After my wife was assaulted, she became emotionally unstable and lost her appetite. Even when I put aside work to focus entirely on her, she would only tell me to get lost. Until one drunken night, my wife sent another woman to my bed. “This way, neither of us can blame the other,” she said. I could only swallow my hurt feelings. Little did I know, beneath this incident lay another layer of truth I was unaware of… The hangover headache made me reach for my phone on the nightstand to check the time. Then a hand helped me grab the phone. Someone was standing by the bed, staring at me ominously with bloodshot eyes, like a predator spotting prey and waiting to strike. “Honey, you’re awake?” It was my wife. I rubbed my head. “Lily, what’s wrong with your eyes? Didn’t you sleep?” Lily didn’t answer. Instead, she picked up the phone and made a call. “Hello, I’d like to report a rape.” Lily’s words shocked me. Just a month ago, Lily herself had been assaulted. Although the perpetrator had been arrested, that night’s events had become a thorn in Lily’s heart. In the weeks since coming home, Lily had seen countless therapists. But any mention of keywords related to that night would instantly send her into a frenzy, smashing things and cursing. She’d accuse us of rubbing salt in her wounds, of not letting her move on. Eventually, Lily’s mental state became erratic and jumpy. If she saw me standing close to any other woman, she would immediately rush over and slap me hard. “I knew you were disgusted by me. I knew it. I’ve been watching you for a long time. You want to divorce me and be with her, don’t you?” “I’m telling you, if I hadn’t gone to bring you an umbrella, I never would have met him. None of this would have happened.” She was right. I bore some responsibility for what happened. That day, I had worked overtime at the office until 10 PM. When I went downstairs, I realized it was raining. I tried to get a ride, but the Uber queue was over 50 people long. I tried to buy an umbrella, but several stores said they were sold out and only had plastic bags left. I declined the bags. So I asked Lily to come pick me up. But before she arrived, I got a call from the police saying my wife had been dragged into an alley and assaulted. She was extremely distraught. In my rush, I ended up going to the police station with a black garbage bag over my head. So in this state, when Lily suddenly and uncharacteristically uttered the word “rape,” I naturally couldn’t understand. “Lily, what are you talking about?” Lily ignored me and continued, “Shisen Road, Linxue Garden, Building 2, Unit 304. The rapist…” Lily glanced at me. “Marcus Wilson.”

She said my name. My heart skipped a beat. I couldn’t understand why she was falsely accusing me. Until I heard faint breathing behind me. I turned around and realized there was another woman sleeping in the same bed. She was curled up by the edge, which is why I hadn’t noticed her before. At that moment, I finally understood what Lily meant by “rape.” “I didn’t do anything. I don’t even know her,” I said frantically, grabbing Lily’s arm to prove my innocence. Lily just gave me a look, then turned and locked the door, leaving me alone with the woman. I wanted to wake her up and ask what was going on, but she was completely naked. I didn’t dare look. I deliberately made some noise to wake her up. Thankfully it worked, and the woman finally stirred. But the confusion in her eyes matched my own. The unfamiliar environment and my presence made her shriek. “Who are you? Why am I here?” She grabbed a pillow and started hitting me with it, angrily demanding to know what I had done to her. I could only tell her to calm down and try to remember what happened last night. But this was the woman’s first time in this kind of situation. How could she possibly stay calm? After cursing me and my ancestors, she asked where I had hidden her clothes. I looked around and saw her clothes scattered everywhere. Just as I picked them up to toss to her, the door opened again. “We received a report of a crime in progress. Please come with us,” said the police officers who entered.

Sitting at the police station again, I felt like I was on pins and needles. Fortunately, all the evidence showed that nothing had actually happened between me and the strange woman. We were both innocent. As for why she ended up in my bed, it seems she really had just drunkenly wandered into the wrong place. After getting lectured by the police, on the way home I asked Lily why she had said those misleading things. Rape accusations could ruin my reputation for life. Plus, my company was in the middle of a restructuring. I had a good chance at a director position. If anyone at work found out about this, even if it was all made up, it would still become the subject of gossip. Lily glanced at me. There was a hint of some indescribable emotion in her eyes. Her next words shocked me even more. “Because I did it.” “That woman – I carried her to the bed.” My eyes widened in disbelief. I turned to look at Lily, about to ask why. Just then, our taxi rear-ended the car in front of us. The driver got out, cursing loudly as he went to argue with the other driver. I glanced outside. The car we hit was an Audi. Apparently the other driver had changed lanes abruptly, causing the collision. But that wasn’t important. What mattered was my wife, and why she would try to frame me as a rapist. “Why?” I asked. Deep down, I had an inkling. But I needed to hear it from her own mouth, to extinguish that last flicker of hope in my heart. “This way we’re even,” she said. “Neither of us owes the other anything.” What a thing to say – that we’re even now. “Did you think about the consequences of doing this?” I asked. Lily seemed completely unconcerned as she turned to watch the argument outside. “Of course I know the consequences.” “But if you love me, you shouldn’t blame me.” I stared at her. The dim light cast shadows across her face. The red taillights reflected in her eyes, making her words seem even more vicious. On the way home, I didn’t say another word to her. I knew she blamed me for causing her to lose her dignity, for the public humiliation that left her unable to show her face. But if I’m being honest, I had never once looked down on her since the incident. I never showed even a hint of impatience. In fact, worried she might overthink things, I kept my distance from all other women. I turned down any work events I could avoid, just to stay home with her. We even moved far away from where it happened. I promised her parents I would never divorce her. What happened was an accident. More than anger, I felt heartbroken for her. Lily was the woman I had pursued for years, the apple of my eye. Even if her temper had become erratic, I felt it was understandable. But last night, that one work event I couldn’t skip was crucial for my promotion. I had to go. Yet it was this one time that Lily decided to set such a trap.

When we got home, Lily started changing the bedsheets unprompted. Her phone kept buzzing, probably someone calling. I wasn’t in the mood to listen. I went to the bathroom to have a smoke and clear my head. I chain-smoked half a pack, but still couldn’t calm down. I kept thinking about how over the line Lily’s actions were. I considered her in everything I did, but she clearly didn’t think of me at all. This was a critical time for my promotion. I was the sole breadwinner. We’d been married two years, and both sets of parents were eager for grandkids. If I could land the director position, we could significantly improve our lifestyle and reduce a lot of stress. Then we could start thinking about having a baby. But now, it had all gone up in smoke. I regretted asking Lily to bring me an umbrella that night. But I was also angry that she would use such dirty tactics to drag me down with her. I loved Lily, but after this, I wasn’t sure I loved her quite so much anymore. I shook out the cigarette pack and found it empty. I had to leave the bathroom, only to find Lily standing ominously by the door, staring at me. “My parents are coming over tomorrow,” she said. I felt annoyed. This kind of thing didn’t need to involve the parents. Besides, it wasn’t my fault to begin with. But Lily just repeated: “If it weren’t for you, how would I have gotten assaulted? You owe me for all of this.” Her words left me feeling ice cold. Of course, if doing this made her feel better, I wouldn’t hold it against her. But I never imagined she was actually trying to destroy me! Both sets of parents berated me harshly. I couldn’t explain myself. When neighbors asked about the police visit, Lily casually said, “Oh that? It’s because he committed rape.” Let me put it this way – when the incident first happened, Lily appeared as the victim and naturally garnered sympathy. But in her retelling, I was the perpetrator, so of course people condemned me. Everyone advised Lily to divorce me, calling me scum who didn’t deserve to live or even be in the same neighborhood as them. Even my company put me on leave, with no return date in sight. I became a target for everyone’s anger. Meanwhile, Lily transformed into the good woman, saying I had just made a mistake, that she loved me and chose to forgive me. Our reputations were completely reversed. Even when I said it was all a misunderstanding and the police could prove it, people said there’s no smoke without fire. I had no way to defend myself. I asked Lily to explain, but she said this was nothing compared to what she went through. If I couldn’t handle even this much, was I even a man? I laughed bitterly. How were these situations the same at all? Our circumstances were completely different. I had never aired her trauma in public. I protected her, shielding her from harmful rumors. But her? She seemed afraid people wouldn’t hurt me enough. She kept stabbing me in the heart with sharp swords. I thought, surely this is enough? Surely we’ve reached the limit? I went to talk to Lily, telling her she had to publicly apologize to me. Otherwise, I would sue her for defamation. “You wouldn’t dare!” Lily glared at me coldly. Her expression was so detached, as if I were a stranger to her. “You planned this whole thing yourself. I’ve put up with you for a long time. If you’re not willing to apologize…” I paused. “Then let’s get divorced.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296332”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

The Year I Died, He Was Marrying Someone Else I had been William’s mistress for four years. On the day I died, he was marrying someone else. “You didn’t come on my big day. What, you don’t want to see me marry another woman?” “Or do you think I’ll give in if you throw a tantrum?” “Olivia, I’ll say this one last time. If you don’t show up today, don’t ever think about coming back.” Later, he knelt before my grave and personally carved my epitaph. “My wife, Olivia. Born when the last pear blossom fell, died the year I loved her most.” That was the first time he admitted he loved me. But what did it matter? I was already dead. “Aren’t you happy now that I’m dead and you can marry her?” I floated beside William at the wedding venue. He couldn’t hear me, of course. He just frowned, having his assistant Sarah repeatedly dial my number. Two calls went unanswered. The third time, the phone was turned off. Ten minutes later, he lost his patience. He took out his phone and sent me a few text messages, full of mockery and threats: “You didn’t come on my big day. What, you don’t want to see me marry another woman?” “Or do you think I’ll give in if you throw a tantrum?” “Olivia, I’ll say this one last time. If you don’t show up today, don’t ever think about coming back.” When talking to me, he always had this air of absolute authority, as if he held the power of life and death. Unfortunately, no matter how angry he was now, he couldn’t take it out on me anymore. Because a few hours ago, I had died. “Mr. Song, the wedding is about to start. You should go change,” Sarah reminded him, holding a tablet, her posture upright and respectful. Hearing this, William’s hand paused on the screen, his sharp brows furrowing. After a few seconds, he tossed the phone to Sarah: “Keep calling until she picks up.”

