I heard my husband found another girlfriend. My friends urged me to catch him cheating. I just smiled and refused. Because I also had a boyfriend to take care of. Lucas hated me and didn’t like me being around him. After enduring various humiliations from him, I got the hint and prepared to move out. I had money, and I had a man. I just didn’t expect my mother-in-law to suddenly call me back to the family house. She smiled and held my hand. [Hazel, you and Lucas just need a child. Everything will be fine once you have a baby.] I pulled my hand away. Have a child? How is that possible? Even if I wanted to, Lucas would definitely tell me to get lost if he knew. My mother-in-law seemed not to notice my attitude and grabbed my hand again, still smiling. “Hazel, Mom knows you’ve been wronged these three years.” “I’ve already scolded him harshly. Don’t worry, he’s sincerely repentant this time. You two should spend more time together, and everything will be fine once you have a child.” “Give him one more chance, just one! Okay?” After speaking, my mother-in-law called out towards the door. A cold-faced man walked in reluctantly from outside. My mother-in-law glared at him and continued to persuade me. “Lucas is just a bit cold, but he still cares about you. Look, as soon as I mentioned you wanted a divorce, he came running back.” Lucas sat on the sofa, his brows slightly furrowed, revealing a hint of displeasure. He looked up and glanced at me. His eyes were cold and indifferent. The chill in his gaze made me shudder. “I, I don’t think that’s necessary, Mom. You know, feelings can’t be forced.” Forcing it would only lead to bitter results! At first, I was trapped in a corner, unable to see clearly. Now, with the fog cleared, I knew that leaving was the best solution. My mother-in-law’s voice took on a worried tone: “Hazel, you know that parents’ greatest wish is for their children to be happy.” After saying this, she looked up at me. Seeing that I didn’t respond and remained silent, she thought I was starting to waver: “Six months, try to get along with Lucas for six months.” “It’s not about time…” “Two months.” “Mom, Lucas and I really can’t go on, we…” “Hazel.” My mother-in-law’s smile completely disappeared, her tone carrying a hint of pressure: “Do you remember our first meeting three years ago?” With that one sentence, all my words were swallowed back. Debts must be repaid, and favors are hard to return. On this matter, I would never have the right to speak. Pursing my lips, I sighed softly: “Alright, Mom. Two months it is.” Only Lucas and I were left in the room. “Don’t overthink it. I didn’t ask my mom to do this.” I stood up and moved to sit on the sofa opposite Lucas. This position was a bit further from him. He looked up and scoffed lightly. “What are you pretending for? Do you think I believe you? Hazel, even if it’s two months or two years, my feelings for you won’t change. I hope you won’t humiliate yourself again.” “Mm, I understand.” I’ve heard such words too many times; I’m numb to them now. Perhaps because I was too calm this time. A strange emotion flashed in Lucas’s eyes, but it quickly returned to normal. “Good that you understand.” Seeing that I wasn’t paying attention to him anymore, just typing on my phone. He seemed a bit displeased. “Hazel, you know I don’t love you, right? You know I have a girl I like outside, right? Are you feeling uncomfortable about it?” Noisy and childish. What he said used to hurt me, but now it just annoyed me. After finishing editing the text. I walked to the printer. Soon after. I sat back on the sofa with two pages of paper, keeping one for myself and pushing the other across the table to Lucas. “See if there’s anything you want to add.” Lucas seemed to take an eternity to read that single page. After a while. He frowned and asked me: “What do you mean by this?” I said calmly. “A mutual agreement, for two months, we don’t interfere with each other, and we don’t cross any lines.”

My marriage to Lucas was arranged entirely by his mother. One was secretly happy, the other resented it. On our wedding night. Lucas stood at the bedroom door with a look of disgust. He said: [Hazel, I really underestimated you. Women like you, playing the sympathy card is your tactic, right? Getting close to my mom, getting close to me, then becoming Mrs. Gu.] [I will never like you, so you might as well give up on that idea.] After saying that, Lucas left. The next day, photos of him spending the night at a hotel with some female celebrity were leaked. The marriage was sensational, and so was the affair. The one who falls in love first loses. I cried, I made a fuss, I even begged pitifully. The result was only more humiliation from Lucas, his new flame, and his friends. When he forcefully pressed me down, he sneered: [Hazel, why are you pretending to be a chaste woman? Isn’t this what you’ve been wanting me to do to you?] Afterwards, he threw an agreement at me. [I’ve already given you what you wanted. Sign this, and from now on, we’ll live our separate lives, and neither of us will bother the other.] After slapping him, I signed it without hesitation. Not for any other reason, just afraid he might act like a beast again. I completely gave up on Lucas. It was like a sudden enlightenment. I no longer cared about which girl Lucas was seeing, nor did I focus all my attention on him. All I cared about was the balance in my bank account. That balance that increased every month. Money I couldn’t spend, a husband who never came home, and a caring boyfriend. How did I not understand this before! “If you don’t have anything to add, just sign it.” Although we’re married, we both have our own affairs. We should still avoid suspicion where necessary. I understand this principle. Looking up, I met Lucas’s dark eyes. He just stared at me like that, his gaze unclear and complex. I knew he probably thought this was another one of my tactics. “Don’t worry, I’m sincere. If you don’t believe me, you can have someone look it over for you.” “I don’t have any other intentions towards you anymore.” Lucas immediately frowned, his deep voice repeating my words. “You don’t have any other intentions towards me anymore?” I smiled: “Mm, not anymore.” After a long while. “I can sign, but it needs some changes.” I poured myself a cup of tea. Normal. Lucas was probably just worried the agreement wasn’t strong enough and wanted to add a few more conditions. He threw the paper back on the coffee table and leaned back against the sofa. “What do you mean by ‘can’t bring people home’? If I don’t bring them home, should I go to a hotel instead, and let my mom catch me?” “If you can’t stand seeing me sleep with others in front of you, go tell my mom, don’t ask this of me.” I looked at him in surprise. He meant he wanted to bring people home to sleep with. Thinking of that scene, I pursed my lips and said coldly: “Change that request.” “No changes. Either you don’t interfere with how many women I bring back, or I won’t sign.” To be honest, this request was a bit too much. I don’t have a hobby of watching live porn. Nor do I want to appreciate others’ most primitive activities. Just thinking about the quiet home suddenly filled with chattering women and fancy tea. It made me sick. “Well, do you agree or not?” “Do you really have to do this?” He nodded with a smile: “That’s right, this is my only request.” Our eyes met. Lucas’s aggressive gaze reminded me of that night. Humiliation, fear. Taking a deep breath. “Fine.”

The sofa was a mess. Black lace underwear, torn black stockings. There was even a condom with suspicious fluid on the floor. The smell was depressing and nauseating. My chest felt tight. A good home now looked like a seedy place. Lucas was too outrageous. Bang bang bang. I knocked hard on Lucas’s bedroom door. The one who opened the door was a scantily clad, sleepy-eyed girl. When she saw me, she was like a startled little rabbit, hiding behind Lucas, her watery eyes blinking: “Lucas, I’m scared.” Scared my ass. What did I do to scare you? Lucas held her in his arms, his tone displeased: “Hazel, apologize.” ??? The girl snuggled closer to Lucas, her voice barely audible: “Lucas, it’s okay if sis doesn’t want to, don’t be angry with sis because of me.” She looked up at me again, timidly opening her mouth: “S-sis, don’t be angry, it’s okay if you don’t apologize, I’m fine.” Wait. This made me laugh out of anger. “What did I say? From beginning to end, I didn’t say a word, right? What are you two acting out here?” Lucas’s face didn’t look good: “Then why did you come here so early in the morning?” Damn. I almost forgot the main point. I told Lucas to pay attention to hygiene in the future and clean up in time. After all, this is my home, the home I spent money and effort to decorate. After hearing this, Lucas pulled the quilt down a bit, revealing his bare upper body. He raised an eyebrow: “What? Jealous? Can’t take it already?” “I told you before, Hazel, you’re just pretending too much. You’re clearly not over me, but you’re acting all magnanimous. Feeling uncomfortable now? You should…” Lucas seemed to not understand human language, talking on his own. My frown deepened. The deeper I frowned, the more smug he became. There was a disgusting feeling like my hand had been licked after slapping him. Forget it, I don’t want this house anymore. As I was about to leave, Lucas called out to me. “Are you going to find a place to cry in secret again?” I stopped in my tracks. In the past, whenever I saw Lucas with other women, I would secretly wipe away tears. Now… I waved my phone at him. “Busy.” Lucas clearly didn’t believe me: “Just keep pretending.” Until I put the call on speaker, and a deep, captivating male voice came through. “Sis, when are you coming to keep me company?” The smile on Lucas’s face froze. He stared at me intently, and after a while, he squeezed out a few words. “Hazel, how dare you!” Dare what? Dare to find a man? Or dare to cuckold him? The atmosphere was tense. But his dear little sister couldn’t read the situation and pretended to be surprised: “Ah? Lucas, what does sis mean?” I smiled at her. “It means exactly what you think it means. He’s just like you, he likes numbers.” I replied to Jason’s message in front of Lucas. Then politely closed their bedroom door. As I left, I only heard the muffled sound of something heavy falling on the floor.

At the entrance of the Prosperity Hotel. Jason tilted his chin slightly, his delicate features carrying a hint of mischief. He hugged me tightly, his tone a bit aggrieved: “Sis, I haven’t seen you for days.” I ruffled his hair to comfort him. Persuading good people to be bad, persuading bad people to be good. It’s a hobby of people who have too much free time. Jason was the bad boy I persuaded to be good. Not for anything else, just for his good body, good looks, and good skills. Entering the hotel lobby. The more I looked, the more familiar it seemed. Then I thought of the hotel’s name. I turned to look at Jason: “Do you know who owns this hotel?” He said he didn’t know. I said it was my husband’s. After hearing this, Jason covered his mouth with both hands, looking surprised: “Ah? Really?” I nodded. He lowered his head, grabbing my arms with both hands, his words full of apology. “Then, won’t big brother find out? If big brother gets angry with sis because of this, I’ll feel very guilty.” His expression was too exaggerated, obviously intentional. It doesn’t matter, no one dislikes it when they’re the object of a flirt’s attention. If Jason wants to put effort into pleasing me, what’s wrong with that? I smiled and said it’s fine, I’m going to get divorced anyway. Jason then said resentfully: “Big brother really has no taste, not like me, I only like sis.” The elevator door opened. Jason’s hand hovered over the door frame, letting me enter first. “Wait.” Looking back. Lucas came running over, out of breath. I didn’t know how he had followed us here. Lucas steadied his breathing, his gaze fixed on Jason’s and my interlocked fingers, his expression suddenly cold. Jason wasn’t to be outdone. He switched hands to hold mine, his other arm around my shoulders, his tone lazy. “Sis, who is this?” “Lucas, my husband.” Lucas’s eyes were like knives, looking as if he wanted to stab Jason to death. He stared at Jason, but his words were directed at me. “Honey, don’t you think you owe me an explanation?” This was the first time he had called me that, emphasizing the word “honey” heavily. I took a deep breath and pulled my hand out of Jason’s grasp. Looking up, I met Lucas’s eyes. “Jason.” “My boyfriend.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296181”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #魔幻Magic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn #惊悚Thriller

I never expected to fall for my husband, especially since I married him under false pretenses. My half-sister, Natalie, was supposed to be Alexander Merchant’s bride, but she was terrified of him and begged me to take her place. Desperate for money to pay for my mother’s medical bills, I reluctantly agreed. Two years into our marriage, Alexander turned out to be nothing like the rumors suggested. He was loving, attentive, and incredibly clingy. Just before our third anniversary, Natalie demanded I “return” him to her. But as I stood frozen in the doorway, Alexander gently caressed my cheek, his eyes dark with possessiveness. “Lily,” he growled softly, “have I been too lenient with you?” “Lily,” Alexander’s low voice called my name. In bed, his husky tone combined with his devastatingly handsome face made him utterly irresistible. “Alex~” I breathed. “Relax, Lily. Don’t be afraid,” he soothed. Alexander was always so considerate in these intimate moments, completely unlike the ruthless, cold-hearted man described in rumors. I could confidently say there wasn’t a more perfect husband out there. But the painful truth was that Natalie, my half-sister, was Alexander’s first love. I was just a stand-in. “Focus on me,” Alexander growled, displeased by my wandering thoughts. He nipped at my collarbone, making me wince. “Alexander, are you a dog?” I complained. His lips curved into a smile. “Mm, I’m only yours, Lily. If you don’t want me, I might just go wild.” I couldn’t help but laugh, which only encouraged him further. “Gentle,” I pleaded. “But you’re so irresistible, Lily. I can’t help myself,” he murmured, his eyes darkening with desire as he pressed me into the mattress. When I woke the next morning, Alexander was already preparing for work. “Lily, help me with my tie?” he asked. Ever since he learned I could tie a tie, he’d asked me to do it for him almost every day. As I carefully knotted his tie, I failed to notice his increasingly intense gaze. His large hands caressed my shoulders, and I frowned at him. “Don’t distract me.” As soon as I finished, he pulled me close and kissed me deeply until my lips were swollen. “Lily, I want to spend every moment with you,” he murmured. “You scoundrel!” I laughed, shooing him off to work. I didn’t take his words too seriously. Around me, Alexander was always the gentle, loving husband, so different from the rumors. I was about to go back to sleep when my phone rang. “Hello?” “It’s Natalie. I’m sending you an address. Meet me there. We need to talk.” She hung up before I could respond. The truth was, I wasn’t really Alexander’s wife. My sister was.

Apparently, when Alexander had first set his sights on Natalie, she was terrified of him, fearing he’d be abusive and unpredictable like the rumors suggested. So she found me. At the time, I desperately needed money and had gone to the Sinclair family for help. “Didn’t you say you’d never take a penny from the Sinclairs?” Natalie had sneered. “Didn’t you say you’d never come back to this family, even if you were dead?” I ignored her taunts and begged our father on my knees. Natalie was Father’s daughter from before his marriage, a fact she never let anyone forget. My mother had been from a respected family, and after marrying Father, she had helped him climb the social ladder. But when her family fell on hard times, Father divorced her without hesitation. Mother and I had no choice but to move to my grandmother’s place in the countryside, struggling to make ends meet. Mother’s health had always been fragile, and the hard work eventually took its toll. When I went to beg Father for help, he agreed to lend me money on one condition: I had to marry Alexander in Natalie’s place. Young and naive, I agreed. The day I moved into the Merchant house, Natalie mocked me. “Congratulations, your life is about to become a living hell,” she sneered. “I heard Alexander is abusive. I wonder if your delicate frame can handle it.” I thought I was walking into a nightmare, but after the wedding, Alexander showered me with love and affection. He sent a constant stream of jewelry and designer goods to the house, insisted on bodyguards accompanying me everywhere, and never let me lift a finger. Every time I felt Alexander’s love, I couldn’t help but think how much he must have loved Natalie. How else could he have transformed from the rumored violent man into this incredibly gentle person? When I wanted to go out, I had to lose the bodyguards. Reluctantly, I called Alexander. “Missing me already? I just got to the office,” he teased. “Be a good girl and wait for me to come home tonight.” Steeling myself, I said, “I want to go shopping with my friends. I feel embarrassed asking them out when you always have bodyguards following me.” There was a moment of silence before he replied, “Alright. Keep your phone on. Will you have dinner with me tonight?” Hearing his plaintive tone, I quickly agreed. “Of course, I’ll definitely be there for dinner with you.” “Okay, have fun, sweetheart.” After hanging up, Alexander sighed and gazed out the window at the flying birds. No matter how beautiful the cage, it couldn’t keep her forever.

