeking, greasy trash can. “Vanessa threw away all ten thousand blessings just because I said so. I heard you spent a year collecting them, so much effort, how sad.” “So what if you dated for five years? The moment I came back, you were kicked to the curb. She’s eating with me right now, peeling shrimp for me, her hands covered in sauce. You’ve never seen that, have you? If you’re curious, come to the restaurant’s private room, I’ll let you see all you want.” My hand tightened around my phone. Since he’d returned, I’d seen too many messages like this. Vanessa, who was a clean freak and so proud, would wash his clothes, cook for him, and even wash his feet and make his bed. Before, I used to dread Damon’s messages, yet I’d self-torture myself by watching Vanessa’s special treatment of him. I even tried to tell myself it was all Photoshopped, telling him not to stir up trouble, thinking if I didn’t see the truth, I could keep lying to myself. This time, I went. Not out of jealousy, but to get Vanessa to sign my resignation and sever all ties with her. Half an hour later, I arrived at the restaurant, only to hear Vanessa arguing with someone in the stairwell. I instinctively hid around the corner. “Vanessa, are you out of your mind?! Damon dumped you three times, each time worse than the last! He even tricked you to a cliff and almost broke your leg! And you’re making it official with him?! Adrian has been with you for five years, and you never gave him a title. Don’t forget he risked his life to save you before!” It was Sasha, Vanessa’s best friend. I touched the uneven scar on my forehead. A year ago, Vanessa and I were in a car accident during a business trip. To protect her, I was impaled by the windshield. I had a dozen steel plates implanted in my body, and a scar above my left eyebrow disfigured me, making my formerly gentle eyes look fierce. Colleagues secretly called me ‘Scarface,’ kept their distance, and even spread rumors that I was beaten by loan sharks. Vanessa, however, never clarified anything to avoid suspicion. The next second, Vanessa’s reply struck me like a lightning bolt. “It’s because he had the car accident. He has a scar over his eye. He doesn’t look like Damon anymore.” Sasha was furious. “So you were still treating him as a substitute! No wonder when he proposed, you made him do an impossible task. Ten thousand blessings? Even if he asked thirty people a day, it would take a year! If you didn’t want to marry him, you didn’t have to string him along! What kind of spell did a scumbag like Damon put on you?!” “Enough!” Vanessa snapped, her voice sharp. “Don’t you dare slander Damon like that! He said he’s turned over a new leaf. I’m just trying to make up for past regrets. Give me two more days, and I’ll break it off with him.” Sasha was speechless. “Aren’t you afraid Adrian will truly give up?” Vanessa seemed relaxed, in control. “Adrian’s job came from me, he lives in my apartment. He has nothing without me. I’ll take responsibility for him. We’ve been out too long, Damon will get impatient. Let’s head back.” Watching their retreating figures, I stood there for a long time, then sank to the floor, holding myself. When Mom got sick, I brought her to the city for treatment. When I was desperate because we had no money, Vanessa was the one who approached me, inviting me to work at her company. She was gentle and compassionate, like a goddess, and I fell for her. Now, looking back, I was wearing a mask then, only my eyes visible. And her eyes were filled with the joy of finding something she’d lost. Whenever she mentioned her ex, Vanessa would gnash her teeth, full of love and hate. Then she’d bury her head against my chest, sighing how lucky she was to have me. After Damon returned to the country, she deliberately ‘ran into’ him several times, clashing with him, but their ‘arguments’ were just her way of flirting and showing how much she missed him. No wonder Vanessa suddenly became distant after the car accident. I was foolishly thinking it was because Damon was back, and she was just conflicted. Turns out, the original was back, and I, the substitute, was useless, which was why she made me collect ten thousand blessings to politely reject me. After a while, I took a deep breath and pushed open the private room door. Inside, everyone was already tipsy, clapping and cheering. “Their dramatic reunion, their intense, complicated love – I’m totally hooked! Vanessa, you have to kiss Damon!” Vanessa openly kissed Damon on the lips. Her long lashes trembled, and her ears turned crimson, betraying her racing heart. She didn’t know how long it had been until the cheering died down. She opened her eyes in confusion. She saw me, standing behind Damon, my face emotionless. She shot up, her face pale. “Adrian, I can explain everything! It’s not what you think!” Her attempt to cover it up just made her look incredibly guilty. “Vanessa, we’re done.”

The next second, I pulled out my resignation application. “Also, please sign this so I can leave the company.” Vanessa was flustered. Everyone in the room looked on with mixed expressions, some hesitating, wanting to advise me. But then, whoosh! Damon swept the drinks and fruit bowls off the table, looking utterly humiliated. “You two are a couple?!” “Vanessa, I told you, the love I want is one where only I exist in your eyes. If you had a boyfriend, you should have just said so. There was no need to take revenge on me like this!” He stormed out. Vanessa snapped back to reality and, losing all composure, slapped me. “How dare you make a scene in front of Damon? Why did you expose our relationship? He’s sensitive and can’t handle shocks, don’t you know that?” My head was snapped sideways from the blow, my eyes cold. The fierce fire in her eyes suddenly died, replaced by a flicker of distress. The hand that hit me trembled violently. She turned her head away and said sharply, “You just want to force me into marriage, but your plan failed. I’d like to see how you’re going to cause trouble for Damon without the job I gave you!” She snatched my resignation application and signed it. The next second, she shouted “Damon!” and ran off, chasing him. I rubbed the crumpled paper, and with a sense of relief, I left amidst the stunned gazes of the crowd. Now, there was only one thing left to do. After Mom passed, I decided to take her ashes abroad, so I had only arranged a simple memorial. Tomorrow, I needed to pick up Mom’s ashes and belongings from the hospital. The next morning, I timed my arrival at the hospital perfectly, intending to leave straight for the airport afterward. As I passed a department, I overheard a doctor calling out Vanessa’s name. “You young people are crazy in love! Your eyes are inflamed, ulcerated, and bleeding. You could go blind permanently! You can’t keep doing this!” I unconsciously slowed my steps. Then I heard Damon’s whining voice. “Vanessa, I was just being dramatic yesterday when I said I’d only forgive you if you had eyes only for me! Why did you actually tattoo my name all over your eyeballs?!” Vanessa’s voice was full of deep affection. “For you, it’s nothing.” I turned my head and saw Vanessa’s eyes. Her eyelids were swollen, blood vessels burst, and they were hazy with blood. I could faintly see her eyeballs were dark, densely covered with Damon’s name. Yet, before, when I had just bought a pair of matching couple’s rings, she had cursed me out, saying I was deliberately claiming ownership and trying to tie her down, restricting her freedom. Turns out, in the face of love, everyone is equally desperate. I continued toward the morgue. Damon had already spotted me and deliberately picked a fight. “Adrian, Vanessa said you’re just a persistent admirer who won’t give up. What do you want now?” Vanessa, surprisingly, wasn’t angry at all. She quickly put on her sunglasses, adjusted her hair, and her lips curved upward. “Adrian, I know you came here looking for me on purpose. As long as you swear not to do anything out of line again, I can still let you come back to the company. I heard your mom is in our city recently. I could be generous and take her on a trip.” My eyes were full of sarcasm. What “out of line” things? Should I continue to be her secret lover, smilingly bless her and Damon, and then, after she’s had her fun and decided to settle down, gratefully marry her? To this day, she still didn’t know that Mom had already died, her last wish being for me to find someone who loved me. The nurse, however, couldn’t wait. She rushed out to find me, handing me Mom’s ashes and belongings. “Adrian, I have other families to attend to. Just sign here, and you can take your mother’s ashes.”

Vanessa’s triumphant expression froze. “What ashes?” The medical staff looked at her, surprised. “Adrian’s mother passed away two days ago because she couldn’t afford the medical fees.” Vanessa was speechless. It took her a moment to find her voice. “How is that possible? Adrian, you didn’t use the money I gave you for your mom?!” I bent down to sign the ash collection form. Damon frowned, then suddenly spoke. “Vanessa, I suddenly feel a little discomfort in my heart. Could you please ask the doctor to check me? Adrian and I are both men, maybe I can comfort him properly.” Vanessa hesitated, then finally called out to me. “Adrian, you stay here. Don’t move. Once I call the doctor, we can talk properly!” As soon as she left, Damon’s eyes filled with malice, and he deliberately knocked over my mother’s ashes. He whispered mockingly, “Adrian, you’re truly a persistent ghost. I deliberately told finance not to give you the funds. Your mom died because you didn’t know your place. And Vanessa even said she’s giving your vacant position to me. If you’re smart, you’ll get lost!” My pupils contracted. So Damon was behind my mom’s death! Furious, I didn’t hesitate to slap him. But he immediately collapsed, curled up in the corner, looking pained and begging, “Adrian, don’t kill me! I’m so sad your mother died too!” Passersby, not knowing the full story, all assumed I was just venting my anger. They had all seen Vanessa and Damon’s official announcement video and were now righteously indignant. “His own mom died, and he’s bullying another patient to vent?! Where’s security? Get this guy out of the hospital!” “Don’t you know that’s CEO Vanessa’s husband? The Sterling family has immense wealth, you just messed with the wrong person! It’s not too late to beg for forgiveness now!” My face was numb. I knelt down to pick up the shattered ceramic urn holding my mother’s ashes. The sharp edges of the fragments cut my fingers, leaving streaks of blood, but I didn’t seem to feel the pain. As everyone condemned me, Vanessa finally arrived with the doctor. They vied to speak, as if taking credit. “CEO Vanessa, your husband is being bullied! Aren’t you going to stand up for him?” Damon, looking triumphant, weakly cried out, “Vanessa, I’m fine. I was just kindly helping Adrian with his mother’s ashes, and I accidentally broke them. He didn’t mean to push me or slap me. I’m okay, I don’t think anything’s broken.” Vanessa took three swift steps towards me. I didn’t even lift my head, gathering my mother’s ashes. I figured she’d just say a few words to me. But to my surprise, the next second, she knelt directly in front of me, carefully cradling my hands and asking, “Does it hurt?” She held my bloody hands, her eyes filled with heartache. Everyone present stared at each other, stunned. Damon was dumbfounded, even forgetting to feign illness, his eyes wide. In the past, if he pretended to be sick, Vanessa would fuss like a chicken with its head cut off. But now, she was concerned about me, the ‘unreasonable’ one.

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Everyone in the family was waiting for me to frame the real daughter, claiming she stole Grandma’s jade pendant, but I calmly admitted in front of them all that I had slipped it into my own pocket by accident. The room froze. In the original script, I should have cried, yelled, and dragged her down with me. But I’m not the original girl—I transmigrated into her body. From the moment I changed that line, no one in this house could control me again. I was reborn in a novel as Sophia Davis, the adopted daughter of the head of Davis Enterprises. I was kept in the family because I had a rare blood type, which meant I served as a “mobile blood bank” for my brother, James Davis. Not long after, the real daughter, Lily Davis, was found. She was the true protagonist of this world, unlike me, the “villainous” adopted daughter. And she had the special ability that allowed others to hear her thoughts. According to the storyline, I was supposed to constantly frame her in front of my parents, making them believe she was bullying me, and trying to make them dislike her. But with her “God’s perspective” from the storyline, Lily could always predict my actions and words, causing my family to lose trust in me again and again. On the very first day Lily returned, my parents asked me to show her the room upstairs that had been prepared for her. I remembered from the plot that at this point, everyone in the family should have already heard Lily’s thoughts. They were waiting to see if things would unfold the way she said they would. I was about to try to break the plot and do something unexpected, but suddenly, my body slipped, and I found myself tumbling down the stairs uncontrollably. As I rolled down the stairs and hit the floor, I noticed the look in my parents’ and James’ eyes. There was a clear trace of disappointment there. They were all waiting for me to say something, but no one came to help me. I had to slowly stand up on my own. Feeling embarrassed, I weakly apologized, “It’s OK. I didn’t eat enough this morning. Just low blood sugar.” Lily, looking surprised, asked, “You’re trying to say I pushed you, aren’t you? You don’t even know why, and you just want Mom and Dad not to be mad, right?” My parents and James looked at me with suspicion in their eyes, and I just leaned against the wall, weakly retorting, “Did you not hear me or what? It was the low blood sugar.” Then, I looked at James pitifully, “I’ll get better soon. I don’t want to be unable to provide blood when you need it.” James and my parents, hearing this, immediately came over to help me up, their faces filled with concern. Lily had taken my room, but in exchange, my parents gave me a luxurious suite. Eighteen years ago, Lily, their biological daughter, was kidnapped by bad people, and my parents were devastated. To cope with the grief, they adopted me from an orphanage, since I also had a rare blood type. For the past eighteen years, they had treated me like their own daughter, nurturing and pampering me. But their love for me wasn’t without an ulterior motive. First, they wanted me to help run Davis Enterprises, and second, I was meant to be James’ personal blood donor. James loved racing, and as a professional driver, he often got injured during his races. Whenever he needed a blood transfusion, it was always me who provided it. That was why my parents doted on me so much, and why James treated me like his own sister.

Mom gently pulled me aside, “Sophia, your health isn’t great. You can have the suite on the first floor from now on.” In the original plot, when Lily was first brought back, the family hadn’t had time to prepare her room yet. The original Sophia, wanting to show her family how considerate and generous she was, offered her own room to Lily, even though she planned to stay in the storage room to play the martyr and gain their sympathy. But this time, instead of offering my room, Mom gave me the largest room, the suite, on the first floor, the one where they used to read and write. Lily could already feel the drama unfolding in her mind. “She’s definitely going to refuse,” Lily thought. “She’ll insist she’s just an outsider and keep pretending to be the victim, staying in the storage room.” Hearing Lily’s thoughts, my parents and James all looked awkward, waiting for my reaction. I hugged Mom happily, acting like a spoiled child. “Mom, you’re the best! I love you the most! I’ll take the suite downstairs. It’s more convenient, and it’ll be closer to James!” My parents’ and James’ rooms were on the first floor, so now I was moving down too. Lily would be the only one left upstairs. She seemed confused that I hadn’t followed the script. Grabbing my arm, she demanded, “You were supposed to refuse and insist on staying in the storage room. Why the sudden change of heart?” She couldn’t understand why I wasn’t sticking to the expected lines. I had realized something too. When it came to crucial plot points, my actions would be uncontrollable and follow the script, but what I said was entirely under my control. “Stay in the storage room?” I replied, leaning back. “Why would I want to stay there when I have a perfectly good suite?” Everyone looked at Lily with confusion. Unable to handle the pressure, she angrily shoved me. From Lily’s thoughts, I could tell my family was starting to get suspicious of me. “This doesn’t make sense,” she thought. “You’re not even their real child. Why have you lived as me for the past ten years? I come back, and suddenly you get the suite? Are you trying to humiliate me? Why did you even bring me back?” She lashed out at my parents and James, venting all the grievances she’d carried for years. But the fact that she went missing had nothing to do with me. I was just adopted later, after all. James, feeling sorry for me, helped me up from the floor and snapped at Lily, “Don’t take it too far. You can’t just throw tantrums and push people around. Where’s your manners? I bet you did push Sophia just now.” Lily, having grown up in a small town with poor manners, wasn’t about to let James’ words slide. She started cursing him out in response. It was all becoming too much for my parents, especially Dad. “Enough!” he shouted. “The most important thing is that Sophia gets better. She’ll stay on the first floor. The entire second floor is yours, Lily. You can design it however you like. Is that fair now?” James snorted in disbelief, and Mom wiped away her tears. When Lily heard that the entire second floor was hers, the space was several times bigger than my own, she had nothing left to say. The house would soon be undergoing renovations, and my suite would just be rearranged as it was. But Lily’s second floor was going to be a huge project. She insisted on a walk-in closet, a study, and a separate bathroom. The noise from the construction made the entire house uneasy. Aside from a few arguments with James, no one really called her out on it. It took over half a month before the renovations were finally done.

