I’ve been able to see ghosts since I was a child. I can’t speak to them, only watch. On our fifth wedding anniversary, I prepared a whole table of food and waited for my husband Ethan to come home. When I looked up, I saw his ghost. He was curled up in the corner of the living room, his face deathly pale and gray, staring at me intently. I felt like I’d fallen into an ice pit. Trembling, I reached for my phone, wanting to call him. Before I could dial, the door opened. Ethan walked in and hugged me gently like always. “Sorry, honey. I got held up at work.” He held me in his arms. I heard his familiar heartbeat in my ear, warm and strong. I closed my eyes and told myself: he’s alive. But when I opened them again, the spirit in the corner was still there. My heart sank bit by bit. If Ethan was already dead, then who was this person wearing his face and embracing me? I stared hard at Ethan’s face. I’d been looking at that face for twenty years. From childhood until we got married, he’d been by my side every single day. Now, I was watching with my own eyes as a ghost with his exact face curled up in the corner. My whole body trembled. For a long time, I couldn’t make a sound. “Emma, what’s wrong?” He walked over and placed his hand on my forehead. “Why are you sweating so much? Do you have a fever?” His eyes were full of concern, his warm palm pressed against my forehead. I startled and stumbled back a step. The movement was too sudden and knocked over the glass on the table. “Crash!” Water spilled everywhere. He froze, his hand suspended in mid-air, looking at me helplessly with a trace of hurt in his eyes. “Emma? What’s wrong?” I forcibly suppressed the panic in my heart. If the ghost in the corner was the real him, then who was this person in front of me? I absolutely couldn’t tip my hand. I took a deep breath and forced out a smile. “Nothing,” I said, trying to sound casual. “Come eat. The food’s getting cold.” I sat down and picked up a piece of pork rib with my fork. He ladled me a bowl of soup and took out a bottle of red wine from the cabinet. “I came home late today. Let me apologize first.” I looked at the dark red liquid in the glass and spoke as casually as I could: “Do you remember that time we snuck liquor?” I stared at his face. He paused for a moment, then smiled. “How could I forget? That day you insisted on trying it. I couldn’t stop you. You got blackout drunk after two glasses.” “And then?” My hand holding the fork trembled slightly. “Then you threw up all over me. I took you home, and your mom smelled the alcohol and thought I’d forced you to drink. She chewed me out.” He shook his head. “I didn’t dare say you wanted to drink it yourself. I just took it.” My heart tightened. Only the two of us knew about this. “What were you wearing that day?” I pressed on. “A white shirt. You threw up all over it. It took forever to wash clean.” He smiled and ruffled my hair. “Why are you suddenly asking about this?” I lowered my eyes without answering. He even remembered this detail. I glanced at the ghost in the corner. He was still staring at me. My heart lifted again. No, this wasn’t enough. I cleared my throat and looked back at him, speaking with slight embarrassment. “Today… Mom called and said she’s craving the beef stew I make.” He picked up a piece of pork rib for me. “Okay, I’ll make it tomorrow and take it to her.” “You’ll make it?” I looked up at him. He laughed. “Haven’t I always been the one who makes it? Back then you tried to learn how to make that dish and nearly set the kitchen on fire. I ended up learning it instead. I burned several blisters on my hands.” “The first time I made it, you used salt instead of sugar. After you tasted it, your whole face scrunched up, but you still stubbornly said it was good. I thought to myself, this wife of mine is really cute.” “You even lied to my mom and said you made it,” he shook his head. “Then my mom bragged about your cooking to the neighbors. I didn’t dare expose you.” “Don’t worry, I’ll handle it.” He patted the back of my hand. I said nothing more. All the details matched up perfectly, but the ghost was still there. Could my eyes really be playing tricks on me? Impossible. I’d been able to see ghosts since childhood. I’d never been wrong about this before. After dinner, he put on an apron and went into the kitchen. I followed and leaned against the doorframe, observing him carefully. His movements handling the ingredients, his technique applying the seasonings, even his posture when sprinkling salt—everything was exactly the same as years ago. The familiar aroma drifted from the kitchen. He turned back and smiled at me. “Go sit down. It’ll be ready soon.” I didn’t move. When the food was served, I tasted a bite. The flavor was identical. “Is it good?” He leaned over, his eyes bright as he looked at me. I nodded. “Yeah, same taste as always.” He smiled and packed the beef into containers to put in the fridge. Then he took my hand. “Alright, it’s been a long day. Let’s go rest.” I leaned into his embrace. His body temperature came through his clothes, his steady breathing brushing against my ear. “Okay.” I closed my eyes. Whether you’re human or ghost, I will find out the truth.

I followed him into the bedroom. The ghost in the corner followed us in too. I looked away, not daring to look again. Ethan made the bed and patted the pillow. “Come, lie down. You’re tired today. Get some rest early.” I lay down beside him. He reached over to turn off the light, leaving only a small nightlight by the bed. “Emma,” he turned on his side to look at me, “have you had something on your mind lately?” “No,” I stared at the ceiling, “just a bit tired from work.” He held my hand. “If you’re tired, take a break. I’ll take care of you.” His palm was warm, his voice gentle. My throat tightened as I glanced again at that lonely spirit in the corner. “Do you still remember this necklace?” I picked up the necklace from the nightstand. He glanced at it and smiled. “Of course I remember. I gave it to you for your eighteenth birthday. I saved up my allowance for two months to buy it. The shopkeeper said it was the last one, and I was afraid someone else would snatch it up.” My heart clenched. He was right. “Do you remember what you wrote on the note when you gave it to me?” I continued pressing. “‘This necklace is for you. Happy birthday.’” His face reddened slightly. “Actually I wanted to write ‘I like you,’ but I didn’t dare.” “How did I respond?” “You didn’t. The next day you stuffed a box of chocolates in my desk. I was so happy I didn’t pay attention in class all day.” I closed my eyes. All correct. He took out the necklace and pointed to the words “Waiting for you” engraved on it. “I even cut my hand engraving this.” He extended his index finger. There was a faint scar on the pad. “Then why haven’t you worn this necklace all this time?” My voice trembled. “You said you couldn’t bear to, that you wanted to wait until our wedding day to wear it.” I took a deep breath and put the necklace back on the nightstand, lying down as casually as I could. “You have such a good memory. You remember things from so many years ago.” He smiled and ruffled my hair. “How could I forget anything about you?” I lowered my eyes, but my heart felt like it had a thorn in it. He was right. He remembered everything. But how could I explain the ghost in the corner? I turned on my side. “Since your memory is so good,” I stared at him, “let me test you. Do you remember when we went swimming as kids?” He thought for a moment. “I remember. The pool was deep, and you wanted to jump in without a float.” “Then you almost suffocated. I pulled you out. You were so lame.” I watched Ethan’s face nervously, afraid to miss even the slightest expression. I was the one who almost suffocated back then. He was the one who saved me. If he went along with my version, he would be fake! He paused for a moment, then suddenly tapped my forehead with his finger. “Are you dreaming? You were the one who almost suffocated. I pulled you out. You choked on water and cried for a long time.” I opened my mouth, unable to refute. “Do you remember our first time at the beach?” He looked at me blankly. “We’ve never been to the beach. Don’t you remember? You always said you wanted to see the ocean, but we never had time.” My whole body went cold. He was right again. I really had never been to the beach, just said I wanted to go. “Also, I had a white cat when I was little, named Snowball.” My voice tightened, my tone becoming somewhat urgent. He frowned. “You’ve never had a cat. When you were twelve, you got scratched by a cat, so you’re afraid of them. You avoid them whenever you see one.” I couldn’t say another word. Every lie, he could precisely identify. “Sleep. Stop thinking nonsense.” He pulled the blanket over and wrapped me in his arms. “You’ve been acting weird today.” I leaned against his chest and heard his heartbeat. “I’m sorry,” I said softly. “Hm?” “Nothing.” I closed my eyes. He turned over, habitually draping his arm over my waist, naturally pulling me into his embrace, exactly the same as before. I opened my eyes and locked gazes with the ghost in the corner. My mind was in chaos. Who should I believe?

This went on for several days. I still had no clue, feeling like a stone was pressing on my heart. Until one morning, Ethan was tying his tie. He glanced at me in the mirror. “Didn’t sleep well again last night?” “Yeah.” I rubbed my eyes, looking exhausted. “Had dreams all night.” He turned around, fastened the last button, and walked over to sit on the edge of the bed. “Emma, I need to tell you something.” “Hm?” “I booked a couples trip to the Maldives before. I wanted to surprise you,” he held my hand, “but there’s an emergency at the lab and I can’t get away. You go first, and I’ll join you in three days.” I froze. He’d never let me travel far alone before. “Why so suddenly…” “You’ve been so tired lately,” he smiled and ruffled my hair. “Go relax. I’ll fly over as soon as I finish up.” My heart stirred. This was a good opportunity to test him. I nodded. “Okay.” He turned to pack my luggage. I followed and leaned against the doorframe. He took out my favorite floral dress from the closet and folded it neatly. Then he stuffed sunscreen, a sun hat, common medications, and even the eye mask I usually used into the suitcase, one by one. “It’s hot there, pack more light clothes. Don’t get too cold, cover yourself at night,” he chattered on without stopping. “Your stomach isn’t good, so I bought some crackers to put in your bag. Eat them if you get hungry.” I watched his busy figure, my eyes getting a bit teary. He even remembered these details. “Also, that book you said you wanted to read—I downloaded it to your tablet. You can read it on the plane if you get bored.” He turned back and smiled at me. I lowered my eyes. The more meticulous he was, the more I felt like a jerk. Seeing me standing in the doorway without reacting, Ethan waved his hand in front of my face. “Alright, stop dawdling.” He zipped up the suitcase. “I’ll take you to the airport.” He came over, took my hand, and pulled me out the door. I looked back at the spirit in the corner and noticed he didn’t follow. I secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Good. It must just be my hallucination. My eyes must be the problem. All the way there, Ethan held my hand, chatting idly. I looked out the window, my mind in turmoil. At the airport, he helped me check in and stuffed the boarding pass in my hand. “Call me when you arrive.” “Okay.” He hugged me, his chin resting on my shoulder. “Have fun.” I walked through security and looked back at him. He stood outside the glass door, waving at me. My nose tingled. He was so good to me, yet I kept doubting him. I closed my eyes and made a secret vow: this is the last time. I’ll never doubt him again. On the plane, I deliberately chose a window seat. After takeoff, I looked out the window. Still no ghost following. The weight on my heart finally lifted. I’d have to make time to get a medical checkup. After forcibly suppressing the lingering unease deep in my heart, I opened the book he’d downloaded for me to distract myself. After landing, I immediately turned on my phone and sent him a message. “Arrived. Don’t worry.” He replied instantly. “Have fun. Wait for me.” I stared at the screen and smiled.

The scenery in the Maldives was beautiful. I sent him photos every day—beaches, sunsets, palm trees. He replied instantly to every one, his tone as gentle as always. During our video call at night, he leaned back on the sofa in warm yellow light. “Where did you go today?” “Diving,” I said, lying on the bed. “When are you coming? It’s no fun here alone.” “Soon, soon,” he smiled. “Didn’t you always want to see the Maldives? Back in college you said your honeymoon had to be here. I remembered.” I froze. That was something I’d said casually in college. I’d almost forgotten it myself. “You still remember?” “I told you, how could I forget anything about you?” His eyes were bright. My nose tingled. He got up to pour water. The phone camera shook slightly. In that instant, I saw a blurry shadow standing in the hallway behind him. The ghost had appeared again. Staring hard at Ethan with an unfriendly expression. My whole body went cold. “Emma? What’s wrong?” He came back with a water glass. “Bad signal,” I forced out a smile. “I’m tired today. I’m going to hang up.” After hanging up, I opened the ticket app with trembling hands. The nearest flight was in three hours. Before boarding, I dialed his number. No answer. My heart sank hard. He never ignored my calls! It was early morning when I landed. I rushed home. The lights were off. He wasn’t there. The ghost wasn’t there either. I could only open my phone’s location tracker and found he was at the hospital. I ran out like a madwoman. The hospital corridor was long, the lights blindingly white.

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Ethan tricked me into filming a sex tape. The next day, the video spread all over campus. He even publicly posted a price: $10, and you could sleep with me once. When I confronted him, I overheard him talking to a woman. “My family won’t let me marry you, so I’ll bring home Summer. Someone lowborn and with a ruined reputation. With her as a contrast, my parents will definitely agree to our marriage right away!” After hearing this, the woman kissed Ethan. “Aren’t you afraid Summer will take revenge on you for doing this?” A contemptuous smile curved at the corner of Ethan’s lips. “Revenge? She’s just a poor girl from the slums. What could she possibly do?” So he spread those lies about me just to make another woman look more noble by comparison. It seemed my gamble had failed too. I didn’t cry or make a scene. I called my childhood friend who was far away in London. “I lost. I choose to marry you.” Summer POV My name is Summer, a commoner girl admitted to the elite private school NYU through an exceptional entrance program. Because I was poor, I didn’t fit in with my classmates who were all either rich or well-connected. I became known as the cold, aloof ice queen, consistently ranking first in my grade year after year, yet always keeping to myself, never getting close to anyone. Until one day, a post suddenly appeared on the school forum with the title. “How much does it cost to knock an ice queen off her pedestal?” The post laid out every cost in detail. $100,000 to hold her hand. $500,000 to kiss her. $1,000,000 to take her to a hotel. And at the bottom was a price list. “Private photos of Summer. Unlock for just $100 each.” “Latest private video of Summer. Unlock for $1,000.” As soon as the post went up, it exploded across campus. The download count for the attachments kept increasing by hundreds per second. The comments numbered in the thousands. The filthy language in the comment section made my whole body tremble, my ears filled with buzzing, my mind completely blank. In the dorm, my three roommates huddled together, gossiping about me. “I thought she was so high and mighty. Turns out she’s just a money-grubbing opportunist!” “Putting on that untouchable act every day. Who knew she’d be this wild behind closed doors? No wonder she hides every inch of skin.” “Hmph. Probably been with so many guys she’s used up.” They didn’t even try to whisper, like they wanted me to hear. My face flushed deep red. I stood up abruptly and left the dorm. I ran across campus, the wind drying my tears, but my heart refused to believe that the person who made that post was my boyfriend, Ethan. It was him! He’s the one who talked me into filming those photos and that video! I arrived at the club where Ethan spent most of his time, about to push open the door. “Ethan! The download count has already hit three thousand! My god, you’re ruthless. Our school only has like five thousand people total. Summer’s definitely done for. She’ll definitely lose her full ride to the PhD program.” “That’s not even all. She doesn’t even know that Ethan only pursued her because of Sophie. He never actually liked her. He wouldn’t even sleep with her when they shared a bed… If she finds out, she’ll absolutely lose it!” “Too bad your family and Sophie’s family are business rivals, otherwise you and Sophie could have been together ages ago. Summer never would have had a chance!” After saying this, the person elbowed Ethan. “Ethan, didn’t you promise Summer you’d take her to meet your parents next week for the engagement? Is that for real?” Ethan held a cigarette, his eyes flickering in the smoke, a careless smile playing on his lips. “Of course it’s fake. My family won’t let me marry Sophie, so I’ll bring home a lowborn woman with a ruined reputation. Let’s see where they’ll hide their faces then.” The person suddenly understood. “No wonder you released Summer’s private photos and videos. If your parents find out you want to get engaged to a woman like that, they might just give in and let you marry Sophie.” “Ethan, aren’t you afraid Summer will cause trouble? What if she tries to get revenge?” Ethan curled his lip in contempt. “Revenge? She’s just some broke scholarship kid from the slums. What does she have to get back at me with?” “People like that are dogs. Throw them money and they come running. Kick them to the curb when you’re done. If they get upset, buy them something nice and they’ll shut up and do whatever you want. But I’m warning you all. Not a word of this gets back to Summer before the engagement party!” “Don’t worry, our lips are sealed! Consider it an early congratulations…”

Summer POV Outside the door, my whole body felt like it had fallen into an ice cave, my blood seeming to freeze. Every word they said was like an arrow piercing straight through my heart. I stared blankly at the cold, aloof Ethan with his indifferent expression, unable to connect him with the person who had once pursued me so passionately. I came to NYU carrying my grandmother’s hopes and all our savings, and I still owed tens of thousands of dollars in student loans. So I didn’t dare slack off in my studies, determined to get a scholarship every year. I didn’t dare socialize to save money. I didn’t dare date and waste money, all to lighten my grandmother’s burden… Until that day in the pouring rain when I accidentally fell. My pants were torn by a sharp stone, leaving a huge hole. I couldn’t stand up, but I couldn’t stay on the ground either. When I was at a loss, Ethan held an umbrella over me and lent me his jacket to tie around my waist. The next day, I washed the jacket clean and returned it to Ethan, only then learning he was the most popular boy in school. After that, Ethan began pursuing me relentlessly. Flowers and gifts never stopped coming, but I refused them all. I rejected him many times, but couldn’t resist his increasingly intense and direct pursuit. He noticed when my shoes gave me blisters and brought me band-aids. He noticed which dishes I liked and specifically asked the cafeteria chef to save me a portion. When everyone avoided sitting next to me, he sat by my side without hesitation… So when Ethan confessed again, I inexplicably agreed. After we got together, Ethan treated me like a princess. Holiday flowers and gifts, romantic candlelit dinners became countless. I told him I didn’t need these things. But Ethan told me that because he loved me, he was willing to spend money on me, wanting to give me the best. I never imagined that all of this would become weapons he used to hurt me deeply, all for another girl! I had only ever wanted his love, not his money! I wanted to rush in and confront Ethan, but my throat felt blocked. I couldn’t make a sound. He was right. I was just a commoner girl. How could I possibly get revenge on him?! I ran off in a daze, tears mixing with rain as they hit the ground. I ran aimlessly into the library. In the glass reflection, I saw my own wretched appearance. I smiled bitterly and opened the library computer, logging into my email. The first email was an acceptance letter from an Ivy League school. This full scholarship spot was specially created by the school after learning I’d received an Ivy League acceptance, hoping to keep me there to prepare for future research positions. I replied to the email accepting the offer. Then I took out my phone and texted my professor. “Professor, I’ve decided to give up the full scholarship spot and study out of state.” Next, I called Ethan’s mother and said simply. “I don’t care about your money, but I promise you I’ll break up with Ethan.” Ethan’s mother on the other end laughed coldly. “Enough with the act. I’ve met too many poor people like you. You just think it’s not enough money, right? Don’t worry, I’ll add another five hundred thousand. One million total. I’ll mail you the check.” Before I could object, she hung up. Just then, my professor also replied to my message. “Alright, Summer. I respect your decision. I’ll report your response to the school.” “By the way, when are you planning to leave?” I typed out my reply word by word. “Next week.”

