In order to pay off the debts of my husband, Scott Moore, who had failed in his investment, and also to treat my daughter, Laura Moore, I worked as a waitress during the day, delivered food on takeout orders at night, and even sold one of my kidneys on the black market. Right after getting off the operating table in that illegal clinic, I insisted on hurrying to the wealthy villa area to do the cleaning job. My colleague said enviously, “Be careful when you’re washing this precious floor. This villa, worth fifty million dollars, was given by Mr. Moore to his fiancée. That woman is so lucky. I heard that just because she threw a tantrum once, Mr. Moore bought her a luxury car worth over ten million dollars in full payment.” I clenched my fists tightly and felt an icy chill all over my body. There was a photo of them on the bedside table. On the messy big bed were black silk stockings stained with some white substance. The man who was smiling gently in the photo, the one my colleague had just mentioned, turned out to be my husband, who had already gone bankrupt.

Laura’s heart disease suddenly got worse. The doctor called me in a hurry and said that a suitable heart donor that matched her had been found. I cried and begged the doctor to give me more time to raise the money, but all the money in our family was with Scott. I called him several times, and he hung up on me again and again. When I finally managed to get the call through, he roared impatiently, “Angela! I’m talking about cooperation with the investor! Can you stop bothering me?” As soon as he finished speaking, he hung up the phone. In a desperate situation, I could only clutch that advertisement for selling a kidney on the utility pole. Just coming out of that small clinic, I didn’t care about the wound on my waist that was still bleeding, and I stumbled back to the hospital. After signing my name on the operation consent form, I finally felt at ease. Laura looked at me with tears and said, “Mom, is my illness never going to get better? Don’t spend any more money on me…” I stroked her pale face and comforted her, “Don’t worry. I’ve raised the money. You’ll get better right after the operation tomorrow!” But thinking of the huge debts Scott owed, the medical expenses and the money for nutritional supplements after Laura’s operation, I endured the sharp pain of the wound on my waist and went to the housekeeping company to do the cleaning job again. I could earn one hundred dollars for doing a cleaning job, and then I could buy some nutritional products for them at night. I was working in the wealthy villa area, and maybe I could get more tips. When I got to the door of the villa, there was still a bit of hope in my heart. But when I saw that couple photo with dazzling crystals on the bedside table, I froze. In the photo, Scott was dressed in a suit, wearing an expensive watch that I had never seen before. He was so different from the husband I remembered, who claimed to be bankrupt and lived a thrifty life. The beautiful woman snuggling closely beside him was exactly the investor he had mentioned every day, Sarah Jensen! The mop in my hand dropped to the ground. I took out my phone with trembling hands. The screensaver of my phone was a photo of him and me smiling. I thought, “Could he have a twin brother?” But I quickly dismissed this absurd idea. I was too familiar with that small mole at the corner of his eye in the photo. I stood there stiffly, not even having the courage to call and question him. My colleague pushed me and said, “Angela, what are you doing? The house owner, Ms. Jensen, will come to check soon!” I quickly pulled up my mask and covered my face with the brim of my hat, only daring to look around with the corner of my eyes. Scott walked in confidently, wearing a neat and high-class suit with one hand in his pocket. My eyes were bloodshot. I forced myself to start mopping the floor. When I was cleaning the living room, my fingertips hooked out a small ball of used tissue from the gap in the sofa. It was stained with glaring lipstick marks, and there were also several obviously used condoms beside it. Feeling a sharp pain in my chest, I forced myself to hold back my nausea and threw those dirty things into the trash can. My colleague leaned over and whispered with a sigh, “Rich people know how to have fun! Mr. Moore is so generous that he must have spoiled Ms. Jensen!” Another colleague said, “Yeah. He’s rich and handsome. Ms. Jensen is lucky!” Those harsh words cut into my heart like knives. I covered my mouth tightly to keep myself from vomiting. “Scott, I’ve brought Kelly back.” Sarah walked in holding the hand of a pretty little girl. Sarah’s niece smiled and jumped into Scott’s arms, saying, “Mr. Moore! My aunt said we’re going to have a big dinner tonight!” He stroked Kelly’s head affectionately and said, “I’ve booked an entire cruise ship tonight. Kelly, you will like it!” Sarah giggled and leaned close to Scott, standing on tiptoe and saying, “Honey, where’s my kiss for greeting today?” He smiled and kissed her on the lips, asking, “Didn’t I satisfy you yesterday?”

Sarah playfully punched Scott’s chest, looking a bit shy. When he saw that the villa had been tidied up, he waved at me and stuffed a thick stack of banknotes into my hand, not even glancing at me. Holding this tip of nearly ten thousand dollars, I was stunned. The money he gave so casually was enough for me to work hard for a whole month. The money he spent on booking that cruise ship was enough to pay for Laura’s heart transplant. Seeing me standing there without moving, Sarah looked at my old, pilling and faded clothes with contempt and said, “Bumpkin, leave here. Do you think this tip is too little?” Her mockery made my heart ache, and I felt like crying. But Scott looked at me in surprise and said, “Why are you…” I was surprised and was afraid that he would call out my name the next second. “There’s blood on your clothes. It’s so disgusting. Don’t scare Kelly.” As he said this, he looked away in disgust and pulled them upstairs. I smiled bitterly. My wound had opened up, staining a large patch of my white clothes red. Sarah, who was standing beside him, was tall and beautiful, wearing an exquisite suit, while I was like a clown, clutching the tip he had given me in a sorry state. I thought we were husband and wife who shared both good and bad times, but he had turned into a rich president. My efforts over the past few years must be just a joke in his eyes. My colleague handed me an envelope out of a bit of curiosity and said, “Do you know Ms. Jensen before? She asked me to give this to you.” I frowned and took it. I found an acquaintance in a nearby grocery store and borrowed the computer in the store. I inserted the USB drive in the envelope into the computer. Dozens of videos immediately popped up on the screen. There were videos of Sarah and Scott celebrating Kelly’s birthday. In front of them was a huge cake that was over a dozen layers high, and beside it were piled up expensive toys that Laura had always dreamed of having. Scott accompanied them to the parent-child sports meeting in the kindergarten, with a big smile on his face. His laughter mixed with Kelly’s sweet laughter. This warm and happy scene made my heart ache. They were wearing matching family outfits, looking like a happy family. I stared blankly at the screen until the last video popped up. Scott was lying naked in Sarah’s arms and said, “How is Laura? When are you going to let her return to the Moore family? I’m tired of testing them for seven years. It’s all your fault for making that bet with me in the first place. That bumpkin’s daughter is still waiting for a heart transplant. If we bring her back now and she sees our family’s wealth and power, she will be jealous.” It seemed as if Laura wasn’t his daughter at all. The way he talked about Laura made my heart ache so much that I could hardly breathe. He knew she was waiting for help. He could find the best doctors, easily afford the operation fees, and even find a suitable heart, but he chose to do nothing. He was just so heartless, watching me risk my life to earn money and watching Laura suffer from the illness. Scott and I met in an orphanage. I was an orphan. After growing up, I often went back to visit the director and those children. That was where I met Scott, who came to be a volunteer. He said he was also an orphan and wanted to help the children have a better life. We got to know each other, fell in love, and finally got married. Because I refused to accept those unspoken rules and offended a big boss, I was blacklisted by the whole industry. I could only do odd jobs, and our life became tough. Scott had always accompanied me through those hard times and never complained until the year Laura was born, when Scott said he had failed in an investment, gone bankrupt, and owed debts. I sold my house to pay off his debts. We moved into a shabby shed in the suburbs. At that time, Scott held me and cried, vowing to be good to me and Laura for the rest of his life. But in the end, he didn’t keep his promise.

Just because of that mean joke between him and Sarah, I and Laura became the victims. I couldn’t let out a scream. My mouth was full of the taste of blood. I wiped the tears off my face randomly and forced a smile as I pushed open the door of Laura’s ward and said, “Laura, I bought you some chicken soup. Do you feel better now?” Laura’s face was pale, and she said helplessly, “Mom, I’m going to have an operation tomorrow, and I have to fast today.” I was stunned for a moment. I was so stimulated by Scott that my mind was all messed up. I was angry at myself for forgetting about this and picked up a cotton swab to wet Laura’s chapped lips with water. She held my hand tightly and asked gently, “Mom, is Dad still busy? I miss him so much.” Looking at her, I couldn’t tell her the truth. I stroked Laura’s head lovingly and said, “You’ll see Dad before your operation tomorrow.” I planned to beg Scott to come and stay with her. After being a clown in their rich people’s game for seven years, my dignity seemed to be worth nothing. After Laura fell asleep, I went to find the doctor to confirm the specific time of tomorrow’s operation. I squatted on the floor of the corridor with my back against the cold wall, and only then did I become a bit more clear-headed. Taking out my phone, I called Scott. This time, he picked up the phone quickly. “Angela, what’s up? I’m accompanying the investor right now. If we can seal this deal, we can get out of our current tough situation!” Over these seven years, he had always used such words to deceive me, and every time I had believed him. At first, Scott pretended to have found a job of moving bricks on a construction site. Seeing that his hands were red and swollen, I told him to focus on finding investors and that I would earn the money. But he just had fun all day long and left us at home to suffer. The music on the phone was loud. I guessed that he was probably still on the cruise ship with Kelly. I controlled my emotions, took a deep breath, and then said, “Scott, Laura is going to have an operation tomorrow. Can you come and stay with her? You know she misses you a lot…” My words were coldly interrupted by Scott before I could finish, “Angela, what on earth has been wrong with you recently? You know I’m busy, yet you keep bothering me! I’m working so hard just to make sure you can live a good life!” Listening to him yelling at me so confidently, I gave a bitter smile. After calming down, I said in a hoarse voice, “Scott, it doesn’t matter if you think I’m silly and unsophisticated. But Laura is your daughter. Do you really not care about her at all?” Scott paused for a moment and said in a flustered manner, “Angela, what nonsense are you talking about? I’ll go to the hospital as soon as I’m done here.” I looked at Laura through the glass of the ward, and my whole body trembled. She was curled up under the thick quilt, looking so weak. When she was just born, she couldn’t even open her eyes and would hold my finger with her soft little hand. Laura had poor health and had never been to kindergarten, even for a day. She only knew me and Scott. But the father she relied on had never really cared about her. I couldn’t hold on any longer and started crying. I didn’t expect that Scott would actually come. Maybe in his heart, he still cared about Laura. The red marks on his neck hadn’t faded yet, and he rushed into the ward wearing those old patched-up clothes. Looking at the sweat beads still dripping down from his forehead, I had mixed feelings. For a moment, I almost thought that we were still a poor but loving family. I thought that suffering wasn’t a big deal. As long as we loved each other, we could get through any difficulties together, until a flash of gold on his wrist caught my attention. That expensive watch brought me back to reality.

When Laura saw Scott coming, she said happily, “Dad, you haven’t come to see me for a long time. I miss you so much.” He smiled awkwardly and said, “Sorry, I’ve been really busy recently. Laura, when you open your eyes after the operation, we’ll be here with you.” Before the operation, Laura looked at me nervously and asked expectantly, “Mom, can I have a doll as a reward?” I almost burst into tears. The birthday gift Scott bought for Kelly was a truckload of expensive imported dolls, while Laura’s dolls were all handmade by me. I quickly nodded and agreed, “Laura, I’ll go and buy it for you right now!” I immediately ran out. Worrying about Laura, I just wanted to come back quickly. But the doll that Laura wanted had already been out of production. I ran to several stores and finally managed to contact a toy merchant to buy it. Holding the doll excitedly, I rushed back to the hospital. But suddenly, the phone in my pocket rang loudly. It was a call from the nurse. Her voice was trembling as she said, “Ms. Turner! Something terrible has happened. That heart has been snatched away! Laura is still on the operating table. Come back quickly!” My face turned pale, and I almost couldn’t stand up. A kind passerby saw my pale face and sent me back to the hospital. By then, I was soaked in cold sweat all over. I stumbled to the door of the operating room. The nurse waiting there sighed, “Your husband has already gone to the transplant bank and taken the heart away.” These words shattered all my hopes. I took out my phone with trembling hands, wanting to call Scott, but my fingers were shaking so badly that I couldn’t even press the dial button. The nurse reached out pityingly and took the phone that I could hardly hold. The call actually got through quickly. He said, “Honey, I have something urgent…” I didn’t want to listen to his lies anymore. I roared at him in a hoarse voice, “Where is Laura’s heart?” He paused for a moment and quickly explained, “Angela, the niece of my investor has also matched the heart. Laura can wait a little longer. This time, we’ll just let…” I was so angry that my voice was shaking as I interrupted him, “Laura is on the operating table waiting for the heart to save her life! Hurry up and bring the heart back! The operation is already halfway through! How could you do this?” Scott sighed impatiently, “You’re usually so generous. What’s wrong with you today? Laura will still have a chance in the future. I took the heart all for you! As long as Sarah is happy and she makes an investment, there will be money for Laura’s treatment, and you can live a good life too! I’m doing this for your own good!” Before I could reply, he hung up the phone. I called him like crazy one after another. He just turned off his phone. Thinking of Laura, who was still waiting for the heart in the operating room, my heart ached so much that I couldn’t breathe, and I knelt on the ground. I stared blankly at the still-lit red light of the operating room and thought, “Scott made Laura lose the chance to live. His love is like this.” The nurse beside me sighed, “You can go and ask in other hospitals. My friend said that their hospital also has a heart transplant operation today, and they just got a heart donor. Laura’s operation has already started and can’t be delayed any longer.” My shoes had already worn out. My soles hurt and were bleeding. But I couldn’t feel the pain and ran like crazy towards the hospital that the nurse mentioned. Stumbling and rushing to the VIP passage, I was stopped by the bodyguards.

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My husband, Declan Mercer, and I had been married for three years. Because his pregnant new lover, Tessa Ralston, wasn’t satisfied with the pressure I used while massaging her feet, Declan crushed my wrist under his foot. The fracture damaged my nerves. As a violinist, I could barely lift my phone anymore. Declan, however, dismissed it nonchalantly. “Stop acting spoiled. As the sister of a murderer, your only purpose is to serve us and atone.” Three years ago, Declan’s sister, June Mercer, had no chance of survival after a car accident. My younger brother, Jasper Granger, had a congenital heart defect and needed a heart transplant. To get the family’s signature for the organ donation, I married Declan, bringing a wedding gift worth over a million dollars, and became completely obedient to him. However, ignoring my injured hand, Declan still wanted me to make nourishing soup for his new lover. Then I got a message from my mom. [Jasper committed suicide. Come home quickly!] Instantly, I could no longer hold my phone steady. The debts had all been paid. It was time for me to leave.

“If it weren’t for the fact that you need to take care of Tessa later, I would’ve completely ruined your hand for what you did to her.” Declan’s new lover, Tessa, knew I was a violinist and thought my nimble fingers would be perfect for massaging her feet. I was unwilling, but Declan threatened to go to my brother’s school and spread the word that he was a murderer’s sibling. Stifling my disgust, I massaged Tessa’s feet. Her sudden shriek made Declan think I was intentionally hurting her. Afraid I would bully Tessa in the future, Declan directly stomped on my hand, breaking it as a lesson. My husband Declan was reprimanding me while talking to Tessa on the phone, completely oblivious that my injured hand could no longer hold the water glass steady. “Declan, you sound so fierce. You’re going to scare the baby in my belly,” Tessa cooed over the phone. Declan immediately softened his voice as if protecting something fragile. “Sorry, I lost my temper again. I’ve got to work on that. For you, I will.” Then he turned and ordered me, “What are you spacing out for? Go make Tessa her tonic soup!” At this, the hand that I had been gripping tighter and tighter suddenly lost its strength. The exact words Declan once said to me were now being directed at Tessa. Every time we argued and got heated, Declan would quickly apologize, reflecting on his own quick temper. Declan had told me to voice any dissatisfaction. He promised he would change. He had sworn that regardless of the reason, he wouldn’t let me suffer as long as I married him. But the promise remained unfulfilled. Influenced by his mother, Declan came to believe that my family orchestrated June’s car accident to get the heart for my brother. He started treating me like a servant, stayed out all night, and openly brought other women home. He even brazenly told me his mistress was pregnant. Declan casually gave to someone else the affection that once belonged only to me. The way Declan looked like he wanted to crawl through the screen to comfort Tessa absolutely tore my heart apart. Seeing I didn’t react, Declan snatched my phone away. The sudden jolt made me drop the glass I could barely hold, and it shattered at Declan’s feet. His shoes were soaked. Declan roared furiously, “It’s just a hand injury! Can’t even hold a cup? Are you useless now?” Declan grabbed my wrist, ready to continue his tirade, but then he saw the faint bloodstains seeping through the gauze. He hesitated for a second, then his brow furrowed, his voice softening considerably. “Is it that serious? Why didn’t you say so?” I had told him many times, but Declan just thought I was being dramatic. I wanted to explain, but the pain in my hand made it difficult to speak. I dug my fingernails into my palm, trying to distract myself from the throbbing ache when Declan’s hand suddenly covered mine. A ripple disturbed the stagnant water of my heart, and I couldn’t help but recall fleeting moments of warmth with Declan. Before Declan could speak, Tessa’s voice came through the phone again. “Declan, I think the heating is broken. I’m so cold.” Declan sprang up like he’d been electrocuted. Even as I held his hand tightly, he slipped away without hesitation. Looking at the blood steadily seeping out, I finally understood. The Declan I once knew was gone forever. Jasper had killed himself. I didn’t owe them anything anymore. It was time for me to leave.

I booked my ticket for the next day. When Declan returned the following day, I was preparing to send the cat away for transport. Declan frowned slightly, “Didn’t you love that cat? Why are you sending it away?” This cat was originally a gift from Declan, and he had adored it at first, too. But one time, Tessa came over, stepped on the cat’s tail, and got startled. After that, the cat became a thorn in Declan’s side. To prevent the cat from ending up in a pot, I had knelt outside in the snow one night, apologizing over and over. Inside the room, the sounds of their panting occasionally escaped while I held the cat, going from screaming apologies to passing out from hypothermia. I also got sick and missed an important competition I had been preparing for for half a year. The memory made my throat tighten. I cleared my throat several times before my voice sounded normal again. But before I could answer, Declan changed the subject. “Good riddance, anyway. Tessa’s heating is broken, so she’s moving in with us. Better to get this beast out of the way before it hurts someone.” My hand grooming the cat faltered at this, and the little cat let out a pitiful meow. I stroked the cat’s head, steadying my emotions, and said, “We should probably throw away those photos of us together, too, so Tessa doesn’t get upset seeing them.” Since I was leaving anyway, these things needed to be dealt with. I acted understanding, but Declan’s expression darkened. He stared intently at me, unable to read my thoughts, so he changed the subject again. “These junk trophies of yours might not even be worth selling for scrap!” I looked up and saw Declan pointing at my trophies. I had learned violin since the first grade, all for these honors. This display cabinet was even designed by someone Declan hired, and he had assembled it himself. He once said having such a talented wife was his pride. After Tessa appeared, everything changed. My heart felt brutally crushed. Seeing Declan reach for the trophies, I immediately stood in front of the cabinet. Declan shoved me aside irritably. “What if these scratch Tessa? “Your family already took a life. You won’t even spare an unborn baby?” I explained to Declan, for what felt like the hundredth time, that June’s death was purely an accident. Declan completely ignored my explanations, only accusing me and my family of being lowly and guilty, insisting I should toil to atone. During the argument, I was hit on the head by a trophy. Declan cursed that I deserved it, but his hands stopped moving. He had just reached out to wipe the blood from my forehead when he saw me squat down to check if the trophy was damaged. Declan irritably pulled his hand back and turned away, planning aloud as if nothing happened. “We need to put more flowers here. Tessa likes them.” Declan forgot I was allergic to pollen. I wiped the dust off the trophy without a word. The next second, Declan remembered himself but snapped back viciously, “Don’t you know you’re allergic to pollen? Why didn’t you say anything? Gonna wait until everything’s set up just to cause a scene?” I had become immune to Declan’s volatile moods. Wiping away the blood, blurring my vision, I said coldly, “It doesn’t matter. Do whatever you want. I won’t be living here anymore.”

Declan paused for a moment, then sneered, “Don’t want to take care of Tessa, so you’re trying to run away? “Don’t even think about it. This is what you owe our family. You’re supposed to slave away for me!” I retorted, “No, I’m going home…” Declan’s phone suddenly rang. He gave me a long, unreadable look, then walked away without hearing me out. A few minutes later, I received a transfer notification from him. The note said: [If you’re that bored, go buy some new clothes. Tired of seeing the same two outfits. And if you don’t want your brother getting isolated at school, don’t even think about running home.] I wanted to explain to Declan, but remembering I needed to request leave from the orchestra, I put my phone away. Then, I saw Tessa’s new social media post. [So what if I’m a little moody during pregnancy? He still has to spoil me.] The accompanying picture showed Tessa telling Declan she wanted grape-flavored oranges. Declan expressed his shock, but instead of finding her request unreasonable, he just told her to wait patiently. The next picture showed a large plate piled high with orange peels filled entirely with grape pulp. Then Tessa said she suddenly didn’t feel like eating them, and Declan praised her for knowing not to eat cold things, calling her sensible. My stomach churned as I looked at the screen. Once, before a performance, when I was hit with sudden, unbearable abdominal pain, I asked Declan to help me buy medicine. He had said dropping me off was already enough trouble and told me to stop being dramatic and just endure it. He left me pale-faced and went to play pool with his friends. My performance suffered greatly, and the collaborators were furious, almost terminating the contract. It was only through my desperate pleading, citing my previously excellent performances, that they let me stay. Arriving at the orchestra hall, I ran into Declan and Tessa, who were passing by. Declan casually asked, “Didn’t you say you had no concerts? Why are you here?” I told him truthfully I was requesting leave. Declan smiled with satisfaction. “Good. You know you need to take leave to care for Tessa. It seems you haven’t forgotten your duty.” I couldn’t be bothered to explain. I tried to walk away but was blocked by Tessa. “Hollis, you are so nice! But I’ve never heard music in a place like this before. Can your coworkers play something for me?” I wondered, “Everyone is busy. Who has time to entertain her?” I reached for the other door, trying to go around them. Declan thought I was going to attack Tessa and shoved me straight down the stairs. “Tessa’s pregnant! How can you be so vicious?!” I fell to the ground, touching the dull ache at the back of my head. The image of Declan’s expected hateful glare stole my breath. He could abandon all trust in me for someone he’d known less than half a year! Tessa immediately feigned shock, shrinking into Declan’s arms. “No wonder you’re a murderer, attacking even an unborn child.” Declan suddenly realized he’d pushed me too hard. He wanted to help me up but couldn’t bring himself to push Tessa away. In the end, he just stared at me without saying or doing anything. A passing colleague stopped in shock. Tessa immediately added, “Didn’t you know? She deliberately ran someone over to dig out their heart!” A colleague I wasn’t on good terms with immediately seized the opportunity. “Money really lets you do whatever you want, huh? No wonder her skills have slipped so badly, yet she still gets to stay in the orchestra.” I couldn’t take it when they insulted my family. Staggering to my feet, my vision blurry, I grabbed Tessa’s collar. My voice was hoarse as I tried to explain. Amidst Tessa’s terrified screams, Declan grabbed my hand but didn’t push me away this time. “You lunatic, calm down! Or else I’ll make sure your brother…” Declan lost his patience, resorting to his usual threats. He yanked my arm and slammed me against the wall. Unable to bear the false accusations any longer, I raised my voice, interrupting Declan, “Make my brother what? Let the whole world know what he did. Ask him why he wasn’t the one who died?! Well, now he’s dead! He’s dead. Are you satisfied now?!” Silence fell after my words. Declan’s mouth hung open, unable to form a single word. He stared blankly for a long time before speaking, “Are you serious…”

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I, Olivia Winchester, was abducted and sold when I was a little kid. After I managed to escape with great difficulty, I found out that I was actually the real daughter of the Winchester family. But my biological parents didn’t love me. Instead, they doted on their fake daughter, Shirley Winchester. During an emergency surgery, my mom and dad had put on their protective suits. And my brother, Isaac Winchester, clung tightly to Shirley, shielding her and insisting that she shouldn’t be the one to do this surgery. Yet, not a single person bothered to tell me that the patient had AIDS and that the doctor performing the operation needed to wear protective gear. Just like that, I was left exposed to the patient with my wounds out in the open. After going through such a life-and-death ordeal, what little affection I had for my family was completely drained, and I finally gave up on them. After the surgery was over, I calmly picked up the phone and made an anonymous tip. “I want to report a colleague for deliberately concealing the patient’s medical history, which put me at risk of being exposed to AIDS.”

“Why aren’t you wearing protective gear, Olivia?!” The shocked voice of my colleague, Jeana Louis, came from the doorway, with a hint of terror hidden in her eyes. I didn’t know what she meant at first. I was stunned for a moment and asked instinctively, “Why say so?” I hadn’t heard that the patient had a history of infectious diseases. But Jeana backed away repeatedly as if she was avoiding the plague. Standing as far away from me as possible, she said in a hurried tone, “This patient has AIDS and syphilis. You can’t come into contact with him. Didn’t Mr. Nathan Winchester tell you that? “Oh my goodness, are you crazy? How could you perform the surgery without any protective measures at all? “How old are you? Do you want to get infected with such a disease? Didn’t your teacher remind you during your internship?” Looking at my parents in their thick protective suits and Shirley being shielded by Isaac, I was dazed for a moment. AIDS couldn’t be cured in the medical field for the time being. Once I was infected, I would carry the virus for life. After my heart skipped a beat, I stiffly turned my head and looked at Isaac, who was keeping Shirley behind him. He was the best anesthesiologist in the hospital, and it was his responsibility to check the patient’s medical history before the operation. Words of accusation were on the tip of my tongue, but in the end, I joked, “Isaac, Jeana is just kidding, right? I didn’t hear about any infectious diseases before I came in…” “The patient does have AIDS. This emergency rescue was unexpected, and I didn’t have time to tell you,” he said. The smile on my face froze. My own brother just dismissed me with those few casual words. “Olivia, you’ve always been in good health, so it’s okay. Shirley is in poor health, so that’s why I didn’t let her assist with this surgery. Weren’t you always complaining that we were biased? Now that you’ve participated in this operation, you should be happy,” Isaac said. I couldn’t hear what he said next. My head was buzzing, my face turned pale, my hands were shaking uncontrollably, and tears were gradually welling up in my eyes. In the silence, I let out a scream. “Why didn’t you tell me!” This was an infectious disease. Even if I wasn’t their sister or daughter, but just an ordinary colleague, they should have told me the patient’s past medical history. My heart turned completely cold, but then I heard my mother, Cara Winchester, complaining impatiently, “Olivia, can you stop ruining the mood? “Your father and I guessed that you would put on this affected act, so we decided not to tell you. Besides, you’re just a junior nurse. It doesn’t matter whether you know the patient’s medical history or not. Shirley already knew about it, but she didn’t back down either.” I laughed self-deprecatingly. “She’s the furthest away from the patient and has the most comprehensive protective measures. Dad, Mom, Isaac, she’s the apple of your eyes, but aren’t I your family member too? Why didn’t you tell me about this?” In the silence, the operation went on in an orderly manner. My father, Nathan Winchester, didn’t even bother to spare me a glance. It wasn’t until the stitches were done that he snapped, “Olivia, you’re being so unreasonable! Your mother and I clearly taught you that family scandals should not be made public.”

There was nothing but blame in his tone. No one could remain calm when they learned that they might be infected with AIDS. What’s more, I had a wound on my hand. I stared at them blankly and finally realized that since I entered the operating room, they had been wrapped up tightly, wearing masks, goggles, and even double-layered rubber gloves. Throughout the operation, Isaac had seriously shielded Shirley behind him, preventing her from getting close to the operating table. I had thought that Shirley was scared, and because my parents had been constantly ordering me to assist them, I was so busy that I was sweating all over and didn’t have the time to pay attention to their strange attire. It turned out that they were so afraid that Shirley might be in danger that they gave this opportunity to me. My hands were shaking more and more, and I couldn’t help but think about how painful it would be if I were infected and had to go through the treatment in the future. But Cara was still scolding me. “The operation is done, and you didn’t have any accidents. I think you’re just being overly sensitive.” But this disease has an incubation period. I felt as if all the blood in my body had turned cold at that moment. Once I came to my senses, I immediately left the operating room, disinfected myself, took the anti-retroviral drugs, and washed my hands countless times. In the end, I lost my strength and leaned against the wall, tears streaming down my face uncontrollably. Isaac never ate on time. Yesterday, I was worried that he would be hungry during his shift at the hospital, so I cooked his favorite steak sandwich myself. However, when I was cutting the meat, I accidentally cut my index finger. At that time, when I was holding the lunch box and casually mentioned that I had accidentally cut my hand and it hurt a bit, Isaac even took the first aid kit to put medicine on my wound and told me to have a good rest. He was the most outstanding graduate of his class. He definitely couldn’t have been unaware that AIDS was more likely to be transmitted when there was a wound, not to mention that the patient was constantly spitting up blood. I couldn’t help but wonder if Isaac really wanted me to die. ***** While waiting for the test results, my heart was pounding wildly. On the other hand, my parents, who had finished the operation, didn’t care at all where I had gone. When they passed by me, they didn’t even glance at me. Holding Shirley’s hands on both sides, they asked gently with soft expressions, “Shirley, you’ve worked hard during this operation. What would you like to have for dinner? That new French restaurant? Okay, it’s on us. We’ll take you there.” I opened my mouth, but I didn’t know what to say. I just stared blankly as they walked away. Ever since I was found by my family, my parents had never called me like that. They were not even willing to say one more word to me. “Olivia, come here.” “Olivia, time for dinner.” “Olivia, Shirley has a math problem she can’t solve. Teach her.” After I joined the hospital, their tone towards me was nothing but commands. At this moment, Isaac said, “What are you standing there for? Didn’t you hear that we’re having a family dinner? Hurry up.” These words instantly woke me up, and I instinctively looked up at Isaac. He frowned, still looking as unapproachable as ever, making people reluctant to get close to him casually. Perhaps seeing the tears that hadn’t dried on my face yet, he rarely softened his tone and said, “It was indeed my oversight not to tell you the patient’s past medical history. I’m sorry. But Dad is about to be promoted to vice president of the hospital, and you’ll benefit more when you work here in the future. So, stop making a fuss, okay? The hospital is really busy.” Finally, after thinking for a while, he added, “Also, Shirley has already gotten off work. You can help her write the report. I’ll send you the location of the family dinner on your phone later. You made a scene just now, and Mom and Dad are very unhappy. Apologize to them later.” He still spoke to me in a commanding tone, sounding cold and distant, as if he was just giving orders to a subordinate.

When I heard Isaac say that I would benefit from it, I laughed. But as I laughed, I couldn’t hold back a few tears. Ever since I started working in the hospital, I had been doing the toughest jobs, while Shirley always got the easiest ones. My parents were so afraid that she would get tired that they told all our colleagues that Shirley was too young to endure hardship. Once, I accidentally overheard Cara saying, “Don’t let Shirley get too tired. But you can ask Olivia to do the odd jobs. She wasn’t with us when she was a kid, so she can take the hardship.” She evaded the important facts and ignored the truth that I had been abducted when I was a child. She just said that I could endure hardship, while Shirley, who was showered with all the love, couldn’t. Even though Shirley’s grades were so poor that no hospital was willing to hire her, it was my parents who pulled some strings to get her in. During my internship, I was busy doing the work of two people all by myself. I had to write two reports. Most of the time, I didn’t even have time to eat. I was so exhausted that I would fall asleep as soon as I fell onto the bed. This was what Isaac meant by me benefiting from it. I forcefully held back my sobs and asked sharply, “Isaac, isn’t my life and safety important? It’s AIDS we’re talking about! Once infected, I’ll carry it for life. I’m only twenty years old! If I’m really infected, the consequences will be unimaginable…” Before I could finish speaking, I was interrupted. Isaac frowned even more. He sneered and scolded me in a mean tone, “Are you done? You’re fine now, aren’t you? You’re already a nurse. Can’t you stop being so delicate? I thought you had become independent and strong-willed since you were found…” He shook his head in disappointment as if he had sentenced me to death. “You’re totally hopeless now.” These words were so ironic. My heart, which had been filled with negative emotions, now deflated like a punctured balloon. I felt weak and defeated, and suddenly I thought of the day I was first found and brought back home. I was led by Isaac, tightly clutching the hem of my washed-out white dress, and my heart was pounding. I told myself in my heart that I had to stay calm, that I had to make my family like me and not drive me away. Then, I saw Shirley wearing an expensive little dress, walking down the magnificent spiral staircase step by step. She came up to me, took a good look at me, and then asked innocently, “Isaac, who is she? Is she the new servant in our house?” Isaac’s mouth was set in a tight line. He squeezed my hand a little harder, but he never denied what she said. He just said, “From now on, she’ll be your elder sister.” ***** At first, I was a bit resentful. Due to my parents’ negligence, I got lost and after going through a lot of twists and turns, I was finally sold to a poor rural area. I had been missing for five years. There, not only did I have to do the laundry and cooking, take care of an elderly person who couldn’t get out of bed, and even had to deal with her excrement right on the bed, but I also had to endure hunger. I refused to give up and studied hard. It was not until the family relaxed their vigilance that I walked for three days and three nights to the town and reported to the police. I thought that after being rescued, I could finally return to my happy home. However, by then, there was no place for me in the family anymore. Shirley had already become the apple of the whole family’s eye. After I got lost, my parents transferred all their guilt towards me onto Shirley, who bore some resemblance to me. Most of the time, they even instinctively showed favoritism towards her. Even if I just ate a piece of beef, they would scold me, “Shirley likes this. Can’t you wait until she’s finished eating? Why are you so gluttonous? It’s not like you’ve never eaten it before.” But I really hadn’t had meat for a long time. So I silently put down my fork, held back my grievances and sadness, and placed the plate of beef in front of Shirley, fearing that if I did something wrong, they might abandon me and I would be sent back to that rural area again. I gave in a great deal. Even three years ago, I gave up my secret crush. I wondered, “Haven’t I done enough? Why won’t my family fully accept me?” ***** A long time passed, so long that my colleagues all left work. Isaac glanced at his phone and said impatiently, “Stop playing the victim. Jeana just told me you’ve already taken the meds, so you’ll be fine!” Another message popped up on his phone. He took a look and then sneered at me, “Shirley was worried you’d have a meltdown and asked me to comfort you. So cut out that fake act of yours.” I came back to myself, licked my dry lips, and after a moment’s hesitation, said, “Thank her for me.” In truth, my heart was breaking. After being treated so unfairly by their own flesh and blood, no one could pretend nothing had happened. But I knew that even if I was suffering to the point of collapse, no one would care. My parents would just think I was being dramatic, and Shirley would just wipe her tears, hold my hand, and say in a weepy voice, “Olivia, I wish it had been me who got abducted instead…” Seemingly caught off guard by my response, Isaac froze for a moment before snapping, “Look at the mess you’ve made of yourself!” Before I could reply, he rushed off, no doubt to join the family dinner. After Isaac left, I stood there, rooted to the spot. The words my family had said echoed in my ears, each one twisting the knife in my heart. “When will you be as sensible as Shirley?” “Can’t you stop looking so gloomy all the time?” “If you make Shirley cry again, get out of this house!” These heartless words were like a sharp blade, severing the last thread of warmth between me and this family. I was abducted at eleven and found at sixteen, and I’d tiptoed around them ever since. Now, at twenty-one, I finally realized that my own flesh and blood truly didn’t give a damn whether I lived or died. I suddenly burst into laughter. It was as if a part of my heart reserved for family was cracking open, and a knife was slowly cutting away every bit of affection I’d held for them. As the wounds began to heal, I placed my hand over my beating heart and was surprised to find that I really didn’t care anymore. I no longer cared about my parents’ love, Isaac’s disdain, or Shirley’s constant provocation. Clumsily, I took out my phone and dialed the local health department’s number. I poured out all the words I’d been holding back for so long. “I want to report my colleagues for concealing a patient’s AIDS history and putting me at risk of infection.” Free Point After I finally saw things clearly, it was like a heavy cloud that had been weighing me down for ages suddenly lifted.

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I thought Hudson Marshall was the love of my life, so I fought hard within the family to win a perfect wedding with him. My parents also decided to launch the billion-dollar “True Love” jewelry collection on our wedding day. But seven days before the wedding, Hudson said he wanted to marry Emilia Bell, his first love, to fulfill her mother’s last wish before he married me. He looked impatient, saying, “For Emilia’s filial piety, all these can be sacrificed. If you can’t spare that little money, go find someone else to marry now.” It turned out that in his world, I, and my career, could make way for Emilia at any time. I turned around and called my brother, Adam Macleod, directly, saying, “Adam, the wedding is as usual, but please help me find a new groom.” On the day of my wedding dress fitting, I waited downstairs at Hudson Marshall’s company for a long time before he came downstairs slowly. As soon as he got in the car, he tossed me a necklace. “Emilia asked me to give it to you. You embarrassed her at the funeral yesterday, so take the time to apologize to her.” The necklace was clearly a freebie that came with a genuine purchase. I had seen it in Hudson’s shopping cart a couple of days ago. “I don’t want it,” I said flatly. Hudson frowned. “What are you getting at again? You’re the one who rushed to the funeral and embarrassed her by saying I wasn’t her fiancé. She didn’t even count it and wanted to bring you a gift, and you’re so ungrateful?” The man who had once protected me was no longer there, and now he cherished someone else. Hudson annoyingly opened the window and blew out the air. After a long time, seeing that I wasn’t coaxing him, he said, “Forget it. I’m going to accompany you to your wedding dress fitting today, so I won’t bother with you.” It was the first time he had gone soft this year. We arrived at the bridal store and were greeted by the clerk. “Mr. Marshall, Ms. Macleod, your specially customized twenty wedding dresses and suits are ready.” Hudson, however, wasn’t looking at the clothes but instead was looking down at his cell phone with a bit of urgency on his face. After noticing my gaze, he hastily put away his phone with a hint of apology on his face. “Sienna, something happened to Emilia, so I have to rush over right away. Try on the wedding dress yourself, and pick out a suit for me. I trust your taste.” After that, he hastily beckoned a cab and left, leaving me alone. The clerk rushed up and said tentatively, “Ms. Macleod, would you like to choose the suit yourself?” I withdrew my gaze and nodded. I’d pick the suit, of course, just not for Hudson. After all, the groom had changed. I called my brother, Adam Macleod, directly, saying, “Adam, the wedding is as usual, but please help me find a new groom.” Adam said incredulously, “Are you going to repudiate the marriage?” “No, it’s that he’s marrying someone else,” I smiled bitterly. I had worked very hard in my family to get my parents’ approval to be with Hudson, and to have the “True Love” jewelry collection released on the day of the wedding. Now, it was all for nothing. Adam was silent for a long time before saying, “Then, there’s only Finley Henderson. His family’s been pushing hard, and he’s been looking for a marriage partner lately.” My brows furrowed. Finley was my sworn rival. On my engagement day, he’d cursed that my marriage would shatter. And now his words had come true. With time pressing, I said, “Fine, choose him then. Ask him if he’s interested. If not, I’ll find someone else.” Adam blurted out, “No need to ask. He’ll definitely agree.” “What?” I was shocked. Before I could press him, Adam mumbled something and hung up. After picking out the dress, I headed home. I’d expected Hudson to stay out all night, but he showed up before dinner. He strode over to me, carrying a takeout box. “I went all over the city to buy you late-night snacks.” I looked at the pizza inside. There were three pieces fewer than usual, and one of them with a bite mark. Clearly, someone had taken a bite. Half an hour earlier, I’d seen Emilia Bell’s Instagram post, which showed the exact same food in my hand, with the caption: [My husband went out late at night to buy me snacks. Thanks, honey. I love you!] I put down my fork with a self-mocking smile, suddenly losing my appetite. I said, “I’m not hungry. Throw it away.” Hudson frowned at me but held back his anger, sitting down beside me to complain, “You have no idea how pitiful Emilia was today. My parents went to her place and insulted her family for being poor, saying they couldn’t even afford a decent wedding gift. She almost cried her eyes out. “Emilia just got back to the country and doesn’t have much money. I was thinking of giving her your wedding gift first.” His domineering tone made me sick. I sneered, “So, I should give my wedding gift to your wife?”

Back then, I cared about Hudson. If he asked, I would give him anything and do anything for him. But now, he slapped me awake himself. Thinking back, I found that since Emilia came back from overseas, everything Hudson had done had been for her. He had forgotten I was the one who was supposed to spend the rest of his life with him. My reply annoyed Hudson. “What do you mean by that? You don’t want to? You better get it straight. Emilia’s my best friend. You better make her happy, or I won’t marry you.” With that, he slammed the door and left. Feeling all stirred up inside, I went downstairs and went for a run in the park. I’d barely finished one lap when Finley called. Thinking of Finley, who always had that poker face, I hesitated for two seconds before answering. “Once you’re on my boat, you’re my person. Try to run, and I’ll tie you back,” said Finley directly. I stayed silent, and he continued, “Send me your valid passport first. Let’s get the paperwork done. I’m scared you’ll back out.” I thought, “Finley, something’s up with you.” I’d already imagined a million scenarios of him using marriage to mess with me. In the end, I could only say, “See you at the wedding, Mr. Henderson.” As soon as I finished speaking, Hudson showed up behind me. “You’re inviting Finley to our wedding? I won’t allow it.” He looked at me like I was the enemy. “Sienna, I told you not to talk with Finley. He’s got a thing for you. If you insist on inviting him to our wedding, I won’t marry you.” Before I could say a word, he’d already laid down the law. Hudson had always disliked Finley for no good reason, just full-on hostility. When we first got together, he’d get jealous over me and Finley talking on WhatsApp. Later, I gradually cut ties with Finley. But now, he actually said Finley had gotten a thing for me. I was about to press him for answers when Emilia suddenly slumped against Hudson’s neck. “Hudson, you’re hurting me.” Only then did I notice that they were walking hand in hand. Hudson coughed awkwardly but didn’t let go of her hand. Emilia looked at Hudson with tenderness and “apologized” to me with feigned helplessness. She said, “Sienna, sorry. Hudson and I were just getting familiar with the wedding flow. I won’t spill the beans about you beating me up or messing with my mom’s grave. But don’t hurt Hudson. True feelings can’t stand tests.” I didn’t want to watch her act and turned to leave. “Since you’re so into it, I’ll have someone beat you up tonight and dig up your mom’s grave.” Suddenly, Hudson slapped me hard. “Sienna, how could you be so evil?” he frowned angrily, his chest heaving. Was I evil? He believed someone else’s gossip with a single word, but our five-year friendship couldn’t earn him a smidge of trust. A sudden anger flared up in me. I was about to grill Hudson when Emilia stepped in front of him. She begged me, “Sienna, please. After the wedding, I’ll give Hudson back to you. Please spare my people and Hudson. Don’t hurt him.” Hudson quickly grabbed her waist to stop her, glaring at me. “Sienna, stop bullying others. You know I hate that. If you still wanna marry me, stop it.” With that, he warned me not to show up in front of them before the wedding. But the next day, Hudson took the initiative to contact me. He shouted, scolding me, “Sienna, did you really dig up Mrs. Bell’s grave? I never thought you’d be that type.” Full of doubts, I called my assistant, Luna Young, to investigate and found out something jaw-dropping. Emilia’s mom was still alive!

No wonder Emilia was crazy enough to dig up her mother’s grave to frame me. It turned out that the whole “death” thing was a scam. I texted Hudson: [Emilia’s mom’s not dead. The truth’s in the email I sent you.] Whether he read it or not, it was not my problem. Finley booked me the flight for three days later in person. When Hudson got back, he saw me packing. Half my clothes were in the trash, and I would send a few things to Southwild. “What’s with the packing?” Hudson looked puzzled. I replied casually, “Moving.” He paused, didn’t catch the vibe, and continued, “The Macleod family’s company’s in Southwild. We’re moving there after the wedding. You’re right. We should pack early.” Then, he gave me a mean look. “Apologize to Emilia for her mom. Don’t make me embarrassed. Do it at the wedding. Okay?” Hudson tossed his phone aside to find his valid passport. Today was the day he and Emilia were getting their marriage license. He didn’t come back till night. I checked my phone, and Emilia’s text popped up. The picture showed Hudson and her in matching outfits and in bed together. I closed my eyes, but my heart still stung. I swallowed the pain and turned off my phone. Deep into the night, my phone buzzed every hour, Emilia taunting me with videos of her and Hudson. Till morning, Finley texted me: [Ms. Macleod, everything is ready. Take your time coming back.] It was attached to a marriage license and a pot of vibrant red roses. I never thought he’d still have that plant I gave him years ago. A strange feeling welled up in me, and I replied: [Okay.] I put my phone down to pack my work files, not noticing Hudson had returned. He packed his everyday stuff, saying, “I’m moving in with Emilia for a few days. She’s swamped with wedding preparations. Don’t be late to the wedding the day after tomorrow.” Then, he went on and on, justifying it, telling me not to make trouble again. “Yeah, I won’t,” I said, looking down. After last night, any feelings I had for him were gone. Hudson saw how calm I was and got a weird panic. He hesitated. But then, he thought of Emilia, and his grip on his phone loosened. He thought, “Sienna loves me so much. Nothing will go wrong.” Relieved, he stopped arguing and left. I watched him leave, then called a number. That night, a helicopter landed in the square. A guy walked up, saying, “Ms. Macleod, your chopper’s here. It’ll take you to Southwild safely in half an hour.” I nodded and handed him a file. “Take this to the wedding tomorrow. It’s my wedding gift for the bride and groom.” Free Point The next day, I sent Hudson a text right on time: [Happy wedding day!]

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After I Got Sick, He Cried His Eyes Red from Worry and Ran All over Town to Raise Money for Me, But I Still Broke His Heart I, Elodie Sterling, got sick while working at a club and drinking with guests. The doctor told me to raise money fast. I begged my mom, Nova Sterling, to lend me some. Nova shoved me aside and sneered, “Your mouth down there’s a mess. What was wrong with the one up here? Still works fine, doesn’t it?” I was so broke I didn’t even have pride left. I was scrambling for money anywhere I could. Then my boyfriend, Beckett Hastings, found me, eyes bloodshot. He kept shoving money into my account. “You need cash, right? I’ll give you whatever you want! A hundred grand, will that cover it? A million, just say the word!” I let out a cold laugh. “I’ve got a gynecological disease. You still wanna send me money?” Beckett pulled me into his arms, his voice shaking. “I’ll send it. I’ll send it all…” I clutched my stomach as I walked out of the hospital. The doctor told me I had a serious gynecological condition and needed money fast for treatment. This was all thanks to Nova. I didn’t even know when it started. At some point, my dad got addicted to gambling. Nova not only didn’t stop him, she made me pay off his debts. She said, “We raised you till you were eighteen. It’s time to pay us back.” Nova told me being a prostitute was the fastest way to make money. Then she hooked me up with a shady club, just like that. The money did come fast. But so did the filth. I was about to call Nova when she beat me to it. “Your dad lost money again. Send me five thousand dollars now. I heard you’ve been busy lately. You must’ve made a lot, right?” I hesitated, then spoke, “Mom… I’m sick. Didn’t I already give you all my money? Can you loan me just a little? I’ll pay you back once I get better.” Nova exploded, “Sick? Oh, cut the crap. You just don’t wanna pay, huh? You want me to tell the whole school what you’ve been doing behind closed doors?” I was choking on tears. “Mom, I’m not lying. I’m really sick. I can show you the diagnosis…” She interrupted me without mercy, “Quit the damn excuses. Send the money, or you’ll regret it.” She hung up on me with a loud snap. I needed thirty thousand dollars for surgery. I only had five hundred dollars left to my name. All the money I’d made at the club had gone straight into Nova’s pocket. I even picked up a part-time job at school to make ends meet. But I had no choice now. I had to ask him for help.

Just as I got to the school gates, Beckett stopped me. I’d met him while working part-time at the campus café. He took one look at my pale, weak face and pulled me into his arms. “What happened to you? You look terrible. Are you sick?” Hearing the concern in his voice made me break down and start sobbing. I couldn’t imagine how he’d react if he ever found out I was a prostitute. I tried my best to steady my voice. “It’s nothing, just a stomach issue. I just got back from the hospital. I’ll be fine after some rest. Don’t worry.” “How can I not worry?” he frowned. “You didn’t reply to my texts all morning. And didn’t you say you loved taro cake? Look, I got you some. Maybe if you eat it, your stomach will feel better.” He gave me a goofy grin, dangling the bag in his hand. Beckett was loaded. His clothes, pants, backpack, laptop, and any single item cost more than I could make in two months of entertaining clients. I thought, “Life was just unfair. Some people are born into wealth. Others can’t even afford a train ticket in their whole lifetime.” He was one of the sugar daddies I targeted at school. I hesitated for a long time, looking conflicted, before I finally spoke, “Beckett… can you lend me some money?” “Of course,” he said instantly. “How much do you need? I’ll transfer it right now.” He never said no to anything I asked. I couldn’t say it out loud. I just held up three fingers. “Transaction complete. Three thousand dollars.” I froze for a second at how fast he sent it. For a moment, I almost wanted to say yes to his confession, to throw it all away and just be with him. “I’ll pay you back,” I told him, looking into his eyes. He pouted playfully, pretending to be angry, “What, are we strangers now? If you keep being so formal, I’m gonna get mad.” But I knew I didn’t deserve him. I only approached him for one reason, his money.

The surgery money was still far from enough. Desperate, I went back to selling my body. Things were already awful. What was a little worse? While others went to class, I skipped school to sleep with clients. After a week of no attendance, my academic advisor noticed my week-long absence and called me in for a talk. “Can you explain why you’ve been skipping class for an entire week? Is something serious going on?” Just as I opened my mouth, a sharp pain twisted inside me, like a blender was tearing my insides into pulp. I broke out in a cold sweat. My vision blurred, and everything went black. I collapsed to the ground.

I woke up to the smell of antiseptic. Nova was outside talking to the doctor. The moment she saw I was awake, the doctor hurried over to check on me. Nova stood there, arms crossed, throwing me disgusted glances every few seconds. The doctor told her, “Her condition is serious. She needs to stay hospitalized for a few days and then schedule surgery. If we wait any longer, it might be irreversible.” Nova looked doubtful. “Surgery? For something like this? Can’t you just give her some meds? Young people heal fast. Look at her. She seems fine. And I don’t have money for surgery.” The doctor got visibly angry. “This isn’t some minor illness! Medication alone won’t help. She’s already in the late stage. As her guardian, you have a responsibility…” Nova snapped, “What kind of doctor are you? This isn’t about responsibility. If I had money, of course, I’d get her the damn surgery. Since you care so much, why don’t you pay for it?” Frustrated, the doctor stormed off. I stared blankly at the ceiling, desperate inside. For the first time, I thought, “Maybe dying wouldn’t be so bad. If I died, I wouldn’t have to sell myself any more. I wouldn’t have to be sick. I wouldn’t have to feel what it’s like for my mother to throw me away like trash.”

After the doctor left, Nova tossed two thousand dollars in cash onto my face. She could’ve sent it digitally, but she wanted to humiliate me. I didn’t even know if these two thousand dollars were my money or hers. It didn’t matter. Whoever earned it, it was all the same, equally dirty. Nova had a job. She also worked as a hostess at a nightclub. Back when I was still in high school, she came home around 3 a.m., reeking of booze and smoke. Her chest was barely covered, makeup smeared. Before she came home, I had to cook and leave dinner out for her. But every time, she’d complain that my cooking sucked and then throw the entire table of food onto the floor. She’d drag me out of my room, away from my homework, and force me to cook all over again. She’d rip up my finished assignments and scream, “Study? What good does it do?! Do you think studying puts food on the table?! Go find some man to support you already. Stop wasting my damn money!” She never used her earnings to pay off my dad’s debts. She blew it all on designer perfumes, Chanel bags, and luxury makeup. I once asked her, “Don’t you have money too? Why make me earn it to pay Dad’s debts?” She slapped me hard. “You think raising you was free? Now it’s your turn to pay us back. We’re not here to support you. You’re here to support us. Got it?” Nova said I was nothing more than a money-making tool. The cash was scattered across the floor. I lay motionless in bed, letting her spit poison at me. “What did I do to deserve such a useless child? Can’t do anything right. Maybe if you had a brain, you wouldn’t have gotten yourself sick. “You’re just dead weight. “You know what? You should just jump out the window right now and die. Save me the trouble of wasting more money on you.” I listened quietly as her words cut through me like knives. I didn’t say a word. Seeing me stay silent, she started shoving me and then hitting me in a frenzy. Covered in blood, I begged her to stop.

I always seemed to run into Beckett at my lowest. After Nova finally cooled off, I snuck out quietly. And, of course, I ran right into him. “What happened? Who hit you?” He grabbed my hand and gently brushed my cheek. I wanted nothing more than to throw myself into his arms and tell him everything that had just happened. But I couldn’t. If he found out I was sick, he’d turn and walk away in a heartbeat. Even if Beckett liked me, really liked me, it wouldn’t matter. On the first day of college, Nova had made it clear. I wasn’t here to study. I was here to bait a guy. That was the mission she gave me. She said her life was already hard enough, and she needed me to help her live a better one. At first, I refused. Then she threatened me with my nude photos. Eventually, I met Beckett. And once I found out he came from money, I set my sights on him. I’d link arms with him, call him sweetly, and Beckett would melt every time at my sound. Whenever Beckett made coffee, I’d lean in close, pretending to admire it. When he got scalded by hot water, I put his fingers in my mouth, pretending to soothe the pain, but really, I was flirting with him intentionally. I made cute little desserts for him. I would often prepare small, inexpensive surprises for him. And finally, one day, Beckett confessed his feelings. But I kept stringing him along because he wasn’t the only guy I selected.

I pushed Beckett’s hand away. But he followed behind me, voice low and pleading. “What’s wrong? Did I do something? Why won’t you talk to me? “Please… just say something. You’re scaring me right now.” The more Beckett cared, the more disgusted I felt with myself. I hated myself. I thought, “What did I ever do to deserve someone like him? Why was I using such a good guy? But did I really have another choice? If I could, I’d confess for real. I’d tell him I like him too.” I walked faster, his voice fading behind me. I didn’t want to let his kindness go to waste anymore. Back in my dorm, I sent him a long message on WhatsApp. Then I shut off my phone.

I was getting worse. If it went on like this, I really wouldn’t make it. I opened a loan app and withdrew ten thousand dollars. I could earn more money later. Right now, saving my life came first. I went to the hospital again. But as I stood at the entrance, someone called out from behind me. “Elodie? Wow, what a coincidence. What are you doing here?” I turned around. A blonde guy in a black tracksuit was pushing a bike, grinning at me with that sly, up-to-no-good look. He squinted those seductive eyes, staring me down. It was Ronan Carver, another rich guy I was stringing along. He walked right up, eyeing the names of the gynecological departments on the hospital sign. “Oh? Are you sick? Here to see a doctor?” I didn’t say anything. He kept going. “Well, well. Didn’t expect you to catch something like this. Just wait. Beckett’s gonna find out soon. Let’s see how he reacts then.”

ack at school, people kept turning to look at me as I walked by. I told myself I was just being paranoid and kept going. Then a guy ran past me, did a double-take, and shouted to his buddies, “It’s really her!” Free Point “Stay away from her, man. You don’t wanna catch something.” Exaggerated laughter followed from behind. I quickened my pace back towards my dorm. The campus utility poles were plastered with my photos. One of them showed me standing outside a gynecology clinic, and someone had scrawled words like whore and slut beside it. For a second, I didn’t even feel shocked because maybe I was a whore. I let out a bitter laugh and started tearing the pictures down. But then, garbage, eggs, and even ink started flying at me from all sides. I just stood there, silently letting them vent, mock, and humiliate me. I didn’t know how long I stood there until suddenly, someone picked me up. Beckett wrapped his jacket around me and stepped out of the crowd, carrying me in his arms. “Don’t be scared. I’m here now. I’ll protect you.” Beckett held my head to his chest and gently stroked my hair.

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My younger sister got pregnant unexpectedly, but my mother said the baby was innocent and begged her to keep it. The daughter of my father’s mistress wanted to go on a trip. My mother took the money meant to save my little brother’s life and used it to sign her up for that tour. To help someone else pay off their debts, she slipped something into my drink and sent me to some stranger’s bed. I never understood why she did all those things. It was only after I died that I found out she was the saintly heroine of some story, and we were just the setup before the real plot began. “Maya, I’m begging you. Please keep this baby. No matter what, the baby didn’t do anything wrong. Having a baby is easy.” A woman’s pleading voice cut through the air as I rushed home. “That’s crap,” I shouted. I burst into the living room, hearing her nonstop begging. I threw the bedroom door open, and the sight made my head spin with rage. My little sister, Maya Henderson, sat stiffly on the bed, looking lost. Next to her, my mom, Amelia Henderson, sat on the floor, tears streaking down her face as she pleaded. Amelia had a tight grip on Maya’s hand. With every word Amelia said, Maya’s face got paler. “Maya, don’t listen to her,” I said. Maya’s panicked face eased a little when she saw me. I stepped forward and stood in front of Maya, shielding her. “Are you out of your mind? Look at what she’s wearing. It’s her school uniform! Are you trying to force a high school student who hasn’t even graduated to have a baby?” I shouted, pointing right at Amelia. Amelia, looking a bit embarrassed by my outburst, stood up awkwardly. “Sienna, what are you doing here all of a sudden?” “If I hadn’t come back, you’d have ruined Maya’s life,” I retorted. How could she say all that nonsense about how having a baby was no big deal and how the baby was innocent? Saying stuff like that to a teenage girl, her daughter? I couldn’t understand it. “How can you talk to me like that, Sienna? When would I ever hurt Maya?” Amelia frowned, clearly annoyed. “She’s a mom now. She’s gotta take responsibility for the baby inside her.” At the mention of “mom” and “responsibility”, Maya behind me was afraid. My heart ached. I turned around and pulled her into my arms. “Maya, don’t be scared. Don’t listen to Mom’s crazy talk. As long as I’m here, no one’s gonna hurt you.” Maya’s hair was stuck to her face with tears. Under her baggy school uniform, her skinny body trembled slightly. “Sienna, there’s… there’s a baby in me. I… I’m gonna be a mom,” she whispered, her voice thick with fear and despair, her hand floating weakly over her belly. I said gently, “Maya, it’s just a tiny group of cells right now, not a baby. You’re still a kid yourself. You can’t be a mom. “Tomorrow, I’m taking you to a hospital. We’ll take care of this. I know you’ve been through a lot. Don’t be scared. I’ll chase away anyone who tries to hurt you.” I held her close, patting her back softly. At first, Maya was silent. Then, after a moment, she started crying loudly. This pregnancy was never her choice. How much psychological pressure did a teenage girl undergo when she was suddenly struck by such an accident and chose to go to a small clinic alone to undergo the operation? When Amelia suddenly showed up, was Maya scared or hoping for help? Was she scared of the truth coming out or hoping her family would step in? But in the end, whatever she’d felt, Maya was scared off by Amelia’s begging her to keep the baby. Amelia, standing there awkwardly for a while, was ready to say something, but one glare from me shut her right up.

After calming Maya down, I called Amelia into the living room. “How did Maya get pregnant?” I asked. Amelia looked a bit shifty-eyed at my question. “I don’t know. Maybe she got carried away with her classmate.” My anger flared up again at her words. “Your daughter had an unplanned pregnancy, and all you care about is making her keep the baby? You don’t give a hoot about her feelings or what actually happened? “Maya’s a senior in high school. Her life’s just starting. She has to have an abortion.” At first, Amelia just kept her mouth shut, frowning. But the second I mentioned an abortion, she shouted, “No matter what, the baby’s innocent! It’s a life! You can’t just get rid of it like that. Sienna, how could you be so heartless!” She scowled at me, looking at me like I was some cold-blooded killer. I took a deep breath, deciding not to argue with her anymore. “You’re staying out of this. I’ll take care of Maya. If you stick your nose in again, I’ll tell the landlord you’ve been keeping cats.” The landlord was allergic to cat hair, and the lease clearly said no pets. But Amelia still snuck stray cats into the house. “Sienna, those cats are living beings too! You’re using them to threaten me? I’m so disappointed in you,” Amelia said, looking truly heartbroken. She always made a big deal out of those cats. Seeing the determination in my eyes, she finally backed down. She grabbed the cat food from the corner and left. Hearing the click-clack of her high heels echoing, I wasn’t sure who she was trying to impress. I rolled my eyes, sneering. If not disappointing her meant giving up our lives, she’d never get what she wanted. In my previous life, I didn’t find out about Maya’s pregnancy until it was too late. By the time I got to the hospital, she’d already died on the bed from complications during childbirth. When I rushed there, Amelia didn’t even look at Maya under the white sheet. Instead, she wailed over the bloody mess in the trash can. Back then, I thought she’d just lost her mind from grief and didn’t think much of it. Then, my little brother, Albert Henderson, who’d been suffering from uremia for ages, finally got a kidney match, but Amelia disappeared with the money meant for his life-saving surgery. That same day, at the same hospital, I lost my second family member. After that, Amelia showed up, begging for my forgiveness. She sat on the ground, her eyes red and puffy from crying. Even passersby couldn’t stand it and tried to talk me into forgiving her. Struck by so many blows, I made the wrong choice again. I finished one drink, and then I woke up in a hotel bed. The chains on my wrists and the man’s brutal assault made me finally understand why Amelia had insisted I drink that cocktail. But I couldn’t figure it out. Amelia loved cats and even took care of a mistress’ kid. How could she be so cruel to her kids? With that question haunting me, I died in that hotel room. Then, I got the answer I’d been dying for. It turned out that our world was just a novel, and Amelia was the saintly female lead. Her first half of life was full of hardships, but she stayed kind-hearted, so fate rewarded her with a domineering male lead to ensure her happiness for the rest of her days. My siblings and I were just the backdrop of her hardships. The story truly began when we were all out of the picture. Maybe my resentment and bitterness were too strong, so fate gave me a second chance. This time, that saintly female lead should just go to hell.

The next morning, I took Maya to the hospital for a checkup. The doctor said she was too young and malnourished, and she needed plenty of rest after the procedure. Looking at her bony shoulders, I felt my heart ached. Since I started working, I’d been busy nonstop outside, barely making it home a few times a year. I thought my hard work would bring happiness to my family. But under Amelia’s “care”, my siblings had ended up in such a sorry state. On the way home, I tried everything to cheer Maya up while figuring out how to ask her about what had really happened. Before I could even come up with the right words, the other person involved in this mess showed up on his own. Downstairs in the hallway, Amelia was grinning like a Cheshire cat, chatting away. Right next to her, a guy sat slouched, puffing on a cigarette with an irritated look. When we appeared, both of them became excited. “Maya, look who’s here,” Amelia said, all excited, shoving the guy forward. I stepped in front, blocking their way. I sized up the guy from head to toe, and a guess formed in my mind. “Sienna, move out of the way. This is Henry Walker, the father of Maya’s baby,” Amelia said, grabbing Maya’s arm to pull her toward the guy. But I pushed her back roughly. I turned to look at Maya. Sure enough, she was trembling, tears streaming down her face. “Are you the one who took advantage of my sister?” I asked, holding back my anger. “Oh, come on. It’s none of your business. It’s just a couple’s thing,” Amelia said, giving me a coquettish shove. I ignored her and slipped my phone into Maya’s hand. Henry flicked his cigarette butt on the ground and sneered, “We were both into it. What’s ‘taking advantage’ got to do with it?” “Did you force her to have sex with you? Isn’t that taking advantage?” I pressed on. “If she wasn’t throwing herself at me after class, why would I even look at her? Now she’s playing the innocent virgin?” Henry shouted, looking like a total sleaze. Maya was shaking with rage. “I didn’t throw myself at you! I came to you after class because the teacher asked me to tutor you. I already told you that. “And the first time you harassed me, I said no. But then, during gym class, you…” By then, she was choking up, unable to get the words out. I quickly patted her back to calm her down. Amelia chimed in again, “Oh, Maya, this is partly your fault, too. You should know your limits when helping classmates. It’s easy to get misunderstood. Henry, don’t be mad. Maya’s just a little shy.” Henry nodded, looking pleased with Amelia’s flattery. “Okay, enough small talk. I came to see how my baby’s doing.” Seeing Amelia calm down a bit, I took a deep breath and shouted, “As a rapist, how dare you ask the victim such disgusting questions? “You’re a menace to society at such a young age. You’re a born piece of trash. You’re the heir to all the scum of the new era, huh?” Henry’s face turned red in anger. He swung his fist, ready to hit me. I stepped back, stuck out my foot, and sent him falling to the ground. “Do you think you can throw a punch? I’ve wanted to beat you since you opened your mouth.” How could someone like this even get raised? Just looking at him made me sick. “Sienna, what are you doing?” Amelia said, frowning at me. “Sure, Henry went too far. But doesn’t Maya share some blame? You can’t just…” “Shut up! Maya didn’t do a single thing wrong. How dare you say something so heartless?” I shouted. I stomped on Henry’s back, my eyes fixed on Amelia. “Your daughter got taken advantage of, and you’re siding with the rapist? Do you even have a conscience?” “I…” Amelia tried to say something. But I interrupted her, “I sent you so much money to take care of Maya, but the doctor says she’s been malnourished for ages. Where’s the money? Did it all go down the toilet? “You don’t care about your daughter, but you’re defending this scumbag? That’s not being kind-hearted. That’s being blind and stupid.” Then, I sneered and ground my right foot down hard. “Remember, you still owe me a beating. You’ll pay for it later.” Just then, police sirens wailed in the distance, getting closer. Two cops walked up, got a quick rundown, and cuffed Henry, shoving him into the squad car. This scumbag should just go rot in jail.

After cooperating with the police in the investigation, Henry was taken into custody. During that time, Amelia even tried to plead Henry’s case, earning herself some seriously perplexed looks from everyone at the station. “Maya, Henry’s the father of your baby! How could you send him to prison?” Inside the station, Amelia cried her eyes out, begging for Henry, her sincere act leaving everyone momentarily stunned. “Ma’am, are you sure you’ve got this right? Henry forced himself on your daughter against her will. He’s a rapist,” a female officer, thinking Amelia had lost her marbles, kindly said. At that, Amelia wailed even louder. “Officer, he’s just a kid! He took a wrong turn. We gotta give him a chance to turn his life around!” The sight of the victim’s mother begging the cops to spare her daughter’s attacker left everyone in the room speechless. “Ma’am, you should go comfort your child. We’ve got work to do here. We’ll contact you if we need your help later,” the female officer said coldly, shooting me a sympathetic glance. I nodded, took Maya, who was still shocked, by the hand, and left. I thought that was the end of it, but the day after Maya’s surgery, I got a frantic call from her. Using the phone’s location, I rushed over to a restaurant. I barged into the private room and saw Maya sandwiched between an elderly couple, looking anxious as hell. Across from them, Amelia sat, grinning, urging Maya to agree with them. “Let my sister go!” I lunged forward, yanking Maya out of their grip, and the other three jumped in surprise. Amelia’s face flashed with guilt. “Sienna, these are Henry’s parents.” Jaxon Walker, Henry’s father, stood up with a smile. “Sienna, I’m Henry’s father. We’re gonna be family now.” I almost laughed out of anger. “It seems Henry’s shamelessness runs in the family. Who the hell wants to be related to you?” How could they raise a rapist and then talk about family? They really had no shame. Jaxon was angry, but he held back his anger, thinking about what he came for. “Sienna, Henry messed up, but he’s just a kid. He’s our only son. If anything happens to him, we don’t know how we’ll go on.” Jaxon and his wife burst into tears, hugging each other. Amelia was moved to tears, too. “Sienna, look how pitiful they are. Let Henry go.” I shouted, “Shut up! Henry put himself there, and the law put him there, not me. They raised a monster, but they’re crying for their kid. What about you? Maya just had surgery, and you drag her here? Are you even worth being a mother?” Amelia went pale at my words. She turned to grab Maya but missed. I continued, “I’ve been disappointed in you for ages, but Maya wasn’t. But now, you’ve broken her heart for good. Stay out of Maya’s life from now on.” With that, I grabbed Maya and walked out of the room. After that, Amelia called me a million times, but I was too busy sorting out Maya’s transfer to a new school to pick her up. When she realized my attitude, she stopped trying to contact me. Then, one evening, after we’d been out of touch for a while, my grandmother, Penelope Henderson, called me. Thinking it might be Albert missing me, I answered happily. But the voice on the other end sent a chill down my spine. “Albert’s gone missing!” As soon as I heard Albert was missing, my gut told me Amelia had taken him. I booked a car ride on the spot and raced home through the night from the next town over, my anxiety boiling over like a pot of water on high heat.

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When my parents divorced, they fought over who got to keep my little sister. As for me, they couldn’t get rid of me fast enough. In the end, I was handed off to my dad. My mom, clutching my sister’s hand, stood by and sneered as she watched my father slap me across the face. “Hit her harder,” she said with a smirk. “Beat her to death and save yourself the trouble of raising her.” That was the day I moved into my father’s new home and met his new wife. She scooped me up the moment I walked through the door. “From now on, I’m your mother. Got it?” Years later, I bought her a villa and a luxury car. Meanwhile, the woman who gave birth to me was lying in a hospital bed, weeping as she begged me to save her. I smiled as I gently pried her fingers off my wrist. “Just die in peace, will you?” My parents had been divorced for less than six months when my father remarried. She was three years younger than him and divorced, too. On the day of the wedding, my father locked me in a storage room and warned me, “You cause any trouble, I’ll beat you to death.” When the guests had left and the house quieted down, I slipped into the kitchen. While making myself dinner, I accidentally knocked over the kettle. Boiling water splashed across my chest. I screamed. The next moment, the opposite door creaked open, and a woman rushed in. “What happened? Where did it burn?” She scooped me into her arms. She smelled nice, like something faint and floral. “You must be Yara, right?” I nodded, eyes darting to the dried fruits on her bed. My stomach growled, but I didn’t dare take any when she offered. “Please,” I whispered, “don’t tell my dad.” “Why not?” “The bottle broke… He’ll hit me.” She paused for a beat, then said, “I won’t tell him.” “I don’t believe you. Let’s pinky promise.” She held out her pinky. “Deal.” I devoured the food like a starved animal. She watched me for a while, then laughed softly. “You know who I am?” I shook my head. “Starting today, I’m your mom.” My hands froze. My mind instantly flashed through every fairy tale I’d ever read—Snow White and her evil stepmother, Cinderella and her scheming one. I was doomed. I stared at her like a deer in headlights. Then she frowned. “What’s on your pants?” Panic surged. I scrambled off the bed, only to see a dark stain soaking through the sheet. Mortified, I dashed for the bathroom. She caught me by the arm. “Why aren’t you using pads? You’re on your period.” My face went crimson. It felt like being slapped. “Don’t say that word!” “What word?” “That… that one.” She blinked. “You mean period? What’s wrong with saying it? Didn’t anyone teach you?” I said nothing. She studied my face, and something in her expression changed. The first time I got my period, I ruined my pants. One of my classmate’s moms told me it meant I was growing up. She said it was something to celebrate, that maybe my own mom would make me something special for dinner. I went home excited. Before I could speak, my mom slapped me so hard my ears rang. She kicked me to the floor and yelled loud enough for the neighbors to hear. “Whoring around all day with your ass on display, trying to get some man’s attention, huh? If you want it that bad, just forget school! Go dance at a club and see which idiot takes you in!” I clutched my pants, stammering some kind of explanation, but she cut me off with another slap. “Who’s going to wash that? Me? What do you think I am, your maid? You need to be disgusting every damn day, don’t you?” I was ten that year, and I spent the rest of that day kneeling on the bathroom floor. “Mom, I’m still bleeding…” “Bleed all you want. What do you want me to do about it? Get out of my sight, you filthy little thing.” I had never used pads. Whenever I had a period, it was a nightmare of humiliation. Every month, I shoved tissues in my underwear and hoped it would be enough. If I used too many, she called me selfish. If I bled through, the boys at school would whistle and jeer. My mother would sneer. “Acting like some tragic virgin princess? Please. You were born to be cheap.” Later, I found out she’d taken her anger out on me that day because my sister had a sore on her face, something that would mess up a shoot they’d scheduled. That night, my stepmother taught me how to use a pad for the first time. She said it wasn’t something to be ashamed of. Then she hugged me tight and looked me in the eye. “From now on, I’m your mom. Got it?”

My sister was beautiful, with big eyes and smooth skin. We were blood-related, but you’d never guess it. She started modeling when she was still in diapers, earning good money and soaking up everyone’s attention like a little sun goddess. I’d heard it more times than I could count. “If only Tracy had been born first… there’d be no need for Yara.” Even our names made it clear who mattered. When Tracy was born, my parents tore through baby name books, even consulted a fortune-teller to make sure she had the perfect name, one that promised her happiness, success, and good luck. Me? They just randomly named me Yara because I never mattered to them. During the divorce, they both clung to one of Tracy’s arms and nearly came to blows over her custody. “Tracy, honey, come with Mommy. I’ll buy you the prettiest princess dress and take you abroad!” “Don’t listen to your mother. Daddy loves you most. I already bought you a new house!” They bickered while the judge awkwardly took my hand and asked, “So… who wants custody of the elder daughter?” Both of them stepped back. One mumbled something about financial strain, the other claimed they weren’t nurturing enough. In the end, Tracy went with Mom. She nearly grinned from ear to ear. Dad, furious, slapped me across the face. “You cursed thing! I should’ve drowned you the day you were born!” Mom just stood there laughing. “Hit her harder! Kill her if you want, saves you the trouble of raising her.” So I curled up into a tight ball and kept my mouth shut. I learned early—no talking meant fewer beatings. But when my stepmother came into the picture, things started changing. She brushed my hair, made me breakfast, and walked me to school. She even bought me new clothes. For the first time in years, my fingers weren’t cracked and bleeding from winter frost. Mom’s side of the family didn’t take it well. “She’s just pretending,” Grandma sneered. “All stepmothers are gold-digging witches. Mark my words. She’s just after that man’s money.” Once, I defended Ella, my stepmom. Grandma grabbed her cane and whacked me across the legs. “Ungrateful little brat! That woman’s only been here a few days, and you’ve already forgotten your real mother? No wonder nobody wants you!” Another time, Ella took me shopping, and I wandered off. A car hit me. I had five stitches in my scalp. When I opened my eyes, the woman who hadn’t texted me all year was bawling beside my bed. “Oh, my poor daughter! It’s all my fault. I’m so sorry…” I shoved her away. She looked startled for a second, then turned on Ella. “You bitch! You dare hurt my child? Think you can just steal my family? You better explain yourself today, or I swear…” Her whole clan was with her, yelling and spitting, demanding answers. I stepped in front of Ella. “I tripped. It wasn’t her fault.” Mom wrapped her arms around me, twisting me toward the crowd. Her perfume clung to my skin like poison. “Look what she’s done! She’s traumatized the child so bad she’s lying for her!” I shook her off. “Are you done performing? What are you filming for this time?” Her expression froze. She glanced around in a panic and noticed that the photographer was long gone. It was all for show. Tracy had recently caught a talent scout’s eye, and Mom couldn’t risk the public seeing her as a neglectful parent. She wanted to use Ella as a scapegoat to boost her own image. Too bad I wasn’t playing along. “I’ve just been busy lately… You know I still care about you,” she mumbled. “Yeah? Then you can pay my hospital bill. It’s six hundred bucks.” She twisted her fingers, started crying about how hard it was raising Tracy alone and how heartless I was for asking. But sunlight caught the emerald bracelet on her wrist, glittering like it had its own spotlight. Ella had stayed quiet the whole time. Then she stood, took the bill, and smacked it against Mom’s face. “I paid it. Now get out.” Mom shut up real fast.

Ella wasn’t rich. If she were, she wouldn’t have married a loser like my dad. He controlled all the money in the house. Every time I needed to pay for class materials, he’d glare at me with those deep, spiteful eyes, yank a few crumpled bills from his wallet, and slap them onto my head. “School, school, school! All you do is ask for money! Raising you costs more than raising a damn pig! “Why the hell should I spend my money on you? Figure it out yourself next time. Can’t pay? Then get your ass to the factory and work!” While I stressed about every meal and every bill, Emilio Hanks found me. He tossed a few bills my way like breadcrumbs. “Hey. Wanna make a deal?” He was a year below me, a known troublemaker. He once punched a pregnant teacher so hard she lost her baby. His parents barely blinked; they just wrote a nearly million-dollar check and called it a day. Rich kids. They were untouchable. He had a thing for my sister Tracy. But they’d had a fight and hadn’t spoken for days. Now he wanted to use me to make her jealous. I glanced at the money; it looked like over a thousand. For me, it was a small fortune. When I crouched down to pick up the cash, he looked at me like I was a dog accepting scraps. “So? Easy money, right?” “What exactly do you want me to do?” He smirked. “Write some poetic apology letters. Then fold a thousand paper cranes with ‘Tracy, I love you’ written on them. Maybe grab lunch with me a few times.” “Not enough.” “What?” I slipped the bills into my pocket. “Letters, cranes, lunch… These are all separate charges. Negotiate properly.” He hesitated. I egged him on. “What? Don’t tell me you don’t really love Tracy.” His face flushed with pride and rage. “Screw it. Here!” He threw three grand at me. Sure enough, a few days later, Tracy couldn’t sit still anymore. When she saw us chatting, her lips trembled. She looked like she wanted to claw my face off. One afternoon, my dad blew up my phone, asking me to drop something off for Tracy. No one was in the classroom, so I shoved the bag into her desk and left. The next morning, she stormed into the teacher’s office, crying like the world was ending. “Yara,” she sobbed, “you can hate me all you want, but how could you steal that money?”

Tracy was a class officer. She’d lost three thousand bucks, money meant for the class book fees. I asked for the security footage. The teacher sighed. “Sorry, system’s down. Been under maintenance all week.” Tracy looked at me, eyes glistening. “It’s okay, Yara. If you just admit what you did, I can help pay it back. And… please don’t hang out with Emilio anymore. What if something scandalous happens…” The room fell silent. My biological mom burst in first. She didn’t even ask questions. She charged at me and kicked me square in the chest. “You filthy slut! It’s bad enough you’re throwing yourself at boys, and now you’re corrupting your sister too?” Tracy flinched back, looking perfectly innocent. “Did I say something wrong? But I really did see Yara and Emilio in the woods yesterday…” My mom shrieked, “Don’t be afraid, Tracy! She’s trash. Her dad doesn’t care, so today I will teach this bastard a lesson!” I stood up, laughing hysterically. “Yeah, I’m trash. I’m the bastard. I’ve got a mom who gave birth to me but didn’t raise me. Might as well be dead!” “What did you say? You cursed me, you little whore!” My mom lunged again just as the office door slammed open. Ella stepped inside and pulled me behind her like a lioness defending her cub. “I’m Yara’s legal guardian. You want to scream at someone, scream at me. What kind of grown-ass woman only knows how to beat up children? Not afraid of karma?” “Oh yeah? Let’s talk about karma then! What about the money Yara stole?” Ella crouched beside me and brushed a hand over my cheek. “Sweetheart, is it true?” I shook my head. My mom lost it again. “She’s lying! She’s just like her father, garbage in, garbage out!” “Where’s the proof?” Ella asked. “I saw it with my own eyes!” Tracy jumped in. Ella’s gaze pinned her to the wall. “Really? So whatever you say must be true? Then I could say you stole it. How would that feel? “You’re smart, Tracy. But too much scheming isn’t clever. Don’t assume everyone around you is stupid.” Then she turned to my mom. “And you. I could sue you for beating up my girl without any evidence! Besides, you teachers just stood there watching while a child was assaulted. What the hell are you even here for?” The homeroom teacher gave a fake smile, trying to defuse the situation. “Well, there’s no proof either way, so maybe we just… drop it?” “I have proof,” I said calmly. Free Point I released the video and watched my mother’s face cycle from pale to crimson, like a balloon filled too tight, just waiting to pop.

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After the Earthquake, My Boyfriend Refused to Save My Mom. He Wanted to Save His Childhood Friend’s Dog Instead After the earthquake, my boyfriend Dax Fairley asked me, Talia Winslet, to help lift a concrete slab to rescue a Pomeranian. Suddenly, a stream of comments flashed before my eyes. [Talia doesn’t know yet, but her own mom is trapped under the other end of that slab. Once she lifts it, her mom will be crushed to death.] At the same time, Dax kept urging me, “Hurry up! If anything happens to Maeve’s therapy dog, don’t even think about marrying me.” [Here it comes. Talia, the love-blinded fool, is about to sacrifice her mom.] [Dax didn’t know someone was under there. Later, out of guilt, he couldn’t face the heartbroken Talia and broke off the engagement. Guess that was his way of atoning.] [Thank God we have Maeve in the end. She and Dax healed each other. I love them together.] I stared blankly at the scrolling comments. I thought I was hallucinating. The collapsed area was Dax’s house. A massive concrete slab had fallen over it, with only one edge barely able to lift. Dax was clearing rubble on the right side, his engagement ring scratched and dulled. He was shouting impatiently at me, “Why are you zoning out?! Fluffy’s been whining under there for twenty minutes. Hurry up and help!” I heard it. A faint whimper of a little dog came from under the debris. I thought, “But what about my mom?” I stumbled to the other side and pressed my ear to the ground. I thought, “God, I hope those comments weren’t true. My mom was supposed to be in the neighboring province. There’s no way she’d be here.” But then, I heard a muffled knocking sound from beneath. It was faint, but it shook me to the core. “We can’t lift it,” I said, my voice trembling. My face turned pale as I looked at Dax in despair. “My mom is under this side!” [Wait, what? How did Talia know that?] [No, Maeve’s Pomeranian is a certified therapy dog! If it dies, she’ll spiral again! Don’t do this!] I thought Dax would immediately rush over to help. Surely, between saving a person or a dog, he’d know what to do. But Maeve’s face twisted. She clutched her bleeding arm, cut by the rubble, and said with teary eyes, “Talia, I know you don’t like me, and I get that Fluffy accidentally peed on your wedding dress… but that doesn’t mean you should make up such a lame excuse just to deliberately kill him, should you?” My chest tightened. I was so angry and panicked. I could hardly breathe. Maeve was Dax’s childhood friend and neighbor, a real manipulative piece of work. Last time, when Dax and I went to pick up my custom wedding dress, she saw it and clung to Dax’s arm, whining, “I wanna try it on too. Dax, can I? Just one photo?” My face immediately went cold. But she acted like she didn’t see it, pouting, “You used to say you’d marry me, remember? I just want to wear a matching dress for one photo. Just to fulfill a little dream.” Dax chuckled awkwardly and turned to me for permission. I bit my tongue and calmly said it was a custom dress. If Maeve wore it, it could get stretched or ruined. Maeve froze, then turned and ran off, eyes red. The next day, she came over with Fluffy. And, of course, the dog peed right on my pure white gown. Dax remembered that incident. So now, he assumed I was still holding a grudge that I was deliberately trying to stop him from saving the dog. He lowered his voice and said, irritated, “How can you be this cruel? Are you really throwing a tantrum at a time like this?” My head pounded. I couldn’t help but grab his wrist, trying to drag him toward the other side. “I’m not messing with you, okay? I don’t care what happened between you two. I just want to save my mom!” But before I could even take steps, he yanked his arm away and twisted mine so hard it felt like my bones would snap. “Talia, are you done throwing your little fit?” He grabbed my jaw and forced me to look at Maeve. “You know she has depression, right? And now you’re picking a fight? You want her to lose Fluffy, too?” Maeve stared at me like she wanted to say something, then bit her lip and said, “If this is about your anger, I promise, once Fluffy’s safe, I’ll stay far away from both you and Dax.” Then, she couldn’t hold back anymore and started crying, “Fluffy didn’t do anything wrong. Please, don’t hurt him too.” [Maeve, don’t cry! Stupid Talia, just save the dog and let your mom die already.] [She’s had that dog for five years. It’s the only thing that helps her cope with depression. And it got trapped trying to save her. I’d pick the dog too.] My mind was spinning. I thought, “What were they even saying? That’s my mom!” My voice cracked, choked with panic and fear. “Please… I’m begging you. Just believe me for once, okay?” I fell to my knees, nearly groveling, tears mixing with dust on my face. “Dax, my dad is gone. My mom raised me all by herself. I can’t lose her too!” My dad was a soldier. When I was little, he’d lift me up high and spin me around like I could fly. Later, during a flood, he lifted up so many others until he was too tired to swim and got swept away. My mom almost cried herself blind. If it wasn’t for me, she would have killed herself for my dad. She raised me alone, giving me double the love. She always said all she wanted was for me to grow up happy and healthy. I thought, “If something happened to her now, how could I possibly go on?” Dax grabbed me by the collar and yanked me to my feet. His eyes were filled with confusion. “So what, now you’re competing with Maeve over who’s suffered more?” My mind went blank. “What?” He suddenly pulled out his phone and showed me a folder of photos of Maeve growing up over the years. His voice dropped. “I didn’t want to say this, but Maeve saw her parents die in a car crash. That’s why she has depression. I promised I’d protect her. “But I chose you. That’s why you owe her… Fluffy’s all she has left.” I staggered back, suddenly realizing I didn’t recognize this man anymore. I thought, “So conflicted, so unable to prioritize anything… Why did he even pursue me? All his words were soaked in guilt for someone else. Was that why he proposed to me? So I could spend the rest of my life making up for Maeve, too, letting her walk all over me?” The comments exploded again. [Dax finally admitted it. Choosing to marry Talia makes him feel so guilty towards our Maeve.] [When Talia was trying on her wedding dress, were you thinking about your future life together? Or whether Maeve would be sad?] [Stupid Dax! Look at Maeve’s teary eyes. She clearly still loves you! You can spend your whole life with her!] The flood of words and literal dust were drowning me. I shouted, my voice raw and shaking, “So what?! Just because she’s had a rough life, I’m supposed to let my mom die for her dog?” Dax’s face twisted in frustration. “God, you’re impossible. Even a dog knows how to be considerate. You just can’t stand Maeve being happy, can you?” He didn’t believe a word I said. He dragged me to the right side and gave a final order. “We’ll save the dog first. We’ll talk about your mom later. I’m done with this tantrum.”

As Dax pried at the rubble, small pieces began to fall. I couldn’t bear the thought, “How much pain would my mom be in if that slab came down?” I lost it. I shoved Dax away with all my strength. Rubble scattered everywhere. He stumbled, caught only because Maeve rushed in to steady him. His eyes darkened instantly, veins bulging on his forehead. “Talia! Don’t push me…” Before he could finish, he stared in disbelief as I slammed my head hard against a rock. Blood poured from my forehead, covering half my face in red. I screamed, “You don’t believe my mom is under there? Then I’ll bet my life on it!” Pointing to the slab, tears and blood streaming together, I shouted, “Just listen! She’s knocking, begging for help! Why won’t you believe me?!” My vision went black from the blood loss. I collapsed, gasping for air. Dax rushed over, looking stunned, and pulled me up with a conflicted expression. A moment later… Maeve pouted, then sighed softly, “Well, since it’s come to this, Dax, you should go check.” She bit her lip and turned her head away. “Fluffy’s strong. He can wait.” Dax opened his mouth, then reached out to stroke her head gently. “You really are the kindest.” He gave me a cold, annoyed glance before reluctantly going to the other side. He crouched down and pressed his ear to the slab. I let out a deep breath, holding back my dizziness. I moved to help lift the slab with him, silently praying, “Please hang in there, Mom.” But the moment I reached his side, a force shoved me hard, slamming me face-first into the concrete. My arms and face were instantly shredded by exposed steel wires. From behind, Dax roared, “Listen for yourself! Do you hear anything?!” [Dax is so alpha. Can’t wait to see how he pushes Maeve onto the bed later. That’s gonna be hot.] [Talia’s mom must’ve passed out by now. Looks like she’s not making it.] [She’s just a side character anyway. Everything exists to serve Maeve and Dax’s happiness.] Panic surged inside me. My head throbbed so badly. I couldn’t hear a thing. There really was no sound anymore. On the other side, Maeve suddenly started whimpering, looking tearfully at Dax, “Dax… Fluffy’s crying is getting fainter. Is he dying? What do we do?!” Dax immediately started to walk towards her. “No!” I grabbed his hand. “My mom’s passed out. We can’t wait any longer. Please help me save her!” My voice was shaking so badly from fear that I could barely form words. Dax paused, then laughed in disbelief. “Talia, you’ll say anything just to fight with Maeve, huh? If your mom was really down there, she’d be screaming for help.” He slammed my head against the slab. Leaning close, his breath hot on my ear, he whispered, “Maybe your mom just can’t scream. Did the old hag lose her voice?” He stood up, checked his watch, and scoffed, “I’ve wasted ten minutes on you. If Fluffy dies because of you, you can forget about marrying me.” Then he stormed off to Maeve, gently wiping her tears. “Don’t worry, Fluffy’s gonna be okay.” Maeve nodded hard, looking up at him like he was her savior. “Don’t blame her, Dax. It’s my fault. I upset her and dragged Fluffy into this…” I stared numbly at the blood and tears on the concrete. My mom’s gentle face flashed in my mind. She once held my hand, so full of love. “Talia, you’re grown up now. Whoever you choose to marry, as long as you’re happy, that’s enough for me.” I thought, “No. Without her, I’m not happy at all. God, I regret everything. I regretted being so blind, only seeing their true colors now. I wish I could hold my mom.” “Mom… just hang on, please. I’ll get you out of there. Don’t leave me. I’m begging you.” I was out of my mind, blinking furiously through the tears. I dug with both hands, even when they were raw and bleeding. When Dax finally brought some villagers over, they saw me kneeling there, clawing at the rubble with my bare hands, carving a hole with nothing but sheer desperation. My fingernails were torn halfway off, barely hanging by a thread of dead skin. My hands were mangled beyond recognition.

A villager clicked his tongue and said, “Do you really have to go all out just to save a dog? The woman you engaged sure has a kind heart.” As he spoke, he waved for others to come help. Dax’s face darkened, and he stepped forward to block them. “Leave that lunatic alone. Maeve’s dog is trapped on the right side.” I heard the commotion and turned around to see a group of people approaching. With all their surprised eyes on me, I didn’t hesitate. I dropped to my knees and kowtowed, choking back sobs. “Please save my mom. She’s trapped underneath, but he won’t believe me. He insists on moving the slab on the other side!” “What’s going on here?” Dax took a deep breath, pinched the bridge of his nose hard, and interrupted me sharply, “So a dog’s life doesn’t count anymore? Even if you’re trying to get back at Maeve, is this the time and place to throw a tantrum?” He turned and raised his voice, commanding attention. “Everyone knows Maeve and I are close. But Talia? She’s just bitter. She can’t stand seeing Maeve happy and is using this as an excuse to try and kill her dog. “Maeve has depression. That dog is the only reason she’s still holding on. I can’t just stand by and do nothing.” His words stirred everyone up. After all, Dax was one of their own, born and raised in the village, so his version of things seemed more believable. Maeve staggered into Dax’s arms, sobbing like a poor, helpless soul, “It’s my fault. I must’ve been in Talia’s way. I’ll move out… Fluffy was the last hope my parents left me. Without her, I really can’t go on.” Everyone in the village knew Maeve’s parents had passed away. So, as soon as she said that, people believed her completely. “What a sin!” Linda Murphy, holding a shovel, spat in my direction. “Outsiders have no empathy. A dog’s life matters too! You think a few words can justify letting it die? If your mom knew, she’d die from rage!” Maeve let out a perfectly timed whimper. Dax pulled her close to comfort her. Surrounded by all those accusing glares, I couldn’t stop shaking. My vision darkened, and my limbs went numb. “You don’t believe me either…” I kept swallowing hard, fighting the nausea rising in my throat. [I know it’s the plot, but Talia really looks pitiful.] [Oh boy, we got a saint or something?] [Just accept it, Talia. Your mom’s already in her 60s. Saving her won’t give her many more years anyway.] But I didn’t want to give up. I carried my mother’s hopes. I held up my bloody hands. The pain was intense like my ten fingers were about to break off completely. My voice trembled as I cried out, “You think I’m evil, that I made all this up? Why the hell would I go this far just to lie about a dog?!” Dax scoffed, unimpressed, “Still acting, huh? What now, want us to get on our knees and beg you to be merciful?” He stepped closer and questioned me coldly, “You keep saying your mom’s under there? Then answer me. Your mom said just yesterday that she was in the next province. So how the hell is she at my house today, conveniently crushed under some slabs?” [Dax is making sense!] [Yeah, how did Talia know?] [I remember she didn’t react at first. Then, all of a sudden, she knew her mom was in trouble.] [Wait… could she see our comments or something?] I said nothing because he was right. If I said I figured it out from the comments, they’d all think I’d gone insane. Then, my mom would have no hope of being rescued. Seeing me freeze, Dax sneered coldly, “If you behave now, the wedding’s still on. But push me any further, and I will find someone else.” He thought that threat would scare me into submission. He walked up, grabbed my chin, and smirked, “A woman like you, already used by me? No one else would want you. Not like Maeve. She hasn’t even had her first kiss yet.” Still, I stayed silent because I just saw a comment scroll past. [Stupid Talia, go borrow someone’s phone and call your aunt Nola Granger. She’ll tell you your mom went to see you.] I immediately jerked free of Dax and ran toward a villager holding a phone. “Let me make a call.” Without waiting for a reply, I snatched the phone hastily. Thankfully, the phone didn’t have a passcode. My bloody, dusty fingers kept hitting the wrong keys. When the call finally connected, I put it on speaker and shouted, “Nola, is my mom home? Did she go to my place today?” Everyone turned to look. Dax looked annoyed as hell by my persistence. Just as he started storming toward me, Nola’s voice came through the speaker. “Huh? No, I think she went out to buy groceries. Wait. Are you at your boyfriend’s place? Just stay there and…” Before she could finish, Dax snatched the phone away, hung up, and handed it back to its owner. He stared down at me, fuming. Then he grabbed my hair and roared, “You heard that, didn’t you?! You really had to make a scene for everyone to laugh at?!” Free Point [Haha, Talia really can see the comments? Got tricked, didn’t you?] [Silly Talia, your mom really is trapped under the slab. Your mom asked Nola beforehand to tell you she was coming to give you a surprise. That’s why Nola helped lie to you.]

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Everyone believed that my husband, Felix Hastings, was as cold, distant, untouchable as a glacier. But he chased me for ten long years, like a dog on a leash. When I got shoved into a blazing inferno, he ditched his multi-million-dollar assets and jumped in after me without a second thought. Reborn, I was done being the cold-hearted woman who took him for granted. This time, I was going all in to love him. Only problem? He seemed to have come back from the dead, too. “Amelia, you still think you can boss me around like a mutt? Just like the old days?” He cornered me against the wall, hurling the divorce agreement into my chest and saying that he’d never, ever take me back. When I was eleven, someone snapped five of my fingers. From that day on, I swore I’d claw my way to the top, no matter how dirty the tricks got. I ended up doing some seriously messed-up stuff, and it came back to bite me. Then, I got shoved into a blazing inferno. As the fire closed in, my mind went blank. Then, a white figure rushed in and hugged me tightly. It was Felix, my husband, the one man who loved me deeply. He had no flaws, except that I was his only weakness. When we burned to ashes together, I vowed that if there was a next life, I’d give him my whole heart.

“This is the divorce agreement. “Sign it.” The dazzling lights made my head spin. Felix’s eyes dropped, hiding the arctic chill inside. “Felix. “Please don’t.” I reached for his hand, where his blue veins stood out prominently, but he yanked it back sharply. It’d been exactly one hour and forty-one minutes since I’d woken up in this new life. Suddenly, I felt relieved. Finally, he’d seen me for the con artist I was, using him for his money and his heart. He was done with me.

I sat in the bakery, peering through the thin glass at Felix and a girl inside the school across the street. He had no idea I was spying on him. The girl almost leaned against him while he was helping her work through a problem. This time around, he should figure out who was truly good-hearted and innocent. Still, I propped my chin in my hand and fired off a message to the girl. [Debra, why are you trying to seduce my husband?]

Debra Cooper was my younger sister. In truth, she was the family’s biological daughter while I was the adopted one. Her mother found me on a stormy night when I was twelve. Everyone called it a coincidence, but I knew better. To ensure Debra’s mother would take in the pitiful orphan me, I purposely broke my leg. I craved wealth, glory, and status, anything to never again feel that bone-deep shame of poverty. Debra was brought back by the Cooper family at sixteen. She’d always been kind, innocent, and pure. Everything I fought tooth and nail for was handed to her on a silver platter. So, I resented her. Why should she skate through life without ever feeling the sting of the gutter?

Indeed, I was evil. That was why I endured a living hell in my past life. Maybe Debra truly was the goddess-like girl everyone made her out to be. I must have provoked the gods. Now, in this second chance, the only man who ever warmed my cold world has turned his back on me. I was huddled on the sofa, fixated on the divorce agreement on the coffee table. [Felix, will you be back tonight?] Four hours had elapsed, and there was still no response. Felix had always been the epitome of aloofness. His friends constantly joked that he was as cold as ice. But in our previous life, I saw him differently. I treated him like my loyal dog. He’d come running at the mere scent of me, nuzzling up and always eager to hold my hand. Back then, instead of ignoring my messages, he’d respond with tenfold the words I sent. Now, everything had changed. A message popped up. I immediately checked it, assuming it was from Felix. To my disappointment, it was from Debra, accompanied by a picture. [Amelia, I have no intention of seducing Felix.] [I want to assist you in managing my father’s company, so he’s just introducing me to some people.] In the photo, she was beaming, standing beside Felix, and they looked every bit like a perfect match.

I must have called Felix over a dozen times. He didn’t answer any of them and eventually blocked my number. He was terrible at socializing, a pure academic at heart. In our last life, to grab some shares from Debra’s father’s company, I asked Felix to cozy up to people from pharmaceutical firms. He did it without a single word of complaint. I never once considered how he, a professor at a prestigious university who was always so lofty and proud, stooped to begging those people for help. I vividly remembered one incident from the past. I’d clinched a deal, got drunk, and called him to pick me up. The private room was filled with important figures. Lounging on the sofa, I watched the white figure shuffle towards me and called him over with a whistle, as if coaxing a dog. Felix, a highly respected medical professor who’d never bowed to anyone, was being mocked by me in public. I must have felt so smug back then. Everyone thought he’d storm out in anger. But what did Felix do? He approached me, gracefully squatted down, held my ankle, and put my dangling heels on me. Then, he glanced up at me, his handsome face like a work of art. “It’s getting cold at night. Don’t catch a chill. “Amy.”

Felix used to call me Amy. But since we were reborn, he hadn’t uttered that name once. ***** I was a light sleeper, so when Felix came home, I woke up. I lay still, curious to see what he would do when he found me seemingly asleep. But Felix did nothing. He walked past me, not even bothering to cover me with a blanket. I sat up and threw the divorce agreement at his back. He paused, his back muscles taut and his posture elegant. “Don’t damage it. “If I redraft it, you’ll get a lot less.” The moonlight filtered into the room. I spotted Felix’s calm expression and his deep, cold eyes. “I won’t sign.” I glared at him defiantly. He seemed to have expected this, nodding calmly. “Fine. We’ll settle this in court.” “Felix, you’re a damn jerk!” I lunged at him, but he overpowered me with ease. Under the crescent moon, he pinned me down onto the sofa and gripped my neck without tenderness. I bit the soft spot between his thumb and forefinger, but he remained unfazed, as if he couldn’t feel the pain. Then, he suddenly released me, his knuckles brushing gently across my cheek. [You can cry, huh?] With that cryptic, indifferent remark, Felix left me alone in the living room. I pressed my hands hard against my eyes, as if that could stop the tears from welling up. “Don’t leave me.” This was a plea I’d vowed never to say again since I was ten years old.

I refused to sign the divorce agreement. The very next day, Felix pulled out of every single collaboration that involved me. A huge chunk of the Hastings family fortune was tied up in the medical industry, and as a top-notch academic in that field, he had the power to make a big impact. To be honest, in my past life, I married him because I saw the advantages. I knew Felix was done with me, but when I found out he had handed over all those projects to Debra, it still broke my heart. At the same time, I couldn’t really blame him. In our previous life, he was aware that Debra was the innocent one, while I was the one who used underhanded tactics to get what I wanted. But his decision to cut ties with me was like a warning to everyone else in the business. Suddenly, I was left all alone, with no one to support me. ***** I decided to try and win Felix back. [Felix, are you at school?] [I made some lunch. Can I bring it to you?] Never expecting him to fall back in love with me, I just hoped he’d remember the good times we’d had and not be too harsh on me. Staring at my phone, waiting for a reply that didn’t come, I felt so embarrassed. Even after our huge argument the day before, when it came to my own interests, I was still willing to beg him for help. I planned to cook Felix a nice meal and take it to him myself. But then I realized that I had no idea what he liked to eat. He, on the other hand, probably knew every single one of my preferences by heart. After all, in our past life, one of his favorite things to do was spoil me with delicious food. I wasn’t really that picky, but I loved winding him up. “Felix, this spaghetti’s as tough as shoe leather. “Ugh, now it’s mush! No one will like it. “Felix, you know I don’t like spicy food. “Wait, since when did you start cooking such bland food?” Only once did I truly rile Felix up. He fixed me with a grave stare and asked icily, “Amy, do you really think I’ll always be here for you, no matter what?” I looked down at my nails and replied, “Then leave.” And he did. He stormed out into the freezing 32-degree Fahrenheit chill without so much as a coat, proof he was furious. Later that day, I texted: [Felix, I miss you.] The door flew open almost instantly. Felix hauled me into his arms, the bite of the outdoors still clinging to his skin. His face buried in my neck, he murmured, “Yes. I’ll always be here for you.” In my past life, wrapping Felix around my finger had been more effortless than training a dog. ***** After the third time I cut my hand and stared at the charred wreck in the pan, I came back to my senses. It dawned on me that cooking was a talent I’d never inherited. I ordered from Culinary Delights instead and then artfully arranged the food in a lunch box. Felix might not tell the difference between my “home-cooked” meal and takeout, anyway.

Sorry, Amelia. “I had no clue you were bringing Professor Hastings lunch, too. “He’s already digging into what I made…” Debra blocked my path, looking like a deer caught in headlights. “He’s my husband,” I said with a smirk, watching her hand ball into fists inside her sleeves. ***** “Felix.” I planted myself in front of him as he wolfed down his meal. When he ignored me, I snatched the fork from his hand and swapped out his lunch box for mine. He stared at the food for a beat and then at me. “Check it out.” I shoved my bandage-wrapped hand in his face. “Three cuts, all for you. “I spent a long time preparing the meal. At least give it a try?” I met Felix’s calm gaze. But he seemed heartbroken. He sighed, “Amelia, this looks exactly like the stuff from Culinary Delights. Did you copy their recipes?” I played dumb, shooting back, “Felix, just tell me if you’re gonna eat it or not!” I was so used to him caving whenever I got mad. But I’d forgotten that we weren’t the same people as before. Still, he bent his head and started spooning up the clam chowder, gobbling it down like he used to do whatever I asked. After finishing the meal, he watched me as I bent down to tidy up the lunch box for the first time. “Amelia,” he said, his voice as cold as ice water. “I’m allergic to seafood. “Two lifetimes, and you still can’t remember that.” I froze and glanced up at Felix in shock. He held out his wrist, where the blue veins stood out sharply, already covered in angry red rashes. “Will you be happy only when you’ve tortured me to death?” Felix had a life-threatening seafood allergy. Within minutes of his wrist first flushing red, coughing fits wracked him, quickly escalating to labored, gasping breaths.

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I developed aphasia due to childhood trauma. My parents, Eric Cox and Sharon Wilson, disliked me and made me marry my cousin Laura Cox’s vegetative fiancé, Roman White, on her behalf. After three years of my meticulous care, Roman miraculously woke up. But the first thing he did after waking up was to ask for a divorce from me. He mistook Laura for the one who had taken care of him during these three years and said that he would marry no one but her in his life. Later, I heard his good friend explain to him that it was I who had taken care of him during those three years. He smiled casually and said, “I already knew that, but my wife can’t be a mute.” I was completely disappointed and asked a hypnotist to erase my memories to treat my aphasia. When I woke up, I looked at the man in front of my hospital bed and asked in confusion, “Who are you?” The man in front of me panicked… Roman had been in a coma for three years, and when he woke up, the first person he saw was me, and he was quite disappointed. I didn’t notice the disappointment in his eyes. I happily helped him sit up and then told all our friends the good news. Soon, the hospital room was crowded with people. And I was pushed into the corner, and no one paid the slightest attention to me. Laura arrived late, wearing a beautiful blue evening dress, having just finished a party. Roman took Laura’s hand and said emotionally, “Honey, thank you for taking care of me these three years.” Everyone in the hospital room was stunned. I stood aside, nervously tugging at the corner of my clothes, but I couldn’t speak up to defend myself because I had aphasia. His friend awkwardly explained, “Roman, Megan is your wife.” Roman frowned and looked at me with cold eyes, as if I had ruined the relationship between him and Laura. I had always known that he loved Laura. They should have gotten married, but because of a car accident, he became a vegetable. My cousin didn’t want to take care of him, so she went to Eric and Sharon and cried. I agreed to their request and married Roman instead of Laura. However, I never expected that after taking care of him carefully for three years, this was the result I got. I immediately picked up my phone and started typing, trying to explain, but was stopped by Laura. She looked at me and said, “Megan, Roman has just woken up. He probably can’t accept so much information at once. You’d better go out first.” The others in the hospital room sensed that something was wrong and made excuses to leave one after another. When everyone had left, Laura cried and threw herself into Roman’s arms. She said, “Roman, you’ve finally woken up. I’ve been waiting for you for three years…” My heart ached, and my hand holding the doorknob trembled slightly. I had no idea how long it had passed. Laura opened the door of the hospital room, and there were still a few tears on her face. I walked into the room curiously. A glass cup was shattered at my feet. Roman said, “Megan, you went to great lengths to marry me! It’s disgusting that you used such a trick!” The flying glass shards scratched my calf, but my heart hurt even more. Roman grew up with me, and he had been the only one who didn’t dislike me for having aphasia and encouraged me to actively seek treatment. But after he met Laura, he was unconsciously attracted to her. The man who once said he would marry me gradually fell in love with her, and now he even regarded me as the villain who was ruining their relationship. I was anxious and made some sign language gestures, then remembered that he couldn’t understand them. I shakily picked up my phone to type and explain. Laura looked at me provocatively and knocked the phone out of my hand. The phone fell to the ground, and the screen went black. She said, “Megan, please let us be together!” I stood there in a daze. Besides sign language, the phone was the only tool I could use to communicate with others. And now I couldn’t even defend myself. I shook my head desperately, but the world was cruel, and it was even more cruel for someone like me who couldn’t speak.

Eric and Sharon rushed to the hospital when they heard the news. I saw hope again and stopped them, wanting them to help me explain. They could understand a little simple sign language. Sharon nodded slightly, but Eric pushed me aside and got into the room. They exchanged some pleasantries, and then Sharon hesitated and said, “Megan…” Laura realized what she was going to say and interrupted her, “Sharon, Megan just likes Roman too much. Don’t be angry.” I opened my eyes wide in disbelief, grabbed Laura, and gestured vigorously with my hands. “You’re lying! You’re lying!” She rubbed her wrist, snuggled up in Roman’s arms, and said pitifully, “I’m sorry, Megan. Don’t be angry. I won’t say anything.” I gestured desperately towards Sharon, almost in tears. I wanted to say, “Tell him it’s not like that!” She avoided my gaze. I felt powerless. During the three years I took care of Roman alone, I had never been more desperate than I was today. Eric said angrily, “It was you who forced Laura to leave Roman, and you even said that he wouldn’t know anyway.” If I hadn’t heard it with my own ears, I wouldn’t have thought that my father would slander me like this. These words made my heart ache. At first, it was Laura who disliked Roman for being in a vegetative state and didn’t want to marry him, so Eric and Sharon asked me to marry Roman. Roman sneered, “Megan, fortunately, I woke up. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known all these things.” I bit my lower lip tightly. I was so despicable in his eyes. Sharon pulled me out of the room and said guiltily, “Don’t blame Eric. We really owe Laura this.” Laura’s parents died to save my parents. Then, my parents took her home and doted on her. They thought they should do that, so I had to give in to her in everything. As long as I refused, Laura would cry and say that if her parents were still alive, things would be different. When I developed aphasia and needed company, she made my parents take her on a trip abroad. Three years ago, Laura taunted me, “A mute marrying a vegetative person is a perfect match!” Sharon continued, “Now that Roman is awake, he will divorce you sooner or later. Laura leaves a good impression on him in advance, and she will have a higher status in the future, won’t she?” With tears in my eyes, I pounded my chest hard, and only in this way could I relieve the pain in my heart. They felt guilty, but they made me bear all this humiliation. Roman decided to divorce me in the morning, and in the afternoon, he had already drawn up the divorce agreement. He was so afraid that I would cause trouble that he found a few bodyguards to watch me sign my name. I smiled bitterly and slowly wrote down my name. He once saved my life, and I took care of him for three years. From now on, we were even.

The autumn wind in the evening was cool. After my phone was fixed, I immediately sent a message to my doctor, Walter Reed: [I want to try the hypnotherapy you mentioned to me last time.] Walter quickly replied to me: [After hypnotherapy, you will lose some of your memories. And a family member needs to sign the consent form to ensure that someone will take care of you during the recovery period.] I looked at these words and smiled bitterly, not even being able to think of who could help me sign the consent form. I kept flipping through my contacts and saw a name, Quinn Hall, but I didn’t click on it for a long time. Unexpectedly, he sent me a message: [I’m coming back today. Will you have dinner with me?] I quickly replied to him and made an appointment with him for the place. I looked at the scenery outside and recalled the past. Quinn was the son of my sign language teacher. Because I always went to his home for classes, I gradually got to know him well. Three years ago, when he learned that I was going to marry a vegetative person, he angrily threw the birthday present he was going to give me and said that it was a waste for me to learn sign language. I retorted with sign language, and my words were mean. Later, he went abroad to study. I thought we would never meet again in this life, and didn’t expect that he would come back. We hadn’t seen each other for a few years, and he had become much more mature and didn’t seem very easy to get along with. I directly asked him, “Can you pretend to be my family member and help me sign the form?” He was a bit surprised. After learning the whole story, he clenched his fists tightly, as if he were very angry. He asked, “Have you decided?” I nodded. These memories meant nothing to me anymore. And after erasing the memories, I would be able to speak again. He agreed. It was already evening when I got home. My things were casually thrown in the corridor of the villa. Roman glanced at me and said, “Megan, you can move to the guest room from now on.” I nodded slightly. He didn’t expect me to be so calm and looked me up and down. I would forget him soon, and I didn’t care about these things anymore. Suddenly, a little dog ran out of the house. I was stunned and instinctively grabbed Roman’s arm. He frowned unhappily and shook off my hand violently, saying, “Megan, know your place.” His strength was so great. I didn’t react in time and fell to the ground, and my wrist hurt. I’d been afraid of dogs since I was a child, and the man who once said he would protect me for a lifetime had now let go of my hand. He seemed a bit annoyed and wanted to reach out and pull me up. I pretended not to see it and stood up while enduring the pain. Laura came out of the room, took Roman’s hand, and acted coquettishly, saying, “Tom doesn’t like to be restricted. Let’s find a bigger room for him.” Roman doted on her and ruffled her hair, saying, “Okay, then we’ll give the newly tidied guest room to Tom. Megan, you move to the basement.” It was ridiculous. In his eyes, I was even less important than the stray dog they adopted. When packing my things, I suddenly smelled a strange smell, and then I saw a large puddle of yellow liquid on my red coat. This coat was a birthday present from Roman. Since my birthday was on the same day as the memorial day of Laura’s parents, Eric and Sharon didn’t allow me to celebrate my birthday. Roman secretly gave me the coat and said to me seriously, “Megan, I will spend every birthday with you in the future.” Promises only counted when they were just made. I cherished this coat very much and never even wore it once. It seemed that I wouldn’t be able to wear it in the future either.

When Roman saw that coat, he was a bit moved and ordered the housekeeper, Lisa, to take it to the dry cleaner. But I directly threw the coat into the trash can. Along with it, I also threw away the photos of Roman and me taken over the years. I didn’t want to have any relationship with him anymore. He stared at me and said, “Laura is kind and adopted Tom. If you make her sad, I will not let you off.” It seemed that he had completely forgotten that I was afraid of dogs. Probably because Roman had told the servants, none of them helped me move my things. I endured the pain in my wrist and packed until the evening before I cleared away all the things related to Roman. This was the first time I had lived here in three years. After he became a vegetative person, I almost lived in the hospital. At first, there were still people visiting him, but later, the White family gave up on him. Most of the time, there were only he and I in the ward. I had just fallen asleep in a daze until dawn, when I was awakened by cold water. Roman looked down at me and said, “Megan, you’re getting lazier and lazier. You’re no longer my wife, but you still dare to sleep in.” Feeling a headache, I nodded slightly to show that I understood. I wiped the water stains off my face and got up to change my clothes. The servants in the villa were busy going about their business. Lisa glanced at me and ordered me to clean the piano. Then, I realized that today was Laura’s birthday. My fingers glided over the piano keys, and beautiful music sounded. Roman once said that my hands were born for playing the piano, but now they were used to cleaning it. I gave a self-deprecating smile, thinking that love words were only sincere at the moment they were spoken. After a while, I received a message from Walter: [Ten o’clock tomorrow morning.] I quickly replied to him and forwarded the message to Quinn. Just thinking that I would be able to speak in the future made me feel much better. I thought that this banquet had nothing to do with me, but I didn’t expect Roman to pull me into the dressing room. I was flattered and took the dress. He said impatiently, “Put it on. If you don’t attend the banquet, everyone will blame Laura.” It turned out that he was just afraid of others gossiping about Laura. I touched the large stains on the dress and had already become numb. I remembered the post she sent an hour ago: [It doesn’t matter if I get the dress dirty. Roman will prepare two dresses for me.] Laura stood beside the cake like an elegant princess, while I was like a clown for others to make fun of. I tried my best to lower my presence and sat down in the corner, but I still heard the whispers. “What’s on her clothes? It’s so disgusting!” “She’s shameless, stealing her cousin’s fiancé.” “I heard that she’s a mute.” The mocking voices kept coming. I clenched the hem of my dress tightly. Laura sat down beside the piano. The light focused on her, and everyone’s eyes were drawn to her. The sound of the piano stopped abruptly. She exclaimed, “It hurts! Why are there pieces of a dagger in the piano?” Lisa pointed at me in the corner and said, “Only Ms. Cox has touched the piano!” Roman glared at me furiously, roughly pulled me in front of the piano, and pressed my hands on the piano keys. The pain made me almost unable to breathe. “Megan, this is the price you pay for doing something wrong.” After he said that, ignoring my bleeding hands, he picked up Laura and walked towards the door. I saw Laura give me a triumphant smile. Later, the ambulance took me to the hospital. But all the doctors in the hospital were called to give Laura a consultation. Before I fainted from excessive blood loss, I heard a nurse shout angrily, “If her hands don’t receive timely treatment, she will be permanently disabled!” I shed tears and wished that I had never met Roman. The doctor thought Roman looked somewhat familiar and took the initiative to greet him, “How is your wife? She took care of you for three years, and now she’s finally getting something in return.” Free Point Roman frowned, wanting to figure out what the doctor meant. Laura pretended to shed tears and cried out in pain, “Roman, my hand hurts so much. Will I never be able to play the piano again?”

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