Lily now had her room, but her closet was still empty, so Mom gave her a card with her allowance for the year. “Lily,” she said softly, “I’ve been giving Sophia and James one million a year as pocket money. We’ve missed out on those 18 years with you, so we want to make it right. There is 20 million, and you can spend it however you like.” Lily refused the card, her voice cold. “Lost affection can’t be replaced with money. I don’t want your money.” James, who had been looking at his phone, snorted. “How high and mighty. If she doesn’t want it, just give it to Sophia.” Lily’s thoughts turned bitter. “Give it to her, go ahead, give it all to her. You think Sophia’s some kind of good person? She’s about to sabotage James in his next race. When he’s fighting for his life after a crash, she’ll pull some pity play and donate blood, gaining all your trust. Then, once you’ve given her all of Davis Enterprises’ assets, she’ll ditch you. You’ll be left begging on the streets.” Hearing her thoughts, James hesitated as he handed me the card. Mom and Dad exchanged a wary glance. The story forced me into a situation where I had to steal something and set Lily up, and when I was caught, I could feel the cold sweat running down my back. But I remained calm. I pulled out the card Mom and Dad had previously given me and handed it to Lily. “You said I’ve been living in your place for the past ten years. If you won’t take what they gave you, how about you take this card from me?” Lily shot me a glare and then snatched the card from my hand without hesitation. “It’s mine to begin with. You should’ve given it back.” Mom and Dad’s wariness began to fade. James realized how close he’d come to believing Lily’s words and, feeling guilty, pulled out his own card. “Sophia, don’t let her get to you. If you need money, use my card. We can share.” I smiled and accepted his offer. I couldn’t understand why the original Sophia would go out of her way to hurt this brother who was so partial to her. Why couldn’t she just live a happy, normal life like any ordinary person? Why did she have to stir up trouble?

The next day, Mom took Lily and me to the mall. According to the plot, I would initially eagerly pick out all kinds of expensive clothes and jewelry for Lily. But just as we were leaving the store, I would secretly hide something in Lily’s bag to embarrass her. As the story forced me into a certain action, I found myself unable to control my body as it quietly slipped a beautiful, pricey watch into Lily’s bag. I wanted to head to the counter to pay, but I couldn’t move a muscle. Lily, noticing something was off, started to think to herself, “Sophia just looks down on me for growing up in a small town. She’s trying to plant stolen goods in my bag to make me look bad and accuse me of being unrefined.” Mom saw the strange expression on my face and started to suspect something was wrong. Lily, now aware of the situation, grabbed her bag and said, “Let’s go.” She dragged both me and Mom toward the store’s exit, and sure enough, the alarm went off as we passed through the door. Mom looked at me, her eyes wide with disbelief. The store clerks quickly blocked our way. “Excuse me, but could you please stop and check if there are any unpaid items in your bags?” I could feel the cold sweat on my forehead, my heart pounding in my chest. Lily smirked, looking at me with a wicked gleam in her eyes. “I don’t know. Why don’t we check our bags?” The clerk first searched her bag, and sure enough, found the expensive watch tucked into a hidden compartment, with the price tag still attached. Mom, stunned, pointed at the watch with trembling hands. “This watch isn’t…” Before she could finish, the clerk cut her off. “Oh, this watch doesn’t belong to our store. I’ll put it back. Could you please open your bags so we can inspect them?” The clerk handed Lily her bag back, but Lily stared at the watch in shock. Why would they return it to her if it was stolen? When they searched my bag, however, they found a diamond brooch. It turned out I was the one who had stolen the item. The clerk looked at me in disbelief and said sternly, “Miss, your actions suggest theft. We may need to call the police.” I lowered my head in shame. Mom stepped forward to defend me. “My daughter’s been unwell lately, and she must’ve forgotten to pay. We don’t steal jewelry. We can afford it.” We had often shopped at this store, and the staff knew us well. They couldn’t believe we would be involved in a theft. The clerk, sensing the tension, spoke sympathetically. “Probably just a mistake. Sophia must’ve absentmindedly put it in her bag. I’ll go ahead and print the invoice, please give me just a moment.” Just when I thought the situation was about to resolve, Lily interrupted. She grabbed the clerk’s arm, blocking her from leaving, and pointed at me. “She did steal. She was trying to plant them in my bag to frame me! I don’t know why she hid them in her own bag, though. Don’t be fooled.” The clerk looked at our mom, clearly uncomfortable. Mom, already fed up, snapped, “Enough, Lily.” But Lily refused to stop. She pulled the watch out of her bag, still with the price tag on it. “This is clearly the watch she stole from another store. She tried to plant it in my bag earlier!” As she spoke, the people around us began to look at me with disdain. Lily grabbed my arm. “Are you trying to accuse me now? Are you going to say it’s my fault? Speak up!” I could hear whispers in the crowd. Who would’ve thought two rich girls would steal from a store? Both our reputations were at stake, and Mom finally snapped. “Enough!” I couldn’t hold back any longer and started crying. “I’m sorry, Mom. I took the brooch. I didn’t have the money to buy it. I just wanted to give it to Lily as a gift.” Lily and Mom suddenly remembered that earlier in the morning, I had given Lily my card. Lily scoffed, “Sophia, you’re really something else. You stole the brooch to give it to me as a gift, but what about the watch? Isn’t that your attempt to frame me?” Mom couldn’t take it anymore. She slapped Lily across the face. “Stop it! The watch was a birthday gift from our entire family to Sophia. She never even wore it and still hadn’t removed the tag. She probably meant to give it to you secretly, and you’ve completely misjudged her!” Lily stared at me in disbelief before throwing the watch to the ground and running off in tears. The whole time, I had been wearing the watch when I left the house. But once the plot triggered, I had no control over my actions. Since I was destined to take the fall for the theft, I decided to accept the blame myself. When we got home and explained everything, Mom and Dad, along with James, didn’t hold it against me. They quietly gave me the card Lily had refused earlier. “Sophia, no matter the reason, stealing is not right. It’s bad for your reputation. Do you understand? Since Lily didn’t want it, you can use this card.” I happily accepted the card. There was 20 million in it. I was over the moon!

Lily began to question why things weren’t going according to the original plot. She found me alone and confronted me. “You’re trying to make it look like I pushed you down the stairs, aren’t you? And in the mall, you deliberately stole something to frame me, right? What changed? Why did you suddenly change your mind?” I met her furious gaze and calmly poured myself a cup of coffee. “Let me ask you. Why do you always think I’m the bad guy?” She opened her mouth but couldn’t come up with a response. According to the plot, I was supposed to be the evil adopted one, eventually taking all of the family’s wealth for myself. Meanwhile, Lily, whose thoughts could be heard by everyone and who knew the plot, would be loved by everyone and would stop all of it from happening. “You say you’re not a bad person. Fine. Tomorrow, when I go to school, prove it to me.” After Lily left, I started to feel a headache coming on. I had almost forgotten…that the original Sophia was two-faced. At home, she bullied Lily with fake sympathy, but at school, she openly isolated and ostracized her. What was I supposed to do now? The next day, at school… The teacher introduced Lily to the class as a new transfer student. As soon as she sat down, Lily started mentally complaining.

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On our wedding day, my husband abandoned me to accompany another woman. When I questioned him, he accused me of being petty and jealous. I intended to leave before the final humiliation could reach me. But the moment I stepped out of the dressing room, I ran into the one man Aaron never wanted anywhere near me. His gaze swept from my bouquet to my lips, slow enough to feel like a touch. “If you still need a groom,” he murmured, “I can stand where he ran.” I slipped my arm through his without hesitation. And in front of everyone, I sealed the offer with a kiss. One week before our wedding, my fiancé Aaron Lambert told me he had to marry his first love before he could marry me. His first love’s mother had passed away, leaving a dying wish for them to get married. “Lily’s mother always hoped she would marry a good man. I’m just fulfilling the old lady’s last wish. Don’t overthink it,” Aaron said. But our company had already decided to launch the True Love jewelry collection on the day of our grand wedding. He impatiently replied, “It’s just a billion-dollar project. How can that compare to Lily’s filial piety? If you really want to earn that money, go find someone else to marry.” Faced with his cold words, I understood everything. I turned and dialed my family’s number. “Brother, help me find a new marriage partner.” My brother asked in disbelief, “You’re calling off the wedding?” “No, he’s marrying someone else,” I said with a bitter smile. To be with Aaron, I had fought tooth and nail against my family’s objections to finally get my parents’ approval. We even scheduled the True Love jewelry collection launch for our wedding day. But now, everything had fallen apart. My brother was stunned for a long while before saying, “Then Arlo Shaw is our only option. His family has been pressuring him to get married, and he’s been looking for a partner recently.” I frowned. Arlo Shaw was my sworn enemy. On my engagement day, he had even cursed that my marriage would fall apart. I never expected his prophecy to be fulfilled. Time was tight, so I could only say, “Alright, it’ll be him then. Help me ask about his intentions. If he refuses, I’ll think of another way.” My brother replied quickly, “No need to ask. He’ll definitely agree.” “What?” Before I could ask anything more, a group of people surrounded me. “Are you Aaron’s fiancée? You’re so beautiful!” “Are you here to wait for Aaron to get off work? He’ll be down soon. You two are so sweet together.” I gripped the steering wheel, lowering my eyes to hide the self-mockery in them. Aaron had introduced me to his colleagues and friends early on. In everyone’s eyes, we were an enviable model couple. But who could have guessed that he was about to marry someone else? After saying goodbye to everyone, Aaron got into the car and handed me a necklace. “Lily asked me to give this to you. You embarrassed her at the funeral yesterday, so take some time to apologize to her.” This necklace was clearly a free gift that came with a purchase. I had seen it in Aaron’s shopping cart a couple of days ago. I said flatly, “I don’t want it.” Aaron frowned. “What are you upset about now? You barged into the funeral and said I wasn’t her fiancé, embarrassing her. She didn’t hold it against you and even thought to bring you a gift. How can you be so ungrateful?” The man who once protected me was gone. Now, he cherished someone else. Aaron irritably opened the window to let in some air. After a long while, seeing that I wasn’t going to comfort him, he finally said, “Fine, we’re supposed to go try on wedding dresses today. I won’t argue with you.” This was the first time he had backed down this year. When we arrived at the bridal shop, the sales assistant greeted us: “Mr. Lambert, Miss Quinn, the twenty custom wedding dresses and tuxedos you ordered are ready.” But Aaron’s gaze wasn’t on these clothes. He was looking down at his phone, his expression somewhat urgent. After noticing my gaze, he quickly put away his phone, his face showing a hint of apology: “Genevieve, something came up with Lily. I need to rush over there right away. Try on the wedding dresses yourself, and just pick a tuxedo for me. I trust your taste.” With that, he hurriedly hailed a taxi and left, leaving me alone. The sales assistant quickly approached me and tentatively asked, “Miss Quinn, would you like to personally select the tuxedo?” I looked away and nodded. Of course I would choose a tuxedo. Just not for Aaron. After all, the groom had changed. I drove home, thinking Aaron wouldn’t return all night. But he came back before dinner. He strode over to me, holding a takeout box. “I went all over town to buy this for you. It’s from Harry’s Bakery.” I looked at the box of Swiss rolls. There were three fewer than usual, and one of them had a bite mark, obviously having been eaten. Half an hour ago, I had seen Lily’s Instagram post. The photo was of the Swiss rolls in my hand. “Hubby bought me a midnight snack even though it’s so late. Thanks for working so hard, babe! XOXO!” I put down my chopsticks with a self-mocking smile, instantly losing my appetite. “I don’t want to eat it. Just throw it away.” Aaron immediately looked at me with displeasure but held back from lashing out. He sat down beside me and complained: “You have no idea how pitiful Lily was today. My parents went to her house and scolded her family for being poor, saying they couldn’t even afford decent jewelry. She was so upset she cried.” “Lily just returned to the country and doesn’t have much money. I was thinking of lending her your jewelry.” His tone left no room for argument, making me feel sick. I looked at him sarcastically. “So I have to provide jewelry for your wife?”

In the past, I cared about Aaron so much that I would give him anything he asked for and do anything for him. But now he had personally woken me up. Thinking back, ever since Lily returned to the country, everything he did was for her. He had forgotten that I was supposed to be the one spending the rest of my life with him. My response angered Aaron. “What do you mean by that? You’re not willing? You’d better understand this: Lily is my best friend. You’d better make her happy, or I might not marry you!” With that, he slammed the door and left. Feeling frustrated, I went downstairs to jog in the park. After running one lap, I received a call from Arlo Shaw. Thinking of Arlo’s perpetually stern face, I hesitated for two seconds before answering. “Once you’re on my ship, you’re my person. If you dare to run, I’ll tie you up and bring you back!” Arlo’s first sentence was a direct hit. I remained silent, and he continued: “Let’s get the marriage certificate.” “I’m afraid you’ll change your mind.” Arlo Shaw, you’re acting strange. I had already imagined tens of thousands of scenarios in my mind where he would use our marriage to torment me. In the end, I could only muster up a sentence: “See you at the wedding, Mr. Shaw.” As soon as I finished speaking, Aaron appeared behind me out of nowhere: “You’re inviting Arlo Shaw to our wedding? I forbid it!” He stared at me as if facing a great enemy: “Genevieve Quinn, didn’t I tell you not to associate with Arlo Shaw? His intentions towards you aren’t pure. If you insist on inviting him to our wedding, don’t blame me for getting upset!” Before I could say a word, he had already laid down his threat. Aaron had always disliked Arlo Shaw and harbored an inexplicable hostility towards him. When we first got together, he even became jealous because Arlo and I often bantered on SnapChat. After that, I gradually cut off contact with Arlo. But he actually said… Arlo Shaw had impure intentions towards me? I was about to ask further when Lily suddenly leaned against Aaron’s neck. “Aaron, you’re hurting me…” Only then did I notice they were holding hands while taking a walk. Aaron coughed awkwardly twice but showed no intention of letting go of her hand. Lily looked at Aaron with deep affection, then turned to me with a pretense of helplessness: “Sister Genevieve, I’m sorry. Aaron and I were just practicing the wedding procedure in advance. Please don’t mind.” “I won’t tell anyone about you hitting me or damaging my mother’s grave. But please don’t hurt Aaron. True love can’t withstand tests.” Not wanting to watch her act, I turned to leave: “Since you’re so looking forward to it, I’ll find someone to beat you up tonight and then dig up your mother’s grave!” Slap! Aaron slapped me hard across the face. “Genevieve Quinn, how can you be so vicious?!” His brows were furrowed, and his chest heaved. I’m vicious? He believed someone else’s manipulative words, but five years of our relationship couldn’t earn me even a bit of his trust. I suddenly felt a surge of anger and wanted to confront Aaron, but Lily stepped in front of him: “Genevieve, please, I’ll return Aaron to you as soon as the wedding is over.” “Please have mercy and don’t hurt the people around me, or Aaron.” As she spoke, she was about to kneel before me. Aaron quickly wrapped his arm around her waist, preventing her from kneeling, while glaring at me angrily. “Genevieve Quinn, stop playing your rich girl bullying games!” “You know I hate that the most. If you still want to marry me, stop making trouble!” With that, he warned me not to appear in front of them during the time before the wedding. Unexpectedly, Aaron contacted me the very next day. He started with a barrage of scolding: “Genevieve Quinn, did you really go and dig up Mrs. Lee’s grave?! I never thought you were this kind of person!” Filled with confusion, I called my assistant to investigate, only to uncover an extremely shocking fact. Lily’s mother… wasn’t dead.

No wonder Lily could be so ruthless as to dig up her own mother’s grave to frame me. It turns out death was all a scam. I sent Aaron a text message: “Lily’s mother isn’t dead. The truth is in the email I sent you.” Whether he looked at it or not was no longer my concern. The flight was booked for three days later, personally arranged by Arlo. When Aaron returned, he saw me packing my things. Half of my clothes were thrown away, with a small portion being shipped to South City. “Why are you starting to pack clothes?” Aaron asked with a dubious expression. I casually replied, “Moving.” He fell silent for a moment, not noticing anything amiss, and continued talking to himself: “The Quinn family company is in South City. We’ll settle there after getting married, so it’s good to start packing early.” After saying this, he fixed me with a stern gaze. “Apologize to Lily’s mother as soon as possible. Don’t make things difficult for me. How about on the wedding day? What do you think?” He tossed his phone aside and went to look for his ID card. Today was the day he and Lily were getting their marriage certificate. He didn’t return until late that night. I opened my phone to find a message from Lily pop up. The picture showed Aaron and her wearing matching outfits, sharing a bed. I closed my eyes, my heart still aching despite my efforts. I suppressed that feeling and turned off my phone. Late at night, the phone by my pillow started vibrating every hour. Each vibration was Lily sending me videos of her and Aaron to taunt me. Until early the next morning, when I received a message from Arlo. “Miss Quinn, the flower has bloomed.” The accompanying image showed a marriage certificate and a pot of vibrant red roses. I was surprised that he had kept the plant I casually gave him years ago. Inexplicably, a strange emotion welled up in my heart. I replied with a single word: “Okay.” I put down my phone and went to pack up my work files on the computer. I didn’t notice when Aaron had returned. He was packing his daily essentials: “I’m moving in with Lily for a few days. She’s too busy preparing for the wedding alone. Remember to show up on time for the wedding the day after tomorrow. Don’t be late.” After saying this, he explained at length that he was just going to help normally and told me not to cause trouble again. “Mm, I won’t go,” I said, lowering my eyes. After last night, my last bit of affection for him had completely dissipated. Aaron looked at my calm demeanor, and a nameless panic swept over him. He suddenly became hesitant. But thinking of Lily’s cloying clinginess, he loosened his grip on his phone. Genevieve loved him so much, what could possibly go wrong? Thinking this, he breathed a sigh of relief and no longer lingered with me, disappearing from my sight. I watched his departing figure and made a phone call. That evening, a helicopter landed in the square. A man approached me: “Miss Quinn, the helicopter you ordered has arrived. It will safely transport you to South City in half an hour.” I nodded, then handed him an envelope. “Deliver this envelope to the wedding venue tomorrow. It’s my wedding gift for the bride and groom.”

The next day, I sent Aaron a message right on time: “Congratulations on your marriage!” At the wedding venue, Aaron kept looking towards the entrance, asking his secretary: “Why hasn’t Genevieve Quinn arrived yet? We agreed she would apologize to Mrs. Lee in public today.” The secretary scrolled through the news, frowning: “She probably can’t make it. She’s busy with her own wedding right now.” Hearing this, Aaron stood frozen in the center of the banquet hall. The wedding venue was decorated with Lily’s favorite champagne roses, making the entire hall look like a dream. Below the stage, guests were toasting and chatting. Everything seemed perfect. However, Aaron was tightly gripping his phone, staring intently at the news headline: “Quinn Group’s Female CEO Gets Married, True Love Collection Officially Launches”. Cold sweat broke out on his palms as he hurriedly dialed the number he knew by heart, only to find it unanswered. “How can this be happening?” Lily walked straight towards him, grasping his hand. “Aaron, what’s wrong? Your hands are so cold.” Aaron gripped her hand in return: “Genevieve Quinn… she, she married someone else!” Lily took the phone and glanced at it, frowning slightly before smiling: “That’s impossible. Sister Genevieve loves you so much. This must be some kind of business tactic. These businesspeople will do anything for money, even fake marriages.” “Fake marriage?” Aaron’s panicked expression eased slightly. “Come on, Aaron. The wedding is about to start. Let’s go up,” Lily said. The officiant stood on stage to host the wedding. Aaron forced a smile back onto his face and exchanged rings with Lily, kissing each other. Just when everything seemed perfect, the doors of the banquet hall were suddenly flung open with a bang. A group of people walked in orderly. Aaron instinctively thought it was Genevieve coming to make trouble. He had just raised a smile, ready to lash out, when he suddenly froze. It wasn’t Genevieve who had come, but a group of uniformed police officers. He immediately panicked and asked, “Officers, we’re just ordinary citizens. We haven’t done anything wrong, have we?” The lead officer ignored him completely and simply unfolded a document. “Miss Genevieve Quinn has filed charges against Lily Lee for illegal possession of property. The evidence is conclusive. Please come with us.” Aaron was completely flustered. “Officers, what illegal possession? Those were jewels I legally gave to Lily from Genevieve.” The officer frowned: “Your so-called legal channels are not recognized by us, and the plaintiff Miss Genevieve Quinn does not acknowledge this either.” Aaron desperately argued: “This is just Genevieve’s tactic! She’s doing this to ruin my wedding with Lily!” The officer glared at him coldly: “Sir, please don’t obstruct official business. Take her away!” As Lily was taken away, the wedding instantly descended into chaos. The Lee family relatives loudly discussed how Lily’s jewelry turned out to be someone else’s, calling her shameless. Aaron’s parents’ faces turned black as the bottom of a pot, pointing at Aaron’s head and scolding him. “You fool! What have you done!” “You gave up on Genevieve, who was so good, to marry this penniless woman. Now look what’s happened! You’ve lost everything!” Aaron calmed down. “Mom, this is Genevieve’s tactic to force me to comply. I’m going to find Genevieve now to save Lily.” Just as he was about to step forward, a man blocked his path. “Mr. Lambert, this is Miss Quinn’s wedding gift for you.” A phone was connected to the big screen. When the phone was opened, obscene images and words that were unfit for viewing assaulted everyone’s eyes.

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I crossed blizzards to reach Antarctica for the ninety-ninth time, begging my husband to come home. He refused—again. His first love was there, and that was enough for him to stay. So I finally stopped trying. Five years later, during my birthday dinner, he pushed open the door as if summoned by fate. His gaze dropped to the slight curve of my belly. Rage. Shock. Something feral. His voice cut through the room: “Whose child is that?” I smiled, calm and untouchable. “It’s not yours. That’s all you need to know.” At a birthday party, amidst laughter and conversation, Derek suddenly appeared. Upon seeing my slightly rounded belly, he was visibly upset, “I’ve been at the research institute for five years, and you ignored me all along. Whose child is in your belly?” I replied calmly, “It’s none of your business. According to the law, a couple can divorce after being separated for more than two years.” Upon hearing this, Derek kicked over the birthday cake in anger, “Amelia, I’ve only been away for five years, and you’ve already gotten yourself pregnant.” “Who does the child belong to?” “I’m going to make sure he can’t survive in New York City.” Watching Derek ruin the carefully prepared birthday party, I got angry too, “Derek, this isn’t the place for you to act out.” “If you’re not well, go to the hospital.” The mention of “hospital” made Derek’s emotions flare up. He grabbed my arm and started dragging me outside, “We’re going to the hospital right now.” Derek was so strong, I couldn’t even struggle. At that moment, Grandma Nora heard the commotion and hurried over with her cane. Seeing Derek’s rough actions, she was instantly alarmed. “Derek, let go of Amelia!” “Amelia is pregnant with…” Derek’s mood softened a bit when he saw Grandma, but his anger surged again at her words. He interrupted Grandma Nora, “Amelia, you’re quite clever, even fooling Grandma.” Then he raised his hand and slapped me hard. Blood trickled from my mouth as my cheek swelled. Grandma Nora was shocked by the scene. She tried to rescue me from Derek’s grip. But the bodyguard by Derek’s side kept her away. Derek instructed the bodyguard to call the private hospital for a procedure. As he arranged things, he dragged me into the car. Grandma Nora reluctantly got into another car with the bodyguard. None of the surrounding friends offered help. Instead, they watched the scene unfold. Derek’s family was wealthy and influential. They didn’t want to offend him and were happy to give him respect. The car quickly reached the private hospital. The director personally came out to greet Derek. Ignoring the director’s flattery, Derek dragged me to the OB-GYN department. “Derek, let go of me. The child in my belly is…” Before I could finish, we ran into Tessa, who had just come out of the doctor’s office. She was Derek’s former sister-in-law and his long-cherished first love. Seeing Derek, she happily ran over and hugged him. “Derek, I’m finally pregnant,” she said, looking at Derek with deep affection. Derek let go of my hand and carefully hugged Tessa. “Tessa, you’re pregnant now. Be careful.” Tessa playfully smiled and, noticing me, exclaimed in surprise, “Sister-in-law, you’re pregnant too?” Seeing their intimate actions, I instantly understood. Why Derek left for five years and why Tessa disappeared too. They had been together all along. Ignoring Tessa’s provocative gaze, I simply replied, “Derek, we’re no longer married, and you’re with Tessa now.” “Let me go immediately, or you won’t be able to handle the consequences.” Grandma Nora was shocked to see Derek and Tessa together. But it was more important to stop Derek from doing something rash. “Derek, let Amelia go home and rest.” Hearing this, Derek immediately released Tessa and sternly questioned, “Grandma, Amelia cheated on me and is pregnant with someone else’s child. Do you want me to turn a blind eye?” Grandma Nora realized Derek wasn’t going to let it go easily. She hurriedly said, “Derek, the child in Amelia’s belly isn’t someone else’s. It’s…”

Before Grandma Nora could finish, Tessa interrupted, “Derek, Grandma doesn’t look well. Is Amelia not taking good care of her?” “Or is Grandma being threatened by Amelia?” Hearing this, I found it laughable, “Derek, you were raised by Grandma, and you disappeared for five years.” “You know better than anyone why Grandma’s not well.” Tessa smirked and approached me, “You intruded on the relationship between Derek and me. Don’t you know why Derek left?” As she spoke, Tessa pushed me hard. My belly hit a hospital bed in the corridor, and sharp pain shot through me. A warm sensation flowed down my thigh. Grandma Nora looked on in panic, “Doctor, come quickly. Amelia’s child can’t be harmed.” The doctor and nurses were about to check when Derek shouted, “No one is allowed to check. Today, I’m making sure she doesn’t keep the child.” At the director’s signal, the doctor and nurses didn’t dare move. Tessa mocked, “Sister-in-law, carrying someone else’s child, betraying Derek.” “How do you have the nerve to seek help from the family hospital’s doctors?” Grandma Nora anxiously searched her bag for her smartphone to call for help. Derek ordered the bodyguard to take Grandma’s phone away. “Grandma, what kind of manipulation did Amelia use on you?” “You’re still trying to help her.” “Grandma, I’m telling you, this child must not remain.” Grandma Nora was shocked, “Derek, I’m your grandmother. Won’t you even listen to me?” Saying this, Grandma Nora supported me to leave and find another hospital. But the bodyguard restrained her. “Derek, stop this madness.” I struggled to stand, clutching my belly, breaking out in cold sweat, “The child in my belly isn’t yours to touch. Let me go now, or you can’t handle the consequences.” Derek stared at me, silent for a moment. Then Tessa started live streaming with her smartphone. She whispered something in Derek’s ear. Derek took the smartphone from Tessa and aimed it at me, “Amelia, if you don’t want a dignified procedure in the hospital, I’ll do it another way.” “Remember the consequences of betraying me.” Derek ordered the bodyguard to tie me to the hospital bed. I stared in horror at the bodyguard holding a stick. I struggled desperately, trying to break free. I was ready to reveal the true identity of the child’s father. “Derek, you’re insane. The child I’m carrying is…” Before I could finish, the bodyguard, at Derek’s signal, struck my belly with a stick. The intense pain turned my words into cries of agony. Blood seeped from the places my wrists and ankles were bound due to my struggles. “This is the price for betraying me and getting pregnant with someone else’s child.” The live stream audience, after hearing the story, joined in. “This woman is obviously trouble.” “Cheaters deserve to die. Don’t let her off easily.” “Teach her a lesson. Let all women see the consequences of infidelity.” Derek showed me the live stream comments. “Amelia, you not only betrayed me, but you also manipulated Grandma into deceiving me.” “Today, I’m going to make sure the child in your belly is dealt with.” Grandma Nora, who was locked in an office when the bodyguard tied me up, was now trying to intervene.