Summer POV I had just turned off my screen, not yet having time to put my phone in my pocket, when someone suddenly grabbed my wrist. My whole body stiffened. I looked up sharply to find a completely unfamiliar man’s face. “So you’re the most popular girl.” The man’s surprised expression turned to delight when he saw my face clearly. Before he finished speaking, I tried to pull my hand free. “Let go of me!” But a malicious smile appeared on the man’s face. He tightened his grip, leaving a red mark around my wrist. “Let you go?” His evil gaze traveled over my pale wrist. “You’re selling your private photos and videos, so you must really need money, right? I have money. But with your current reputation, asking a million isn’t reasonable!” As he spoke, he backed me into a corner, using his larger frame to pin me down. “I like the library. Is ten thousand enough?” My eyes turned red and I bit my lower lip hard, about to bite down on him when I saw a figure swiftly pull the man away and punch him hard. Ethan’s face was ice cold as he kicked the man hard in the stomach without hesitation. “Get lost!” Then he looked at me, his eyes clearly filled with concern. He lifted my wrist, his face full of distress. “I went to your dorm looking for you. Your roommate said you weren’t there. I guessed you’d be here. Is your hand okay? Do you want me to take you to the infirmary?” Looking at his expression, no different from usual, I yanked my hand back and turned to leave without a word. “Summer!” Ethan panicked and grabbed me. “Are you angry about that forum post?” “This is my fault. My friend took my computer to play around. He’s irresponsible. I didn’t think he’d upload those things online. I already yelled at him and told people to delete the post immediately. Don’t be angry, okay?” I shook his hand off forcefully and turned around, my eyes no longer holding any love. “Ethan, let’s break up.” Just as the words left my mouth, the library door opened. A rain-soaked figure ran inside. When Sophie saw Ethan and me holding hands, her face instantly turned deathly pale. The accusation she was about to blurt out turned into a trembling voice. “Ethan, are you and Summer… together?” As she spoke, a tear fell from her eye, mixing with the rain as it traced down her cheek. She turned and ran back into the rain. When had Ethan ever seen Sophie so fragile and helpless? His heart felt like something had slammed into it hard. Full of guilt and compassion, he couldn’t spare a thought for what I’d just said. He dropped my hand and chased after Sophie. He used so much force that I crashed into a pillar and fell to the ground. By the time I slowly stood up and walked out of the library step by step, I saw on the distant sports field. Ethan gripping Sophie’s wrist with one hand, his face drenched by rain, shouting loudly at her. “Yes, our families are business rivals. So what? Even if it means defying my family and hurting Summer, even though the world is so big and there are so many women, I only want you.” In the pouring rain, Sophie’s tears mixed with rainwater as she stood on her toes and kissed his lips. Then Ethan cupped her face with both hands and kissed her back forcefully. I stood quietly in the rain watching the two of them kiss in a scene as beautiful as a romantic movie. My heart felt torn in two, my eyes cried until they were dry. I returned to the dorm soaking wet, showered, changed into clean clothes, then climbed into bed. I didn’t sleep all night. The next day, I went to class as usual. But unexpectedly, when I reached the classroom, I found a crowd gathered around my desk. Seeing me walk in, some troublemaker whistled at me, half-joking, half-contemptuous. “Summer, what are you selling this time? A ten-million-dollar check.”

Summer POV I froze for a moment, immediately understanding. I rushed forward, trying to snatch back the check that Ethan’s mother had sent me. “Who gave you permission to touch my things?” I pushed into the crowd. They seemed to have coordinated to toy with me. The check passed back and forth between several tall students. No matter how I reached, I couldn’t grab it. A girl spoke sarcastically. “If you can sell private photos, what wouldn’t you sell?” “Your stuff? Tch, it’s probably dirty anyway.” Another girl chimed in. “Yeah, you don’t think we’ve all seen that post, do you? Everything about you had a price tag on there!” “This ten-million-dollar check. Did you get it from hooking up with some billionaire?” Her words stirred up a storm. Everyone seemed to suddenly understand. “So she found herself a loaded sugar daddy!” “I heard Summer’s family situation is bad, and she owes quite a bit of debt! No wonder she’s selling herself.” “All of you shut up!” I was shaking with rage, using all my strength to shout that sentence. The air went quiet for a second, then the mocking and sneering grew even more wild. “Class is starting. What are you all crowding around for!” The professor had arrived without my noticing, frowning as he told them all to return to their seats. After class, I searched everywhere for that check. I needed to return it to Ethan’s mother. Until I heard a familiar male voice. “Looking for this?” I looked up to meet Ethan’s dark gaze. In his hand was his mother’s check. Seeing I didn’t speak, a cruel, mocking smile curved at his lips. “So you’re breaking up with me for this money?” His voice was very soft, spoken right next to my ear. My whole body stiffened. I shook my head hard. “No, I’m not.” “Slap!” Before I could finish, Ethan slapped me. His eyes were filled with coldness, looking at me like I was ice to the bone. “Summer, I didn’t think your appetite would be this big. For money, you really can do anything.” I had no way to defend myself. Explain what? This money was indeed Ethan’s mother’s breakup fee for me, but I never intended to take it! “Ethan, this money-” I opened my mouth, but before I could explain, a female voice interrupted. “I heard student Summer was admitted under hardship status? The school even helped you apply for an extremely low-interest student loan?” Sophie, dressed in high-end custom clothing with delicate features, walked gracefully to Ethan’s side, her eyes staring straight at me. My breath caught. The next second, Ethan’s eyes turned cold as frost. He threw the check in my face, the disgust in his eyes unconcealed. “I’ll suggest to the school that they audit your student loan.” That light sentence felt like a boulder crushing my heart, making me panic instantly. I grabbed the corner of his shirt, my eyes reddening. “Ethan, what are you doing?” He pulled his shirt away, frowning as he took out a handkerchief to wipe the spot I’d touched, then casually tossed it on the ground. “I don’t like people who are only after money touching my things.” “Student loans are for people who really can’t afford school. Someone like you doesn’t deserve it.” With that, Ethan and Sophie turned and left side by side without hesitation. My arm fell to my side, my palm still seeming to hold the cold touch of his body, making me tremble slightly.

Summer POV That afternoon, the school posted an announcement on the campus website and bulletin board suspending my student loan. I stood in front of the campus bulletin board, hands clenched into fists, biting my lower lip hard. Without the student loan, scholarship money alone couldn’t cover my tuition and living expenses, plus the $100,000 my grandmother had borrowed from neighbors to support my education. It was the height of summer, but I felt cold all over, the chill seeping from my skin into my bones. Behind me, gleeful classmates passed by, whispering. “Still playing the victim! Shameless!” “She sold so many things to make money, but still pretends to be a needy student to scam financial aid. What an eye-opener!” Various insulting words filled my ears. I collapsed, covering my ears and running away. Ethan saw my crying figure running away from a distance. His foot lifted slightly, his palm unconsciously tightening. Sophie beside him took in his expression. “Are you worried about Summer?” Ethan was silent for a moment before a cold snort came from his nose. “How could I be? She’s just a money-grubbing woman.” I sat by the campus lake for a long time, writing an appeal letter on my phone and sending it to the school office. Just then, a figure rushed up to me, shouting. “Summer! Your academic advisor Mr. Cooper is looking everywhere for you! You need to go to his office right away!” My face changed dramatically. Why would Mr. Cooper be looking for me? I casually wiped the tears from my face and went to the office. Inside, Mr. Cooper looked grave. Sophie stood to one side, eyes brimming with tears, looking aggrieved. Seeing me arrive, Mr. Cooper questioned me sternly. “Summer, confidential data was stolen from the school lab. The school checked the access records. Only you and Sophie entered the lab yesterday. Sophie says she never touched the data.” His tone became heavier. “You need to understand, this experimental data relates to the school’s research progress, to the competition between NYU and Columbia. This cannot be lost. If the school finds out who did it, it won’t just be a disciplinary mark. In serious cases, the school will pursue legal action!” My brow jumped sharply. I clenched my fists and answered firmly. “I did enter the lab yesterday. The professor asked me to record some key data for him. But I absolutely did not leak any experimental data. And-” As if remembering something, I took out my phone and showed Mr. Cooper my chat history with my professor. “When I entered the lab yesterday, I specifically started a video call with my professor. If you just contact him, you’ll know that after I finished recording the data, I shut down the computer…” Mr. Cooper looked at the clear time stamps in the chat history. The balance of suspicion in his mind tipped toward Sophie. “Sophie, what were you doing in the lab? The computer backend keeps records of all operations. We just need to check and it will be clear who it was!” The stern words made Sophie’s face turn deathly pale, her hands and feet going numb. I also breathed a slight sigh of relief. Just then, the office door was pushed open forcefully. A familiar figure walked in holding a flash drive, his voice clear and cold. “Mr. Cooper, No need to check.” Ethan strode to Sophie’s side, shielding her behind him, and handed the flash drive to Mr. Cooper. “I already found this flash drive with the lab’s confidential data in this girl’s backpack. I can testify for Sophie. Yesterday I personally saw Summer holding this flash drive, acting suspiciously while making some kind of deal with someone. I kept an eye on it and intercepted the flash drive.” Mr. Cooper opened the flash drive. Inside was indeed the missing experimental data! I froze in place, looking at him in disbelief. After I returned to my dorm yesterday, I never left. How could I have made a deal with anyone?

Summer POV I suppressed the unease and grievance in my heart, my voice trembling. “Mr. Cooper, my professor can vouch for me. I’ve been working on this experiment with him the whole time. Some of the confidential data was even calculated by me personally. There’s no reason for me to copy it…” Mr. Cooper’s brow furrowed tightly, his suspicious gaze falling on Sophie again. Ethan stepped to the side, blocking Mr. Cooper’s sharp gaze. He took out the ten-million-dollar check from his pocket, raising an eyebrow with a contemptuous tone. “No reason? Summer, didn’t you sell the data for money?” “This check is the payment from the person you made the deal with. Everyone in class can testify to this.” Then several of my roommates crowded at the door and added loudly. “That’s right! Yesterday we saw Summer run out alone with a flash drive, and this morning she got this check. She’s definitely the one who leaked the data! She’s desperate for money. The school suspended her student loan. She can’t even afford to stay in school!” I felt like I’d fallen into an ice cave, cold all over, watching helplessly as Ethan took out his phone and added the final straw. “Mr. Cooper, look at this post and you’ll understand. Everything about Summer can be bought and sold for a price.” His cold eyes cut my heart to pieces like a knife. “Someone like this. For ten million, what wouldn’t she do?” My whole body trembled. Every word he said was like a resounding slap across my face. Mr. Cooper’s gaze toward me instantly grew cold. He directly determined that I had sold confidential data for money, gave me a disciplinary mark, and canceled my eligibility for all honors for the year. Holding the disciplinary notice, I didn’t know how I left Mr. Cooper’s office. My mind echoed with those words of extreme disappointment. “Even if your grades are good, if your character is bad, you’ll only harm society when you leave!” I was like a soulless shell, watching Ethan approach step by step. My heart was dead, and I asked him in a very soft voice why. He knew that check was from his mother. He knew I never spent money carelessly and could never afford an expensive flash drive. Ethan just said casually, “Sophie needs to apply for a full scholarship. She can’t have any blemishes. You have money anyway, isn’t that enough?” As he spoke, he pressed the check into my palm. I looked down at the crumpled check in my palm and laughed softly. One check had buried my reputation and my future. In Ethan’s eyes, could money settle everything? I tore the check to shreds like a madwoman and threw the pieces at him forcefully. “Ethan, take your filthy money and get lost!” Ethan looked at the scattered check fragments before him, slightly stunned. “What, not enough?” “Slap!” I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face. Tears fell uncontrollably from my eyes, my fingertips trembling. “Ethan, I really regret it! I regret agreeing to be your girlfriend! If I could do it over, I would stay far, far away from you!” With that, I turned and left without hesitation. Still in shock, Ethan stood frozen. An inexplicable anger rose from the depths of his heart. But before he could speak, he saw me fall straight down. When I woke up again, I was in a hospital room. A nurse was changing my IV bag. “You’re awake?” “You fainted from a high fever. Your classmate brought you to the hospital. By the way, he’s quite good-looking. Is he your boyfriend?” “Who?”

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I arrived at the rumored Soul Shop. I sold my ability to love in exchange for a chance to be reborn. When I saw my parents bring my adopted sister through the door again, I didn’t fall apart like I did in my past life. In this life, my parents’ indifference, my brother’s disgust, my fiancé’s betrayal. I don’t care about any of it anymore. But why are they holding me and crying like their hearts are broken? Anna’s POV I arrived at the rumored Soul Shop. I sold my ability to love in exchange for a chance to be reborn. When I saw my parents bring my adopted sister through the door again, I didn’t fall apart like I did in my past life. In this life, my parents’ indifference, my brother’s disgust, my fiancé’s betrayal. I don’t care about any of it anymore. But why are they holding me and crying so heartbroken again? “Anna, what are you daydreaming about? Our new sister is about to arrive, let’s go downstairs to meet her!” Hearing that name again, I was stunned for a moment. I hadn’t been called “Anna” for six or seven years. I turned to look at Jackson beside me and found that he had indeed returned to his twelve-year-old self. The young boy wore a well-fitted suit, his face full of anticipation as he stared at the staircase. One hand was still clutching my arm. I looked at his slender, clean hand. But all I could think of was the handprint he’d leave on my face when he was older. I frowned and immediately shook him off. Jackson’s expression froze. He looked at me in confusion. “Anna, what’s wrong?” The next moment, the mansion’s front door slowly opened. My parents’ voices carried over. “Jackson, Anna, come down quickly! We’ve brought your sister home!” Jackson’s eyes lit up, and he immediately left me behind and ran downstairs alone. I stood at the top of the stairs, watching the harmonious family of four below. I pressed my hand against my heart. How strange. It tingled. But there was no longer that knife-like pain. Jackson and I are twins. For the first twelve years, the family only had the two of us. Our parents and elders treasured us like pearls. Jackson was only two hours older than me. He still acted like a real big brother, always letting me have my way. They spoiled me into a true little princess. Someone once joked with my dad. “With your daughter’s temper, it’s lucky you arranged her engagement with Ethan early. Otherwise, when she grows up, no one would dare marry her.” My dad’s face immediately darkened. “My daughter wasn’t born to be married off to anyone. If no one will marry her, she’ll stay home for life! I can afford to support her!” Mom and Jackson said nothing, just kept piling good things beside me. They spoiled me until I was completely out of control. A bracelet worth over three million dollars was the most ordinary birthday gift I received back then. It was also the last birthday gift I ever received. When I was twelve, one of my father’s old comrades-in-arms passed away from illness. On his deathbed, he entrusted his only daughter to him. That girl named Chloe became my nominal sister. From then on, my family’s affection, trust, and attention gradually slipped away from me. I admit it. I hated her. I was jealous of her! I was jealous that she could shed two tears and have the whole family rushing around like ants on a hot pan. Jealous that she stole everything I had, bit by bit. I became increasingly paranoid. I grew more volatile and withdrawn. Finally, at my eighteenth birthday party, I caught her kissing my fiancé Ethan in the garden. I completely lost my mind. I questioned my parents, my brother, my lover… “Why are you doing this to me?” But they just looked at me with almost identical eyes of disappointment. “Do you know what you look like right now? You’re absolutely insane!” I laughed until tears came out. The pain in my chest made my whole body tremble. I grabbed a knife and lunged at Chloe, but Jackson kicked me into a rose bush full of thorns. Everyone nervously protected Chloe, comforting and coaxing her not to cry. No one cared that what I held in my hand was just a plastic cake knife… My parents locked me in a psychiatric hospital, claiming I had mental problems. Jackson must have injured me with that kick. I coughed up blood day and night. Over and over, I begged the doctors to call my parents. But they never answered. Not once. Finally, after yet another electroshock treatment, I took my last breath. And that’s when I saw it, the rumored Soul Shop. With all my emotions, my ability to love, I bought a chance to be reborn.

Anna’s POV “Anna, come here! Haven’t you been looking forward to having a sister?” My mom held Chloe’s hand, standing at the door and waving at me with a smile. Chloe lifted her pale little face and greeted me obediently. But I had no reaction. I turned and went back to my room. Leaving everyone in the living room looking at each other. My dad sighed helplessly. “What’s gotten into that child? Who upset her now?” My mom sounded awkward. “Maybe she’s just not used to having a sister in the house yet. It’s fine, I’ll go coax her in a bit.” Chloe’s voice carried a sob. “Mom, Dad, does Anna not like me?” Before my parents could respond, Jackson eagerly spoke up. “No, no, Anna just has a big temper, but her heart isn’t bad. Don’t cry, don’t be sad. I’ll go talk to her for you later!” My parents beamed. “Jackson is so sensible. You must take good care of Chloe!” Their laughter kept drifting into my room. Once again, I thought the soundproofing in this mansion was really terrible. I didn’t like it. It was annoyingly loud. I simply stood up and started taking inventory of my belongings. Too much time had passed. I couldn’t remember what I owned at age twelve. Looking carefully now, I was truly wealthy to a staggering degree. No wonder Chloe loved stealing my things so much. Even my grown-up self… couldn’t help feeling a bit jealous. I picked up the jewelry on my vanity and stuffed it all into my backpack. I had to take it now, or Chloe would find various excuses to take it away soon enough. I looked at the bracelet in my hand and remembered the scene from my previous life when Chloe smashed it. That was the first time I slapped her. The red-eyed little girl cowered behind the door, her voice sounding as aggrieved as if I had broken her possession. “Anna, I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean to… I’ve never had things like these. I just wanted to look at it, I… I didn’t hold it steady…” She burst into tears, drawing my parents and Jackson. That was the first time I went crazy and hit someone, and the first time my dad locked me up. Chloe clung to my mom’s leg, crying so hard she nearly passed out, yet she still had time to look up and make faces at me… I pointed at her accusingly, and the next second, Jackson shoved me hard into my room. “Anna! Can’t you have some sympathy? Chloe is so pitiful! How can you bully her? It’s just a bracelet. You have countless others! What’s wrong with giving it to her?” I bit my lip, desperately swallowing the sob that rose to my throat. Just a bracelet? No! That was the birthday gift Jackson bought me with his first prize money from a creative competition! But he had forgotten… Starting that year, I never received another birthday gift. Even the stream of dolls, clothes, and jewelry that used to flow into my room all got redirected to Chloe’s room instead. Just because she said, “The kids at school all laugh at me, saying I’m skinny and have no taste, not bright and beautiful like Anna. I look like a little monkey…” She was lying! It was clearly Jackson who led the whole class to isolate me! He knew everything. But he didn’t defend me. He watched as my parents grew more and more disappointed in me. More and more partial to their adopted daughter with her tragic background… By the time I finished packing all my belongings. Someone finally knocked gently on my door. “Anna? Sweetheart, come out for dinner.” My mom was patient, her voice impossibly gentle. I didn’t respond. I just opened the door and let her lead me to the living room. Chloe sat in my usual spot, looking uncomfortable. My dad and Jackson were both helping arrange her place setting. I turned to look at my mom. “Am I eating on the floor?” Everyone froze. My mom’s hand holding mine unconsciously tightened. “How could that be? It’s my fault. I forgot to set up a chair for you. Where’s the maid? Get Anna a chair quickly.” Chloe hesitantly stood up, her big innocent eyes instantly filling with tears. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know this was your seat. I… I’ll give it to you!” Jackson quickly stood and pressed her back down, looking at me reproachfully. “Anna, it’s the same wherever you sit. Chloe just got here. Don’t scare her! At worst, you can sit on my left! I’ll sit between you two, okay?” My parents said nothing, instead watching for my reaction. Wasn’t this just tacit approval? I sneered inwardly. Really, so childish. The whole family was putting on a performance, but their acting was extraordinarily terrible. It was enough to kill my appetite. I took the chair from the maid and pulled it to the very corner of the dining table, far away from all of them. Jackson paused mid-pour as he filled Chloe’s water glass. He looked at me several times, seeming to want to say something, but ultimately said nothing. We finished the meal in this bizarre atmosphere. As I got up to go upstairs, my dad stopped me. He looked somewhat uncomfortable, clearing his throat before speaking with a smile. “Anna, Chloe is a year younger than you and Jackson. You’re the older siblings, so you need to look after her more. She just lost her birth parents and is very traumatized. We’re her family now. We should take care of her.” My mom chimed in. “That’s right. Mom knows you might not be used to having a sister yet, but look how sweet Chloe is. If you spend more time together, you’ll definitely grow closer.” The two of them kept making eye signals across the table. Clearly, neither wanted to be the first to broach whatever came next. I was getting impatient. My voice was cold. “So?” My mom looked stunned by my question. Perhaps she’d never heard me speak to her in such an icy tone before and didn’t know how to respond for a moment. My dad took a sip of water and spoke with a smile. “Anna, Chloe just transferred here. Her physical and mental state aren’t good, and we’re really worried. How about you and Jackson both repeat a grade to go to school with Chloe? Sound good?” As if to make it more convincing, he quickly added. “Jackson already agreed. We’re just waiting for you.” I looked at Jackson. He kept his head down, not daring to meet my eyes.

