Zachary, my ex-boyfriend whom I once destroyed, has returned to the country with a billion-dollar fortune. But he has only one goal: to humiliate me mercilessly. However, when he finally finds me, all he sees is a small gravestone overgrown with grass. I died three years ago, just three months after our breakup. It’s been three years since I died, and I still haven’t been able to reincarnate. My soul wanders the world. I waited early at the airport exit, my transparent body giving me a significant advantage. As Zachary stepped out of the airport, screams erupted from the crowd. I stood in the spot closest to him, feeling an inexplicable ache in my chest. How wonderful, he’s still as handsome and dashing as ever. Unlike three years ago, he now exudes confidence and success, his eyes twinkling with joy. I had learned of Zachary’s imminent return from the news. Over the past three years, he had successfully built a business abroad and was now returning to expand his enterprise. Countless people cheered for him, even praising his family. Only I, his ex-girlfriend who had abandoned him in his darkest hour, was vilified on social media. Thankfully, I can’t even touch a phone now, or I’d surely try to defend myself. But what would be the point? I laughed bitterly at myself when suddenly a familiar figure appeared before me. The person ran towards Zachary, nearly tripping several times due to the crowd. Instinctively, I reached out to help, but my hands passed right through people’s bodies. I froze. So I stood still as the figure pushed through the crowd and ran up to Zachary, almost falling to her knees. “Mr. Zhou, I’m Wendy, Sophia’s friend. Could you spare some time? I have something important to tell you.” The speaker was my best friend in life, and also my brother Samuel’s true love. They were about to get married when Samuel had a car accident the day before. The hit-and-run driver was never caught. Since then, he’s been bedridden, often mentally unstable, only kept in check by medication. Mostly imported and expensive drugs. I suppose this is why Wendy is here. We’ve sold everything we could over the years, but it’s still not enough to cover the costs. I looked hopefully at Zachary, wondering if he still had a place for me in his heart. “Sophia? Who’s that?” “What? Another person trying to use my brother’s connections?” “How shameless! He doesn’t even know her.” “Hey, isn’t that name similar to his ex-girlfriend’s?” The crowd murmured, some even starting to push Wendy away. Her face turned red, but Zachary’s bodyguards were already clearing a path, shoving her aside. I wanted to comfort her, but as I reached out, I froze. Ah, even after three years as a spirit, I still haven’t learned. The truth is, I couldn’t even comfort myself. Every word he said felt like a knife to my heart. In an instant, Wendy wiped away her tears and tried to push through the crowd again. This time she wasn’t so lucky. The tall bodyguards wouldn’t let her get close. After what had just happened, more people in the crowd started to interfere. A scream made Zachary stop. All the reporters turned their cameras towards the two of them, and even the air seemed to go still. Wendy, ignoring the pain, tried to speak, but he turned and walked away. As one of the bodyguards helped her up, the main group had already walked far away. After the car had driven some distance, Zachary had Wendy brought to him. Her hair was disheveled, and there was some dirt on her face. I followed her closely, unable to hold back my tears. She used to be such a free-spirited, romantic girl. It was only for my brother that she gave up all her dignity. At this moment, I desperately hoped Zachary wouldn’t be too harsh with his words, but he didn’t grant my wish. “Please, save Samuel! I really don’t have money for the imported medicine anymore. Please, for Sophia’s sake, help us!” “Her sake? She doesn’t deserve it! Unless she comes and begs me on her knees herself!” Wendy’s eyes widened, as if she had heard something unbelievable. Her hands were shaking slightly, like she might lose control at any moment. “But Sophia, she…” “Trying to play me like three years ago? Hah, I’ll give her three days. Not a day more.” Then Zachary had his bodyguards take Wendy away. After she left, he immediately furrowed his brow. A phone call came in, the contact name reading “Darling Baby”. Rumor has it that Zachary has been keeping a beautiful petite woman by his side these three years, and they’re supposedly getting married soon. When I was with him, I once saw this caller ID, but Zachary quickly hid it away. It must have been his true love. This is for the best. Our relationship was just mutual use anyway, so I shouldn’t feel so guilty. When I first met Zachary, I was just a lowly employee at his family’s company. Beauty without the ability to protect oneself is a sin. During a team-building event, a sleazy superior dragged me into a small room. I managed to scare him off by cutting my wrist and then opened the door to escape. I ran straight into someone’s arms – it was Zachary. Later, when I woke up in the hospital, I learned that he had chased away the superior that day and offered me the position of his personal assistant, which was currently being recruited. After we got together, he told me that he thought it was better to find an assistant from someone he knew. He happened to look through my file and learned that I had a bedridden brother, which piqued his interest. Zhou Corporation was the top company in River City, with a wide range of business interests. Zachary, who had been groomed as the heir from a young age, was highly talented but didn’t like business. He preferred tinkering with electronic products. Unable to defy his father, he reluctantly became a deputy director, secretly focusing on his interests. When I first became his assistant, I was warned. His father, with a smile on his face, said words that cut to the bone. “You should do what’s appropriate for your position and be aware of your place. Otherwise, you might not even be able to keep that position. Don’t you agree?” He said this to me one afternoon in a coffee shop, and I’ve always remembered it. Zachary had been engaged since childhood, but they never got along. He often complained to me about her, and gradually I came to know her better than Zachary did. I didn’t follow his father’s advice, instead growing closer to Zachary day by day. Because my place was never meant to be here. It was about two months after Samuel’s car accident when someone approached me at my part-time job with a large sum of money. The Zhou family hadn’t fallen from grace yet, and I knew some people from when we were still wealthy. The person wanted me to steal a business secret from the Zhou family. I immediately refused. “Miss Shen, don’t you want to save your brother?” “I’ll earn the money myself.” “Haha! Maybe you could have done that before, but now only two people are left in your family. How will you earn it?” On the day of bankruptcy, my father jumped from a building and my mother committed suicide. Not long after, my brother had the car accident. Only I remained intact. Although I didn’t want to face it, it was reality. That evening, I went to Samuel’s hospital room and happened to catch him during one of his episodes. He was tightly gripping a fruit knife with both hands, and no one dared to approach him. As he was about to leave the hospital, I steeled myself and rushed to stop him, but my arm was cut with a long gash. The nurses who had been waiting for an opportunity swarmed in and gave him a sedative, finally calming him down. After my arm was bandaged, Samuel regained consciousness. Seeing the wound, he started hitting his head violently. Wendy hurried to stop him but was pushed away, tears streaming down her face. “Isn’t he taking his medication every day?” “The medicine ran out, and we don’t have money to buy more. I thought he had been doing well lately, so I figured it would be okay to stop for a few days. I never expected this to happen when I left for just a moment. I’m so sorry.” “It’s not your fault. I still have some money, take it and use it.” Wendy could have left, but she didn’t. Just for this, I already felt incredibly guilty. How could I blame her? She wiped her tears and left with the bank card I gave her. I could vaguely hear her talking to the medical staff outside. Samuel sat blankly on the bed after his outburst, his face expressionless. “It would be better if I just died.” This sentence was like a small stone thrown into water, setting off alarm bells in my mind. In this world, he was my last remaining family member. No matter what, I couldn’t let anything happen to him. I couldn’t bear the pain of losing another family member. So I agreed to that person’s request. They would arrange everything and cover all treatment costs, even bringing in a specialist from abroad. The condition was that within three months, I had to obtain that item at any cost. We quickly fell in love, always together wherever we went. During a business trip, we ran into William, who had relentlessly pursued me in school. He blocked my path, insisting on catching up. Zachary shielded me behind him, his tall figure exuding a sense of security. “Who are you?” William’s voice was almost trembling. Zachary looked back at me, then at him, and smiled. “I’m her boyfriend.” William left sheepishly, no longer as arrogant in front of Zachary. After getting rid of William, Zachary suggested we go for a walk. I was still shocked by what had just happened and nodded without thinking. The gentle breeze on my face felt refreshing, as if memories from the past were becoming clearer bit by bit. Back then, I was carefree, not having to think so much about everything like I do now. He noticed my low spirits and took great care of me throughout the journey. How wonderful it would be if we could stay in this moment forever? I knew I shouldn’t indulge in such fantasies, but my heart couldn’t help it. “Do you… like me?” This was the first time he had asked me this. Before, when we got together, a simple nod was enough. I smiled, my face stiff, then nodded heavily. ———-This is the breakpoint———- Liking someone doesn’t need a reason. I smiled from the bottom of my heart, as if I had truly fallen for him too.

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I had been with Chloe Sinclair for ten years, helping her climb the corporate ladder at her family’s company. To secure deals for her, I attended countless business dinners and client meetings. She kept delaying making our relationship public, saying she wanted to wait until her career was stable. But on the day she became CEO, she publicly announced that her childhood friend Lucas was her fiancé and set a wedding date. That same night, I was at a business dinner celebrating her promotion, trying to close a big deal for her. I ended up drinking too much and got sick. The client’s husband misunderstood the situation and had me beaten up. Limping and bruised, I brought her the signed contract. But she allowed Lucas to run over my foot with his car, then casually said, “Lucas just learned to drive. Don’t take it personally if he bumped you by accident.” The pain I had been enduring exploded as Lucas’s car crushed my foot. I doubled over in agony. Lucas feigned innocence, saying, “Zach, why did you suddenly step out?” Every cell in my body was screaming in pain. The contract I had been protecting fell to the ground. The clean white paper looked out of place next to my blood and dirt-stained clothes. Chloe walked over and picked up the contract. After glancing through it, she put it in her bag and looked down at me condescendingly. “Lucas just learned to drive. Don’t take it personally if he bumped you by accident.” I was in too much pain to speak. I reached out to her, but she made no move to help me up. It seemed Chloe’s CEO celebration party was ending, as more and more people walked out of the hall. “Isn’t that CEO Sinclair and her fiancé Lucas? Who’s that man lying on the ground?” Fiancé? Lucas? What about me? I struggled to prop myself up on my arms, wanting to ask Chloe what was going on. But my arms seemed to be broken too – I couldn’t put any weight on them. The murmurs of the crowd continued. “Isn’t that guy the model Chloe keeps around?” “Shh, keep your voice down. Rich people having boy toys is nothing unusual.” “Did Lucas’s car hit him?” Hearing this, Chloe finally reacted. She signaled her bodyguards to pull me up, then addressed the crowd: “Lucas didn’t hit him. He fell in front of the car himself.” I was lifted like a rag doll by the bodyguards. I kept replaying the word “boy toy” in my mind, feeling a bitter taste in my mouth. Chloe and I had been together for ten years. She had cried to me about her father favoring her brother for the family business, even though he was incompetent. She said her father was trying to force her to marry a much older divorced man. I felt for her and wanted to help. After graduation, I came to work for her, closing deal after deal to help her prove herself to her father and gain a foothold in the Sinclair family business. But after all I had done, I was still a nobody with no official status. And now I had the degrading label of “boy toy” who was just there for her entertainment. “What?! So he’s trying to scam them!” “He looks so young, how could he stoop so low?” Chloe’s explanation had turned everyone against me. My consciousness was fading. The last thing I heard was one of the bodyguards yelling to Chloe, “Ms. Sinclair, this guy passed out.” When I woke up, the sharp smell of disinfectant filled my nose. My hand was wrapped in bandages and my leg was in a cast. The slightest movement sent waves of pain through my body. Those men who beat me up had clearly gone all out. The doctor noticed I was awake and glanced at me. “You’re up. Contact a family member to pay the bills and take care of you. The men who brought you here left right after dropping you off.” I had no money on me. Chloe had grown up in a wealthy family and seen a lot of scheming and betrayal. She lacked a sense of security. To reassure her, I had voluntarily given her control of our finances, letting her manage all the money. But now, she wouldn’t even pay for my medical bills. After the doctor left, I called Chloe, hoping to ask her to transfer some money for the hospital fees. But a man’s voice answered the phone. “Chloe’s in the shower. Talk to her assistant if you need something.” He hung up abruptly. The vague words, along with the “fiancé” from last night… A fire of anger ignited in my chest. I felt like a complete fool. Ignoring the nurse’s protests, I yanked out the IV and grabbed the crutches by the bed. I stumbled out, desperate to get to the Sinclair house and catch Chloe with her lover red-handed. I finally made it to the Sinclair house, but when I opened the door, I saw Chloe sitting with my family, looking happy and relaxed. Lucas was chatting with my mom, making her laugh. I staggered over and grabbed Lucas’s arm. I glared at Chloe and snarled, “Chloe, isn’t Lucas supposed to be your cousin? How did he become your fiancé?!” Before Chloe could respond, my mom stood up and slapped me hard across the face. She pulled Lucas away from me. “Zachary Miller, what the hell are you doing?! For years, Ms. Sinclair has given you a job, paid you well, and even sent food and gifts to our family. Instead of being grateful, you’re acting crazy now?” The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. My mom had worked as a farmer for years and had very strong hands. The slap made my head spin. I belatedly realized that Chloe had never publicly acknowledged our relationship. Chloe didn’t want to go public, and I respected her wishes as a man. When talking to my family, I just said I worked for the Sinclair company. But now, this had become a knife stabbing me in the back. My brother also stood up with a frown. “Zach, what are you doing? You’re acting like you and Chloe were dating or something. We need to know our place with families like the Sinclairs.” Chloe just sat there sipping her tea, making no move to explain things for me. Lucas put on an act of being magnanimous. “Chloe has probably been too nice to him, leading to some misunderstandings. It’s okay, Mrs. Miller.” One mouth can’t win against several. I looked at my family in despair as they all took Chloe and Lucas’s side. Chloe finally spoke up. She handed my mom a bright red invitation. “Mrs. Miller, Lucas and I are getting married next month. You’re welcome to attend. Zach has contributed a lot to the company. More than an employee, I see him as a brother. So you’re like family to me too.” My mom was overjoyed, clutching the invitation to her chest. She couldn’t stop smiling. “Oh my, Ms. Sinclair, you’re too kind. You’ve been such a blessing to our Zach. His father passed away when he was young, and I struggled to raise the two boys on my own. Life was so hard back then. But after Zach met you, our lives improved so much.” I stared at that invitation with bloodshot eyes, my chest heaving with anger. Chloe and I had been together for ten years. I cared for her, respected her, and helped her climb to the CEO position. But she had used me and tossed me aside, turning around to marry another man. What was I to Chloe Sinclair? Just a stepping stone on her path to success? A dog she could kick around? I leaned on my crutches, feeling waves of hatred and regret wash over me. In the end, I couldn’t help but burst out laughing. My laughter drew everyone’s attention. My brother looked at me with disgust. My mom rushed over to try to cover my mouth. She awkwardly explained to Chloe, “My son must be excited to hear about your wedding, Ms. Sinclair.” Chloe looked at my pathetic state – one hand on a crutch, the other in a sling. “I should thank Zach too. He closed a big deal for me yesterday. You’re injured, so take some paid leave. Get well and then come to my wedding.” I stared at Chloe in disbelief. I had loved her for ten years, only to end up stabbed in the back. And now she wanted me to attend her wedding. For any man, this would be the ultimate humiliation. But my mom’s eyes lit up at the mention of paid leave. She ignored my struggles and had my brother help me out. “Thank you, Ms. Sinclair. We’ll definitely attend your wedding.” I didn’t want to go to Chloe’s wedding. But my mom threatened to hang herself to force me to go. She said, “Zachary Miller, Ms. Sinclair invited you. If you don’t go, you’re disrespecting her. Where would our family be without Ms. Sinclair? Or are you saying you actually have feelings for her? Know your place!” My brother held my mom back from finding a rope. He also complained, “Bro, are you trying to get our whole family killed?” But they had no idea that our family’s comfortable life wasn’t thanks to Chloe. It was from all the drinks I had with clients to close deals. I wanted to explain, but their eyes were full of contempt and distrust towards me. So I swallowed my words and just said, “Fine, I’ll go.” On the wedding day, I watched Chloe walk down the aisle in a white dress towards Lucas. Lucas was in the spot that that should have been mine. I pushed down the bitterness in my heart and signaled my friend Leo to play the video I had prepared. The video that was supposed to show Chloe and Lucas’s love story suddenly changed to moments between Chloe and me. There were photos of us from college, handwritten letters we had exchanged, records of our anniversary celebrations. The video caused an uproar among the guests. “Who is that guy? He doesn’t look like Lucas.” I picked up a microphone, ready to tell them everything. But as soon as I started speaking, I realized there was no sound coming from the mic. I looked over at Leo, but he avoided my gaze. Meanwhile, Chloe calmly raised her own microphone. “I’m so sorry for the confusion, everyone. The man in the video is Zachary Miller. We dated in college, but broke up due to incompatibility.” “Out of consideration for our past, I gave him a job at Sinclair Corp after graduation. But he didn’t take it seriously and kept trying to hit on wealthy clients.” “As you can see, his arm is in a sling. That’s because one of the client’s husbands had him beaten up.” As she spoke, a spotlight shone on me, nearly blinding me. My heart sank as I realized Leo had sold me out. Chloe continued relentlessly, “In fact, Mr. Jackson is here today. His wife was harassed by Zachary.” A heavyset man stood up from the audience, pointing at me and yelling, “You little punk! I warned you to stay away, but you dare show up at Ms. Sinclair’s wedding to cause trouble!” He waved his hand and several burly men came to drag me out. I struggled desperately, “Mom! Tyler! Help me!” But they turned away, pretending not to know me. One of the men knocked me to the ground. Then a barrage of fists and kicks rained down on me. I could only use my one good arm to protect my head. When the men got tired of beating me, one of them spat on me and cursed, “I hate pretty boys like you the most.” “Take a look in the mirror, you piece of trash.” “Let’s go, it’s a waste of energy beating up scum like this.” I lay on the ground like a dead dog while the wedding continued inside. I heard the officiant say, “The groom may now kiss the bride.” My face was wet with tears as I remembered Chloe scolding me for being clumsy during our first kiss, saying I had cut her lip. I’m not sure when the wedding ended, but I felt people walking past me. I grabbed a familiar ankle and looked up to meet Chloe’s cold eyes. With my last bit of strength, I croaked out, “Why?” She crouched down and pried my hand off her ankle. Without a hint of emotion, she said, “I got bored of you.” This time, I didn’t hesitate to raise my hand and signal the person who had been hiding nearby. “My dear sister, how could you not invite your brother to your wedding?”

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To marry the poor boy Felix Thompson, I nearly cut ties with my parents. For ten years together, I worked tirelessly, quitting my job to stay home and care for his bedridden mother. He was touched, whispering sweet nothings in my ear and promising he would never betray me. We became the couple everyone envied. But then his first love came back. He abandoned me time and again for her. When she complained of discomfort, He even dragged me, pregnant, out of the car on the highway. “Wait here by the road, I’ll be back for you soon,” he said. With that, he started the car to leave. But in that moment, a vehicle came speeding towards me from behind. By the time I realized what was happening, I was already lying in a pool of blood… When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day Felix confessed his love to me. “Say yes, say yes!” “Wow, you have to accept!” The cheering crowd around us made me feel disoriented. The pain of my bones shattering under the car’s impact was still vivid in my mind. Felix stood before me, still with a touch of youthful innocence. He held out roses, looking at me tenderly, his ears red as blood. “Be with me, Olivia.” He offered the roses to me. But I remained motionless, my body stiff as a board. Had I been reborn? Seeing no reaction from me, Felix smiled. He assumed I was just shy. He raised his voice and asked again solemnly, “Olivia Carter, will you be my girlfriend?” Just then, a cold breeze blew past. It cleared my muddled thoughts somewhat. I looked past the crowd to see Rachel Frost, smiling smugly in the background. Only now, in this second life, did I realize Rachel had been there the day Felix confessed to me. I remembered how many times later, when I met Rachel, She would look at me with a mixture of pity and superiority. She said, “The only reason Felix confessed to you was because of me.” Later I found out it was because Rachel liked Samuel Morrison, so she pushed Felix to be with me. The goal was to cut off any hopes Samuel had for me. It wasn’t until after my death, when my soul lingered in this world, that I learned Samuel had always harbored feelings for me. He took care of my funeral, looked after my parents, and even sought revenge against Felix and Rachel… I looked at Felix, his eyes full of tender affection. He really seemed to love me deeply. Only after dying once did I realize it was all an act. How could someone fake love so convincingly? To everyone’s shock, I forcefully knocked away Felix’s roses. I enunciated each word clearly: “I don’t accept. I don’t like you, Felix Thompson.” With those words, the entire crowd fell silent. The smile on Felix’s face became strained. “You’re… joking, right?” Rachel could no longer control herself and rushed out from the crowd, pointing at me, “Stop playing hard to get. Everyone knows you like Felix!” I looked at her coldly. In my past life, Rachel and I didn’t know each other at this point. I had only heard about this first love a few times from Felix. I replied sarcastically, “Do I know you?” Rachel was stunned. I shouldn’t have known her, yet she seemed to know all about my situation. Because of Samuel, she had been stalking me on various social media platforms. I didn’t notice Felix giving Rachel an odd look. Rachel jutted out her chin, “I’m Felix’s good friend. I’ve been helping him pursue you, so of course I know you.” “Is that so? But isn’t he in love with you?” With those words, the crowd fell silent again. Felix anxiously spoke up, “No, that’s not true. I don’t like her, I like you.” Rachel pretended to be hurt, rubbing her eyes. “How can you spread such rumors? Felix and I are just good friends, nothing more.” Her affected manner made me sick. I grabbed Rachel’s left hand without warning. There was a ring-shaped tattoo on her ring finger. “Just friends? Then why do you both have matching ring tattoos?” The onlookers instinctively looked at Felix’s hand. Sure enough, he had the same ring-shaped tattoo on his ring finger. In my past life, before Rachel returned to the country, Felix’s explanation was that he simply thought the tattoo looked cool. Later when I discovered Rachel had the same one, I had a huge fight with him.

To appease me, he went to have the tattoo removed. He hugged me and said Rachel was just a first love from when he was young and foolish. He insisted I was the only one in his heart now, and Rachel was in the past. I believed him then, which led to my tragic end later. In this new life, I wouldn’t be so foolish again. Felix could no longer maintain his calm facade. He hurriedly tried to cover the tattoo, explaining to me, “No, it’s not what you think. I was young and stupid then. If it bothers you, I can have it removed…” He rubbed at the tattoo with his other hand until the skin broke and bled. “It’ll be gone soon, I promise…” I found his act pathetic. Felix’s acting skills had really improved. If I hadn’t died once before, I truly would have believed he loved me. I didn’t bother arguing further and turned to leave. But as I turned, I saw Samuel Morrison standing in the distance. His hands were in his pockets, his expression cold. He still had that rebellious look, like he didn’t care about anything in the world. Yet it was this same man who, upon hearing of my death, aged overnight. My eyes instantly welled up with tears. I ran towards him. “Sam, I’ve missed you so much.” Samuel was a bit taken aback, but still opened his arms to catch me. I buried myself in his embrace, greedily listening to his increasingly rapid heartbeat. At that moment, the world seemed to stand still. There was only Samuel and me. I didn’t hear Felix’s anguished cries, or Rachel’s jealous and resentful wails. Samuel drove me home. My parents had already prepared dinner and were waiting for me. Seeing my parents, my eyes immediately turned red. If there was anyone I truly owed an apology to in my past life, it was my parents. Seeing me cry, my parents became anxious. Mom hugged me, asking worriedly, “What’s wrong, sweetie? Did someone bully you?” Dad sat nearby, drumming his fingers on the table. I couldn’t speak through my tears. Samuel explained for me. He recounted how Felix had confessed to me today. My dad slammed the table and stood up. “I knew that boy was no good. Too scheming, not a suitable match at all.” Mom gently stroked my head, comforting me softly: “Olivia dear, don’t be sad. He’s not worth your tears.” I nodded, hugging Mom tightly. At that moment, the reality of my rebirth hit me like a tidal wave. With my parents and Samuel comforting me, my emotions gradually calmed. We all sat down at the dinner table to eat. This warm family scene made me think of the times I had cut ties with my parents in my past life. Guilt washed over me again. “Dad, Mom, I’m sorry. I was so foolish… I won’t do it again…” My parents didn’t understand what had happened, but they just kept comforting me. Before bed, I received a message from Felix. “Olivia, I’ve had the tattoo removed. Are you still angry?” Looking at the message, I suddenly remembered that at this point in my past life, Felix and I were already together. Meanwhile, Samuel had gone abroad, and Rachel had followed him. But this time, I hadn’t gotten together with Felix, and neither Samuel nor Rachel had left the country. After calming down completely, I began to review everything that had happened today. Felix’s behavior was very strange. The way he looked at me held an inexplicable possessiveness, and a hint of hidden madness. In that instant, my heart skipped a beat. He had come back too. My hands shook as I blocked and deleted Felix’s contact information. The shadow of death loomed over me at that moment. In my panic, I received a call from Samuel. I answered it urgently, as if grasping at a lifeline. “Sam…” “What’s wrong? Did Felix scare you today?” “I… yes…” “Don’t be afraid. As long as I’m here, no one can hurt you.” Samuel’s voice seemed to have a magical effect, gradually calming my heart. I fell asleep to Samuel’s gentle words. After I blocked and deleted him, Felix quieted down for a while. I didn’t see him for several days. Just as I was breathing a sigh of relief, an unexpected incident occurred. That day, I went to the hospital to buy some cold medicine. By chance, I ran into Felix’s mother who was there for a follow-up appointment. She had always been in poor health. In my past life, even with my careful care, her condition worsened year by year until she was bedridden within a few years. At this point in time, Felix’s mother could still walk, albeit with difficulty. I instinctively took a step back, hiding around the corner. Felix had just arrived at his mother’s side with a stack of test reports. I heard his mother sigh. “Ah, if I have to be hospitalized, it’ll be troublesome for you to come take care of me. What about your work? I don’t want to affect your career.” “Mom, don’t worry. I’ll have Olivia quit her job to take care of you.” “Would she be willing? I heard her family is well-off. She’s delicate, how could she take care of someone?” “Of course she would. She’s very domestic and caring.” Felix’s voice was full of certainty. I felt as if I’d been plunged into an ice bath. No wonder he kept pursuing me even though he didn’t like me. He just wanted me to take care of his mother for him. His mother’s voice continued, “But… don’t you like that Rachel girl?” I froze in place. I suddenly remembered Felix’s mother tightly grasping my hand on her deathbed, saying “I’m sorry.” My eyes suddenly welled up with tears. So Felix’s mother had known all along that I wasn’t the one her son truly loved, yet she had accepted my care without qualms. I thought Felix would immediately agree with his mother’s words. To my surprise, he quickly retorted, “Mom, please don’t say things like that anymore. I don’t want Olivia to misunderstand.” “My wife can only be her, in this life and the next. She belongs only to me.” I leaned against the wall, my fists clenched tightly. His mother still seemed a bit worried. “But what if she finds out the truth…” “Even if she knows, she won’t leave me. She loves me more than life itself.” Saying this, Felix fell silent. His mind was in turmoil. After a long while, he spoke again, “Don’t worry, she’s just playing hard to get. I’ll coax her back soon.” I couldn’t listen anymore and walked out. Seeing me, they both looked surprised. Felix’s mother hurriedly lowered her head, not daring to look at me. After his initial shock, Felix’s face lit up with undisguised joy. “You came! I knew you couldn’t stay away from me.” “I’ll be magnanimous and overlook your mistake from the other day.” I didn’t speak, just stared at him steadily. Felix began to feel uneasy under my gaze. But he didn’t want to back down. He had been mocked quite a bit lately for being rejected by me. So out of stubbornness, he deliberately hadn’t come looking for me for several days. I suddenly laughed, “Mistake? What mistake did I make, Felix Thompson?” “You deliberately hugged Samuel that day to provoke me, and you… you even blocked me.” I tilted my head, stepped forward and slapped him hard across the face. Felix’s mother, who had been pretending to be oblivious, immediately jumped up and bared her teeth at me. “What are you doing!” I shrugged, “Can’t you see? I’m slapping him.” With that, I turned and walked away coolly. It wasn’t until I had completely disappeared that Felix realized he had been slapped. 4 As I reached the hospital entrance, I ran into Rachel. I wanted to just walk past her and leave, but she grabbed my wrist. She was the epitome of the “innocent vixen” – pure-looking face but voluptuous figure, the type of girl often described online as having both innocence and sex appeal. She looked me up and down, then sneered. “You really are shameless, aren’t you? You made a big show of rejecting Felix before, and now you’re here at the hospital to see that old lady?” “What I do is none of your business.” I forcefully shook off her hand and was about to leave. But she stumbled dramatically, hitting the handrail of the stairs. This scene was all too familiar. I had experienced it in my past life too. Back then, I had been at a loss for words, only knowing how to defend myself. Of course Felix didn’t believe me. He just looked at me coldly, then gave me the silent treatment for a week. By that time, I had almost given up on our relationship. But he took the initiative to apologize, saying he shouldn’t have doubted me, and begged for my forgiveness. It wasn’t until this moment, looking at the past from a god’s-eye view, That I realized Felix’s behavior towards me was nothing more than giving me a slap followed by a sweet treat. Sure enough, Felix appeared. His face still bore the clear imprint of my hand. Rachel lay on the ground, crying silently, the perfect picture of a pitiful victim. Just as I thought Felix was going to berate me, he walked straight to my side. “Are you okay? You’re not hurt, are you?” These words stunned even Rachel. For a moment, her coquettish, vulnerable facade twisted into an ugly grimace. She said in disbelief, “Felix, I’m the one who’s hurt. Can’t you see?” Felix seemed not to hear her, only looking at me with concern and a complex expression. I had no idea what game he was playing, so I just rolled my eyes and left. But Felix followed closely behind me. Rachel was still shouting in the background, but neither of us paid her any attention. At the intersection, Felix finally couldn’t hold back and grabbed my hand. His eyes were bloodshot as he looked at me cautiously, “You heard what I said to my mom earlier, didn’t you? Don’t misunderstand, it was all just talk.” I didn’t answer this question. Instead, I leaned close to his ear and whispered, “You came back too, didn’t you? Don’t play dumb.” I felt his grip on my hand suddenly tighten. The streetlight above cast a flickering shadow on his face, splitting it into light and dark halves. The left side showed his cold cruelty towards me after meeting his first love again, while the right side reflected his anguish after my death. In my past life, as a disembodied spirit, I had seen him suffer immense pain upon learning of my death. But was this pain due to losing a free caretaker, or because things had spiraled out of his control? “So you… came back too.” Felix’s voice trembled. His eyes were full of painful struggle. “I knew you had come back from the moment you rejected me.” “But I didn’t dare believe it, didn’t dare think about it. I was afraid you would hate me…” “Felix Thompson, let’s end it here.” I forcefully pried his hand off me, stepping back to create some distance. Then, I secretly took out the pepper spray Samuel had given me this morning. I sprayed it directly in Felix’s face. As he cried out in pain, I turned and ran. The next day, I posted a photo on social media of Samuel and me holding hands. With the caption: “Found my soulmate, wishing to grow old together with you.” 5 My social media exploded instantly. Friends flooded the comments section: “Wonderful, a perfect match made in heaven.” “I’ve been shipping you two for ages, finally you’re together!”

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Three years after my death, my husband finally remembered me. The reason? His childhood friend Faye’s leukemia had relapsed, and she needed another bone marrow transplant. He came to the house where I used to live, intending to have me sign a donation agreement. But he found the place long abandoned. He asked the neighbors about me. “You mean Chloe? She’s been dead for years!” one replied. “I heard she was forced to donate bone marrow while she was sick. She passed away just days after returning home.” He refused to believe it, convinced the neighbors were conspiring with me to deceive him. Irritated, he snapped at them, “If you see her, tell her this: if she doesn’t show up in three days, I won’t pay another cent for that bastard child’s medical bills.” As he stormed off, the neighbor shook her head and muttered, “Poor child… he starved to death long ago.” Three years after death, my son and I were still restless spirits. Our attachments to this world were too strong, preventing us from moving on to the next life. Meanwhile, my husband Harrison had clawed his way up from the bottom of society, transforming into an enviable new business tycoon. I had betrayed him when he was at his lowest point. So he hated me. He wanted to flay me alive. Three years ago, he forced me to donate bone marrow to Faye while I was ill. Bone marrow extraction is invasive. Whether due to a procedural error or my weakened immune system, I developed a severe infection a week after the surgery. I fell into a coma with a high fever and died at home. My three-year-old son, left with no one to care for him, eventually died by my side. In those three years, Harrison never came to see us, not even a single phone call. Now, I held my son Timmy’s small hand as we floated in the air, watching Harrison kick our old front gate repeatedly. Three years without seeing each other, and he had changed so much. His eyes were cold and unfeeling. Familiar yet strange. Behind him stood Faye, wearing a mask and dressed to the nines. Her rosy cheeks and well-proportioned figure showed no signs of illness. Timmy, frightened by the loud banging, hid in my embrace. He looked up at me, his bright eyes a mix of excitement and fear. “Mommy, has Daddy finally remembered us? It’s been so long since he came to see us.” “But he looks angry. Did I do something to upset him?” “And who’s that lady standing there?” I stroked his head, my heart aching. My throat felt constricted, unable to utter a word. “Chloe, get out here now! Stop pretending to be dead!” Harrison shouted into the yard. The commotion drew the attention of Mrs. Johnson next door. She came out and asked Harrison, “Young man, who are you looking for? This house has been empty for a long time.” Harrison composed himself and asked, “Doesn’t Chloe live here? Has she moved?” Mrs. Johnson’s expression darkened. She sighed, “You mean Chloe? She died three years ago.” Harrison froze for a moment. Mrs. Johnson continued, “I heard she was forced to donate bone marrow while she was sick. She passed away just days after returning home. It’s such a tragedy.” Faye’s expression changed, her face turning pale. She protested weakly, “Ma’am, please don’t say such things. Donating bone marrow is safe; it doesn’t kill people.” “If she didn’t want to donate to me, she could have just said so. There’s no need to curse herself like this. It’s bad luck.” She spoke loudly, as if I might be eavesdropping from inside the house. Harrison, who had been in shock, suddenly relaxed upon hearing Mrs. Johnson’s words. A mocking smile appeared on his face. “Does she find it amusing to keep up this act? If she’s going to lie, she should at least make it believable. She should check if there are any cases of people dying from bone marrow donation.” Mrs. Johnson, confused by their conversation, simply repeated, “The poor thing was found dead in the house after several days…” Harrison’s face turned cold. He said to Mrs. Johnson, “I don’t know why you’re conspiring with her to deceive me, but please tell her this: if she doesn’t show up to donate bone marrow to Faye within three days, don’t blame me for cutting off the dialysis treatment for that bastard child she’s raising.” Mrs. Johnson was stunned. She shook her head and sighed, preparing to return to her own house. Harrison called out coldly behind her, “Remember! I’m only giving her three days. If she doesn’t appear, I won’t transfer a single penny for living expenses this month. Let her watch that bastard die right in front of her.” As she turned away, Mrs. Johnson’s eyes reddened. She muttered to herself, “That poor child starved to death long ago. If only I had gone to check on them, I might have been able to save him…” “Harrison, is it possible that Chloe doesn’t want to donate bone marrow to me, so she’s hiding?” Faye asked, her expression on the verge of tears. Harrison affectionately ruffled her hair. “Silly girl, it’s just a little leukemia. Even if Chloe doesn’t donate, I’ll search the whole country to find a suitable match for you.” Faye pouted, “But Chloe’s bone marrow is almost a perfect match for my body. The doctor said he’s never seen two people with such a high degree of compatibility.” Harrison glanced at the locked gate, his tone filled with determination and promise: “Then for your sake, I’ll move heaven and earth to find her!” At that moment, my heart couldn’t help but ache again. Looking at the two people standing before me, memories from years ago flooded back. Harrison and I were college classmates. Back then, he was like the morning sun piercing through a thin mist – warm and radiant. I fell for him first. We got together after graduating from college. I once saw him as my salvation, my whole world revolving around him. I followed him into his startup, sharing in the hardships. He promised to take care of me for life. At first, he really did. But ideals eventually gave way to reality. In the early days of his business, I often accompanied him to negotiate deals. That’s when I met Luke Jenkins, the heir to the Radiant Group. Luke was a spoiled rich kid who worked just for the experience. Ever since he met me, he buzzed around me like a fly, even trying to get handsy when drunk. Finally, during one incident when Luke tried to embrace me while intoxicated, Harrison smashed a wine bottle over his head. Because of this incident, we not only lost the Radiant Group contract but also had to pay all our savings to keep Luke from sending Harrison to jail. Of course, what we actually paid was far more than just money. That night, he held me in his arms and apologized. He said he was sorry, that when he succeeded one day, he would never let anyone bully me again. Indeed, after he succeeded, no one else bullied me. Only he did. I don’t want to reminisce anymore. I looked at that face, unseen for years yet colder and more unfeeling than ever. The stifling summer wind tousled his hair, deepening his already furrowed brow. He looked lost in thought. He held Faye in his arms, his gaze fixed on the waist-high weeds at the gate. The year I “betrayed” Harrison was our second year of marriage. By then, I was already over a month pregnant. But neither of us knew about it yet. At that time, Harrison’s business had started to show promise and had attracted several investors. It should have been smooth sailing, but for some reason, we suddenly hit a major setback. Even the investments we had secured were all withdrawn. The cash flow dried up, and our products started having one problem after another. We defaulted on our bank loans, and the mortgaged house, car, and factory were all about to be repossessed and auctioned off. During those days, Harrison couldn’t eat or sleep. To make matters worse, Harrison’s mother was diagnosed with cancer that year, requiring a huge sum for treatment. I pulled some strings to investigate the cause and discovered that the person sabotaging Harrison’s company was none other than Luke Jenkins, the man Harrison had hit with a wine bottle years ago. And now, he had come to me. He said he could arrange for Radiant Group’s investment arm to inject capital into Harrison’s company and even pay for his mother’s treatment. I knew he must have conditions. Would the devil do charity out of kindness? If he didn’t want my life, he must want something even more important than life itself. I asked him what was the point of doing this. Luke sneered, “I do it because I want to. What other reason do I need? I just enjoy watching you insects, furious yet helpless against me.” “Besides, I haven’t paid him back for cracking my skull open back then. It’s time for him to pay up.” I couldn’t understand Luke. He had a hundred ways to make Harrison’s life miserable, yet he chose me. Years later, I still vividly remember the scene that day. In a dimly lit private room, Luke held me on his lap. Harrison, walking in with the contract in hand, froze when he saw us. His eyes reddened as he asked hoarsely, “Why?” I told him, “You can’t give me the life I want, but Luke can…” Luke laughed loudly. His greasy hand pinched my waist. My heart felt like it was being pierced by a thousand arrows. Despite the utter humiliation, I forced a coquettish laugh and playfully dodged. “Harrison, isn’t this good? I help you get resources, you sign a contract with Radiant, it’s win-win.” Disappointment gradually filled Harrison’s eyes. But he still resolutely reached out to me: “Chloe, come here! I don’t need you to do this. Whatever life you want, I’ll work hard to give it to you in the future.” His tone was pleading, his expression so miserable. At that moment, my heart felt like it was being crushed by a thousand-pound stone, making it almost impossible to breathe. He said, “Chloe, I don’t have to sign today’s contract. Come home with me…” The once confident and proud man, who hadn’t hesitated to smash a wine bottle over the head of Radiant’s heir, was now begging so humbly. Luke laughed, triumphant and carefree. “Harrison, look at the woman you cherished. She’s no different from the rest. With just a crook of my finger, she crawled into my bed.” “So tell me, what was the point of smashing that bottle over my head back then? Haha…” Harrison ignored his words, just staring fixedly at me. I smiled, wrapping my arms around Luke’s neck, and said to Harrison, “That’s right, honey. Don’t take things so seriously. Just let it go.” I don’t remember much of what happened later that night. I only remember him signing the contract, his eyes blood-red as he said to me: “Chloe, in this life, we’ll never be done with each other!” After that, he threw himself into his work like a madman. In just a few short years, he grew his startup into a listed company, even becoming an industry leader last year. He had succeeded. And I had become the biggest stain on his life. Of course, I didn’t show up during the three-day deadline he gave. Harrison came to our little house again. Timmy excitedly circled around his father, placing his transparent little hand into Harrison’s large one hanging by his side. He turned back to me, jubilant: “Mommy, I’m finally holding hands with Daddy!” My eyes stung with unshed tears as I forced a smile for him. All these years, Harrison had believed Timmy was Luke’s child, despising him and refusing to even look at him. Although I had done a paternity test proving their biological father-son relationship, he still refused to believe it, thinking I had paid for a fake report. Ever since that night, I had lost all credibility with Harrison. I asked him for a divorce. I wanted to end this toxic relationship too. But he just glared at me viciously: “Chloe, remember, you owe me for life. I told you we’d never be done with each other.” “Divorce? Dream on!” He brought countless women home to spend the night, being intimate with them right in front of me. Whenever I tried to argue, he’d tell me to think about how dirty I was when I rolled around with Luke. This situation continued until Faye returned to the country. After she came back into his life, he cut off all contact with those other women. The two of them openly went everywhere together. Even Harrison’s business partners referred to Faye as “Mrs. Ford.” My thoughts returned to the present. I watched as Harrison stood at the gate, calling my phone. The automated voice informed him the number was no longer in service. He frowned, opening my SnapChat. The last message there was still the one he had sent three days ago, urging me to come forward and do the bone marrow matching for Faye. Of course, I hadn’t replied. He opened my photo feed, pausing when he saw a picture I had posted four years ago. It was a candid shot I had taken – him sitting on the sofa, two-year-old Timmy hugging his arm, resting his adorable little head on Harrison’s shoulder. I thought it was a beautiful moment and captured it, but the next second he had pushed Timmy away in disgust. He stared at the enlarged profile picture for a long while, then returned to the chat window to send me a message, “Chloe, you brought this on yourself. The three-day deadline is up. From today on, I won’t transfer another penny for your living expenses.” He waited for a long time, but still no reply. He then kicked the gate hard in frustration. Timmy, who had been happily circling around Harrison, was startled by this sudden action and began trembling in fear. His lip quivered as he burst into tears and ran into my arms: “Mommy, what’s wrong with Daddy? I’m scared…” I held him close, comforting him: “Don’t be afraid, Timmy. Daddy can’t hurt you anymore. Look, there are butterflies over there. Do you want to fly over and play with them for a bit?” I tried to distract him. Timmy turned his head and saw several butterflies fluttering nearby. He broke into a smile through his tears, quickly wiped his eyes, and flew towards the butterflies. After kicking the gate a couple of times, Harrison became even more agitated. He kept massaging his temples, then pulled out his phone and made a call. “Hello, is this the locksmith?” … Half an hour later. Harrison pushed open the cobweb-covered gate. The grass in the yard was even taller than at the entrance, reaching up to Harrison’s waist. The place had clearly been abandoned for a long time. He stood in the yard, hesitating to go further. He had been here twice before and should have remembered that I kept the yard well-maintained, not like the overgrown mess before him now. The first time he came was to drop off Timmy and me. Two-year-old Timmy had just been diagnosed with uremia, caused by congenital kidney underdevelopment. Disgusted by Timmy’s “bad luck,” Harrison bought this small farmhouse in a remote village and made us move here. He transferred $2,000 a month for living expenses, which included Timmy’s dialysis treatment costs. The second time he came to this little house was to forcibly take me to do bone marrow matching for his “true love” Faye. If he still remembered, he would surely recall that the yard was full of hydrangeas and roses. I had even made a swing for Timmy. While he was still lost in thought, Faye called again. Her voice sounded weak: “Harrison, have you seen Chloe? Will she come for the matching today?” Harrison reassured her: “I’ll handle this. You just focus on following the doctor’s treatment. Don’t worry.” Faye’s voice choked up: “I know Chloe probably doesn’t want to donate bone marrow to me again. I understand. She’s already saved me once; I can’t be greedy and ask her to save me a second time. I don’t blame her for hiding now, really…” It was as if she was confirming that I was deliberately hiding because I didn’t want to donate bone marrow to her. Harrison was silent for a few seconds. To my surprise, he didn’t take Faye’s side this time. He said, “It’s not like that. I haven’t been able to contact her yet. How could she know about your leukemia relapse in advance to hide?” Faye was taken aback. She quickly explained, “Harrison, you misunderstood. That’s not what I meant.” Harrison cut her off: “Faye, don’t worry. As long as Chloe is still alive in this world, I will find her. Even if she’s dead, I’ll make sure she donates bone marrow to you before she dies.” Faye seemed relieved after hearing this. After hanging up, Harrison stood in front of the house door for a long time. Although the door wasn’t locked, he still didn’t push it open. If he had opened it, he would have seen… Two body outlines drawn in white chalk. Those were the outlines the police had drawn after Timmy and I had died. But he just stood there. In the end, he retreated from the yard and bought a new lock from the locksmith to secure the gate. I noticed a strange phenomenon. As long as we followed Harrison, we could leave the place that had been constraining us.

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My wife sent me to a military training camp on a remote island, intending to turn me into a bodyguard for her ex-boyfriend. Little did I know, this “camp” was a living nightmare. Trapped on the island, I was caged like an animal, beaten mercilessly, and even forced into breeding programs. When I finally found a chance to call my wife for help, she dismissed my pleas, thinking I was exaggerating: “If you can’t handle this much, how can you protect Daniel?” Unable to bear the humiliation any longer, I made the desperate decision to end my life by jumping into the sea. Only when my wife learned of my death did she realize the gravity of her mistake. Panicked and grief-stricken, she knelt by the shore, crying and begging for me to come back – but it was too late. “Quick, strip him and take him to the breeding room. The people inside can’t wait any longer,” the man said with a lewd grin that made him look like a demon. I stood frozen, not daring to resist as they tore off my clothes. The man nodded approvingly at my submission, his hand snaking around my waist like a cold, venomous serpent. “You’re a natural breeding stud. If the boss hadn’t chosen you, I might not be able to resist tasting you myself,” he said, yanking on the iron chain around my neck and dragging my naked body out. Everyone around stared at me with malicious intent. I tried to act oblivious, mechanically following behind the man. He led me to a sealed room. The men and women inside lunged at me like wolves spotting prey, their eyes glowing with hunger. I could no longer suppress my terror. I screamed and thrashed, desperately trying to escape. But it was useless – countless filthy hands dragged me back. I don’t know how long it lasted. Eventually, I was tossed to the ground like a broken rag doll. My body was covered in bruises, not an inch of skin unharmed. I stared at the ceiling with lifeless eyes. Why? Why did I have to endure such suffering? Who could save me? Perhaps heaven heard my prayers, as I suddenly spotted a phone on the floor. My heart, which I thought had died, started beating again. If I could just call my wife Sarah, I might be saved! I crawled painfully forward, grabbed the phone, and dialed the number I knew by heart. My voice was hoarse from disuse, but the strong will to survive made me struggle to explain my situation. “Sarah, I’ve been kidnapped to a remote island. This place is hell, they-” Before I could finish, Sarah impatiently cut me off. “I’m the one who sent you there. It’s just a military training camp, isn’t it? Stay put and train well. When you come out, you’ll be Daniel’s bodyguard. I don’t trust anyone else around him, only you are suitable.” My heart, which had just started beating again, sank to the depths. It was my own wife who had sent me to this hell. And all of this was just so I could be her ex-boyfriend’s bodyguard! I desperately tried to convince myself that Sarah just didn’t know the true situation here. If she knew, she would surely rescue me. “Sarah, this place is for rich people to indulge their twisted desires. They treat people like animals here. I’ll die if I stay. Please, call the police and save me.” Sarah scoffed on the other end of the line. “James, how can you come up with such a ridiculous excuse? It’s just a bit tough at the military camp, and you’re acting like you’re dying. How are you going to protect Daniel in the future? Just stay there obediently. I specifically chose this island so you wouldn’t have a chance to escape!” I tried to explain further, but then I heard Daniel’s gentle voice in the background. The next thing I knew, the call had been disconnected. My heart shattered completely. Despite the summer heat, I felt a chill throughout my body. This was the woman I had loved deeply for years. I lost all will to live, lying on the floor like a soulless shell. When the man came back, he sneered and forced himself on me again. I lay there, unresponsive. After he finished, he spat on me in disgust. “Damn, you’re like a corpse.” I had no reaction to his curse. As they were taking me back, I gazed at the distant sea. I thought I heard a voice whispering in my ear. Come, come to the embrace of the ocean. The sea can wash away all filth and take away all sins. Somehow, I found the strength to break free from the man’s grasp and ran desperately forward. I don’t want to live like an animal anymore! I don’t want to be anyone’s plaything! Looking at the clear blue sea, I jumped in without hesitation. A faint smile of relief played on my lips. In the last second before losing consciousness, I could feel sharks tearing at my body. Perhaps it was because I had unfinished business, but when I regained awareness, I found my soul had returned to my wife Sarah’s side. I saw Sarah, who had always looked at me with disgust, now tenderly feeding Daniel fruit. “Daniel, your fans are too crazy. I can’t believe they hurt you. Don’t worry, when James comes back, I’ll have him be your bodyguard.” My heart filled with desolation. If Sarah and Daniel were strangers to me, I might have praised her for being such a considerate lover. But Sarah was my wife. I was her lawful husband. Years ago, when Sarah’s family faced a crisis, Daniel abandoned her and cut off all contact to go abroad. It was I who stayed by her side through those difficult times. For six whole years. I thought I could warm her heart. But just one month after Daniel returned, all of Sarah’s attention was focused on him. I had argued and fought about it before. All I got in return was Sarah’s cold response: “There’s nothing between us. Believe it or not.” Now, for his sake, she even sent me to that demon island. Sarah, after learning of my death, will you feel even a shred of regret? Daniel’s eyes flashed with triumph, but his tone seemed hesitant. “Sarah, James is your husband after all. He probably doesn’t want to be my bodyguard. The training must be very hard.” Sarah’s face was full of disdain. “I’ve already sent him to the island for training. Whether he wants to or not, he has to do it.” “How hard can it be in there? When he comes back, we’ll let him rest for a few days and he’ll be fine.” “Besides, he just called me. He seems to be having a great time in there!” How hard can it be? Being treated like an animal inside, chained 24 hours a day, beaten mercilessly at the slightest provocation. Even… even becoming a plaything for those people! They fed me the most potent drugs. They surrounded me, watching me writhe in agony on the ground, attacking me with the vilest language. “Say it! Say it loud, you’re a breeding pig!” “Are you mute? Just say it, and we’ll give you the antidote.” Even as a disembodied soul, remembering those hellish days made my pupils constrict and my body tremble involuntarily. Yet in Sarah’s words, a casual “let him rest for a few days” seemed like some great kindness to me. But to me, it all meant nothing now. I was completely free. Daniel asked curiously, “Sarah, what did James say when he called?” Sarah didn’t even look up, focused on peeling an apple. “He said he was being abused in there. A grown man can’t even handle this much hardship and tries to trick me with excuses. I won’t believe him.” My heart was pierced with countless needles of pain. In six years together, Sarah seemed to have never understood me. I had never lied to her. Perhaps it was because she didn’t love me, so she didn’t care how I treated her. Daniel jokingly looked at Sarah. “Sarah, what if James wants a divorce when he comes back?” Sarah’s face instantly turned cold. “He wouldn’t dare! I won’t agree even if he dies!” I didn’t understand. Sarah clearly didn’t love me, so why did she react so strongly to the mention of divorce? Shouldn’t she be eager to divorce me and marry Daniel? Daniel’s eyes flashed with a hint of malice: “Sarah, I was just asking. After all, James loves you so much. I’m afraid he might get angry when he finds out you sent him for training because of me.” Sarah snorted coldly: “So what if he knows? He stays at home all day doing nothing, almost like a useless person. Being your bodyguard is perfect for him. I wouldn’t trust anyone else.” Sarah, have you forgotten everything? I once had my own career too. When your family’s company was in trouble, I decisively gave up everything to come to your side and help you day and night. Even now, I still handle some company affairs. But in your words, I’ve become a useless person who does nothing. How absurd. All these years of dedication were just my one-sided love, it seems. Sarah carefully fed the apple to Daniel. “Next time there’s danger, let James take the hit for you. You’re an actor, your face can’t afford to be injured.” It’s always like this. Ever since Daniel came back, he’s always been Sarah’s top priority. When I was sick with a high fever and wanted her to keep me company, she said she had to attend a banquet with Daniel and had no time.

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When my childhood friend Liam first awakened his werewolf nature, his friend called me over to help him ease the symptoms. But Liam said: “I really don’t want to give her the satisfaction. We werewolves are the most loyal in love. Whoever we mark for the first time becomes our lifelong, sole mate.” “Even if Aria begs to help me when she gets here, I’ll have to resist.” But no matter how long he waited, I never showed up. He didn’t know that his brother’s bodyguard had been blowing up my phone: “Miss Aria, the young master has long considered you his only mate.” “Please, could you come and give him a kiss?” It turns out that five years ago, when I had a fatal skiing accident and fell into a ravine, his brother saved me by marking me and sharing half of his werewolf lifespan, snatching me back from the clutches of death. Late that night, I wrapped my arms around his brother’s neck and coaxed, “Declan, don’t hold back. Tell me, how many years have you been secretly in love with me?”

Liam’s family all had the werewolf gene. After turning 20, they would go into heat every full moon. Whoever they marked for the first time would become their lifelong, sole mate. I thought the person Liam wanted to mark was definitely me. But when he first awakened his werewolf nature, his friend called me over to help him ease the symptoms. Instead, I overheard Liam saying irritably outside the private room: “I really don’t want to give Aria the satisfaction.” “I want to pursue the campus beauty, but she’s not an easy girl.” “Unlike Aria, who’s like an eager puppy, always at my beck and call.” “When she gets here, even if she begs to help me, I’ll have to resist.” “I don’t want to sleep with her and end up tied to her for life, completely under her thumb.” Standing outside the room, my mind went blank. I never imagined that Liam, who had grown up with me, saw me this way. His friends, always quick to jump on the bandwagon, all laughed: “So in your eyes, she’s just a plaything.” “Why don’t I call and tell her not to come? Save her from taking advantage of you tonight and trying to climb the social ladder through your bed. To be honest, I think you get what you pay for.” But Liam stopped his friend from making the call, saying uncomfortably: “Forget it. If we tell her not to come now, what will she think?” “Even if she’s just a plaything, she’s the one I’ve spoiled since childhood. I can’t bear to hurt her feelings.” “When she gets here, I’ll see if I can resist touching her.” “There are some things I don’t want to spell out. This is a good opportunity to let her see things clearly.” At that moment, I wanted to burst in and shout at Liam: “You can’t bear to hurt my feelings, yet you compare me to an eager puppy in front of your friends, letting them mock and belittle me? You don’t deserve my infatuation!” But I held back. Why waste words on someone who doesn’t cherish me? I turned and fled the scene, telling myself not to cry. After some thought, I called his brother’s bodyguard: “Remember how you begged me to help ease Liam’s brother’s symptoms? Do you still need that now?” “Send me the address. I’ll be right there.”

Half an hour earlier, the bodyguard had called to tell me a truth Liam had deliberately concealed: “Miss Aria, do you remember five years ago when the young master took you skiing and you unfortunately fell into a ravine?” “The older young master led us on a rescue mission. We searched for three days and nights before finding you buried in the snow, frozen like an ice sculpture. You had no pulse at the time.” “The older young master told his brother that werewolves could share half their lifespan with their mate through a blood ritual on the full moon night.” “The blood ritual is another form of marking.” “Once performed, they would consider that person their lifelong, sole mate.” “But the younger master wasn’t willing to do it, yet he couldn’t bear to let you die like that. He held you and cried uncontrollably.” “In the end, it was the older master who saved you.” “You were very lucky. It happened to be a full moon night.” “To save you, the older master performed the blood ritual and shared half his lifespan with you. But in doing so, he also marked you, committing to you as his sole mate for life.” “The younger master begged his brother not to tell you about this.” “For the past five years, every full moon night, the older master has endured alone, never bothering you, and strictly forbidding anyone from revealing the blood ritual to you.” “But tonight he really can’t bear it anymore. He’s been severely injured and is fighting for his life. With the full moon, he won’t make it through without you.” “Please, could you come and help him?” At that moment, my mind went blank. I never imagined that I had actually died once five years ago. Liam, who had cherished me since childhood, wasn’t willing to sacrifice half his lifespan to save me. Instead, it was his “cold-faced” brother who had snatched me back from death’s grasp. But I still hardened my heart and told the bodyguard: “I’m sorry, but Liam needs me more tonight.” I was willing to be ungrateful just to rush over and help Liam. Only to be mocked by him as an eager puppy, a mere plaything. Yes, I was truly pathetic. I deserved to be treated so cheaply. But I won’t debase myself anymore. I wiped away my tears of hurt and humiliation, gripping my phone tightly as I told the bodyguard: “Is it too late to repay this life-saving debt now?” “If Lucas absolutely needs me tonight, I’ll go right now. I’ll give it my all!” The bodyguard wept with joy: “It’s not too late, not at all.” “Miss Aria, I’ll send you the location right away.” “If the young master wasn’t critically injured and facing a full moon night, I would never have dared to disobey his orders and reveal this to you. The family rules are very strict.” I understood. Lucas probably just wanted to save my life, nothing more. He didn’t want me clinging to him. And I just wanted to repay his kindness for saving my life. It wasn’t because Liam had broken my heart, and I was running into his brother’s arms.

But I never expected that when I rushed to the VIP ward at the hospital, I would see Fiona, the campus beauty, standing outside the room, desperate to get in: “Let me in, quick!” “Isn’t it a full moon night? How do you know Mr. Declan doesn’t need me?” “Declan, Declan, just let me in to help you, please?” I suddenly found it amusing. Liam said Fiona wasn’t an easy girl, yet here she was, offering herself to his brother. The bodyguards who had refused to let Fiona in immediately opened the door when they saw me, tears in their eyes: “Miss Aria, you’re finally here.” “Please, come in. The young master truly needs you tonight.” Envy and hatred distorted Fiona’s face. She shrieked hysterically: “Why does Aria get to go in?” “Declan got hurt so badly just to save her.” “She’s nothing but bad luck. How dare you let her in?” I froze for a moment. Saved me again? What did that mean? The ward was already in chaos. I saw Declan lying shirtless on the bed, his face flushed, short hair damp with sweat. His fingertips curled tightly from the surging heat, and the thick white bandages on his back were soaked through with bright red blood. The doctor stood nearby, shouting urgently: “For heaven’s sake, stop resisting! I’m begging you, find a woman to help you quickly. The bandages we just changed are soaked through again. How much blood do you think you have left to endure this torment?” “It’s a full moon night. The werewolf blood is raging far beyond normal levels, and your blood’s ability to clot has failed. Even the best hemostatic drugs I’ve given you aren’t working.” “We need to find a way to ease the surging heat in your body now, or you might bleed to death tonight!” “Where is this girl you say can save the young master? When will she arrive?” The bodyguards standing by the bed had already seen me. They bowed deeply to me with respect and gratitude. “Doctor, she’s here.” At these words, the man lying on the bed, enduring his private hell, suddenly opened his eyes. A pair of intimidating dark red eyes, cold yet dazzling, held back the surging, intense desire as they fell unexpectedly on my face, surprised and annoyed: “Who called her here? Take her away!” The bodyguard bowed and said: “Young master, it was me.” “I’ll accept any punishment as long as Miss Aria can help ease your symptoms tonight.” “Besides, you were injured this time trying to save Miss Aria again.” “You’ve risked your life twice to save her without taking credit. You might not feel wronged, but we truly feel it on your behalf.” I secretly observed the imposing man lying on the bed. Although Liam and I were childhood friends, I had always avoided Declan like the plague. Because he was known as the living incarnation of the Grim Reaper. Even the most arrogant troublemakers became meek in his presence. It was an absolute domination of methods and aura. I usually tried to avoid him at all costs when I saw him. Now, this man who struck fear into everyone’s hearts was clutching the bedsheets, his feet involuntarily curling as he tried to resist. Every part of his body radiated heat waves, his passionate breathing becoming more and more evident. The contrast was so strong, it was captivating. A beautiful man in repose, mesmerizing. However, “You say he was severely injured because of me again?” The bodyguard was about to speak, but Declan cut him off harshly: “Shut up! Try saying one more word!” Then he switched to a gentle yet distant tone to address me: “Aria, leave. I don’t need you here.” The bodyguard, risking his life, said: “Young master, stop pretending. You won’t win a wife by being stubborn.” “Your mouth is the toughest part of you, but your heart is as soft as putty. Whenever Miss Aria is in danger, you’d risk your life, even rush into a fire to save her. Do you think we’re blind?”

There was more than one bodyguard in the room, and they all fearlessly started to complain: “That’s right. Last month’s full moon night, who was it staring at Miss Aria’s photo on his phone screen, longing and pining until he was delirious, calling out Miss Aria’s name? I bet she was in your dreams too.” “And the full moon night before that, you parked your car outside Miss Aria’s dorm all night. How many times did you want to rush into the dorm but held yourself back at the last second? Even a ninja turtle would kneel and call you daddy.” “If we don’t say anything, Miss Aria will never know. Do you really want to endure this for the rest of your life?” “Shut up. I can endure it,” Declan said, lowering his eyes. The doctor standing nearby shouted anxiously: “Endure my ass! If you keep this up, you won’t see tomorrow’s sunrise.” “Miss, why are you just standing there? Hurry up and find a way to ease his symptoms.” The bodyguards standing by the bed all bowed deeply to me with utmost respect. But, “What should I do? I don’t know how.” The doctor, while using scissors to cut away the blood-soaked bandages, said: “Kiss him!” I blushed, my cheeks turning crimson. Standing at the head of the bed, I didn’t know how to kiss this aloof man in front of everyone. Suddenly, a bodyguard shouted: “Miss Aria, do you know how the young master got injured?” “Two days ago, there was a fire in your school’s auditorium. Weren’t you trapped inside, unable to escape? You even passed out from smoke inhalation, nearly suffocating to death.” “Let me tell you, it was the young master who rescued you from the fire.” “Because of the marking, the young master can sense when his mate is in danger.” “The young master ignored everyone’s attempts to stop him and rushed into the inferno to find you. When he carried you out, he was unfortunately struck by a falling beam, and his entire back caught fire.” “But he still endured the excruciating pain and used his last ounce of strength to carry you out of the fire, only to have his brother snatch you away.” “When the younger master saw the older master carrying you out of the fire, he immediately rushed over and took you from the older master’s arms. If he was so concerned about you, why didn’t he go in to save you himself?” What? I couldn’t believe it. Was this how Declan got hurt? I remembered waking up from my coma two days ago with Liam by my side. I had assumed Liam had saved me. The information I was receiving today was too much to process, leaving no room for bashfulness or embarrassment. Never mind, saving a life was the priority. In the heat of the moment, I leaned down towards Declan. Staring at his sensual lips, I kissed him hard. “Don’t touch me.” Declan’s tone was fierce, pushing me away, but his hands gripped the bedsheets tighter and tighter. He was trying so hard to resist that his throat bobbed up and down, his eyes red and frightening. The image of this beautiful man in repose was truly tempting. But his tone grew even colder: “Aria, do you know what you’re doing? Don’t you usually try to stay as far away from me as possible? Don’t do something you don’t like just to repay a debt. And don’t listen to their nonsense, it’s useless. Your kiss doesn’t affect me at all.” But the doctor suddenly exclaimed excitedly: “It’s working! The rate of blood loss has slowed down.” “Miss Aria, quickly, keep kissing him!” “The young master’s body is far more honest than his mouth. Kiss him hard!” The doctor’s excited words were like a harsh slap to Declan’s stubborn mouth. Declan’s face grew uncomfortable, and for a moment, he buried it in the pillow. Was he actually embarrassed? The tips of his ears were so red they could drip blood.

