Three months before the SATs, my mom took my sister and me to buy lucky charms. Emma immediately fell in love with a black cat charm said to bring good fortune. I chose a white cat charm that was supposed to help distinguish right from wrong. Emma, who had always been a poor student, suddenly saw her grades skyrocket. Meanwhile, my grades, which had always been excellent, began to plummet. I ultimately failed to get into any good colleges. Unwilling to accept defeat, I decided to take a gap year and retake the SATs. But the stress and endless nights of studying eventually took their toll. I died from exhaustion. In my final moments, Emma whispered in my ear: “You know, sis, the black cat doesn’t just bring good luck. It can also steal luck from others.” I died filled with resentment. But when I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the day we chose our lucky charms. “The black cat is way cuter. That white cat looks as disgusting as you, sis!” Emma sneered. It was the exact same scene as before. Last time, I hadn’t dared to argue back. I had silently picked up the white cat’s cage and left. But this time was different. I grabbed Emma’s outstretched hand. With a slight smile, I said: “Oh really? Then I’ll take the black cat.” Emma’s smug grin instantly froze. She stared at me in disbelief: “How dare you talk to me like that! Do you need to be taught a lesson?” She raised her hand, about to slap me across the face. In my past life, I would have backed down to keep the peace in the family. But this time, I caught her hand mid-air and slapped her instead. Seeing Emma get hit, our mom, who had always stayed silent when I was bullied, suddenly changed her tune: “Your sister was just joking with you! Why did you hit her so hard? I swear, why did I give birth to such an ungrateful child like you!” I ignored her and calmly picked up the cage with the black cat, turning to leave. Just as I was about to walk out, Emma finally recovered from the shock of the pain. She screamed hysterically after me: “No! How am I supposed to pass the SATs without it!” I paused. So Emma had been reborn too. Emma and I were born just three minutes apart, but our personalities couldn’t have been more different. I had always been timid and afraid of conflict. Emma was domineering and loved bullying others at school. I generally tried to avoid her in daily life. But who could have guessed that everything would change three months before the SATs. Emma had spent her high school years smoking, drinking, and fighting. She cycled through boyfriends like changing clothes. She hung out with a bad crowd outside of school every day. Forget getting into a good college – she’d be lucky to get into any college at all. Mom was worried sick. She heard that the charms sold at this shop had special powers that could help with exams. That’s why she had brought us all this way to buy them. In my past life, even though my white cat was supposed to help distinguish right and wrong, it would mysteriously fall asleep during every exam. Meanwhile, Emma’s grades kept improving. Not only did she easily get into an Ivy League school, but she also caught the eye of a rich classmate who fell in love with her at first sight. I failed the SATs miserably. Unwilling to accept defeat, I decided to take a gap year and try again. But my grades kept getting worse and worse. In the end, I died from the stress one night. Just before I died, Emma told me the truth – that all my good luck had been stolen by her. Thankfully, the heavens had given me another chance. This time, I refused to repeat the same mistakes. “What are you spacing out for? Let’s go!” Emma snapped at me, her face dark with anger. I glanced at her and the drowsy black cat in her arms, raising an eyebrow: “Emma, you better take good care of it. After all, your entire future depends on this cat now.” “Mind your own business!” She slammed the car door shut with a thunderous bang. Through the window, I saw her viciously throw the white cat’s cage to the ground: “Useless thing! Just looking at you pisses me off!” Oh Emma, you’re being too hasty. The white cat may not be able to help you ace the SATs, but it could open up a whole different path for you.

As soon as we got home, Emma kicked the white cat’s cage, sending it tumbling. Watching the poor kitten struggle inside the cage, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for it: “If you don’t like it, just return it to the shop. Why take your anger out on an innocent animal?” Emma got even angrier hearing this. She grabbed the cage and stormed back to her room in a huff: “Stop pretending to be a good person!” I couldn’t bear to see the white cat being abused, so I ended up making a little bed for it. I also brought the black cat into my bedroom. Its eyes sparkled with curiosity as it looked me up and down. At first it was shy about letting me pet it, but after a while it started licking my hand affectionately. I couldn’t help but giggle at how cute it was. As the SATs drew closer, even with the black cat’s help, I didn’t dare slack off. I spent every day studying from dawn till dusk, trying to make the most of every minute. In my past life, I had always been a top student. I thought getting into an Ivy League was practically guaranteed. My teachers had even hinted that I might be the valedictorian of our school. But after getting the black cat, my mental state took a sharp turn for the worse. I fell asleep several times during exams. In the end, I bombed the SATs completely. Meanwhile, Emma, who had absorbed all my good luck, saw her grades mysteriously skyrocket even though she still hung out with her delinquent friends all day. I had thought she had finally buckled down and started studying. It wasn’t until I was on my deathbed that I learned the truth. Thinking about how all my hard work had ended up benefiting Emma made my blood boil with anger. But what upset me even more was my mom’s attitude. She clearly knew Emma was responsible for my death. Yet she still hastily buried me and moved the family to a new city with Emma. She didn’t even bother coming back to visit my grave on holidays. I finally understood that there was no real love in this family. Everyone had just been using me. Emma still disliked the white cat, but at this point it was too late to change anything. Plus, my temper had become unpredictable lately. The moment she tried to bully me, I would slam my hand on the table and threaten to fight her. She didn’t dare try to steal the cat back. At dinner, she viciously stabbed at the food in her bowl: “Some people are just born losers. Even with a lucky charm to help, they still can’t get into a good school.” I barely glanced up at her: “Eating dinner and giving a self-introduction at the same time? How efficient.” “You-!” She was so angry her face turned the color of a pig’s liver. She slammed her bowl and chopsticks onto the table with a crash. “What about me? At least I’m better than someone who can’t even fill out their exam registration correctly. Why are you even taking the SATs? Just to donate the registration fee to the government?” “Enough! We’re eating dinner, stop arguing! If you keep this up, you can both get out!” Mom suddenly slammed her hand on the table. That finally put an end to the squabble. I smirked coldly. Mom was always like this. She’d pretend not to see when Emma mocked me. But the moment I fought back even a little, she’d jump out and play peacemaker. Late that night as I was reviewing the day’s practice questions, my bedroom door was suddenly pushed open. Emma leaned against the doorframe, her face dark: “Sis, how come your black cat does nothing but eat and sleep all day? You sure it’s not just stupid? Better hope it doesn’t end up having side effects instead of helping you.” The black cat had been sleeping in its bed, but hearing Emma insult it, it suddenly leapt out. It extended its claws and viciously scratched Emma’s wrist. “Ahh!!” Emma screamed and stumbled backwards. Her arm was already streaked with blood. Blood dripped onto the floor as she grimaced in pain: “Just like its owner – an ungrateful little beast! Animals will always be animals!” I gently stroked the black cat’s head: “We don’t bother with crazy people.” The cat rolled its eyes haughtily and curled up in my lap to continue sleeping. In my past life, even though the black cat had been forced to obey Emma, their relationship had always been a bit strange. If Emma hadn’t been afraid the cat would die if she threw it, the black cat probably wouldn’t have listened to her at all. Seeing how well the black cat and I got along, Emma gritted her teeth: “As expected, lowly creatures of a feather flock together.” I rubbed my temples: “If you don’t leave now, I promise you’ll end up black and blue.” Remembering how I had beaten her up before, she got a bit scared. Using the excuse of needing to treat her injured hand, she quickly left. But before going, she couldn’t help muttering under her breath: “So what if it brings good luck? During the exam, my white cat can directly tell me which answers are right or wrong!” Little did she know, a few days later in the mock exam, she would end up dead last in the entire school.

As soon as we got home with our test results, Mom eagerly snatched my score report to examine it closely. The more she looked, the wider her eyes got. By the end, her voice had risen to a shriek: “How is this possible?! Your sister should have been first in the school!” I pushed up my glasses and stared at her expressionlessly: “Emma is first in the school. First from the bottom, that is.” Just as I finished speaking, Emma came bursting through the front door and threw herself into Mom’s arms, wailing: “Mom! How could this happen?! How?! Wasn’t the white cat supposed to tell me which answers were right? Why did I still end up last in the school?!” I couldn’t help but laugh coldly: “You’re really stupid, aren’t you? The most important part of the SAT is the essay section. Even if the white cat helped you ace the multiple choice, what good does that do if you can’t write a single coherent sentence?” In my past life, my weakness had been the multiple choice section. I always lost points I shouldn’t have there. That’s why I had chosen the white cat to help me identify the correct answers. But for Emma, who couldn’t even string a sentence together, the white cat was clearly useless. Mom didn’t have much education herself, so she couldn’t follow all this back-and-forth. She just defaulted to defending Emma as usual: “Did you steal your sister’s score? Haven’t I told you before that as the older sister, you need to let your sister win sometimes?” Right, let my sister win. Mom had been drilling this idea into my head since I was little. All the good food and drinks had to go to Emma. Emma got to wear the pretty clothes first, I only got her hand-me-downs. Emma got the beautiful princess-themed bedroom, while I was squeezed into the dark basement. In the end, I even had to give up my SAT scores and my bright future to Emma. What more did they want from me? Thinking about how I had listened to Mom in my past life, only to end up with such a miserable fate, I couldn’t help but feel like a complete fool. “What, should I give her my brain too? It’s not my fault she’s an idiot,” I shot back mercilessly. Mom was stunned for a moment, then exploded in rage: “How dare you talk back to me like that! I raised you to this age, and this is how you repay me? You’re not allowed to sleep tonight! Kneel in the living room and reflect on your mistakes!” If this was my past life, I would have been trembling in fear by now, obediently kneeling down. But I wasn’t going to be so stupid this time. I stared Mom straight in the eye: “You raised me? Have you forgotten that I’ve been working to support myself since I was 14? Your new clothes and new phone were all bought with my scholarship money!” Mom’s face paled. Knowing she was in the wrong, she could only resort to unreasonable arguments: “I’m your mother! I gave birth to you, so your money is my money! I can use it however I want!” “If you can’t accept that, then get out and live on your own!” She finished with a smug look, clearly expecting me to apologize. After all, without this home, I would end up on the streets. But she never expected me to calmly nod and say: “As it happens, the school has offered me a spot in the national math olympiad. They’re providing a dorm for me to focus on studying. Thanks for letting me leave, Mom.” “What?! You got into the national math olympiad?!” Emma, who had been watching from the sidelines, couldn’t hold back anymore. Her eyeballs looked like they were about to pop out of their sockets. I waved the invitation letter in my hand: “What’s wrong, never seen one before? I suppose the only thing you’ve ever held is a report card with the lowest score in school.” This was a fatal blow to Emma. After all, if I won an award at the national math olympiad, I could get into any top university without even taking the SATs. “How did your grades improve so quickly…” Mom eyed me suspiciously. I had been waiting for her to ask this: “I have to thank you for buying me that cat. I discovered that if I imitate the cat by crawling around on the ground meowing every day, I always do well on tests the next day!” As expected, Emma’s eyes lit up when she heard this. Sure enough, the next morning, I was woken up by Mom’s shouts: “Why are you still sleeping?! Quick, come see your sister! She… has she gone crazy?”

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When we got our marriage license, Lucas told me he didn’t know how to love, so for five years of marriage, he gave me sex and desire. It was an arranged marriage, and I knew I couldn’t be greedy. I thought that was enough. Until our anniversary night. I broke his bedroom rule and secretly removed my blindfold for the first time. But I accidentally saw the name tattooed on his lower back. At that moment, I realized. Lucas wasn’t incapable of love; he had just hidden it away, saving it for my sister. We had a huge fight, wishing each other dead. Who would have thought those words would come true, as we both died in a car crash off a cliff. Before dying, Lucas looked at me, his face covered in blood, and begged: “Aria, if there’s a next life, let’s not be husband and wife, okay?” I stared at him, laughing miserably like a madwoman. When I opened my eyes again, I saw Lucas kneeling with his back straight: “Uncle, Aunt, I can’t marry Aria. I’m in love with Rose.” I was stunned. But I quickly accepted it. As it happened, I didn’t want to choose him this time either.