Anna’s POV Here we go again. It was the same in my previous life. They made Jackson and me, who were already in seventh grade, go back to sixth grade to accompany her. A year later, Ethan, who had grown close to Chloe, also transferred into our class under the pretext of wanting to take care of me… From then on, the three of them performed various little dramas in class every day. They framed me for bullying Chloe, getting me ostracized by the entire class. How wonderful. Too bad I didn’t want to play such boring games with elementary schoolers anymore. It was a complete waste of life. I tilted my head. “Does she need two servants just to attend school?” My dad was so shocked he dropped his fork. “A-Anna, what did you say?” “I said, since Jackson is already willing to serve her, there’s no need to force me too, right?” My mom grabbed my arm, her face full of shock. “Anna, what are you talking about? What do you mean serve? Mom and Dad just want you to spend more time together and get close sooner!” “I have no obligation to get close to her. Whoever wants to get close to her can go serve her.” I stared at Jackson, who had been stunned silent since earlier, and delivered my final words. “So it’s settled. From now on, you two go to elementary school, and I’ll continue in middle school. We won’t interfere with each other.” I turned and went upstairs. Leaving them all to comfort the sobbing Chloe. Around nine that night, Jackson knocked on my door. “Anna, are you asleep?” “What do you want?” “Can you open the door?” “No.” Silence outside for a long time. Just when I thought he’d left, Jackson’s voice came again. “Anna, you’re upset, aren’t you?” I paused while organizing my clothes. I frowned, my voice indifferent. “No.” “You are! Anna, is it because I only paid attention to Chloe today and ignored you?” I was somewhat speechless. I really wasn’t upset. I just didn’t care. I found interacting with them so boring it made me want to vomit. That Anna who would be heartbroken to severe depression from being ignored had already died alone in a psychiatric hospital. I sighed. “Really, I’m not. Jackson, you can do whatever you want, get close to whoever you want. It’s your freedom. Just don’t bother me.” Silence outside again. After a while, his voice carried a hint of helplessness. “Anna, Chloe is really pitiful. Look how small and frail she is. She has such a gentle nature and a soft heart. I’m really afraid she’ll get bullied. Anna, I’ll go back and stay with her for a year first. Once she’s settled, I’ll transfer to your school, okay?” Fine. Your family invested in the school. You can do whatever you want. I rolled my eyes, packed my last piece of clothing. I put in noise-canceling earplugs and lay down on the bed. The next morning. I walked into the living room with my suitcase and backpack. Everyone froze again. I looked up and saw Ethan sitting next to Chloe. The boy my age was already quite tall, even half a head taller than Jackson. The moment he saw me, he quickly stood up. His gentle eyes curved slightly, his voice excited. “Anna! I came to pick you up for school!” I lowered my eyes and saw Chloe’s hand gripping his arm. “You don’t need to pick me up anymore.” “Of course, if you want to pick up someone else, be my guest.” The smile froze on Ethan’s face. “Why?” I gestured with my chin toward the suitcase behind me. The sound of chairs scraping against the floor rang out one after another. Not just Ethan. My parents and Jackson all looked confused. “Anna? What’s this?” Jackson stared at my suitcase with bloodshot eyes from staying up all night. “Clothes and some daily necessities.” And my jewelry. “I forgot to tell you all. Starting today, I’m moving into the dorms.” “What?!” They all spoke in unison. My dad walked over with a cold expression and crouched down to look at me. “Anna? You want to live in the dorms.” “Yes.” “Why? Isn’t it good at home? Did Mom and Dad make you unhappy?” I remained silent, my eyes showing no emotion. My dad’s hand on my hair trembled slightly. He hesitated and looked back at Chloe. “Is it because of… Chloe?” At those words, before I could react, Chloe was already biting her lip and letting out a suppressed sob. My mom quickly stepped forward and pulled her into an embrace, looking at my dad reproachfully. “What are you saying? How could that be? Anna, you tell us. Why do you want to live in the dorms? It definitely can’t be because of Chloe. You like her, right?” Everyone looked at me expectantly, waiting for my answer. They were waiting for me to say: Yes, I like her. Wanting to live in the dorms is just me being willful. I haven’t been wronged. But I was best at disappointing people. “Wrong. I don’t like her. I hate her. And I don’t just hate her.” “I also hate Mom and Dad, hate Jackson, hate Ethan! I hate all of you!” In an instant, my parents’ and Jackson’s faces turned deathly pale. Ethan didn’t react much. He seemed to think I was throwing a tantrum, his eyes full of tolerance and helplessness. As I passed him with my suitcase, he even reached out to help me take it. I dodged. He wasn’t annoyed, still shamelessly following behind me. My parents wanted to chase after me, but Chloe’s crying interrupted them. She cried more and more pitifully, burying her small face in my mom’s arms, trembling all over. “Mom, Dad, just send me to an orphanage. Anna doesn’t like me… I don’t deserve to stay in this house!” My parents naturally launched into kind words of comfort, but strangely, Jackson didn’t speak up for once. Ethan was still following me closely. He forced his way into the car I was taking. “Go take your own car.” “Why? I don’t want to! I want to be with you!” He tilted his head to look at me, showing his two small canine teeth, looking adorable. My fingertips trembled slightly. I suddenly remembered. It was the same in my previous life. When everyone was ostracizing me. The only person who didn’t side with Chloe was Ethan. He would stand firmly behind me when Chloe framed me. Talk back to Jackson when he cursed at me. Hold me and comfort me softly when my parents grew more and more disappointed in me. “Anna, don’t be afraid. You still have me. I’ll stay with you. If they like Chloe more, that’s their business. I’ll only ever like my Anna!” Like a drowning person grasping the only piece of driftwood available, I relied on him and trusted him even more completely. Until the day Jackson and I turned fourteen. Chloe suddenly fainted for no reason. Ethan’s body stiffened. Before anyone else could react, he shoved me aside and caught her firmly. That “priest” he personally brought to the birthday party stood up in front of everyone. He told them I was bewitched by demons and had been bullying her constantly, which was why her health had gotten so bad. What a conveniently timed “priest.” What a clumsy excuse! The shock and embarrassment on the faces of all our relatives and friends. I still remember it to this day. Everyone could see it was orchestrated bullying and humiliation aimed at me. But my parents still took me to change my name without a second thought. From that day on, the name that had been mine for fourteen years, Anna, became a forbidden word in the house. They called me, Luna. Luna. A name changed for Chloe’s sake. It was a beautiful name, but I didn’t like it. I didn’t like it until the day I died.

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My Alpha husband Leon is the CEO of a publicly traded company, worth billions, yet he only gives me and our daughter Lucy two hundred dollars a month for living expenses. But the day his first love Vivian returned to the country, he didn’t hesitate to gift her a million-dollar luxury car and a ten-million-dollar mansion. Later, when Lucy had a sudden heart attack and only needed a hundred thousand dollars for surgery to survive, he accused me of finally revealing my true ambitions and had his bodyguards throw me out of the company. I watched helplessly as Lucy died in the operating room while he boarded an international flight to travel the world with Vivian. It wasn’t until I finished Lucy’s funeral that Leon, fresh from his trip, finally found me and said carelessly: “Alright, you and Lucy have always wanted to go to the amusement park, right? I’ll take you next week.” But he didn’t know that from the moment Lucy died on that operating table, I decided I was done with him. Our marriage was over.

I was packing up Lucy’s belongings when Leon, just back from his world tour, finally returned home at his leisure. “Circe, give me a shoulder massage. These past few days of traveling wore me out.” Hearing this, I, who used to love my husband like my life depended on it, now said nothing and continued packing in silence. Seeing that I ignored him, Leon frowned, then seemed to remember something and suddenly laughed. “Don’t tell me, Circe, you’re still jealous about me traveling with Vivian?” Vivian was the daughter of Nightcrest pack’s Beta, and also his first love. To accompany Vivian on a world tour, Leon didn’t hesitate to abandon our critically ill Lucy, leaving her to die miserably on that cold operating table. Thinking of Lucy’s eyes gradually losing their warmth, my heart felt like it was being stabbed with an awl. Before I could speak, Vivian walked through the door looking relaxed, saying in fake concern: “Oh my! Luna Circe, this is all my fault for insisting Leon travel with me to relax.” “But don’t worry, we just traveled together, that’s all. Really, nothing happened.” Her words sounded casual, but the two of them wore matching couple shirts and couple rings, looking as sweet as real lovers walking down the street. Meanwhile, my wedding ring with Leon had long been discarded somewhere unknown. Seeing that I still didn’t speak, Leon finally sighed with a helpless expression. “Alright, stop being angry. I’ll transfer you an extra five hundred dollars this month for living expenses. Buy Lucy something nice to eat.” “Just be grateful that I’m good to you both. No need to thank me.” Looking at the transfer record on my phone screen, I only felt it was utterly ironic. He spent over a million dollars traveling the world with Vivian, constantly buying designer brands, any random bag costing tens of thousands. And now, he was giving me five hundred dollars as if he were bestowing upon me some enormous favor. Standing to the side, Vivian could barely suppress her laughter as she said mockingly: “Luna Circe, five hundred dollars isn’t little. Hurry up and thank Leon.” “If you ask me, it’s good for kids to suffer a bit when they’re young. That way they won’t be spoiled by money in the future!” Such absurd reasoning, yet Leon believed it completely. To keep Lucy from being “spoiled,” he strictly controlled mine and Lucy’s expenses every month, only giving us two hundred dollars for living costs. I used to fight with him about this all the time, because I wanted to give Lucy a better life, but now that Lucy was dead, there was no point in saying anything more. With that thought, I transferred the money straight back and said flatly: “No need. I don’t need it.” The smile on Leon’s face froze instantly, then he said helplessly: “Circe, I already apologized to you. What more do you want?” Before I could respond, Vivian’s mocking voice came from beside me. “I think she just thinks five hundred dollars is too little, right?” “Luna Circe, I’m not trying to criticize you, but with your materialistic attitude, how can you set a good example for Lucy?” She lectured me from her high horse. Hearing this, Leon also looked at me with disappointment. “Circe, we’ve only been married a few years and you’ve already become this greedy?” “In a few more years, are you going to want my company shares and my family assets too?” Hearing Leon’s interrogation, I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly at myself. Leon and I were fated mates. Back then, he was a distinguished Alpha, and I was just an ordinary werewolf. After meeting me, he broke up with Vivian to pursue me. Before marriage, he said: “The difference in our status doesn’t matter, Circe. No matter what your family background is, I will love you.” But after marriage, once Vivian returned to the country and found him, he always mocked me: “Someone of your status should be laughing in your sleep that you married me. Don’t fantasize about things that don’t belong to you. The few hundred dollars I give you each month is already a gift.” Now, hearing him say such things again, I no longer had the energy to argue. But my silence, in his eyes, became guilt. The next moment, Leon said irritably: “Looks like Vivian was right. You’re not a qualified mother at all.” “I’m doing this to cultivate our daughter’s spirit of hard work and endurance.” “If you keep this up, and Lucy ends up as greedy and materialistic as you in the future, how are we supposed to maintain this family?” Watching him act so serious, I only felt it was ironic. His so-called hard work and endurance meant that if I asked him for an extra twenty dollars for groceries, he would lecture me for hours about coveting his family fortune. Even when Lucy got a good test score and wanted to eat a small piece of cake, he would point at her nose and scold: “So materialistic at such a young age, you’ll definitely be greedy when you grow up!” “Your mother is going to spoil you sooner or later!” Thinking of this, I was about to tell him about Lucy’s situation. “Leon, Lucy has already—” But before I could finish, Vivian at the door suddenly wailed. The next moment, Leon didn’t even bother to continue lecturing me and immediately rushed to Vivian’s side. “Vivian, what’s wrong?” Vivian waved her hand pretentiously. “Leon, I’m fine. I just suddenly felt uncomfortable. Maybe I’m allergic to some of the flowers in your house.” “I’m okay, don’t let me interfere with your family reunion.” Hearing this, Leon shook his head. “Your health is more important. I’ll take you to the hospital right now.” Just before leaving, Leon seemed to remember something and turned back to look at me, sighing earnestly. “Circe, let’s both cool down for a bit.” “When I get back, we’ll talk properly about taking our daughter out next week.” But he didn’t know that Lucy was no longer in this world, and I didn’t want to wait for him anymore.

After collecting my thoughts, I brought my resignation letter and went straight to the company to process my departure. After marrying Leon, I had been working at his company. Along the way, colleagues around me pointed and whispered. “Isn’t that Circe? How does she still have the face to come to the company?” “Right? Doesn’t know her place. Last month she had the nerve to ask Leon for a hundred thousand dollars, and Leon had security throw her out.” “With her salary, how many years would she have to work for Leon to earn a hundred thousand?” “Haha, ignore this clown, let’s go…” Hearing these voices, I laughed bitterly at myself. After years of marriage, Leon never publicly announced our relationship, and to avoid suspicion, he always arranged for me to work as an ordinary employee at the bottom. No one knew that I was Nightcrest pack’s mysterious Luna. All these years I worked diligently, no matter how many all-nighters I pulled, to help the company close deal after deal. I just wanted to become a little more excellent, to make Leon acknowledge Lucy and me. But my promotion applications were rejected by him time and time again. I went to him confused, wanting an explanation. He just smiled and told me: “Circe, this is all training for you, so you can be a better wife and mother!” I was speechless, thinking he must have his own plans. But the day Vivian returned to the country, he mobilized dozens of luxury cars to welcome her at the airport, with deafening fireworks. That night, Vivian parachuted into the company and was appointed vice president. Only then did I understand—the difference between love and lack of love was simply too obvious. If that was the case, there was no need to continue this ridiculous marriage. I submitted my resignation. The moment I walked out of the company, I thought I would feel heavy-hearted, but instead I only felt relieved. All these years, I was like a bird with broken wings, trapped in a cage, only feeling oppression. But now, freedom stretched before me. I went to Lucy’s grave. In front of the small tomb, I carefully placed all the toys she loved when she was alive. I stayed with Lucy until late at night before dragging my exhausted body home. Unexpectedly, when I opened the door, I found Leon unusually waiting for me at home. “Look what time it is. I thought you’d learned to stay out all night.” On the sofa, Leon sat with furrowed brows and crossed arms, his face full of displeasure. This expression meant he was waiting for me to coax him. But I only felt it was strange. Before, even when Vivian was just slightly injured, he would stay by her side caring for her, not coming home all night. But today, Vivian had made such a fuss she ended up in the hospital, yet he wasn’t there taking care of her? Not that it was my business. I was too lazy to ask. I asked flatly: “Do you need something?” My cold tone made Leon’s expression stiffen. Before, no matter what happened, I always greeted him with a smile, but since he returned from his trip, I seemed to have become a different person. I didn’t fight with him or make a fuss, and even the way I looked at him had lost its warmth. This made him feel uneasy inside, and he hurried to say: “You’re still angry about me traveling with Vivian, aren’t you? I already told you, it was just to relax.” “Didn’t Lucy always say she wanted to go to the beach? Fine, once I finish my current work, I’ll take you and Lucy too. Happy now?” The peace offering he extended sounded more like charity to my ears. To him, Lucy and I were like two pets—played with when he was in a good mood, kicked aside when he wasn’t. Leon suddenly remembered something and looked at me strangely. “Huh? Where’s Lucy? I haven’t seen her since I got back.” “Did you send her to your mother’s house?” I looked at him in disbelief. He’d been back for two days and only now thought to ask about Lucy? He had no place for Lucy in his heart, much less for this family. Before I could speak, Vivian walked out of the bathroom wearing my bathrobe.

Seeing me there, Vivian didn’t feel embarrassed at all. Instead, like the lady of the house, she very enthusiastically invited me in: “Luna Circe is here! Come in and sit, don’t be shy.” My breath caught, and the words I hadn’t finished were choked off. I looked questioningly at Leon on the sofa. “What is she doing here?” Seeing my expression, Leon looked a bit guilty. “Vivian hasn’t been feeling well lately, so I just brought her home to make it easier to take care of her. Don’t overthink it.” I suddenly understood. No wonder Leon was home tonight—it was all for Vivian. After speaking, Leon even looked relieved. “Good thing you already sent Lucy to your mother’s house, otherwise with so many people at home it really would be inconvenient.” But I only felt it was ironic. He hadn’t noticed Lucy’s disappearance at all, and instead his heart was full of concern for Vivian. Seeing this, Vivian pretended to feel guilty. “It’s all my fault. I’m interrupting your married life. Luna Circe, I’m just staying for a few days. You’re not angry, are you?” But her eyes were full of triumph and provocation. Afraid I would make a scene, Leon quickly explained: “Circe, don’t worry. I already discussed it with Vivian. She’ll sleep on the sofa, I promise she won’t disturb us.” But the next second, I saw deep heartache in his eyes. How could he bear to let Vivian sleep on the cold sofa? If I hadn’t suddenly come back, he would definitely be holding Vivian tightly in his arms. With this thought, I spoke: “She had an allergic reaction today. She’s already not feeling well, how can she sleep on the sofa? She should sleep in the master bedroom.” Hearing me say this, Vivian’s face immediately lit up with joy. “Really? Circe, you’re so generous.” Leon also breathed a sigh of relief. “Circe, I’m glad you can think this way. I was just worried you’d be jealous of Vivian and have another big fight with me.” He thought I had become sensible and wouldn’t fight with him over such small matters. Anyway, I was leaving. What did it matter to me where anyone slept? Just as Leon was happily pulling Vivian to move into the master bedroom, I had already quietly packed my luggage and was preparing to stay at a hotel. But just as I reached the door, Leon, who had suddenly emerged from the master bedroom, saw me and quickly blocked my way. “Circe, it’s so late. Where are you going?” I smiled faintly. “To make room for you and Vivian, of course.” Hearing this, Leon’s face instantly turned iron-blue, and he said through gritted teeth: “Circe, what do you mean by that?” “I already explained everything clearly. It’s because Vivian isn’t feeling well that I brought her home for a few days, and you personally agreed to let her stay in the master bedroom. What are you trying to pull now?” “Don’t you have any compassion at all?” He went on and on in my ear, but I only felt it was laughable. I used to fight with him over Vivian, and he would call me inconsiderate and unreasonable. Now that I was being sensible and not fighting, he was unhappy again. Vivian pretended to wipe away tears. “I knew Circe was still angry at me. This is all my fault. I should just leave. Let me die in pain on the street.” Such a clumsy performance, yet Leon believed it. He pulled Vivian protectively behind him. “Vivian, you’re staying here tonight. I’d like to see who dares to kick you out!” Then, arms crossed, he said coldly to me: “Quite capable now, aren’t you? If you’ve got the guts, then leave!” He was certain I loved him and wouldn’t really leave. But from the moment Lucy died, my love for him had completely disappeared, and I would never forgive him for the rest of my life. I laughed coldly, picked up my suitcase, and left. Leon stared blankly at my retreating figure, unable to come back to his senses for a long time. It wasn’t until I got on the elevator that I heard Leon shouting behind me: “Go ahead! If you leave, don’t you dare come back!” But he didn’t know that I really would never look back. He had lost me forever. At the hotel, I slept soundly through the night. Early the next morning, I opened my phone to find dozens of missed calls, all from Leon. The last call was half an hour ago. I felt a bit strange. Had he not slept all night? He always used to tell me to be more generous and stop fighting with Vivian, but when had he become so petty? When I opened the door, Leon sat in the chair looking haggard. As soon as he saw me, he became instantly agitated. “Just because I let Vivian stay at the house, you’re throwing a tantrum by running away and quitting your job, is that it?”