For some reason, I couldn’t leave William’s side. Or rather, in my spirit form, I couldn’t move more than three steps away from him. I was forced to follow him onto the stage. The wedding venue was decorated with an ocean theme, with a huge blue whale suspended in the air, as beautiful as in a dream. Except the bride wasn’t me, it was Emma. A year ago, William had asked me to bring lunch to his company, specifically requesting salt-baked shrimp. I had spent from morning till noon preparing it, even cutting my hand while deveining the shrimp. But as soon as I entered the office, Sarah stopped me. She had just started working at the company then and wasn’t experienced in handling such situations. “Mr. Song is in a meeting. Please wait outside, Miss Yang.” It was a rather clumsy lie. Before she finished speaking, suspicious sounds leaked from the door crack. Sarah’s face turned red instantly, her eyes flickering, seemingly thinking of how to make me feel better. I smiled faintly and patted her shoulder to comfort her: “It’s okay, I’ll wait outside.” After it ended, William walked out with a petite girl in his arms. That was the first time I saw Emma. Fair skin, big eyes, her high ponytail a bit messy, but it didn’t diminish her youthful beauty. Although neither Emma nor I was the only flower in William’s garden, considering his past preferences, he had never gone for such an innocent college girl before. So when William told me he was going to marry Emma, I was a bit surprised. But I quickly composed myself and packed all my things that very night. Well, “packing” only involved one suitcase. Before I left, he sat on the balcony, his long fingers entwined with misty smoke, smiling somewhat mockingly. “Can’t take it anymore?” He approached me step by step, the heavy tobacco smell assaulting my senses, making me feel nauseous. “I’m sorry, Mr. Song, but I don’t sleep with married men.” If there had been a mirror, I’m sure my smile would have looked awful. William’s smile froze on his face as he lowered his head and gripped my chin. “Should I praise you for your professional ethics?” In his eyes, I was just a woman he had bought with money. Not sleeping with married men sounded like a laughable excuse. “Or are you still hoping to marry me?” I lowered my head. I had thought about it. But it was just… a thought. And even this, I didn’t dare to admit. Seeing my long silence, William patted my face with a hint of mockery, his cool tone piercing my heart. “Olivia, ask yourself, are you worthy?”

William wasn’t always like this. We were childhood sweethearts for ten years. When other girls complained that he wouldn’t teach them but only taught me, he would seriously say I wasn’t just anyone. He would also punch the face of the boy who mocked me when I stained my pants during my period. But now, I can’t remember what that William who protected me at every turn looked like anymore. For me, he only had endless hatred. “Olivia, why didn’t you die with your mother?” This was what he said to me most often later. In our senior year, there was a sudden power outage at school. William and I went home early, only to witness an unspeakable scene between my mother and his father. The gossip about a single widow seducing a married man quickly spread among the neighbors. William’s parents had a big fight. But on their way to the civil affairs bureau to get a divorce, a large truck suddenly overturned. They didn’t even make it to the ambulance, passing away on the spot. On the day of the funeral, I waited outside William’s house all night with red eyes. When he walked out of the dim dawn light, looking haggard, the first thing he said to me was: “Olivia, I don’t have parents anymore. Are you happy?” He hugged me, his long fingers leaving red marks on my arms. Tears occasionally fell on my shoulder. I endured the pain, stammering my lips, apologizing to him over and over again. But in the end, William just shook his head and left with a tear-filled “I hate you.” He disappeared completely from my life, and my mother also suffered a stroke and became paralyzed due to the shock. But what I didn’t expect was that seven years later, when I was worried about medical expenses, William would appear again, casually helping me pay the rest of the hospital bills. “Olivia, she needs to live to see how you suffer.” Perhaps from that moment on, our ending was destined to be a tragedy.

However, William’s methods of torturing me weren’t very sophisticated, nothing more than nitpicking. He would only drink coffee after it had been brewed eight times, and would throw a fit if the bath water was one degree too low. Once I showed any dissatisfaction, I couldn’t sleep at night. I already had sensitive skin, and even slight pressure would leave bruises. William never showed mercy because of this, often indulging as much as he pleased. Once when I was sick, I went to the hospital for IV drips for two days. On my way back, I happened to meet a senior from school. He walked me to my doorstep and chatted with me casually for a bit. It just so happened that William had returned from a business trip and saw this scene. “I still have a fever. Can you let me rest for a while?” I didn’t know why he suddenly got angry, I just hoped that he would spare me this once, considering our years of friendship. “You can still chat and laugh with others, so you probably don’t need rest.” “Besides, 39 degrees (Celsius), I haven’t tried it before. Want to give it a try?” Beast. I cursed at him, deliberately provoking him, but tears fell silently. William turned my face back to him, his thumb gently wiping the blood from my bitten lip. “Don’t act like you’ve suffered some great injustice. At worst, you can go splurge with my card tomorrow to vent.” “After all, exchanging your body for benefits is something your family has always been good at.” I glared at William. Hitting my sore spot made him unusually happy, the smile on his face carrying a hint of ferocious pleasure. “Otherwise, why do you think my dad took care of your family for no reason?” My strength suddenly drained away. Because on this point, I had no way to refute. The occasional candies, the cash gifts during holidays. They had already become things that made me feel guilty whenever I thought about them, without me even knowing. After it ended, I had a fever for three more days, taking care of myself alone in the guest room. William, separated by just a wall, only threw over a box of fever reducers on the first day. He said: “Olivia, don’t die in my house. It’s unlucky.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296331”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

After losing my memory, I mistakenly thought my sworn enemy was my husband. I even moved into his house. On the day I regained my memory, I was tugging at his sleeve, asking for a kiss. As memories flooded back, I froze, about to run away. But he, usually cold and aloof, frowned and leaned down to kiss me, saying resignedly: “There, now will you stay put at home?” Before regaining my memory, I thought Liam Winters was the best husband in the world. I loved him to death. I’d cry if I couldn’t see him for even a second. At the breakfast table one morning, I was clinging tightly to Liam’s sleeve, refusing to let go. Tears welled up in my eyes. “Are you going to abandon me again?” “Aria, let go.” The man I was clutching looked at me coldly, tugging his arm. The buttons on his suit jacket made a dangerous creaking sound. I stubbornly hugged his arm, my tone plaintive: “You didn’t say that before, honey. You said you’d love me forever. I’ll die without you…” This kind of conversation happened every morning. On average, I’d throw a fit every two or three days. Only Liam could calm me down. Liam closed his eyes briefly, giving up the struggle. “I’m just going to a meeting. I’ll be back tonight.” “How late is ‘tonight’? I’m scared to sleep alone.” Seeing he didn’t respond, I started crying with my head down. A flash of exasperation crossed Liam’s face. Suppressing his temper, he asked quietly: “What do you want this time?” I turned my face, pointing at my cheek. “You haven’t kissed me goodbye yet.” My coquettish figure was reflected in the mirror. Liam’s tall frame sat beside me. We really were… a match made in heaven— Before I could finish that thought, my mind suddenly went blank. That handsome face gradually overlapped with the one in my memories. As my memories came flooding back, I froze in place. My loving gaze slowly turned to horror. Wait. What am I doing? I’m Aria Rose, CEO of Rose Corporation. Liam Winters and I have been locked in a cutthroat business war. And now I’ve lost my mind and called him my husband?! I tensed up, about to mock him. But then the usually cold Liam frowned and leaned down to kiss me on the cheek. That cool kiss was like an electric current. It instantly coursed through my whole body. Liam’s tone was resigned: “There, now will you stay put at home?”

Liam left. I stood there stunned, taking a full twenty minutes to recover. Did he just… kiss me? To describe my relationship with Liam Winters, we’d stab each other given half a chance. The last time we met, I cheerfully cursed him to “die young”. Liam gave me a cold glance and replied flatly: “If so, I’m afraid I’ll have to take Miss Rose down with me.” Who would have thought that in just two weeks, I’d experience a car accident, lose my memory, and fall in love with Liam at first sight. I even pestered him until he let me move into his private residence. What a mess… The mansion was eerily quiet. I sat in a chair, thinking calmly for a long time. I was certain of one thing: I absolutely could not admit that I had regained my memory. Liam would mock me for the rest of my life. I frantically searched the room for my suitcase, finally discovering my work phone in a hidden pocket. When my assistant answered my call, she nearly burst into tears: “Miss Rose, where have you been these past two weeks? Liam Winters has almost stolen all your business.” I gritted my teeth in anger. No wonder he’d been so unusually gentle with me these past two weeks. So he was secretly laughing at me while aggressively swallowing up my business? “The Yuzhou contract is being signed today, right?” My assistant was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan: “Yes, Yuzhou is planning to sign with Liam since you’ve been missing for over two weeks.” My heart sank. I immediately got dressed and headed out: “I’ll go stop Liam. Tell Hughes that if he can’t secure this deal, he’s fired!”