“Are you sure you want to marry Zachary?” Lucas’s mother asked, somewhat reluctantly. I calmly exchanged marriage documents with her, and after confirming that Zachary’s name was on them, I smiled gently: “I’m sure, Aunt.” Lucas’s mother tried to persuade me again: “The fortune teller said Zachary won’t live past thirty. You…” “Aria, even if Lucas doesn’t agree to the arranged marriage, you don’t have to choose a husband from the Lu family.” In my previous life, Zachary did indeed die at thirty. His mother fainted from crying, and his father aged years in a single night. Everyone lamented his passing. He was brilliant, becoming the head of the Lu family at such a young age. His frail body housed the most determined heart. Before he died, I had intended to see him one last time. But I heard him say: “I like Aria Young.” “She doesn’t need to know anything I’ve done. I just want her to be happy.” He said not all love needs to be spoken, not all love requires reciprocation. So much so that year after year, except for his assistant, no one knew. He hid his love so deep that I never noticed a hint of it until the last moment he left this world full of regret. So, even if it was just for that “like.” I wanted to help him, at least not let him die with regrets again. After a long pause, I smiled and gently patted the back of her hand. I reassured her: “Aunt, Zachary will live to be a hundred years old.”

After Lucas’s mother left, my mother also came to ask me: “You’re not just angry at Lucas, are you?” She knew how much I liked Lucas. Childhood sweethearts, when I first fell in love, I couldn’t see any other boy. I thought he felt the same way, but I never imagined it was just my one-sided love all along. In my previous life, when Lucas and I got our marriage license, he told me: “I’ve lived in calculations since childhood. I don’t understand love and can’t love, but I’ll give you everything I can.” For five years of marriage, we were known in our circle as a talented and beautiful couple, a loving husband and wife. So to maintain this marriage, I was willing to teach Lucas how to love me. I could even indulge his occasional willfulness. Even his bedroom quirks, I could endure. In my previous life, before we went to bed, Lucas would always hand me a blindfold or use a tie to cover my eyes. He said: “Aria’s eyes are too beautiful. I’m afraid I’ll lose control and hurt you.” Each time, I would blush to the tips of my ears. Later, there were once or twice when he forgot to cover my eyes. I was delighted to see his passionate expression, but he just coaxed me to change positions, then lovingly kissed my back bit by bit. We almost never faced each other. I thought it was just Lucas’s habit. Until our fifth anniversary. For the first time, I secretly removed the blindfold, only to accidentally discover the name tattooed on his lower back. Humiliation and betrayal washed over me simultaneously. At that moment, I felt like I had fallen into an ice pit. I went crazy, smashing everything in the bedroom, grabbing an ashtray and throwing it at Lucas. I hurled all sorts of vicious words at him, wishing he would die. Cursing him to go to hell. But this time around, I didn’t want to do anything. I just wanted to stay away from him. Thinking carefully. Lucas did treat me well. He just didn’t love me.

The engagement party was set for next month. Lucas’s mother said the Lu family would handle everything, and I just needed to wait patiently. She gave me the chance to change my mind at any time. I smiled helplessly and replied: “That wouldn’t be fair to Zachary.” He’s just sick. I sent a message to the research institute’s assistant, asking them to prepare experimental equipment for me. In my previous life, after Zachary had his heart transplant, I locked myself in the lab for a while to research antibacterial drugs. Later, when the drug was ready for production, he had already died from infection. I hope we’ll be in time this time. Suddenly, Lucas sent me a message: “Come to the Nine Nights Club. I have something to discuss with you.” I refused directly. After Lucas was reborn, the first thing he did was come to my house to cancel our engagement and confess his love for my adopted sister, Rose. To make Rose happy, he set off fireworks all night. The topic about them had been trending at number one for a while. Everyone was saying they were a perfect match. Some paparazzi had recorded a video of them walking on the beach. Rose seemed to get tired and asked Lucas to carry her on his back. I thought he would refuse. But he didn’t. He smiled indulgently, knelt on one knee, gently rubbed her ankle first, and then carried her on his back. His movements were smooth and tender. Some netizens commented: “Young Master Lu really loves Rose to death.” During this time, he had been by Rose’s side, dutifully pleasing her, spoiling her like a little princess. He was trying hard to make up for the regrets of his past life, wanting to live a different life. I didn’t object, as long as it didn’t involve me. But in the end, I still went to the Nine Nights Club, though not because of Lucas. I wanted to see Zachary. His assistant called me back: “Miss Young, Mr. Lu is at Nine Nights for a business meeting. If you have urgent matters, you can come directly.” I frowned instinctively and couldn’t help but joke: “He’s still drinking when he’s sick? Is he afraid he’s not dying fast enough?” The assistant on the other end immediately muted himself. After a moment of silence, only a very light cough came through. Finally, the assistant hurriedly left a private room number and hung up.

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Even past sixty, my mother-in-law was naturally pregnant due to her fertile health. I suggested she consider terminating the pregnancy and perhaps get a tubal ligation. She wasn’t happy with my suggestion, but I respected her decision. Unexpectedly, her nine daughters were against it. They gave her sleeping pills and took her for an abortion that very night. The next day, they blamed me entirely, claiming I couldn’t accept the child. In her fury, my mother-in-law killed me. When I opened my eyes, I found myself back on the day she announced her pregnancy. I looked at the excited sisters-in-law chatting around me and the bashful mother-in-law on the sofa. It hit me instantly—I had been reborn. It was the very day my mother-in-law called the family together to announce her pregnancy. I was so overwhelmed with gratitude that I clasped my hands in thanks. “Thank you, heavens, for granting me another life!” Some sharp-eyed sisters-in-law noticed and frowned, asking, “Nora, what’s wrong with you? Acting all strange? It’s your turn to share your thoughts!” Everyone turned to me, some even hinting at me to stick to what we had agreed on the day before. In my past life, it was the same. The nine sisters-in-law were all afraid of their mother, so they begged me to be the “bad guy,” to convince her to have an abortion and get a tubal ligation. They reasoned that since I was the only daughter-in-law and favored by my mother-in-law, I was the best one to speak up. Wanting to consider her health and not make them uncomfortable, I agreed. Little did I know, they turned on me. I could only watch helplessly as my mother-in-law attacked me with a kitchen knife, while they remained indifferent. After burying me in the backyard, they deceived my husband, saying I ran away after a fight with my mother-in-law. Thinking about my tragic end in the previous life sent shivers down my spine. Someone else can be the “bad guy” this time! I let out a cold snort, and with a stern face, I said, “I have no opinion. Whether to keep the baby or not is Mom’s decision.” With that, I got up and went into the bedroom. My mother-in-law was overjoyed. “My daughter-in-law is still the best. Educated people are different. I have the freedom to give birth if I want, and the baby has the right to be born too.” “Alright, meeting adjourned!” Soon, the nine sisters-in-law rushed into my room. As soon as they entered, they angrily complained, “Nora, what’s going on with you? We agreed yesterday that you’d convince Mom to handle the baby. Why did you suddenly change your mind? We didn’t expect you to be so two-faced.” Seventh Sister and Eighth Sister chimed in, “Nora, do you realize how serious this is? Mom is so old. Who’s going to care for the baby? And Big Sister already has a grandchild. Does it make sense to have another sibling? If word gets out, won’t people laugh at us?” I put down the clothes in my hands and sneered, “You’re her daughters, you tell her! I’m an outsider and just the daughter-in-law. What right do I have to dictate to my mother-in-law?” Hearing this, they immediately shouted at me, “Now you say you’re an outsider? When Dad and Mom wanted to transfer the house to you, why didn’t you say you were an outsider?” “Nora, if you don’t want to say something, then you take care of the baby when it’s born! Anyway, you’re young and have plenty of energy. Plus, we’re daughters, always outsiders. You’re the real mistress of this house.”

I let out a snort, looking at Seventh Sister, Eighth Sister, and Ninth Sister. “Aren’t you all unmarried? You’re part of this family too! Anyway, you don’t work, just stay home and take care of the baby, help out your parents, isn’t it your duty?” As soon as I said this, the three of them immediately glared. “Why should we? We don’t know how to take care of a baby! And even if it has to be done, it shouldn’t fall on us.” First Sister frowned upon hearing this. “If it’s to be done, start with Second Sister, don’t count me in! I still have to babysit my grandson!” After saying this, she walked out without looking back. Second Sister and Third Sister, who are twins, exchanged a glance, then held their heads, feigning headaches. “Ah, time spares no one. I’ve been having random headaches since last month, I don’t know why?” With that, they both held their heads and quickly slipped away. Fourth Sister, Fifth Sister, and Sixth Sister didn’t bother explaining, simply saying, “We’re not dealing with it,” and left. Seventh Sister, Eighth Sister, and Ninth Sister were left, seeing their sisters leaving one by one, they became anxious. They exchanged glances and, understanding each other, turned their attention to me. “Nora, we’re ordering you as your sisters to tell Mom to handle the baby. Otherwise, I’ll make my brother divorce you!” I couldn’t even be bothered to respond, my face full of indifference. “Fine, divorce then, find your brother right now. If I, Nora, say a single word of refusal, then I’m not human!” “Why don’t you say it? Aren’t you afraid of offending Mom and Dad, fearing they won’t leave you an inheritance? I’m telling the truth now, I’m afraid too. So don’t use me as a pawn, I’m not falling for it!” Hearing this, their anger was palpable, Ninth Sister gritted her teeth and said, “Good for you, Nora, you finally spoke the truth! I’m going to tell Mom and Dad you’re after their inheritance.” I snorted, “Are Mom and Dad fools? Can’t they tell who’s eyeing it? I have my own house and car, and my beauty salon, why would I need their peanuts? But some people stay home all day, don’t work, just mooch off their parents!” My words instantly infuriated them. “Nora, whether we work or not is none of your business! Did we spend your money? Our parents haven’t said anything, why do you get to yap?” “Whether you’ve spent or not, you know in your hearts. With your parents’ monthly pension of over five thousand, can you really live off that? You frequently ask my husband for money, isn’t that spending my money? And those two cars I bought, who’s driving them every day? Who gets free maintenance at my salon every week, isn’t that money too?” They were speechless at my retorts, but their faces showed increasing anger. I couldn’t be bothered to deal with them, so I packed my suitcase into the car. Then, I went to my mother-in-law’s room and told her, “Mom, from today, Ethan and I are moving out. Once you have the baby, this house will be too small, and we won’t fit. Also, if it’s a son, the second floor will be perfect for him in the future, as his elder siblings, we certainly won’t compete with him.” My mother-in-law was all smiles upon hearing this. “Great, great! Everything will be as you say. You think things through so well, we as parents are truly happy from the bottom of our hearts.” But Seventh Sister, Eighth Sister, and Ninth Sister were not happy about it. “Mom, you can’t let her leave, it’s clear she doesn’t want to help you with the baby, she’s trying to escape! And if she leaves, who’s going to pay the nanny? Who’s going to do the housework? We don’t agree, no way. Unless she compensates us five thousand a month, we won’t let her leave.” After Ninth Sister said this, Seventh Sister and Eighth Sister kept nodding. “Yes, Ninth Sister is right, if she doesn’t compensate us, she can’t leave this house.” Seeing their calculating faces, I said nothing and slammed the door, leaving.

When my husband found out I finally decided to move out, he was even more excited than I was. Being oppressed by his sisters since childhood, he had longed to move out. If it weren’t for me being an only daughter, always longing for sibling companionship, he wouldn’t have put up with me to continue living there. When my husband came back from work to our newly renovated home, he was so excited that he stripped naked and ran around the house. “This is great! My ears can finally have some peace!” Then he looked at me with joy. “Honey, how did you suddenly come to this decision? Before, even when Eighth Sister and Ninth Sister made you cry, you never thought of moving out. Why so sudden today?” Looking at my earnest and adorable husband, Ethan, I burst into tears. In the previous life, he got into a car accident while looking for me, became comatose, and remained in that state until he passed away. His parents and sisters initially cared for him, but over time, they saw him as a burden and dumped him in a small village to fend for himself. Seeing me cry so sadly, he got angry. “Honey, did those three bully you again? I’m going to find them now.” I quickly stopped my irrational husband and explained, “No, no, no, don’t get upset, I was just heartbroken seeing you like that! I also regret not moving out sooner.” “Oh, so that’s it, you scared me.” After saying that, he excitedly got up to organize his gaming room, saying as he did so, “Honey, do you know how long I’ve waited for this day? I just want the two of us to be together quietly, without anyone disturbing us.” “Hey, babe, are those three bothering you again? I’ll go have a word with them.” I quickly stopped my husband, who seemed ready to lose his temper, and explained: “No, no, no, don’t get upset. I just felt bad seeing you so stressed earlier! I also regret not moving out sooner.” “Oh, so that’s what it is. You startled me for a moment.” With that, he got up, visibly relieved, and started to tidy up his game room. As he cleaned, he said: “You know how long I’ve waited for this day? I just want to be with you, peacefully, without anyone disturbing us.” “Growing up, there were many kids at home, and I was the only boy, so I became the target of their teasing. My parents were too busy to notice. Honestly, having many siblings isn’t always a blessing. It really depends on the personality. If someone has a selfish nature, even siblings will try to exploit you, always taking without giving.” “You know, I’ve been working for almost six years, and I haven’t saved a single penny. As soon as I get paid, my sisters take it all and think it’s perfectly normal.” “Sigh! I really have no one to confide in! We’re going to have kids in the future, and there are expenses everywhere. How can we keep living like this with them constantly taking advantage?” … My husband went on, and tears were already streaming down my face. Finally, I couldn’t hold back anymore and interrupted him, my voice choked with emotion. “I’m sorry, honey. I shouldn’t have insisted we live with them from the start.” Ethan smiled, “Silly girl, there’s no need to apologize. You just wanted everyone to get along.” Suddenly, I made up my mind, stood up, walked over to him, and said seriously: “Honey, from now on, let’s focus on our own little family and not worry about others. It might be difficult considering your family, but can you promise to always be on my side no matter what I do?” “Of course! I’ll always be on your side. You’re the one who’ll be with me for the rest of my life. I’ll do my duty to my parents. As for my sisters, I think I’ve done enough. We’ll do what’s necessary, but I can’t do more than that.” So, my husband and I reached an agreement. From now on, our little family is the most important. Everyone and everything else can step aside. I didn’t expect them to shamelessly contact me the next day. Just after noon, I had left the beauty salon and was about to head home for lunch when my phone buzzed with a series of messages. [Ninth Sister: Nora, why didn’t the cook show up today? Are you trying to starve us?] [Eighth Sister: Nora, are you out of your mind? Even if we don’t eat, are you going to ignore Mom and Dad? Mom’s pregnant. How’s she supposed to cook for us?] [Seventh Sister: Sis-in-law, isn’t this too extreme? We’re family, do you have to be so harsh?] I couldn’t be bothered to reply and directly blocked all three of them. About half an hour later, my husband’s phone suddenly received a payment request from Ninth Sister. Then she sent another message: [Ethan, we just had lunch at DineWell with Mom, Dad, Seventh Sister, and Eighth Sister. The bill is 1386. Pay up.] My husband frowned, handed me the phone, and said helplessly: “What should we do? Maybe we should just send it to them?” “No way. Don’t bother! They’re all over thirty and can’t even cook? If they dared to eat out, they must have counted on you to cave in and pay. What about tomorrow? The day after? Are you going to pay every day? What did we agree on yesterday? Did you forget?” He sighed, “How can they keep asking me for money like this?” “Because you always give in!” Without another word, I blocked Seventh Sister, Eighth Sister, and Ninth Sister from his SnapChat too. In less than five minutes, my husband’s phone rang. He saw it was Ninth Sister. After taking a deep breath, he answered, but before he could speak, Ninth Sister started yelling. “Ethan, are you crazy? You dared to block me? I’m telling you to send the money right now, or else…” Before she could finish, Eighth Sister grabbed the phone. “Ethan, we’re family. Don’t let Nora, that outsider, get between us. Be sensible and send the money. Can you really stand to see us sent to the police station by the restaurant?” Before Ethan could respond, I grabbed the phone. “If you can’t pay, you deserve to be sent to the police station. We have one thing to say: no money!” With that, I hung up. After hanging up, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. Speaking my mind felt so liberating. Even in the afternoon at the salon, I was in a great mood, feeling like everything was perfect. But just as I was enjoying myself, my husband came to the salon with a gloomy face. “Babe, my parents want us to go home right now!” Ha! I laughed coldly. What’s meant to happen will happen, but I didn’t expect it to be so soon! “Fine, let’s head back then!” As soon as we walked in, my father-in-law, with a frown, laid into us, “You just moved out, and now you act like you’re not part of this family? Do you have any idea? If I hadn’t run into someone I know and borrowed money, your mom, your sister, and I would’ve ended up at the police station.”

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I had been dating Zachary Xavier for three years before I found out he came from a wealthy family when we got married. But Zachary’s brothers all said I was just after his money, and urged him to control my finances. Zachary actually believed them. After we got married, he not only wouldn’t let me work, but also only gave me $100 a month for expenses. He said it was enough. It really was enough. I not only went shopping every day, but could also afford luxury skincare and designer bags. He grew suspicious and demanded to know where I was getting money from. I put on an innocent face: “Honey, it’s from the allowance you give me every month!” He got angry: “I only give you $100 a month, what can you even do with that?” So he did know that $100 a month wasn’t enough for anything. But it didn’t matter. He gave me $100 each month. His good brothers each gave me $100,000 every month. I had just gotten back from shopping. As soon as I walked in, I saw Zachary sitting on the couch. He looked up and asked, “Where did you go?” I waved the shopping bags in my hand. “I went shopping and bought some things.” He frowned. “Why are you shopping again? The housekeeper said you just bought a bunch of stuff yesterday.” “I’m starting to think Peter and the others were right, you really are materialistic and just after money…” His words suddenly trailed off as his gaze fell on the Gucci bag I was holding. This was a luxury brand where even a single item cost thousands of dollars. “Zoe Sullivan, you actually bought Gucci? Where did you get the money to buy Gucci?” I put on an innocent face, “Honey, from the allowance you give me every month.” He got angry. “Do I not know how much I give you each month?” “$100 a month, what can you even do with that?” I looked at him: “Honey, didn’t you say before that $100 a month was enough?” “If you think $100 a month is too little, why did you just say I was materialistic and only after money?” Zachary was at a loss for words as he realized how contradictory his two statements were. Suddenly, his phone rang. Zachary glanced at me before hurriedly answering the call and walking out. I went back to our room. Zachary’s good friend Peter had sent me a message. [Zoe, did you like the things you bought today?] [Do you need more money?] I hadn’t had a chance to reply before Peter retracted the message asking [Do you need more money?] The next second, I got a notification that $200,000 had been deposited into my bank account. Well, a real man never asks a woman if she has enough money. In this regard, Zachary’s good friends were much better than him.

Zachary and I were college sweethearts. We dated for three years in college. When I first met Zachary, he was working part-time at the library. He always seemed to be short on money when we were dating. It wasn’t until after graduation when we started talking about marriage that I found out Zachary came from a wealthy family. The first time I met his parents, I was very nervous. Because I knew rich families usually had high standards for their daughters-in-law. At least not someone from a modest background like me. But to my surprise, Zachary’s parents were very pleased with me. Because when Zachary was in college, they had only given him a very small allowance each month to teach him independence. They never expected that even with such limited means, there would be a girl willing to date Zachary. They felt I wasn’t after Zachary for his money, which made them very happy. Dating for three years, not only did I end up marrying my boyfriend, but I also found out he came from a wealthy family. And his parents approved of me too. At the time, I felt like all the good fortune in the world had fallen into my lap. Until right before the wedding, when I accidentally overheard a conversation between Zachary and his friends.

Those three were his childhood friends who had grown up with him. One was Peter Collins, who had taken over his family’s company right after graduation and was very successful. One was James Scott, who came from an artistic family and was a famous painter himself. The last one was Samuel Moore, who came from a politically connected family and was now a prominent lawyer. “Zachary, is this the girlfriend you dated for three years in college?” “She looks like she’s from a modest background. Are you sure she’s not just after your money?” The one speaking was Peter. Zachary was stunned for a while before responding. “Peter, that’s not something to joke about.” “You know my parents only gave me $100 a month in college. How could she possibly be after my money?” But then James quietly said: “Zachary, didn’t you appear in the newspapers a few times before?” “What if she knew about your background in advance and pursued you on purpose?” “James, how can you go along with Peter’s nonsense?” “Zoe’s not that kind of person.” James smiled and didn’t say anything more. “Zachary, you have to be careful.” “You know that for families like ours, what we fear most are disputes over assets.” “If you end up divorcing after two years because you’re not compatible, she’d be entitled to half your assets.” “I suggest you be cautious and have a prenup drawn up, control her finances and such.” “You know my dad made that mistake years ago and lost tens of millions…” Samuel, true to his lawyer nature, couldn’t stop talking about calculations and precautions. I didn’t listen any further. After all, as Zachary’s friends, I could understand them reminding him to be cautious. But I believed Zachary knew what kind of person I was. However, the next day, Zachary handed me a prenuptial agreement.

I looked at the agreement, my eyes full of disbelief. “Zachary, what does this mean?” “You don’t trust me?” Zachary probably didn’t realize I had already overheard their conversation, so he casually made up an excuse. “Zoe, it’s not that I don’t trust you.” “This is just a formality in our family, a prenup is necessary.” I countered. “If you trust me, why is a prenup necessary?” “Zachary, we’ve been together for three years, not three months, and certainly not three days.” “After three years, you still don’t trust me? If that’s the case, we might as well not get married.” With that, I angrily threw the agreement on the table and ran out. That night, Zachary found me and sincerely apologized, admitting he had been foolish. He promised not to bring up the prenup again. And I softened and forgave him. I thought this was just a small hiccup before the wedding, but I didn’t realize it was only the beginning.

After we got married. Zachary used the excuse that my health wasn’t good to make me quit my job. As luck would have it, the company I worked for was struggling financially at the time, on the verge of bankruptcy, and had been behind on our salaries for several months. After getting my back pay, I voluntarily resigned, planning to take a break before looking for a new job. But I never imagined. After I quit, I was never able to go back to work. First, Zachary was strongly against it, believing that being a full-time housewife was a good choice for me. I couldn’t believe Zachary would have such an idea. “Zachary, you know.” “I never wanted to be a full-time housewife, I want to have my own career.” But Zachary said. “Even if you have your own career, isn’t the end result just to make money?” “The Xavier family is already wealthy enough.” I was speechless and decided to go out and look for a job directly. But I sent out hundreds of resumes. Not a single company responded. “Zoe, don’t waste your energy, you won’t be able to find a job in this city.” Looking at Zachary’s confident expression, I seemed to know the answer.

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Six years into our marriage, my usually quiet and reserved husband suddenly started acting strange. Every day, he would spend an hour grooming himself, two hours working out, and three hours bringing me lunch, all while warily eyeing every young man who passed by. I couldn’t understand what had gotten into him until I stumbled upon his diary. “She left the house without her wedding ring today. Was it mere forgetfulness or a deliberate act? I can’t figure it out. I’m too afraid to ask. I’m losing my mind…” “She liked that male intern’s post again. Is she trying to drive me insane? It’s all because of that shameless man…” “I’m aging, rotting, becoming ugly in the mirror. No, I must make my appearance more perfect. It’s the only way to keep her from leaving me.” “I feel so helpless, so desperate. I’m five years older than her. I’m not young anymore. As I age and lose my looks, her love for me will fade. This is my fate…” Adrian and I have been married for six years, and we’ve never had a fight. At least, not in front of others. In everyone’s eyes, he’s handsome, successful in his career, gentle and accommodating towards me, respectful and polite. He’s the epitome of the perfect husband. But only I know the suffocating nature hidden within this perfection. During lunch break, a colleague leaned against the pantry counter, vividly complaining about getting home late last night. She described how her husband sulked, how much effort it took to appease him, and how she ended up being banned from wearing short skirts. As she finished her story, she suddenly turned to me with a challenging smile in her eyes. “Olivia, Mr. Adrian is so stern in business. He must be an incredibly possessive and jealous husband in private, right?” I lowered my eyes and smiled without answering, a hint of bitterness rising in my heart. It was quite the opposite, actually. For the past six years, Adrian had been so honest and reserved, like a programmed robot. He never got jealous, never questioned who I was hanging out with, never cared what time I came home, and never even touched my phone. Colleagues often say that love always comes with possessiveness, and without possessiveness, there is no love. So, perhaps Adrian… had never loved me? Was I the only one who had fallen into this marriage? My fingertips unconsciously tightened around the warm glass in my hand. The glass contained the brown sugar water Adrian had prepared for me before leaving this morning. He had silently placed the cup in my handbag before turning and entering the closet. Recently, he seemed particularly concerned about his appearance, even using the cologne he used to hate. Thinking about this, I suddenly had some not-so-good thoughts. On a whim, I opened the home surveillance camera feed. On the screen, Adrian was working out directly in front of the camera. He was shirtless, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he moved. His perfect muscle lines looked particularly sexy in the sunlight, with beads of sweat rippling across his abs as he exerted himself. His low-rise workout pants hung loosely on his hipbones, sliding down slightly with his movements before he casually pulled them back up. Every move seemed like a dangerous invitation, extremely seductive. My throat tightened, and my fingertip hovered over the zoom button for a moment before finally pressing it. However, the next second, the screen suddenly switched, and my boss’s video call abruptly popped up. All my amorous fantasies were instantly shattered. I quickly closed my eyes, my fingers pressing against the desk, almost crushing the mouse.

My boss’s call was to notify us about a dinner gathering tonight. Thinking about the man at home, I instinctively reached for the wedding ring on my ring finger, only to find it missing. I was stunned for a moment before remembering what had happened two nights ago with Adrian. I had taken off my wedding ring and placed it on the bedside table to avoid hurting him during our intimate moment, and I had forgotten to put it back on for the past two days. As soon as my colleagues received the message from the boss, they all started notifying their families. After a moment’s hesitation, I also walked to the corridor to call Adrian. As usual, Adrian answered immediately. His voice was low and sexy, with a hint of allure: “Olivia.” My face inexplicably heated up: “Adrian, I have to go out for dinner with my colleagues tonight. I might be home late.” After I finished speaking, the other end of the phone suddenly fell into dead silence. Adrian didn’t make a sound; even his breathing seemed to have been cut off. Sensing something unusual, I called out softly: “Adrian?” “I’m listening.” Adrian came back to his senses, his voice sounding as if it had been rubbed with sandpaper, the end of his words trembling imperceptibly: “Do you… really have to go?” I was about to say “yes,” but he interrupted me with a trembling voice. “Will you come back tonight? Olivia, will you… will you come back?” I nodded in confusion: “Of course I’ll come back.” “Really?!” His volume suddenly increased, then abruptly fell silent. Only erratic breathing could be heard through the receiver. “No, I… I mean, I’ll wait for you to come home. You can come back whenever you want, as long as you come back. I’ll always be at home waiting for you…” I sensed something odd about him, so I added another reminder: “Remember to leave the light on for me.” This time he didn’t hesitate, answering promptly as if afraid I might change my mind: “Okay.”

Our boss is notorious for being a penny-pincher. The department dinner was arranged at a small and messy outdoor food stall. By the time the dinner finally ended, my exposed neck, calves, and wrists were covered in red, itchy mosquito bites. Enduring the physical discomfort, I sent several drunk colleagues home one by one. When I finally pushed open our front door, it was already 10 PM. It was drizzling outside. The sensor light in the entryway lit up, revealing an empty living room—Adrian wasn’t home again. I took out my phone to check the time, just about to give him a call when suddenly the door behind me was pushed open. Adrian appeared in the doorway, soaking wet from head to toe. Water droplets fell from his messy hair tips, forming small puddles on the floor. His usually crisp white shirt clung to his body, outlining his toned waistline, while his suit jacket and tie were nowhere to be seen. He no longer had the dignity and composure of his usual self, looking more like a miserable, broken stray dog. After a few seconds of eye contact, Adrian spoke first, his tone eerily calm. “You’re back?” I nodded, quickly pulling him inside: “Where have you been? How did you get so wet? Come in quickly…” Adrian moved mechanically, his gaze slowly sweeping over my eyebrows, eyes, nose, and lips. Finally, it settled on my neck. Then, he suddenly froze. I caught a whiff of a familiar greasy smell on him, very similar to the scent from the food stall where we had dinner tonight. “Adrian, did you go to pick me up? I’m so sorry, you couldn’t find me because I was…” “I don’t want to know!” He abruptly cut me off, his voice intense and sharp, frantically avoiding my gaze: “I mean, I didn’t go to pick you up. I just… just went for a walk.” I awkwardly licked the corner of my mouth: “I see. Well, Adrian, tonight I…” Adrian’s eyelashes trembled violently: “Enough, I’m… I’m tired! I need to take a shower, need to shower…” With that, he hurriedly rushed into the bathroom, as if escaping from something, his retreating figure frantic and panicked.

I stood stunned in the living room for a moment. I could clearly hear that besides the pitter-patter of water in the bathroom. There seemed to be a few muffled, desperate sobs. Worried about Adrian, I walked over and knocked on the door. “Adrian, what’s wrong? Are you crying? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?” After a moment of dead silence, his calm voice came through: “You heard wrong. I’m fine.” Hearing him say he was fine, I returned to the sofa, reassured, to continue watching my drama series. Adrian came out after his shower. He stood silently in front of the full-length mirror not far from me. Carefully matching his clothes and tie. Hearing the movement, I glanced at him instinctively: “Aren’t you off work tomorrow? Why bother with a tie? It’s such a hassle and a waste…” Upon hearing this, Adrian’s fingers suddenly froze in mid-air, his knuckles turning an unnatural white. I rubbed my eyes: “This tie style is a bit outdated. I’ll go pick a new one for you this weekend.” Adrian didn’t say anything, slowly lowering his hand. The tie slipped from his grasp, falling silently to the floor. “Is it just… the tie that’s outdated?” he murmured, his voice barely audible. I leaned closer to him, catching a whiff of his pleasant, faint cologne: “Adrian, what are you saying?” Adrian suddenly turned around, his bathrobe stirring up a damp breeze. I was startled. I could now clearly see his reddened eyes. His tightly bitten lower lip. And the somewhat inappropriate lace pajamas he was wearing – the ones I had deliberately bought for him when we first got married. He had refused to wear them back then, but now… As I had imagined, a straightlaced man wearing such clothes indeed had an impact. My breathing became irregular, and I struggled to look away: “Haha, well, you’re certainly still young at heart…” However, as soon as I said this, Adrian seemed to have been struck, shuddering violently: “Young…?” I nodded with a red face, taking the initiative to hook my fingers with his: “Well, it’s getting late, shall we…” Adrian froze for a few seconds, then jerked away from me as if electrified. He bit his lip, his voice choked. “I… I need to handle something in the study. You should go to bed early.”

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Billionaire’s daughter was attacked. My husband, trying to show off for his old flame, intentionally made me miss the best time to create a profile of the suspect. When I arrived, the victim’s family accused me of being unprofessional. Realizing my husband’s true nature, I immediately withdrew from the case. “If you want this case so badly, it’s all yours.” Colleagues urged me to endure, saying this case was a golden opportunity to make a name for myself. But no one knew that only I could create the most accurate portrait of the suspect. My Junior Sister’s sketch was too subjective. Without my investigation, they’d never catch the suspect, and she’d bear the responsibility. My husband’s blind trust in her would only harm her in the end. A major case occurred in our city. The victim woke up in the hospital and needed me for Profiling. Upon my arrival, my subordinate husband said the victim had been moved to the office, so I rushed there. Only to find out the victim hadn’t been moved at all. I hurried back to the hospital room, only to find the victim’s mother, Mr. Carter, furious outside the room. Seeing me, she rushed over, pointing angrily. “Your supervisor said you had experience, so I agreed to let you profile my daughter. Who knew you’d be so irresponsible, even arriving late!” I was confused, seeing my husband approach. “Nora, what’s wrong with you?” “The victim woke up, and you didn’t hurry over. Everyone’s here except you. Don’t you have any professional ethics for such a big matter?” I was speechless. What did I hear? No professional ethics? Wasn’t it him who said the victim was moved and asked me to go to the office? Jasper didn’t give me a chance to explain. “Look at your reckless behavior. How can you be the leader of the Profiling group, even being late for such an important task? What else can you do?” “The victim only has half an hour for Profiling. Luckily, Phoebe was there, or you’d be in big trouble today. You better thank her later.” That’s what Jasper had been droning on about. It was for this. This nationwide sensation, involving the Billionaire’s daughter, could elevate someone to great heights. Everyone at the office was eager to get involved. Mr. Carter and the senior leaders specifically wanted me to do the Profiling. When the news came out, Jasper was indignant. “Why do you love the limelight so much, even taking opportunities from newcomers?” “Didn’t you claim you don’t like fame and fortune? How did Mr. Carter speak for you? Did you do something shady?” I couldn’t believe those words came from my husband. I was heartbroken. I didn’t think about who he was standing up for. Now everything is clear. Jasper schemed to make me miss the Profiling so Phoebe could shine. At this moment, the hospital room door opened, and Phoebe came out. Mr. Carter glared at me and quickly asked about the situation. “Your daughter remembers clearly. I sketched the suspect’s appearance based on her description. I’m sure with the suspect’s look, the case will be solved soon.” Phoebe said as she walked, stopping in front of me. “Sister Wang, is something more important than this case? How can you lack professional ethics?” I watched her act quietly. Don’t you know why I was late? Phoebe apologized to Mr. Carter with a face full of pretense. “Sorry, Mr. Carter. I saw Sister Wang wasn’t coming for a long time and was afraid of delaying the case. So, I did the Profiling without authorization. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have come.” My husband immediately patted her shoulder in comfort, ignoring that I was there. “Mr. Carter wouldn’t blame you. You’re capable, so what about rank? If someone hadn’t been negligent, you wouldn’t have had to do the Profiling.” Chapter Two Their intimate interaction was unbearable. Phoebe joined right after graduation and initially followed me. I treated her like a younger sister, but she never wanted to learn. She relied on others, especially my husband, whom she was close to. She caused troubles, and Jasper always covered for her. I advised him, but Jasper said I was an old-fashioned jealous of the newcomer. “Wasn’t everyone once a clueless newcomer? Why can’t you see newcomers doing well?” At that moment, I had a suspicion. Now I see it clearly. I nodded coldly, “You’re right. This case should be Phoebe’s, and she should be the Profiling group leader.” I placed the leader’s badge around her neck. She pretended to refuse. “No, no, I’m not qualified to be the leader.” “Why not! If you hadn’t shown your skills and professionalism today, the case would’ve been delayed. Who else should be the leader?” Jasper, ignoring my presence, hugged her warmly. “Phoebe, you’ve finally come through the clouds to see the moon. Congratulations.” Phoebe smiled brightly, looking at the badge, then glanced at me with disdain. “Now you’re just an irrelevant bystander. Why are you still here?” Jasper pulled her past me, ignoring that I was his wife. As she passed, Phoebe bumped me provocatively. I didn’t care. With her sketch, they’ll never catch the suspect. If I hadn’t read the Case File and analyzed the situation thoroughly. I concluded that in such a setting, the Billionaire’s daughter couldn’t have seen the suspect’s face. A sketch based on her description wasn’t realistic. Such cases are rare here; I’ve only encountered them abroad. For this Profiling, only I can accurately draw the suspect’s portrait nationwide. What Phoebe did was superficial. If they search for the suspect based on her sketch, it’s a waste of police resources and will never solve the case. Her mistake for fame and fortune will have consequences, and I’ll watch her downfall. Back at the office, Jasper reluctantly let go of her hand and stood in front of me. No longer gentle, now cold. “I told you not to overreach. You didn’t listen.” “Now you’ve offended the leaders and Mr. Carter. You might even face punishment.” “I’ll say it now, you’ll amount to nothing in this life.” Just like before. He never appreciated me, thought I didn’t care for the family, and wasn’t exceptional. He didn’t understand my importance in solving cases. Entering the office, I saw Phoebe messing with my Case File. “Since Nora handed the case to me, give me the case materials.” Colleagues focused on their work but listened intently. A newbie taking the Profiling leader’s job is disgraceful. And the leaders approved it. The sneaky sympathetic looks from others. I offended Mr. Carter today, likely hindering my promotion. I didn’t say much, organized the messed-up Case File, and handed her a stack of documents. She raised an eyebrow smugly, but I tossed it at her before she could reach. Her face darkened. Chapter Three Jasper saw this scene and yelled before entering. “Nora, what are you doing! Bullying one person?” I smirked, who dares bully his Junior Sister? “I’m curious. She hasn’t seen the case materials. How did she do the Profiling? If they catch the suspect, fine, but if not…” I paused, seeing her panic. “There’s no room for incompetent people. I suggest you learn some skills. Stepping on others to rise is disgusting.” The words caused a stir. “No wonder she was transferred as a newbie, came through connections.” “She hadn’t seen the case materials before the Profiling?” I didn’t listen further and left. Jasper shouted behind me. “You’re just a bully with no professional ethics. You don’t deserve to be a Profiler.” I ignored him and left. In the elevator, I couldn’t hold back my tears. I switched my major to obscure psychology to be with him. He grew up with a divorced mother, always longing for a family. I gave him security, against my parents’ wishes. Switched majors to work with him back home. The first year, his mom faced a home invasion, nearly stabbed. When she feared the perpetrator’s return, I worked tirelessly, not missing a clue. When he knew, moved to tears, he proposed, promising to protect me forever. I cried with joy, marrying him the next day. Until Phoebe joined. She doubted my analysis for Jasper’s mom’s case, thinking I didn’t ask enough for good Profiling. But Jasper’s mom was too traumatized to recall that night. Privately, she often felt watched, a severe PTSD symptom. I secretly arranged therapy for her. But she eventually took her own life. Phoebe claimed I caused her death. At first, Jasper didn’t believe it. Until a fight revealed he thought I was his mom’s killer. I realized he no longer trusted me. She always questioned my case analysis for Jasper’s mother, saying I didn’t ask enough questions and didn’t properly profile the situation. But Jasper’s mother was too traumatized to relive that night. She confided in me more than once about feeling constantly watched—a severe post-traumatic stress reaction. I secretly arranged psychological treatment for her, but unfortunately, she later took her own life. Phoebe blamed me for her death. Initially, Jasper didn’t believe it, but during an argument, he accused me of being responsible for his mother’s death. That was when I realized he no longer trusted me. Her death weighed heavily on me, and during that time, I couldn’t profile anymore and missed a promotion opportunity. Later, I discovered it was Phoebe who had secretly intimidated Jasper’s mother, warning her that if she couldn’t identify the perpetrator, he would continue to retaliate. As soon as I learned the truth, I told Jasper, but he didn’t believe me, thinking I was trying to blame Phoebe, telling me to learn from Phoebe’s supposed patience. Well, he never wanted to trust me even a little. Since then, he’s been convinced my actions were linked to his mother’s death, no matter how I explained. I shrugged it off and prepared to take a cab home. Then I saw an old man shivering in the cold, selling roasted chestnuts from a basket. I approached him and learned that his son and daughter-in-law were gone, leaving him to care for his grandson while he himself was ill and unable to afford surgery. I bought the rest of his chestnuts and urged him to go home quickly. The old man was moved to tears, thanking me and saying, “You’re a good child, thank you so much; I’ve met a kind person today.” His sincerity touched me. Just moments ago, I had been called worthless and unfit to be a profiler. Carrying the bags of roasted chestnuts, I turned around and saw Jasper and some colleagues heading out for dinner. Phoebe looked at the items in my hands and teased Jasper with a smile. “Ms. Wilson even bought roasted chestnuts for Jasper since she knows he hasn’t eaten.” “Jasper, don’t be upset. Look, Ms. Wilson has a bad temper, but I won’t mind, so don’t get mad at her on my behalf.” I glanced at Phoebe indifferently and didn’t respond. But Jasper seemed to believe I was trying to make amends, raising his head high. “I don’t like roasted chestnuts at all. I’ve been too good to her, and she doesn’t respect others, thinking she can push anyone around. ” The more he spoke, the angrier he got, stepping forward to grab the roasted chestnuts from my hand. “Why are you just standing there? Hurry up and apologize to Phoebe in front of everyone!” I sidestepped him, ignoring his surprised expression, and walked straight past him. Chapter 4 Amidst everyone’s surprised looks, I walked directly to another male colleague. “These roasted chestnuts are still hot. Could you please share them with the colleagues on duty?” Jasper and he have always been rivals. Jasper never let me talk to him. I don’t know what grudge they have. Actually, Officer Milo is excellent at his job and gets along well with almost everyone at work. Jasper was about to ask me angrily when I turned and walked away. But I hadn’t gone far when he grabbed my arm. “Enough already? Talking to Milo right in front of me? Do you think I owe you something?” “You think you’re untouchable now, daring to embarrass me in front of everyone. You’re selfish.” Is this as far as it gets? Feeling embarrassed already? So what am I today? I didn’t want to see Jasper’s twisted, ugly face. It was truly disgusting. I cut him off, “If you can’t stand it, let’s get a divorce.” He stood there stunned, incredulous, and asked, “What did you say? ” I calmly repeated, “Let’s get a divorce!” “Are you crazy? I was just standing for justice, helping Phoebe with a word, and you want a divorce? Do you take marriage as a joke?” “You have no professional ethics, you’re jealous of others, and I haven’t even said anything about you, but you dare to talk about divorce.” “I’ve just spoiled you too much.” Seeing us at daggers drawn, Phoebe quickly came over to intervene. “Ms. Wilson, don’t be impulsive. Jasper is such a good person. How can you embarrass him in public?” “If you really mind me, even though I love it here, I can resign and leave. ” I looked at the two of them pretending to be sincere. I just found it amusing. “No need for you, Junior Sister, to leave. The one who should leave is me.” Jasper’s brow furrowed, knowing I wasn’t joking. Once I made up my mind, nothing could change it. “I really misjudged you, thinking you would always be by my side. I didn’t expect you to be so treacherous.” “Despite me helping you with case reviews every time, do you think you could be a profiler without my help?” Phoebe’s eyes darted between us, seeing her opportunity, she immediately seized it. ” Jasper, even if Ms. Wilson turns a blind eye to your contributions, I will never forget the favor you did for me. I will never let you down; you are my role model.” Her words were so convincing that the onlooking colleagues almost believed her. At that moment, Jasper’s phone rang. It was the Chief’s urgent call. Jasper, holding in his anger, saw it was the Chief calling and immediately boasted loudly. “Open your eyes wide, it’s the Chief calling, maybe the case is solved.” “Just stick to your useless job!” He proudly put the call on speaker, smiling ingratiatingly, about to speak, when the other side cut in with a scolding. “Jasper, get back here now!” “And where’s Phoebe? Not answering the phone! Both of you get back here!” “What kind of profiling did she do? The person arrested following her profiling isn’t the perpetrator! The real culprit just checked into the hospital!” It seems there’s no content provided here for translation. Could you supply the text you need translated? Chapter 5 “How is this possible!” Jasper looked at Phoebe with panic in his eyes. The Chief didn’t bother to argue and directly ordered, “You two hurry back and explain yourselves!” Even after the call ended, Jasper remained in a daze.

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On the day of Ethan’s engagement to my sister, I sat in the front row of the audience. When he saw me, he inexplicably let out a sigh of relief. “Olivia, have you finally had enough? If you apologize to me, I’ll…” All the guests were terrified, not knowing who he was talking to. Because I was already dead. Today was the seventh day after my death. 0 The day before I died, Ethan broke up with me. Because he was going to get engaged to my sister. I gathered my courage and asked him, “Ethan, can you not marry her?” Ethan’s dark eyebrows furrowed, his expression very displeased, his large hand gripping my waist tightly. “Olivia, if you need money just say so. This act is nauseating.” “Don’t forget why you exist.” “You like money that much? You like stealing from others? How cheap can you be?” My expression became dejected. I hadn’t forgotten. My existence was because my sister Sophia had a heart condition and couldn’t do strenuous activities. But my parents didn’t want to miss this opportunity to climb the social ladder through Ethan. So they made me, the “debt collector,” replace my sister in “serving” Ethan. Yes, that’s right, serve. A completely unequal term. But when there’s such a huge disparity in wealth and power, when even my birth parents don’t treat me as a person, concepts like human rights and women’s rights all become meaningless. “Your sister will recover and be discharged from the hospital soon. She can get engaged and married.” “You fake, get lost quickly. Don’t dream of stealing your sister’s golden goose.” “Look at your sister’s fate, and look at yours. How dare you even think you deserve this?” My mother’s cursing voice echoed in my ears. My heart ached dully. I gave a faint smile and hugged Ethan’s neck tightly. “Mm, I am a bit short on money. Give me another 500,000 then.” The dim light hid the tears in my eyes. No one believed that I, the substitute, truly loved Ethan. “Watching you get engaged, I want to turn over a new leaf too.” “Consider this money as a dowry for my years of companionship.” 0

The day I died. Ethan really had a bad temper. After hearing me say I wanted to marry someone else, he immediately turned cold, got up and left, leaving me feeling empty inside and out. Afterwards, he gave me two options: “Take back what you just said, or get out.” He often made me choose before, usually between “apologize or get out.” I usually chose the first option. After all, when he said get out, he really meant stand outside the door all night. But this time, I decisively chose the second option. Before pretending to cheerfully jump out of bed to pack my luggage, I kissed Ethan’s lips lingeringly, forcing a bright smile. “Ethan, thank you for taking care of me these three years. Goodbye.” Aside from the things Ethan had given me, I really didn’t have many personal belongings. After all… someone without a home to return to doesn’t dare to have too many possessions. By the time I finished packing, it was almost dawn. I pulled my suitcase, tiptoeing out of the bedroom. Ethan was already dressed in his loungewear, waiting for me in the living room. He tossed me a 500,000 breakup check, his expression more grim than I’d ever seen. His eyes trembled, his thin lips parting, surprisingly speaking once more: “Olivia, if you apologize to me now, you can still change your mind.” “Didn’t you want money? I’ll give it to you.” The effect of these words was no different than a meteor striking Earth, shocking me so much I almost dropped my suitcase. Ethan, the young master of the Xing family. It was always others bowing and scraping, offering every opportunity to beg for his mercy. When had he ever taken the initiative to give someone a way out, letting them back down? But no matter how great an honor, I never intended to take this way out, Ethan. “Brother-in-law, I wish you and my sister a happy marriage.” Offering sincere blessings, I turned around with a smile. Then, tears streamed down my face. My fingers gripped the suitcase handle tightly, turning white. I laughed through my tears. It’s fine. I may have lost my love, but I gained 500,000. It’s enough for Grandma Rose’s surgery. She can live healthily for a long time. Live for a long time. 0

I died. The soup of forgetfulness was a bit bland. “No green onions, it doesn’t taste good, Grandma Meng.” I looked up at the Goddess of Forgetfulness, forcing a pale smile. “Grandma, have you seen my Grandma Rose? She should be just ahead of me, about half an hour.” “You could… learn from her…” Two streams of bloody tears flowed down my cheeks as I smiled mournfully, my heart breaking. “The soup she makes is the best-tasting in the world.” “She’s also the only person in the world who truly cares for me.” “It’s my fault I couldn’t save her, but why, Grandma? I was just one step away, just one step…” Grandma Meng’s pitch-black eyes stared at me silently. Then she stroked my head. Though her touch was icy, I felt a warmth flow into me. “Child, you did your best.” A white light flashed before my eyes, and when I opened them again, I had returned to the mortal world. I became an earth-bound spirit, confined within a five-meter radius of Ethan. 0

The first day after death. I floated in the air, watching Ethan work with nothing better to do. Ethan was still handsome, his suit jacket draped over the chair back, white shirt sleeves rolled up to reveal half of his muscular forearms. The cufflinks were ones I had picked out. But what use was it? No matter how well I served him, I was still just a substitute for my sister. After all, just look – what kind of life did my sister have, and what kind of life did I have? To Ethan, my sister was his only childhood sweetheart, the delicate princess he had protected as they grew up. How could he bear to let her do these trivial, housekeeper-like chores? He had no qualms about ordering me around, this debt collector that my parents didn’t love. But Ethan seemed to be waiting for some news today. He kept not receiving it. He frequently picked up his phone, unlocked it, checked it, then angrily tossed it aside. Especially as it got close to the end of the workday, his face was so dark it could almost drip ink. How strange. But to be fair, without me reminding him every day to eat on time, pay attention to the weather, share trivial matters. He really didn’t have many messages. I guess I used to be such a chatterbox. No wonder he found me annoying.

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My mom jumped off a building, and her blood splattered on my face. My stepmom, heavily pregnant, collapsed into the pool of blood, sobbing, “Professor! I wronged you! I’ll return your husband to you! I’ll give him back to you!” With tear-filled eyes, my dad helped her up. “You’re carrying my child. Please, don’t harm yourself!” As I watched them embrace and cry, I suffered a heart attack and fell into my stepbrother’s arms. My stepbrother, unsure how to comfort me, said, “The departed can’t return. You need to accept and find peace.” I pressed my face against my stepbrother’s chest, hiding the hatred etched on my own. Years later, as I looked at my former stepmom’s body, carrying my stepbrother’s child, I repeated the same words to him. “The departed can’t return. Brother, you need to accept and find peace!” 1. Six months after my stepmom moved in, all of my mom’s belongings suddenly vanished. I approached my stepmom, but before I could ask anything, she cried out, “Hazel, stop!” and collapsed, screaming. The door clicked open at that moment. I looked up and met my dad’s shocked eyes. My stepmom lay on the floor, clutching her pregnant belly with one hand and grabbing me with the other, crying desperately. “Hazel, wait until I give birth. You can do whatever you want to me, but please, spare the child inside me! He’s your dear brother! I’m begging you…” Her voice grew weaker, and a chill ran through my heart. “What are you talking about? I didn’t even touch you! It was you who…” “Hazel Bennett!” My dad’s shout interrupted me. He rushed over, picked up my sweating stepmom, and looked at me, gritting his teeth. “Last night, your aunt offered to organize your mom’s belongings so you could keep them safe. I agreed, but now…” He held my stepmom and walked out, instructing the nanny, “Chris! Throw away all of the previous Mrs. Bennett’s belongings! Don’t keep a single thing!” My mind was in turmoil as I lunged forward, pleading, “Dad, don’t! Don’t throw away mom’s things, they’re all I have left!” He turned to look at me. “Just because you have a heart condition, your stepmom has been extremely patient and careful with you, even while pregnant.” “And you?” “It’s because your mom didn’t raise you well that you’re so ungrateful and repay kindness with resentment!” Seeing me clutching my chest, struggling to breathe, he coldly said, “If this happens again, you’ll have to move out!” Dad hurried away, carrying my stepmom. I stood frozen, unable to move. What did I just hear? Dad wants to kick me out? He even said I’m ungrateful and repay kindness with resentment? I shivered with fear, suddenly lifting my head to watch their retreating figures. And as I looked up, I saw my stepmom’s face turn back. She leaned on my dad’s shoulder, moaning in pain, but her face showed a secretive, happy smile, mouthing the words to me: “Poor little wretch.” 2. That night, my stepmom gave birth to a healthy baby boy at the hospital. The next day, I was ordered to apologize to her. When only the two of us were left in the hospital room, she glanced at me and finally revealed a contemptuous and arrogant expression. “Aren’t you going to apologize?” “I didn’t push you! And I won’t apologize for a child who should never have existed!” “How can you call your own brother a child without legitimacy?” She said seriously, “Indeed, this child was conceived before your parents divorced, but now I’m your dad’s legitimate wife! He’s a legitimate son!” I gritted my teeth, “Do you remember my mom was your Professor?” “Of course, because your mom was my mentor, I should take better care of her husband and you!” I almost vomited, but she couldn’t suppress the smile on her face any longer, speaking ambiguously and with delight, “Otherwise, wouldn’t it be pitiful for him to have no woman to hold on long lonely nights?” She glanced at me, feigning surprise, covering her mouth in mock horror, “Oh! Sorry! I forgot you’re still a student. I shouldn’t talk about such inappropriate things…” She looked at me innocently and apologetically, then giggled. My hands and feet went cold. The dirtiest and most venomous insults were stuck in my throat, powerless in front of this devil. Before my stepmom could finish laughing, the door suddenly swung open. A tall boy with a backpack walked in. My stepmom hurriedly hid her expression and turned back with a very gentle smile, calling out to the newcomer, “Asher.” Asher, my stepmom and her ex-husband’s son. It’s said he’s never placed anything but first since birth. He’s only a high school sophomore, yet top 10 universities nationwide are already competing for him, and he’s even made a name for himself through entrepreneurship. When they first moved into my house, I glimpsed the corner of a box. It was filled with competition gold medals. Golden and dazzling, just like Asher is to my stepmom, a shining gold crown. It gives her confidence to be arrogant and radiant anytime, anywhere. —It’s so blinding. It makes one want to… rip it off her head! He put down a thermos, then glanced at me, “Why is she here?” My stepmom sighed, “It’s about that misunderstanding. Though Hazel pushed me, it’s still my fault. Your uncle insists she apologizes, but I said it’s unnecessary…” “Then you should leave. I don’t think my mom needs your apology.” Asher interrupted her. I looked up to meet his cold eyes, biting my lip, turning to the stepmom, “What about my mom’s belongings…” But I stopped, shoulders slumping, and mumbled softly, “Never mind.” 3. That night, after leaving the hospital, I went to the garbage dump in the residential area. After searching for two hours in the piles of garbage, Asher suddenly appeared. He scolded me for not being careful and disregarding my health. After scolding, he stayed to help me search through the trash. I don’t understand why he did this. We worked all night, only finding a broken photo frame. I took it, carefully wiping off the dirt. Inside the frame was a candid shot of my mom. That day she came to pick me up from school. But because of a small argument, I was sulking with her. So when I saw her at the school gate, I didn’t say a word, deliberately walking ahead with some classmates, laughing loudly. Only after parting with them did I casually look back. My mom was there, silent and gloomy, but she never lost sight of me, like a quiet shadow. But I knew she wasn’t my shadow; she was my guardian angel. Even when I was stubborn and often argued with her, she loved me deeply. Why did I always argue with her? Why was I so mean? I was a bad child. And it was for this bad child that she got so worried, easily believed that woman’s threats, and met such a tragic end! “Shouldn’t those things have been thrown away together in a bag? Why did we only find one frame?” What else could it be? Someone guessed I’d come looking, so they instructed the nanny to scatter the items separately. Even after just giving birth, my stepmom had the energy to assign tasks to the nanny. I sneered internally, but outwardly I just said, “If your aunt finds out you helped me search through trash, she won’t be pleased.” “My mom isn’t like that. She has already forgiven you for what happened yesterday, and we all believe you didn’t push her.” I glanced at him. Moonlight shone on the young man’s face. His expression was slightly indifferent, but his eyes held a faint concern. It’s strange how such a venomous stepmother could have such a child. Is he smart? He believes whatever his mom says. Is he dumb? Yet he seems destined for greatness, a super genius. I guess, until the baby grows up, Asher will always be the golden crown on my stepmom’s head, won’t he? He might even shine brighter, making her more audacious. I thought about this and suddenly grabbed Asher’s sleeve. “Brother.” He looked at me in surprise. They had lived in my house for six months, and I had never called him brother. But I kept my head down, looking at the photo of my mom, gently saying, “It doesn’t matter if others believe me or not, as long as you do.” I called him “Brother” again. Asher smiled, patting my head like a real brother, affectionately calling me, “Hazel.” 4. That weekend, the garbage trucks hauled away all the trash, ending our garbage mountain ordeal. During this time, thanks to my stepmom’s “special instructions,” Asher accompanied me almost every night to sneak out in search of those scattered belongings. We searched through the trash in the silent nights, pretending not to know each other during the day. While my stepmom was in the hospital, she often had my dad call me there. She claimed it was to let me see my brother more and bond with him. But whenever we were alone, she’d keep telling me, “The family’s estate will all belong to your brother~” She’d also say, “If you could be a good nanny to my little son and let him ride you like a horse, I’ll let him give you some money as a dowry in the future, how about that?” Seeing her so high and mighty, with a smug and wild expression, I’d always “tremble with rage.” Only after she had her fill of flaunting and bullying would I sling my bag and leave the hospital. She didn’t know that while she was “mentally abusing” me, her most prized son, Asher, waited for me at the hospital entrance. He didn’t seem to like his newborn brother much, spending little time in the hospital room. But he’d wait for me downstairs for a long time. “What’s so fun about the kid? You never want to leave.” He thought I liked that brat. I’d look at him with a smile and nod, saying he’s cute. Every time, Asher would shake his head, unable to understand. Then he’d take me out to eat, visit bookstores, and even go to shops girls like, letting me pick whatever I wanted. He’d tell me not to save his money. “I’ve already made quite a bit, don’t tell my mom.” He looked somewhat proud, and I’d happily swipe his card. He’s so good to me, more and more like a brother who dotes on his sister. [Are kids really that fun? You always seem reluctant to leave.] He assumed I liked that little rascal. I always smiled at him, nodding and saying, “Adorable.” Whenever I did, Asher would shake his head, looking puzzled. Then he’d take me out to eat, visit bookstores, and even go to jewelry stores that girls love. He’d tell me to buy whatever I liked. “Don’t try to save money for me.” He looked a bit smug, and I delightedly used his card. He treated me so well, more and more like a brother who dotes on his sister. This also meant that the leverage I had was increasing. When I spent most of his savings on a luxury watch for myself, he was displeased. “The diamonds are too small. I’ll get you a better one next time.” I touched the watch, blushing and smiling. Because… the moment had arrived! — On the day my stepmom returned arrogantly with the little brat, I “coincidentally” got bullied by some mean girls at the school gate. I twisted my ankle when I fell, was covered in bruises, and couldn’t walk. What to do? Call my brother. Seeing my sorry state made him furious. He asked who did it, but I wouldn’t say. So, he carried me to the hospital. After a series of checks, medication, and ice packs, it was quite late. When we got out of the car at the residential area gate, I wanted to hop back home myself. But Asher scolded me, so I let him carry me. As we got closer to home, I pretended to be “nervous.” “What if my aunt gets upset seeing you carrying me?” “Why would she? What do you think my mom is like?” Asher laughed, “You just don’t know her, that’s why you’re scared. She’s actually very simple and kind.” I felt a bit queasy but held onto his neck tighter, nuzzling his shoulder affectionately. “I trust you, brother.” A few minutes later. In the villa living room. Asher carried me into my stepmom’s sight. The table full of dishes had long gone cold. Stepmom sat in front of the empty table, staring at our close figures in disbelief, her expression almost terrifying. Asher paused, “What’s going on?” “Don’t you know tonight is your brother’s one-month celebration?” Stepmom’s voice was extremely strained, like a string about to snap. “I waited for you for three hours. Why are you back so late?” Asher frowned, “Waiting for me? You should’ve eaten. Hazel sprained her ankle today, so I took her to the hospital for a check-up. Thankfully, there was no fracture… I need to find out who pushed her when I go to school tomorrow…” Adding fuel to the fire. As I almost laughed out loud, stepmom finally slammed the table, nearly shouting, “Today is your brother’s one-month celebration! Your own brother!!!” The baby in the crib was startled and started crying. But Asher frowned, “Mom, what do you mean? Of course, Guoguo is my brother, but Hazel is also my sister. Her injury is obviously more important than some inconsequential one-month celebration.” I laughed heartily inside. Stepmom shook with anger, pointing at him, “Inconsequential? Are you out of your mind? Can’t even tell who’s close or distant…” She glared at me with red eyes, and I quickly hid my hand on Asher’s shoulder in a panic. The light from the watch flickered briefly. Stepmom’s expression froze as she sharply said, “What is that?!” I ‘trembled slightly’ on Asher’s back, not daring to speak. Stepmom stormed over, ignoring Asher’s retreat, aggressively grabbing my hand. The delicately beautiful watch appeared in front of her eyes, but the next second, Asher turned around and dodged. “Mom! What are you doing? I bought the watch for Hazel!” “You bought her a watch? You only gave your brother a silver bracelet worth a few hundred bucks since he was born, but you bought her a watch worth tens of thousands?!” Stepmom’s eyes were red, and she screamed, “Asher, are you crazy?!” Certainly! Here’s the adapted translation: — I curled up on Asher’s back, trembling, but I was smiling inside. Asher was tense and about to speak when footsteps suddenly echoed from upstairs. It was my dad coming down. The conflict abruptly ceased.

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The criminal tortured me to death while my father, a leading detective, and my mother, the chief forensic pathologist, were with my sister Lydia at her competition. A criminal that my dad had once apprehended sought revenge by cutting out my tongue and using my phone to call him. My dad said just one thing before hanging up: “Whatever happens, Lydia’s competition is the priority today!” The criminal laughed bitterly, “Seems like I kidnapped the wrong person. I thought they’d care more about their own flesh and blood!” At the crime scene, my parents were horrified by the gruesome condition of the body, angrily condemning the killer’s brutality. Yet, they didn’t realize that the person who died such a tragic death was their own daughter. …… My body was discovered in an abandoned building. Construction workers, unable to stop vomiting, called the police. My parents rushed from Nora’s celebration to the crime scene. The forensic specialist frowned, signaling them to put on masks. Dad, a top detective, and Mom, the best forensic pathologist in the city, had seen many crime scenes, but even they were shaken when they saw the body. In the sweltering summer heat, the body had swelled like a giant. The face was smashed beyond recognition, making identification impossible. Covered in bruises, the head was barely attached to the neck. The severely decomposed body emitted a nauseating stench. Mom closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and put on gloves to begin the preliminary examination. Her eyes showed a pity that I had never received from her in life. I watched uneasily as she removed the blood-stained ring from my hand. I had made identical rings for my family, but because it didn’t fit Nora, my parents had scolded me. “All you do is cause trouble, deliberately picking on your sister!” “Lydia, even though you are our biological daughter, Nora has been with us for eighteen years. She will always be more important than you!” Even though their angry words still echoed in my ears, I believed my parents still loved me. Surely, they would recognize the gift I gave them! But Mom just unemotionally signaled her assistant to put the ring into an evidence bag. I shouldn’t have expected anything. In my parents’ hearts, I never existed, even though I am their biological daughter. My brother said our parents adopted Nora because they couldn’t find me after I was taken. They still loved me the most. But when I returned home, there was no place for me anymore. I felt like an intruder. After examining the crime scene, Dad sighed and asked Mom, “What’s the situation with this body?” Mom took off her gloves, rubbing her furrowed brow, “The deceased is estimated to be around 20 years old. Preliminary cause of death is a throat cut, after prolonged torture.” “The method is extremely cruel, and the social impact is severe. We need to solve the case quickly before public opinion escalates.” My dad lit a cigarette, taking a deep drag as if he was troubled. Even in death, I seemed to be causing more trouble for my parents. The forensic specialist reminded, “The killer hasn’t been caught. Remind your family to be careful. You have two girls at home; don’t let them go out at night.” Mom said impatiently, “Nora is always obedient, but I can’t control Lydia.” The forensic specialist, an old classmate of my parents, naturally knew our family’s situation. Dad was rubbing his right shoulder. The forensic specialist noticed and asked, “Old Lin, is your shoulder acting up again?” Dad waved it off, “It’s nothing, just using the patch Lydia bought…” Saying this, he froze. The so-called disobedient daughter cared deeply for their health. The forensic specialist patted Dad on the back, “Be kinder to Lydia. After all, she’s your biological daughter.” Dad shook his head, “The other day, Nora’s tennis match was coming up, and she kept asking Lydia to watch. But she didn’t even answer her phone. Nora was so disappointed she only got third place.” “Lydia hasn’t been home for days. Who knows if she’s dead somewhere? It’s not the same raising someone else’s child.” Listening to my parents’ accusations, I felt like I was plunged into an icy cave. Mom and Dad, it’s not that I don’t want to come home. I just can’t anymore. The ungrateful child you speak of died the day you accompanied Nora to her tennis match. My body is right in front of you.

At the case discussion, after hearing Mom’s autopsy report, the officers present had solemn expressions. Because of my horrific death, facial recognition was impossible. The abandoned building where my body was dumped wasn’t the first crime scene, making it much harder to solve. Dad instructed his officers to search for suspicious individuals near the location where my body was found. “Please have the forensic team examine the body again to see if there’s anything new. Send the extracted DNA to the lab as soon as possible,” Dad told Mom before rushing off with his team. My parents seemed to care more for the corpse than for me. Mom once caressed Nora’s hair, saying forensic work gives a voice to the dead, a noble profession. I remember Nora nodding in agreement, only to wipe her hair in disgust when Mom turned away. That time, I slapped Nora, but Dad punished me by shaving my head. Now, Mom gently touched my hair, whispering, “To die so tragically, the family must be heartbroken.” I smirked bitterly. My family would probably be happy about my death. Maybe only my brother would be a little sad. Mom’s gloved hand ran across my back. There were large burn scars from when I was kidnapped. When I was brought home, Mom was both surprised and displeased, “What happened to your back? It’s disgusting. Don’t scare Nora.” Could Mom have recognized me through these scars? I bit my lip nervously, sweating at the temple. But the next second, Mom casually said, “These aren’t from this time.” The assistant suddenly exclaimed, “Sister Zhang, there’s a piece of paper in the victim’s stomach!” Mom’s eyes widened, sighing softly, “It’s been corroded by stomach acid. Let’s see if the forensic department can analyze it later.” Her phone suddenly rang—it was Nora’s favorite song. Mom took off her gloves, hurrying to the hallway, speaking in the gentlest voice, “Sweetheart, what’s up? Mommy’s working.” “Tomorrow? Really?” Mom paused, then promised, “Dad and I will definitely be there to cheer you on. Your brother is away on a business trip and can’t make it.” Nora’s playful voice echoed in my ears, “Love you, Mom! I still hope Lydia can come watch my match. With her encouragement, I’ll definitely win.” “Even if she doesn’t want to come, it’s understandable. After all, I’ve been hogging your and Dad’s love for so many years.” Though she and I never got along, Nora loved to put on a show of sisterly affection in front of our parents. Based on past experience, Mom was probably about to scold me again. Sure enough, Mom’s voice rose, “You’re Dad’s and my darling. Lydia is nothing! Stealing from the family and bullying you behind our backs, she’s not fit to be my daughter.” “Don’t worry, even if she breaks her leg, I’ll make sure she wheels herself to watch your match!” Nora laughed sweetly, “Dad called me today, reminding me to be safe. Mom, if you have time, remind Lydia too.” “Take care of yourself. As long as Lydia doesn’t die in front of me, who cares where she goes to mess around?” Mom always spoke with disdain when mentioning me. Maybe it’s because the daughter they found had been raised poorly, not meeting their standards. After they found me, they never even bothered to change my last name. To them, their only daughter was Nora. While they worried about Nora’s safety, no one remembered I was their biological daughter. If they knew the reason for my death, I wonder how they would react. After all, my death was orchestrated by Nora, and it involved them too.

Gently telling Nora to rest early, Mom received a call from my brother. “Nolan, when will you finish your business trip? Your sister is waiting for you to watch her match!” Mom asked before my brother could speak. The day I was brought back home, my parents were comforting a crying Nora, but only my brother took my hand, telling me not to be afraid. The only warmth I felt at home came from him. My brother was taken aback on the other end of the line, “Is it Lydia’s math competition? Isn’t that next month…” Mom, annoyed, interrupted, “Lydia, Lydia! Nora is the sister you’ve spent years with! I’ve told you countless times, Lydia was raised poorly outside. She’s not fit to be part of our family.” My brother sighed, seemingly unable to understand Mom’s hostility towards me, “Mom, you shouldn’t always believe everything Nora says. Lydia is kind and hardworking. If you paid more attention to her, you would see that.” “I just tried calling Lydia. She didn’t answer, and she hasn’t replied to my messages from days ago. Isn’t she home?” Mom scoffed, coldly saying, “Her legs are her own. Do you expect me to tie her down? I suspect she’s out messing around again. Tomorrow is Nora’s tennis match. If you can’t make it, fine.” Pausing, she added harshly, “Tell Lydia if she doesn’t come to watch Nora’s tennis match tomorrow, she shouldn’t bother coming back. It’s better without her in the house anyway!” Ignoring my brother’s attempts to defend me, she hung up the phone coldly. Dad returned with his team, seeing Mom’s displeased expression, and asked, “Is the body giving you a hard time?” Mom shook her head, complaining, “It’s Lydia again, probably calling Nolan to complain. Now her brother is playing this disappearance game with her.” I paused for a moment, and My mom sharply remarked, “Tell Lydia to stop playing dead or vanishing. If she doesn’t attend Nora’s tennis match tomorrow, she should never come back. Frankly, it’s better without her at home!” Ignoring My brother’s attempts to defend me on the other end of the call, she hung up the phone coldly. Dad returned with his team and noticed My mom’s displeasure. Curious, he asked, “Is the case giving you trouble?” Mom shook her head, complaining, “It’s Lydia again. She’s probably complaining to Nolan, and now Her brother is playing disappearing games with her.” Dad sighed deeply, frustrated. “They know we’re busy with work, yet they pull these unnecessary stunts. So immature! I’ll call her and set things straight!” But no matter how many times he tried, the calls went unanswered. “Rebellious daughter, it’s almost better if she doesn’t come back. All she does is cause trouble!” The forensic specialist, who had been listening, sighed, “Remember when Little Lydia was abducted, and you both took a year off to find her? How did it come to this, where now that she’s back, it’s like she’s an enemy?” I couldn’t help but press my lips together, a bitterness rising within me. Because the one they found and brought back was me, an awkward, timid country girl. When I was found at fifteen, in the grand living room, my Parents were comforting a sobbing Nora patiently. I stood there awkwardly in patched-up clothes, staring down at the rubber shoes with a toe poking out. When Nora saw me, she stopped crying and asked with feigned innocence, “Who’s this little beggar?” My Parents’ faces darkened instantly, but not because of Nora. It was because I wasn’t the Daughter they had imagined. “Officer Lin, Medical Examiner Blake, I’ve checked the records. There have been no reports of missing persons in recent days,” an Officer approached with the report. “A Daughter goes missing and the family doesn’t even notice. Could it be their relationship is bad?” “Are there really Parents like that? Not caring about their kid at all!” Hearing the whispers around me, I couldn’t help but feel a deep sadness. The weight of sorrow enveloped me, making it hard to breathe. My Parents would feel for the deceased’s parents who didn’t report their child missing in time. But they never considered if I was safe during the days I was gone. Back when I was abducted, they even left work to find me. Now they suspect my disappearance is just a stunt to get their attention. Maybe from the start, when I was found, I shouldn’t have returned to the Lin household. This was Nora’s home, not mine. The years my Parents cared about me were long occupied by Nora. The affection and love that should have been mine would never tilt toward me again. My mom handed the acid-corroded paper to the forensic specialist. She rubbed her sore back, sighing as she spoke to Dad, “I hope this paper brings some results. Did you remind Little Nora to lock the doors?” Dad nodded gravely, hesitating before speaking, “Wife, what if something really happened to Lydia? She’s not answering, and Nolan hasn’t responded either. Should I have someone investigate…?” My mom interrupted, annoyed, “Enough! Don’t you know her by now? She’s hiding, waiting for us to find her! It’s not the first time she’s done this.” “She just doesn’t want to go to Nora’s game. By tomorrow, she’ll be calling us in tears to apologize.” The last time I went missing, it was during summer break when Nora locked me in the school bathroom. The school was empty during the holidays; no one could hear my cries for help. I exerted all my strength to climb out, filthy and with a twisted ankle, and walked home. What awaited me was Dad’s large palm and My mom’s scolding. “Nora said she saw you go to a motel with some thug? How did I raise such a shameless thing like you!” I couldn’t defend myself, only watch as Nora secretly smirked in triumph. My brother applied ointment for me, gently advising, “It’s not that Mom and Dad don’t love you; they just don’t know how to relate to you.” But I knew that compared to the smart and clever Nora, I, who wasn’t articulate, would never receive my Parents’ attention. The scales of affection always tip toward the one they love more. Sadly, that person isn’t me. If I were still alive, I would be the one making nourishing soups for them to take to the station when work kept them from coming home. But unfortunately, this time, I can’t appear and apologize as my Parents expect. After all, I’m just a dead person. The forensic results came out quickly; the paper was a receipt. The killer, in contempt, forced the paper into my mouth, making me swallow it: “Bought this for your Parents? They’d probably just throw it in the trash.” Dad, puzzled, asked, “Where is this place?” The forensic specialist hesitated, then said, “I checked. It’s a place that sells charms and blessing bags.” When my Parents and other Officers entered the shop, the shopkeeper jumped in surprise. She took the tattered receipt, looked at the numbers in the upper right corner, and flipped through the orders. “A young girl came to buy it some time ago, said it was for her Parents because their work is dangerous.” “But she never came to pick it up, and there was no answer when we called.” Saying this, the shopkeeper took out two red blessing bags, whispering, “The words ‘peace and joy, long life’ are on them, symbolizing safety and longevity.” Dad took the blessing bags, sighed, and asked, “Do you still have the surveillance footage from then?” The shopkeeper nodded, “The girl was very quiet, took a long time choosing the style for her Parents’ blessing bags. I remember her clearly.” But when the footage played, all the Officers present fell silent. My mom swallowed hard, staring at the screen, “Why does this girl look so much like Lydia?” The shopkeeper heard this and said, “Lydia? That’s the name on the order!” Dad’s expression wasn’t good either, trying to remain calm, “Maybe it’s just someone with the same name. Lydia must be hiding, laughing at us somewhere!” “Shopkeeper, are you in cahoots with Lydia, daring to mess with the police?” The phone suddenly rang, and My mom answered shakily, “Little Lee?” The examination department’s voice was urgent: “Sister Blake, we have the DNA test results of the deceased.” I’m sorry, but it seems there isn’t any specific Chinese text given for translation. Could you please provide the text you’d like translated? 5 My mom seemed to sense something was wrong. She clutched Dad’s arm, her nails pressing into his skin. “The deceased is your daughter, Lydia.”

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Boyfriend said he never traveled as a child. I secretly researched travel guides, hoping to share the experience with him. But I unexpectedly discovered his travel account. It turns out he’s a travel blogger with millions of followers. And he’s a couple’s blogger at that. In every video, he’s closely accompanied by his childhood sweetheart, inseparable. His latest video? They’re getting married in three days. In the video, the girl lifts her skirt and runs hand in hand with the guy at dusk. It’s truly passionate and bold. They end up showing a wedding invitation with blissful faces. The invitation says their wedding is in three days, and they will livestream it, inviting all their fans to witness their beautiful moment. The names on the invitation are Jasper and Adeline. The video ends, and the next one auto-plays. They’re visiting famous landmarks. Their account has over a thousand videos, all capturing their beautiful travels together. I stare at the screen, unable to believe my eyes. The Jasper on the invitation is my boyfriend of five years, and Adeline is his childhood friend. Jasper always told me he didn’t like traveling. He said his poor childhood made travel seem unattainable, like a luxury. So for five years, we never traveled, rarely even went out. Once, I wanted to help him get over it and secretly planned for a long time. When he found out, he got furious: “If you want to play, go to an amusement park yourself. Why force me to travel with you? Don’t you ever think about what I want?” I apologized, holding my torn notes, and swore never to bring it up again. But a week ago, I overheard Jasper talking to a friend on the phone. He said he was going to the seaside and asked for recommendations. My heart raced, thinking it was a surprise for me. I happily cooked a feast, opened wine, and bought gifts, waiting for him to announce the good news. But he didn’t even look at me. Just said, “I’m going on a business trip,” and left with his luggage. Now, in the video, they’re embracing by the sea. I finally understand. It’s not that he doesn’t like traveling; he just doesn’t want to travel with me. I obsessively click through all their videos. Jasper talks about those places so fluently and calmly, detailing the history and culture more thoroughly than my week-long research. He doesn’t seem like someone who has a grudge against traveling. The pain stabs my chest, making it hard to breathe. I scroll through quickly. The earlier videos are crude, their outfits less refined, showing the long time span. The first video was posted five years ago, when we just got together. They both look a bit young and innocent. I even remember the first time I met them. Adeline shyly introduced herself in Jasper’s arms, “Hi, I’m Adeline, and this is Jasper.” Jasper smiled and recited a poem: “Old memories often thought of, finally often seen.” It’s a poem made with their names. But what about me? What am I? With trembling hands, I want to forward the video to Jasper and ask why he did this. But then I hear a click. The door opens, and Jasper is home.

He walks in cheerfully, smiling from ear to ear. As if he just experienced something wonderful. “Sorry, Cora, I have to go on a business trip during the holiday again. Can’t be with you.” “Our boss just loves using me for everything, doesn’t even let me spend time with you.” “Help me pack, we need to leave soon.” I scrutinize his expression. Calm and composed, no hint of guilt for lying to me. He’s even urging me to pack his luggage. “Cora, do you remember where you put the suit you bought me last year? I can’t find it.” “And pick a few ties for me, I’ll need them for work.” A strong wave of nausea surges in me, like a tide ready to swallow me whole. He’s going to wear the clothes I bought, with ties I chose, to marry Adeline. For a moment, I don’t know whether I’m more pitiful or Adeline is. Seeing my cold expression, Jasper thinks I’m upset about him leaving, throwing a little tantrum. He sighs, softening his tone slightly, “Cora, be good. I don’t want to leave, but work is important. I’ll be back soon.” His lame excuse makes me want to laugh. I push him away. Jasper’s job is a cultural relics restorer, often going to remote places for large restoration projects. I used to complain about this and his boss. Now, it seems I misjudged. Seeing me still cold, Jasper loses patience, frowning, “Adeline and I are just friends. Do you have to nitpick over something so small?” “It’s been so long, and you still doubt us?” He didn’t need to remind me. A month ago, Jasper said he was on a work trip restoring ancient buildings. That night, I heard there was a landslide, and everyone was out of contact. I immediately bought the nearest flight, worried sick. When I got there, I found Jasper comforting Adeline, who was nestled in his arms. Her eyes were wet, yet there was a challenging glint in them. That led to our most intense fight in five years. Jasper downplayed it, saying they just ran into each other. His colleagues vouched for him, “We can testify, Jasper was just comforting her. Don’t overthink it.” But secretly, I’ve seen them giving Jasper and Adeline knowing looks, as if guarding a shared secret. Since then, Jasper and I have been in a cold war, still ongoing. Jasper sees me silent, compromising, “Cora, I want to be with you, but my job doesn’t allow it. Work is important, you understand, right?” I grip my phone, itching to open their account and ask if this is his idea of work. But reason suppresses the urge. I will expose them, but not here. I’ll do it at their wedding. I’ll lay bare all their past, in front of everyone important to them. I won’t take this lying down.

After Jasper leaves, I start gathering evidence. I make a PowerPoint from our entire history since Jasper pursued me, saved on a USB. Then I mark all his business trip dates against their video uploads. They completely overlap. In the past five years, about 80% of Jasper’s trips were romantic getaways with Adeline. After finishing, there’s one day left before their wedding. I book a stylist for an at-home trial. We choose a black dress. Its sleek cut is sharp, the skirt flaring slightly, like a rose blooming at night. Bright yet dangerous. During my makeup trial, Jasper video calls, checking in as usual. Seeing my look, he’s a bit surprised, “Didn’t you always like a casual style? Why so sharp today?” I answer calmly, “I’m supporting a friend tomorrow, need something to hold its ground. This outfit is perfect. Do you think I look good?” Jasper smiles genuinely, “You look great, my dear looks good in anything.” I smile back. Hope he can say the same tomorrow. Based on the invitation from the video, I locate their wedding hotel. There’s traffic. By the time I arrive, it’s packed. They’ve put a lot into this wedding, inviting not just family and friends, but loads of fellow bloggers and fans. Cameras are set up everywhere, seems they want to record this beautiful moment forever. I smirk, brushing my hair back, and stride in. This wedding is worth recording. I’ll give them an unforgettable surprise. I pay $250 for a gift, then find an inconspicuous corner to sit. Maybe my makeup is too striking, people keep glancing my way, whispering nonstop. The murmurs grow louder, loud enough for Jasper, busy helping Adeline with her dress, to look my way. The moment our eyes meet, his face turns pale. He drops Adeline and rushes over, panicked, “Cora, why are you here? Let me explain, it’s not what you think.” I don’t answer, instead slowly rising and twirling in my dress, “Jasper, you said you liked this yesterday, still like it today?” He bites his lip, nervous, whispering, “You’re mistaken, Adeline and I are nothing. I’m not marrying her.” “She’s a signed influencer with a short video company, I’m just helping her film, there’s nothing between us.” He hurriedly pulls out his phone to show me. The account’s real name is Adeline’s. It’s not his. But what does that prove? I didn’t respond. Instead, I lifted my dress and slowly twirled around. “Jasper, you said you liked this outfit yesterday. Do you still like it today?” He bit his lip, looking tense, and whispered, “You’ve got it wrong. There’s nothing between Adeline and me. I didn’t marry her.”

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