When I met Natalie, she was dressed in an expensive designer outfit, exuding an air of superiority. “What did you want to see me about?” I asked coldly. I couldn’t forget how she and her mother had driven my mother and me out of our home. If it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t have suffered so much. My mother wouldn’t have worked herself sick trying to pay for my college tuition. Natalie stirred her coffee, smirking. “Mrs. Merchant, have you gotten so comfortable in your role as a wealthy man’s wife that you think you can keep what isn’t yours?” I knew Alexander loved her, which always made me feel insecure and guilty in our relationship. “You didn’t want him,” I reminded her. “Well, now I do,” Natalie declared, shocking me into silence. Seeing my surprise, she continued, “It’s time we all returned to our rightful places.” Return Alexander to her? No, give him back to her. My heart sank, and I couldn’t hide my reluctance. Natalie noticed and warned, “Your mother’s medical bills are still being paid by the Sinclair family. Are you sure you don’t want to give Alexander back to me?” Frustrated, I snapped, “He’s not an object you can just claim whenever you feel like it!” Natalie laughed coldly. “Lily, don’t overestimate yourself. You have no right to negotiate here. Alexander has always loved me. You’re just a substitute. Don’t think you actually belong in his world.” Her words silenced me completely. I’d heard that when Alexander came to propose, the value of his engagement gifts alone was worth two years of the Sinclair family’s profits. They didn’t dare refuse the marriage, fearing Alexander’s retaliation. Everyone in the city knew Alexander was ruthless and vengeful. Rumor had it that when he was driven out by his father’s mistress and illegitimate son, he went to the countryside with his mother to recover. Years later, when he returned, he single-handedly brought down the entire company. Now, that illegitimate son couldn’t even find a job, let alone start a business. Alexander wouldn’t give him any chance to succeed. He even took down our father, personally reporting him for bribery and sending him to prison. This ruthless man was only gentle with me. But I knew it wasn’t because he favored me, but because of Natalie, his first love. “Lily, everything that’s mine, you can’t take away,” Natalie hissed. “Not Dad, not Alexander.” I felt suffocated, unable to breathe. I didn’t dare to take the risk. I was afraid of Alexander’s retaliation if he found out the truth, and I couldn’t gamble with my mother’s safety. I also didn’t dare to bet on Alexander’s love for me, which felt so intangible. If there was one thing I’d learned from my father, it was that love was the most fleeting thing in this world. “Give me a month,” I finally said. Alexander’s birthday was at the end of the month. “Two weeks,” Natalie countered. For the first time, I stood up to her. “If you’re willing to wait, I’ll give him back. If not, forget it.” As I walked away, I heard Natalie’s voice. “Fine.” After I left, Natalie cursed under her breath. “That little bitch, she dares to threaten me now!” Natalie hadn’t really wanted Alexander back at first. But seeing how good he was to me made her insanely jealous. After all, it should have been her life. As I walked out onto the street, I felt homeless. Did I really have to give Alexander back to Natalie? Without thinking, I found myself at the foot of Alexander’s company building. Suddenly, I desperately wanted to see him.

Alexander was in a meeting, so his assistant asked me to wait in his office and brought me coffee. Lowering his voice, the assistant said, “Mrs. Merchant, it’s lunchtime, but the CEO is still in the meeting. He’s not satisfied with any of the proposals. Could you possibly…” I understood what he meant and immediately stood up to go to the meeting room. This wasn’t the first time I’d been asked to do this. I knocked on the door of the meeting room. As soon as I opened it, Alexander’s piercing gaze met mine. Even through his glasses, the intensity was breathtaking. But his expression quickly softened as he stood and walked towards me. “What brings you here?” he asked gently. “I wanted to have lunch with you,” I replied. Behind him, I could see the relieved expressions of his employees. With the CEO’s wife here, they could finally catch a break. Alexander ordered food and gestured for me to look out the window. “I heard you can see the most beautiful fireworks in the city from here on New Year’s Eve. Let’s come here then,” he suggested. New Year’s was indeed approaching, but by then, I would probably be gone. “Mm… okay,” I mumbled. He immediately noticed my mood shift and frowned. “What’s wrong? Didn’t enjoy your shopping trip? Or don’t want to see the fireworks? Would you prefer to stay home?” I looked into his concerned eyes, thinking about how I had deceived him. “It’s nothing. I just realized how happy I am with you,” I said softly. My childhood hadn’t been happy. After it was discovered that my father had a child before marriage, my parents argued constantly. I never felt secure. Later, when Natalie was brought to live with us, I was too timid to stand up for myself and was often bullied. My father usually turned a blind eye, only addressing the issue when my mother made a fuss. Alexander, on the other hand, loved me unconditionally. He bought me whatever I wanted, came home on time and avoided unnecessary social engagements, and never had any scandals. He was the perfect gentleman. Sometimes he would get angry if he saw other men talking to me, but I knew it was because he cared too much. No, he cared too much about Natalie. Hearing my words, Alexander’s expression softened. “Me too.” “Lily, you’re a gift from heaven.” There was something in his eyes that I couldn’t quite understand… was it nostalgia?

I looked at Alexander, knowing he had no idea I wasn’t Natalie. In the early days of our marriage, he used to call me “Nat.” But it always felt wrong, so I told him my nickname was “Lil.” He was overjoyed then, repeating it many times. He said that by telling him my nickname, it meant I was starting to accept him and become closer to him. “Alex, do you really love me?” I asked suddenly. Alexander didn’t understand my question and teased, “What’s gotten into you today?” “Tonight, I’ll prove that I only love you. I’ll save all my energy for you,” he winked. I blushed at his words, and Alexander’s gaze remained tender. That night, I was unusually proactive. Perhaps it was the fear of our impending separation. After all, we would soon be strangers. Alexander held me close, my legs wrapped around his waist, my arms tight around his neck. In the heat of the moment, my neck arched beautifully, and he placed a kiss there, sending shivers through my body. He wasn’t faring much better, his breathing ragged and uneven. “Lily, you’re so good tonight,” he groaned. Encouraged by his praise, I tried to match his passion, but he always maintained the upper hand. Eventually, exhausted, I drifted off to sleep. Just before I lost consciousness, I thought I heard him whisper: “Lily, I will love you forever.” “When will you finally recognize me?” “You silly girl.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296180”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #魔幻Magic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn #惊悚Thriller

I was heartlessly thrown into a burning building just because my husband Adrian’s dream girl said she wanted to see a fire escape scenario. When I crawled out of the inferno, I saw Adrian holding his perfect girl, coaxing her to enjoy a candlelit dinner. When she said she was afraid of the color red, I was stripped of what little clothing I had left and thrown naked onto the street. When I tried to resist, Adrian said, “It’s all because of you that Chloe had to suffer so much outside. You’ve taken Chloe’s place for so many years, what’s wrong with suffering a little?” Later, as I touched my slightly swollen belly, ready to accept my fate, Chloe hid in Adrian’s arms and cried, saying that seeing me reminded her of her nightmares as a bar girl. In a fit of rage, Adrian threw me into a nightclub, breaking every bit of pride I had left, making me taste all the bitterness Chloe had supposedly experienced. But later, Adrian had people throw Chloe into a snake pit. He then carefully caressed every wound on my body and forced me to drink fertility medicine. “Emma, have a child for me, let me make it up to you properly,” he said. I nodded numbly in his arms, ignoring his delighted face. He didn’t know that the child he longed for had been gone three years ago. And because I was beaten during my postpartum recovery period, my body was completely ruined. I only had three days left to live.

When Adrian came, I was kneeling on the ground, holding an ashtray. The manager following Adrian smiled obsequiously. “Mr. Foster, rest assured, we’ve trained her well. Now, there’s no woman in the entire club more obedient than her.” As he spoke, the manager took a lit cigarette and viciously extinguished it on my arm. Blood immediately flowed from the scarred limb. Seeing that I didn’t even make a sound, Adrian frowned, wanting to step forward to help me up, but I quickly retreated. “Mr. Foster.” This cowering appearance, where was the radiance of the once most envied wife in the city? Adrian hadn’t expected that our reunion after three years would be like this. He withdrew his hand that had been suspended in mid-air. Since marrying Adrian, my temper had grown under his indulgence. In the past, even if Adrian jokingly scolded me, I would glare at him until he apologized, or make him carry me on his back until I calmed down. But now… Adrian’s expression seemed both happy and melancholic. He sighed deeply: “If you had been this docile earlier, I wouldn’t have had the heart to send you here to learn manners.” When the manager sent me out, I was still in a daze. After three years, I had finally escaped that hell, and would no longer be… The scenes of humiliation flashed crazily before my eyes, frightening me into shuddering. Adrian thought I was cold and took off his coat to put it on me, but I instinctively wanted to kneel down. Adrian stopped me with a cold voice. “Stand up!” The smell of cigars enveloped me as Adrian lowered his head to adjust my clothes. “As long as you behave and don’t go against Chloe anymore, I won’t let you suffer again.” Did that mean I didn’t have to go back to that hell? A glimmer of hope finally flashed in my numb eyes as I got up to follow Adrian into the car. No matter how clean the floor in the club was, kneeling for a long time inevitably left stains, not to mention that my clothes were only washed once every half month. I curled myself into a small ball, afraid of dirtying the car, but there were still obvious stains on the seat cover. Adrian had always been a neat freak. He frowned at the stains and clicked his tongue. I carefully glanced at Adrian, thinking he would throw me out of the car, but to my surprise, Adrian just looked away without saying anything. “Emma, it’s only been three years since we last met, how did you turn into a beggar?” Chloe’s voice suddenly rang out in the car. Only then did I realize she was there too. She was wearing a haute couture outfit from the fashion show, with an imperial jade bracelet on her wrist, and an expensive ruby necklace around her neck, looking like a genuine lady from a noble family. She touched her necklace and said guiltily, “Emma, Adrian saw that I liked this necklace, so he gave it to me. You’re not angry, are you?”

“It’s just a necklace, what’s there to be angry about? Besides, these things were originally yours,” Adrian said, soothingly stroking Chloe’s hand. Right, the necklace, the clothes, even her husband’s love and this marriage, all belonged to Chloe. And I was just a thief who stole someone else’s things, an unworthy person. I thought numbly. “But Emma seems unhappy. Never mind, I’ll give it back to Emma,” Chloe said with a look of grievance, about to take off the necklace. “I said you don’t need to!” Adrian carefully put the necklace back on Chloe’s neck. When he looked at me, his eyes were full of disgust. “I thought you had changed your old habits, but I didn’t expect you to be jealous of even a necklace. If I had known, I should have let you stay in the club for a few more days!” “No!” The terrible memories surged up, and I reflexively knelt down, pulling at Adrian’s clothes. “I don’t want the necklace. Please don’t send me back! Mr. Foster, I know Miss White is the real wife, I won’t fight for the necklace, I’ll be obedient.” Adrian unusually didn’t say anything. Was my attitude not sincere enough? I bit my nails, my dull eyes rolling restlessly in their sockets, like a drug addict going through withdrawal. “I can sweep the floor, I can even live in the bathroom… No, I can leave, I won’t be in your way here. Just treat me like a stray dog, don’t send me back.” As I spoke, I started barking like a dog at Adrian. My words were jumbled, and I don’t know which sentence triggered Adrian, causing his face to darken even more. “Shut up!” Adrian roared in a low voice. I looked at Adrian blankly. In the past, when I learned to bark like a dog, they would be satisfied and let me go. Why didn’t it work on Adrian? Chloe sighed. “Adrian, why don’t we just send her back? To deal with me, she can even resort to pretending to be crazy.” Adrian didn’t refute, but was seriously considering the feasibility. The experiences in the club appeared in front of my eyes like a kaleidoscope, frame by frame. Being splashed with unknown liquids, kneeling naked in the snow, being forced to eat pieces of meat… No, I’d rather die than go back to the club! I suddenly lunged towards the car door, without hesitation, about to jump out. Just as my feet were about to touch the ground, Adrian caught me by the waist and pulled me back. Before I could even sit steady, a slap came flying at my face. “You may not care about your life, but don’t dirty my car!” Adrian yelled. I mumbled, “I’m sorry. I just didn’t want to make you angry.” This was the only solution I could think of. Chloe leaned on Adrian’s shoulder. “Adrian, since she wants to get out of the car, let’s let her. It’s only ten miles to the old house, she can walk there with a bit of effort. That’s much safer than jumping out of a moving car, don’t you think, Emma?” It’s just ten miles, which was already much better than being dragged behind the car. I nodded frantically, afraid that a second’s delay would send me back. “Since you’re so eager to get out of the car, how can I not grant your wish?” The Maybach stopped, and Adrian grabbed my hair and dragged me out. The pouring rain hit me, and I realized it was raining. Panic flashed across my face as memories I had carefully hidden were dug up again, tearing at my heart. When I first came to the club, I was still very stubborn. The manager dragged me out of the room in front of everyone, and a stick as thick as a wrist hit my stomach. There was a pool of blood beneath me… I dared not close my eyes, feeling as if the next moment I would see the child crawling through the rain, asking me with a face full of blood and tears why I didn’t protect him. Seeing Adrian and Chloe about to get in the car, I clung desperately to the car door. “Mr. Foster, I beg you to let me in the car. Don’t leave me alone here.”

Chloe folded her arms: “Emma, didn’t you just insist on jumping out of the car? Now that we’ve let you out, why are you unwilling? Were you just pretending earlier?” Guilt and fear for the child occupied my entire mind, and I could no longer understand what Chloe was saying. I just nodded randomly in the rain. A look of mockery crossed Adrian’s face as he kicked me in the stomach. The intense pain momentarily brought me back to that day. Adrian’s face also turned into the manager holding the stick. I curled up into a ball, covering my stomach, mumbling incoherently. “Don’t hit me, don’t hit my child…” Adrian’s pupils contracted: “What child?!” Before I could speak, Chloe interjected. “Adrian, she might be pretending to be crazy again. She was making a fuss about jumping out of the car earlier, and now she’s bringing up a child.” Her voice suddenly became aggrieved: “I didn’t expect Emma’s attitude towards me to still be so bad. I should leave, I don’t want to make Emma uncomfortable here.” As she finished speaking, Chloe made to leave, but Adrian reached out with his long arm and pulled her into his embrace. His disgusted gaze fell on me, thinking about how he had almost been fooled by me. He applied more force with his foot. “Stop pretending! I’ll give you three hours. If you can’t make it to the old house in three hours, I’ll send you back.” “If it happens again, I won’t let you off so easily!” The pain awakened my sanity. By the time I crawled up from the ground, the Maybach was already far away. Was what I did still not good enough? Why did they still want to send me away? I tightly gripped the safety lock on my neck, numbly walking forward. The sound of a child crying kept inexplicably ringing in my ears, and my lower abdomen ached dully. I don’t know how long I walked before my body could no longer support me, and I collapsed on the ground. In the moment before I lost consciousness, I heard the shrill honk of a car. When I regained consciousness, the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was a pure white ceiling. When did the Foster house become like this? No, I clearly didn’t make it to the Foster house yesterday. I suddenly sat up, pulled out the IV and got out of bed. I had to hurry to the Foster house, otherwise they would really send me back! “Watch where you’re going… Hey, why are you running?” In my haste, I bumped into a man’s arms. The man looked to be in his early twenties, his slender fingers rubbing his sore nose, still holding a medical chart in his hand. “The nurse said your body hasn’t fully recovered yet. Why are you getting out of bed instead of resting properly? If something goes wrong again, I won’t treat you anymore.” “Thank you,” I managed to say after a moment. “But sir, I really have an urgent matter.” “Just call me Dr. Sullivan. What could be more urgent than recovering?” Dr. Sullivan was about to pull me back when suddenly a great force came, yanking me to the other side. Then came a slap that knocked me onto the table, blood seeping from the corner of my mouth. Adrian stood in front of me, his gaze as fierce as if he wanted to eat someone alive. “You slut, can’t stay away from men for even a moment, can you?! I was worried about you last night, thinking something might have happened to you, but I didn’t expect you to be fooling around with some strange man here!” “I didn’t,” I covered my face, my vision blurring. Dr. Sullivan tried to intervene but was violently pushed away, his head hitting the wall, leaving him dazed for a while. “Then who is this person?” Adrian grabbed my hair and kicked me in the stomach. “I thought you had changed, but I didn’t expect you to still be so cheap!” I shook all over in pain, unable to say a word. Adrian angrily pulled my arm, but when he saw the pool of blood beneath me, he cried out in shock.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296179”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #魔幻Magic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn #惊悚Thriller

On my wedding day, my husband Adrian ordered me to have my uterus removed. I fell to my knees, begging him to spare our child. I promised to serve them and never interfere with him and Sophia again. But he just wrapped his arm around Sophia’s waist and looked at me coldly, “Don’t want an empty womb? Then after the abortion, I’ll send you to the Snake Pit. Let the snakes fill your belly.” That night, while feeding Sophia some porridge, Adrian asked his subordinate, “Has she realized her mistake yet?” The subordinate, sweating profusely, replied, “Ma’am… she hasn’t made a sound for a long time…” Adrian’s brow furrowed even deeper. “What? She still hasn’t admitted her fault? Then keep her locked up. Tell her that unless she can open the bulletproof door of the Snake Pit and come out on her own today, she’ll never get out.” The old butler, pale-faced, said, “Young master, the young mistress might not make it. She was taken by the king cobra. At first, there were cries for help, but then… then there was no sound.” Adrian sneered, “What? Are you worried she’s dead?” The old butler’s expression changed, and he dared not speak anymore. “She’s good at playing the victim, just trying to gain my sympathy. I’ve raised those snakes for years. I know better than anyone that they won’t eat humans. At most, they’ll bite her a few times to teach her a lesson. She won’t die.” The butler stammered, “But the young mistress just had her uterus removed. Her body and wounds haven’t recovered, and now with the snake venom…” Adrian impatiently interrupted, “She’s already been injected with anti-venom. The snake venom won’t kill her, but it will make her feel the pain of a thousand bites gnawing at her bones. She poisoned Sophia and caused her miscarriage, so I’ll let her taste the agony of being consumed by venom.” “The young mistress seemed to cry out that her stomach wound had opened and snakes were crawling in…” “Hah! Then they can be her children in her belly. Speak for her again, and I’ll send you to the Snake Pit to keep her company!” The old butler didn’t dare to say another word. He left with a heavy heart, sighing repeatedly. Adrian carried the bowl of porridge into Sophia’s room. It was the brightest place in the entire villa. Originally our bridal chamber, Adrian had given it to Sophia, turning it into their love nest. The private doctor in the room saw him enter and quickly left. Sophia threw herself into Adrian’s arms, sobbing. “Adrian, I’m still in so much pain. We’ve lost our baby.” Adrian held her tenderly in his arms. “It’s okay, we’ll have children in the future. I’ve severely punished that poisonous woman this time. When she comes out after admitting her mistakes, I’ll make her prepare medicinal meals to nourish your body. You’ll definitely be able to conceive again.” “Isn’t this unfair to Olivia? I feel like I’m a bad woman… Although Olivia caused me to lose my baby, it was me who couldn’t control my feelings and wanted to be with you first.” “You’re not a bad woman. You’re the woman I love most.” Adrian cupped Sophia’s face, reverently kissing away the tears on her cheeks. “She knew I loved you, yet she still insisted on marrying me, trying to take your place in my heart. It’s her own fault for being so presumptuous.” “But… I still feel guilty. Adrian, you forced Olivia to remove her uterus to avenge me. When I think of her hateful glare at me, I’m afraid to sleep.” “Don’t be afraid, I’m here with you. That woman is still being punished. She won’t harm you.” Adrian changed into his pajamas and lay down in bed with Sophia, feeling her soft body snuggling into his arms. His eyes darkened with desire. Sophia looked at him with gratitude, “Adrian, you’re so good to me. What good deed did I do in my past life to meet you in this one?” Adrian gazed at her lovingly, “No, it’s the good deeds you’ve done in this life, especially when you risked everything to help me get back on my feet, and even gave me one of your kidneys. I’ll never forget that for the rest of my life.” They kissed passionately. My soul floated in the room, watching this scene, my heart turning to ashes.

There wasn’t a single photo of Adrian and me in the bridal chamber. Instead, there were only pictures of Adrian and Sophia from childhood to adulthood. “Crash!” Adrian, engrossed in the kiss, found the ornament on the bedside table annoying and swept it to the floor with a wave of his hand. It shattered into pieces. My dead heart suddenly twinged. Even as a ghost, I could still feel pain. The broken ornament was a custom-made figurine of our baby based on the ultrasound image. That day, I had excitedly shown it to Adrian, telling him we were going to have a baby, that we would be a happy family of three. Adrian had looked at the figurine several times then. I thought he would impatiently say I was being silly, but to my surprise, he had nodded and agreed to let me put it on the bedside table. It was also that day when I thought Adrian and I could reconcile. “Adrian, my body isn’t ready yet…” Sophia panted, grabbing Adrian’s large hand. Adrian’s eyes were full of desire. “Sophia, help me.” His suggestive gaze fell on Sophia’s lips. Sophia let out a shy cry, playfully punched Adrian’s chest, then knelt down and bent over. As I watched the scene of debauchery, hearing Adrian tell Sophia to rest well so they could have a child together, I seemed to feel the excruciating pain in my belly again. Adrian really knew his little darlings well. After the king cobra dragged me into the snake’s nest, the other snakes smelled the blood from the wound on my stomach and rushed to crawl into it. They used their sharp, venomous fangs to bite and tear at my wound. Snakes as thick as chopsticks crawled into the gaping, bloody hole. I wanted to scream from the pain. “Help me, snakes are getting into my stomach!” I struggled to extend a hand from the writhing mass of snakes covering my body. The people outside the glass door panicked, their hands shaking as they reached for the keypad, intending to open the door. But Sophia’s aggrieved voice came at that moment: “Adrian, the hospital you sent her to is the Shen family’s private hospital. The lead surgeon’s skills are top-notch internationally. He must have stitched her wound perfectly. She’s saying this just to provoke your sympathy.” “Besides, it’s all because of her greed. If she hadn’t become intolerant of my child after getting pregnant herself, viciously killing our unborn baby, you wouldn’t have to punish her like this.” “She must be blaming everything on us now. I don’t mind if she resents me, but Adrian, you’re the most innocent one here.” Sophia held Adrian’s hand with a look of concern, moving Adrian even more. How good his Sophia was. Even though she had lost her child because of that venomous Olivia, she still only thought of him. In comparison, a woman like Olivia who refused to repent deserved to die! “Who told you to open the door! Keep it locked!” Adrian scolded the bodyguard who was about to open the door. The bodyguard trembled and quickly withdrew his hand, not daring to speak. After reprimanding the bodyguard, Adrian looked at me, who was engulfed by the mass of snakes, with utter disgust. My broken body was completely hidden by the vines of intertwined snakes. I couldn’t struggle free. “You still dare to play mind games with me even now. I must have been too lenient with you before! This time, you must be taught a lesson! You can come out when you crawl to the door on your knees, begging for forgiveness!” Just as he finished speaking, the intelligent monitoring system of the Snake Pit issued a warning. “Alert! Alert! Snake agitation index detected to be abnormally high. All personnel in the pit, please evacuate immediately to the area outside the bulletproof door!” Adrian’s face changed.

But Sophia suddenly spoke up: “It’s spring now. The snakes are agitated because it’s their mating season. It seems this intelligent monitoring system isn’t intelligent enough.” Hearing this, Adrian’s expression relaxed, and he regained his composure. I cried out in pain from the bites, knowing this was my last chance to save myself. Nearly suffocated by the king cobra’s coils, I managed to free up enough space to speak and pleaded with all my might: “Adrian, I was wrong. I truly know my mistake now. I’ll divorce you. I won’t interfere with your happiness anymore. Please let me out. I’ve been bitten…” “Ah, my stomach hurts so much. The residual poison must be acting up,” Sophia suddenly screamed, interrupting me. “Never mind… Adrian, let her out. You were married to her after all. Seeing her so pitiful, you’re bound to feel some compassion. Isn’t that why your father took her in and had you marry her when her mother died?” Adrian’s face immediately darkened as he remembered something. His cold gaze pierced through the glass door, fixing on me. “You slut! If you want to act, keep putting on your show with the snakes! Maybe if you act well enough, these snakes will be seduced by you and stop biting you.” “Let’s all leave! Let her perform her solo act here! Unless we push her to the brink of despair before letting her out, she won’t realize her mistakes.” Adrian left without even glancing at me again. I screamed desperately, begging him to stop, but he didn’t pause. Soon, I couldn’t scream anymore. Because as soon as I opened my mouth, a snake slithered in, its tongue flicking. They consumed my internal organs from top to bottom and bottom to top. I made hissing sounds from my mouth, feeling the blood rapidly draining from my body, the flesh peeling off. I couldn’t scream anymore because my tongue had been eaten, my vocal cords bitten through. I heard Sophia’s voice. “Oh my, she’s really stopped calling out. Adrian, you were right. She was just pretending to be pitiful for your sake.” “Sophia, don’t mention that ill-fated venomous woman anymore. You’re the only one in my heart. No matter how she acts, I won’t be fooled again.” As the footsteps gradually faded away, the king cobra finally tired of toying with its prey. Slowly coiling its thick, slippery body, I heard the sound of bones breaking throughout my body. At this moment, Adrian was instructing the servants to throw all my belongings into the storage room. Because Adrian wanted to officially announce to all the staff that Sophia would be the new mistress of this villa. As my body was almost drained of blood, Adrian burned the love letters I had written to him and knelt on one knee to put a diamond ring on Sophia’s finger. “I’m sorry. I hope you can accept this belated proposal. I was deceived and manipulated by her before, which is why I married her. But I’ll make her divorce me as soon as possible.” “What if your father doesn’t agree? He clearly treats Olivia differently…” “That’s not up to him anymore. This morning, when I registered my marriage with that venomous woman, his share transfer agreement was already handed to me by the lawyer. Now I don’t have to care about his opinion anymore. He’s been bewitched by an old slut himself, yet he still presumes to control how I treat the little slut.” As Adrian expressed his disgust towards me, the king cobra opened its foul-smelling mouth and swallowed me whole. I was completely enveloped in its belly. Amidst the intense compression and corrosion, I closed my unwilling eyes in despair. A drop of blood-tinged tear slid from the corner of my eye, mourning for the life I had wrongly devoted. When I opened my eyes again, I was already floating above their heads.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296178”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #魔幻Magic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn #惊悚Thriller

In my previous life, I saved my brother Jason from kidnappers but was taken myself. Fifteen years later, my birth parents found me. Yet I never enjoyed their love, constantly framed by the fake daughter. Jason always held the impostor’s hand, looking at me with disdain: “Emily will always be my only sister.” As he wished, the fake daughter caused my death. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day of the kidnapping. Six-year-old Jason looked panicked: “Sister, save me quick!” This time, I didn’t rush over like before. I just coldly replied: “Brother, let’s meet again in fifteen years.” “Quick, catch that little boy! Don’t let him escape!” Urgent shouts rang out around me. I suddenly came to my senses and found myself sitting in a go-kart. Six-year-old Jason was running and crying. The scene before me was so familiar. I immediately realized that I had traveled back in time to when I was six, the day I was kidnapped. Soon, the kidnapper caught Jason and walked towards a van across the street. “Sister, save me!” Jason cried in panic. In my previous life, seeing my brother being taken away, I rushed to save him. But he abandoned me and left on his own. I was kidnapped and began a tragic and difficult life. “Sister, save me!” Jason’s cries continued. Without hesitation, I drove the go-kart away. Looking at Jason crying in the distance, I calmly responded: “Brother, let’s meet again in fifteen years.”

After Jason was kidnapped, our parents were devastated. They posted missing person notices and rewards on TV and in newspapers everywhere. Thinking back to the family I was sold to in my previous life, it took half a day just to walk to the nearest town market. Jason’s fate couldn’t be much better. Although my parents were truly heartbroken now, it didn’t matter. They would forget. Just like in my previous life, when they lost me, their biological daughter, they were also devastated and felt like dying. Later, out of longing for a daughter, they even adopted a girl. They poured all their love into that adopted daughter. They gave her the best of everything. Even when I returned, they didn’t care about me. When the adopted daughter got sick and needed a kidney transplant, they even wanted mine! So, nothing is irreplaceable. Not even parents or children.

Time passed quickly, and it had been almost a year since Jason disappeared. I often said I missed my brother very much. Whenever I did, Mom would cry uncontrollably. She couldn’t help suggesting to Dad: “Why don’t we adopt a boy?” I seemed to have guessed this would happen, so I also strongly agreed.

Since we were adopting a brother, of course it had to be with my approval. My parents took me to many orphanages and looked at many boys around my age, but I wasn’t satisfied with any of them. One day, we came to another orphanage that was in a remote location with poor conditions. After searching around without finding anyone I wanted, we were about to leave. The director suggested to my mother that we adopt a girl, saying they had a girl about my age who was very obedient and well-behaved. I pretended to agree. When that girl walked out, I was stunned. It was her, Emily Young. The adopted daughter my parents treasured like the apple of their eye in my previous life. She also seemed surprised to see me. Her sweet smile turned to shock as she blurted out: “How is this possible?” We stared at each other. Mom frowned. “Director Lewis, is this the girl you just mentioned?” Director Lewis looked a bit embarrassed: “I’m sorry, Emily may be a bit excited meeting you for the first time. Emily, this is the CEO of Long Sheng Group and his wife. Don’t be so impolite.” Emily seemed to come to her senses and quickly changed her expression to be very cautious and polite. “Uncle, Auntie, hello. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude earlier.” Mom nodded, studying her with curiosity, then asked a few questions. Emily answered everything smoothly with a sweet attitude. After the conversation, it was clear Mom had a good impression of her. Even Dad’s face showed satisfaction. But what could they do? The person holding Emily’s fate in her hands at this moment was me, Olivia Wilson. “Sweetie, shall we bring this big sister home with us?” Mom came to my side and asked gently. “No.” As soon as the words left my mouth, Emily’s face turned white. She looked at me anxiously and in disbelief. Her lips parted as if wanting to say something, but she held back in the end. Such a direct and clear attitude surprised my mother. She seemed to want to persuade me: “Actually, having an older sister at home would be nice. You could wear pretty dresses together, do each other’s hair, play hide and seek…” “No.” Seeing my firm attitude, Mom had to give up. She sighed lightly: “I’m sorry, Director. I’m afraid we won’t be able to adopt this girl after all.” “That’s alright,” the director said understandingly. “No!” Just then, Emily suddenly cried out in despair: “Why is this happening? Mom, I’m Emily! Dad, don’t you recognize me anymore?” My parents were startled by her words. Emily threw herself at my mother, hugging her tightly and crying, as if afraid she would leave the next moment. “Mom, I’ve been waiting here for you and Dad for so long. Please take me home, I don’t want to stay here another day. Where’s my brother? Why didn’t he come?” Mom was frightened by her strange words and hurriedly pushed her away. “Child, how can you randomly call me mom? Is something wrong with your mind?” Emily froze, wiped away her tears and explained: “No, Mom, my mind is very clear. In my previous life, you adopted me from here.” No one present except me knew what she was talking about. My parents’ expressions had completely changed. They probably never expected the girl the director recommended would be mentally unstable. The director looked embarrassed and ashamed, quickly calling someone to take Emily away. Emily was shocked and terrified. She kicked and hit at the others, struggling hysterically. “No, I won’t go! I want to go home with Mom and Dad! Get away from me! I’m the real daughter of Long Sheng Group. That woman is an imposter! Mom, I’m your precious daughter!” Emily was carried out like a little chicken by two aunties. For a long time after, we could still hear her heart-wrenching cries from the courtyard. Mom was still shaken as she quickly took my hand and walked out. “Olivia, let’s go. We can’t stay in this place. There are crazy people here.” The precious daughter in my mother’s eyes in my previous life had become a mentally ill crazy person in this life. Even I couldn’t stand my mother’s completely opposite attitudes, let alone Emily. It really cuts to the bone! 4 After three whole months of searching, I finally found Lucas Stone at an orphanage in a neighboring city. When the director took me to him, he was fighting with several other boys. His face was bruised, one eye was swollen, and his arm was bleeding. My eyes instantly welled up with tears. In my previous life, whenever other kids at the orphanage bullied me, he would fight back for me just like this. Lucas, this time it’s my turn to protect you.

When they heard I wanted to bring Lucas home, my parents both expressed confusion. Clearly, they had already heard about his usual behavior from the other kids at the orphanage. But I didn’t care at all and insisted on doing so. With no other choice, they finally agreed. And so, 8-year-old Lucas came home with me. I took him to the room on the second floor and opened the thick curtains. The floor-to-ceiling windows were spacious and bright. I turned around and gave him a warm smile. “Because in this life, it’s our turn to have some good days.” Of course he didn’t understand and just looked at me in confusion. “Who’s this?” Lucas pointed at a photo frame on the bookshelf. It was Jason sitting in a toy car, taken on his sixth birthday last year. “No one.” I picked up the frame and threw it in the trash without hesitation. I remembered in my previous life when Jason coldly told me he would only ever recognize Emily as his sister. Very well. In this life, I don’t need him as a brother either. After a while, Lucas looked up at me again and asked: “How long are you planning to keep me? Three months or six months?” As far as I knew, Lucas had already been abandoned twice before. He no longer had any expectations about being adopted. His temper grew increasingly volatile, getting into fights at the drop of a hat and keeping to himself. Until I appeared at the orphanage years later, and two equally isolated kids gradually became friends. Recalling this, I walked over to Lucas and said seriously: “Not three months or six months. You can stay in this family forever, until you want to leave on your own.” He looked at me for a very long time without saying anything.

Although my parents initially opposed bringing Lucas home, they soon accepted him. No one knew better than me how smart Lucas was. After just three piano lessons, he could play entire pop songs from memory. Two months into chess lessons, his teacher was no longer a match for him. The smiles on my parents’ faces gradually increased. They nurtured Lucas with all their efforts, just as they did me. Lucas was strikingly handsome, exceptionally talented in his studies, and though his personality was a bit aloof, his merits far outweighed any flaws. Some prominent figures even started strategizing for their daughters, discussing becoming in-laws with my father. Though pleased, my father politely declined. After all, we were still too young. From then on, my parents paid even more attention to Lucas, becoming stricter with his education. His food, clothing and other needs were treated exactly the same as mine, their biological daughter. Lucas and I also became as familiar and at ease with each other as we had been in my previous life.

One day after school, on our way home. A figure suddenly darted into the middle of the road, startling the driver. He swerved sharply, and the car spun out of control towards the other side. Lucas reacted quickly, lunging over to hold me tightly in his arms. There was a loud crash as the car hit a roadside flower bed. Lucas anxiously checked my body. “Are you okay?” I let out a sigh and shook my head. “I’m fine.” Fortunately, only the front of the car was damaged. All three of us were unharmed. The driver’s face had turned pale with fright. He angrily got out of the car, only to find a little girl standing across the street. “Driver, it’s me, Emily!” The girl said excitedly. “Little girl, do you know how dangerous what you just did was? Where are your parents?” the driver asked. Emily looked deeply disappointed. When she saw Lucas and me in the car, her eyes widened as she exclaimed: “Olivia Wilson, why are you two together?” Lucas turned his head and asked me curiously, “Who is that? Do you know her?” I shrugged. “I don’t know her.” Emily’s face turned pale as she shook her head frantically. “That’s impossible! How can this be? Where’s Jason? Where did Jason go?” The driver also turned to ask me: “Miss, is this your friend?” “I don’t know her. Let’s go,” I said. Hearing this, the driver got back in the car and started the engine. Emily panicked and ran up, banging on the car window. “Olivia Wilson, you can’t leave! I need to go see Mom with you! Stop! Stop the car right now!” I couldn’t be bothered with her and complained expressionlessly: “What bad luck today, running into a crazy person. Driver, when we get to the neighborhood, tell security not to let any unstable people in.” “Certainly, Miss Olivia.” The car sped away, with Emily chasing after us, screaming and shouting.

After getting home, I told my mother about what happened on the road. “That was so dangerous, we almost got in an accident. Mom, is that girl really crazy? How did she find our house?” My mother was clearly frightened too. She angrily called Director Lewis. The other end carefully apologized to my mother for a long time, saying they had already sent people to look for Emily and would take her away soon. Only then was the matter settled.

Not long after, the company’s business in Europe ran into some issues. My father decided to leave immediately. He told my mother he might be gone for quite a while, perhaps two or three years. The implication was that he wouldn’t be able to return home for some time due to the subsidiary’s affairs. Thinking of Emily’s lingering presence recently, I suggested to my mother without hesitation: “Mom, why don’t we move there to live with Dad?” My mother quickly adopted the suggestion. Just two weeks later, our family of four boarded a plane to France. The plane cruised at an altitude of 10,000 meters. I quietly gazed down at the clouds below, making a goodbye gesture. Farewell, Jason and Emily. If fate allows, we’ll meet again in fourteen years. During this long, difficult and painful time, you must persevere. Don’t have any accidents, and don’t commit suicide. You must live like insects – poor, pitiful, in pain, and without dignity. After all, that’s how I lived in my previous life. I believe we will meet again someday.

After walking out of the terminal, I immediately spotted our driver holding a sign with my name. Even after many years, he still looked the same. I quickly waved to him. But he didn’t look in my direction at all. It wasn’t until I walked right up to him and took the sign from his hands that I smiled and said: “Driver, what are you thinking about? I’ve been calling you.” “Are you Miss Olivia?” he asked, his eyes wide with disbelief. “How did you get so tall and beautiful?” “I’ve always been beautiful,” I laughed. The driver nodded enthusiastically, his eyes seeming to redden. “Yes, yes, of course. Miss Olivia has always been beautiful.” He then glanced behind me. “Did you come back alone? Where are the CEO, Madam, and young Master Lucas?” “They’ll be here in a couple days, after Lucas’ last performance. You know my parents – they never miss any of their precious son’s shows.” The driver clearly agreed with my words. “That’s true. Whenever the CEO calls me, as soon as he starts talking about young Master Lucas, he just goes on and on. Always saying how Lucas performed in Vienna last month, or how he’s going to perform at the White House next month. Sometimes I want to ask about you, but I can’t even get a word in. People who don’t know better might think Lucas is their biological child.” I shook my head with a smile. “Driver, I think you just wanted to ask about Chris but were too shy to interrupt my dad.” Chris was the driver’s son, who had gone to study in France ten years ago and had been living at our house. “Bah! I don’t care about that little brat. All he does is ask me for money.” On the way home, I noticed huge posters of Lucas hung all over the city’s CBD. “Genius pianist returns to homeland after 14 years – Premiere domestic performance” The hype was clearly working well.

We had long since sold our old house. Three years ago, Dad bought a seaside mansion in the suburbs with a beautiful view. The renovations were just completed last year. This was my first time stepping into this house. The decor was very nice, close to my dream home. The driver started rambling again: “Miss Olivia, why do you like living in such a high place by the sea? The view is nice, but you young people need to be careful driving. The coastal road has a lot of twists and turns, with cliffs on one side. You absolutely can’t speed.” “I know, don’t worry,” I said. While I was taking a bath, I heard the phone ringing outside. I was too tired from the flight to move, so I ignored it. But the person on the other end seemed very persistent, ringing for about ten minutes. I had no choice but to get up and answer.

“What are you doing?” I asked lazily, wrapped in a bathrobe and leaning on the sofa. “Young master, I’m taking a bath. Is there something so urgent you have to say it now?” “Mm.” The phone went quiet for a moment. “I booked a flight for the day after tomorrow.” Lucas’ voice sounded a bit weary. He must have been tired from practicing piano these past few days. “Alright, I’ll prepare a welcome home party for you, young master.” A light chuckle came through the phone. “How was the performance?” I asked. “Not bad.” “Congratulations. Okay, it’s 11:30 now. Go to sleep soon, you can’t stay up late.” “I know. Goodnight.” “Goodnight. Love you.” He hadn’t hung up yet. After a moment of silence: “What did you just say?” “Goodnight.” “The next part.” “Love you.” The other end went quiet again, as if even his breathing had stopped. I laughed. “What? Am I not allowed to say that? I heard your fans saying it when they greeted you at the airport last time.” Three seconds later, the dial tone sounded on the phone. Two days later. The driver brought my parents back from the airport, but I didn’t see Lucas. Apparently he had been picked up by the event organizers and might not be back until evening. I was about to eat when Mrs. Lin, our housekeeper, came running over to say someone was looking for us outside. “Who are they looking for?” I asked casually. “They said they’re looking for the CEO and Madam.” My father and mother both looked puzzled. “Looking for us? Who is it?” Mrs. Lin’s expression was conflicted, but she finally said it: “He says… he’s the CEO’s son.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296177”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #魔幻Magic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn #惊悚Thriller

Three years after our divorce, my ex-wife was in a car accident and lost her memory, reverting to when she was eighteen and loved me the most. She coldly rejected the other woman she once adored, ignored the humiliation and hurt she had caused me, and stubbornly insisted on moving into my house despite my indifference. She clung to me, acting sweet and expressing her love. I played along, watching coldly as she fell deeper. Until later, when she regained her memory and tearfully begged me on her knees to remarry her. Little did she know, thanks to her, I was dying. I would die in the year when she was most vulnerable and helpless after being betrayed by the other woman… And when she loved me the most. When I arrived at the hospital, I heard Lily arguing with someone. She was sitting on the hospital bed, her head still wrapped in bandages, but she didn’t look like a patient at all. “I don’t know you, please don’t touch me!” Lily said. Jake, Lily’s secretary, was holding a bowl of porridge, looking helpless. “Lily, it’s me. I’m your boyfriend.” Lily’s beautiful eyes scrutinized Jake suspiciously. She tilted her head and said, “Boyfriend? You’re lying. My boyfriend is Adrian.” At the mention of my name, a flash of darkness crossed Jake’s eyes, but he still said good-naturedly, “Lily, be good. You haven’t eaten all day. Let me feed you some porridge.” Jake scooped up a spoonful of porridge and tried to feed Lily, but she swatted his hand away without even looking, spilling the hot porridge all over Jake. “Get out! Don’t touch me.” Jake wearily pressed his temples and called someone to clean up. It was in this chaotic scene that I appeared. I pushed through the crowd and called out, “Lily.” Lily, who had been burying her face in her knees, suddenly looked up at the sound of my voice, her eyes lighting up with joy. “Adrian!” She was about to jump off the bed and into my arms. I quickly stopped her, saying, “Don’t move. You’ve just been in a car accident. You shouldn’t make any sudden movements.” Lily pouted, reluctantly settling back onto the bed. “Okay. They say I’ve lost my memory. Is that true? But I clearly remember you, my parents, and even the homework Mr. Zhang assigned yesterday. How could I have lost my memory?” Mr. Zhang was our math teacher. Lily’s behavior clearly showed that her memory had reverted to our high school days. Before I could speak, Jake cut in, “Lily, it’s 2024 now. You’re thirty years old.” Lily glared at Jake fiercely and said angrily, “I don’t believe you. Adrian, this weird guy keeps lying to me. Get me out of here quickly.” Jake’s face visibly darkened. After all, being called weird by the person you love isn’t a pleasant experience. Looking at Lily’s clear and innocent eyes, I sighed and said, “Lily, Jake isn’t lying. It really is 2024 now.” Lily’s eyes widened suddenly. I turned to Jake, gesturing for him to bring over Lily’s scans. As I held the scans up to the light, Lily playfully whistled at me and said, “I never imagined our Adrian would really become a doctor. You must look especially handsome in a white coat.” This little flirt’s behavior was exactly the same as in high school. However, I could no longer perform surgeries now. I put down the scans and said, “Now do you believe that you’ve lost your memory?” Lily nodded glumly and said, “You wouldn’t lie to me. If you say so, then it must be true.” Jake’s face became even more unpleasant. He stepped forward and said softly, “Lily, you see, I wasn’t lying to you.” Lily didn’t even look at Jake. She hugged my arm and said, “Adrian, is this guy really my boyfriend? Did we break up later? How is that possible? I like you the most. Did you leave me?” A barrage of questions hit me, and I looked at Lily clinging to me obediently, not knowing where to start. How could I tell her that we got married and then divorced? How could I tell her that in the first year of our marriage, she fell in love with someone else? How could I tell her that we once vowed never to see each other again? I held Lily’s hand and said heavily, “We didn’t break up.” Lily’s eyes lit up, with a hint of “I knew it” pride. I gently removed Lily’s arms from around me and said flatly, “We got divorced.”

When I saw the momentary shatter in Lily’s eyes, I felt a twinge of guilt. Tears slowly welled up in Lily’s eyes, and she asked me with a choked voice, “Why? Didn’t we swear in front of the snow-capped mountains that we’d be together forever? It’s only been a few years, and you’ve already broken your promise?” Lily and I chose to travel for our wedding, from the heart of the country all the way to the west. We sang in the desert, drank by the sea, and at the moment when the sun shone on the golden mountain, we vowed to be together forever. But just six months later, another man appeared by Lily’s side. At that time, Jake had just graduated from university. Due to his inexperience, he had made a big mistake for the company. Lily was originally going to fire Jake, but I felt sorry for him and pleaded on his behalf. Only then did Lily agree to give Jake another chance. Little did I know that this small act of kindness would plant a huge hidden danger for myself. It took Jake only two months to become Lily’s secretary. And in another three months, he had climbed into Lily’s bed. Lily bit her lip hard, not letting the tears fall from her eyes. This stubborn look was no different from how she was over a decade ago. I crouched down, leveling my eyes with Lily’s, and said, “Lily, I didn’t break my promise. It was you. You fell in love with someone else and chose to divorce me.” Lily was so shocked that she forgot to cry, staring at me blankly. I slowly stood up and said, “From the scans, you don’t have any major issues. You just need to rest for a while and you’ll be fine. I have some business to attend to, so I’ll be leaving now.” With that, I turned to leave. Lily called my name with a trembling voice. I stopped in my tracks but didn’t turn around. After a moment, I opened the door and left. I came to the hospital today not only to see Lily but also for another matter. I pressed the elevator button and made my way to my friend Dr. Lucas’s office. Dr. Lucas handed me a large bag of medicine and said, “Adrian, are you sure you don’t want to keep fighting?” I shook my head with a bitter smile and said, “No, chemotherapy is too painful. You know I can’t bear it. Besides, even with chemo, it might not work, right? It’s already late-stage anyway.” Knowing that my mind was made up, Dr. Lucas didn’t try to persuade me further. He leaned back in his chair and asked, “I heard Lily was in a car accident and has lost her memory now?” I nodded, and Dr. Lucas let out a contemptuous laugh, saying, “God is blind. Why didn’t He take her away instead!” “Lucas!” I reprimanded him. Dr. Lucas widened his eyes in disbelief and asked, “Don’t tell me, Adrian, that you still have feelings for that woman? Don’t forget who made it impossible for you to ever hold a scalpel again.” Dr. Lucas’s words made me close my eyes in pain. That day was the tenth anniversary of our relationship. I had prepared gifts and a candlelit dinner at home, but Lily never came back. I reheated the food on the table over and over again. Finally, I received a call from Lily’s phone. But it wasn’t her voice on the other end. Jake anxiously told me that Lily was in trouble. I rushed to the location Jake sent me. As soon as I pushed open the door, I saw a man about to smash a broken bottle at Lily. Without thinking, I used my hand to shield Lily from the blow. As a result, my hand was covered in blood from the shattered glass. After the surgery, the doctor told me that several of my tendons had been severed. It wouldn’t affect my daily life, but I would never be able to perform delicate procedures like surgery again. When Lily found out, she cried uncontrollably. She lay by my hospital bed, saying she was sorry. At that time, I thought, exchanging my dream for my loved one’s life was still worth it. So I stroked her head and told her that to me, she was more precious than my dream. Until later, when Jake suddenly approached me and said, “Mr. Chen, actually, Lily loves me. She’s been tired of you for a long time but didn’t have the heart to tell you because of all these years together. There’s five hundred thousand in this card. Lily hopes you can part ways amicably.” Of course, I didn’t believe him. Jake just smiled lightly and said, “Mr. Chen, do you know? I’m actually very grateful to you. If it weren’t for you, I would have been the one with severed tendons.”

Only then did I realize that the real reason Lily got into an argument with others that day was because Jake had accidentally spilled wine on the boss sitting opposite them while pouring. The boss said a few words to him, and Jake, unwilling to back down, started arguing with them. Lily, in an attempt to stand up for her secretary, got into an argument with them, which led to what happened later. In my ear, Dr. Lucas was still earnestly advising me not to make the same mistake again. I waved my hand and said, “Don’t worry, how could I possibly fall in the same place twice?” However, the very next day, Lily knocked on my door. A thirty-year-old body housing an eighteen-year-old soul made Lily look particularly strange. For example, an adult sucking on a strawberry-flavored lollipop while sitting on my couch, curiously examining the interior decor. “Adrian, is this our home? It’s so shabby and small. Didn’t you say you’d buy me a villa when you made a lot of money?” Lily jumped onto me, clinging to me like a koala. My hand, which was making tea, paused. I said, “I did buy one, in Blue Bay Residences.” Lily bit her fingernail and said, “Oh, that house is yours? I thought it was Jake’s.” I’m a doctor, and my income isn’t as high as Lily’s, but I still wanted to give Lily a home through my own efforts. I worked tirelessly and finally saved enough for a down payment. On the day we moved into the new home, I carried Lily and spun her around in the living room. At that time, she held tightly onto my neck, saying she was the happiest woman in the world. Later, she had an affair with Jake in that very house. That day, I came home after a night shift to find Jake wearing my pajamas, lying on my pillow, holding Lily as they slept soundly. All the blood in my body froze. It was almost by instinct that I yanked Jake up. Lily let out a scream, kneeling on the ground begging for my forgiveness. She said she had drunk too much and couldn’t remember anything. In the end, I chose to believe Lily. I told her to replace Jake. She did, but not in bed. After catching them together for what felt like the hundredth time, I filed for divorce. Lily agreed, and we quickly got our divorce papers. I felt disgusted, so I didn’t take anything with me when I left. Surprisingly, Jake didn’t seem to mind, and the two of them continued living there for quite some time. I didn’t continue this topic and asked Lily why she had come. Lily grinned and hugged my waist, saying, “You’re my boyfriend. Of course, I should be wherever you are.” I pried her hands off and said flatly, “Didn’t I tell you? We’re already divorced.” Lily put her hands on her hips and said righteously, “The thirty-year-old Lily divorced you. What does that have to do with me, the eighteen-year-old Lily? I don’t care. I just want to be with you. At worst, I’ll pursue you all over again.” Actually, our relationship had been Lily’s forceful pursuit. In high school, Lily was the school’s star. Beautiful, from a well-off family, she was every boy’s goddess.

In comparison, I was much more ordinary. Average looks, average family background, raised by my mother alone since I was young. The only thing extraordinary about me was probably my consistently top-ranking grades. I don’t know what about me attracted Lily, but one day, I inexplicably became Lily’s boyfriend. When I tried to explain to others, Lily would suddenly appear by my side, link her arm with mine, and say with a smile, “Adrian is shy, don’t tease him.” At that time, I hated Lily to the core and wanted nothing more than to stay far away from her. Until one day, I saw her at my home. She was munching on a pancake, waving at me happily. My mom told me that if it weren’t for Lily’s help, her street stall would have been confiscated by the city management that day. In her haste, Lily had even scraped her hand, which my mom had carefully bandaged. But Lily acted as if it didn’t hurt at all, smiling carefreely as she said, “Classmate Chen, your mom’s pancakes are so delicious!” That was the first time I felt that Lily wasn’t so annoying after all. Later, we gradually became closer. We promised to apply to universities in the same city and to get married after graduation. “Will you agree? Will you agree?” Lily tugged at the hem of my shirt, whining. Suddenly, I had an idea. I nodded and said okay. Lily smiled somewhat mischievously and threw herself into my arms. She was about to say something when there was a knock at the door. I opened the door, only to be knocked down by Jake’s punch. “Adrian, seducing a married woman? Have you no shame?” Jake yelled. If it weren’t for my weakened body due to illness, I would have taught Jake a lesson. But now, I could only lean against the doorframe, taking a long time to recover. Lily rushed out, standing in front of me, pointing at Jake and cursing, “Are you fucking crazy? I’ve told you I don’t like you. Why are you still pestering me?” As soon as Jake saw Lily, his aggression diminished considerably. He put on a placating smile and said, “Lily, you’ve lost your memory. You have no relationship with him now. I’m your boyfriend.” Lily crossed her arms, looking Jake up and down, then snorted coldly, “I may have lost my memory, but I haven’t lost my mind. Me, like you? A toad yearning for swan’s flesh, what kind of dream are you having? Get lost now, or I’ll call a whole group of people to beat you up.” For a moment, it felt like we had truly returned to the past. When Lily’s admirers came to cause trouble for me, she would shield me just like this. Jake glared at me hatefully and sneered, “Adrian, you coward. You can only hide behind a woman for the rest of your life.” I retorted, not backing down, “Jake, you’re not a coward. You’re brave enough to climb into your boss’s bed.” The poor soundproofing in the old neighborhood meant our quarrel had attracted many onlookers. People were curiously pointing and discussing us. Jake’s face reddened, and with a “You just wait and see,” he hurriedly left. I coughed lightly and closed the door. Lily looked at me with starry eyes and said, “Wow, Adrian, you’re so cool. You made him run away with just one sentence.” I chuckled and patted Lily’s head, then took out my phone. In Lily’s memory, we were still using Nokia phones. She had no idea how to order takeout or call a ride-hailing service. I wonder how this little girl managed to find me across half the city. After an afternoon of learning, Lily was already able to play games on my phone. Feeling pleased, I made her a bowl of wonton for dinner. Focused on her game, Lily didn’t notice the bloodstained tissues in the trash can, nor did she see me swallow a handful of pills. My home didn’t have an extra room, so I gave the master bedroom to Lily and made do with the sofa for the night. And so, Lily and I began an odd cohabitation. Jake would come by from time to time, but without exception, he was always scolded away by Lily. Lily and I seemed to return to our passionate dating days. Her eyes no longer held resentment and disgust when she looked at me, but instead overflowed with love. Everything seemed to go back to how it was when we first got married. In the morning, I would get up first, prepare breakfast for Lily, squeeze out toothpaste for her, and then wake her up. She liked to sleep in, and I would patiently carry her to wash up every day. During the day, we each went to work. She was busy with business negotiations, and I was even busier with surgeries. We could hardly speak a word to each other throughout the entire day. Only the time after work was truly ours. We were no different from ordinary young couples. We shopped at supermarkets together, bought groceries together. At home, I was the chef, and she was my assistant. Though calling her an assistant was generous; it was more like causing trouble. She would eat the tomatoes I had cut, or insist on tasting the soup before it was ready. When the kitchen was filled with the aroma of cooking, she would pull me close and exchange a tomato-flavored kiss with me. I was afraid that hot oil might splash and hurt her, or that the smoke would taint her skin. Every time I told her to leave the kitchen, she would hug my waist and say with a grin, “I’m not afraid. Wherever Adrian is, that’s where I’ll be.” Back then, Lily’s heart and eyes were full of me, and so were mine of her. I thought our days would continue like this forever, but when did things start to change? It was when Lily stopped mentioning Jake in front of me, when Lily secretly changed her phone password; when Lily began to resist intimate gestures with me. It was when Lily’s work became increasingly busy; when Lily’s gaze towards me gradually became cold and distant; when Lily made excuses about work and stopped coming home. Lily and I were like two intersecting lines, briefly touching before heading in different directions. I watched all of this happen before my eyes, powerless to change it.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296176”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #魔幻Magic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn #惊悚Thriller

During my internship as a forensic pathologist, I accidentally opened a video file of a 20-year-old murder case in the database. I watched in horror as a young girl was brutally killed. Devastated, I frantically dragged the progress bar back to the beginning. Like a madman, I started sending message after message. [Please, I beg you, don’t open the door! There’s a serial killer outside!] [You’re so young. Seeing you like this hurts me more than if I were killed myself.] [Don’t open the door! You’ll die, you’ll really die!!] At that moment, the little girl who was about to open the door suddenly stopped. She turned around and looked up, her shocked gaze meeting mine. “Who… who are you?” She could see me?! The moment our eyes met, I almost dropped my phone in shock. The girl’s sweet childish voice continued to come from my phone. “What’s this? Why did these words suddenly appear?” “Is someone projecting them?” I looked back at my phone. In the video, the girl reached out into the air, as if trying to grab something. Although it seemed unbelievable, I was now certain that the little girl couldn’t see me. But she could see the messages I was sending! Just then, the aggressive knocking on the door resumed. “Knock knock knock,” each sound more urgent than the last. The girl turned back, her hand reaching for the doorknob again. The TV in the living room was on, broadcasting the 2005 New Year’s Eve TV gala. A group of beautiful deaf-mute dancers were performing “Thousand-Hand Guanyin,” a dance that would later become world-renowned. (Note: The New Year’s Eve TV gala is a major annual event in China, featuring various performances and celebrations.) Without time to think, I quickly sent another message. [Lily, I know what I’m about to say sounds strange, but please believe me. I’m from 20 years in the future.] [I’m a forensic pathology intern named James.] [I’m watching a real video of you being murdered. There’s a serial killer outside the door. No one knows what he looks like, and he hasn’t been caught even now.] [You’re currently the last known victim on record.] [According to the police’s current deduction, he kills randomly. As long as you don’t open the door, he’ll leave, and you’ll be safe!] The girl had beautiful natural curls and big, blinking eyes. Her expression was surprised: “You know my name?” I noticed that at this moment, the girl had clearly lowered her voice. I knew she was starting to believe what I was saying. Thinking back to the scene of her being brutally murdered that I had just witnessed, I still felt a lump in my throat. [Yes, I know your name is Lily. Because three hours from now, close to midnight, your mom will come home and cry while holding you, calling your nickname.] [The video ends completely at midnight.] The girl fell silent. She quietly brought over a stool and stood on it to look through the peephole. I don’t know what she saw, but her expression clearly became somewhat fearful. “What should I do now?” [Lily, no matter what he does, don’t open the door. Try to call the police! Do you have a phone at home?] The girl nodded. “Yes, under my mom’s pillow.” Out of professional instinct, I thought for a moment and then sent another message. [Lily, when it’s safe, can you describe what the killer looks like to me? Maybe you can help us catch the criminal in the future.] The girl quietly brought over a stool and stood on it to look through the peephole. Then she turned back, about to say something to me when suddenly my head started to ache violently, as if it was about to split open. My ears were also filled with a piercing roar. “Ah!” I clutched my head and fell to my knees in pain. The next second, my consciousness was instantly pulled into a thick darkness.