As the second blow was about to land, someone suddenly burst in. He stopped the bodyguard. “Young Master Derek, Miss Amelia isn’t someone you can touch now.” “Stop and apologize to Miss Amelia. It might make your life easier later.” Tessa looked uneasy at the sight of the bodyguard, but she said nothing. Derek, however, stared at the intruder for a long time before speaking, “I see you’re familiar. You’re my brother’s bodyguard.” With that, Derek suddenly grabbed the stick from the bodyguard and smashed it over his head. “How dare you meddle with my affairs.” Blood gushed from the bodyguard’s head as he collapsed on the ground. Watching the bodyguard who had been my only hope now lying there, possibly dead, plunged me into despair. “Derek, please, I’m sorry. Spare the child in my belly.” I was desperate, crying as I spoke. Derek glanced at the smartphone, then at me, and instructed the bodyguard to release me from the bed. “Now kneel in front of me and tell me what you did wrong.” “If the live stream audience forgives you, then I will too.” Clutching my aching belly, I painfully crawled to Derek and knelt before him. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have betrayed you or gotten pregnant. I’m at fault.” “But the child is innocent. Please, spare him.” Derek looked at my pitiful state and said nothing. Instead, he connected with a netizen’s microphone. A furious voice came from the other end of the smartphone. “You deserve to be punished. Show no mercy.” “Are you kneeling here to confess your mistakes?” “If the viewers in the live streaming room forgive you, then so will I.” Clutching my agonizing stomach, I painfully crawled to Derek’s feet and knelt. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have been unfaithful, and I shouldn’t have gotten pregnant. I’ve made terrible mistakes.” “But the child is innocent. Please, I’m begging you, spare him.” Derek surveyed my disheveled state in silence. Instead, he randomly connected a viewer’s mic. An outraged voice burst through the smartphone. “You deserve to be punished, you wretched woman. Someone should teach you a lesson.” Tessa approached Derek and spoke with deliberate calm, “Derek, see, your sister-in-law is still unwilling to give up the child and won’t disclose the father’s identity.” “It seems she hasn’t truly realized her mistakes.” Their conversation made my face go pale. But for the sake of my child, I had to fight. I endured the pain and abruptly stood up, racing toward the exit. If I could just make it out of the hospital and call for help, the child might still have a chance. Just as I was about to escape through the hospital doors, Derek grabbed my hair from behind. He yanked me back with such force, I felt my scalp tearing apart. “You’re still thinking of running away, are you?” “Without a lesson, you won’t learn.” He handed me over to the bodyguards, who restrained me on the operating room bed. “Doctor, perform the procedure and remove the child.” The medical team prepared to administer an anesthetic, but Derek stopped them. “She’s disgraced herself, and the child is illegitimate. No need for anesthetic.” Under the harsh lights of the operating room, I whispered weakly, “Derek, you’ll regret this.” I’m sorry, but it looks like the text you’re asking to translate is missing. Could you please provide the specific Chinese text that needs translation? Derek listened indifferently and remarked, “After this, you might even thank me. You know, you’re famous now.” “You’ll be the first person on the internet to stream an abortion live.” I was utterly despondent. I’m sorry, child, your mother doesn’t have the strength to protect you. The nurse’s eyes showed hesitation, but she had to proceed due to the boss’s authority. The sharp pain of the scalpel cutting through my skin made me scream in agony. But Derek impatiently stuffed a cloth into my mouth.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed outside, and Grayson’s butler rushed in with urgency. Seeing my condition, he quickly ordered the doctor to stop. At this point, I was already losing consciousness, feeling nothing but pain. Derek looked puzzled when he saw the butler. “What are you doing?” The butler, looking anxious, said, “Sir, you can’t do this to Miss Amelia. You two are divorced.” Derek, hearing this, put away his smartphone and gritted his teeth, “I didn’t agree, so it doesn’t count.” “Besides, she cheated on me and got pregnant with someone else’s child. Don’t I have the right to punish her?” The butler had seen the lady boss’s distress on the live stream. After discovering it, he immediately informed the big boss and rushed over. At this moment, Grayson appeared at the door. Derek was somewhat alarmed upon seeing his brother. Tessa also showed a look of delight. Derek quickly spoke, stepping forward to prevent his brother from entering the hospital room, “Brother, there’s no need for you to handle such a trivial matter personally. Leave, the hospital room is full of bad vibes.” Tessa added, “Grayson, even though we’re divorced, I still have to look after this family.” “This woman cheated on your brother and got pregnant with another man’s child.” Grayson’s face turned stern upon hearing this, ignoring them entirely. Instead, he directly pushed them aside and quickly walked to the operating table. Seeing my state, his eyes were filled with pain. “Where’s the director? Get out here.” The director, who had been outside, quickly ran in at Grayson’s call. “Boss, what’s wrong?” Grayson looked at the director with bloodshot eyes and said slowly, “She’s my wife, your lady boss. Now, give her the best care possible.” “If anything happens to her, I’m sure you’ve heard of my methods.” After saying this, Grayson glared harshly at Derek and Tessa. “I don’t have time to deal with you now.” Grayson instructed the bodyguard to take them to the Grayson Family Ancestral Hall and lock them up. The Grayson Family Ancestral Hall was used to discipline family members who made mistakes, a tradition spanning hundreds of years. Derek and Tessa were terrified when they realized the child was Grayson’s. “How is that possible?” “The child is actually Grayson’s!” Tessa’s tone was filled with resentment and regret, “Why didn’t she say earlier that the child was Grayson’s?” “This is practically a death sentence for us!” Tessa’s Family had once helped the Grayson Family, leading to a five-year marriage of convenience between Tessa and Grayson. If Tessa couldn’t make Grayson fall in love with her within five years, they would amicably divorce.

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Three years in a coma, I woke up to a video clip of my husband announcing my death. “To let my late wife rest in peace, I must embrace a new life.” There was my husband, Liam, arm wrapped around my best friend Chloe, holding a photo of me while sobbing for the cameras. The internet was eating it up. They called him a devoted husband. He’d gained a million followers and even planned a lavish funeral for me.. But I was very, very alive! I left the hospital and went home to confront Liam. The moment I stepped through the door, Liam’s son shoved me away. “You evil woman! Get out of my house!” I didn’t budge. Instead, I smiled and clapped my hands. A swarm of reporters flooded in, cameras flashing. “Everyone, come see! A devoted husband is holding a funeral for his living wife!” Liam grabbed my hand, his eyes flashing with guilt and panic, but no surprise. “Scarlett, you… you’re really awake?” “Disappointed?” I snorted, pulling my hand from Liam’s grasp. “How could I be? For the past three years, I’ve prayed for this every day. I’m so happy you’re finally awake.” Liam said, pushing a little boy in front of me. “Leo, this is Scarlett, the lady I told you about!” “Scarlett isn’t dead? She is a liar!” Leo scrambled to hide behind Liam, shooting me a glare. “A child of impeccable manners, I see.” I snapped. Hearing my words, Liam immediately shielded him. “He’s my son. And Chloe’s. Watch your tone!” It was then I noticed the kid’s eyes and brows were a mix of Liam’s and Chloe’s, my best friend from college. I’d only been in a coma for three years, but this child was clearly older than three. This meant Liam had been cheating on me with Chloe for more than three years behind my back. My heart sank. Seeing me stare blankly, Liam continued. “Don’t worry, now that you’re awake, you’re still my wife. You and Chloe were good friends; you’ll surely get along. I’m sure she’ll accept you too!” Suddenly, I felt like I’d never truly known Liam. We’d been married for ten years. When he couldn’t find a job right after college, I worked three jobs a day to support us both. Later, I thought things were finally getting better. We finally moved out of the basement apartment and had our own small place, but then I had to help his family pay off debts. Now, after three years as a comatose patient, I finally woke up to find he’d issued a death certificate for me. And he’d been cheating on me for ages, even having a child with my best friend. “Liam, doesn’t your conscience bother you?” I asked him, my eyes red. “This is my home! Get out, and take that bastard child with you!” Liam sighed, shielding Leo tightly behind him, as if afraid I’d hurt the boy. “The child is innocent, don’t yell at him. I know you can’t accept this right away, but what I’m saying is true. I love you deeply. But Chloe has sacrificed so much for me these past few years; I can’t let her down either!” He hugged me so tightly, his tears dripping onto my neck, as if he genuinely couldn’t bear to let me go. “Please, let’s not fight. I really missed you. But I have to be responsible for Chloe, and for Leo.” He took my hand and pressed it against his chest. “Listen, my heart is beating faster for you. Can you just be magnanimous for me this once? From now on, we’ll all be a family and live a good life.” A family? I laughed, a bitter, hollow sound. But he was completely immersed in his role as the devoted husband. “Scarlett, I have money now. I can give you a good life. Here.” He handed me a bank card. “There’s ten thousand dollars on the card. You’ve been through too much hardship with me. Trust me, I’ll make you happy from now on. You can swipe this card whenever you want.” Ten thousand?! He thought ten thousand dollars would make me forgive his betrayal? Ten thousand dollars could buy back ten years of my unpaid dedication? “Liam Hayes, I’m not that cheap!”

“That ten thousand dollars isn’t even a fraction of what I helped you pay back in debt.” I disdainfully flung the card onto the ground. But to my surprise, a heavy slap landed on my face. “Scarlett Hayes, you’re going too far! You’ve been married to Liam for ten years and couldn’t even give him a child. You were in a coma for three years, and Liam didn’t abandon you. You should be kneeling and thanking him right now!” Couldn’t have children? The reason I couldn’t have children wasn’t because of Liam! Before I fell into the coma, I had been pregnant. But at the time, because I had to help Liam pay off debts, I stubbornly kept working even while pregnant. Eventually, I collapsed at my desk. By the time I woke up in the hospital, I had already had a miscarriage. The doctor also told me my uterus was damaged, and it would be difficult to conceive again. Hearing our argument, Chloe also came downstairs. She feigned remorse, dabbing at her dry eyes. “Scarlett, don’t blame Liam. He really missed you; I know how much he loves you. If you truly can’t share him, then Leo and I will just leave.” As Chloe spoke, she made to leave, but Liam immediately stopped her. “Don’t go, you’re my wife now! No one can make you leave!” Liam then turned to me. “Scarlett Hayes, you’ve disappointed me deeply. I never abandoned you, but the moment you wake up, you try to destroy my happiness. If you don’t want to be in this home, then get out.” I looked at Liam, fighting back the tears in my eyes. “Fine, I’ll go.” Perhaps because I had just been discharged from the hospital, my body hadn’t fully recovered. The moment I reached the door, my legs buckled, and I fell to the ground. Liam rushed over, intending to help me up, but his mother stopped him. “Don’t bother with that bitch! When she can’t survive on her own, she’ll come crawling back eventually.” I heard the door slam shut behind me. Raindrops fell on me. I didn’t have an umbrella, and I was completely soaked. My damp hospital gown clung to my body. But I had nowhere to go. Just then, Liam opened the door and threw a hundred-dollar bill out. “Find a motel to stay in.” I hesitated for a moment, then miserably picked up the money. I had no money at all now; I could only endure this humiliation. The next morning, the motel owner kicked me out. My money was only enough for one night. Now I had no money for food either. I suddenly regretted it. I should have taken that ten-thousand-dollar bank card yesterday. Just then, my phone rang. I received a text from Liam. “If you regret it, come home anytime. I’m always waiting for you.”

He’s such a master of deception! He wasn’t texting me because he loved me! He was afraid I’d expose his true colors. After all, he was now an influencer with millions of followers on Instagram. His ad revenue alone was at least a hundred thousand dollars a month. I texted Liam back. “I can divorce you and make things official between you and Chloe. I only have one condition. revoke my death certificate and restore my identity.” Liam quickly replied. “Actually, you don’t need to restore your identity at all. Just stay home and relax; I’ll give you money every month, and you won’t have to work hard like before.” After seeing that message, I gripped my phone tighter. Liam was still trying to deceive me with sweet talk! I once believed he was just poor but fundamentally good. But maybe, from the very beginning, he was just pretending. Ten years ago, he didn’t have any leverage with me. But now that he had money, he seemed to have no problem revealing his true nature. I looked up his company’s address online and couldn’t help but go to confront him. A security guard immediately blocked me. “Hold it. What do you want?” “I’m here to see Liam Hayes.” The security guard scrutinized me from head to toe, his gaze lingering on my soaking hospital gown. “Tsk, you’re here for Mr. Hayes? Who are you? You can’t go in without an appointment.” “I’m his ex-wife.” As I said that, I didn’t even have confidence in my own words. I knew the guard wouldn’t believe me. Sure enough, the next second, the guard snorted with laughter and pulled out his walkie-talkie. “Send more people. There’s a crazy woman who escaped from a mental asylum at the entrance.” A few guards roughly escorted me out and dumped me outside the entrance. “You crazy woman, don’t come back! Everyone in the company knows Mr. Hayes’s wife is Ms. Miller. Mr. Hayes’s ex-wife is dead!” The judging eyes of the bystanders fell on me. Many recognized me. “Isn’t that the woman from last night’s news?” “Who?” “The one who ran to Liam Hayes’s house like a madwoman, insisting she was his wife.” “Look, she’s still wearing a hospital gown. She must be mentally unstable.” Listening to these words, my face went completely white. Why was it so hard to even prove I wasn’t dead? “Why are you here again?” Liam walked up to me, frowning. The people around him also asked in confusion. “Mr. Hayes, who is she?” “Just a crazy woman who insists she’s my deceased wife and even had plastic surgery to look like her.” Liam sighed, putting on a pained expression. “Everyone, please don’t yell at her. I believe she’s not doing this on purpose. She might really be experiencing a psychological disorder. How about this, I’ll take you to see a therapist. Consider it charity work in memory of my deceased wife.” The surrounding onlookers immediately praised him. “Mr. Hayes is such a good person; he’s even willing to help a scammer.” “Exactly! That’s why he’s such a big influencer!” Liam approached me and extended his hand. What a brilliant move! If I took his hand, it would be an admission that I was mentally unstable and impersonating his deceased wife. No one would believe me if I ever said I wasn’t dead. I stood up and spit right at Liam. “Want me to give up my identity? Dream on!”

“Why are you doing this, Scarlett?” Liam put on a heartbroken expression. Then, behind everyone’s back, he texted me again. “That’s enough, we’re in a win-win situation now.” “If I’m rich, doesn’t that mean you’re rich too? I’ll still love you as always, isn’t that good?” “Do you really want to cause trouble?” Who was causing trouble? You’re the one who erased my identity! I clutched my chest miserably, a sharp pain twisting in my heart. I pushed through the crowd and left. Just you wait, you jerk! I didn’t know where to go. I’d been starving for a whole day, so I stumbled into a diner, standing awkwardly at the entrance. “Sir, could I please have a bowl of soup? I don’t have any money.” I emptied all my pockets and took off the beautiful stone bracelet from my left wrist. This was the first piece of jewelry Liam ever gave me. I really liked stones, and Liam said he’d buy me one. We were poor then, so I said he didn’t have to, but I didn’t expect Liam to save up for a bracelet by eating instant noodles every day. “You really bought it.” “Yeah, it looks so good on you, just as beautiful as I imagined.” He smiled and took several photos of me. I’d already guessed-he’d measured my wrist late at night. “A bracelet this fine for just a bowl of soup?” “Yes, I don’t want it anymore.” “No need, it’s on me.” The owner stubbornly refused to take it, so I just placed the bracelet on the table. “Did something happen to you?” the owner cautiously asked. My mouth opened and closed, but I couldn’t speak. How could I explain that my own husband had issued a death certificate for me and erased my identity? “Tell me about it. Consider it a bowl of spaghetti for your story.” Finally, I told the owner my experience. I originally thought the owner wouldn’t believe me, but to my surprise, he actually wanted to introduce his daughter to me. “My daughter is a journalist. I think she’ll definitely be interested in your story! She can help you! Trust me!” “Really?” My eyes lit up. Soon, the owner’s daughter, Anya Henderson, arrived. She patted my shoulder and said, “Don’t worry! Tomorrow, I’ll give this world the truth!” My funeral was tomorrow. Liam had booked a spectacular venue to perform his deep devotion to me. The place was packed with media. His eyes were red-rimmed, his voice a sandpaper whisper of grief. “Thank you for honoring my late wife,” he told the sea of lenses The livestream views skyrocketed. “Let us commemorate Ms. Scarlett Hayes.” That’s when I walked in. Still in my hospital gown. All eyes locked on me. “I hear you’re holding a funeral for someone who’s still alive?”

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I married an idiot. For three years, I spoon-fed him, bathed him, and gave him my entire world. Then, one day, he woke up. He was the CEO of a major company. He spent millions to propose to me publicly, across the entire city. After we married, I became the envy of everyone. He declared his love for me at every turn. But the moment his “true love,” Cassandra, appeared, he instantly kicked me out, leaving me with nothing, just to make space for her. With nowhere to go, I swallowed an entire bottle of sleeping pills. I had been in this world for twenty-five years, painstakingly trying to win over four different men, only to lose everything in the end. The system told me that if this body died, I could go home. But just before my consciousness faded, I heard someone desperately begging me to live. “Skylar, I know you’re awake. Couldn’t you have chosen any other time to off yourself? You just had to do it on the happy day Cassie returned?” “What, are you trying to fake your death to frame Cassie?” A cold voice sliced through the air. I opened my eyes to see Julian’s icy gaze, brimming with hatred. Julian, one of my targets, had once been the husband who loved me more than anything. When we first met, he was battling for his family’s inheritance and had been ambushed, leaving him mentally impaired. He clung to me, insisting we get married. For three years, I bathed him, did his laundry, took care of his every need, and truly gave him my whole world. Yet, when the family heirs had all but eliminated each other, he suddenly snapped back to his senses, becoming the sole successor. Turns out, he’d been faking his condition all along to avoid danger. And I was the real fool, the one he’d tricked. I turned to leave, but he knelt, begging me not to. He spent millions on a lavish, city-wide proposal. “Skylar, please don’t go. I can’t live without you, not really. I was faking it, but I genuinely fell for you.” Amidst a shower of rose petals, looking at the familiar face I’d woken up to every day, I said yes. But then Cassandra appeared, and his feelings changed. He started staying out for long periods, using work as an excuse. “Why can’t you be more understanding?” he’d say. “If I don’t work hard, where would your food and clothes come from?” I believed him. But soon after, I found him and Cassandra intimately tangled in his office. Used condoms lay scattered on the floor. When I confronted him, he demanded I leave the house with nothing. I refused. So Cassandra faked her own death, jumping into the ocean. She then posted a ten-thousand-word accusation against me on Ins, claiming I had been tormenting and abusing her, driving her to suicide. I was relentlessly cyberbullied. Julian took the opportunity to throw me out of the house. Even Finn, my own brother, wanted to disown me, calling me a wicked sister. No matter how I tried to explain, no one believed my innocence. I still didn’t know why Julian had brought me back to life, but his eyes were blazing with hatred. I forced out the last bit of air from my lungs, speaking with immense difficulty: “Kill… me.” Julian instantly let go of me, his eyes full of rage, and slapped me hard. “If you want to die, go somewhere else! Don’t you dare dirty my hands!” The blow left me dizzy and disoriented. When I finally regained my senses, his bodyguards had already dragged me out and dumped me on the road outside the villa. Julian stood with his arms crossed, his expression utterly cold, looking at me like I was trash. “If you hadn’t bullied and tormented Cassie, she never would have been driven to jump into the ocean. If you’re going to kill yourself, do it far away from me. Just looking at you makes me sick to my stomach.” I let out a bitter laugh. They were the ones slandering me, yet I was the one in the wrong! Did power and wealth really mean they could turn black into white? But he probably forgot that without me, he wouldn’t be where he was today! Fine then, I wouldn’t bother his sight anymore! I stumbled away, reaching a busy street. Watching the relentless traffic, I took a leap. Once this body died, I could finally go home. The next second, a screech of tires and a blaring horn filled the air. Someone grabbed my hair, dragging me back to the curb. “Skylar, what the hell are you doing?!” I looked at Julian, his face twisted in shock and anger, and quietly asked, “Why? I already stayed far away from you.” Despite his harsh words, I saw his body trembling. He used to tremble like that, shrinking behind me, whenever he was scared, back when he was my silly husband. What was he scared of now? Scared I’d die? But wasn’t I just giving him and Cassandra what they wanted? Julian slapped me again, harder this time. “What are you playing at? This is the only way for Cassie to get home! What if you die here and dirty her eyes?” I lowered my gaze, a self-deprecating smile on my lips. So that’s what it was. I walked obediently towards the river. Here, it wouldn’t dirty his precious Cassie’s eyes, would it?

I walked step by step into the river. The next moment, another hand grabbed me. I turned, confused, and saw Finn, my younger brother. He was holding a cake with Cassandra’s initials on it. It must have been a cake to celebrate Cassandra’s return after faking her death. Finn’s eyes were blazing with anger and hatred. “What are you doing here? Did you know I was bringing Cassie a cake, so you came to stop me?!” “Skylar, have you forgotten? I’ve already cut ties with you!” In this world, if anyone hated me more than Julian, it would be my own brother. But he wasn’t always like this. We lost our parents young, and I raised him alone, naming him Finn, hoping he’d be as resilient and free as a maple leaf. He dreamed of studying music, so I dropped out early, working three jobs to send him to the best training programs. Once, when our house caught fire, he ran barefoot into the flames, crying that if I died, he wouldn’t live either. We were each other’s only support in this world, the closest blood relatives. But everything changed after he met Cassandra. Just because Cassandra said she wanted something good to eat, he forced me, even when I was seriously ill, to cook a table full of dishes for her. When she didn’t eat, I couldn’t help but ask why, and he snapped back: “Your cooking is awful! How dare you yell at her!” With that, he dumped my hard-earned meal into the trash. Later, Cassandra and Julian conspired to frame me, faking her death by jumping into the ocean. Finn hated me to his core because of it, disowning me, watching coldly as I suffered, even pushing me deeper into despair himself. Thinking of this, I didn’t answer him. I slowly pulled my wrist from his grasp, inch by inch. Julian saw this and immediately sneered. “Cassie’s back. She was kicked out with nothing, so she probably can’t accept it and wants to kill herself.” Finn frowned, a cold laugh escaping his lips. “Someone as afraid of death as Skylar? She wouldn’t really kill herself. She’s probably just putting on a show.” “Great minds think alike,” Julian chuckled. “She just put on two shows for me.” After his mocking laugh, Finn looked at me with renewed hatred. “Skylar, a vile person like you? Even if you really died, no one would care!” “Now get out of the way. Don’t block me from finding Cassie.” I slowly lowered my eyes. “Fine, I’ll go.” The words were barely out before I plummeted into the rushing river. Finn’s face went white. The river was swift, and in the blink of an eye, I was swept over ten yards away. A sense of relief washed over me. This time, I really could die, couldn’t I? But then, with a splash, I was pulled out by Finn and thrown onto the muddy grass, disheveled and covered in grime. He was soaked, kicking me like a madman. “Skylar, are you trying to make everyone think I forced you to die, and ruin me?!” “You sicken me!” “You… when did you learn to swim?” I coughed violently, bitter water spewing from my mouth. Finn kicked me hard again, then sneered. “After Cassie jumped into the ocean, I went and learned to swim.” “What? Disappointed your plan didn’t work?” I couldn’t help but scoff. Love truly was amazing. I had tried countless times to teach him to swim. But each time, Cassandra stopped me. “With me around, Finn doesn’t need to learn to swim. I’ll always be with him, to save him if he’s ever in danger.” Finn would also coldly dismiss me: “Skylar, that’s the difference between you and Cassie. You only force me to do things I don’t want to. You don’t deserve to be my sister!” Later, Finn accidentally drowned, but Cassandra just watched coldly. It was me who jumped in and saved him. Yet he thought Cassandra had saved him, giving her all the credit, and even accused me of being heartless, watching my own brother drown without moving. Now, Finn, who had always been terrified of water, had learned to swim for Cassandra. “What does my taking my life have to do with you? You’re nothing but a stranger to me.” Hearing this, Finn’s face turned beet red. He swung his hand and slapped me. “If it weren’t for the vow I made after Cassie died, to accumulate good karma for her, do you think I’d save you, my biological sister whom I’ve disowned?” “Today, I’d save even a dog if it fell into the water!” I let out a self-deprecating laugh. “Biological sister? That’s a fresh one. What about Cassandra? Your ‘good sister’? But she’s marrying Julian.” Finn’s hand froze. The cake in his hand dropped to the ground as he stared at Julian. “Marrying?! Julian?” I was about to speak when another target, Dr. Beckett, rushed over, his words like a thunderclap: “Cassie’s gone missing!” “Skylar, did you hide Cassie?! Hand her over right now!”

Julian, who had been unperturbed until now, showed a hint of panic for the first time. “Cassie’s missing?” “Skylar! No wonder you’re acting so strangely today. You must have done something bad and are trying to fake your death to clear your name! Tell us, where did you take Cassie?!” Finn’s eyes instantly turned red. He slapped me hard. “Cassie just returned after so much hardship, and you dared to harm her! I should have just let you drown in the river earlier!” “Give her back to me right now! If she dies, I won’t live either!” The taste of iron filled my mouth. I parted my lips, and a few drops of blood trickled out. Cassandra had disappeared again. She truly couldn’t stand to see me have even a moment of peace. If that’s the case, I might as well grant her wish. I was about to speak when Dr. Beckett, who once claimed I was his only salvation, pressed a scalpel to my throat. “Talk! Where did you hide my Cassandra!” Dr. Beckett, one of my four targets, was a renowned surgical authority. Initially, someone tried to steal his family’s medical patent, leading to the murder of his entire family. I was the one who risked my life to save him. Perhaps it was witnessing his family’s murder. Dr. Beckett became extremely resistant to anyone getting close. I still have a scar on the web of my left hand, a bite mark from when he lashed out in panic. But I never abandoned him, staying by his side through that difficult period. Finally, Dr. Beckett recovered his sanity, determined to refine his medical skills and find evidence to avenge his family. Through countless silent struggles, I faced numerous life-or-death moments, personally helping him rise to power and take down all his enemies. That day, he cried, saying I would forever be his sister, his kin without blood. That day, I cried too, because he really reminded me of my brother from my other world. I missed my brother. But later, after Cassandra appeared, he gradually distanced himself from me. All because Cassandra said she didn’t like me calling him “brother.” He even declared that if I came within three yards of him, he would use a scalpel to slice my throat. The day he learned Cassandra had faked her death and jumped into the ocean, Dr. Beckett went mad. He used various medical procedures on me, making me suffer unimaginable torment, all to avenge Cassandra. “Cassie must have been tormented by you to such an extent to take her own life.” “If that’s the case, then every day from now on, you will suffer a hundred times worse than she did!” Seeing my silence, blood vessels popped in Dr. Beckett’s eyes. The sharp blade pressed against my throat, drawing a thin line of blood. “Not talking? It seems a few days without torment has made you forget our methods!” Dr. Beckett advanced with a chilling expression, knocked me unconscious, and took me to the dark room in Julian’s villa. He injected me with drugs that heightened nerve sensitivity, using various torture instruments to amplify the pain to an unbearable extreme. Julian and Finn didn’t stop him. Instead, they gnashed their teeth, glaring at me with furious hatred. I struggled ceaselessly, a dense, stinging pain spreading through my body, reaching deep into my bones, forcing a scream from my throat. But Dr. Beckett backhanded me, his voice sharp: “You can’t even handle this much pain? Don’t forget how you tormented Cassie!” “If you don’t tell me her whereabouts, I’ll return every single thing you did to her, one by one!” Hearing that, my eyes widened, as if I’d seen a glimmer of hope. I didn’t want to be tortured by them; I just wanted to die quickly. I just wanted to go home, to finally get some sleep! I cried, whimpering and screaming: “Your Cassandra is dead! I chopped her into pieces with a knife!” “Come on! Kill me!! Let her keep me company in death!” “Come on!!!” I screamed at them wildly. Dr. Beckett was probably too enraged. How dare I be so defiant even now? “Do you really think I won’t kill you? Cassie is dead, and you trash deserve to be buried with her!” He suddenly grabbed a scalpel and lunged, stabbing towards me. He used all his strength, probably expecting me to resist, but I just stood there, watching the tip of the blade plunge into my heart. Dr. Beckett froze, staring at the blood gushing from my chest, as if he couldn’t believe it. But I stretched my lips into a smile. Was I finally going to die?! As my consciousness began to fade. Cassandra’s voice suddenly came from the doorway: “Oh, why is everyone here? I’ve been looking for you all…”

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I watched, utterly detached, as my childhood friend, her eyes hazy with unnatural desire, was led into the storage room by my closest friend. I turned away. In my past life, I had rushed in to stop the horror. But that act of heroism only served to frame me. When the police arrived, all they found in that storage room was me and my drugged childhood friend. “He’s no academic star; he’s a violent criminal!” My reputation was shattered, and I was expelled. To salvage her name, my childhood friend was forced to marry me. But marriage was my real hell. I sank into severe depression, my mind fractured, even losing my ability as a man. Rumors spread that I was promiscuous, that I’d contracted a disease from my wild ways. My parents, desperate to compensate her, poured all their efforts into propping her up. Yet, the first thing she did after gaining control of our family company was to frame my father for financial fraud. My father went to prison, dying there from a broken heart, consumed by rage. My mother couldn’t bear the shock; she had a car accident while driving and died on the spot. The news broke me. I was inconsolable. But then, my childhood sweetheart of ten years appeared before me, wrapped around my best friend: “You bastard, if you hadn’t interfered back then, we would have been together already. But I still have to thank you for raising our child all these years.” I coughed up a mouthful of blood, my eyes wide with an unyielding fury as I died. I opened my eyes again, back to the very day she was drugged.

After school, the hallways were mostly empty. I gulped down the fresh air. To be yanked back from the edge of death, from that cauldron of hatred and terror, left my emotions raw and volatile. Mason was handing Chloe a bottle of water. A bottle laced with a potent, illicit drug designed to cloud her mind and steal her will. In my previous life, I had accidentally discovered Mason pouring unknown white powder into that water. I exposed him on the spot. But my childhood sweetheart didn’t believe me. She insisted on drinking the water. She even asked if I was just jealous that Mason was more popular than her, always trying to undermine him. This time, I wouldn’t interfere. Chloe took the water, her gaze flickering to me. “Are you really going to tell me what I can and can’t drink now?” “Suit yourself.” I waved a hand dismissively. Mason, ever quick to twist things, immediately jumped in: “Alex, you’re way too controlling with Chloe. Doesn’t she even have the freedom to make friends?” At his words, the few classmates still lingering in the room shot me weird glances, full of suspicion. Chloe’s face hardened further. “Who does he think he is? Just an arrogant jerk.” I tightened my grip on the pen in my hand, my eyes burning with hatred. “Are you two ever going to stop? From beginning to end, have I said a single word?” Chloe paused, her face stiff, then fell silent. Mason continued to stir up trouble. “You didn’t say anything, but your face is terrifying. The way you look at me and Chloe just talking, it’s like you’re about to hit someone.” Chloe shot me an irritated glare. As if to spite me, she chugged the entire bottle of water. In my last life, I had knocked the bottle away, so she only took a single sip. But even that one sip was enough to make her mind hazy. I couldn’t even imagine what consuming the whole bottle would do to her. A dark anticipation stirred within me. Watching her finish the water, Mason couldn’t hide his triumphant glee. He took Chloe’s hand. “Chloe, I’ll walk you home. You don’t look so good.” Chloe didn’t resist. Still in a daze, she let him lead her out of the classroom. Ten minutes later, Daniel, the class monitor, burst into the classroom, his face ghost-white and frantic. At that moment, I was the only one left in the room. Daniel stammered, clearly struggling to speak, as if it was something terribly embarrassing. “What’s wrong? Did something happen to Chloe and Mason?” I asked, feigning concern. Daniel grabbed my arm. “Yes, it’s them… they…” “What exactly happened?” I met Daniel’s eyes, pretending to know nothing. I used to trust Daniel deeply. He wasn’t just the class monitor; he’d been my deskmate for all three years of high school. I thought we were close enough to talk about anything. But after the incident, he’d kick me when I was down. He spread rumors that I had drugged Chloe out of love-turned-hate. He even live-streamed, exposing my “true nature.” “I was his deskmate for three years! I always knew he was emotionally volatile, and that he liked Chloe, but I never thought he’d actually do something like this.” “Alex has a violent temper. He once hospitalized someone from outside school over a minor issue.” “I tried to warn him, but he wouldn’t listen. Even his elderly neighbor, who lives alone, said she always felt like he was stalking her, and she was terrified…” That live stream pushed the situation to a terrifying climax. My life was utterly destroyed, and the school expelled me. Later, I ran into him once. He held a high-ranking position then. “Thank you, you know. If it weren’t for your downfall, I wouldn’t have gotten your Ivy League scholarship and made it into a top-tier university.” Memories flooded back. I glared at Daniel. In my previous life, it was he and I who discovered Chloe being half-carried, half-dragged by Mason into an abandoned storage room in the old building. I rushed to stop them, while Daniel, claiming he’d go get help, instead hid and watched, recording the whole thing. Seeing my lack of urgency, Daniel stammered, completely incoherent. “Mason took Chloe into the abandoned storage room in the old building! Chloe was crying and pushing him away… Mason, Mason looks like he’s going to do something terrible to her!” “But aren’t they dating? How do you know Chloe isn’t going along with it?” At my words, Daniel froze. Everyone knew Mason was after Chloe, and she seemed to reciprocate his feelings. Daniel grabbed my wrist frantically. “But Chloe doesn’t look conscious at all! This isn’t right!” “Come on, let’s go check! We can’t just ignore this!”

The calculation in Daniel’s eyes was almost palpable. He just wanted to ruin me, to get his hands on that Ivy League scholarship. I didn’t say anything more, just followed him downstairs. On the way, I discreetly sent a pre-drafted emergency text to Principal Bennett and a few senior faculty members, and reached out to a few influencers who happened to be live-streaming nearby. Chloe was the principal’s daughter. In my last life, when she expelled me, Principal Bennett utterly humiliated me, calling me a criminal in the making, rotten to the core. This time, I was going to let her see this “spectacle” unfold for herself. As we neared the old storage room, we heard sounds of struggle and muffled whimpers, along with the crude jeers of several men. “This chick’s a looker, alright…” “What’s with this guy? He egged us on then ran off himself?” “Who cares? No sense in letting a good opportunity go to waste…” Daniel’s eyes darted around. “Alex, you’re strong. You go in first and stop them. I’ll go get help!” “No, there seem to be more than one person inside. We should wait here and call the teachers.” I hunched my shoulders, trying to look terrified. Daniel shot me an angry glare. He reined in his temper, lowering his voice. “If you don’t go in now, Chloe will really be in trouble! Can you bear to see her get hurt?” The storage room door wasn’t fully closed. Through the crack, I saw Chloe, her clothes disheveled, being held down by two rough-looking men in work clothes. Her eyes were unfocused, and she struggled and cried weakly. Mason was huddled in a corner, his face pale and bruised, as if he’d tried to run but was cornered. I pressed my lips together, feigning reluctance. “Alright, you’re right. I’ll go in and see.” Just as I was about to push the door open, I turned back to Daniel. “Go find a teacher quickly. I… I don’t think I can hold them off for long.” Daniel readily agreed. He turned and ran, then made a quick turn, coming back around. A look of excitement on his face, he pulled out his phone, started recording, and carefully wedged it into the door crack. The chaotic sounds from inside spilled out, completely unfiltered. Having done all this, Daniel finally ran off, seemingly satisfied, to find teachers and school security. By the time a group of people rushed down to the old building, the sounds of struggle and crying were still coming from inside. Daniel, his voice thick with tears, covered his face and stopped Principal Bennett. “I… I don’t know how this could have happened…” Principal Bennett’s face was grim. She had no idea her daughter, Chloe, was inside. Daniel hadn’t specified who was involved. Daniel wasn’t just out to destroy me; he wanted to ruin Chloe’s reputation too. After all, in his eyes, we were both his competitors for that Ivy League scholarship. And it just so happened that several district officials were here for an inspection today. Now, a group of local government officials were following Principal Bennett to “handle an emergency,” and the situation was incredibly awkward. Principal Bennett was trembling with fury. With government officials watching, her career path was likely over. She probably wished she could just make everyone involved disappear at that moment. Principal Bennett tried to move forward. Daniel blocked her again, crying and wailing. “Principal, inside is… is…” He feigned reluctance. Principal Bennett gripped his shoulders. “Who is it?!” Daniel, looking terrified, sniffled and stammered. “It’s Alex… I, I saw him creeping around…” Principal Bennett recognized me, of course. My grades were the best in the school, and I was the most likely to be admitted to a top-tier university. Her eyes blazed with fury. The angry curse died on her lips. The Education Department officials were still watching; Principal Bennett couldn’t afford to say anything too harsh right now. The chaotic sounds from inside grew clearer. Daniel clutched his chest, speaking to the officials with a pained expression. “Alex, what have you done?! How could you do such a thing! I knew you were hot-headed and prone to drastic actions!” At his words, the Education Department officials’ faces were grim. They prided themselves on being dignified and couldn’t just barge in at this moment. A group of them waited downstairs, exchanging uneasy glances, their expressions varied. “Me? What about me?” I finally emerged from the shadows where I’d been hiding.

“What are you doing here?!” Daniel shrieked, his face instantly draining of color. Principal Bennett eyed me suspiciously. “Not you? Then who’s in there?” I shrugged, feigning ignorance. “I don’t know. Daniel called me over; I just got here and haven’t seen inside yet.” Since Daniel was deliberately hiding the truth, there was no need for me to expose him. Just then, several influencers, having gotten the news, pushed past the school security and burst in. “Whoa, what’s happening at your school? Sounds like a big commotion!” “Principal, has some serious incident occurred?” “Principal, can you explain the situation to our live audience?” Principal Bennett’s face was chalk-white, her jaw tight, but she said nothing. Daniel glared at me, finally losing his composure. He gripped my arm. “Didn’t you go in? Then who was it that went in just now?!” “I… I got to the door, and the sounds from inside… there were so many men’s voices, I got scared. I didn’t dare go in…” I tried to look as panicked and helpless as possible. Daniel was so furious he raised his hand, clearly intending to push me. But just as his hand was about to make contact, he stopped himself just in time, giving me a vicious glare. The influencers’ cameras turned to us. The live chat exploded. “There’s a girl crying! Are they bullying a female student?!” “What are the school security guards doing?!” “Streamer, call the police now!” The streamer’s face turned serious. “Folks, this situation might be very serious. I’ve already called the police.” Stepping out of the camera’s view, a faint, cold smirk touched my lips towards Daniel. He gasped, his eyes widening in shock. “You…” “Daniel, what’s going on?” I asked, my voice laced with ‘innocence’. The Education Department officials’ faces were like thunder. One pointed towards the storage room. “Principal Bennett, no matter who’s in there, you must stop it immediately! Student safety is paramount!” This incident could no longer be kept under wraps. Principal Bennett’s face twisted in fury. “Alright, alright, this is just fantastic!” As Principal Bennett was about to rush towards the storage room, I moved to block her path. “Principal, the situation inside is unclear, it might be dangerous! You should wait for the police and more security to arrive!” Principal Bennett tried to push me away forcefully. “Get out of the way! Now you’re talking about danger? What were you doing before?!” The onlookers frowned, watching our exchange. Daniel, by now, had recovered his wits. He retreated behind the crowd, glaring at me. Then, he seemed to have a sudden thought and jogged over, donning a mask of urgent concern. “Alex, don’t block her! I know you and Chloe are close, but what if… what if there really are criminals inside? Let the teachers handle it!” He pretended to care about me and the school’s reputation, trying to pull me away. Seeing me still resisting, Principal Bennett shoved me aside forcefully. I, however, turned to the live cameras, feigning extreme anxiety and worry: “But it sounds like there’s more than one person in there! If we just rush in, what if we provoke them and they hurt our classmate?” In front of the cameras, I had to appear concerned and thoughtful. This time, I had to be the one standing on the moral high ground. At my words, Principal Bennett and the officials paused. If they acted rashly in front of the cameras and made the situation worse, they would bear greater responsibility. So, a group of people waited anxiously, hesitating about fifty yards from the old building’s storage room. The screams and struggles from inside seemed to have weakened, but that only made the situation more unsettling. An influencer tried to get closer to film, but was stopped by security and the stern gazes from the officials, whose faces were ashen. And so, everyone waited in agonizing suspense. After nearly half an hour, the violent commotion inside gradually subsided, replaced by some faint whimpers and men’s muffled curses. The storage room door was abruptly pulled open from the inside. But to everyone’s surprise, out walked several cursing, disheveled construction workers, two of whom had scratch marks on their faces. “What are you looking at? Get lost!” growled a fierce-looking man at the front. Seeing they were just rough-looking strangers, Principal Bennett’s face went ashen, and she knew instantly that something terrible had happened. Then, someone shrieked— “Oh my God! Inside…”

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My name is Jane Petrov. Our whole family can hear my mom Fiona Petrov’s thoughts. I found a new job with good pay and benefits. But she worried deeply, thinking, “My daughter has low education and lacks ability. How could she get a new job by selling her body?” My dad, Ivan Petrov, heard it and firmly refused to let me work. He went to the company and caused a scene, getting me fired right after I started. Furious, I decided to move out and temporarily stay at my boyfriend Nash Fowler’s place. Fiona outwardly supported but secretly tried to stop me. “What should I do? Her boyfriend has been married for years and even has kids. Is she trying to be a mistress? If she really moves in, she’ll definitely get beaten to death, and she’ll disgrace our entire family.” To stop me, my brother Alex Petrov even broke my legs with a stick and locked me at home, leaving me to fend for myself. My wounds became infected and inflamed, and I wanted to go to the hospital. Fiona sighed inwardly, “This child is so rebellious, insisting on leaving this home. Her legs aren’t even that serious. If she goes to the hospital, she’ll definitely climb the wall and escape.” Now, no one was willing to care about me, leaving me to die in pain in the room. Even until my death, I never knew who was the one that killed me. When I opened my eyes again, I realized I could hear Fiona’s inner thoughts too. “Congratulations, you can come to complete the onboarding formalities tomorrow.” On the other end of the phone, the HR’s voice was crisp and cheerful. I stared blankly at the phone screen, checking the date—I had actually been reborn. “That’s awesome! It’s so hard to get into this company. You have to treat me to a meal today to celebrate.” My good friend Anna Sanchez held my arm, her face full of excitement. She was right. This company truly offers excellent benefits. I went through five rounds of interviews and took a whole month to get the offer. But I just couldn’t feel happy now. Because in my previous life, when I shared this news with my family, before I could even celebrate, their expressions suddenly changed. They scolded me for being shameless for money and firmly refused to let me work at that company. Faced with the hard-earned opportunity, I chose to secretly report to work. But Alex actually came to the company, caused a huge scene, and took me back. I was also fired. Now that this opportunity has come back to me, I must seize it no matter what. Thinking of this, I immediately said, “I have something to do today, so I need to leave first. Please don’t tell anyone about my new job, especially my family. I want to surprise them.” Anna saw my serious expression and understood the importance of the matter, so she immediately agreed. After parting with her, I went straight home. As soon as I walked in, Alex came up and said, “Did you find a new job? How long have you been unemployed? You can’t keep relying on Mom and Dad forever.” I sneered and said, “I’ve only been unemployed for two weeks, and you can’t stand it? What about you living off Mom and Dad’s pension and playing video games at home for two years after graduating college?” After graduating from college, Alex didn’t find a job and stayed home playing games for two years. It wasn’t until last year that he joined a gaming company. He couldn’t argue with me. Just then, Fiona came over. He started complaining to her, “Mom, her words are so hurtful.” Fiona has always treated everyone fairly at home, never showing favoritism. Just when I thought this time would be no different, I heard a familiar voice.

“She’s already this age, got fired from her job, and still can’t find a new one. Might as well get married early.” I looked at the owner of the voice, Fiona, but her lips were tightly closed, and she said nothing. “My $8,000 monthly pension isn’t even enough for my son to spend. She must have savings, and she needs to bring it out.” I was startled, realizing that this voice was actually Fiona’s inner thoughts. I thought, “How can I hear her inner thoughts? And wasn’t her pension $4,000? When did it become $8,000?” All along, she kept complaining to me about being broke, saying her pension was all spent by Alex, leaving her without even grocery money. Feeling sorry for her, I transferred her several thousand dollars every month. Now it seems she was lying to me. “Jane is just resting at home for a few days, what are you talking about? Apologize to her right now,” Fiona said to Alex. Alex seemed to hear her inner thoughts too and obediently lowered his head. “I’m sorry, Jane. I’m just worried about you. What if you still can’t find a job?” Fiona comforted me, “Don’t listen to him. Even if you can’t find a job, the family will support you. I’m heading to buy groceries now. The supermarket has discounts at this time. Though I have to compete with a bunch of old folks, it’s worth it for the deals.” If it were before, hearing this would have softened my heart, and I would have transferred money to her right away. But now, I want to test her a bit more. So, I nodded. “Then hurry up, or the groceries will be gone soon.” Fiona’s inner voice sounded again, “What’s wrong with this girl today? It’s so hot, I really don’t want to go out.” I pretended not to hear and went back to my room. Now I can be sure, in my past life, it was her inner voice that spread rumors about me, causing me to lose my job and even my life. But this time, I can hear her inner voice too. At dinner, Fiona asked again if there were any new job offers contacting me. I nodded. “I just got an email, I can start work tomorrow.” Fiona said, “So soon? Didn’t you say there was no news this afternoon?” I said, “I was going to tell you, but I got interrupted.” Ivan nodded with satisfaction. “That’s good. Work hard at the new company, get along with your boss and colleagues, and don’t get fired again.” In my previous job, I was harassed by a partner during a business dinner. I angrily scolded that creepy guy on the spot, but the company demanded I apologize. I refused, so I was fired. I told them what happened, but they only cared about what I would do after losing my job, not whether I was hurt or felt wronged. Fiona’s inner voice sounded again, “Ah, what should I do? Jane has low education and lacks skills. How could she find a job so quickly? She probably used improper means.” “After all, at her last company, she was fired by the boss for fooling around.” Sure enough, the next second, Alex and Ivan’s expressions turned a bit strange. “What kind of company is that? I heard it’s really hard to find a job nowadays. You found one so quickly, are you sure you weren’t scammed?” Alex asked. I clicked my tongue impatiently. “When I didn’t have a job, you complained about me staying home all the time. Now that I found a job, you’re saying I got scammed? What exactly do you want me to do?” Ivan said, “I also think it’s not very reliable. You should reconsider and find another one.” Although he said I should reconsider, he actually meant he didn’t want me to go. Luckily, I was prepared and directly took out the materials I had ready. I said, “This is my new company’s information. See for yourselves, they even collaborate on several national-level projects. Such a great opportunity, once missed, it’s gone.” “And Dad, don’t you always talk about your friend’s kid working in a public institution? My company is way better than that.” Ivan took the materials and carefully flipped through them, his frown gradually easing. What he cares about most is his pride, and now that I’ve joined the new company, he can show off to his friends. He finally nodded. “Hmm, not bad. Do your best.” He glared at Fiona. She lowered her head, not daring to speak. I pretended not to notice, smiled, and said, “Definitely, this time I definitely won’t get fired.”

No matter what you do, you need money first. Now that my job is finally settled, everything else will be easier. The next morning, afraid something might go wrong, I got up at dawn, changed clothes, and left home straight away, waiting outside the company early. I didn’t breathe a sigh of relief until I finished the onboarding process. In the following days, using “too busy with work” as an excuse, I didn’t go home for several days and took the chance to quietly rent a place, preparing to move out. This time, I didn’t alert anyone and moved little by little each day, like a hamster. During this time, Nash was also helping. In my previous life, I was confined at home with broken legs, and he couldn’t reach me. He asked around for news about me and even considered reporting to the police to find me. But I didn’t live to see him rescue me; I was already dead. I didn’t tell him about what happened in my previous life, only said that I had fallen out with my family and needed his help. I only told them I was moving out after I had almost finished moving everything. This time, I deliberately didn’t mention Nash, only said it was because home was too far from the company and commuting was inconvenient, so I rented a place near work. Fiona thought, “She doesn’t have to say it, I already know. She’s probably moving out to live with her boyfriend. So shameless.” Her boyfriend already has a wife and kids, yet she’s sunk so low as to become the other woman. Absolutely shameless. If the wife comes knocking, our family’s reputation will be completely ruined.” Ivan and Alex instantly glared at me, their eyes almost burning two holes in my face. Fiona continued in her heart, “Having a daughter who’s a mistress, what’s the point of living? I might as well be dead. It’s so humiliating!” Fiona kept badmouthing me in her heart, making up lies about me. Hearing it, I just wanted her to shut up. I really can’t understand why she’s so fixated on spreading dirty rumors about me. I even doubt if I’m really her biological child. Ivan, furious with veins bulging on his forehead, raised his hand and slapped me. He shouted angrily, “You shameless thing! Are you moving out just to mess around with men outside?” I covered my face and said incredulously, “Dad, what are you talking about? Don’t you know what kind of person I am?” “There are barely any people of the opposite sex in my WhatsApp. Who could I possibly mess around with?” I handed my phone directly to him, letting him check it freely. Fiona sneered inwardly, “I don’t even need to guess; she must have already deleted all the chat records. There’s nothing to find.” “Anyone with eyes can see the necklace on her neck. Such a big diamond, I’ve only seen it on TV. How could she afford it? It must have been given by another man.” Ivan yanked off my necklace and angrily questioned, “Did you buy this yourself? How can you be so shameless? How have I been teaching you all this time?” I retorted, “This was a gift from my boyfriend! How does accepting a gift make me shameless?” “Boyfriend? Well, you admitted it yourself! Don’t blame us for accusing you now!” Alex said eagerly. I pretended to look utterly confused and said, “What are you even talking about? You all knew I was dating someone. Dad, he even asked me to give you a fishing rod. Alex, that game console you wanted before, he gave it to you too. Have you forgotten?”

My name is Ashley Easterlin. As a recognized top student, I took the SAT twice. The first time, I got accepted into Harvard University. The second time, I got accepted into Yale University. Though I’ve consistently scored above 1500 on the SAT in every exam, both acceptance offers were revoked without exception as soon as the admissions offices saw my name. I thought it was because of background checks that both schools revoked the admissions. But my parents, Gideon Easterlin and Lydia Easterlin, are honest farm workers who live quietly and responsibly. Until my third SAT attempt, I still scored over 1500. I applied to Stanford University, thinking this time it was a sure thing. But the interviewer, who was initially excited to conduct my final interview, froze upon seeing my name and immediately decided that Stanford University couldn’t accept me. I just couldn’t figure it out—what’s wrong with my name? Why, despite my excellent grades, do all universities refuse to admit me as soon as they see my name? ***** “You are this year’s top scorer, Ashley Easterlin.” “Stanford University will not admit you. We can’t take a student like you!” The interviewer checked my application materials right in front of me and finally shook his head. My joy turned to disappointment, and a sense of helplessness overwhelmed me. I desperately wanted to know the reason and couldn’t help but ask him, “Why can’t you admit me? I clearly have the best grades!” “At least let me know the reason!” In response to my question, the interviewer just gave me a faint glance. He said, “A student like you won’t be accepted by any school!” I tried hard to figure out the meaning of this sentence. But no matter how hard I racked my brains, I couldn’t find the answer. Devastated, I collapsed to the ground, trembling and holding my head as I sobbed uncontrollably. My mind was filled with confusion. Why did I achieve nearly perfect scores three times, yet no school was willing to accept me? The first time, my SAT score was 1500, and I got into Harvard University. Just when I was eagerly waiting for the admission letter, I was informed that my acceptance had been revoked. I couldn’t believe it and immediately called the admissions office. But when they heard my name, Ashley Easterlin, they didn’t investigate further and simply said Harvard University wouldn’t admit me. The second time, my SAT score was 1540, and I got accepted into Yale University. I thought Yale University would definitely accept me. But the result was the same, I still wasn’t admitted. When I called again to inquire, they didn’t admit me after hearing my name. I couldn’t figure it out. My scores kept improving, so why wouldn’t Harvard University and Yale University admit me? I thought it was because of a background check issue, so I specifically looked into whether Gideon and Lydia had committed any crimes. But the result showed that our family has been clean for generations. Besides, Gideon and Lydia are honest farm workers who usually keep to themselves. I couldn’t find the truth and refused to accept fate, so I resolutely took the SAT for the third time and reapplied to schools. This time, I still achieved an almost perfect score. Thinking about my previous experiences, I didn’t choose to apply to the schools I had applied to before but instead applied to Stanford University. With this score, I can easily get into Stanford University. When I met the interviewer for the final interview, I confidently thought that this time I would definitely get into college. Unfortunately, the interviewer rejected me once again. When he saw my name, he was certain on the spot that Stanford University wouldn’t admit me. I still wasn’t admitted. After being rejected three times, I was utterly desperate. Gideon and Lydia, seeing me sobbing uncontrollably, also shed tears. “How could this happen?” “Ashley has such good grades, how could no university accept her?” They couldn’t believe the result either.

Lydia, with red eyes, knelt directly in front of the interviewer. She pleaded cautiously, “Please, let my daughter go to school. We’ll find a way to gather whatever amount it takes!” The interviewer ignored her. Lydia simply started kowtowing. Her forehead was bruised, and she grabbed the interviewer’s pant leg. Her voice choked, “My daughter is waiting to go to college! Her father and I have worked on the farm all our lives. Our biggest wish is to support her education so she can have a better life and not suffer like us. Please!” Gideon also knelt down. He hunched over, took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, and handed one to the interviewer. He said, “I may not be educated, but I know my daughter’s grades are top-notch, and she will definitely get into college. “If she doesn’t go to college, her future will be ruined. I’m begging you to help!” Gideon smokes only the cheapest cigarettes to support my education. Watching Gideon and Lydia, who had never bowed to anyone, humble themselves like this for me, my heart ached deeply. Although our family is ordinary, Gideon and Lydia had never endured such humiliation despite all their hardships. At this moment, he was kneeling and pleading for me to go to college. Unfortunately, none of this worked. The interviewer was not moved at all. He said, “Don’t do this, we will not admit Ashley.” Gideon thought his sincerity wasn’t enough and even grabbed a sleeve to shine the interviewer’s shoes. He polished the shoes while begging, even kowtowing again. Even so, the interviewer remained unmoved. “Stop pretending to be pitiful here, it’s useless. We won’t admit a student like Ashley.” The interviewer’s tone was firm. But no matter how much Gideon and Lydia pleaded, the interviewer refused to pay us any attention. After the interviewer left, Stanford University revoked my admission. I, the person involved, was completely baffled. I desperately searched for reasons within myself. What do you mean by a student like me? What exactly did I do wrong? In my memory, I never did anything wrong. Since childhood, my grades have been good, my conduct upright, and I’ve been a role model for other students. Gideon and Lydia saw me looking dazed and came over to comfort me. Gideon patted my head and said, “Ashley, it’s okay. If this school doesn’t want you, you can apply to another one. There are so many universities in the country; one will definitely accept you.” Lydia wiped away my tears and agreed, “Ashley, your grades are so good, how could you not get into college? No matter what, we’ll do our best to help you fight for it!” They’ve gone quite gray because I failed to get into college three times. After the first rejection, they willingly paid for my tutoring. They told me not to worry, they would always have my back. After the second rejection, they hired a tutor for me at a high cost. They worked multiple jobs, trying every way to earn money to support me. They have always given to me unconditionally. The reason my SAT scores kept improving was all thanks to their dedication. But the third chance our family waited for still fell through. At this moment, I feel deeply indebted to them. I looked at their aging faces and rough hands, choking up as I apologized, “Dad, Mom, I’m sorry. It’s my fault for letting you down again.” “I’m the burden, I’ve been holding you back.” They, of course, didn’t blame me and just told me not to overthink. That night, I tossed and turned in bed, replaying every detail in my mind. Stanford University has already rejected me, so I can only rely on the other schools on my application list. The first two times I applied, I was too confident about Harvard University and Yale University, so I didn’t apply to any safety schools, and they both rejected me. This time, I also applied to other universities. Although my grades are enough to easily get into Stanford University, I also applied to other lower-ranked universities. I was so afraid of being rejected by even these that I applied to the universities with the lowest requirements. I thought, if the Ivy League and top schools don’t want me, maybe regular universities will, after all, I’ve always been top of my class. Sure enough, I still found hope. When a regular university sent out admission notices, my name appeared on the provisional admission list. The school heard that the top student in the city applied to them, and the next day they sent people to my home with great fanfare to welcome me. We looked at the crowd at the door, and smiles finally appeared on our faces. The school leader warmly approached, shook Gideon’s hand, and said, “Having a top student like your daughter at our school is truly a great honor!” “You two have truly raised a wonderful child. Rest assured, once your daughter joins our school, she will be a priority, with resources tilted in her favor.” Hearing these words, Gideon and Lydia’s eyes lit up. Lydia tightly held my hand and happily said that I had finally succeeded. Gideon also straightened his back, his face full of pride. The atmosphere was harmonious and joyful. The school leader quickly took out the prepared admission letter for me and even asked us to take a group photo together. He opened the admission letter with a beaming smile. “Ashley Easterlin, upon approval, you are granted…” He was reading and suddenly paused.

He stared at the admission letter, completely frozen. Two minutes later, he looked up at me, his voice trembling slightly, “Ashley Easterlin? Are you sure your name is Ashley Easterlin?” I looked at his expression, and my heart sank with a bad feeling. Just as I was about to answer, Gideon responded first. The school leader staggered upon hearing that. He suddenly raised his hand, silencing the crowd, and the room instantly fell quiet. Seeing this, Gideon and Lydia panicked a little. The two turned to look at me, but I didn’t look at them. My eyes were fixed on the school leader’s lips. The next second, he coldly said, “Sorry, our school cannot admit you. I will immediately report to the admissions office to revoke your application.” In an instant, I felt dizzy. Fortunately, Gideon and Lydia caught me in time. I looked at the school leader and asked him calmly, “Sir, please give me a clear reason.” “Your school has already admitted me, so what gives you the right to revoke it now?” My hanging hand clenched tightly, my nails digging painfully into my skin. I swore to myself that no matter what, I would uncover the truth today. Gideon and Lydia chimed in, “Exactly! You’ve already admitted our daughter, how can you just change it like that?” “Even though we haven’t had much education, you can’t do this. You must give us an explanation!” The neighbors watching nearby whispered among themselves. They all knew about my high SAT scores but no school was willing to admit me. They were indignant, suspecting if I had offended someone. Otherwise, with my grades, every school would be competing to admit me. Facing our questioning, the school leaders still said little. He would only say, “No school would be willing to admit a student like you.” I kept asking, but got nothing. As soon as the school leaders left, my family became the village’s gossip, mocked and ridiculed. “Ashley is just a money-waster, right? She tried for three years, but no school wants to admit her. It’s a total waste of money!” “You should give up on her going to college. Let her work and earn money! She’s just a girl and will get married sooner or later.” “Exactly, let her work and earn back the money spent on her all these years!” Hearing what everyone said, Gideon and Lydia were so angry they almost rushed up to fight them. Lydia grabbed a broom and started chasing people out, her voice sharp. “Get out now! Stop being an eyesore to our family!” “Our family matters are none of your business. If you dare talk nonsense again, I’ll tear your mouths apart!” Gideon said with a cold face, “Even if I have to work several jobs, I will make sure my daughter goes to college!” Seeing our family’s firm stance, those people had no choice but to leave while cursing. I looked at the returned file again, unable to figure out what was wrong with my name. Why did the schools that admitted me revoke it after seeing my name? I can’t figure it out, and I’ve pulled out quite a bit of my hair. Gideon and Lydia looked at me squatting on the ground with bloodshot eyes, feeling both heartbroken and anxious for me. Gideon smoked, helpless and frustrated. Lydia was afraid I might hurt myself and kept trying to comfort me. But at this moment, my mind is filled with failure after failure. Could it be that Gideon and Lydia worked hard for me most of their lives, only to end up with nothing? Suddenly, a light bulb went off in my head—I thought of vocational colleges. I suddenly looked up. “Dad, Mom, I still have one last chance!” “One week later, the vocational college admission results will be out. Maybe I can get in.” Hearing this, Gideon and Lydia also breathed a sigh of relief. I thought to myself, vocational colleges are the most basic schools, even the lowest scorers can get in. Besides, I got the highest score—there’s no way I won’t get in, right? Our whole family pinned all our hopes on the vocational college. After all, my grades are good. As long as I get into vocational college, I can continue to improve my education later. Our family anxiously waited for a week, and finally, the admission letter arrived. We held the admission letter, hugged tightly, and cried tears of joy. Early the next morning, Gideon went to the street to buy some treats to celebrate. Lydia bought me two new outfits, saying I couldn’t look shabby when I went to college. Our family sat together, happily eating and celebrating. I said with great anticipation, “Dad, Mom, when I start working in the future, I’ll definitely buy a big house and bring you to live there so you can enjoy life!” Gideon and Lydia smiled with joy. Lydia said, “Our biggest wish is for you to be safe and sound, and not to endure hardships like us in the future.” “I believe you will achieve great things in the future.” But I never expected the principal of the vocational school to personally come to my house and ask for the admission letter. Thinking of the previous ordeal, my face turned pale instantly, and my legs went weak. I instinctively wanted to hide the admission letter on the table. But he was faster, and when he opened the admission letter, I cried. When he saw “Ashley Easterlin,” his face instantly darkened, and he took back the admission letter right in front of us. He said, “Ashley, sorry, this admission letter is void. You can’t attend our school.” I don’t understand why it’s still like this. After the principal left, I locked myself in the room, devastated. “Ashley? Ashley?” I murmured my name as if entranced. Then, I rummaged through the entire room, frantically searching for my ID card. I need to see for myself, what curse is on my name? I pulled out my ID card and saw the name on it. In that moment, I suddenly understood something!

My name is Bradley Lynch. In my third year after graduation, while pretending to be a waiter at a restaurant, I happened to run into my classmates having a gathering in a private room. Seeing me in a waiter’s uniform, they burst into laughter. My former rival Nathan Warren called me a loser, pulled out fifty dollars, and told me to lick the food crumbs off his shoe. He said, “Lick my shoe clean, and this fifty-dollar tip is yours!” Even my ex-girlfriend Diana Hunter mocked, “Bradley, I never thought that after three years, you’d end up looking so pathetic. Good thing I broke up with you back then—I wouldn’t want to be a poor guy’s girlfriend.” To force me to kneel and lick the shoe, Nathan and a few classmates pinned me down and even made me bark like a dog. Diana clapped and laughed, saying, “Bradley, you really look like a dog when you kneel.” Later, the restaurant manager Kayden Fisher hurried over. Seeing me, he turned pale with fright. “Mr. Lynch, are you okay?” With blood all over my head, I pointed at everyone in the private room and said, “Today, no one is leaving this room.” ***** On the plane, my assistant suggested, “Mr. Lynch, tonight is your father’s birthday. How about surprising him by dressing up as a waiter to deliver his birthday cake?” I said, “Sure, let’s make my dad happy.” Right after getting off the plane, I went with my assistant to a popular restaurant owned by my company. With a few of my innovations, this restaurant has topped the dining charts for three consecutive years. Countless influencers and celebrities come to visit, and business is booming. As soon as I changed into the waiter’s uniform at the restaurant and was about to rehearse, I suddenly heard a commotion at the entrance. Turning around, I saw a group of young people laughing and chatting as they walked in. “This really is the city’s top restaurant, it looks so luxurious!” “Yeah, thanks to Mr. Warren treating us, we got the chance to come to such a high-end place.” “Come on, he’s not treating us, it’s clearly all for Diana.” Hearing the name “Diana,” I was momentarily stunned. That was my ex-girlfriend’s name. Then, I suddenly turned around, instinctively looking toward the crowd, and unconsciously called out her name. The crowd paused and quickly looked my way. Sure enough, standing right in the center was my ex-girlfriend, Diana. And the one called “Mr. Warren” was none other than Nathan, who used to oppose me in everything back then. I felt a bit emotional; after all, it had been three years since I last saw her. I was about to step forward to say hello when Nathan blocked Diana. “Isn’t this Bradley Lynch, the guy who was always top of the class back then? Why are you working as a waiter now?” He stared at my waiter uniform with a face full of disdain. I quietly looked at him. Back in school, Nathan always targeted me because he was jealous of my good grades and good looks. Three years after graduation, he still hasn’t changed and continues to target me everywhere. I sighed helplessly, “I’m not a waiter, this restaurant is…” Nathan interrupted me, “Why won’t you admit it? Do you also think it’s embarrassing?” He deliberately interrupted me in front of Diana, and his mocking tone made the other classmates present laugh at me as well. I didn’t expect this group to still be so childish after all this time since graduation. I took a deep breath and explained, “You misunderstood, Nathan. I’m not a waiter, I’m just wearing the uniform temporarily.” I thought I had explained clearly, but laughter erupted from the crowd. Diana’s friend Ruby Reed stepped forward, pushed me aside, and mocked, “You’re such a good actor, huh? Temporarily wearing a waiter’s uniform?” “You’re clearly just scared to admit how miserable you are now because Diana’s here, right? After all, when she dumped you back then, you begged downstairs for three days!” Hearing Ruby’s words, I instinctively looked at Diana. She glared at me with disgust, then affectionately linked arms with Nathan. She said, “Bradley, you’re not planning to cling to me again, are you?” “Stop dreaming, Nathan is my boyfriend now.”

Hearing this, my face instantly darkened. Back in school, Diana told me more than once that she despised Nathan because he always took advantage of his family background to toy with women. He kept cheating and even forced several girls to have abortions. Such a scumbag has now suddenly turned into Diana’s boyfriend. The once innocent girl by my side has turned into what she is now. I didn’t want to say much and turned to leave. Nathan stopped me. “Don’t leave, Bradley. Aren’t you a waiter? Perfect, today I’ll assign you to serve our private room!” Before I could react, he rudely dragged me into the private room. He sat carelessly on the chair, putting his legs up on the table. He pointed at me and said, “Come on, Bradley, clean my shoes first. Let me see how good your service skills are.” The others covered their mouths, snickering, even Diana and Ruby stood together mocking me. I held back my anger and said coldly, “Nathan, if you’re here to eat, you’re welcome. But if you’re here to cause trouble, please leave immediately.” “What are you pretending for? As a waiter, what right do you have to ask me to leave? Do you think you’re the owner of the restaurant?” Nathan laughed loudly, full of mockery. Ruby immediately shrieked in agreement, “Exactly, Bradley. Nathan is giving you face by letting you clean his shoes. In my opinion, you should use your mouth to lick his shoes clean! These are limited edition leather shoes—you couldn’t afford them even if you worked your whole life!” “Yeah! You should lick them!” “Make him lick them clean!” As soon as Ruby finished speaking, a chorus of jeers erupted around. Some people even rushed over, pinned me down, and pushed my head toward Nathan’s shoes. I was completely furious. “Let go of me! I’m the owner of this restaurant. Are you crazy to treat me like this?” “Owner?” Nathan sneered, his eyes full of disdain. “Look at yourself—daring to call yourself a restaurant owner?” Then he signaled to those people, and they immediately applied more force. One of them even knelt down and pressed my head onto Nathan’s shoe. I was surrounded by them in utter embarrassment, with mocking and ridiculing faces all around me. Ruby glanced at Diana and said sarcastically, “Diana, what were you even thinking back then? How could you fall for a poor guy like Bradley?” “Good thing you dumped him after graduation, or how would you have the chance to marry someone as rich and handsome as Nathan?” As she spoke, she even winked at Nathan. Diana’s expression changed, and she immediately swayed her slim waist as she sat in Nathan’s lap, possessively saying, “What nonsense are you talking about? How could Bradley compare to Nathan?” Then, she looked down at me and said, “Bradley, it’s been three years, and I didn’t expect you to end up like this. Good thing I broke up with you back then—I wouldn’t want to be a poor guy’s girlfriend.” I was utterly shocked to hear this. So, she broke up with me not because her family was sick and needed care, but because she cheated on me with Nathan?

I stared at Diana in disbelief, my face pale. “Is what she said true?” Diana looked displeased. “So what if you know? You’re broke and miserable, of course I wouldn’t want you!” With that, she grabbed the water glass on the table and splashed it in my face. She snorted coldly. “Look at you now, all pathetic. You can’t even compare to my boyfriend!” After speaking, she turned and kissed Nathan, her face full of sweetness. Nathan grinned even more smugly and pushed Diana aside, squatting in front of me. He whispered, “See that? Money is everything. Even your goddess has to bow down to me.” “You beast!” I roared angrily, struggling to get up, but the other classmates pinned me down even tighter. Nathan stomped on my face and crushed it hard. He said, “Lick my shoes clean, and this fifty-dollar tip is yours. Otherwise, don’t even think about leaving this room!” “I am the president of Lynch Group. Who do you think you are to make me clean your shoes?” I raged, glaring at him fiercely, directly revealing my identity. I thought they would stop messing around after hearing my identity, but instead, they exchanged glances and burst into loud laughter. “You just said you were the restaurant owner, and now you’re the president of Lynch Group. Do you have delusions? How shameless can you be?” “The president of Lynch Group is worth billions. Why would he be working here as a waiter?” “Looks like that glass of water wasn’t enough to wake you up. Let me give you something stronger!” One of them had a malicious glint in his eyes, let out a cold laugh, and turned to the restroom in the private room. Seconds later, he came back holding a basin of dirty water scooped from the toilet and poured it all over me. I was instantly soaked from head to toe. They immediately burst into laughter, pointing at me as if mocking a homeless person. I couldn’t take it anymore. I used all my strength to break free from them, took out my phone, and dialed Kayden’s number. “Bring people over right now…” Before I could finish speaking, Nathan snatched my phone and smashed it underfoot. He sneered, “You still dare to call for help? Are you planning to bring a bunch of waiters to back you up?” I stared at his hateful face, my soaked body trembling uncontrollably. I wanted to lunge at him and hit him, but the others pinned me down again, forcing me to kneel on the ground. Nathan’s smile was nauseating, his greasy face full of malice. He squatted in front of me, smiling as he said, “If you want me to let you go, sure. Just bark like a dog a few times and shout, ‘Bradley is Nathan’s dog,’ and I’ll let you go. How about that?” “Spit! In your dreams!” I spat at him fiercely, my eyes filled with hatred, wishing I could tear him apart at that moment! He wiped his face and sneered at me. “Ungrateful! Today I’ll make you understand that your waiter job is worth less than my dog!” He suddenly stood up and commanded, “Do it!” Hearing that, they immediately started shoving my head into the toilet. Even more disgusting, someone actually unbuckled their belt, trying to pee on my head!

Led by Ruby, several female classmates took out their phones to record videos, and some even started live streaming on the spot. They smiled at the camera and said, “Today, we’re bringing you an exclusive live stream—taking a bath in the toilet with urine!” Viewers were drawn to the absurd and bizarre scene, and the livestream quickly attracted a huge audience. Some viewers with twisted tastes even started sending gifts like crazy, hoping to see clearer footage. The girls became even more excited and started cheering louder. “Hurry up and pour it! Show everyone this amazing scene!” “Mr. Warren, you’re amazing! Just over one meal, you helped me gain thousands of followers!” Not far away, Diana covered her nose in disgust and leaned on Nathan’s shoulder, saying, “Darling, he’s so dirty, it’s disgusting!” My head was shoved underwater, and I almost suffocated several times. I wanted to fight back, but they outnumbered me, and I couldn’t move at all. Just then, there was a sudden urgent knocking and shouting at the private room door. “Mr. Lynch? Are you in there? Open the door quickly!” Ruby impatiently shouted, “Mr. Lynch isn’t here! Get lost! We’re having a reunion and having a great time!” The people around me had already torn my clothes to further humiliate me. “Bradley is actually wearing an Armani white shirt! Where did he get this fake? The quality’s not bad.” “Wait, how does he have money for such an expensive watch? That’s a classic Patek Philippe!” “Could he really be the owner of this restaurant?” In the crowd, someone gradually sensed something was wrong and instinctively stepped back. Nathan let out a cold laugh, his eyes filled with disdain. “A fake watch scared you all like this? Pathetic!” He took off my watch, tossed it out the window without a glance, then turned around and ordered the others to continue. Just then, the door to the private room was suddenly slammed open, and Kayden burst in with security guards. Seeing this, he exclaimed in shock, “Mr. Lynch, are you okay?”