I didn’t answer directly, but frowned and asked: “How did you know I was here?” Leon’s voice was hoarse. “I checked your bank card transaction records.” Only then did I remember that shortly after we got married, Leon took sole control of the household finances, strictly controlling mine and Lucy’s expenses. The bank cards were all under his name too. It seemed I couldn’t keep that bank card either. But what confused me was why he wasn’t at home taking care of Vivian. What was he doing looking for me? Leon uncharacteristically grabbed my hand gently. “I know you’re still angry about last night.” “So this morning, as soon as Vivian recovered a bit, I immediately sent her home. Don’t worry, I made her sleep on the sofa.” I looked at him in surprise. He never used to explain these things to me. Whenever I fought with him about them, he would say I was petty and that dirty-minded people see everything as dirty. But now that I wasn’t asking, he was going on and on in my ear. I felt annoyed and pushed him away expressionlessly. “Are you done? If so, I need to go to a job interview.” During this time, I had sent out many resumes, and several major companies had already extended offers to me. But just as I was about to leave, Leon grabbed me, his voice trembling: “Circe, do you have to be so ruthless?” “Vivian and I grew up together. She’s my first love. I just want her to have a good life. Is that wrong?” “Besides, haven’t I been good to you and Lucy?” “All these years, everything you and Lucy eat, wear, and use—who paid for it all?” “How can you do this to me after everything I’ve done for you?” Seeing his self-righteous expression, I felt utterly ironic. Because he only gave Lucy and me two hundred dollars a month, which wasn’t even enough for food, let alone school, transportation… To make sure Lucy had enough to eat, I worked three part-time jobs after my regular work. That’s also why, in the end, I couldn’t even scrape together the hundred thousand dollars for surgery, and could only watch helplessly as Lucy died miserably on that operating table. Leon said softly at this moment: “Circe, stop this nonsense. Bring Lucy home with me and let’s live as a proper family of three, okay?” He looked at me pitifully, but I only felt it was laughable. Why should I be like a dog, doing whatever he wanted me to do? Seeing me standing there with a stern face, not speaking, he reluctantly relented: “Then… from now on I’ll raise your and Lucy’s living expenses to five hundred dollars a month!” “Lucy said she wanted to go to the beach, right? We’ll leave today. That should be good enough, right?” “Look, I even bought her the swimsuit she’s been wanting.” He finished speaking and looked at me expectantly. Because he felt the conditions he offered were attractive enough that I had no reason to refuse. I laughed coldly. “You want to take Lucy to the beach, do you?” “Then come with me.” Leon had no idea what was about to happen. He thought I had forgiven him. Even after following me into the car, he was still grinning foolishly: “We’re an old married couple and you’re still preparing surprises for me?” “Alright, I’ll give you face and reluctantly go see what it is.” But when I drove the car to Lucy’s gravesite, Leon looked confused. “Circe, weren’t we going to your mother’s house to see Lucy?” “Why did you bring me to this kind of place?” But the next second, when Leon saw our Lucy’s photo on the tombstone in front of him, the swimsuit he had bought for Lucy immediately fell to the ground.

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After catching Liam cheating, I cut ties with him without hesitation. Later, I joined a tour group to clear my mind, only to encounter a rare blizzard and get trapped in a glacier at minus thirty degrees. On the verge of death, Liam trekked through the snow to find me. He stripped off every layer of clothing from his body and wrapped them tightly around me. “Claire, don’t sleep. I’m not asking for your forgiveness. I just beg you to survive.” “If there’s a next life, I swear I won’t betray you.” When the rescue team arrived, he was frozen solid in the position of holding me. The rescuers had to cut his hands open with a knife to separate us. After his death, I lived to eighty, carrying the guilt of what he’d done for me. When I opened my eyes again, I’d returned to one year before his affair. In this life, he decisively severed all ties with Mia, even kicking her out of the company right in front of me. Everyone marveled at how deeply Liam loved me, down to his very bones. Until the night before our wedding, I heard his inner thoughts: [Reborn into this life, I’m finally about to have her.] [This time, I’ll hide Mia well. Claire will never find out.]

So Liam had been reborn too. But just like in the last life, he chose to betray me again. He just didn’t know I could hear his thoughts. Liam was kneeling on one knee before me, helping me into my high heels, his fingers caressing my ankle. “You’ll be standing all day tomorrow. If these hurt, I’ll get you a different pair.” Just as I thought I was hallucinating, I heard him again. [Mia’s arch is so beautiful. I could hold it in my hands and admire it all day. Not like Claire’s flat feet—no curve at all. Touching them doesn’t even excite me.] My stomach churned. The scene of catching them in bed in my previous life flashed vividly before my eyes. The dim hotel suite. Clothes scattered everywhere on the floor. Mia’s pale ankle propped on Liam’s shoulder as he turned his head to press hot kisses against it. “Claire?” Liam’s fingers tightened. “Why are your feet so cold?” I jerked my foot back. The stiletto heel scraped across the carpet with a muffled sound. “What’s wrong?” I forced myself to stay calm. “Nothing. Just a little cold.” Liam took off his suit jacket and draped it over my shoulders. Mixed in with the fabric was a faint, sickeningly sweet scent of powder and perfume that didn’t belong to him. I suddenly spoke up. “What do you think of Mia?” Liam’s hand, which had been fixing my hair, froze. His face showed undisguised disgust. “Mia’s just pretty, that’s all. She’s actually worthless. I feel sick just looking at her.” He gripped my hand tightly, desperately trying to distance himself. “Claire, I already fired her from the company. I have no connection with her whatsoever. Even if she stripped naked and stood in front of me, I wouldn’t give her a second glance!” In this life, every time Mia approached him, he pushed her away mercilessly. He looked like he hated her even more than I did. At my birthday party, Mia barged in recklessly and knocked over the champagne tower. Glass shards cut my calf. Liam was furious. He grabbed an unopened bottle of red wine from the table and poured it over her from head to toe. “Get out! Don’t let me see you again, or I’ll make sure you can’t survive in this city!” After shouting this, he turned to order security to clear her out, then softened his tone toward me. “I’ll deal with this crazy woman. Don’t let her ruin your birthday.” A flash of panic crossed Liam’s eyes. “Claire, why are you suddenly bringing her up?” [Did she find out something? I showered twice before coming here today. There shouldn’t be any trace.] [I’ve learned my lesson this life. I’ve hidden everything perfectly. Just one more day. Once we’re married, she’ll be mine completely.] I looked at his upturned face. In the last life, this face had been frozen blue and purple in the icy wilderness, frost coating his eyelashes. When he wrapped his last coat around me, even his breath came out with bloody foam. I wanted to spend this lifetime repaying his sacrifice, but he wanted to use this lifetime to deceive me again. He didn’t regret the affair itself—only that he hadn’t hidden it well enough. Thinking about the wedding, he frowned. [Last time at Claire’s birthday party, I poured that glass of wine on Mia and she threw such a tantrum.] [That night I had to coax her for so long, licking the wine off her chest bit by bit before she’d let me touch her. She’ll definitely throw another fit after tomorrow’s wedding. I need to figure out how to appease her.] His thoughts slithered like a venomous snake, crawling into my mind. After he hurried away that birthday night, he never came back. While I sat in the lounge picking bloody glass shards from my calf with tweezers, waiting from daylight to darkness, he had his head buried in Mia’s chest. A chill shot up from my feet straight to my heart. I looked at his flawless expression and asked softly. “You’re disgusted by her because she acts like a lunatic?” He nodded without hesitation. “Of course. How could she compare to you?” I slowly withdrew my hand from his palm. “You’re forgetting the most important thing.” “Mia killed your mother.”

The muscles in Liam’s face twitched violently. The scene from five years ago flooded between us like icy water. Liam’s mother had suffered from severe asthma for years. That year, in a moment of kindness, she sponsored Mia, a student from a poor background, and even invited her home. But out of jealousy over how well Liam’s mother treated me, Mia played a cruel prank—she replaced all the emergency asthma medication on the nightstand with white vitamin pills. Late that night, Liam’s mother had an asthma attack and collapsed in the hallway, clutching her throat in agony, gasping for help. And Mia just stood three steps away, holding up her phone with a giggle, recording a video. “Stop pretending. I just saw you—you were fine.” Liam’s mother died of suffocation amid those piercing, desperate gasps for air. When Liam arrived at the hospital, all he saw was a body covered with a white sheet, and that video Mia had posted on social media, bragging about her “prank.” Liam knelt outside the morgue, his eyes bloodshot, and vomited up a mouthful of blood. His mother had raised him alone. She was the only light in his life within this family full of cold calculations. He held me and cried like a child whose soul had been drained. “Claire, I don’t have a mother anymore. I only have you.” For three months after that, he locked himself in a pitch-black basement. Self-harm. Starvation. I was the one who fed him cold oatmeal spoonful by spoonful into his trembling mouth. I was the one who held his skeletal body and shielded him from the nightmares that wanted to kill him. I was the one who walked with him through that coldest sea of death. “I haven’t forgotten.” Liam’s eyes instantly reddened, his voice vicious as he gritted his teeth. “A woman that evil wouldn’t be worth my mother’s life even if she died ten thousand times.” “Claire, if you hadn’t been with me, I would’ve died long ago. In my eyes, Mia isn’t even worth as much as a prostitute.” His eyes were red-rimmed, veins bulging on the back of his hand. But his thoughts struck like a sledgehammer, shattering all the devotion I’d given during those years. [It’s been so long. Mia was only eighteen then. She just wanted to play a joke. How was she supposed to know it was life-saving medication?!] [She’s already been so guilt-ridden she’s cut her wrists twice. Her wrists are covered in scars. Why is Claire so vicious, insisting on dragging up things about dead people?] [Mia is so kind she wouldn’t even step on an ant. She’s been having nightmares and crying lately. I can barely keep up with comforting her.] [The dead aren’t as important as the living. The past isn’t as important as the future.] My nails dug deep into my palms, leaving crescent-shaped blood marks. How ridiculous. On the surface, he said he’d never forgive her, but secretly he felt sorry for the scars on his murderer’s wrists. The three months I spent with him meant less to him than a few fake tears from Mia. Thinking I was caught up in grief over his mother’s death, he reached out to comfort me, but I dodged him. I stared hard at his ring finger, my eyes burning, almost splitting open. This wasn’t our wedding ring. Our wedding rings were supposed to be a pair of simple bands he’d designed himself, with our initials engraved inside. He’d said the purest love needed no elaborate decoration. But what he wore now on his ring finger was a pink diamond ring—clearly a women’s style of couple’s ring. It was even the wrong size, stuck at his knuckle and leaving a glaring red mark.

Liam followed my gaze downward. His hand flinched violently. He quickly clenched it into a fist and shoved it into his suit pocket. “Claire.” He took a deep breath. When he looked at me again, his eyes brimmed with gentle apology. “I was going to surprise you at tomorrow’s wedding, but you found out early.” He pulled his hand back out and opened it in front of me. “I saw you staring at pink diamonds in magazines lately, so I secretly commissioned a French craftsman to make one. When I picked it up earlier, the clerk said the size might be a bit tight, so I tried it on myself and it got stuck.” He even laughed self-deprecatingly. “I couldn’t wait to see how it looks on you.” What a seamless excuse. The next second, his thoughts drilled into my ears. [Damn it! How did I wear Mia’s ring back?!] [I was in such a rush getting out of bed at the hotel, I put on the wrong ring. I absolutely can’t let her know I made wedding rings for Mia too.] Three hours ago, he’d called me in that gentle voice, telling me an overseas acquisition had run into urgent issues and he needed to join a cross-continental video conference. He told me to go try on my wedding dress alone. His “cross-continental video conference” took place in a hotel bed. He’d prepared wedding rings for both of us. With the same hands that had pulled me from a glacier in the last life, he’d caressed Mia’s body. With the same lips that had sworn to me “never to betray you in the next life,” he’d kissed away Mia’s tears. My fingers trembled uncontrollably. “Is that so?” I heard my own voice. “But the engraving inside this ring doesn’t look like my name.” Liam’s pupils constricted sharply. The color drained from his face at a visible rate. Even his breathing stopped for a second. He covered the ring tightly. “The inside says ‘eternity’ in French. The letters are too small—you must have misread it. Tomorrow when it’s on your finger, you can look more carefully.” His phone rang. He glanced at me, indicating it was work. He walked quickly toward the floor-to-ceiling window, deliberately lowering his voice. “Didn’t I tell you not to contact me at this time?” After hearing what the person on the other end said, his expression changed drastically. He hung up and headed for the door. [Mia’s morning sickness is getting worse. She needs me most right now. If I keep stalling, she’ll only suffer more.] [I need to get there quickly. Claire can’t get pregnant, but Mia’s different. That’s my first child. Nothing can go wrong!] In sophomore year, he got cornered in an alley by some thugs during a fight. The thugs came prepared with knives. Without hesitation, I rushed forward and took the blade for him. Blood stained his palms. The doctor said my body was damaged. I’d never be able to have children. He slapped himself twice hard across the face. “Claire, I’ve failed you.” “It doesn’t matter if we can’t have kids. If you want, we can adopt. If you don’t, we’ll just have our life together, just the two of us.” And now, he had a child with his mother’s murderer. The lies ground the past into dust, leaving only desolation. He strode toward the door. “There’s a major crisis with the investment deal. The funding chain is stuck. I have to go to the office to handle it.” After he left, I called a friend and had her pull Mia’s medical records. Half an hour later, an electronic medical file arrived on my phone. Six weeks pregnant. Counting back, it was exactly the night of my birthday. A sense of absurdity overwhelmed me. I wanted to call my father to cancel tomorrow’s wedding. My finger hovered over the dial button. That was impossible. The invitations had all been sent out. The hotel was booked. No one would believe me. Liam had played his part too well. He’d fooled not just me, but everyone around me. In this world, everyone would vouch for Liam’s devotion. Everyone would think I was the unreasonable one in this relationship. I wiped away my tears forcefully, my lips curling into a smile. Then let everyone watch the show. I sent Mia a wedding invitation with a note: “Come watch your man make his vows to me.” On the wedding day, I watched the tears glistening in my mother’s eyes. She held my hand and patted it gently. “Claire, I’m so happy today. Liam is such a rare, good man. Your father and I are completely at ease with you marrying him.” At the groom’s table across from us, Liam’s father sat upright. Unsmiling, his brow habitually furrowed, yet even he made an exception today and raised his glass. Liam’s father was a traditional man. Since his wife’s death, he’d never remarried. He looked at me, his voice steady. “I’ve always taught Liam to be a man of responsibility! To love only one woman his whole life. If he dares wrong you, I’ll break his legs.”

Their laughter echoed through the lavish banquet hall. I looked at Liam in the distance, mingling with guests. He wore a perfectly tailored custom suit, his posture upright. A perfectly measured gentle smile played on his lips. If I didn’t know that the hickeys on his neck were covered with concealer, I might have been fooled into thinking this really was just an ordinary wedding. Suddenly, the heavy doors of the banquet hall were forcefully pushed open. Mia stood at the entrance. She wore a glaringly inappropriate bright red halter dress, the slit reaching her upper thigh. So red it was blinding—like a piece of bloodied flesh freshly torn from someone’s body. The guests around fell silent instantly, their gazes shifting between her and me. She walked straight toward Liam and reached out to grab his sleeve. In that instant of pulling and tugging, I saw clearly—Mia discreetly slipped a crumpled note into Liam’s suit sleeve. “Mr. Blackwood, I came to see how beautiful Claire looks today.” “I don’t mean anything by it. I just wanted to be part of the most important day of your life.” The smile vanished from Liam’s face instantly. He jerked his hand away from Mia as if electrocuted, stepping back two large paces. “Get out! Where’s security? How did trash like this get in here?!” He turned to look at me, panic flooding his eyes. “Claire, don’t misunderstand. I never invited her! She’s like a leech, showing up on her own.” Liam’s father’s expression darkened. “Liam, deal with this disgusting woman. Don’t let her dirty Claire’s eyes.” Security rushed over and grabbed Mia by both arms, forcibly dragging her toward the exit. “These clothes she touched make me sick.” Liam’s eyes filled with apology. “There are twenty minutes until the ceremony. I’ll go upstairs to the suite and change into a backup suit. I’ll be right back.” Before the elevator doors closed, I heard his thoughts. [Mia looks so beautiful today. That dress definitely has nothing underneath.] [The note says room 8012 upstairs. This little vixen, demanding I give her passionate sex right now.] [Got to make it quick. Having sex with her while wearing the groom’s suit—she’s definitely going to scream loud.] Mia had prepared ahead of time, slipping through the back door upstairs to wait for him in the suite. Seems my words yesterday really got to her. Only openly cuckolding me could satisfy her. Ten minutes later, I activated the micro-camera in my necklace pendant and looked at my parents and relatives beside me. “Liam prepared a wedding gift for everyone. Come with me to get it.” Dozens of friends and family followed behind me in a grand procession. Liam’s father walked at the front, his face wearing a gratified smile. Walking on the thick wool carpet, my high heels made no sound at all. Closer and closer to him. The man’s heavy panting exploded in my mind again. [So pale, so soft. The way that waist moves—I’d give my life for her.] My mother reached out to help adjust my heavy wedding dress train, then said: “Claire, you’re going to be so happy. A couple years ago when you had that high fever, Liam brought a folding bed into your hospital room and stayed by your bedside all night. Even the nurses said they’d never seen a man who loved his wife so much.” A relative immediately chimed in: “That’s right! Everyone in our circle knows how devoted Liam is, and how much he dotes on you.” “Last Christmas, to buy you a strawberry cake, his car broke down halfway. He walked five miles through the snow. When he got back, his ears were frostbitten.” Liam’s father’s voice was steady as he advised me: “Liam’s been raised by me to be rigid since childhood. He doesn’t know romance, but he takes after me—he only has eyes for his wife.” “That crazy woman Mia just now, don’t give her a second thought.” “You saw Liam’s attitude. Even touching her makes him sick.” But at this moment, my attention was focused only on Liam’s thoughts: [Mia really isn’t wearing anything under that dress. I was getting hard downstairs in the hall.] [If Claire and Dad hadn’t been right there, I would’ve wanted to bend Mia over the table right then and fuck her hard.] I lifted my feet and walked forward step by step. The heavy train of my wedding dress dragged across the floor with soft rustling sounds. Closer. Even closer. I stopped at the suite door. Dozens of relatives and friends stopped behind me. Everyone was smiling warmly at this door. I gripped the cold metal handle and pushed down with all my strength. Click. The door opened.

