My nine fiancés all jumped to their deaths after wearing the antique watch my mother gave them at their engagement parties. No matter how the watch was dismantled, nothing unusual could be found. The police repeatedly took my mother in for questioning but could never find any problems. After the news broke, my mother’s watch went viral online. Countless people wanted to buy the same model to investigate, but it was priceless and unavailable. As a result, I was branded as cursed and had to move away from my mother. Two years later, when I got engaged to my tenth fiancé, I saw that familiar watch on his wrist again as we exchanged rings. When I took my ninth fiancé, Lucas, to the engagement party, I repeatedly told him not to wear the watch my mother had given him. But Lucas pinched my waist dismissively, “Honey, why are you so nervous? It’s just a watch.” “If I don’t wear it because of some imaginary superstition, wouldn’t that make a bad impression on your mom?” With that, he ignored my protests and immediately put on the watch my mother had given him. I trembled all over and quietly counted down three numbers, “Three, two, one…” As the last number ended, the watch had made a full rotation. Lucas, who had just been boasting that he was fine, suddenly turned pale. The next second, he rushed to the window and jumped straight down, Splattering into a bloody mess in front of everyone’s eyes. Everyone ran downstairs, frantically taking photos and fighting over the watch. After experiencing eight deaths, I was almost numb to such scenes. But Lucas’s departure still pierced my already battered heart once again. I turned back to look at my mother, who remained calm, and asked shakily, “You promised me you wouldn’t give Lucas that watch!” “It’s been nine times now. I’m your daughter! Do you know what people are saying about me out there?” Hearing this, my mother raised her lip corner disdainfully. Her makeup had gotten thicker in recent years. When she laughed, a lot of powder would be squeezed off by her wrinkles, Making her appearance in my eyes increasingly terrifying. “Lucas came to ask me for the watch himself. It has nothing to do with me.” “But his fate wasn’t strong enough to withstand my watch. His death was his own choice.” The police quickly arrived and once again took the life-taking watch away for research. They were excited, “The Lu family knows a lot about mysticism. Maybe this time we can really find out something.” Everyone was waiting for an answer, wanting justice for them. The Lu family also started a live stream online, with hundreds of thousands of viewers watching the watch examination. The mechanical watch was no different from ordinary watches, except that it would only rotate once before breaking down. The Lu family speculated from various angles and searched through all the ancient books they had brought. But after three full hours, they still came up empty-handed. The internet exploded, “Nine lives have been lost and they still can’t figure it out. What kind of watch is this mysterious?” “Yeah, I just hope their daughter stops dating and hurting others. One dies after another, who can bear that?” Looking at these comments, the tears I had been holding back for so long Finally flowed out uncontrollably. My mother had somehow come up behind me, “Are you going to keep being angry with me?” Seeing that I didn’t respond, she slammed the dinner on the ground with a sullen face. “You don’t even eat when dinner goes bad. Did Lucas affect you that much?” I gave her a bitter smile, “Mom, aren’t you afraid after taking so many lives?” “Why does that watch make them commit suicide?” Hearing this, my mother frowned, “Their deaths have nothing to do with me. The watch is normal, so of course I’m not afraid.” My tears flowed again as I turned away, not wanting to hear any more. Then I left home with my already packed luggage, without looking back. “Mom, I just want to live a normal life, but you keep hiding things from me.” “Since that’s the case, you might as well pretend you don’t have a daughter from now on.”

I returned to the city where I worked with my luggage, becoming increasingly quiet and withdrawn. My mother and I fell into a cold war after that day. Apart from asking if I was coming home for the holidays, she never talked to me again. I forced myself to focus all my energy on work. In my spare time, I dedicated myself to studying that mechanical watch. This was one I had secretly taken from my mother’s antique shop before I left. I stared blankly at these utterly ordinary parts after dismantling it. Why did this watch take Lucas and the others’ lives? For many days, I was in a daze. My colleagues noticed and started discussing privately whether I had gone crazy. Even the supervisor dug up the old news and wanted to fire me for being unlucky. At the critical moment, my partner Frank stood up for me. “She performs excellently at work and just likes to study watches. Why fire her for that?” “Besides, it’s been a year. Isn’t it cruel to keep bringing up her trauma?” Frank went directly to the manager and tried his best to keep me on. Afterwards, our relationship grew closer. We naturally got together. A year later, he proposed to me. I accepted and chose a wedding venue, but had trouble inviting guests. Looking at the long-silent chat box with my mother, I was very conflicted about whether to invite her. My father had passed away when I was very young, and my mother had raised me single-handedly with great hardship. Before I started dating, she was just a normal, good mother. Gentle and caring, pouring all her love into me. To say I only had hatred left for her would be a lie. But the tragic deaths of my previous nine fiancés were still vivid in my mind. I really couldn’t bear to let Frank take the risk. In the end, I chose to skip inviting her. I thought this would settle the matter and break my curse of being unlucky in love. Unexpectedly, Frank secretly brought my mother over the day before the wedding without telling me. “Honey, you’ve been so distracted these past few days. I guessed you must be missing your mom.” “Don’t worry, I won’t wear anything she gives me. Nothing will happen.” Frank looked at me lovingly and planted a kiss on my forehead. Hearing his promise, I relaxed. I turned to face my mother. After two years apart, she looked even more haggard. “Rachel, congratulations on your wedding.” My mother said, then took out a gold necklace and put it on me. She seemed to have returned to that loving mother from before. The last bit of defense in my heart was completely shattered. I buried myself in her embrace, choking out the word “Mom.” Frank, seeing this, smiled with satisfaction. Then he sincerely promised my mother, “Mom, don’t worry, I will definitely treat Rachel well.” “We’ll also come back to visit you often in the future and take care of you in your old age.” My mother’s body stiffened, and she looked at him with a complex expression for a long time. It wasn’t until I shook her that my mother reacted and said “Mm” to Frank.

The next day, at the wedding venue. Frank and I smoothly went through all the ceremonies. But just as the host asked my mother if she had anything to say to us, She took out that watch and looked at Frank, “Are you willing to wear this watch?” Frank instinctively looked at me, about to refuse. But the uninformed host started to egg him on, “Come on, groom, just wear it. It’s the elder’s heartfelt gift.” I immediately scolded him, “Shut up! He can’t take that watch!” Then I glared angrily at my mother, “It’s my wedding day. Can you stop causing trouble?” “If you really want to give someone a watch, then let me wear it. We can talk about this after the wedding!” For a moment, the atmosphere between us became tense. The crowd below started discussing, mostly those who didn’t know the situation. “It’s just a watch, what’s the big deal about wearing it?” “Yeah, this bride is so disrespectful. How can she treat her mother-in-law like this?” Frank hesitated for a while, then came over to pull me. “Honey, why don’t I just wear it? I don’t want to make you and your mom unhappy.” Tears burst from my eyes, “No, you’re not allowed to wear it. Otherwise, I won’t go through with this wedding.” No one wanted to break the curse of that mechanical watch more than I did. I really didn’t want to bear the weight of another life. Frank sighed, his brows furrowed deeply, seeming to be weighing his options. Seeing this, my mother stood up with a pale face, grabbed Frank’s hand and fastened the watch on him in one swift motion. The action was so fast that no one had time to react. I immediately hugged Frank tightly, my other hand trying to pull off the watch. But it was all too late. After the watch rotated once, Frank broke free from me and rushed outside like a madman in front of everyone at the venue. He crashed through the glass doors of the hall and leaped down from the eighth floor. Dying in exactly the same way as the previous nine. Frank’s mother let out a heart-wrenching scream. She ran downstairs trembling and knelt beside Frank, wailing loudly. “My son, how could you suddenly become like this? How can mother go on living without you?” I followed her down, my emotions on the verge of collapse. Just as I was about to reach out to help her up, I was pulled away by other members of the Fu family. “Don’t touch my aunt! You vixen, we’ve found out about you.” “You’re that cursed star of misfortune. Any man who dates you dies. Stay away from our Fu family!” These elders who had been so kind to me before now looked at me as if they wanted to eat me alive. A sharp pain stabbed through my chest. Looking at Frank’s lifeless face, I wished I could die in his place. Without him, I might have long lost hope for life. It was Frank who told me over and over again that what happened before had nothing to do with me, redeeming me. But now… he had died because of me. Moreover, all of this could have been prevented! I hated myself. Why didn’t I stop him when he contacted my mother? Why didn’t I hold him tighter when he broke free from me just now? Coming back to my senses, I tore off the gold necklace around my neck and threw it violently at my mother. She still had that calm and indifferent expression, just like the previous nine times. Even with Frank’s body right in front of her, there wasn’t a hint of guilt on her face. “Get out! I don’t want to see you. Why don’t you go die?” “They’re right, you’re a vixen, a star of misfortune. Nothing good will ever come from meeting you!” I clenched my fists and lunged at my mother, wanting to end it all with her like a madwoman. But she still had no reaction, “Calm down. His death has nothing to do with me.” Hearing this, Frank’s mother immediately pulled me away and started fighting with my mother herself. “Nothing to do with you? My son was so good to you, perfectly healthy. How could he suddenly commit suicide after wearing the watch you gave him?” “I don’t care what kind of sorcery you used. Today I’m going to die with you!” It wasn’t until the police arrived that this farce was finally quelled. They also learned about the previous nine cases and took it more seriously. “Ms. Su, we require you to choose someone to wear this watch again at the scene.” My mother, looking disheveled from the fight, swept a hateful glance around. “Fine, who’s willing to wear it?” Everyone took a few steps back. After all, no one wanted to gamble with their life. Lucas’s mother coldly pushed me forward. “Of course it should be her!” “You mother and daughter are both a curse. Even if you die, it wouldn’t be a pity!”

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The scholarship student I had been supporting claimed she was pregnant with my father’s child. She arrogantly declared, “From now on, I’m your stepmother. You’d better serve me well, or I’ll kick you out of the family.” I was shocked speechless. After all, my father had been dead for nearly twenty years. Seeing my stubborn refusal to accept this, the scholarship student became furious. She immediately called my “father” to come over. She clung to my “father’s” arm, saying I was bullying her. Then she knelt down in front of me with a pitiful expression, apologizing. “Even if you don’t like me, the three sons in my belly are innocent. They can’t be without a father.” I snorted coldly and nodded, accepting the marriage between the scholarship student and my “father”. But there was one thing I didn’t tell the scholarship student. The man she was clinging to was only my stepfather, not my biological father. I heard that some new handbags had arrived at the boutique. Since I had some free time and enjoyed shopping, I declined the sales assistant’s offer to bring the bags to me for selection. Instead, I decided to go to the boutique myself. When I arrived, the familiar sales assistant, Christine, had an indescribable expression on her face. After hesitating for a moment, she finally spoke up: “Miss… Miss Clarke, just now… just now… Your stepmother came by. She was looking at the bags and is now waiting for you in the VIP room.” My stepmother? I was stunned for a moment. “Since when did I have a stepmother?” Before Christine could continue, the door of the VIP room swung open, and several people walked out in a grand manner. I recognized all of them – they were my college classmates. However, we weren’t close friends. Except for Hannah Wilson, who came out last. She was the scholarship student I had been supporting. As for the others, I only knew their names. Hannah’s demeanor was completely different from her previous meek attitude. She looked at me arrogantly: “I am your stepmother now. We’ve divided up all the bags you had reserved. Consider it a welcome gift from you, the stepdaughter, to me, your stepmother.” I gently pinched the palm of my hand. The pain told me that this wasn’t some bizarre dream, but a real scene unfolding before me. “Hannah Wilson, have you gone mad? I’m Emily Clarke, the one who sponsored your scholarship. I’m not your stepdaughter or anything like that.” “Did… did studying law mess up your brain? We have a psychiatric hospital in the family. Do you want me to send you there for a check-up?” Hearing me say this, Hannah’s face turned red with anger. However, she didn’t come towards me. Instead, she hid behind the other classmates and shouted: “I’ve been with your father for over a year now. I’m carrying triplet sons in my belly, and I’ll be marrying your father soon. Tell me, if I’m not your stepmother, then what am I?” Looking at Hannah’s serious expression, I was even more shocked. Because my father had passed away shortly after I was born due to illness. And my mother had also been gone for several years. Who on earth was Hannah? How could she be pregnant with the child of my father who had been dead for twenty years? This wasn’t even a secret. Didn’t Hannah know about it? I was too shocked to speak, but Hannah seemed very pleased with herself: “What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue? Weren’t you just bragging about how I’ve gone mad?” “I advise you to start sucking up to me quickly. Otherwise, once I give birth to these three sons, I’ll throw you out on the street.” “After all, I’m carrying sons, which is completely different from a useless girl like you. The only reason you’re living such a luxurious life now is because you’re the only child of the Clarke family. Once my sons are born, a useless girl like you will have to step aside.”

The classmates immediately chimed in one after another. “Hurry up and buy that bag for Hannah, or you might not even get a meal at home in the future.” “Quickly pack up everything Hannah looked at earlier, then pay for it all.” “In my opinion, you might as well just hand over your black card to Hannah. After all, you’re family now, it’s much easier to let Hannah choose what she likes herself.” … Seeing them about to snatch the card from my bag, I finally snapped back to reality: “Wait a minute, my father has been dead for twenty years. How can you claim to be pregnant with his child? Show me some proof!” Upon hearing me mention that my father was dead, Hannah’s face changed instantly, and she started cursing at me loudly. Her shouting was giving me a splitting headache, and I couldn’t help but raise my voice: “If you have the guts, call my father here right now to confront me face to face! If he personally admits it, forget about the bags and the card, I’ll give you all the family assets!” Hannah hesitated slightly. But she still took out her phone and walked aside to make a call, then turned back and glared at me smugly: “Just you wait, your dad happens to be nearby. He’ll be here in less than half an hour.” We all went into the VIP room to wait. Not long after, the door was pushed open, and Hannah immediately called out excitedly, “Uncle Robert!” I looked towards the sound and saw a familiar figure appear in the doorway. I unconsciously called out, “Dad?” Hearing this “Dad”, the smile on Hannah’s face became even more arrogant. She immediately changed her demeanor, walking to Robert Thompson’s side with a pitiful look: “Uncle Robert, you’ve finally arrived. I and the three babies in my belly almost couldn’t see you again.” Robert Thompson didn’t even glance at me. Instead, he anxiously looked Hannah up and down. Only after confirming she was alright did he breathe a sigh of relief: “What happened? Didn’t you say on the phone earlier that you fell here and almost had a miscarriage?” Hannah’s tears instantly streamed down her face: “I almost did have a miscarriage! After Emily found out about us, she went crazy. If it weren’t for these classmates protecting me, I really would have lost my life.” I frowned and glanced at the surveillance cameras around: “Just now, I only—” Before I could finish speaking, Hannah suddenly walked in front of me and knelt down heavily: “Emily, I understand why you hate me. You look down on someone like me who crawled out of a poor mountain village. Although you sponsored my scholarship, it was only to make others think you were kind-hearted. You never truly wanted to help me.” “I also know that now that I’m with your father, you must think I’m a gold digger who’s just after money. But I truly love Uncle Robert. Love knows no age difference.” Originally, Robert Thompson wanted to take Hannah to live in that suburban apartment, but Hannah firmly refused. While she claimed that being with Robert wasn’t about the money, she insisted on moving into my mansion. Her excuse was that she wanted to build a relationship with me. What I didn’t expect was that after Hannah moved in, she completely changed into a different person. Whenever Robert wasn’t home, she shamelessly revealed her true colors. “Emily Clarke, I’m carrying three heirs to the Clarke family in my belly, and you’re feeding me this garbage food?” “I clearly said I wanted to eat sea cucumber, yet you made a bowl of noodles. What’s that supposed to mean?” “I know you used to give me that scholarship handout, but now I’m your stepmother. If it weren’t for my kindness, you would have been kicked out of this house long ago.”

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One month after my death, my once-loving husband welcomed my sister-in-law into our home – the same woman who had run me over. He cooed to her, “Maggie occupied your rightful place for far too long. She should have died earlier. If it weren’t for my social status, you wouldn’t have had to suffer all these years.” My beloved son chose to reconcile unconditionally with them in court. He embraced his aunt, claiming he had always seen her as his birth mother. Watching from above, I nearly fainted from anger once again. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself reborn. My reborn husband pushed me aside and tightly embraced my sister-in-law: “In this life, I will never let you go again.” I turned away expressionlessly, seeking out his ill-fated brother instead. … “Ethan, this is your brother’s engagement party. Where are you taking your sister-in-law?” “Olivia, isn’t Ethan your fiancé? Quick, go after them and see what’s happening!” Amidst the buzzing gossip around me, I found myself inexplicably pushed to follow them. Confused, I ran to the alley entrance, where I saw Ethan holding his soon-to-be sister-in-law, Olivia, tightly in his arms. He said passionately: “Olivia, I love you. I won’t let you marry my brother.” “Thank God we’ve been given another chance. Trust me, I’ll give you a life beyond your wildest dreams.” Everything before me reminded me that this was reality. I had been reborn, back to the day of Olivia’s engagement. In my previous life, Ethan and I were seen as the perfect couple. Not only did Ethan hold a high position, but he also treasured his wife like a precious jewel. Everyone who saw us would sigh, “That’s the love of the older generation.” But only I knew that he had always been cold and indifferent towards me. I thought that’s how all marriages ended up, that we had simply worn into familial affection. So for decades, I served the family diligently, tending to his difficult mother and caring for our young child. But I never imagined that just a month after Olivia ran me over, he would ostentatiously marry her. It turned out that the perfect marriage I saw was merely a compromise Ethan made for his reputation. Looking at the passionate couple before me, I sneered and turned away. After Ethan’s dramatic gesture at the engagement party, gossip spread like wildfire through the town. The other protagonist, however, was overlooked. When I found him, he had already returned home. Despite being the one whose engagement was disrupted, his face was remarkably calm. “Ethan, your wife and my fiancé have run off together. Will you marry me instead?” I ran up to him, my palms sweating. Ethan looked at me, suddenly dumbstruck, and stammered, “Is that possible?” Then, as if afraid I might change my mind, he grabbed my hand: “You said it yourself, no taking it back, okay?” Walking home, I still felt like I was in a dream. Until Jack jumped in front of me, blocking my path. “Maggie, let’s break off our engagement.” Jack looked at me coldly. Before I could react, he glanced at the villagers watching nearby and raised his voice. “I’m about to get a big promotion. We’re not a good match anymore.” The town had implemented a special development measure, and our community had one promotion spot available. In my previous life, Jack had been the only one from our community to get promoted, riding the wave of the times and soaring to success. The surrounding crowd started to murmur. “Has the promotion spot already been decided?” “The Jack family is going to make it big now.” The flattery from those around greatly pleased Jack. “Let me tell you, don’t think you can cling to me just because I’m successful. In this life, I’ll only love Olivia…” I laughed bitterly, nodding to interrupt him. “Fine, let’s break off the engagement then.” Hearing my answer, Jack was stunned for a moment: “You said it yourself. Don’t come crawling back later wanting to change your mind. I won’t allow it.” Jack snorted lightly and walked away haughtily. Looking at Jack’s arrogant back, I suddenly remembered how in my previous life, when Jack faced public scrutiny for moving on too quickly after my death, he hastily called a press conference. Facing the cameras, he cried profusely: “Maggie’s only dying wish was for me to take care of her lonely sister-in-law.” “No matter what people think of me, I don’t care. I’ll fulfill Maggie’s wish until my dying day.” Even after I had died, I still had to pay the price to maintain his reputation. Seeing that I had truly agreed to break off the engagement, the villagers suddenly surrounded me. “Maggie, you’re such a fool. It’s not easy to find someone with Jack’s prospects.” “You and Jack have been engaged since childhood. How can a young woman just break off an engagement like that?” “If you ask me, a woman who can’t keep her man in check is just incompetent.” Seeing everyone’s heated discussion, I calmly said: “My engagement was with the Jack family, not just Jack himself.” The surroundings suddenly fell silent. An older woman stepped forward and asked me, “Maggie, what do you mean by that?” “Since it’s an engagement with the Jack family, marrying Jack’s older brother Ethan is the same thing.” The crowd suddenly erupted. “This is outrageous! People will spit on you if word gets out.” I interrupted them. “That day, everyone saw Jack run off with Olivia to break the engagement.” “Ethan and I are also following our parents’ wishes and the matchmaker’s arrangement.” As I spoke, I pretended to wipe away a tear. Seeing me looking pitiful, those around sighed. “Although Ethan is from the first wife, he’s still part of the Jack family.” “But with Ethan’s circumstances, Maggie will have a hard life if she goes with him.” “I don’t care about those things. Today, everyone can bear witness. Jack is the one who changed his mind and broke the engagement. From now on, we have no connection.” When I returned home, my parents had already heard the rumors about Jack and Olivia. My mother couldn’t stop crying, while my father sat on the bed smoking his pipe and sighing. “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have agreed to your childhood engagement with the Jack family.” I hurried to comfort them. When they heard my decision to be with Ethan, my parents were shocked.

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At 17, I took in three young boys. As adults, they each took something from me. One took my kidney, another my uterus, and the third drained half my blood. All because their dream girl was gravely ill and urgently needed these three things. “Zoe, you can live without those organs, but Rosie will die if she’s not treated,” they said. What they didn’t know was that all my organs had been damaged in an explosion years ago. These three parts combined were enough to cost me my life. I lay pale and weak on the hospital bed after having half my blood drained. Lucas rushed in to take the blood bag, then turned back halfway to toss a black credit card at me. “Use this card for anything you need. I’ll compensate you double once Rosie recovers,” he said before leaving without looking back. This was the third time. I trembled as I tried to get out of bed. But as soon as my feet touched the ground, I blacked out from blood loss and fell. At the same time, sharp pain shot through two wounds on my abdomen. I took a few deep breaths and shakily pulled open my hospital gown. There were two freshly stitched incisions on my abdomen. One on my lower belly where my uterus had been removed. Another on my side where a kidney had been taken. And the people who took my organs were the children I had raised with my own hands. I leaned against the wall, shaking as I slowly made my way to the door. As soon as I opened it, I heard Lucas’s voice from next door. “Don’t worry Rosie, I’ll cure you no matter what. Leaving you back then was unavoidable, but I’ll make it up to you tenfold from now on.” “Tch, taking all the credit for yourself? Have some shame! I’m the one who begged Zoe on my knees for that kidney!” “Enough, let’s focus. Lucas, hurry and give Rosie the blood transfusion.” I froze, a bitter taste filling my mouth. The three speakers were the children I had raised. Rosie and I were separated by just one wall. But since I was brought to the hospital, they had only visited me three times. Once to take my kidney, once for my uterus, and once to drain my blood. Ignoring the pain, I took out my phone to message Quinn. “I’ve made up my mind. I’m leaving.” Quinn replied quickly: “It’s about time! You raised them to adulthood, you don’t owe anyone anything anymore. I’m buying a plane ticket now, wait for me!” She was right, I no longer owed anyone anything. Six years ago, I found Lucas on a rainy night. He was hiding by a dumpster, injured. I didn’t mind the dirt and held my umbrella over him. “Where’s your family, kid?” I asked. Lucas looked up with clear eyes. “My parents died long ago. My grandma who loved me most is gone too.” Seeing the injuries all over him, I asked if he wanted to come with me. Later I learned that Lucas’s grandmother had died in an explosion. His relatives mistreated him, leaving him hungry, cold, and beaten. A week after taking in Lucas, I took in two brothers. Their parents had also died in an explosion. Their relatives had stolen all their assets and repeatedly tried to kill them. With three teenage boys in the house, expenses multiplied. While my peers were preparing for college entrance exams, I decisively dropped out of school and worked six jobs a day to support them. When Quinn found out, she rushed over and jabbed a finger at my forehead in frustration. “Have you lost your mind?! Dropping out for three strangers? You’re working to put them through school, but what about your future? Is someone forcing you to do this?” I shook my head, silently looking at the calluses on my hands. “No one’s forcing me. This is what I want.”

Quinn said I had an overdeveloped sense of morality and that I’d regret it someday. But for all her scolding, she would still secretly slip me money. Later on, Quinn often called them three ungrateful brats. Back then, I would still defend them. Now I see Quinn wasn’t wrong – they really were ungrateful brats. But if I could go back six years, I would still take them in without hesitation. I snapped out of my thoughts and held onto the wall as I walked into the hallway. But the next moment, I saw Sean coming out of the room next door. He was one of the two brothers I had taken in. The skinny teenager had grown taller than me as an adult. Sean frowned when he saw me out of bed. “Where are you going?” “It’s boring in the room. I wanted to take a walk.” I tried to brush past him, but he grabbed my wrist tightly. “Rosie isn’t fully recovered yet. Don’t think about running off.” My heart felt like it had been doused with ice water. I tried to shake him off, but I was too weak. “Sean, let go of me, damn it!” As we struggled, Rosie’s voice came from the next room. “Is that Zoe outside? Let her in.” “I owe my recovery all to her. I want to thank Zoe in person.” Sean forcefully dragged me into the room. The movement pulled at my wounds, and my face went deathly pale. But Sean didn’t notice anything wrong. As soon as we entered, he rushed straight to the bed. He didn’t look at me once. There were three men in the room – all the boys I had raised. Now these three men were hovering around Rosie. Lucas was feeding her ginseng soup. When he saw me, he didn’t even pause. Rosie waved her hands saying she didn’t want more, but her eyes gleamed with triumph as she looked at me. “Zoe, please tell them to stop. I’ve said I don’t want ginseng, but they insist on feeding me.” “Just one more sip. You just had surgery and a major blood transfusion. You need to replenish your strength,” Lucas coaxed, giving her a few more spoonfuls. My throat felt like it was on fire. The bitterness in my heart threatened to overwhelm me. Rosie looked nothing like a sick person. Her face was rosy, her eyes bright. She looked healthier than me. “If you don’t want it, just pour it out,” I said flatly, wanting to leave as soon as possible. To my surprise, Rosie burst into tears at my words. “Zoe, do you hate me? I know I owe my life to you. But if you don’t like it, I won’t get treatment.” Lucas and Sean rushed to comfort her. Henry, the other brother, pointed at me angrily. “Zoe, you’ve gone too far! Rosie just wanted to apologize. Why have you been glaring since you came in?” I wasn’t glaring. My wounds had reopened. The sharp pain was consuming me, not to mention I had just lost half my blood. A nurse walked in at that moment. She was startled to see me and quickly helped me to a chair. “Miss, are you feeling unwell? Even your lips are white.” My heart felt like it was being stabbed by countless needles. A stranger could see something was wrong, but they couldn’t. They all stood by Rosie’s bed scolding me. I couldn’t stay any longer. I thanked the nurse and left.

I had barely reached the lobby when Henry caught up and grabbed my shoulder roughly. “Zoe! Rosie just had surgery. The doctor said she needs rest.” “We’ve been trying so hard to cheer her up these past days. Then you come and make her cry!” “Come back with me and apologize to her!” How absurd. They only saw that Rosie had surgery. But I had organs forcibly removed – the damage to my body was far worse! They couldn’t see any of that. I pushed him away and walked towards the exit. Henry wouldn’t let me leave. He forcefully grabbed my clothes. There was a loud ripping sound. My clothes were torn open in public, exposing my entire upper body. Everyone in the busy lobby turned to look. Henry froze for a moment, then quickly took off his jacket to cover me. “Zoe, I didn’t mean to…” Before Henry could finish, I raised a trembling hand and slapped him. I held back tears, my face flushed with humiliation. “Henry, I don’t owe you three anything anymore. Don’t contact me again.” I left without looking back. Henry was about to chase after me, but he got a phone call and ran upstairs in a panic instead. The old door creaked as it opened. I was finally home. I collapsed exhaustedly onto the couch. But the next moment, a wave of nausea hit and I coughed violently, spitting up blood. I stared blankly at the blood on the floor, then cleaned it up as if nothing had happened. I knew I was dying. Eight years ago, I was caught in a fuel tanker explosion that killed many people. Though I survived, my internal organs were severely damaged. The doctors said my organs would never fully recover. Since then, I couldn’t do any heavy work. Even walking too fast left me breathless. Only Quinn knew about this. So when she found out I was working six jobs for three strangers, even she couldn’t understand what I was thinking. Just then, Quinn called. “Zoe, you’re so inconsiderate! You didn’t even come pick me up! Never mind, I’m out of the airport now. I’m coming to find you – are you still living in that old house where you raised those three ungrateful brats?” “Yes, I’m so sorry Quinn. I’ve been too busy with work to get away.” I lied to Quinn. She still didn’t know what I’d been through at the hospital. After hanging up, I got up to pack my bags. But the next moment, I heard a key turning in the lock outside. I froze. Besides me, only those three had keys to this old house. The door opened. Lucas entered first, pausing when he saw my packed suitcase on the floor. Sean pushed past him and came up to me, pulling me towards the door. He looked very anxious. “Rosie’s condition suddenly worsened. She needs your blood. Come to the hospital with me, quick!” I yanked my hand away forcefully and slapped him, my hand shaking. “Sean! I’m a person too! Have you ever thought that I need blood as well?!” Sean suddenly knelt before me, like he used to when begging for favors. “Please sis, save her one more time. Blood can be replenished, but if Rosie isn’t treated, she really will die.” “No need to beg her. She’s probably hoping Rosie dies soon,” Henry said coldly as he walked in. “Zoe, I’ll give you two choices. Either you walk to my car yourself, or I’ll tie you up and carry you there.” Seeing I didn’t respond, Henry’s expression darkened as he advanced towards me. Lucas stood blocking the doorway – my only escape route. How ironic. The three boys I raised with my own hands were now forcing me into a corner. “What if I say no?” I asked. “You don’t have the right to refuse.” My heart turned to ice. I stripped naked in front of them, revealing my mutilated body. My arms were bruised from blood draws. There were two incisions on my waist and abdomen. I pointed at these wounds and shouted: “This is my body!” “You’ve already taken two organs from me and drained half my blood!” “Now you want more of my blood – are you trying to kill me right in front of you?!” The three grown men froze, averting their eyes. Finally, Henry approached me. “You won’t die, but Rosie will die right now if we don’t save her. I’m sorry Zoe, but we’ll make it up to you a thousand times over when this is all over.” Henry helped me dress, then forcibly carried me to the car. At the hospital, I was back in the familiar room. Blood flowed steadily from my body into an empty bag. My lips had turned white, but the bag was only a quarter full. “Should we continue?” the doctor asked hesitantly, knowing I had given blood earlier that day. Lucas looked at me, conflicted. “Just a bit more.” “No! Draw two-thirds. This amount is too little, it won’t be enough for Rosie,” Henry insisted, staring at the blood bag. How nice. I truly don’t owe you anything anymore. I closed my eyes with a bitter smile. The next moment, Quinn burst into the room like a madwoman, but was held back by security. “You animals!” she screamed. “Zoe’s organs were damaged 8 years ago! Drawing her blood is killing her!”

Everyone in the room was stunned by Quinn’s outburst. Sean hesitated, then moved to turn off the blood drawing machine. Henry grabbed his brother’s hand, glaring. “Get that crazy woman out of here!” “You three ungrateful bastards can go to hell!” Quinn yelled as security dragged her out. Her shouts echoed down the hallway. Henry watched the blood bag intently. When it was two-thirds full, he suddenly stopped the doctor. “Draw 50 more milliliters.” What little blood I had left was drained out. I finally couldn’t hold on and passed out. When I came to, Lucas was by my bedside. Seeing I was awake, he offered me a bowl of ginseng soup. “You just gave blood. Drink this to replenish your strength.” I knocked it away. The next second, Henry grabbed my jaw and forced the soup down my throat. “Cough cough cough!” I hunched over the bed, coughing violently. Each cough pulled at the wounds on my abdomen and waist. “Brother, don’t be so rough with Zoe,” Sean said, gently patting my back. His voice held worry. “Was what that woman said true?” Before Sean could finish, Henry let out a cold laugh. “She used to carry cement bags at construction sites without breaking a sweat. Now she’s acting all delicate?” “Besides, her kidney and uterus were transplanted into Rosie just fine. How could they be damaged?” I coughed until I cried. Quinn was right. These three really were ungrateful brats. Just then, a nurse informed them that Rosie had been saved. The three of them immediately ran to the next room. Lucas was the last to leave. He cast a worried glance at me, but still abandoned me to go. After they left, I coughed up blood all over the floor. I knew I was dying. My organs were already severely damaged. Now I was missing two organs and had lost most of my blood. Death wasn’t far off. But I felt a sense of release. I lay back in bed, stroking the ring I always wore on my right hand. I should have died in that explosion years ago. A fuel tanker was heading straight for me. If not for a couple pushing me out of the way, I would have perished in the inferno. The husband managed to escape, but his wife wasn’t so lucky. She was caught in the blast and died in the fire. There was a second explosion. The man and I were trapped in a corner, along with an elderly woman. The escape route was narrow. The man and the old woman told me to go first. One out of kindness. One out of longing for his wife. I had just crawled out of the corner and was reaching back to help the old woman. Then the fuel tanker exploded a third time. The man and old woman couldn’t escape in time. They both died in the flames. That couple were Sean and Henry’s parents. And that old woman was Lucas’s beloved grandmother. If not for saving me: Sean and Henry would be rich kids, fretting over whether to buy a sports car or designer watch. Lucas would have the grandmother who loved him most in the world. But because of me: Sean and Henry lost their parents and were ostracized by relatives. Lucas was kicked around by family members, going hungry and cold every day. Out of guilt, I took them in and gave up my education to support them with all I had. Now they had taken three parts of my body. And I was dying. I felt I no longer owed them anything.

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“Boss, I’m pregnant.” My hand jerked, causing the pen to leave a long streak across the A4 paper. “What did you say?” Alexander’s Perspective I, Alexander, am a CEO worth billions. One minute ago, my assistant submitted her resignation, citing pregnancy as the reason. She wanted to go home and have her baby. I couldn’t wrap my head around it. How could she be pregnant? Was it because I wasn’t giving her enough work? She was practically tied to me 24/7. Apart from eating and sleeping, we were hardly ever apart. Where on earth did she find the time to get pregnant? I gazed out of the floor-to-ceiling window at the bustling city below, lost in thought. Where had things gone wrong? “Boss?” My assistant called out, pushing the resignation letter towards me again, clearly waiting for my final response. Of course, I didn’t want to accept it! I had gone to great lengths to get her as my assistant in the first place! Now, there were even rumors circulating that I was a harsh boss who had driven away 11 assistants in a row. But… I glanced at my capable assistant, her face etched with determination. I had no doubt that if I didn’t agree now, she might whip out a labor law book and slap it in my face the next second! “Ahem…” I cleared my throat, trying to appear unperturbed. “Are you sure you don’t want to reconsider? Our company offers excellent maternity benefits.” My assistant touched her still-flat belly, smiling as she declined, “No, thank you. I want to relax and take care of myself during the pregnancy. After all, this is my first child.” My heart ached, but I maintained my composure. “Very well, I respect your decision.” As I watched her leave, my facade of calm crumbled. I cursed under my breath, tossing the pen aside and leaning back in my chair, rubbing my temples in frustration. Damn it! I’ve been outplayed! Olivia’s Perspective I, Olivia, am a working-class hero who sells her soul to capitalism daily for mere scraps. Ten minutes ago, I handed my resignation letter to my boss. He seemed reluctant to let me go. This was within my expectations. After all, assistants like me – available 24/7, always rushing to meet his unreasonable demands, occasionally covering up his mistakes, working 365 days a year, even sending emails while on an IV drip with a 104°F fever – are hard to come by these days. But life can’t just be about work! When I came across several news stories about young workers my age dying from overwork and stress, I had an epiphany! You can always make money, but only if you’re alive to do so! After my insistence, my boss finally nodded and told me to inform HR and complete the handover before leaving. The moment I stepped out of the CEO’s office, even the air felt freer! … After completing the handover and signing the resignation documents as quickly as possible, HR handed me a thick envelope. Huh? I’d never heard of our company having any sort of graduation gift culture for departing employees. Besides, the envelope was so thick, it didn’t seem like just a farewell letter… “This is specially arranged by the CEO for you,” the HR lady said as she pushed the envelope towards me. I could see envy and… curiosity? in her eyes. “The CEO also asked me to tell you to take care of yourself and the baby.” ???? Bro? Don’t say it like that! It’s easy for people to misunderstand! The money felt like it was burning a hole in my hand. The HR lady’s eyes were clearly saying, “I never thought you and the CEO had that kind of relationship!” Miss! It’s not what you think! Alexander’s Perspective I’m Alexander. On the first day after Olivia left, I missed her… On the second day after Olivia left, I missed her even more… Does the new assistant who replaced Olivia have any brains at all? Why can’t she even make a decent cup of coffee? When I asked her to coordinate my outfit for the evening gala, she brought me a red suit, a black shirt, and a hot pink tie… Has her sense of style been flushed down the toilet? I’m going to a gala, not some eyesore competition! Don’t tell me it’s because she’s new and needs time to learn. Olivia was new once too, but she never made such basic mistakes! I cancelled the gala and didn’t even bother with the driver. Instead, I drove aimlessly through the city alone. I needed some time to myself… Without realizing it, I found myself outside Olivia’s apartment complex. She probably doesn’t know that I actually own the apartment she’s renting. I wonder how she’s doing now, if her partner is treating her well… As if the heavens had heard my thoughts, Olivia suddenly appeared in my line of sight! It looked like she had just returned from shopping, carrying several full bags. She seemed to be struggling, stopping every few steps to rest. The bag on her shoulder kept slipping off, and she had to keep adjusting it. Where was her partner? Why wasn’t he helping her? Letting a pregnant woman go out alone and carry so many heavy things? Damn it! What a jerk! Olivia’s Perspective Life without work is so great! It’s been ages since I’ve been able to sleep in without phone calls, emails, or work on my mind. I’ve rarely spent much time in this apartment before, so it lacks a homey feel. I don’t plan on starting a new job right away, so I’ve begun to decorate the place. The sofa cushions are too hard and need to be replaced with softer ones; the fridge is empty except for some bottled water, so it needs to be stocked; the kitchen doesn’t even have basic seasonings, which won’t do; also, there are no books or snacks in the cupboards, all of which need to be remedied! I went to the supermarket and before I knew it, I had bought a ton of stuff. Looking at the four full shopping bags that came from one overflowing cart, I took a deep breath and picked them up. They’re so damn heavy… The supermarket is two bus stops away from my place, so walking back is out of the question; the bus would be too crowded at this rush hour, and I’d be inconveniencing others with all these bags; as for a shared bike… I don’t think my skills are up to carrying this much stuff. In the end, I bit the bullet and decided to splurge on a taxi. However, the security at my complex is quite strict, and outside vehicles aren’t allowed in. The taxi could only drop me off at the entrance, leaving me to walk the rest of the way… I watched as the driver helped me unload the four shopping bags from the trunk, and I let out a heavy sigh. At times like these, it would be nice to have a boyfriend to help carry things… It’s all because of that damn job that took up all my personal time! Heartless capitalists!

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I stared at my baby brother Lucas, who was just learning to speak. I knew that not far away, there were child traffickers waiting for their chance. Hearing the piercing cry of a child, I felt disoriented. “You deaf girl! Take your brother out to play!” my mom Karen yelled. My lips trembled as I pinched myself hard. The pain made me shudder. Mom impatiently pushed me, her familiar curses filling the air. “I really gave birth to a useless girl. Always pretending to be dead when there’s work to do.” Suddenly, I snapped back to reality. Turning my head, I saw my small reflection in the glass window. I had been given a second chance at life! Glancing at the calendar on the wall, I instantly realized what day it was. I carried Lucas out, trying to organize my thoughts. Loan sharks, debt collection, falling from a building. I bit my lip and looked at Lucas, who was curiously looking around. Did I hate him? Of course, I did. In those few seconds of falling from the high-rise, I had cursed this family with all the malice I could muster. I was supposed to get married in just a few days, finally escaping this suffocating quagmire. Instead, I died in an abandoned factory, becoming nothing but rotting flesh for flies and ants. I took a deep breath. The overwhelming resentment made black thorns grow in my heart, my eyes gradually turning frantic. I remembered this day very clearly. It was on this day that we encountered child traffickers. I went to buy Lucas an ice cream, but he was lured away by someone with a lollipop. I was terrified, but I was smart enough to ask adults around for help. In the end, Lucas was saved, but he was traumatized and cried non-stop when we got home. Lucas was already two and a half years old, but he had been spoiled rotten by our mom. He would cry and throw tantrums at the slightest dissatisfaction, speaking one word at a time. “…Hit…Me…Hurt…” Mom’s eyes widened in anger. She grabbed a belt and beat me half to death. “You little beast, he’s your brother! How dare you hit him! Why don’t you just die!” I curled up, crying out, “I didn’t! It was bad people, bad people tried to grab him!” “You little beast, still lying! You’re the worst thing in our family. How did I give birth to such an ungrateful creature?” I cried until my voice was hoarse, crawling to the edge of the bed. “Lucas, Lucas, tell mom I didn’t hit you!” But Lucas seemed amused by the scene and started giggling. Lucas suddenly laughed as if he had seen something interesting. The child’s innocent laughter overlapped with my dark memories. My whole body tensed up. The sudden fear almost made me throw him away. I trembled all over. I didn’t know if it was because of hatred or excitement. — The ice cream stand was just around the corner. Two men wearing old-fashioned hats were crouching not far away. Once again, I stood at this crossroads of fate. Sure enough, Lucas spoke up. “Ice… eat… eat.” I lowered my head. “Does Lucas want ice cream?” Lucas nodded. I felt my blood boiling, turning my brain into mush. I walked towards the ice cream stand. Lucas was left behind. I couldn’t see him, but I could clearly feel his small figure. Gradually shrinking, blurring, falling into a haze. I took the ice cream from the vendor, shuddering at its cold touch. If Lucas disappeared… I wouldn’t have to live like a dog in this family anymore. I wouldn’t have to support a family of bloodsuckers. I wouldn’t be chased by debt collectors to the point of jumping off a building. I should have had a great life. I stared at the ice cream, unconsciously gripping it tightly, my eyes as red as blood. “Hey, hey, girl, you haven’t paid yet!” the vendor called out. The scorching July sun shone on me. But I felt like I had fallen into an ice pit. I threw away the ice cream and ran back like a madwoman.

Lucas was gone! My mind went blank, as if a heavy snow had fallen. Stumbling, I found the bicycle repairman and cried out, “Bad people, they took my brother!” With the memory of my previous life, I led people directly to the alley entrance. The repairman and onlookers subdued the kidnappers, and I took Lucas back. As soon as I removed the cotton cloth stuffed in his mouth, he burst into earth-shattering cries. Holding him, I was also in tears. I wanted to change my miserable life. But the awakening of female consciousness should not come at the cost of sacrificing humanity. This time, I didn’t run home immediately like I did in my previous life. I wiped away my tears and went to the police station with the repairman and others. I was very calm when giving my statement, focusing on comforting my crying brother throughout. When the statement was done, Lucas had cried himself to sleep. I asked the repairman to take us home. The repairman praised me the whole way. “Oh, you little girl, you’re so brave. You’re made for great things.” “If it weren’t for you today, your brother would have suffered.” “These damn child traffickers are worse than animals.” I smiled awkwardly, choosing to remain silent. Little did he know, I had almost become an accomplice to these inhuman creatures. Back home, Mom started yelling before she even saw us. “You useless girl, coming back so late. Were you slacking off? Come here and wash the clothes right now.” She hadn’t finished scolding when she saw the sleeping Lucas in my arms. She rushed over with an “Oh my!” “What happened to Lucas?” She was anxious and heartbroken. “Did you, you little brat…” “Mom, you’re disturbing Lucas,” I said. Sure enough, Mom shut up immediately. She glared at me fiercely. I ignored her and carried Lucas into the room. If I didn’t know how to handle her by now, I would have lived these two lives in vain. The repairman would help me sort out the rest. But I needed to think carefully about what to do next. During dinner, Mom scolded me for being a jinx, saying I shouldn’t have taken Lucas there. I ignored her words, focusing on eating. Lucas sat in Mom’s lap, letting her feed him, showing none of his usual tantrums. He ate whatever she fed him, being so obedient that Mom could hardly believe it. After dinner, I cleaned up the messy table as usual. Lucas, who never wanted to move and always demanded to be carried, came over and looked up at me. “…Sis…Sis…” Mom happened to pass by and exclaimed with delight, “Lucas can call people now?” Since Lucas learned to speak, he had never called anyone Mom or Dad. He rarely spoke because whenever he wanted something, crying was enough. I didn’t expect his first time calling someone would be dedicated to me, the “useless girl.” The joy on Mom’s face instantly disappeared. She spat at me. “You useless girl, always teaching my darling bad things. Stay away from your brother in the future, you hear me?” I carried the bowls into the kitchen, the corner of my lips curling up. “Okay.” When it was time to sleep, Lucas started fussing again. “…Sis…Sis…Want…” He cried his heart out. Mom was heartbroken and angrily questioned me. “What kind of spell did you cast on him? Why does he only want you?” I looked innocent. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s because he was scared earlier today, and I happened to be by his side.” Lucas would cry if he was away from me. Despite her extreme reluctance, Mom had no choice but to compromise. The plan was successful. Lucas and I faced each other. Mom had once worried that her only precious son might have some intellectual disability because he started speaking late. But I knew he was actually very smart. When he was little, he loved to snatch my things. A stone, a wildflower, a card, no matter how well I hid them, he could always find them. If I didn’t give them to him, he would cry and make a scene in front of Mom. Invariably, I would end up being beaten severely, kneeling on the ground apologizing, and handing those little things to him. I slightly narrowed my eyes, watching Lucas’s ingratiating face. Before dinner, I changed his diaper. I moved very slowly, brainwashing him for an hour. “See, today you didn’t listen to your sister and stay put, so bad people caught you.” “If you dare not listen to your sister again in the future, bad people will beat you to death.” My tone was gloomy, unable to suppress the hatred mixed in. “Just like… how Mom beats your sister, they won’t stop, they’ll keep beating and beating…” Living beings instinctively fear dangerous things, and with the addition of force, they choose to submit. Young ones are the same. He seemed to sense the genuine malice in my words. His eyes darted around, and he reached out for me to hold him. From tonight, when he cried and insisted on sleeping with me as I had instructed. I understood.

My life would change completely. In a different way. “Lucas, what did your sister tell you?” He had just started first grade and was dejected as he returned the broken water gun to someone else. I was very stern: “Lucas, apologize.” Lucas was very unwilling, even looking at me with some hatred. But I didn’t back down. With my height advantage and adult presence, I forced him to finally speak up. I went to his classmate, gritted my teeth, and took out all the pocket money I had saved from selling bottles. “I’m sorry, we’ll buy you a new one.” I patted the chubby kid’s head and said softly: “Sister will buy you candy. Please forgive Lucas, and can you play with him in the future?” The chubby kid hesitated but nodded. Lucas grumbled unhappily: “Who cares about playing with them.” This little brat. With Mom as a strong negative influence. I spent five whole years and still couldn’t correct many of Lucas’s bad habits. When I first started educating him, I encountered many obstacles. Lucas and I agreed that if he made a mistake, he would have to eat bitter melon. Every time I forced it to his mouth, Lucas would scream and yell, attracting Mom. But he never dared to say it was my fault. Before he was three years old, I had imprinted in his DNA that he must absolutely obey his sister’s words. Just like a baby elephant tied with a rope, even when it grows up and can easily break free from the rope. It doesn’t have this awareness, and I don’t allow such things to happen. Over these five years, I constantly reminded myself. Never let Lucas become like he was in my previous life. On the way home, I remained silent. Lucas glanced at my expression. “Sis, the backpack is so heavy.” After Mom discovered that I could teach Lucas to speak, she very reluctantly handed him over to me to take care of. But she still constantly reminded him, instilling the idea that everything of his sister’s belonged to him, and that his sister was just a lowly girl. But she acted too late. When it comes to brainwashing, how could an ignorant illiterate like her compare to me? The child I had already set on the right path couldn’t be ruined by her again. Seeing that I wasn’t responding to him, Lucas became anxious and ran in front of me. “Sis, I was wrong. Don’t be angry. Don’t make me eat bitter melon.” If it were Mom, she would definitely say: “It’s all those little bastards’ fault. My darling is always right. Mom will buy you cake, and we won’t play with them anymore.” I looked at him coldly. “What did you do wrong?” “I shouldn’t have snatched the toy from Chubby just because they wouldn’t play with me.” I gave him a light tap on the head and said sternly: “Remember this, be kind to others, and also—” I suddenly raised my voice: “Never be greedy for things that don’t belong to you, do you hear me!” In my previous life, Lucas ended up in trouble because he was greedy for enjoyment and too vain. After Lucas became sensible, I rarely scolded him harshly anymore. He was startled by me and stood at attention, trembling as he repeated: “Don’t be greedy for things that don’t belong to me.” “I remember, Sis.” As time passed, Lucas entered middle school. One night, Dad came home drunk again. He often did this, so at home, Mom was the one who called the shots. “I and some friends… are planning to… open a brick factory,” I heard Dad say as I was going to get water for washing feet. My hand shook, and some water splashed onto my shoes. This brick factory was my lifelong nightmare. Dad was fooled and lost everything. From that moment on, I fell into another hell. “You’re a woman, what money could you possibly spend?” “Hurry up and give me five thousand dollars. Didn’t you earn quite a bit? What’s wrong with contributing to the family?” “What do you mean you have no money? You’re just selfish, watching your parents starve outside while you eat and drink well.” “Your brother is in a relationship. Buy him a house.” “If you don’t help your brother pay off his debts, you’re ruining his life!” From age fifteen to thirty-five, I supported these bloodsuckers for twenty whole years. They clung to me tightly, sucking the marrow from my bones, draining every drop of my blood. During those twenty dark years. They were happy, enjoying themselves. With vicious smiles, they watched me struggle desperately in the quagmire. I trembled all over, my face pale, as the long-absent feeling of panic engulfed me. Lucas passed by: “Sis, what’s wrong?” I suddenly came to my senses, as if grasping at a lifeline. “Lucas, Dad’s business will fail. Mom listens to you the most, quickly stop them.” Lucas listened to me very well, and there was another reason— I could “predict” things. Over the years, I had foreseen many big and small family matters in advance, so Lucas had a mysterious reverence for me. Lucas frowned: “Sis, how should I say this? They won’t listen to me about this kind of thing.” I dragged him into the room. “Lucas, listen, Dad will not only lose everything, but he’ll also end up with a crippled leg.” I was almost hysterical: “Go quickly, use whatever method you can.” “We must not let Dad get involved in this!” My expression was too ferocious, scaring Lucas stiff, but he had no choice but to go. I slid down against the door, covered in cold sweat.

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My cousin Sophia, who I grew up with, slept with my husband Alexander and got pregnant. Am I angry? Not at all. In fact, I want to pop open a bottle of champagne to celebrate. Because I orchestrated this whole thing. Sophia has always liked to take what’s mine. So I’m giving her Alexander, that scumbag. To help Sophia succeed, I put in quite a bit of effort behind the scenes. After all, Alexander was supposedly so devoted and faithful. Sophia sat across from me, tears streaming down her face as she confessed how much she loved my husband and how sorry she was. “Olivia, I’ve wronged you terribly. You can yell at me all you want, but I’m pregnant now. For the sake of the baby, can you please let us be together?” I stared at the pregnancy test results on the table, not saying a word. Sophia got up and crouched in front of me, clutching my arm as she continued to plead. “Olivia, I never meant to steal your husband. I just couldn’t control my feelings for him. I was planning to leave, I swear.” “I never thought I’d get pregnant. I don’t know how things ended up like this.” Sophia’s face was pale as she cried, her pupils trembling. I helped her back into the chair and handed her a glass of warm water. I had worked so hard to get to this point. Nothing could go wrong with the baby Sophia was carrying. I collected myself and asked in a tone of disbelief, “When did this start between you two?” I stood up and laughed coldly. “Well done, both of you. One claims to love me so much, the other is my closest cousin. I never expected you’d stab me in the back like this.” Sophia grabbed my arm, trying to say more. “I can’t stand to look at you right now. Move out,” I said. Sophia lowered her head without arguing. “Alright, I’ll go.” I quickly packed a small suitcase and left, checking into a hotel near my office. I ordered an extravagant meal I usually couldn’t afford, opened a bottle of wine, and sat by the floor-to-ceiling windows, raising my glass to the night sky. To be honest, I wasn’t angry or shocked at all about Sophia’s pregnancy. Because I had planned the whole thing. I wanted them to go to hell together.

When I was a sophomore in high school, my parents died in a car accident. My grandparents were in poor health, so as a minor, my aunt and uncle became my guardians. Those years of living under their roof were a nightmare I can’t shake. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have rushed into marriage so young, desperate for a family of my own, only to fall from one pit into an even deeper one. My aunt and uncle took control of my parents’ compensation money, claiming they were just “safeguarding” it until I came of age. But they quickly used it to buy a new house. Despite how big the new house was, there wasn’t a single bedroom for me. For those two years, I had to sleep on the couch, going to bed last and waking up first, with no privacy or dignity. I transferred to Sophia’s high school. She turned the other students against me, saying I was ungrateful – that her parents had kindly taken me in, feeding and clothing me, but I showed no appreciation and even tried to steal her things. What others didn’t know was that everything I used was Sophia’s hand-me-downs. I had no money to buy anything new, and my aunt and uncle never bought me anything either. My reputation at school got worse and worse. No one wanted to be my friend. I got nasty nicknames, was mysteriously locked in bathroom stalls, found chalk dust in my water bottle, had homework disappear. I went to the teachers, but they said I should be grateful anyone was willing to take me in. That I wasn’t like other kids and had no right to complain. After that, I threw myself into studying. I was desperate to escape, working myself to the bone to get into a good college. But when I succeeded, my aunt and uncle told me there was no money for tuition – apparently I had used up all my parents’ compensation during high school. Yet somehow Sophia was able to attend an expensive private university and even go to grad school. I wonder how much of that money was actually spent on me.

I woke up with a hangover headache. After a shower, I saw dozens of SnapChat messages from Sophia. I muted the conversation without reading them. Checking the date, I realized Alexander was due back from his business trip in three days. He hadn’t sent me a single message since yesterday. I wasn’t sure if he knew about Sophia’s pregnancy yet, but either way, I couldn’t act rashly. The more calm I remained, the more frantic they would become. I went to work as usual for the next few days, ignoring all calls and messages. On the third day, Alexander showed up at my office, saying he wanted to talk. “Let’s go home and talk together,” I said, closing my eyes to rest in the passenger seat, not giving him a chance to speak. At home, Sophia and I sat facing each other at the dining table, with Alexander next to me. “We’ll get rid of the baby tomorrow. I’ll give you $20,000,” he said. Sophia’s tears started falling again as she asked in disbelief, “You don’t want our baby?” “It’s an illegitimate child that should never have existed. My children will only be born from my wife,” Alexander replied coldly. I had guessed Alexander wouldn’t divorce me at this critical point in his career. At his young age, he was already an associate professor at a prestigious university and on track for a full professorship. Sophia’s face turned ashen. She stood up from her chair, her voice full of resentment. “So if your wife can’t have children, you’d never divorce her? You’d stay childless forever?” Alexander looked at Sophia in surprise, then turned to look at me. I pretended to be flustered and yelled at Sophia, “What nonsense are you spouting?” “Olivia, you’ve never shown Alexander your medical reports, have you?” Sophia turned to Alexander. “You two have been married for so long – haven’t you wondered why you don’t have kids yet?” Sophia went to her room and came back with a medical report, throwing it on the table. It had my name on it, with a clear diagnosis: Infertile. Alexander stared at the report for a long time without speaking. Finally, he only said to Sophia, “Don’t get rid of the baby for now.” Then he went to his study. Sophia had a victorious look on her face. “Olivia, I didn’t want things to turn out this way. But you brought this on yourself by being so stubborn. If you had just gracefully stepped aside, I could have given you some compensation, sister to sister.” Watching Sophia’s retreating back, I smiled to myself. Sophia, since you love taking what’s mine so much, as your sister I naturally want to indulge you. I just hope you can handle it this time.

From the moment Sophia first laid eyes on Alexander, I knew she would fall for him. But getting Alexander to accept Sophia took quite a bit of effort on my part. Alexander was never an ordinary man who thought with his lower half. On the contrary, he was very principled. Even after we got married, there were plenty of women throwing themselves at him, trying to replace me. But he never gave me any reason to worry in that department. He would firmly reject those women with ill intentions. “I’m sorry, I’m married and very much in love with my wife,” he’d say. He would openly talk about me in public or during his lectures. His students praised him for being handsome and devoted, the ideal man in many female students’ eyes. My friends and coworkers who met him envied my good taste in finding such a perfect husband. I used to believe that too. I met Alexander when I was a senior in college, during my internship. One day, an important work task wasn’t completed because a coworker didn’t do her part. She told our boss it was because I hadn’t properly communicated with her. But I had talked to her, right at her desk, and even reminded her later. Since it was just a verbal exchange, I had no proof. So I ended up taking the blame. Because of this incident, my chance at a full-time offer was delayed and I lost out on a bonus. I had worked overtime for a month on this project, and in the end all I got was unfair blame. I sat on some steps, sobbing, as the rain poured down harder and harder, soaking me through. That’s when I met Alexander. He gave me his umbrella and a pack of tissues, without saying a word, then left in the rain himself. Later I ran into him at the company again and learned he was one of the shareholders. I was too intimidated to approach him, but he greeted me first. To thank him, I invited him to dinner and told him about that day’s incident. He advised me that in the workplace, all important matters should be documented in email. After that, my full-time offer wasn’t delayed and I received my bonus as normal. I suspected it was his doing. As we got to know each other, I discovered he was very knowledgeable. No matter what questions I had, he always gave the most reasonable advice. I started secretly visiting his university to see him. He took me to try all sorts of delicious food. It was the most peaceful time I’d had since my parents passed away. After graduation, we started dating, and got married six months later. He was a wonderful husband – he would drive me to and from work, prepare surprises for holidays, take on household chores, maintain appropriate distance from other women, didn’t smoke or drink, had no bad habits at all. When I told him about my high school experiences, this 30-year-old man’s eyes reddened. He held me close and said, “It’s all in the past now. I’ll make up for everything you’ve lost.” If I hadn’t discovered that secret, I might have remained trapped in the dream he wove for me.

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I overheard my pregnant girlfriend mocking me, saying I looked like a child. She had no idea that after my mother died, Lucas’s father had adopted me. He gave me the exact same name as my mom and used hormone injections to keep my body forever frozen at age twelve. Not long after, I froze his life forever at age thirty. Lucas gripped my chin, releasing himself under my verbal stimulation. Clouded by the effects of the drug, he was like a dangerous beast. He warned me not to compare him to his father, or he would throw me out. Of course, I couldn’t let him throw me out. This body of mine that can never grow up wouldn’t be able to survive without him. Early the next morning, the pregnant Mia brought me a bowl of porridge. She asked me, “Lily, how old are you really?” I guess she must have noticed last night’s intense activities. I smiled mischievously, deliberately exposing the kiss marks on my neck, “What do you think, sis?” Seeing the marks, Mia got angry. She spilled the porridge onto her own stomach, then plopped down onto the floor. I looked at her in surprise, until Lucas appeared. Only then did I understand what she was trying to do. Mia clutched her belly, her facial expression contorted in “pain”. Lucas told me to help Mia up, asking irritably, “How could you be so careless? Is the baby okay?” Mia groaned a few times, “Lucas… don’t blame Lily. The porridge I brought was too hot, that’s why she pushed me.” I let go of Mia’s arm and looked at Lucas with puppy dog eyes. Lucas frowned, “Lily pushed you? She’s not strong enough to push a cat, how could she push you over?” As expected of the man who had watched Pride and Prejudice five times with me! Nice! Lucas called Mrs. Wilson over to clean up and had the driver take Mia to the hospital. I smiled and waved goodbye to Mia, who glared at me fiercely before getting in the car. Lucas was about to go with her, but I tugged on the hem of his shirt. I said softly, “Brother, you were too rough last night. I’m sore all over and hungry. Can you carry me to get some food?” After hesitating for a moment, he still called his secretary to accompany Mia. Then he picked me up with a cold expression. I rested my head on his shoulder and saw that his ears had turned red.

Mia was unharmed. When she returned from the hospital, I was sitting on the living room floor folding Lucas’s underwear. She sat down beside me, “Lily, what exactly is your relationship with Lucas?” I didn’t look up, “Didn’t Lucas tell you?” “He said you’re his sister.” I smiled, “We don’t even have the same last name.” “So, what is your relationship really?” I frowned at her, “Why don’t you go ask him?” Mia really has a bad temper. She got angry again and slapped me. “Lily, I’m already pregnant and about to marry your brother. You’d better behave yourself!” I fell to the ground awkwardly, unable to recover for a while. When I was finally able to move, I held my head and whimpered. I guess that sound reminded her of what Lucas and I had done last night. She grabbed my shoulders frantically, shaking me violently and demanding to know what it would take for me to leave this family. I thought to myself, you really are clueless. Because Lucas was about to discover that she was bullying me. Sure enough, Lucas’s voice rang out in the living room, “Mia, what are you doing?!” Mia was startled and let go of me, looking around in confusion, but not seeing Lucas anywhere. I weakly raised my hand and pointed to the cabinet in the corner. Mia’s face changed color, “Lily, you set me up?” There was a surveillance camera there, connected to Lucas’s phone. I chuckled softly, “Yes, I set you up. What are you going to do about it?” Mia fled upstairs in a panic. I waved at the surveillance camera, “Brother, it seems your girlfriend doesn’t like me very much…” Then I collapsed, “fainting”.

When I “woke up”, both Lucas and Mia were in my room watching over me. Her eyes were red and swollen, obviously having been scolded by Lucas. Lucas heard me stir and looked over. I curled up, crying, “Sister, please don’t misunderstand. Although my brother and I aren’t related by blood, we grew up together and truly have a sibling relationship…” Mia bit her lip and said nothing. Afraid she wouldn’t believe me, I continued, “Really, you’ve seen what I look like. I can’t grow up, and I can’t get pregnant. No one will marry me.” Hearing this, Mia touched her own belly and looked at Lucas anxiously a few times. Lucas kept a stern face the whole time, “If you can talk this much, you must be feeling better. Mia, let’s go.” As they reached the door, I called out, “So brother and sister won’t kick me out, right?” Mia’s body stiffened. Lucas didn’t turn around, “No one will kick you out.” I was so happy. I snuggled back into bed contentedly and fell asleep again. When I woke up, it was already late at night. Last night’s events left me feeling lonely and cold. So I took out my phone and sent Lucas a SnapChat. “Bro, I have a fever.” When he didn’t have a girlfriend, I could bide my time. But now with a formidable enemy before me, I had to fight back with all my might. Even if I had to use underhanded… extremely underhanded tactics! Less than two minutes after I sent the message, Lucas appeared in my room with a glass of warm water and fever medication. I didn’t actually have a fever, but I still swallowed the pill. Then I hugged him tightly, shivering from the “cold”. “Bro, can you stay until my fever goes down?” Strike while the iron is hot – tonight I must make him want me again. His stiff body gradually relaxed, and he put his arms around me. I curled up in his embrace, remembering last night’s passion, and blushed. He felt my forehead, “Should I get you a cooling patch too?” I shook my head and pretended to doze off in his arms. Soon the effects of the fever medication kicked in. I broke out in a sweat and “groggily” took off my pajamas, burrowing back into his arms. I could feel a certain part of his body responding. Pretending to be delirious, I mumbled, “Daddy, I don’t want a shot… Brother, save me!” He suddenly tightened his arms and called my name to wake me. I made my gaze hazy and intoxicated. He kissed my forehead, then nibbled my earlobe as he pressed down on me…

The next morning at breakfast, I told Lucas I wanted to change my name. “I don’t want to be called Lily anymore. Anything else is fine.” Lucas’s face was like still water, showing no reaction. I turned to Mia for help, “Sister-in-law, please help me. I’ve asked my brother so many times but he won’t agree. I hate this name!” Maybe calling her “sister-in-law” made Mia feel a bit better. She also started pleading with Lucas. Lucas gave me a cold look, “I’m busy lately. We’ll discuss it another time.” I breathed a sigh of relief and gave Mia a sweet smile. But our fake sisterly affection only lasted three seconds. After Lucas left for work, Mia came to find me again. She wanted me to go shopping with her for baby items. She also said we could stop by some children’s clothing stores to buy me a few outfits. She was clearly trying to mock me! I held back my anger and glanced at her flat belly, “Are you even two months along? Isn’t it too early for baby shopping? Besides, I don’t know anything about that stuff. I’m not going.” Mia suddenly lashed out, “You don’t like the baby your brother and I are having, do you?” “I really don’t. So what? Is that not allowed?” Mia snatched the paintbrush from my hand and threw it on the floor. She grabbed my collar and easily dragged me to the stairs. “So, Lily, you don’t want me to have this baby, is that it?” She smiled sinisterly and let go of me, falling backwards down the stairs. Wails of pain echoed through the living room. Blood gushed from between Mia’s legs as she lay unconscious at the bottom of the stairs. This spot had no surveillance cameras. If Lucas checked the security footage, he would only see me standing at the top of the stairs while Mia fell down below. I was stunned. I never imagined this woman would kill her own child just to frame me! Mrs. Wilson came running over in alarm, telling me to quickly call Lucas. When the call connected, I stammered, “Bro, Mia had a miscarriage…” “What?! What happened?!” I could hear the fury in Lucas’s voice. Frightened, I hung up the phone and tried to think of how to explain things to him. … Mia lost the baby and was hospitalized. Lucas came home with a dark expression and asked me what happened. This time I didn’t cry, “Bro, if I said she framed me, would you believe me?” Lucas raised an eyebrow, “She killed her own child just to frame you?” “I know you won’t believe me, but she really is that vicious. To get rid of me, she’d even kill your own flesh and blood. Bro, you can’t keep such an evil woman!” Lucas looked at me, this beacon of righteousness, and his mouth twitched, “Alright Lily, stop acting. I said she was pregnant, but I never said the child was mine.” I was speechless. !! “Bro, then why were you going to marry her?” Lucas stared at me for a while, then pulled me up, “I’ll take you somewhere.” He took me to a cemetery on the outskirts of the city. In one corner was a new gravestone with his friend’s name on it. “Mia was Sam’s girlfriend. The baby was his too. Sam died in a car accident and asked me to take care of Mia and help her deliver the baby safely.” “But bro, she said she was pregnant with your child and was going to marry you!” I clenched my little fists indignantly. So she had been lying to me. Of course, my brother, this perfect catch, was indeed worth her playing the role of a liar. “You believed her?” Lucas patted my head. I pouted, “You never explained things clearly, so of course I believed what she said. But now that I know the truth, it’s fine… Bro, since we’re at the cemetery, can we go see my mom?” Lucas held my hand, just like a brother holding his sister’s hand, and led me to my mother’s grave. The woman in the photo was very beautiful, but I felt no emotion towards her. Because she had died when I was still a baby. But seeing that face that looked 90% like mine, I still felt a bit moved. My fingers traced over the gravestone, following the strokes of the characters as I read out my mother’s name. Lily…

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I silently tore up my husband’s positive HIV test results. Since you two enjoy swimming in the ocean of love so much, I’ve decided to let you drown in it. Just as I received the medical report, I got a call from an unknown number. The intimate voices of a man and woman nearly made me drop my phone in shock. “Liam, be gentle. Don’t hurt the baby,” a woman’s voice cooed. “Alright, sweetheart. Lower your waist a bit,” a man replied. The call lasted less than ten seconds before they hastily hung up, not giving me a chance to speak. Liam Westbrook and I had been in love since we were 18, for twelve years now. This morning, before he left for work, he had thoughtfully bought me breakfast and told me to sleep in a bit longer before going to the hospital for my test results. I wiped away the tears from the corners of my eyes and tore Liam’s medical report into tiny pieces, throwing them into the trash can. How laughable. Just a minute ago, I was worried about him, thinking there must have been a mistake with the test. I couldn’t believe that Liam, who had always been so careful and honest with me, could have contracted HIV. Liam Westbrook, since you’re so good at keeping secrets, I’ll learn a thing or two from you. I won’t tell you about your HIV and severe gout either. I immediately went to get a full set of tests done for myself. During the anxious wait for the results, I didn’t want to see Liam. I used the excuse of visiting my parents and stayed at a hotel for two days. During this time, that unknown number called me twice more. Both times were when they were being intimate – once at 9 AM and once at 2 AM. It seems he really cares for this woman, staying at her place while I’m not home. Well, of course. This woman is carrying his child. Liam and I got married right after graduation. We’ve been married for eight years but never had children. When we first got married, we were focused on our careers, wanting to wait until we were financially stable before having kids. When we finally felt ready, we discovered during fertility tests that both my fallopian tubes were blocked. I couldn’t conceive naturally. Liam hugged me and said we could spend our lives just the two of us, and that he’d be jealous if I had to share my love with a child. But I really wanted a child, one that looked like him. For the past three years, since I turned 27, I’ve been undergoing IVF treatments. The embryo successfully implanted five times, but I miscarried early each time. To maintain the pregnancy, I gave myself daily injections in my belly. My once smooth, slender abdomen that I had been so proud of was now covered in needle marks and bruises. When I finally got my test results, I was relieved. I hadn’t contracted HIV. The night I returned home, Liam came back from work earlier than usual. He walked into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around my waist, enveloping me in his familiar scent. “Smells delicious. What treat have you cooked up for me today, honey?” he asked. “I couldn’t sleep well without you these past two days. The house feels so empty when you’re not here,” he added. Suppressing my disgust, I playfully chided, “I bought some fresh seafood to make you a seafood hotpot. Go wash your hands, dinner’s almost ready.” Liam went to the bathroom, humming happily. Watching his back, I added another handful of bean curd sticks to the pot. Liam had always been particular about food. Whenever he enjoyed something outside, I would tirelessly work to recreate it at home, just to please his palate. I had spoiled his taste buds and stomach. Seeing him eat with such relish, I peeled a shrimp and fed it to him. He smiled at me as he took it, clearly satisfied. “Honey, why aren’t you eating?” he asked. I lowered my eyes to hide my sadness and poured him a glass of beer. “I’ve gained a bit of weight recently. I’m avoiding high-calorie foods at night.” Besides HIV, Liam also had extremely high uric acid levels. He was happily eating the gout-inducing, paralysis-inducing meal I had carefully prepared for him.

“Honey, how were my medical results?” Liam asked. I pulled out a thick stack of reports from my bag and spread them on the table. “The doctor said all your indicators are good, no major issues. Here, take a look yourself,” I said. I knew Liam well. For all these years, I had taken care of every detail in his life, big or small. He trusted me completely. As expected, he didn’t even glance at the papers. “That’s great. It’s all thanks to you taking such good care of me,” he said. I silently put the reports back in the envelope and opened another can of beer for him. After two cans of beer, his fair complexion was flushed red. When he looked at me with half-closed eyes, his gaze was full of desire. Liam was handsome and dashing, standing at 6 feet tall with long legs. I was deeply attracted to him from the first moment I saw him in college. Back then, my heart would race uncontrollably, feeling like it might jump out of my chest. But now, looking into his passionate eyes, knowing he had been rolling in bed with another woman, I wanted to gouge out those hypocritical eyes. Liam finished the last crab, patting his stomach in satisfaction. “Honey, there’s less than a month left before the deadline for this year’s International Jewelry Design Competition. Have you finished your design?” he asked. I nodded gently as I cleared the table. “Just a few more tweaks and it’ll be ready.” Liam excitedly stood up, wanting to hug me. I dodged him subtly, carrying the plates to the kitchen without a trace of awkwardness. He followed me to the kitchen, leaning against the doorframe, gesturing excitedly. “Honey, I need to get an even bigger display case for the company. We’re running out of space for all your awards!” Liam and I both studied jewelry design. The year we graduated, I turned down an offer from a top company because he wanted to start his own business. Out of love for him, I supported him without hesitation. Not only did I give him the $20,000 I had saved from part-time jobs during college to start his business, but I also joined his small studio. In the first few years, to make a name for his studio, he entered all sorts of jewelry design competitions, big and small. But he always got eliminated in the preliminaries, while I won gold awards every time. At that time, the studio was losing money every month. Liam was stressed out, losing 30 pounds in half a year. I couldn’t bear to see him suffer like that. I suggested closing the studio, but he wanted to hang on a bit longer. Until we were completely broke, squeezed into a basement, sharing a bowl of instant noodles a day. He left most of the noodles for me, drinking only the soup to fill his stomach. Liam hugged me, crying, saying he shouldn’t have let me suffer with him. He said he’d close the studio the next day and find a job. I knew that was his pride and hard work. Behind his back, I borrowed $5,000 from my parents and secretly submitted my competition entry under Liam’s name. He had said he lacked inspiration and had no portfolio, so clients didn’t trust him and wouldn’t work with him. With that $5,000, we held on for another three months. And my design won first prize in a top international competition. From then on, Liam made a name for himself in the industry. He never lacked for orders again. The studio grew bigger and bigger, eventually becoming a jewelry design company with over a hundred employees. He became known as Mr. Westbrook, a young talent in everyone’s eyes. But from that point on, all of my designs were submitted under Liam’s name.

That night, as usual, Liam lay on his side, holding me as we fell asleep. In the past, his heavy arm gave me a sense of security. Now I felt suffocated, his arm weighing heavily on me, making it hard to breathe. I couldn’t sleep, lying awake until dawn. At 5 AM, I got up and went to the kitchen to make breakfast for him. I cleaned the shrimp I had bought yesterday, carefully removing the veins, then finely chopped them into a paste to make plump little wontons. The eight-treasure porridge in the pot had been simmering for nearly three hours. The five different types of beans were soft and mushy. When Liam got up at 8 AM, I had already packed his breakfast. He loved to sleep in but didn’t want his employees to think their boss was always late. Every day he arrived at the company just in time. To prevent him from going hungry or eating carelessly, I always carefully prepared his breakfast for him to take to the office. He said I spoiled him like a child, that he wouldn’t be able to live without me. I saw him off at the door, carefully reminding him: “This porridge is good for your stomach, drink it while it’s hot. I cooked the wontons separately and put them in a container. Just pour them into the soup when you’re ready to eat.” Liam was putting on his shoes when he leaned in for a kiss. I didn’t want any contact with him, but I couldn’t let him suspect anything and ruin my plans. I had to suppress my disgust and let my cheek brush against his lips, wet with the scent of his minty aftershave. As soon as he stepped out, I immediately closed the door, rushed to the bathroom, and frantically washed my face. I scrubbed the side of my face he had kissed with alcohol repeatedly until it was red and burning. Looking at myself in the mirror, my eyes were full of hatred and pain. Liam Westbrook, I will make you pay for this. First, I needed to find out the identity of the woman Liam was cheating with. I searched for her phone number on SnapChat. Her profile picture was a selfie – a very young woman. After confirming it was her real number, I saved it to my contacts. I opened Instagram and quickly found her account among my suggested friends. A recent college graduate in her early 20s, with a rich and handsome boyfriend who loved her, a blissful expectant mother. But her most recent status update was posted at midnight last night: “When will you truly belong to me?” The photo showed a full-body pregnancy shot with her face hidden. It seems she knows she’s the other woman but is eager to become Liam’s official wife. However, judging by how Liam is keeping this from me, he doesn’t intend to make her his wife. At noon, I went to the company to bring Liam lunch, carrying a carefully prepared gout-inducing meal. I rarely come to the company, so much so that the new receptionist didn’t recognize me and stopped me from going upstairs. One phone call and Liam came down to get me himself. “Honey, it’s ridiculous that I can’t even enter our own company,” I complained, putting on a hurt expression. “I want to go back to work in the design department. I don’t want to feel like I have no value.” Liam hesitated. “Weren’t you focusing on your health? Work is too tiring.” I lowered my eyes and sighed. “After so many failed IVF attempts over the years, I’m exhausted. Maybe it’s fate that I’m not meant to have children.” “Honey, I’ve told you before, I don’t care if we have kids or not. It’s fine if it’s just the two of us for life,” he said, his face full of sincerity. Seeing his hypocritical act, I could barely keep up my own facade. But I knew that lashing out would only satisfy my emotions momentarily and do no good in the long run. “I’ve been doing IVF non-stop for three years. My body can’t take it anymore. I want to take a break,” I said. Liam looked at me with pity in his eyes. Seeing the emotional card was working, I made my real request: “Honey, I want to come back to work at the company. Let me take charge of the design department.”

The design department was the most important division in the company. Moreover, the star products released each year were all designed by me, just under Liam’s name. He immediately understood that I no longer wanted to hide behind him and be his ghostwriter. From now on, the designs would be credited to me, Amelia Winters. Liam put down his chopsticks and looked at me intently. “Amelia, if I did something to hurt you, could you forgive me?” I gently took out a container of tripe soup, chiding him playfully. “Why are you suddenly saying this? Did you really do something to hurt me?” For a moment, I thought he was going to confess. He just shook his head, took the soup, and sighed after a sip. “Of course not. How could I ever hurt such a wonderful wife?” I nodded with a smile. “I’ll start working in the design department tomorrow then. Remember to assign me two capable assistants, okay?” Before leaving the company, I asked Liam to take me on a tour of each department. He seemed uneasy. When we got to the design department, a young girl gave me an unfriendly look. She was wearing a loose hoodie and tight leggings. I studied her carefully and realized she resembled the profile picture of Liam’s mistress. She must have recognized me first, staring at me with resentful eyes. After all, Liam’s phone wallpaper was my photo. In person, she wasn’t as polished as in her photos. She was rather plain-looking, someone you wouldn’t notice in a crowd. But she was indeed young. Even pregnant, she maintained a slim figure. The loose clothing hid her pregnancy. Liam hurriedly introduced a few people, eager to leave. I smiled and extended my hand to the mistress. “The company is grateful to have such a dedicated employee. How many months pregnant are you?” She barely touched my fingertips before letting go. Instead, she turned to Liam with a blissful expression. “Five months,” she said, then raised an eyebrow at me and proudly rubbed her belly. What an indiscreet girl. I was a bit disappointed that Liam would cheat with someone like her. The mistress was never my target. The one who hurt me was Liam – he was the one who failed to stay faithful to our marriage. But I wouldn’t be kind to the mistress either. I would use her well to get back what I deserved from Liam, and more. I gave Liam’s arm a squeeze. “Pregnant employees need special care. Don’t give the young lady too much work.” The surrounding employees praised me: “The boss’s wife is so beautiful and kind. You two are such a perfect match.” Liam put his arm around my waist, smiling smugly. The mistress’s face had turned almost green with envy. It seems this mistress doesn’t hold much weight in his heart after all. On my first day working in the design department, the employees weren’t very respectful towards me, even though I was the boss’s wife. Artists tend to be free-spirited and a bit rebellious. In their eyes, only Liam was the real boss. The intern mistress, however, seemed quite popular in the company. She smiled warmly like a spring breeze, with everyone greeting her. I calmly exported this year’s International Jewelry Design Competition draft from my computer. When I asked for suggestions on which gemstones to use, the mistress came over and glanced at it. “Mrs. Winters, you design too? We usually just create entries to accompany Mr. Westbrook’s work,” she said. The design director pushed the mistress aside and stared at the computer screen with shining eyes. “Perfect! Absolutely perfect! This is the most stunning piece I’ve seen all year. It’s definitely going to win gold.” He eagerly poured me a cup of water. “Mrs. Winters, you’re a true master! I’m so sorry for my poor attitude earlier. When you have time, could you please give me some guidance on my work?” William Lewis, the design director, was someone who lived and breathed design. Many of the company’s popular pieces were his creations. But he wasn’t arrogant like some artists. Instead, he was very good at management and operations. He had been with Liam since the early days, and the company’s growth owed much to William’s efforts. I chose to work in the design department not only because I excelled at design, but mainly because of William. He had followed Liam out of admiration for Liam’s work – which was actually all created by me. I wanted to take away one of Liam’s arms, to have William work for me instead. I nodded kindly. “Of course. Bring me all your work to take a look.” While working, I continued to be attentive and caring towards Liam. In the past, he often had business dinners and ate out. Since I started working at the company, I prepared all three of his daily meals myself. After keeping this up for a while, Liam started telling me he occasionally felt pain in his legs. I knew this was a symptom of gout. His comeuppance was approaching. One time, when I was bringing Liam his lunch, I ran into the mistress coming out of his office with a lunchbox. She was wiping away tears as she walked. Clearly, she had wanted him to eat the food she made, but Liam refused. I pretended to mention it casually to Liam: “Did you scold Tiffany? The poor girl is pregnant, don’t be too harsh on her.” Liam tried to change the subject. “What delicious meal did you make for me today, honey?” Seeing he wanted to gloss over it, I pressed on: “I saw her throw the lunchbox in the trash right after leaving. What happened?” Liam’s expression turned awkward, his voice tinged with guilt. “She was just trying to suck up, I guess. You know I hate people who rely on tricks instead of real ability. Let’s not talk about her. I’m starving.” Liam had indeed hidden things well. No one in the company knew about their relationship. And since I started working there, Liam and Tiffany hardly interacted at all. At home, he barely looked at his phone and received no suspicious calls. Tiffany’s gaze towards me grew more and more resentful. The results of this year’s jewelry design competition came out a month after I started working. In previous years, Liam always won the awards, but this time it was me. Moreover, the design department staff had witnessed my entire process from initial draft to multiple revisions to the final design. No one doubted this was my own work. Instead, rumors started circulating in the company that Liam’s previous works had all been done by me. William Lewis solemnly invited me out for coffee. I brought my laptop and gladly accepted. When I arrived, he had already been waiting for over half an hour. Actually, I had arrived early and observed him from a hidden corner, watching him fidget anxiously with a furrowed brow. I knew then that my chances of convincing him to work for me had increased to about 20%. “Hi William, sorry I’m late,” I said. Seeing me arrive, the straightforward William got right to the point: “Were all of Liam’s previous award-winning designs actually created by you?” I smiled gently and turned my laptop towards him. I had kept copies of all my design drafts. When designing, I had a habit of hand-drawing my initial sketches and signing them at the bottom of the page. William’s expression grew serious as he flipped through them one by one. As he progressed, his brow smoothed out and his eyes began to sparkle with admiration. He kept muttering, “So beautiful. Your talent is truly unparalleled.” After finishing, he gripped my hand tightly, staring at me intently. His expression was so exaggerated that I uncomfortably pulled my hand away. “You should be shining brightly in the jewelry world. Why did you hide behind Liam?” he asked gravely. “Did he force you?” I shook my head. “It was my own choice. But that doesn’t matter now. William, I’ve come to my senses. I want to have my own independent design studio. Would you like to work with me?” William nodded frantically. “Of course! I originally followed Liam hoping to improve my skills. But all these years, I never created anything that surpassed myself. Just this past month with your guidance, I finally feel like I’m breaking through my limits.” “I’ve never cared about how much money I make. I only hope to design pieces that will stand the test of time. I’d work for you even without pay.” I had bet correctly. William was a born artist. In his eyes, talent and creations were more important than fame, fortune or sentiment. I tactfully told William about Liam’s affair and my future career plans. Though he disdained worldly relationships, he was very perceptive. He immediately understood my true intentions when I explained. I wanted to bring Liam down. But he didn’t care about that. He only asked that I guide him on each of his future designs. I agreed, of course. My studio had actually started being set up two weeks ago. To separate it from Liam, the legal representative was my father. William acted quickly, immediately submitting his resignation to Liam. He didn’t even bother with the resignation procedures. He didn’t want his final month’s salary either, packing up and leaving the very next day. I was in Liam’s office when HR informed him of this. Liam was furious, barely containing his anger as he called William. He couldn’t believe that his right-hand man, who had been with him since the beginning, would leave without a word. When he dialed, he found William had already blocked his number. That was typical of William. I almost couldn’t control my expression, having to bite my tongue hard to keep from laughing out loud. Liam angrily threw his phone, shattering the screen of the latest model. That wasn’t enough. He swept everything off his desk onto the floor. The HR person trembled in fear. I gestured for them to leave and went to comfort Liam. “Honey, don’t be angry. It’s just losing a design director. His work wasn’t as good as mine anyway. I’ll take good care of the design department from now on.” Liam collapsed into his chair, deflated, his hands shaking uncontrollably. “Honey, I’ll have to trouble you with the design department then. It’s good that I have you,” Liam said, looking at me tenderly. “Being a director is hard work. Don’t squeeze time to cook for me anymore. Let’s just eat out.” I stood behind him, gently massaging his temples. “It’s no trouble at all. Taking care of your health and stomach doesn’t feel like work to me. Don’t worry, I’ll lead the design department to create even better pieces.” After becoming the design director as planned, I finally got access to the company’s key clients. These were all ultra-wealthy individuals. For their exclusive custom jewelry, the design director needed to personally bring the designs to show them the renderings before creating the final product. After interacting with these wealthy clients for a while, I locked onto my target – a divorced businesswoman named Vivian King. I took the initiative to build a closer relationship with her. Given her love for jewelry, I would let her see all my new designs first. This time, Vivian had already claimed dibs on my award-winning piece. However, after she purchased the finished product, I successfully convinced her to replace the pendant with an 11-carat pink diamond. This would bring the total value of the piece to $30 million. When I told Liam this news, he was initially worried we couldn’t source an 11-carat pink diamond. After all, gems of this caliber were usually in private collections and rarely came on the market. But I emphasized that closing this deal would bring in nearly $10 million in profit. I told him that in two weeks, at a Sotheby’s auction, there would be a nearly 12-carat flawless pink diamond. Based on historical prices, diamonds larger than this one had sold for no more than $20 million. What I didn’t tell him was that those were prices from five years ago, and that he would absolutely not be able to win this pink diamond at auction. Liam believed that as long as we prepared $20 million, we would definitely be able to acquire it. When he personally signed the delivery contract with Vivian, his hands were shaking uncontrollably with excitement. His leg pain had been getting worse lately, and his hands shook more and more frequently. But with the mess left behind by William’s departure, he was too preoccupied to pay attention. Plus, I reassured him it was just from overwork, which he fully believed. The reason I encouraged Liam so much was that for these custom jewelry contracts, we had to collect full payment from the client in advance and guarantee delivery. Otherwise, we would have to pay the client ten times the amount in compensation. For this deal, if Liam breached the contract, $300 million in damages would be enough to bankrupt him.

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On my wedding day, the groom was nowhere to be found. My family and friends joined me in searching for him. We found him in a hotel room, lying on pristine white sheets. And beside him… a naked man. Not long after, I jumped to my death, infected with HIV and pregnant. A double tragedy. I left behind only my deranged mother, subjected to cruel mockery from relatives. Given a second chance at life, I vowed to make them all pay! I opened my eyes in my familiar bedroom. The memory of my body shattering as I jumped still made me shudder. April 1st – the day I first met Lucas Gray in my previous life. A pale yellow dress was laid out neatly by my bed, along with accessories, a purse, and even foundation and lipstick. My mom’s nagging from before she left for work echoed in my ears: “He’s from a good family, introduced by Mrs. Johnson. He’s 24, so don’t mess this up… Don’t come home if it doesn’t work out…” My mom was still as elegant and forceful as ever. But Mom, you said it well. Next time, don’t say it at all. Last time, it was this innocent look that made Lucas think I’d make a good wife, choosing me as his beard. This time, to hell with that pale yellow dress.

“Welcome to Timeless Coffee” I was already an hour late. On purpose. Lucas Gray was still eye-catching in the corner. Crisp suit, lounging casually, his long fingers idly playing with the rim of his cup. He didn’t seem anxious or impatient at all. In my past life, I was completely fooled by his handsome facade! I never even questioned why someone with his qualities needed to go on blind dates. “Lucas Gray, right? I’m Emma Carter.” Lucas looked up at me, his captivating eyes widening slightly. Clearly, my current outfit surprised him. Probably didn’t match Mrs. Johnson’s description. My tight leather jacket accentuated my curves, and sky-high heels brought me to nearly 5’9″. Fiery red wavy hair paired with blood-red lips and dramatic eyeliner. I looked aggressively sexy – my own mother probably wouldn’t recognize me. Not exactly wife material now, huh? “Miss Carter, hello.” Lucas stood to shake my hand. In my past life, his polite demeanor had me head over heels. This time, I was immune. “Oh, hi.” I sat across from him, speaking carelessly. I ignored his outstretched hand, leaving him awkwardly frozen. The following conversation was all initiated by Lucas. Just like last time, every topic flowed naturally. He never said anything to make me uncomfortable, while still managing to close the distance between us. But I really didn’t want to hear his bullshit anymore. It made me sick. So I deliberately raised my voice, saying something I’d never have dared in my past life: “Lucas, did you take a shit today? Was it solid or runny? What color? Yellow, or more brownish?” Most people in the cafe had been subtly watching us – women eyeing Lucas, men looking at me. My outburst left everyone’s jaws on the floor. Lucas seemed shocked by my crude words, too stunned to answer. “I don’t think you’ve shit yet. Your breath stinks so bad, I’d think you ate shit if I didn’t know better. I can’t stand it anymore, I’m leaving. Next time, remember to take a dump before coming on a date.” With that, I sashayed out of the cafe in my sky-high heels, swinging my hips dramatically. Raucous laughter erupted behind me as I left. Peeking back through the glass door, I saw several girls deleting photos they’d sneakily taken of Lucas. Their fingers moved at lightning speed, as if their phones had been contaminated. Another girl holding her phone, probably about to ask for Lucas’s contact info, stood frozen in place… Haha, I laughed inwardly. Lucas must be so embarrassed now! But to my surprise, Lucas in the corner remained completely unruffled. He didn’t argue with the people laughing at him, and made no move to leave. This guy’s got some thick skin to still be sitting there!

Just as I was about to turn and leave, Lucas moved. He got up and went to where I had been sitting. Slowly, he turned his face towards the foam cushion. Then he took a deep breath, his expression shifting to one of utter bliss and satisfaction… He looked just like an addict after getting a fix. No one in that corner of the cafe could see him, except me through the window. My fragile psyche was utterly shaken. Ugh, what the actual fuck?! Thinking back now, when he first saw me. That change in his eyes wasn’t surprise. It was excitement! I had no idea young people these days were into such kinky stuff.

“How was the blind date today? Mrs. Johnson said that young man’s family is in the clothing business, should be making at least six figures. I’m telling you, you better not let this one slip away.” I kept my head down, eating. I still hadn’t figured out how to tell Mom about the date. I was so shocked at the time that I forgot to record a video. If I told her Lucas was a pervert, she’d never believe me. “Are you listening, you brat?” “Yes, yes, okay…” “Ding dong~ Ding dong~” The urgent doorbell interrupted our cozy mother-daughter dinner. It was Mrs. Johnson, the matchmaker. She stormed in with her phone, demanding to know if the woman in the video was me, and why I’d said such things to embarrass Lucas. Apparently someone at the cafe had posted the gossip online. It should have been a minor incident, but because Lucas was so handsome, the stark contrast made his alleged bad breath go viral. Of course, some people said I must be Lucas’s obsessed fan, slandering him because I couldn’t have him. I was slandering him alright, but because I had already had him. Mom looked confused. After watching the video, her face turned pale with anger. “Is this you? Tell me this isn’t you! Where did you get these clothes?! And what’s with this red hair?!” “Emma Carter!” Mom was having another episode. She’d always had a bad temper and was extremely domineering. That’s why my dad divorced her when I was ten. Mom rushed into my bedroom, searching every nook and cranny where I liked to hide things. Finally, she laid out the black leather outfit and red wig in front of me. Her eyes were bloodshot, her normally immaculate hair in disarray. That hysterical look took me back to that cold night. Mom had the same crazed expression. Holding my mangled body, she cried hoarsely: “Mommy was wrong, Emma. I shouldn’t have pressured you, shouldn’t have made you go on that date. It’s all my fault… Please come back.” My soul stood by her side, watching as my strong, capable mother turned into a babbling madwoman. For 100 days after my death, Mom went to the nearest intersection to our home every day to wait for me. It was on my usual route home from work. In my memory, Mom was always a beautiful, well-dressed woman who cared about appearances. But during those 100 days, her clothes were filthy and tattered. She even lost control of her bodily functions in public. She called every passing woman in her 20s her daughter. Or as others put it, she harassed them all. Mom, this time I won’t be so foolish.

“Mom, Mom, calm down, please calm down…” “I, I actually looked into what type of girl Lucas likes. This is the style he prefers.” Mother didn’t seem convinced: “Really? What decent man would like this kind of style?” Decent or not, men are all the same. “It’s true. If you don’t believe me, have Mrs. Johnson call and ask what impression I made on him.” “Ring… ring… Hello, who is this?” The call connected, and Lucas’s deep, magnetic voice came through. “Oh, Lucas dear, it’s your Auntie Johnson.” Mrs. Johnson’s face was fawning. She must stand to make a good commission on this match. “Mrs. Johnson? Oh, it’s you.” Lucas hesitated slightly. “Oh I’m not calling for anything important, just wanted to ask how the blind date went today.” The voice on the other end raised slightly, sounding pleased. “It went very well, Mrs. Johnson. Miss Carter was quite interesting. I’m looking forward to getting to know her better. By the way, do you have her contact information?” I could imagine the perverted look on Lucas’s face as he said this. “That’s wonderful, that’s wonderful. Yes, I have her info, I’ll send it to you right away.” Mom was overjoyed hearing this. She immediately gave Mrs. Johnson my contact details to pass along, Without even asking how I knew Lucas’s preferences, or why I’d said those things. If she had pressed further, I’d have had to tell her the truth about the dare. Before bed, I liked all the comments criticizing Lucas under the video.

“A new trendy dessert shop just opened on Blossom Street. Want to go check it out?” A message from my best friend, Olivia White. Of course I’d go. After all, I hadn’t properly thanked her for her “help” yet. In my past life, it was Olivia, who worked at the hotel, who told me to go catch Lucas cheating. Even though she clearly knew Lucas was gay long before, she only told me on my wedding day. And she even rallied all the guests to come watch the spectacle. Humiliating me and my mother beyond belief. … “What took you so long? I’ve been waiting forever. Here, I ordered you the red velvet.” Looking at Olivia’s smiling face, I felt sick. The best friend I once thought was so close was nothing but a facade. In reality, Olivia hated me to her core. Because her family background, looks, education, and job were all far inferior to mine. Without the right qualifications, she could only work as a hotel receptionist. Next to me, she was just a plain Jane. But I had never looked down on her! Of course, I only learned all this when she came to my grave to tell me. Her face twisted with hate. She forgot how in school, when everyone ostracized her, I was the only one who played with her, talked to her, became her only friend. Because I was there, the other students stopped bullying her. She herself said we’d be best friends for life. How ironic.

“Liv, do you want a man? If you do, I can set you up.” Olivia had fallen for Lucas the moment I introduced them. In my past life, I was too caught up in my romance with Lucas. Drowning in love, I never noticed Olivia’s little crush. I kept flaunting my relationship in front of her. This time, why not make her dreams come true? “A man! Where, where?” Olivia looked around eagerly, putting on an act of anticipation. I opened Lucas’s Instagram profile and showed her his photos. “Holy shit, he’s gorgeous! I’m in love! Secretary Carter, I need his full background check in two minutes.” I knew it. Olivia would still fall for Lucas. After all, who doesn’t like a handsome face. I laughed inwardly: Hook, line and sinker. “Wait, something’s not right. Why would you share a catch like this with me? There must be a catch.” Olivia gave me a contemptuous look. “Besides, someone like me clearly doesn’t deserve him. Never mind.” When did Olivia grow a brain? She used to stop in her tracks for any hot guy. “To be honest, he’s my blind date.” “See, I knew it was yours. All the good stuff always goes to you. Nothing left for me.” “But you know how my mom’s always setting me up on dates. I really don’t want to date or get married right now, so I’m planning to rebel.” “Oh, look who’s standing up to Mommy Dearest.” It’s true, I used to be a total mama’s girl. Even though I didn’t want to marry and have kids, I still went on date after date at my mother’s insistence. I hadn’t expected anything, but then I met Lucas. Handsome, wealthy, polite – who wouldn’t fall for him? Soon enough, both our parents were meeting to discuss wedding dates. “And to sabotage this date, I did something crazy.” I showed her the viral video on my phone. Olivia was shocked: “Oh my god, I’ve seen this video! That was you?! So this is your blind date? I gotta say, he looks even hotter on video.” “You really went all out to ruin that date, huh.” “So, waste not want not. You want this hottie or not?” Olivia nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes, yes!” “Then you better listen to me carefully.” I needed to figure out how to get my bestie into my blind date’s bed.

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