That day, I took the flight after Liam’s and landed in Yuzhou. William Hughes, the company’s VP, had been handling this project. My unfamiliar face was perfect for making a splash. The evening banquet hall was filled with the clinking of glasses. I examined my pale gold mermaid gown in the lobby’s glass reflection, satisfied. I had bought this using Liam’s card while I had amnesia. Including jewelry, I had spent nearly 10 million in total. Even this flight ticket was charged to his card. Liam must know I’m here. I stood at the entrance, scanning the crowd, but didn’t see Liam. Just as I was about to leave, I suddenly bumped into a solid body behind me. Liam’s familiar cold, elegant woody scent instantly enveloped me. His icy voice dripped with sarcasm in my ear. “Done pretending, Miss Rose?” I froze for a second, then spun around and threw myself into his arms. “Honey, I missed you so much!” The movement was too big, exposing a large expanse of my back. It attracted quite a few stares. “Who’s that?” “Looks like Mrs. Winters.” Liam stiffened, then covered me with his jacket and led me by the waist into a prep room. The cold table edge dug into my backside, making the dishes clatter. Liam’s eyes were dark. “Aria, what are you trying to do?” He only called me by my full name when I had amnesia. Looks like I fooled him again. I played with his tie, my eyes wandering. “Nothing, I just missed you…” “Tell me the truth.” The smile fell from my face as I instantly teared up. “They said… you have a mistress in Yuzhou… I came to see…” There wasn’t a hint of warmth in Liam’s eyes. “That’s not true.” “You’re lying!” I kicked him petulantly. “I just saw you talking to a woman. You don’t love me anymore…” “…” Liam frowned. “That was a business partner.” Of course I knew it was a business partner. The VP of Yuzhou Minghua Group. I turned my head away. “I don’t believe you! Unless you take me with you tonight.” Liam was at a loss dealing with me. “Fine.” That night, I hung on Liam’s arm like a happy butterfly. I chatted animatedly with the Minghua Group representatives. Liam’s business discussions were interrupted by me several times. In the end, he sat in a corner, his dark eyes silently watching me. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. As soon as the banquet ended, Liam took me back to our room. The door slammed shut. Darkness fell. Liam’s rough fingertips pressed against my neck, gently caressing: “Aria, I never realized you were such a social butterfly.” His voice was steady, made even more seductive by the darkness. I had a few drinks tonight and was feeling a bit tipsy. I clung to him and whined: “I just didn’t want you talking to other women…” I secretly shook off the goosebumps. Damn, how embarrassing… Was I really like this when I lost my memory? Liam chuckled for no reason. “No commitment, yet so possessive.” He set me down on the bed as his phone suddenly rang. The flashing light was a bit blinding in the dark night. He answered the call. His assistant’s words floated out of the speaker. “Mr. Winters, Miss Rose’s people snatched the Yuzhou contract.” “Who did you say?” “Her subordinate, William Hughes.” The room fell dead silent. The clock in the corner ticked in time with my heartbeat, striking my nerves. I nonchalantly hooked my foot around him while holding my breath, waiting for Liam’s reaction. The rustling of his suit pants was audible. He hung up the phone, a cold smile playing on his thin lips: “Aria, you knew I was signing the contract today, didn’t you?” I nestled in his arms, breathing in his deep, mellow scent, staying silent. He gripped my chin, lifting it to examine me for a moment before suddenly smiling: “Memory back?” My heart skipped a beat. If I admitted it now, I’d be dead meat tonight. I gave him a blank look and mumbled: “Honey, it’s hot…” He saw my face flushed from alcohol. Those deep eyes fixed on my face, unmoving. Liam hid the calculation in his eyes, his tone gentle. “Aria, you think I’m that easy to fool?” “I like you… how could I be fooling—” Liam’s smile faded as he leaned down to bite my lip. The kiss held a trace of unresolvable anger. He bit until the taste of blood spread between our lips. Only when I frowned in pain did Liam release me, coldly laughing as he stroked my messy hair: “Go on, what other nonsense haven’t you said yet? Hubby’s listening.” I caught my breath, my gaze sincere: “I love you—ah!” Accompanied by a sharp ripping sound, my dress was torn in half at the waist. Liam’s eyes were completely tinged with cruelty. “You really won’t learn until you see the coffin.” He forcefully pinned me in the corner, his fingers intertwining with mine. Chuckling softly: “I hope you can say that again the day you regain your memory.” “Otherwise, I don’t mind killing you with my own hands.” …

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296330”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

I never expected to end up tangled in the sheets with Jack Carlisle, my family’s longtime friend and my unofficial guardian. The morning after our passionate night together, I did what I do best: I put on my ice queen face and pretended nothing had ever happened between us. But Jack? Oh, he’s not taking it well at all. He’s going absolutely crazy, trying to make me acknowledge what we shared. I heard that he never dates, never gives women a chance at a real relationship. And he certainly never touches the same woman twice. Yet somehow, we’ve been maintaining this secret affair for six whole months. Then one day, Mrs. Carlisle excitedly showed me a photo. “Jack picked his fiancée himself. Isn’t she beautiful?” I looked at the stunningly gorgeous woman in the picture and smiled, offering my congratulations. “She’s very pretty. They make a great couple. Congratulations to Jack.” Late that night, Jack suddenly appeared in my room. “Getting cocky, aren’t you, Aria? Calling me ‘daddy’ in bed and ‘Mr. Carlisle’ outside. Are you playing games with me?”

As I made my way downstairs, my body aching, I saw Jack sitting at the dining table. His tie was undone, his collar open, revealing the bite mark on his collarbone. I nearly stumbled, quickly grabbing the railing to steady myself. Jack glanced up at me, his tone as calm and indifferent as ever: “Be careful coming down.” “Mm, I will,” I replied. He said nothing more, lowering his gaze to continue eating. I watched his long fingers grip the knife and fork, cutting into the food on his plate. His knuckles were prominent, his hands clean and strong. My cheeks began to burn as I remembered how those hands, so skilled with surgical instruments, had explored uncharted territories of my body just last night. Again and again, they had brought me to the heights of pleasure.

I bypassed the dining room and headed for the kitchen. Grabbing an egg and a carton of milk, I prepared to leave. “Aria,” Jack suddenly called out to me. I instinctively stopped and turned around. He had already stood up, taking the jacket handed to him by the housekeeper. “I’ll give you a ride. We’re going the same way,” he said. “No need, I can take the subway…” I began to protest. Jack didn’t respond, just looked down at me from his imposing height. My gaze accidentally fell on the bite mark on his collarbone, and I quickly looked away, as if burned.

“No subway today,” Jack said, glancing at his watch. “Let’s go.” Afraid of annoying him, I didn’t insist further. Jack, being a surgeon, was always a neat freak. I didn’t dare eat anything in his car, so I stuffed the egg and milk into my backpack. As I got into the car earlier, I must have aggravated the tender area between my legs. Sitting in the car seat made me feel uncomfortably stiff. Jack seemed to notice. He closed his tablet and lowered the partition in the car. “We’ll stop by a pharmacy. You should apply some ointment,” he said. I kept my head down, my face burning hot. “Okay.” “If it still hurts after applying the medicine, come to the hospital. I’ll take care of it.” “Alright.” “I drank a bit too much last night. I lost control and hurt you.” “It’s okay, Mr. Carlisle,” I said softly. “I was drunk too. It wasn’t entirely your fault.” I understood Jack’s meaning clearly. In his view, last night was just drunken sex. But the truth was, I hadn’t been drunk at all. I had deliberately used alcohol as an excuse to let myself cross the line. “Don’t overthink it. Focus on your studies for now.” “Mm.” The car moved smoothly forward. I sat properly, occasionally brushing against his pants with my bare legs when the car bumped. He didn’t move away, but I discreetly shifted further from him.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296329”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

I lost my memory. Alexander asked if I remembered who my boyfriend was. I pointed to his playful-smiling brother behind him. Alexander breathed a sigh of relief, as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. But later, on my wedding night with his brother, he frantically pounded on the door. “You can’t get married! Lily, please come out!” After the doctor told me I had lost part of my memory, Alexander visited me every day. The day before I was discharged, he suddenly asked, “Lily, do you remember who your boyfriend is?” I looked at the man sitting in the corner with a playful smile. Ethan, Alexander’s brother. Since I was hospitalized, he had come every day. He was quiet, and crucially, he was exactly my type. My best friend said that before I lost my memory, Ethan had been pursuing me. So, I pointed at him and said, “He’s my boyfriend.” I don’t know if it was my imagination, but after I said this, Alexander seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. He showed his first smile in days: “Yes, Ethan is your boyfriend.” Ethan chuckled and stood up. Broad shoulders, narrow waist, tall figure, combined with his outstanding looks, he was like walking testosterone. I stared at him as he approached me. “I’ll come pick you up tomorrow when you’re discharged, girlfriend.” The upward lilt in his voice was full of endless tenderness. I suddenly blushed, my heart racing as I watched him leave. “Lily…” I turned back to face Alexander’s displeased expression, and my smile faded. “Why are you still here?” Alexander’s eyes darkened slightly, “I’m getting engaged in a few days, so… I can’t come pick you up when you’re discharged tomorrow.” I waved my hand, “Thanks, but my boyfriend will be here, so it’s fine.”

