After I Chose to Marry the Country Boy, My Three Rich Fiancés Were Devastated I’m the true daughter of the Sinclair family, brought back from a small town. To make up for lost time, my father specially gave me three fiancé candidates to choose from. Back then, only Ethan Grant didn’t look down on me for coming from a small town, and I gradually grew dependent on him. Even when he later started deliberately distancing himself from me like the others, I still tried hard to win his favor, thinking he would be moved by my sincerity. But on the night before our engagement party, I overheard him comforting Ivy Chen, the fake daughter: “Just bear with it a little longer. She’s from a small town after all. Once we’re married, I’ll be the one managing the Sinclair family business. Then I’ll make her kneel down and apologize to you. You’re the true lady of the Sinclair family!” So at the banquet, I turned to my father and said I didn’t want to choose any of these three men. I wanted to choose Liam Kennedy, who grew up with me in that small town. Last week, he was just brought back to the Kennedy family and was about to be announced as their sole grandson – the next leader of the prestigious Kennedy family in New York!

The day before the wedding, my father asked me: “Have you decided on your fiancé for tomorrow?” I nodded, “I’ll choose Liam Kennedy.” Father was very surprised: “That boy who grew up with you in the small town? No, that’s not a suitable match!” I whispered a few words to Father, and he exclaimed in shock: “Really?!” I nodded. Liam Kennedy and I were both actually the true heirs mistakenly raised in that small town. He was brought back to the Kennedy family last week and is their sole grandson. He’s guaranteed to be the next leader of the Kennedy family. Father patted my shoulder: “It’s an honor to be able to form a marriage alliance with the prestigious Kennedy family of New York. But weren’t you always fond of that Grant boy?” I calmly replied: “For the benefit of our family, an alliance with the Kennedys is the best outcome I’ve considered.” I didn’t want to tell him how Ethan had scorned my small-town origins and hurt me in every interaction after that. If I did, Father would surely confront him, which would also cause trouble with the Grant family behind him. We still have business dealings with them, and I don’t want the two families to become enemies. Now that I have a better solution, it’s about letting him go, and also freeing myself. After Father and I finalized the marriage plans, he left my villa. Ethan and Ivy Chen hurried over to see him off. After he left, Ethan frowned at me: “You were pestering your father about rushing our marriage again, weren’t you?” I was too tired to argue. But Ethan grabbed my arm: “As expected of someone from a small town – poor and vulgar. All you know how to do is marry a rich man!” Ivy Chen chimed in at this moment: “Don’t worry, sister. In our big city, women are no longer mocked for not being able to marry. But you lack ambition – I sent you that business proposal yesterday and you didn’t even look at it.” She had sent me a document at 4 AM last night, of course I didn’t have time for her games. But hearing Ivy say this, Oliver Lawrence and Zach Johnson also came over to mock me. “As expected of a woman raised in poverty – even becoming the true heiress hasn’t changed anything.” I was brought back to the Sinclair family from that small town. Father was overjoyed and let me choose from several young men who were already interested in marrying into our family. The Grant, Lawrence and Johnson families weren’t considered top-tier, so marrying into the Sinclair family for resources was a step up for them. But as soon as they found out the marriage candidate was me, this small-town true heiress, their attitudes immediately changed. They looked at me mockingly, waiting for my reaction. I didn’t say anything. Foolish people never realize their own foolishness. It seems they still don’t understand the rules – I’m the one representing the Sinclair family in choosing them. They were never in a position to look down on me.

But even though they looked down on me, they still lived in the villa Father gave me. In the end, they couldn’t let go of the benefits of this marriage alliance. I looked at them and said: “If you think marrying me is embarrassing, you three can get out of my villa right now. Or -” I glanced at Ivy Chen beside me: “You can choose to marry Ivy, who has no inheritance rights.” Hearing the words “no inheritance rights”, the people in front of me immediately moved to protect Ivy. Ethan was especially angry: “Don’t think you can bully Ivy just because you have power now. Was it her choice to be switched as a baby?” The usually hot-tempered Oliver Lawrence directed all his anger at me: “You think we want to marry you? It’s all your Sinclair family using your power to force us!” Zach Johnson also snorted arrogantly, looking at me sideways: “Shameless. You think you can do anything just because you got some power!” They despise power, but in reality, they are the ones who most desperately want to obtain it. Ivy Chen started crying pitifully behind them, suddenly kneeling down to me: “Sister, please don’t be angry anymore. It’s all my fault. I should have just died back then!” With that, she suddenly rushed to bang her head against a marble pillar in the living room. Blood immediately flowed down. Ethan and the other two quickly ran to hold her back, hugging Ivy Chen with concern. Ivy Chen leaned weakly in Ethan’s arms and looked at me: “Sister, are you happy now? If it weren’t for me, Ethan and the others wouldn’t dislike you. You’ve always thought it would be better if I just died, right?!” I was utterly speechless. She had started putting on an act all by herself. Since returning to the Sinclair family and being confirmed as the true heir, I’ve been studying with private tutors. Recently I’ve also been going to the company early and returning late to learn the business. Where would I have time to be jealous of her? I had glanced at her business proposal this morning too – it was childishly simple stuff that I couldn’t even be bothered to comment on. But she had used all of this to her advantage. Hearing this, Ethan looked at me with disappointment: “How can you still not change your small-town bad habits? Lazy, jealous, telling Ivy to die – aren’t you afraid of karmic retribution?” But I’ve been standing here the whole time, not doing anything at all… Ethan continued lecturing me: “Quickly kneel down and kowtow to apologize to Ivy. Otherwise, don’t blame me for breaking off the engagement!” When I first arrived, I had fallen for Ethan who was kind to me then, and confessed to him. But later, with Ivy’s repeated crying and accusations, he became convinced that I was just a stupid and vicious small-town woman. Since then, he has used my love as leverage, forcing me to apologize to Ivy again and again. Kneeling, kowtowing, admitting my faults – I was young then, and thought this would keep his affection. But he only used this love to manipulate me for five whole years. Now that I see through everything, his love has become as cheap as air to me. This time I just gave him an indifferent look: “She banged her own head. I didn’t force her to do it. Let her apologize to herself in the mirror.” It was the first time Ethan saw me refuse to give in, and he felt like he lost face. He angrily pointed at me: “You dare to talk back? Small-town people really are vicious!” Oliver Lawrence suddenly snapped his fingers and said: “You must have found out we let Ivy try on your Alifilos wedding dress, and are deliberately torturing her, right?” Zach Johnson also frowned: “Small-town people are so petty, not understanding the beauty of sharing.” Hearing this, my expression turned cold: “My wedding dress?”

Alifilos means “wings of the clouds” in Latin. When Father found me, he had joyfully commissioned this luxurious wedding dress for me in Switzerland. It also symbolized my position as the heir of the Sinclair family. But now they’re saying this meaningful, once-in-a-century wedding dress was tried on by Ivy Chen first. I looked at Ethan. He was in charge of having the wedding dress flown back from Switzerland. Ethan looked a bit guilty under my gaze, but quickly straightened up and said to me: “Can’t you be less petty? Ivy was raised in luxury, but as soon as you came she was labeled as the fake heiress. She’s been mocked and insulted by you so many times. What’s wrong with lending her the dress to try on and satisfy her love of beauty?” He sighed, closing his eyes as if making a painful decision: “Fine, I’ll agree to the engagement party! I’ll let you have your wish of wearing that dress and getting engaged to me. Satisfied now?” Hearing him say this, Oliver Lawrence and Zach Johnson complained on his behalf: “No way, that’s exactly what that evil Aria wants! Why give in to her?” “Now Aria’s going to be smug about getting her way. What a shame, sigh.” Even Ivy Chen leaned into Ethan’s arms, tenderly caressing his face: “Ethan, you don’t need to make such a big sacrifice for me…” I stood watching them, my heart bitter. I was also a young girl longing for love, yet they despised me to this extent. I held back my tears and said to Ethan: “Don’t worry, I will never marry you.” Hearing this, Ethan looked at me as if he saw through me: “What trick are you trying to play now?” Oliver Lawrence and Zach Johnson beside him looked at me warily, as if afraid I would reject Ethan and choose one of them instead. At this moment, Ivy Chen suddenly crawled over and kowtowed to me: “I’m begging you, sister. Stop torturing these three men. You’ve already taken away my inheritance rights and my father. Do you have to drive away the few friends I have left?!” She kowtowed forcefully, making her already bloodied forehead even more battered. Ethan and the others were frightened and quickly went to hold her. The group of them huddled together glaring at me, pushing me to the opposing side. I held back the tears of grievance about to fall and turned to leave. But Ethan grabbed my hand: “I said I’m willing to marry you. You’d better not think about hurting Oliver and the others!” “You say you won’t marry me, but do you really have the guts to reject me at the engagement party? The fact is, besides me, who else would want a small-town girl like you!” I slowly pried his hand off mine and looked at him: “I, Aria Sinclair, always do what I say. No need for Mr. Grant to worry.” I strode forward, still able to hear Ethan’s voice behind me trying to persuade me not to throw a tantrum. He spoke with exasperation and loudly, as if I had exhausted him. I didn’t see them again until the engagement party. When the party started, I was surprised to see Ethan appear with a cold expression. How strange, I clearly didn’t invite them, Yet somehow these people all showed up uninvited to my engagement party.

At the engagement party, my assistant asked if I wanted to kick them out. I shook my head. Forget it, the stars of this engagement party aren’t them anyway. Let’s just treat them as a few extra guests. But as soon as they entered, the other CEOs around eagerly went over to toast them. “Young Mr. Grant is so accomplished, acquiring American Vikey at such a young age.” That was actually me negotiating the acquisition as the Sinclair heiress. He just went to sign his name. “I heard Mr. Lawrence has had success in racing. It would be quite a story if he inherits the Sinclair family in the future.” If it weren’t for the Sinclair family’s funding, his racing club would have gone bankrupt long ago. “Mr. Johnson’s paintings have fetched sky-high prices in art circles. The Sinclair bloodline must be full of artistic talent!” I was the one who bought his third-rate paintings, otherwise they would have been a laughingstock at auctions. The guests fawned over those men endlessly. They assumed my fiancé would definitely be chosen from among Ethan, Oliver and Zach. Flattering them was the same as flattering the Sinclair family. But they didn’t realize at all that I was the one with inheritance rights. Whoever I choose will be the next co-heir of the Sinclair family! The main event of the party hadn’t started yet. I was tired of watching these people bootlick and was about to step away for a moment. But then Ethan suddenly received a phone call and shouted in disbelief: “What?! Ivy was deliberately kidnapped?!” As soon as he said this, I immediately felt dozens of gazes shoot towards me. I turned my head, only to be slapped across the face by Oliver Lawrence who had walked over. “You’re truly vicious! Insulting Ivy wasn’t enough, you even had someone deliberately kidnap her today!” The banquet hall immediately burst into hushed whispers. They all thought I was from a small town – stupid, vicious, with evil thoughts. So they were also more willing to flatter my fiancé candidates, even disdaining to interact with me. I held my face and coldly looked at him: “Do you have any evidence that I’m behind the kidnapping?” Zach Johnson stood beside him with his arms crossed, sweeping a contemptuous glance at me: “Do we need any evidence? Anyone with eyes can see what’s going on.” Just then, the doors of the banquet hall were thrown open – “Ethan, save me! Ivy is so scared!” Ivy Chen ran in looking disheveled, her hair a mess, as if she had suffered some unspeakable abuse and humiliation. She threw herself straight into Ethan’s arms, ignoring all decorum. Ethan immediately took off his jacket to cover her, comforting her not to be afraid. “Given what’s happened, what do you have to say for yourself? Ivy almost lost her virtue. This isn’t over between us!” Ethan glared at me angrily, directly carrying Ivy away. Oliver Lawrence violently pushed over the champagne tower next to him. Before leaving, he pointed at me and said: “Without us, let’s see how you manage to pull off this engagement party!” Zach Johnson also looked at me with disdain: “You reap what you sow. Don’t blame us for not giving you face anymore.” The surrounding guests pointed and whispered between Ivy and me. Saying what a lovely Sinclair princess Ivy used to be, yet now she’s been tortured to this state by me, this vicious true heiress. As Ethan and the others left, many people looked at me mockingly through their noses. “Well now, who would still be willing to marry this wild woman?” “Looks like the Sinclair family is finished this time.” “All the fiancés ran off. Let’s see how she holds this engagement party now.” I collected myself and had people clean up the scene and reassure the guests. I announced to everyone present: “The engagement party of Aria Sinclair officially begins!” On the big screen, the handsome face of a young man suddenly appeared. The guests whispered, wondering which family’s young master this was. I said: “This is Liam Kennedy, who grew up with me in that small town.” As soon as I finished speaking, the whole hall burst into laughter. “The Sinclair family actually wants to find a small-town person as their co-heir, hahaha!” A second after he finished speaking, on the big screen, an electronic invitation unique to New York’s Kennedy family slowly unfolded. The stern yet kindly voice of Old Mr. Kennedy rang out: “Thank you all for attending the engagement party of Sinclair heiress Aria Sinclair and my sole grandson, Liam Kennedy!”

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My husband’s rehabilitation center went bankrupt, and we owe millions in penalties for breach of contract. I left my kids with my parents and started working two jobs every day. Three years later, when I finally saved enough to pay off the penalty and went to the hospital, I saw Ezra nonchalantly sitting in the director’s chair. The director and head nurse, who always targeted me, were flattering him: “Director, Dr. Nora has been working extremely hard lately. She just completed a 48-hour shift without sleep.” “She mentioned taking a vacation yesterday, saying she was unwell. Should we approve it?” Ezra’s voice was lazy and indifferent: “Isn’t she obsessed with money? How can she even think about taking a break?” “We just admitted a few patients today. Let her take care of them.” Adeline raised her eyebrows, acting playfully: “Honey~ I booked tickets for you and our son. How about going to the Maldives next week?” Ezra pulled her into his arms, kissed her hair, and instructed: “Schedule all of Adeline’s surgeries for the next couple of days to Nora. Don’t let her have any downtime.” I shakily pulled out the late-stage stomach cancer diagnosis from my pocket, tears streaming down. — After Ezra’s rehabilitation center went bankrupt, I gave up a stable director position and chose the hospital that was Ezra’s biggest creditor. Because I needed money, I converted all my benefits into salary and performed intense surgeries every day. After work, I took on extra shifts as a hospital orderly. But I never expected Ezra to be the director of this private hospital. The realization hit me, and despair almost swallowed me whole. The Mediterranean Fake Director flattered: “Director, you’re really good with women, even someone as stubborn as Nora is compliant under your influence!” The head nurse rolled her eyes: “What nonsense! Our director only has eyes for Dr. Adeline. Nora’s like a clingy plaster that can’t be removed!” Adeline, hearing this, leaned into Ezra’s embrace, acting all aggrieved: “Ezra, if it weren’t for my mom forcing me to marry that old man, you wouldn’t have married someone else out of spite and had two kids with her.” Ezra and I were both graduate students under the same mentor. Many girls pursued Ezra, but he chose me. He was gentle and attentive, treating me like a princess. Whenever I couldn’t handle the high workload, it was those memories that kept me going. Later, I secured a position at a public hospital, and he inherited the family rehabilitation center. After the center went bankrupt, we shared the debt. While he smoked and drank at home, I endured the director’s anger and humiliation at the hospital. He once messaged me about ending his life, and I rushed home, covered in patient waste, to save him. I used my shoulder to support our crumbling home. But now, I feel like a walking joke. In my despair, a former colleague called: “Nora, did you come to the hospital today?” I forced a smile, harder than crying: “Just felt like visiting old friends.” His voice was as loud as ever: “Nora! You’re still so stubborn! You were like this in school, and still are. Why didn’t you tell me you have cancer? I have the latest technology here! Get everything arranged and come here for treatment!” I paused, then softly replied: “Okay.” I stood up, adjusted myself, and opened the door. Ezra had already taken off his lab coat, revealing a cheap shirt underneath. Seeing me, he looked guilty. “Nora, I’m sorry. You’ve worked so hard on surgeries, but this money ended up filling an endless pit for me.” The fake director sneered: “Your rehabilitation project cost us so much. If it weren’t for Dr. Nora, we wouldn’t have let you drag it out this long!” The head nurse praised me: “There aren’t many wives like Dr. Nora who can share hardships these days!” Adeline looked me up and down: “Dr. Nora, I admire how energetic you are. Surgeries by day, patient care by night, and still looking so satisfied.” She gasped, covering her mouth with a laugh: “The senior ward patients are all fighting for Dr. Nora’s service. I heard some sell themselves for dirty money. Dr. Nora, are you one of those?” I stared at Adeline, shocked at her slander. Ezra’s face turned grim, pointing at me and shouting: “Nora! You didn’t really do that for money, did you?” — A metallic taste rose in my throat, and I couldn’t help but spit out blood. The disdain in Ezra’s eyes shattered my heart. Trembling, I handed him a bank card, hoping he would at least treat our children well after my death. Our issues don’t matter, but the kids are innocent. Ezra snatched the card from me and handed it to the fake director. “Director, check this. Nora said there’s a million in it. While we’ve paid back a third, we still owe two million. We’ll pay it next year.” I was stunned. Ezra had told me we only owed a million. How did it suddenly become three million? And all due in a year—does he think I’m a miracle worker? After a look from Ezra, the fake director passed the card to Adeline. “Dr. Nora, didn’t you know? Our hospital’s big boss is actually Dr. Adeline. I’ve heard you’ve argued with her over trivial matters. If you apologize, maybe your request for a raise will go through.” Adeline smirked: “Dr. Nora is a pillar of our hospital. I wouldn’t dare ask her to apologize.” “But I heard an old man, Mr. Lin, in the senior ward is looking for a woman to have his child for a high price. Since you’re so short on money, why not give it a try?” Ezra’s urging and their mockery filled my ears. My heart ached unbearably. Ezra’s past care and love weren’t fake. He even gave up a chance for a position for me. The Ezra family is a prestigious one with complex relations. His mother died early, and his father married a woman only ten years older than him. In anger, he left home. It was only on our wedding day that I met his father. Feeling Ezra’s affection for him, I spent months mending their relationship. After graduation, he worked at the rehabilitation center. During that time, Ezra was busy with work, and his patience with me waned. I met Adeline at a business banquet. She was Ezra’s stepmother’s daughter’s friend. The two, arm in arm, drew everyone’s attention. Ezra’s stepsister was like a radiant rose, thorny yet alluring. Adeline, true to her name, was soft and pure, like a little angel. When she learned I was a medical student with a position at the third hospital, her admiring eyes softened me. But as we interacted, I sensed something off between her and Ezra. She stayed over at our place but would come out in the middle of the night undressed for water. When I complained to Ezra, he looked helpless: “Adeline’s just like that. But she’s pure-hearted, no ill intentions.” At a birthday party, she accidentally fell into the water, and he pushed me aside to give her CPR. Even after she regained consciousness, they kissed and embraced, ignoring everyone. Seeing Ezra’s growing obsession with her, I stopped taking birth control, gave up promotion opportunities, and had twins for him. I thought this would keep him by my side. My father-in-law was thrilled, promising a two-million reward. Ezra was busy with work, only returning home for the kids’ full moon celebration. After that, he came home daily, thinking of the kids. Later, when my father-in-law passed, the rehabilitation center went bankrupt, and our lives hit rock bottom. Only today did I realize everything was by Ezra’s design. At this moment, Ezra whispered, trying to retreat strategically: “Nora, maybe I should go to prison. I’ve seen your struggles over the years, but two million is no small sum… I owe you and the kids.” In the past, I’d have encouraged him like a little sun. But today, I remained silent. He panicked, tightly gripping my hand: “Nora, maybe you should beg Adeline. I don’t mind going to prison, but you’re already thirty-five. Once you leave this hospital, no one will want you.” “Even if not for yourself, think of the kids. Kneeling is just a gesture. Pride doesn’t fill your stomach.” Kneeling? Tears streamed uncontrollably. To him, am I just a plaything or a beast without dignity? Wiping my tears, I turned and left. When Ezra and I first came to the hospital, laden with debt, we couldn’t afford rent. The hospital kindly assigned me a single dorm. Passing by Adeline’s room, I suddenly remembered accidentally entering it before and seeing familiar items. — Ezra is obsessive about certain things. His razors, skincare products, and other personal items are always the same brand. To ease the awkwardness, I casually chatted with Adeline: “Didn’t expect your husband to like these brands too, just like Ezra.” She laughed: “Yeah, I gave those to him when we were dating. He said it wouldn’t be the same with other brands.” Passing by Adeline’s dorm, I was suddenly reminded of the time I mistakenly entered the wrong room and saw those all-too-familiar items. Ezra has a peculiar attachment to certain brands. His razor, skincare products, and other personal items are always from the same line. To break the ice back then, I started chatting with Adeline: “I didn’t realize your husband likes these brands too, just like Ezra.” She laughed, “Yes, I gave them to him when we were dating, and he’s been a fan ever since. He says nothing else feels quite right.” Now, putting everything together, my composure was shattered. Because the dorm bed was too small, he would only sleep with me once a week. Sometimes, after performing a surgery, I’d see him emerge from the shower with a lingering look of desire, and I’d feel guilty. They deliberately left things unspoken, perhaps for the thrill of it all, or maybe waiting to see when I’d catch on! Ezra came back to the dorm just as I was about to leave. His face was conflicted, “Nora, I’m sorry for all you’ve been through.” “But remember how kind Adeline and the others have been to you. You shouldn’t be ungrateful.” I laughed bitterly and pushed him hard, “Ezra, stop pretending. Do you enjoy making a fool of me?” He was startled, then chuckled softly, “You finally figured it out? I thought you’d only realize when Adeline and I were right in front of you. Nora, are you really that naive, or are you just playing dumb?” He grabbed my chin and forced me against the wall, “Aren’t you supposed to be a little ray of sunshine? Can you still shine now? Nora, you make me sick!” I stared at him blankly, unable to grasp his words. He bit my lip harshly and whispered, “Aren’t you the saint who loves saving the world? The hospital needs funds now, so why not offer your body to help?” I was already humiliated, but his words cut even deeper. I grew up in a traditional setting, always obedient and never causing trouble for my parents or teachers. Every setback, I overcame on my own. I was always strong, confident, sunny, and kind. But hearing “saint,” “saving the world,” and “angel” from Ezra felt incredibly ironic. When he was bullied, I stood up for him. When his father passed away, I supported him like a pillar. I encouraged him, even treating him like a child. And this is what I get? I struggled desperately to break free from his hold. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder, and then everything went black. When I opened my eyes again, I was in a VIP hospital room. As Mr. Lin leered at me, I heard Ezra and Adeline talking outside the door. “Ezra, are we really doing the right thing? Nora is still your wife.” Ezra replied coldly, “Adeline, don’t you know who she is by now? She’s greedy, jealous, selfish, and manipulative. She’s brought this on herself.” “Isn’t she the saint who loves to help? The hospital is in trouble, so she should help.” Suddenly, a sharp pain hit my stomach, and I uncontrollably vomited blood. My heart sank, and my life was slipping away. “Ezra, if there’s a next life, I never want to meet you again.” My vomiting scared Mr. Lin. “Doctor! Nurse! Someone’s vomiting blood!” Ezra heard the commotion and instinctively pushed the door open. He anxiously approached Mr. Lin, asking if he was unwell. Mr. Lin gestured for him to look at me. The blood on the white sheets made him frown. “Nora, did you steal blood bags from the hospital?” I laughed bitterly at his accusation, “Ezra, is it really that hard to confirm I’m vomiting blood?” He seemed to find it laughable, “You’re trying to imitate Adeline again? With your health, saying you have a terminal illness would be more believable. Stop pretending!” Adeline was frail, frequently falling ill. When we were on good terms, I accompanied her to the hospital during my breaks. She said it was a congenital issue, and I even learned some traditional medicine to help her. Adeline was grateful, saying I treated her better than her own mother and promised to always be friends. But how did she repay me? By repaying my husband with her body? Adeline reminded Mr. Lin, “Mr. Lin, you’re in the late stages of stomach cancer. Time is running out. Don’t you want to have a child soon? Don’t waste time.” Mr. Lin’s face wrinkled into a frown. “Dr. Adeline, I do like Dr. Nora, but she’s in such poor health now, and she’s unwilling. Maybe we should drop it.” Ezra wrapped an arm around Adeline’s waist, indifferent, “Dr. Nora always acts. When she says no, she means yes. When she says she doesn’t want it, she wants it. Mr. Lin, you won’t get another chance like this.” Adeline placed Mr. Lin’s hand on my chest, persuading him, “Mr. Lin, Dr. Nora’s family has twins. Don’t you want a boy and a girl at once?” Listening to their conversation, I felt like I was in an icehouse. I tried to run but Ezra shoved me hard, and I hit the wall with my head. My already weak body had no strength to fight back. I could only watch as my clothes were torn, Mr. Lin’s body blocking my view. “What are you doing?” Before losing consciousness, I heard a familiar voice. In my daze, I saw my former colleague, Jasper, punch Ezra to the ground. Ezra hadn’t even reacted when Jasper cursed, “You scumbag! Heartless jerk! Nora marrying you was the worst luck. She must owe you from a past life to deserve this! Get lost, I’m taking her away!” Ezra’s voice was filled with anger, “Jasper! Nora is my wife. What right do you have to take her?” Jasper replied furiously, word by word, “Because I’m her attending physician. The patient entrusted me with treating her cancer. Is that reason enough for you?” I’m sorry, but the text you want translated isn’t available. Could you please provide the text you need translated? Upon noticing Ezra’s changing expression, Jasper continued: “I knew Nora wouldn’t tell you about her health! She’s been sacrificing her sleep for years just to make money. I warned her that health is the real wealth, but she wouldn’t listen. She wanted you to move on quickly so your burden would lessen.” “Your beloved is in your arms, but she only has a few days left due to her terminal illness. Does that make you happy?” Ezra’s face turned dark. Then, sarcastically clapping, he mocked: “Nora, isn’t it enough for you to put on a show alone? Now you’re bringing in your lover to help? Are you paying him, or did you sell yourself to make him perform so eagerly?”

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[I really want to lock her up.] After gaining the ability to hear the thoughts of beast-people, I started contemplating how to escape. Being human in this world of beast-people who extremely hate humans, I would die if my identity was discovered. I tightened the fake fox tail tied around my waist and climbed over the wall. But can someone tell me why the silver wolf, white tiger, merman… are all smiling at me from below? The black hawk embraced me from behind, asking in a low voice: [Isn’t it exhausting pretending to be a beast-person every day?] “I want to lock her up.” When I heard this thought, I was tutoring Lucas in our beast-people academy. My first reaction was that I must be hearing things. I continued solving the math problem on my scratch paper. This was an elite school for beast-people, and I was just an ordinary human. I’m not sure how the original owner of this body got in, but when I transmigrated here, I found myself in a dangerous situation where I could lose my life at any moment. I had no choice but to keep the fake fox tail tightly attached and carefully pretend to be… well, not human. Fortunately, the curriculum here wasn’t too different from my high school courses in my previous life, so I was able to keep up the act of the original owner. Finally finishing the calculations, I looked up at Lucas, the silver wolf. His eyes were wandering, clearly not having absorbed anything I taught! “She looks so obedient and soft… Are all foxes this seductive?” Before I could even get angry, I unexpectedly heard another thought. Lucas was sitting very close to me, his silver wolf tail swaying behind me, almost but not quite touching. “I want to kiss her…” As I watched that handsome face lean closer, the scratch paper crumpled under his arm with a soft rustle. I suddenly snapped back to reality. It seemed I could hear… Lucas’s thoughts? I finally couldn’t take it anymore and leaned back, but that fluffy wolf tail pressed against my lower back, not letting me retreat an inch. Behind me, another beast-student walked by. Lucas frowned slightly in annoyance: “Aria, if you lean back any further you’ll bump into someone. Am I really that scary?” “Does Aria dislike me? How sad… I just want to snuggle her, I don’t have any bad intentions…” Me: “……” I never would have guessed that Lucas, who usually wore a cold expression that kept people at a distance, was such a crybaby on the inside. Criticisms aside, I didn’t dare get too close to him. One way beast-people expressed affection was through mating. Mating… With my fake tail? Did I dare risk that? If the tail fell off, I’d be paying with my life! I swallowed hard and managed to hand him the pen with a trembling hand. Even though I was sitting up straight now, the tail behind me still refused to move away. The soft sensation transmitted through the thin fabric, brushing against the hem of my shirt, with a subtle tendency to explore further. My whole body went rigid. The thin strap holding my tail in place would be visible if my shirt rode up even a little!

Just as I was at a loss for what to do, I heard someone call my name from behind. “Aria, the physics teacher is looking for you.” A boy with fluffy white ears stood in the back doorway, coldly eyeing Lucas and me. Ethan, the white tiger. I breathed a sigh of relief and quickly broke free from Lucas’s hold. Lucas clicked his tongue impatiently, picking up his notebook and pen as he returned to his seat. He couldn’t resist a parting shot: “That big cat is so annoying. One of these days I’m going to beat him to a pulp.” I fell silent at his words. Big cat? I suppose tigers are big cats in a sense. “Let’s go, what are you spacing out for?” Ethan waved his hand in front of my face. Before I could react, he took my hand and led me out of the classroom. The boy’s fingers were long and slender, holding mine loosely with a cool touch spreading across the back of my hand. “Ah, I’m so excited! I’m holding Aria’s little hand, it’s so soft, I want to lick it…” As I listened, I looked up to see the tips of Ethan’s beast ears turning red. He looked so pure and innocent. Me: “……” Bro, what’s with that reaction? You’re not the one being harassed here, why are you getting all shy?! I wasn’t sure whether to pull away or let him keep holding my hand. The whole way to the office, my heart was pounding nervously as Ethan led me along. “Aria.” Ethan suddenly pinned me against the hallway wall, his golden eyes fixed on me like a predator eyeing its prey. “Why haven’t you responded to the love letter I sent you?” Love letter? What? When did he ever give me a love letter? I was dumbfounded, my language system malfunctioning as I struggled to say anything for a long while. Ethan stared at me intently. After a moment, I heard his thoughts: “No, I have to be patient. I can’t scare Aria.” He gazed longingly at my fox ears, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed hard. He seemed to be holding himself back with great difficulty. My heart was racing. I was terrified he might suddenly reach out and touch the ears. Even though they weren’t likely to fall off easily, what if they did? I abruptly pushed him away, hearing a muffled grunt. Without looking back, I turned and rushed into the office. As I closed the door, I caught a glimpse of Ethan’s disappointed face, and… His bright red ears. I fell silent. “What took you so long?” The physics teacher, Mr. Blake, sat on his desk. His smoke-colored glasses perched on his high, straight nose bridge, his narrow eyes sweeping over me with an intimidating aura even when not angry. You could tell at a glance he was an eagle beast-person. The reason was simple – his features were too sharp and striking, extremely distinctive. Mr. Blake was notoriously strict. There was hardly a student who wasn’t afraid of him. I was no exception. I licked my lips nervously as I walked towards him step by step. “Sorry sir, I got held up on the way. May I ask why you wanted to see me…?” Blake closed the book he had been reading and pulled out a form from beside him, handing it to me: “This is the sign-up sheet for the experiment. Fill it out.” He paused, then added: “The research project is confidential for now. The school is very pleased with your grades and personally recommended you.” I was flattered as I took the form. I had just glanced at it and was about to sign when I suddenly heard a voice: “Actually, I was the one who recommended her personally. This is a rare opportunity, I wonder how I can collect some payment from her?” The cool, restrained voice barely contained excitement and anticipation. It was both strange and familiar. “Maybe pat her ears?” “Or hug her, she smells so good…” I was startled, the black pen leaving a long ink mark on the paper. When I looked up, Mr. Blake was still staring at me with an expressionless face, his thin lips pressed into a straight line. There was no hint of emotion. Seeing my mistake, he frowned slightly and pulled out a new form for me: “What’s wrong?” “It’s nothing, I’m just too excited.” I broke out in a cold sweat, my mind in chaos. What was going on? Why could I suddenly hear so many beast-people’s thoughts? And they all seemed to be… Coveting me?!

Just as I was starting to feel anxious, Blake suddenly said: “You can go back now. I’ll let you know when there’s news.” The weight lifted off my chest and I put on a sweet smile again: “Thank you, sir!” As soon as the words left my mouth, a large hand suddenly covered the top of my head, gently rubbing my ears. I froze for a moment and looked up. Blake had already withdrawn his hand, his expression as cold as ever: “Keep up the good work.” He seemed like a genuinely caring teacher looking out for his student. If only I couldn’t hear his thoughts. “Her ears really are soft and tender…” “I want to lock her up in here and hold her while I sleep every night…” I fled in panic. I nearly tripped over my own feet as I rushed out the door. How could Mr. Blake be so different in private too? By the end of the day, I had finally accepted my ability to hear some beast-people’s thoughts. I returned to my apartment feeling dejected, contemplating ending it all as I collapsed on the couch. Just then, I heard the sound of running water coming from the bathroom. I glanced at the fish tank, understanding dawning. I walked over and knocked on the door: “Nolan, are you in there?” The water stopped, followed by a weak male voice: “Yes, sorry… did I disturb you, sis?” I sighed and turned the doorknob. In the bathtub full of water lay a stunningly handsome young man. His sky-blue fishtail, covered in water droplets, gleamed in the sunlight streaming through the window. Only the deep, bone-deep wound on his chest marred his beauty. When I found Nolan washed up on shore, he was barely clinging to life, filthy and battered. As soon as we got back to the apartment, he automatically reverted to his fishtail and slept in the water for half a month straight. “I came to the bathroom to clean my wound. I’ll tidy up afterwards…” Nolan looked pale as he leaned against the edge of the tub. The water beneath him was already tinged a faint red with blood. I shook my head: “Don’t worry about it, just focus on healing.” As soon as I finished speaking, water splashed up. The large fishtail rose from the surface, wrapping around my waist and forcefully pulling me into the fish tank. Caught completely off guard, I fell onto Nolan’s body. My clothes were soaked through, clinging to my skin and outlining my curves. Nolan’s arms held me tightly, his forehead pressed against the crook of my neck. His voice was low, his beautiful eyelashes wet with crystal-like water droplets, as if he’d been crying. “Sis, I had a nightmare. Can I hold you for a while?” I hadn’t even commented on his sudden action, but hearing those words made my heart melt. Nolan came from the Western Sea. He was the fourth prince, but unloved by his parents and nearly killed by his brothers’ schemes. I knelt straddling Nolan’s body, the soft fishtail beneath cushioning my thighs so my knees weren’t too uncomfortable. I stroked Nolan’s wet golden hair, my maternal instincts overflowing. Just as I was about to say some comforting words, an inexplicable drowsiness overcame me. I can’t fall asleep here… Even as I thought this, my eyelids grew heavier and heavier. An increasingly fierce fatigue washed over me, and I collapsed onto Nolan’s chest. Naturally, I didn’t see the flash of jealousy in Nolan’s cobalt blue eyes. He lifted his head from my body, his tongue licking along my neck. No longer the harmless creature he first appeared to be, he now exuded a bewitching aura. “These scents are so unpleasant…” White tiger, silver wolf, eagle… Nolan’s eyes darkened as he decisively removed my fake ears and tail. “Humans should just behave themselves. Otherwise they’re easily coveted…” “Let me clean off these scents for you, sis.”

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I carefully selected 999 red roses for Sophia Evans. Her male secretary broke out in hives. Sophia was furious. Using my mother’s heirloom as bait, she forced me to fight a lion bare-handed. She casually instructed her subordinates: “It doesn’t matter if he dies. As long as it cleanses Ryan’s bad luck.” I remained silent. At the cost of 6 broken ribs and being mauled bloody by the lion, I successfully retrieved the heirloom and calmly turned to leave. Behind me, Sophia sneered: “He’s nothing but a lowly bodyguard I keep. How could a dog ever leave its master?” What Sophia didn’t know was, Someone had already bought out my contract for a high price. This time, I was going to protect someone else. The iron cage opened, and the massive lion roared as it charged out. I faced it bare-handed, instantly knocked to the ground! On the platform above, Sophia clenched her fists tightly. Jack’s face was flushed, his eyes sparkling. Sophia’s brow relaxed. It seemed they were telling the truth. This really could cleanse Ryan’s bad luck. The lion slammed into me, and I felt like my internal organs had shattered. I countered with a punch to the lion’s eye. The crowd gasped. I was covered in blood but never backed down. After accurately grabbing the nearby hunting rifle, I precisely shot the lion’s throat. One shot killed it. At the cost of 6 broken ribs and being mauled bloody by the lion. I had won. I successfully reclaimed my mother’s heirloom. Just as I was about to exit the underground arena, Ryan suddenly turned pale and coughed heavily. Sophia’s eyes instantly changed. She snatched the heirloom I had fought so hard to retrieve from my arms. The jade bracelet was viciously smashed, shattering into pieces. Sophia frowned slightly, her eyes filled with disgust as she looked at me. “Are you satisfied now that you’ve hurt Jack so much for a mere bracelet?” I opened my mouth but was left speechless. When Ryan choked on some water, Sophia splashed black dog blood on the heirloom. He coughed once, and Sophia used the heirloom to force me to fight the lion. My ribs were broken in six places, and my body wouldn’t stop bleeding. I didn’t understand who was really hurting whom. My nails dug deep into my palms. I skillfully knelt down and kowtowed to her. “I’m sorry, Miss. Please forgive me.” I bent down with difficulty, cherishing the fragments in my arms beyond measure. Mom, this time, I will take you away. The kneeling motion caused my shirt to be stained with fresh blood again. Sophia’s pupils constricted, and her brow twitched violently. She unexpectedly helped me up. “As long as you don’t oppose Jack, I’ll let you stay by my side and earn your keep.” Her tone was condescending, as if it were a great honor. As she finished speaking, Jack suddenly fainted without warning. Sophia’s face instantly tensed. Jack’s lackey quietly reported, “Miss Evans, it might be the negative energy from a dead person’s belongings that’s making Mr. Parker feel unwell repeatedly.” I looked up. A flash of triumphant joy quickly passed through Jack’s tightly closed eyes. He gripped Sophia’s hand tightly and said understandingly: “Sophia, I’m fine. After all, this is Mr. Wilson’s mother’s heirloom. I can endure it.” Sophia stroked Jack’s cheek lovingly and calmly ordered me. “Throw away that disgusting thing. If it makes Jack feel unwell again, you can get lost too.” I looked at her indifferently and resolutely walked towards the door. Seeing my lack of reaction, Sophia’s chest visibly heaved. She ordered someone to bring a whip and sneered. “Even a dog dares to defy its master. A beating will do.” The whip fell like raindrops, each lash accompanied by a sharp whistling sound. The wounds already torn open by the lion’s fangs now bled even more profusely. The force of the blows on my body lessened slightly, and Sophia mocked, “It seems I’ve really been too indulgent with you. Now you don’t even know how to beg for mercy?” Every pain on my body reminded me. Constant retreat would only make her more aggressive. I bit my lip hard, clutching the fragments tightly in my arms, not letting myself cry out. Sophia’s breath caught, and the whip she wielded showed no mercy. The whipping continued for a long time. The smell of blood from the lion’s corpse stimulated my blurring consciousness. Before losing consciousness, I vaguely heard Sophia’s cold laughter. Her fingers casually swiped across my phone screen. “A dog wanting to book a flight to run away from home? Just break its legs.” “Mere 99 lashes, just use some medicine to keep it barely alive.” “Oh right, quickly check on Jack. His health isn’t good, remember to give him the best medicine.” I involuntarily passed out. My mind couldn’t stop thinking. Now I’ll miss the flight.

When I woke up, Sophia was sitting by my bedside, which was rare. She looked down at me condescendingly, handing me a plastic bag with obvious disgust. The wounds on my body were still aching faintly. I lowered my head to look – it was full of fragments of the jade bracelet. I was somewhat surprised that Sophia hadn’t thrown them away. “It was Jack who begged me not to throw them away. If only you were half as sensible as him.” I rummaged through the fragments, but my heart suddenly plummeted. These were clearly just replaced fakes. I pulled out the IV needle expressionlessly. Jack suddenly appeared in the doorway, speaking slowly and deliberately: “Mr. Wilson, I’ve already returned your mother’s jade bracelet intact.” He enunciated each word, a flash of provocation passing through his eyes. Ever since he had entered the house, Jack had found me, the bodyguard, disagreeable in every way. When hungry, he’d make me brave pouring rain to buy roast duck 50 kilometers away. When the mood struck, he’d drag me out in the middle of the night to buy condoms for them. Time and again he tried to destroy the last heirloom from my mother, just to force me to give up and leave. I didn’t understand. Wasn’t Sophia completely devoted to him? I was just a dog for Sophia to torment and train as she pleased. Why did he want to destroy the last fantasy my mom left me? All the anger surged to my head. Ignoring the lingering pain in my body, I grabbed the fruit knife from the table. I pressed it hard against Jack’s throat, my voice ice cold. “Give me back all those fragments!” Jack cried like a frightened rabbit: “Sophia, I’m scared…” Without Jack saying more, The next second, I felt my scalp being forcefully yanked. The small knife in my hand uncontrollably cut Jack’s shoulder. Tiny beads of blood appeared. I was forced to look up at Sophia. But I met a pair of extremely cold eyes. In them was undisguised disgust, and a flash of murderous intent. She laughed coldly and stabbed the fruit knife into my chest. “Although you’re my husband, don’t forget who saved you back then! Do you want to experience being bitten by a lion again?!” “Squelch!” Blood instantly gushed out! My pupils constricted, and I instinctively tried to pull out her hand, but she pressed down hard. “Don’t move… it’ll be over soon.” I was in so much pain that the veins on my forehead bulged. The woman’s tone was rarely comforting. Enduring the pain, I looked at Sophia with an extremely calm gaze. At this moment, a strange sense of irritation suddenly welled up in Sophia’s heart. She slowly carved out that piece of flesh. Blood flowed down my chest, staining my trouser legs red, and also staining her hands red. Sophia looked at the words on my chest with satisfaction – “Sophia Evans”. Just because I accidentally cut Jack, Sophia personally carved a retaliatory tattoo on my body. She casually tossed the fruit knife on the ground. Sophia carefully embraced Jack, her tone pampering: “It’s okay, I’m here. I won’t let you have even a tiny scar.” Jack immediately kissed her lips shyly, his face full of guilt: “This was a gift from you. Luckily we found it. But I wrongly accused Mr. Wilson. Should I apologize to him?” In front of everyone, looking at me covered in blood stains, Sophia’s voice was utterly cold. “No need. He’s just a bodyguard, a dog I keep. What’s the big deal about suffering a little grievance?” They started kissing deeply right in front of me, as if no one else was there. But over these three years, I had already heard countless such sounds of debauchery. My phone vibrated. I couldn’t help but smile. My contract had completely fallen into her hands. The flight ticket Sophia had cancelled was rebooked. While kissing Jack passionately, Sophia discreetly observed me out of the corner of her eye. Seeing the smile on my face that she hadn’t seen in a long time, The irritation in her chest inexplicably surged up again. Before entering the bedroom, she coldly commanded: “I’m throwing Jack a birthday party tomorrow. You better show up too!” Taking advantage of the sounds of lovemaking coming from the bedroom, I quickly searched the entire villa. I finally found those jade bracelet fragments. Carefully gluing the pieces back into a bracelet shape. I hugged it to my chest, having lost and regained it. Tomorrow, I will leave with you.

The birthday party Sophia had meticulously prepared began promptly at 8 PM. Jack, wearing a pure black custom-tailored suit, made a striking entrance arm-in-arm with Sophia. The guests pushed me aside, quietly discussing among themselves. “Mr. Parker is truly talented. No wonder Miss Evans has doted on you so much all these years.” “But I thought that bodyguard was Miss Evans’ lawful husband?” Sophia looked at me, rarely dressed formally, her tone carrying a hint of tenderness: “Introduce yourself to everyone.” There was a trace of expectation hidden in her voice that even she hadn’t noticed. I kept my head down, my tone neither servile nor overbearing. “I am Sophia Evans’ bodyguard – Jack Wilson.” Sophia was visibly stunned for several seconds, her expression visibly darkening. An expression of annoyance flashed across my face. What did she want me to do? Jack smiled generously, a flash of malice in his eyes as he beckoned to me. “I’m not feeling well today and can’t drink. You drink all this alcohol for me.” I remained silent, finally opening my mouth. “I’m allergic to alcohol…” “Sophia, I know Mr. Wilson is probably still angry with me, so he’s just making up this lie.” Jack hung his head, his voice filled with disappointment. Sophia glanced at me, her voice growing heavier: “Drink! Don’t you always carry allergy medicine? Take it before drinking, what could happen?” Her tone left no room for refusal. I silently took out the medicine and swallowed a few pills. Soon, a group of people came forward with wine glasses to make small talk. I also picked up a glass and poured it down my throat. Glass after glass, my stomach churned violently, unable to stop the urge to vomit. The wounds that had not yet healed burst open under the effects of the alcohol. Seeing the blood at the corner of my mouth, Sophia very obviously took a sharp breath. The next second, Jack let out a scream. “Sophia, the heirloom watch you gave me is missing. Jack was the only one near us just now, could it be that he…” My pupils constricted, not because of this baseless accusation, but because the heirloom gift my mother had given to Sophia as a daughter-in-law, She had casually given away without any burden on her conscience. Back then, she had been so good to me and my mother. At this moment, I couldn’t help but laugh self-mockingly. Sophia looked at my smile, and the familiar feeling of irritation surged up in her heart once again. She personally comforted Jack and sternly called for the security guards. The next second, several guards pinned me to the ground, forcefully tearing at my clothes. Normally, I wouldn’t have been so powerless to resist. But with the new wounds Sophia had inflicted over the past two days, my body simply hadn’t had time to recover. I struggled desperately, but couldn’t overcome their brute force. My shirt was torn to shreds, the tattoo on my body faintly oozing blood. Sophia narrowed her eyes, revealing only her desire to control me. Until – “The watch has been found!” Sophia took the emerald watch and personally put it on Jack’s wrist, her tone doting. “Don’t be so careless next time.” Jack scratched his head embarrassedly, looking at me with a face full of guilt: “This was a gift from you. Luckily we found it. But I wrongly accused Mr. Wilson. Should I apologize to him?” In front of everyone, looking at me covered in blood stains, Sophia’s voice was utterly cold. “No need. He’s just a bodyguard, a dog I keep. What’s the big deal about suffering a little grievance?” In the bathroom, I couldn’t stop dry heaving. Before I could recover, Jack kicked me hard. He pressed down hard on the tattoo on my body, veins bulging on his forehead. “You’re really cheap, aren’t you? You’re just a dog Sophia keeps, yet you still cling to her!” “Speaking of which, do you know why Sophia sent you to buy medicine in the next city when your mom was critically ill?” “It was because she just wanted to get rid of you. At that time, I stripped naked with Sophia right in front of your mom – she was literally angered to death!” “Slap!” After slapping Jack’s face, I couldn’t hold back anymore and grabbed his throat. Jack laughed coldly, instantly fighting back. He kept splashing cold water on me, but accidentally touched a dry electrical appliance. In the blink of an eye, We both heard the sizzling sound from the electrical appliance simultaneously. The next second, it instantly exploded, and the entire bathroom was filled with thick smoke. Soon, anxious cries for help were heard outside the door. Sophia’s voice came along with the sound of high heels: “Where’s Jack Wilson!” She rushed in regardless of the raging fire. But her gaze immediately fell on Jack, who was pretending to faint. He reached out his hand, tears in his eyes: “Sophia, save me…” Ignoring me whose shirt was dyed red with blood. Sophia’s face tense with worry as she supported Jack and walked out without looking back. From beginning to end, not a single glance fell on me. I fell to my knees weakly, choked by the thick smoke. The pain on my body seemed to magnify infinitely in an instant. The next second, a pair of black leather shoes appeared in my vision. I looked up dazedly, and it was actually Jack’s lackey. A vicious smile appeared on his face as he pushed me hard. Already next to the window, I fell unprepared. “Don’t blame me for being ruthless. Only if Jack has good days can I rise with him.” He turned back confidently, not realizing he had actually helped me escape the fire scene. It was only the fourth floor. I dragged my limping leg and hailed a taxi, telling the driver: “Airport.” The scenery outside the car window rapidly receded. I took out my phone, removed the SIM card, and snapped it in half – “Crack.” The card broke into two halves, casually tossed out the window by me. Sophia Evans, from now on, you and I will completely disappear from each other’s lives!

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My penny-pinching husband publicly auctioned off 365 of my intimate photos to make money. Not only did I not stop him, but I also pulled out a video recording and personally made him watch it thoroughly. However, the moment he saw the video, his face filled with terror, and he fell to his knees begging me for a divorce. After gifting me all his assets, he jumped into the river that night and committed suicide. This incident caused a huge stir, with the entire internet speculating. What exactly was in that video? Countless wealthy strangers were willing to pay high prices with company shares to acquire the video, but I ignored them all. Until my childhood sweetheart, now the richest man in town, proposed to me in grand fashion. At our wedding, I once again brought out that video… My husband Adam was notorious for being a penny-pincher. He wouldn’t let anyone touch his safe. But more than money, he valued his own life above all else. This was a man who would call the doctor for a full checkup over a simple sneeze. Yet after I showed him that video, he not only transferred all his assets to me, but even took his own life. The day after Adam’s death was confirmed, this incident blew up on social media and became a trending topic. “Adam Thompson was known to be extremely frugal. How could he possibly be willing to give up everything?” “Just confess and you’ll be treated leniently. Think carefully before you speak,” the young detective said sternly. He stared intently at my face, trying to warn me not to cover up the truth. I waved my hands anxiously. “I really don’t know, officer. Maybe he felt guilty about how he treated me and wanted to make amends?” I explained the whole sequence of events to them in detail – from Adam auctioning off my private photos with his mistress at an exhibition, to me showing him the video and watching him kneel and beg for divorce. “Impossible. From what we’ve learned, Adam wouldn’t even pay for groceries out of his own pocket,” the female officer beside him said with a grim expression. She glanced at a file and continued, “He even made the girls he cheated with pay for the hotel rooms and condoms.” “What exactly did you show him?” she demanded. “It really was just an adult video starring me, officer,” I said. I knew every word I spoke was the truth. Unable to get any useful information from me, the police had no choice but to end their interrogation. I returned to my apartment complex. As soon as I stepped out of the elevator, I found a crowd of reporters already gathered outside my door. “Ms. Brooks, your husband auctioned off your private photos for profit. Don’t you hate him for that?” “He didn’t do anything worth hating. And I really don’t know why he died,” I replied. Hearing my response, they exchanged excited glances and shoved their microphones closer. “Please tell us, what exactly was in that video?” “What was your purpose in showing the video? Are you sure Adam’s death had nothing to do with you?” “I really don’t know anything!” I cried, trying to dodge their cameras. But they wouldn’t listen and only grew more frenzied. The property management soon heard the commotion and came with some neighbors to drive the reporters away from my door. Just as I breathed a sigh of relief, Adam’s family angrily rushed up to confront me. “Lily Brooks, you killed my son and took all his money. You must pay for his life with your own!” Adam’s mother screamed. “What nonsense are you spouting? Lily’s been a good girl since she was little. She wouldn’t even hurt an ant, how could she possibly kill someone?” “If you ask me, it must be your son who offended the wrong person!” I didn’t say a word as the older ladies drove Adam’s family away with their scolding. No one would believe that I had killed Adam Thompson. Even I myself didn’t understand why he committed suicide after watching that video.

From a young age, I was always well-behaved and obedient. As a daughter, I was filial and never defied my elders. But Adam had been spoiled rotten since childhood, leaving a trail of broken hearts. After marrying into the Thompson family, I treated Adam as my whole world. I never went against his wishes. To satisfy his possessive nature, I would bundle up in layers even on the hottest summer days before going out. So no one believed the adult video I showed Adam was real. They also didn’t believe an ordinary video could kill a man who loved money more than life itself. But only I knew – it was all true. I just had no idea how this video could kill someone. For the next three years, Adam’s family still refused to give up on sending me to prison. They went from causing a scene at my door every day, to falling into despair after the police cleared me of suspicion. They finally accepted the reality that Adam had committed suicide. As for me, within a year of moving back to my old neighborhood, I reunited with my childhood friend Jack, who was now the heir to a business empire. We soon began dating. Three days before our wedding, Jack held me tightly and said, “Lily, I’m finally marrying you. I’ve waited 23 years for this day.” “I’ll make you the happiest woman in the world. I won’t be like your ex-husband at all.” He rested his chin on my shoulder. “If you ask me, your ex must have been fated to die young. A video killing someone? I don’t buy it! Those people will believe any rumor. How could they actually think a video can kill?” He paused, then took my hand and said, “But I have to admit, I’m quite curious too. Is there really something scandalous in that video?” He looked at me cautiously. “Don’t be angry. I’m not blaming you for making that kind of video. I just thought if I watched it, I could help prove the truth.” Jack’s eyes were full of concern. He always believed in me unconditionally like this. “I don’t know. But he really did die after watching the video,” I said quietly. “Don’t overthink it. Adam must have offended someone powerful and that’s why he died. You happened to show the video at that time, so those people used it as an excuse to avoid suspicion,” Jack reassured me. I asked worriedly, “But what if you watch it and end up dying like Adam? What would I do then?” “Marrying you is the luckiest thing to ever happen to me. Even if I die, I have no regrets,” Jack said with a bright smile. I angrily covered his mouth with my hand to stop him from saying such ominous things. After his repeated pleading, I finally nodded in agreement. “But I have one condition – you can’t watch the video alone.” Jack hugged me gently. “As you wish. I’ll watch it at our wedding then.”

At the wedding, countless guests stared at me curiously. “Who would have thought? She lost her husband but managed to marry someone even better.” “I wouldn’t dare marry a woman like that. Who knows when you might die mysteriously.” “It’s been so long, but I still want to know what was in that video. I wonder if we’ll get to see it today…” Adam’s parents had also been invited to attend my wedding. They now looked pale and gaunt, their faces like sheets of paper. But their eyes still held traces of hatred when they looked at me. I ignored it all. I was only thinking about what was about to happen, feeling increasingly nervous. Following the officiant’s blessings, I lifted my dress and walked step by step to Jack’s side. “Now, the bride has a surprise for everyone,” I said with a smile, handing the USB drive to Jack. “That’s right, as you’ve all guessed, this surprise is the mysterious video everyone’s been so curious about.” As soon as I finished speaking, the crowd erupted in whispers. Everyone’s faces showed a mix of fear and excitement. No one dared to step forward. Adam’s parents’ expressions became especially grim. When they saw Jack about to open the file, they suddenly rushed onto the stage shouting, “Don’t watch it! You absolutely must not watch it, it will kill you!” “She’s the real murderer, arrest her quickly! Wasn’t killing my son enough for you? Do you want to keep hurting more people?” Adam’s mother glared at me fiercely, her eyes filled with hatred like she wanted to devour me whole. “I really don’t know why he died. I didn’t kill him!” I stepped forward hesitantly to explain, but Jack immediately shielded me. He gave them an icy stare. “This is the most important day for Lily and me. If you’re here to cause trouble, please leave!” Adam’s mother kept shaking her head, insisting they couldn’t watch it or someone would die. His father pulled her arm, looking at me with grief-stricken eyes as he begged, “Please Lily, don’t hurt anyone else.” I frowned in confusion and asked, “What do you mean? Adam committed suicide. I’ve never hurt anyone.” Before I could finish, they both knelt before me, kowtowing repeatedly. “Adam wronged you, but he didn’t deserve to die! Please, the video absolutely cannot be shown!” Suddenly, they stared at me in terror, collapsing to the ground. They grabbed Jack’s pant leg, shaking their heads frantically. “She’s a demon! Lily Brooks is insane, you’ve all been fooled by her!” “Her parents didn’t even show up on her wedding day. When Adam married her, we never met her family.” “She’s cursed! It wasn’t enough to curse her parents to death, she had to kill our son too!” The scene descended into chaos. Jack’s expression darkened as he called security to remove them. He took a deep breath, placing his hand back on the mouse. Everyone pushed forward, both afraid yet curious to see. I stood beside Jack and held his hand, nervously holding my breath. “Maybe we shouldn’t watch it, Jack.” He smiled at me. “It’s fine, it’s just a video.” But his hand was trembling slightly. He swallowed hard and clicked the mouse. After the video finished playing, Jack wiped the sweat from his brow. “How was it, Mr. Evans? What was in the video?” “Looks like there was nothing wrong with the video. Adam Thompson must have done something terrible to kill himself.” Some people tried to get closer to see the screen, but Jack quickly shut the laptop. I had just started to relax when I noticed Jack, who had been smiling moments ago, was now frozen in place, staring at me wordlessly. His hand had turned ice cold as he pulled away from me and jumped off the stage.

Jack stared at me in fear, his eyes dark and hollow. I slowly tried to approach him, but he suddenly pushed away his father who attempted to stop him. “No, don’t come any closer!” he cried out. He snatched the white jade hairpin from his mother’s head and violently stabbed it into his own eye. “Jack, no! Don’t do anything foolish!” I screamed. I stood there in shock, momentarily dazed as I watched blood pour from his injured eye. The next second, my head began to throb painfully. I clutched my head as I walked towards Jack. “Jack, it’s me, Lily. What’s wrong with you?” I endured the splitting pain as I approached him step by step. With each step I took, the fear on his face intensified. “Don’t come near me! I won’t marry you, okay? I’ll give you everything!” Jack struggled violently, breaking free from his father’s grasp. Even though he could barely see, he recklessly charged forward. Screech! The tires let out a deafening screech. Screams and curses filled my mind. I collapsed to my knees, feeling chilled to the bone. Before me lay Jack, flung into a pool of blood after being hit by a car. His uninjured eye was wide open, staring at me in a way that made my scalp tingle. Jack’s mother rushed over to me, her eyes filled with hatred. “You wretched girl! My son was so good to you, how could you not even spare him? I’ll kill you!” Her nails dug into my arm. The pain snapped me back to reality. The day of the wedding became the day of Jack’s death. “This Lily Brooks really is cursed. She got her ex-husband killed, and now her new husband is dead too. What terrible luck!” “What curse? I think she must have done something to that video to get money. Anyone who watches it dies!” “We should all stay away from her. That woman is nothing but trouble. Only bad things happen around her.” The whispers grew louder. I clenched my fists tightly as Jack’s mother continued hitting and cursing at me. “I’m not cursed! I’m not!” I cried out. A bucket of red paint was thrown over me. Adam’s mother glared at me hatefully and screamed, “Go to hell!” She used all her strength to wrap her hands around my neck and squeeze. My face turned purple as I struggled to breathe. Tears streamed down my face. My breathing grew heavier. Just before I lost consciousness, I heard a familiar voice. And that’s when I finally understood what was really in that video.

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To have a child before my half-sister and legitimately inherit the family fortune, I selected three potential heirs. I invested in their companies and helped them prove their worth. I even went out of my way to please Zachary, all in hopes of marrying him. But Zachary always avoided me, yet knelt before my half-sister, professing his love: “You’re the true heir, my wife. If you’re not ready to accept me, I’ll pretend to marry her and help you reclaim what’s rightfully yours.” My father accused me of being fickle, asking which one I’d finally choose. Remembering Zachary’s humiliated look, I casually pointed at the most dazzling man under the spotlight and said, “That male model looks good. I’ll take him.” 0The man’s hand paused as he was handing me coffee, looking at me strangely, confusion spreading across his handsome face. My father was furious on the other end of the phone. “Ridiculous! You’ve chosen another man at random!” “You’ve been cultivating three suitors for years, and none of them satisfy you?” “And besides, is the Reed family open to just anyone?!” I flipped through the man’s profile, scanning it quickly before nodding with satisfaction. Turning to address my enraged father, I said, “Don’t worry, Dad. I’ve been evaluating those three for years, and I’ve just realized they’re all style over substance.” “Since I’m the one having the child, I’ll definitely be thorough in my vetting process. The father of my child won’t be some loser, so you don’t need to worry about that.” “Just remember your promise: whoever has a child first inherits Reed Enterprises. Have the stock transfer agreement and inheritance documents ready.” Faced with my directness, my father fell silent, leaving me with only one final comment: “Just make sure that man doesn’t embarrass our family.” He knew he had wronged me. Originally, I was the only daughter of the Reed family, the destined heir to Reed Enterprises. But on my 18th birthday, my half-sister stumbled through our front door, crying, “Dad, Mom’s dead. You’re the only family I have left.” My mother had passed away when I was young, and Dad had never remarried. I thought he was devoted to her memory, but it turned out he had a mistress and a half-sister only two years younger than me. Dad said he kept it from me to avoid hurting me, but Lily Snow moved into our home in tears on my birthday, making me the laughingstock of the entire city. To make it up to me, Dad immediately wanted to hand the company over to me. But Lily cried, her face red with tears. “Dad, I don’t care about fighting for the inheritance, but Mom put her heart and soul into this company too!” “If Mom hadn’t given up her career to take care of the family, how could you have devoted yourself entirely to the company? Now you want to hand over the company that Mom poured her heart into to an outsider? Are you trying to destroy this family?” “This is all that’s left of Mom in this world. I’m begging you…” Dad was torn, until a shareholder spoke up: “Mr. Reed only has two daughters. Giving it to either one means giving it to an outsider, right?” “Instead of this, why not have your daughters find future heirs? Whoever has a child first can inherit the company.” Dad agreed wholeheartedly and made the decision on the spot. That’s what was said, but everyone knew the company would most likely go to me, Aria Reed. I was older, had a wider social circle, and my status in our circles was far above Lily’s. Finding an excellent partner and having a child would be a piece of cake for me. Although Dad felt sorry for Lily, he knew deep down she wasn’t qualified to be the heir. He just couldn’t bring himself to explicitly tell her to give up her inheritance rights due to his guilty conscience and to save face. But since someone had offered a way out, he took it, though in his heart, he had already decided I would be his heir. Marriage and childbirth were just formalities to convince others and Lily. 0

I worked efficiently. As soon as I hung up the phone, I quickly prepared a document and handed it to the male model. The model’s name was Caleb Chase. He stopped my assistant from scolding me and silently signed the prenuptial agreement, even more compliant than I had imagined. My secretary was stunned, whispering in my ear, “Miss Reed, I think he’s specifically after you. Don’t let him trick you out of your heart, body, and money.” I looked around the room, filled with handsome men and beautiful women, but the man before me was undoubtedly the most eye-catching of them all. I had originally come to inspect the newest entertainment division of our branch company, but I never expected to gain a potential heir in the process. I shrugged, “What can he trick me out of? Money? I have plenty, and once I inherit Reed Enterprises, I won’t worry about supporting an idle husband.” “If he can provide quality genes, it’s a win-win deal for me.” I briefly skimmed through Caleb’s profile. As for Zachary and the others, since they were unwilling to marry me, there was no need for them to stay with the Reed family anymore. “Take that man for a full medical checkup and bring the results to the Reed house to see me.” Having resolved one issue, I left the company in a good mood, only to unexpectedly bump into a fragile figure. Lily covered her mouth, as if she had discovered some great secret. “Sister, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I had no idea that even with three wonderful boyfriends, you still weren’t satisfied and wanted to fool around with other men…” Fearing she would start spreading rumors, I instinctively reached out to grab her. She recoiled as if I were some kind of monster, stumbling backward into Zachary’s arms, who had been right behind her. Zachary held Lily and demanded, “Aria, what have you done now? Look how scared Lily is!” Felix and Xavier came running up behind them, immediately starting to berate me without knowing the full story. “Aria, don’t go too far! Lily is part of the Reed family too. Why do you bully her the moment she comes to the company?” Lily tugged at the sleeves of all three men, pouting, “Zachary, guys, don’t blame my sister. It’s my fault for making her angry.” “I didn’t know she was flirting with a male model. I didn’t mean to interrupt her…” “Maybe it’s because you guys haven’t been paying much attention to her lately, so she’s feeling lonely and has set her sights on another man…” She directly portrayed me as a fickle woman. But over these years, I had never claimed to be any of their girlfriends. Firstly, out of respect for them, I didn’t want their reputations tarnished as men simultaneously kept by me. Secondly, whenever I brought up the topic of marriage, they would avoid it. Zachary even looked at me with disgust. “Are you that desperate to get married? Isn’t the money Reed Enterprises is giving you now enough for you to squander?” “Everyone knows that whichever Reed daughter marries and has a child first gets the entire Reed fortune. You’re pushing us to marry you, but have you considered your sister?” “Reed Enterprises belongs to her father and mother. Why are you trying to steal it?” “She’s the second daughter of the Reed family. She’s suffered for so many years outside, and now that she finally has a chance to live comfortably for a few years, you can’t wait to kick her out!” I stormed out, slamming the door. Later that night, wanting to apologize, I saw him on one knee before Lily, saying earnestly: “You’re the heir I acknowledge, my wife. If you’re not ready to accept me yet, I’ll pretend to marry her and help you reclaim the property that belongs to you.” “I swear, as long as I’m here, Aria will never be able to bully you.” Only then did I realize they didn’t want to get married; they just didn’t want to marry me. But Reed Enterprises was built by my parents. Lily’s mother willingly gave up her career to become a kept woman. Lily had been spending my father’s money and my mother’s inheritance since she was born. Yet in their eyes, Lily was the pitiful sister and the only Miss Reed. And I was supposed to hand everything over to Lily without a fight. 0

Thinking about this, any guilt I felt towards the three of them faded away. I had been wondering how to gracefully ask them to leave the Reed family, but since Lily had already seen what happened, there was no need to hide it anymore. So I cleared my throat and said, “Since you already know, let’s just lay it all out. Zachary, Felix, Xavier, our agreement is hereby terminated. From now on, I won’t invest in you with the intention of marriage, and I won’t take back the money I’ve already given you.” “From this point forward, you’re free to date and marry whoever you want. It has nothing to do with me anymore.” “I’ve already found a suitable marriage partner.” I thought they would cheer with joy, but instead, the three of them fell into an eerie silence. Lily couldn’t hide the delight in her eyes, but she pretended to be worried and asked me: “Sister, are you really giving up? Didn’t you love Zachary the most? Is it because they’ve been neglecting you, making you feel bad?” “You can’t just marry some random guy to fight for the inheritance. It’s easy to catch diseases that way.” “Guys, please talk some sense into her. Don’t let her hurt herself or you because of me.” She moved between the three men, gently persuading them. Xavier couldn’t help but laugh, then immediately fell silent, looking at me maliciously. “This is your plan, isn’t it? To make Lily push us away herself, forcing us to marry you.” Felix’s eyes lit up with sudden realization. “I knew you couldn’t have changed your mind so quickly! So it was intentional, wanting to make us jealous and fight with your own sister over men!” Zachary chuckled coldly, his eyes full of disappointment: “Aria, I never thought you were this kind of person.” “You treat us like kept men, coming and going as you please. Seeing that we’re unwilling to marry you, you come up with this despicable scheme to force us.” “Lily, as your sister, sees money as dirt. She only has us to support her, yet she’s willing to give us up to make you happy.” “And you? You’ve already taken her father, and now you want to take her mother’s inheritance too. You think you can get the Reed fortune by lowering yourself to marry just anyone? Keep dreaming!” “Compared to Lily, you’re not even close!” I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. “Haven’t you always hated me? I agree to let you go, you don’t have to pay me back, and you can be with your beloved Lily. Shouldn’t you be grateful?” Xavier scoffed at my words: “You’re so devious, who knows if you’ll keep your word? You said before that you were willingly giving us the money, but what if you demand we pay it back a hundred or thousand times over in the future?” Felix chimed in: “Even if we marry Lily and let her inherit Reed Enterprises, with your skills, how could Lily possibly be your match? The company would still end up in your hands!” “You act generous, but if we really get together with Lily, you’ll definitely use every underhanded method to bully her!” I was inexplicably surrounded and attacked by the three of them, and I started to get angry too. Seeing Zachary looking down on me, I decided to give it my all and swung at his face. “Ah!” “Sister, even if Zachary doesn’t want to marry you, you can’t hit people! Wuwuwu…” Zachary couldn’t dodge in time, but Lily reacted quickly, shielding him and taking the slap for him. “Sister, I’ll let you have Zachary. I’ll tell him to marry you. Please don’t hit anymore, okay?” She fell to the ground, then hurriedly knelt before Zachary. “Zachary, please marry my sister! I don’t mind, don’t consider me. I’m willing to do anything as long as my sister is happy!” 0

I crouched down to check Lily’s injuries. Zachary’s eyes were bloodshot as he kicked me hard in the chest. “You bitch! You’re too vicious!” He treated me like an enemy, kicking me viciously. My vision went black, and I fell to the ground, clutching my chest, unable to move. Xavier took the opportunity to slap me. “How can Lily have such a shameless sister like you!” “Pah! We’d rather marry a beggar than marry you!” Zachary picked Lily up in his arms, looking at me and enunciating each word: “If anything happens to Lily, I’ll make you pay double!” I lay on the ground for a while before staggering to my feet. My chest ached, but I suppressed my anger and got into the car, telling the driver to take me back to the Reed house. If they show no compassion, they can’t blame me for being ruthless! Now, not only will I kick them out of the Reed family, but I’ll also make them pay back every penny I invested in them! I returned home furiously, only to hear a chorus of laughter. Seeing me, Lily trembled violently, as if she had seen something terrifying. Felix shielded her behind him, his eyes blazing as he looked at me: “You dare to come back!” It seems Dad had already told them. I sneered, “Since you know, why don’t you get out quickly?! You’re of no use here anymore!” “You?!” Felix pointed at me, his hands shaking. Zachary stood in front of the others, looking righteous: “If you have any anger, take it out on me. But asking us to leave the Reed family? Impossible.” “I’ve already told Mr. Reed that Lily and I are getting married. From now on, Lily and I are the heads of the Reed family.” “Felix and Xavier will be our right-hand men in the future, helping us manage Reed Enterprises. Their stay or departure is not for you to decide.” “You have no right to come back!” Xavier slapped his thigh and laughed out loud: “You still think you’re the Reed family’s eldest daughter? Once Lily has a child, you’ll be out on the streets!” “Although only one of us can marry Lily, even so, we absolutely won’t let you have any advantage. If you kneel down and apologize to Lily now, we might be merciful enough to let you have a child, so you won’t be lonely even after being kicked out of the Reed family.” 0

Lily blinked her eyes, looking at me coyly. “Sister, I didn’t mean for this to happen, but I really do love Zachary.” “Since you’ve found another man, why don’t you let him go to me? You drink and party every day, meeting far more men than I do, but I only have Zachary.” “I can’t live without him.” Zachary looked at her with extreme tenderness. “Lily, you don’t need to beg her. I make my own decisions about who I marry.” I laughed mirthlessly: “Fine, Zachary. If you’re so tough, why don’t you pay back all the money I’ve spent on you first?” His small company, his designer clothes, his clients – all were given by me. Zachary had probably forgotten that he owed his success entirely to me. So I decided to remind him. Zachary stiffened at my revelation. “You really never cared about me. All you see is money.” “When Lily and I have our child, I’ll pay you back double!” I said sarcastically: “Haha, even if you married and had a child on the same day as me, with your abilities, you couldn’t compete with me.” “I’ve been too lenient with you before, spoiling you to the point where you don’t know your place?” “Don’t forget, I am the daughter of the Reed family! Even if you marry Lily, you’re still just penniless nobodies. What qualifies you to become directors of the company?” With each sentence I spoke, the three men’s faces grew paler. “And you!” Lily opened her mouth, but I cut her off harshly. “You have no ability of your own, so you want to hand the company over to others, and to these three ungrateful men at that.” “They can benefit from me while bullying me today. Tomorrow, they’ll cheat on you behind your back and use Reed family money to keep mistresses.” “Isn’t that exactly what you and your mother did? Spending my father’s money outside.” Lily bit her lip hard, her eyes exploding with intense hatred. Zachary couldn’t bear to see Lily upset and pointed at my nose, cursing: “Aria, do you think everyone is like you, only caring about money? What Lily and I have is true love.” “As for you…” He pointed at my secretary, who had hurried over, his tone mocking: “You couldn’t buy our true feelings with money, so you went to keep a dirty man. Who knows, maybe he doesn’t even want you!” The secretary leaned close to my ear and said: “Boss! That man… he, he…” “He’s backing out?” My expression darkened. Zachary grinned triumphantly: “What did I say, Aria? A vain, money-grubbing woman like you, even if you pay to keep someone, no one would want you!” “Even a dirty man won’t marry you. Let’s see how smug you are now.” The secretary looked at the four smug faces, then at my grim expression. “He said he wants to…” A man’s magnetic voice came from the doorway. “I want to come and propose in person.”

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“Nathan, are you really going to divorce Olivia and study abroad?” In the quiet living room, Nathan looked at Mrs. Sullivan’s shocked face across from him and nodded. “Yes, Mrs. Sullivan. As you know, I wasn’t the one who was supposed to marry her in the first place. For Olivia, I was just an unexpected stand-in, a substitute when the real groom didn’t show up. Now that he’s back, she’s been so happy lately. It’s time for me to go.” Outside, a light snow was falling, creating a beautiful winter scene. He smiled lightly. “Studying abroad has always been my dream anyway.” Mrs. Sullivan looked at the young man before her, remembering Olivia’s wedding three years ago. Ethan, who was supposed to be the groom, had fled abroad at the last minute. Just as Olivia stood awkwardly on stage, red-eyed and unsure what to do, Nathan had put on an ill-fitting suit and slowly walked up. He apologetically took the microphone and addressed all the guests: “I’m so sorry, there was traffic on the way. I’m late.” With that act, he had saved Olivia’s dignity and the Sullivan family’s reputation. Mrs. Sullivan let out a long sigh, then asked uncertainly, “Will Olivia agree to the divorce?” Nathan shook his head with a smile. “I already got her to sign the divorce papers.” Two weeks ago, he had given her the divorce agreement. At the time, Olivia was in a rush to finish work and meet Ethan. She had signed without even looking and left. Now, in just seven more days, he would be able to get the official divorce certificate. He would be free. After all, the Sullivan family had a three-generation military background and couldn’t go abroad. So once he left the country, he and Olivia would never have to see each other again. Just as Mrs. Sullivan was about to speak, a gentle female voice came from behind them. “Nathan, what are you chatting about with Mom?” Nathan turned around to see Olivia, whom he hadn’t seen in days, walking towards them in a black evening gown that occasionally revealed her long legs. “…Olivia.” Seeing her daughter approach, Mrs. Sullivan was about to step forward to scold her. “Why are you here?” With a mix of surprise and reassurance, Nathan stood up, giving Mrs. Sullivan a pleading look to interrupt her. “I missed you, so I came by to pick you up,” Olivia said, her eyes looking a bit guilty. In truth, she had come on purpose after finding out Nathan’s whereabouts. After saying goodbye to the worried Mrs. Sullivan, the couple took their bags and left the Sullivan family home. On the way back, heavy rain pounded on the car windows, while inside was completely silent. Olivia remained quiet for a long time before finally speaking. “Nathan.” “Ethan and I are really over. He just got back to the country and had heart surgery a few years ago, so his health isn’t good. As an old… friend, I just went to help him get settled. I hope you can understand.” Nathan stared out the rain-blurred window and nodded. If only he hadn’t seen how Olivia had dropped everything and excitedly rushed to meet Ethan the day he returned. If only he hadn’t noticed Olivia selling the watch she had used for years and replacing it with a cheap bracelet Ethan had given her. If only… There were too many “if onlys.” Nathan no longer had any expectations or trust left. A soft sigh filled the car. Faced with this husband she had married by chance years ago, Olivia wanted to explain further. But thinking of her own actions over the past two weeks, she ultimately chose to change the subject. “Nathan, what was that document you had me sign two weeks ago?” As soon as she finished speaking, Nathan turned to look at Olivia, his eyes showing three parts surprise and seven parts bitter amusement. She was only now remembering to ask about that? Then again, ever since Ethan came back, everything else in her life had faded into the background. How could she be expected to care about anything else? Nathan was about to speak when Olivia’s phone suddenly rang. Seeing the name displayed on the car screen, Olivia’s face instantly tensed up. “It’s fine, go ahead and answer. It might be something important,” Nathan said, looking out the window with an indifferent expression that made Olivia suddenly feel afraid. But she still answered the call, with the car’s speakers automatically broadcasting the conversation. “Olivia, I miss you so much. It hurts. Can we meet?” Hearing the whiny tone on the other end, Olivia’s knuckles turned white as she gripped the steering wheel. Her expression also suddenly turned cold. “Ethan, I’m married now. I’ve told you many times, don’t talk to me like that!” There was a moment of silence on the other end before Ethan replied, “But Olivia, I was supposed to be the groom at that wedding.” The car suddenly screeched to a halt in the middle of the road, the tires making a huge noise as they skidded on the pavement. In their three years of marriage, this was the first time Nathan had seen Olivia lose control. She shouted at the screen: “But you left! You abandoned me and left!” The phone went completely silent. A moment later, Ethan’s voice came back sounding choked up: “I’m sorry. I was sick at the time and didn’t want you to worry. I had no idea it would have such serious consequences.” “Ah! Olivia! My heart hurts so much. It’s okay, just let me die like this. Then I won’t bother you anymore, and you can live happily with my substitute.” Soon, there was no more sound from the other end. Olivia instantly panicked. She immediately looked at Nathan. Nathan spoke up first: “It’s fine, I’ll take a taxi home. You go check on him. Don’t let anything really happen.” Olivia still felt somewhat guilty and said softly, “I’m not going to see him. I just remembered there’s an urgent matter at the company, so I need to stop by there.” “I’ll come back to be with you after I finish.” Nathan nodded and opened the car door to get out. Watching her car speed away, Nathan stood in the rain holding an umbrella, his eyes darkening. A moment later, he gave a bitter smile and started walking towards home, over ten miles away. Three years. It was time to end it. Three years ago, he had put on that ill-fitting suit and married a woman who could barely remember his name. Friends and relatives privately said Nathan was pitiful, just a stand-in for his wife’s true love. But in the three years since, they had shared romantic moments together and dreamed of the future. Nathan had thought he had melted the heart of this so-called ice queen. But now, Nathan clearly knew he had been wrong. If that was the case, he should return to where he truly belonged and give back this position as Mr. Sullivan. It would fulfill Olivia’s wishes. And free himself as well. Lightning split the night sky, followed closely by torrential rain that swept through like a tidal wave. It also washed away the last of Nathan’s feelings for Olivia.

Nathan slept alone that night. By noon the next day, Olivia still hadn’t returned. When he woke up, it was still raining outside. Nathan stayed at home, calmly deleting all the posts about their married life from his social media accounts. Just as he finished cleaning everything up, he saw that Ethan, who had been threatening to die yesterday, had suddenly posted on social media: “What’s it like to be doted on by your ex-girlfriend?” He included a grid of nine photos. In the first, the usually cold and indifferent Olivia was in his arms, feeding him porridge. In the second, the normally aloof Olivia was sitting by his bedside, holding his hand. In the third, the usually proud Olivia was kneeling in front of him, her eyes full of concern as she helped him take medicine. The fourth showed a pile of luxury goods, each worth millions. Ethan had captioned it: “Thanks to Olivia’s connections, I’m not angry or upset anymore.” In the photos, the handsome man smiled sweetly, looking like the happiest prince on a phone call. The comment section was full of envious remarks: “Left and experienced hardships, returned and it’s still true love. Ethan, did you save the galaxy in your past life?” “No way! It must have been at least ten galaxies. Ethan, how did you manage to make your ex still so devoted to you?” Besides the envy, there were naturally some who wanted to mock Nathan. Nathan just glanced over them briefly, a few comments catching his eye: “I wonder how Mr. Xu feels seeing all this?” “What could a mere substitute feel? Did he really think that by stepping in to save face as the groom, he could win the heart of the Sullivan family’s princess? He’s probably dying of jealousy right now. Want to bet how many minutes before this lapdog shows up?” “I bet 10 minutes!” “I bet 5 minutes!” “I bet 1 minute! He’s probably already downstairs. I’ll stake my new Lamborghini on it!” Many people eagerly joined in the betting, with the stakes getting higher and higher. But Nathan just smiled resignedly. He would soon no longer be “Mr. Sullivan” in others’ eyes, so why chase after a woman who didn’t belong to him? So Nathan quickly typed out a response on his phone: “I bet he won’t show up for a lifetime.” His words stirred up a storm, with many people immediately messaging to ask if he was joking. Nathan simply turned off his phone and stopped looking at any messages. Instead, he turned to make himself a bowl of noodles. Just then, the phone suddenly rang. Nathan didn’t answer, but the calls kept coming non-stop for five or six minutes before finally stopping. But soon after, the housekeeper Mrs. Zhang came in holding her own phone, looking troubled. “Sir, the young miss wants you to answer the phone.” Only then did Nathan pick up the phone and answer. “Nathan, it’s all a misunderstanding. I already made Ethan delete those posts. Don’t overthink it. He was feeling very unwell yesterday, that’s why I didn’t come home. Nothing happened between us.” Olivia’s anxious voice came through the phone. The moment she saw Nathan’s comment, she had panicked. Nathan looked at the noodles he had made and calmly said, “I made noodles. Are you coming home to eat?” Olivia was stunned for a moment before replying, “I’m glad you’re not angry. You can eat the noodles yourself. Ethan’s heart is hurting again, so I’m taking him to the hospital for a check-up. Don’t worry, we’re really just frie-” Before she could finish, Ethan’s panicked voice came through on the other end. “Olivia, where are you? I can’t see you. Did I lose you again? My heart feels so anxious.” The call was abruptly hung up, leaving only Olivia’s urgent voice addressing the other end: “Ethan, I’m right here. You didn’t lose me.” Looking at the ended call, Nathan sent Olivia a message: “That document you asked about yesterday is in the glove compartment on your side.” “Open it and you’ll see what it is.” It wasn’t until two hours later that Olivia finally replied with one sentence: “No need. Whatever you had me sign, I’m sure it’s not to harm me.” This meant she wouldn’t look at it. Of course. Right now she just wanted to be by Ethan’s side. Why would she bother looking at anything unrelated to Ethan? Even though that divorce agreement was right within her reach. In the afternoon, Nathan drove to follow a truck delivering supplies to the orphanage where he grew up. Nathan had been an orphan since childhood, raised here. Seeing Nathan arrive, the children were all very excited, running up to cling to him and share their experiences. After spending time with the kids, he went to the director’s office to say goodbye. “Mama Director, I’m going abroad for further studies.” The director was very happy. Nathan had been a top student in physics at Tsinghua University, but had suddenly given up studying abroad for a flash marriage. She had been regretful about it for a long time. “Nathan, that’s wonderful news.” The director held Nathan’s hand, smiling with satisfaction. But then she thought of something and her expression turned worried. “But… you going abroad to study means you and Olivia will be in a long-distance relationship. That can be very difficult.” Nathan looked out the window at a few children playing and running around, shaking his head with a light smile. “It’s not a long-distance relationship. We’re getting divorced.” “Because… Ethan came back.” The director was stunned at first, then let out a long sigh, feeling both regretful and relieved. “I guess I wasn’t wrong in my initial assessment. This marriage of yours was never going to last long. You see, once a person still has someone else in their heart, no matter how loving things seem on the surface, it’s all fake. As soon as that person comes back, the marriage is over. So it’s good that you’re divorcing.” She held Nathan’s hand sympathetically, comforting him softly. Nathan smiled back and hugged the director. Yes, it was good that it was ending.

After returning from the orphanage, Nathan went to the civil affairs bureau and learned that in five more days he could finalize the divorce. Only then did he go home to pack his luggage. It was then that he realized his clothes filled several entire closets. Inside were also various expensive watches, sports car keys, and other priceless gifts from Olivia. In truth, during their three years of marriage, Olivia had always been good to him, constantly giving him black credit cards, houses, cars, and more. But he had never touched any of it. Because every time Olivia gave him gifts, Nathan would see the shadow of someone else in her reddened eyes. To be precise, Olivia’s kindness to him was all stolen from Ethan, who had temporarily exited the stage. He used to think that with time, Olivia would see his true heart. But reality proved that what didn’t belong to him would eventually have to be returned. Nathan sorted out some of his own belongings, then took all the gifts he had given Olivia over the years and sold them for scrap. Over the years, to make her happy, he had carefully prepared many gifts for her. She had never even glanced at them. The only watch she ever wore was quickly replaced by a cheap bracelet from Ethan after he returned. Seeing all these gifts tossed aside with a thick layer of dust on them, Nathan smiled bitterly again. If Olivia truly loved him, where did all this dust come from? Watching the junk truck drive away, he was about to return to the villa when he heard a horn honk behind him. Nathan turned to see a flashy Ferrari stop in front of him. A girl in a red dress stepped out of the car with a showy air. It was his sister-in-law Sophie. Sophie frowned at the departing junk truck, then snorted disdainfully. “As expected of an orphan with no parents. Even cardboard boxes have to be sold for money. Acting like our Sullivan family is going bankrupt or something.” Nathan didn’t even look at her, turning to leave. Sophie’s mocking smile turned to anger. She stepped forward to grab him. “Nathan!” Ever since Nathan had entered their Sullivan family, he had always been very humble and tried to please everyone. He had never given her the cold shoulder like this before. Today he actually dared to turn his back on her. A fire of rage instantly rose in Sophie’s heart. “Hey orphan! Are you deaf? I’m talking to you!” Nathan turned back and pulled off her hand, his eyes flashing with annoyance. Sophie had always disliked him, feeling that someone of his background was completely unworthy of entering their prestigious Sullivan family. So for three years after the wedding, she had constantly targeted him, saying things like the breakfast he made wasn’t fully cooked, or stepping on the clothes he had washed to dirty them. But now that he was leaving, he didn’t want to tolerate her anymore. Sophie was about to continue making a scene, but seemed to think of something. The corners of her mouth curved up into a sneer. “Someone like you should sell more junk. After all, now that my sister’s true love Ethan is back, you can get lost, you so-called stand-in.” As she finished speaking, a man in a white suit, dressed quite elegantly, stepped out from behind her. This was Nathan’s first time seeing Ethan in person. A pair of almond-shaped eyes brimming with charm, messy black hair casually swept back, porcelain white skin paired with the fitted white suit – just standing there exuded an aura of nobility. No wonder Olivia had been so obsessed with him for all these years. But that suit, those accessories – Nathan found them somewhat familiar. Wasn’t this style of dress exactly the same as what was in his own closet? In that moment, Nathan fully understood. He really had just been a stand-in all along. Ethan looked Nathan up and down, as if seeing a cheap version of himself, full of disdain and mockery. But this expression was quickly hidden away when Olivia’s car pulled in behind them. He immediately put on a pitiful face and said, “Sophie, don’t talk about Mr. Xu like that. He’s your brother-in-law now. What if he gets angry and kicks me out?” Just as he finished speaking, Olivia’s panicked voice came from behind. “What’s going on? Who’s kicking who out?!”

Olivia hurried over. Her gaze fell on Ethan standing there unharmed, and she seemed to breathe a sigh of relief before turning to address Nathan. “Nathan, Ethan’s house has been empty for years and needs to be renovated. So could he stay with us for a few days?” Nathan looked at Olivia without speaking. In the silence, Ethan’s expression became very uneasy and a bit pitiful. “Olivia, maybe I should just leave. After all, it was my fault for not showing up at the wedding. Now you have a new husband, and Mr. Xu doesn’t seem to welcome me.” Olivia looked at Nathan, her face hesitating. Ethan let out a long sigh, turning away dejectedly. Sophie immediately reached out to stop him. “Ethan! Why are you leaving?! If anyone should go, it’s him. The real man of this house should be-” “Shut up, Sophie!” Olivia snapped angrily. “Who said you could talk to Nathan like that? He’s my husband and your brother-in-law. Apologize to him right now or get out!” Sophie’s eyes instantly reddened at this. Seeing the scene, Nathan finally spoke up, the corners of his mouth curving into a smile. “It’s fine, you don’t need to scold Sophie. I didn’t refuse. Mr. Fu, please make yourself at home here.” After all, in five more days, this home would belong to Ethan. There was no need to ruin the sisters’ relationship over an outsider like himself. With that, Nathan turned and walked into the villa. “Hey orphan! Who said you could speak for me?! Am I wrong?! If my sister wasn’t the Sullivan family’s princess, would you have stepped up as the groom?!” Sophie’s defiant voice came from behind, followed by Olivia’s scolding and Ethan’s placating words. Hearing Sophie’s words, complex emotions surged in Nathan’s eyes. This was his eighth year of loving Olivia. He still remembered the scene when he first fell in love at first sight with her in the dance studio. She was wearing a ballet dress, her graceful movements making her look just like a proud yet noble and beautiful white swan. In that moment, his heart was captivated. But she was the Sullivan family’s princess, the darling of high society. As an orphan, Nathan knew their backgrounds were worlds apart. But in the end, when he saw Olivia red-eyed and at a loss standing on that stage, Nathan instinctively went up. That feeling had nothing to do with status or benefits. He simply didn’t want to see the girl he liked cry. Seemingly afraid Ethan would still leave, Olivia immediately instructed the servants to move his luggage into the largest guest room. Sophie instantly strutted over to Nathan, her nose in the air. “What are you standing around for? Go make dinner. Oh, and Ethan can’t eat spicy food, so make it bland.” Hearing this, Ethan’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he looked Nathan up and down again. “I’ve heard Mr. Xu’s cooking is quite good. Then today I’ll have to trouble-” Before he could finish, Olivia came down from the guest room upstairs. “Sophie, that’s enough! How many times have I told you, we have servants. Why do you always make Nathan cook for you?” Ethan’s expression soured, his glance towards Nathan filled with hatred. But when Olivia walked over, Ethan immediately put on a different face, smiling. “I’ll cook today. I learned a lot of skills abroad these past years and have been wanting to make something for you all to try.” As he said this, Ethan was looking at Olivia. Olivia’s eyes suddenly had a moment of haziness, but when she saw Nathan standing quietly to the side, she still shook her head and said, “No need. Your health isn’t good. Let the servants-” Sophie latched onto her, grabbing Olivia’s hand and saying, “Sis, just let Ethan cook for us. He worked so hard to learn.” Olivia seemed to think of something and finally nodded. “Alright, but don’t tire yourself out.” Nathan watched all of this without saying a word, just standing by the floor-to-ceiling windows looking out at the garden. Seeing Nathan so quiet, Olivia suddenly felt an increasing sense of panic. After a long silence, she walked to Nathan’s side and softly said, “Nathan, if you don’t like Ethan staying here, I’ll send him back after this meal.” “No need. Let him stay if he wants.” Nathan turned to look at Olivia. “That document, have you looked at it?” Mentioning the document again, Olivia’s brow furrowed slightly. “I haven’t looked yet. Didn’t I say I trust you? Do I really need to look at it?” Did she need to or not? Nathan didn’t know. The signature was already there anyway. But thinking of their three years together… Nathan was about to speak when Ethan suddenly came over carrying a pot of hot soup. He glanced at Nathan standing like a stranger beside Olivia, his eyes flashing with intense jealousy. Then, pretending to stumble, he rushed forward towards Nathan in a panic, spilling the entire pot of soup. “Watch out!”

“Watch out!” Seeing the hot soup flying towards him, Nathan instinctively pulled Olivia into his arms to protect her. Then he watched helplessly as a huge pot of scalding chicken broth poured all over him. “Ahh!” In an instant, Nathan was drenched in soup, his skin immediately turning bright red from the burns. The searing pain nearly made him pass out. “Nathan!” Olivia pushed Nathan away, her eyes full of panic. “Don’t be afraid, I’ll take you to the hospital right away!” He looked up at her, the pain spreading through his whole body. He used all his strength but couldn’t say a word. Then he looked at Ethan. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Xu. Are you alright? Olivia, thank goodness Mr. Xu protected you.” Seeing Ethan’s fake panic and the satisfaction hidden in his eyes, Nathan immediately realized what had happened and said shakily: “You did that on purpose?” Hearing this, Ethan was stunned for a moment, then tears started falling from the grown man’s eyes. “Mr. Xu, what are you saying? How could I do that on purpose? I know you feel insecure and prejudiced against me. It’s my fault for making you get burned!” “But you can’t slander me like this.” Seeing Ethan cry, Sophie resolutely stepped in front of him and angrily said: “Nathan! That’s enough! So what if you got a little burn? Why are you making such a big deal out of it? Ethan worked hard to cook for us, he’s tired enough already! Besides…” Sophie looked at Olivia, whose eyes were now filled with doubt and anger, and raised her chin to continue, “Besides, my sister was right there. Even if Ethan wanted to hurt someone, he’d never hurt my sister, right?” As soon as she finished speaking, the doubt in Olivia’s eyes instantly disappeared. She looked at Nathan with furrowed brows and said disappointedly, “That’s right, Nathan. Ethan wouldn’t hurt anyone, least of all me. Please don’t overthink things, okay?” Hearing these words, Nathan felt countless emotions rushing to his head, tears welling up in his eyes. Olivia sighed, her voice becoming calm. “Nathan, let’s go to the hospital, alright?” Nathan knew that no matter what else he said, Olivia wouldn’t believe him now. He was about to nod when- “Oh no, Ethan, you’re hurt so badly!” Sophie cried out. Olivia’s attention immediately shifted. She rushed over to Ethan in a panic. His snow-white arm had some small blisters, looking quite “severe” indeed. Ethan put his arm behind his back, shaking his head with red-rimmed eyes. “I’m fine. Mr. Xu looks much worse. You should take him to the hospital first.” He had barely finished speaking when Olivia turned back towards Nathan. Ethan immediately put on an agonized expression. “Ah! Olivia! My heart hurts so much. It must be the shock of Mr. Xu accusing me just now. Ah, Olivia…” Ethan collapsed, grabbing Olivia’s hand as she tried to support him. He gasped weakly, “Olivia, am I dying? Will I never see you again?” Sophie stomped her foot anxiously. “Sis! Ethan’s heart condition is bad. Let’s get him to the hospital quickly!” “I-I’m fine…” Ethan continued gasping pitifully. But this act undoubtedly made Olivia’s heart ache. She could no longer think about the disheveled Nathan. She helped Ethan up and headed for the door. Just before leaving, she seemed to remember something and turned back to Nathan with a guilty look. “Ethan’s heart is weak. I’m afraid something might happen to him. The hospital isn’t far from here.” “…Nathan, you can take a taxi to the hospital yourself.” It wasn’t until their three figures had disappeared from view that Nathan came back to his senses, inhaling sharply through clenched teeth as he fought against the pain. Seeing how severely he was injured yet left behind, the servants quickly ran over with painkillers and alcohol. But Nathan’s burns were too severe. Even after taking the painkillers, he still had to lean against the wall for support, enduring the pain as he slowly made his way towards the hospital. With each step, he moved further and further away from the place he had called “home.”

At the hospital, the doctor used cotton swabs to carefully press down the blistered areas while asking Nathan with concern why he was so severely burned yet had no family accompanying him. Nathan inhaled sharply from the pain. Two other doctors passed by the doorway, chatting. “Miss Sullivan really dotes on her husband. Just a few small blisters and she booked the entire floor, getting all the dermatology specialists to consult.” “I know, right? Those few blisters would have mostly healed on their own if he’d come in a bit later. If only I could find a caring woman like that who loved me.” “Haha, dream on. Women like that only come along once in a blue moon.” Once in a blue moon? Nathan smiled bitterly. Abandoning her severely injured husband to go take care of someone with minor injuries – she truly was a one-in-a-million good woman. Nathan’s injuries were too severe. He needed to stay in the hospital for a few days. Three days later, Nathan was finally discharged, his body still wrapped in bandages. As soon as he turned on his phone, countless missed calls and messages popped up, filling the screen. They were all from Olivia. This had never happened since Ethan’s return. While Nathan was still in a daze, Sophie called. As soon as he answered, her shrill voice came through. “Nathan, you’ve got some nerve! Where have you been for three days? Did you do it on purpose?! Can’t compete with Ethan so you’re pulling this kind of stunt? Do you know my sister’s been going crazy looking for you?! Don’t think this will get her attention. Dream on! The position of Sullivan son-in-law will always belong to Ethan!” After finishing her tirade, Sophie hung up. Nathan just furrowed his brow. Had he heard wrong? Olivia had been frantically searching for him? How was that possible? Wasn’t she busy taking care of Ethan? Why would she look for him? But when Nathan looked at the 999 missed calls on his phone, it did seem to show Olivia’s urgency in trying to reach him. Filled with confusion, Nathan returned home. As soon as he entered the gate, the servants rushed over looking immensely relieved. Several of them were on the verge of tears as they spoke. “Sir, you’re finally back. The young miss has been going crazy looking for you…” Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps approached. “Nathan!” Olivia anxiously ran over. In the three days apart, the usually glamorous woman looked rather haggard, especially the dark circles under her eyes. “I was in the hospital. The same one where you were taking care of Ethan.” Hearing this, Olivia sighed. “About last time, I didn’t mean to abandon you. It’s just that after Ethan’s surgery, the doctors said he needed to stay calm and not get agitated, or something could happen. I’ve been used to taking care of him since we were kids, so that’s why I took him to the hospital first.” “And you didn’t object at the time either. Since you were at the hospital, why didn’t you tell me or answer my calls? You’re my husband. Don’t you know I’d be worried? Can you not do this again next time?” By the end, there was a hint of accusation in her tone. But Nathan just looked at her calmly, not responding. Because in two more days, he would be gone. So there wouldn’t be a next time. For some reason, seeing Nathan’s calmness, Olivia suddenly felt panicked as she recalled Nathan’s behavior these past few days. She stepped forward and took Nathan’s hand, sighing, “Actually, Ethan really didn’t mean to hurt you last time. Since you don’t want him staying here, I’ve already had him move out. Can you stop being upset over this little thing from now on?” Olivia stared directly at Nathan, hoping to see a trace of being moved in his eyes. But Nathan had no reaction. He removed Olivia’s hand and turned to go upstairs. As soon as he entered the room, he saw an expensive watch placed on the bed. He looked up questioningly at Olivia who had followed behind. Olivia sighed. “Nathan, this is my way of making it up to you. You won’t be angry anymore now, right?” Nathan looked at the watch in the box, worth millions, a complex look flashing in his eyes. Three years. A full three years. They had shared a bed, had happy times together. In her eyes, was he really the type of person to fake being angry and hurt just for compensation? Suddenly, he recalled the gifts Olivia had carefully prepared for Ethan in her social media posts. A mocking feeling welled up, but he quickly suppressed it. Forget it. If she didn’t understand, there was no point in explaining. Seeing no smile appear on Nathan’s face, Olivia didn’t think much of it, just assuming he didn’t like it. “Nathan, if you don’t like these, once I’m done dealing with Ethan’s situation, I’ll take you to an auction to pick out the most expensive one for you…” Olivia hadn’t finished speaking when Sophie and Ethan’s voices came from outside the door. “Ethan, I told you my sister loves you so much, she’d never really make you move out. It’s all that Nathan’s fault. I’ll scold him for you later. You’ll move back in, right?” As they spoke, the two brazenly walked into Nathan and Olivia’s bedroom. Then upon seeing the watch set on the bed, Sophie exclaimed in delight: “Oh my god, sis! Ethan just mentioned to me that he really liked these watch models. I can’t believe you actually bought them!” She looked at Ethan beside her, her eyes full of envy. Hearing this, Ethan’s face instantly reddened, then he shot a smug look at Nathan. Seeing that Olivia didn’t immediately deny it, but instead looked hesitant, Nathan didn’t even think before picking up the box and handing it to Ethan. “If it’s meant for you, then take it.” With one sentence, he made the choice for Olivia, resolving her dilemma. At this moment, Olivia looked at Nathan in shock. Seeing how generous he was being, the unease in Olivia’s heart grew stronger. She wanted to object, but seeing how happy Ethan looked, she closed her mouth. She thought to herself, it’s fine, next week is our wedding anniversary. She could make it up to Nathan then. Surely she was overthinking things. He was just jealous and sulking. Nathan loved Olivia so much. How could he possibly leave?

Another day passed. There was just one day left before the divorce cooling-off period ended and Nathan would receive the divorce certificate. Thinking that he could finally leave, he began mailing his luggage abroad. Halfway through packing, Olivia called from the office, asking him to attend a high society party at the Sullivan family mansion. Nathan wanted to refuse. With just one day left, their legal marriage was about to end. But thinking of how Mrs. Sullivan had taken care of him over the years, and that this was the last day after all, Nathan wanted to find a chance to speak with Olivia alone and explain things clearly. Though the marriage had begun in confusion, Nathan wanted to end it with clarity. In the bustling Sullivan family estate, everywhere was brightly lit, with elites gathered, clinking glasses. But as soon as he entered, Nathan didn’t see Olivia. After asking around, he learned from an old Sullivan family servant that Olivia was in a house to the north. Nathan immediately headed in that direction. The door to the house was slightly ajar, with some suggestive sounds coming from inside. Nathan suddenly felt a wave of nausea. His body trembled as he slowly peered through the door crack. Instantly, a jarring scene entered his eyes. On the sofa, Ethan was roughly and urgently pulling at Olivia’s evening gown while pinning her down. His large hands gripped Olivia’s waist as he trailed kisses from her collarbone downwards. Olivia tilted her head back with closed eyes, frowning. She seemed somewhat resistant, but didn’t push him away. Her expression was conflicted. “Olivia! Promise me you won’t leave me.” Ethan murmured. Olivia’s eyes suddenly snapped open as she forcefully shoved him away. “Ethan! What the hell is wrong with you?! I’m married! Why did you come back now? What exactly do you take me for? Something you can toss aside and pick up again whenever you feel like it? Do you know how afraid I am of being alone again?!” Olivia was furious, but Ethan wouldn’t listen. He stubbornly moved forward and embraced her waist again, pressing their bodies together. “Olivia! I was wrong!” “Ethan! Get lost!” Over and over, relentlessly. Finally, Olivia gave in and surrendered. This time she didn’t let Ethan come embrace her. She forcefully pulled Ethan to her and bit down hard on his lip. Then their lips and tongues intertwined, inseparable. Moments later, the two finally parted. Ethan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and smirked triumphantly. Then he tilted up Olivia’s chin. “So, do you still love me?” Nathan watched from outside, feeling as if countless knives were stabbing his heart. Olivia stood frozen for a long while. Eventually, she raised her head and looked at him with eyes full of restrained love. Her tone was one of surrender. The next moment, her red lips moved: “Yes!” With that, Ethan’s eyes filled with smug satisfaction. He pulled her in for another kiss, then asked, “So, will you divorce that Nathan and marry me?” Olivia’s entire body suddenly went rigid. Abruptly, she recalled that wedding years ago that she couldn’t bear to remember. She thought of the figure who had resolutely stood up and walked steadily to her side amidst all the strange looks. “…I.” Olivia turned her head, about to answer. But in that instant, she saw a pair of grief-stricken eyes gazing at her through the slowly opening door. All at once, darkness descended in Olivia’s mind. Nathan stood outside, calmly looking at her, tears streaming down his face. “—Nathan!”

Nathan couldn’t bear to watch anymore. He also didn’t want to know the answer. He turned and walked away. But the faster he walked, the more that scene replayed in his mind. Three years ago, they went on a honeymoon to a tropical island. Just because it was his first time at the beach and he glanced a second too long at some women in bikinis, Olivia’s face instantly darkened. She dragged him back to the presidential suite and didn’t let him leave for seven whole days. After seven days, when they ran out of strawberry-flavored supplies, they moved on. When the bed and sofa broke, they used the floor. She held him in her arms again and again, eyes red with jealousy: “Nathan, I have everything they have. Don’t look at other women. Don’t leave me.” He had to swear over and over before her jealousy finally subsided. Afterwards, Nathan’s waist was sore for days, and she teased him about it for weeks. From that day on, he never dared to look at another woman again. But in his heart, he was overjoyed at Olivia’s jealousy. Now, Nathan finally understood. Her jealousy didn’t come from love. She was just afraid of being alone, afraid of standing helplessly on that stage again, not knowing what to do. He had thought that after deciding to leave, his heart would no longer be moved. Now… Nathan felt suffocated with pain. He just wanted to get away from this place as quickly as possible. Never to see her again. Passing through the bustling area of the Sullivan mansion, Nathan took a deep breath. He was preparing to make his way through the crowd and leave. “Nathan.” A voice suddenly came from behind. The familiar tone made Nathan stop in his tracks. Nathan looked at the speaker, wanting to call her “Mom” but suddenly remembering something. In the end, he respectfully addressed her as “Mrs. Sullivan.” Hearing Nathan’s form of address, Mrs. Sullivan sighed but didn’t say anything. She just handed Nathan a new ID card. “Nathan, I’ve taken care of all the procedures for you to emigrate and study abroad. From now on, the name Nathan Xu will no longer be associated with you. You’ll have a completely new identity. Is there anything else you need me to do?” Nathan looked at the stack of documents in his hand, feeling a great sense of relief. Perhaps thinking of the scene in that small house earlier. Or perhaps thinking of the brand new life and identity awaiting him, Nathan’s hand began to tremble. Mrs. Sullivan noticed Nathan’s emotional state and asked with concern, “Nathan, what’s wrong?” Nathan took a deep breath to hold back his tears. He put the documents in his pocket and shook his head. “Thank you so much, Mrs. Sullivan. I’m very grateful for your care all these years and for doing this for me now. I just have one request, please promise me.” Nathan struggled to control his emotions and said softly, “My whereabouts and location – please, please don’t tell Olivia.” Nathan and Olivia should never meet again in this lifetime. Hearing this, Mrs. Sullivan looked at him in shock. “Did something happen between you two again?” Because just a few days ago, when talking about Olivia, Nathan would still smile. But now, Mrs. Sullivan could only see extreme disappointment and grief in his eyes. What could have happened in just a few days? Thinking of this, Mrs. Sullivan looked Nathan up and down carefully. Her sharp eyes finally noticed the burn marks on Nathan’s neck, partially concealed by makeup, and the bandages peeking out from his wrists. Mrs. Sullivan was stunned. Worry evident in her voice, she exclaimed, “Nathan! What happened to cause those injuries?!” Nathan pulled down his sleeves to cover the bandages on his wrists. He looked at Mrs. Sullivan solemnly: “Mrs. Sullivan! Please don’t ask anything. Just promise me what I asked earlier. I just want to leave quickly without causing any more trouble.” Nathan didn’t tell Mrs. Sullivan about what happened in the small house. Since he was leaving, never to return, what was the point in saying anything? Or even if he did say something, what good would it do? Her true love had returned. Even if he left, she probably wouldn’t care. Nathan smiled. “Mrs. Sullivan, thank you for taking care of the immigration paperwork. I’ll be going now.” He had barely finished speaking when a female voice suddenly came from behind them. Nathan turned around and found himself looking into Sophie’s deep, panicked eyes. “What immigration?!”

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Because of his religious devotion, my husband Charles could only break his vows with me once a month. After each time, he would shake his head in regret, saying he had let down God. I always thought he didn’t enjoy that kind of thing, until he brought home a black exchange student. At first, he said: “Lena is a follower I met while doing charity work in Africa. Don’t overthink it.” Later, he said: “Lena has been poisoned by a tribal love potion. If I don’t save her, she’ll die.” Finally, he said: “Lena is carrying my child. I plan to transfer our marital home to her. You don’t mind, do you?” I calmly replied: “Of course not. Add another house too, in case it’s twins.” Seeing how understanding I was, a rare look of satisfaction appeared on Charles’ usually expressionless face. “You don’t need to make dinner tonight,” he said, as if bestowing a favor upon me. The next second, Lena’s coquettish voice rang out: “Charles, darling, I suddenly have a craving for durian.” She and a group of her black classmates had just come out of the music room, which used to be my piano room. Charles indulged them to make noise in there every day. Charles immediately turned to me: “Go, open a durian for Lena.” I looked at the large, spiky durian on the coffee table. Charles had flown in a plane full of them from Lena’s home country last week. However, our housekeeper had taken leave to visit her hometown two days ago. “We don’t have a knife for opening durians, I…” “Use your hands,” Charles interrupted me. “Lena likes to eat them freshly opened, it’s fresher that way.” He said it casually, as if he was just asking me to peel an orange. Lena leaned on Charles’ shoulder, looking at me with a victorious attitude. I took a deep breath and walked over to the durian. The sharp spikes easily cut through my skin. The strong smell of durian mixed with the metallic scent of my blood, filling the living room. One of Lena’s black female classmates, sitting on the sofa, glanced at me with a look of amusement, making tsk-tsk sounds. “My, Mrs. Shaw is so virtuous, even peeling a durian is such a ceremonious affair.” “She’s just clumsy though. Look at that blood, hope it doesn’t drip onto the fruit. That would be quite unlucky according to our customs,” another shrill voice added. I shakily placed the peeled durian on a plate and pushed it in front of Lena. Lena picked up a piece and elegantly put it in her mouth, closing her eyes in satisfaction. “Mmm, Charles is so good to me, he knows I love this.” She didn’t even glance at me, as if the wounds on my hands had nothing to do with her. Later that evening, Charles suddenly announced: “From now on, Lena will be in charge of the household finances.” I was stunned. “You spend money recklessly and you’re stupid. You can’t even keep the accounts straight,” he said. “Lena is a college student. She’s smarter than you and knows how to save money.” I felt nothing but absurdity. When had I ever been reckless with money all these years? Charles’ parents were in poor health, frequently hospitalized and needing medication. Which expense hadn’t I carefully calculated, even using my own private savings to make up the difference? Charles had used the startup capital I gave him to build his business, and later to run his so-called African charity. He used those fake projects and tragic stories to scam donations from followers and wealthy businessmen. The pain from the spikes on my hands grew worse, red and swollen. Even the slightest touch was agonizing. Lena and her black classmates giggled nearby. One of them pointed at my hands and said: “Tsk tsk, how will you play the piano with those hands now?”

Late at night, Lena had already gone to bed. Surprisingly, Charles came over with a first aid kit and took my battered hand. I inhaled sharply as the alcohol swab touched my wounds. He lowered his head, carefully applying ointment. In the lamplight, his focused profile made me momentarily flash back to the past. Back then, we had just gotten married and our relationship was still good. Once, I accidentally cut my finger while cutting fruit. He had been like this too, nervously and caringly treating my wound while scolding me for being careless. He had said: “Let me handle these things in the future. Don’t hurt yourself again.” “You know I can’t stand the sight of blood now that I’m devoted to my faith.” A few days later, Lena complained in a coquettish voice that her skin had become rough due to pregnancy and needed beauty treatments. I never expected Charles would turn his attention to me. The private doctor he brought in told me that Lena needed stem cell injections to improve her skin, and my stem cells were the most compatible with hers. I lay on the cold operating table, watching my blood being slowly drawn from my body and injected into another container. Charles stood not far away, watching expressionlessly. The doctor glanced at the markings on the blood bag beside him, frowning involuntarily. “Mr. Shaw, if we continue, Mrs. Shaw’s body may not be able to take it. Extracting stem cells isn’t a matter of ‘the more the better.’ Too much could actually…” “Continue,” Charles’ voice was unwavering. “Lena has a weak constitution, and this is her first pregnancy. Of course we need to use the best.” “You’re using my life to give her the best?” I barely managed to squeeze out these words from my parched throat. Charles finally turned his gaze to me. “This is my first child, and it’s your blessing too,” he said. “Although I’m devoted to my faith, I still need an heir. As my wife, you should understand.” It was his child with another woman, yet now my flesh and blood were being used to nourish it. I could even imagine Lena lying in a comfortable bed, enjoying high-end care, while I was reduced to being her living health supplement. The doctor tried to speak again: “Mr. Shaw, this dosage is really… very dangerous. It could cause irreversible damage, even…” “I said, continue,” Charles emphasized. “Everything is cause and effect.” Lena’s classmates had somehow appeared at the door, peering in curiously. “Charles is so good to Lena. We’ve never seen such a good man in our tribe.” “As long as Lena gives Charles a child or two, Charles will surely increase his investment in our tribe in the future.” “Religious people are supposed to be compassionate. Besides, how could Charles bear to see our superior race suffer?” Another voice chimed in. His compassion, it seemed, was selective. My body grew colder and colder. “That’s enough, Mr. Shaw. We really can’t extract any more,” the doctor’s voice trembled. “If we continue, it could be fatal!” Charles seemed to walk over, his figure swaying in my blurry vision.

When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed. The sunlight outside the window was piercing, yet I felt chilled to the bone. Lena sauntered in, her high heels clicking. “Sister, you’re awake?” she said. “The doctor said your stem cells worked wonders. Look at my skin, isn’t it smooth and tender?” She stroked her cheeks boastfully. I closed my eyes, not wanting to see her smug face. “Oh, right,” Lena suddenly seemed to remember something and leaned in closer. “Charles took all those artistic photos of you from before and shared them with his religious friends to study, you know. For designing some custom maternity dresses for me.” “He said your body proportions are similar to mine, so he wanted them to use those as reference to make the most fitting and beautiful clothes for me.” Those photos were taken years ago when Charles had been kidnapped by a gang of thugs and beaten bloody. They had forced me to take revealing photos to spare his life. After that incident, Charles became devoted to his studies, not only improving his grades rapidly but also getting into a PhD program and later studying theology. Seeing his lofty ambitions, I finally agreed to marry him after his 99th proposal. Now, to please his new love, he actually took my shameful past and offered it up for others to ogle. Lena watched my face turn deathly pale, her smile growing more smug: “Don’t look at me like that. Charles is just doing it for the baby’s sake. He said those friends all praised your figure, just that it’s a pity you’re too prudish and don’t know how to be sexy.” Lena didn’t seem to notice my distress, or perhaps she simply didn’t care. She took out a dazzling diamond necklace from her crocodile skin handbag and dangled it in front of me: “Look, Charles bought this for me yesterday. He said it complements my skin tone.” “He said someone with a healthy complexion like mine looks good in anything, unlike some people who are as pale as paper, with no vitality at all.” She changed the subject, bringing up those photos again: “Charles said that although your old photos were artistic, they were still too conservative in the end.” “The girls from our tribe are much more open-minded than you. Charles even said if he wasn’t worried about scaring you, he would have taken me to shoot much racier ones long ago.” Lena glanced at me contemptuously: “Sister, I’m not criticizing you, but you’re just too old-fashioned, out of touch with the times. Charles may look like a devout Christian, all pure and abstinent, but his needs in that department are huge!” She giggled shrilly, her voice grating on the ears. “He said it’s because when he’s with you, he can’t get in the mood, can’t get excited, so he feels like he’s desecrating God.” Lena leaned in even closer, her overpowering perfume making me nauseous. “Do you know why Charles married you in the first place?” “Because your grandfather and Charles’ grandfather were war buddies who fought against Russia together. The two old men hoped your families would be joined through marriage.” Lena’s lipstick-stained mouth kept moving. “Charles said touching you makes him feel like he’s dirtying his hands. If it wasn’t for the sake of completing his spiritual journey and putting on a show for others, he would have divorced you long ago.” “A woman like you is just wasting oxygen by being alive. You might as well give up your place early, stop occupying a space you don’t deserve.” She laughed raucously, the diamond necklace on her chest glittering painfully in my eyes. “Oh, and you think your grandfather was some kind of good person? Back then, he…” “Enough!” A stern female voice interrupted Lena. An older nurse strode in, her face livid: “Young lady, this is a hospital ward. Patients need peace and quiet! How can you make such a racket here? Have you no sense of decency?” Lena was startled by this sudden scolding. She pouted, reluctantly sashaying out. “Nutcase,” the nurse muttered under her breath before turning to me. “Mrs. Shaw, how are you feeling? If you’re uncomfortable in any way, just press the call button.” I nodded woodenly. The nurse sighed, tucking in my blanket before leaving.

Lena’s last words reminded me of my grandfather’s instructions. I picked up my phone and dialed that number. I had just put down the phone when Charles burst in, bringing a chill with him. “Lily! What did you do to Lena again? She came back crying, saying you cursed at her and tried to hit her!” “And you shamelessly sent those photos of yours to my friends. They’re all laughing at me now!” Just then, the older nurse came in with a medicine tray. Seeing Charles, her face immediately lit up with a smile. “Mr. Shaw, you’re here? Mrs. Shaw just woke up, her spirits seem good.” “These past few days while she was unconscious, you’ve been here day and night without rest. You’re truly a model husband.” “And such a devout Christian too. Mrs. Shaw is so blessed to be married to a man like you.” Blessed? I almost laughed out loud. As before, the medical expenses were deducted from our joint account. He used my money to buy his reputation as a compassionate soul, openly transferring our marital assets. Hearing the nurse’s words, the dark clouds on Charles’ face instantly dispersed, replaced by a gentle expression. He walked to my bedside and took my hand: “Lily, we’re husband and wife. Taking care of you is what I should do.” “Your health isn’t good, so don’t overthink things, and don’t quarrel with young girls.” He even bent down and lightly kissed my forehead in front of the nurse. As those cold lips touched me, I felt a wave of nausea. The nurse nodded approvingly. “She’s just too willful,” Charles sighed, his tone indulgent yet helpless. “Alright, the doctor says you can be discharged. I’ll take you home.” With that, he bent down and scooped me up in his arms, ignoring my wishes. I stiffly allowed him to carry me, smelling the faint sandalwood scent on him, feeling nothing but irony. Back home, the house was a mess, filled with unfamiliar odors. My precious antique zithers were all gone, replaced by a shiny drum set. Several Western instruments were strewn haphazardly nearby. Charles followed behind me. Seeing me frozen in place, he impatiently waved his hand: “Come on, they’re just messing around. I’ll buy you new ones later, it’s not a big deal.” Lena’s gang of black classmates were gathered around the sofa, making faces and snickering at me in hushed voices. Charles ushered them into his room. If saving one soul was good, saving many was even better. When Charles came to me that night, he caught me sending messages. Seeing him with beads of sweat on his forehead, I quickly stepped forward and snatched the phone from his hand. “Your body hasn’t recovered yet. What are you doing playing with your phone?” he said. He tried to unlock it, his fingers swiping the screen a few times, but it remained dark. He had forgotten that the password was our wedding anniversary. He grew impatient but eventually tossed the phone back to me, probably thinking I couldn’t cause any trouble in my current state. “Get some rest early,” he said curtly before turning to leave. The TV in the hospital room was playing a local news segment. On screen, Charles wore a well-tailored suit, looking spirited and energetic. Beside him were a radiant Lena and her classmates. The news headline read: “Philanthropist Charles Shaw’s Boundless Love: International Aid and Cultural Integration Across Races”. The host praised Charles’ charitable deeds in passionate tones, saying he had promoted cultural exchange and understanding. The scene switched to Lena nestled against Charles, smiling charmingly at the camera. “Charles has always taught us that all beings are equal, and love knows no boundaries of nation or skin color,” she said. “His acceptance of me and my people is the greatest kindness and respect he could show us.” Her tribespeople also expressed their gratitude to Charles on camera, praising his compassionate heart and magnanimous spirit. Charles had indeed held another charity gala to boost his image. Lena was invited as a special guest to share her experience of being helped, while also promoting Charles’ company. I attended in simple attire. When Charles saw me, he said: “Lily, there are many important guests today. It’s good that you’re dressed like this, it shows purity.” Lena, on the other hand, wore a fiery red dress dripping with jewels, hanging on Charles’ arm like the hostess. On stage, Charles spoke at length about Christian teachings and universal love. Lena gazed at him adoringly from the side, while her classmates chimed in with their broken English. Just as Lena was thanking Charles, the lights in the banquet hall suddenly went out. Amidst the screams, several dark figures rushed in. After a moment of chaos, the big screen lit up, showing an image of me beaten bloody. The leader of the kidnappers pointed a gun at me, grinning viciously at Charles on stage: “Charles Shaw, want your wife to live?” Charles’ face turned ashen. Lena screamed and hid behind him. The kidnapper sneered: “It’s simple. Strip naked in front of everyone and kowtow three times to the screen. Then we’ll let her go.”

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At the company’s annual Christmas party, Jack won the grand prize in the raffle draw – a luxurious three-day stay at a five-star hotel. Everyone congratulated him on his luck in both career and love. Soon after, he sent me a message: “Rachel, you’re always so understanding and generous.” “I’m doing this for our future happiness. You’ll support me, right?” I didn’t reply. He added, “We’ll get married after my promotion. For now, could you buy me a box of cantaloupe-flavored condoms? Olivia likes those.” I smiled, applauding along with everyone else. He didn’t know that I had another proposal message on my phone. I had just replied, “Yes.” … Three hours later, Jack called, urging, “Rachel, I just asked you to deliver some condoms. Can’t you even do that right?” “Don’t overthink it. I only want to have children with you. I just admire and look up to Olivia.” “If I keep her company for a few days, the project manager position is mine.” Today was our eighth anniversary. I laughed bitterly, “I understand. Congratulations on achieving your goal.” His voice was excited on the other end, “Exactly! Olivia finally recognizes my talent.” “Where are you? Hurry up and bring them over. She doesn’t like other flavors. I specifically asked around.” I gently wiped away my tears, my voice bitter as I spoke, “Jack, let’s break up.” He yelled angrily, “Rachel, why are you being jealous at such a crucial moment? Men sometimes have to play along for their careers. Do you want me to be stepped on for the rest of my life?” “Both our families are waiting for us to get married. How can you talk about breaking up now? Are you crazy?” I bit my lower lip hard, my heart aching. Trying to stay calm, I said, “Yes, I’m crazy. This is it. I don’t want you anymore.” He sneered, “Fine, let’s break up then! Let’s see how long you can hold out.” The call ended. I stood dazed outside the hotel. I watched them embrace. He held her waist and turned to kiss her. We had known each other since childhood, growing up together. When he was eighteen, he pursued me relentlessly. I was twenty. I loved his profile the most, and his deep voice, calling me “baby” in a low tone during intimate moments. He said he would love me forever, be good only to me. Just eight years, and he was willing to sacrifice himself for his career. My young love had rotted away. I sat downstairs for a long time. Suddenly, Jack transferred me ten thousand dollars. I didn’t know if this was his bonus or payment for selling himself. Just when I thought he was going to apologize, he sent a voice message: “Quickly go to the mall and buy Olivia a set of silk pajamas.” “Get a size larger than yours. Her figure is better than yours. She’s not used to the hotel’s pajamas.” I accepted the payment and silently took a cab home. I found the $9.99 pajamas he had bought me from Wish in the closet and called a delivery service to send them over. Before, he always told me to save money for our wedding. None of my clothes cost more than fifty dollars, but he took out ten thousand to fawn over the female CEO. I laughed bitterly and started packing. I’d make him move out first thing in the morning. After all, I was the one paying the rent. Two hours later, he came back furious. As soon as he entered, he slapped me. “Rachel, how dare you humiliate Olivia by making her wear your cheap clothes.” I looked at the red marks on his neck. Things must have been intense. “If she’s willing to take someone’s leftovers like you, isn’t she just picking up trash?” Olivia, with her striking red hair, blew smoke rings in my face. “I didn’t expect you to be such a spitfire.” “Let me treat you both to dinner. It’s not a big deal. Jack, you shouldn’t hit women.” “No need!” I stepped back silently. Our tiny rented room was probably smaller than her bathroom. “The CEO is inviting you to dinner. It’s an honor for you. How did your parents raise you to treat a superior like this?” Jack warned me with his eyes to behave. “You’re just a country bumpkin, while Olivia is a phoenix. You should be grateful,” Jack said, trying to make me listen. “What should my parents have taught me? To thank her for choosing my fiancé in a raffle and generously inviting me to dinner?” I laughed coldly. “Or should I rush up and call her a slut for stealing other people’s men?” I retorted. He could be despicable if he wanted, but he wasn’t going to drag me down with him. I refused! “You!” Jack grabbed my wrist, his eyes cold. “Ouch!” Olivia looked down at her foot. She had kicked the broken chair. Jack rushed over anxiously, cradling her foot. “Honey, does it hurt? I’ll take you to the hospital right away.” “It’s bleeding! Jack, can’t your woman even keep the house tidy?” Olivia angrily slapped his face. He offered his other cheek after being slapped on the left. “It’s all her fault for being stupid. How could she compare to someone as capable as you, honey?” In the past, when I accidentally touched his face while playing around, he would get angry immediately, saying a man’s face couldn’t be touched, it was his dignity. Now he was kneeling in front of Olivia like a dog, wagging his tail to please her right in front of me. “Low-class women need to be trained.” Olivia gave Jack a look. He turned to me, his face full of disgust and disdain, as if I had committed some terrible sin. “Are you satisfied now that you’ve hurt Olivia? Is there anything you can do right? You can’t even keep a room tidy, yet you want to marry me? What a pipe dream.” I laughed mockingly, “How I keep my room is none of your business. I won’t be marrying you anymore.” Hearing this, Jack felt I had made him lose face in front of Olivia. He grabbed my cat and viciously threw it to the ground. I rushed over, my head hitting the table hard. Blood flowed from my forehead. But the cat was still killed by the impact. It struggled for a few moments before going still. “Kneel down and apologize to Olivia, now!” Jack grabbed the back of my neck, forcing me to kneel. He pressed my head down, making the injured area touch the ground again. The piercing pain left me speechless, at his mercy. Olivia pretended to be considerate, “Forget it! I forgive her. If you don’t want to go out to eat, then have her make me some hangover soup. My head hurts a bit. We shouldn’t have finished that whole bottle of red wine earlier. It’s all your fault.” Jack quickly went to massage her head, scolding me, “Hurry up and make it. Don’t you have any common sense?” “I won’t. I’m not your maid,” I refused, holding my head as I stood up. “Someone like you isn’t fit to be Olivia’s maid. This is an order. Don’t forget your mother told you to listen to me,” Jack threatened. Seeing I still wasn’t moving, he dragged me to the small kitchen converted from the balcony. “Don’t come out until it’s done properly.” He locked the door and went outside to comfort Olivia, making her laugh. “Actually, it’s fine if she doesn’t make it. We can order from a restaurant.” “You’re so well-educated, young, and capable. Do you really plan to marry her?” Olivia lifted Jack’s chin with her finger. “After being with you, she’s completely tasteless. I don’t want to marry her,” Jack leaned in to kiss her, and they started rolling around on my bed. I turned away, not wanting to watch them. Three years ago, when my father was critically ill, he wanted to see us get married. Jack said what era still believed in marriage bringing good luck to the sick? After my father passed away, he said that as a daughter, I should observe a three-year mourning period. All along, whenever I brought up marriage, he always had various reasons to delay. I was just his fallback option. Once he found a better prospect, he would kick me aside without hesitation. Yet all these years, I had treated him as my salvation. The wildflowers he casually picked, letting me eat the first bite of instant noodles, choosing the biggest watermelon from the field for me. I thought these were acts of love. Now I realize he was just using the smallest investment to gain a woman’s unwavering devotion. The kitchen door opened, and his voice came through, “How dare you be jealous of Olivia? What right do you have?” “Here’s a band-aid for you. Don’t look, Olivia just used it for a moment, it’s still usable.” “When you were little and your mom beat you up so badly, you could just rub some mud on it and be fine. Don’t be so delicate now.” I looked at him, “Do you think that because I’ve suffered before, I should suffer for the rest of my life?” Jack raised an eyebrow mockingly, “What else? Don’t tell me you want to be a gold digger. With your looks, you couldn’t even if you tried.” “Ugly, bad figure, sensitive personality, mediocre college degree, lack of ability, and your family situation – who wouldn’t run away if they saw all that?” “Only I would have you! So you better listen to me, be good, and don’t threaten me with breaking up, understand?” He reached out to touch my face, but I turned away in disgust. Years ago, he had said, “Rachel, you’re a wild lily from the mountains. You’ll definitely have your spring.” I took a deep breath and said very seriously, “Jack, I’m not desperate for you, and I’m not playing hard to get now.” “If I’m so bad, I won’t hold you back. We’re done. Now give me back my dad’s watch.” Jack angrily dragged me to the bed, still verbally attacking me. “Trying to force me into marriage to secure me as a potential asset?” “I just wanted you to wait a bit. I didn’t expect you to be so greedy. It’s really disgusting.” I struggled desperately, “Let go of me! I don’t want this!” He tore at my clothes, but lost interest when he saw the cheap underwear. I curled up in the innermost part of the bed where they had just been, sobbing, on the verge of a breakdown. He smoked, somewhat impatient, “What are you crying for?” “You need to understand how difficult it is for men. I’m moving to Olivia’s mansion to make it convenient for her to guide my work.” “Pack up my things. I’ll come back to get them tomorrow.” After he left, I went downstairs to dig a hole and bury the little cat. It was a stray cat I had picked up. It had kept me company for a year. I let it down. I hope it can have a better life in its next incarnation and not be a stray again. On my phone, I received a video message from Olivia. I watched it numbly and saved it. Acting like a man with potential in front of me, but bending over and taking a whipping like a puppy for her. Olivia even used her authority to fire me without any compensation. When I confronted Jack about it, he told me not to bother him and to go to the train station to pick up his mother. My mom had asked her to bring a bunch of things. After bringing Jack’s mother back, she criticized the rented apartment endlessly and complained that the noodles I cooked had no meat. “Rachel, with your conditions, you should be thankful to have snagged our Jack, you know!” “Your mother even asked me for a bride price. What bride price? You’ve been sleeping together for how many years now? You’re practically divorced as soon as you step out the door.” “You’re almost thirty. No one else will want you. Hurry up and give me a grandson. In a couple more years, you won’t be able to have children anymore.” Jack’s mother’s attitude towards me all came from Jack. In the past, I really thought I was inadequate and tried to please them, afraid of being abandoned. Not anymore. “Where are the things my mom asked you to bring? I’ll give you five hundred dollars for your trouble. Give me the things, and then take a taxi to find Jack.” “We’ve already broken up. You can ask your new daughter-in-law to give you grandchildren.” I was a bit impatient. After hearing this, Jack’s mother refused to give me the things and called Jack to come back quickly. “Rachel, what nonsense are you telling my mom! What breakup? What new daughter-in-law? Don’t be ungrateful.” “You got fired because you’re not capable enough. Why are you throwing a tantrum!” Jack yelled at me as soon as he came in, clearly embarrassed and angry. His nervous appearance made me want to laugh. Apparently, he knew that sleeping with the female CEO was shameful. He couldn’t accept it in terms of self-esteem either. Well, he was the top student from our village and town after all. “Getting fired is even better. You two can get married and have children quickly. I’m waiting to hold my grandson.” Jack’s mother said. “Rachel, a woman should regard her husband as the sky, be filial to her mother-in-law. I’ll keep this money.” “Give me all your savings from this period. We’ll use it for the wedding banquet back home.” Jack’s mother demanded haughtily, as if I were Jack’s private property. “The ten thousand I transferred to you, plus your last month’s salary, hand it all over to my mom.” “After she gets her medicine, you two go back to the hometown together to wait for me. I’ll be done in a month at most.” Jack squeezed my arm, warning me with his eyes. My dad’s watch and the things my mom brought were still in their hands, so I could only endure for now. Not resisting, not expressing any stance, just silent. “Mom, my boss wants to treat you to dinner. Let’s go together now.” Jack assumed I agreed and started arranging for his mother to meet Olivia. “Good, good, good. My son is capable and appreciated by his boss.” “Rachel, you’re really lucky. Out of so many girls in town, my son chose you.” Jack’s mother was full of pride as she took out her best clothes to go to dinner. At the dinner table, she made me serve tea and water, fawning over Olivia. “Boss, you’re beautiful and capable. Whoever marries you is blessed.” “Not like Rachel, who’s useless and can’t even do her job well.” “Hurry up and pour water for the boss. Why are you so slow? It must be because your mother didn’t teach you well.” Olivia smiled and asked me to sit down, as if the person who sent me that video and fired me wasn’t her. “Auntie, I’m pregnant. It’s Jack’s.” she said. This statement shocked me at first, but then it just hurt. So they had been together for a long time. The raffle at the annual party was just Olivia forcing Jack to make a choice. No wonder he had been coming home later and later this past month, and was unwilling to touch me. I had stupidly thought he was tired from work and bought chicken to make soup for him, to nourish him. He did replenish his energy, but used it all on another woman. I wanted to throw up all the chicken soup I had made for him. But judging from Jack’s expression, he didn’t seem to know about this either. “Oh my! This is wonderful news.” Jack’s mother held Olivia’s hand and took off her gold ring as a gift. When Jack and I got engaged, she only had him give me a silver bracelet, with a face full of bestowing grace, as if I had taken a huge advantage of their family. Indeed, she showed different faces to different people. Olivia seemed somewhat disgusted by the dirty ring and placed it on the table. “Jack, what do you think?” “Will you marry her or me?” she asked. I stood up, “Ms. Ji, I’m not an object for you to choose. I’m already married. Jack, give me back my father’s watch.” I reached out to Jack for it. He took it out of his pocket and violently smashed it on the ground. “Who did you marry? While I was working overtime, you actually hooked up with some guy?” “Just because I didn’t satisfy you for a month, you’re so desperate for a man!” he yelled. Olivia frowned, her face full of impatience. “Stop making a scene! I’m embarrassed for you.” “I can be an independent woman and have the baby on my own,” she said. “Let’s just pretend I was joking earlier. Rachel, you two can get married as planned.” Jack’s mother spoke up loudly, “That won’t do. My first grandson can’t be left out there.” “Rachel, in ancient times, the boss would be the main wife, and you’d be the concubine.” “How about this: Jack, you register marriage and have children with the boss, but hold a wedding ceremony with Rachel back in the village.” “In the future, Rachel, you’ll serve the boss during her confinement and help raise their children. Be the woman behind the scenes.” Jack nodded, “That’s a good idea! In our village, having a wedding banquet is considered marriage.” “Boss, don’t worry about giving birth. Even if it’s eight or ten kids, Rachel can take care of them all. She has experience. We won’t need to hire a nanny.” They arranged everything for me without even asking, mother and son truly alike. I took out the marriage certificate from my bag and held it up. “Look clearly. I’m already married.” Jack snatched it away, tearing it to pieces without even looking at it. “Making a fake certificate to fool people.” “Cheating on me deserves public humiliation.” He stared at my face, violently grabbing my hair and tearing my clothes, dragging me from the private room to the hotel lobby. No one came to my rescue. They all just took out their phones to record. In my moment of despair, a custom-tailored suit jacket was draped over me. He gently embraced me. “Don’t be afraid. I’m back!” “So you’re that wild man?” Jack sneered. “Let me tell you, Rachel is my woman. We grew up together since childhood. I’ve slept with her for eight years.” “You look like someone of status. Is it worth it to take a second-hand woman? She tried to trick me with a fake marriage certificate. She’ll trick you too.” “Rachel, you think rich men are so easy to get? He’s just playing with you. How could he truly care about you?” Jack ranted furiously, hurling insults. Olivia came out and, seeing us, stood there shocked. Then she respectfully called out, “Uncle.” “Uncle? He’s your uncle, so he must be the group chairman!” Jack couldn’t keep his composure anymore. I let go of his hand. He’s the chairman? Olivia’s uncle? My mind was a bit confused. He hadn’t told me any of this. I had no idea all along. “Uncle, do you really know this woman? She’s not worthy of you. The one she’s always loved is Jack.” “Aren’t you uncomfortable wearing such a big green hat? Grandfather definitely wouldn’t approve.” Olivia stood to the side, trying to intervene. I looked at him, “Chairman, I’d like to go back first.” Ethan gave his secretary a look. “You handle this. I’ll take my wife home first.” He picked me up directly. I clutched his shirt in fear. A group of men in black deleted the videos from the onlookers’ phones. Jack was beaten to the ground, unable to get up. Jack’s mother had just started cursing me when she was slapped twice. He closed the car door, and I couldn’t see what was happening anymore. It was a bit of a pity. I had promised my father I would get married before January 15th. The annual party was on January 14th. Since Jack wouldn’t marry me, I chose him. After getting married, he said he had to go on a business trip and would be back in a few days. I really had no idea he was the group chairman. After all, as a lowly employee, how could I have the chance to meet such a big shot? The walk-in closet was full of unopened women’s clothing. I chose an outfit and put it on before walking out. “Eat something first. We can talk later.” Ethan, wearing home clothes, looked warmer than before. All I knew about him was his name and age. A flash marriage like this – even now, thinking about it seems crazy. I ate while sneaking glances at him. He was actually reading a newspaper. “Um, why did you marry me?” I asked. “If you have any hidden illness, you can tell me in advance. I won’t mind.” I really couldn’t understand why such a big shot would choose someone as cheap as me. I didn’t fit in here at all. Insecurity had taken root and sprouted in my heart. He put down the newspaper and held my hand. “A walk is best for digestion after a meal.” “You still haven’t answered me?” My palms were sweaty. “My father is seriously ill. I needed a wife, and you needed someone to marry. We were both suitable,” he said. “My hidden illness is infertility. If you can’t accept that, we can divorce after a while.” Ethan’s honesty made me breathe a sigh of relief. Infertility meant he couldn’t perform. No wonder such a successful man his age wasn’t married. Seeing that even someone like him had flaws made me relax a bit. I carefully explained my situation, and that I didn’t plan to let Jack off easily. He had smashed my father’s keepsake, killed my cat, and still had my private photos. Those photos were taken while I was asleep. I had asked him to delete them, but he never did. “I know all of this,” Ethan said. After that, I didn’t know what else to say. At the Ji family’s old house, the atmosphere was tense. Over twenty people looked our way. I felt like a lamb waiting for slaughter, so nervous I could barely swallow. Ethan led me to sit down. Olivia and Jack were kneeling. Jack looked up at me, his eyes full of hatred. What right did he have to hate me? I glared back. Seeing his face swollen like a pig’s head, I couldn’t help but laugh. “Grandfather, look at how they’re still making eyes at each other. Uncle is just too kind-hearted. He doesn’t even care about being cheated on,” Olivia said. “Jack, do you still have feelings for her?” Olivia asked angrily, staring at my face with a hint of jealousy. What did I have that was worth her jealousy?

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I married a billionaire in a coma. On our wedding night, my comatose husband took me again and again. Each time, I nearly lost my resolve. But the next day, I learned that my family had been in a car accident on their way home from the wedding. Twelve out of thirteen family members died, leaving only my mother in the ICU. I begged my billionaire husband to save my mother. He sneered, “This is karma for your family. If you obey me, I might consider sparing your mother’s life.” Six years after our marriage, I became pregnant. Overjoyed, I ran to tell him, but he pushed me down the stairs to protect his adopted sister. He even allowed her to desecrate our child’s ashes. When I stood on the rooftop, ready to jump, He knelt before me, begging me to look at him one last time. … A loud bang echoed as the massive door slammed open. I lifted my tear-stained eyes, clutching the urn containing my child’s ashes. Zack Chapman’s large hand was already around my throat, his temple throbbing with rage as he glared at me with knife-like eyes. “Aria Frost! How could you be so vicious!” “Mia is so pure and kind-hearted. You’re playing with fire, always trying to cause trouble for her!” “Don’t think I won’t do anything to you!” His grip tightened until I nearly passed out before he finally let go. I stumbled back, collapsing to the floor. “Zack, it’s all my fault. I deserve whatever punishment you give me.” He frowned at me. “Aria Frost, are you planning some new trick to hurt Mia?” I shook my head, my voice devoid of emotion. “I’ll kneel before your precious Mia and beg for her forgiveness. No matter how upset she is, it’s all my fault.” The urn tilted, spilling a small amount of ashes. I silently gathered them with trembling hands, tears occasionally falling onto the white powder. Each time I wiped away a tear, it left a sticky mark. Zack approached me, slowly crouching down and gently wiping away a tear that was about to fall. When I looked at him, he abruptly pulled his hand back. Mia wasn’t just his family’s adopted daughter; she was his prized possession. Whatever Mia said, he believed. Whatever I said, he suspected ulterior motives. I had long understood that in his heart, I was nothing but a sinner through and through. If Mia caught a cold, he’d say my negative energy was affecting her. If Mia was unhappy, he’d interrogate me about what I’d done. Three days ago, Mia had faked a miscarriage, claiming I’d pushed her down the stairs. After returning from the hospital, Zack actually made Mia stand on the same stairs to push me down. I tried to protect my eight-month pregnant belly, desperately attempting to escape, but Zack grabbed me by the collar like a helpless chicken. No matter how much I begged, it was useless. At the hospital, even though the baby still had a faint heartbeat when delivered, the doctor declared him dead after accepting a red envelope from Mia. The tiny spark of hope I had kindled for life was thoroughly extinguished. Zack watched me lovingly caress the urn in my arms, a fleeting look of sympathy crossing his face. Just as I set the urn back in its place, Zack suddenly picked me up. “What are you doing?!” He carried me into the bedroom, tossing me onto the bed before starting to tug at my clothes. As he leaned down towards me, I saw the hickey on his neck. I shrank back. “My body hasn’t fully recovered yet. Maybe next time.” Zack first doubted he had heard correctly, then looked at me with a cold smirk, his tone full of mockery. “You think you have any value to me beyond your body?” I stared at him blankly as he forced himself on me, tearing my clothes despite my resistance. Tears streamed down my face, but his actions didn’t pause for a moment. Zack and I were childhood sweethearts. From playing games in kindergarten where I often played his bride, I grew up listening to his constant declarations of love. Even though he became comatose, I never gave up on marrying him, always hoping he would wake up one day. But what I waited for was greater pain and an even longer wait. My mother lay unconscious in the hospital, with no idea when she might wake. I was so tired. Perhaps it was time to leave this heartbreaking place behind.

The next morning, I found that Zack hadn’t left as usual. “You’re awake?” Zack held a steaming bowl of Chinese medicine, preparing to feed me. “Aria, stop thinking about the child. His existence was just an accident.” “You never had the right to raise a Chapman heir anyway.” Zack wasn’t wrong. I knew I had no right. Our families had always been rivals, with competition growing fiercer as we grew up. Everyone used underhanded tactics to grab market share. Later, my father hired gangsters to kidnap Zack’s mother as leverage. Who knew that his pregnant mother would be raped and die along with her unborn child. Zack snuck in and witnessed this horrific scene. While fleeing, he was hit by a car and fell into a coma. The Chapman family rose again but kept a low profile, suppressing news of their heir’s recovery until they had devoured the Frost family, leaving nothing behind. Only I remained, along with my comatose mother in the hospital. Eight months ago, Zack had a nightmare. Dead drunk, he burst into my room in the middle of the night. “You know, during the time I was in a coma, I kept dreaming. I saw my mother over and over, covered in blood, struggling on the ground, calling out to me.” “She told me to run, but no matter how much I ran, I could never escape that place.” “In my dreams, I was crushed to pieces over and over again, overwhelmed by fear and despair.” “I thought I had been locked in the depths of hell, punished for eternity. But when I woke up, my mother was gone forever.” “Today I finally dreamed of her again. She waved goodbye to me, saying farewell for the last time.” “Aria Frost, you grew up pampered and privileged. Your family feasted on Chapman flesh and drank Chapman blood. Tell me, shouldn’t I hate you?” “But what can I do? I can’t shake this bad habit of loving you…” For over a decade, we had believed we were destined for each other, longing for the day we could be together. But our wedding became the Frost family’s funeral. We had such a long life ahead, yet every step we took was drenched in blood. We carried sins that could never be atoned for. After forcing me to take contraceptives, Zack would always try to make amends. Sometimes with my favorite childhood snacks, other times by taking me to places we used to visit. I indulged in these small moments of happiness, knowing full well they were poisonous, yet addicted and unable to break free. I couldn’t tell if I loved him more or hated him more. Whenever love began to grow, hatred would tear at my heart. Later, Mia followed suit. She got Zack drunk and climbed into his bed, claiming – truthfully or not – to be pregnant. Just as I was lost in thought, I heard her voice. “Brother, I feel so dizzy! Come quick and check on me!” Mia kept knocking on the door. Zack set down the medicine and hurried out. As Mia dragged Zack away, she shot me a challenging look. It was time to go. I started packing a few clothes, ready to leave this city. I wanted to search for renowned doctors across the country, seeking a chance to cure my mother. As I was almost finished packing, I went to the small room where we kept the urn. But I saw Mia holding it, pouring the ashes onto drawing paper in a messy scatter.

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