I had been secretly married to my first love, Evelyn Miller, for five years. She said that she would announce our marriage at a party for our son. I was so excited that I told Henry Cole, my only family, about this matter. To show his respect for Evelyn, my younger brother, Henry, lived frugally and used the money he saved to buy a pair of diamond earrings for Evelyn. Just before I was about to go on stage with my baby in my arms, a strange man suddenly snatched the baby out of my arms. Then he held Evelyn’s hand intimately and went on stage. Evelyn said to everyone, “Today, I want to announce a big event at my baby’s party. Matthew and I grew up together since we were kids, and today, we’ve finally decided to hold a wedding!” As soon as these words were spoken, countless complicated looks instantly fell on me. Henry, who was completely confused, asked in puzzlement, “Seb, isn’t that Evelyn?” I stared coldly at Evelyn on the stage, who was showing a coy smile, and said, “Give my son back to me.” Unexpectedly, when she heard this, she sneered, “Sebastian Cole, a nobody like you actually still has the audacity to think that I would give birth to a child for you. You’re extremely stupid!”

Evelyn, who was standing on the stage, had a cold look in her eyes, and there was no trace of the affection she used to have for me. She completely ignored me but embraced and kissed Matthew, who was holding the baby, as if they were a family who had been living together for five years. I froze in place, standing there below the stage. When I saw this scene, I suddenly began to wonder if those five years of living together had just been an illusion. My hands, hanging by my sides, clenched into tight fists, and I silently endured the various mocking looks cast upon me. Henry pulled at my sleeve guiltily and said with remorse, “Seb, did Evelyn get angry because of my appearance?” I forced a smile on my face. Before I could say anything to comfort Henry, a sudden force pushed Henry down violently. Then a shrill and ear-piercing voice shouted angrily, “You’re really clueless! You’re blocking my way to breathe in fresh air. Move aside!” I shielded Henry behind me and stared at the strange woman in front of me with a dark expression. After thinking for a long time, I recognized that this woman was Matthew’s younger sister, Tina Dawson. She was enraged by the look on my face, and the words she said became even more offensive. “You’re truly a low-class idiot! Just looking at you two makes me feel sick! Get out of my sight right now. If you damage my newly done nose, I won’t let you off easily!” Tina picked up a bowl of thick soup from the dining table and poured it all over me. My exposed skin ached faintly from the scald of the soup, and the anger in my heart could no longer be suppressed. I grabbed Tina’s arm as she was about to leave and gritted my teeth, saying, “Apologize to me right now!” Tina tried to pull her arm away. After finding that she couldn’t break free, she shouted at the top of her lungs, “Somebody help! These two bumpkins are hitting me!” Hearing this shout, the Dawsons surrounded Henry and me. Tina pointed at Henry and said with a sense of righteousness, “That little brat made it impossible for me to breathe just now and almost ruined my newly done nose!” Upon hearing this, the Dawsons immediately pulled Henry out from behind me without saying a word. They surrounded Henry and kept beating him. Someone even raised a wine bottle and smashed it hard on the back of Henry’s head. Henry let out a faint cry for help in pain. “Seb, save me! Seb, help!” I urgently picked up a chair and swung it hard at the people who were beating Henry. Only when these people felt the pain did they reluctantly stop. I quickly held Henry, whose face was covered in blood, in my arms. “Henry, don’t be afraid. I’ll take you to the hospital right away!” Just as I helped Henry up, Tina blocked my way again and sneered, “Why are you in such a hurry to leave? You haven’t apologized to me yet.” I roared, “You’d better get out of my way right now. If anything happens to my brother, I will never let you off!” As soon as I finished speaking, the commotion we caused here finally attracted Evelyn, who was toasting the honored guests on the second floor. She frowned in dissatisfaction and walked quickly towards me. Without any regard for my dignity, she shouted angrily, “Sebastian, there are many big shots here today. Do you really have to embarrass me today? “The contract that was about to be finalized is going to be ruined because of you!” She slapped me hard in the face in public. When Henry, whom I was supporting in my arms, wanted to explain to her that it wasn’t my fault, Tina spoke up first, “Evelyn, his brother deliberately tried to ruin my newly done nose. You have to stand up for me!” Looking at Tina, who was accusing the innocent while being the guilty one, I felt my anger flare up even more. “Tina, don’t spout lies! We didn’t touch you at all. It was you who beat my brother like this!” Evelyn glanced at Henry, whose consciousness was already fading, but she still didn’t believe what I said. She forced me harshly. “Apologize to Tina right now!” I refused sharply. “It’s not my fault. Why should I apologize to her? The one who really should apologize is her!” Seeing that I refused to yield at all, Evelyn became less patient. She shouted at me, “Sebastian, you gotta know your place! If you don’t apologize, I’ll call someone to throw you out of here!” Noticing that Evelyn was really angry, Matthew, who was standing aside, pretended to be kind and persuaded Evelyn, “Evie, calm down. I think there must be some misunderstanding here.” He motioned to Tina with his eyes and said, “Apologize to Sebastian and Henry now.” Tina said reluctantly, “I won’t apologize to them. Evelyn also agrees that I didn’t do anything wrong.” After saying that, Matthew put on an expression of helplessness. This look of his made Evelyn feel pity for him. She took Matthew’s hand on her own initiative and shouted at me angrily, “Sebastian, you’ve really embarrassed me today. Leave here right now!” Seeing that I was looking at our one-month-old baby, she continued, “You don’t deserve to be around the baby. From now on, Matthew will raise him.” Looking at the cold and heartless expression on Evelyn’s face, I felt my heart completely broke. I stared at Henry, who was implicated because of me in my arms, and a feeling of guilt welled up all over my body. I looked coldly at Evelyn, who was acting coquettishly in another man’s arms, and all the love I once had for her vanished completely. I swore in my mind, “Evelyn, from now on, there will be no more relationship between you and me.”

After leaving the party, I immediately drove Henry to the hospital. After a long period of emergency treatment, the doctor finally walked out of the emergency room with a tired look on his face. The doctor looked at me solemnly and said, “I’m sorry, Mr. Cole. We’ve done our best. The fragments of the wine bottle have deeply embedded in your brother’s cranial nerves, causing irreversible damage. I’m afraid your brother will remain in a vegetative state and lie in bed for the rest of his life.” The doctor’s words seemed to have an invisible magic power, instantly draining all the strength from my body. I collapsed helplessly at the door of the ward and looked at Henry, who was lying on the bed with tubes all over his body. I thought, “He’s only eighteen years old this year! He has just been admitted to his dream university! His life dreams haven’t been realized yet. And now, because of me, such a sensible man will have to lie in bed for the rest of his life!” At that moment, boundless guilt and self-blame overwhelmed me, and tears of remorse welled up in my eyes and flowed down my face. At that moment, I wished that the person lying in bed was me! I didn’t fall asleep that night. I stayed by Henry’s bedside in the ward until dawn. When the first ray of sunlight shone into the ward the next morning, the phone in my pocket suddenly rang. As soon as I answered the call, Evelyn’s anxious voice came through. “Sebastian, where the hell have you gone? Why aren’t you staying by the baby’s side to feed him and change his diapers? Do you know we didn’t get a good night’s sleep all night just because you weren’t with him?” Just as she finished speaking, Matthew’s complaining voice suddenly came from the other end of the phone. “Evie, hurry up and find Sebastian. I’m exhausted after this night.” There was an obvious hint of flirtation in his words. “Evie, if I keep working this hard at night, I’m afraid I’ll be too tired to do certain things…” Evelyn replied in a sweet tone, “Oh, you’re so annoying…” Hearing the flirting between Evelyn and Matthew, I tightened my grip on the phone, and my hand trembled uncontrollably with anger. But then she spoke again and criticized me forcefully, “Sebastian, you’re really an irresponsible father! If you don’t take care of the baby anymore, I won’t let you see him ever again.” After what happened at the party, such threats no longer had any effect on me. I said indifferently, “Have you forgotten what you said? Why should I take care of a child who isn’t my own?” Evelyn said angrily, “Sebastian, you’re really being petty! The words I said at the party were just because I lost a game to Matthew. I had to accept the punishment of the game as I had agreed. It was just a joke. How could you actually take it seriously? In your eyes, am I really that bad? If you keep being jealous like this, I’ll really find a new father for him!” After saying that, Evelyn angrily hung up the phone. I tightly held the phone, and my heart was filled with unbearable pain and suffering. I looked at Henry, who was now lying in bed and relying on glucose to survive, and a bitter smile appeared on my face. In an instant, I deeply regretted ever meeting Evelyn. If I hadn’t been determined to be with her at that time, Henry wouldn’t be in this state now. I met Evelyn in college. Unlike me, an outsider on the fringes, she became a prominent figure in the college as soon as she enrolled. Evelyn, who was beautiful, had excellent grades, and came from a wealthy family, quickly became the target of pursuit for many outstanding men in the college. But at the same time, she was also targeted by many girls. They even deliberately locked her in a warehouse filled with sundries. When I found her, she was crying almost to the point of fainting. She threw herself into my arms helplessly and begged me in a panic, “Sebastian, please, don’t leave me!” Looking at the beautiful woman crying in my arms, I was instantly smitten and uncontrollably fell in love with Evelyn. Even though among Evelyn’s many suitors, I, who came from a poor family, had no advantage at all, I still took the initiative to pursue her. Finally, in the year we graduated, I defeated all the other suitors and officially got together with Evelyn. At the same time, I respected Evelyn’s wish and decided to help her start a business. In the early days of starting the business, she was worried that our marriage would affect the development of the company, so she decided to hide the fact of our marriage and let me enter the company as a department director to assist her. Although I wasn’t happy about it in my heart, I still agreed to her proposal. But five years had passed, and the marriage that I cherished the most had fallen apart. My beloved wife joined forces with an outsider to hurt my only younger brother. She even threatened me with our son. I didn’t want such a marriage anymore. After the idea of getting a divorce came to my mind, I immediately contacted a lawyer and prepared the divorce agreement. I entrusted Henry to the hospital nurse and then immediately went to the company with the divorce agreement in hand. However, as soon as I entered the company, I noticed that all the employees were looking at me with strange glances.

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I have a system that detects when my wife is lying. And every time she tells a lie, $50,000 gets deposited into my bank account. One night, I discovered my wife was cheating on me. “You haven’t been seeing anyone behind my back, have you?” I asked. She turned to me, stammering, “N-no, of course not.” As soon as she said it, my phone buzzed with a bank notification – $50,000 had just been deposited. Now I’m faced with an impossible choice. Do I silently endure her infidelity and keep getting rich? Or do I confront her and get a divorce? I got home from work and took off my shoes, placing them neatly in the shoe rack. My wife Mia rushed out of the bedroom. “Why are you home so late? You might as well have stayed out all night!” she snapped, tightening the loose bathrobe around herself before plopping down on the couch with an irritated sigh. I glanced toward the bedroom. “Why are the lights still on in there?” Mia quickly got up and closed the door. A year ago, Mia had suddenly insisted we sleep in separate rooms. That was around the time our arguments started becoming more and more frequent. I agreed, thinking we both needed some space to reflect. But a year had passed, and our issues remained unresolved. I sat down at the dining table, eyeing the leftover food with a wry smile. Before leaving work, I had texted Mia: “Honey, I just got off work and haven’t eaten yet. Could you heat up some dinner for me?” Mia fidgeted nervously. “We’re out of groceries. I only ordered takeout for myself, so…there’s nothing left.” I nodded, but then noticed a pair of ripped fishnet stockings by the table. I picked them up. Mia snatched them out of my hand, looking flustered. Before I could say anything, she blurted out, “I was just trying them on earlier. Didn’t realize they had a run in them.” “Make sure you throw those out!” she added, tossing the stockings at my face. I removed the stockings and picked up a piece of meat with my chopsticks, pausing before asking, “You haven’t been seeing anyone behind my back, have you?” She turned to me, stammering, “N-no, of course not.” Then her tone turned harsh. “What are you thinking? Don’t start drama over nothing!” The bedroom door slammed shut. I knew Mia was angry. Normally, this would be my cue to placate her with an expensive designer handbag. But this time, I didn’t feel like indulging her. My eyes fell on the used condom wrapper in the trash can. My phone buzzed on the table. It was a bank notification – $50,000 had just been deposited. Mia had lied.

I couldn’t understand how we had ended up like this. We used to be so in love. We were college sweethearts who made it all the way to marriage. But ever since I switched jobs to the company Mia recommended, things changed. We started having small arguments daily and big blowouts weekly. There wasn’t a single peaceful day. Still, I never suspected she was cheating. I always thought I just wasn’t providing the lifestyle she wanted. Now that I had proof of her infidelity, I realized I didn’t even know who her lover was. I had to find out. A couple nights ago, a voice had suddenly popped into my head: “Congratulations, the system binding is complete.” I was totally confused, thinking I was hallucinating from stress. I just went back to sleep. But it seems I wasn’t imagining things. Every time Mia lies to me, $50,000 gets deposited in my account. I couldn’t help but laugh – the heavens were looking out for me after all! The next morning, I sat on the living room couch waiting for Mia to come out. The whole company had the day off. When Mia emerged from the bedroom, she was startled to see me there. She quickly composed herself. “God, you scared me! Sitting there like a ghost.” She rolled her eyes at me, then spent a long time primping in front of the mirror, applying powder and carefully putting on lipstick. It looked like she was getting dolled up to meet someone important. In all our years of marriage, she had never put this much effort into her appearance for me. She only acted sweet when I got my paycheck. “Where are you going?” I asked casually. “None of your business,” Mia snapped. “Don’t think I’ve forgiven you for yesterday just because I didn’t bring it up. You better buy me that new designer bag if you want me to let it go.” Just as I had predicted. “But don’t you control all my money?” I asked. “How am I supposed to buy you anything?” For years, I had given Mia whatever she wanted. Even when we didn’t have the money, I would borrow from friends to make sure she had the latest handbag the very next day. She shrugged. “Then take out a loan!” With that, she slammed the door and left, cutting off my unfinished sentence. Fine. She wasn’t even pretending anymore. She’d better not expect me to go easy on her!

I watched from the window as Mia got into a fancy car. The vehicle looked familiar, but I couldn’t quite place it. I rushed downstairs and followed them. They eventually stopped at an upscale villa. Mia got out of the car. To my shock, the next person to exit was my boss, Ryan! My blood boiled as everything suddenly clicked into place. Mia pushing me to change jobs… Insisting on separate bedrooms… Constantly criticizing me… I had been the fool all along. It was laughable. I had given her my whole heart, only for her to feed it to the dogs. The cheaters were right in front of me, and I hadn’t even realized. How stupid could I be? Rage overtook me. I charged out of my car and punched Ryan square in the face. Then I whirled around and slapped Mia hard. “You goddamn cheaters! Get the hell out of here!” Ryan rubbed his swollen cheek, finally recognizing me. “Jack, what the hell are you doing? Have you lost your mind?” Mia quickly pulled me away and steadied Ryan. Of course – her first concern was for her lover. Tears welled up in Mia’s eyes from the slap. “Jack, what’s wrong with you?” “You’re cheating on me! If I hadn’t followed you, I never would have known!” Mia glanced at Ryan, biting her lip. “Jack, you’ve got it all wrong. Ryan was just giving me a ride. He forgot some contracts, so we came back to get them.” “Really?” I asked skeptically. “Yes, really!” Mia snapped impatiently. I studied Mia’s face, seeing only guilt and fear in her eyes. Of course I knew she was lying through her teeth. But I had no real proof besides my word against theirs. She would never admit to it. So for now, I had to pretend to believe them and dispel my suspicions. Besides, every lie Mia told meant more money in my account. Not a bad deal. I immediately switched gears, plastering on a smile as I helped steady Ryan. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Parker. I just jumped to conclusions. Are you alright? Do you need to go to the hospital? I can drive you.” Ryan waved me off. “It’s fine, no need. Just be more careful next time, Jack.” Ha! I had hit him as hard as I could. Of course it hurt. Mia chimed in awkwardly, “I’ll take Mr. Parker to the hospital.” She shot me a look of disgust. “You should just go home. You’ve embarrassed yourself enough.” Oh, you want some alone time? Be my guest. “Alright then, I’ll head home,” I said. “Mr. Parker, I’m truly sorry again. I’ll come by your office to apologize properly another day.” In a flash, they were gone. But what they didn’t know was that I had managed to plant a GPS tracker and voice recorder in Ryan’s car while steadying him earlier.

The next morning at work, the boss called me into his office. He told me to hand over my current project to another colleague – the one who got hired through connections. “But Mr. Parker, we’ve already gotten the client’s signature. We’re just waiting on the final payment,” I protested. “How can I possibly hand it over now?” Ryan slammed his hand on the desk. “You’ll do it because I said so! Who’s the boss here, you or me?” “Are you questioning my orders?” Ryan was right – he did call the shots at the company. I left his office in silence. Through the glass, I could see his smug smirk. I knew this was retaliation for yesterday’s incident. Fine by me. I’d been wanting to quit anyway. Mia’s lies had been steadily increasing my bank balance. Money would never be an issue again in this lifetime. But it wasn’t enough. I wanted them to face the consequences of their actions. From that day on, I showed up to the office but did absolutely nothing. I ignored all projects, spending my days sipping tea, feeding the office fish, and watering plants. After a week, Ryan couldn’t take it anymore. But he didn’t dare confront me directly. He had HR negotiate my departure, offering a severance package. Why didn’t he just do this from the start instead of wasting a week? I had gotten what I wanted – fair compensation. I could leave with no regrets. As I packed up my desk, I felt a twinge of nostalgia for my relaxing week. But there was no time for sentimentality. My mother-in-law had called, inviting us over for dinner in a couple days. She wanted to discuss her son Tyler’s wedding. I knew it was a trap. They were waiting for me to walk right into it!

Early the next morning, I waited downstairs for Mia so we could go to her mother’s house together. But Mia said, “You go first. I have some things to take care of.” When I arrived, Mia’s brother Tyler immediately pulled me to sit on the living room couch. “Hey bro, I heard you got a big severance package when you quit. Think you could lend me some cash for my wedding?” Before I could answer, Mrs. Thompson cut in. “Stop pestering your brother-in-law about money. He has plenty of expenses of his own.” She was pretending to be considerate, but I knew she had other plans for that money. Mrs. Thompson came over and took my hand. “I’ve had my eye on a house in the neighborhood. Tyler loves it and wants to use it as the marital home. You don’t need to cover the whole cost – just contribute what you can. When Tyler becomes successful later, he’ll take care of you in your old age.” “That sounds great! Your brother is looking out for your future,” Mia chimed in. “Mom has sacrificed so much for this family over the years.” How laughable. I had barely quit my job, and they already knew exactly how much money I had and how to spend it. Every sentence was about how much the Thompson family had suffered. “Mom, I was actually planning to use that money myself,” I said carefully. “I’ve been working non-stop for years. I thought I might do some traveling.” Mrs. Thompson and Tyler’s faces immediately soured. “Now Jack, don’t be selfish,” Mrs. Thompson scolded. “Spending it all on travel is such a waste. It’s much better to invest in Tyler’s future. He’ll take care of you when you’re old.” “Yeah bro, you know I see you as real family!” Tyler added. Sure, “real family” – or just an ATM to withdraw money from whenever you want? “Mom, I’ll decide what to do with my own money,” I said firmly. Hearing this, Mrs. Thompson stood up with a frown. But she couldn’t openly criticize me, so she busied herself in the kitchen instead. Tyler couldn’t say much either. He flopped on the couch and started playing on his phone. “Bro, go sit somewhere else. You’re in my way,” he muttered, effectively kicking me out. Just then, Mia arrived – with Ryan in tow. Mrs. Thompson’s face lit up when she heard Ryan’s voice. She came running out of the kitchen, all smiles as she welcomed him inside. Tyler put down his phone and offered Ryan a seat, rushing to brew some premium tea. I remembered that tea – it had cost me a month’s salary. I had bought it as a gift for a friend, but Tyler saw it and took it for himself. When I said I’d buy another one, Mia told me to just give the friend the second batch instead. Mia glared at me. “What are you standing around for? Go help in the kitchen!” Mrs. Thompson shoved an apron in my hands and pushed me toward the kitchen door. When I finally brought the last dish to the table, I realized they had already started eating. They hadn’t even saved me a seat. Mia looked up at me. “There’s no room. Just wait until we’re done and eat the leftovers.” Mrs. Thompson and Tyler said nothing. Ryan kept drinking his wine. Alright, you want me to eat your scraps? Then no one gets to eat! I flipped the entire table, sending food and dishes flying everywhere. I stormed out and slammed the door behind me, leaving only screams and curses in my wake. Mia’s voice was the loudest: “Jack, have you fucking lost your mind?!”

A few days later, Mia returned from her mother’s house. I had come home early and prepared a feast, waiting for her. Her coveted designer handbag sat on the table. When Mia got home, she barely glanced at me. Then she noticed the bag on the table and scoffed, “Don’t think buying me a bag makes everything okay!” I bit my tongue and gently led her to sit at the dining table. “I know, I know. It’s all my fault,” I said contritely. “Look, I made all your favorite dishes to apologize. And got you the bag you wanted.” Mia still seemed wary after hearing this. No problem – I had more tricks up my sleeve. I continued, “And you know that severance money from my company? You have full control over how to use it. What do you think?” Mia’s eyes lit up. “Really?” “Of course! You’re the love of my life. Who else would I give it to?” Mia fell for it, thinking I was the same pushover as always. She smirked, “That’s more like it!” She picked up her chopsticks, ready to dig in. I stopped her, putting on an air of mystery. “Wait, there’s one more thing.” I pulled out a bottle of wine from under the table. “Let’s have a drink and really talk. What do you say?” “Sounds good!” Mia got up to grab wine glasses from the bar. By the end of the night, Mia was drunk. I carefully extracted all her true thoughts. Every other sentence was a lie. The more she lied, the more excited I got. Watching my bank balance climb higher and higher, I knew it was almost time to make my move.

Early the next morning, the company group chat was blowing up. The main topic was how the company couldn’t make payroll and the boss was planning to flee. The business was going under. A former colleague chimed in: “Guys, I’ve got inside info! Word is the company’s been bought out by an even bigger boss.” “Makes sense. Time to jump ship and find the next gig.” The chat was full of people speculating about the boss’s recent suspicious behavior. It did seem to match up with the rumors. People were wondering who this mystery buyer could be. I couldn’t help but smile. I had set aside money long ago, waiting for the day I could acquire my old company. I was looking forward to seeing the look on Ryan’s face. My phone buzzed with an alert from the living room security camera. Mia was home. She had left early this morning, probably not remembering much from her drunken state last night. But why would she suddenly come back in the middle of the day? Then I remembered – the acquisition contract was still on the coffee table at home. On the camera feed, I saw Mia notice the papers. She picked them up, her face filled with shock as she read. Mia stuffed the contract in her purse. She called out my name a couple times to check if I was home. Confirming the house was empty, she rushed back out. I guessed she was going to find Ryan. The GPS tracker I had planted in his car showed he was parked outside our building. I pulled up the audio from the hidden recorder on my phone and started listening.

“You’re saying he bought out my company?” Ryan’s voice was incredulous. I kept listening to the recording. “Don’t worry, we don’t even know if his money is legit,” Mia said. “Want me to go back and stall him?” There was a pause before Ryan spoke again. “Yes, keep him distracted for now. I owe several clients their final payments. If they find out what’s happening, they’ll come after me!” “Try to get money out of him. He probably doesn’t suspect we’re together. He’ll likely still give you cash.” “Then we can leave the country together.” Mia’s voice turned coy. “I’ll do anything as long as I’m with you~” “Anything? Then let’s have a baby. Make that sucker raise it!” Ryan said. All I could hear after that was Mia’s breathy moans. I couldn’t listen anymore. My stomach churned violently, threatening to expel its contents. Those goddamn cheaters. I’ll show them what I’m capable of. That night when Mia came home, I casually asked as she took off her shoes, “Honey, have you eaten? Should I make you something?” Mia ignored me. I called out a couple more times. She still didn’t respond, marching right up to me and throwing a stack of papers in my face. “How dare you ask me that? Jack, how could you hide something this big from me?” she yelled. “What else are you keeping secret? Tell me – where did you get all this money?” Mia glared at me like she was trying to bore holes through my skull. Afraid I might get suspicious, she quickly added, “I’m just worried about you. I don’t want you getting mixed up in anything illegal!”

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At the request of my best friend Lydia Moore, I found myself navigating the complexities of a world where love came after marriage, tasked with winning over one of two brothers. Lydia chose to marry the gentle painter Vincent West, while I opted for his dark and enigmatic younger brother, Dylan West. Three years later, I became the president’s wife of West Group, draped in clothes worth millions of dollars and surrounded by luxury cars and mansions. Lydia, however, found herself caring for Vincent who had given up his inheritance and now walked with a limp, struggling with daily life. When Lydia approached me, asking me to get divorced together, I refused. Before I could explain, she grasped my hand and pulled me to jump off a building together. When I opened my eyes again, we were back at the moment of making a choice. This time, she didn’t hesitate for a second and decided to pursue the younger brother. Great! This lifetime, I could finally choose to enjoy my life to the fullest. At the West family banquet, my best friend Lydia, dressed modestly, entered with Vincent, who walked with a limp. I, on the other hand, was adorned in jewels, sitting next to Dylan, exuding sophistication. Lydia’s gaze settled on me, her eyes flickering with undefined emotions. “It’s been a long time. Can we catch up?” I nodded, and we made our way to the penthouse of the villa. She locked her eyes on mine, demanding with urgency, “Megan, after all these years, why haven’t you visited? Not even a phone call?” “It’s complicated. I wanted to see you, but…” Before I could finish, she grabbed my hand, pleading, “Megan, I want a divorce. Let’s do this together? The System says if you get divorced too, I can escape this world. I really can’t care for that crippled loser any longer.” Hope ignited within me as I asked, “If you leave, can I too?” She hesitated and replied, “You’ll have to wait for the next traveler to arrive…” I shook my head firmly. “You dragged me into this game for the thrill, and now that you want to leave, you expect to abandon me?” In a shocking twist, she seized my hand and pulled me backward. “Then let’s die together!” I felt a sharp pain before darkness enveloped me. When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the moment of choice. Next to me, Lydia was gleefully addressing the System, “I choose to marry Dylan.” She winked at the stoic Dylan, who remained unreadable. “Megan, what about you?” With a gentle smile, I replied, “I’ll marry Vincent.” At that moment, Vincent was still uninjured, standing tall and handsome, offering me a brief nod. The System said, “Choices are final and cannot be changed.” That day, a butler took us to obtain our marriage licenses. At the West Manor, their mother, Fiona West, delivered a stern lecture. “From now on, you are part of the West family. If not for the betrothal your ancestors arranged, your backgrounds wouldn’t even qualify you to serve us. Behave yourselves.” Her eyes narrowed at Lydia. “Especially you—being the president’s wife of West Group isn’t easy.” With excitement, Lydia replied, “No problem!” After the lecture, I headed back to Vincent’s current apartment while Lydia remained at the West Manor. As I observed her urging me out the door, I kindly warned, “Fiona seems tough; be careful.” “Yeah, yeah, I got it. Don’t dawdle, just go back!” she replied, waving me off impatiently. I glanced back at the West Manor, its opulent architecture shining in the light, the tall gates towering over me. The driver took me to Vincent’s apartment. Upon entering, I found the design simple yet warm, sunlight pouring through the glass and filling the space with golden warmth. “Ms. Fox, Mr. Vincent West is currently busy with art training and may not return for a while. He said you can make yourself comfortable.”

I nodded and began packing my bags, intending to buy a couple of outfits when I discovered that the wardrobe was already stocked with clothes that perfectly suited me. There was even a bank card tucked inside. Vincent truly was a considerate and thoughtful person. At this point, Vincent hadn’t completely relinquished his shares in the West family, so my finances were looking quite comfortable. I decided to enroll in a painting class since I had always loved to paint. In my past life, I had wanted to pursue Vincent, but Lydia had begged me to help her win over the gentle artist Vincent. Reluctantly, I had chosen to pursue the dark and brooding Dylan instead, and I’d regretted that decision countless nights. The next day, I donned a simple pair of jeans and a T-shirt, took the card, and headed to the city’s largest mall to buy some watercolor supplies. To my surprise, I ran into Lydia, who was shopping with a posse of bodyguards. She was clad in an expensive dress, her hair recently styled—a complete transformation from the day before. “Hey, Megan! Did you not recognize me? One day apart and you’ve already forgotten!” she said playfully before remembering something. “After you left yesterday, Mom took me for several spa treatments. Today, she even gave me a black card to shop for clothes. “She said a president’s wife needs to look the part,” Lydia added, eyeing me up and down. Then she continued, “Now that you’re Vincent’s wife, dressing like this isn’t quite fitting. How about I help you pick out a few outfits?” “Really? That would be fantastic!” Expecting me to decline or blush in embarrassment, she was taken aback when I gladly accepted her offer and led her to the mall’s high-end store. “I want that bag.” I pointed to a limited-edition handbag displayed on the top shelf. The sales associate looked me over with disdain. “Miss, that bag is out of stock. You might want to look at something else.” I knew that bag was a limited release—only five in existence worldwide. Lydia flashed a proud smile and walked over, reciting a number to the sales associate. Immediately, the associate’s demeanor changed to one of sycophantic eagerness, and she brought the bag to us while inviting us to the VIP lounge to relax. I shook my head. “No thanks; I have things to do today. Just wrap the bag up for me.” Turning to Lydia, I said, “Let’s use your card.” Lydia frowned, seeming displeased with my nonchalant attitude, “Megan, what’s with your tone?” Feigning innocence, I replied, “But you said I could buy whatever I wanted. After all, you are the president’s wife—certainly, you can afford a bag, right?” The staff, hearing she was the wife of West Group’s president, suddenly looked at her with new interest. Lydia raised her chin haughtily. “I can afford it, but with your attitude, I’ve changed my mind about treating you.” Oh, this was perfect. I quickly squeezed out a couple of tears. “Lydia, we’re not just friends—I’m also the wife of your husband’s brother! You can’t treat me like this, especially after saying you’d buy it for me. Now you’re backing out? “You just want to see me embarrassed. You want me to beg you? Well, forget about it!” With that, I rushed out, leaving Lydia surrounded by shocked onlookers. In the world of the wealthy, information travelled fast, and this incident would undoubtedly reach Fiona’s ears. She, who cared deeply about her reputation, wouldn’t let Lydia get away with such a public display of shame. I couldn’t help but recall my past life where I had faced a lot of hardship at Fiona’s hands. I walked on, suddenly thinking, “When I first got that black card, I spent an entire day treating Lydia to whatever she wanted. Was she genuinely happy, or did she think I was just showing off?”

Fiona called me, inviting me to the family dinner that night, as her son Dylan was back. I took a deep breath as I hung up. Dylan had been my target in the previous life, and even now, just thinking about him gave me chills. As I composed myself and gathered my things, I told myself I couldn’t let myself panic at this family gathering. In the evening, Fiona sat at the head of the table, with Lydia and Dylan seated across from me. Lydia looked noticeably thinner after just a few days, the dark circles under her eyes conspicuous despite the makeup. In my past life, I had been force-fed the etiquette of high society, studying it daily. But all those lessons paled in comparison to what was to come. It seemed Lydia’s progress was going well, as she sat, wrapping her arm around Dylan’s sweetly. “Why didn’t Vincent come with you?” Fiona asked. Vincent and Fiona had a strained relationship, but I knew she still loved her son dearly. I replied, “Mom, Vincent is abroad for an art exhibition. It might take him a while to come back.” “Art, art! All he knows is drawing! Is that useful?” Fiona grumbled, then sighed, “Oh well, if it makes him happy.” Just as she spoke, I caught a glimpse of jealousy in Dylan’s eyes. Vincent, the eldest son, had always been groomed to be the heir, leaving him little freedom. Meanwhile, their parents’ attention was always focused on him, leaving Dylan, the younger son, feeling overlooked. The lack of affection from his parents had twisted his personality, leading him to become possessive while also working hard to surpass his brother in finance. “No worries, when he’s back, I’ll bring him to visit you,” I said. As soon as I finished, Lydia jumped in. “Not to stir the pot, but Megan, how’s your marriage with Vincent?” She extended her wrist, flaunting a thick intricately carved gold bracelet. “Dylan had a craftsman make this for me. It’s not that gold is worth much, but the effort Dylan put into finding the right artisan makes it truly special.” I shot back, “I still think gold is valuable. If you believe it’s not, feel free to give me some gold bars next time—I don’t need any fancy designs.” Lydia seemed taken aback, quickly shifting the topic. “Even if Vincent is away, it’s still a family dinner. Dressing like that is rather inappropriate.” I looked at her innocently. “What should I wear then? This is the best outfit I have in my wardrobe. I can’t afford anything else. The last time you mentioned buying me something, I asked for a bag, and you made me beg you for it.” Lydia said, “That was just a joke! Don’t take it seriously. We’re friends!” “Oh, so you were joking when you embarrassed me in front of all these people?” Being sincere was always a winning tactic. Lydia hadn’t expected my directness. The color drained from her face, and Fiona’s expression darkened as well. Fiona said, turning to Lydia, “I’ve heard about this too. Apologize to Megan.” Lydia turned beet red and stammered, struggling to spit out a simple apology. Dylan intervened, saying, “Mom, don’t make it hard for Lydia. She was just joking after all—they were friends, so it’s normal.” “I don’t find it funny. Or do you think it makes you feel superior to Vincent?” I retorted, locking my gaze on Dylan. As the words left my lips, Dylan’s look hardened, his eyes narrowing into piercing daggers. My question was a challenge. Fiona just couldn’t hold it in any longer. She cleared her throat a couple of times and said, “Lydia, as the president’s wife of West Group, you need to act like a refined lady. Apologize!” Noticing that Fiona was really ticked off, Lydia grudgingly mumbled an apology to me. I stared right back into her angry eyes. “Lydia, you know I’m hard of hearing. I didn’t catch that.” “Sorry!” she hissed, barely above a whisper. I nodded, feeling pretty chuffed. As we were leaving the family dinner, Lydia yanked me to the side, her eyes spitting fire. “Come on, spill the beans. Have you been reborn too?” I put on a show of being indignant. “What are you talking about? If you hadn’t made me look like a fool last time, I wouldn’t have given you a piece of my mind. Is this how you treat your BFF?” “Listen up, starting today, we’re done! Even if you end up on the streets, panhandling, don’t count on me for a dime,” Lydia declared, acting all high-and-mighty. I let out a smirk. “Well, funny you should say that, because I’ve been thinking about cutting this cord too. But as a parting shot, let me give you a heads-up—throw away that bracelet. It looks so tacky and out of date.” She rolled her eyes like I was nothing, but then a thought hit her, and she lifted her chin in a smug way. “Just wait till that good-for-nothing gets back. We’ll see if you’re still cracking jokes then.” I knew she was referring to the incident where Vincent would get attacked abroad and end up limping. I just let out a disdainful snort and said, “Worry about yourself first.” What I didn’t tell her was that there was something else hidden inside that bracelet.

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I had cared for Sebastian, my comatose husband, for five years with unwavering devotion, enduring countless hardships. But on the day he woke up, he gifted my half-sister, Olivia, with million-dollar jewelry and professed his love for her. I thought it was all a misunderstanding. I believed that if I explained patiently, he would realize that I was the one who had cared for him all these years. That was until I overheard his conversation with his brother, Lucas. “Sebastian, you know full well that Evelyn has been taking care of you all these years. Why are you deceiving her? Don’t you have any feelings for her at all?” “She’s been Mrs. Grant for so long, she should be content. My heart has always belonged to Olivia. I know I’ve wronged Evelyn. If she’s really upset, I can give her 5% of the Grant Corporation shares.” Outside the room, separated by a single door, I wept silently. So he knew all along that I was the one who had cared for him. He just didn’t love me. If that’s the case, I’ll step aside one last time for the sake of my younger self. From now on, we’ll be worlds apart, never to meet again!

Outside the study, my knuckles turned white as I gripped the tray holding his medicine. Sebastian’s words were heavy, like a dirty, wet rag being slapped onto my already battered heart. The pain was suffocating yet sobering. “I’m glad Olivia wasn’t the one who married me during these five years I was in a coma. She’s so gentle, and my mother is so domineering. She would have suffered greatly.” “I couldn’t keep her by my side when I fell into a coma, but for the rest of my life, I can’t let her down!” Bang! His brother, Lucas, had always been hot-tempered. “Do you know what you’re doing? It’s called using someone and then discarding them! It’s morally bankrupt! You want to have your cake and eat it too!” “Evelyn took care of you for five years. We all saw it. She’s an exceptional woman. And Olivia? She was selfish and reckless back then. After you fell into a coma because of her, she ran away!” “Now that you’re awake, she knows you’re her brother-in-law, yet she’s still flirting with you. You’re hurting a woman who truly loves you for someone like her. Do you have any principles left?” “Lucas, you can’t force love. I never wanted Evelyn to marry me in the first place. If I could, I wish she had never come into my life. Olivia’s reputation was ruined because of me. I need to give her a proper status.” The room fell silent. After a moment, Lucas spoke, his voice muffled: “What about Evelyn? If you and Olivia are so in love, why don’t you just divorce Evelyn and set her free?” “She took care of me for five years. If I don’t keep her around, it would look bad for Olivia if word got out.” “Lucas, I just love Olivia too much. I want to give her the best of everything. I know I’m wronging Evelyn, but I’ll divorce her slowly, so she won’t be too hurt. After the divorce, whatever compensation she wants, the Grant family can give her.” Hearing this, I could barely stand. It took all my strength to keep the medicine tray steady in my hands. But the heart-wrenching pain surged uncontrollably towards my throat. For five years, I had endured countless hardships, only to be told in the end that I was never wanted. Olivia merely had rumors of an affair with him and it was considered ruining her reputation. What about me, who had been married to him for five years? Could everything be erased with just a simple “you can’t force love”? I stepped back slowly. Scenes from the past years flashed through my mind like a slideshow. Originally, it was my half-sister Olivia who was engaged to Sebastian. But when Sebastian fell into a coma after a car accident, Olivia refused to marry him and suffer. My father, not wanting to offend the Grant family, had me marry Sebastian in her place. For five years, Sebastian’s mother made my life difficult countless times, but I endured it all. There were numerous times when Sebastian seemed like he wouldn’t make it, but I cared for him tirelessly, not only out of duty but also to repay him for standing up for me when I was bullied years ago. Finally, he slowly began to show signs of improvement. He would tightly grip my hand when his mother scolded me. He would smile when I read him news stories. In the end, he would only let me near him. If it was anyone else, he would frown. These reactions made me believe that after five years of care, he had finally developed feelings for me. When he woke up, he solemnly told me that since I had married him, he would only recognize me as his wife for the rest of his life. I believed him wholeheartedly, even when he asked me to give way to my half-sister at every turn, even when he gave Olivia million-dollar jewelry. When he explained to me that it was just out of gratitude, I believed it all. I thought he just couldn’t remember what happened during his illness. But he remembered everything, he knew everything. He just didn’t love me.

The argument inside the room grew more intense. Lucas left with a final “Don’t contact me anymore” and slammed the door. He came out so quickly that I didn’t have time to hide. He bumped into me, causing me to fall and spill the medicine all over the floor. “Evelyn, are you alright?” he asked, helping me up. I shook my head, and he sighed. “Evelyn, I’m sorry you’re being mistreated. Call me if you need anything.” He left quickly, without looking back. When Sebastian came out of the room and saw me, there was a flash of coldness in his eyes before he feigned concern. “Honey, why are you here? Are you hurt? Didn’t I tell you to wait for me in the bedroom?” I dodged his outstretched hand, leaving him frozen in place. If I hadn’t come, how would I have known that his affection was all an act, just to protect Olivia and trick me into a divorce? “Olivia called to hurry us back,” I said flatly. “Alright,” he replied. At the mention of Olivia, he didn’t pursue the matter further, only a barely noticeable hint of joy on his face. My heart ached for a moment, as if pierced by a needle. This pain intensified when I stepped into the Carter family home. Olivia threw herself into Sebastian’s arms like a bird returning to its nest. He didn’t reject her, instead taking out a sky-blue necklace worth nearly a million dollars that he had bought at an auction, and gave it to Olivia. Olivia joyfully put it on and turned to me with a smile. “Sister, you don’t mind that Sebastian bought me such an expensive necklace, do you?” “No, I don’t. The name of this necklace might not sound good, but it has a beautiful meaning.” Even if I turn my heart towards the bright moon, this necklace is called Bright Moon. The nearly million-dollar price tag bought not only the value of the item itself but also the story behind it. A brother-in-law courting his sister-in-law, and doing so in such a high-profile manner, truly shows his devotion. Thinking about the jewelry he had given her before, each one was full of meaning. I, with my romantic notions, really thought he had mistaken Olivia for the one who had cared for him for five years and was giving her gifts out of gratitude. A bitter smile involuntarily spread across my lips. I felt those five years were wasted. “That’s enough. It’s just a necklace. Do you have to be so sarcastic towards your sister?” my father’s face darkened. Even though I hadn’t said anything, he still thought I was bullying Olivia. “Olivia, that’s your brother-in-law. Why are you standing so close to him? Evelyn lost her mother early, you should be considerate of your sister, understand? Evelyn, don’t be angry. You know I’m on your side. I’ve always treated you like my own daughter, even more than Olivia. Even though Olivia was originally in the marriage agreement, since you married into the Grant family, I’ll make sure your sister acknowledges that!” My stepmother, as she had done since I was young, seemed to be speaking up for me with every word, but in reality, she was pushing me further into the fire with each sentence. She shot Olivia a look. Olivia immediately took off the necklace and returned it to Sebastian. Her eyes, looking up from below, were full of coy reluctance and grievance. “Sister, don’t be angry. I don’t want the gift anymore. Sebastian, here, take it back.” The way she called him “Sebastian” was filled with a thousand twists and turns. Sebastian’s face immediately darkened. The gentle gaze he had when looking at me turned incredibly cold. “Evelyn Carter, you’ve really been spoiled rotten! You married into the Grant family, it’s time you put aside your spoiled, unreasonable attitude!” “Olivia took care of me for five years. You’re my wife, you should be thanking her. Quickly apologize to Olivia and give the necklace back to her!” Spoiled? Ever since my mother passed away, I forgot what it meant to be spoiled. If they really cared about me, Then when Sebastian fell into a coma, I wouldn’t have been the one forcefully married into the Grant family in Olivia’s place.

Looking at their united front against me, I suddenly realized that I had always been the outsider in this family. With my father and stepmother, with Sebastian and Olivia. I was the only redundant one in this family. Even though they knew I had done so much, they just trampled on my sincerity and love over and over again, treating it like mud. They all loved Olivia, while I was just an eyesore to them. If that’s the case, then I’ll withdraw, permanently withdraw. Sebastian, as you wish, you don’t need to deceive me anymore. I’ll set you free. Swallowing back the hot tears in my eyes, I apologized softly. “Olivia, I’m sorry. This necklace should have been yours from the beginning.” “I’m going to pay respects to my mother now.” Sebastian, I’ve repaid your kindness. This is the last time I’ll give way to you. I turned and left, my chest burning with pain, but my hands and feet numb with cold. My heartbeat was like a drum, pounding inside me. “Evelyn Carter!” Sebastian’s voice was loud, but I didn’t turn back. He watched my departing figure, inexplicably feeling a moment of panic. My desolate silhouette made Sebastian want to rush forward and grab me. But he was held back by Olivia’s hand on his arm, and he suppressed that momentary panic. While they were happily discussing Olivia’s marriage prospects as a family, I was at my mother’s gravestone, dialing my lawyer’s number. “Hello, this is Evelyn Carter. Please prepare divorce papers for me. Also, help me cancel all my identity information.” After hanging up, I dialed another number. “Hello, can you arrange a fake death for me seven days from now?” Seven days later, I would disappear forever from Sebastian’s world. After completing all the arrangements, I returned to the villa late at night. The villa was empty. All day long, Sebastian hadn’t sent me a single message. He was always like this when he was with Olivia. Such obvious indifference, I had never noticed before. I didn’t have many possessions. After coming to the Grant family, I had even less. Packing up, there was only enough to fill a small suitcase. These personal items were mailed away. The rest were things I had bought for Sebastian to use. He hated me so much, he probably wouldn’t want to keep anything from me. I smashed those items one by one and threw them into the firepit. As the flames flickered, I looked at the house I had lived in for five years. There were no traces of me left inside. … Sebastian returned the next evening. I was in the study, finishing the last part of my manuscript. The competition three days later was very important to me, determining whether I could enter the company I aspired to join. When Sebastian came in, I didn’t notice. Instead, he stood behind me for a long time. “Evelyn, why didn’t you go back to your parents’ house after paying respects to your mother? Don’t you know how worried Mom and Dad were?” Sebastian’s sudden voice startled me. I put down my pen and looked at his questioning expression, finding it amusing. Calling my birth mother “your mother” but referring to my stepmother so intimately. Then again, it was never me he wanted to marry. “Didn’t it not affect you all? I won’t affect you in the future either.” I said with a hint of sarcasm. Sebastian immediately changed his expression. The gentleness and thoughtfulness that once intoxicated me now made my hair stand on end. “Evelyn, I just didn’t want you to misunderstand, that’s why I didn’t go back. Yesterday, I didn’t mean to scold you. It’s just that Olivia saved my life, so we should treat her better.” He knew I couldn’t resist his flirtation. Every time I got angry, he would just hug me, and I would be happy again. But this time, my gaze fell on his collar, where there was a long brown hair. He smelled of women’s perfume, making me nauseous. Last night, he must have spent it in Olivia’s bed. My brother-in-law and my half-sister, in my family home, were they really that impatient? My stomach churned. Fortunately, my phone rang just in time. I abruptly pushed Sebastian away and rushed out. The message on my phone was from my lawyer. [Ms. Carter, everything has been arranged according to your instructions. Six days from now, all your identity information will be completely erased. Wishing you a happy life.] “What did you arrange? Why are you canceling your identity information? What are you planning to do six days from now?” Sebastian grabbed my shoulder, his expression tense. I don’t know where his nervousness came from. I quickly dimmed my phone screen. “It’s just game identity information. I don’t want to continue playing anymore.” “Oh, by the way, six days later, I’m planning to give you a surprise.”

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When I turned sixty, I joined the ranks of the divorced. All because my husband berated me for spending two dollars to take the bus. My daughter and her husband didn’t understand, thinking I was being too dramatic. However, what they didn’t know was that very day on the bus, I happened to see her dear father dining with his sweetheart at a restaurant that cost five figures per person. I resolutely chose to divorce him. But a week later, they came crying, begging me to come back. ***** “Enough, stop watching TV there. All you do is waste electricity!” Jackson said impatiently as soon as he entered the house. “Go bring me today’s bills.” “Okay.” I got up, went back to the bedroom, and took out an account book. Ever since we got married, Jackson required me to record every penny I spent. Of course, it only applied to my salary. As for Jackson’s salary, I never saw it in forty years of marriage. I handed the account book to Jackson, and he began to scrutinize it. “Aubrey, you spent two dollars taking the bus today?” Jackson looked up at me, frowning. “Don’t you have a senior card?” “I forgot to bring it,” I explained softly. “Forgot? Are you stupid?” Jackson glared. “Don’t you know these two dollars could buy a big bundle of vegetables! “Besides, couldn’t you have walked back if you forgot it? You have nothing to do all day. Why are you even taking the bus!” At this, I froze in place. In addition to taking on all the housework, I also had to take care of Ella, Dylan, and my grandson, and cater to Jackson. I was so exhausted that my back ached and I couldn’t straighten up, yet Jackson actually said I had nothing to do. Most importantly, these two dollars came from my retirement salary. I felt even more upset and looked at Jackson with growing coldness. “All these years, the money spent has been from my salary. Where’s yours?” At this, a flash of unease showed in Jackson’s eyes. “What do you mean, yours and mine? Isn’t it all for this family? “Aubrey, you’re sixty years old. Can’t you stop being so petty?” I thought, “Petty? If I was really like that, Jackson wouldn’t be dining with Madison in such a fancy restaurant today!” Thinking of how my decades of hard work were met with scolding for spending two dollars to take the bus, I couldn’t bear it anymore. I glared at Jackson. “Jackson! You will hand over your salary details to me today!” At that, Jackson instantly became enraged with shame. “Aubrey, are you out of your mind, making a big fuss over such a small thing? “Do you still care about me or this family at all? “Money, money, money, that’s all you think about!” At this, a hint of mockery flashed in my eyes. I thought, “Did Jackson forget how he just insulted me over a mere two dollars?” I suddenly felt the man I had been with for decades was a complete stranger. But thinking of Ella and her family, I decided to give Jackson one last chance. I said coldly, “Where did you go today?” “Why… why are you asking that?” Jackson’s eyes flashed with a hint of unease. “Why do I feel like there’s a scent of perfume on you.” I moved closer to Jackson step by step, my tone meaningful. However, Jackson still refused to tell me the truth. “Enough, stop making wild accusations! “I played cards with Mason Blake and the others all day. How could there be perfume on me.” With that, Jackson tugged at his collar and sniffed. “Stirring up trouble every day. Why don’t you spend more time reading or catching up on the news instead? “Uneducated bumpkin!” With that, Jackson headed towards the bedroom. Watching his back, I stood frozen, my eyes brimming with deep disappointment. Even now, he was still unwilling to be honest with me. And he even looked down on me for being uneducated! Back when I got into graduate school, it was Jackson who begged me to drop out, begged me to keep the child in my belly. Now, he looked down on me for lacking education. I was utterly heartbroken, my heart slowly turning cold and hard. At that moment, I realized that this marriage, this man, was no longer worth it.

Early the next morning, before dawn, Jackson yanked me out of bed. “Aubrey, didn’t I tell you a few days ago that Mason wanted to drink the meat soup you stew! “Why aren’t you hurrying to go make it? “I’m going to take it with me when I go play cards later!” At this, I didn’t say anything but looked at the clock on the wall. The hands just pointed to four o’clock! I instantly felt a burst of anger! This was already the eighth time this month Jackson had woken me up before 5 AM to make nutritious breakfasts for his few card-playing buddies. “Aubrey, why aren’t you moving? There won’t be enough time later!” “Why should I make it for your card buddies? Make it yourself!” I said unhappily and crawled back under the covers. Anyway, I had already made up my mind to leave Jackson, so why should I still serve him? At that, Jackson’s face instantly darkened. “Aubrey! Are you making it or not!” “No!” The next second, Jackson went directly to the bathroom, got a whole basin of cold water, and poured it on my head. “Are you crazy!” I glared at Jackson, my body shivering uncontrollably from the cold. “Do you know how cold that water is!” At this, Jackson said coldly, “Serves you right! “If you had obediently gotten up to make the soup, would I be doing this? “This is punishment for your disobedience!” At this, I froze in place. I didn’t expect Jackson to be so cruel to me. I only rebelled against him once, and he punished me like this. Perhaps in his heart, he never treated me as a wife. My heart ached terribly. I was heartbroken to the extreme, and my eyes reddened. “Alright! Get to the kitchen!” Jackson urged impatiently. I walked silently to the kitchen. I really didn’t want to have any interaction with Jackson anymore. I stewed soup for a full two hours in my wet clothes, and my heart completely turned cold and hard. After Jackson left with the lunch boxes, I didn’t hesitate to start packing my things, clothes, shoes… Only then did I realize how pitifully few things I had, not even a single piece of jewelry. My heart grew more and more bitter. I didn’t understand how I had lived so poorly for the past few decades. Just then, the phone rang. I quickly looked at the screen. Seeing it was Jackson’s number, I hesitated for a few seconds but still pressed the answer button! “Hey! Hurry and bring 10 thousand dollars to the hospital!” Jackson sounded extremely agitated. “What happened?” I couldn’t help frowning. “Don’t ask! Just hurry and bring the money! It’s a life or death situation!” With that, Jackson hung up the phone. After struggling for a few minutes, I sent Ella a message, then hurried to the bank to withdraw 10 thousand dollars and rushed to the hospital. However, when I arrived at the hospital out of breath, I saw Jackson in the ward carefully peeling an apple for Madison, who was lying in the hospital bed. I froze, a strong bitterness welling up in my heart. Since knowing Jackson, this was the first time I had seen him be so gentle and attentive. It was a pity that side of him only belonged to Madison, the sweetheart who had remained unshakable in Jackson’s heart for decades! Seeing that nothing serious had happened to Jackson, I turned to leave with the money in hand. Just then, Madison saw me and waved at me through the ward door. “Aubrey, come in!” At that, a hint of struggle flashed across my face. I hesitated for a few seconds but still pushed open the door before me.

“Aubrey, what took you so long!” Seeing me, Jackson frowned, his tone filled with impatience. I ignored him and looked at the diamond necklace around Madison’s neck. I had seen it before, in the drawer of Jackson’s study. I thought it was a surprise Jackson had prepared for me and was happy for a long time. It turned out I was deluding myself. It was never meant for me. I was so sad as if a huge hand was tightly gripping my heart, suffocating me! “Enough! What are you waiting for? Hurry up and take out the money!” Jackson’s voice rang out, only then bringing me back to my senses. “What exactly happened? Why do you need so much money!” I asked as I unzipped my bag. “It’s nothing, Aubrey.” Madison looked at me, smiling from the hospital bed. “I just want an eyebrow lift, and Jackson insisted on paying for the surgery.” At this, I paused and looked at Madison in disbelief and then at Jackson. “Eyebrow lift surgery?” “Yes, I feel like my eyebrows are drooping…” Madison went on and on, and my face grew paler and paler. Last night, Jackson flew into a rage at me for spending two dollars, but today, he could so generously take out 10 thousand dollars. It turned out the difference between loving someone and not was really obvious. I was utterly disappointed! I silently zipped the bag back up halfway. Jackson’s eyes widened in surprise at this. “What are you doing?” “Are you really going to use my salary for your lover’s surgery?” I looked at Jackson and said coldly. At this, Jackson’s face immediately darkened. Madison saw this and raised an eyebrow. “Jackson, if Aubrey is unwilling, then forget it. “But I’m a little curious. How could you let Aubrey, a rural woman, control the finances in your family?” My eyes turned cold. “What’s wrong with being a rural woman? “Without farmers, where would the food you eat come from?” At this, Madison looked at Jackson, her eyes instantly reddening, and she looked quite aggrieved. “Jackson, Aubrey is angry. Should I apologize to her?” “No need!” Jackson glared at me viciously. “Was Madison wrong? “Aren’t you a rural woman? “Look at how you dress, worse than a beggar on the street. “Always embarrassing me!” At this, my nose soured, and my eyes turned red. “Jackson, what did you say? “Since being with you, I haven’t even bought a single new piece of clothing! “Everything I wear is old clothes others don’t want!” “You deserve it!” Jackson said impatiently. “Have you looked at yourself, and you still want to learn from others and wear new clothes!” At this, I froze in place. So this was my place in Jackson’s heart. “Alright, give me the money!” With that, Jackson reached to grab my bag. At that, I quickly held the bag tightly to my chest. Jackson instantly flew into a rage. “Aubrey, do you want to die? “How blind was I back then to marry someone like you! “Give me the money!” “No!” My eyes were red, and I gripped the bag tightly with both hands. Jackson saw this and spat, cursing, “Aubrey, you’re just as tightfisted as your dead mother!” “Shut up! Don’t talk about my mother!” I shouted, shaking uncontrollably from extreme anger. “What? Did I say something wrong? “Back then, I just wanted her to give a few pieces of furniture as a wedding gift, and you saw how difficult she made it! As if I was asking for her life! “Good thing she died early. Otherwise, who knows how much alimony she’d be trying to swindle from me now!” At this, my eyes turned bloodshot. Unable to restrain the resentment in my heart any longer, I fiercely slapped Jackson across the face.

The ward instantly fell silent. Jackson looked at me, his eyes red, filled with hatred. “Aubrey, how dare you hit me! I’ll really beat you to death today!” Jackson said through gritted teeth. I didn’t say anything, my heart breaking completely. This was the man I had loved for decades! I was completely disillusioned, no longer harboring any fantasies about Jackson in my heart. I looked at him coldly. “Jackson, if you dare lay a finger on me, I will immediately report you to the police for domestic violence.” “You… Clearly, you hit me first!” Jackson’s face instantly turned red in the face from anger and he was unable to speak. Just then, Madison, who had been watching, suddenly spoke up, “Aubrey, a little quarrel doesn’t need to be taken to the police station, right? “Besides, Jackson was just talking, but you really slapped him!” At this, I couldn’t help but smile mockingly, “Madison, if I were you, I would choose to shut up. “That diamond necklace you’re wearing is still a shared property of our marriage!” At this, Madison’s eyes flashed with resentment. Then she turned to look at Jackson beside her, her eyes instantly reddening, and she looked very aggrieved. “Jackson! Look at her! I kindly advised her, and she actually said that to me!” At this, a hint of heartache flashed in Jackson’s eyes. “I’m sorry, Madison. It’s my fault for implicating you and making you suffer.” Looking at the affectionate gaze between the two, I only felt my stomach churning, disgusted to the extreme. I couldn’t stay in this ward for another minute. I turned to leave. Just then, the door to the ward was pushed open. “Dad! Mom! What exactly happened!” Ella and Dylan walked in, looking very worried. “Ella, why are you here?” Jackson saw this, a trace of confusion in his eyes. “Mom sent me a text! “She said you had an accident and were in the hospital! Told us to hurry over!” With that, Ella looked at me reproachfully. “I even took time off work for this! “Now look! No full attendance!” Dylan heard this and gently pushed her shoulder. “Why are you saying that? “Your parents are more important than full attendance.” With that, Dylan looked at Jackson and me, carefully asking, “Hurry and tell us, what exactly happened?” Just then, Ella noticed Madison lying in the hospital bed, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes. “Who is this…” At this, Jackson said somewhat awkwardly, “Ella, this is my friend, just call her Madison.” “Friend?” I laughed coldly and looked at Ella. “Ella, she is the sweetheart your dad has kept deep in his heart for so many years! “Your dad urgently called me to the hospital today just to have me take out 10 thousand dollars to pay for his sweetheart’s eyebrow lift surgery.” At this, a hint of dissatisfaction flashed across Ella’s face. “Mom, you called me to the hospital just for this?” I froze for a moment, not quite understanding Ella’s attitude. “Do you know how busy I was today? How could you waste my time on such a trivial matter?” Ella said unhappily. At this, I was stunned, unable to understand. I never imagined that Ella would actually say something like this. I thought, “Couldn’t she see how awful Jackson’s actions were!” I was devastated. “Ella is right!” Jackson glared at me fiercely! “It’s just a small matter of 10 thousand dollars, and you even called them over. You really don’t consider them at all!” “Jackson, you can’t blame Aubrey for this. She’s just a rural woman. She doesn’t understand much,” Madison added. “It’s just 10 thousand dollars! I’ll pay for it!” Dylan waved his hand very generously. At this, my heart ached terribly. I didn’t understand why everyone was blaming me. I thought, “Why was even my own daughter standing on the opposite side of me? Clearly, the one in the wrong was Jackson!”

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The first year after I was reunited with my biological family, my foster sister Vanessa suggested we take a trip to Las Vegas to bond. For safety reasons, my fiancé Lucas decided to accompany us. Little did I know, they would rack up a massive gambling debt at the casino. To escape, Lucas left me behind as collateral and fled with Vanessa, disappearing without a trace. The casino thugs held me down, ready to take out their frustrations on me. As I struggled desperately, I caught a glimpse of the gang leader’s phone screen. The contact labeled “Casino Owner” was a number I knew all too well – it belonged to Dominic, the brother who had doted on me for over a decade. “Where’s that bitch? Bring her to me!” I cowered in the corner of the room, trembling. The locked door was being kicked in, one forceful blow after another. A week ago, I never would have imagined that the Las Vegas trip my fiancé planned would lead me to an underground casino. He and Vanessa gambled recklessly day and night, but in the end, I was the one who suffered the consequences. With a loud crash, the door flew open. Several burly men in black clothes rushed in. I held up a lamp to shield myself, looking at them fearfully. “Please don’t come any closer. Lucas has gone to get money. He’ll pay off the debt soon!” The leader spat on the ground contemptuously. “Stop lying to me, girl. I fell for your trick last night, thinking they’d pay up if we kept you here. But that bastard ran off with his girlfriend!” “What? They abandoned me and ran away?” “Don’t play dumb. I bet you’re all in on this scheme together!” Cold sweat trickled down my forehead. The “bastard” their leader mentioned was my fiancé Lucas, and the woman who left with him was Vanessa, my foster sister who had taken my place in the family for over a decade. They had actually conspired to leave me stranded here alone? “Boss, stop wasting time talking. Let’s teach this little bitch a lesson.” At the leader’s signal, several thugs surrounded me. With a flick of their wrists, they knocked the lamp out of my hands and roughly pinned me to the table. “Don’t touch me! Get away!” In my struggle, I accidentally kicked one of them in the shin. Immediately, a hand slapped me hard across the face. My cheek swelled instantly, and I tasted blood in my mouth. These men were brutal – if I didn’t think of something fast, I might actually die here! The leader approached me with a whip, tapping my face with the handle. “Behave yourself. I’ll show you what happens when you don’t pay your debts!” “Please, I have money! I can pay off the debt, just let me go!” “You think I’d still believe that crap? If you really had money, why would they leave you behind?” As I frantically searched for a way out, I noticed the leader’s phone screen. There was a contact labeled “Casino Owner”. When I saw the number, my eyes widened in shock. I knew that number by heart – it was Dominic’s!

Dominic was my adoptive parents’ biological son. Before I was reunited with my birth family, he had cherished and spoiled me for over a decade. He even plastered his room with my photos without my knowledge, harboring secret feelings for me. “Your boss is Dominic?” I blurted out. “Well, well, you’ve done your homework. This whole casino is the boss’s private business. Not many people know that.” My heart steadied. I shouted at them, “Dominic is my brother! We’re on the same side! Let me go now, and I can explain this misunderstanding to him!” The leader exchanged glances with his men, their faces twisted in mockery. Then, he kicked me hard. “How dare a piece of trash like you pretend to be the young miss! You don’t know your place. The young miss is the boss’s weak spot. You know what happened to the last person who tried to use her name? It’d scare you to death!” “Jay, bring me my club. I’m going to teach this audacious woman a lesson for the boss!” The kick left me dizzy, but I persisted through the pain: “I am your young miss! If you don’t believe me, call Dominic here to see for himself!” Just then, the leader’s phone rang. The caller was Dominic. I broke free from the thugs’ grip and lunged for the leader’s phone. “Give it to me! Let me talk to Dominic. He’ll recognize my voice!” The leader slapped me hard and pointed at me, ordering me to shut up. His men pinned me down again. He gave them a look, then answered the phone obsequiously as he walked out. “Hello, boss. I was just dealing with a deadbeat gambler. What can I do for you?” I tried to shout, but only got half a syllable out before a rag was stuffed in my mouth. “We told you to shut up, you stubborn bitch!” Someone shoved me to the ground, and the others started kicking and punching me. I curled up in a fetal position, nearly passing out from the pain. The gag in my mouth prevented me from even crying out. Dominic had always pampered me since childhood. He’d worry for days over a tiny scratch on my hand. His indulgence had made me proud and willful. Even after I returned to my birth family, I never suffered any hardships due to my personality. I wondered how Dominic would react if he saw me in this pitiful state. Just as I was about to lose consciousness, the leader returned with his phone, looking anxious. “Stop! Stop right now!”

The rain of fists finally ceased. “What’s wrong, boss?” The leader gave me a contemptuous look. “Don’t waste any more time on this woman. The boss says the young miss is missing. She was last seen at our casino. Gather all our men to search for her immediately.” I was stunned, my head still spinning from the beating. Dominic had been keeping tabs on my whereabouts even after I left, and he noticed I was missing? I propped myself up on shaky arms, making muffled sounds through the gag. One of the thugs kicked me. “Quiet!” “Boss, what should we do with this woman?” The leader’s face was grim as he pondered. “The boss is already on a plane, coming to look for the young miss himself. This woman claimed she was the young miss earlier…” My face lit up with excitement. Great, Dominic was coming! He would not only rescue me but also punish these blind fools. But the leader continued: “We absolutely cannot let the boss see her. He’s already anxious about not finding the young miss. If this crazy woman jumps out claiming to be her, it might set him off and he’ll take it out on us.” “You’re right, boss. Should we get rid of her?” The leader grabbed my chin, examining my face. “She is quite pretty, though.” “Lock her in solitary confinement for now. After the boss finds the young miss and leaves, we’ll train her to be a dealer to work off the debt.” I shook my head frantically upon hearing this. They wanted me to stay and become a dealer? I’d be trapped on this island forever! But no one cared about my opinion. They dragged me away like an animal, heading for the solitary confinement cell. No, this couldn’t happen. Dominic was coming soon. I had to find a way to see him. This was my last chance. Once I was locked up, it would all be over! As the two men were about to lock me in the cell, I stumbled to my feet and used all my strength to slam into the door before it closed completely. Then I grabbed a metal pipe from the ground and swung it hard at one man’s head. He clutched his head and collapsed in pain. Before the other could restrain me, I smashed the pipe into his face. After dealing with these two, my adrenaline surged. I ran forward at an incredible speed, as if my life depended on it. The sound of a helicopter came from above. It was Dominic. He had arrived!

I ran like a madwoman towards where the helicopter was landing. I saw the cabin door open. Dominic slowly descended the steps. My heart was racing, but before I could make a sound, a rough hand clamped over my mouth. Then my hair was yanked back violently. “You little bitch, how dare you hit me! You must have a death wish!” It was the man whose head I had struck earlier. He had caught up! The leader was respectfully waiting to receive Dominic. Noticing the commotion, he frowned and looked our way. He silently shook his head at the man holding me. I was immediately dragged behind a wall. Not far away, Dominic had come down. He looked travel-worn and worried. The leader immediately went to greet him: “Boss, we’ve pulled all the surveillance footage as you instructed. We’ll definitely find clues about the young miss’s whereabouts.” “Take me to the surveillance room.” Dominic strode forward, passing within arm’s reach of me. We were separated by just a wall. He suddenly paused, clenching his fist. As if speaking to me, or perhaps to himself, he said: “Aria, please be safe.” My face was covered in tears and blood. He was right in front of me, but I couldn’t make a sound. In the end, I was thrown into solitary confinement. To prevent me from escaping, they dislocated my arms, tied my legs, and gagged me tightly again. For the next few days, Dominic didn’t come. The underground casino was dimly lit, and Lucas had kept me confined to the hotel room during our stay. My face probably wasn’t captured on any surveillance footage. My hope was slowly fading away. But early one morning, I heard hurried footsteps and Dominic’s voice. “Boss, how can you be sure that person is the young miss just from seeing her back? Could you have made a mistake? She’s just a nobody left here to pay off a debt.” Dominic’s voice was agitated and slightly panicked. “Enough! Where are you keeping her?” “In… in the solitary confinement cell up ahead.” He recognized me! Hope surged within me. I tried to make muffled sounds to get Dominic’s attention. But the footsteps stopped about ten paces away from me. “Mr. Zhou, we just confirmed with the young miss’s fiancé. He said she’s already back in the country. She was never missing.” It was Dominic’s assistant’s voice. “Where does her location show?” “Also in the country. It shows she returned three days ago, but it just synced up due to signal issues.” Lucas had taken my phone when he left with Vanessa. It had a tracker Dominic had installed. Now he was using the phone’s location to mislead Dominic! The leader eagerly persuaded him: “Boss, you must have been mistaken. I knew that woman couldn’t possibly be the young miss!” Dominic instructed his assistant: “Contact the pilot immediately to prepare for our return. I need to see Aria with my own eyes to be sure.” “Yes, sir.” Hearing Dominic about to leave, I threw caution to the wind. I used all my strength to slam my head against the iron door of the cell, making a loud “bang”. Dominic’s footsteps halted. His tone turned cold: “Who exactly is locked in there?”

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I supported Lucas Gray for seven years and loved him for just as long. He finally agreed to be with me. But later I found out he was in love with his childhood sweetheart. He had always hated me, thinking I was humiliating him by throwing money at him. For ten years after our marriage, he was extremely cold to me, and eventually moved out to start a new family with his sweetheart. I was left alone in an empty house, withering away in depression. When I was reborn to the day I decided to support him, Lucas’s sweetheart Emma threw herself at him and yelled at me excitedly: “You think you’re so great just because you have money? We don’t need it!” I smiled. “You’re mistaken. I’d rather burn this money than give it to you.” “Aria Collins, you’re just a rich brat! You think money makes you better than us? We don’t want your charity!” Emma shouted, clinging to Lucas. Looking at Emma draped over Lucas, I felt a sense of déjà vu. My gaze met Lucas’s. At twenty, Lucas still had a boyish air about him, wearing a faded denim jacket. But he was so handsome – tall and straight-backed, with chiseled features and eyes like cold stars – that he made even the worn clothes look expensive. I couldn’t help taking a step back, steadying myself against the table behind me. How long had it been since I’d seen Lucas like this? Ten years? Twenty? It had been so long, I could barely remember. After all, that was in my past life. Lucas looked slightly startled when I stepped back. Emma was still ranting, but I couldn’t hear a word she was saying. Everything before me was exactly the same as in my previous life. Back then, he refused my help, but I insisted on supporting him anyway. I had loved Lucas for seven years, and I knew his family was struggling. His father was a degenerate gambler who would come home drunk and beat Lucas and his mother after losing all their money. Lucas’s mother, unable to bear the abuse any longer, eventually drowned herself in the river. From a young age, Lucas had to pick up trash and do odd jobs to support himself. He managed to stay in school by applying for scholarships. We shouldn’t have had any connection. But he always had excellent grades, so our private high school offered him a scholarship to boost their college acceptance rates. That’s how we ended up at the same school. Back then, most of us in our circle were rich kids, with wealthy families. We didn’t care much about studying and just coasted through our days, waiting to go abroad for an easy degree before coming back to inherit the family business. Lucas was different. He had clear goals, studied hard during class, and worked part-time jobs after school. Though he was poor, he never saw it as something to be ashamed of. He always carried himself with dignity. That’s when I fell for him. Because I liked him, I couldn’t stand to see him suffer. I was young and naive then, always trying to force what I thought was best onto him. He had to skip breakfast to make it to his night job, so I’d bring him lunch boxes from home. “Lucas, try this! My family’s chef makes the best Wagyu beef. “And this foie gras – my dad had it flown in specially. It’s delicious!” I was an only child, spoiled rotten since birth. Everyone around me indulged my every whim, leaving me with an empty head. I just wanted to give him the best of everything. But I completely ignored whether he wanted it or not. Our classmates would jeer: “Aria, he doesn’t know what foie gras is! He probably can’t even afford chicken liver!” I’d yell back: “Mind your own business!” I didn’t notice Lucas’s fingers turning white as he gripped the lunchbox tightly. After a moment, he handed the box back to me and said coldly: “Thanks for the thought, but no thanks.” “Come on, Lucas,” some guy said with a wink, “if you get with Aria, you’ll never have to work hard again. Better snag her quick!” “Yeah, then your dad can gamble as much as he wants without touching your tuition money, haha!” Everyone burst out laughing. I slammed the table. “Shut up, all of you!” The others stopped laughing. But Lucas stood up abruptly and walked out. I chased after him, trying to give him the lunchbox: “Lucas, don’t listen to them. Please eat this. You’ll wear yourself out working at night if you don’t eat properly.” He stopped and whirled around. I froze. His eyes were filled with pure hatred and disgust.

Young people tend to have short memories. I soon forgot about that incident and continued pursuing Lucas. For his sake, I even started studying hard and got into the same university as him. My dad was overjoyed and doubled my allowance. Lucas was even busier in college. His scholarship application was rejected, and the financial aid for poor students went to a classmate with connections. At his lowest point, he could only afford one bread roll from the cafeteria each day, filling up on free soup. I couldn’t bear to watch and offered to support him, but he refused. He worked three part-time jobs a day, eventually collapsing from exhaustion on the street. That’s when I finally snapped and grabbed him, insisting on giving him money. “Lucas, why won’t you take my money? What are you trying to prove by working yourself to death?!” I went to his advisor and forcibly paid his tuition. By then I’d grown up a bit and knew to be mindful of his pride. So when we ate together, I’d always say I couldn’t finish my food and ask him to help. When we went out, I’d claim I had free vouchers and invite him along. Gradually, Lucas and I seemed to grow closer. I supported him all the way through graduation, and to make him happy, I even helped support Emma, his childhood friend. After graduation, Lucas started his own business. He’d always had excellent grades and had developed a game app with some friends in college, but they kept hitting dead ends and couldn’t secure any investment. I couldn’t stand seeing him so dejected, so I asked my dad to invest in his company. I remember Lucas was very quiet that night. As I was almost falling asleep on his shoulder, he suddenly spoke up. “Aria, why are you doing all this?” At the time, I thought he meant to ask why I was being so nice to him, so I answered without hesitation: “Because I like you. “Lucas, do you like me?” I tugged at his arm playfully. “I’ve been so good to you. If you don’t be with me, you’re a big meanie!” I was just joking at the time. But Lucas didn’t say anything, and I took his silence as agreement. That’s how we got together. Two years later, Lucas and I got married. The wedding was a simple affair. Lucas said he didn’t like big crowds, so we only invited a few tables of close relatives and friends. They were all my relatives and friends. On his side, he was the only one there. After the wedding, Lucas remained cold towards me. I was so stupid back then. I thought that was just his personality, and since I’d been chasing him for so many years, even a heart of stone would eventually be warmed by my love if I just kept being good to him. But I never imagined that his heart truly was impossible to warm. Because his heart had always belonged to someone else. Three years into our marriage, our conflicts could no longer be reconciled. I started to lose patience with his daily indifference. I confronted him, asking if he was in love with Emma. He just stared at me coldly, saying nothing. When pushed too far, he’d simply slam the door and leave. His cold violence drove me increasingly paranoid and crazy. Whenever he came home, I’d interrogate him, curse at him. During our most heated arguments, I’d lose control and say terrible things: “If I’d known you’d be such an ungrateful bastard, I should’ve just gotten a dog instead. At least it would wag its tail at me!” His expression twisted for a moment before quickly becoming calm again. After that day, he stopped coming home altogether. Later I found out he’d been with Emma all along. They had a new home together, and even… a child. For years, he had a perfect, happy family outside. While I guarded our empty home alone, all my love fermenting into poisonous hatred. Lucas’s business took off, and he became even richer than my father. I had nothing left to hurt him with. The only thing I had was our marriage. I bet my life on revenge against him, refusing to divorce him no matter how much money he offered. He ruined me, so I wouldn’t let him off easy either. The woman he loved would forever remain a mistress hidden in the shadows. His son with her would always be an illegitimate child born in the gutter. Lucas didn’t dare sue me for divorce. He was afraid the publicity from our marital dispute would affect his company’s stock price, and the other board members wouldn’t allow it. So we were stuck in this stalemate for ten years. No matter how hysterical I became during those ten years, no matter how crazed, even when I finally broke down and begged… He never softened. He never came back to see me. I grew thinner and sicker in my daily despair. In the end, I withered away and died, consumed by depression.

“Aria?” I snapped back to reality and looked at Lucas beside me. A deep hatred welled up from every part of my body. My heart felt like it would explode, and I could barely stand. After I died, he finally got what he wanted, didn’t he? Perhaps he treated me that way deliberately, hoping to torment me to death faster. I remembered how my medication was suddenly switched before I died. When I asked the housekeeper about it, he just said it was changed to a milder type. I didn’t suspect anything. But not long after taking the new medication, my health deteriorated rapidly. Towards the end, I could barely even sit up. Soon after, I breathed my last. It must have been him. Who else could it be? Who else hated me so much, wishing for my immediate death? He wanted Emma to take my place. How vicious. I stared at Lucas, forcibly suppressing the urge to lunge at him and kill him on the spot. I hated him so much! I truly believed that apart from being inconsiderate of his pride when I was young and ignorant, I had never wronged Lucas in any way. I didn’t even force him to marry me. I even asked if he was willing, saying I could wait if he wasn’t ready. Yet he hated me like this. Emma was still shouting at me, just like in my past life: “Aria Collins, you think you’re so great just because you have money? How dare you insult us like this!” I turned to look at her. She wore a white dress, looking small and delicate like a little white flower. This was the woman Lucas loved, the one he’d kill me to be with. It was the same in my past life. Lucas and I were talking normally, and I told him if he felt uncomfortable, he could pay me back for his tuition when he started earning money – I’d just consider it a loan. But Emma suddenly accused me of throwing money at people and insulting Lucas. Later, during arguments with Lucas, I gradually came to understand. He had always felt that I was humiliating him by throwing money at him. I suddenly found it all very amusing. Seeing Emma’s protective stance, I smirked. “You’re overthinking things. “I’d rather burn this money than give it to you two.” Lucas’s face changed dramatically.

Emma’s expression went blank for a moment. “…What did you say?” I smiled. “Didn’t you think me supporting you was an insult? “We’re classmates, how could I insult you like that? In that case, forget it. You can keep working your part-time jobs.” Emma’s family situation was similar to Lucas’s. Her father had run off with borrowed money, and her mother was bedridden after working herself sick to pay for Emma’s education. Perhaps because of their similar circumstances, she and Lucas had always been close, constantly hovering around him. She always liked to tag along when Lucas and I went out. Sometimes I didn’t want her to come, but she’d hide behind him and ask me pitifully: “Aria, do you dislike me because I’m poor? Do you not want to be friends with me?” Before I could say anything, Lucas would shield her behind him and say in a low voice: “If you think we’re not good enough for you, then don’t go.” I’d have no choice but to bring her along. She’d be there when we ate out. She’d tilt her head, looking at the lobster on the plate and say: “Do you eat such good food every day?” Then in a dejected yet envious tone: “We really are from different worlds, aren’t we?” Several times when Lucas and I were chatting happily, she’d suddenly say something like this, and the smile would fade from Lucas’s face. He’d stop talking to me. At first, I thought she was just being thoughtless. Until one time when I was walking with Lucas and suddenly turned back to say something to him, I caught her expression as she looked at me. Emma’s face was expressionless, her eyes roiling with viciousness and resentment. Seeing me turn around, she was caught off guard and quickly forced a smile. But I felt a chill run down my spine. That’s when I finally realized. She disliked me. Or rather, she hated me. Actually, when Lucas and I first got married, we did have a brief period of harmony. His company had just gotten on track then, securing their first big contract. After the celebration party, he drunkenly hugged me and said with a smile: “Honey, what do you want? Your husband will buy it for you.” I felt bad that he’d worked so hard to earn money and hugged him back contentedly. “It’s okay, just knowing you care makes me happy.” But he insisted, stubbornly saying: “A husband earns money for his wife to spend. I’ll buy you a bag. What kind of bag do you like?!” Even as he fell asleep, he was still mumbling: “Aria, I have money now. “You don’t have to suffer with me anymore.” He really did buy me a bag the next day. But before I could say anything, Emma showed up. She looked at the bag in my hand with an odd expression. Then she suddenly snatched it from me and said to Lucas with a smile: “Oh my, I remember Aria had this bag in college. A guy who liked her gave it to her. “She even complained it was too cheap to carry around.” I had long forgotten if that had actually happened. But Lucas’s expression immediately turned ugly. Then he took the bag and left without a word. The next time I saw that bag, it was on Emma’s shoulder. She smiled at me, feigning nonchalance: “Aria, Lucas gave me this bag. You’re not mad, are you?” Of course I objected and told her to return it to me. Her face filled with panic and distress, eyes reddening as she asked: “You already have so many bags, why do you have to fight me for this one?! “You have so many, and this is my only one!” Lucas pulled me away, his face dark. “Let go! If you don’t care about it, why are you fighting her for it? Or do you just like taking things from others?!” I was too proud back then to take such treatment. We had a huge fight and parted on bad terms. It was only later that I understood. Emma wasn’t talking about the bag at all. She was talking about Lucas. She felt I had stolen him from her, which was why she hated me so much.

“Aria,” Lucas suddenly grabbed my arm in a panic, “Wait!” I turned back, startled by the look on his face. His eyes were turbulent with emotion, as if something was about to burst forth! Even his voice trembled slightly. “This isn’t right, it shouldn’t be like this! “Aria Collins, why aren’t you supporting me anymore? Don’t you like me?!” I was shocked by his frenzy. What was wrong with Lucas? Had he gone mad? Or was he angry at how I spoke to Emma? But in my past life, I hadn’t won him over yet at this point. He was always cold and expressionless towards me. Was he having some kind of episode? I tried to pull my hand away: “Let go!” But he held on even tighter, his eyes reddening. “Aria, don’t you like me anymore? “Are you abandoning me?!” Now I was truly frightened. When had Lucas ever said such things to me? I stared at him wide-eyed: “Lucas Gray, did you take the wrong medication or are you possessed?” But he said nothing, just staring at me unblinkingly, his expression obsessive and crazed. It sparked my temper. After how he treated me in my past life, he dared to glare at me now?! “Didn’t you think me supporting you was humiliating? Or were you just putting on an act, wanting me to beg you so you could freeload off me?!” Emma’s mouth fell open, apparently not expecting me to speak to Lucas this way. Of course, in my past life this was when I loved him most. Every word I said was carefully measured, afraid of hurting his pride. But now I didn’t care anymore! “Lucas Gray, who do you think you are?!” I said scornfully. Ungrateful bastard, biting the hand that fed him. I really wondered how I ever fell for someone like him before. Surprisingly, Lucas didn’t get angry. He just turned deathly pale, all color draining from his face. I yanked my hand away and left without looking back.

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The rose in my hand fell to the ground as I saw my fiancée, Sophia Sullivan, lying in bed with another man, still wearing her wedding dress. Tomorrow was supposed to be our wedding day. I forced a bitter smile and said, “Do you know this is our marital home?” Sophia replied nonchalantly, “If we’re going for thrills, might as well go all the way. Besides, what can you do now that you’ve found out? You’re just a dog my father raised. Do you dare to divorce me?” I shook my head and turned to leave. She sneered and called me useless. As I closed the door, I could hear the sound of heavy breathing from inside. For years, I had been working under her father, climbing the corporate ladder. Sophia thought she had me under her thumb. What she didn’t know was that her father had been suffering from dementia for the past six months. With my ambition, I had seized all the power. With just one word from me, her family would go bankrupt immediately. I made two phone calls. One was to notify all friends and relatives that tomorrow’s wedding was canceled. The other was to tell my secretary to inform all shareholders that from today on, I would no longer protect the Sullivan family. The shareholders acted quickly. When I came downstairs, I saw Sophia’s driver rushing over. He bowed deeply to me, then got into the Porsche and drove away. Both the car and the driver were gifts from other shareholders to curry favor with her father. Now, Sophia held no value in their eyes. This woman was still upstairs in the throes of passion, unaware that from now on, forget about a Porsche, she wouldn’t even be able to afford a subway ride. Even this marital home was given to Sophia by a property developer who had heard about our wedding and wanted to befriend me. Just as I sat in my own car, I saw a group of property management staff rushing upstairs. This 3000 square foot riverside apartment was no longer a place Sophia could afford to live in. Soon, Sophia was dragged down by security guards, her clothes in disarray. She yelled frantically, “Don’t touch me! What are you doing? Do you know who my father is?” Her father? After I took over the power, her father was nothing. Sophia saw me in the car. She broke free from the security guards and rushed over, banging on my car window, cursing, “Liam Stark, what trick are you playing? I’m going to tell my father right now and make sure you end up with nothing!” This woman still didn’t understand that she was the one who would end up with nothing. The man beside her anxiously said to me, “Liam, Sophia and I have wronged you, but you can’t just kick her out of her home! Even a dog is loyal to those who feed it. Don’t forget how her father promoted you all these years.” I glanced at the man. I knew him. He was Ethan Gray, Sophia’s high school sweetheart. Sophia had truly loved him for many years. I had always known that when Ethan got the opportunity to study abroad, Sophia gave him her first time. That night she got pregnant and had an abortion, crying that she had lost his child. Once, I was devoted to the Sullivan family. Now, I only cared about this business empire. I calmly told my driver, “Let’s go.” As the scenery outside began to recede, Sophia frantically banged on my car window, hysterically shouting, “Liam Stark, at the shareholders’ meeting the day after tomorrow, I’m going to clean house and kick you, you ungrateful bastard, out of the Sullivan family!”

Ungrateful bastard? I laughed. All these years, people thought Mr. Sullivan was promoting me. But they all forgot that years ago, he built his fortune through smuggling and was caught evading taxes. It was my loyal father who took the blame for everything. Perhaps feeling indebted, he took me in as his godson. On my first day in the Sullivan family, Sophia arrogantly said to me, “They say your dad was my dad’s dog. So from today on, you’re my dog.” That day, Mr. Sullivan laughed it off, telling me that kids say the darnedest things and not to take it to heart. From that day on, I lived for the Sullivan family. In front of her classmates, Sophia would call me “puppy,” making me carry her backpack and do her homework. If I showed the slightest resistance, she would angrily announce in front of everyone, “You bastard without a father, if my dad hadn’t taken you in, you’d have starved to death by now. How dare you be so ungrateful!” When I wore new clothes for New Year, she would go around telling everyone that her dad bought my clothes and gave me my New Year’s money. From childhood, I was that loyal dog. When I grew up and entered Sullivan Group, I rose through the ranks quickly. But every step I took was stained with invisible blood, as I eliminated every enemy that posed a threat to Sophia for Mr. Sullivan. I built a throne, just waiting for Sophia to return. All these years, she only cared about eating, drinking, and having fun, letting me pave the way for her. Once she was done playing around, she could directly take the throne. Come to think of it, it’s fortunate that she only cared about having fun, neglecting even her own father. Otherwise, how could I have obtained this vast business empire? The next day, Sophia came, bringing Ethan Gray with her. She pushed open my office door and angrily scolded, “Well, well, Liam Stark, you really dared to cancel the wedding.” I glanced at her and calmly asked, “What’s the matter?” “Where’s my dad? All my cards have been frozen. Ethan had to pay for the cab fare to get here.” I casually replied, “The chairman is out of state for a business deal.” In fact, how could he possibly be on a business trip? He had even forgotten who he was and had long been arranged by me to stay in a nursing home abroad. Sophia looked into my eyes, suddenly laughing in extreme anger, “I was planning to kick you out at tomorrow’s shareholders’ meeting, but I can’t stand the sight of your face anymore. It’s making me sick. Don’t act all high and mighty sitting in that position, get out!” She took out a document and slammed it on my desk. I picked it up and saw it was a personnel appointment letter. “Hereby appoint Mr. Ethan Gray as the assistant to the general manager of our company, to take office immediately upon Mr. Gray’s return to the country.” It was signed by Mr. Sullivan, dated exactly six months ago. Starting directly as the assistant to the general manager, this was clearly aiming for my position, expecting me to train him hands-on. Indeed, Mr. Sullivan only saw me as the Sullivan family’s dog. Sophia sneered, “Let me tell you, you can wear that suit for three more months at most. This chair is for Ethan!” Ethan hypocritically said, “I’m sorry, Sophia said the company was busy and hoped I could come help out. I didn’t know it would be like this.” I nodded and extended my hand to him, “Welcome aboard.” Ethan shook my hand, his face full of triumphant smiles. I withdrew my hand, “But you just stepped into the office with your left foot first, which is not good for the company’s image. Go to HR and process your resignation.” Ethan’s smile gradually froze. Sophia’s eyes widened, “How dare you! You actually fired Ethan!”

I sat in my chair, flipping through documents, and calmly said, “What’s wrong with me firing my assistant?” Ethan was still pretending, he smiled bitterly and said, “Liam.” “Shut up, who are you to call me Liam?” “Alright, Mr. Stark, I understand you’re angry with me, but this is Mr. Sullivan’s appointment. If you fire me directly now, you might look bad at tomorrow’s shareholders’ meeting.” “Will I?” I took out my phone, opened the camera, and looked at my face, then said seriously, “I think I look quite handsome. My chin and dimples are the most charming.” He stood there dumbfounded, his mouth agape. Sophia angrily pushed all the documents on my desk to the floor, cursing, “Liam Stark! Do you really think you’re the general manager of our family business? Let me tell you the truth, the reason I dated and was going to marry you was only because my dad saw that you had built a team of elites and wanted to win people’s hearts first. Now that the company is on track, we don’t need you anymore!” I nodded, I had known this all along. She continued to sneer, “You’re about to become a pauper. Why do you think I made you sign a prenuptial agreement? Whether we get married or divorced, our assets remain separate! Poor thing, you won’t even be able to afford a bowl of ramen soon!” Hearing this, I laughed out loud. Thank goodness for the prenuptial agreement. “You still dare to laugh?” Sophia was about to throw another fit, but I just stood up and adjusted my tie, “Sorry, I have a meeting to attend, so I can’t keep you company.” Ethan sighed, “Liam, I know you still can’t accept this, so I’ll come to take the position tomorrow. Don’t worry, you’re talented. After I become the general manager in three months, I’ll still arrange for you to assist me.” I couldn’t be bothered to respond to him and just turned to leave, making a call to my secretary. When the call connected, I asked, “How are things going?” The secretary respectfully said, “From tomorrow on, there will be no more Sullivan family.” “Mm, arrange a car for tomorrow morning.” “The shareholders’ meeting starts in the morning, where are you going?” “To the prison, to pick someone up.”

At the prison gate. I sat in the Maybach, looking over the planning documents for tomorrow. As the prison gates opened, my father walked out carrying a bag, dressed plainly. The secretary hurried over to carry his bag, while he came to my side, touching the car door, and sighed, “Mr. Sullivan is so kind, letting you ride in such an expensive car.” I calmly said, “Get in.” He sat in the car somewhat awkwardly, even wiping the seat, “I’m dirty, don’t want to soil Mr. Sullivan’s car. Son, I’m really relieved I left you with Mr. Sullivan, look how well he’s raised you.” “Raised me?” I laughed coldly, “In middle school, Sophia forced me to wash her feet in front of her classmates to show off that she had a servant, and wanted me to drink her foot-washing water. When I refused, she slapped me three times in public. When her father found out, he just told her not to joke around. Is that what you call raising me? “I studied hard and got into a top university. Because she needed someone to serve her, I was arranged to go to a third-rate college. While I was cleaning her dorm, she was in a hotel serving her dear Ethan. After her abortion, when she was weak, she still ordered me around. Is that what you call raising me? “I’ll never forget the taste of that foot-washing water. I’ll never forget the humiliation I suffered as a man.” The smile on my father’s face gradually froze. He said quietly, “You can’t be ungrateful. Look at you now, dressed to the nines, all thanks to the Sullivan family’s help.” I remained silent. We were on different paths, incompatible. My father had been loyal to the Sullivan family for decades, happy to gnaw on any bone they threw him. But I was different. After all the hardships I’d endured, all the bullying I’d suffered, no one could stand above me anymore! I brought him here today to let him witness with his own eyes the fall of the Sullivan family, and see me rise to the top! When the car arrived at the entrance of Sullivan Group, Sophia and Ethan were already waiting there. As soon as my father saw Sophia, he humbly approached her, “Sophia, you’ve grown so big.” Sophia looked at him with disgust, “Mister, who are you? How do you know me?” “I’m your Uncle Stark! Mr. Sullivan came to see me five years ago and showed me your photo. I recognized you at first glance.” Sophia suddenly realized, she sneered, “Uncle Stark, you’ve really done a great job raising your son!” My father didn’t catch her sarcasm, he flattered her, “It’s all thanks to you and Mr. Sullivan’s care.” Sophia looked at me haughtily, then suddenly said to my father, “I’m thirsty, go buy me a bottle of water.” “Alright, uncle will go right away.” I watched as my father humbly ran off to buy water for Sophia, while she gave me a cold smile, “See that? Your dad is better at being a servant than you are.”

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A week before my wedding to Lucas Gray, his first love got divorced. He brought her to me, asking to call off our engagement: “Vivian, I don’t want to settle.” “No matter how hard you try to imitate her, you’ll never measure up.” I calmly walked away, cut my long hair short, and put on my biker jacket. I returned to my true battlefield. He sneered to his friends: “Who would like such a wild woman? She’s not marriage material at all.” Until a photo suddenly circulated in their circles. In the picture, a delicate white hand rested on the chest of the most notorious young master in high society, who was straddling a motorcycle. His tattooed, muscular arm wrapped tightly around the woman’s waist. The photo oozed with raw chemistry. Lucas finally called: “Vivian, who is he?” The reply came from another man’s lazy voice: “Hey, ex-boyfriend. Let me introduce myself. I’m her lawful husband.” I was at the bridal shop for my final fitting. In two weeks, I was supposed to marry Lucas Gray. Although the wedding dress was custom-made, it felt a bit tight around the chest and waist. As I went to the fitting room to adjust it, I suddenly heard voices growing clearer outside: “Hey, did you hear? Lucas Gray’s ex-girlfriend, Sophia Miller, just got divorced and returned to the country.” “I remember when she broke up with Lucas three years ago, he was utterly devastated.” “Indeed. If Vivian Reed hadn’t suddenly appeared and helped him through that dark time, who knows if he’d have ever recovered.” “Who’s Vivian Reed again? Oh right, the most rebellious princess of high society! I can’t believe she actually tamed herself for Lucas Gray.” “But now that Sophia is back, do you think the wedding will still happen?” “The invitations have already been sent out. If it falls through, won’t they become the laughingstock of our circles?” … After their voices faded, I took off the ill-fitting wedding dress. I called Lucas. He didn’t answer, but amidst the background noise, I heard his voice: “She’s just a poor imitation. Vivian can’t even compare to Sophia’s little finger.” Someone else chimed in: “But Vivian used to be known as hard to chase and even harder to tame. Bro, you should be satisfied.” Lucas scoffed: “How hard to tame? For the past three years, she’s been following me around like a puppy.” “Well, you still ended up engaged to her.” “Bro, don’t you like her?” Lucas’s voice turned cold: “Would you like a dog?” Someone in the crowd continued to ask: “Then why are you marrying her?” There was a moment of silence. After a while, I heard Lucas’s voice again: “It’s amusing to see such a wild girl become docile. It’s fun to play with her.” I hung up the phone. Looking at my long, straight black hair in the mirror. And the faded tattoos on my arms and collarbone. I suddenly smiled. I’ve had enough of playing this good girl act.

Lucas didn’t come home for a week. I listed our marital home on a real estate platform. Every brick and tile in this place was bought by me. I didn’t want any of it anymore. After finishing up, I finally received his call asking to meet. He had arranged the gathering but was the last to arrive. When he came in, the fragile and pitiful Sophia Miller was trailing behind him. She looked about 50% similar to how I looked now. He held her hand tightly, as if protecting her from any harm, his protective stance unmistakable. The air suddenly became still. No one dared to speak. All eyes turned to me. I remained silent, looking down at the red string bracelet on my wrist that was almost worn through. I smirked slightly. Until Lucas brought her in front of me: “Vivian, I’m calling off the wedding.” I lifted my eyes slightly, calmly looking at him: “You want to break the engagement?” He held Sophia tighter, looking at her adoringly: “Sophia’s back. I don’t want to settle.” “No matter how hard you try to imitate her, you’ll never measure up.” “Do you understand? I don’t love you.” I nodded: “Mm-hmm.” He looked at me in disbelief, as if my calm reaction wasn’t what he expected. “You know our parents arranged this marriage.” “I loved Sophia for five years and waited for her for three. She’s been hurt deeply, and I want to give her a home.” I was getting impatient and grabbed my bag from beside me: “Okay, are you done?” Lucas paused, silent for a moment before continuing: “I’ll handle things with my family. You deal with yours. We won’t be getting married next week.” “Alright.” I stood up and walked towards the exit. As I reached the door, Lucas suddenly called out: “Vivian?” I turned back. He was still standing in the same spot, but I noticed his free hand clenched tightly at his side. “Anything else?” He frowned: “Don’t you have anything to say to me?” I thought for a moment. I actually wanted to say that I envied him. His first love could come back, but mine never would. In the end, I just said calmly: “Congratulations on your new marriage.” As I closed the door, I heard voices behind me: “Seriously? That’s all the reaction Vivian has?” “Lucas, didn’t you say she was madly in love with you? Why isn’t she making a scene?” “Shut up.” It was Lucas’s angry voice. I didn’t look back. I should have realized earlier that no matter how similar Lucas was, he wasn’t Ryan. Ryan would never have abandoned me for someone else.

After leaving, I went to a hair salon. I cut off the long hair I had grown for three years. When my new short blue hair appeared, I felt like I was becoming myself again. I also got a new tattoo on my wrist: “Je ne recule jamais”. It’s French, meaning “I never back down”. Finally, I went to a shop I hadn’t visited in three years. “Kevin, bring out my bike.” A shirtless, muscular man walked out of the shop. He looked at me in surprise, his eyes reddening. It took him a moment to react: “Miss… Vivian?” “Yeah. It’s me.” The tall guy, standing over six feet, looked me up and down, stumbling over his words: “Miss Vivian, how… why are you here?” I looked at the two bikes displayed in the most prominent position. One white, one black. I smiled: “They’re still here.” “Miss Vivian, I polish these two bikes every day. They’re as good as new. You can ride anytime. Where do you want to go? Should I call the guys?” I shook my head: “Just bring it out. I want to go for a ride alone.” “Okay.” As I got on the bike, a long-forgotten feeling washed over me. It had been so long since I’d ridden. It was as if by not riding, I could forget what happened that summer. I looked back at the black Kawasaki, thinking of him. Kevin followed my gaze, his eyes reddening: “I’ve been waiting for Ryan too. I’ve kept his bike here, untouched, next to yours. I always thought that one day, they’d hit the road again together.” “Miss Vivian, it’s been three years. I’ve waited for you to come back. Will he come back too?” I paused for a moment. Has it really been three years? “They say if you listen to ‘The Clock of the Opposite Direction’ 1000 times, you can see the person you miss. I’ve finished listening, but why hasn’t Ryan come back?” I turned my head, feeling a sting in my nose, but still gently comforted him: “That’s just a myth. The dead can’t come back to life.” Then I started the motorcycle. Kevin didn’t know that I had already listened to it 10,000 times. I rode all the way to the mountaintop, looking down at the scenery below, I shouted: “Ryan Wild, I did as you said and tried to marry well. Why aren’t you back yet?” Tears rolled down my cheeks. “Liar, you said you wanted to see me in a wedding dress. Look, in the end, I can only wear it for you.” “But it doesn’t fit. I’ve been eating well and living properly, why doesn’t it fit?” “Can you hold me? The wind is so strong, and I’m so tired.” On the empty mountaintop, there was an endless sea of stars. The moon cast a soft light over the entire landscape. Everything became gentle. Behind me, there was a rustling sound. I turned around abruptly, but there was no one there. It was just the sound of insects.

I composed myself and rode down the mountain. Suddenly, I noticed the black Kawasaki was gone. “Kevin!” I quickly got off the bike and called towards the shop: “Where’s the bike? Who took it?” A horn sounded behind me. My heart was beating faster than ever before. For some reason, tears were already streaming down my face. I gently touched my chest and slowly turned around. Under the dim streetlight, Ryan was leaning against his motorcycle, dressed in black, his features as rebellious and wild as ever, exuding a bad boy charm. He raised an eyebrow at me: “My little spitfire, still so quick to cry?”

It was like going back to the first time we met. My parents were fighting because I was unruly, and they had beaten me badly. I had only suggested they stop torturing each other and get divorced sooner. What was wrong with that? I ran away and hid alone, crying. Halfway through my crying session, I heard a lazy, carefree laugh: “Whose little spitfire is hiding here crying?” Ryan, with his hands behind his head, slowly sat up and moved next to me, offering me a tissue: “Crying alone is too lonely. You don’t know me anyway, so I can be a quiet listener.” That year, we were both fifteen. I didn’t tell him why I was crying. But he sat with me for the whole afternoon. Later, I got to know him, the school bully from the neighboring school. Rumor had it he was fierce and ruthless in fights. He was also known as a “bastard”, without a father. Perhaps it was fate, but we gradually got to know each other. He would take me to the mountaintop to watch the stars. He introduced all his friends to me. The care and affection I didn’t receive at home, he gave me in abundance. He would also tell me to be true to myself. Because some people just like me for who I am. He would appear in front of me every time I had a fight with my family, gently hugging me, letting me vent my emotions. He would also seek revenge for me, teaching a lesson to those who spoke ill of me or said I wasn’t a good girl. He said: “Vivian, no one can define whether a person is good or bad, and no one can judge you. You are who you are.” I would also confront those who called him a bastard. When he didn’t want to talk, I would quietly stay by his side, telling him he wasn’t alone. I said: “Ryan, you don’t need to be a certain way to be worthy. Your existence itself is meaningful.” Everyone said that he, usually so rebellious and cold, only became gentle in front of me. Like two people drifting in the deep sea, we finally found our lifeline in each other. Ryan and I grew closer. After high school graduation. We started dating. That night, a group of us rode to the mountaintop, cheering and celebrating our coming of age. Then he quietly took my hand behind the group. Pulling me into a run. In that moment, there was only the sound of our breathing. “Ryan, doesn’t this feel like we’re eloping?” I still remember that summer. It had the fullest moon, the brightest stars, and the most melodious cicada songs. And the most sincere eyes of a young man. Under the starry sky. We embraced and kissed. As if that moment was eternity.

“Ryan, you’re finally back. I’ve missed you so much.” My voice trembled, my body even shaking slightly. “Why are you crying? Come here, let me hold you.” I rushed forward. But what I saw was Kevin pushing the bike towards me: “Miss Vivian, why are you crying?” “Didn’t Ryan always say his bike should never be alone without yours? So when you rode off, I brought out his bike and started it up.” Oh. It was just my imagination earlier. I turned away, wiping my tears. Some say you shouldn’t meet someone too amazing when you’re young, or everyone you meet afterwards will pale in comparison. My obsession ran too deep. For the past three years, I hadn’t faced reality, still praying for a miracle to happen.

When I got back, everyone was waiting for me. Seeing my blue hair and biker outfit, my mom was furious: “Look at yourself! What kind of appearance is this?” “You don’t look like a proper girl at all. No wonder Lucas doesn’t want you.” I stood by the door. Suddenly, I didn’t want to go in anymore. As I turned to leave, my dad called out: “Where do you think you’re going?” “Get in here.” “Call the Gray family and apologize. Tell them you won’t marry anyone but Lucas.” “The wedding invitations have already been sent out. There’s no way we’re not going through with this.” “And get rid of that ridiculous color on your head. The Gray family doesn’t like flashy women, understand?” I slowly walked up to them. I smiled: “Why should I apologize? He’s the one who wants to give his ex-girlfriend a home, he’s the one who wants to call off the engagement. What’s wrong with me letting him go?” My dad stood up and slapped me across the face: “You fool! Even if he’s being stupid, how can you be so dense? Use your brain and think, would the Gray family allow a divorced woman to enter their family?” My face stung. He continued: “So what if he has a woman outside? In our circles, everyone turns a blind eye to these things. As long as it doesn’t threaten your position as Mrs. Gray, what do you have to be angry about?” I gently touched my cheek, smirking: “You two can play around separately, but I’m sorry, I can’t do that.” My dad, his chest heaving with anger, grabbed a cup from the table and threw it at me: “A bastard died, so what? It’s been three years, are you going to mope around and be a widow for the rest of your life?” “Vivian Reed, I’ll say it one more time, this wedding cannot be called off! Even if you have to die, you’ll die as part of the Gray family!”

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I was staring blankly at the two pink lines on the pregnancy test. Suddenly, my husband, who was out for a business dinner, called and asked me to bring him some medicine. His tone was urgent, and he hung up immediately after speaking. Worried and anxious, I rushed across town. But when I arrived, Ryan snatched the medicine from my hand without a word and turned away. I was left forgotten in the freezing cold, swallowing the words I hadn’t had a chance to say. I waited until late into the night. When he finally came out, he had another woman in his arms. 0 “Emma, it’s cold out. You’re not dressed warmly enough. Let me drive you home,” Ryan said gently, wrapping his coat around the woman standing opposite him. Seeing this scene, my steps towards him came to an abrupt halt. The woman called Emma noticed me first and lowered her head, nudging Ryan. He asked curiously, “What’s wrong?” Then he followed Emma’s gaze and looked behind him. When he saw me, he blurted out, “Why are you here?” His tone when speaking to me was completely different from how he had spoken to Emma. My feet, numb from standing in the cold wind for hours, felt heavy. My mouth was also numb. I stuttered, “Didn’t you ask me to come?” He had asked me to come, then left me here while he was being intimate with another woman. I turned my gaze to Emma. She seemed to suddenly wake up from a dream, clutching Ryan’s coat as she stepped out of his embrace. “Lily, I’m so sorry for the trouble,” she said. “I just had a bit of a stomachache, and Ryan overreacted, insisting I take some medicine.” Her words were apologetic, but her tone was full of pride. Only then did I realize that the medicine Ryan had asked me to bring was for Emma. I had been so worried, constantly urging the driver to speed up on the way here. I was still processing Emma’s words when Ryan spoke up. “It’s no trouble at all. She’s free anyway,” he said. It was the first time I had heard Ryan speak about me like this. I looked up at him in disbelief. But Ryan just turned to me and asked, “Do you need anything else?” “If not, I’m going to take Emma home first.” “She’s delicate and lightly dressed, unlike you, bundled up like an Eskimo.” I dressed warmly because I was sensitive to cold, and winters were always difficult for me. I even had to work from home during winter because I couldn’t go out. Ryan knew all of this. Yet he said this about me in front of Emma. At that moment, I didn’t know if I felt more embarrassed or angry. After speaking, Ryan had already brought the car around. I was about to move towards the passenger seat when Emma quickly stepped in front of me. “Lily, I get carsick. Could I sit in the front?” she asked. I wanted to say no. But Ryan had already made the decision for me. “Emma, go ahead and sit in front,” he said. “Lily goes to bed early, and it would be too late if I came back after dropping you off.” “She can take a cab home and get to bed earlier.” With that, Ryan handed me his wallet and drove off. He didn’t even give me a chance to speak. But I had been waiting here because I couldn’t get a cab. I was so angry at Ryan that my stomach hurt. Belatedly, I began to suspect the nature of his relationship with Emma. If they were just ordinary colleagues, why would he abandon his own wife to drive her home? I walked for two hours with this suspicion. Finally, unable to bear the cold any longer, I checked into a shabby hostel. The walls were just thin wooden boards, and I could hear drunk people shouting outside. I was so scared that I didn’t sleep all night. 0

The next day, feeling groggy, I left the hostel and received a call from Ryan. His tone on the phone was impatient. “Lily Song, where did you go last night? Why didn’t you come home?” “You’re a married woman, how could you spend the night out without telling me?” I had been worried sick and disappeared for a whole night, but Ryan showed no concern. Instead, every word was an accusation. My pent-up emotions finally burst out. “Ryan Shaw, you say I shouldn’t have spent the night out.” “But you, a married man, abandoned your wife to drive another woman home. Is that appropriate?” “Did you consider my feelings? What right do you have to blame me?” My grievances came pouring out. I thought he would realize his mistake. But Ryan turned it back on me. “You’re older than Emma, how can you not be more mature about this?” “Besides, weren’t you right there when I offered to drive Emma home?” “If you didn’t agree, why didn’t you say something then? Why are you making a fuss now?” “I’m so sick of you!” After scolding me without rhyme or reason, Ryan hung up the phone. I stood there, stunned, listening to the dial tone. It wasn’t until my stomach started to hurt that I snapped out of it. Remembering the two lines on the test yesterday, I forgot about Ryan’s attitude and rushed to the hospital, worried and scared. By the time I arrived, there was obvious blood on the hem of my pants. The doctor said I had indeed been pregnant. But now, the baby was gone. It hadn’t even been 24 hours from when I learned of its existence to when I lost it. I struggled to grab the doctor for confirmation, but because I moved too quickly, I fell to the ground. “Please… please, doctor… save my baby…” “I beg you, save it!” Everything had happened so fast, I hadn’t even had time to react. I instinctively begged the doctor for help. But he just sighed deeply at me. “Your body was already weak, and you caught a chill right after conceiving.” “It’s too late now!” Too late! My baby was gone! I was in a daze, not knowing how I got back home. The moment I opened the door, I saw Emma sitting on the sofa, playing with one of my dolls. Ryan, hearing the door open, poked his head out from the kitchen, smiling from ear to ear. “Lily, Emma’s all alone and lonely, so I invited her to come over for dinner more often.” “You’re back just in time. Why don’t you make a couple of your specialties for Emma to try?” I looked at Ryan as he spoke, then shifted my gaze to Emma’s face. Suddenly, anger welled up inside me. “Go to hell!” I shouted, using a curse word I had never uttered before in my life. After yelling this, I lunged at Emma, grappling with her, trying to push her out the door. “Get out! You’re not welcome in our home.” “Get out!” I lashed out at Emma like a madwoman. Ryan, who had been in high spirits, saw me like this and his smile froze on his face. “Lily Song, what’s wrong with you?” 0

He rushed over in a few quick strides and pulled me away. His force was so strong that I was thrown to the ground. When I came to my senses, I remembered that Ryan was also responsible for the death of my child. So I got up and started pushing him out too. “You get out too, you’re no better, get out!” Ryan shielded Emma behind him and grabbed my arms, shouting, “Lily Song, have you gone mad?” “Yes, I have gone mad!” “Ryan Shaw, if it weren’t for you, the baby wouldn’t have been lost. You’re both murderers!” I grabbed Ryan’s collar and yelled these words, then calmed down slightly. Ryan asked me, confused. “What baby?” I laughed coldly and told him what I hadn’t had a chance to say yesterday. But Ryan blurted out, “How is that possible?” “I always used protection.” After he said this, the air fell into silence. I hadn’t expected his reaction to be doubt rather than joy. It felt like a thousand needles were piercing my heart, hurting so much I couldn’t speak. “As you wished, the baby is gone now.” After saying these words to Ryan with a bitter smile, I slowly let go of his collar. In this silence, Emma suddenly let out a shrill scream, then covered her mouth. “Lily, Ryan said you guys used protection. Could it be that this baby… wasn’t his?” “Were you afraid Ryan would find out, so you got rid of the baby yourself, killing two birds with one stone by making him feel guilty?” She spoke on and on, as if she had discovered the truth, spinning her own wild theories. After finishing, she dramatically tried to explain herself to me. “Lily, I didn’t mean it like that… it’s just that in novels, that’s how it usually goes…” Emma put on an exaggerated performance in front of me, pretending to be hesitant, but somehow her act had an audience who believed it. Ryan looked at me, hurt, and questioned, “Lily Song, haven’t I been good enough to you?” “Why would you do this to me?” I laughed bitterly at his words and pointed at Emma, asking in return. “We’ve been married for five years, and you believe her over me?” Ryan’s expression froze for a moment. Emma pitifully clutched at his sleeve and said, “Ryan, you know I never lie.” Ryan looked at her in silence for a while. Then he turned to me and said, “Emma doesn’t lie.” “You think she doesn’t lie, so you believe her biased words and think I’ve wronged you?” “Ryan Shaw, I’ve been with you for so long, am I not worth as much as someone you’ve known for just a few days?” “She doesn’t lie, but when have I ever lied to you?” Every word Ryan said stabbed me in the heart! My already unbearable pain became even more desperate. An indescribable sense of powerlessness filled my heart, making me lose the will to wait for his answer. Without waiting for Ryan to respond, I coldly said, “Ryan Shaw, let’s get a divorce.” “I’ll draft the divorce agreement and send it to you.” 0

After forcing myself to say everything, I closed my eyes and said no more. Ryan angrily kicked the door twice. Then he stormed out, dragging Emma along. As he left, he deliberately mocked me, “Lily Song, you’re really willing to say anything now just to get attention.” “You can even joke about a child so easily, making up lies about being pregnant and losing it.” “I despise you!” As his words fell, the door slammed shut, and the room fell into silence. In the end, he didn’t follow Emma’s lead and accuse me of the child not being his. But his words were still hurtful. If I could, I would wish more than anyone that this was all made up. That way, I wouldn’t have lost my child. But unfortunately, it wasn’t. I curled up on the sofa, tears sliding down my cheeks as I sobbed. That night, Ryan suddenly called. I was startled awake from a nightmare, opening my eyes, not knowing where I was. After a moment, I answered the phone, and Ryan’s slightly drunk voice came through. He asked me, “Lily Song, have you realized your mistake?” I sneered and was about to hang up when his next words came. “I just didn’t expect you to be pregnant, I wasn’t doubting you.” “I spoke harshly earlier today, don’t be angry.” As soon as he finished speaking, Emma’s coquettish voice came from the other end of the line. “Ryan, Ryan, stop playing with your phone and come keep me company.” The call was immediately disconnected. I remembered what Ryan had said to me, and his contradictory actions, and burst into tears holding my phone. After crying enough, I lay awake until dawn. Then I immediately contacted a lawyer to draft a divorce agreement. I didn’t want to spend another day with such an unclean person and such an unclean relationship. But Ryan came back the next evening, bringing my favorite mung bean cake. He smiled at me as if nothing had happened, seeking praise. “Lily, I went out of my way to buy this mung bean cake for you.” “It’s still warm, try it quickly.” I looked at the mung bean cake in his hand, slowly reached out to take it, then crushed it. “Ryan Shaw, once it’s broken, it can’t be eaten anymore.” After saying this, I left him and went back to my room. Ryan was so angry he was panting heavily. After a long while, he pounded on my door with his fist. “Lily Song, that’s enough.” “I bought this to make peace with you, and this is how you react?” What could I mean? No matter how delicious a favorite food is, once it’s crushed, it can’t be eaten. No matter how much you love someone, once there’s a crack, you have to let go. The mung bean cake was like that, and so was Ryan Shaw! Outside, snow had started falling softly at some point. I stared blankly out the window while listening to Ryan pounding on the door behind me. He got tired of pounding and stopped, changing to gentle persuasion. “Lily, Emma is still young. She might not always know how to speak or act appropriately, but you don’t need to take it so seriously, do you? She’s just a kid.” Even at this point, Ryan was still trying to explain for Emma. How thoughtful of him. I turned away from the window, went barefoot to open the door. And slapped Ryan across the face.

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