Ethan showed up at the hospital room right on time the next day. He took my luggage and naturally reached for my hand. After completing the discharge procedures, he took me home – to his home. He told me my room was the guest room. When I saw him enter the master bedroom, I couldn’t help but ask, “Aren’t we sleeping in the same room?” Ethan was visibly stunned, then he said in a pitiful tone, “You don’t let me sleep in the same room with you.” The doctor said I had forgotten many things, and I couldn’t remember why I wouldn’t let him sleep in the same room. But to openly say I wanted to sleep in the same room with him, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. So I coughed lightly, “Let’s keep this arrangement for now, and… we’ll discuss it again when I recover.” He agreed readily, but his handsome smile made my hair stand on end. Ethan went into his room and didn’t come out again. Even at mealtime, there was no sign of him. I had no choice but to go to the kitchen to cook. Halfway through cooking, a strong presence enveloped me from behind. “What are you making?” I instinctively stepped back, and his solid male physique pressed against my back. The scorching heat transmitted through the thin fabric of our clothes. It was so hot that I dropped the spatula in my hand. I quickly bent down to pick it up, but my leg brushed against his, fitting perfectly. Before I could react, a pair of strong arms lifted me up and set me aside. I turned my head, only catching a glimpse of Ethan’s flustered figure retreating. Although I had forgotten many things, common sense remained. Realizing what I had just done, my entire face and neck turned red. After finishing cooking, I went to call him. When he came out, he didn’t mention the kitchen incident. Instead, he said, “My brother is getting engaged tomorrow. As my girlfriend, you should come with me.” I nodded. Then a thought struck me, “Doesn’t that mean I’m indirectly meeting your family?” Ethan resumed his casual demeanor, “You’ve already met them before. Just be yourself.” With Ethan’s reassurance, I felt at ease.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296328”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

He suddenly became passionate about fitness and started paying attention to his appearance. His clothes always carried a faint scent of lily of the valley. He was acting suspiciously flirtatious. So, I followed him. I overheard him insulting me while joking with his friends: “Olivia is no longer the campus beauty you guys knew. Now her figure is all saggy, no different from a middle-aged woman. I feel unlucky every time I see her bland face.” “If it weren’t for having to split half of our assets in a divorce, I would have married my little sweetheart long ago.” Later, I found a prenatal screening test for Down syndrome in his briefcase. It turned out that his mistress was already over four months pregnant. The information about the pregnant woman on the test caught my attention. When I saw that familiar name, I froze on the spot. What do you do when you’re middle-aged and discover that your husband, with whom you’ve built a life together from nothing, is cheating? This question seems difficult to answer. You have children together and have accumulated considerable assets through years of hard work. You’ve shaped a rash and naive young man into today’s gentle and elegant figure. But now, he belongs to someone else. Should you quickly divide some assets and get a divorce? It doesn’t seem quite fair. Should you drag them along, exhausting the last of your marital affection? But doing so would disgust them and yourself. So, what’s the best answer? My answer is, I can’t get divorced! But… I can become a widow!

Discovering Jack’s affair was actually a very accidental small incident. That day, before letting our housekeeper take Jack’s tailored suit for dry cleaning, I habitually checked the pockets. Then I pulled out a Chanel Coco Mademoiselle lip balm from the right pocket. The lip balm showed obvious signs of use. It couldn’t be something he had just bought for me. And it definitely wasn’t his own. Because this lip balm leaves a shimmering effect on the lips, something only girls would use. The faint lily of the valley scent from the clothes rushed into my nostrils. I stood there stunned for a long time without moving. Perhaps it was a woman’s unreasonable sixth sense. Just this lip balm and this whiff of fragrance made me certain that Jack was having an affair. He wasn’t a person without boundaries. He wouldn’t put a girl’s personal items in his own pocket. So, the lip balm might have been deliberately placed in his pocket by someone else to test me, or Jack might have kept it for that person and forgotten to return it. Either way, the result was obvious. I expressionlessly put the lip balm back in the pocket and returned his suit to its original place. I went to the bathroom and washed my face, trying to clear my dizzy mind. But it didn’t help much.

After sitting numbly for two hours. I called Ryan Thompson, Jack’s senior secretary. I originally wanted to subtly inquire about Jack’s whereabouts these days. When the call connected, I heard Ryan softly shush someone, and then the noise in the background gradually quieted down. A moment later, he asked with a hint of amusement in his voice: “Mrs. Wilson, are you looking for Mr. Wilson? What a coincidence, he just left to meet a client and isn’t in the office right now.” Meeting a client without taking along his capable and skilled senior secretary? The lie was rather clumsy. “No, I’m looking for you,” I directly denied. Ryan paused for a moment, then replied with a smile: “Mrs. Wilson, what can I do for you? Just say the word.” My fingers lightly tapped on the sofa armrest, my voice as cold as ice: “Ryan, do you remember how you climbed to your current position?” There were a few seconds of silence on the other end. When he spoke again, his voice carried a hint of guilt: “You sponsored my education, then brought me into the company and personally mentored me.” “Then why did I leave the company and can now only stay at home doing nothing?” I immediately asked again. “It’s… it’s because I dozed off while driving and caused an accident, resulting in… resulting in your left scapula being fractured. Since then, your left arm has had limited mobility…” Ryan stuttered in his response. Even without seeing him, I could imagine his uncomfortable and fidgety appearance at that moment. I took a deep breath, suppressing the anger about to erupt from my chest. “Now, I’m looking for Jack. Is he there?” “…Yes!” “Where are you now?” “The Jiuzhou Club.” “Room number.” “61008.” I hung up the phone.

As Ryan said, my left arm had limited mobility due to the accident injury, causing excruciating pain every time I raised or moved it outward. I couldn’t even hold the steering wheel with both hands while driving. I had been persistently doing rehabilitation for the past two years, but with little effect. I took a taxi to the Jiuzhou Club. Ryan was already waiting at the entrance on the first floor. When he saw me, he smoothly took the bag from my hand and led me towards the elevator. In the elevator, he wrung his hands nervously, awkwardly apologizing to me: “Mrs. Wil… I mean, Olivia, I’m sorry.” “It’s just that Mr. Wilson is only meeting friends today. I was afraid you’d worry, so I said he went to see a client.” Today he’s meeting friends. What about before? My expression remained cold, and I didn’t look at him again. How could I expect sincerity from an outsider when my husband of twenty-three years would cheat? Ryan escorted me to the private room door, then excused himself to go to the bathroom and left. I wanted to push the door open, to see which woman Jack was holding in his arms. Voices teasing Jack came from inside. I withdrew my hand and stood quietly at the half-open door of the private room. Someone spoke up to joke: “Old Jack is really behaving himself. We’re all surrounded by women, but he’s just sitting there drinking juice.” Someone quickly responded. “Of course, Jack married the campus beauty we all envied back then. She’s a perfect helper. I heard their son even got into Fudan University under Olivia’s guidance. Tsk tsk, having a virtuous wife really does bring prosperity for generations.” “You’re all wrong!” This voice belonged to Marcus Evans, Jack’s old friend. Half mockingly and half enviously, he said: “He’s keeping himself pure for his little girlfriend. She’s strict with him, set twenty house rules, including not drinking or messing around behind her back. Otherwise, she’ll punish him by not letting him into her bed. Last week he secretly drank and upset his little girlfriend. It took hundreds of thousands worth of jewelry to appease her.” “Really?” Several people snickered in surprise. Jack relaxed back against the sofa, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. Marcus continued sarcastically: “The girl is only 26, just 7 years older than his son. He can actually bring himself to do it. Don’t you think he’s a beast?” No one responded to his words. Jack crossed his left leg over his right, looking even more at ease. “Haven’t you heard that men are forever young at heart? I’m just seeking some excitement. “You don’t know, Olivia is no longer the campus beauty you guys knew. Now her figure is all saggy, no different from a middle-aged woman. She’s always sickly. I feel unlucky every time I see her bland face. “Besides, even if she were a celestial beauty, I’ve been sleeping with her for over 20 years. I’m tired of it. “If it weren’t for having to split half of our assets in a divorce, I would have married your little sister-in-law long ago.”

It was like having a bucket of ice water dumped over my head. Chilled from head to toe. A chill running through my bones. If I hadn’t heard it with my own ears, it would be hard to believe these words came from the mouth of my humble and gentle husband. Some of what he said wasn’t wrong. You can never imagine how heartless a man can be once he’s changed his mind. He becomes a complete stranger to you. I didn’t disturb them and turned to leave. At the elevator, Ryan was pacing back and forth. Seeing me approach, he quickly came over, smiling: “Mrs. Wilson, I was right, wasn’t I? Mr. Wilson was just catching up with old friends. Those girls in the room have nothing to do with him. He even specifically asked me to order juice for him, afraid of getting drunk and worrying you.” I looked at the man before me, now full of shrewdness. The caution and sincerity in his eyes from years ago had long since disappeared. His face was full of ingratiating smiles: “Mrs. Wilson, let me take you home. Mr. Wilson is with his old classmates anyway, there’s nothing for me to do. Don’t worry, I won’t tell Mr. Wilson you were here.” I didn’t object to his kindness. Ryan was driving the business car used to pick up Jack. As I sat in the back seat, two sets of overlapping handprints, one large and one small, on the car window caught my eye. My heart suddenly sank. I stared fixedly at those chaotic large and small handprints, which seemed to be telling me what kind of dirty story had taken place here. After getting out of the car, I waved goodbye to Ryan. “Thank you for driving me back. “Oh, by the way, the back window is dirty. Remember to clean the glass next time after you’re done.” Ryan froze for a moment.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296327”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

I had been in love with Tara for five years, spoiling her like a princess. The day I returned from a business trip abroad, I wanted to surprise her by secretly attending a private dinner party to see her. But I saw her passionately kissing another man. To my shock, it was Henry, my college roommate. The dazzling diamond brooch on his suit jacket pierced my eyes. Because it was identical to the one Tara had given me. Five years of companionship had become nothing but a joke. It turned out I was the one destroying someone else’s marriage all along. Heartbroken and disillusioned, I quickly wrote an application to become a war correspondent in the Middle East. After I left, Tara turned Shanghai upside down looking for me like a madwoman. I snuck into the exclusive Hong Kong dinner party in disguise, using an invitation I had prepared in advance. This was a private event with no media allowed. I unlocked my phone, the wallpaper showing a photo of Tara and me from our last meeting. I smiled bitterly, realizing it had already been a month since I’d seen her. Just ten minutes ago, Tara had texted asking when I’d be back. “The assignment here isn’t finished yet, it’ll be another two days,” I had replied. Tara sent a sticker saying “Miss you hubby”. I couldn’t help smiling as I imagined her surprised face when she saw me. The crowd suddenly stirred. I turned around, scanning the room. Several VIPs walked by, and I froze when I saw the woman behind them. Tara was intimately holding the arm of an equally distinguished-looking man. It was Henry, my college roommate. His appearance hadn’t changed much. The diamond brooch on his suit jacket was dazzlingly bright, piercing my eyes. I looked down, quietly removing the identical diamond brooch pinned to my own jacket. As soon as they appeared, people came up to greet them, warmly calling her “Mrs. Wright”. Mrs. Wright… No wonder Tara always said there was no rush to get married. She had already become someone else’s wife long ago. “Mrs. Wright, how long have you been married? Any plans for children?” someone asked. Tara smiled and replied, “Henry and I have been married for three years. He thinks I’m still young, so we’re not in a hurry.” I felt my blood run cold. As they walked towards me, I hid in a corner. The two of them made a striking couple, perfectly matched, turning heads wherever they went. Even her hand remained tucked in his arm the whole time. How many passionate nights had she used that same hand to gently caress my body, whispering sweet nothings in my ear? “Jack, why are you so good to me? You’re truly the best gift heaven could give me.” “This business trip will be a bit longer. Take good care of yourself in Shanghai and wait for me to come back.” What frequent business trips? You clearly had a real home here in Hong Kong all along.

As the music began, Henry led Tara onto the dance floor. I masochistically watched their intimate display. When the song ended, amid enthusiastic applause, Henry leaned down and planted a deep kiss on Tara’s lips. After the party, I found myself following them to the parking lot like a man possessed. Tara had changed out of her evening gown and was about to get into a different car. “Where are you going? Back to Shanghai again?” Henry demanded. Tara ignored him dismissively. “None of your business.” “Your home is in Hong Kong. Why do you keep going to Shanghai?” Henry blocked her path, his tone sharp. “You still haven’t completely broken things off with Jack, have you? Tara! I’m your husband, I want you to stay and come home with me!” “You can’t leave! Come home with me!” Tara kept dodging back and forth. “Get out of my way!” Henry was forcefully shoved aside by Tara, left standing there stunned. “Henry, I’ve told you before, I won’t give up Jack. You’re the one who insisted on marrying me by any means necessary. Now you have to deal with the consequences!” Tara got in her car and slammed the door. On the road, she kept messaging me over and over. “Jack, what are you doing?” “Are you asleep?” “Why aren’t you replying?” “…” My phone kept lighting up in the dark room, painfully bright. I tossed it across the room. The fiery alcohol burned my throat, making me cough uncontrollably. This home was filled with sweet memories from our five years together. Now it just made me feel sick. I had thought I was the love of her life. Only now did I realize I was the most pitiful one in this relationship. Deceived in body and soul, forever living in a romance that could never see the light of day. I met Tara right after graduating college. She was gentle, caring and romantic, making my then-roommate Henry envious. Some people had warned me that a girl from Tara’s background wouldn’t be interested in someone like me, telling me to be wary of Henry. Henry came from money and had no shortage of female attention. I didn’t think much of it. Besides, Tara loved me so much. How could she possibly look at another man? Now I realized how foolish I had been. I looked at the company’s transfer notice and applied for the war correspondent position no one else wanted.

My overseas assignment had been successfully completed, but the editor-in-chief suddenly approached me angrily. My colleagues exchanged worried glances. “Jack, you actually want to be a war correspondent? You did an excellent job on this assignment. Once the article is published you’re due for a promotion and raise. You’re my most talented reporter with a bright future ahead. I really don’t understand why you’re doing this.” “Give me one good reason.” I smiled bitterly. “Because I don’t want to stay in Shanghai anymore.” After a night of drinking and smoking, my voice was terribly hoarse. The editor frowned hearing it. “Why have you done this to yourself?” “Boss, please just do me this one favor.” I looked up at him, my eyes bloodshot. I took some time off. As soon as I left the office, I saw a familiar Maserati parked nearby. Tara strode over, her brow furrowed with irritation. “Jack, what happened? Why haven’t you been answering my calls?” “Do you know I’ve been looking for you all night?” I spread my hands. “I only brought my work phone. The one at home got broken by accident.” My voice was nasal and hoarse. Tara noticed immediately. “You’re sick and didn’t tell me? Haven’t you been taking care of yourself these past few days at home?” Seeing her concerned expression, I felt even more bitter inside. In the past, I definitely would have played up being pitiful, just to see how much she cared. But now, remembering the scene of her passionately kissing Henry, I just felt nauseated. Tara drove me home, took my temperature, and sure enough I had a high fever. After taking medicine, I lay in bed. Tara slipped under the covers, her soft, supple body pressed tightly against me. But I didn’t have any other thoughts. “Jack, are you mad at me? Why won’t you talk to me?” “Are you upset I was gone too long this time?” Tara made to kiss me, but I dodged. “I’m still sick.” Her gaze fell on the nightstand. “Why did you take off that diamond brooch? Wasn’t it your favorite?” Yes, I used to love that brooch because Tara gave it to me. It was supposed to be one-of-a-kind. Now I knew even this handmade brooch had an identical twin, worn by her real husband. How laughable. “I put it away.” My attitude was cold. Tara lost interest and got up to leave. Tara received several strange calls that she angrily hung up on. When I asked who it was, she just said they were spam calls. I gave a soft “oh” and didn’t press further, because I knew it was her lawful husband Henry calling.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296326”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

In my previous life, I was envied by my infertile neighbor because I was pregnant with twins, a boy and a girl. She poisoned me with pesticide in the braised pork, killing me and my unborn children. As I lay dying, I saw her viciously kicking my pregnant belly, laughing maniacally: “Ha! I’ll show you what happens when you brag all day long!” “You think you’re so great because you’re pregnant with twins? I’ll make sure you never give birth!” When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day I was first diagnosed as pregnant. In the elevator, my husband Mike was carefully supporting me: “You need to be extra careful now in your condition.” As I turned around, I saw Sarah standing behind me, opening a delivery box containing a bottle of pesticide. At that moment, she was looking at me with a sinister gaze. 0 My heart raced, and I quickly grabbed my husband Mike’s arm, sobbing: “Honey, we’ve been married for five years and still don’t have a child. Will you leave me?” Mike looked at me in confusion and quickly responded: “What are you talking about? How could I ever leave you? Besides, aren’t we…” I hurriedly covered his mouth, pretending to be embarrassed: “Enough, let’s not air our dirty laundry in public. We’ll talk about this at home!” Sarah’s mother-in-law, who was standing nearby, suddenly sneered: “Another hen that can’t lay eggs!” “Who knows what sins you’ve committed to be cursed with no children!” She then shot a contemptuous glance at Sarah, her eyes filled with undisguised disgust. Sarah shifted her gaze from me, lowering her eyes as if holding back something. I noticed that the delivery box in her hand was almost crushed from her grip. My husband Mike struggled to defend me: “How dare you speak like that! My wife is not… mmph…” Afraid that Mike would let something slip, I covered his mouth tightly again, desperately trying to signal him with my eyes. But he couldn’t understand what I meant. At this moment, Sarah’s gaze returned to us, and I broke out in a cold sweat. Just then, the elevator door opened: “17th floor!” I let out a long sigh of relief and pulled Mike, fleeing back to our apartment as fast as we could. As soon as the door closed, Mike started scolding me: “Why did you say such things about yourself? The doctor clearly said you’re pregnant with twins, a boy and a girl. Why did you tell everyone you can’t have children?” He grew angrier as he continued: “And that old woman was bullying you. Why didn’t you let me talk back? I can’t swallow this!” I smiled and handed him a glass of water, hoping to calm him down. He quickly stood up to take it, his tone becoming proud: “From now on, you don’t need to do any housework. Why are you bringing me water? Can’t I get it myself?” I lay down on the sofa, snuggling into his arms and pouting: “Honey, do you know the saying ‘Loose lips sink ships’? We can’t tell anyone about this pregnancy until it’s stable, not even our parents. What if the news scares our little babies away?” Mike dismissed my concerns: “Nonsense! I thought it was something serious. You’re just being superstitious! If you won’t let me tell anyone, I’ll burst! I even bought a lot of candy to share with the neighbors!” Hearing this, I immediately shouted: “No way!” I remembered that in my previous life, as soon as I was diagnosed as pregnant, Mike had thrown a big celebration and invited the whole building for candy. He couldn’t wait to announce to the world that I was pregnant with twins, and he immediately invited his parents to come and take care of me. It was from that time on that Sarah started staring at my belly all the time. But back then, I was too happy to notice Sarah’s envious looks and the occasional bruises that appeared on her body. I still remember one time when she saw Mike kneeling down to tie my shoelaces outside. She came over and said with a sinister tone: “Your husband is so good to you? Well, of course, since you can bear children!” At the time, I felt uncomfortable hearing this but didn’t take it to heart. Little did I know that from that moment on, Sarah began to resent me. She hated our harmonious marriage and the fact that I could have children. The candy we kindly gave to their family and my gradually swelling belly all became mockery in her eyes. But what ultimately drove her to murder was another incident. At that time, I had just started showing, and someone in the community had posted big-character posters everywhere. They specifically named Sarah as a “hen that can’t lay eggs.” Although the property management sent people to clean it up the next day, the news had already spread throughout the community. Out of kindness, I made a box of cupcakes and brought them to Sarah to comfort her. Who knew that when I opened the door, I would see Sarah covered in blood, her husband and mother-in-law were beating her. I shouted: “You can’t hit her! If you continue, I’ll call the police!” But Sarah coldly pushed me out with a blank face: “Mind your own business!” She slammed the door shut. At the time, I only thought this person was ungrateful. I was trying to help her, and she treated me like this. I decided never to meddle in others’ affairs again. Who knew that in the afternoon, she would bring over a plate of braised pork, saying it was to thank me. Actually, I didn’t want to eat such greasy food while pregnant, but Sarah stared at me intently. Out of politeness, I ate a piece, and soon I felt a burning sensation in my mouth and throat, and I had difficulty breathing… It wasn’t until I was dying that I realized my kindness had become showing off and gloating in her eyes. She actually thought I deliberately went to see her being humiliated and killed me in a fit of rage. Thinking of this, I looked at Mike seriously: “Let’s sell this apartment!” 0

Hearing my words, Mike immediately jumped up from the sofa: “The housing market has dropped 30% in the past two years, and you want to sell now?” “If we sell now, we’ll even lose money on the interest!” I covered my face and remained silent for a while before saying tearfully: “Whether you believe it or not, I had a dream that if we continue living here, something will happen to me and the baby. I’m on edge every day and can’t even sleep well.” “Besides, I suggested selling the apartment at a higher price two years ago, saying it would definitely drop in value. You didn’t believe me, and now look, it’s really dropped by 300,000. If we sell now and buy back in two years, we might even make some profit!” Hearing my words, Mike fell silent, lost in thought. I lowered my gaze and tugged at his shirt: “I’m pregnant with twins. This apartment is only about 750 square feet, which isn’t enough for four people. Since everything has dropped in price, why don’t we sell now, keep the money, and buy a bigger place in two years? Isn’t that good?” Mike, who had been adamantly against it before, softened when he saw me like this: “If you really want to move, that’s fine, but it’s not easy to sell a house right now. Even if we want to sell, it won’t happen overnight.” He stroked my head and sighed deeply: “You’re just pregnant and prone to overthinking. But you’re right, since heaven has blessed us with two children, I, as a father, should work hard to get you all a bigger house!” “I’ll list the apartment with a real estate agency tomorrow.” That night, Mike held me as he fell into a deep sleep, but I lay awake all night. The past played out before me like a movie, scene by scene, as I pondered how to break this deadlock. After all, I was in the light and she was in the dark. I didn’t know when she would strike to harm me. Moreover, houses weren’t selling well now, so even if I wanted to sell, we couldn’t move out immediately. I still had to be her neighbor for a while. If we were to rent, it would increase our monthly expenses by at least two or three thousand. Adding that to the mortgage, car loan, property management, and utilities, it would come to over ten thousand a month, leaving Mike and me with almost nothing left. We would need a large sum of money for the birth of the children in the future. It was already beyond my expectations that Mike agreed to sell the house. It would be even harder to convince him that we should rent a place when we already own a home, spending thousands more each month. If I told him the truth about my rebirth, he would certainly worry and send me to see a doctor. He never believed in supernatural things. I sighed deeply. Now, the only option was to find a way to sell the house at a discount before I started showing, without arousing Sarah’s suspicion. Or to find the real culprit who framed Sarah. Suddenly, I remembered the Buddha statue I had seen in Sarah’s home in my previous life. As I thought about it, a rough plan began to form in my mind. The next day, I took a day off and invited a Taoist priest from the city to perform a ritual at our home. To attract Sarah’s attention, I deliberately led the priest around the community, pretending to be checking the feng shui. Sure enough, we ran into Sarah. She looked at me in surprise, her voice tinged with mockery when she spoke: “I thought you college graduates didn’t believe in these things. What’s on your mind, getting a Taoist priest to perform rituals?” Then she looked at me eagerly: “Is there some trouble at home?” She looked as if she couldn’t wait for me to have some misfortune. Seeing that she had taken the bait, I pretended to be sad and let a tear fall: “I have no choice. My mother-in-law said if I don’t get pregnant this year, she’ll make Mike divorce me.” “Yesterday at the hospital, the doctor said my uterus is small and it’s difficult for me to conceive. They didn’t even prescribe any medication. I can only try other methods now.” Hearing this, her expression became kinder, and she pulled me aside, not letting me leave. “I saw your husband being so nice to you the other day. Doesn’t he stand up for you when your mother-in-law treats you like this?” I scoffed, pretending to be disheartened: “That’s all just for show in front of others. He’s a mama’s boy, always listening to his mother.” I rolled up my sleeve, revealing the bruise from the pregnancy check-up: “To be honest, I’ve had so many injections and tests over the years trying to get pregnant. I’ve had enough!” “Once, I even had a fight with my husband. I said why doesn’t he get checked, maybe he has a problem too. He got so angry he hit me!” Hearing this, Sarah’s eyes widened: “Your husband hits you too?” I lowered my voice: “Don’t tell anyone else, it’s embarrassing!” “I need to go back home with the priest to perform the ritual now. We’ll chat another time!” I turned to leave, a smile playing on my lips. The best way to make someone not envy you is to show weakness, to make them think you’re no better off than they are, or even worse. It’s best if they think they have a little secret about you; that way, they’ll feel you’re safe. 0

After sending the Taoist priest away, I deliberately brought a plate of cupcakes to Sarah. At this time, her husband hadn’t come home from work yet, so I hopefully wouldn’t run into a domestic violence situation like last time. She opened the door and looked at me with delight, while her mother-in-law rolled her eyes at me: “How unlucky, another hen that can’t lay eggs.” “You really can only make friends with this kind of trash!” Sarah laughed awkwardly, but I keenly noticed the hatred in her eyes. I quickly handed the cupcakes to Sarah: “I came to tell you that we might be moving out soon. The Taoist master I invited today said our apartment isn’t good for having children, and told us to move somewhere else.” “We’ve already listed the house. In the next few days, people will be coming to view it. I hope we won’t disturb you too much.” Hearing this, Sarah’s mother-in-law rolled her eyes at me again, throwing some melon seed shells at me: “What nonsense! You can’t have children, so you blame the sky, the earth, and now even the house. How ridiculous!” “If you were my daughter-in-law, I would have told my son to divorce you long ago!” Hearing this, I seemed to remember something. Right! In my previous life, even though Sarah’s mother-in-law despised her for not being able to have children and her husband often beat her, I never heard anything about divorce. When a woman is infertile, but the man doesn’t want a divorce, there’s only one reason: the source of infertility is with the man. I tentatively asked: “Why don’t you try my method? The Taoist master also said my husband needs to go to the hospital for a check-up. From his birth chart, his children’s palace isn’t good, naturally he’ll have few offspring…” Before I could finish, Sarah’s mother-in-law used a broom to sweep me out the door, slamming it shut: “This is absolutely ridiculous! How dare you, a mere woman, speak ill of a grown man!” Seeing her reaction, I had a guess in my mind. It must be Sarah’s husband who is infertile. The mother and son knew this but didn’t want to bear the reputation, so they said it was Sarah’s problem and naturally abused her. As for the big-character posters in the community, were they posted by someone else or was it a self-directed show by the mother and son? Thinking of this, I immediately ordered some mini cameras and waited for nightfall to install them discreetly on the door plate when no one was paying attention. They were very inconspicuous, almost impossible to notice. The cameras were positioned to clearly view the movements at Sarah’s door. The next day, I went to work as usual. When I returned home, I found a talisman pasted on my door. The talisman was covered in red blood spots, looking very ominous. I was terrified and quickly called Mike. When Mike saw it, he was furious and was about to tear it off. Remembering the online rumors about talismans, I quickly stopped him, afraid it might bring bad luck. I took a photo and sent it to the Taoist master. The master’s reply made my blood run cold: “This is an exorcism talisman. Someone is treating you as an evil spirit and trying to suppress you! Light three incense sticks, explain the situation clearly, and then tear it off. That should be fine.” Exorcism? My mind immediately flashed to the image of Sarah’s mother-in-law chasing me away with a broom. Checking the video recorded by the camera, to my surprise, it was Sarah who had pasted the talisman on our door. I had already tried so hard to hide myself and even tried to be nice to her. Why would she do this to me? An idea popped into my head. Could it be that she thought her infertility was caused by the feng shui of our house? My heart sank. If she believed I was the source of her misfortune, she might try to harm me again. 0

Just then, a disgusting scene appeared on the screen. Not long after Sarah left, her husband came out of their apartment. A woman, whose appearance clearly suggested an illegal profession, was tugging at the belt of his beer belly as they headed towards the emergency exit. Indescribable sounds could be heard. Ten minutes later, the woman’s phone rang with a PayPal notification of $50 received. Mike saw this and quickly covered my eyes: “Why are you watching such filthy things? It’ll dirty your eyes. That’s not good!” I looked at these scenes thoughtfully, stopping Mike: “Don’t tear off the talisman behind. If we have a clear conscience, we shouldn’t fear these things. Don’t worry about this, I know how to deal with her.” The next day, I invited the Taoist priest to our home again to perform a ritual. I deliberately left our door open, hoping to attract Sarah’s attention. Sure enough, it wasn’t long before I saw a figure lingering in the corridor, sneaking around. I pretended not to see her and kept kowtowing with the Taoist priest. At this moment, she couldn’t resist coming in: “Hey, what are you doing?” I made a mysterious “shh” sound: “The Taoist master said an evil spirit entered our house yesterday, but thankfully, a kind person gave us a talisman that suppressed it. Today, he’s going to exorcise the spirit. It will make selling our house much smoother.” Hearing my words, her eyes, which had been lowered due to guilt, suddenly lit up. “Really? I was going to warn you yesterday. I didn’t expect the person who pasted the talisman was doing a good deed?” I nodded vigorously, and she seemed to completely relax. Just then, the Taoist priest turned and saw her, his face changing dramatically: “Young lady, you… you…” She saw the priest’s expression and was startled: “What’s wrong with me?” The priest composed himself: “I see that your fortune is deep. It’s no harm to reveal a bit. Your children’s palace has been invaded. There might be evil spirits or demons harming your offspring. You need to bathe in moonlight every day after midnight to enhance your children’s fortune. Remember, you must not let anyone see you when you go out!” Sarah’s face turned pale: “You mean I don’t have children because of evil spirits? And bathing in moonlight can help? I don’t need to ask you to perform a ritual?” The priest waved his peach wood sword: “Don’t worry! For mere small ghosts, the method I taught you is enough. Why spend money? This old Taoist doesn’t work for money, I believe in the great Dao of our ancestors!” Hearing this, Sarah’s eyes brightened, and she kept bowing and thanking him. I curved my lips slightly. I had observed for several days that Sarah’s husband would find a prostitute at 11:50 PM on odd-numbered days, and today was an odd-numbered day. I was waiting to see a good show. After Sarah left, I gave the Taoist priest an extra hundred dollars as a reward for his performance. That night at midnight, I forced myself to stay awake despite feeling sleepy. Sure enough, I witnessed a good show. Sarah’s husband had just taken that prostitute to the emergency exit. Less than ten minutes later, Sarah also came out, and the two groups ran into each other. Sarah rushed over and started pulling the prostitute’s hair violently. The prostitute didn’t back down either, grabbing Sarah’s waist and headbutting her, cursing all the while: “You yellow-faced hag can’t take care of your own man, why are you hitting me?” “Your man said you’re like a dead fish in bed. If he wasn’t shooting blanks, he wouldn’t want you! If I were you, I’d have divorced him eight hundred times already. Being a whore is better than being you!” Hearing this, Sarah was stunned: “You bitch, who says Jack can’t have children? How dare you say that about my man? I’ll tear your mouth apart!” The fox-like woman sneered: “Your man is a eunuch, and you’ve been sleeping with him for so long without knowing? Why else would he pay me? He’s so short, soft, and has no volume. Only you don’t mind!” Sarah was dumbfounded. She burst into tears and started throwing her shoes at Jack.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296325”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

For years, our relationship was a secret. Finn Foster was a dazzling superstar, while I was his invisible little assistant. I accompanied him from obscurity to nationwide fame, and now he was embarking on a global tour. I arrived in the foreign country a day early to arrange everything for him. But upon landing, he received news of an earthquake. Fearing I might take the last available seat, Finn left without a word. He stole the car I had reserved and successfully rebooked a flight to escape, all without saying a single word. As the earthquake approached, I desperately messaged Finn, demanding to know why he had cut off my escape route. But my messages sank like stones in the sea. Taken advantage of by traffickers in the chaos, they stuffed me into a dumpster where I suffocated to death, harvesting all my useful organs. Just before I died, the screen of a nearby phone lit up with the latest message. “I’m home safe. Hope you’re okay.” 0 I died. On Finn Foster’s 27th birthday. A long, agonizing pain enveloped me, every minute and second before death was torture. An unfamiliar street corner in a foreign land. A dark, cramped dumpster. Rotting, foul-smelling garbage. And my corpse. My body had been hollowed out. Hollowed out in the physical sense. They had dug out my kidneys, liver, corneas… Yet left behind a gray heart. I thought, if a heart could truly stop beating from heartbreak, My time of death would have been two and a half hours earlier. The moment Finn abandoned me alone at the epicenter and left by himself. He really did keep that promise. “Zoe Lin, after I turn 27.” “I won’t care whether you live or die.” I withdrew my thoughts and floated towards the sky. After the earthquake, the world looked devastated. People came and went, not noticing this stinking dumpster. They would even cover their noses and walk away with frowns. This was fine too, no one would see me. That sight would scare them. Not far away were some friendly Asian faces, I floated towards them. Several girls huddled together in a corner, holding handfuls of photo cards. The white lightsticks in their hands emitted a dim glow, like scattered stars. They were Finn’s fans. At this moment, the girls’ faces were streaked with tears, their beautiful makeup ruined. I saw a wandering soul floating above them, a woman in her 40s. She hovered anxiously around their heads. She looked at one of the girls, muttering incessantly. “Sweetie, why didn’t you listen to mommy?” My heart ached a little. “Finn, you’ve let everyone down.” 0

At 3 AM, my body was discovered. The finder was a middle-aged foreign woman. She seemed too hungry and couldn’t help but come to the dumpster to find food. I’m really sorry, there’s no food here, and I scared her. She collapsed on the filthy ground and screamed. The dumpster lid was opened, the phone screen still lit. The screen was frozen on the chat with Finn. “You stole the car I reserved?” “Why?” “You knew about the earthquake beforehand, didn’t you?” “Finn, if you do this, I’ll die.” There was a two-hour blank in between, the timeline of my dried tears. In the last second before my heart stopped, I saw his reply. “I’m home safe. Hope you’re okay.” Seeing that cold message again still hurts. Oh, that’s right. I don’t have a heart anymore. The middle-aged woman shakily got up and took my phone. Then, she disappeared into the alley. I felt a bit sad, but comforted myself. If my phone could help her, that’s not bad. Only, Finn would never be able to contact me again. I think, if he knew, I wonder how happy he’d be. I stared blankly at my own corpse in the dumpster. If Finn doesn’t come, no one will claim me. 0

I floated towards home. In the suburban villa, Finn was writing a song on the couch. His expression was indifferent. Just like the photo on the TV cabinet. That was our only photo together. He wrote songs, washed up, and went to bed as usual. Until the next day, he still had no intention of contacting me. Seeing no breakfast in the kitchen. He frowned. I always used to get up early to make porridge for him. He irritably ruffled his hair, opened a food delivery app, glanced at it for a few seconds, then casually tossed his phone aside. There was a noise at the entrance, it was Sophia Baker, a popular young actress. She was also Finn’s dream girl. “Finn, I made you some porridge.” Sophia wore a pure white dress, her smile innocent and lovely. Finn finally showed a rare smile. “Isn’t Zoe here?” “Is she throwing another tantrum and not coming back?” Hearing this, Finn’s expression darkened. “Why mention her?” “It’d be better if she died out there.” My nose stung. Even though I was dead. Hearing these words, I still wanted to cry. “Finn, your wish came true.” “I really did die out there.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296324”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic

After her ex-boyfriend passed away, my wife became obsessed with training an AI. She even spent all of our daughter’s treatment money to buy a 30-year subscription to ChatGPT. She typed tearfully into the chat box: “Now I need you to play the role of my deceased love, Ryan Miller.” “You’re cold to others, but clingy like a puppy to me.” “You love to call me ‘Lily’ in a gentle voice, while being jealous of my husband Jack Thompson, trying to steal me away from him.” I watched the endless stream of payment notifications popping up, begging her to turn back from this dangerous obsession. But she was utterly disappointed in me. “Jack Thompson, can’t you understand? Ryan is dead, why are you still competing with him!” “Instead of wasting time, why don’t you go deliver more food to save your daughter?” But she didn’t know that not only was our daughter dying, but so was I. 0 Emma curled up on the hospital bed, crying in pain. “Daddy, it hurts so much. Emma is afraid she won’t make it until Mommy comes…” The six-year-old child, tortured by illness, had become so thin and weak that you could see her ribs moving as she breathed. My heart ached as I held her burning little hand to comfort her. “Sweetie, how could that be? The doctor said you’ll recover very soon.” “Mommy’s on her way, she said she’ll be here in a bit.” Just as I was about to call my wife to hurry her up, a familiar sobbing voice came from outside the door. Filled with intense sorrow. “Ryan, it’s been 380 days since I last saw you.” “Without you, I’m so miserable…” “If you were still alive, you wouldn’t let me suffer like this, would you?” Through the glass of the hospital room, I could see Lily leaning against the corridor bench, her face pale in the blue light of her phone screen. Her fingers were flying across the screen. Sometimes she cried in sorrow, sometimes she smiled like a girl in love. “Ryan, since you left, I’ve been wearing the citrus perfume you loved so much.” She mumbled into the voice input, her eyes filled with a long-lost coquettishness. “Jack always says this scent is too strong. He just doesn’t understand what class is…” My heart sank. I rushed out and snatched her phone away in an instant. In the chat interface, covered with pink heart bubbles, an AI named Ryan Miller was sending flirtatious messages. [Lily baby, your breath is my special blend perfume.] [Promise me you won’t let Jack Thompson get close to you, okay? Otherwise, I’ll have to kiss you in front of him!] Scrolling up, I found dense records of her training the AI, dating back more than a year! [You are my beloved Ryan Miller.] [We are soulmates, promised to grow old together.] [If you can’t be with me, my life will be meaningless.] … The more I scrolled, the paler my face became, my heart aching uncontrollably. Ryan Miller was her first love who passed away a year ago. Since then, Lily had been absent-minded, staring at her phone all day. I knew she had loved him for many years and only married me because she was of age and obeying her parents. But I never expected her to go so far as to use AI to reminisce about a dead man! I was deeply hurt: “Lily, what are you doing? Ryan has been dead for over a year.” Seeing me appear, her face showed a moment of unease. “You don’t understand, Ryan and I are soulmates.” “This is a special way to commemorate him.” Ryan Miller was an artist, and my wife always praised him for his taste and high EQ in front of me. Unlike me, an ordinary engineer with a good personality but awkward with words. Even after years of marriage, I still couldn’t come up with a romantic line. She said they were soulmates. And I was just her partner, a compromise to reality. Hearts are made of flesh; knowing this reality, how could I not be heartbroken? I swallowed my bitterness and said in an almost pleading tone. “Honey, Emma’s fever has reached 104°F, and she’s waiting for you in the hospital room.” “Please go see her.” Her expression tightened: “She was fine yesterday, how did it get so high today?” I was about to explain that her condition had worsened, but her eyes turned strange. She immediately started berating me. “Jack Thompson, can’t you understand? Ryan is dead, why are you still competing with him?” “You even drag our daughter into this, making up such a low-class excuse to get me to see you.” “If anything happens to Emma, it’s because you cursed her!” After saying this, she ignored me and snatched her phone back. “Give Ryan back to me quick!” “I haven’t replied to his message yet, I can’t keep him waiting.” 0

Our daughter was critically ill, her life hanging by a thread, yet all she cared about was her dear Ryan. In that moment, I clenched my fists, tears welling up in my eyes. “Lily, your daughter’s fever has reached 104°F, she’s been hoping you’d come see her, yet you’re sitting here playing with your phone?” To my surprise, she looked completely indifferent. “It’s just a fever, take some medicine and she’ll be fine! Why make such a fuss?” “I don’t see you making such a big deal when I have a fever.” Making a fuss? Last month when she had a fever of 102°F, I came home late from work and spent hours making porridge for her. But she complained it was too bland and wouldn’t eat it, saying the porcelain bowl was too tacky, unlike the exquisite ones Ryan had given her. In contrast, when Ryan was alive. He once gave her free seaweed soup from the cafeteria, and she was deeply touched, saying it tasted like a three-Michelin-star dish. A wave of bitterness washed over me. “Lily, Emma has leukemia, and now her white blood cell count has dropped dramatically.” “You should know that even a small illness could be fatal for her!” Red-eyed, I showed her the payment slip on my phone. “I only have $15,000, and we still need another $5,000.” “If we can do this surgery, Emma’s chances of survival will greatly increase.” But Lily kept typing on her phone, not even looking at me. “What leukemia? It’s just a small cold.” “Hospitals are all scams, why would she need surgery? Be careful not to get ripped off.” “Rather than wasting so much money on them, why not spend it on something meaningful?” She looked up, a gentle smile appearing on her face. “Honey, to accumulate good karma for you and Emma, I just subscribed to ChatGPT for Ryan.” “This is like extending his life.” “Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda, heaven will bless you in the future!” I was stunned, not yet reacting when I felt my phone vibrating frantically in my pocket. It was a new bank card transaction message. “Your ChatGPT membership subscription has been credited, successfully unlocking 30 years.” “Bank card ending in 8863 deducted $150,000, balance $0.82.” In an instant, shock mixed with anger burst through my skull. “You used Emma’s life-saving money?” I felt cold all over, looking at her in disbelief: “Lily! You’ve gone mad! $150,000!” “The medical fees I worked so hard to save! You spent it all on AI?” “How could you spend it all? What about Emma?” Faced with my questioning, she frowned, her beautiful face full of displeasure. “You have the nerve to blame me?” She raised her hand and slapped me hard across the face. “Jack Thompson, who told you to be so useless.” “You only saved $15,000 in a year, and you’re breaking down over me spending a little money?” “Instead of wasting time, why don’t you go deliver more food to save your daughter.” I suddenly felt utterly disappointed. In seven years of marriage, Lily had never looked for a job. Daily living expenses, mortgage, and car payments were all my responsibility, leaving basically no savings from my monthly salary. Besides my main job, I would deliver food after work to supplement our household income. All the burdens of life were on my shoulders, yet in Lily’s words, I had become a useless man. Suddenly, I felt that all these years of effort, and the so-called wife and daughter who kept me going through wind and rain, were just a joke. Looking at her, my lips moved. But in the end, I said nothing. Lily, loving you has truly exhausted me. 0

As we stood there in a stalemate, her phone dinged. ChatGPT was sending a new message. “Dear Lily, why aren’t you responding? Did you go find that bastard Jack Thompson?” “Shall we try some roleplay tonight~” “You on top, me on bottom~” I watched as a smile spread across her face, and she typed back: [Don’t be naughty, Jack is still next to me…] I clenched my fists, unable to describe the anger in my heart. But now, the most important thing was Emma’s surgery. Her rapidly deteriorating condition didn’t allow me to waste time arguing with Lily. I said nothing more, turning to contact friends to raise money. Fortunately, I had good relationships, and when they heard I was in trouble, everyone dug into their own pockets to help. This moved me deeply, but also felt ridiculous. In a critical moment, it was my friends who helped me. While my wife, my life partner, turned a deaf ear to it all. Tears blurred my vision. I raised money while running food deliveries day and night in wind and rain. Even at three or four in the morning, I wouldn’t rest. Sometimes when I had too many orders and didn’t notice a restaurant’s mistake, customers would curse at me, pointing at my name. “Are you blind? This isn’t my order.” “You delivery guys are so stupid.” After a few days, I finally raised $20,000. “Emma, Daddy will come to the hospital to see you soon.” That evening, I sat outside a takeout restaurant, taking advantage of a quiet moment to video call my daughter. On the screen, Emma’s small face looked extremely weak, like a withering flower. She was only six years old, at the most innocent age. Yet she didn’t cry or make a fuss, understanding things in a way that broke my heart. “Daddy, I miss you so much.” She forced a smile at the camera. Choking up, I said: “Emma, we can do the surgery soon.” “After the surgery, when you’re better, Daddy will take you to the beach to collect seashells.” But Emma shook her head, solemnly telling me. “Daddy, I only have one wish.” “I want you to take me home, I miss Mommy so much.” Seeing her so understanding, I finally couldn’t hold back my tears. Gently stroking my daughter’s face on the screen. “Okay, Daddy promises you.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296323”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic