The year I loved Jack Thompson the most was the year he died in a car accident. Everyone thought I would break down, but I didn’t cry or make a scene. Two years later, I ran into him at a private party. Jack was passionately kissing a young woman. His friends rushed to explain to me: “Jack was severely injured in the accident and fell into a coma. He’s just woken up and lost his memory… We didn’t tell you to spare you from constant worry.” Jack pushed the girl away and came to me, frowning as he said: “I heard you’re my fiancée? Although I don’t remember, I’ll honor our engagement since you’ve been pining for me.” I smiled slightly and replied, “They’re lying to you. We don’t know each other.” Jack didn’t know that on the day he faked his death, I had received a video. In the video, Jack was laughing as he told someone: “The thought of being with only Emily after marriage is unbearable. “I’ll fake my death and play around for a few more years. Comfort her often, don’t let her do anything stupid.” He also didn’t know that during the two years he was “dead,” I had been with other men.

The friends around us were stunned, then quickly tried to persuade me: “Emily, how can you say you don’t know Jack? We kept it from you, it’s not Jack’s fault.” “Yeah, Emily, we did it for your own good, afraid you’d always be worried. Now that Jack’s finally awake, don’t be petty with him.” The room was filled with accusations. Before I could speak, a scornful laugh rang out. Jack stood up from the couch, cigarette between his fingers, looking lazy and smug as he said, “If we don’t know each other, then forget it. Saves me the trouble of being responsible.” The young woman by his side clung to Jack’s arm, looking up at him shyly and nervously: “Jack… I know you. She doesn’t appreciate you, I… I’m willing to marry you, okay?” Jack didn’t respond. He glanced at me coldly, then wrapped his arm around the girl’s waist and kissed her deeply. Seeing this, the friends around us quickly blocked my view. They comforted me: “Emily, Jack lost his memory. You know he loved you the most before.” “Yeah, Em, you should take care of Jack and help him remember you. Don’t be upset.” I opened my mouth, about to say something to Jack’s friends, when a sudden pain shot through my stomach. My face paled involuntarily. I didn’t linger, turning to leave the room. I left so quickly that the people in the room didn’t react in time. After I disappeared completely, they sighed to Jack: “Jack, you went too far. Emily’s really jealous and angry now, her face went white. Don’t let her really leave you.” Jack smiled, sitting back on the couch. “Emily’s easy to coax. After two years apart, I don’t believe she doesn’t miss me. “Besides, I’ve lost my memory now. When I’m done playing around, I’ll tell her my memory’s back, say the past wasn’t my intention. I won’t even need to apologize, just beckon and she’ll come running back.”

After leaving the room, I could no longer hold back and crouched down. The pain in my stomach came in waves, leaving me without the strength to even go to the restroom. Until a shadow fell over me. A familiar voice said: “What, heartbroken? Want to rekindle the flame?” I looked up to see Alexander Hughes leaning against the doorframe not far away, arms crossed, looking at me impassively. He was dressed all in black, with a high bridge nose and eyes hidden in the dim light, emotions unreadable. In the light, his thin lips had beautiful, clean lines. In that moment, a feeling of being wrongly accused welled up in my heart. Tears fell uncontrollably. Alexander panicked, quickly dropping his arms and walking over to me. “Don’t cry, I won’t say that again.” He had a great physique, strong and powerful. He picked me up from the ground with one arm. The scent of cedar entered my nose, stirring my heartstrings. I wrapped my arms around his neck and said: “My stomach hurts…” Alexander paused slightly: “It’s early?” I nodded, my lips inadvertently brushing his jaw as I rested my head on his broad shoulder. Alexander carried me to the car, turned on the heat and said: “Wait in the car, I’ll go buy you some things.” After saying that, he closed the car door and left. The dim streetlight poured down from above, outlining his tall figure. Not long after, a video call came in. It was from Alexander. “Your usual brand is sold out. Do you see any you like among these?” I was about to choose when a familiar voice tinged with surprise came from the video. Jack walked into the store with his arm around the young woman’s waist. He looked Alexander up and down in surprise and said: “We invited you out for drinks tonight but you didn’t come. Turns out you’re here buying things for a woman! “Are you on a video call with her? Let me see who the amazing woman is that got our Mr. Hughes to open up!” Jack reached out to grab Alexander’s phone. I instinctively moved my face away from the camera. But Jack didn’t touch Alexander’s phone. Alexander just gave him a cold look, and Jack’s hand retracted. “Alright, alright, I see you’re protective of your treasure. Next time you must bring her out to meet us! “By the way, Alex, I ran into Emily. She walked into the wrong room and caught me kissing another woman. I was scared to death, but luckily the other guys were quick-witted and said I had amnesia. I’ll play around a bit more, then regain my memory. “Of course, you really helped me out too, bro. Back then when I wasn’t done playing, your idea of faking my death was brilliant!” The phone screen shook, and the next second my end showed the call had been disconnected.

Alexander came back ten minutes later. He didn’t dare look at me, just handed me what he bought and quickly got into the driver’s seat, locking the car doors. “I had someone send over some ginger tea with red dates. It’s at home. Do you… want to go back and drink it?” Alexander’s words carried a hint of caution. It made me laugh a little. Alexander was a well-known second generation rich kid in the city. He was also Jack’s best friend. In the past when I went out to eat with Jack, Alexander was always there. Back then he was very cold towards me, especially when people around us urged Jack and me to show affection, he wouldn’t even give us a glance. He even sneered and showed disgust. To the point where people in that circle all thought he hated me. Until later, on the day of Jack’s “fatal” car accident, I received a video. A video sent by Alexander. In the video Jack was laughing as he told someone: “The thought of being with only Emily after marriage is unbearable. “I’ll fake my death and play around for a few more years. Comfort her often, don’t let her do anything stupid.” But I never expected that this fake death was actually Alexander’s idea. This man was quite scheming.

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“Just sign it, Lily. My child can’t be illegitimate.” The night my sister was hospitalized after a car accident, her husband slapped the divorce papers against the ICU glass. Outside, he wrapped his arm around a female student’s waist, his fingers suggestively caressing her swollen belly. “She’s supported you for eight years. It’s time for her to step aside.” I stared at the girl’s face with a hint of amusement. Lily Evans: My high school classmate – the bully who drove someone to suicide eight years ago – now wrapped in a pure white cotton dress, timidly calling me “little sister Olivia.” Amidst the chaos, I clutched the paper in my pocket tightly. It was my brother-in-law’s medical report, showing a sperm survival rate of 0.03%. 0 “It’s okay, Lily. You know she can’t have a boy. A hen that can’t even lay eggs should be slaughtered.” Professor Thompson shielded Lily behind him, his crude language a far cry from his usual refined professorial image. On the other side of the glass, my sister’s oxygen mask was seeping blood. She remained oblivious to her husband’s betrayal. The smell of disinfectant stung my eyes as I looked through the glass at my sister’s body, riddled with tubes. Just three days ago, she had been adjusting Lily’s master’s degree gown tassel, smiling warmly: “Lily is like a second sister to me.” Because Lily wasn’t just anyone – she was the girl my sister had been supporting all these years. In her sophomore year of high school, Lily had been at the top of her class. Everyone in the village said she was destined for greatness, surely bound for Harvard. But her family couldn’t afford it. Her parents wanted her to marry the mayor’s son early, to help pay for her brother’s wedding. She wasn’t content with her fate and kept seeking sponsors. My sister, seeing her plight, immediately drove to her home to investigate. Not only did she give Lily’s parents a sum of money, but she also sponsored Lily through high school, college, and graduate school. Lily’s college entrance exam scores weren’t as stellar as expected. She didn’t make it into Harvard, barely scraping by with an undergraduate degree. Her subsequent master’s degree and upcoming PhD were all arranged by my sister. When Lily applied for her PhD, my sister placed her in Professor Thompson’s lab – the most prestigious lab in her field. Over these eight years, my sister not only arranged Lily’s education but also used her connections to find her jobs. As for Lily’s future marriage, my sister had been planning ahead, already scouting suitable young talents for her. Who would have thought that Lily didn’t fancy young, handsome men, but instead jumped into my brother-in-law’s bed? Professor Thompson sat with Lily for a while, then lost patience. He pulled out a document from his folder and handed it to me: “When your sister wakes up, have her sign this agreement.” His tone was indifferent, as if the person in the hospital room had nothing to do with him. I flipped through a page and felt my face flush with anger. How shameless! My sister was unconscious in the hospital, and here he was, bringing his mistress to force my sister to leave with nothing? 0

Seeing my silence, Lily looked up with a timid expression, her voice soft and hesitant. “I’m so sorry, Olivia. I’m grateful to Amelia, and to James too. I just want to fulfill their wish and give the Thompson family a son to carry on the family name.” “I’m not asking for any status. James and I are truly in love. I only want to repay their kindness.” Lily bit her lip, looking like a frightened deer. Professor Thompson held her closer, his eyes full of concern: “Don’t say that, Lily. I’m determined to get this divorce!” Suddenly, Lily stumbled and grabbed my father’s sleeve, her pregnant belly accidentally bumping against the emergency cart. She looked up with tears in her eyes: “James, why don’t we just leave? Amelia is in such a state…” “Leave? No way! My grandson must be born legitimate!” A shrill voice cut through the corridor. It was Mrs. Thompson, my sister’s mother-in-law, clutching her prayer beads as she rushed over. Her bony finger jabbed at my nose: “You little brat, how dare you glare at your sister Lily? She’s carrying our heir!” The prayer beads stung my face as they swung against it, reminiscent of the cigarette burns Lily had inflicted on a transfer student’s hand eight years ago, the sparks splattering onto my school uniform. I smiled, fingering the medical report: “You’re right, Auntie. The Thompson family’s precious grandson should be properly verified. But how do you know it’s a boy? Or even a Thompson at all?” I deliberately dragged out my words, watching Lily’s face turn ashen: “With today’s technology, prenatal paternity tests are quite safe.” I chuckled, feeling the other paper in my pocket – a document delivered by courier this morning, its cover stamped with “Sperm Bank Withdrawal Record Inquiry Result.” Suddenly, Lily clutched her belly and crumpled to the ground. Dark red blood flowers bloomed on her pure white cotton dress. Her voice was extremely weak: “Little sister Olivia, it’s understandable that you misunderstand me. You and Amelia are so close, but how could the baby not be James’…” She suddenly grasped the hem of my clothes, her eyes brimming with tears, her face as white as jade with a few spots of red: “Little sister Olivia, I’ll be honest with you. James was actually my first love.” Seeing the beauty in tears, Professor Thompson immediately slammed me against the wall. The back of my head rang from the impact. “You little bitch, just like your sister. Look at what state Lily is in, and you’re still upsetting her! Don’t I know if Lily was a virgin or not?” “If anything happens to Lily’s baby, I’ll make you and your sister pay with your lives.” Professor Thompson loosened his tie, glaring at me fiercely. The monitor was still screeching. I licked the blood from the corner of my mouth and looked at Lily. She was using the support as cover to flash me a familiar cold smirk. That smile was identical to the one on that rainy night when she had stomped on the transfer student’s head, burning her face with a cigarette! The transfer student’s pretty face was already blistered from the burns. Lily, ignoring her cries, yanked the latest model earrings right off her ears. “James, my stomach hurts so much.” Her trembling fingers clutched my brother-in-law’s tie, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. In a corner out of sight, she mouthed to me: You’ve already lost. 0

Ten years ago, on a night like this, my sister had burst into the dorm room, soaking wet, clutching James’ scholarship application form tightly to her chest. Back then, her eyes had sparkled: “Olivia, he said he’d buy me a diamond ring once he becomes a professor.” Yes, my sister had always been deeply in love with James. James’ current position was entirely due to my sister’s support. In high school, James had fallen for my sister at first sight – she was from a wealthy family and excelled academically. He’d said, “Amelia, I can’t give you much now, but I can give you my whole heart.” Under James’ gentle advances, my sister had gradually fallen for him. They finished high school together, did their master’s together, their PhDs together, and finally stayed on as faculty at the same university. When James couldn’t afford tuition, my sister paid for him. When James struggled with his research, my sister comforted him. When James was awkward at social events, my sister worked the room for his projects, putting on countless fake smiles. A young man from a rural area, who originally couldn’t afford tuition and was about to drop out. After meeting my sister, his life took an upward trajectory, eventually becoming a top professor. Amidst the shrill alarms of the monitors, I saw my sister’s fingers twitch through the glass. The prayer beads Mrs. Thompson had thrown at her were still wrapped around her pale wrist, the sandalwood beads gleaming a dark red under the cold fluorescent lights. Three months ago, when I’d burst into the Thompson house, these supposedly blessed beads had been grinding into my sister’s hand. Lily had leaned into James’ embrace, chuckling lightly: “Don’t upset yourself, Mrs. Thompson. Amelia just can’t have children, it’s not like she deliberately killed your grandson.” This was the home my sister had protected for ten years. Mrs. Thompson had always used my sister’s inability to have children as an excuse to treat her poorly. She would berate my sister daily, and my sister often cried secretly in her room, hating herself for not being able to bear a child. “Olivia, what are you standing there for?” Mrs. Thompson suddenly grabbed my collar, her prayer beads digging into my collarbone. “Hurry up and buy some brown sugar for your brother-in-law! Lily says her stomach hurts and she wants ginger tea!” I looked at this old woman who had once knelt in front of the Wells’ mansion begging for tuition money. Now she wore a jade bracelet my sister had given her, but used her gold-ringed finger to jab at my chest: “You jinx, all you Wells women are bad luck!” I had long known about my brother-in-law’s affair. That day in the lab, I’d seen James holding Lily. His suggestive fingers had slipped off her clothes, and I knew then that my seemingly upright brother-in-law had finally given in to temptation. Lily gently pushed James away with her small hand, as if reluctantly: “James, we shouldn’t be doing this.” I had run back to the Thompson house in a rage, intending to tell my sister about James’ infidelity. But I found my sister crouched in the Thompsons’ bathroom, scrubbing the toilet. Mrs. Thompson had thrown her blood-stained underwear on my sister’s head: “If you can’t have children, you should at least absorb some human energy.” After returning home, I checked all of James’ papers, only to discover that the first authorship that should have belonged to my sister had been changed to Lily! But this experimental data was clearly my sister’s! 0

It turned out that for all these years, James had been claiming my sister’s experimental data as his own to get promoted to full professor. My sister had kept quiet for the sake of her husband’s career. Years later, when she finally had the chance to become a full professor herself, it turned out her work had become the bully’s achievement. That day, I brooded alone for a long time. Had my sister and James’ childlessness all these years really been just my sister’s problem? I secretly doubted, and tricked James into participating in our company’s free comprehensive physical examination. Finally, I got the test report: sperm survival rate 0.03%. How could he possibly father a child? It had been him all along who couldn’t have children, yet James had pinned all the blame on my sister for all these years. I clenched my fists, slowly formulating a plan. I smiled and took Mrs. Thompson’s hand, looking at her with a hint of apology: “My sister’s inability to give the Thompson family a ‘biological grandson’ all these years is indeed her fault. I’ll go buy some brown sugar water for sister Lily right away. Don’t worry, as soon as my sister wakes up, I’ll make sure she signs this divorce agreement immediately.” Mrs. Thompson was surprised but nodded confidently, her wrinkled finger poking me lightly: “Little Olivia is so sensible, unlike that jinx of a sister. When our Thompson family has a grandson, you’ll have contributed too.” I suddenly grabbed her hand emotionally, tears welling up: “Oh, Auntie, you’re such a good person! All these years you’ve never held a grudge, and you’re even giving me credit. When Lily gives James a ‘biological son’, can I come see him? After all, Lily has given the Thompson family quite a ‘surprise’!” Seeing Mrs. Thompson hesitate, I continued: “It’s not that I want to cause trouble. It’s just that my parents feel guilty too. They think my sister has let the Thompson family down. They want to take this opportunity to properly apologize to the Thompson family and bring a big gift.” Hearing the words “big gift,” Mrs. Thompson’s eyes widened. She fingered her prayer beads and squinted. Then she nodded, grunting: “Fine then. Your Wells family is finally showing some sense. Having my son as an ex-son-in-law, a big professor, brings glory to your family name too.” I chuckled softly, wondering if James would be able to handle seeing his “biological son” later. I turned and went to buy brown sugar water for Lily, bringing it to her after it was ready: “Sister Lily, I’m sorry you’re not feeling well and had to come all this way. My sister’s fate is in heaven’s hands now, you don’t need to wish for her early death.” Lily shook her head repeatedly in denial: “Olivia, I only hope for Amelia’s speedy recovery.” “Well, thank you then. The brown sugar water is getting cold, drink up.” I was too lazy to argue with her, scooping up some brown sugar water and looking at her expectantly. “Sister Lily, I truly know I was wrong. There’s nothing wrong with the brown sugar water, I just bought it. You’ll feel better after drinking it.” Seeing her reluctance, I let a few tears drop, looking up at her pitifully. James inexplicably felt a twinge of softness and coaxed Lily: “Lily, drink some brown sugar water. It’ll make you feel better.” After a few seconds of standoff, Lily finally took a small sip. Then, she clutched her belly and screamed. Seeing this, Mrs. Thompson immediately threw her prayer beads at my face. James scooped Lily up in one motion, and the three of them hurried away. 0

I walked to the hospital bed and removed my sister’s oxygen mask, looking at her with concern: “Sis, do you see my brother-in-law’s true colors now?” My sister’s eyes were filled with tears, her voice choked with sobs: “Olivia, how could I have loved the wrong person?” I hugged her tightly, speaking softly: “It’s okay, sis. At least we still have a chance now. At least we can fight back.” After comforting my sister, I went to Lily’s hospital bed. James and Mrs. Thompson had gone out to buy food, so I locked the door behind me. Lily was peeling an apple. When she saw it was me, she dropped the fruit knife in terror. “Olivia, your sister isn’t dead yet and you’re already rushing to show your loyalty?” Lily shrank back, the jade pendant on her chest gleaming coldly – it was the family heirloom Mrs. Thompson had forcibly yanked from my sister’s neck. I sat down on her hospital bed, smiling as I tucked a stray hair behind her ear: “Sister Lily, why aren’t you calling me ‘little sister Olivia’ anymore? Why have you dropped the act?” “Olivia, I could cripple your sister, and dealing with you would be even simpler. Are you trying to threaten me?” Lily straightened up, a sinister smile playing on her red lips. “I’m well aware of Sister Lily’s methods. We saw them in high school, didn’t we?” “But today, let’s talk about something else.” I opened my phone and projected an image onto the stark white wall. The sperm bank records cast an eerie light, with Lily’s signature clearly visible next to the notation [Donor ID X-0742]. Seeing this, Lily’s eyes widened in disbelief: “How did you get this?” Ignoring her question, I looked at her with a hint of mockery: “So the child isn’t my brother-in-law’s after all! You couldn’t even wait for IVF, could you?” I swiped to the next image on the wall projection, my smile growing brighter: “Actually, I can understand your impatience. After all, the Thompson family struck gold with one professor. They’d need a legitimate grandson to inherit, wouldn’t they?” Lily’s face turned deathly pale. She bit her lip: “You little bitch, what do you want?” I smiled at her: “Why, to ask for your help, of course.” Seeing Lily’s hesitation, I tossed her James’ medical report showing his 0.03% sperm survival rate, then twisted the knife: “I could guess the child wasn’t my brother-in-law’s, but I never imagined it wasn’t William’s either!”

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I was working part-time at a high-end karaoke bar when I ran into my supposedly poor boyfriend. He was dressed in expensive clothes, wearing a luxury watch, and shouting, “I’m picking up the tab for everyone tonight!” I couldn’t believe my eyes. This was the same guy who insisted on splitting the bill when we shared a bowl of pasta. Then the girl in his arms called out his name. “Alex, you said you were pretending to be poor and dating that bitch to get revenge for me. How long are you planning to keep up this game?” Alexander pecked her lips. “Of course, until she loves me the most. Then I’ll reveal everything and humiliate her just like she humiliated you…” My nails dug into my palms. But I had never wronged him… Hearing Alexander’s words, the mask I wore made it hard to breathe. My hands trembled uncontrollably, making it difficult to pour drinks. My whole body felt cold. I was still in disbelief. At that moment, Alexander lit a cigarette. “You don’t know, that bitch is head over heels for me now. She brings me water, washes my feet every day, and willingly lies in bed to serve me. Even when I hit her, she still shamelessly tries to comfort me… She’s utterly despicable!” He waved his hand dismissively. “If it weren’t for wanting to get revenge for Scarlett, I’d lose my appetite just looking at her greasy face!” Someone chimed in, “Exactly! How dare such a lowlife hurt Scarlett and almost get her assaulted.” He turned to Scarlett and raised his glass. “We’ll all stand up for you!” I stood still, suppressing the chill that kept rising in my heart. It turns out that when you suddenly discover the truth, you can’t react immediately. Someone nearby shamelessly approached Alexander. “How about we all have some fun with that bitch too?” Alexander casually took out an intimate video he had tricked me into making. “Sure, take a look. Anyone interested? When the time comes, I’ll make up an excuse about needing money. She might even let you guys do whatever you want with her for my sake.” Hearing this, my hand shook violently. It felt like a huge hole had been torn in my heart, letting in a gust of cold wind. I did know Scarlett, but I truly had no idea when I had ever hurt her. And it turns out this rich young master had gone to great lengths to pretend to be poor, deceiving both my body and my heart. Some of the alcohol I was holding splashed onto Scarlett. She gave me a strange look, as if she had noticed something, and then started screaming. “Watch where you’re going, you blind idiot!” Alexander’s dangerous gaze turned towards me, his eyes darkening. “Oh, looks like someone’s upset Alexander’s precious darling,” the crowd jeered. Alexander twirled his wine glass, his gaze lingering on my face before he spoke coldly. “You’re so clueless, you can’t even be a good dog. As punishment, get down on all fours and bark like a dog,” he said, scattering money from his hand. “Crawl around this room five times on your knees!” “However much of this money you can catch in your mouth, you can keep!” The intense humiliation rushed to my head. If it weren’t for the mask covering my face, I’m sure I would have looked paler than the mask itself. Was this really the same gentle, kind-hearted man who would roll up his sleeves and say he’d stand up for me when I was treated unfairly? I stood there, motionless. Scarlett turned her head and clicked her tongue a couple of times. “Aren’t you desperate for money? Why pretend to have dignity now?” She draped herself over Alexander’s neck and said in a deliberately coy voice. “Speaking of needing money, I saw that bitch Olivia getting pretty close to some rich guy the other day. I bet she’s trying to climb the social ladder…” Others laughed, “Tsk tsk, even a lowlife like her is trying to move up in the world!” “Haha! If she knew that Alexander is the son of the richest family in the city, I wonder how much she’d regret it!” “We’re all looking forward to seeing the look on her face when she finds out the truth!”

I stood there rigidly, feeling like everyone’s gaze was piercing into my body like needles. That rich guy they mentioned was my childhood friend. After my family went bankrupt, he was the only one who didn’t look at me differently. I had gone to him to ask if he could help Alexander find an easier, more respectable job. “Hurry up and crawl! Bark like a dog!” Those spoiled rich kids were used to toying with people for fun. Seeing me frozen in place, Alexander viciously kicked my knee. I felt a sharp pain in my bones. My head hit the coffee table hard. Blood spilled everywhere. “How disgusting!” Alexander saw that I stubbornly refused to move and gave up his malicious gaze. Scarlett extended her high-heeled foot and ground it into my hand. The pain made me break out in a cold sweat, but I clenched my teeth to avoid making a sound. Alexander finally lost patience. He carelessly tossed a wad of cash into my shirt collar and had someone throw me out of the room. I quickly treated my wounds and stumbled home. Looking at the simple, familiar furnishings in my rented apartment, I felt dazed. Just this morning when Alexander left, he had kissed me and said he would love me forever. Now, coming back here, it felt like the beautiful world had shattered, revealing dark fangs. I started packing my things. Late into the night, the door opened and Alexander walked in. “Baby, I’m done with work. Look, I bought your favorite cake with my bonus.” I noticed the obvious signs that someone had tampered with the cake, and silently avoided his embrace. He kept rambling about how much he had sweated and been bullied by others just to buy this cake for me. I glanced at my phone and saw Scarlett’s new post on Instagram. The photo showed the same cake, but she had many pieces spread out on the floor. The caption read, [Craving cake… The one who loves me will always bring what I want right away… (heart emoji)] As I listened to Alexander’s words, I looked straight into his eyes. “Alex, do you really love me?” Alexander was taken aback for a moment, then quickly put on his trademark pitiful expression and tried to hug me. “I love Olivia, I’ll love Olivia forever.” I looked at him, remembering what he had said at the karaoke bar not long ago… “When the time comes, I’ll make up an excuse about needing money, and she might even let you all have your way with her!” “Just looking at her face makes me want to vomit!” I couldn’t help but tremble and stepped back, bumping into the table. The wad of cash he had stuffed into my shirt fell out. Alexander’s almond-shaped eyes narrowed dangerously, once again looking like the young master from earlier. “Well, well, Olivia! So you really have hooked up with some rich guy. How shameless can you be?” “How did I end up with such a slut!” Seeing his expression, I felt like I’d been struck by lightning. He raised his hand as if to slap me. I flinched and stumbled into the bedroom. He followed me in and saw the luggage I had packed all over the floor. He paused for a moment, then folded his arms and blocked the door, his mouth curving into a deep sneer, his eyes sinister. “Planning to elope with someone else, are you? Do you look down on me that much? Is it just because I don’t have money?” I wanted to explain. He slammed the door shut. Alexander also cut off the power to the room. He knew full well that I had claustrophobia.

The darkness rushed towards me like a tidal wave. I felt like I was drowning, gasping for air but still suffocating. After what seemed like an eternity, I heard voices outside. “Alex, baby, aren’t you worried that poor bitch will get jealous if you bring me here?” I could hear the sound of passionate kissing. Alexander’s voice was full of suppressed desire. “Don’t worry, she can’t make trouble. She can’t get out. She’s probably just wailing in there right now.” So he knew about my suffering. At that moment, I could almost see him lifting Scarlett’s lingerie, just like he had at the karaoke bar. His low whisper hit me like a hammer, making my brain reel. “Besides, don’t you think her screams make it more exciting?” My throat was already hoarse from begging. It felt like I had swallowed a huge block of ice in my chest. I could barely move my body. In my hazy consciousness, images from the past floated before me. I first met Alexander on a sweltering summer day. I was wearing a heavy mascot costume, handing out flyers, when a group of kids started chasing and hitting me with sticks. My body swayed, and I nearly fainted. “You can’t bully people like that!” It was Alexander who stopped them and chased them away. Then he handed me a bottle of ice-cold water, saving me from heat stroke. He sat down beside me and said gently, “I’ve handed out flyers in the heat before too. I know how tough it is.” Then he told me that he came from a similar background as me. My heart pounded like a drum, and the world seemed to go silent except for the sound of my racing heartbeat. After that day, we naturally got together. We rented a small studio apartment together and slept on a narrow twin bed. But he was good to me, bringing me gifts every day after work. When I burned myself while cooking, he would kiss my fingers with tears in his eyes. “Olivia, thank you. You don’t know how much I love you.” Due to family troubles, I developed a sleepwalking problem. He would thoughtfully put foam padding on the corners of tables and cabinets, afraid I might bump into them. I thought he cared about me, but that day at the karaoke bar, I clearly heard him tell others, “That bitch even sleepwalks. It’s disgusting how she wanders around in the middle of the night!” I fell into a deep sleep. My last impression was of Alexander’s contemptuous and arrogant face at the karaoke bar that day. That scene pierced my heart like a sharp sword. I woke up gasping for air, to find Alexander staring at me intently. His eyes were deep, his thoughts unreadable. Seeing me lower my head submissively, he said, “Done throwing a tantrum? That’s better. I’ll take you out for our anniversary.” He dragged me to an upscale restaurant. Alexander lied without blinking an eye, “I saved up for a whole year to bring you here.” I sneered inwardly. One meal here probably cost less than what young master Alexander spent on drinks in a single night. Alexander expertly pulled out a chair for me and prepared the cutlery. “I’ll spend time with you properly today, to celebrate us making up.” “From now on, I’ll accompany you here for every anniversary. It’ll be our special secret.” He whispered in my ear. My heart fluttered slightly at these sweet words. Seeing his sincere and doting gaze, I felt a bit dazed. Was he just too good at acting, or had he started to believe his own act? Maybe he did have some genuine feelings… Just then, Alexander’s phone started ringing. Scarlett’s coquettish laugh came through. “Alex, baby, I need you for something.” Alexander didn’t hesitate for a second. “I’ll be right there.” I watched Alexander impassively. “I have to go.” The person across from me left without a second thought, completely forgetting his promise to spend our anniversary with me. Watching his cold retreating figure, the last flicker of emotion in my heart was completely extinguished. I saw Lucas and greeted him. Just as I was about to leave, Scarlett walked in through the door. “Well, well, I was wondering why this restaurant smelled so bad. Turns out it’s the stench of poverty from someone here!” She had brought a group of her friends. Before my family went bankrupt, these people used to flock around me. I straightened my back and stood up, not wanting to cause trouble. I tried to leave through the side. “Excuse me, I have somewhere to be.” But Scarlett had her friends block my way. “What could you possibly have to do? Go seduce some rich man?” “Or have you already picked your target and can’t wait to strip naked and throw yourself into his bed? So eager… Olivia, how can you be such a slut?” “Is this really the daughter of the Reed family, one of the richest in the city? What would your parents think if they saw you like this?” Scarlett covered her mouth dramatically and raised her eyebrows. Her friends laughed along on cue. “Don’t go too far!” I glared at her angrily, suppressing my fury. My family had always helped her, but for some reason she kept targeting me and my family.

Hearing my angry rebuke, Scarlett laughed even more arrogantly. “I’m going too far? I can go even further…” Scarlett yanked the tablecloth off, sending all the dishes crashing to the floor. “You must be really short on cash right now,” she signaled with her eyes, and two people came over to grab me. “If you eat all the food off the floor, this money is yours.” She took out a wad of cash and patted my cheek with it. “I won’t!” I struggled as they twisted my arms and pushed my head down into the spilled soup on the floor. The pain in my arms felt like they were being torn apart. The jeering laughter of those people exploded in my ears like an evil curse. Just when I thought I couldn’t take it anymore, a voice rang out. “What are you doing?” Alexander stood in the doorway, frowning as he looked at me. Maybe it was my imagination, but I thought I saw a hint of heartache in his eyes. I opened my mouth, wanting to speak. But Scarlett beat me to it, clenching her fists. “Alex, baby, your girlfriend was trying to seduce rich men. I was teaching her a lesson for you!” Alexander helped me up and handed me a napkin to wipe the soup off my face. I took a deep breath, looking at Scarlett’s coquettish smile. Anger surged within me. “Aren’t you the one seducing my boyfriend?” Whispers rippled through the crowd of onlookers in the restaurant. People had been speculating about my relationship with Scarlett. Scarlett’s face paled, and she threw herself into Alexander’s arms. “Alex, baby, why don’t we tell her the truth? She really thinks she’s your girlfriend…” She shot me a coy glance. But Alexander dodged her embrace and said in a low voice, “What truth?” I suddenly felt it all so pointless and turned to leave the restaurant. Alexander chased after me. “Scarlett means well. She’s just looking out for me. Who told you to smile at other rich men…” I was surprised. “So you knew?” Alexander nodded. “I went to find Scarlett and saw it on the security cameras.” “So you saw Scarlett ordering others to torment me? And you… you waited so long to come…” My lips curved into a bitter smirk. “You must have enjoyed seeing me in such a miserable state, right?” Alexander choked. “I…” I turned to leave, but Scarlett chased after us. “Olivia, to show how sorry I am, I’d like to invite you to a party. You won’t refuse, will you?” Looking at her malicious eyes, I felt like a cold snake was staring at me. I was about to refuse when Alexander answered for me, “She’ll be there.” I looked at Alexander in shock, my chest aching. My voice was already choked with tears. “Don’t you know how she humiliates me every time?” But Alexander was unmoved. “Scarlett means well. You must have done something to upset her.” “So you need to go and apologize…” Alexander forcibly dragged me to the party. The crowd was wildly dancing, champagne spraying everywhere. It was a celebration for a bunch of rich brats. When they saw me arrive, their eyes lit up with malicious glee. All eyes turned to Scarlett, as if waiting for something. Sure enough, Scarlett walked over with a thin piece of cloth in her hand. “Olivia, I heard you’re short on cash. If you put this on and do a striptease for us here, we’ll all give you some money.”

The crowd started jeering. I knocked the cloth out of her hand, my face rigid with shame and anger almost overwhelming me. But Scarlett leaned in and whispered in my ear, “I know it was you at the karaoke bar that day. Should I tell all your old friends to go take care of your ‘business’?” The color drained from my face, and a chill ran through my body. Before my family’s bankruptcy, they had treated me like a princess on a pedestal. Now, I’m sure they’d be more than willing to watch me fall and be humiliated. I instinctively wanted to escape. I looked around, seeking help. But Scarlett curved her lips into a smile. “Let’s play a game. If you can find someone willing to save you, we’ll let you off today.” My hands shook as I took out my phone, barely managing to dial Alexander’s number. Into the phone, I pleaded desperately, “Alexander, I know you’ve found out the truth about why you approached me, but I really never bullied Scarlett.” “For the sake of all I’ve given you these past three years, please save me! They want me to do a striptease… They’re really going to assault me!” I was on the verge of kneeling, looking completely broken. Those people watched me with amused expressions, as if enjoying a show. I touched my earlobe, making sure that object was still there. Thankfully, ever since the last humiliation, I had prepared something special for them, just in case. Before I could finish speaking, Alexander’s impatient voice came through, “Now that you know my identity, you’re trying to butter me up? Using our relationship to threaten me? I never had any real feelings for you!” “Just do whatever they tell you to do.” “I saw with my own eyes how badly Scarlett was hurt. Just as Scarlett said, you’re nothing but a liar! You owe Scarlett this much. She has a soft heart; if you apologize sincerely, she won’t make things difficult for you.” The blood vessels in my head throbbed, and I could barely make out what he said after that. Seeing Scarlett’s triumphant smile, I lowered my head. …No one was going to save me. Scarlett waved her hand and announced into a microphone, “Come on, strip her clothes off and let her give us a striptease show today!” “We’re all looking forward to the great Olivia Reed’s striptease performance!” I tried my best to dodge, but grabby hands came at me from all directions. Seeing that I wouldn’t comply, someone grabbed a fork and stabbed it into my hand. Blood sprayed everywhere. Someone else kicked me hard. I crawled on the ground, my mouth filled with the taste of blood. Suddenly, Scarlett came over and tried to rip open the buttons on my chest. I dodged to the side. I grabbed the microphone next to me and smashed it towards Scarlett’s head. A hush fell over the crowd. Following the crowd’s gaze, I saw Alexander standing in the doorway. He walked over to Scarlett with concern, checking her injuries. Her hand was only red from the impact. The blood on it was actually mine. “Alex, baby, I was just trying to help Olivia fix her clothes. Look what she did to me…” She pouted, looking wronged. Alexander looked at Scarlett’s hand covered in my blood, then glared at me angrily. “And here I was worried about you, coming to check on you.” “You really are the same as always, just betraying people’s trust.”

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I was kidnapped by abductors, while my husband spent a passionate night with his first love. In the end, I was brutally assaulted by the criminals and left to die in an unmarked grave. After death, my soul, weighed down by intense resentment, couldn’t ascend to heaven and remained stubbornly attached to my body. Only by finding the murderers could I quell my vengeful spirit. When I dragged my broken body home, my husband accused me of lying. On the seventh day after my death, my husband married his first love, while the video of my assault and dismemberment was leaked online. When the truth finally came to light, I felt a great burden lift from my shoulders as I slowly closed my eyes… “Sophia! I don’t care what you’re doing right now, I’m not coming to see you because I’m going to pick up Olivia!” Alexander’s voice came through the phone, crushing my last hope. As I heard this, my heart turned to ash, and my struggles against my captors gradually weakened. The criminals grinned lecherously, “So we can have our way with your wife then?” Alexander replied carelessly, “Do whatever you want!” “After all, she’s just a loose woman. Her chastity probably doesn’t mean much to her anyway!” With that, he hung up the phone. And I endured twelve hours of inhuman torture. The next day, I opened my eyes to see my own dismembered body. Last night, those men had brutally assaulted me before cutting me into pieces and dumping me in the wilderness. Am I dead… or not? Right now, only my soul was left wandering. So this is what people call the seven days after death when the body dies but the soul lingers. My body was wracked with searing pain, and there wasn’t an inch of unscathed skin left. The memories of last night’s horrors were still vivid. I still forced myself to stand up through the pain and started walking home. Back at the mansion, I knocked several times before someone came to the door. “Who are you?” Olivia appeared at the door with sleepy eyes, her legs barely hidden under Alexander’s shirt. “I’m…” I took a deep breath, “Alexander’s wife.” Olivia’s eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at me. Then she waved her hand in front of her face. “What’s that smell? It’s so foul!” But I couldn’t smell anything at all. Because I was already dead, my senses were slowly fading away. Seven days from now, I would completely disappear from this world. From last night until now, I had been dead for eight hours. My body was starting to emit an odor, and black spots were appearing on my arms. “Is it a beggar? Why don’t you just send her away?” Alexander came down from upstairs nonchalantly. Seeing me, he sneered. “See, I told you she was out having fun!” “What kidnapping? It was all a lie!” “She’s the best at lying, after all.” Hearing Alexander’s confident accusations, my heart felt like it was being cut by a knife. He hated me. He always thought it was because of me that he couldn’t be with his childhood sweetheart Olivia. Three years ago, Alexander had sex with me while drunk, mistaking me for Olivia, and then we got married. From that day on, Alexander never trusted me again. And I was only kept by his side as a substitute for Olivia. “Remember what I told you before?” Alexander approached me with a look of disgust, “Now that Olivia is back, you can leave.” My chest tightened, but I still pleaded, “Give me seven days, please?” Seven days later, if Alexander still didn’t realize I was dead, I would automatically disappear. But if he could find my body, I might have a slim chance of coming back to life. “Fine, it works out perfectly. In seven days, I’m moving abroad with Olivia anyway.” “If you don’t want to leave during these days, you can stay and cook for us!” With that, he went upstairs hand in hand with Olivia. Turning back, he said, “After you’ve been out messing around, clean yourself up.” “You’re filthy!”

I came out after taking a shower and saw Olivia cuddling in Alexander’s arms watching TV. The two of them looked more like a married couple than Alexander and I ever did. “Finished showering?” Alexander pointed to the kitchen nearby, “Go make dinner for my Olivia!” “Olivia doesn’t like spicy food, she prefers sweets. Keep that in mind.” I didn’t move, my fingers clutching tightly at the hem of my shirt. “What are you doing? Go now!” Alexander suddenly got angry, his enraged expression not seeming like an act. Olivia tugged at Alexander’s arm and said softly, “It’s okay if she doesn’t want to cook. I’m hungry too.” Hearing this, Alexander looked even more contemptuous, “Doesn’t want to? I told her long ago she could leave if she wanted. Since she’s still here, she might as well make herself useful!” Hearing Alexander threatening to kick me out, I immediately turned to go to the kitchen to cook for them. Behind me, I heard Alexander joking with Olivia, “What a desperate woman! She can’t live without a man!” “See, I told you she’d do anything for me.” With my back to them, I cooked while crying silently. The pain in my heart made my shoulders tremble slightly. “If you feel wronged, we can always eat out!” Alexander stood behind me, frowning as he smelled the odor coming from my body. “Why do you still smell so bad even after showering?” I paused briefly while chopping vegetables. The truth was, my body was slowly decaying. I had already died yesterday. Although I could appear “alive” in front of Alexander like this, My body would gradually decompose over time. I only had seven days left. Seven days later, if I couldn’t find the murderers, I would vanish into thin air and truly die. “It’ll be ready soon.” I forced a smile, trying not to let Alexander notice anything amiss. “You chose to stay here yourself.” Alexander reminded me again, “Now that Olivia is back, you should know your place as a substitute.” I knew he was trying to force me to leave. “Alexander, we’re not divorced yet.” I looked past his shoulder at Olivia on the couch, trying to remind him not to go too far. But he raised his hand and slapped me across the face, “You slut! Who are you to meddle in my affairs!” “Don’t think you can do whatever you want just because Grandma likes you!” I took a deep breath and looked up at him. His eyes held nothing but disgust for me. “But Grandma will find out if you brazenly bring her back to the mansion like this.” Alexander’s pupils constricted rapidly, and his hand on my shoulder gradually tightened. He whispered in my ear, “That’s why if Grandma finds out, you’re finished.” Alexander reached out and gently stroked my hair, “Is this what you’ve been dreaming of me doing?” Before I could nod, he suddenly yanked my hair hard. “Ah!” I gasped in pain. “But too bad… you don’t deserve it!” “Why didn’t those kidnappers just kill you yesterday!”