When I regained consciousness, I smelled the pungent odor of disinfectant. I opened my eyes and found myself in a hospital. My hands and feet were sore and numb from maintaining a rigid posture, slumped over the bedside table for a long time. I looked at myself, somewhat confused. How did I end up here? The TV hanging in the hallway was playing the New Year’s Eve gala. Three male celebrities in mismatched outfits were singing on stage. “I invite you to meet me on the spring mountain; I’ve saved up a year’s worth of countless thoughts; Today is just an ordinary day; But it becomes extraordinary because I met you…” This… seems to be from the 2014 New Year’s Eve gala… Just then, a nurse on duty walked in. The nurse saw me and seemed unsurprised. “After the New Year, you should really hire a caregiver to help you. You young couple, working during the day and staying up like this at night, even the strongest body can’t take it.” I felt like I had grabbed onto a lifeline. “Nurse, is this a rerun on TV?” The nurse looked at me with sympathy: “Did you wake up confused? It’s not a rerun, this is this year’s live New Year’s Eve gala.” With that, the nurse skillfully pulled open the curtain of the bed in front of me. But when I saw who was lying on the bed, I felt all the blood drain from my body.

“Dad!” Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. “How did you end up like this?!” The man on the bed had his eyes tightly shut, emaciated to just skin and bones, with sunken cheeks and a sallow complexion. His throat had been cut open. His body was full of tubes. The nurse took out a device and skillfully lifted a section of the tube in my father’s throat, inserting a thin tube to suction out the congested phlegm with a scratching sound. After finishing the procedure, the nurse looked at me sympathetically, seeing my panicked face. “If you need anything, press the call button.” Then she left. All the muscles in my body felt frozen, numb and cold, as if I had lost all sensation. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. How could this be possible? This year was supposed to be 2025. I was doing an internship, about to become a full-time employee, realizing my long-held dream of becoming a forensic pathologist! The office was on holiday, and I was busy sorting through files on my phone. My dad and mom were in the living room, laughing and making dumplings. Fireworks were going off outside, and the TV in the living room was blasting music. A robot was doing a traditional dance, tossing a handkerchief. My parents laughed, joking that instead of having the robot toss a handkerchief, they might as well have it throw grenades. How did it suddenly… Is this really not just a nightmare? I reached out my hand, and the moment I touched my father’s withered, cold body, Countless memories forcefully flooded into my brain. On New Year’s Eve in 2005, my mom, returning home from her night shift, encountered the infamous serial killer. He brutally murdered her and dumped her body in the neighborhood garbage bin. After that, the killer went dormant and never struck again. My mom became his last victim. My warm and loving home collapsed completely that night. The killer not only took my mom’s life but also took away my dad and ruined my life. My dad, holding my mom’s corpse, suffered a severe mental breakdown. From then on, he fell into depression, smoking and drinking heavily. He couldn’t get over the pain of losing my mom. He started to neglect me. As a result, I had to start working right after finishing middle school to support myself and my dad. To survive, I did all kinds of hard and menial jobs. I’ve broken dishes, assembled screws, carried cement. I watched as my once close classmates drifted away, no longer able to relate to each other. One by one, they entered university, striving for their life’s ideals. Some even went abroad. While I could only hide in the distance. Enviously watching their backs. I thought my life would forever be under a dark cloud. Until I met my wife, the love of my life. I had my own little family, and I thought the hard days were finally over. But then we found out my dad had late-stage lung cancer. What followed was a long and grueling process of chemotherapy and surgery, draining our savings and leaving us in debt. Yet his life was still coming to an end. I took out my phone, and the date really was January 30, 2014. With trembling hands, I searched for information about that serial killing case. The murderer was still at large. Online, you could see some photos of the victims taken after they were killed. Even though they were blurred, they were still unbearable to look at. The name and picture of the last victim. Instead of Lily Thompson, it was now my mom. Sarah Johnson…

I collapsed, sinking to the ground. How could this happen? How could this happen… Just then, the door opened again. A beautiful young woman with long hair draped over her shoulders, wearing a red scarf and a down jacket, walked in. Looking at me, she waved the lunchbox in her hand and smiled. “Honey, I made chive and egg dumplings, all by myself!” “Eat them while they’re hot!” She walked in hurriedly, almost tripping. My body reacted before my mind could process, standing up to steady her. Memories of her flooded back like a tidal wave, instantly covering the “dream” I couldn’t distinguish as real or false. Meeting my wife, falling in love, supporting each other. Every little detail, every frame, felt so real and vivid. Love for her immediately spread through my heart. She was my wife, Emma. She was beautiful, a graduate from a prestigious university, working at a bank. Yet she fell for me, a poor guy with only a middle school education, making a living by hauling goods for supermarkets. I awkwardly took the lunchbox. My wife must have sensed something was off. Her warm fingers touched my forehead with concern: “Honey, what’s wrong? Are you too tired?” I smiled bitterly. “I had a dream, I dreamed…” I paused: “I dreamed of a group of robots doing a traditional dance, tossing handkerchiefs.” My wife handed me a bowl of dumplings and couldn’t help saying, “I think it would be more believable if you dreamed of them carrying machine guns and throwing grenades.” “You must be too tired from taking care of dad lately. After the New Year, I’ll switch to a less busy position so I can help you more.” Grenades… My wife’s words made me feel disoriented. The smiling face of my mom flashed before my eyes again. My wife looked worried and pulled my head to rest on her soft chest. I could hear her clear heartbeat. “Thump thump.” The fear, unease, and doubts in my heart were all pressed down beneath the iceberg by this sound. “Honey, you’ve really been through a lot.” My wife couldn’t help but try to cheer me up. “You’re so tired you’re dreaming about beautiful female robots…” I couldn’t help it either, the tense muscles in my face relaxed, and I squeezed out a smile. But when I looked up at the TV, the New Year’s Eve gala host was interviewing the three male celebrities. The tone was teasing. This scene was so familiar. Was it really all just a dream?

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296175”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #魔幻Magic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn #惊悚Thriller

My boyfriend and my best friend were kissing passionately. I went up and slapped them both. A well-dressed lady nearby watched in shock. She came over and asked, “Excuse me, could you slap my son like that?” “You cheater, go to hell! I won’t give you custody of our child!” “You slut, I won’t cover up for you being a sugar baby to old men anymore!” They stared at each other, their eyes full of silent accusations. Soon, they started fighting. I felt satisfied and was ready to go home to bury my dead love. A teary-eyed lady grabbed my arm, “It’s not easy raising a child alone. There’s $1,000 in this card. I hope it helps.” Oh, this lady was too invested in the drama. I explained that it was all made up. The lady paused for a moment but still held onto me. “Um, could you slap my son like that?” I was stunned for a few seconds before I realized. She wanted me to break up her son’s relationship too… “No, ma’am, you misunderstood. I don’t do this for a living.” The lady wiped her tears and took out a platinum card from her purse, “100,000 dollars.” “Ma’am, I really can’t.” “500,000 dollars.” “No, ma’am, you…” “5 million dollars.” “Uh… let’s exchange SnapChat.”

The lady’s son was named Marcus Grant, who was madly in love with his dream girl. But his dream girl was studying abroad, living a messy life while stringing Marcus along. According to Mrs. Grant, when the dream girl got off the plane wearing a white dress that day, Marcus was overcome with joy, completely ignoring his mother’s warnings. To avoid affecting their mother-son relationship, they had to hire me as an intervener. “She dumped Marcus as soon as she went abroad, causing him to be depressed for three years. He almost got expelled from college for failing classes. In his senior year, he turned his grief into motivation and studied hard for a year to barely get his degree. Now that she’s back, what will happen to my Marcus…” “Don’t worry, Mrs. Grant. I’ll get right on it.” My hand trembled as I received the $500,000 deposit. For the first time in my life, I took a taxi instead of the bus and quickly appeared in front of Marcus. I raised my hand to… But I couldn’t bring myself to slap him. His handsome face and sharp eyes made my heart flutter. The fierce slap turned into a gentle caress down his handsome face. He was too good-looking to hit. “I’m sorry, that was rude of me.” Marcus’s temple twitched slightly, but his good manners kept him composed. I was delighted, thinking it would be easier to handle him now. So I politely extended my hand to him. “Nice to meet you, I’m Lily Adams, a friend of a friend of your mother.” Mrs. Grant’s friend was money, and money was my best friend. Marcus smiled slightly, and just as he was about to touch my hand, he suddenly raised it and put his arm around Amber Rose beside him. “Sorry, I have a girlfriend.” Amber looked up at him suddenly, her joy evident on her face. It was as if their relationship had just been confirmed at that moment. My smile froze. I hoped Mrs. Grant wouldn’t take back the money. Back home, I started searching online for his likes and interests. Combined with the information Mrs. Grant gave me, I began to quietly infiltrate Marcus’s world. We had a “chance” encounter at a coffee shop. At a restaurant, I pretended to be a part-time waitress, intentionally brushing my hand against his fingertips as I served. Amber became unhappy, and they started arguing. Good sign! That night, I immediately transformed into a sporty, sunshine girl, jogging past his house. I “accidentally” tripped and fell into Marcus’s arms as he was taking out the trash. I cried out in pain, looked up in surprise, my eyes brimming with tears. “Mr. Grant…” Marcus smiled silently. Feeling encouraged, I boldly said, “Actually, I’ve liked you for a long time.” Step one of breaking up the lovebirds: sow discord. Marcus loosely held me, “You like me?” I nodded shyly. He gently lifted me up. The next second, he stuffed me into the recycling bin along with the trash. One hand pressed down on the lid to keep me from getting out, while the other took out his phone. “Hello? 911?” “Yes, there’s a crazy person here, stalking me and sexually harassing me.”

Is this right? “This is not right! Miss Adams, even if you like someone, you can’t harass them at their home. Is this what they teach you in college…” The police officer lectured me. I tried desperately to explain. He just looked at me coldly, “Call your teacher to pick you up!” Calling my teacher was out of the question. I didn’t want to become a social outcast at school. Originally, I should have been lying in Marcus’s arms tonight, touching his slim waist, breathing heavily, about to do something for the good of humanity, then getting caught by Amber, having a big fight, and finally tearfully earning five million dollars. Now I was behind bars, listening to a bunch of drunks wailing… With no other choice, I called Mrs. Grant early the next morning. She came quickly and got me out as a family member of the involved party. Ignoring the looks from the police, she kept praising me, “You did very well. My son called last night in a bad mood, they must have had a fight…” After leaving the police station, she was still chattering, “But he’s too spineless, he took her back home. Lily, can you go to his house and keep an eye on things? What if that girl runs away pregnant?” I turned my head dejectedly and said softly, “Mrs. Grant, do you think next time you’ll be picking me up from prison?” Arrested for stalking, and then for breaking and entering, it would be even worse. Mrs. Grant clearly didn’t think so: “Don’t worry, Lily, just go ahead and do it.” Uh… I had a vague feeling that my relationship with the police officer wouldn’t end here. After finishing the thesis my advisor was rushing me for, I looked up and it was already dark. To prevent them from making a little Marcus Grant, I reluctantly went over. Mrs. Grant was true to her word and had bought off the new security guard Marcus hired. The guard didn’t even try to stop me, opening the gate wide for me to enter. At that moment, I suddenly felt confident. The door inside was slightly ajar. Through the gap, I saw two people canoodling on the sofa. Marcus’s half-open collar was wet, making his shirt transparent and revealing vague curves underneath. Amber took a tissue and started wiping it, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” Marcus frowned slightly and blocked her hand. “Amber, we’re both adults, some things…” Suddenly his voice trailed off. My heart skipped a beat too. Were they about to start doing adult things?! I don’t agree with this. Marcus’s sharp gaze swept over, “The person at the door, have you seen enough?” I walked in with an air of confidence. Seeing me, Amber immediately leaned into Marcus’s arms, as if marking her territory. But so what? Mrs. Grant doesn’t approve either. I said, “Mrs. Grant said she left something at your place and asked me to come get it.” As long as I couldn’t find it, I could use that as an excuse to stay, and they wouldn’t have a chance to get cozy. Marcus stared at me, his brows furrowed into a frown. He was about to get up when he looked down at his wet collar and said to Amber, “I’m going to take a shower. The red wine you spilled is sticky. This guest… please help me get rid of her first.” He walked towards the bathroom. Amber swirled the wine glass in her hand and said scornfully, “I advise you not to use despicable means to seduce Marcus. He’s different from other men. He’s very loyal.” She emphasized the last sentence particularly clearly. I found it hilarious and laughed out loud, “He’s loyal, but what about you?” Mrs. Grant had already investigated her thoroughly. Even after returning to the country, she wasn’t behaving herself. While pursuing Marcus, she had several backups, but unfortunately, there was no solid evidence to make Marcus believe it. Hearing this, Amber’s face changed slightly, but she quickly regained her composure, “What are you talking about? Of course, I only like Marcus.” “In a relationship, loyalty is the most basic thing, and Miss Rose, what you don’t have, I do.” Looking at her smile that was about to crack, I knew Mrs. Grant’s information was spot on. Suddenly, the phone on the coffee table rang. Amber was probably too nervous and accidentally pressed the speakerphone button. The phone immediately transmitted a young man’s voice: “Baby, are you coming tonight?” The voice was lazy and the tone ambiguous. Amber completely lost her composure, frantically trying to mute the call and rushing outside. This was my chance! As long as I let Marcus see her cheating, everything would be accomplished! Where was Marcus? The sound of water came from the nearby bathroom. Oh, he was taking a shower. I rushed over to urge him, knocking on the door frantically: “Are you done? I need to use the bathroom.” A lazy voice came from inside: “Not yet.” “Hurry up, I can’t hold it!” The person inside hesitated for two seconds, “There’s another bathroom upstairs.” “No, please, come out quickly!” “…” Through the window, I saw Amber’s lips forming what looked like “bye-bye”. She hung up the phone quickly, and Marcus also started to speed up his shower. I was scratching my head anxiously. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Amber was about to push the door open when the sound of water in the bathroom stopped. I couldn’t wait anymore! I kicked open the bathroom door and rushed in. A beauty out of the bath, my heart was pounding. I immediately closed my eyes. It was as if time had frozen at that moment. Until the warm breath approached, disturbing my thoughts. “Weren’t you in a hurry to use the bathroom? Go ahead.” I tried desperately to shake off the images of pecs, abs, and V-lines in my mind, “No, no, not urgent anymore, haha.” “Then why did you burst in?” My muddled brain was racing, and I stammered, “Uh, actually, your mom sent me here for a blind date with you. Before marriage, I need to check if it’s big enough!” Haha, I’ve gone crazy, my mouth was saying whatever came to mind. Just then, Amber’s voice gradually approached from the living room, “Marcus, aren’t you done yet? I specially canceled a meeting to spend the evening with you, okay?” I suddenly remembered what I was supposed to do. Right, I was supposed to create a misunderstanding and drive a wedge between them. I abruptly opened my eyes. Two streams of blood gushed from my nose. Why wasn’t he dressed yet!

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296174”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #魔幻Magic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn #惊悚Thriller

I lost five years of my memories. When I woke up, I discovered that Evelyn Frost, the goddess I had been secretly in love with for years, had become my wife. But she wasn’t good to me at all. All her tenderness was reserved for her male best friend. Even when my life was in danger, she was only concerned about accompanying her childhood sweetheart. Everyone said I was madly in love with her. They claimed that even if Evelyn asked me to be a slave to her male best friend, I would do it without hesitation. What a joke. I didn’t even remember this person. I didn’t remember Evelyn, and since she wasn’t good to me, I naturally proposed a divorce. But later, she lingered outside my house late at night, unwilling to leave. “Honey, can you… look at me one more time?” “Ms. Frost, your husband attempted suicide!” When I woke up, all I could see was a blinding white. Before I could react, a sharp pain shot through my wrist. As I was coming to my senses, I heard an anxious female voice nearby. Then, I saw a woman standing with her back to me, talking on the phone: “Ms. Frost, Jack Carson is in the hospital now. Do you want to come and see him?” A cold, emotionless female voice came from the other end of the line: “Is he dead? If not, don’t bother me!” The call was hung up, and the woman sighed, turning around. When she saw me, she froze for a moment. After a while, she walked up to me: “You’re awake?” “…Who are you?” I looked at her blankly, “Are you talking to me?” “You don’t recognize me?” The woman’s expression changed, “I’m Zoe, Ms. Frost’s assistant.” “…Who is Ms. Frost?” Zoe frowned as she looked at me, her expression already showing some impatience, “Jack, Ms. Frost is very busy with work right now. Even if you attempt suicide, it won’t work, let alone pretending to have amnesia! Give it up, Ms. Frost won’t come to see you!” I was even more confused, not knowing what she was talking about. Seeing that I didn’t respond, Zoe took another step forward and said earnestly: “Jack, you’ve been married to Ms. Frost for five years, and you’ve been causing trouble for five years. Ms. Frost still hasn’t fallen in love with you. Don’t you think you should reflect on yourself and stop causing trouble for Ms. Frost?” Although I still didn’t know what had happened, her attitude made me very uncomfortable. Especially looking at her face, I felt an inexplicable aversion. Wait a minute… “Did you say… five years?” I suddenly rushed into the bathroom attached to the hospital room, looking at myself in the mirror— It was indeed still me, the same face, but more mature and with a hint of lingering melancholy. Could what Zoe said be true? Is it five years later now? Am I really married? … The facts proved that I was indeed married. And had been for five years. I hadn’t time-traveled or been dreaming, I had just lost my memory. My current memories were still from when I was 18, just entering college; I had a secret crush on a senior student named Evelyn Frost. She was an ice beauty with impeccable looks, family background, and abilities. She had skipped grades since childhood, and although she was my senior, she was actually a few years younger than me. And now, I was married to her. According to Zoe, I married Evelyn when I was 22, in a rushed marriage without much of an emotional foundation. At that time, I hadn’t even graduated from college. We only got our marriage certificate, without a wedding ceremony. After getting married, I discovered that Evelyn’s heart wasn’t with me, but rather close to her male best friend, Lucas Sterling. Apparently, he was her unrequited love, the one that got away. And I, unloved, began to act out in our marriage. I used all sorts of bizarre methods to attract Evelyn’s attention, but only earned her increasing disgust. Her friends all treated me like a joke, just waiting to see when we would divorce. Lucas never took me seriously either. He was the young master in their circle, and my hysterical antics were nothing more than a clown show in their eyes. Finally, I used suicide to threaten Evelyn, demanding that she cut off all contact with Lucas. But she didn’t agree, and even told me to go ahead and die. So I attempted suicide. This was what happened before I woke up— I found it surreal. Attempting suicide for love didn’t seem like something I would do! I hated being a love-sick puppy the most! I would never be any woman’s lapdog! By the time I figured all this out, I was already in the master bedroom of our marital home. The doctor said I was fine, so Zoe had sent me directly back home, warning me not to cause any more trouble before she left. Looking at the enormous villa before me, I no longer had any desire to cause trouble. I was completely overwhelmed by this immense wealth. Even just the walk-in closet was bigger than my old house! Just as I was dizzily taking in our bedroom, there was a commotion at the door. I turned my head sharply and met Evelyn’s icy gaze.

Although I knew I had been married to Evelyn for five years, for me, this was the first time seeing her face up close. I had to admit, there was a reason she became the goddess of my youth. Just having that face in front of me improved my mood considerably. Even though she was giving me a cold look, I didn’t dislike it much. It seems Zoe’s words were credible; I might indeed be a sucker for beauty. Seeing that I didn’t speak, she frowned slightly, “Jack, what are you up to now?” As she spoke, she walked gracefully to the closet, not even pausing as she passed by me, and picked out a nightgown. I turned to look at her, “Up to?” From the moment she suddenly came back until now, I hadn’t said a word. Why did she say I was up to something? Evelyn’s pitch-black eyes glanced at me, “In the past, you would always pounce on me when I came back. Have you changed your tactics now?” I was a bit shocked. After marrying Evelyn, was I really that desperate? But I didn’t show it on my face, only saying flatly, “Oh, it won’t happen again in the future.” I originally thought Evelyn would be relieved. Unexpectedly, her frown deepened, and she looked at me with even more impatience, “I’ve been very tired with work lately, I don’t have time to deal with your antics.” Me: “…” Seeing that I didn’t speak, Evelyn’s gaze suddenly turned cold, “Jack, don’t try to do anything to Lucas again. He hasn’t done anything wrong, and even if you use suicide to threaten me, it won’t work.” I was stunned for a moment, my feelings complicated. Zoe had told me most of what had happened between Evelyn and me. It was nothing more than me loving Evelyn, Evelyn loving Lucas, and me, the clown in this love triangle, constantly trying to cause trouble for Lucas, increasingly earning Evelyn’s disgust. This suicide attempt was also because I was jealous of Evelyn’s constant care for Lucas. So I privately attacked Lucas’s company and smeared his artists, but Evelyn unhesitatingly chose to support him— This undoubtedly told everyone in the circle that I, Ms. Frost’s husband, was husband in name only, not even worth a finger of Lucas in Evelyn’s heart. So I lost my balance and tried to use suicide to win back Evelyn’s heart. The result was predictable. A woman who was already tired of me wouldn’t have a change of heart because of my suicide attempt; she would only find it troublesome. Seeing that I didn’t speak, Evelyn also lost patience and went directly to the bathroom. I breathed a sigh of relief, falling onto the large bed, my mind in chaos. After all, having lost the memories of these years, I really didn’t know why I would become so crazy. The 18-year-old me despised those obsessed with love, but now I was ready to die for a woman. I really couldn’t imagine that I would have such a day! My thoughts were in a jumble, and before I could figure out what I should do now, the blanket beside me was lifted, and a soft, warm body lay down next to me. The fragrance that hit me made me jolt. I turned my head to see Evelyn looking at me with those pitch-black eyes, her usual ice-cold demeanor now mixed with a hint of suppressed darkness. I stammered, “I, you… what are you doing?” Although I had lost my memory, based on the information I knew, Evelyn and I should have a bad relationship, right? We might even sleep in separate beds, so why did she lie down beside me so naturally? Evelyn seemed not to notice my discomfort. Her soft arm wrapped around my waist. Without a word, she pounced on me, her delicate fingers skillfully teasing the most sensitive parts of my body, giving me unprecedented sensations— “Evelyn!” I couldn’t help but call out her name, “Don’t touch me!”

Perhaps because the resistance in my eyes didn’t seem like an act, Evelyn’s eyes flashed with momentary bewilderment. But it was quickly replaced by impatience, “Jack, stop throwing a tantrum.” I didn’t like the way she always spoke to me, and even her face, which I had secretly loved for years, started to lose its appeal. “I’m your husband, right? I attempted suicide and was hospitalized, and you didn’t even show a bit of concern when you came back. Now you’re accusing me so aggressively. Evelyn, what gives you the right to treat me like this?” My anger seemed to ignite her fuse as well. She gripped my wrist tightly, her tone icy, “Because all of this is your own doing.” Her strength was minimal, but she happened to grip the wound from my suicide attempt. It hurt, but I endured it without making a sound. Evelyn suddenly withdrew her hand, as if she had lost interest, and lay on her side with her back to me, her tone cold: “I’ll let it go this time, but don’t pretend to attempt suicide to threaten me again in the future.” I lay beside her, my emotions a mix of five flavors. When I woke up the next morning, Evelyn was no longer beside me. I casually put on some clothes and went downstairs, only to see her already eating breakfast at the dining table. The housekeeper was beside her and greeted me, “Good morning, Mr. Carson.” I stood there without moving. Evelyn didn’t even lift her head, “Come down for breakfast.” Although it was just breakfast, the lavishness made me speechless. I couldn’t help but think, no wonder they’re a wealthy family, even breakfast is such a grand affair. I sat right across from Evelyn and saw the housekeeper serve me a plate of pancakes. I was speechless. What man eats this stuff early in the morning? Smelling the scent of strawberries, I frowned, “Why are there strawberries?” The housekeeper said: “This is specially sent over by Mr. Sterling. It’s also Mr. Sterling’s favorite, flown in from Europe…” I immediately lost my appetite, “I’m not eating.” The silver cutlery clashed with the porcelain, making a crisp sound. Evelyn looked up at me, her voice cool, “Jack, know your limits.” I had a belly full of anger, “Not eating strawberries offends you too?” “Isn’t it because Lucas sent these that you won’t eat?” Evelyn’s face was icy, “Jack, when will you curb your jealousy.” Me? I’m jealous of Lucas? I don’t know what the 27-year-old Jack was like in front of Evelyn, probably a pitiful and petty image. But no matter what, we are husband and wife. Doesn’t she even know that I’m allergic to strawberries? I was about to speak when the housekeeper suddenly said: “Sir, Mr. Sterling has arrived!” A gentle voice sounded: “Evelyn, am I interrupting you?” A tall figure walked in from the door. Both the housekeeper and the maid seemed very familiar with him, obviously a frequent visitor. One look and I knew this person was Lucas Sterling. I noticed how the housekeeper addressed him. I’m Evelyn’s husband, but he only called me Mr. Carson, while he called him Mr. Sterling. The difference in intimacy was clear from the way he addressed us. No wonder the 27-year-old me was so against Lucas. We are legally married, yet I can never compare to her blatant favoritism towards another man, under the guise of childhood friends. Anyone would lose their balance. Lucas looked at me with concern, “Mr. Carson, I heard you attempted suicide… Are you alright now?” I snorted, showing him no courtesy. I don’t know what the 27-year-old me was like in front of them, perhaps very cowardly, perhaps because I loved Evelyn too much, so I allowed them to boss me around— But now, I’m the 18-year-old me. I don’t love Evelyn at all. So I don’t need to swallow my pride. Lucas looked a bit troubled and said to Evelyn: “Evelyn, I’m sorry, Mr. Carson doesn’t seem to want to see me, perhaps I shouldn’t have come…” “You knew that and still came?” I said bluntly, “Are you here to laugh at me?” Lucas’s face instantly turned red, and Evelyn coldly reprimanded me, “Jack, stop making unreasonable scenes.” She was covering for Lucas, which made me feel unhappy, further lowering my impression of her. Originally, waking up to find myself married to my secret crush made me a bit excited and grateful— But now it seems, Evelyn is just ordinary. So what if she’s beautiful and rich? Abandoning her own husband, does it make her look impressive? If she had the guts, she shouldn’t have married me in the first place! I was indignant, but Lucas remained gentlemanly and calm, “Evelyn, I came this time to specially invite you to my celebration party…” After saying this, he seemed to realize that I, a living person, was standing right there, and he couldn’t not invite me, so he had to say to me: “Mr. Carson, why don’t you come along?” Originally, I didn’t want to go. But seeing the contempt and provocation hidden in Lucas’s eyes, I suddenly smiled and agreed, “Sure, after all, I am Evelyn’s husband. I should accompany Evelyn to social events.”

So I went with Evelyn to Lucas’s celebration party. When the three of us appeared, everyone in the private room looked over, their expressions a riot of colors. “Why did she bring him along?” “It’s not surprising, her husband is always making scenes and causing trouble, hostile to all the men around Evelyn, especially Lucas!” “I heard he even attempted suicide because of Lucas?” “That’s right! But he should know his place. Marrying Evelyn was already marrying up, what right does he have to control her? Those other guys were one thing, but Lucas? Who is he to compare?” These voices were neither loud nor soft, just enough for me to hear. I swept my gaze over them, guessing they were probably friends of Evelyn or Lucas. Anyway, they were all in the same circle, I couldn’t be wrong. I laughed coldly in my heart. No wonder the 25-year-old me wanted to commit suicide. Hearing these belittling words every day, how could the psyche not be distorted? Besides, I must have loved Evelyn very much back then, so I suffered to the point of wanting to give up my life in the daily torment. Evelyn and Lucas had already sat down in the seats reserved for them, leaving only me standing alone. “Isn’t he embarrassed standing there alone?” “How could he be embarrassed? As long as he can be with Evelyn, he’d even kneel if you asked him to!” I coldly looked at the man who was gossiping, “She’s not dead, why should I kneel for her?” The man’s face changed, as if he hadn’t expected me to talk back today. Evelyn’s expression was impatient, “Alright, stop making a fuss, all of you.” I had been ridiculed like this, and not only did she not help me, but she also tried to be impartial. I sneered, “It seems I’m not welcome here. I won’t disturb you any longer.” With that, I turned and left. Behind me came the gasps of those people: “Did I see that right? He actually dared to give Evelyn attitude!” “Could it be that Lucas really drove him crazy?” “I bet he won’t last half an hour before he comes crawling back…” “…” The noisy voices behind me were very annoying. I went to the outdoor swimming pool to clear my head. Not long after, Lucas suddenly came out. “Mr. Carson, you really surprised me.” I looked behind him, seeing that he came out alone, and said playfully, “I hate you so much, aren’t you afraid I might push you in?” Lucas laughed, “I’m more afraid you wouldn’t dare. After all, everyone knows Evelyn would save me.” I pressed my lips together, not bothering to respond to him. Lucas walked to my side again, “Jack, do you dare to bet?” I found it strange, “If you two really love each other so much, why don’t you let Evelyn divorce me? Lucas, do you have to trample on someone else’s true feelings to play out your love story? Is that what you call deep love?” Lucas’s expression changed slightly, “That’s because you won’t let go! You’d even attempt suicide to cling to Evelyn, she’s just pitying you!” Soon, he regained his calm and gentle demeanor, asking me again, “Jack, do you dare to bet?” The swimming pool sparkled, looking clear but actually very deep. I firmly shook my head, “I don’t dare.” I can’t swim. Suicide is a stupid thing, doing it once is enough, no need for a second time. I had just stood up when I caught Lucas’s disappointed gaze. He stood behind me and gave me a push— Splash! Screams of all kinds echoed in my ears as my body hit the water surface and then quickly sank. At that moment, I couldn’t feel anything. Only the fear of my senses being overwhelmed by water from all sides. My throat started to choke on water, my lungs gradually sinking. I struggled desperately to swim up, only to see a familiar figure quickly swimming in another direction. My wife, Evelyn, when both Lucas and I fell into the water, swam towards him. A sharp pain shot through my heart. This might be the last bit of feeling left in the 27-year-old me… Although I had long forgotten the past and no longer loved her, my body’s instinct was still there. But this time, it was also thoroughly drowned. … When I woke up, I was lying by the pool. Both Lucas and I had been rescued, but he was saved by Evelyn, while I was saved by a strange woman. She was quite beautiful, with a stunning figure. I lay on the ground as she pressed her hands on my chest, trying to squeeze out the water I had swallowed. I spat it out with a “Wah!”— In the corner of my eye, I saw Evelyn walking over. Lucas was still pretending to look at Evelyn’s back. Evelyn seemed to suddenly remember she had a husband, frowning as she asked, “Are you okay?” I didn’t answer, struggling to stand up. The woman beside me tried to help me, but I pushed her away. When Evelyn came to stand in front of me, I raised my hand, originally intending to slap her. But I don’t hit women. My hand raised in the air, in the end, I just grabbed her neck and threw her to the ground— There was dead silence all around. I could even hear everyone’s deliberately slowed breathing. A white-rich-beautiful woman like Evelyn, the darling of heaven, probably had never been touched violently by anyone, let alone being thrown aside. “Evelyn, let’s get a divorce.” After a long while, I heard my own voice in the dead silence. “I don’t want anything. That throw just now, consider it as the breakup fee you give to your ex-husband.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296173”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #魔幻Magic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn #惊悚Thriller

I stared at the black fabric I had just pulled out of the washing machine, my fingers unconsciously tracing the torn lace edge. The tear in these yoga pants was right in the crotch area. The material was high-quality, Lily’s favorite Lululemon brand. She always said this fabric was breathable and form-fitting, perfect for yoga without any risk of exposure. But now, these four-figure yoga pants had a vicious tear in the crotch, as if something sharp had forcibly ripped them open. What concerned me more was the suspicious white stains along the edges of the tear. They had dried and crusted, feeling hard to the touch. I leaned in for a closer look and caught a faint, fishy smell that made my stomach churn. “What are you looking at?” Lily’s voice came from behind. I instinctively stuffed the yoga pants into the laundry basket and turned around with a forced smile. “Nothing, just finished the laundry,” I said casually, but my eyes couldn’t help but linger on her face. She had light makeup on today, with perfectly drawn eyeliner and soft pink lipstick. She looked polished and elegant. “Oh,” she responded indifferently, walking to the fridge to grab a bottle of yogurt. “I’m going to the gym tonight, so you’ll have to eat dinner alone.” I nodded, watching her scoop up the yogurt. A drop of white liquid fell from the spoon, leaving a small stain on her shirt. She frowned and grabbed a tissue to wipe it off. “By the way,” I asked, trying to sound casual, “what happened to your black yoga pants? How did they get torn?” She paused for a moment, the spoon clinking against the glass bowl. “Oh, that,” she continued scooping the yogurt, “I accidentally caught them on some equipment during training yesterday. Just my luck.” “Is that so?” I stared at her profile. “The tear looks pretty bad.” “Yeah,” she smiled, tossing the empty yogurt container in the trash. “But it’s fine, I’ve had them for a while anyway. I’ll buy a new pair soon.” I watched her walk into the bedroom to change, but my heart felt heavy. She had only bought those yoga pants last month. She even posted about them on social media, bragging that they were limited edition and hard to get. And knowing her personality, if she had really accidentally torn them, she would have been devastated. How could she be so nonchalant about it? I walked back to the laundry basket and picked up the yoga pants again. The edges of the tear were jagged, as if they had been forcibly stretched open. Upon closer inspection, I found a small electronic key sewn into the inside of the waistband, engraved with a series of numbers: XX-032

XX was the abbreviation for a high-end gym in our city, and 0321 was a locker number. I remembered that Lily did have a membership at that gym, but she usually went with Victoria and rarely went alone. As I was pondering this, Lily came out of the bedroom, dressed and ready to go. She wore a pair of gray sweatpants and a loose hoodie, looking fresh and sporty. “I’m leaving,” she said, picking up her bag and heading for the door. “Wait,” I called out to her, “Why have you been going to the gym with Victoria so often lately?” She stopped and looked back at me, her eyes shifting slightly. “What do you mean? We’ve always gone together, haven’t we?” “But you used to only go on weekends. Why are you going every day now?” I probed. She laughed it off, saying lightly, “Work’s been stressful lately. I just want to exercise more and relax a bit.” I nodded, not saying anything more. She turned and left, and I stood by the window, watching her walk quickly towards the community gate where a black SUV was already waiting. The window rolled down, and Victoria waved at her. Lily opened the door and got in. The car soon disappeared from view. I returned to the living room, picked up the yoga pants, and carefully examined the electronic key. The VIP lockers at XX Gym were only for premium members, but Lily’s membership was just a regular one. I opened my phone and searched for XX Gym’s official website. I discovered that their VIP membership fee was over $10,000 per year and required strict vetting to obtain. Lily’s income was decent, but not enough to justify such an extravagance. As I was thinking, my phone suddenly vibrated. It was a text from an unknown number: “Don’t forget, Wednesday at the usual place for the reshoot.” I stared at the message, feeling uneasy. Lily’s phone was still on the coffee table; she had forgotten to take it with her. After a moment’s hesitation, I picked it up and unlocked it. Her password was still my birthday, which gave me a small sense of relief. I opened her text messages and found that she had been frequently communicating with an unknown number over the past few days. The messages were mostly brief exchanges like “See you Wednesday” and “Remember to bring clothes.” I scrolled to the top and found the first message from a month ago: “Wednesday, 3 PM, XX Gym VIP area. Remember to wear those black yoga pants.” My heart started racing, and my fingers trembled slightly. As I continued scrolling, I discovered that they met every Wednesday, and each time, those yoga pants were mentioned. The last message was sent yesterday: “Good performance today. Let’s continue next time.” I put down the phone, feeling like a heavy stone was pressing on my chest, making it hard to breathe. Lily had been going to the gym every Wednesday, always wearing those black yoga pants. And today, those pants were mysteriously torn, with suspicious white stains. I picked up the yoga pants again, re-examining the tear. The lace around the edges was ripped, as if something had forcibly stretched it open. Suddenly, I had a thought. I picked up my phone and searched for “yoga pants tear.” The results that popped up made me freeze. The first search result was a post on an anonymous forum titled “Exposing the Gym’s Hidden Camera Industry.” I clicked on it and found that the original poster had detailed how to use the gym’s changing rooms and equipment areas to secretly film female members. There was even a specific “yoga pants series” because these pants were form-fitting and easily damaged, making them ideal targets for hidden cameras. My hands started shaking as I continued reading. The poster mentioned that those who set up hidden cameras usually chose VIP lockers because there were fewer people and more blind spots in the surveillance. They would also install tiny cameras in the lockers to specifically capture footage of female members changing clothes. I suddenly stood up, grabbed my car keys, and rushed out. XX Gym wasn’t far from my house, only a ten-minute drive. I had to go see for myself what was hidden in that VIP locker. I drove there quickly, my mind replaying Lily’s recent unusual behavior. She always came home late, sometimes with strange bruises on her body. When I asked, she would say she accidentally bumped into something while working out. She also frequently received text messages from unknown numbers, always deleting them nervously after reading. I parked outside the gym and walked quickly towards the VIP area. The security guard at the entrance stopped me, but when I showed him the electronic key, he let me through. I found locker 0321 and inserted the key. The door opened with a click. It was empty except for a small SD card lying in the corner. I picked up the SD card, my fingers trembling slightly. I knew that it must contain some dark secret. I found a corner, inserted the SD card into my phone, and opened the file manager. There was only one video file, named “0321-20231004”. Taking a deep breath, I clicked on the video. The image was blurry at first but soon came into focus. The camera was aimed at a dimly lit room with workout clothes hanging on the wall and a yoga mat on the floor. A woman wearing black yoga pants had her back to the camera, doing stretching exercises. My heart rate suddenly increased. I knew that silhouette all too well – it was Lily. She seemed completely unaware of the camera’s presence and continued with various yoga poses. The camera angle was very low, as if filming from the ground up, providing a clear view of her lower body. Forcing myself to keep watching despite my discomfort, I saw the scene suddenly change. Lily walked towards the camera and crouched down, apparently adjusting something. At that moment, a hand suddenly reached out from off-screen and grabbed her ankle. Lily cried out in surprise and tried to break free, but the hand was strong and pulled her to the ground. The image began to shake violently. I could only vaguely see Lily struggling on the floor, while the owner of the hand never came into view. The video abruptly ended there. I stared at the blank screen, my mind completely blank. Lily had been secretly filmed, and the person behind it clearly had malicious intentions. I suddenly stood up, rushed out of the gym, and drove straight home. I had to get to the bottom of this. However, when I got home, Lily wasn’t there. Her phone was still on the coffee table. I picked it up and saw that the unknown number had sent another message: “Meet at the usual place tonight. Remember to wear those black yoga pants.” I gripped the phone tightly, a sense of foreboding washing over me. Tonight, I had to go to this “usual place” myself and see who was behind all this. I sat on the couch, clutching Lily’s phone. That text message felt like a thorn, piercing my heart. The content was simple, yet it sent a chill down my spine: “Meet at the usual place tonight. Remember to wear those black yoga pants.” The usual place? Where was that? The VIP area of XX Gym? Or somewhere else? I stared at the phone screen, my mind racing through Lily’s recent whereabouts. She went to the gym every Wednesday, but aside from that, she didn’t seem to have any other regular haunts. I opened her messaging app and scrolled through her recent chats. Besides her daily conversations with Victoria, a contact labeled “Coach” caught my attention. Their chat history was brief, mostly about scheduling training sessions, but the recent messages were strange. “Meet at the usual place tonight. Remember to wear those black yoga pants.” This was the latest message from him, identical to the text on Lily’s phone. I frowned and clicked on his profile picture. It showed a middle-aged man, around 40, with a muscular build, wearing a tight tank top with an XX Gym badge on his chest. His name was Jack, and he was Lily’s personal trainer. As I continued scrolling through their chat history, I noticed that starting a month ago, Jack had been frequently asking Lily to “add extra sessions,” always reminding her to wear those black yoga pants. Lily’s replies were mostly “Okay” or “Got it,” occasionally asking questions about the training. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. But the torn yoga pants and the video on the SD card made it impossible for me to believe in this facade of normalcy anymore. I decided to go to XX Gym myself and see what this Jack was up to. I drove to the gym and walked straight to the front desk. The receptionist smiled and asked how she could help. I showed her Lily’s membership card and said I wanted to find Coach Jack. “Coach Jack is in a session right now. You can wait in the lounge area if you’d like,” the receptionist pointed to the nearby sofa area. I nodded and sat down in the lounge, but my eyes were fixed on the training area. Not long after, I saw Jack walk out of a private training room, followed by a tall woman – it was Lily. She was wearing a tight sports top and black yoga pants, the same style as the torn ones. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail, and her face was flushed from exercise, looking energetic. Jack said a few words to her, then patted her shoulder before turning towards another private room. Lily headed towards the changing room, apparently getting ready to leave. I stood up and quickly followed her. The changing room door was slightly ajar. I stood outside, overhearing a conversation between Lily and Victoria. “Why are you so late today?” Victoria’s voice sounded displeased. “Coach Jack said we needed extra training, so I stayed a bit longer,” Lily’s tone sounded tired. “Extra training? Did he make you wear those yoga pants again?” Victoria’s voice suddenly rose. “Yeah, he said these pants help with the training,” Lily’s voice lowered, sounding a bit guilty. “Help with training? I think he has other intentions!” Victoria scoffed. “Do you know his reputation at the gym lately? I’ve heard he often gets handsy with female members.” “Don’t say that. Coach Jack is a good person. He’s just helping me correct my form,” Lily’s tone was urgent, as if defending herself. “Correcting your form? Then why does he always make you wear those yoga pants? Don’t you find that strange?” Victoria’s voice was tinged with sarcasm. “I…” Lily fell silent, seemingly at a loss for words. Standing outside, I felt a tightness in my chest. Victoria’s words further confirmed my suspicion that Jack’s “extra training” with Lily was definitely problematic. Just then, the changing room door suddenly opened, and Victoria walked out. She was startled to see me standing there. “What are you doing here?” Her tone was surprised, but she quickly regained her composure. “I’m here to pick up Lily,” I said calmly, my eyes fixed on her face. Victoria’s expression was peculiar. She glanced back at the changing room, then lowered her voice to tell me, “You’d better be careful. Jack isn’t a good guy.” I nodded without saying much. Victoria turned and left, and I walked into the changing room to find Lily sitting on a bench, changing her shoes. She looked up in surprise when I entered. “Why are you here?” Her tone was flustered, as if she hadn’t expected me to show up. “I’m here to pick you up,” I said, walking to her side, my eyes falling on her yoga pants. The crotch of these pants was intact, clearly not the pair I had found in the washing machine. Lily noticed my gaze and instinctively pulled at her waistband, as if trying to hide something. I crouched down, grasped her wrist, and asked in a low voice, “Have you been hiding something from me lately?” Her body tensed, and her eyes darted around. “No, why would you think that?” I stared into her eyes, trying to read her expression. Her gaze was evasive, as if she couldn’t look at me directly. I took a deep breath and decided to confront her directly. “I found a pair of torn yoga pants in the washing machine, with white stains on the crotch,” I said quietly, my voice tinged with suppressed anger. Lily’s face instantly turned pale. She yanked her hand away and stood up, trying to leave. I grabbed her and pulled her back onto the bench. “What are you hiding from me?” My voice trembled slightly, a sense of unease rising within me. Lily lowered her head, her hands tightly gripping the hem of her shirt, seemingly engaged in an intense internal struggle. After a long moment, she finally said in a low voice, “I… I don’t know how to tell you.” “Then start from the beginning,” I forced myself to calm down, sitting beside her and holding her hand. Lily was silent for a while before finally speaking: “A month ago, Coach Jack suddenly approached me, saying there were issues with my posture that needed extra training to correct. He asked me to come to the gym every Wednesday night, wearing those black yoga pants, saying it would help him see my movements more clearly.” “And then?” I pressed. “At first, he was really helping me correct my form, but later…” Lily’s voice trembled, “he started touching me inappropriately, claiming it was to help relax my muscles, but it made me very uncomfortable.” My heart sank. I squeezed her hand, encouraging her to continue. “I tried to refuse, but he threatened to post videos of my training sessions online if I didn’t cooperate,” Lily’s voice was on the verge of tears, “I… I didn’t know what to do, so I just went along with it.” I took a deep breath, trying to suppress the rage building inside me. That bastard Jack, using such despicable methods to threaten Lily. I clenched my fists, silently vowing to make him pay for this.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296172”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #魔幻Magic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn #惊悚Thriller