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I had been with Pierce for seven years. We even had a child together, but he still refused to give me a title. The elite circles of Manhattan were just waiting for the day he threw me away. But against all odds, Pierce suddenly proposed. His best friend found out and rushed over, demanding to know if he had lost his mind. After all, Renee had just gotten a divorce and moved back to the States. The woman Pierce had been waiting for all his life was finally here, yet he was choosing to marry me, the nameless woman who had been warming his bed for seven years. Pierce just calmly explained that Renee was too flighty, and she had a daughter. Even if she married into his family, she wouldn’t have a good life. Then he added that I, Hazel, was perfectly obedient. His friend was still confused. Just because I was obedient? Pierce nodded. He said he would set up a trust fund with eighty percent of his assets for Renee before our wedding. That kind of money would last her several lifetimes. He also said that if this were a business marriage, a wealthy heiress would never agree to a prenuptial agreement like that. But he was absolutely certain that I would. 1 “Bro, Hazel literally gave birth to your own flesh and blood!” his friend said, clapping him on the shoulder. “I can understand not giving her everything, but giving eighty percent of your net worth to Renee and her kid? Isn’t that crossing a line?” The VIP lounge instantly filled with knowing, sarcastic chuckles. “Wait, don’t tell me Renee’s kid is actually yours, Pierce?” Pierce took a slow sip of his whiskey. “If anyone disrespects Renee again, we are going to have a serious problem.” His friend immediately changed the subject. “Look, nobody in their right mind would agree to those terms. Why are you so sure Hazel will?” Pierce ran his thumb along the rim of his glass, his voice entirely detached. “Because.” “Hazel has zero material desires. She has stayed by my side all these years, and it was never for the money.” “It is because she loves me.” “Because she is desperate to marry me.” … I stood right outside the heavy mahogany door. It felt like I had been stripped naked and thrown into a blizzard. He knew. He knew all along. He knew exactly how desperately I wanted to be his wife. For seven years. Even after I went through the agony of giving birth to his son. I was still just the nameless Ms. Hazel. He never once brought up marriage. But now, for Renee’s sake, he was going to marry me. In that split second, seven years of blind devotion turned to ash. I did not want to marry Pierce anymore. 2 My hands were still trembling when I pushed the door open. The loud lounge fell dead silent. I walked straight up to Pierce. “Pierce, my gran wants to take a family photo with you and Sam.” Before coming to the club, Gran had been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer at the hospital. The doctors said her prognosis was grim. Her only request was a family portrait. Right now, my only goal in life was to fulfill that wish. Pierce opened his mouth to speak, but his phone buzzed. The moment he saw the caller ID, the ice in his eyes melted into absolute softness. Renee’s voice came through the speaker, trembling with unshed tears. “Pierce, my flight landed early! I do not know if it is because of the outfit I am wearing, but even the airport security guards are staring at me…” “I am so scared. Please come pick me up!” Pierce stood up immediately. “I am on my way.” Almost by instinct, my fingers caught his sleeve. “My gran is dying…” He pulled his arm away, cutting me off coldly. “And what exactly does your gran have to do with me?” My fingers froze in midair. He leaned in, his breath brushing against my ear as he articulated every single word. “Do you want to be my wife?” “Then learn your place.” With that, he and his friends turned and walked out. The VIP lounge was terrifyingly quiet. I stood frozen in the center of the room, and then I laughed. Something inside my chest completely and irreparably shattered. Good. 3 I took a cab back to the hospital alone. Overnight, I cashed in every favor I had to contact the top oncology professors. They reviewed her charts and suggested a cutting-edge targeted therapy trial in Zurich. It was a long shot, but it was hope. First thing the next morning, I walked straight into the corporate headquarters. I was quitting. I only joined the company seven years ago for Pierce. Now, I was going to take Gran to Switzerland for treatment. I was going to sever every single tie I had with him and this city. I was in the middle of typing my resignation letter when an urgent email popped up on my screen. It was a mandatory summons for all department heads to report to the top-floor conference room immediately. I was just getting out of my chair when Gran’s attending physician called. Five minutes later, I rushed to the conference room doors, my eyes still rimmed red from crying. I pushed open the heavy glass doors just in time to hear Pierce’s cold, authoritative voice. “Effective immediately, Renee will take over as the Director of Research and Development. She reports directly to me.” Renee was the first to spot me. Dressed in a pristine designer pantsuit, she smiled brightly. “Does Director Hazel have a problem with my appointment?” “It is my very first meeting, and you are already showing up late?” Before I could even open my mouth to explain. She turned to Pierce, pouting playfully. “Boss, do I have the authority to punish insubordinate employees?” Pierce’s indifferent gaze swept over my face without lingering for even a second. Then, he nodded. A sweet, incredibly vicious smile bloomed on Renee’s lips. “Well, since the boss gave me the green light,” she drawled slowly. “Director Hazel, you are fired.” 4 The entire conference room went pin-drop silent. Vanguard Holdings was known for its incredible benefits. No one in the history of the company had ever been fired for being five minutes late to a meeting. Pierce’s brow twitched imperceptibly. I knew him. I knew he thought Renee was taking it too far. After all, I had bled for this company for seven years. I secured their biggest accounts. I had flawless performance reviews every single quarter. But in the end, he did not say a word. Because Pierce wanted the entire executive board to know that Renee had his absolute backing. The weird, pitying looks from everyone in the room felt like hundreds of tiny needles sinking directly into my heart. The second I sat back down at my cubicle, my desk phone rang. It was Pierce’s private line. “Come to my office.” 5 I pushed open his heavy oak doors. Pierce leaned back in his leather chair, skipping the pleasantries. “Renee is an outside hire. People are naturally going to doubt her.” “She only did that today to establish her authority. She did not mean any actual harm.” I stood there listening quietly, like he was telling a story about a stranger. Seeing my total lack of reaction, Pierce looked visibly irritated. He pulled a thick folder from his drawer and tossed it onto the desk. “Here is a contract for the General Manager position at our Brooklyn branch. The title and the salary are both a massive step up from your current role.” “Stop throwing a tantrum, Hazel.” I stared dead into his eyes. “I will take it, but only if you have accounting wire my severance package to my personal account right now.” Pierce narrowed his eyes. “Are you short on cash?” I nodded. “Yes.” He studied me for two seconds, then picked up his phone and dialed a number. Less than ten seconds later, my phone buzzed. The massive severance payout had hit my account. “Are we done here?” he asked. I nodded and took the contract he held out to me. Pierce visibly relaxed. “If you ever need money, just tell the estate manager. You have unlimited access to my accounts.” I did not reply. I just turned and walked out. I dropped the lucrative contract straight into the trash can by the elevators and walked right out of the Vanguard building. Seven years of corporate slavery. Seven years of blind, willing sacrifice. At this exact moment, it was completely, permanently over. 6 When I started my car, my fingertips were still numb. I took a deep breath and drove straight to the elite private preschool. Gran’s family portrait. Just Sam and I would be enough. But the moment I walked up to the school gates, my son’s face completely dropped. “Mom, why are you here?” “Auntie Renee and Daisy got back yesterday. Dad promised he was taking us all out to a fancy dinner!” I pulled him off to the side, kneeling down so I was exactly at his eye level. My voice was more serious than it had ever been. “Sam, your great-grandmother is very, very sick. She wants to take a picture with you.” “I need you to come to the hospital with me right now, okay?” Sam physically recoiled from me. “No way! Mom, you know I hate germs. Hospitals are disgusting.” He paused, then muttered under his breath, just loud enough for me to hear. “And great-grandma… she is dirty too.” My heart sank to the absolute bottom of my chest. Because I knew the truth. Sam’s obsessive fear of germs only applied to certain people. 7 I carried him for nine months. I went through hell to give birth to him. I raised him with my own two hands until he started school. But if I did not wear sterile gloves, he refused to eat anything I cooked. Yet whenever Renee handed him a random piece of junk food, he devoured it happily. When he rolled around in the mud with Renee’s daughter Daisy, he never once complained about being dirty. I forced back my tears. “Sam, I have told you this before. My parents died when I was very little. Gran raised me by collecting cardboard and saving every single penny.” “She has pancreatic cancer. The doctors say it is a disease that hurts so much most people cannot even handle it.” “But she was so terrified of being a burden to us that she hid the pain until she physically could not take it anymore…” A wave of suffocating guilt practically ripped me in half. My seven years of swallowing my pride just to stay with Pierce. It had ultimately become the reason my own grandmother was too afraid to ask me for help. “Please, just do this one thing for me. Let us go take a picture with her so she can have some peace. Please?” Sam’s face scrunched up in obvious disgust. “No! She is a garbage picker! Garbage pickers are filthy and covered in bacteria!” I felt my blood turn to ice. I stared at him in sheer disbelief. “Sam Pierce! What are you saying?!” Sam screamed back at me. “I am telling the truth! She raised you, so you are probably covered in bacteria too! If you were not my mom, I would not even want you!” “You need to stay away from her, or I do not want you to be my mom anymore!” Before the echo of his words could fade. A low, furious voice snapped from behind me. “Sam!” Pierce was standing right there, his expression terrifyingly dark. “Apologize to your mother.” 8 Sam was so terrified by Pierce’s tone that he instantly burst into loud, ugly sobs. Pierce turned to look at my pale, shattered face. His brow furrowed deeply. For the first time ever, his voice held a trace of regret and frustration. “I am sorry. I had no idea your gran was this sick.” “I will clear my schedule over the next two days and personally bring Sam to see her.” I wiped away a tear with the back of my hand and stood up straight. I refused to look at him. I refused to look at the son I had sacrificed everything to raise. “Do not bother.” I meant it. Do not bother. Pierce. Sam. I was done with both of them. I got into my car and dialed my immigration consultant. “Hi, cancel the visa application for Sam Pierce.” “And please extend the visas for my grandmother and me to the absolute maximum duration allowed.” “We will not be coming back anytime soon.” Once Gran got better, I was going to take her to travel the world. “Understood,” the agent replied. “I will let you know the second it is processed.” 9 I stayed at the hospital with Gran for two days. Once her pain medication finally kicked in and she fell asleep, I drove back to the main estate to pack my things. But when I stood on the porch. My fingerprint failed. The passcode showed an error. Eventually, one of the maids had to open the door for me. When the heavy door swung open, the sight before me made me freeze. The center of the grand foyer was piled high with expensive designer luggage. The staff were carefully carrying box after box of Renee’s belongings up the grand staircase. Renee, wrapped in a luxurious silk robe, glided down the stairs. When she saw me, she flashed a sickeningly sweet smile. “Hazel, you are back!” “Are you still mad about me firing you? I am so sorry!” She blinked her massive, innocent eyes and intimately looped her arm through mine. “I just got back to the States, and I was terrified the staff wouldn’t respect me. I had to make an example out of someone.” “I wasn’t targeting you on purpose.” I calmly pulled my arm out of her grip. Renee did not seem to notice my icy demeanor. She took a step closer. “But guess what? I got you a massive consolation prize!” “I finally convinced Pierce to marry you! Now you can just stay home and enjoy the high life as his wife!” “Are you going crazy with excitement?” I stared at her with dead eyes. “Are you done?” Her smile did not waver, but a mocking glint appeared in her eyes. “Not quite!” “You know I am planning to settle down here for good. I grew up in this exact house. It holds so much sentimental value for me.” “Pierce said that to help me adjust, he is moving your little family of three to the Hamptons estate. This house is just going to be for me and Daisy.” “So I went ahead and deleted your fingerprint and passcode. Next time you visit my house, make sure you knock!” 10 Watching Renee act so incredibly entitled. In that split second, I was genuinely jealous of her. I had known Pierce since college. Naturally, I also knew the pampered princess who always hovered around him. Back then, I naively assumed she was the precious heir to some massive fortune. Chauffeured in luxury cars, draped in high fashion, surrounded by admirers. It was not until I was pregnant with Sam that I found out the truth. Renee’s mother was the maid at the Pierce estate. The only reason she had access to that world was because Pierce adored her. But his elite family absolutely refused to let him marry the help’s daughter. So, she took a ten-million-dollar check from Pierce’s grandfather and promptly moved overseas to marry some other rich guy. Over the years, she threatened to divorce her husband almost annually. The reasons were always absurd. Sometimes her husband forgot she hated onions in her pasta. Sometimes he bought the wrong brand of her signature perfume. Every single time she threw a tantrum and threatened to fly back to America, Pierce would drop his billion-dollar empire to go pick her up and fix her life. He would let her stay in his private Hamptons estate. He would even drag my son, Sam, along to play with her daughter, Daisy. But giving up the main estate… this was a first. Whatever lingering pain I had left simply went numb. I was leaving anyway. I did not care who Pierce gave the house to. 11 It did not take me long to pack my bags. As I dragged my suitcase down the front steps, a sleek black Bentley pulled into the driveway and came to a smooth stop. Pierce stepped out. His eyes instantly locked onto me, then dropped to the suitcase in my hand. His gaze darted between the luggage and my disturbingly calm face. “Where are you going?” he asked, his voice noticeably colder than usual. I stopped walking and looked up at him. “The hospital. To stay with Gran.” Hearing the hospital mentioned, the tight knot between his brows loosened just a fraction. “Come to the lawyer’s office with me first.” “I have some paperwork you need to sign.” I knew exactly what it was. Even though I was completely checked out, the issue of Sam’s custody meant I had to go. 12 We sat down in the sleek, glass-walled conference room. My phone buzzed against my palm. It was a text from the agent: [Ms. Hazel, all paperwork is finalized. You are cleared to fly out tomorrow.] I was just typing my reply when Pierce slid a thick legal document and a blinding pink diamond ring across the table. “Sign the prenup,” he said, his tone softer than I had heard in months. “And we get married.” I did not even glance at the contract. My eyes fixed entirely on the ring. I recognized that pink diamond. Pierce had dropped a hundred million on it at a Sotheby’s auction. My medical broker had already warned me. Gran didn’t have international health insurance. The experimental treatments in Zurich were going to cost an astronomical fortune. I needed to be prepared. I looked up and met Pierce’s eyes. “If I sign this, is the ring legally mine?” Pierce clearly hadn’t expected that to be my first question. He paused before giving a low, “Yes.” I turned to the corporate lawyer sitting across from us. “Draft an addendum stating that this ring is an unconditional prenuptial gift.” Pierce’s brow slammed together in sheer irritation. “Hazel, what exactly is your angle here?” “My angle is that this ring belongs to me. It gives me security.” I held his stare. “Otherwise, I am terrified you will change your mind tomorrow and demand it back so you can give it to someone you actually want to give it to.” The tense, angry line of his jaw instantly relaxed. He probably thought that because I cared about the ring, I still desperately wanted to marry him. Looking highly amused, Pierce took the drafted addendum and signed his name with a flourish. “There. Do you feel secure now?” “Be at City Hall at nine tomorrow morning to get the license.” I slipped the velvet box into my purse and nodded. “Okay.” Pierce stood up, walking around the massive oak table to stand right in front of me. “Then it is settled.” “Do not be late, wife.” He breathed the last word incredibly softly. Then, he quickly looked away and strode out the door. Wife. What a deeply sarcastic joke. There was a time when I hallucinated about hearing him call me that. Now? I didn’t even have the energy to roll my eyes. So this is what it felt like when the love completely, irreversibly died. My fingers tapped across my screen as I calmly replied to the agent: [Book us on the earliest flight tomorrow.] I watched Pierce’s retreating back one last time. After today, we would be oceans apart. I would never have to look at his face again. 13 I left the law firm, but I didn’t head straight to the hospital. Instead, I walked into a different legal office downtown. I signed a document legally surrendering all my custody rights to Sam. By the time I got back to Gran’s room, she was resting her eyes, leaning against the pillows. When she saw me, her lips curved into a gentle smile. She didn’t ask why Pierce or Sam wasn’t with me. She just said softly, “Are you hungry? I had the nurse save you some soup.” While I was eating, Gran’s phone suddenly rang. It was Pierce. “Gran, it is Pierce. I am bringing Sam over to see you at four this afternoon. Does that work for you?” The dull, exhausted light in Gran’s eyes flickered with sudden life. “Yes, of course it works.” “Four is perfect. The lighting will be nice for the picture.” Watching the pure, fragile hope in my grandmother’s eyes, a massive lump formed in my throat. We were about to cross an ocean. The treatments would be grueling, the outcome completely unknown. If this one photo could give her peace of mind… Even if it was just a fraction of peace… I would swallow my pride and play along one last time. 14 Gran only managed a brief nap before she woke up. “Hazel, I am sweating so much. Can you help me wash up?” I brought over a basin of warm water and carefully wiped her down. Her frail hands shook violently from the pain, but she didn’t make a single sound. After I finished, she asked me to pull a brand new navy blue silk blouse from her suitcase. She gave a weak smile. “We are taking a photo. I cannot wear this ugly hospital gown.” I helped her into the blouse and gently brushed out her thin, white hair. By the time we were done, she was completely exhausted. She managed a few spoonfuls of broth before a fresh layer of cold sweat broke out across her forehead, threatening to soak the silk blouse she had just put on. She scratched weakly at her forearm. “Hazel, I think a mosquito bit me. It is so itchy.” She paused, looking deeply embarrassed, and added in a whisper, “Could you rub some of that scented water on me?” 15 The moment I looked down, hot tears flooded my eyes. This was a sterile, VIP hospital room on the tenth floor. There were no mosquitoes. She remembered what I told her. Sam was a germaphobe. She was terrified that the smell of her sick sweat and the heavy scent of hospital medicine would disgust him. I pretended I didn’t know what she was doing. I poured the fragrant cologne onto my fingers and gently rubbed it into her painfully thin arms. The cold liquid touched my skin, but it felt like a branding iron searing directly into my heart. “Oh, and give me a face mask,” she said quickly. “Sam is still so little, and I am so sick…” I fought hard to keep my voice steady. “Gran, they will not care…” “I know, I know. But I want to wear it.” She took the surgical mask, folded it neatly, and tucked it right next to her pillow. As she moved, the corner of two thick envelopes peeked out from under the pillowcase. Thinking I hadn’t noticed, she frantically shoved them deeper out of sight. But I already knew. The only reason she pushed so hard for this photo was because she wanted to see Pierce and Sam one last time. She wanted to hand them those two letters. Before she died, she wanted to entrust me, her only living relative, to the man I had loved for seven years, and the son I had birthed. She actually believed they were my safe harbor. Right at that moment, my phone lit up with a text from Pierce. [Something came up. I will bring Sam tomorrow instead.] That one sentence. It was like a rusty knife plunging directly into my chest and slowly twisting. I stood up, forcing a bright smile onto my face. “Gran, I have a quick emergency at work. I will be right back.” She had spent every last ounce of her failing energy preparing for this. Even if I had to drag them by their hair. I was going to put Pierce and Sam in front of her today. 16 I called Pierce. I called Sam’s smart watch. Neither of them picked up. I drove like a maniac to Vanguard Holdings, only for the receptionist to tell me Pierce had left after his morning meetings. I ripped the steering wheel to the side and sped straight toward the main estate. The second I walked through the door, the head maid gave me the news. Today was Daisy’s first day at her elite private school. Pierce took Sam and attended the ceremony as Daisy’s family. That was his ’emergency.’ At eight o’clock that night, the sound of laughter echoed from the front door. Pierce walked in holding Daisy, while Renee held Sam’s hand. They looked like a picture-perfect family. When Pierce saw me standing dead center in the living room, he instinctively set Daisy down and opened his mouth to explain. “Hazel, I…” I lunged forward and slapped him across the face with every single ounce of strength in my body. Smack! The explosive sound instantly killed the laughter in the room.

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I was the publicly acknowledged girlfriend of Jensen Rutherford, the Rutherford heir. For five years, our love was a whirlwind, a blazing inferno. During the taping of a panel show, the host posed a popular question: “What’s your partner’s ‘get out of jail free’ card?” Without thinking, I blurted out, “His face.” That night, I trended on social media with the hashtag #SiennaTheUltimateFaceLover. Even when he was photographed kissing a starlet on a beach, even when they were seen entering a hotel together, my lovesick brain took over. I made a public declaration: “I’ll never break up with him. I’d die without him.” Just when everyone thought I would remain that pathetically devoted forever, Jensen suddenly changed. He cut ties with all the women on the side. He even knelt in the old Rutherford family chapel for three days and nights, vowing to give up his inheritance just to marry me. Everyone was calling it the prodigal son’s return. The truth didn’t come out until the day I went to the cemetery to pay my respects and a paparazzo’s snapshot went viral. In the photo, I was kneeling before a tombstone. The inscription read: “In loving memory of my husband, Bryce Rutherford.” And the portrait etched into the stone was a dead ringer for Jensen. The night he learned he was nothing but a substitute, Jensen Rutherford almost threw himself off a rooftop. 1 When Jensen and I first met, he was fresh off a breakup with his first love. The girl, Giselle, had squared her jaw and shouted at him, “I’m the leading lady of my own life! I don’t need some damn man to write my story!” Then she flew off to Europe to study acting. Downstairs from his own company’s headquarters, Jensen found me. I was the picture of innocence, a delicate flower. I bore a striking resemblance to Giselle back when she was just starting out. Jensen only asked me three questions. “What’s your name?” “Are you single?” “Want to be my girlfriend? Money and connections are yours for the taking.” In the beginning, Jensen’s friends mocked me endlessly. “You’re just a placeholder while Giselle’s away. You really think a guy like Jensen would give you a second look otherwise?” Giselle’s fans were just as vicious. “Two-bit homewrecker! The second our queen comes back, you’ll be the first one he kicks to the curb!” Their fury was fueled by the fact that Jensen had taken all the resources once poured into Giselle’s career and handed them to me. Giselle, seething, posted a passive-aggressive message on her social media: “Some stand-ins shouldn’t get too comfortable. What isn’t yours will eventually be taken back.” Countless netizens waited for the drama to unfold. “There’s no true love in high society. This girl’s just gonna milk him for all he’s worth and then bolt.” But five years passed. I never asked Jensen for a single dime. When he fell ill on a business trip, I dropped everything and flew overseas to take care of him myself. By the time he recovered, I had collapsed from exhaustion. When rumors swirled about him and some influencer, I didn’t even ask for an explanation before issuing a public statement: “I trust Jensen. I will always stand by him.” Slowly, everyone, including Jensen himself, became convinced that I was deeply, irrevocably in love with him. Even his buddies changed their tune, finally starting to call me by my name with a hint of respect. One of them even pulled him aside. “Dude, just settle down with Sienna. If I had someone who treated me like that, I’d know I’d made it in life.” That evening, at the villa in Crestwood Hills, Jensen wrapped his arms around me from behind, his lips brushing the shell of my ear as we looked out the floor-to-ceiling window. “Sienna,” he murmured, “maybe we should…” Maybe we should get married. He never finished the sentence. His phone shattered the moment, ringing loud and shrill. It was Giselle, her voice thick with tears. “Jensen… if I said I regret it, is it too late?” Jensen didn’t answer with words. He just let go of me and bolted out the door, so fast he didn’t even stop to change out of his slippers. Later that night, Giselle posted a new photo. The caption: Found what was lost. The picture was of two hands, fingers tightly interlaced. On Jensen’s hand, he was still wearing the matching ring I’d given him. 2 The years away from Jensen had been hard on Giselle. She couldn’t land any roles, lost all her endorsements, and nearly fell victim to the casting couch. She learned the hard way how cruel the world could be and decided she wanted to be that coddled little girl again. The moment she and Jensen reconciled, she came after my resources. My agent, Anna, was furious, cursing him out all night. “You’re his girlfriend! Technically, she’s the other woman here! What gives her the right to be so damn arrogant?” I knew Jensen didn’t love me. But that was fine. His love was never what I was after. At an industry dinner, a few braver souls, convinced I was about to be dumped, cornered me and started pushing drinks on me. Jensen heard what was happening and stormed in. He beat them so badly their own mothers wouldn’t have recognized them. I looked at him, and for a moment, the world blurred. Tears streamed down my face before I could stop them. Jensen, thinking I was scared, pulled me into his arms, his voice a soft murmur. “It’s okay, Sienna. Don’t be afraid. No matter what happens, I’ll never let anyone hurt you.” My past was a rough one. I’d grown up fighting to protect myself. A few greasy industry types weren’t enough to make me cry. It was the way he stood up for me, so fierce and protective. It was just like the man in my dreams. 3 Jensen’s friends tried to comfort me. “See, Sienna? He really cares about you.” “Giselle is just an old habit he can’t quite shake.” For a fleeting second, I almost believed Jensen had developed real feelings for me. But then he jetted off to Europe with Giselle for a vacation, and the paparazzi were there to capture it all. They looked like any other couple madly in love, kissing by the sea before walking hand-in-hand into a hotel, not emerging until the next morning. The comments section under my social media posts exploded with ridicule from Giselle’s fans. “Sienna, stop playing dead and say something! The thought of how furious and jealous you must be right now is giving me life!” “What’s stolen must eventually be returned.” “The one and only will always win. She just has to stand there. Some people can kiss ass their whole lives and never even come close.” Jensen’s assistant called me. I was instructed to handle the PR nightmare, just like all the other times. “Okay,” I said. “Tell him to enjoy his trip. I’ll take care of it.” This time, though, the video evidence was undeniable. Even if I was willing to lie through my teeth, the public wasn’t buying it. “Sweetheart, are you still defending him? Do you think we’re all blind?” “Oh, right, right. They’re just ‘friends.’ Friendly kisses, you know. Then they went to the hotel and had a sleepover while they gossiped under the covers. That about right?” “Sienna, if you don’t break up with him, we’re going to start hating you, too!” Backed into a corner by public opinion, I had no choice but to double down. “We’re not breaking up! I’d die without him!” Jensen cut his trip short to come back and plan my birthday party. He wrapped an arm around my waist, a smug grin spreading across his face. “Baby, you love me that much, huh?” During the taping of the show earlier that day, another guest had asked me the same thing. I had lost a game and had to choose “Truth.” The host asked, “What’s your partner’s ‘get out of jail free’ card?” I was hooked up to a lie detector, so I couldn’t lie. With a look of utter sincerity, I said, “His face.” The host did a spit-take, choking on his water for a solid minute. “…What?!” But the lie detector didn’t buzz. It was the truth. 4 It was no secret that Jensen Rutherford, the heir to the Rutherford fortune, was handsome enough to have a fan club based on his looks alone. Everyone just assumed I was a hopeless, superficial fan of his face. The guest sitting next to me, Lorraine, was a revered veteran actress known for her blunt honesty. She was the one who had commented “A perfect match” under the photo of Jensen and Giselle kissing, followed by a vomiting emoji. The comment went viral. Now, looking at me, her face was practically carved with the words, “I can’t believe this girl.” “Sienna, honey, do you really love him that much?” I just smiled. The cameras were rolling, so I let the topic drop. After the taping, Lorraine invited me to her house for dinner. Years ago, I had played her daughter in a film. After just a few weeks on set, she had seen through my sweet-as-pie exterior to the defiant heart underneath. She didn’t call me out on my act. In fact, she praised me. “Good,” she’d said. “I like that fire in you. You remind me of myself when I was your age.” Lorraine lived in Northwood. On her living room wall hung a faded old photograph. A younger, blushing Lorraine was leaning against the shoulder of a handsome young man. I’d heard the stories. She’d had a great love when she was young. He died in a car crash three days before their wedding. I had lived through what she had lived through. I couldn’t imagine how she had survived decades of that pain alone. “Lorraine, how did you get through all these years?” She took a sip of her wine, her eyes turning red. “In the worst moments, I wanted to die. But I still had my parents, my family. I couldn’t be that selfish.” “I tried to move on, to see other men. I even considered getting married on a whim just to force myself forward.” “But none of it worked.” She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, her voice wistful. “The more people I met, the more I realized… he was him. No one could ever replace him.” I sighed, my hands clenching the fabric of my dress. My phone was still buzzing with alerts about Jensen’s latest escapades. A man wearing the face I knew best, acting like a playboy and turning me into a public laughingstock. Jensen wasn’t him. He could never replace him. For the first time, the thought of leaving flickered in my mind. 5 The day before my birthday, Northwood hosted a major charity gala. Giselle wasn’t on the original guest list. But all she had to do was say, “I want to go,” and Jensen pulled strings to get her an invitation. He was worried she’d feel out of place, so he stayed by her side the entire night. When the spotlight found them, Jensen bent down to adjust the train of her gown. Their eyes met, a picture of romantic devotion. My agent, Anna, slammed her fist on the table. “What the hell is this? I’ve never seen a cheater and his mistress flaunt it so openly! Aren’t they afraid of karma?” I swallowed the bitter taste in my mouth and forced a small laugh. “They have nothing to fear.” A man with Jensen’s power and influence would just be called a romantic, a playboy. He was probably the envy of countless men, able to have it all. As for Giselle, with Jensen backing her, no amount of public outrage could touch her career. The roles she was getting were better than ever. The world was just that unfair. My seat was assigned next to Jensen’s. But when I arrived, Giselle was already sitting in it. I pointed to the back. “Your seat is over there.” Giselle shot me a disdainful look and pretended she hadn’t heard. For the first time, I refused to back down. I stood there, staring at her. “Don’t play deaf. Get up.” The tension thickened. Jensen tugged on my sleeve. “Sienna, come on, be good. Just let her have it.” “And if I won’t?” Jensen’s brow furrowed, his voice dropping to a harsh whisper. “Don’t be difficult. If you have a problem, we’ll deal with it at home.” I didn’t even understand it myself. For five years, I had put up with everything. Why was I letting something so small get to me now? I choked back a sob. “Jensen, this is the last time.” I shook his hand off and turned, walking toward the back of the room. 6 Throughout the several-hour-long event, Jensen kept looking back at me. The media barely got a single shot of his face, just the back of his head. Giselle was not pleased. The moment the gala ended, she complained of a stomachache, making Jensen stay with her at the hospital all night. The next morning, Jensen’s friends started calling. “Sienna, you have no idea how much effort Jensen put into your birthday party. The gown alone was handmade by dozens of artisans in France!” “Just forgive him for last night, okay? He knows he messed up and promised he’d make it up to you today.” This was classic Jensen. He knew he was in the wrong but was too proud to apologize, so he’d always send others to plead his case. I went to the party venue as requested. But when I arrived, the expressions on everyone’s faces were grim. “What’s wrong?” I followed their gaze up to the second-floor landing. The magnificent, one-of-a-kind gown was now being worn by Giselle. Jensen walked over to me. He rubbed his chin, looking guilty. “Giselle fell in love with the dress. Just let her have it, okay? I’ll get you something even better later…” “Jensen.” I looked at him, my voice ice. “Is this your idea of making it up to me?” “That’s my dress! Why should I let her have it? I won’t!” “You’re playing both sides. Don’t you feel disgusting?” “No, that’s not right. The two of you are perfect for each other. You’re both disgusting.” In five years, I had always been the gentle, obedient one. Jensen had never seen me like this, my words sharp enough to draw blood, lashing out at him. He was stunned, his face flushing with embarrassment. “It’s just a dress. Is it really that big of a deal?” His friends swarmed in, trying to mediate. “It’s your birthday! You should be happy. Sienna, don’t be angry.” “And you, Jensen, just apologize to her already.” I stood there, silent. After a long moment, I looked at Jensen’s face and let out a dry, humorless laugh. “No need to apologize.” “We’re done, Jensen. Let’s break up.” 7 The single sentence hung in the air, leaving everyone in the room stunned. Jensen was the most shocked of all. It took him a long moment to process my words. “…Break up?” he repeated, as if he’d misheard. “You said break up?” “Sienna, I dare you to say that again.” Giselle, drawn by the argument, hurried over, her eyes downcast as she apologized. “Sienna, I’m so sorry! I grew up poor, I was never really doted on. When I saw a dress this beautiful for the first time, I just wanted to try it on.” “Don’t be mad. I’ll take it off and give it back to you right now…” “Don’t bother.” I pulled a pair of scissors from my purse, grabbed Giselle, and shredded the gown she was wearing into ribbons. “Clothes you’ve worn belong in the trash!” Jensen’s eyes widened in horror. He shoved me back forcefully. “Sienna! Have you lost your mind?!” Giselle collapsed into his arms, clutching her chest and sobbing pitifully. A sharp pain shot through my palm. I clenched my fist, hiding the wound, and turned to walk out. “Sienna, wait…” His friends tried to stop me, but Jensen roared with fury. “Let her go!” “Anyone who tries to stop her today is an enemy of mine!” … I went back to the villa to grab a few important things, then bought a train ticket back to my hometown of Riverbend that same day. The scenery blurred past the window. Listening to the whistling wind, I felt like I had spent my entire life as a piece of driftwood on the river of life, always finding a moment of happiness only to have it snatched away by fate. It was dark by the time I reached Riverbend. It was a small town, and I couldn’t find a cab. I dragged my luggage through the rain, walking for over two hours from the train station to the cemetery. I just missed him so much. I couldn’t wait another second to see him. The old groundskeeper at the cemetery gate tried to send me away. “Girl, who comes to a grave in the middle of the night? Aren’t you afraid of ghosts?” The emotions I had been holding back the entire journey finally broke. I covered my face and sobbed, a raw, broken sound. “If only ghosts were real!” I would have given anything, paid any price, just to see Bryce Rutherford one more time. 8 Sienna was really gone. The girl who was always so sweet, who smiled at everyone, so gentle she almost seemed unreal, had exploded over a single dress. It was like she’d swallowed a stick of dynamite. One of his friends finally couldn’t take it anymore. “Jensen, man, you really went too far this time. You can’t just keep pushing her around because you know she cares about you.” “Stop being so stubborn. Go get her back.” “Get her back?” Jensen scoffed. “Are you kidding me? She’s the one who can’t live without me, not the other way around.” “Didn’t you see her today? She was acting like a lunatic. That’s what happens when you spoil them too much.” In front of everyone, Jensen pulled out his phone and blocked Sienna’s number. “And you guys,” he said, “don’t contact her for at least a month. She needs to be put in her place, or she’ll think she can walk all over me.” The birthday party was missing its guest of honor. The meal was tense and silent. His assistant hesitated for a long time before cautiously approaching. “Mr. Rutherford, I think there was blood on those scissors…” Jensen froze. He sprinted up to the second floor and snatched the scissors off the floor. Sure enough, there were fresh smears of blood on the blades. His tough-guy act lasted all of three seconds. First, he started calling her frantically. When the calls wouldn’t go through, he unblocked her number. He was sending a barrage of voice messages as he ran for the door. [Baby, I’m sorry! I’m so, so sorry!] [Where are you hurt? Why didn’t you tell me?!] [Please, just answer me. I’m begging you, don’t scare me like this…] His friend, standing nearby, rolled his eyes so hard he nearly saw his own brain. “At~ least~ a~ month~,” he mimicked. “Hah. Men.” 9 Jensen was just now realizing how little he actually knew about Sienna. He didn’t know where she was from, who her friends or family were, or where she would go now that she’d left Northwood. He had no idea. His team was working around the clock to find her. For days, Jensen couldn’t eat or sleep. Without her, the massive villa felt like an ice cave, utterly devoid of life. Giselle came by the house to find him, throwing her arms around him the moment she walked in. “Jensen, the nuisance is gone. We can finally start over, just us!” But to his own surprise, Jensen pushed her away. Giselle froze. “…What was that for?” Jensen couldn’t explain it either. He didn’t know when it had happened, but somewhere along the way, Sienna had become more than just a substitute in his heart. He loved the faint scent of her long hair, the way her eyes crinkled into crescents when she smiled. He loved the adoring, almost worshipful way she would stare at his face, her eyes overflowing with a love so pure it was impossible to fake. Since the age of five, Jensen had been an only child. He was doted on, raised in the lap of luxury. He had never lacked for affection. But Sienna’s love was different. It was a torrential, all-consuming force that had seeped into his bones and softened him. If he had to choose between Giselle and Sienna, Jensen knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that his heart had already chosen for him. His team found her. Jensen was in the middle of a board meeting. He didn’t care. He stood up and ran for the airport. It had only been five days, but the thought of her was like an itch under his skin he couldn’t scratch. Love was a terrifying thing. It could chip away at a man’s pride, piece by piece, until he was reduced to this pathetic, needy version of himself. Without Sienna, it was like he couldn’t breathe. 10 I wasn’t surprised when I saw Jensen. With the Rutherford family’s resources, it was only a matter of time before they found me. Jensen grabbed my hands, inspecting them over and over. He only seemed to relax when he saw the wound had already scabbed over. He apologized profusely and tried to transfer fifty million dollars into my account as compensation. “You don’t have to do this.” I pulled my hand away, my voice calm. “We’ve already broken up. Let’s just part on good terms. We can still be friends.” Jensen stared at me for a moment, then a slow grin spread across his face. “Alright, baby, enough with the angry act. It was my fault, all my fault.” “I promise, no more Giselle, no more anyone else. From now on, it’s just you.” “Come back to Northwood with me. We’ll get married as soon as we’re back.” I sighed, exhausted. “Stop it, Jensen. I’m not going to marry you.” “Why not?” “Because I don’t love you.” The smile in his eyes deepened. He wrapped his arms around my waist in a roguish embrace I couldn’t break. “You don’t even blush when you tell a lie like that?” “I know what you’re worried about. You think my family won’t approve.” “Don’t worry. I’ll handle everything. All you have to do is get ready to be my wife.” I learned how he “handled it” from the entertainment news. He went back to his family and announced his intention to marry me. He was immediately locked in the family chapel and beaten, his back left raw and bloody. He then knelt in that chapel for three days and three nights, falling gravely ill. When he woke, he refused to eat or take his medicine, throwing the entire Rutherford household into chaos. He repeated the same things over and over: “Even if I have to give up my inheritance and be cast out of this family, I’m going to marry Sienna!” “And don’t even think about causing her trouble. If anything happens to her, I won’t live either!” Jensen was the only heir of his generation. In the end, their concern for him won out. They relented. Once the news broke, public opinion shifted dramatically. Many who had once called Jensen a scumbag were now marveling at the depth of his devotion. “A prodigal son’s return is worth more than gold. Sienna is so lucky to be loved so deeply by a man like Jensen. I’m so envious.” “After all these years of waiting, Sienna’s devotion has finally paid off. Even a stone would be warmed by now.” It seemed the world was exceptionally forgiving of powerful, wealthy men. A thousand acts of cruelty and manipulation could be forgiven if they were sprinkled with just a single grain of sincerity. For the next few days, Northwood residents kept “bumping into” the young Mr. Rutherford. He was spotted at jewelry stores looking at wedding rings, at bridal boutiques picking out gowns. He must have been in a good mood, because he agreed to a photo with everyone who asked. But Jensen’s good mood didn’t last long. A video of me went viral, igniting a firestorm on social media. In the clip, I was kneeling at a gravesite, sobbing uncontrollably, as if pouring out all the injustices of the world to the person buried there. On the stone in front of me, an inscription was clearly visible: “In loving memory of my husband, Bryce Rutherford.” And the face in the portrait was nearly identical to Jensen’s. That night, Jensen blew up my phone. 11 The constant ringing kept me from sleeping. I went up to the roof for some fresh air. When I turned, I saw a figure standing in the shadows. From the moment I met Jensen, he had always carried himself with an air of untouchable, easy confidence. I had never seen him look so broken. He had rushed to Riverbend in the middle of the night, looking haggard and exhausted. His eyes were so red they looked like they might start bleeding. He was on the verge of a complete breakdown. “Sienna, I’m going to ask you some questions, and you have to answer me honestly. No more lies.” I nodded. “Okay.” “You were married?” “No.” “Then what does ‘late husband’ mean?” “We never made it to the altar. He passed away before we could. I wanted to give him that title.” “Last question.” Jensen’s jaw was tight, the veins on his forehead bulging as he fought back tears. “Were you… using me as his replacement all this time?” I was silent for a moment. “Yes.” The truth, once spoken, was a release for me, too. “Sienna…” His voice cracked. “You’re a cruel, cruel woman.” Jensen turned his back to me. His tall frame seemed to collapse in on itself, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs. I didn’t understand why he was so upset. “Jensen, in your heart, I was just Giselle’s replacement anyway. I’d say we’re even.” “From now on, just be with her. I won’t be in your way anymore.” “No… Don’t go!” He shot up, trapping me in his arms and crushing his lips against mine in a desperate, bruising kiss. I bit down hard, tasting blood, but he wouldn’t let go. “I don’t want her, I want you!” “Sienna, baby, come back with me. We’ll get married! I’ve arranged everything!” I was just so tired. If I had known getting away from him would be this much trouble, I never would have gotten involved in the first place. “Jensen, are you incapable of understanding plain English? I will never marry you.” “The man I love is not you.” Jensen’s tall figure swayed, as if he might fall over. “So it’s true? The living can never compete with the dead?” The next second, he climbed over the rooftop railing, half his body dangling in the open air. One more step and he would fall. Twenty-nine floors. A fall from that height would be fatal. “If I die, too, will you love me the way you loved him?” A violent tremor shot through me. My eyes widened in shock. He was insane. The wind howled across the rooftop. I turned and walked away without a single glance back. Jensen wouldn’t really jump. He couldn’t. His life was too rich, too vibrant. Love was just a small part of it. Unlike me. My heart was so small, it only had room for one person. The day Bryce Rutherford died, a part of me died with him, leaving behind nothing but a hollow shell, barely surviving. A long time later, a man’s voice, choked with rage, echoed from the rooftop. “Sienna, I hate you!” “I’ll make you pay for this.” “You just wait.” 12 Jensen was wrong. It wasn’t that the living couldn’t compete with the dead. It was that from the moment Bryce Rutherford entered my life, every other man in the world ceased to exist for me.

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That day, I sat on the judges’ panel of a music competition show, my identity as the biggest investor concealed. My secretary suddenly sent me a screenshot of a social media post. The poster was my wife, Rora—the reigning queen of pop—who had blocked me long ago. The caption read, “Only the greatest stage is worthy of my shining star.” The accompanying photo showed a young man, smiling and flashing a peace sign at the camera. I had just saved the screenshot, ready to text her a furious question, when the very same young man from the photo walked onto the stage. Pinned to his chest was the antique brooch I had won at an auction for five million dollars. And the song he was singing was the love ballad I had written for my wife. I thought for a moment, then raised my phone, recorded a clip of the performance, and sent it to Rora. “Honey, you didn’t tell me you were taking my things to do charity work.” I followed up with another text. “If I were to misunderstand and sue him for theft and copyright infringement, his career would be over before it even began, wouldn’t it?” The moment I hit send, the stage lights went black. A single spotlight hit a corner of the auditorium. Rora, holding a bouquet of flowers, walked gracefully toward the young man. Without a second’s hesitation, I took off my mask. I smiled at the adoring couple on stage. “Darling,” I called out, my voice carrying through the silent venue, “when did you announce your new relationship?” 1 A collective gasp swept through the audience. Rora’s face turned into a mask of pure horror. I acted as if I hadn’t noticed, my smile never wavering as I waited for her answer. “Mr… Mr. Vaughn, you must be joking.” “Isn’t Rora single?” The host, having barely regained his composure, scrambled to smooth things over. A songwriter on the panel next to me also chimed in. “Exactly. Rora has been in the industry for years without a single scandal. She’s completely dedicated to her music.” “That global hit she released a while back? She spent six months in seclusion writing it. Where would she find the time for romance?” “Besides, she treats her fans like family. If she got married, she would never hide something that huge from them!” He then turned warmly to Rora. “Rora, is this contestant your protégé? I was just thinking how similar his musical style is to yours!” It seemed that in all the commotion, he hadn’t quite heard what I’d said. I picked up my microphone, raising my voice just enough to be clear. “Honey, when did you take on a student? You never even told me.” “And you still haven’t answered my question.” Rora unclenched her fists, forcing a stiff smile. “No, Kai is just a new trainee at the company. We just get along well. I happened to have some free time today, so I stopped by to watch.” She stammered through her excuse. Faced with a sea of confused and probing eyes from the audience, she finally bit the bullet. “I’m sorry to take up everyone’s time.” “Allow me to introduce my husband—Alexander Vaughn.” The revelation that Rora was secretly married sent a shockwave through the venue. Her guilty eyes refused to meet mine. She kept her head down and asked, “Honey, would you like to come up so everyone can meet you?” I didn’t let her squirm for long. As everyone stared in disbelief, I walked confidently onto the stage to stand beside her. “Hello, everyone,” I said, my voice steady. “I’m Rora’s non-celebrity husband, Alexander.” Just as Rora let out a sigh of relief, I turned to the boy, Kai, my expression one of polite curiosity. “You must be a new trainee this year, right? That song wasn’t bad. Did you write it yourself? What was your inspiration? Would you mind sharing it with us?” The color drained from Kai’s face. He shot a panicked look at Rora, silently begging for help. Rora, thinking she was being subtle, gave him a sharp, warning glance. Kai flinched, then bowed his head meekly. “The… the inspiration for the song came from a little melody that Ms. Rora was humming one day. There might be some similarities.” “It was my mistake! I… I’ll withdraw from the competition voluntarily. I’ll post a public apology to Ms. Rora right away. I’m so sorry!” With that, his eyes reddened, and he gave me a deep, formal bow. His pitiful act made Rora tug at my sleeve, her heart clearly going out to him. But I didn’t back down. In that brief moment our eyes had met, I had seen the undisguised malice in his. I turned to look at Rora, letting Kai remain bent over in his bow. “Darling, you know how possessive I am.” My gaze, a mix of amusement and ice, landed on the brooch pinned to Kai’s chest. “Whether it’s a brooch or anything else… everything that’s mine always finds its way back to me, doesn’t it?” “After all, if some shortsighted little thief were to fall into my hands, the price they’d have to pay would be far from simple.” “Ghastly” didn’t even begin to describe the look on Rora’s face. She grabbed my hand, her voice tight. “Alex, let’s just go. We shouldn’t hold up the show.” 2 The driver, sensing the mood, discreetly raised the partition in the car. I stared coldly at Rora. “Explain yourself.” She grabbed my hand, her voice desperate. “Alex, I swear, there’s nothing going on between us!” “I just saw how hardworking he is, how much he reminded me of myself when I was starting out. I was moved, that’s all. I just lent him a piece of jewelry to help him make an impression.” I let out a cold laugh. “He’s a new kid with no money and no endorsements. I have no problem with you helping him out.” “But that song… I poured my heart and soul into writing that song for you. You had no right to give it to someone else.” “Tomorrow, I’ll have my secretary confirm this with his manager. From now on, he can work his way up like every other trainee—on his own.” I looked down at her, my voice low as I delivered my final verdict. “As for you, make sure he returns everything that belongs to me by tomorrow. And cut off all contact with him.” “You are not to have anything to do with him ever again.” Rora’s face went from white to red. “Alex, you still don’t believe that there’s nothing…” I cut off her pathetic excuse, my gaze drilling into her. “Rora, I am not a fool.” “Why would I ever believe that a man my wife blocked me over is ‘just a friend’?” She opened her mouth to argue, but then slumped in defeat. “I understand,” she finally conceded. “Alex, I won’t see him again.” I leaned back against the seat and closed my eyes. The next day, when I came home from work, Kai had indeed returned everything. And on the display shelf in our walk-in closet sat a new pair of ruby cufflinks. Rora stood nearby, watching my expression nervously. “Alex, I’ve already deleted all of Kai’s contact information.” “These cufflinks are a new limited edition from your favorite designer. Please, just forgive me this once, okay?” She wrapped her arms around mine, her voice a sweet, cloying purr—a world away from the cool, sophisticated diva the public knew. Seeing her submissive attitude, most of my anger subsided. I didn’t say anything more. As soon as Rora went to take a shower, a friend request popped up on my phone. It was Kai. I had no idea how he got my private number. I was about to ignore it and head to my study to work when another request came through. This time, it wasn’t the default message. It was a long paragraph. [Mr. Vaughn, you can’t possibly think that just because you have money, you can force a woman who doesn’t love you to stay with you, do you?] [Even if you force Rora to take back your stupid brooch, I can get her to give me other things.] [Don’t get too comfortable. One day, you’ll be the one crying while you watch us together!] I read the defiant words, a cold smile touching my lips as my eyes hardened. So this little clown wasn’t just an idiot. He was a venomous snake who didn’t know his place. I slowly typed out my reply. [You should learn your place. You’re a homewrecker. Rora and I are legally married.] [If you’re skilled enough to get her to spend our money on you during our marriage, that’s your talent.] [But if she does, I can sue you for malicious appropriation of marital assets. My firm’s legal team will not only make you pay back every single cent with interest, but they will also utterly destroy your reputation.] [And when that happens, a public apology and a little show of weakness won’t be enough to save you.] The chat window on his end went silent. No more friend requests came through. I quickly put the matter out of my mind. I’d seen plenty of little parasites like him, trying to claw their way up by destroying other people’s marriages. Men far more clever than him had failed spectacularly. What chance did he have? But the next day, in the middle of a morning meeting at my company, my phone began to ring insistently. 3 It was my mother. “Alex, your father was admitted to the hospital again this morning. His old issues.” “Your sister is filming in the mountains and I can’t reach her. The doctors have scheduled surgery for this afternoon. Can you and Rora come?” My father’s health had been declining for years. Hospital visits for his high blood pressure were common. My mother only ever called us when it was serious. “Don’t worry, Mom,” I said instantly. “We’ll be right there.” I gave instructions to my secretary as I texted Rora. [Rora, where are you?] [Dad is having surgery this afternoon. I don’t want Mom to be alone. I’ll pick you up and we can go together.] She replied almost immediately. [Alex, please tell Mom and Dad I’m so sorry. I have to re-record a part for a song I did last month. The producer is on a tight deadline. I can’t get away.] Her tone was apologetic. She added another message. [I’ll try to be as quick as I can. The second I’m done, I’ll head straight to the hospital.] I knew how much her career meant to her, so I replied with an understanding “Okay.” My mother and I sat in the waiting room while my father was in surgery. Suddenly, she pointed to a figure across the corridor. “Alex,” she said, uncertainly, “does that look like Rora to you?” I frowned and followed her gaze. It was Rora. Even from the back, I recognized the custom-made dress I had helped her pick out just two days before. She and Kai were pushing a woman in a wheelchair. The woman was holding Rora’s hand, laughing and chatting happily. I forced down a surge of rage and changed the subject with a smile. “Mom, you’re mistaken. Rora just texted me. She’s out of town. There’s no way she could be here.” My mother nodded, accepting my explanation. My father came out of surgery safely. Once I had them both settled in his room, I drove home, my foot heavy on the accelerator. On the way, I sent Rora a text. “Rora. Be home in thirty minutes. I want to see you there.” Her call came almost instantly. “Alex, don’t be ridiculous. I’m not done with the recording. How could I possibly fly back…” “The same way you flew to the hospital is how you’re going to fly home!” My voice was glacial, leaving no room for argument. Rora paused, then stammered an excuse. “Kai’s mother twisted her ankle this morning walking her dog. I… I had a car, so I just…” “I don’t want to hear your excuses.” I cut her off. “Thirty minutes. I want to see you at home.” To my shock, she refused without a moment’s hesitation. “Alex, not this time. Kai can’t leave his mother, and I still need to get them dinner.” “I know Dad’s out of surgery and he’s safe. I promise I’ll go and apologize to him properly tomorrow.” I took a deep, steadying breath. “Rora, if you are choosing an outsider over—” Before I could finish, the line went dead. I called back immediately, only to be met with the cold, robotic voice of her voicemail. My hands were shaking with rage. It took every ounce of my self-control not to smash the phone against the car window. Late that night, my secretary sent me a screenshot of Kai’s social media. [Outsiders, please don’t disturb~ My girl had to turn off her phone just to protect our happy little family time!] The picture was of Rora’s back as she unpacked containers of food from a thermal bag by a hospital bed. Rora, who hated the smell of cooking so much that we never used our own kitchen, was now personally serving a meal for someone else. My anger burned so hot it turned to ice. I called my secretary, my voice eerily calm. “Cancel all of Rora’s upcoming engagements that the company secured for her. And pull all funding for her team.” Then, I saved the screenshot from Kai’s post and logged into my company’s official social media account. [Help. My wife blew off her father-in-law’s surgery to cook for her boy toy, then blocked me. How would you handle this?] The post was like a drop of water in a vat of boiling oil. [Wait, if I remember correctly, isn’t this Alexander the guy Rora just officially announced she was married to? So the one cheating is…] [I knew something was off at that show. A star of her level wouldn’t be fawning over some no-name trainee unless there was something in it for her.] [Has his account been hacked? We need an official statement! Our queen would never be that kind of woman!] Within a minute of posting, the comments and shares exploded exponentially. My own inbox was a war zone. Friends, family, business rivals—everyone was messaging me. Just as my notifications hit 99+, Rora’s calls started coming in, one after another. I looked at the name “Honey” flashing on the screen, declined the call, and blocked her number.

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After six years of silent, thankless sacrifice at a top-secret facility, I was finally granted leave to see my family. My heart pounded with excitement as I drove to my husband’s office building, planning the perfect surprise. But the scene that greeted me froze me in my tracks. My daughter, who was supposed to be in school, was standing timidly in front of a strange woman. The woman was holding the hand of a little boy. I watched, paralyzed, as the woman jabbed a finger in my daughter’s face, screaming at her. Then she slapped my daughter, hard, across the cheek and forced her to her knees to apologize. Seeing my daughter kneeling so submissively, a white-hot rage erupted inside me. I stormed over and slapped the woman back, even harder. My daughter’s face went pale with shock. When she recovered, she frantically urged me to run. “Ma’am, you have to get out of here! That’s my dad’s assistant. She’ll destroy you,” my daughter pleaded, her voice a panicked whisper. I fought to control my fury, my heart aching for her. “She’s just your father’s assistant,” I asked. “How dare she treat you like this? Why did she make you kneel?” My daughter, who hadn’t cried when she was hit, now had red-rimmed eyes. But she wouldn’t say more, just kept telling me to go. The woman staggered to her feet and blocked my path, her voice a venomous shriek. “You’re not going anywhere, you bitch!” “In D.C., Mr. Harrison is a god. And you just slapped his high priestess! You just declared war on heaven!” she added, her face twisted with malice. I took a deep breath, pulled out my phone, and dialed my husband’s number. “Your assistant says you’re a god in D.C.,” I said, my voice dangerously calm. “Well, today, I’m tearing your heaven down.” … All I wanted was to ask David Harrison one simple question. How, in the last six years, had he let things get so out of control that his own assistant felt empowered to abuse our child? “I don’t know who you are, and I don’t care how you got my number,” my husband’s voice came through the line, cold as ice. “But for that threat alone, no one can save you.” The line went dead. He had hung up before I could say another word. I stood there, phone in hand, utterly stunned. He hadn’t recognized my voice. He hadn’t even recognized my number. This was my old number from six years ago. He hadn’t even saved it. Six years of longing, of dreaming of this reunion, and this was the welcome I received—a slap in the face. Seeing that I’d been hung up on, the assistant’s face twisted into a sneer. “And here I thought you were someone important. Turns out you’re just another nobody who crawled out of the woodwork.” I clenched my fists, the rage inside me a roaring inferno. Any hope that this was all a terrible misunderstanding evaporated, and a cold, heavy stone settled in my gut. Of course. Six years. Six years without a single word, not even a letter. I was in a place so secret it didn’t show up on any satellite imagery, running endless experiments day in and day out. It should have been obvious that he would move on. But before I left, he had promised me. He swore he would take care of our daughter. The daughter I remembered was a bright, smiling girl, who should have been blossoming into a young woman by now. Instead, the child before me was gaunt from malnutrition, a wilting flower on the verge of collapse. The fear in her eyes was a knife twisting in my heart. “Come on,” I said, my own eyes filling with tears as I took her hand. “I’m taking you home.” I would make up for these lost six years. I would make her the happiest princess in the world again. “You hit me, and you threatened Mr. Harrison,” Isabelle, the assistant, said, blocking our path with a smirk. “Did you really think you could just walk away?” “Are you trying to imprison me?” I asked, my eyes narrowing. “Imprison you?” She laughed, a harsh, grating sound. “You’re in D.C., and you’re talking to me about freedom? Honey, let me tell you something. In this city, even the air you breathe belongs to the Harrisons!” My expression darkened. All those years, I had dedicated my life to my country. In return, the people I worked for had surely offered David support, helped his career along as a way of compensating for my sacrifice. I never imagined it would turn them into such arrogant monsters. Suddenly, my daughter pulled her hand from mine and dropped to her knees again. “Ms. Isabelle, please,” she begged, “let this lady go. She doesn’t know you or my dad. That’s why she offended you. I’ll apologize for her.” At that moment, the dam broke. The tears I’d been holding back streamed down my face. This was my precious child, the girl whose photograph I held against my chest every night just to be able to sleep. And here she was, kneeling before these two animals. What had I done to her? How much had I failed her these past six years? Isabelle just sneered, but before she could speak, the little boy she was holding piped up, a cruel glint in his eyes. “You want to apologize for her? Fine. The toy you made me drop? I want it clean. Then I’ll let her go.” “Okay, okay, I’ll clean it right now,” my daughter said, quickly picking up the expensive-looking drone. “No water,” the boy added. “I want you to lick it clean. Every last speck of dirt.” The color drained from my daughter’s face. “Noah,” she whispered, “I’m… I’m your sister. How can you ask me to do that?” “Don’t flatter yourself,” he spat. “You’re just the bastard child he had with some dead woman. I’m my parents’ only real child. Are you going to do it or not? If you don’t, I’ll make you regret it.” “I’ll do it!” my daughter cried, glancing at me with a look of pure desperation. Then she turned back, tears streaming down her cheeks, and humiliatingly stuck out her tongue, moving it toward the filthy drone. Just as her tongue was about to touch the dirt-caked plastic, I snatched the drone from her hands and smashed it on the ground. “You’ve gone too far!” I roared, my heart seizing in my chest, my eyes burning with rage. I couldn’t believe it. David hadn’t even divorced me, and he had already remarried and had another child. And I couldn’t believe their child would torture our daughter like this. David Harrison, even if you fell out of love with me, how could you treat Lily this way? “You… you broke my drone?” the little boy stammered, his small face contorting into a shockingly vicious snarl. “Isabelle! I want her dead! Make her pay for my drone with her life!” “You little bitch,” Isabelle screamed. “As if you weren’t in enough trouble already, now you’ve pissed off the young master! Security! Are you all dead? Can’t you see the young master is being bullied?” A group of security guards, who had been lurking in the shadows, exchanged hesitant glances before closing in on me. “Beat her,” Isabelle commanded. “If you kill her, I’ll take the blame.” I managed to block two of them, but a third caught me across the back with a baton, sending me sprawling to the ground. They swarmed me, kicking and punching. The crowd of onlookers just shook their heads and sighed. No one dared to intervene. “That woman has some nerve. Of all the people to mess with, she chose little Noah Harrison.” “Everyone in D.C. knows how much David Harrison dotes on that son of his. She’s finished.” “That’s what you get for playing the hero when you have no power. She has no one to blame but herself.” Some looked on with pity, others with scorn. My daughter tried to shield me with her own body, but Isabelle yanked her away so violently she nearly fell. “Noah, I’ll clean the drone for you now. Please, just make them stop,” my daughter sobbed, picking up the broken toy. She bit her lip, holding back her own pain, and began to carefully lick the pieces clean. Her small tongue worked meticulously, wiping away every trace of dirt. My mouth filled with the coppery taste of blood. I struggled to get up, to stop her. “Don’t do it!” “Lily, stop!” Tears streaming down her face, my daughter held out the cleaned drone parts. “It’s clean now. Please, make them stop. They’re going to kill her.” Noah slapped the pieces out of her hand. “You’re disgusting,” he sneered. “It’s covered in your spit. It probably stinks just like you do. I don’t want it anymore.” “But… but you promised,” my daughter whispered, her body trembling. “I promised I’d let her go,” Noah said, a triumphant look on his face. “But Isabelle is the one giving the orders now. And she never promised anything.” My daughter’s face was a mask of despair. She looked at Isabelle, her eyes begging for mercy. Isabelle just smirked, then walked over and gave me a couple of extra kicks for good measure. “The young master is right. She broke his drone. I, for one, am not letting her off the hook.” All the color drained from my daughter’s face. The light in her eyes, once so bright, was extinguished, crushed by the cruelty of the world. Seizing the opportunity, I lunged, pulling Isabelle down to the ground with me. I rained down punches on her, my fists a blur of motion. By the time the guards pulled me off her, her face was a swollen, bruised mess. “Kill her!” she shrieked, a crazed look in her eyes. “Kill her!” Just then, the sound of footsteps approached, followed by a cold, clear voice. “What is going on here?” I looked up, and my eyes met his. David Harrison. Surrounded by an entourage, he strode toward me, his eyes raking over my battered form. A look of sheer disbelief crossed his face. “Evelyn? You’re… you’re alive?”