The bodyguards also wept with joy and encouraged me: “I knew calling Miss Aria would work.” “Miss Aria, from now on, don’t believe a word the young master says. He’s just pretending to be tough. His mouth says no, but his heart is desperate for it!” “Look at how red his ears are, and his voice is so hoarse it’s about to catch fire. The young master is just shy and doesn’t want to trouble you. After all, your heart only belongs to the younger master, right?” Declan raised his head and coldly glared at the bodyguards: “Shut up!” Unfortunately, for the sake of his life, the bodyguards collectively ignored his angry gaze. I took the opportunity to boldly turn Declan’s handsome face towards me. Holding the back of his head, I directly sealed his lips with mine. No matter how stubborn he was, I couldn’t remain unmoved by his intention to save me twice. I couldn’t let him down. The moment our lips touched, I clearly felt Declan’s whole body tremble with emotion. But he still clung to his last shred of reason: “Aria, don’t you understand? I don’t need you to repay me like this out of gratitude.” “What kind of person do you think I am? Do I need your pity?” My eyes grew moist: “Declan, I’m willing too. There’s no reluctance at all.” I took his hand and pressed it against my heart. His pupils suddenly constricted, as if he had touched something he shouldn’t have. ‘Don’t look, don’t touch’ – he tried hard to pull his hand away. But I held onto his hand, refusing to let go: “Declan, feel my heart.” “There’s truly no reluctance here. Don’t feel pressured.” Declan’s Adam’s apple bobbed faster, his restraint growing even more intense: “Don’t lie to me. I know your heart only has room for my brother, Liam.” “Earlier when the bodyguard called you, I overheard.” “You said Liam needed you more tonight.” I wanted to explain, but Declan’s phone on the bedside table suddenly rang. I glanced at the screen – it was Liam. Declan also looked at the phone and swiped to answer: “Liam, what is it?” Liam’s equally distressed voice came through the phone: “Brother, my werewolf nature awakened tonight. I feel terrible.” “And that damn Aria still hasn’t shown up.” “I thought I could resist, but I overestimated myself.” Declan glanced at me: “Aria, she…” I immediately kissed Declan’s lips, stopping the words he was about to say. Declan lost control due to my repeated initiative, his pupils contracting sharply. His large, powerful hand instinctively held the back of my head, seeming to want more. But reason quickly overpowered impulse. He pushed me away, not having time to tell me I was here. Liam’s complaints came through the phone: “Of course I know Aria is just delayed by traffic.” “She must be dying to fly over and help me ease my symptoms right now.” “Her heart must be bursting with joy.” “But something so easily obtained always feels a bit lacking.” “I really don’t want her to take advantage of my vulnerable state. Why does our werewolf love have to be imprinted with lifelong loyalty from the core?” Declan’s eyes, red and frightening, were tinged with surprise and anger: “You don’t want to be loyal to her?” “Then why have you been leading her on since childhood?” Liam spoke to his older brother without reservation: “I was young and hadn’t seen many women before.” “I didn’t know how colorful the outside world could be.” “Liam!” Declan suddenly called his brother’s name in a heavy tone: “If you don’t cherish her, don’t blame me for cherishing her instead!”

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After Sean and I were reborn, we both pretended not to know each other. He followed the most popular girl in class to attend university out of state, while I stayed in our hometown. Using the experience from his previous life, Sean quickly became a rising star in his industry and married the beauty. His life seemed perfect. I, on the other hand, stayed close to my parents and built a quiet life in our hometown. We met again at our 10-year high school reunion. With his arm around Rose, the former prom queen, and a cigar between his fingers, Sean looked at my simple attire and sneered, “Is this all you’ve accomplished in the past decade?” I remained unfazed. That is, until the fashionably late business tycoon arrived and wrapped his arm around my waist. “I apologize for our tardiness. My wife is pregnant, so I hope everyone can refrain from smoking indoors.” Sean, usually so composed and confident, visibly panicked. He finally realized that after all these years apart, I wasn’t just holding a grudge against him.

My reunion with Sean took place at our 10-year high school reunion. As I pushed open the door to the private room, I overheard someone teasing: “Sean, you dog! You even managed to snag the prom queen!” “No kidding! Look at how well Sean’s doing in the big city. How can we small-town folks compare to Mr. Big Shot here?” “But I heard you and Amber used to be an item back in the day. You two were always studying together, and everyone thought you were a couple.” At that moment, I heard a familiar voice casually reply, “We were just study buddies. It wasn’t anything serious.” I smiled wryly. After being reborn for ten years, I naturally didn’t have any emotional response. So I calmly pushed the door open. Even after a decade, I recognized Sean immediately. He was sitting on the couch, puffing on a cigar, with Rose leaning against him. Our classmates were all gathered around them. The couple was the center of attention, like stars surrounded by adoring fans. The moment I appeared, all eyes turned to me. Our class president enthusiastically called out, “Speak of the devil! Amber, look who’s here!” Sean and I locked eyes. He held Rose close, his gaze condescending as he looked me up and down, a hint of disdain in his eyes. I was dressed simply today. Thinking about my pregnancy, I hadn’t bothered with makeup. I looked a bit worn out compared to Rose. She was wearing a Chanel outfit, carrying a Hermès bag, her perfect makeup making her look like she’d been pampered all her life. I greeted everyone casually, “Long time no see.” Sean nodded slightly, his demeanor cold. Rose only offered a faint smile. I didn’t bother trying to warm up to them and instead turned to chat with some of the classmates I was closer to. “We’re just waiting for Luke now,” the class president suddenly said. “He just messaged that his flight was delayed. Told us not to wait for him.” All the classmates gathered around the dining table. They were all eager to toast Sean, praising him to the skies. After a few rounds of drinks, I excused myself to use the restroom. As I came out, I ran into Sean, his face flushed from alcohol. He sneered, “Amber, is this all you’ve amounted to in the ten years since you left me?” I remained unmoved. Instead, I suddenly remembered what had happened before our rebirth.

Before our rebirth, Sean and I had a fierce argument on the highway. After graduating from college, I had followed Sean to the big city and worked alongside him for ten whole years. Now that we had achieved some success, I wanted to return to our hometown. I was an only child, and my father had passed away last year due to a cerebral hemorrhage that wasn’t treated in time. Only my mother was left at home, and I was worried about her. Sean had promised me years ago that once we had earned enough money, we would go back. But now he kept putting it off, saying our hometown had no future and wasn’t worth returning to. He made it clear that he would never go back. At most, he said we could bring my mother to live with us in the city. But my mother had visited before and didn’t like it here. She had no friends or family around. To be honest, even after all these years, I still didn’t feel at home in this city. I finally lost my temper and told him, “If you won’t go back, I’ll go by myself!” “Why are you forcing me like this?!” Sean demanded. “What’s wrong with staying in this city? Do you want to be a small-town nobody forever? When our child is born, do you want them to start life at a disadvantage?!” I was five months pregnant at the time. It was partly because of the pregnancy that I wanted to go back even more. I knew how difficult it would be to leave a city once the child was born. Besides, our hometown wasn’t that bad. Although it wasn’t a top-tier international city, it was still considered a second-tier city. It wasn’t as hopeless as Sean made it out to be. “So according to you, everyone who stays in a small city is useless?” I asked. “Only useless people are content to vegetate in small cities, living mediocre lives without ambition,” Sean said with contempt. “I despise such people!” “In your eyes, am I that kind of person?” I asked with a cold smile. “I don’t want you to become that kind of person,” Sean said self-righteously. Then he added out of the blue, “If I had known, I wouldn’t have chosen to stay in our hometown for college with you. It wasted four whole years of my life. I should have gone to the big city with Rose early on to get a head start.” Rose had confessed to him before high school graduation, but he had rejected her. He and I had been study partners for three years and had developed feelings for each other. But ever since he accompanied me to enroll in our hometown university, he had repeated this regret countless times over the past fourteen years. At first, I thought he was just joking. Or perhaps he was indirectly telling me how much he liked me and how much he had sacrificed for me. Later, I realized he truly regretted it. So when we were reborn after the car accident, back to the day we were filling out college applications, he unhesitatingly followed Rose to an out-of-state university. I stayed in our hometown. We both knew the other had been reborn, but we tacitly agreed not to interfere with each other’s lives.

I had thought Sean and I would never cross paths again in this life. Looking at him now, it was clear he had been waiting for me on purpose. Seeing that I didn’t respond, he sneered again, “Now you finally understand that staying in our hometown couldn’t lead to any great achievements, right?” “Look at yourself, then look at our old classmates. Has anyone really made it big?” “But it’s too late for regrets now. I’m planning to marry Rose.” He took out a large diamond ring. The diamond was big, probably about five carats. The reason I could tell at a glance was that it looked slightly smaller than the one I had at home. He said, “If you hadn’t been so stubborn, this ring would have been yours.” In our previous life, when Sean and I got married, he wasn’t as wealthy as he is now, so the ring he bought was quite ordinary. His boasting now was completely undisguised. “Congratulations to you both, then,” I said indifferently. I walked past him. I could feel Sean’s gaze on my back, seemingly displeased. I didn’t know what he was unhappy about. He had chosen this path himself, and this was the life he had dreamed of in our previous life. Could it be that he would only be happy if he saw me regretting my choices? I sat back down in my chair, and suddenly my phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, I answered, “Have you landed?” “Yes, I’m on my way now,” came the reply. “If you’re tired, you don’t have to come. I can head back by myself later.” “How could I let my wife attend a reunion and go home alone? I’ll be there in twenty minutes.” I smiled and didn’t say anything more. As I put down my phone, someone approached me. “Amber.” It was Rose, who had come over with a glass of wine. “Long time no see. Let me toast to you. I should thank you,” Rose said with a smile. “I heard from Sean that if it weren’t for you being his study partner, he wouldn’t have been able to get into a good university.” “There’s no need to thank me. We just helped each other,” I replied. “Regardless, Sean’s current success is partly due to you. Let me drink to you on his behalf.” She was about to pour beer into my glass. “I don’t drink,” I refused. “Just a little bit.” She ignored my refusal and started pouring. I pushed her hand away slightly. “Ah!” Rose suddenly let out a scream. The beer had spilled on her clothes and bag. She quickly grabbed some napkins and started wiping frantically, saying, “My clothes and bag can’t get wet…” The other classmates knew her outfit was expensive and looked on nervously. After wiping for a while, Rose turned to me and said, “Amber, even if you’re jealous of me, you shouldn’t do this! Do you know how much these clothes and this bag cost? Can you afford to compensate me?!”

Before I could speak, Sean walked over and angrily rebuked me, “Amber, you’ve gone too far.” “It wasn’t intentional,” I explained. It really wasn’t on purpose. I hadn’t even pushed the beer bottle that hard, I had just tried to stop Rose from pouring. But for some reason, the beer had spilled from the bottle in her hand onto her. “I just told you that Rose and I are getting married, and you lost it?” Sean criticized me in front of everyone. The classmates around us couldn’t help but chime in— “No way? I thought Amber was pretty calm. She doesn’t seem like the type to be jealous.” “You can’t judge a book by its cover. Some people act like they don’t care, but they’re actually seething inside.” “I heard Amber and Sean used to be together, but they broke up when Sean went to college out of state. Now that Amber sees how successful Sean is, she must be regretting not leaving with him, right?” I was truly speechless. But I still patiently explained again, “I really didn’t do it on purpose. I said I don’t drink, but Rose insisted on pouring me a drink, which is why the accident happened.” “I sincerely appreciate you helping Sean study back then, and I hope you can let go of your lingering feelings,” Rose said with a seemingly sincere face. “I know you’ve never gotten over Sean.” I was stunned. I looked at Rose in confusion: “How did you come to the conclusion that I’m not over Sean? Did I say something to make you misunderstand? Or is there something wrong with my expression or the look in my eyes today?” “Amber, stop pretending,” Rose said confidently. “Sean is so successful now, you must feel regretful.” “I don’t feel regretful at all,” I said slowly and clearly. “We all chose our own paths, and I’m very satisfied with my life now.” Sean let out a cold laugh, clearly not believing me. I didn’t want to explain further. There was nothing to explain. We were no longer relevant to each other’s lives. Today’s meeting was just a coincidence. If I had known Sean would be here, I might have avoided coming. Not because I couldn’t let go of anything, but because there was no need to meet people from my past life again. People from the past life should stay in the past. “I’ll compensate you for the clothes and bag,” I said, not wanting to argue anymore. “Send me the price and your bank account number, and I’ll transfer the money to you.” “Compensate?” Sean spoke up directly. “Do you know how much Rose’s clothes and bag cost? The clothes are $15,000, the bag is $30,000, not including accessories. Let’s say $45,000 at the very least. How are you going to compensate that?” I took a deep breath. I told myself not to get angry at Sean’s condescending attitude. The doctor said pregnant women should maintain a good mood. “I’m not that petty. Just sincerely apologize to Rose, and we’ll let it go,” Sean said magnanimously. “An apology isn’t enough,” Rose quickly added. “You have to promise in front of all our classmates that you won’t have any inappropriate thoughts about Sean in the future.”

“Heh.” I laughed. I laughed out of anger. Looking at Rose’s arrogant expression, I picked up the half-empty beer bottle next to me. The doctor said pregnant women shouldn’t get angry, but they shouldn’t suppress their emotions either. So, without rushing, I poured the remaining half bottle of beer all over Rose’s clothes and bag. Rose was shocked. She looked at me in disbelief, taking a moment before she could speak, “Amber, have you gone crazy? What are you doing?!” At the same time, Sean pulled Rose behind him protectively and pushed me. Fortunately, our class president quickly shielded me and stood between us, afraid Sean might do something rash in his anger. He tried to calm the situation, “Sean, don’t get worked up.” “Amber, do you think I’m easy to bully?” Sean said menacingly. “How dare you treat Rose like this? Who do you think you are?!” “I don’t need you to give me face, and I’m not pretending to be anyone. I am who I am,” I said coldly. I added, “Since I agreed to pay for it, her clothes and bag are mine now. How I choose to ruin them is my business. What right do you have to interfere?” “Can you even afford it?” Sean asked harshly. “Give me the bank account number,” I said firmly. “Are you willing to bankrupt yourself just to prove a point? Amber, you should have gotten rid of this stubborn attitude long ago. We wouldn’t have ended up like this otherwise.” “Give me the bank account number!” I repeated, my voice a bit louder this time. “Don’t regret this,” Sean threatened. “Sean, stop wasting time with her,” Rose called out, almost bursting with anger. “If she doesn’t appreciate our kindness, just give her the account number. Let’s see if she can actually afford to pay this much!” Sean didn’t hesitate any longer and recited a string of numbers. I entered the bank account number and proceeded to transfer the money. But the system prompted me that the password was incorrect. I thought I remembered this password. I thought for a moment and entered another password. It still showed an error. I pressed my lips together. Was pregnancy brain really making me this forgetful? I suddenly couldn’t remember the correct password. Sean and Rose were waiting beside me, and our classmates were all watching this drama unfold. Seeing that I still hadn’t made the transfer, Rose laughed first: “Amber, weren’t you so proud just now? Where’s the money? I don’t see Sean’s account balance increasing by a cent.” Sean was holding his phone, and there was no notification of any incoming transfer. “I forgot the password,” I explained. I was afraid that if I entered the wrong password again, the account would be locked. “What a convenient excuse,” Rose said with extreme sarcasm. Sean laughed disdainfully. The surrounding classmates were whispering among themselves— “I thought Amber was really going to pay. I was feeling bad for her.” “Who would be that stupid? $45,000 is almost enough for a down payment on a house.” “Sean and Rose were willing to let it go, but Amber had to make things difficult for herself.” “Now she’s been slapped in the face, hasn’t she? How embarrassing!” Rose coldly asked me, “So, are you going to write an IOU? How long will it take you to pay it back? A year, two years, or a lifetime?” “Ten minutes,” I said directly. In ten minutes, Luke would definitely be here. “Stop pretending, Amber. You clearly can’t afford it,” Rose didn’t want to waste any more time with me. “Originally, a verbal apology would have been enough, but now, you’ll have to get on your knees and beg for my forgiveness.” Everyone was watching me, waiting for me to make a fool of myself. Fortunately, at that moment, the door suddenly opened, accompanied by a familiar voice: “I’m sorry I’m late.”

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At the graduation party when I was eighteen, Jacob Taylor introduced me to an adult secret. I endured the initial discomfort, but secretly smiled the whole way home. Six years of secret love, from middle school to high school graduation, had finally come to fruition. I curled up in bed, my fingertips lightly tracing the marks he left behind, as if this could make that moment last forever. Until the next afternoon, when I returned to school early to retrieve a forgotten notebook and heard Jacob and his basketball teammates laughing in the empty classroom. “Nice job, you scored with the class beauty,” a gruff male voice rang out – it was Mike, the team’s center. My heart skipped a beat as I stood in the shadows of the hallway clutching my notebook, my cheeks burning. “I wanted to pursue Jessica, but was afraid she’d think I was too inexperienced,” Jacob’s casual voice was like a dull knife, slowly cutting open my chest, “So I practiced my skills with Emily first.” I didn’t say a word, I just changed my first college choice from New York University to the University of Florida – the option furthest from New York.

The notebook slipped from my hands, landing with a muffled thud on the carpet. I stood frozen in place, as if struck by lightning. On a hot July afternoon in Minnesota, I felt my blood turn to ice. “As expected of our captain, even the class beauty is just practice for him,” another teammate, Chris, whistled. “Doesn’t that make her like, what do you call it, one of those inflatable practice dolls?” Mike laughed crudely. Jacob laughed and threw a textbook at him: “Don’t say it like that, it’s not like she lost out.” “Seriously though, the class beauty is too skinny. Compared to Jessica the cheerleading captain-” “Shut up,” Jacob interrupted, but with a laugh in his voice, “It was just the mood at the time. Besides, I could tell she was struggling quite a bit…” “Wow, who knew our straight-A class president Emily was such a closet freak!” “Who could resist Jacob’s charm? When meat is served to your mouth, how can you not eat it?” “Emily’s been chasing you for so many years, she’s probably fantasized about it countless times, right?” A burst of harsh laughter erupted from the classroom. I bit my lip hard until I tasted iron. My nails dug deep into my palms, the pain barely keeping me standing. Footsteps echoed from the end of the hallway, and I frantically picked up my notebook and fled into the farthest stall of the girls’ bathroom. The moment I locked the door, tears began to fall. I covered my mouth, suppressing my sobs as my body slid down the partition to the cold floor. The girl in the mirror had red, swollen eyes and messy hair – this was how Jacob Taylor saw me, a convenient post-it note girl to be used and discarded. Outside the stall, the sound of running water and girls chatting drifted in. I held my breath, listening to them discuss prom and their upcoming college lives. Most people had chosen schools on the East Coast, including Jacob – he had received a sports scholarship to New York University. And I had originally planned to follow him to New York, applying for a scholarship to the same university. With trembling hands, I took out my phone and logged into the college application system. The deadline was midnight tonight. My finger hovered over the screen for a long time before I finally changed my first choice from New York University to the University of Florida – the farthest option from New York. “Emily? Are you in there?” My best friend Sarah’s voice came from outside the door. “The graduation ceremony is about to start, everyone’s looking for you.” I quickly wiped away my tears and took a deep breath: “I’ll be right out.” As I pushed open the stall door, I fixed my appearance in the mirror. The girl in the reflection had changed – something soft had died in her eyes. At the graduation ceremony, I mechanically accepted my diploma. As I stood on stage, my gaze swept over the crowd – Jacob was laughing and joking with his basketball teammates, not even bothering to look up at me. That night, while everyone else was celebrating graduation by the lake, I sat alone at home and clicked the “Confirm Submission” button. The system displayed a successful change: Emily Carter, University of Florida, Biochemistry major. Thirteen hundred miles from New York.

Tears of heartbreak and humiliation had long since fallen. Jacob’s words echoed in my mind over and over again. They had almost completely destroyed all of my self-esteem. If I hadn’t heard it with my own ears, I never would have believed that he and the person who had been so intimately entangled with me last night were the same person. Apparently, it was possible to do such intimate things without love. Even in the most passionate moments of losing all reason, it was possible to lie and deceive. What I had foolishly believed to be the fruition of our relationship was nothing more than a joke to others. The more I cried, the more upset I became. But I didn’t dare make a sound, my body shaking uncontrollably. After a long while. My phone buzzed with a message notification. It was Jacob. [Take a cab home yourself, the team has a celebration party tonight, it’s not convenient to take you.] I didn’t reply. He added another message. [Remember to go to CVS and buy Plan B, I don’t have time to go with you today. Make sure to take it, be good.] I stared at these two messages for a long time without saying anything. Yesterday from evening until dawn, Jacob had worn me out over and over again. In the end, when we were both exhausted, just before he fell asleep holding me, he had mumbled twice. “We weren’t fully prepared for the first time, I’ll definitely take you to buy emergency contraception tomorrow.” He even reminded me that girls need to protect themselves, and that Plan B is more effective the earlier you take it. At the time, I thought he was being responsible towards me, that I had finally found my happiness. But now… In an instant, I sobered up quite a bit. I pinched my palm hard, forcing myself to stop crying. I wiped away my tears and tidied myself up before leaving the bathroom. Too embarrassed to go to the pharmacy myself, I just ordered the pill on Uber Eats. After the rider left it at the door, it took me a long time before I dared to sneak out and bring it back. After swallowing the pill with tears in my eyes, I seemed to lose all my strength and just sat numbly on the carpet, staring blankly. Ever since Jacob’s family moved in next door, I had followed him around like a little tail for ten years. I had never imagined what a world without him would be like. I didn’t dare to imagine it either. But from now on, it would just be me alone. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the lights of Minneapolis came on one by one, then gradually went out. I don’t know how much time had passed when my best friend Sarah FaceTimed me. “Emily, why didn’t you come to the graduation party with Jacob tonight? “That cheerleader Jessica showed up instead, and she’s been all over Jacob while you’re not here. They’re being so gross right now.” Sarah turned the camera to show me.

In a dim corner of the party, Jacob and Jessica the school beauty were sitting close together. Jessica was wearing a crop top and tight jeans tonight, showing off her slim waist and long legs. The two of them were clearly separated from the people around them. Even their conversation seemed like intimate whispering. The flirtatious atmosphere was palpable even through the screen. My chest tightened involuntarily. Jacob had just said this afternoon that he wanted to pursue her, and it looks like he’s already succeeded tonight. Jessica drew “guy does push-ups over girl” for Truth or Dare and had to pick a guy to do it with her. Not surprisingly, Jacob immediately volunteered. Everyone started cheering them on. Jessica blushed and obediently lay down on the couch. Jacob hovered over her and did dozens of push-ups in one go. He was very restrained the whole time, trying hard to avoid touching Jessica’s body. Until the very last one, whether he finally lost his strength or did it on purpose, He couldn’t hold himself up and fell directly on top of Jessica. The screams around them grew even louder, nearly taking the roof off. Jacob and Jessica’s faces turned even redder. Amidst the crowd’s frenzied cheering, Jacob simply lowered his head and kissed Jessica. The two kissed shamelessly, ignoring everyone around them. It lasted a full three minutes before they reluctantly parted. During those endless three minutes, I stared at the screen without blinking, so stunned I nearly forgot to breathe. My heart felt like it was being torn apart. I wanted to cry, but I had cried too much earlier without drinking water, so I had no tears left. “OMG Emily, did you see that? You could hear them kissing, he’s so into her,” Sarah exclaimed as she turned the camera away and left the party room. She found a quiet corner and sincerely advised me: “Emily, don’t blame me, but if you didn’t see it with your own eyes, you wouldn’t give up on him.” My throat was dry, and the sounds I made were barely audible. “Mm, I don’t blame you.” I only blame myself for being so stupid for so many years. I thought that since I was always allowed to follow Jacob around, that spot next to him would always be mine. “I just can’t stand Jacob. How could he string you along pretending to be an innocent boy when he knew you liked him for so many years, watching you fall deeper and deeper?” “You saw it clearly just now. I really hope you’ll seriously reconsider. Don’t let him waste another four years of your life in college…” “I won’t, Sarah,” I interrupted her, stating calmly. “I won’t give myself that chance again. “Sarah, I’ve already decided. I’m going to the University of Florida with you. “But you have to promise to keep it a secret for now.”

After saying that, to prevent myself from hesitating again, I opened my laptop in front of Sarah. Without any hesitation, just before the deadline, I changed my Early Decision application through the Common App from New York University to the University of Florida. Sarah was so happy she almost jumped up. She had been trying to persuade me to apply to the same university for a long time. But in our sophomore year of high school, Jacob and I had made a promise to work hard together and go to his dream school in New York after graduation. That’s where his dream sports management program was. So even though I was actually more drawn to the warm sunshine of California and didn’t particularly care for the hustle and bustle of New York, for three years of high school, I had always treated NYU as my only goal. After years of being neighbors, both sets of parents were happy for us to attend the same university. Everyone, including myself, thought that Jacob and I would naturally become a couple after we became adults. But now, I couldn’t find any reason to go to New York anymore. Or rather, after today, if I were to follow Jacob around like before, I would look down on myself. Now I just wanted to hide far away. It didn’t matter where, as long as Jacob wasn’t there. If he was on the East Coast, then I would go to the southernmost point.

Before bed, I filled an entire bathtub with water, wanting to wash myself completely clean. But when I took off my clothes, the purple bruises from his kisses were still clearly visible on my skin. Memories of last night came flooding back involuntarily. The burning heat of the boy’s skin as we held each other tightly, the scorching breath in my ear as we moved together – the lingering warmth seemed to still surround me. I shook my head violently, trying to shake off these wild memories. I found a loofah and scrubbed my skin over and over again until my whole body was red before I stopped. Clumsily attempting to erase this most shameful experience of my life. The result was that I was in so much pain I couldn’t sleep well all night. Jacob didn’t send any more messages either. Breaking the habit we’d had since getting phones of saying goodnight to each other without fail for six years. This was for the best. It would have happened sooner or later anyway. Might as well start detoxing from tonight. I tossed and turned until nearly dawn before finally falling asleep. Early the next morning while I was still sound asleep, I suddenly felt someone plant a light kiss on my forehead in my dream.

I woke with a start. But when I opened my eyes, I saw the familiar chin and Adam’s apple. The scent enveloping me from above was Jacob’s favorite Creed cologne, along with a faint unfamiliar citrus fragrance. I had almost forgotten, Jacob always had a spare key to my house. Seeing that I was awake, Jacob simply moved lower, chuckling as he tried to kiss my lips. I hurriedly turned my head to avoid it. I pushed him away and retreated to the other side of the bed. Jacob was stunned for a moment, then laughed at me: “Morning, sunshine. Why so shy?” I didn’t say anything, just pulled the covers over my head. Jacob scolded me while trying to pull off my blanket. “Emily Carter, you’ve got some nerve. You didn’t say goodnight to me last night and even turned off your phone. “Now you’re hiding from me?” He was quick, diving under the covers in an instant. Before I could react, he had me completely wrapped in his arms. “Hey, how many times have I told you not to skip breakfast? “I went out of my way to bring you your favorite – pumpkin spice latte and blueberry muffin from that Starbucks you love. “Do you want to get up and eat now, or… do you want me to eat you first…” His breath was extremely close to me, and his hands followed suit. Sobering up from my daze, I struggled desperately. But at 5’4″, I was no match for the 6’2″ athlete. I really couldn’t understand what he was thinking. He already had Jessica, why was he still messing with me? After struggling hard for a while, I was panting, but hadn’t broken free. Instead, he held me even tighter. “What’s wrong with you? “Are you angry? Just because I didn’t take you to the party last night? Such a small thing?” I didn’t say anything. He buried his head in the crook of my neck and laughed. “Let me guess, your gossip queen friend Sarah livestreamed it for you? “It was just a game, is that worth being jealous over? “Why are you still like before, getting upset whenever I get a little close to other girls?” I was furious to the extreme, at a complete loss for words. Remembering what I learned in self-defense class, I suddenly raised my knee and aimed for his groin, then quickly ran off the bed while he was in pain. “Emily!” Jacob gritted his teeth, his face turning red. I quickly grabbed a hoodie and threw it on over my pajamas, hurrying to the living room. I didn’t want to be in the same room as him, especially not my bedroom. Jacob came out shortly after, looking both angry and helpless. After a long while, he seemed to suddenly remember something and casually asked: “By the way, you took the Plan B yesterday, right?” “Don’t cause any accidents, we can’t explain it to your parents.” Jacob walked to the kitchen island and picked up the latte, holding it out to me. “Come on, drink something before you get angry. You know you have low blood sugar.” I didn’t say anything and didn’t take it. Jacob’s hand holding the cup froze in mid-air for a long time before he finally lost patience. “What the hell is your problem? “Emily, there’s a limit to throwing tantrums, you know?” I coldly replied: “I’m not good enough for you.” Jacob’s face turned white with anger. He slammed the coffee down on the counter. He used too much force, and the lid popped off, splattering coffee everywhere. “What do you mean by that? “Who do you think you are, Emily? “It was just a one night stand, and now you want to control me? Do you know how suffocating that is?” His tone was unprecedentedly fierce. In an instant, tears streamed down my face without a second of build-up. Yesterday’s humiliation and hurt all came rushing back. Jacob seemed unprepared for my sudden intense crying and was at a loss for what to do. He apologized with frustration: “Shit… I’m sorry, I drank too much last night and wasn’t thinking when I said that just now.” Jacob walked up to me as he spoke, reaching out to wipe my tears, but I dodged him again. He froze, his hand stopping in mid-air. He was about to say something else when his phone suddenly rang. He only glanced at the screen before his expression changed, and he immediately grabbed his jacket to leave. “I have an emergency, you calm down first. “We’re going to college now, stop being so childish. Who could put up with this in the future?”

Less than half an hour after he left, Sarah sent me a screenshot. It was Jessica’s Instagram story. [✨Magic breakfast appears when you’re hungry✨ Is this what they call mutual crush?] The photo showed an Einstein Bagels packaging bag identical to the one on my dining table. I didn’t reply. I just silently wiped away my tears and knelt down to clean up the coffee Jacob had spilled. After trying for a long time, I was upset to find that the stains on the wooden floor had seeped into the grain and couldn’t be wiped away. In a fit of anger, I contacted a flooring company to come refinish and reseal it. After all, this was the eco-friendly sealant that Jacob and his parents had specially recommended to my family after returning from their vacation in Hawaii. While I was at it, I gathered up Jacob’s sweatshirt, toothbrush, game console, and all the gifts he had given me over the years. I even went through the photos of us together on my phone, sorting them all out. I was busy until late at night before I finished packing everything into donation boxes. He probably wouldn’t care about these old things anyway. After Jacob left that day, there was no news from him for several days in a row. I guess things were going well with the cheerleading captain. Or maybe he was waiting for me to contact him first. In the past six years, every time we had a cold war, I was always the first to give in, without exception. But this time I didn’t reach out to him. There was no need to reach out to him anymore. I blocked his phone number and all his social media accounts, changed the password on my front door, and deleted my old Instagram. After doing all this, I called my parents who were on a business trip in China. I told them I wanted to go to San Francisco to stay with Aunt Linda during spring break. My plan was to fly directly to the University of Florida with Sarah when the break was over. Besides Sarah, no one else knew I had changed my ED application. This plan should perfectly avoid any chance of running into Jacob. Mom laughed on the phone and asked, “Sweetie, are you going to California with Jacob?” I gave a vague answer, not wanting to explain too much. I just said I wanted to keep Aunt Linda company after her recent surgery. Dad booked me on the earliest flight the next day, and I packed my bags overnight to prepare to leave. As I was heading out, I unfortunately ran into Jacob’s mom in the driveway. She enthusiastically rolled down her car window: “Emily, why are you alone? Isn’t Jacob picking you up? “Didn’t he say he was taking you to Cancun for spring break? Have fun you two!” I was a bit confused. During the most stressful part of senior year, I had indeed mentioned to Jacob that I wanted to see the blue seas and skies of Cancun, Mexico. But how could we possibly travel together now, given our current situation? But my Uber had already arrived, so I just said a quick goodbye and left. What I never expected was that at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, I would actually run into Jacob.

After half a year apart, when I saw Jacob again, we had both changed quite a bit. He was even thinner, had dyed his hair, but of course still looked as handsome as ever. I’ve never been good at reading people, but my aesthetic sense has always been on point. Otherwise I wouldn’t have known to follow him around like a puppy since I was little. I was only stunned for a brief moment before I smiled and greeted him casually. “Hi Jacob, you’re here too.” Jacob’s hand froze in mid-air as he was reaching for my luggage, looking at me in disbelief. Since we were little, both sets of parents had repeatedly told me to call him “big brother Jacob” many times. I had stubbornly refused to ever call him that. Now with a different mindset, it came out naturally. But Jacob seemed to have a hard time accepting it. It was a long time before he finally took my luggage with shaking hands. Mom whispered an explanation in my ear. “We came out to pick you up and happened to run into Jacob at the entrance. He insisted on coming along to help.” I smiled and gestured that it was fine. In the car, I couldn’t wait to share all the recent interesting stories from school with my parents, making them laugh non-stop. No one paid attention to Jacob, but from the corner of my eye, I noticed his lips curling up in a secret smile the whole way. That day he seemed to want to come sit at my house for a while, but all three of us politely declined together. The entire winter break I was out early and back late every day to practice driving, and in the evenings I was always out with some high school friends. I heard Jacob came looking for me a few times, but we always missed each other. I was a bit surprised, not thinking there was anything we needed to talk about. This year my grandmother and aunt had come back for the New Year. On New Year’s Eve, the house was especially lively. After the New Year’s Eve dinner, the older folks were watching the Spring Festival Gala on the couch, while the younger generation was learning to play mahjong. But Jacob’s family of three suddenly showed up at our house with bags of gifts.

“Our house is too quiet, mind if we join in for a game?” Jacob’s mom joked with a smile. In previous years, our two families had always spent the Spring Festival together. This year, because of my relationship with Jacob, my mom had declined his mom’s invitation to have New Year’s Eve dinner together. But when guests show up at the door, you can’t just turn them away. Jacob naturally sat down next to me, watching me play mahjong. My cousins didn’t know about the situation between Jacob and me, and kept teasing us. I laughed it off and clarified each time. Jacob’s expression soured a bit. When we went out to set off fireworks at midnight, he grabbed my hand, seeming to want to say something. But my phone suddenly rang. My face reddened a bit as I pulled my hand away from Jacob’s and stepped aside to answer the call. It was a classmate from Florida named Jack who I had met through a student club. He was very good-looking too. Not the cold, aloof type of handsome guy, but more of a funny, goofy boy who loved to laugh. He talked a lot and was full of jokes. He often made me laugh so hard I couldn’t straighten up. He said he called because he was bored being alone and wanted to count down to the new year together with us. I didn’t think much of it and didn’t hang up since it was New Year’s. I let him participate in our New Year’s countdown ritual remotely. Just before hanging up, he chuckled. “Actually, I just wanted to be the first person to wish you Happy New Year after midnight. “Happy New Year, Emily.” I smiled happily and wished him well too. We chatted for a while longer, and when he was finally willing to hang up, I turned around to find Jacob standing behind me with an icy expression. I don’t know how long he had been listening. “Boyfriend?” he asked hoarsely. “Not quite yet,” I replied honestly after thinking for a moment. “…” Jacob was silent for a long time. I thought he had nothing more to say and was about to head back to the living room to continue playing mahjong. But he suddenly spoke up again, “Out-of-state guys aren’t necessarily reliable. It’s better to find someone local who you know well.” I nodded. “You’re right, you never truly know someone. I’ll keep evaluating him. “Thanks for the advice, Jacob. You should settle down soon too.” Jacob looked like something had stabbed him in the heart. He didn’t say anything else and left the yard directly. I didn’t think much of it. It wasn’t the first time he’d thrown a tantrum. Before, when I had rose-colored glasses on, I thought everything about him was perfect. But now… After that, I accompanied my grandmother and parents to visit relatives and then went on road trips. I barely stayed at home. I didn’t run into Jacob again either. The winter break was short, and soon I was back at school. But the next day, I actually saw Jacob at the university gates.

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Preschool called to inform me that my daughter Nora had been pushed down the stairs by a classmate. I hurried to the hospital, where I found my husband, who should have been at work, talking with the doctor: “Mr. Asher, your daughter’s injuries are serious. Should we begin with emergency care or conduct the bone marrow test first?” “Do the test first! We can’t hesitate; my precious daughter can’t wait any longer!” I was completely baffled until I saw another little girl, about four or five years old, come over and cling to my husband’s leg, sweetly asking, “Daddy, I did what you told me and pushed Nora. Am I saved now?” She was Nora’s preschool classmate, a child suffering from leukemia. I felt numb, my whole body trembling uncontrollably. Tears blurred my vision as Asher picked up the little girl, softly saying, “Daddy is going to save you, don’t worry.” A slender figure appeared, leaning close to the father and daughter. “The one who got hurt is also your daughter. You won’t blame our Freya, will you?” Asher frowned slightly and replied nonchalantly, “I specifically asked Freya to do it. Her mother is always watching her too closely. I couldn’t do anything myself, so I had to ask Freya to help, just to get a chance to do the match at the hospital.” “Back then, to save Freya, we needed a sibling’s umbilical cord blood but didn’t want you to go through another pregnancy, so we stopped your medication and had Fiona give birth to her. In the end, she should thank Freya; without her, she would never have been born.” “The only person I truly love is you, and the daughter I care most about is Freya.” The woman turned, and I finally saw her face. It was Celeste, Asher’s old flame and a top actress in Hollywood. Celeste wiped her tears, murmuring, “Oh, my poor Freya, having to endure another bone marrow transplant because of the relapse.” The three of them hugged tightly, appearing as the perfect family. But what about me? Legally married to him for six years, with a lovely daughter—what am I to him? Tears fell uncontrollably as their conversation replayed in my mind. Freya, the little girl Asher pitied and always brought home, turned out to be his daughter with Celeste. His daughter had leukemia. To spare Celeste the ordeal of pregnancy, he had me give birth to Nora just for the life-saving umbilical cord blood! After the relapse, he targeted Nora’s bone marrow, instructing his daughter to harm our child just for a chance to secretly do the match at the hospital! No wonder… no wonder I couldn’t conceive after a year of marriage—the problem lay in the medicated milk Asher gave me every night. Even after stopping the medication and successfully conceiving Nora, I was extremely cautious to ensure a safe pregnancy. When giving birth, I was on the brink of death and ended up unable to conceive again. Asher’s gentle face urging me to drink milk and sleep every night twisted into something monstrous in my memories. My hands shook violently, and the phone slipped from my grasp. The noise interrupted the scene not far away. Asher looked over at me, the tenderness on his face freezing instantly. He awkwardly pulled his hand away from Celeste’s arm, stammering, “Honey, what are you doing here…” I pretended not to see, wiped my eyes hard, and asked with a trembling voice, “The teacher called me. How’s Nora?” Now wasn’t the time to confront him. My daughter’s safety was more important. Asher walked toward me, visibly uneasy, while Celeste looked at me with a fierce gaze but spoke in a soft voice, “Nora’s mom, it’s really my daughter’s fault for being impulsive…” “Enough! My daughter’s safety is the priority now. If anything happens to her, I won’t let you off!” Celeste covered her mouth, crying, while her daughter Freya pointed at me, shouting, “Bad woman! You made my mom cry! I’ll tell my dad to hit you!” I didn’t want to get entangled with them any longer and headed straight to my daughter’s room. “Now! Save my child immediately!” When Nora was wheeled back into the room from the emergency room, I saw her pale face. Her head was wrapped in thick gauze, looking so fragile and pitiful. A four-year-old girl, at such an innocent age, yet she had to endure this cruel treatment. Even her birth was a calculated plan by the father she admired so much. Asher wrapped his arms around me from behind, speaking softly, “The doctor said Nora isn’t in any serious danger. She might need to stay in the hospital for a while, so don’t worry too much.” “As for the little girl who pushed her, I’ve talked to her mom. She didn’t mean it; kids… accidents happen during play.” His sudden niceness was just to prevent me from holding anyone accountable. I didn’t respond, only asking him, “Why didn’t you tell me Celeste’s daughter and Nora are classmates?” His hand, which was holding me, froze, and he said guiltily, “I only found out today at the hospital, honey. How could I hide anything from you?” I remained cold and silent. He awkwardly let go, tucking Nora’s blanket. The phone notification sounded at an inappropriate time. He glanced at the screen, then stood up, trying to be accommodating, “Are you hungry? The doctor said Nora will wake up soon. I’ll get her favorite custard bun.” After he left, I quietly followed him. I saw him head to the doctor’s office. “I’ve already informed Fiona that Nora needs to stay in the hospital. We should be able to do the match during this time, right?” “We can, but Nora’s health isn’t great. Are you sure you want to rush the match? She’s really pitiful. When she was brought in, she didn’t cry out in pain, only kept calling for her dad.” Asher was silent for a long time before hoarsely saying, “I’ll compensate the mother and daughter.” The doctor sighed, “Asher, I’ve known you for years, and I have to advise you. Fiona loves you so much. Despite her weak body, she risked everything to have the child. Can you really be this heartless?” “Enough!” Asher shouted angrily. “It was Fiona who insisted on marrying me. If she hadn’t taken advantage of my vulnerability when I was down, maybe none of this would have happened! Doesn’t she bear any responsibility?” “I only found out after marriage that Celeste was forced into a marriage by her family. She divorced for me and endured so many rumors to have Freya for me. The child was born with health issues and was called an illegitimate child. I owe them more!” “But unfortunately, the person she was once married to was my cousin. My parents would never allow her into the Aiden family again. Once Freya recovers, I’ll recognize her as my goddaughter, then send Celeste abroad and visit her every year. Fiona and Nora won’t know anything. I’ll be the best husband and father, making it up to them for the rest of my life.” He closed his eyes in pain, as if making a heavy decision. Seeing him ready to leave, I quickly returned to the room. My mind was still chaotic, as if it had been struck by a heavy hammer. Asher and I had a marriage of convenience. That year, I had just returned from studying overseas and met Asher at a banquet. At that time, the Aiden family was in the middle of a power struggle. Asher and his father were at a disadvantage, marginalized and suppressed, making him look like a somewhat defeated young master. When I sprained my ankle, a group of men surrounded me with concern, but only he knelt down to gently massage my ankle. So when it came time to choose a marriage partner, I chose him without hesitation. Later I learned from others that he once had a close childhood friend who married someone else when he was at his lowest. But I didn’t mind, because he treated me so well during that time. He worked part-time to save money to buy me roses, got up at four in the morning to make soup, and had our photos taped to the back of his phone. I thought this love, expressed in such details, couldn’t go wrong. But now he says I took advantage of his vulnerability? Thinking back, the roses stopped coming long ago, the soup hasn’t been made in ages, and the photos… when did they get removed? Ah, it was a month after we got married. He came back from a reunion, disoriented, muttering about how “everything is too late.” Maybe it was then that he and Celeste rekindled their relationship. I opened the class group chat and saw a student’s name—Freya Aiden. Looking at the birthdate, it matched six years ago. Asher named our daughter Nora to bless Freya… Bless Freya… One is his precious jewel, the other a tool to bless his precious jewel. No wonder he volunteered to pick up the kids despite being so busy at work. It was to see his daughter and also reduce my contact with her. I dropped my hand in defeat, tears betraying me once again. At that moment, I received a friend request through the parent group chat. The request was from Freya’s mom, and after accepting, I scrolled through her Facebook. It was filled with photos of her child and a man whose face wasn’t shown. But six years of living together made me instantly recognize the man’s back. [Today, Daddy took the baby to the amusement park again and let such a big child ride on his shoulders. What a doting father!] [The child’s dad spent the whole day playing princess dress-up games with the child, even pushing back meetings, sigh.] [A happy family of three, this life is enough!] She posted almost every two days. It turns out Asher’s excuses of being busy with work were just to spend time with them. A new message popped up; it was from Celeste: “Sorry, Nora’s mom, our Freya has been spoiled by her dad and doesn’t know her own strength. You won’t be angry, right?” I was about to reply, but Nora woke up, unconsciously calling for her dad. My heart tightened. I quickly put down the phone, comforting her by stroking her forehead, “Daddy will be here soon. Be good, Nora. Mommy is here.” **A Happy Family of Three, This Life Is Enough!** Almost every two days, Asher would share a post on WeChat Moments. He always claimed that work kept him busy, but it was just an excuse to spend time with us, his wife and daughter. A message popped up from Celeste: “Sorry, Nora’s mom. Our Freya has been spoiled by her dad since she was little. She doesn’t know her own strength. You’re not upset, are you?” I was about to reply when Nora woke up, mumbling for her dad. My heart tightened. I quickly set my phone aside and gently stroked her forehead to comfort her: “Daddy will be here soon. Be good, Nora. Mommy’s here.” She weakly opened her eyes and saw my tear-stained face. The little four-year-old seemed to forget her pain and asked me, her voice trembling: “Mommy, why are you crying? Did I make you sad by being naughty?” I shook my head desperately, forcing a strained smile: “Our Nora is the best, Mommy’s most obedient treasure.” She looked down sadly and whispered: “But whenever Daddy picks me up, he always says Freya is more obedient and sensible. But she’s not nice at all and always takes my toys.” My heart ached as if it were being squeezed. I could handle my own failures, but what had my daughter done to deserve such treatment from her own father? Nora grew more upset, her little mouth pouting in guilt. I gently leaned over and hugged her. After a long while, I finally made up my mind. “Nora, would you like to go abroad with Mommy?” She loved to play and just blinked at me, asking: “Are there kids to play with abroad? Will they take my toys?” “No, they won’t.” “Daddy will get them back for me, right?” I wiped my tears away haphazardly and said: “No, Daddy won’t be going. Only Mommy will take you. Is that okay? There’s also your uncle and grandparents. They will all protect you.” I watched her nervously, fearing she wouldn’t want to leave her dad. She did look conflicted for a long time and finally said, a bit reluctantly: “Okay, I love Mommy the most.” I comforted her until she fell asleep, then couldn’t hold back my tears any longer and rushed out of the ward, sobbing uncontrollably. After crying, I called my brother in Australia: “Brother, prepare new identities for Nora and me abroad. We’re planning to come over.” He paused for a moment and asked, “Did you and Asher have a fight? If you’ve been wronged, just get a divorce and reunite with Mom and Dad with Nora.” I had thought about divorce, but why should my Nora have to write down such a degrading father in the family relations section? What if, when things turn ugly, Asher uses his status as her father to fight for custody or force her into a bone marrow transplant? I couldn’t bear to think about it. I took a deep breath: “I’ll explain later. Once Nora recovers, I’ll book the flight.” A slightly panicked voice suddenly sounded from behind me: “Flight? Where are you going?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296234”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn

In the seventh year of my secret crush on Jasper, I ended up marrying him. On our wedding night, he handed me a divorce agreement. ” After a year, we’ll go our separate ways peacefully,” he said, glancing at my lace nightgown with a slight smile. ” Miss Adeline, is there something on your mind?” When the year was up, I asked, “When are we going to the civil affairs bureau?” He acted as if he didn’t hear me. “Who was that guy earlier?” I laughed and replied, “Mr. Lu, is something on your mind?” During my graduation internship, right after I was offered a full-time position, Jasper approached me. He asked if I would marry him—a marriage of convenience. In a year, he promised to give me ten million. Who can afford to let pride overshadow money, right? I was afraid if I hesitated even for a moment, he’d change his mind.

From the time we got our marriage certificate to our wedding night, less than a month passed. That night, I dressed up intentionally in a lace nightgown. But Jasper handed me a divorce agreement. “After a year, we’ll part ways.”

He had grown a lot more refined and composed since high school. I was momentarily stunned. “Should I sign it now?” Jasper seemed in a hurry. ” Just give it to me before the contract ends.” I nodded. “Where will you be sleeping tonight?” The air was filled with silence. I really wanted to slap myself. Jasper paused, then briefly smiled, his gaze lowering with meaning. “Miss Adeline,” he chuckled, “is something on your mind?”