His vicious curse made me catch my breath, my lips trembling as I spoke shakily. “I won’t tell Grandma.” Alexander forced me to admit it, then let go of me with satisfaction. “That’s a good girl!” With that, he stepped back and left with Olivia to eat out. I looked at the table full of food I had prepared, feeling like a clown. Alexander never intended to eat the meal I cooked. It was just to mock me. He once told me, “A substitute is just a substitute. Sophia, you’ll never be worth even Olivia’s little finger.” In the end, I threw all the food I had made into the garbage. Since I was already dead, I couldn’t eat anything anyway. Even drinking water made me vomit. Gradually, I felt my whole body growing weaker. In the evening, I received a call from Alexander’s grandmother. On the phone, Grandma Rose sounded reproachful. “My dear, I haven’t seen you in so long. Why haven’t you come to visit me?” Last night, when those beasts were taking turns assaulting me, I didn’t shed a single tear. When I saw my own dismembered body dumped in the wilderness, I wasn’t afraid. But now, Grandma Rose’s words of concern brought tears streaming down my face. “Grandma…” I choked up, “I might not be able to come back for a while. My school has an assignment abroad, so I’ve been busy lately. When I have time, I’ll definitely… come see you!” Perhaps my tone sounded too pitiful, because Grandma Rose sensed something was wrong. “Is Alexander bullying you?” Remembering Alexander’s menacing look when he warned me this morning, I quickly denied it. “No, no, I’ve just been too busy lately.” I chatted briefly with Grandma Rose before hanging up. Late that night, Alexander hurried back home. He took Olivia and went straight to the bedroom. As I passed by their door, I heard passionate sounds coming from inside. I couldn’t help but pause. Through the half-open door, I saw two entwined bodies. Olivia was straddling Alexander, her head turned to look at me with blatant triumph in her eyes. I quietly closed the door for them. In the dead of night, violent knocking on my door startled me awake. As soon as I opened the door, I smelled alcohol. Alexander’s eyes were bloodshot. “You…” He pushed me roughly onto the bed. “You still went and tattled, didn’t you?” I shook my head, but it was too late. Alexander flipped me over. “Turn your head away, I don’t want to see your face!” I buried my face in the pillow. The pain of Alexander’s forceful entry made me dizzy several times. “Isn’t this what you wanted me to do to you?” Alexander’s tone held no warmth, only cruelty. “But you don’t deserve it!” He tormented me all night before finally seeming satisfied. He looked at me and said, “After all these years, you’re still like a dead fish. How could anyone be interested!” “Compared to Olivia, you’re not even close!” I lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling as the room spun around me. Blood rushed to my head and tears that I could no longer hold back spilled from my eyes. But when Alexander saw me, he only thought I was pretending. Only six days left now. I had hoped to use these six days to say a final, dignified goodbye to Alexander. But now, it seemed there was no need for that anymore. “Alexander… let’s get divorced!”

“Gladly!” Alexander’s tone was full of excitement. “I couldn’t ask for anything better!” “How else could I marry Olivia if I don’t divorce you?” Mustering the last of my strength, I propped myself up on my elbow to sit up. Looking at Alexander, I asked a question I had always wanted to ask, “Alexander, did you ever love me?” Alexander jumped off the bed, about to leave. Hearing my question, he laughed. I laughed too. Because we both knew the answer to that question. “I hate you.” “If it weren’t for you, Olivia and I might have been together long ago. We would have studied art together, fulfilled her childhood dreams. It’s all because of you!” After Alexander left, I slowly closed my eyes. Everything he had just said – those were my wishes, the future I had once shared with Alexander. But he had forgotten it all. I was an orphan, raised in an orphanage from a young age. When I was nine, Grandma Rose took me in as her adopted granddaughter. “I felt a connection with this girl at first sight. I brought her home to grow up with Alexander so they’d have each other for company.” And so I came to live with the Jiang family. But to my surprise, when Grandma Rose introduced me to Alexander, all that awaited me was coldness. Before I was adopted by the Jiang family, I was never popular at the orphanage. Back then, I was small and skinny, completely unremarkable. Every summer, Grandma Rose would bring Alexander to spend the holidays at the orphanage. At that time, I was so afraid of crowds that I always hid in the attic of the orphanage. But each time, I would secretly peek at Alexander playing with the other girls. Among these girls, the most popular was Olivia. Becoming like Olivia was my dream throughout my entire childhood. Like me, Olivia was also an orphan. Unlike us, she always received preferential treatment. Because she was pretty and had blossomed into a lovely young lady at an early age. Every time Alexander came to visit, the orphanage director would dress Olivia in beautiful dresses. The director and teachers’ intentions were obvious – they wanted her to be adopted by the Jiang family. I secretly liked Alexander, but no one knew. I would trace his features over and over on paper. Many times, I wanted to go downstairs to play with him. But I was just too unremarkable. So much so that I never spoke to Alexander during my time at the orphanage. Everyone at the orphanage crowded around Alexander and Olivia. Everyone thought Grandma Rose would take Olivia home. But an accident happened… The summer I was eight years old, Alexander accidentally fell into the pond and nearly drowned. As usual, I was reading on the second floor of the orphanage when I heard cries for help. I looked out the window. Alexander’s body was bobbing up and down in the water, while Olivia was too scared to speak. I dropped my book and ran over, picking up a stick on the ground to reach out to Alexander. After Alexander got to shore, he fainted and lay there like he was dead. I was so scared I stood frozen, unable to speak. The children who came running when they heard the cries pointed at me and shouted, “Sophia! You pushed Alexander into the pond!” In the crowd, I saw Olivia. She stared with wide eyes but said nothing. “Sophia! Did you push Alexander in?” The orphanage teacher roughly shoved me to the side. “I… didn’t.” Usually too timid to speak up, I couldn’t help but defend myself in that moment. But Olivia stepped forward and pointed at me, “It was Sophia, I saw her!”

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In the fifth year of our marriage, I did something stupid. I sent Xavier Sullivan’s most beloved little bird out of the country, hoping he would have a change of heart. But when he found out, he said nothing. Instead, in an instant, he bankrupted my family, forced my father to kneel, and turned my mother’s hair white overnight. Now he stands before me, his face dark with anger, ready to lay hands on me. “Aria, I blame myself for being too good to you, letting you lose your sense of boundaries,” Xavier says coldly. “Now it’s your turn to taste a fate worse than death.” After Xavier utters these words, I finally look up at him. Four years of dating, five years of marriage. We’ve spent the best years of our youth together. I never imagined we’d end up like this. My hand unconsciously touches my belly. I’m almost three months pregnant. But Xavier seems not to notice, only darkly questioning: “I’ll give you one last chance. Where did she go?” I want to laugh coldly. But my one moment of willfulness has already cost my entire family their livelihood. “Let my parents go, and I’ll tell you,” I say. Xavier nods. He walks over slowly and, catching me off guard, grabs my throat, forcing me to look up at him. “Aria, don’t push your luck,” he growls. “Finding out where Mia is is just a matter of time for me. What right do you have to bargain?” The intense feeling of suffocation makes me gag reflexively, my face turning red, blood vessels bulging. I grit my teeth, sudden fear and despair making my skin crawl, but I still manage to shout with all my might: “So you can make my father kneel to you?!” “That’s my dad!” Xavier just stares at me expressionlessly, his grip inhumanly strong. I stare back into his eyes, tears forced out. Dark and crazed. I have no doubt he would strangle me to death over another woman. Just as I’m about to suffocate, Xavier releases his hand. I gasp violently, my body shaking uncontrollably from the aftershock, curled up on the sofa. In almost an instant, memories of the past flash through my mind. I suddenly can’t control myself and start sobbing loudly. For the past we can’t return to, for this hopeless marriage. And for how pitiful I’ve become. Xavier just stands in front of me, unmoved. He doesn’t even give me time to catch my breath before grabbing my chin again, his tone icy: “I’ll ask you one last time. Where did you send my Mia?”

Xavier left. He got the information he wanted from me and rushed out of the room without stopping. I clearly saw the joy of relief on his face in that instant. My husband has already gone mad for another woman. I wipe away my tears and immediately contact my parents, preparing to move out overnight. I thought my father would scold me, but he just comforts me, his aging voice choked with sobs: “Our little Aria has suffered. Dad doesn’t blame you. Let’s just leave.” After hanging up the phone, guilt and despair overwhelm me. Xavier and I fell in love in college and got married right after graduation. The Sullivan family is wealthy and powerful. For my father, marrying into the Sullivan family was something he never dared to dream of before. He had his concerns, worried I might be bullied. My family has no status, no one to stand up for me. Back then, I confidently told my father that Xavier loved me so much, he would never let me suffer. He would prepare gifts for me on every holiday, generously introduce me to all kinds of friends. When we were apart, he would say he missed me countless times every day, get jealous if others looked at me too long, his eyes turning red with anger. He once said: “Aria, you know, everyone in the Sullivan family is a twisted monster. Only you have taught me what love is.” Xavier was insecure, always needing reassurance of my love over and over. I could only hold him tenderly, again and again, until he fell asleep quietly in my arms. I thought we would be like this until we grew old together, so when his affection dropped off a cliff, I panicked immediately. Mia Parker was a fresh college graduate. The first time I heard her name was from Xavier’s secretary. The secretary said, “Young girls these days have no creativity. The whole ‘throw coffee on the boss’ routine is so outdated.” I listened to it as a joke and didn’t pay much attention. But not long after, Mia became Xavier’s personal assistant, breaking all precedent. He would take Mia horseback riding. When Mia couldn’t ride, Xavier would hold her in front of him, the two of them slowly trotting on one horse. Mia didn’t understand the social graces of the business world. Xavier patiently guided her, even personally teaching her how to brew tea. Some tactless business partners made jokes about Mia. Xavier, usually calm and composed, immediately sent that person to the hospital with a beating. Xavier didn’t seem to have any intention of hiding it. His fondness for Mia was known to all. By the time the news reached my ears, the two were already holding hands at various banquets, kissing amid others’ teasing remarks. Looking at the photos others sent me, I got angry at Xavier for the first time. Xavier just sat in his executive chair, silently watching me. His eyes seemed to say I was making a fuss over nothing. “Aria, you’re almost thirty. Why fight with a young girl?” “When you were in your early twenties, I doted on you the same way, didn’t I?” At that moment, I felt like I’d fallen into an icy abyss. I finally understood. Xavier’s love was very singular. He only loved young women, and I had passed that stage. I originally wanted to just get a divorce, but then I found out I was pregnant. I wanted to make one last effort for my child and family, so I had my father find some people to send Mia abroad. The result was predictable. Nine years of love, and I turned out to be nothing to Xavier. I lost everything.

My father asked for three days to prepare. Since we had already offended the Sullivan family, we no longer had a place in this country. I took this opportunity to schedule an abortion for that day. Since the love was gone, there was really no need to keep Xavier’s child. There would be plenty of young girls to bear children for him anyway. But the doctor said my gestational sac was too large and could only be handled through induced labor, which required hospitalization. But I could only stay in this city for three days, so I had no choice but to postpone this matter. On the way back, I consulted a lawyer about divorce. When they heard it was Xavier Sullivan’s case, they all backed out. “Mrs. Sullivan, Mr. Sullivan’s company has a professional legal team. I’m afraid we’re not qualified to intervene in this matter.” I understood and didn’t push them. After marrying Xavier, I became a full-time housewife. He said he didn’t want me in the public eye, and I foolishly listened for five years. Now all my social connections have gone through Xavier’s hands. I can’t even find anyone to help me. It doesn’t matter. Once he brings Mia back, the divorce should be easy. I roughly sorted through the things at home. I didn’t take any valuables, just some seasonal clothes and identification documents. Pregnancy always made me tired. By evening, I had fallen asleep on the sofa while packing. Until the next day, when the door to my house was opened from the outside. I sat up in fright. To my surprise, Xavier had returned. And he was holding hands with a young girl – Mia. She looked especially fresh-faced. Photos probably only captured half of her beauty. Mia was carrying several luxury brand shopping bags, and the diamonds on her high heels nearly blinded me. It seems he had already placated her. My heart sank. I really didn’t expect Xavier to come back so quickly. I couldn’t help but put my hand on my neck. The feeling of suffocation seemed to return, and I was actually a little afraid of Xavier. I swallowed hard, unable to resist standing up from the sofa. Xavier brought Mia in front of me. In front of me, he smiled and tidied Mia’s hair, then turned to look at me with a bland expression. “Aria, apologize to Mia.”

I could hardly believe my ears. Even if we had torn our relationship apart, he had ruined my family’s livelihood, and even tried to strangle me yesterday. I thought those things were already inhumanly cruel. Now he wants me to apologize to his mistress? Seeing me stunned, Xavier simply grabbed my chin, turning my face towards Mia. “Didn’t you hear? I told you to apologize to Mia.” Xavier is a businessman. He knows too well how to shatter a person’s heart. Even if the person in front of him is his wife of many years. Since entering the house, Mia hadn’t looked at me directly. She lowered her eyes, slightly pursing her lips. Without saying a word, she put on an act of having suffered greatly, inviting sympathy. “Mr. Sullivan, there’s no need for this,” Mia said softly. “My position is already improper. It’s natural for this lady to dislike me.” That’s what she said, but I clearly saw Mia roll her eyes up slightly, glaring at me. Seeing that I remained silent, Mia tugged at Xavier’s sleeve again. “Mr. Sullivan, I’m a bit tired. I want to rest for a while.” Xavier kissed Mia’s cheek, his tone gentle: “Alright, go rest in the bedroom first.” Mia’s big eyes glanced at me, her tone doubtful: “This is your home. Where should I go to rest?” Xavier generously led her to our bedroom, his intentions clear. My whole body trembled uncontrollably. I bit my teeth hard to keep myself from going crazy and cursing loudly. I tried my best to calm my breathing. Watching Xavier escort her properly into the room, I finally spoke hoarsely to his back: “Xavier Sullivan, let’s get a divorce.” “You’ve trampled my dignity like garbage. You’ve destroyed my parents’ life’s work in an instant.” I stared at him with reddened eyes, forcing myself to stay calm: “It’s all my fault. My fault for being blind back then.” Hearing this, Xavier actually raised an eyebrow slightly. He stood in front of me with his hands in his pockets, that handsome face close to my eyes. His expression was malicious. There was even a meaningful look I couldn’t understand. “Who said I want to divorce you?” “As long as you behave and don’t do anything out of line, you’re still my wife, the wealthy Mrs. Sullivan.” I stared at him in disbelief: “What do you take me for?” Unexpectedly, Xavier stood up and waved his hand dismissively: “Don’t pull this act. Wasn’t it the Sullivan family status you were after when you dated and married me in the first place?” “Aria, you know very well how much your father’s career advanced after you married me. Now you’re pulling this divorce stunt?” I stood there dumbfounded, my mind blank. But Xavier didn’t give me any further explanation. He loosened his tie and returned to the master bedroom where Mia was. Perhaps I had experienced too many shocks lately. Upon learning that Xavier viewed my feelings for him this way, besides shock, I also felt a bit ridiculous. At this moment, Mia poked her head out of the master bedroom again. She had changed into a bathrobe, her hair loose, her cheeks flushed. “Sister, I’m a bit hungry. Mr. Sullivan said your cooking is delicious,” Mia said with a bright smile. “You’ve been a housewife for so many years, you must have lots of specialties. Could you please go buy some groceries and come back later?” As soon as Mia finished speaking, she was pulled back inside, the door slamming shut. I said nothing, just took off my wedding ring and threw it in the trash. Taking one last look at this house full of irony, I realized letting go could be this easy. Before I could hear any nauseating sounds, I turned and left. There’s no need to rack your brains to drive me away. I won’t stay a moment longer in this rotten place.

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In the eighth year of our love, Lucas Bennett sold me to Mr. Thompson, the richest man in the city, for a million dollars. Unaware of this transaction, I initiated a breakup after being mistreated. Lucas went home heartbroken, got married, and had a child, while I was blackmailed with a video and became Mr. Thompson’s mistress. On the day when Mr. Thompson’s wife brought people to beat me up for being “the other woman,” Lucas got married. When I was forced by Mr. Thompson’s wife to have an abortion, Lucas’s child was having their one-month birthday celebration. Until that day, when I took my feverish son to the hospital and ran into their family of three. As I was hesitating whether to avoid them, I accidentally overheard their conversation. “Why don’t you go and trick that fool Emma Wilson again?” “You managed to sell her for a million back then. Now that she has money, you can definitely scam her for even more.” After my son’s fever broke and his little face regained its normal color, I breathed a sigh of relief. While he slept, I took the opportunity to use the bathroom and wash my face. However, as I came out of the bathroom, I unexpectedly ran into someone I hadn’t seen in a long time – my ex-boyfriend, Lucas Bennett. He was sitting in the hallway with a woman, both looking worried. I greedily took in his handsome features, not wanting to miss a single detail. At twenty-eight, Lucas had shed his youthful awkwardness, appearing thinner and more haggard than before. As I was debating whether to go over and say hello, I suddenly heard my name from their lips. The woman was in Lucas’s arms, her eyes rimmed with red. “Honey, the million dollars you got from selling Emma is all gone, and we still need tens of thousands for our little one’s treatment.” “Why don’t you go and trick that fool Emma Wilson again?” “You managed to sell her for a million back then. Now that she has money, you can definitely scam her for even more.” I instantly realized who this woman was – Olivia Parker, the wife Lucas had married back in his hometown. I had heard about her from a friend. When Lucas got married, I even sent a wedding gift of $52,000 through that friend. My feelings towards Olivia were extremely complicated, both envious and jealous that she could marry Lucas. At this moment, however, I seemed to understand the truth about why Mr. Thompson had appeared in my hotel room that night years ago. I had always thought I was drunk and forgot to lock the door, allowing Mr. Thompson to barge in. I never suspected Lucas. He loved me, and I loved him. We had been in love for eight years and were almost at the altar. If only that incident hadn’t happened… Lucas listened to Olivia’s words, hanging his head low for a long time without speaking. I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing he still had feelings for me. However, in the next second, his voice rang out. “I’ve already figured out how to get money from her.” “That stupid woman must still like me. Little Nine told me she still often asks about me.” “As long as I actively return to her side, she’ll definitely be devoted to me. We might even be able to make a big profit from her.” Lucas and Olivia whispered about his plan. Their words were full of confidence in getting me and contempt. I stood around the corner, listening coldly to their vicious plan, my heart growing colder. Sure enough, people who could sleep in the same bed were no good. Let’s see how you plan to trick me.

I thought it would take a few days for them to implement their plan, but I didn’t expect Lucas to contact me the very next day. “Emma, long time no see. How have you been?” He’s in such a hurry to find me, looks like he really needs money. At that moment, I was crying my eyes out while binge-watching a TV series. In the show, the lead couple separated due to various misunderstandings. Hearing Lucas’s voice, I momentarily confused our situation with theirs. After a moment of silence, I finally controlled my emotions and answered. “Not so good. How about you?” My voice was a bit muffled from crying, with a particularly noticeable nasal tone. Lucas didn’t need to listen carefully to notice something was off about my voice. He probably mistakenly thought I was deeply moved by him, pretending to be upset and asking to get back together. “I’m not doing well either. I miss you, and I don’t have much time left. In my final days, I just want to indulge myself and be with the person I like.” “Will you… accept me again?” I thought about how a long-lost love should react when asking to get back together, based on TV dramas I’d seen. Sniffling, I spoke with an obvious crying tone, my voice uncontrollably happy. “Of course I will. I’ve never forgotten you all these years. Are you finally coming back to me?” Hearing my answer, Lucas secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Pretending to be happy, he said he wanted to come see me. I pretended to cry tears of joy as I sent him my address, acting like a foolish woman blinded by love. Lucas soon appeared at my doorstep, looking much paler than yesterday. He probably stayed up all night to look sick on purpose before coming to see me. I inwardly snorted coldly, not exposing his little trick. Over the years, I had learned many things by using my position as Mr. Thompson’s mistress, with reading people being the most basic skill. Later, I used having a son as a condition to exchange for a company and enough money to live extravagantly for the rest of my life. Fortunately, Mr. Thompson was killed in bed by another woman, and before he died, he left a will giving all his assets to our son. In any case, I’m now a wealthy woman and no longer need to be threatened by others. On the surface, I still pretended to cry tears of joy as I welcomed Lucas in, showing concern for his health. “Why don’t we go to the hospital for another check-up? I have so much money now, I’m sure I can find doctors to cure you.” Lucas, who was secretly observing his surroundings while sitting on the couch, froze for a moment before sighing weakly. “I’ve been checked many times, and they all say I only have six months left. I don’t want to waste time in hospitals anymore. I just want to be with you.” As he spoke, Lucas looked at me with deep affection, as if he couldn’t live without me. I tugged at the corners of my mouth, pretending to blush and lower my head, when in reality, I just couldn’t stand watching his terrible acting anymore. No longer suspicious, I treated him like a treasured possession that had been lost and found, taking him to experience the life of the wealthy. I wanted to see if he would still be willing to live an ordinary life with his wife after experiencing a luxurious lifestyle. With this thought in mind, I smiled even more deeply at Lucas as he tried on clothes.

Perhaps believing that I truly loved him, Lucas started making suggestions. “Why don’t we hire a housekeeper? I don’t want you to be so tired taking care of me every day. It would break my heart.” I shook my head, smiling brightly. “How could taking care of you be tiring? I feel so happy cooking for you myself every day.” I had given the original housekeeper paid leave, and my son had been sent to stay with my parents. The purpose was to make it easier for me to act and watch the show unfold. The loving breakfast, lunch, and dinner were all pre-made meals I bought cheaply. It only took the effort of boiling water and heating them up, not tiring at all. At his insistence, I still pretended to have an “I can’t say no to you” attitude and agreed to his suggestion. The next day, Olivia appeared before me in disguise, looking like an honest and simple country woman. Both husband and wife came to serve me, which was quite nice. I lay in Lucas’s arms, deliberately expressing disgust at her appearance. “How can this housekeeper look like this? She’s so ugly I’m about to vomit. Let’s change to another one.” Olivia’s face twisted for a moment, almost speaking out but forcibly holding back her emotions to show me a fawning smile. Lucas, worried she might slip up, quickly sent her off to do housework. “She’s a relative from my hometown, raising a sick child on her own. It’s quite pitiful.” “But she’s very diligent and efficient at work.” I stared at Olivia mopping the floor with half-belief, reluctantly accepting her. “Housekeeper, go wash some grapes for me. Wash them one by one, and make sure they’re clean.” Olivia had no choice but to put down the mop and turn to wash the grapes. I reminded her again, “Remember to wash your hands clean before washing the grapes. I can see your hands aren’t very clean.” Olivia’s hand, which was about to wash the grapes, froze for a moment. She still obediently washed her hands several times before washing the grapes. After bringing the grapes over, I lazily stayed in Lucas’s arms, asking him to feed me. Olivia, who was cleaning nearby, saw this scene and her face darkened. She accidentally broke a vase. I immediately scolded her in dissatisfaction. “This vase costs tens of thousands of dollars. Can you afford to pay for it?” Olivia stared at me in disbelief, pointing at the broken vase. “This vase is worth fifty dollars at most. I’ve never seen a vase that costs tens of thousands!” The vase was indeed one I bought for a few dozen dollars while shopping, but if I said it was worth tens of thousands, then it was worth tens of thousands. Of course, I wouldn’t expose myself, so I continued to give her a hard time. “You reek of poverty. Just because you’ve never seen a vase worth tens of thousands doesn’t mean they don’t exist.” “You’re clumsy at work too. If it weren’t for the fact that you’re Lucas’s relative, I would have fired you long ago.” I criticized every aspect of her from head to toe. Olivia’s face alternated between red and white, trembling with anger. It was Lucas who finally stopped me by feeding me grapes, and I reluctantly stopped. “Sister Li probably didn’t mean to. Emma, you’re so rich now, don’t bother with her. Let’s eat grapes.” Not bothering was impossible. After all, you both came for my money, and my money didn’t fall from the sky. I still maintained an arrogant attitude, ordering her to kneel and clean the floor with a towel. While cleaning up the broken pieces, Olivia accidentally cut her hand, and blood started flowing. She instinctively called out to Lucas in distress, “Honey, my hand hurts so much…” Lucas, who was holding me, couldn’t sit still anymore. He abruptly let go of me and rushed to Olivia, holding her hand with concern.

I couldn’t help but frown and let out a cold laugh. “Who are you calling ‘honey’ so shamelessly? Lucas, why are you so worried?” Lucas suddenly remembered I was still beside him and reflexively let go of her hand. After realizing what happened, he looked at me with an expression that said, “How can you still be like this?” “Sister Li is my relative, I’m just showing concern. How can you be jealous? You’re such a little jealous cat.” As if afraid I might misunderstand, he comfortingly kissed my face and urged Olivia to continue cleaning. Olivia glared at me resentfully, her eyes rimmed with red as she cleaned up the broken pieces and knelt to mop the floor. To divert my attention and prevent me from continuing to give Olivia a hard time, Lucas became exceptionally attentive to me. He poured tea, cut fruit, and even gave me a massage. I enjoyed his attentiveness and kindly didn’t speak up again. I could give her a hard time later anyway, since it would take time for her to finish cleaning. When Olivia finally stood up tiredly, I lazily asked her to cook pork intestines for me. “I don’t trust the pork intestines from outside. You need to clean them thoroughly before cooking.” I had just had some unprocessed pork intestines delivered, which were absolutely stinky. Olivia looked to Lucas for help. Lucas turned away reluctantly but didn’t speak up to plead for her. I watched their interaction coldly, mockingly. Relying on a man is useless, especially this kind of unreliable man. Rather than asking him for help, she might as well bow her head and beg me. So, Olivia could only clean the pork intestines in the kitchen, retching as she worked. When the pork intestines were served, I took one look and threw them in the trash. At this point, Olivia couldn’t hold back anymore. She pointed at my nose and scolded angrily. “How can you be like this? I worked so hard to cook that!” Lucas couldn’t help but speak up for her. “Emma, you weren’t like this before. How can you waste food?” “Quickly pick it up from the trash. Don’t be wasteful.” I glanced at the pork intestines mixed with various kitchen waste in the trash can, too disgusting to have any appetite. Looking at the two people united against me, I dropped a bombshell—

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On the day my ex-husband, the renowned perfumer Leo, announced his engagement, we crossed paths again at an upscale nightclub. Five years had passed. He had become a millionaire, while I, driven by financial desperation, had taken a job as a companion at the club. To humiliate me, his fiancée offered $20,000 if I would compete with a dog for food. Leo watched me bend over, his lips curling in disdain. “So, this is the ‘better future’ you spoke of? Becoming a nightclub companion for others’ amusement?” “Amber, thank you for the favor of abandoning me. Looking at you now makes me sick to my stomach.” What he didn’t know was that I was in the final stages of kidney failure. Five years ago, when he was on the brink of death, I had given him my kidney. Now, swallowing my pride and enduring humiliation, I was only trying to secure a decent final resting place for myself. As I woke up, I stared at the blood-stained sheets, tears streaming down my face uncontrollably. While I was clumsily trying to clean the bloodstains, my phone vibrated. It was a message from the funeral home manager: “Ms. Amber, the plot you’ve chosen is almost ready. We just need the final $20,000 payment to process the paperwork. If you’re sure about it, please make the payment soon.” This plot was the final resting place I had chosen for myself. After replying, I changed into my uniform for the high-end club where I worked and prepared to leave for my shift. A few days ago, I had been hired as a companion at this upscale establishment. Although the job wasn’t respectable, I had no choice if I wanted to save up $20,000 quickly. Little did I know that as soon as I walked into the club’s lobby, I would hear a familiar voice. I looked up to see Leo and his fiancée, Bianca, standing not far away. My heart clenched, and I instinctively wanted to avoid them. But Bianca deliberately called out loudly: “Isn’t that Amber? So you work here now? What’s your number tag? Let me see.” I lowered my head, not wanting them to see the expression on my face. Bianca, however, was relentless. She grabbed my arm and read out my number tag loudly: “250! Haha, what a fitting number.” Leo’s face grew increasingly grim. “Amber, how did you end up like this?” I gritted my teeth, not wanting to appear weak in front of them. But Bianca didn’t give me a chance to catch my breath: “Amber, I heard the income for companions here is pretty good. With your looks, you must make at least $5,000 a day, right?” The onlookers burst into laughter, and I felt a sharp pain in my heart. But I knew I couldn’t cause a scene here. “Bianca, what do you want?” I asked. She smiled slightly. “Nothing much, just want to give you an opportunity.” She then pulled out a check from her pocket and waved it in the air. “$20,000. If you’re willing to perform a little act with my pet dog, this $20,000 is yours.” My heart skipped a beat, and a wave of humiliation washed over me. But looking at that check, I felt conflicted. Leo, standing nearby, had contempt in his eyes. “Amber, are you really willing to give up your dignity for money?” With a pang in my heart, I turned to Bianca. “Fine, I’ll do it.” Leo looked at me, his eyes full of disappointment and disgust. “Amber, you still make me sick, just like before.” He turned and left. Bianca dragged me to a private room and placed a dog bowl in front of me. She then mockingly smiled, “Come on, eat up. Don’t disappoint me.” With trembling hands, I reached for the food in the bowl. Suddenly, Bianca grabbed my hair and shoved my face into the dog bowl. My face pressed against the bowl, humiliation and anger nearly made me lose my mind. “Haha, Amber, you’re such a waste of space,” Bianca laughed out loud and released her grip. After a while, I finally raised my head. Wiping the food residue off my face, I felt utterly hopeless. “What’s with that look? Not happy about it? Want me to say sorry?” Bianca exchanged glances with her friends, their faces filled with undisguised mockery. Leo sat there with a dark expression, silently drinking. Seeing this, Bianca’s eyes flashed with jealousy, and she stood up, ready to humiliate me again. But this time, Leo stopped her. He grabbed my arm and coldly left the room.

A loud noise came from behind, and I knew it was Bianca venting her frustration. When we reached the end of the hallway, I quickly shook off Leo’s hand. He let out a cold laugh, his tone full of contempt. “So this is the bright future you talked about?” “Amber, you abandoned me when I was on the brink of death, all for this job as a companion. You really had foresight, didn’t you?” Five years ago, Leo had fallen seriously ill, with both his kidneys infected by a virus. Without telling him, I had myself tested for compatibility and, surprisingly, I was a match. Without hesitation, I chose to donate my kidney. But I had a severe rejection reaction, losing ten pounds in just three days. The doctor said I wouldn’t last a year. To prevent Leo from experiencing the same pain as me in the future, I staged a scenario to trick him into divorcing me. But unexpectedly, I’ve managed to hold on for over five years. After I broke Leo’s heart, he met a benefactor who helped him become a top perfumer. He also established himself in the entertainment industry and fell in love with the famous star, Bianca. They had just announced their engagement yesterday. Snapping back to reality, I gave Leo a bright smile. “You’re right, the money comes fast. It suits a gold digger like me.” “Leo, congratulations on your engagement to Bianca. I wish you a happy marriage.” As soon as I finished speaking, Leo raised his hand and slapped me. His eyes reddened, and the air around him grew heavy. “This is for the me who once dreamed of growing old with you. Amber, get lost. I never want to see you again.” I suppressed the urge to cough and used all my strength to stand up, but the medical report in my pocket accidentally fell out. Leo picked it up first. After reading it, his brows furrowed. The next second, he slapped me again. “You knew I was coming today, so you deliberately prepared a fake medical report, didn’t you?” “Amber, you’re wrong. Even if you died in front of me, I wouldn’t shed a single tear for someone like you.” Hearing Leo’s words, my heart felt like it was being stabbed by countless needles, making it almost impossible to breathe. But I still managed to nod, forcing a smile that looked worse than crying. “It’s good that you think that way.” With that, I turned to leave. But before I could take a few steps, my vision suddenly went black, and I collapsed to the ground. In the last moment of consciousness, I vaguely felt that leaving like this wouldn’t be so bad. At least I wouldn’t have to see Leo’s eyes full of disgust anymore.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself lying in a hospital bed, feeling a wave of panic. If Leo were to find out about my condition, all my previous efforts would have been in vain. I tried to get up, but my body felt as heavy as if it were filled with lead. Just then, I saw Leo come and sit down in the chair next to the bed, looking at me with a complex expression. The disgust and contempt were gone from his eyes, replaced by an indescribable complexity. “You’re awake,” Leo’s voice was soft, with a hint of barely noticeable concern. I was stunned for a moment, then quickly recovered and managed a smile. “Yes, I’m awake.” Leo frowned slightly. “Why did you suddenly faint? The doctor said you have severe hypertension.” My heart tightened, but I quickly calmed down. “Oh, I might be too tired lately, not getting enough rest.” Leo clearly didn’t believe me. He stared at me, his eyes filled with inquiry. “Amber, what are you hiding?” “Was that medical report really fake?” I panicked a bit but tried to stay calm as I explained, “Of course it was fake. What, don’t tell me you’re having old feelings for me and want to get back together?” Just then, Leo’s phone suddenly rang. He glanced at the caller ID, his brow furrowing slightly, but he still answered the call. Bianca’s voice came from the other end of the line, with a hint of crying. “Leo, where are you? Are you still choosing her?” Leo looked at me, a flash of hesitation in his eyes, but he quickly soothed her in a gentle voice, “No, don’t overthink it. I just came to check on her, after all, she was once my wife.” Bianca on the other end clearly didn’t believe him, her voice becoming more agitated. “Leo, don’t lie to me. Just tell me, do you still love her?” Leo was silent for a moment, then said, “Bianca, I love you. Only you. Don’t overthink it, I’ll be back soon.” I closed my eyes tightly, not wanting to hear him profess his love to Bianca. After Leo hung up the phone, he still didn’t leave. We stared at each other for a long time, neither of us speaking. After a while, I was the first to look away. “What do you mean by this? Didn’t you say you were leaving? Why are you still sitting here?” “Amber, have you regretted it in these five years?” Leo stared at me calmly. “We were together for seven years. If it wasn’t for that illness, I never would have believed that you would be the type to abandon me at the critical moment of life and death.” Back then, I had given my heart and soul to Leo, so after our abrupt divorce, he fell into severe depression for a time. At this moment, my nails dug deep into my flesh, and only the intense pain allowed my nervous emotions to calm down. “I won’t regret it, Leo. When love is gone, it’s gone. Why are you so insistent on asking me for an answer?” He slapped me, Then turned his back, tilting his head to wipe away his tears.

My heart ached terribly, but I could only watch Leo. Five minutes later, Leo regained his usual calm demeanor. As he was leaving, he said softly: “If that’s the case, then rest well. Consider it my charity. I’ve already paid the hospital bills, so I’ll be going now.” I opened my eyes and managed a smile. “Thanks for your charity. You should hurry back, don’t keep Bianca waiting.” Leo looked at me, a flash of complexity in his eyes, but he ultimately turned and left. Just then, my phone suddenly vibrated, followed by a bank notification sound. I picked up my phone and looked at the numbers on the screen, a cold smile forming in my heart. It was the $20,000. Bianca had indeed kept her promise. Immediately after, a friend request popped up. After accepting it, Bianca immediately sent several photos – intimate pictures of her and Leo. In the photos, Leo was smiling brightly, his eyes full of happiness. Looking at these photos, my heart felt like it was being cut by a knife. Then Bianca’s message came through: “I know what you’re thinking. Now that you see Leo’s successful, you want to come back and leech off him, right? Have you no shame?” I stared at the screen, my hands trembling slightly, feeling a mix of emotions. I wanted to refute her, to say that I never intended to disturb Leo’s life. But I also knew that it all meant nothing now. Then I took a deep breath and, in a self-destructive manner, saved each of these photos. Tears blurred my vision without me realizing it, and I tried hard not to let them fall. Perhaps due to the shock, a sudden, intense pain gripped my stomach. I curled up on the bed, clutching my stomach, cold sweat breaking out on my forehead. Then, a mouthful of fresh blood gushed from my mouth, once again staining the sheets red. A nurse, hearing the commotion, quickly ran over. Seeing me vomiting blood, her face changed, and she hurriedly supported me. “Ms. Amber, what’s wrong? Hang in there, I’ll call the doctor right away.” “Wasn’t it just hypertension? Why are you vomiting blood now…” Worried she might tell Leo, I quickly waved my hand and said weakly, “It’s nothing, I’m fine.” The nurse clearly didn’t believe me and said anxiously, “How can you be fine when you’re vomiting blood? I’m going to call the doctor.” I grabbed her hand and shook my head. “Really, there’s no need. I know my own body.” Hearing this, the nurse didn’t insist further, but looked at me with concern in her eyes. “At least let me help you clean up.” I nodded, allowing her to wipe the blood from the corners of my mouth. After she finished, I took out my phone and sent a message to the funeral home manager: “I’ve made the final payment. Let’s do the handover in a week.” After sending the message, I felt another wave of dizziness, my vision went black, and I passed out again. As I lay on the hospital bed, my consciousness gradually fading, I faintly heard the nurse’s anxious voice. She seemed to be on the phone with someone, her tone full of worry. “Mr. Leo? This is City Central Hospital. I’m the nurse in charge of Ms. Amber. Her condition is very bad right now. Can you come over?” My heart tightened. That nurse had indeed told Leo about my condition. I wanted to stop her, but my body felt drained of all energy, and I couldn’t even muster the strength to speak. Not long after, the door to the ward was suddenly pushed open. I thought Leo had come, and my heart filled with panic. However, the person who appeared at the door was Bianca.

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After a year of studying abroad, I returned home with high hopes, only to uncover a shocking secret that left me speechless. My husband, who had always insisted on remaining childless, had fathered a child with another woman behind my back. To add insult to injury, he had the audacity to bring this woman into our home under the guise of a nanny, forcing me to live with her. My mother-in-law’s attitude towards the situation was even more disheartening. She boasted proudly, “My son is truly successful now. He has two wives – one who earns money and another who takes care of the baby.” Hearing this, I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly to myself. Just wait and see how I’ll shatter this absurd fantasy of yours! As soon as I stepped through the door, James thrust a baby into my arms. “Honey, look! I adopted him. Isn’t he adorable?” Caught off guard, I awkwardly held the crying infant, a sense of unease washing over me. Just then, the bedroom door slowly opened, and a young, attractive woman emerged. With a smile playing on her lips, she said softly, “Let me take him. You don’t seem to know how to hold a baby properly.” She expertly took the child from me, cooing and soothing him. Within moments, his cries subsided. James grinned proudly. “Alex, I know you’re new to this, so I hired an experienced nanny to help out.” I stood there, stone-faced, my gaze darting between them as my mind raced. Not long ago, I had accidentally become pregnant and was overjoyed at the prospect of starting a family. But James had been adamant about remaining childless, ignoring my pleas and even threatening divorce. Heartbroken, I had no choice but to give up that child. Now, he suddenly brings home a baby? What was this all about? My thoughts were interrupted by the baby’s cries. The nanny, Sophia, said softly, “The little one must be hungry.” Before I could react, Sophia casually lifted her shirt, exposing her skin to breastfeed the baby right in front of James and me. James stood nearby, his eyes fixed on the scene. Anger flared within me. “How can you do that in front of my husband?” I snapped. Sophia looked up at me, her eyes brimming with tears, her lips trembling but no words coming out. James grabbed my arm and pulled me aside, chastising me, “You’ve never been a mother. When a baby’s hungry, nothing else matters.” I scoffed, “Then why are you staring so intently?” “What’s wrong with watching my son eat?” James retorted, shooting me an irritated glance. We stood there in tense silence, the air thick with unspoken hostility. As the room quieted, I could hear Sophia’s soft sobs. “I’m sorry, James. It’s all my fault. I don’t understand city ways,” Sophia whimpered. “Now that your wife is back, I should leave early.” She started to get up. James quickly grabbed her arm. “Don’t be silly. If you leave, who will take care of my son?” He turned to me, seemingly seeking my approval. Watching their little act, I felt a surge of anger and frustration building in my chest. Without another glance at them, I turned and walked into the bedroom. However, the sight that greeted me there only fueled my rage further. Women’s underwear was strewn across the bed, and my closet had been ransacked. My expensive dresses, which I rarely wore, were now stained and crumpled. Furious, I grabbed the underwear and stormed out of the bedroom, flinging it at James’s face. “You’d better explain what the hell is going on here!” My voice shook with anger. James’s face tensed, and he raised his voice, trying to mask his unease. “Alex, you’re being completely unreasonable! When did you become so arrogant and irrational?” His words nearly made me laugh in disbelief. Who was really being unreasonable and arrogant here? He had adopted a child without my consent and now allowed this nanny to invade my personal space so shamelessly. “I’m being unreasonable? James, is this nanny here for your son or for you? Why is her underwear on our bed?” I demanded. James’s face flushed, then paled. He opened his mouth but couldn’t form a response. Suddenly, Sophia fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face as she begged for forgiveness. “I’m so sorry, Alex. It’s all my fault…”

James shot me a withering glare before moving to help Sophia up. But she stubbornly remained on her knees, lifting her tear-filled eyes to James and shaking her head. “James, I really messed up,” Sophia said. “Alex has been away working hard for so long, and now she’s come home to find us causing trouble. If my kneeling can make her feel better, I’m willing to stay like this.” Her body trembled slightly as she lowered her head, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably. James’s eyes filled with concern for Sophia. He turned to me, his gaze cold and hard. “Do you have to push Sophia this far? Do you have any idea how exhausting it is for her to take care of the baby every day? She can’t even get a full night’s sleep.” I let out a derisive laugh. “She’s exhausted? And I’m not?” For the past year, I had been studying abroad, not only adapting to a foreign language environment but also juggling a heavy course load. To save money, I even took on two part-time jobs. I slept only 4-5 hours a night, all to successfully obtain my certification. And all of this was because our family suddenly had an additional monthly mortgage payment of nearly $4,000 – the result of James insisting on upgrading to a 3,200 square foot luxury apartment. I had thought that a happier life awaited me upon my return, but now everything was in chaos. Irritated, I looked at Sophia, still kneeling on the floor, and suddenly realized they were trying to shift the focus of the conversation. This wasn’t about who was more tired; it was about why the nanny was sleeping in my bedroom. Just as I was about to question them, James roughly pushed me aside. “Alex, how long are you going to make Sophia kneel? I told her to sleep in your room. She needs to feed the baby at night, and the other rooms are too small for her to be comfortable.” I stared at him intently. “And where do you sleep?” James’s expression immediately darkened. “What are you implying? I sleep in the study, of course!” At this, Sophia, still kneeling, began to cry even harder. “Alex, I may come from a poor background, but I’m not that kind of woman. I would never do anything so disgraceful.” With that, she got up and rushed into the bedroom to pack her things. James glared at me furiously. “Are you satisfied now? You’re so determined to drive Sophia away that you’d stoop to slandering her. Not only have you insulted her integrity, but you’ve also insulted your husband.” He shoved me aside and went to the bedroom to console Sophia, gently taking the clothes from her hands and carefully folding them before putting them back in the closet. In all our years of marriage, I had never seen him be so gentle. I had always handled all the household chores. Forget about folding clothes – even when I asked him to hang up the laundry while I was working late, he would ignore my request. I’d come home in the early hours of the morning to find the clothes still sitting in the washing machine. As I watched them and the sleeping baby, they looked like a real family of three, while I stood there feeling like an outsider. James turned back to me and shouted, “What are you still standing there for? Come and apologize to Sophia right now! Are you only happy when you’ve driven her away?” Sophia tugged at his sleeve and shook her head timidly. “It’s okay, Alex. You don’t need to apologize. I’m used to being mistreated. I’ll go make dinner for you all.” But James held her back firmly. “Honey, now that you’re back, you can cook for us from now on. Sophia is already exhausted from taking care of the baby.” His words hit me like a bolt of lightning, leaving me numb and unable to move.

I trembled with rage, my voice quivering with barely contained fury: “James, what exactly are you saying? Am I the hired nanny here?” Sophia gently pushed James aside and looked at me apologetically, explaining, “Alex, you might not be familiar with how things work in our industry. A nanny’s main responsibility is to take care of the baby. We don’t usually handle other household tasks because the baby’s safety is our top priority.” I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart, then turned to Sophia and asked, “How much do you make per month?” Her demeanor changed instantly, a smug smile replacing her previous meekness. “I’m the agency’s top nanny. My monthly salary is $3,500.” I scoffed inwardly. That figure matched James’s monthly salary perfectly. He had been constantly complaining about financial pressure and the company’s poor performance, but it turned out he had dumped the entire burden of the mortgage on me while using his money to pay for this so-called top nanny. My gaze turned icy. “We can’t afford such an expensive nanny. Today is the 10th, so I’ll pay you for the full month. Thank you for your hard work during this time.” Sophia looked at me in shock, her voice choked with tears. “Alex, are you… are you firing me?” She clung to James’s sleeve, her pitiful appearance instantly triggering his protective instincts. James shielded her behind him and glared at me darkly. “Do I need your permission to hire a nanny with my own money? Who do you think you are, Alex?” I shook with anger. After we got married, most of our major purchases – the house, the car, the appliances, and the renovations – were largely funded by my salary. I worked late into the night every day, only to come home to find James either sprawled on the couch watching TV or playing video games in his study, leaving the house a mess for me to clean up. I had foolishly believed that at least his feelings for me were genuine, but now I realized it was all just wishful thinking on my part. I was about to retort when the doorbell suddenly rang. I was surprised to see my mother-in-law, Mrs. Parker, at the door. She pushed past me and went straight to the baby’s crib, her face beaming with joy. “Oh, my precious grandson! Let grandma see if you’ve gotten chubbier!” Sophia attentively catered to Mrs. Parker, regaling her with amusing anecdotes about the baby, which had her roaring with laughter. To my astonishment, Mrs. Parker removed the jade bracelet from her wrist and placed it on Sophia’s. “You’re a true blessing to our family, dear.” I stared at the scene in disbelief. “Mom, how can you give such a precious bracelet to an outsider?” That bracelet was part of my dowry from my own mother and held great sentimental value. Mrs. Parker shot me a disdainful look. “It was given to me, so I can do whatever I want with it. Don’t tell me you want it back now?” She then berated me for not having lunch ready and made a snide remark about my inability to bear children after all these years. Struggling to control my emotions, I said firmly, “That bracelet cannot be given to Sophia.” I stepped forward to retrieve the bracelet, but Sophia roughly pushed me away.

I stumbled, nearly losing my balance. Suddenly, James lunged forward, grabbing my hair and slapping me hard across the face. “Alex, have I been too lenient with you?” he roared. “It’s just a stupid bracelet, and you dare to lay hands on Sophia!” I cupped my stinging cheek, collapsing to the floor. Looking up, I saw the three of them towering over me. Their lips were moving, but all I could hear was a sharp ringing in my ears. Fighting back tears, I struggled to my feet. I grabbed a nearby glass and smashed it on the ground, sending shards flying everywhere. Trying to keep my voice from trembling, I fixed them with an icy stare and said slowly and deliberately: “If that’s how it is, then let’s get a divorce.” Upon hearing this, Mrs. Parker burst into shrill laughter as if she’d just heard a hilarious joke. “Alex, you really think too highly of yourself! Divorce? That’s for my son to decide, not you!” “What right does a woman like you have to ask for a divorce?” she continued, her voice dripping with contempt. “So what if my son hired a nanny? He’s such an outstanding man, he deserves to have eight women serving him if he wants!” She shot James a meaningful glance. “Son, your wife is so petty. Haven’t you been disciplining her properly?” James sneered, his face contorting with anger as he approached me. He grabbed my hair again, ignoring my struggles as he dragged me into the bedroom. I stared at him, my eyes unfocused, letting out a blood-curdling scream. Tears streamed down my face as I felt myself on the verge of a breakdown. I curled up in the corner, hugging my knees to my chest, listening to their laughter and cheerful conversation outside. My heart was filled with rage and despair. “I’ve always said we shouldn’t be too nice to Alex, or she’ll get ideas above her station,” Mrs. Parker’s voice drifted in. “You taught her a good lesson today. She’ll definitely be more obedient from now on,” Sophia chimed in. James laughed heartily, nodding in agreement. “Mom, you’re still the wisest of us all.” I took a deep breath, trying to regain my composure. I realized that their refusal to divorce was simply because they wanted me to continue earning money for them. Moreover, I currently had no concrete evidence against them. If I were to divorce now, I’d lose at least half of our assets, which would be a significant loss for me. With this in mind, I gradually calmed down. I straightened my disheveled clothes and walked out of the bedroom, forcing a smile onto my face. “You must be hungry. I’ll go make lunch for everyone,” I said, trying to keep my voice as natural as possible. Mrs. Parker snorted coldly. “It’s about time! Why did you have to make such a fuss earlier?” Sophia stood nearby, demurely peeling grapes for Mrs. Parker. “Don’t be upset with Alex, Mrs. Parker. It’s not worth ruining your mood over her.” I rolled my eyes, thinking to myself: Enjoy your smugness while you can. It won’t last much longer. After preparing the meal, Mrs. Parker knocked the chopsticks out of my hand and glared at me. “Go buy two bottles of juice. Sophia likes orange juice.” She turned to Sophia with a smile, their expressions full of triumph and challenge. I let out a cold laugh and left the house without a word. I dawdled downstairs while buying the drinks, deliberately giving them enough time. As I left, I intentionally left the door slightly ajar. In the elevator, I pressed the button for one floor below ours, then slowly made my way up the stairs to our front door. I pressed myself against the wall, listening to the cheerful voices and Mrs. Parker’s nauseating laughter coming from inside. My heart was filled with anger and disgust. “My son is truly capable!” Mrs. Parker’s voice rang out. “Now Sophia has given you a son and can live here as a nanny. Let that little bitch Alex go out and earn money for us while you enjoy the best of both worlds at home!”

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Cold water sprayed from the shower head, drenching me from head to toe. Ethan’s long, powerful hands caressed my lips. “I told you, mistakes must be punished,” he whispered. “Brother, why… why are you here?” I stammered. At the gates of A University, I was holding hands with my boyfriend Oliver, ready to go on a date, when a Maybach stopped in front of us. Ethan, dressed in an impeccably tailored black suit, stepped out of the car. It had been almost two years since I last saw him, and an inexplicable panic welled up inside me. He said nothing, his gaze falling on Oliver’s and my intertwined hands. As if touched by a spark, before my brain could react, my hand had already retracted. I even unconsciously moved half a step away, distancing myself from Oliver. Oliver turned to me in surprise, “Chloe?” A cold, composed smile appeared on Ethan’s face. “Chloe, aren’t you going to introduce me?” I avoided his gaze, not daring to look at him directly. “I… he…” I suddenly became a stutterer. Unexpectedly, Oliver smiled graciously and extended his hand to Ethan: “So you’re the brother. I’m Oliver, Chloe’s boyfriend.” Ethan lowered his eyelashes, glancing at Oliver’s hand with no intention of shaking it. He turned to look at me and said, “Boyfriend? It seems our little Chloe has grown up and even has a boyfriend now. Why didn’t you tell your brother?” Though he was smiling, I felt a chill run down my spine, as if a cold, venomous snake was slithering up my back. I wanted to flee. I just wanted to escape. But my feet felt like they were filled with lead, unable to move. Seeing that Ethan had no intention of shaking hands, Oliver awkwardly withdrew his hand, but still maintained a polite smile on his face. “Brother, Chloe and I haven’t been together for long. She probably hasn’t had the chance to tell you yet…” “Don’t call me that. I’m her brother, not yours,” Ethan said coldly, his icy gaze sweeping over Oliver. With that, he grabbed my wrist and unceremoniously pushed me into the car. Oliver hurriedly stepped forward, but unsure of what to do since Ethan was my brother, he could only tap on the window, calling my name in confusion. I opened the window and forced a smile. “Oliver, my brother needs me for something. You should head back to campus first.” Before I could finish speaking, Ethan leaned over and closed the window. The car started, and Oliver’s worried face quickly receded in the rearview mirror. … The shower in the bathroom was turned on full blast. Ethan pushed me into the bathtub, and cold water poured down on me. He leaned in, his long, powerful fingers tightly gripping my chin. His expression was grim. “Did he touch you?” “No,” I shook my head, tears streaming down my face uncontrollably, mixing with the cold water. “Brother, Chloe knows she was wrong.” “What did you do wrong?” His voice was dangerous, impossible to disobey. “Chloe shouldn’t have dated.” “What else?” “I shouldn’t have hidden from you.” “And?” He prompted. I sobbed and shook my head. “There’s nothing else…” Ethan cupped my face, looking at me seriously. “And you can’t let anyone touch you. They’re all too dirty. They’ll taint my Chloe. Do you understand?” Looking at his cold eyes, I nodded fearfully.

My name is Chloe Wilson. Ethan is my brother, or more accurately, my stepbrother. Before I was eight, my life was a bottomless hell. My biological father was an alcoholic gambler with severe domestic violence tendencies. He was an absolute scumbag. Every time he lost at gambling or got drunk, he would come home and beat my mom and me. Eventually, my mom couldn’t take it anymore and filed for divorce, but he still wouldn’t leave us alone. He would come to our house every few days to demand money and beat us. He was a madman, and no one dared to stop him. Until I was eight, my mom met Mr. Wilson. He had someone break that man’s legs and throw him out. From then on, that man never dared to harass us again. It turns out he wasn’t so crazy after all. He was afraid of death too. Half a year later, my mom married Mr. Wilson, and we moved into the Wilson mansion. That was the first time I met Ethan. Because I had always lived under the shadow of my biological father, I was timid and insecure from a young age. I hid behind my mom, clinging to her waist, afraid to meet people. Mom pulled me out from behind her and said with a smile, “Chloe, this is your brother. Say hello to your brother.” I saw Ethan’s face was indifferent, his eyes devoid of any emotion. But he was so handsome. I had never seen such a good-looking brother before. I thought, he shouldn’t be a bad person, right? So I gathered my courage and timidly called out, “Brother.” “Chloe is such a good girl.” Mr. Wilson patted my head and then said to Ethan, “This is your Aunt Chen, say hello.” A cold smile flashed across Ethan’s face. Before I could figure out who he was smiling at, he turned and went upstairs. “This child!” Mr. Wilson was slightly angry. Mom held him back. “It’s okay, he’s still young. Let’s take it slow. I don’t mind.” I watched his back, and for some reason, I felt he was very lonely.

From that day on, I became Chloe Wilson, the young lady of Prosperous Bay City’s top elite family. My life turned upside down, everything was like a dream. My mom became the elegant Mrs. Wilson, but in private when no one was around, she would always pull me aside and say, “Chloe, you must be good. Listen to your uncle and brother. If you don’t behave, we’ll be thrown out. Do you understand?” Over and over again! Her words lingered in my ears like a nightmare. You must behave, Chloe. Or we’ll be thrown out. You must behave! You must behave! Or we’ll be thrown out! I didn’t want to be thrown out. I didn’t want to go back to that run-down rental house, didn’t want to go hungry and cold, and definitely didn’t want to be beaten by that man. Chloe was very scared. Chloe will be very good, will definitely behave! Don’t throw Chloe out! Although my brother was very fierce, although he always spoke harshly to me and ignored my attempts to be nice. He called me the daughter of a bitch. He poured the milk I brought him over my head. He threw the birthday gift I prepared for him in the trash. When I was cleaning up broken glass, he stepped on my hand. At school, when I picked up his basketball, he pushed me down the stairs… But it’s okay, Chloe is a good child, Chloe doesn’t get angry. We attended an elite school that combined elementary, middle, and high school. When I transferred there, I was in third grade, and Ethan had just started middle school. Mr. Wilson told him to wait for me every day to go home together, but he never waited a second longer than necessary. If I was late, even if he had already seen me coming out of the school gates, he would still have the driver leave. Many times, I had to walk home by myself. The road was long, and I was very tired, but when I got home, I always apologized to Mr. Wilson, saying it was my fault for playing around and letting my brother leave first. Ethan looked at me with a mocking expression, I didn’t know if he was mocking my self-importance or laughing at how easily I lied at such a young age. But I was just afraid, afraid of going back to the nightmare of the past. Would the gods in heaven forgive Chloe’s lies?

This went on for a long time, until my first year of middle school. One day, Ethan was playing ball with his friends in the yard. For some reason, his hat was thrown up into a tree. He told me to climb up and get it. I didn’t ask why his hat ended up in the tree while they were playing ball, nor did I refuse. But that hat was stuck very high, and I couldn’t reach it. After a lot of effort, I finally grabbed it, but then I heard a crack beneath my feet. The branch broke, and I fell. It hurt, it really hurt. I was in so much pain that tears came to my eyes. But I still held onto the hat tightly. Sitting on the ground, I raised it high above my head and smiled at Ethan, saying, “Brother, I got your hat down.” Ethan looked at me for a long time. He probably thought I looked ridiculous, smiling while tears were streaming down my face. Then, he took out his phone and called 911. I had fractured my left ankle and it took three months to heal. But during those three months, Ethan never once showed concern for me. However, I didn’t regret it at all, because after that day, his attitude towards me improved a lot, or rather, a lot lot. He no longer called me the daughter of a bitch, and he wouldn’t bully me randomly. He even waited three minutes for me every day after school. Although he still didn’t show much of a pleasant expression, I was already very content. I thought, as long as I behaved, my brother wouldn’t throw me out. When I was in my second year of middle school, Ethan was in his last year of high school. I thought he must be very tired from studying, so I often brought him a glass of hot milk at night. That day, his room door wasn’t closed. I was carrying another glass of hot milk when I pushed the door open— Crash! The glass shattered, milk splattered everywhere. I saw Ethan at his desk, covered in blood, holding a craft knife in his hand, cutting his left arm over and over again. He looked up at me, still with those beautiful eyes that held no warmth. His lips were white, devoid of any color. “Come here,” he said. I walked over step by step, kneeling in front of him, my knees soaked in his blood. I carefully cradled his hand, tears unstoppable. “Are you scared?” His voice was cold. I shook my head. “Why are you crying?” he asked me. “Brother, it hurts so much.” I looked up, tears sliding down my neck into my collar. He stared at me blankly for a long time, then raised his hand to my cheek, wiping away my tears. The sticky, warm sensation was Ethan’s fresh blood. I found the first aid kit and treated his wounds. When I washed away the blood with clean water, I realized there were many old scars on his arm. This was probably why he never wore short sleeves. I used alcohol to disinfect and then bandaged his wounds. Throughout the process, he remained calm, as if he had completely lost the ability to feel pain. When I finally finished, he looked at me, his eyes filled with a pain and struggle I couldn’t understand, which eventually settled into calmness. “Chloe, do you like your brother?” “I like you, I like my brother.” I said seriously. He smiled, leaning forward to hug me, burying his face in my neck. “You said it yourself, you must remember, never leave your brother.” “Okay, Chloe will never leave her brother.”

After that, Ethan became increasingly kind to me, you could say he was attentive in every way. In fact, except for the time we spent in classes at school, we were inseparable at all other times. The expressions on his face also became more varied. He was no longer cold and distant all the time. Most of the time when he looked at me, he had a smile. But for some reason, not long after, the classmates around me started to gradually distance themselves from me. At first, it was a few boys I was close to. One after another, they stopped talking to me and even asked the teacher to change their seats. Later, even the girls rarely communicated with me. They always avoided me, as if I were some kind of monster. I sat alone in the corner of the classroom, without a desk mate. Soon after, a transfer student came to our class. He seemed very curious about me and often stole glances at me. Not long after, he confessed to me. Of course, I politely refused him. He was very disappointed, but I wasn’t someone who would date at such a young age. After all, I always behaved well. That afternoon after school, I waited for a long time but Ethan didn’t come to pick me up. Usually, he always waited for me at the classroom door. I thought maybe the teacher had kept the class late. After all, the coursework for seniors was very heavy, so I decided to go wait for him. I packed up my schoolbag and went downstairs. Because it was a bit late, there were hardly any people left in the school. I came to the high school building, when suddenly I heard strange sounds coming from a corner. I curiously walked over. Then I saw Ethan leaning against the wall, a half-smoked cigarette held between his slender index and middle fingers. On the ground in front of him, a small boy was curled up, being kicked and punched by several high school boys. He had no strength to resist, and gradually stopped moving. Even his cries of pain became weaker and weaker, until only miserable moans remained. Ethan extinguished the cigarette on the boy’s thin shoulder, casually tossing it onto him, his tone ice-cold: “Don’t get close to Chloe Wilson again, or I’ll kill you.” I finally understood why they had been avoiding me. I covered my mouth to prevent myself from screaming out loud, then quietly left. I recognized the boy on the ground. He was the transfer student who had confessed to me today. I should have gone to save him, but… I didn’t dare. I had finally made Ethan accept me, like me. I couldn’t make him angry, or he would throw me out of the Wilson family. Chloe will always be good, won’t make brother angry. But… I’m really a very bad person. This time, will the gods still forgive me?

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My lover suffers from delusional disorder. He imagines me as his enemy, his nemesis, the person he hates the most. Day after day, I play along with his delusion. Until one day, I can’t pretend anymore. I’ve been diagnosed with cancer. When I returned home, the room was dark. I put down my bag, took off my shoes, and slowly felt my way along the wall. The moment I touched the switch, a plate flew towards me. I tilted my head and dodged it. The lights came on. The man standing on the stairs looked at me expressionlessly. “So you remember to come back.” “…” I smiled and walked towards him. I reached out and hugged him. “Can you stop acting like a resentful housewife, Lucas?” He had a faint floral scent, the one I had chosen. I thought it might neutralize the coldness he emitted. But it didn’t. His eyes still looked at me with disgust.

The crystal chandelier scattered fine light. But the living room, though lit, was unusually cold, and the man sitting beside me had no warmth at all. I placed the tablet on my knees, showing him page after page. “Look, for our wedding, how about I wear this?” “This skirt design is mermaid style.” “It’s so beautiful, like light flowing over it.” “I also really like this one, the veil has a star design, just like the one you took me to see-” A sneer interrupted my words. He looked up, his dark eyes staring straight at me. “Do we have a past?” I wanted to tell the man in front of me that we did, we had many, many good memories. But the person in front of me always saw me as a heinous villain. He turned my chin and kissed the corner of my lips. His cool voice carried a hint of wanton allure, elegant yet dark with desire. “Be good, give me the medicine.”

The reason Lucas listens to me so obediently is because I have something he desperately craves. If he had looked through the internal reports from the bureau a few years ago, he would have found his name in the columns for drug enforcement commendation and injuries in the line of duty. Lucas became addicted to drugs during his undercover period. And after ending his undercover career, he developed paranoid personality disorder. In other words, delusional disorder. He categorized almost everyone around him as enemies, including me. Including me, whom he once said he loved the most and would protect with his life. The once gentle person was long gone, dragged into a hell of no return, looking at me with eyes as cold as a thousand-year-old cave. The bedroom light was dim. I grabbed his collar, and though I had him pinned beneath me, his gaze remained calm. Though addicted to drugs, he remained as pure as a high and mighty god. Even a slight curl of his lips was pleasing to the eye. I leaned down to kiss him, but with a deft move, he flipped me underneath him. He felt around in the pocket on my chest for a while, found the syringe. Skillfully, he injected it into his right arm. … This syringe, to him, was like a drug. In fact, it wasn’t. It was a mental medication containing sedatives, specially formulated for him. Quitting drugs can’t be done overnight; the dosage needs to be gradually reduced. I suddenly understood why he hated me so much. Because in his eyes, I wasn’t his closest lover. I was someone who got him addicted to drugs, and then hypocritically dangled a bit of drugs in front of him every day… Just a bad person…

I had a dream. I dreamed of several years ago, when Lucas was still undercover. One Christmas Eve, I went to see him. We passed through the crowds, but could only see each other from behind the cover of newspapers. He had his hands in his pockets, leaning against the railing as if boneless. Lucas was handsome; even a slight curl of his lips was both cool and bad, attracting glances from the girls nearby. Right in front of me, he whistled at those two girls. I kicked his foot. He yelped, then called to me in a low voice. “Babe, I have to play the part fully, you know.” He had already started to take on the air of the underworld, but his eyes remained clear. As the sound of Christmas carols drifted by, he tilted his head back, his words tinged with teasing. “Three years, then another three years, then another three years.” That was a line from the movie “Infernal Affairs”, our favorite cop and gangster film. He turned his head, our eyes meeting through the reflection in the glass. “When will I be able to marry you?” … I put down the newspaper and brushed past him. “When the mission is over, I’ll be waiting for you to marry me.” … The mission was over, but I didn’t get to wait for him to marry me. The next morning when I woke up, the space beside me was empty, no one there. Of course, I knew he hated me and didn’t want to stay in the same bed with me. But when I went downstairs and couldn’t find him anywhere, I panicked. I searched every corner of the house, but couldn’t find him. I called my friends, my hand shaking as I held the phone. But he was nowhere to be found. I hugged my head and crouched down. Lately, I often got headaches when I thought too hard about things. The increasingly throbbing head made my vision swim, but the anxiety of not finding him was the real torture. I frantically typed out messages, even thinking of asking my former colleagues at the bureau to help me search. My wildly beating heart grew hotter and hotter, until a pair of white shoes appeared in front of me. “What are you doing?” A steady voice, still cold and indifferent. Lucas wasn’t Lucas anymore, yet Lucas was still Lucas. But the man standing before me with an indifferent expression could no longer be reconciled with the boy in my memories. I stood up and hugged him. I don’t know why, but I really liked hugging him. It was as if I could leave my warmth on his body this way, even though he never hugged me back. “I thought you left, Lucas.” He stepped back, subtly pushing me away. “I just went to water the flowers.” “…” I smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “What do you want for dinner? I’ll cook…” “Stop pretending. You don’t even let me go out.” He cut me off, picked up a book from the dining table, and went upstairs. I didn’t let Lucas go out because I was afraid he might be targeted by remnants of the drug organization he had infiltrated. But the more I did this, the more he became like a white dove trapped in a cage. The more he hated me.

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