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The agonizing memory of my past life is burned into my very soul. I suffered a fatal heatstroke inside a heavily air-conditioned penthouse, dying entirely alone. Nobody even noticed my corpse until much later. The architect of this twisted nightmare was my boyfriend’s adopted sister, Ruby. She used some sort of supernatural interface to forcefully bind our physical sensations together. In the middle of a blistering one-hundred-and-seven-degree heatwave, she intentionally went outside to do “good deeds,” handing out bottled water to construction workers. Meanwhile, I was sitting in my sixty-degree room, yet my body boiled from the inside out until I collapsed from hyperthermia. I had begged her. I pleaded with her to stop this insane torture. She just stared back with wide, innocent eyes and mocked me for making up ridiculous excuses. My boyfriend, Nathan, didn’t even bother to ask for my side of the story. He looked at me with pure disgust, calling me a selfish, spoiled brat who only cared about lounging in luxury while his saintly sister sacrificed herself for others. Ruby stayed out in that blazing sun for an entire month. Her “selfless” acts were filmed, uploaded, and she became an overnight viral sensation, bringing millions of internet strangers to tears. But now, I have been reborn. And the very first thing I did was book a VIP ticket for an extreme Antarctic research expedition. Since she loves “experiencing” extreme environments so much, I am going to let her feel the refreshing kiss of minus one hundred and eighty degrees. 1 A confirmation text popped up on my screen. I finally let out a long breath. The flight leaves in three days. In this life, I am going to make those two parasites pay in blood. My core temperature felt like a lit furnace. Sweat cascaded down my spine, pasting my silk pajamas to my skin. I simply turned off the AC, grabbed my phone, and walked right out the front door. I stood directly beneath the blinding, unforgiving sun. A cruel smile crept onto my lips. Ruby, did you really think you were the only one who knew how to tan? “Babe, what are you doing out here?” Nathan came jogging toward me, carrying a massive iced latte from the corner cafe. He wore a mask of frantic, devoted concern. Today was the exact day Ruby activated the sensory link. In my previous life, on this exact day, I hadn’t even made it to the hospital for a checkup yet. I hadn’t yet realized Ruby was the puppet master behind my misery. Nathan played the role of the ultimate doting boyfriend flawlessly. The second I complained about the heat, he instantly rushed out to buy me iced drinks. He played his part perfectly. I did not even want to look at his face. I simply turned my back and let the sun bake my skin. If my destiny today was to burn, then I was going to make damn sure Ruby felt the flames. Nathan hovered behind me, his voice dripping with fake worry. “Audrey, please come back inside with me! If you stay out in this sun, you are going to get heatstroke!” “You hate the heat more than anyone. What is going on with you today?” So he knew I hated the heat? Then why did he and Ruby mock me when I threw away my pride and fell to my knees begging them for mercy in my last life? Ruby had secretly recorded my pathetic state and posted it online. Because my claims about a sensory swap sounded like pure science fiction, nobody believed me. The internet branded me as a hysterical, attention-seeking princess. “Nathan, didn’t your sister just call me a spoiled brat? Didn’t she say I just use my filthy rich parents’ money to sit at home in the AC all day? Well, I took her criticism to heart. I am out here getting some vitamin D.” Ever since I met Ruby, she had never given me a single genuine smile. She spent her nights texting Nathan, filling his head with toxic complaints about me. My words slammed into Nathan like a brick. He choked on his own spit. “You… you…” Our little standoff caught the attention of the neighborhood boomers who were loitering in the lobby to steal the building’s free air conditioning. “Look at these young girls today. Tsk! Absolute drama queens.” “If she was my wife, I would have taught her a lesson by now! Young men today are way too soft. Society really has gone to hell!” “Her poor boyfriend goes out of his way to get her an iced drink, and she throws a tantrum. Completely ungrateful!” A bunch of wrinkly busybodies glared at me with judgmental, beady eyes. You would think I was cheating on their own sons. I rolled my eyes to the back of my head. Instead of listening to their garbage, I dropped into a light jog right there in the middle of the scorching pavement. Let us see how much of this you can take, Ruby. Nathan’s face turned a violent shade of magenta. He pointed a trembling finger at me. “Fine! You are clearly out of your mind today.” He spun on his heel and stormed off. My eyes darkened. It seemed he was not in on the secret yet. I shook the stray thoughts from my head and picked up my pace. Usually, my lower abdomen would cramp up if I ran this fast, but today? I felt absolutely nothing. My phone started ringing. I let out a harsh laugh and calmly accepted the FaceTime call. “Audrey! Why the hell are you outside?!” Ruby’s face filled the screen, her voice cracking in pure, unadulterated panic. 2 I took a moment to truly admire the picture before me. Her face was flushed so dark red it looked like a ticking bomb. Her clothes were plastered to her body, completely soaked in a waterfall of sweat. She was gasping for air, her chest heaving like her lungs were about to rupture. I covered my mouth and let out a sweet, innocent giggle. “Ruby? What a surprise! Since when do you care about my daily routine?” “I just suddenly felt the urge to get my cardio in. And let me tell you, running in the middle of summer is surprisingly exhilarating.” Ruby looked like she was literally going to emit steam. She had intentionally gone to a construction site today to hand out water, even hiring a professional assistant to film her charity work. At first, it had been paradise. She walked under the toxic rays of the sun for hours, climbing up and down scaffolding. She had not felt a single drop of sweat. Instead, she felt a crisp, icy breeze, as if she were strolling through a refrigerated room. But right as she was internally celebrating the sheer magic of her stolen hack, everything violently shifted. The heavenly chill vanished without a trace, instantly replaced by the sensation of running an ultra-marathon inside a steaming sauna. I watched the calculating gears turning behind Ruby’s panicked eyes. I suddenly lost the desire to toy with her. I dropped the sweet act and gave her a deadpan warning. “Ruby, turn off whatever twisted voodoo you are using right now. If you don’t, you are going to meet a very ugly end.” Her expression twisted into a mask of pure rage. She ended the call immediately. When I tried dialing back, I found she had already blocked me. Moments later, the suffocating heat radiating from my own skin dissolved into nothing. I figured Ruby must have finally dragged herself into an air-conditioned room. I stopped my jog and walked back up to my penthouse. Nathan instantly approached me holding a glass of ice water, wearing that sickeningly sweet, forgiving look on his face. “Have some water, babe.” “Please do not torture yourself like that again. It hurts me to see it.” I furrowed my brows, rejecting the glass with high alert. But the very next second, a brutal, crushing force slammed into the back of my neck. My world went black. When I finally regained consciousness, I found myself in a secluded alpine lodge situated thousands of feet above sea level. This place was famously crisp all year round. The temperature never peaked above seventy-five degrees. My stomach dropped into an icy abyss. The door swung open. Nathan stood there, flashing a radiant, chilling smile. “Come on out, sweetheart. Everyone is waiting for you.” Without waiting for an answer, he grabbed my arm and dragged me outside. There was a massive pool party raging on the patio. The guests were all guys from Nathan’s little low-life inner circle. I rarely ever interacted with them. They always looked at me with this greasy, underlying malice that made my skin crawl. “Thanks for the hospitality, Audrey! We have never been to a resort this exclusive!” One of the guys smirked at me. His mouth was smiling, but his eyes stripped me down in a way that made me sick. I snapped my head toward Nathan, demanding an answer. “What is the meaning of this?” He was just an average corporate drone. The only way he could afford this place was by maxing out the supplementary platinum card I had given him. Nathan tightened his grip on my wrist, his voice oozing fake gentleness. “Babe, you hate the heat. This is my little surprise gift to you.” Before I could brace myself, he leaped into the deep end, dragging me straight into the freezing water with him. The blood rushed to my head. I swung my free arm and slapped Nathan straight across his jaw. He was really pulling out all the stops for his precious little sister! Right now, my body was enveloped in a suffocating, dizzying heat wave. I knew exactly what was happening. Ruby was back out in the blazing sun, playing the sweaty, beautiful saint for the cameras. It was exactly how she blew up the internet in my past life, riding on her fabricated angelic persona. And I had burned to death in my own bedroom. Now that I was refusing to stay put, he was trying to trap me in an alpine pool! “Let go of me!” I clawed at his chest, desperately trying to scramble onto the pool deck. But a heavy weight slammed down on my shoulders, violently shoving me beneath the freezing surface. Nathan’s gentle mask shattered into pieces. He looked down at me with a psychotic sneer, his hands brutally forceful. “Audrey, if you insist on making an enemy out of Ruby, then do not blame me for playing dirty!” 3 I was trapped underwater, my wrists and ankles bound with pool ropes, leaving me completely paralyzed. If my sensations had not been hijacked, floating in this cool water would have felt incredible. But my internal temperature was skyrocketing, a dry, unbearable fever burning through my veins. A few of the guys grabbed buckets of ice from the bar and started viciously shoving the cubes into my mouth. “Heard you were complaining about the heat, Princess! The boys are just helping you cool down, hahahaha!” “I have a much better way to cool her off. Why don’t we try it out on her tonight?” “Back off, man. Are you trying to keep her all to yourself?” “Oh, come on! I would never. Maybe we can double team her…” Their filthy, stomach-turning comments echoed around the deck until Nathan finally barked a command. “Enough!” The guys immediately shut their mouths, but their eyes continued to roam up and down my soaked body, making bile rise in my throat. Nathan stood on the edge of the pool, peering down at me like a god judging an insect. A twisted flicker of pity flashed in his eyes. “Just be a good girl and stop throwing tantrums, okay?” “This will all be over soon.” His tone suggested he was doing this for my own good, making me physically gag. I knew exactly what he meant by ‘soon’. In my past life, two months after I died, my rotting corpse was finally discovered. My soul had been trapped floating near the ceiling, unable to move on. I watched as Ruby walked into my bedroom, pinching her nose in disgust, ordering the cleaners to haul my body away. When no one was looking, she whispered to the air. “System, cancel the sensory exchange.” “Oh, Audrey. Your greatest contribution to this world was helping me reach ten million followers. Now that I have made it, your services are no longer required.” That was the moment I realized every agonizing pain I felt was her doing. She planned to switch us back the moment she secured her fame. It will all be over soon? In your dreams! “Nathan, the biggest regret of my miserable life is ever letting you touch me!” I had invited a wolf into my home, and it cost me my life. But in this lifetime, I would drag them both to hell before I let them win. Every ounce of pity vanished from Nathan’s face, replaced by a venomous, dark glare. He hated it. He hated that ever since we started dating, everyone whispered that he was just a gold-digging leech. He convinced himself that he was a martyr for putting up with my “rich girl attitude.” “Since you want to be a stubborn bitch, you can stay in the water.” I remained trapped beneath the surface. The scalding heat inside my body battled the terrifying sensation of drowning. My skin began to swell and prune. I screamed through the water, expending every last ounce of my energy, but nobody cared. One of Nathan’s trashy friends laughed from the deck. “Keep screaming! Nobody can hear you up here!” “Ooh, look at her. She is just trying to get our attention! Keep making those little noises, Princess, you are getting me excited!” The rage caused the blood to rush to my brain. I finally passed out. When I woke up, the suffocating heat still clung to me like a second skin. I blinked and realized I had been dragged into a dimly lit wine cellar. Nathan stood by the heavy oak door, his voice devoid of emotion. “This cellar is kept at a strict sixty degrees. You are going to stay down here for the next month.” He did not even spare me a second glance before turning away. The heavy thud of the reinforced door echoing through the room was my only answer. Trembling with rage, I grabbed an expensive vintage bottle off the rack and hurled it at the wall. It shattered into a million sparkling shards. I gripped the diamond bracelet on my left wrist, preparing to make my move. Suddenly, a tiny red light blinked from the corner of the ceiling. A hidden camera. My heart skipped a beat. I froze instantly, putting on an act of pure terror as I stared up at the lens. 4 A flat screen mounted on the stone wall suddenly flickered to life. Ruby’s face appeared. She looked smug, radiant, and sickeningly triumphant. Her taunting gaze seemed to pierce straight through the monitor. “How is the vacation treating you, Audrey?” “I am so jealous of you. I really am. I have to stay out here in this awful sun, giving water to all these pathetic, lower-class losers.” Every word dripped with pure poison. I closed my eyes, refusing to give her the satisfaction of looking at her. My silence only made her more excited. “Do not worry, Audrey! Once I am a massive superstar, I will definitely buy you dinner. After all, I guess I owe you a little for your… contribution.” If she had a tail, it would be wagging in the air. I let out a low, cold laugh. “Ruby. Things you steal from other people will never truly belong to you.” As if she had just heard the funniest joke in the world, she threw her head back and shrieked with laughter. “Wow, you really do not know when to give up, do you?” “I stole from you? That is hilarious. If you had not stolen my brother away from me, do you really think I would have targeted you?!” My brows knit together. So that was it? Suddenly, every bizarre red flag I had ignored in the past flashed through my mind. The very first time I visited Nathan’s parents, Ruby locked herself in her room and refused to come out. His parents had looked so uncomfortable, muttering excuses. “She is just going through a phase.” I had actually believed them. After that, I bought her expensive designer gifts every time I went shopping, desperately trying to win her over. She took every single one, smashed them to pieces, and threw them in the trash. Whenever I attended gatherings with Nathan’s friends, they always treated me with that subtle, underlying hostility. Now it all made perfect, sickening sense. “Ruby, I am going to warn you one last time. If you do not shut off this freakish hack right now, your life is going to become a living nightmare.” I stared dead into the camera. She did not take me seriously at all. Instead, she pulled out her phone and dialed a number, making sure the camera caught every angle. Her voice shifted into a sickeningly sweet, childish whine. “Nathan! I am so upset right now!” “I just told Audrey I wanted to buy her dinner to make peace, and she threatened me! She said she was going to make my life a nightmare…” It was the most pathetic, amateur acting I had ever seen. But Nathan’s voice through the speakerphone was softer and more devoted than I had ever heard him be with me. “Do not cry, Ruby! As soon as this bitch outlives her usefulness, I am going to dump her with some human traffickers down south just for you. Does that sound good?” The last string connecting me to my humanity snapped. Even though I already knew exactly what kind of monster Nathan was, hearing those grotesque words leave his mouth still left a bitter taste on my tongue. My nails dug so deeply into my palms that they drew blood, but I could not feel the physical pain. Nothing could compare to the icy void spreading in my chest. Ruby’s lips curled into a victorious smirk. “See that? In his heart, you are not even worth a single strand of my hair!” The screen clicked off, plunging the cellar into absolute, dead silence. I unclenched my bloody fists. Swallowing the humiliation, I brought my wrist to my mouth. I pressed a hidden button on my custom-made diamond bracelet—a direct, VIP distress beacon to my private security team. “Extract me.” My elite team pulled me out of that lodge within the hour, leaving no trace behind. My flight to Antarctica was tomorrow morning. I headed straight to the airport. The next day. Nathan woke up with a violently racing heart. A terrifying sense of dread washed over him, a primal instinct warning him that something crucial had slipped through his fingers. But he could not put his finger on it. Carrying a breakfast tray, he unlocked the heavy oak door to the cellar. The tray crashed to the floor. She was gone. By the time my phone started blowing up with his calls, I had already cleared VIP boarding. I didn’t block him. Instead, I sat in my first-class suite, watching his name flash across the screen again and again, sipping champagne as I pictured his pathetic, frantic face. The moment I touched down at the South Pole base, I did not waste a single second. I FaceTimed Ruby. “Hey! Surprise! Guess where I am?” Ruby felt as if she had been plunged into a vat of liquid nitrogen. She nearly blacked out on the spot.

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