Following his gaze, I suddenly covered my chest. “Shameless!” Jasper raised an eyebrow, leisurely leaning against the doorframe, teasing me on purpose. ” On such a joyous night, should we sleep together?” We were both adults, and given how I was dressed, any man would misunderstand. I slammed the door shut, both angry and embarrassed. This guy was still the same bold rogue from high school!

I didn’t see Jasper again after that. I heard he went abroad for business. Living in a mansion with a husband who was never home was quite relaxing for me. Late at night, I heard the sound of an engine downstairs. After seven months, Jasper was back. He slept in the guest room. I relaxed and turned over, then suddenly opened my eyes wide. Last night, I had drunk too much and fell asleep in the guest room. I had even taken out the love letter I wrote to him when I was young to read, and it was still there.

The hallway was chilly. I quietly opened the guest room door. I heard water running in the bathroom. Jasper was showering. Holding my breath, I searched around but didn’t find it. The next moment, the bathroom door opened. Jasper was only wearing gray lounge pants. His skin was pale and muscular, still dripping wet. Our eyes met. He said calmly, “Are you hiding someone?”

I glanced at his abs, “No.” Jasper leisurely dried his hair, “Did you need something?” I made up an excuse. “Um… just checking if you’re hiding a woman.” Jasper chuckled, “If I were hiding a woman, I wouldn’t be back tonight.” “So, you’ve been with other women these past seven months?” Realizing I said something wrong, I shut my mouth. But Jasper wouldn’t let it go, looking at me with interest, teasingly. “Do you want to talk about this with me?”

Without waiting for an explanation, I suppressed the discomfort in my heart, wanting to say something. The phone rang. Jasper put on a short T-shirt and stepped out onto the balcony to answer in English. I wasn’t interested in his call. I searched again and decided to pretend to sleep. Jasper was unlikely to share a bed with me; I’d search again in the morning. I couldn’t let him find it first. Half-asleep, I felt the bed sink beside me. That night, I dreamed of Jasper from high school. The transfer student from Hong Kong, smart, handsome, and well-off. His name was once popular throughout the school. He had a girlfriend. I didn’t know why they argued back then, but she cried. Jasper, holding his school uniform, bent down to comfort her helplessly. I stood not far away, feeling a profound silence.

reams are always nonsensical. One moment, I was heartbroken and suppressed. The next, I dreamed of pulling up a radish. The bedroom light suddenly turned on. Still immersed in the dream, I mumbled, “Why can’t I pull it out…” Jasper took a deep breath, “Open your eyes and see what you’re doing.” Just as I was about to open my eyes, a warm hand grasped my wrist and moved it away. Jasper got up and went to the bathroom, not waiting for me to speak. He said in a cold voice, “Keep causing trouble, and you’ll sleep on the floor.” “…” He’s really fierce.

Waking up the next day, it was bright outside. I felt the cold spot beside me. Slowly, I finished breakfast. Jasper was already waiting in the car. We were going to the family estate today. In the car, we said nothing. Finally, I said, “Sorry about last night.” Jasper was working. He glanced at me, “What were you looking for last night?” I paused, then honestly replied, “A love letter.” “You wrote it?” “Yes.” Jasper’s gaze landed on my face. He asked, “A secret crush, huh?” My cheeks warmed, “It was my senior from high school, very handsome, you know.” I spoke while looking at him. Jasper chuckled briefly, as if unconcerned. I felt like a clown. What was I expecting? “So what now that you’re married?” I looked up, stunned. Jasper turned to me, teasing, “Should I sleep between you two?” “…”

When we got out of the car, I boldly tugged at his sleeve. ” We need to act the part; I want to hold hands.” Jasper’s expression didn’t change, still on the previous topic. “So do I sleep between you two, or what do you want?” He smiled, but I felt it was empty, like there was nothing inside. As if he seemed easygoing but was actually cold inside. I said, “I’ll put on a grand show for you!” With that, Jasper looked down at me, seemingly genuinely smiling. Then he gently took my hand, intertwining our fingers. “Then you have to mourn for me, wife.”

At the family estate’s entrance, I knew he was acting. He didn’t really want to hold my hand. But hearing him call me ‘wife’ made my heart race a little. As soon as we stepped into the living room, “We’ve waited from the beginning of the year to the end, and the third child finally brings his wife home to meet us?” Jasper was the third child in the family. He probably married me to avoid an arranged marriage. Jasper pulled out a slight smile, “Mom, I didn’t want to disturb your peace.” “You mean you didn’t want me to disturb yours.” The middle-aged woman, draped in a shawl, sneered, looking at me. “Miss Adeline, right? Come and have a cup of tea.” But there was no tea in front of her. She meant for me to make it. Just as I was about to stand, my wrist was held down. Jasper leaned back in his chair, playing with my fingertips, “With two maids standing by, does she have to do it?” “Can’t I want a cup of tea made by my daughter-in-law?” “Of course, but my wife isn’t for serving.” Stop acting… I damn well like you even more.

The Aiden family children are usually busy. So it’s a rule that they must come back for a meal and stay overnight once a month. The dining table was cold and quiet. This house didn’t feel like a home; it was oppressive and serious. In the bedroom, I was nervous again, “I can sleep in the guest room.” “That would be a breach of contract.” The contract stated that if Party B caused others to find out it was a fake marriage, Party B owed Party A five million. I changed the subject, “Do you have a lot of conflicts with your mother?” Jasper, not done with his work, replied dismissively, “Are you into me? Want to save me?” “Didn’t the woman you spent seven months with save you?” He laughed, “If I had someone I liked, why would I marry you?” “…” He said he didn’t have anyone he liked now. I felt a bit disappointed. I opened my mouth to speak. Suddenly, everything went dark. Later, I heard it was because the second brother and his wife were fighting next door. A cup of water spilled into the electrical outlet, causing a blackout on the entire second floor. By then, I was already startled and ended up sitting on Jasper’s lap.

I wasn’t at a loss. I just wanted to be close to him. “I’m so scared.” Jasper paused, “I’m more scared.” The room was dimly lit. “What are you afraid of?” His voice was playful, “Afraid of losing both money and love.” He’s been in social settings for so many years, understanding people well. Like he saw right through my feelings for him. I pretended not to understand, “So why did you marry me?” Jasper, with little emotion, draped his arm lightly over my knee, “Be good, short of money.” When did I lack money? Thinking of something, I didn’t explain. Seeing his brows furrowed, he was probably about to say, “Keep it up, and you’ll sleep on the floor tonight.” “Jasper.” “Hmm.” “Do you believe I can guess what you’re thinking?” We were so close, almost feeling each other’s breath. Jasper lifted his eyes, his gaze brushing over my lips. “Do you think I dare?”

Under the moonlight, his eyes were very dark. I saw myself in them. I whispered, “You probably dare.” Jasper seemed surprised by my words, gently tapping my knee with his finger. After a while, his Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, and he shifted his gaze, “No protection.” “…” I then realized we weren’t talking about the same thing. The light finally came back on. I stood up in a panic, palms a bit sweaty, “Rogue.” I said, escaping into the bathroom. Coming out, Jasper was still at the computer. The sleeves of his white shirt were rolled up, his side profile sharp and refined. As if he’d forgotten what just happened. I felt uneasy. In the dead of night, once again sharing a bed. After his shower, he came out. I instinctively pulled the blanket a bit. “Don’t worry, I won’t touch you.” His tone was light. I couldn’t tell if he was reassuring me or telling me not to get my hopes up. I turned my back on him in anger. “Turn off the lights; it’s too bright, and I can’t get used to it.” Jasper, being obedient, said, “You sleep first.” I snorted, “Don’t worry, I won’t touch you either.” After hastily finishing my sentence, I dashed into the bathroom. When I emerged, Jasper was still seated in front of the computer. His white shirt sleeves were rolled up, highlighting his sharp profile. It was as though he had completely forgotten the earlier conversation. I felt a pang of discomfort. The night was quiet, and once again, we shared a bed. After his shower, he came out, and I instinctively pulled the covers up. “Don’t worry, I won’t touch you,” he said with an indifferent tone. It was hard to tell if he was trying to reassure me or make me abandon any hope. Annoyed, I turned my back to him. “Please turn off the lights; it’s too bright for me.” Jasper complied, “You can sleep first.” I scoffed, “Don’t worry, I won’t touch you either.” “Well, once you’re asleep, who knows.” My ears burned red as I recalled the sensation from last night, something I struggled to control. … Jasper always seemed busy, often returning home late when I was already asleep. On the phone, my best friend was incredulous, “How can you sleep next to such a handsome guy and not do anything?” I whispered, “He doesn’t seem to like me.” “If he did, he would have made a move on your wedding night. You know, sometimes love and family grow with time.” I hung up, realizing she had a point. I might not win his heart, but I should at least try to experience something with him. Lost in thought, the department manager called me over, “These are documents Mr. Jasper needs delivered, Miss Adeline. Could you please take them over for me? Thanks a lot.” He handed me the documents and left. Over the years, I’ve faced many humiliations, one after another. But I took a deep breath; once I get the ten million, I’ll quit immediately! The location was just at the hotel across the street, and I could see Jasper. As I counted the room numbers, a woman opened the door. She was wrapped in a bath towel and, seeing the documents in my hand, said understandingly, “My boyfriend just stepped out. You’re his employee, right?” In that moment, I forgot how I felt. Numbly nodding, I handed over the documents and turned to leave, my steps unsteady and my mind blank. I wanted to call and ask him something, but I realized I had no right to interfere in his private life. After all, our marriage was fake from the beginning. I felt a rush of sadness and wanted to cry. To ease the pain, I went to a bar and hired a couple of male escorts. My best friend had to cancel last minute and advised me over the phone to take it easy and not let things get out of hand tonight. But I couldn’t hear anything. My phone lit up again. Jasper was asking, [Where are you?] I pretended not to see it, but after a few seconds, I replied anyway, [Working overtime] [Thank you for your hard work.] Such a considerate reply. I felt a bit emotional and typed back fiercely, [Good thing you know!] [Hmm, should I come toast a drink to you?] … I suddenly looked up, neon lights flickering before my eyes, and sighed with relief. Jasper was likely cozied up somewhere and wouldn’t be here. As I withdrew my gaze, I glanced casually and locked eyes with the man not far away. Jasper stood in the shadows, a faint red glow at his fingertips. In his suit, tall and long-legged, he took a drag of his cigarette. Through the smoke, his gaze was emotionless as it fell on me. At that moment, I had a male escort on each side, one pouring wine, the other feeding me fruit. In a daze, Jasper leisurely stubbed out his cigarette and walked over slowly. The escorts sensed trouble, “Violet, who is he? He looks so fierce.” I suddenly didn’t know how to explain. The escorts wouldn’t let up, “Aren’t we enough? Did you call another one, Violet, speak up, Violet.” Jasper turned his head, “Try calling one more.” The escorts shrank back, too scared to speak. I awkwardly stood up, feeling a bit dizzy, “Let’s go home…” Jasper looked amused, “Where do I sleep this time?” “Don’t worry, you won’t have to sleep in the middle.” He laughed angrily, “So you’ve rearranged things for me, huh.” His expression turned cold as he grabbed my wrist, leading me to the door. I struggled, equally angry, “You’re allowed to have a girlfriend, but I can’t have fun? You have to let me make mistakes too.” Mistakes, indeed. He frowned, “What girlfriend?” “She’s all showered and waiting for you!” The phone rang. Jasper answered it, and as he paid the bill, he also covered the cost of the escorts I had hired. Such a nice guy, so generous. After hanging up, he sent a message on the screen, then looked at me, “Who taught you to make such a fuss?” I got into the car, “Who’s really making a fuss!” Jasper sighed inwardly, choosing not to argue, “You’re drunk, stop it.” The phone rang again. It was my department manager, Zane. As soon as I answered, he was angrily scolding, “I told you to deliver the document to 913, where did you send it? The business partner is still waiting in the conference room, and Mr. Jasper is urging, if you don’t want to work, just leave tomorrow!” I was already in a bad mood, drunk, and spoke without thinking, “You’re just a scapegoat always shirking responsibility! You clearly told me to send it to 319…” After saying that, I paused, realizing I might have misunderstood something. The voice on the other end was clearly confused, “Iris Adeline, you’re something, I ask you to do one thing and you throw a fit, if I were Mr. Jasper, I’d fire you right away!” I impulsively said, “He’s right here, tell him yourself.” It was on speaker. My head was dizzy, leaning against the car window, resting my eyes. The person next to me had a deep and pleasant voice. In my haze, it felt like a dream. I heard him say—if you speak to her like that again, you’ll be packing your things and leaving. … It started raining. When I woke up, we were home. I didn’t open my eyes, and Jasper didn’t wake me. He wrapped his arm around my waist and carried me. His chest was warm with a hint of moisture. I couldn’t help but open my eyes a crack, quietly watching him, strangely reminded of him in high school. In the cafeteria, on the sports field, even in the store when we brushed past each other. Those memories stayed with me for many years. Maybe my gaze was too intense, like I was looking through him at someone else. Jasper suddenly stopped, lowered his eyes, “Who are you looking at?” My face was flushed, murmuring, “Someone I like.” His fingers tightened on my waist for a moment. Jasper’s eyes turned cold, perhaps remembering the love letter I was looking for last time. He placed me on the bed, pinched my chin, forcing me to look at him. “Iris Adeline.” “Hmm.” “Look closely,” he said in a deep voice, “I’m not him.” … The memory of the hangover was fragmented. Jasper got up half an hour earlier than me. Washing up, changing clothes. Neither of us spoke first. It felt like an unspoken cold war. I asked about the important matter, “What about the document I delivered wrong last night, is it important?” Jasper was tying his tie, and in the morning light, his face looked even more handsome. Some people, just standing there, can provide emotional value. He said, “It’s the project promotion plan, it’s fine.” I was relieved. Jasper glanced at me, “Nothing else to say?” Thinking of last night’s awkward misunderstanding, I shook my head, wanting to leave, “Nothing.” As I was about to pass by, he held my arm for a moment. He sighed, “During our marriage, I won’t do anything to betray you.” I took a few seconds to react, fearing he’d bring up the male models, “Got it, I’ll head downstairs first.” Jasper didn’t let go, thinking I was still angry, “Really, no girlfriend.” His eyes were dark. His tone coaxing. My thoughts slowed, suddenly feeling a bit envious of the girl who occupied his youth. This person is gentle and restrained. Being in a relationship with him must be a delightful thing. “Are you explaining to me?” Jasper paused, wanting to ask, “What do you think?” Silence between us. He continued looking at me, not sure what he was thinking. I stood awkwardly, also asking, “What are you thinking?” Jasper leaned against the wardrobe, a faint smile on his lips, “Thinking if you get drunk, do you like to kiss people randomly.” I didn’t kiss him last night, did I? Zane seemed to know something shocking. Today he was extra attentive, offering two hot drinks as an apology. I didn’t want to engage, thinking all day about when I might have kissed Jasper. That night, there was a dinner gathering. The business partner was hosting. I was involved in the project, so I was naturally invited. Jasper arrived late. He sat right next to me. Zane, ever the opportunist, used the chance to bond with me over drinks. The business partner jokingly asked if he had a thing for me, being so attentive. Zane shook his head repeatedly, glancing at Jasper, “Miss Adeline has a boyfriend.” I was stunned, not wanting more misunderstandings, I explained, “No, I’m single.” The table fell silent for half a second. Then the laughter resumed. The business partner smoothed things over, “Young people these days focus on their careers, marrying late. But Mr. Jasper, you should hurry up, almost thirty, let me introduce my daughter to you sometime.” Jasper remained unreactive throughout, smiling, “Sorry, I’m married.” In an instant, some were surprised, some were confused. Zane was the latter, his gaze at me changing multiple times. Finally turning disdainful. Our marriage agreement was mutual, not public. Now, something felt off. I couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong. I glanced at Jasper next to me, sending him a message. [Mr. Jasper, what do you mean?] The screen lit up, Jasper glanced at his phone. But showed no intention of opening it. I anxiously nudged him with my knee. Jasper finally, generously, replied. [Don’t want to meet his daughter.] So that’s it. I lowered my gaze

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296233”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn