Four months after marriage, my husband took in his pregnant and divorced distant cousin. He killed the dog my late mother left to keep me company and used it to nourish her body. He gave her our meticulously decorated newlywed room, which he had prepared for me, and made me sleep on the couch. When I got angry, he scolded me, saying he was just doing what a brother should do. But he didn’t know that I also had a childhood friend who was like a brother to me. When he heard I was wronged, he flew back from abroad specifically for me. Late at night, after returning from the hospital where I had been cleaning up after my mother-in-law, I discovered that my husband had killed the dog I had raised for nine years to nourish his pregnant cousin. I grabbed the bones I found in the trash and rushed into what used to be our wedding room. There, I saw my husband pressing his ear against Zoe’s belly, grinning like an idiot. “Mia, ‘Buddy’ was so smart,” Zoe taunted me. “He was barking non-stop when Jack was killing him, but he quieted down when he heard your voice recording. Haha, I’m sure it’ll be very nutritious for my baby. Jack just said the baby enjoyed it.” I clenched my fists, tears in my eyes, as I looked at Jack. The smile he had worn earlier while watching me call out for “Buddy” in the yard was still lingering on his face. “Alright, Mia. I’ll buy you another dog after Zoe gives birth. Now, go prepare a basin of warm water for Zoe to soak her feet,” Jack said dismissively. I stared at him in disbelief, as if I had never known him before. I had found Buddy seven years ago when I first got into college and brought him home. My mom had taken care of him for seven years. She said when she missed me, she would pet Buddy, and it was as if she was seeing me. Eight months ago, she passed away in a car accident, and Buddy became like my mom’s presence accompanying me. Just four months ago at our wedding, Jack had ignored the mocking voices of others and publicly offered a toast to “Buddy,” tearfully promising to take care of me for life. But now, just four months into our marriage, he easily killed Buddy for Zoe. Enraged, I threw the bones at Zoe’s belly. Jack reacted quickly, pushing me to the ground and shielding Zoe behind him. He scolded me angrily, “Enough, Mia Russell! Are you really treating this dog as your mother? Your mom is long dead, why are you throwing a fit here?” I glared at him coldly. Since the first day of our marriage, my mother-in-law had fallen ill and been hospitalized. I had been running back and forth between the hospital and home, while Jack focused all his attention on Zoe. Every time I returned home late at night, only Buddy was waiting for me at the dark alley entrance. I stood up angrily, glaring at Jack, and ran to the living room where we kept his father’s ashes. I grabbed a handful and sprinkled it over their heads, coldly saying to them, “Zoe, didn’t you want snow? Here, I’ll give you some.” I recalled the social media post Zoe had made earlier that day in the hospital room. Jack’s hand was holding hers, touching her belly, with the caption: “When we were young, you held an umbrella for me in the snow. Now there’s no snow, but you still shield me from the world’s hardships.” I continued sprinkling the ashes in a frenzy. Jack angrily grabbed my hand, shouting if I had gone mad. “Your dad died even earlier. Are you really treating this urn as your father?” I mimicked his tone. His face darkened as he yelled at me to get out. Zoe took the opportunity to cling to Jack, saying she was scared. I looked around the messy room. Just half a month ago, Jack had covered my eyes and proudly showed me the scene he had meticulously prepared for a week. The memory was still vivid. Now, our wedding photo on the wall had been replaced by Zoe’s shoes, and the “double happiness” decorations we had laughingly put up on the windowsill were quietly lying in the trash can. The blanket they were using was hand-sewn by my mother. Perhaps our relationship, like this wedding room, had already been in shambles since Zoe’s arrival. With a dead heart, I uttered the word “divorce” to Jack. He didn’t try to stop me but instead roared “Get out!”

Braving the cold wind, I returned to my mother’s old home. I curled up on her old bed, nestling in her lingering scent. I kept saying “I’m sorry” over and over, and then repeatedly murmuring how much I missed her. In my daze, the phone rang. I answered to hear William’s voice. He was the son of my mother’s friend, a childhood friend who grew up with me like a brother. He had gone abroad in his second year of high school. “Congratulations on your marriage, Mia. I sent some gifts…” he said softly. I held back my tears and forced myself to respond, then hung up, claiming I was tired. He had surgery just last month, and I didn’t want him to worry about me again. The next day when I woke up, my mother-in-law called. She said angrily that she knew everything now. She cursed Jack for being so cruel and begged me to come to the hospital to talk. I initially wanted to refuse harshly, but hearing her weak cough, my heart softened, and I rushed to the hospital. Throughout the long period I had been dating Jack, she had always been kind to me, saying many times that if Jack and I didn’t work out, she would adopt me as her goddaughter. When I arrived at the hospital room, I found Jack and Zoe already there, and my mother-in-law was happily touching Zoe’s belly. Seeing me, she quickly grabbed my hand. Before I could speak, she snatched the jade bracelet from my wrist and gave it to Zoe. “Zoe, this is our family heirloom. Keep it as a gift for the baby,” she said fawningly. Looking at her expression, I was stunned for a moment, bitterly smiling at what this “talk” she mentioned on the phone had turned out to be. “Mom, I’m your daughter-in-law,” I said with a heavy heart. But my mother-in-law angrily shouted at me. “How dare you! Don’t think I’ve accepted you just because you’ve taken care of me for a few days. Even a nurse can clean up shit and piss. A hen that can’t lay eggs has no right to crow!” It felt like a knife stabbing deep into my heart. I looked at Jack with a bitter smile, but he just held Zoe’s hand tightly and turned his head away. I ran out of the hospital room, with Jack following closely behind. He cornered me at the door and said softly, “Mia, to tell you the truth, the child in Zoe’s belly is mine. Mom’s illness is psychological; she’s always wanted a grandchild. I can’t be unfilial, can I? Zoe is already four months pregnant. You’re the only one in my heart. After the child is born and Mom’s psychological issues are resolved, we can raise the child together, okay?” I laughed bitterly and looked at him with contempt, asking if he had forgotten who had deprived me of the right to be a mother. During our years of dating before marriage, I had been pregnant eight or nine times, all of which Jack had forced me to abort with excuses like “I’m busy with my career” or “We’re not ready yet.” My mother-in-law had also told me to focus on taking care of Jack, comforting me that I could have children anytime. Now, it had become very difficult for me to get pregnant again. Jack had once comforted me, saying not to force myself and that we could always adopt. But now that it had come to this point, he was already discarding me. Jack tried to hug me with some guilt, but I dodged him. He reproached me, saying it was just a bracelet and that he could buy me ten more. I rushed to the hospital room door, took off my wedding ring, and threw it at them before turning to leave. “Where do you think you can go? Your dad is in jail, your mom is dead, and all your relatives think you’re bad luck. Who else can you rely on besides me?” Jack said indifferently. I gritted my teeth but had no words to refute. “She has me.” A figure emerged from the corridor nearby, grabbing my hand and looking at me with concern.

“I’m late, Mia. You’ve been wronged. Let’s go,” William said, holding me in his arms and taking me away. I looked at him in surprise, shocked to see him here. Suddenly, tears started flowing, and I sobbed in his embrace. Jack angrily asked who he was. He was about to step forward when his mother cried out that Zoe’s stomach was hurting, calling him back urgently. He left with a parting shot: “Mia Russell, go home now, or we’re getting divorced.” William and I sat in a coffee shop. I asked him why he suddenly came back to the country. He said with a heavy heart, “How could I not hear that you were crying?” I laughed awkwardly, bitterly recounting the heartaches of the past four months since my marriage. I tried to make it sound like a joke, but William’s furrowed brow showed only concern and pain for me. “This isn’t funny at all,” he said. He asked if I would be willing to go abroad with him. I politely declined, saying I hoped to reopen my mother’s beauty salon. He didn’t insist but said he wanted to help me. I murmured a thank you. After spending a night in my mother’s old home, I woke up to find my phone bombarded with messages from Jack. “Zoe’s pregnancy was affected by your scare the other day. Come back and take care of her!” “Mom still needs someone to look after her. Mia Russell, you’re really something, spending the night with that strange man. Now we’re even, okay?” “Where are my suit and tie? Don’t you know I have an important meeting today?” … All I could see were reproaches. Annoyed, I broke my SIM card and flushed it down the toilet. William arrived early at my mother’s beauty salon. As I looked at the familiar scenes, memories flooded back. This was my mother’s lifelong effort. But after my father went to jail, her health deteriorated, and she closed the shop soon after. William and I carefully wiped every corner. Looking at a faded lipstick mark in the corner, I fell into deep thought. It was during a college break when Jack had traveled 1000 kilometers to secretly find me at the shop and was discovered by my mom. He pretended to be a customer, and I was doing his makeup. He tilted his head back, smiling at me, saying I was beautiful. He suddenly tried to kiss me, but I dodged, causing him to stumble and hit the wall, leaving that mark. At the time, we stared at the lip print and laughed for a long time. He smiled and said that when we were 80 years old, we would bring our grandchildren to see this trace of our love. I sniffled and wiped it clean with a cloth, severing ties with my past completely. Halfway through cleaning, Jack inopportunely walked in. He looked at me with displeasure and shouted, “Mia Russell, are you serious? Leaving all the housework undone to come and fix up this rundown shop? Come home with me now.” He reached out to grab my hand, but William stepped in front of me protectively. “Who are you? This is our family matter,” Jack said angrily. William smirked and made a phone call, then looked at Jack with disdain, saying he would know who he was soon enough. Confused, Jack’s phone rang. After answering, he looked at William with surprise, then hurriedly left, but not before throwing one last comment: “Mia Russell, you’ve gone too far. We’re getting divorced tomorrow.” William explained to me that he had just notified his company to cut off business with Jack’s company. I was surprised that he had business dealings with Jack’s company. “It’s because of you. And every time I sent gifts to Jack’s company under the guise of ‘Mrs. Gordon,’ they were actually specially chosen for you,” he said, looking at me without hesitation. I turned my head away, feeling unworthy. Even a blind person could see how good William had been to me since childhood, but I had always only seen him as a brother. Now that I had gone through a failed marriage, I naturally felt even more undeserving of him. Suddenly, he clutched his chest, his face pale. He had had heart surgery a few days ago. Frightened, I immediately took a taxi to take him to the hospital. After registering, while waiting in the corridor, I saw a pregnant woman being rushed to the emergency room on a stretcher. Looking closer, I saw Jack following behind with an anxious face. The doctor said William needed to rest in the coming days. After he thanked the doctor and prepared to leave, I curiously pulled him to the emergency room door. As we arrived, we saw Jack yelling at the doctor. “You tell me she miscarried, but why is the baby Asian? Why is my child Asian?!”

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Rumors were swirling through high society that the Song family’s eldest daughter had gone mad. The once proud rose had now become Aiden Foster’s lapdog. With just one phone call from him, I would rush to his side, even if it meant delivering condoms for him and another woman. I would sprint there, even if I got into a car accident on the way and ended up bloodied and bruised. I would still make it to his side as quickly as possible. All just to make him remember me. The last thing he said to me was: “Disgusting.” In the end, I couldn’t wait for Aiden Foster to remember me. I sat on the window sill, staring blankly outside, clutching the diagnosis paper tightly in my hand. Suddenly, my phone rang, breaking the silence in the room. Seeing “Aiden” flashing on the screen, tears welled up in my eyes. I gripped the phone tightly as I answered, my fingertips turning white from the pressure, as if holding on tighter could grasp that fleeting, intangible hope. “Bring a box of condoms to room 1908 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.” Aiden’s voice came through the phone, his tone icy cold, devoid of any warmth. A stabbing pain gnawed at my stomach, and my hand holding the phone trembled uncontrollably. “Okay,” I responded with a bitter smile. Maybe this time he would remember me? I forced myself to ignore the churning in my stomach and dragged my heavy legs out the door, stumbling as I went. Each step I took required all the strength I had left. And with each step, my heart was torn into even smaller pieces. As I crossed the street, my vision blurred from the pain in my stomach. The noise from the surrounding traffic became muffled until a sharp, piercing screech of brakes suddenly rang out. Then, a tremendous force knocked me to the ground. Everything went black in an instant. Warm blood trickled down my cheeks, and I was terrified. A year ago, Aiden had also been knocked unconscious by a car, and when he woke up, he had forgotten me. No, I can’t forget Aiden! I trembled as I pushed myself up from the ground, struggling to stand. I wiped the blood from my face with a shaky hand. Everything was a blur of red, and I could barely make out the outline of a car nearby. Stumbling on unsteady feet, like a soulless puppet, I hailed a cab and weakly gave the hotel address. At that moment, my heart was numb, left only with deep pain and that ridiculous obsession. When I appeared at the door of the hotel room Aiden had mentioned, looking utterly disheveled, the door was ajar, and I could hear a woman’s coy laughter from inside. I took a deep breath, steadying my swaying form, and pushed the door open with trembling hands. I didn’t have the courage to walk in, so I just stood in the entryway and called out weakly, “Aiden…” Aiden got up from the woman, and when he saw me, his brows furrowed into a knot, his eyes filled with undisguised disgust. “What took you so long?” He carelessly tossed a red bill at me like he was throwing away trash, impatiently urging, “Stand outside, don’t dirty the place!” At that moment, my heart was shattered by Aiden’s cruel words. I stepped back with tears in my eyes, standing outside the door. My voice trembled, carrying a hint of pathetic hope as I asked, “Aiden, do you… really not remember who I am?” “Well, if it isn’t Scarlett Song, the top socialite!” The woman in the room came out wearing a sexy, fiery red dress. She looked at me with contempt and said, “Why have you made yourself look like this? It’s quite frightening!” She then pretended to be scared and threw herself into Aiden’s arms. This woman wasn’t the same one who had been with Aiden last time, but they shared one thing in common – she was also wearing my favorite red dress. It seemed Aiden had changed women again, but she was just another shadow of me. “Aiden, you’re with her, but you must still love me, right?” Why else would every new girlfriend be a reflection of me? Aiden frowned impatiently, as if shooing away an annoying fly. “Leave quickly, you’re an eyesore.” He then wrapped his arm around the woman’s waist and walked back inside, lowering his head to kiss her ear. “Baby, let’s get down to business.” He spoke loudly enough for me to hear. I knew he was saying it for my benefit. Even though he humiliated me like this, I still clung to a sliver of hope, thinking that next time, maybe next time he would remember me.

I had just hung up the phone with the doctor when I received a SnapChat from Aiden: “I’m having a party at my place today. Come over now.” Looking at Aiden’s tone, it wasn’t as cold as before. Could it be that Aiden had regained his memory? I carefully dressed up to hide the weakness showing on my face, not wanting Aiden to worry about my illness. I put on the red dress I loved to wear when I was younger. Aiden used to say red suited me best. When I arrived at Aiden’s house, he was laughing and playing with a group of friends in the garden. They were holding wine glasses, their laughter and chatter filling the air. “Aiden, do you remember me now?” My arrival brought their laughter to an abrupt halt. Aiden walked towards me, backlit and holding a hoe. “We’re having a party tonight, and there are too many weeds in the garden. Clean them up.” “What…” I staggered back a step, unable to believe what I was hearing. “Oh my, Miss Song dressed up so nicely to do some yard work?” A slender figure in a fiery red dress walked over, linking her arm with Aiden’s. He had changed women again. “What are you standing there for? Do I need to teach you how to pull weeds?” Aiden handed me the hoe, his tone harsh and brooking no argument. I looked at Aiden’s face. This man used to not even let me throw away trash when we went shopping. In an instant, my eyes filled with tears. I swallowed my humiliation, took the hoe, and bent down to start weeding. The sun blazed overhead, and soon sweat had soaked through my hair and dress. I clumsily swung the hoe up and down, the pain in my lower abdomen growing more intense. Aiden stood nearby, drinking and chatting with his friends. Occasionally, I could hear their deliberately raised voices mocking me. “I heard that the Song family’s eldest daughter has gone mad, like she’s obsessed. The once proud rose has now become Foster’s doormat.” “Yeah! The high and mighty socialite, with just one word from Foster, is obediently doing the work of a servant.” … I looked towards Aiden. He just held that woman, saying nothing. Backlit as he was, I couldn’t make out his expression. Did he think the same way? After finally finishing the weeding, I took a shower in Aiden’s guest bathroom. As I was debating whether to put on my sweat-soaked dress again, Aiden knocked on the bathroom door. “Wear this. I had someone throw away that other outfit.” I took the light-colored dress Aiden handed me, unsure of what he was thinking. “Hurry up and change. I have something else for you to do.” My heart swelled with hope once again.

“Aiden, what did you want me for?” “Scarlett Song, come here and pick out a suitable pair of dance shoes for my date.” I froze in place, the smile on my face instantly stiffening as my gaze fell on the broken heel of the woman in Aiden’s arms. I looked at Aiden in shock. “Aiden…” Aiden didn’t look at me. The woman gave me a challenging look. “Then please hurry, Miss Song. After all, I need to dance with Mr. Foster tonight.” I went back to the changing room. All the women’s shoes there were size 7, my shoe size. If Aiden had completely forgotten me, why would the changing room in his house be full of clothes and shoes that fit me perfectly? Aiden must still remember me! He’s only treating me like this because he lost his memory. I took a pair of high heels that matched her dress and brought them over. “Help her put them on.” Aiden held the woman tightly in his arms. He lifted her chin and kissed her right in front of me. The impact of this scene was like a bolt from the blue, shattering all the beautiful fantasies in my heart. I felt like an outsider, only able to watch helplessly as my boyfriend and another woman… But I still had a glimmer of hope in my heart. Maybe he was just acting on impulse. If he could look at me now, if he could notice the hurt in my eyes, if he could see my feelings for him, wouldn’t he stop being so cruel to me? But reality is cruel. He and that woman were inseparable, not sparing me a single glance. I walked up to them, crouched down, and lowered my head. Tears welled up in my eyes, dropping onto the surface of the high heels. I put the shoes on Aiden’s date. Aiden’s date, her face flushed and lipstick slightly smeared, nestled in Aiden’s arms and giggled, “Mr. Foster, Miss Song is so obedient!” Hearing the whispers and mocking laughter of the people around, I felt my dignity completely trampled underfoot. Along with this, waves of pain from my stomach swept through my entire body. The party was about to start. I didn’t want to stay and watch Aiden be intimate with someone else, so I found him and said, “Aiden, I’m not feeling well, so I’ll head home now. Have a good time.” “Wait a moment.” Aiden stopped me and walked towards his study. I stood there, confused, waiting for him. Aiden’s date looked at me with contempt in her eyes. “You should have some self-respect. Mr. Foster doesn’t like you anymore. What’s the point of clinging to him?” I gave her a cold look. “My relationship with Aiden is not something a passing fling like you can comment on.” Aiden came back with a somewhat worn book and handed it to me. “Take this book. Don’t take up my space anymore!” It was the sequel to “Blooming Dreams” called “Shores of Passion.” This novel was a rare edition, with only a few copies left in the world. It was something I had always wanted. I hugged the book to my chest and looked at Aiden gratefully. “Aiden, so you still remember…” I was about to say that he still remembered I liked this book, but Aiden’s date interrupted, “Mr. Foster, Miss Song insulted me while you were gone…” Aiden furrowed his brows and looked at his date with concern. “Scarlett Song, if you’re leaving, then hurry up. Stop being a nuisance!” Seeing Aiden like this, I turned and left, dejected. I kept comforting myself in my heart, maybe next time, next time he would remember me, remember all those beautiful memories we once shared. But I didn’t know how much longer I could keep up this self-deception.

Aiden invited me to his birthday party. When I saw the location, my heart skipped a beat. It was the villa he had originally planned to use as our marital home. As I stepped into the hall, the smell of alcohol and perfume hit me. The moment I appeared, Aiden’s gaze swept over to me, his eyes filled with mockery and coldness. “Scarlett, come here.” Aiden beckoned to me and patted the empty seat beside him, indicating for me to sit there. This time, there didn’t seem to be any other woman by his side. A glimmer of hope that should have been extinguished rose in my heart again. He was holding his birthday party in this villa and hadn’t brought another woman. Could it be that he remembered me? Aiden continued chatting with his friends. One of his friends jokingly said, “Foster, look at how devoted Scarlett Song is to you. Are you sure you really don’t remember anything from before?” My heart suddenly tightened. I instinctively perked up my ears, my gaze fixed on Aiden, full of expectation, hoping to hear the answer I wanted. Aiden picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and smirked, “Scarlett Song? She’s just a plaything when I’m bored! You guys really think I’d remember her?” “A year ago when I had that car accident, I forgot nothing except her. That shows she wasn’t important to me at all. Forgotten is forgotten, there’s nothing worth remembering!” These words hit my heart hard, instantly shattering that tiny, humble hope in my heart. I stared at Aiden in disbelief, as if I had never known the person before me. “But she’s done so much for you. Isn’t treating her like this a bit too much?” Another friend seemed to speak up, unable to bear it. Aiden shrugged indifferently. “It’s her choice, I didn’t force her. Every time I say something, she jumps to do it. Isn’t that perfect for keeping me entertained?” These words falling on my ears made me hurt so much I could barely breathe. So in his heart, all my efforts to win him back were just a joke. Those moments when I thought he might remember me were nothing but my own self-deception! The pain in my stomach intensified. However, Aiden seemed to think it wasn’t enough. He looked at me, his eyes flashing with malice. “But you know, if you want to be with me, there is a way.” “As the top socialite, you are indeed prettier than the other women I’ve dated, and you have a better figure too.” “If you willingly climb into my bed tonight and satisfy me, even if I can’t remember the past, I might consider officially being with you.” Aiden’s words were like a bucket of ice water poured over my head. The people around first froze, then burst into jeers and laughter. I looked at Aiden’s face, the one I used to be infatuated with, my heart filled with anger and despair. I felt the world spinning around me. The pain from my illness and the pain in my heart intertwined, almost overwhelming me. At that moment, I finally woke up completely. In this twisted relationship, I was nothing but a pitiful creature he could toy with at will. For that elusive hope of “he will remember me,” I had repeatedly put aside my dignity, enduring his humiliation. But he wasn’t my Aiden anymore. I slowly raised my head, straightening my back. Although I couldn’t control the physical pain, I didn’t want to be so weak and humble anymore. I stood up, looking down at Aiden, and said word by word: “Aiden Foster, I don’t need you to remember me anymore. My Aiden died in that car accident a year ago. This is the end between us!” Hearing my words, Aiden was stunned for a moment, his eyes flashing with a hint of panic that was barely noticeable. But soon, he regained his composure, the corner of his mouth curling into a disdainful smile. I didn’t look at him again, turning to leave. Aiden shouted behind me, “You’ll come back begging me. I know women like you too well. This playing hard to get trick, I’ve seen it all before. In a few days, you’ll be crying and begging for my forgiveness.” I didn’t turn back, just paused for a moment before continuing to walk forward resolutely.

After leaving Aiden, painting and taking walks became the main themes of my life. On this day, the sunshine was perfect. I sat by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the silk tree outside. The dappled sunlight under the tree reminded me of how Aiden used to stand there on such afternoons, watching me. My time was running out, and I wanted to use my brush to record the beauty I had completely lost. Just as I was about to paint Aiden standing under the tree, a sudden, intense pain struck me. The brush in my hand fell to the ground with a “thud.” I curled up in the chair, my hands tightly clutching my stomach, my body shaking uncontrollably. While I was struggling against illness and fate, Aiden kept barging into my life from time to time. As I was taking a walk in the park, a familiar figure suddenly appeared in my line of sight. It was Aiden. He stood under a tree not far away, hands in his pockets, looking arrogant. My heart sank, and I instinctively stopped. I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm, pretending I hadn’t seen him, and walked around him to continue forward. Seeing that I had no reaction, Aiden strode over in a few steps, blocking my path. “Scarlett Song, you really think you’re something special! You even blocked my number and SnapChat!” He raised his chin, his tone carrying his usual arrogance, but with a hint of unnaturalness. I looked up at him coldly. “Aiden Foster, what do you want now?” Aiden’s lips curled slightly, revealing a faint, cold smile. “I’m just curious to see how you’re doing without me!” “How I live is none of your business. Please move aside!” I tried to walk around Aiden. But Aiden moved to block me again. “Don’t be in such a hurry to leave! Looking at your sickly appearance now, you must be hoping every day that I’ll have a change of heart, right?” I laughed coldly. “Aiden Foster, you’re really too full of yourself! I will never forgive you for how you humiliated me!” Aiden’s eyes flickered for a moment, but he still said firmly, “Humiliation? Didn’t you willingly accept it for so long? In the end, isn’t it just that you can’t let go of me? Now I’ve lowered myself to come find you, and you’re still putting on airs!” I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. “I once thought you were my Aiden and endured your humiliation, but now, I won’t be so foolish again!” Aiden snorted disdainfully. “There’s a limit to playing hard to get. You’d better apologize to me before my patience runs out!” I looked at him, feeling nothing but disgust. “Aiden Foster, even if I die, I won’t go back to you to be humiliated again!” With that, I used all my strength to push him away and walked forward without looking back. Aiden stood there, staring at my retreating figure for a long time. Then he regained his arrogant demeanor, snorted coldly, and turned to leave.

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The Pregnant Mistress Who Came to Claim Her Place I didn’t have the courage to tell her to get lost. Because I couldn’t get pregnant. My husband James said that in ancient times, men had multiple wives and concubines. What was wrong with him having two women? One to bear his children, one to be his public face. I flatly refused to accept this, and my whole family called me a fool. On the day we were to sign the divorce papers, someone finally dropped their act. My husband’s uncle Lucas, rumored to be uninterested in women, pinned me against the wall and kissed me forcefully. He said, “I’ve been going crazy wanting you.” In the living room, James sat on the couch opposite me, his arm around his mistress. Yasmin stroked her round 5-month pregnant belly, smirking at me challengingly. James calmly said, “In ancient times, a family of our status would have had multiple wives and concubines. Having two women now isn’t that many.” The person before me felt increasingly like a stranger. When he pursued me initially, it was the talk of the whole city. He was so passionate and zealous, holding nothing back. At our wedding, he even vowed to love only me for life. Now, he was embracing another woman right in front of me, humiliating me. With reddened eyes, I asked, “James, have you forgotten everything you said?” James sneered, “It’s all because you couldn’t get pregnant. For three years, everyone’s been whispering behind my back that I have no heir. It’s been so embarrassing.” I lifted my chin, trying hard not to let the tears fall. “So you cheated and found another woman.” “Coco, I just want a child. If you can’t be a mother, are you going to deny me the right to be a father too?” With a broken heart, I slowly stood up. He was still trying to justify himself! Before the tears could fall, I quickly turned and left that heartbreaking scene. As I rounded the corner, I unexpectedly collided with someone. Looking up, I saw it was James’ uncle – Lucas Fu. He was known for being cold, especially towards women. Rumors said he had no interest in women and at 33 still refused the family’s attempts to arrange a marriage for him. I hurriedly stepped back, escaping from his embrace. “Uncle Lucas, I’m… I’m sorry.” Lucas looked down at me and said slowly, “Running away won’t solve anything. Be a good girl and stay in the Fu family.” His soft, coaxing tone made me uncomfortable. In the end, I took his advice. I couldn’t believe James would abandon me and destroy all our beautiful memories and vows. At dinner, there was no spicy Sichuan food on the table, only light Cantonese dishes. I grew up in Sichuan and was used to spicy food. I really couldn’t stomach these bland dishes. James was peeling shrimp for Yasmin, eating happily. I had never experienced such treatment from him. Yasmin glanced at me slyly as she ate her fried egg, deliberately asking, “James, what happens to a hen that can’t lay eggs?” James casually replied, “It gets made into soup.” My mother-in-law sitting at the head of the table remained silent the whole time. She didn’t stop the mistress’s deliberate provocation, showing how disappointed and annoyed she was with me. I immediately lost my appetite and left the table. The maid quickly brought Chinese herbal medicine. But this time, it wasn’t just one bowl, but three. The extremely bitter soup went down my throat, making my stomach churn. I couldn’t stop gagging, but I had to drink it. Thinking of James’ actions today, I finally couldn’t control my emotions. Tears dripped into the medicine, mixing together to become even more bitter. That evening, I checked the calendar and saw it was my ovulation period. I wanted to make one last attempt. I put on light makeup, wore a black slip dress, and sprayed James’ favorite perfume. James came back to the bedroom where I was already waiting on the bed. I slowly wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my lips to his. As our lips moved together, James quickly became aroused. Just then, James’ phone rang with the special ringtone he had set for his mistress. I didn’t want to give up, pleading softly, “Don’t answer it. She’s just doing it on purpose. Don’t go.” James’ expression instantly hardened. “You’re jealous of a pregnant woman? How petty.” With teary eyes, I held him back. “Fine, I’m petty. If you go out tonight, don’t think about coming back to my room or asking for sex.” I thought this would stop James from going to see her. But James roughly pushed me away, glaring as he said, “Stop being unreasonable. I can sleep with you whenever I want. I don’t need your permission.” He quickly disappeared. Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. Now I felt like a woman shamelessly flaunting herself to compete for favor. How degrading – I had lost all dignity and self-respect. I went to the kitchen and threw all the Chinese medicine from the fridge into the trash. Wiping away my tears, I headed straight for the wine cellar. Nothing could heal the wound in my heart better than getting drunk. As soon as I entered the wine cellar, I felt an intense gaze on me. I felt awkward, annoyed at losing composure in front of Lucas. I was barefoot, wearing a black nightgown with my hair loose – not at all proper. I wanted to retreat, but remembering the scene upstairs, I steeled myself and walked in. I silently chose a red wine, took a glass, and started drinking on my own. Lucas held out his hand to stop me: “You shouldn’t drink so much.” I smiled bitterly and shook my head. “Uncle Lucas, don’t stop me. Let me drink myself to death.” After that, Lucas no longer tried to stop me.

I drank glass after glass, quickly emptying two bottles of red wine. Under the influence of alcohol, my body felt light and floaty, happy and relaxed. It was late at night when I stumbled, preparing to return to my bedroom. But my legs were weak, and I accidentally fell forward. Lucas quickly wrapped an arm around my waist. I tried to struggle, but he picked me up in his arms. The alcohol left me powerless. Leaning against his chest, I pleaded helplessly, “Uncle Lucas, put me down. This isn’t appropriate.” Lucas ignored my protests and carried me back to my room. In the darkness, something soft and warm wiped away my tears. My exhausted body sank into the soft bedding until late the next evening. Yasmin stood by my bed, looking smug. “Coco Lee, the Fu family is wealthy and influential. A mother gains status through her son. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll voluntarily ask for a divorce and leave James on good terms.” I got up from the bed, ignoring her provocation, and went straight to the bathroom to wash up. Yasmin leaned against the doorframe, tilting her head as she said viciously, “You can’t beat me. Even while pregnant, I can keep him perfectly satisfied. That’s why he didn’t come back to your room all night.” I spit out my mouthwash forcefully. I turned to stare her down. “If you shamelessly refuse to leave, I’ll make you sorry.” Just then, we heard James’ voice. Yasmin immediately switched to acting like a victim. She slapped herself hard across the face, leaving a red mark. Then she collapsed to the floor, crying and making a scene. James came running over and saw this tableau. He approached step by step, angrily demanding of me: “Did you do this?” My eyes reddened. “You believe her?” “James, she hit me and pushed me down. She was trying to kill our baby,” Yasmin wailed. The next second, James raised his arm and slapped me hard across the face. Caught off guard, I was knocked to the ground by the force. My forehead slammed into the sink, splitting open. Blood immediately started flowing. James yelled, “Coco Lee, get out!” Night fell, bringing with it a heavy rainstorm. I took off my wedding ring and left the Fu mansion without taking anything else. The downpour instantly soaked me to the bone. The icy raindrops were bitterly cold, making my body shiver uncontrollably. Blood from my forehead mixed with the rain, blurring my vision of the road ahead. In the darkness, a black car pulled up beside me. Lucas opened the door. I firmly rejected his kindness. At this point, I was utterly disheartened and no longer wanted any warmth or care. The bone-chilling cold seeping into my skin and marrow was perfect for filling the emptiness in my heart. It took a full two hours to walk from the Fu mansion to my parents’ home. My body was extremely weak as I shakily took out my key and opened the door. I had hoped for some hot soup, but the man and woman on the balcony made me lose my appetite. “Why are you back in the middle of the night?” The woman speaking was my own mother. The man holding her was our next-door neighbor. The man smiled, his teeth yellow. “Coco, can whatever it is wait until morning? Uncle can give you money for a hotel room.” No hot soup, no concern, just an affair and cheating. I turned and left immediately, not wanting to stay a second longer. Standing in the pouring rain, I felt lost and didn’t know where to go. Soon, I heard Lucas’ voice through the rain. Just like before, he ignored my protests and picked me up securely, placing me in his car. In the backseat, Lucas handed me a set of cotton pajamas. Feeling dejected, I didn’t react. The next second, Lucas actually started undressing me himself, tearing off my wet clothes. My body was completely exposed in front of this man. I immediately slapped him hard. “Lucas, what are you doing?!” Even after being slapped, Lucas didn’t stop. He stripped off all my clothes and put the soft pajamas on me. I curled up in the corner, unable to stop crying. My mind was in a haze, feeling both ashamed and miserable. The car drove through the thunderstorm, soon arriving at our destination. The underground parking garage of a hospital. Lucas carried me all the way into the operating room. The doctor and nurses were already prepared. The wound on my forehead was stitched up. Due to the rainstorm, my body was feverish and I needed to be hospitalized for an IV drip. Lucas silently stayed by my side. I turned away, not wanting to look at him. As the medicine slowly entered my body, I felt a warm sensation flowing out below. I quietly lifted the blanket to look. It was a pool of fresh blood. Counting the days, it wasn’t my period. What could it be? Soon, my lower abdomen started cramping terribly. I broke out in a cold sweat and grabbed Lucas’ arm. “Quick, call the doctor for me.” Thunder and lightning split the sky. The hospital room was soon crowded with people. My mother-in-law was the first to reproach me: “Coco, how could you be so careless? Getting pregnant and then running around outside.” I looked over at James. He slowly raised his head and said, “When I told you to get out, you actually left? That was just something I said in anger. Besides, we have cars at home. How did you end up caught in the rain and getting a fever, causing the miscarriage?” I asked, “James, Yasmin is already carrying your child. What does my baby have to do with you?” James angrily retorted, “Her child can only be considered illegitimate. Our child would have been the proper young master of the Fu family. It’s all your fault for making me angry.” I slowly sat up, calmly refuting him: “You’re blaming everything on me, but what about yourself? Cheating, bringing your mistress home, provoking and insulting me, hitting me – which of those actions makes you a real man?!” Seeing the situation, my mother-in-law interjected: “Although my son made mistakes, now my precious grandchild is gone and you bear responsibility, Coco Lee. Don’t be ungrateful!” I looked at the mother and son, my eyes blazing red as I enunciated each word: “I want a divorce!” James’ face turned completely cold. “You don’t have the right to divorce. You’re not qualified. Coco Lee, you’re mine in life and in death.” I couldn’t control my whole body shaking. My heart was utterly desperate. “Even as a ghost, I wouldn’t want to be your wife. You’re worse than a dog.” James was furious. He said through gritted teeth: “Coco Lee! Say that again!” I was determined to get a divorce. Only by thoroughly angering him would James possibly sign the divorce papers. So I was willing to endure this beating. I repeated, “James Fu, you’re lower than an animal.” James was so angry he wanted to hit me. He raised his fist, but the doctors and nurses quickly rushed over to restrain him, preventing the blow from landing. Soon after, the Fu family’s lawyer brought the divorce agreement to the hospital. The moment I signed the divorce papers, years of grievances and pain finally came to an end. Unfortunately, after trying for three years, I had finally gotten pregnant, only to lose the baby in the end. Not long after, Lucas walked in. Remembering what had happened in the backseat of the car earlier, I felt somewhat awkward. “Un-Uncle Lucas, you… you’re here.” Lucas said nothing. He strode over, one arm wrapping around my waist, the other hand pressing against the back of my head as he kissed me fiercely. My cry of surprise was muffled by his lips. My whole body froze. I doubted this was reality and thought it must be a dream. Lucas kissed me domineeringly. I immediately struggled, but he held me tightly in his arms. Lucas kissed me wildly without restraint. Only when I was breathless and my body went limp did he finally release me. I hit his chest with reddened eyes. Lucas kissed my forehead. “I’ve been going crazy wanting you.” Things had developed completely beyond my expectations. Lucas actually had such wild ambitions. I angrily tried to push him away, but to little effect. After the kiss, Lucas left and wasn’t seen for many days. A month later, I recovered and was discharged from the hospital. Since I had left my marriage empty-handed, I didn’t have much savings and urgently needed to support myself. Fortunately, my three-year marriage to James wasn’t too long, so I wasn’t completely out of touch with society. I soon interviewed for a job at a company my best friend recommended. Just when I thought I could put the past behind me and start over, Lucas conspired with my best friend to set a trap for me. The new job turned out to be as Lucas’ assistant. The contract was for five years, with a huge penalty for breaking it. Left with no choice, I reluctantly accepted this difficult-to-describe job. On my first day as his assistant, Lucas wanted me to accompany him to a cocktail party. Going from James’ wife to Lucas’ female companion was a sudden change in relationship that I found hard to adjust to. Lucas whispered teasingly in my ear, “Stand tall and proud. Let them see what it means to be one in a million.” After dealing with wave after wave of people, I went from feeling awkward to feeling numb. During a break, the phone in my clutch started ringing. It was James calling. James angrily said through the phone: “Coco Lee, how did you end up with Uncle Lucas? I saw photos of you two embracing. You’re really desperate, aren’t you? He’s my uncle!” I could only answer: “I’m his secretary, working as his companion for the night.” James’ voice was terrifyingly fierce. “You can’t be his companion, not even his secretary! Just wait, I’m coming right now…” The party ended, but I didn’t see James anywhere. Had he just been talking big? Lucas embraced me as we left. James started shouting and making a scene. It turned out he had been blocked by security downstairs the whole time.

James stormed over angrily, demanding: “Uncle, what’s the meaning of having my ex-wife be your secretary and companion?” Lucas leisurely lit a cigarette, took a drag, and said, “Coco needed a job. I wasn’t comfortable with her working elsewhere.” James immediately became furious, pointing as he said: “Lucas Fu, you’ve got your eye on my ex-wife, don’t you?” “Yes, I do. What of it?” Lucas’ frankness made me gasp. He was clearly pouring oil on the fire. “You shameless, depraved beast…” Lucas calmly smoked as he waited for James to tire himself out cursing. Then he opened the car door, gesturing for me to get in. James hurriedly tried to stop me: “Coco, we’ve both been manipulated by Lucas. He’s the one who broke up our marriage. Don’t fall for his tricks…” Faced with his endless chatter, I looked away. The car window quickly rolled up, completely shutting him out. As the car drove at a steady speed, Lucas said unhurriedly: “News of us will surely spread like wildfire tomorrow. Are you afraid?” I coughed dryly in response, “An upright person fears no false accusations.” Lucas suddenly leaned in close, his lips near my ear as he softly said, “But our relationship already became improper the night of your divorce.” Lucas drove me home. I didn’t invite him in – that shameless woman was still there. I opened the door to find James in the living room. The room was filled with expensive gifts. James came over and wrapped his arm around my waist, acting completely natural as he said: “Mom knows we had a fight and you were upset, so you moved back home. I’ve sincerely come to take you home.” May must have taken bribes from him. She immediately said, “Sweetie, couples fighting is normal. Be a good girl and go back with him.” I silently went to my room. James eagerly followed me in. As soon as the door closed, James pushed me onto the bed, kissing me sloppily while trying to take off my clothes. I pushed him away with all my strength, panting as I said: “If you dare do this again, I’ll report you for rape!” Just then, May’s voice came from outside the door: “Don’t be difficult. Go along with what your husband wants.” Go along with James? He cheated whenever he wanted, hit me whenever he wanted. Now he wanted to force himself on me, and I was supposed to just lie back and let him have his way? Feeling rebellious, I bit down hard on James’ shoulder. He let out a pained cry. I quickly got off the bed and sent a text to Lucas. Opening the door, I calmly said to May: “I’m already divorced. He hit me.” May immediately started cursing: “Ungrateful wretch! Where will you find another man like him? You actually divorced? Besides, it’s perfectly normal for a man to hit his woman. It’s not like he beat you to death.” James chimed in from the side, “Mom, she’s been seducing other men.” May pointed at me accusingly: “You didn’t behave properly as a wife and broke up the family on purpose, just to anger me, didn’t you?” I asked, “Who’s the one not behaving properly, bringing men back home to fool around?” May hadn’t expected that I, who had always been obedient, would talk back and defy her. She immediately started crying and making a scene. I had endured this kind of moral coercion for years. When I signed those divorce papers, I said goodbye to the past. No one could threaten or pressure me anymore. Just then, there was a knock at the door. Lucas stood in the doorway. I took the initiative to wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him passionately. Perhaps infected by my enthusiasm, Lucas held me tightly, kissing me back fervently, lost in the moment. May let out a shocked cry and fainted.

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The billionaire heir announced he would marry two women—essentially uniting two families under one roof. The news rocked high society like an earthquake. The wealthy Scott family had two sons, but tragedy struck when the eldest and their father both died in a plane crash. Mrs. Scott, devastated and desperate, demanded her younger son, Charles Scott, take two wives to preserve the family legacy. Only one wife could legally register the marriage, however, and Charles already had a woman he loved deeply. No one wanted their daughter to be the one without official status. Except me. I happily moved into the lavish mansion without hesitation. “I might have married you, but my heart belongs to Olivia,” Charles said coldly. I nodded seriously, lying unsaddened on the mansion’s eight-hundred-metre king-size bed. After all, I wasn’t here to break them apart—I was here to join the family. “Girls these days will do anything for money.” “No kidding. They say he’s marrying two wives, but only one gets the legal title. The other one? Just some shameless mistress without a name.” “Crazy, right? And to think she’s from a wealthy family herself—how embarrassing.” I sat on the edge of the bed, listening to the maids gossip outside. It was almost midnight when Charles stumbled drunkenly into the room. He sat at the edge of the bed, staring at me with a deep hatred in his eyes. “I might’ve married you, but you know perfectly well that my heart belongs to Olivia. You’ll never compare to her.” “We might’ve had a wedding, but I’m not getting a marriage certificate with you. Legally, Olivia will be my wife—no one else.” His words were blunt, and his glare was sharp, as if he was waiting for me to crack. I nodded with a calm smile, unfazed. The Scott family, one of the richest in the fictional country of Westmont, had two sons. The eldest, Michael, was the perfect heir—gracious, intelligent, and well-loved. He was groomed to take over the family empire, but a tragic accident during a business trip with Mr. Scott shattered those plans. Charles, the younger son, was left to inherit the family fortune. But Charles was different—he had a fiery romance with Olivia, a woman from a modest background. Their love story was no secret in the elite circles. The couple faced criticism for their relationship but vowed to defy societal expectations and stay together—a testament to their “pure and undying love.” But this love was precisely what Mrs. Scott opposed. When she decided Charles should marry two women to continue the Scott legacy, she made it clear she didn’t approve of Olivia. Still, Charles and Olivia’s passionate love story continued to make waves. In elite families, it wasn’t uncommon for men to have affairs, but they were expected to keep their wives happy and maintain appearances. Charles, however, was different. His “second wife” would receive neither love nor respect—an unenviable position. No respectable family would willingly send their daughter into such a situation. Except me. “If I don’t agree to the two-wife arrangement and marry you, my mother won’t let me register my marriage with Olivia. She’s the reason you’re here, so don’t provoke her. Stay out of her way,” Charles said coldly, his eyes filled with disdain. I scratched my cheek and smiled. “Relax. I’m not here to ruin your relationship—I’m here to join the family.” As I unzipped the back of my wedding dress, his expression darkened. “Are you seriously suggesting…?” he asked in disbelief. I chuckled, calmly slipping off the dress. “You’re marrying two women to carry on the family name, right? You have your job, and I have mine. Let’s get this over with—it’s better for everyone.” He frowned, his eyes filled with contempt and disgust. “Fiona Monroe, you’ll do anything for money, won’t you?” “You’re nothing but a gold digger. How could someone like you ever compare to Olivia?”

“You’re right—I’ll never compare to Olivia,” I said calmly. “But tonight, you will do what’s necessary, or how else will you explain yourself to Mrs. Scott tomorrow?” I issued my threat without an ounce of shame. Charles Scott’s face went dark, his eyes filled with fury. Having lost his father and brother, Mrs. Scott was his only family left—and his greatest weakness. Her demands couldn’t be ignored, and her approval was something he couldn’t afford to lose. Seeing the storm brewing in his expression, I softened my tone and took a step back. “I swear, I’ll never do anything to hurt Olivia,” I said gently, walking closer to him. “Mrs. Scott wants you to have two wives, and if you have to marry someone else, isn’t it better that it’s me? At least I won’t try to take your love away from her. I just want a child, nothing more.” I smiled, my voice sweet, as though we were having a casual chat. “All I want is to have a baby, live comfortably, and leave you two to your happily-ever-after. It’s a win-win for everyone.” Charles froze, clearly trying to figure out whether I was being honest. I met his gaze without flinching because I wasn’t lying. I had no intention of fighting Olivia for his love—or for anything at all. “I heard you come from a wealthy family,” Charles said suspiciously. “Not as rich as the Scotts, of course, but it’s not like you’re starving. What did my mom promise your family? Must’ve been a pretty sweet business deal.” I sighed inwardly and nodded. “Yes, she’s helping my family out. But I also married you of my own free will.” I tilted my head, smiling playfully. “Why don’t you just pretend I’m madly in love with you and couldn’t live without you?” Before he could respond, I grabbed him by the arm and dragged him into the bathroom, pulling at his shirt. “Let’s get this over with. The sooner I’m pregnant, the sooner you won’t have to deal with me anymore.” Charles stiffened as I stripped off his shirt, his face a mask of disdain. The contempt in his eyes was so thick it practically dripped off him. “I’ve never met anyone as shameless as you,” he said coldly. “You don’t even bother pretending to have dignity.” I gasped dramatically, wrapping my arms around his neck. What a heartless man—he had zero regard for a woman’s feelings. Hah. Men. They’ll look down on you in public but won’t hesitate to take what they want in private. The next morning, I went downstairs, now dressed and composed, and saw Charles sitting in the living room with Mrs. Scott and a pale, tearful Olivia by his side. Charles was holding Olivia’s hand tightly, his voice gentle. “You should rest more. I know last night was hard on you.” Mrs. Scott, obliviously cheerful, grabbed my hand and gave me a satisfied smile. “Even though you’re not officially married to Charles, you’re still my daughter-in-law. Now hurry up and give the Scott family some grandkids!” Her words were pointed, and Olivia’s face turned even paler. When her gaze fell on the marks on my neck, she froze, her body trembling. Tears spilled down her cheeks. “Charles Scott, looks like you had a great time last night!” Slap! Her voice shook as she slapped Charles hard across the face. Before anyone could react, she clutched her chest and suddenly collapsed.

On the second day of my marriage, Olivia slapped Charles in front of his mother. But that wasn’t the real drama. The real drama came when the doctor revealed that Olivia had a congenital heart condition. “I won’t allow this! Divorce her immediately!” Mrs. Scott erupted, furious. She had never liked Olivia, and the revelation of her illness only made things worse. “You knew, didn’t you?” she accused Charles, jabbing a finger at him. “She has heart disease, and you helped her hide it from me! The Scott family can’t have a daughter-in-law who’s sick! She can’t even have children!” Charles lowered his head, trying to explain. “Medical technology is advanced these days. Her condition won’t stop her from having kids—we’ve already consulted doctors…” “It’s already done. She’s my wife and will remain the second Mrs. Scott.” Slap! Mrs. Scott struck Charles across the face with enough force to leave a red mark on his other cheek. Despite her rage and physical outbursts, Charles stood firm. He refused to divorce Olivia. I leaned against the doorway, watching the dramatic scene unfold like a soap opera. When I left the living room, I ran into Olivia, who was leaning against the wall for support. Her eyes were red as she gazed toward the living room, her expression one of bittersweet gratitude. “Even though you tricked him into this marriage, his heart still belongs to me,” she said, turning to face me. Her pale face was full of defiance. “He’s willing to fight his mother for me. That just proves how deep his love is. You’ll never come between us.” I chuckled softly, brushing past her. “I’m not here to break you two up. I’m here to join the family.” Her lips trembled as I walked away, but then she raised her voice, sharp with anger. “I’m his true wife! Even if they call it a two-wife arrangement, you’re nothing but a glorified mistress!” When I didn’t respond, she grew even more hysterical. “You think you’re so clever, don’t you? You’re just shameless! Whatever you can give him, I can give him too!” That night, she dragged Charles into her bedroom, presumably to prove her point. The Scott estate was huge. I lived on the third floor, while she stayed on the second. When I went downstairs for water in the middle of the night, I could hear the sounds coming from her room. The next day, Olivia came to the third floor, her face glowing with satisfaction. She tugged at her collar, “accidentally” revealing the marks on her neck. “You’re jealous, aren’t you?” she said with a smirk. “I have his love, and I can satisfy him in ways you never will.” I frowned, glancing at the marks. “You have a heart condition. You really shouldn’t overexert yourself. Especially not around your neck—there are arteries there.” Her smile faltered for a moment before she sneered. “You’re just bitter. Don’t think you’ve won just because his mother likes you. I’ll never let him go!” She stormed off, but as I turned around, I saw Mrs. Scott standing in the hallway. She patted my shoulder with a smile. “Don’t worry. Charles is your husband too. Love will come in time—just be patient.” I blushed and nodded shyly. “With the business deal already in motion, don’t let me down,” she added with a meaningful look. I nodded again, obediently. Once she was out of sight, my smile vanished. I would make sure Charles came to me. But not because I wanted his love. I just wanted to get pregnant as soon as possible.

I was doing everything I could to get pregnant, but Olivia wasn’t giving up her position without a fight. Charles Scott, it seemed, truly adored her. Every time she shed a tear, he’d immediately drop everything to comfort her. She had her emotional leverage, but I had my own tricks. For all his cold, polished demeanor, Charles had no self-control around me. He wasn’t the upright and disciplined man he pretended to be. I knew exactly what he liked, and I used it to my advantage. Olivia stared at the marks on my neck, her eyes red with frustration. “He’s changed. He never used to ignore me like this. But don’t get ahead of yourself—he’s only with you because of family obligations. Deep down, he still loves me. You’ll never take my place.” I looked at her, this woman who clung so desperately to her idea of love, and I almost felt sorry for her. Charles hadn’t changed at all. He had always been this kind of man. Before I married into the Scott family, I’d seen him with countless women—young, bold, and alluring. While the media painted him as a devoted lover, spinning stories about his “pure and passionate romance” with Olivia, reality was far less glamorous. Even now, with two wives, he still carried the faint scent of unfamiliar perfume. Olivia never noticed. She always assumed it was mine. “Olivia, I’ll never hurt you, and I’ll never fight you for him,” I said evenly. “There’s no love between Charles and me. I’m only here for one reason: to give him a child.” She stared at me, stunned. After a long silence, she shook her head. “I don’t believe you,” she said. To her, Charles was perfect—how could anyone not want his love? My persistence paid off. I was finally pregnant. The entire Scott household was overjoyed. Mrs. Scott couldn’t stop grinning as she looked at my growing belly. Even Charles, who was always indifferent toward me, cracked a rare smile. From the second floor, Olivia stood watching us, her face pale as a ghost. That night, the lights in her room stayed on until morning. I opened my window and could faintly hear muffled sobs and voices. “You need to take better care of yourself,” I told her the next day. “Your health is more important than anything else.” “Why is it that I’ve been with Charles longer than you, yet you’re the one who got pregnant first? I’ve been trying so hard, and still—nothing!” She froze at her own words, then suddenly erupted into a furious scream. “You did something, didn’t you? Tell me!” She glared at me with wild, desperate eyes, her voice shaking the walls. “I know it was you! You didn’t want me to have his child, so you sabotaged me!” Her accusations grew louder and more frenzied. I instinctively stepped back, shaken by her outburst. “It’s you! You’re the reason I haven’t been able to get pregnant!” she screamed, her voice cracking. Suddenly, Charles stepped in, pulling me behind him protectively. “Olivia, enough!” he snapped, his voice tight with frustration as he grabbed her arm. “It was me,” he admitted, his tone low. Olivia froze, staring at him in disbelief. “What are you talking about?” “I’ve been putting birth control in your water,” he said, his voice heavy with guilt. “You have a heart condition, Olivia. I didn’t want to risk your health by letting you get pregnant.” Her face twisted with shock. “Why…?” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I’ve always wanted to have a child with you!” she cried, her face contorted in pain. Her voice cracked as she screamed, “You did this for her, didn’t you?” She pointed a trembling finger at me, her eyes wild with fury. “You love her! You want her to have your baby because you’ve fallen for her!” Before I could react, she lunged at me. The impact sent us both crashing to the ground. Pain radiated through my abdomen as I hit the floor. A sharp, searing agony shot through my body, and I felt the wet warmth of blood pooling beneath me. Bright red streaks ran down my legs, staining my dress. “Ahh—” Olivia let out a piercing scream and clutched her own stomach, curling into a ball. Both of us lay there on the cold floor, bleeding and broken.

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I was in a car accident and fell into a coma for three years. When I woke up, my usually gentle husband Patrick was unusually cold towards me. My son Leo even cried and told me to get lost. As I tried desperately to win them over, I overheard Leo crying: “Why did she suddenly wake up?! What about Diana now that she’s awake?” “Dad, can you crash the car into Mom again? Use medical technology to bring Diana back!” That’s when I realized the truth. Diana was Patrick’s first love. To save Diana, who was in the late stages of cancer, Patrick had developed a technology that could transfer a soul into a sleeping pod while maintaining the body’s vital functions with the help of machines. He deliberately crashed our car, and while I was in a coma, he allowed my cancer-stricken best friend Diana’s soul to occupy my body, stealing everything from me. After hearing the truth, a chill ran down my spine, and my heart felt like it was being torn apart. “Patrick, are you a monster? I’m your wife!” I shouted at him, my voice trembling with anger and despair. Patrick’s face was grim, but there wasn’t a trace of guilt in his eyes towards me. “Natalie, I was wrong to hide this from you, but I just couldn’t bear to watch Diana wait for death,” he said. “Your body is a perfect vessel, the best match for Diana’s soul, and there won’t be any complications. She’s your childhood best friend, and she has no other family. You can’t just let her die!” Patrick grabbed my hand urgently. “That’s right, Mom!” Leo pleaded with me too. “You still have me and Dad, but Diana has nothing. If you don’t save her, she’ll be all alone!” Watching father and son beg me for Diana’s sake, I instinctively shook my head. Diana had lost both parents at a young age, came from a poor background, and was often sick. In middle school, when she was bullied by some delinquents, I saved her. After that, we became inseparable, and I often brought her home. Over time, we became each other’s most trusted confidants. The year I got married, Diana borrowed money from me to go abroad for treatment due to her illness. After that, we lost touch. Until three years ago, when I heard from Patrick that she was in the late stages of cancer. I was planning to visit her abroad, but then the car accident happened, and I fell into a coma for three years. I never imagined that all of this was manipulated by Patrick for Diana’s sake. One was my beloved husband, the other my most trusted friend. Diana had even played matchmaker for Patrick and me. But in the end, these two people who meant so much to me had deceived me and tried to take everything from me… “I won’t agree to this,” I muttered. “Natalie, how can you be so cold-blooded! She won’t survive in this temporary body much longer! She’ll die!” Patrick frowned, his eyes full of disappointment in me. “Mom, how can you be so heartless! My teacher says that helping others is what good people do!” Leo shouted at me angrily. Helping others? Just because my body is a perfect vessel, I’m supposed to be used and suffer for it? On what grounds! “I won’t agree to this!” I said coldly, clenching my fists. Patrick sighed. “Natalie, think about it carefully. I’ve checked your body and soul condition. Your soul is also a universal attachment, it can perfectly match any body. If you agree to give your body to Diana, I can find you the most perfect body. We can still live happily together!” After saying this, he gave me a complicated look and left the house with Leo, leaving me alone on the sofa. I cried, my tears flowing freely. This was the man I loved, this was the son I had given birth to at the risk of my life. For Diana’s sake, they had all abandoned me… I calmed down, wiped away my tears, and went to a print shop to print out divorce papers. I also contacted a lawyer. I was about to take a taxi to the hospital where Patrick worked with the printed divorce papers when Patrick’s call came in. “Natalie, come to the hospital quickly! Leo suddenly had an allergic reaction!” Patrick’s voice was urgent. I could hear Leo crying in the background! I panicked immediately. Leo had always been prone to allergies during season changes. He had once been rushed to the emergency room due to an allergic reaction and almost died on the operating table. Without thinking too much, I hung up the phone and quickly took a taxi to the hospital, rushing all the way to Patrick’s private office. But when I opened the door, I was stunned. Leo was sitting perfectly fine at the desk, watching TV, without any discomfort! “Patrick, you actually made Leo pretend to be sick to trick me!” I shouted angrily. But Patrick just sighed and put a document in front of me. “Natalie, I didn’t want it to come to this, but please look at this agreement.” A bad feeling suddenly welled up inside me. I looked down, and my mind exploded! It was an agreement consenting to a body swap! And in the signature column for the consenting party, my name was already signed! I looked at Patrick in disbelief. He had actually forged my signature on the agreement! “Natalie, I swear! This is the last time I’ll help her!” Patrick begged, holding my hand. “I’ve already found a body for you. It’s perfect, you’ll love it! Once Diana wakes up, we can go back to how things were before! Natalie, trust me! I won’t let you down!” He’s insane! He’s just a madman! I struggled to break free from his grip and tried to run outside, but Patrick was too strong. He pinned my hands behind my back, and suddenly a sharp pain shot through my neck. By the time I realized what it was, it was too late. My vision went black, and I lost consciousness completely. When I woke up again, my whole body felt numb. I instinctively sat up and slowly turned my head to look at myself in the mirror. It was an unfamiliar face and figure. My body had indeed been taken by Patrick and given to Diana… Tears burst from my eyes, and I couldn’t hold back my sobs anymore. Why? What did I do wrong? Just then, the door suddenly opened. I turned to look at the person who walked in. It was Patrick. And behind him was Diana, in my body. I looked at them coldly, tears still flowing. Patrick looked at me and sighed softly: “Natalie, I know you’re very angry right now, but you saved a life. You should be happy!” “Natalie, thank you for giving me a second chance at life!” Diana said timidly, wearing my face. But I didn’t miss the malice and arrogance in her eyes: “I really don’t know how to repay you. I… I’ll kowtow to you!” Diana was about to kneel down, but Patrick pulled her up: “Diana, don’t do this! You’re good friends, there’s no need for that!” Patrick frowned and lightly scolded her. “That’s right, Diana! Mom won’t blame you!” Leo also persuaded her. Diana looked at me, the arrogance and triumph in her eyes becoming more undisguised. “Natalie, you’ve just had a body swap surgery and are still very weak. I’ll bring Diana and Leo to see you again tonight!” Patrick said with a smile, then turned to leave with Diana and Leo without even looking at me. They were laughing and talking, as if they were the real family. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms, causing a piercing pain. Suddenly, my gaze froze. I noticed that Diana’s phone had fallen to the ground. I picked it up and found that Diana’s phone wasn’t locked. What I saw on the screen of the chat interface nailed me to the spot: [Diana: Darling, you’re still so capable, coming up with this idea of surrogacy! Now Leo doesn’t even recognize my best friend for my sake, haha!] [Hehe! If it weren’t for my idea to get your best friend to come abroad for a medical check-up, you wouldn’t be reunited with Leo now! But Patrick doesn’t know about this, right?] [Diana: Don’t worry, I arranged for Patrick and Natalie to have the check-up together. We gave them enough drugs at the time, he doesn’t know his bodily fluids were combined with mine] [Diana: And Leo came out of Natalie’s belly and looks so much like Patrick, it can’t be traced!] My whole body trembled as I read and reread these words in disbelief. Six years ago, Patrick and I had our routine medical check-up. Diana strongly recommended that I go abroad, even buying the plane tickets for me. The doctor there said they had new technology that could complete the entire check-up while we were asleep, and Patrick and I agreed. I remember getting pregnant shortly after the check-up. But now, this chat log was telling me that Leo wasn’t my child… Without realizing it, I had helped Diana raise her child with Patrick… My vision blurred, and a strong wave of dizziness hit me, almost making me lose my balance. Just then, Diana’s phone rang. The caller ID showed it was Patrick. I instinctively answered, and Diana’s voice came through: “Natalie, did you see?” Diana’s voice was soft, but it felt like a flesh-eating plant devouring me. “Patrick helped me swap your body. From now on, I am you.” “Your husband, your child, everything you had, is now mine.” My body trembled as I listened to Diana’s low, curse-like words: “You know what? I’ve always been jealous of your good conditions and environment.” “But I had nothing, and in the end, I couldn’t even keep my own man and had to give him to you!” “Why do you rich people get to live a peaceful life? Why can’t I?” “But it doesn’t matter now. The plan is complete. Thank you for taking care of my husband and son for me.” “From now on, you have no more use. Because no matter what you say, Patrick won’t believe you. Goodbye, my dear friend~” The call was hung up, and I stood there for a long time. My palm felt sticky. When I lifted it, I saw it was bloody and mangled. But at this moment, I felt extraordinarily calm. A plan quickly flashed through my mind. Diana, you say I have no more use? Not necessarily. Because I’m curious, after I leave, will you and Patrick go crazy looking for me everywhere? I quietly watched out the window, watching the sky darken into night. The hospital room door opened at that moment, and Patrick walked in with Leo. “Honey, Diana has gone back to her room to rest. I brought Leo to see you!” Patrick said with a smile as he walked in and sat by my bed. I turned my head and looked at him and Leo silently for a moment, remaining silent. The smile on Patrick’s face faded a bit. He took off his gold-rimmed glasses, his expression showing a hint of helplessness. “Honey, I just talked it over with Diana. She’s in your body now, so it wouldn’t be right for me not to divorce her.” “I’ll marry you again later, and we’ll be just like before. Don’t be angry anymore, okay?” “That’s right, Mom! Being angry gives you wrinkles, and that’s not pretty!” Leo hugged my arm and whined. Suppressing my disgust, I pulled my hand away and looked at Patrick with a slight smile: “This face isn’t pretty. I want to have some minor adjustments done. Can you arrange a plastic surgeon for me?” Patrick was stunned for a moment, then smiled happily. “Of course! As long as you’re not angry, I’ll agree to anything!” “I’ll arrange the best plastic surgeon for you. No matter how you look, I’ll love you just the same as always.” “Diana will also be your best friend, just like before!” I ignored him and turned back to look out the window. The next day, the plastic surgeon Patrick arranged came to see me. I discussed the parts I wanted adjusted with him. That afternoon, I went into surgery. On the fourth day, some of the bandages on my face were removed. Patrick wanted to come visit, but I turned him away, saying the wounds hadn’t healed and I didn’t want to see anyone. “Why?” Patrick was confused. “You only had minor adjustments. It won’t affect anything if I take a look!” “But I want to give you a surprise. Just be patient a little longer!” I sweet-talked Patrick, pretending to be affectionate. He hesitated for a moment before finally agreeing. On the sixth day, the doctor told me that my face had healed well, my overall condition was normal, and I could be discharged. I packed up my things quickly and left the hospital after completing the discharge procedures. After leaving, I didn’t linger but went straight to the airport by taxi and bought a ticket to Country M. While waiting for my flight, I bought a new SIM card and posted a blog post I had prepared earlier on my phone. This blog post was something I had written before the plastic surgery. I detailed Patrick’s advanced body-swapping technology and specifically mentioned the key information that my body was a perfect soul vessel. Thanks to Diana’s boasting, she had left selfies in my body on her phone, as well as her post-surgery examination results, which added credibility to Patrick’s technology. Having been with Patrick for many years, I understood that he was extremely confident in his medical skills and absolutely wouldn’t allow his reputation to be damaged. At the same time, he desperately craved recognition. Once his technology and Diana’s successful case were publicized and sparked widespread discussion, what kind of people would it attract? That was no longer something I could control. I smiled faintly, inserted the new SIM card, and threw the old one into a trash can. As the boarding call for my flight sounded, I boarded the plane. Patrick, Diana, this is the consequence of your deception. Your retribution has only just begun. I hope you can still smile when that time comes. Meanwhile, Patrick was in Diana’s hospital room, watching Diana play with Leo. He felt inexplicably irritated. “You rest first. Today is the day Natalie gets her stitches removed after her minor adjustments. I’m going to check on her!” Seeing Patrick about to leave, Diana quickly grabbed his hand. “Will… will you come back to see me later?” she asked. “You know, I just had the body swap surgery. I’m afraid I might not fully integrate with Natalie’s body.” Patrick looked at Diana, who now had Natalie’s face and body, but her every move felt so out of place. It clearly told Patrick that she and Natalie were still two different people… Patrick suddenly felt some regret for giving Diana Natalie’s body, but at the time Diana’s condition was very critical, and he really had no choice. Natalie… At this moment, all he could think about was Natalie. “You were integrated with Natalie’s body for three years without any accidents. This time will surely be the same.” “I’ll go see her first. Oh, and remember we need to get the divorce certificate tomorrow,” he said. “You’ve changed bodies, so of course you can’t continue living with me with Natalie’s face. Find a time to get plastic surgery done too!” “It’s really strange seeing you with Natalie’s face!” With that, he left with Leo without looking back. Diana angrily clenched the bedsheet, her eyes full of jealousy and hatred. Plastic surgery? She had finally obtained Natalie’s body and everything else, and now they wanted her to change to accommodate Natalie? In her dreams! She had stolen Patrick once, and she could do it again. Just wait and see! Patrick carried Leo, striding quickly towards Natalie’s room. When he opened the door, he found the bed empty. Natalie was nowhere to be seen. “Where did the patient from Room 4 go?” Patrick quickly grabbed a nurse and asked. “Oh, the patient from Room 4? Is she an acquaintance of Dr. Pei? She completed the discharge procedures and left!” the nurse replied. Patrick frowned. Discharged? Why hadn’t she told him? Just then, his phone rang. He picked it up and saw it was a call from the hospital director: “Dr. Pei, wasn’t your soul-swapping technology supposed to be confidential?” “How come I’m seeing detailed information about your technology online? Did you release it?” Patrick was stunned.

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I loved and fought with Lucas Stone for five years. During the time he went missing, I became his half-brother’s mistress. Later, he used every means to force me to divorce, Calling me a cheap slut in front of his new girlfriend, But I refused to let go. Today, however, I handed him the divorce papers myself. Because I’m going to marry his brother. “What are you up to now?” Lucas Stone stared at the divorce papers on the table, his eyes full of disgust and impatience. I wasn’t surprised by his reaction. For the past year, I had clung to him like a madwoman, desperate to keep him. I’d gone crazy, made scenes, even cut my wrists. But today, I saw Lucas at the hospital accompanying his girlfriend for a prenatal checkup. My battered heart finally died. I sniffled and put on a carefree smile. “Lucas Stone, you’re so boring. I don’t want to play anymore.” Lucas’s face darkened as he grabbed my neck forcefully. “Aria James, are you asking for death?” He gritted his teeth, seeming ready to kill me. Just as I was about to suffocate, Lucas’s phone rang, saving me. A girl’s soft sobs came from the other end: “Lucas, don’t be hard on Aria. I don’t need any status…” Lucas gently comforted her. The speaker was Chloe Zhang, the girl I had adopted and who was now Lucas’s girlfriend. After hanging up, Lucas swiftly signed the divorce papers, as if afraid I might change my mind. I wasn’t upset and moved on to discuss the property division. “You can have the house and the money. I just want this ring.” It was the wedding ring Lucas had given me. Back then, his proposal was broadcast non-stop on the mall’s big screen. The whole world knew Lucas Stone loved me. Now, only this ring could prove he once loved me. Lucas frowned deeply. “Stop acting.” He threw the divorce papers in my face. “Aria James, you disgust me.” I silently picked up the scattered papers from the floor. “I’ll move out as soon as I find a place.” After Lucas left, I collapsed onto the sofa in relief and called Nathan Stone. “It’s all over now. Are you satisfied?” I sat in Nathan’s car, clutching the divorce papers tightly. “Aria,” Nathan pulled over and smiled at me. “Lucas never loved you. If you were really as materialistic as he claims, why did you risk everything for him back then? He’s just afraid to investigate.” “None of that matters anymore,” I interrupted him, asking where we were going next. “I remember you haven’t been home in a long time.” I laughed bitterly, “I don’t have a home anymore.” When my mother found out I had become Nathan’s mistress, she slapped me hard. She said she had sacrificed everything to save Stone Corp, but never imagined her daughter would betray her life’s work. She refused to acknowledge me anymore. I had knocked on our home’s door countless times, but the servants avoided me like the plague. My mother adopted a girl who looked just like me. I watched them from afar at an amusement park, the three of them riding the merry-go-round together. From that moment, I knew I no longer had a home. Nathan stroked my head, his eyes as deep and unfathomable as an abyss. “Aria and I are the same now. Aria only has me, and I only have Aria.” He had schemed to make me become like him. “So Nathan, can we not go home?” Nathan’s lips curved slightly upward. “But how can our wedding not have our parents’ blessings?” I returned to the James house alone. The housekeeper was surprised to see me when he opened the door, as if he hadn’t expected my visit. “Miss, the madam isn’t home today.” I tilted my head to look inside. Chloe was lounging lazily against Lucas’s side, while Lucas adjusted the butterfly hairpin on her head. My mother was taking photos of them with a camera. I recognized the butterfly hairpin. It was a birthday gift my mother had once given me. Now the hairpin was hers, my mother was hers, and Lucas was hers too. I was the outsider. My mother stood up and walked towards the door, her face full of smiles until she saw me and froze. “How dare you come back? Why don’t you just die!” She angrily pushed me, shouting for me to die. I lost my balance and stumbled backwards, falling hard down the stairs. I was dizzy and disoriented. My mother still wore a cold expression, showing no concern as she watched me struggle to get up. My head was spinning, my body ached, and so did my heart. Chloe came out of the living room arm-in-arm with Lucas, feigning surprise. “Aria, why are you here? Mom, didn’t you say Aria wasn’t allowed back…” Her voice trailed off, clearly meant for me to hear. Lucas looked at me with disgust. He stood protectively in front of Chloe, as if afraid I might hurt her. My mother also quietly urged her to go back inside, moving to close the front door. I grabbed the door handle. “Mom, I’m going to marry Nathan Stone.” A gust of wind blew past my ear, and my cheek stung with pain. “You shameless wretch! Why did I ever give birth to you!” My mother slapped me and grabbed my collar, cursing me at the top of her lungs. Chloe covered her mouth in disbelief. “Aria, how could you… That’s Lucas’s brother!” Her act made me sick. I turned to leave. But my arm was seized in an iron grip. I looked back to meet Lucas’s gloomy eyes. “So you were in such a hurry to divorce because you’re marrying him? Aria James, you’re such a slut!” “Yes, but Lucas Stone, you’re the one person I’ve never wronged in this life.” I looked at him through tear-filled eyes, enunciating each word. He pushed me to the ground and looked down at me: “Aria James, you’ve wronged me your entire life.” I returned to the small apartment where Lucas had proposed to me. Right here, Lucas had said: “Lucas Stone will love Aria James forever.” He forgot, but I didn’t. I raised my ring finger, now bare. The back of my hand was bleeding from a scratch. As I was leaving, Chloe noticed I was still wearing the wedding ring from Lucas. She tearfully asked Lucas if he still had feelings for me. Lucas coldly said I wasn’t worthy. He forcibly yanked the ring off my finger, ignoring my protests. In the struggle, the ring cut my hand. The symbol of our love became a weapon he used to hurt me. He was unmoved, repeatedly wiping the bloodied ring, as if I had tainted it. But I clearly remembered when Lucas proposed, he was so nervous he went from kneeling on one knee to both knees, too choked up to speak. He said Aria James deserved all the beautiful things in this world. Those almond-shaped eyes made me drown in an ocean of tenderness. But he broke his promise. Chloe flashed me a victorious smile when Lucas wasn’t looking. She had won. I had to admit, she was truly a great actress. She publicly slandered and insulted me, while playing the innocent victim in private. She wanted me to be abandoned by everyone. She wanted rumors and gossip to drown me. She wanted to replace me. No matter what I did, it was wrong. Everyone knew that when Lucas went missing and was presumed dead, I got involved with his brother. No one believed me. I didn’t want to argue anymore. I got up clumsily, my thin clothes fluttering in the wind. Looking at Chloe’s tear-stained face, I said flatly: “I’m giving it all to you.” “I don’t want anything anymore.” I didn’t want to love Lucas Stone anymore. It was too painful. I sat by the floor-to-ceiling window watching the sun rise and set. But the sun in my heart would never rise again. The sun would never shine on me again. When I went back to the Stone house to pack my things, I found my fingerprints could no longer open the door, and the passcode had been changed. Chloe let me in. I hadn’t expected Lucas to be so eager to move her in. He must really love Chloe. The way he once loved me. Chloe acted every bit the lady of the house. “Lucas went out to buy me lychees. I didn’t want him to make the trip, but…” She lowered her head and stroked her belly, smiling smugly. “He said we can’t let our baby go hungry no matter what.” Although I had known about her pregnancy for a while, hearing her say it herself still felt like a stab to the heart. The man who once loved me so much now had a child with someone else, and I didn’t even have the right to question him. After all, in everyone’s eyes, I was the one who betrayed him first. I said nothing, so Chloe started to push her luck. “Aria, stop trying to get Lucas’s attention like this. It only makes him hate you more.” I rolled my eyes at her, not wanting to engage further. “Excuse me, I’m just here to collect my things. I’ll leave right away.” She didn’t budge from the doorway, pointing to a nearby trash can instead. “Your things are all in there.” The trash can was empty. The garbage collectors must have already taken everything away. I didn’t have many possessions, but there were some very precious items to me. Just as I angrily demanded to know why she threw out my things, Lucas returned. He stood in front of Chloe protectively. Glaring at me fiercely. “I told the housekeeper to throw it out. Chloe’s pregnant and can’t be around dirty things.” His protectiveness silenced any words I might have said. In his eyes, all my belongings were dirty. Even I was dirty. Chloe dramatically collapsed against Lucas’s shoulder, tears falling again. “Aria, it was just a charm. Why are you making such a big deal?” Lucas’s expression flickered for a moment. I think he probably hadn’t forgotten either. Nor had he expected that someone as materialistic as me would treasure such a worthless charm. Three years ago, I fell seriously ill with no apparent cause. Even the doctors were at a loss. When I was drifting in and out of consciousness, Lucas went to Lingyin Temple and kowtowed three times every nine steps, crawling up the stairs to obtain this charm for me. After wearing the charm, my illness miraculously improved. Back then, Nathan was still a carefree young master, and we had a good relationship. He told me: Lucas kept begging the Buddha, his forehead bleeding from kowtowing, all while murmuring: “I offer my life in exchange for my wife’s.” After hearing this, I stubbornly refused to wear it anymore, crying that I didn’t want Lucas to die. Later, I kept it in a box like a treasure. Now, it had become “dirty” in Lucas’s words. It had become a small pile of ashes in some incinerator. I wonder if Lucas still remembered that my life was exchanged for his devout prayers when we were young. I was once the person he would have given his life to protect. Before leaving, I stared at the lychees Lucas was holding and reminded him: “Lychees are cooling. They can cause miscarriage if eaten during early pregnancy.” Chloe immediately bristled at this, accusing me of cursing her child. She dropped her innocent act completely. She cried and threw a tantrum at Lucas, demanding that he kill me, that I should die. But this time, Lucas said nothing. He just stood there silently watching me leave. I went to the airport to pick up Hazel Greene. When she saw me, she burst into tears. She said I had gotten so thin she barely recognized me. Looking at myself in the airport bathroom mirror, I examined my face repeatedly. My pallid face was devoid of color, my eyes hollow and lifeless. There wasn’t a trace left of the radiant girl I once was. No wonder she didn’t recognize me. I couldn’t even recognize myself anymore. She cooked a feast of all my favorite dishes, saying I needed to eat more to regain my strength. I sat at the table and picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork. “Lucas and I are divorced. I’m marrying Nathan on the 8th of next month.” Hazel’s hand trembled violently, dropping her chopsticks on the floor. She looked up at me in confusion. “Aria?” “He didn’t want me anymore.” I ate the sweet and sour pork, only tasting bitterness. “This past year while you were gone, I suffered so much.” “No one believed me. Even Lucas bullied me.” Hazel angrily smashed a bowl. “How dare he! Doesn’t he know that back then you…”

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When I was having my beach wedding with Ethan, he received a call from Mia. As the officiant asked “Do you take Olivia to be your lawfully wedded wife?”, he refused in front of all our family and friends. “I do not. I will never marry such a vicious woman! I was blind before! She doesn’t deserve me!” He slapped me hard across the face and pushed me down. I tumbled down the five-foot-high steps, my body bloodied and battered, barely clinging to life. It was the hotel staff who rushed me to the hospital. When I regained consciousness, the doctor delivered devastating news. I had miscarried my early pregnancy, and I was diagnosed with locked-in syndrome in critical condition! Just as I was about to contact Ethan, I saw a video Mia posted of him proposing to her on a snowy mountain. Having narrowly escaped death, I called my birth parents. “Mom, Dad, I’m willing to go abroad and live with you!” The doctor’s cold voice still echoed in my ears: “Locked-in syndrome, the condition is very serious.” In one month, I lost my baby. Diagnosed with a terminal illness, late-stage locked-in syndrome. I lay in the hospital bed, my body aching from the fall down those five-foot-high steps. He had also slapped me across the face. Ethan, my newlywed husband, a doctor. Living with me, yet he never noticed anything wrong with my health. With trembling hands, I picked up my phone. On the screen was Mia’s radiant smile, a snowy mountain, a diamond ring, a proposal. Meanwhile, I was lying here, tubes all over my body, wasting away. For a week, he hadn’t come to see me. On SnapChat, his last message was “Baby, I finally married you” on our wedding day. Along with videos sent by people gloating over my misfortune, showing how he insulted me at the wedding after receiving that phone call. I used to cook for him, iron each of his shirts meticulously, and give up my chance to study abroad for him. Now, for another woman, he had tossed me aside like garbage. My phone vibrated. It was my adoptive mother calling. “Olivia! Where the hell are you? Get your ass back here right now! Look what you’ve done to Mia, you shameless bitch!” “If Ethan hadn’t traveled so far to find Mia, our real daughter might have been killed by you!” The barrage of insults felt like daggers piercing my heart. Once, they had cherished me like a precious jewel, saying I was their most beloved daughter. Ethan was the husband they had chosen for me since childhood, and we were once deeply in love. But ever since Mia, their real daughter, came back, he became a different person. I learned that my parents were actually my adoptive parents. Everything had changed. They had once tried to stop our wedding, but Ethan had insisted on marrying me despite me being the “fake daughter”, saying he loved me. Who would have thought that one phone call from Mia, their real daughter, would change everything? And now, in their eyes, I had become a despicable criminal. I silently hung up the phone, tears silently rolling down my cheeks. The home I once knew, I could never return to again. I dialed the number of my birth parents overseas. “Mom, Dad, I’m willing to go abroad and live with you.” The joyful voices on the other end were like a ray of sunshine on a winter’s day, warming my cold heart. I gave myself only one month. One month to leave this place, apply for a visa, and hand over my work. One month to say goodbye to the past completely and finalize the divorce. It was also my final deadline for Ethan and this family. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Olivia, you need to start over. Your life shouldn’t be controlled by anyone else.

I returned to the home Ethan and I shared. The locks had been changed. My documents and clothes were all inside. I went to my adoptive parents’ house across the street. “You little bitch! I’ll beat you to death! If Ethan hadn’t gone to save Mia, our real daughter might have been killed by you!” “How dare you show your face here? Go die somewhere!” My adoptive mother screamed, grabbing an ashtray and hurling it at me. Blood trickled down my forehead. I was still reeling from the shock of the miscarriage and locked-in syndrome diagnosis. The intense pain made my vision go dark. “How dare you bully my daughter! You ungrateful wretch, we raised you for nothing all these years!” My adoptive mother was hysterical. Mia? What had I done? I leaned weakly against the wall, my whole body trembling. My adoptive mother lunged at me, grabbing my hair. Punching and kicking. I was trampled on the ground like a stray dog. Once, she had gently brushed my hair so tenderly. Once, she said I was her most beloved daughter. There was a commotion outside. Ethan and Mia had returned. Mia saw me and shrank back, trembling, hiding behind Ethan. “Sister, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, please, stop forcing me! Please, I’m begging you, I’ll kneel down for you!” She wanted to kneel before me? I looked at her in bewilderment. What had I done to her? “I didn’t, I don’t know what she’s talking about!” I clutched at Ethan’s shirt. He shook off my hand, his eyes full of disgust. “Olivia, you’re really despicable! You won’t even admit what you’ve done! Fine, I’ll show you, so you can die with a clear conscience! We’re going to call the police!” He took out his phone and played a surveillance video. A group of men were tearing at Mia’s clothes, their vulgar language unbearable to hear. Mia was crying and struggling. Then, Ethan rushed in with some people. In the video, those men specifically said they were acting on my instructions. He also showed my bank transfer records. Once, he had held my hand, saying he would protect me for life. Once, he had tenderly kissed my forehead, saying I was his one and only for life. But now, Ethan threw the phone in my face. “Get lost!” He was cold and heartless. I collapsed on the ground, my whole body cold. Blood and tears mingled together. Blurring my vision. I stumbled to my feet. Looking around at this home where I had lived for over twenty years. The walls used to be covered with family photos of all of us. And my beloved garden swing. Mia had only been back for a year. Everything had changed. This home was now filled with all her favorite things. The family photos I had once been so proud of were now replaced with photos of them, as if I had never existed. I looked at Ethan. “When are we going to file for divorce?” “I need to go back and get all my things and documents now!” His eyes were still full of hatred. “I can’t wait to divorce you!” “Since you’re back now, take your things and get out of my world!” He comforted Mia while walking towards the villa across the street. He opened the door. The overwhelming scent of roses hit me. I had severe pollen allergies that could be fatal! He knew that! I gasped for breath at the doorway, my locked-in syndrome making it difficult to move. Gone was my former nimbleness. I held my breath and went inside, wanting to quickly gather my things. I entered the bedroom, but all my belongings had vanished. Mia’s glamour shots hung where Ethan and I’s wedding photo used to be above the bed. The closet was filled with her clothes. It seemed that during my hospital stay, she had already become the lady of the house. On the bedroom sofa were unused condoms and lacy lingerie. Once, our wedding photo had been displayed there. Once, this place had been filled with our sweet memories. My heart felt like it was being stabbed. I could only pretend I hadn’t seen it. After this month I would really be leaving. I opened the closet. Fighting back nausea. I opened the safe and took out my documents, but there were no property deeds or anything like that. “Where are my things?”

Ethan sneered, “You have the nerve to ask for things?” “Haven’t you done enough to hurt Mia? That house will be your compensation to her! It originally belonged to Mia’s parents anyway, you were just a cuckoo in the nest!” Hearing this, Mia put on an innocent act and simpered from the side. “Sister, it was Ethan who asked me to move in. If you mind, I can move out right away!” I looked at her coldly. “No need, I should be the one to leave. I wish you both a happy life together.” I looked at the harsh terms of the divorce agreement. Everything that once belonged to me was being taken back. I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly at myself. I was the real joke all along. After signing the divorce papers, Ethan turned away in disgust. “Take your things and get out now!” “I don’t want to see you for another second!” I looked around. This place was once my home. Now it felt like a cold prison. I took my documents and stumbled out of the villa. Once, this was the love nest Ethan and I shared. Now, it had become my hell. I had just reached the doorway and was leaning on the doorframe when my pollen allergy made my vision blur and breathing difficult. My phone was buzzing frantically with countless message notifications. Before I could check them, the vice president of my company called. “Ms. Sullivan, quick, check the trending topics!” “You’ve been accused of plagiarizing Mia’s latest jewelry design!” Plagiarism? I hurriedly opened social media. The label “plagiarist” was plastered all over me. I clicked on the widely shared images. But those were clearly my works! My painstaking designs had now become Mia’s original creations! In the comments, everyone was cursing at me. The former praise had now turned into slander. My stomach churned and I vomited a mouthful of blood. The bright red blood stains stood out starkly against the white floor. I turned to look at Mia. She still had that innocent expression. “How did you get my designs!” I demanded. “Sister, what are you talking about? I know you hate me, but how can you falsely accuse me? I designed these myself!” “I spent so long working on these sketches!” As she spoke, her eyes welled up with tears, on the verge of crying. I looked at Ethan. There wasn’t a hint of surprise on his face. As if everything was within his expectations. Once, he had treasured me above all else. Now, he coldly watched my suffering. Once, we could talk about anything. Now, he was filled with disgust towards me. Once, this home was my safe harbor. Now, it was my hell. I nearly fainted. I gripped the doorframe tightly, barely managing to support myself. Once, I was a jewelry designer praised by all. Now, I had become a plagiarist despised by everyone. Once, I had a happy and loving family. Now, I had nothing. Looking at everything before me, my heart turned to ashes.

“You told her my design ideas, didn’t you?” I confronted Ethan. He scoffed dismissively: “I couldn’t be bothered to look at your designs.” “You had ill intentions yourself, plagiarizing Mia’s work, and now you’re trying to frame her.” “You’re truly despicable!” I staggered forward, wanting to confront Mia. But Ethan pushed me away forcefully. My locked-in syndrome made it difficult to move. I fell to the ground hard. Once, he had protected me so carefully, afraid I would get hurt. Now, he pushed me down without hesitation. I struggled to get up, watching them throw all my belongings out of the villa. Tossed outside like garbage. My medical records had fallen out of my bag at some point and Mia picked them up. She pushed open the door and shouted accusingly. “Sister, whose child did you get pregnant with and abort? Did you betray Ethan! And this locked-in syndrome? How did you get that?” Ethan came out when he heard. He took a look and his eyes turned vicious. “Olivia, I haven’t touched you in a long time. You actually got pregnant with someone else’s child behind my back!” “Stop pretending. This trick of yours, trying to make me come back to you, keep dreaming! And locked-in syndrome? You really know how to act! You dare bring fake medical records you bought online to fool me, a doctor? You’re utterly disgusting!” With that, he took Mia’s hand and went back inside. Once, this was the love nest I had carefully decorated. Now, it was my burial ground. He continued to disbelieve me as always. He even slandered me, saying the child was conceived from an affair, forgetting that night. That time he came back from a business trip, had some drinks, and made love to me passionately all night long. It took me a while to recover. I picked up my suitcase containing the few belongings I had left, and step by step, left this heartbreaking place. Once, I had laughed and smiled here. Now, I was leaving with a heavy heart. Countdown: Two weeks. I needed to wrap up all loose ends before leaving this city. I returned to the company to resign. Online, the abuse towards me showed no signs of stopping. Moreover, Mia had held a press conference, revealing the design sketches. Ethan had also testified that I had plagiarized. “I can testify that Olivia plagiarized Mia’s designs! I’ve also divorced her!” All the rumors and slander came crashing down like a tidal wave. Once, I was a design genius praised by all. Now, I had become a plagiarist despised by everyone. The cyberbullying instantly engulfed my life. My phone was bombarded with abusive calls. I didn’t dare turn it on. At the company, people sent me dead rats and other nasty things. Once, I had countless fans, with flowers and applause everywhere I went. Now, I was cursed by thousands, hated by all. Countdown: 10 days. My condition suddenly worsened. Breathing became increasingly difficult. My vision grew blurrier, movement more labored. The doctor had said this disease was incurable. If I stayed positive, I might live a bit longer. If I gave up on treatment, the condition would rapidly deteriorate. Once, I had a healthy body and a bright future. Now, I was terminally ill, with not long to live. I lay shivering in the cold rental apartment. Once, I had a warm home. Now, I was homeless. I clutched my design sketches tightly. They were my last pride, and also my last pain. Once, I had been so proud of my designs. Now, my designs had become evidence of my crimes. I closed my eyes weakly, tears silently falling. I no longer had the strength to prove I wasn’t a plagiarist, because I had no evidence left. Countdown: 5 days. I dragged my body that could collapse at any moment to the place where we grew up. There, he had protected me countless times, fought for me, cooked for me for the first time. His traces were everywhere. Countdown: 3 days. I went to my childhood home. Back then I didn’t know I was adopted. My parents had once cherished me like a precious pearl, afraid I would melt if they held me in their mouths. They had accompanied me for every exam, always encouraging me. All the memories felt like they had happened just yesterday. Countdown: 1 day. At the time Ethan had specified, I arrived at the civil affairs bureau to officially file for divorce. He came with Mia. I couldn’t be bothered to ask if he was going to marry Mia as soon as we divorced. I no longer cared. I just wanted to be free. But as soon as we finished the paperwork and came out, we were surrounded by a crowd of reporters and angry fans, pushing and cursing at me. Meanwhile Mia put on a tearful act. “Don’t hurt my sister! You can’t hurt my sister! My sister didn’t mean to plagiarize my work, she’s the most important person to me, please don’t hurt her!” Her act was so convincing even Ethan believed it. I collapsed to the ground, my vision blurring. Just before I blacked out, I heard a familiar voice. “Make way! The patient has locked-in syndrome and is going into shock! Quick, make way, we need to get her to the hospital! Dr. Ethan, call 911 now!” “Are you sure? Locked-in syndrome?” Ethan asked again in disbelief. “Dr. Ethan, my father-in-law diagnosed Ms. Sullivan himself. How could there be a mistake?” the other person said. “How could this happen…”

My whole body was in excruciating pain, my consciousness floating in darkness. I vaguely heard a clamor of voices, crashing into my eardrums like waves. Then, I saw light. In the blinding light, I saw my birth parents, tears streaming down their faces. “My child, you’ve suffered so much!” My mother hugged me, sobbing like a child. My father’s eyes were red as he stroked my hair over and over. I lay weakly in the hospital bed, tears silently falling. Once, I thought Ethan was my support, my future. Now, I was like a bird with broken wings, lying alone in a cold hospital bed. A strange man appeared in my line of sight – handsome, sunny, wearing a white coat. “This is Chris, the son of my old friend. He’s an expert in this field, and we specially asked him to rush back from abroad,” my father introduced. Chris smiled gently and began examining me. Outside the door stood a crowd of doctors. Even the hospital director had come. “Dr. Chen, what do you think…” the director asked respectfully. Chris pondered for a moment. “The situation isn’t too bad. There’s still hope.” I felt like I had grasped a lifeline, a glimmer of hope lighting up in my eyes. Once, Ethan had cared for me so tenderly. Now, he had pushed me into the abyss. “We’ll take you abroad for treatment, using the best medical resources,” my mother said firmly. I gripped my mother’s hand tightly, feeling a long-lost warmth. Once, the Foster family was my home. Now, I was returning to my real home. “Olivia, do you have anything else to say?” A cold voice came from the doorway. It was Ethan. He stood at the door, his face pale, his expression complex. “Get lost.” I used all my strength to spit out those words. Once, I had loved him with all my heart. Now, I just wanted him to disappear from my world. Ethan staggered, unwilling to turn and leave. His appearance made my parents very wary. I gestured for them to stay. I needed to talk to him alone. His eyes were blank. He seemed to want to ask something, but didn’t dare open his mouth. “Want to ask why I have locked-in syndrome?” “Or do you want to ask whose child I was carrying?” He looked shocked. “The child was really mine?” “What’s going on with your locked-in syndrome?” “How did you suddenly get this disease?” His eyes were full of curiosity. Once, he had been so attentive to me. Now, he scrutinized me like a stranger. “I started falling for no reason a year ago.” “I didn’t pay much attention then.” I smiled bitterly. “Remember that time? I fell and you mocked me, saying how could a grown woman trip like that. Have you forgotten?” “You’re a doctor, and you’ve been with me for so many years, but you never noticed, did you?” “Because during that time, you were always accompanying Mia, weren’t you? How could you notice me?” Once, he had treasured me above all else. Now, Mia was all he saw. “As for the child, you’ve forgotten yourself.” “You came back from a business trip drunk and made love to me all night, then turned around and said you hadn’t touched me in a long time?” “Did you mistake me for Mia?” I calmly recounted these painful and ironic events. But he said: “I really didn’t know it was like that, I…” Once, he had made me countless promises. Now, even an explanation was so weak and powerless. A phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID. “Mia, don’t cry, I’ll be right there, stop crying.” He left the hospital room without looking back.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296164”, 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

At the wedding, the waitress handed Ethan a strawberry he had already bitten. Surprisingly, the usually germaphobic Ethan smiled and ate it from her mouth. “If I didn’t, she would have been embarrassed,” he said. The young master, who usually treated people’s lives as worthless, was now considering others’ feelings. He allowed the waitress to act as the hostess, wearing the same wedding dress as me and making toasts on behalf of the bride. I, the real fiancée, became a laughingstock. Heartbroken and desperate, I faked my own death to escape his control. But I never expected him to go crazy because of it… The heat deep within my body grew more intense as his scorching body pressed against my back. I tried to push him away, uncomfortable, but he gripped my ankle and forcefully pulled me back. “I’m so hot, stay away from me,” I pleaded. A cold bead explored an area that had never been touched before. My foggy consciousness suddenly cleared, and I looked at the man on top of me, feeling nauseous. “Ethan Caine, get out!” I shouted. He gently kissed my forehead, but his lower body didn’t slow down. He violently shattered my voice. “Get out? So you can go play with those pretty boys?” he growled. “I feel sick just looking at you. Divorce. I want a divorce.” My words thoroughly angered Ethan, who was already furious. He laughed coldly, his movements becoming more forceful as he silenced me with a kiss. I completely lost consciousness… When I woke up, my whole body ached. I saw a perfectly sculpted torso and abs, with strong arms wrapped around my waist, holding me in place. His handsome face came into view as memories of last night flooded back. I kicked Ethan, who was still sleeping, off the bed. The sudden movement aggravated my sore spots. He looked at me with his head hanging low, a pitiful expression on his face, as if I had just done something unforgivable. I laughed coldly. He was such a good actor. After a while, Ethan calmly got dressed and prepared to kiss my forehead. “Let me go. The woman you love made a fool of herself yesterday. That mistress who can’t see the light of day.” My sudden words made him freeze. He pinned me to the bed, gripping my neck and gritting his teeth. “Lily, why do you have to be against me?” The phone rang abruptly, breaking the tense atmosphere between us. Ethan’s expression softened, even showing a faint smile. “Okay, don’t be afraid. I’ll be right there,” he said into the phone. He glanced back at me, as if seeking my approval. Seeing that I didn’t say anything, the anxiety on his face became more apparent. “Mia has some urgent business. I need to be by her side.” My heart sank. The man who had just been intimate with me was now arguing with me over another woman. I didn’t bother to speak and slowly buried myself in the blankets. I heard the front door close and the sound of a car engine fading into the distance. Only then did I pick up the tattered clothes and vigorously wash away the filthy marks on my body. Looking around the bedroom, the wind blew in from outside. Suddenly, the door handle turned. I retreated cautiously. I ran out of the mansion in a mess, finally breathing a sigh of relief. Thankfully, I ran fast enough, or I would have died in there with that creep. The fire had turned the entire sky red, growing more intense. A luxury car screeched to a halt. Ethan stumbled out of the car, looking at the scene in disbelief. He couldn’t understand how the mansion had caught fire in the short time he was gone. Firefighters carried out a charred body. Ethan completely broke down, frantically questioning them. “Where’s Lily? Did you save her?” My heart skipped a beat. I unconsciously took a step forward, but just as I opened my mouth, I saw a woman get out of the luxury car. Ethan immediately scolded her for getting out of the car and gently draped his suit jacket over her shoulders. I retracted the foot I had extended. Of course, in Ethan’s heart, no one was more important than her. Mia Sullivan. The girl Ethan couldn’t forget from years ago, and apparently still couldn’t. Ethan was adopted by my mother from an orphanage. We grew up together as childhood sweethearts. We finally got into a top high school with excellent grades, only to meet Princess Mia Sullivan. She couldn’t stand that we had good grades and were close. The willful girl cornered the usually quiet and aloof Ethan, demanding he be her boyfriend. After being rejected, she didn’t give up and turned her attention to me. Ethan finally compromised and became Mia’s nominal boyfriend. But when her novelty wore off, she became interested in other boys. I thought Ethan would be happy about this, but that day he refused to go home with me because he saw Mia flirting with another boy. He angrily dragged her away. In a small alley, the boy kissed the girl, expressing his pent-up love. And I had always been just an observer of their love story. I couldn’t understand why Ethan turned a blind eye to Mia’s bullying of me. Even when he saw her corner me in the bathroom and force me to eat feces, he blamed me for not understanding and angering his beloved. Later, my mother accidentally saved Ethan’s grandfather’s life, and we discovered Ethan’s true identity. He suddenly became the young master of the Caine family in high society. My mother passed away due to illness, her only wish being for me to live a good life. I found a boyfriend, but Ethan flew into a rage and demanded to marry me. At that time, I thought maybe Ethan truly had feelings for me. Looking back now, I was such an idiot. It was only because Mia had gone abroad, and he wanted to prove his charm, trying to provoke Mia into staying. But Ethan’s plan failed. We didn’t get married. From 18 to 23, I was always his nominal girlfriend. Recently, he finally proposed to me. I thought it was the light at the end of the tunnel. I never expected Mia to show up at the wedding as a waitress. She fed Ethan a half-eaten strawberry, and he smiled as he accepted it. Everyone at the wedding was laughing at my stupidity and presumption. I caused a scene, but Ethan accused me of being petty. On our wedding night, my husband rushed off to be with his true love, leaving me alone in our bridal chamber. Before the fire, the two of them looked at each other lovingly, like a match made in heaven. Without hesitation, I turned and left. I heard that the most expensive mansion in the city had caught fire, and the feared young master of high society, Ethan Caine, was going crazy outside the fire, crying and laughing while holding a bracelet. In that fire, the only person who died was Ethan Caine’s wife. I pushed open the door, and a cloud of dust hit me, making my eyes sting. Ever since I married Ethan, he had despised this small house and demanded we move out. To be with him, I agreed without hesitation. This little home, filled with beautiful memories, would now be mine alone. The doorbell rang, and I reflexively grabbed a kitchen knife. Seeing who it was, I was stunned. A handsome face beamed at me, asking me to be his sugar mama. In the blink of an eye, five years had passed. “Mommy, that uncle is so weird. Why does he keep staring at us?” Emily hugged her milk bottle, her little face slightly furrowed, melting my heart. “Don’t talk to strange uncles. We’re going home soon.” I packed up our small stand when a red hundred-dollar bill was held out in front of me. “I’ll take one,” said a familiar voice. The sound made me freeze. I stiffly looked up at the person in front of me. After five years, Ethan looked more mature than before. His face was expressionless, but his reddened eyes betrayed his nervousness. “I’m sorry, we’re closing up. Please come again next time.” I quickened my pace. Emily hugged my leg and pointed at Ethan. “Mommy, why is that uncle crying?” Indeed, Ethan was in tears. They fell in large drops. I had never seen him look so miserable before. He stared at Emily greedily, excitement flashing in his eyes. “Lily, come home with me. I’ve fixed up the house, it’s exactly the same as before you left.” He suddenly grabbed my hand and picked up Emily. “This is my daughter, right? Our family of three can finally be together.” Emily was strangely quiet in his arms. Panicked, I quickly snatched her back from him. “Mr. Caine, what are you doing?” An abrupt male voice broke our awkward moment. William Chase approached with a cold expression, quickly coming to my side. Seeing him arrive, I felt slightly relieved. “Daddy, did you bring Emily cake?” the little girl asked. The man’s expression softened as he playfully pinched his daughter’s nose. But someone couldn’t bear to watch anymore. Ethan kicked over my stand, his face vicious. I fearfully hid behind William, which seemed to provoke Ethan even more. He grabbed my wrist. “Lily Quinn, you’ve got some nerve. How dare you fool around with another man behind my back.” He dragged me towards his car. I lost my balance and fell to the ground. Memories of past nightmares came flooding back. I couldn’t stop shaking as I knelt on the ground, kowtowing. “Please, I’m begging you, let me go. I’m already dead, why are you still haunting me?” Ethan looked at me, at a loss. His hands hovered awkwardly. “Lily, what’s wrong? I’m Ethan, the Ethan you love most.” Love? The man I once loved to the bone now stood before me. I was surprised to find that I felt no love for him, only fear. I thought I had let go after all these years, but he had to appear and shatter my peaceful life. If Mia Sullivan was my bully during school, then Ethan Caine was my biggest abuser when I was 23. Before, love had blinded me, but not anymore. “Love me? If you loved me, would you have allowed Mia to bully me? If you loved me, would you have let her wear my wedding dress at my own wedding, making everyone play along with your charade?” “You’re still so unreasonable. How many times do I have to tell you, she’s just my sister.” How ridiculous. As soon as Mia appeared, Ethan had rushed off the stage. The usually composed man lost his cool, giving a clumsy explanation paired with the woman’s tearful act of being wronged. He forgave her so easily. Then he agreed to let Mia wear my wedding dress and make toasts as the bride on my behalf. Ethan asked all the guests to play along with their performance. Once again, I became a mere spectator to their love story. I lost it right there. Ethan’s grandfather kicked Mia out, but I didn’t want to give Ethan another chance either. I turned to leave, but he stopped me, dragged me to bed, and vented his anger over and over. He accused me of brainwashing his grandfather, causing Mia to lose face in front of everyone. That night, another call from Mia took him away again. An unexpected fire seemingly ignited Ethan’s deep love. People online praised his heartbreaking performance that day, but I found it disgusting. Now he had the nerve to tell me that he and Mia were just siblings, that it was all in the past. “Lily, she’s my sister. We’re over, why can’t you let it go?” Ethan’s face darkened, his eyes full of dissatisfaction. William shielded my disheveled self behind him, wary of the man in front of us. Ethan clicked his tongue, his expression growing colder. He held a sharp knife to Emily’s throat, drawing blood. My heart dropped. Looking at this stranger before me, “Lily, be good and come here. Otherwise, this little girl will pay the price for your stubbornness.” It was always like this. In this city, Ethan still held all the power. Unlike his past gentleness, he was now like a demon, seemingly wanting to devour me whole. William gripped my hand, about to speak, but I stopped him. Only when I saw Emily safely released did Ethan’s car drive away. I never thought I’d return to this mansion again. “Lily, this is the house you carefully decorated before. Do you remember?” Ethan stared at me eagerly. Seeing no reaction from me, he didn’t give up. He introduced me to each part of the mansion one by one. “It was right by that floor-to-ceiling window where we tried a new position. Lily, you were so soft.” The shameful words instantly brought back my memories. Of course I remembered. It was there that I angered him by throwing away the bra strap bracelet Mia had given him. He made me strip naked and forced me to moan by the window. Outside the window were hardworking gardeners, while servants passed by behind us. I remember everyone keeping their heads down that day, not daring to look directly. But I still felt like I had completely lost face. Even so, Ethan wasn’t satisfied. He put unspeakable toys inside me and forced me to pleasure myself in front of those gardeners. In broad daylight, everyone watched me entertain myself. Ethan wanted to continue introducing the places once filled with happiness, but when he turned around, His eyes suddenly widened. “Lily, what are you doing?” I stared at him in confusion, not stopping my actions. Until I was completely naked, I lay on the floor as usual. “What do you want? What should I do to cooperate?” Ethan interrupted me, picking up the clothes strewn on the floor to cover my body. “Don’t you just want to sleep with me? Let’s get on with it.” The man frowned deeply, angrily pushing me away. “Is this how you see me?” Isn’t it? His favorite thing was to display my allure in front of strangers. No one dared to mock him, But behind his back, they all called me a whore who used her body to please men. I was already getting impatient. Emily was waiting for me to go home and cook. “We weren’t like this before. Don’t you remember? You loved me.” Ethan repeated these words pitifully. He was good at playing the victim, then forcing me to endure such humiliation. I was so incredibly stupid back then. Mia Sullivan was the girl he truly cared about. I foolishly threw myself at him. I really deserved all that suffering. “We just grew up together. What love are you talking about?” “No, you do love me. Lily, you’ve changed.” Ethan interrupted me, refusing to accept it. A woman’s voice suddenly cut through our argument. “Brother, where did you go? I was so scared when I woke up and didn’t see you.” A beautiful woman played with her burgundy nails as she walked out of the master bedroom. She saw me and her eyes filled with terror. She looked me up and down in my disheveled state, then quickly composed herself. “Lily Quinn, aren’t you dead? Why are you here? Have you come back to haunt me?” Her abnormal behavior made Ethan frown. “It’s windy outside. Why did you come out? You’re not well, you shouldn’t be running around.” Mia’s smile froze on her face. She coquettishly punched him. “I’m not that delicate. If you don’t comfort me, my headache might come back.” The disdain in her eyes was obvious, as high and mighty as ever. During all those years of bullying, she had looked at me the same way. “I was wrong before. I shouldn’t have tried to climb above my station into your Caine family. I understand now, so please let me go.” “I have a child now. I won’t come bother you anymore in the future.” The fear deep in my body made me tremble uncontrollably. I repeated myself over and over, suppressing the anger in my heart. I was no match for them now, and I didn’t want my family to be implicated because of this. “Lily, don’t be like this.” “Lily Quinn, stop pretending. Everyone knows you’re good at playing these games.” Mia spoke up mockingly, insisting that everything I did was just to win back Ethan’s heart. The tenderness on Ethan’s face gradually faded, replaced by disgust. He seemed to recall the lies I had told in high school. It was actually Mia who had no shame, but she turned around and accused me of being too jealous. To appease her, Ethan had thugs drag me into an alley, claiming it was punishment. Then he told my mother I was flirting with men outside. He didn’t believe Mia bullied me, convinced I was just envious of her wealth and couldn’t accept her. No matter how many times I explained, it was all seen as excuses. If I showed any intention of tattling, my mother would suffer the consequences too. Thinking of this, endless hatred consumed me. I didn’t look up. The warm sunlight outside shone on me, but my limbs were still ice cold. I looked at them, my vision going dark as I gradually lost consciousness. I collapsed to the floor. Ethan picked me up and carried me back to the bedroom, his face full of concern. Behind him, Mia’s eyes darkened, brewing malicious intent. The master bedroom was a mess, with traces of a woman’s life everywhere. Ethan realized something was amiss and kept trying to explain to me. This seemed to be the first time he had ever explained so much to me. After all, he used to just harshly blame me for being petty. Even on our wedding day, Mia pretended to be a waitress, feeding Ethan a half-eaten strawberry as she sat on the groom’s lap, marking her territory. The usually germaphobic Ethan smiled and ate it. The guests whispered among themselves, while the Caine family laughed heartily, tacitly approving their intimacy. Only I went crazy, pushing Mia down and cursing her shamelessness. He put me on the bed and went on and on about how much he had missed me these years, reminiscing about our youth. He held my hand, his tone solemn, saying I was his true love. I didn’t understand. I had been gone for five years, and the big fire had caused quite a stir. They had confirmed the body wasn’t mine, But Ethan never said he was looking for me. Instead, he kept lamenting about me online. Now he was making such a big fuss. What was his purpose? “Hasn’t Mia been taking good care of you all these years?” “Lily Quinn, don’t go too far. She’s my sister.” I originally didn’t want to rehash old grievances with him, but he really disgusted me. If Mia hadn’t added me on SnapChat a few days before the wedding, Sending me daily updates about how Ethan was taking care of her, I wouldn’t have known he was actually impatient about the wedding, eager to chase after his true love. “Right, if she’s not your sister, how could you openly sleep together and have an affair?” “Let me go home. They’re waiting for me.” I looked at him with amusement, already feeling the man’s anger about to erupt. “Lily, why do you keep challenging my bottom line?” Ethan’s eyes were gloomy. He didn’t understand. He had done so much, why was Lily still being unreasonable?

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My family is the wealthiest in the city, and I’m the designated heir. But my two brothers brought home a girl, saying we’d be sisters from now on, and even allowed her to impersonate me. Before the family inheritance announcement, my two brothers escorted her onto the stage in front of everyone. All eyes were drawn to her, believing she was the family’s chosen heir. Chloe looked at me as I followed her onto the stage, her expression haughty: “Olivia, this stage for the heir isn’t a place for you. Get off and go stand with the guests.” “If it weren’t for my brothers kindly adopting you as our family’s foster daughter, someone like you would never even set foot in the Sullivan mansion.” I knew she was relying on my brothers’ favoritism to act so arrogantly, even trying to steal my position as heir. But she didn’t know I’d been reborn. In my past life, I yielded at every turn, only to end up disowned and penniless. This time, I kicked her right off the stage: “Who do you think you are? How dare you act wild in front of me. You’re trying to steal what’s mine – do you have a death wish?”

I kicked Chloe off the stage with one swift move. Everyone’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Olivia, how dare you be so reckless, doing such a thing to Chloe!” My eldest brother Ethan’s face was livid with rage. My second brother Nathan rushed over and slapped me hard across the face. “You insolent foster child, how dare you bully Chloe like this! You’re asking to be punished!” They were shaking with anger, utterly shocked that I, who had always been so meek, would fight back now of all times. In their minds, I would at most cry at our father’s grave, then resign myself to my fate. “Punishment? Let me ask you – since when does an orphan you took in get to replace my identity?” Looking at my two brothers twisting the facts, my eyes were filled with cold fury. I had been so foolish before, always yielding to Chloe to please my brothers, even letting her impersonate me. Hearing my cold words, Ethan’s face darkened as he angrily berated me: “Olivia, what nonsense are you spouting? We kindly took you in, letting you live comfortably in the Sullivan home. Yet you dare to publicly assault our family’s only heir!” Nathan could barely contain his anger as he spoke: “It’s all my fault. I thought letting you attend would broaden your horizons. I never imagined your delusions would be so severe that you’d think yourself the Sullivan heir and make such a scene in public.” Chloe had returned to the stage with Ethan’s help. She looked at me with feigned hurt in her eyes: “Olivia, I never thought that my constant yielding to you would make you misunderstand yourself as the Sullivan heir.” “It’s my fault for being too indulgent. But Olivia, you absolutely cannot disrupt such an important occasion!” The three of them twisting the facts made all the guests start whispering among themselves: “An orphan taken in by the Sullivans, instead of quietly enjoying the luxury, actually dares to hit the real heir. The world’s really turned upside down!” “Is she trying to get herself disowned and cut off?” Hearing the guests’ comments, Ethan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Then he waved his hand dramatically, ordering the security guards standing nearby: “Since she’s so delusional, I hereby declare that as long as we’re around, you’ll never set foot in the Sullivan mansion again!” “Take her away!” The security guards swarmed menacingly onto the stage. Seeing the guards approaching, my eyes grew even colder: “Ethan, who gave you the authority to target the Sullivan family’s true heir in front of everyone?” “Don’t forget Father’s will on his deathbed – I am the sole heir to the entire Sullivan family.” Hearing my forceful tone, my two brothers’ eyes flashed with panic. But Ethan quickly furrowed his brow and snapped: “Olivia, what are you playing at? How could the Sullivan heir possibly be a foster child like you?” The security guards had already surrounded me threateningly. Nathan also recovered, speaking condescendingly: “Olivia, you really have some nerve. Don’t forget that everything you’re wearing right now was given to you by us!” “What are you waiting for? Throw her out of here immediately!” Seeing the guards getting closer, I angrily smashed a nearby champagne bottle. “Listen up! I am the sole heir to the Sullivan family. I dare any of you to touch me!”

The sound of shattering glass plus my angry shout made the entire ballroom fall silent. All the security guards were intimidated by my aura. Then I turned to my two brothers, my face cold: “Ethan, Nathan, you’re still twisting the facts! This foster daughter you brought home has been completely out of control, relying on your support!” “She’s not only enjoying our family’s wealth, but now wants to steal my identity as heir! You two really think you can do whatever you want in this family!” Ethan’s face grew darker and darker as he spoke icily: “Olivia, you’re the one who’s out of control. Not only did you publicly assault Chloe, you’ve ruined the event we worked so hard to prepare!” “Do you think you can muddy the waters and steal the Sullivan inheritance like this?” Many guests whispered among themselves: “This Olivia they adopted into the Sullivan family is really something else. She’s already part of the family, yet she’s pulling these tricks to try and steal the inheritance!” “But why do I feel like Olivia has an air of nobility about her, more befitting of the Sullivan heir? Who’s telling the truth here?” Hearing the guests’ comments, Nathan’s eyes flashed with anger: “Olivia, your delusions are getting more and more severe. There’s only one heir here, and that’s Chloe!” “What are you all standing around for? Throw her out immediately!” Ethan paused for a moment, then spoke with an extremely grim expression: “She’s bullying Chloe like this now. We might as well just cut her off financially to teach her a lesson. We can’t let others think the Sullivan family rules are lax.” When my brothers mentioned cutting me off, the anger in my heart instantly filled my entire chest. In my past life, my brothers always sided with the orphan Chloe they brought home. Whenever Chloe was unhappy, my two brothers would punish me. To please them, I kept yielding again and again, even giving up my position as heir. But in the end, Chloe said she wanted to see something exciting. My two brothers directly cut me off financially, leaving me penniless and on the streets. As I desperately begged for help, my brothers were laughing and chatting with Chloe outside. As I lay dying, I couldn’t understand – I was their real sister, so why did they favor an outsider they brought home so much? In this life, after careful investigation, I finally understood the reason. Thinking of this, I looked at my two brothers even more coldly: “You want to cut me off? Who do you think you are to treat me so rebelliously? Aren’t you afraid Grandmother will find out?” Nathan’s face instantly paled. He whispered in Ethan’s ear: “Brother, if Grandmother Sullivan hears we cut Olivia off, that would be disastrous. We should just throw her out for now.” Seeing Nathan’s fearful look, I couldn’t help but sneer. The entire Sullivan family empire was built by Grandmother. She only had my father as a child. After my father died, Grandmother personally named me the heir to the entire Sullivan Group according to my father’s will, while she retired overseas. These two brothers aren’t my real brothers at all, but the children of my mother’s brother. It was only because my brothers’ parents died early that my mother begged my father for two weeks before he allowed these two brothers to enter our Sullivan family. That’s when their last name was changed to Sullivan. Ethan’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of Grandmother Sullivan, but he still spoke firmly: “What are you afraid of? Once Chloe inherits the family business, what can Grandmother say even if she’s unhappy?” I just sneered: “I’m standing right here. Who can steal my identity as the Sullivan heir?” Hearing my words, Ethan pointed at me in a rage: “You little brat, you dare to keep spouting nonsense? You really think you’re the Sullivan heir!” “Why are you all still standing there hesitating? I’ll say it right now – $100,000 to whoever hits her. Cash on the spot!” As soon as he finished speaking, one of the young security guards rushed over and punched me hard. “A foster child picked up by the Sullivans, still daring to make a scene here? Know your place!” Touching my aching nose, I laughed bitterly. A random security guard I’d never seen before dared to punch me. It seems my two brothers really thought they could do whatever they wanted in the Sullivan family. My expression grew colder as I kicked the guard’s left knee hard. In pain, the guard immediately knelt before me. “Ethan, Nathan, you two really have some influence, offering $100,000 for a punch! Who gave you the right to spend the Sullivan family’s money?” Seeing I was still resisting, Ethan spoke in fury: “What are you all standing around for? Take her to the basement and lock her up! Whoever does it gets a million dollar reward!” Nathan’s voice was equally icy: “Anyone who doesn’t move, pack your bags and get out!” Under my brothers’ threats and bribes, the guards began closing in on me. Just then, an angry shout came from outside the hall: “What are you all doing? The event started so long ago, why is it still so chaotic!”

Everyone turned to look at the door. The newcomer was my mother. Upon entering, she saw the bloodstains on Chloe’s clothes and rushed to her side, fuming: “Chloe, what happened? How did you get hurt? Tell me who did this!” Chloe looked down at me, tears in her eyes. Ethan pointed at me angrily: “Mom, who else could it be but this little brat?” Nathan was shaking with rage, “Mom, look how arrogant this brat is. She kicked Chloe off the stage right in front of us. She’s still bleeding.” Mother rushed over and punched me hard in the face: “Olivia, who gave you the guts to bully Chloe? Have you lost your mind?” “You’ve ruined today’s event. Are you trying to completely destroy the Sullivan family’s reputation?” “I need to teach you a lesson. Get on your knees and apologize to Chloe right now!” Seeing my mother’s actions, the guests frowned and muttered: “Isn’t that Hannah Sullivan, the former family head’s wife? From her reaction, it seems Chloe is her real daughter!” “Damn, this Olivia has some nerve, openly claiming to be the Sullivan heir. I almost believed her.” Hearing the guests’ discussions, my expression darkened further. I shoved my mother away hard. “Teach me a lesson? You’re not fit to be my mother anymore!” In my past life, besides my two brothers unconditionally favoring Chloe, even my mother doted on Chloe extremely. One time, I accidentally broke one of Chloe’s toys. My mother locked me outside kneeling for a whole day before forgiving me. After that, I always followed Chloe around, pathetically trying to please her to win back my brothers’ and mother’s love. But in this life, I finally understood. Chloe wasn’t some orphan brought in from outside. She was my mother’s child with my mother’s brother. To protect my inheritance rights, my father had specifically left a will for Grandmother to announce me as the sole Sullivan heir. But my father never anticipated that his wife would not only try to steal my inheritance, but even wanted to get rid of me completely. My two brothers had known about this all along, and were scheming to help their real sister. I was so stupid before not to notice these things. Mother was furious, glaring at me as she spoke: “You dare talk back? You’re really getting out of control!” I met my mother’s angry gaze directly, speaking coldly: “Hannah Sullivan, don’t forget that I’m the Sullivan heir. An outsider like you has no right to speak.” “As long as I’m here, your illegitimate daughter Chloe will never take over the Sullivan family!” Hearing my words, Mother exploded in rage. Chloe lunged at me first, followed by my two brothers pouncing on me viciously. Mother grabbed my collar and slapped me again. “You little brat, say that again? I’ve been running the Sullivan family for years. Your grandmother hasn’t been involved in ages. Why can’t I make decisions?” I was pinned down unable to move. I licked the blood from the corner of my mouth, still staring fearlessly at my mother. I had already notified Grandmother to return earlier. By my calculations, she should arrive any moment now. Seeing my smile, Hannah grew even more enraged. Chloe kicked me hard in the stomach. “You little brat, you still dare to hit and curse at me? Who gave you the guts? Remember, you’re the foster child in the Sullivan family!” My two brothers didn’t hold back either, each slapping me across the face again. “Olivia, who do you think you are? Stop daydreaming. The entire Sullivan family rightfully belongs to Chloe!” Just then, an elderly but strong and authoritative voice rang out from the doorway: “Who gave you the guts to bully my granddaughter, the Sullivan family’s only heir! Do you all have a death wish?”

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The Sunset Mansion was shrouded in darkness, with moonlight spilling onto the balcony. Jack stood there alone, gazing silently at the grounds below. His phone was pressed to his ear, the voice on the other end filled with concern. “Jack, are you sure about this?” Jack nodded slightly, his tone resolute as he replied, “Yes.” A soft sigh came through the phone, followed by: “You’re the sole heir to our family fortune, yet you’ve stayed away for seven years because of a woman. Now that you’ve come to your senses, it’s not too late. When do you plan to return to South City?” Silence hung in the air as Jack seemed to steel himself for a difficult decision. Finally, he spoke: “In three days.” The voice on the phone took on a half-joking tone: “Alright then. I have a gala to attend in Zheng City in three days anyway, so I can pick you up on the way. But are you really over Zoe now? I hope you won’t cause a scene wanting to go back to her as soon as you return…” “Aunt Claire, don’t worry. I’m completely over Zoe. In three days, we’ll part ways for good.” After hanging up, Jack turned his gaze towards the mansion grounds. At the entrance, Zoe was intimately nestled against Ethan, her old flame. The two were laughing and chatting, looking every bit the picture of a couple in love. This was the seventh year of his secret marriage to Zoe, and the sixth year she had refused to let their child call her “mom”. The heart he had tried to warm for seven years remained cold in the end. Jack clenched his fists, a mix of emotions churning inside him. Suddenly, a small hand gently grasped his larger one. Jack whirled around in surprise. There stood Lily in her thin pajamas, clutching a worn Barbie doll in one arm while holding his hand with the other. She looked up at him with innocent, wide eyes. Startled and concerned, Jack quickly crouched down and said: “Lily, what are you doing out here? It’s cold outside, go back to your room.” He picked Lily up, intending to carry her back inside. Lily looked up at Jack and asked softly: “Daddy, are we really going to leave Mommy?” Jack paused mid-step, instinctively glancing back at the intimate couple below. Then he turned to Lily with a smile: “Lily, Auntie’s old love has come back. We… don’t have a reason to stay anymore.” “Daddy will take you back to our own home, okay?” Lily looked at the Barbie doll in her arms, her eyes full of reluctance. She looked back at Jack, tears glistening in her eyes: “Daddy, do we have to go? I… I still haven’t been able to call her Mommy properly…” Jack felt like his heart had been struck. He opened his mouth but found his throat too tight to speak. After a long moment, he managed to say softly: “Lily, Auntie… she doesn’t like having us around…” Lily pleaded pitifully: “Daddy, can we give Mommy three more chances? If… then we’ll leave, okay?” Jack was taken aback for a moment, then nodded and said gently: “Alright! We’ll do as Lily says and give Auntie three more chances!” A bright smile immediately lit up Lily’s face. Jack carried Lily back into the mansion, about to head upstairs. Just then, Zoe walked in with a smile on her face. Lily excitedly wriggled out of Jack’s arms and ran towards Zoe, calling out happily: “Mommy, you’re back…” Zoe’s expression instantly darkened. She glared at Lily and snapped: “Who told you to call me Mommy?” Lily froze mid-run, the bright smile vanishing from her face. She stood there motionless, like a child who had done something wrong, not knowing what to do. Zoe looked up at Jack, her voice full of anger: “Jack, how many times have I told you!” “Don’t let her call me Mommy. Are you both deaf?” Lily fearfully took a step back, lowering her head and apologizing timidly: “I’m sorry, Mom… Auntie!” Jack immediately stepped forward, shielding Lily behind him as he glared coldly at Zoe: “Zoe, it’s one thing if you don’t like me, but Lily is just a child. Why are you yelling at her?” Zoe’s eyes widened in fury: “Jack, what right do you have to lecture me about the child?” Her face twisted with hatred, “You know perfectly well how that child came to be!” Zoe advanced step by step, jabbing her finger viciously at Jack’s chest: “Seven years ago, you took advantage of me when I was vulnerable and raped me!” “You’re nothing but a rapist who hurt me!” She turned her piercing gaze to Lily, her tone dripping with disgust: “And she is just the daughter of a rapist. Why should I be nice to her?” Jack hurriedly covered Lily’s ears, not wanting her to hear such vicious words from her own mother. But even for him, those words cut deep. He glared at Zoe through gritted teeth: “Zoe, I’ll say this one last time. Seven years ago, it was you who—” “Enough! Jack, how much longer are you going to keep up this charade? Do you think I can’t see through your little schemes?” “Schemes? Zoe, if you think this was all some scheme, why did you marry me and have Lily?” Zoe’s face was a mask of ice as she spat out: “Because… I wanted to remind you every single day what a monster you are! I wanted you to pay for what you did!” Jack’s eyes reddened, his voice trembling slightly: “So from the very beginning, you never loved me at all?” Zoe glanced at Jack’s pained expression, her own eyes reddening. She yelled in a low voice: “You dare to speak of love? Jack, from the moment you took advantage of me when I was drunk seven years ago, you became nothing but a piece of filth in my eyes!” Tears began to fall unbidden down her cheeks. Jack’s heart ached. He instinctively reached out to wipe away Zoe’s tears. Zoe reacted first, quickly wiping away her own tears. She took a deep breath and looked at Jack with contempt: “Seven years ago, you stooped to such despicable acts just to climb the social ladder and live a good life. Not only did I not hold it against you, I even gave you luxury cars, a mansion, status, position. Jack, what more do you want?” “Zoe, is this really how you’ve seen things all these years?” Jack’s eyes were red-rimmed, filled with disbelief that the woman he loved so deeply could view him this way. Zoe’s face twisted with disdain as she said: “How else am I supposed to see it? Jack, I’m warning you, don’t push your luck. Otherwise, I can take back everything I’ve given you just as easily!” With that, she strode past Jack and Lily, heading upstairs. Jack stared after Zoe, silently explaining in his heart: But… Zoe, I married you and had a child with you because — I truly loved you… I thought that after we were married, I could slowly warm your cold heart. But I forgot that a heart as cold as stone cannot be warmed… His thoughts seemed to be pulled into the past by an invisible hand, memories flooding back like a tidal wave. Seven years ago in a hotel hallway, a drunk Zoe had crashed into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably. He had been flustered and at a loss, yet his heart began racing uncontrollably. In that moment, his world narrowed to just the fragile woman in his arms. Then, through a series of misunderstandings, they had spent the night together. The next morning, Zoe had vanished without a trace. He thought they would never meet again, but half a month later, Zoe had shown up looking grim, saying she was pregnant. He had been shocked too, but still made his commitment responsibly. He had married Zoe in secret, concealing his true identity, and quietly used his family’s resources to help her. But her attitude remained cold and distant. It was only after investigating that he understood — that night, Ethan had gone abroad, which was why Zoe had gotten so drunk and ended up with him. Though it was an accident and Zoe didn’t like him, he believed that with time and effort, he could warm her heart. But after seven full years, that heart remained frozen, and their daughter was denied a mother’s love as well. Now Ethan had returned, and he and Lily were clearly no longer important. It was time to go back. … Jack took a deep breath, blinking hard to pull himself out of his memories. He gazed at Zoe’s retreating back, silently making a decision: Seven years of devotion, not a hint of response from you. Zoe, I’m tired… Lily looked up at Jack curiously, asking: “Daddy, why did Auntie say you’re a rapist?” Jack’s eyes reddened as he fought back tears. He crouched down, forcing a smile as he said, “Because Auntie misunderstood Daddy!” Lily reached out her small hand to gently wipe away the tears at the corner of Jack’s eye. “Don’t cry, Daddy! Auntie may misunderstand you, but Lily never will.” Jack hugged Lily tightly, deeply moved: “Lily is such a good girl.” After thinking for a moment, Lily said sadly: “Daddy, Auntie… still has two chances.” Jack paused, then looked into Lily’s eyes. His eyes reddened again as he nodded firmly: “Okay!” In Lily’s room, on the bedside table, sat a framed photo collage of the three of them. In the photo, Jack was holding Lily, his face beaming with happiness. Zoe’s photo, however, was cut out and pasted on the right side, stuck into the same frame. This seemingly complete picture was actually pieced together. Lily was now tucked into bed. Jack bent down carefully to tuck in the blanket. She clutched the blanket, hiding her mouth and nose underneath, only her bright eyes peeking out as she stared at Jack, wide awake. Jack affectionately pinched Lily’s nose and said softly: “Time to sleep~ Winter break is over, you start school again tomorrow~” Lily poked her head out from under the blanket, her eyes sparkling with hope: “Daddy, can you ask Auntie to come with me to the back-to-school ceremony tomorrow? The other kids all have their moms, I want a mom too…” Jack hesitated, his voice uncertain: “Lily, Auntie might… not have time tomorrow…” He sounded reluctant, afraid of shattering the child’s fantasy. “Daddy, let’s count it as our second chance for Mommy, okay?” Her eyes were pleading as she sat up in bed, hands clasped together. Jack pondered for a moment before finally nodding: “Alright, Daddy will go ask Auntie.” He tucked Lily back in before quietly leaving the room. … In the master bedroom, Zoe had just emerged from the shower, surrounded by wisps of steam. Just then, her phone chimed with a Snapchat notification. She walked over to the bed, picked up her phone, unlocked the screen and played the voice message. Ethan’s magnetic voice came through the speaker: “Zoe, I miss you already even though we just parted. I wish I could see you all the time.” Hearing this, a sweet smile spread across Zoe’s face. She quickly tapped the voice input and replied happily: “Okay okay okay, I promise you’ll see me first thing when you wake up tomorrow!” Soon after, another voice message from Ethan came through: “Really? Oh by the way, Zoe, I heard the richest man in Zheng City is hosting a gala at the Grand Hotel in three days. Even the Jiang family from South City will be there. I just got back from abroad and need to build connections. Could you introduce me around?” Zoe was about to reply when a sudden knock on the door broke the silence in the room. She frowned in annoyance, looking up towards the door. Jack gently pushed the door open and walked in. Zoe merely glanced up at Jack before lowering her head again, fingers busy tapping on her phone screen as she asked irritably: “What do you want?” Jack paused for a moment before carefully saying: “Lily has school tomorrow. She’s hoping you could attend her back-to-school ceremony…” At that moment, Zoe was completely focused on her phone screen, paying no attention to what Jack was saying. She was in the middle of typing a reply, having just typed out the word “okay”. “Okay!” Zoe reflexively responded out loud. Her verbal response coincided with sending the message. Jack’s face lit up with surprise, a glimmer of joy flashing in his eyes. He asked in disbelief: “You agreed?” Zoe looked up, frowning in confusion at Jack, her tone icy: “I’m going to sleep. Don’t bother me if it’s nothing important!” Jack was about to confirm again when Zoe shoved him out of the master bedroom. He stood outside the door as Zoe forcefully slammed it shut. He stood there dazed, a mix of emotions churning inside. Just then, Lily suddenly poked her head out of her room. Her eyes held a hint of anxiety and disappointment as she asked softly: “Daddy, did Mommy… not want to…” Jack walked over, immediately plastering on a smile as he said: “Lily, I’m not letting you sleep? Why are you out of bed again?” Lily looked at Jack nervously: “Daddy, did Auntie agree?” Jack reached out to pat Lily’s head, “Of course she agreed! Auntie said she’ll attend your back-to-school ceremony tomorrow.” Lily’s eyes instantly lit up as she bounced excitedly, hardly believing her ears: “Really, Daddy?” Jack’s mood lifted seeing Lily so happy. He nodded firmly. “That’s great! Daddy, when Mommy comes to the ceremony tomorrow, I’m going to tell her that the teacher likes me best!” Lily said excitedly, her little face beaming with happiness. “Wonderful! Our Lily is the best!” Jack said as he picked Lily up and carried her back to her room. At the bedside, he carefully laid Lily down and tucked her in. Lily looked up expectantly, her eyes shining: “Daddy, when I wake up, we’ll go to school with Mommy, right?” Jack affectionately pinched Lily’s nose: “That’s right, now go to sleep!” Lily obediently closed her eyes, a sweet smile still on her lips. Jack stood up, quietly turning off the lights and closing the door. He turned around, his gaze unconsciously drifting towards Zoe’s bedroom as he thought: Zoe, I hope you won’t disappoint Lily tomorrow… The morning sunlight streamed through the windows into the mansion’s great hall. Jack stood in the center of the hall, skillfully doing Lily’s hair. She was already dressed and wearing her little backpack. Lily kept glancing upstairs as she asked hopefully: “Daddy, why isn’t Mommy coming down yet?” Her eyes betrayed her anxiety and longing. Jack’s hands didn’t stop as he said, “Once Daddy finishes your braid, we’ll go upstairs to find Auntie together, okay?” “Okay!” Lily agreed obediently. Soon, Jack had finished Lily’s braid. He looked at the neat and pretty braid with satisfaction: “The braid is done, let’s go call Auntie!” Lily nodded happily, her eyes sparkling with joy. Jack took Lily’s hand as they headed upstairs together. They stood outside the master bedroom, knocking once, twice, but there was only silence from within. Jack’s face gradually filled with anxiety. Lily looked up, her eyes full of worry: “Daddy, could Mommy be sick? Maybe she didn’t hear us knocking?” Jack knocked more urgently, asking anxiously: “Zoe? Zoe? Are you in there? Say something!” His voice held a note of unease as he pounded on the door, but there was still no response from inside. Jack’s brows furrowed as he said sternly: “If you don’t answer, I’m coming in…” As he spoke, he looked down at the doorknob. In a moment of distraction, his mind flashed back to the day they got their marriage certificate. Inside the Pei family mansion, Zoe had led him in, one in front and one behind. Zoe had carelessly tossed the marriage certificate onto the table, then turned back to look at his joyful face, saying haughtily: “Jack, even though we’re married now, I have to lay down some ground rules.” He had smiled at Zoe, quickly agreeing: “Of course, go ahead!” Zoe had stated coldly: “One, we must keep our marriage a secret from everyone.” “Two, you are not allowed to enter my room or touch my things without my permission.” “Three, you are not allowed any intimate contact with me!” The smile had frozen on his face then, but in the end he had nodded and said softly: “Alright!” Snapping back to the present, Jack gritted his teeth and made up his mind, pressing down on the doorknob. The unlocked door swung open gently. Lily ran in excitedly, calling out loudly: “Mommy…” But her words trailed off as she saw the room was empty and tidy. Lily turned back to Jack in confusion: “Daddy, where’s Mommy?” Jack looked at the empty room, his mind going blank as fear gripped his heart. He pulled out his phone and quickly dialed Zoe’s number as he hurried downstairs. The cold voice prompt came through the phone: “The number you have dialed is powered off.” Jack kept redialing Zoe’s number as he rushed to the cake by the stairs. But the call still wouldn’t go through. “Jack, you really are ungrateful. I specially bought you a cake, and you play disappearing act on me!” She angrily threw her phone onto the sofa, crossing her arms and glaring. “Not answering the phone, huh! Don’t you dare come back if you have the guts!” Zoe got angrier as she spoke. She picked up the cake, about to throw it forcefully. However, when the cake was raised halfway, she suddenly stopped. “Forget it! Jack, I’m in a good mood today so I’ll let you off this once. Just wait till you get back, I’ll settle accounts with you then!” Zoe put down the cake and stomped back to her room in a huff. … Meanwhile, at the entrance of the Grand Hotel, two rows of bodyguards stood at attention, waiting respectfully. The convoy of cars slowly pulled up in front of the hotel. As soon as Jack got out of the car with Lily, the bodyguards bowed deeply in unison, calling out: “Welcome back, Young Master! Welcome, Little Miss!” Jack held Lily’s hand, no longer hiding his natural air of nobility and grace. Lily looked at the bodyguards in surprise, then up at Jack, calling out uncertainly: “Daddy…” Jack looked down at his daughter, smiling as he said: “Lily, Daddy is taking you home!” Just then, Aunt Claire emerged from behind the bodyguards. Jack and Lily immediately looked up at Aunt Claire, then walked over to her. Seeing Aunt Claire, Jack noticed the new wrinkles on her face. A lump formed in his throat, his eyes reddening. His voice choked with emotion as he called out: “Aunt Claire!” Aunt Claire saw Jack’s distress and stepped forward to give him a warm embrace, gently patting his back: “These past seven years, you’ve been holding onto a woman who could never change her mind. You’ve suffered so much.” “I’ve been unfilial, leaving all the family burdens for you to bear alone, Aunt Claire…” Aunt Claire smiled as she released Jack, reaching up to pat his shoulder, her tone teasing: “If you know I’ve had it tough, then hurry up and take over as head of the family so I can retire early and enjoy the rest of my life!” Jack nodded, feeling a long-absent warmth in his heart, a smile spreading across his face. At that moment, in a corner of the hotel lobby. Ethan had just walked out, looking up to see Jack. He immediately took a step back, quickly ducking behind a pillar. He muttered in confusion: “Jack?” He narrowed his eyes, staring viciously at Jack and Aunt Claire’s interactions, a cold smirk suddenly appearing on his face. He pulled out his phone, quickly snapping a photo. On the phone screen appeared a photo of Jack and Aunt Claire embracing. Ethan looked at the photo with a sinister smile, then glanced back at Jack and Aunt Claire before turning to leave with a smug expression. Aunt Claire looked down at Lily with affection, crouching to gently pat her head: “You must be little Lily, right?” Lily nodded shyly, then looked at Jack in confusion. “Lily, say hello to Great-Aunt!” “Hello, Great-Aunt!” Lily gave a sweet smile as she greeted Aunt Claire. Aunt Claire smiled as she gently stroked Lily’s cheek, her smile growing even brighter. “Such a good girl! Great-Aunt has prepared a welcome gift for little Lily!” Aunt Claire stood up, clapping her hands at the waiting staff. Immediately, two staff members wheeled out a rack of beautiful princess dresses. The dresses were colorful and exquisite, especially a few Frozen-themed princess dresses in various colors. Lily’s eyes widened at the sight of the dresses, her face lighting up with delight. She couldn’t help but gasp in wonder: “Wow~” “These are all for Lily. Do you like them?” Lily nodded vigorously, walking over to gently stroke the blue Elsa dress, unable to hide the love in her eyes. A memory flashed through her mind: At an amusement park, a group of little girls were playing together in beautiful Frozen princess dresses. She had stood to the side, looking at them with envy. One of the girls had given her a disdainful look, saying scornfully: “Lily, your clothes are so ugly!” She had looked down at her own clothes, unconsciously taking a few steps back, feeling dejected. … Aunt Claire walked over, taking down the blue dress Lily loved, asking gently: “Does our little Lily like this dress?” Lily nodded hard again, her eyes full of anticipation. Aunt Claire handed the princess dress to Lily. “Why don’t we have our little Lily wear it to the gala tomorrow, how about that?” Lily nodded excitedly, saying happily: “Okay!” Jack watched Lily’s joyful expression, feeling a pang of sadness. He said reproachfully: “I’ve been remiss. I overlooked that little girls all like these things.” “Lily is a girl, and girls all love pretty princess dresses and shoes. It’s normal for a rough guy like you to overlook these things!” Jack looked at Lily, momentarily speechless, his heart full of guilt towards his daughter. “By the way, tomorrow is the day our Jiang family officially enters Zheng City. I’ve already spoken to Mr. Lin, the richest man in Zheng City. From now on, all the business in Zheng City will be handed over to you.” “Aunt Claire, I haven’t returned to South City yet. For now, let’s not announce my identity publicly!” “That works too!” She then added meaningfully: “It’ll prevent certain people from getting any ideas when they hear the news! But you still need to attend the welcome gala Mr. Lin is hosting tomorrow!” Jack nodded. Aunt Claire smiled at Lily, holding out her hand: “Come on, Lily. Great-Aunt’s friend has prepared a beautiful tiara for you too. Let’s go try it on!” “Okay!” Lily agreed happily, nodding. With that, Aunt Claire took Lily’s hand as they walked into the hotel, their steps light and quick. Jack watched them walk away for a moment before following them into the hotel. … The next morning, Zoe woke up groggily, checking her phone to see it was 7am. She rubbed her eyes and got out of bed with her phone, calling out: “Jack? Jack!” But the mansion was silent, with no response to her calls. Furious, she stormed to the guest room, thinking Jack was inside. She barged in, talking as she entered. “Jack, you…” Her voice cut off abruptly as she found the room empty. Zoe’s expression froze, then twisted with anger as she clenched her fists and shouted: “Jack!” Enraged, she opened her phone and immediately called Jack, but the call wouldn’t go through. Zoe frowned, opening Snapchat to send Jack a message full of threats: “Jack, I don’t care where you are. Get back here in half an hour, or face the consequences!” After sending the message, there was no response. Her anger growing, she sent a voice message: “If you’re not back in half an hour, don’t bother coming back at all!” Zoe angrily went downstairs, clutching her phone with her arms crossed as she sat fuming on the sofa, waiting fiercely for Jack to return. Time ticked by minute by minute. She glanced at the time, “One minute left!” She stared at the door, starting to count down: “Thirty seconds… ten seconds…” As she counted lower, Zoe’s voice grew heavier, “Three, two, one!” Just as she reached one, the doorbell rang. Zoe let out a relieved sigh, a smug smile spreading across her face as she scoffed: “I knew you couldn’t stay away from me!” She got up leisurely and went to open the door. But when she opened it, the smile froze on her face. Outside stood Ethan and his son Aiden. Aiden saw Zoe and immediately called out excitedly: “Auntie Zoe!” Ethan also smiled and said: “Zoe!” Before Zoe could speak, Aiden darted inside, looking around as he called out loudly: “Auntie Zoe! I’m hungry, can you make me something to eat?” Ethan followed him in. Zoe closed the door in a daze, asking in confusion: “Why are you… here?!” “Isn’t there that gala at Mr. Lin’s tonight? I thought I’d come over with Aiden first to meet up with you.” He glanced at Aiden, smiling as he said, “Aiden’s hungry. Why don’t you cook him something?” Zoe looked at Aiden, then down at her own hands, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside her. A scene flashed through her mind: In the kitchen, she was about to cook some noodles when Jack walked over, smiling as he took the pot from her hands, saying softly: “Your hands are too beautiful for cooking. From now on, just tell me what you want to eat and I’ll make it.” Zoe lowered her hands and nodded, her voice a bit hoarse as she said: “Alright… okay!” She walked into the kitchen while Ethan and Aiden made themselves comfortable on the sofa. Ethan glanced at Zoe in the kitchen, a calculating look crossing his face as a barely perceptible sly smile appeared. He casually said: “Oh, by the way, Zoe, guess who I saw at the hotel yesterday?” Zoe asked absently: “Who?” Ethan paused deliberately, then said: “Jack!” At first Zoe didn’t react, responding indifferently: “Jack…” But suddenly realizing something was off, she jerked her head up, shock written across her face: “Who did you say?” Ethan’s mouth curved into a malicious smile as he said pointedly: “You know, that Jack who’s been pursuing you! Zoe, it’s a good thing you didn’t accept him. Yesterday, I saw him at the hotel with a child, going to a room with some rich older woman!” Zoe was stunned, nearly dropping the pot in her hands. Her eyes filled with disbelief as she mumbled: “How… how is that possible? You must have seen wrong…” Ethan put on an exaggerated look of indignation, shaking his head and clicking his tongue: “I saw it with my own eyes, how could I be wrong!” “Such a morally bankrupt, shameless person.” He narrowed his eyes slightly, his expression growing more contemptuous. He glanced at Zoe meaningfully, saying in a serious tone: “Zoe, you should really stay away from these unsavory characters in the future!” Zoe’s hand gripped the pot tightly, her knuckles turning white. Her mind was in chaos, images of Jack’s usual gentle demeanor clashing with the scene Ethan described. The scales in her heart tipped towards believing Ethan, and a surge of anger welled up inside her. Zoe gritted her teeth and muttered lowly: “Jack! Just wait till you get back, I’ll teach you a lesson!” Her hand gripping the pot had turned red from the force, her body trembling slightly with anger. Ethan watched Zoe’s angry reaction with secret delight, a look of smug satisfaction spreading across his face. Meanwhile, in a private room at the hotel, Lily had already changed into the beautiful Elsa princess dress. Aunt Claire took out a diamond tiara from an exquisite box. The tiara sparkled brilliantly under the lights. The moment Lily saw the tiara, her eyes widened in awe: “Wow! It’s so pretty!” Aunt Claire smiled, her eyes full of affection, “This was specially chosen for you by Mr. Lin himself. Come try it on.” Aunt Claire gently placed the tiara on Lily’s head. After putting it on, she stepped back to admire Lily, her smile growing even brighter: “With this tiara on, our Lily is the most beautiful little princess in the world!” Lily twirled in her dress, then turned to look at Jack expectantly: “Really, Daddy?” Jack nodded with a doting smile: “It’s true, our Lily is the most beautiful little princess.” Lily spun around happily in her dress, her joyful laughter filling the room. Jack watched Lily’s blissful smile, his heart full of contentment. His gaze slowly fell on the tiara on Lily’s head as he mused thoughtfully: “This tiara is the final work of the master jeweler Mr. Ou. I imagine Mr. Lin went to great lengths to obtain it.” Jack sighed softly, a look of appreciation on his face, “It’s clear he put a lot of thought into this.” Aunt Claire looked at the happy Lily and explained: “Of course he had to put thought into it. With our Jiang family entering Zheng City and partnering with him, even a hundred tiaras would be worth it to him.” Jack nodded in agreement. Aunt Claire glanced at the time and said: “The gala is about to start. Shall we go?” “Mm, let’s go.” The two each took one of Lily’s hands as they walked out of the hotel room. Their silhouettes in the light looked especially warm and happy. The luxurious and dazzling banquet hall was brightly lit, crystal chandeliers casting a soft yet brilliant glow that illuminated the neatly arranged cakes and wine glasses. The cakes were exquisitely crafted, adorned with fresh fruit and delicate sugar flowers. The wine glasses sparkled alluringly in the light. Amidst the perfumed air and elegant attire, people chatted softly, their champagne flutes occasionally clinking together with aclear tinkling sound. The entire hall exuded an atmosphere of luxury and elegance. Zoe entered the hall gracefully in a haute couture gown, accompanied by Ethan and Aiden. Ethan looked around at the opulent and grand hall, his eyes widening in awe as he remarked: “So this is what a gala thrown by the richest man looks like! It really is high-class!” A smug smile tugged at Zoe’s lips. Ethan turned to Zoe with a calculating gleam in his eyes: “I heard the heir to the Jiang family from South City will be making an appearance today!” “The Jiang family is the business powerhouse of the entire southern region. Zoe, I’m at a critical point in my career after returning home. You’ll have to help introduce me around later!” Zoe smiled and replied: “I’m fairly well acquainted with Mr. Lin. It shouldn’t be a problem to have him introduce us to the Jiang family representatives and get familiar.” Ethan’s smile grew even brighter at her words. “That’s wonderful! Don’t worry Zoe, once my company takes off, I’ll be sure to repay you handsomely!” “No need to talk about repayment between us. Come, all the movers and shakers of Zheng City are here today. Let me introduce you around first!” With that, Zoe led Ethan towards the crowd. Just then, Aiden suddenly spotted some exquisite pastries on a nearby table. He pointed excitedly and said: “Daddy, I want to go eat those!” Ethan frowned slightly, a hint of annoyance crossing his face: “Aiden, didn’t you just eat at Auntie Zoe’s house? How can you…” “Let him go eat, it’s fine!” Zoe smiled indulgently at Aiden, her eyes full of affection. “Aiden, Auntie Zoe and Daddy have some things to take care of. Can you go eat by yourself?” Aiden nodded happily, “Okay!” With that, he let go of Ethan’s hand and eagerly ran off to eat the pastries. Zoe looked up and spotted two CEOs chatting nearby. Her eyes lit up and she immediately led Ethan over to greet them. “Mr. Liu, Mr. Zhang, it’s been a while…” The two men turned around, smiling as they responded: “Oh! Ms. Pei, you’re here!” Their gazes fell on Ethan, confusion flashing across their faces as they asked: “And this is…?”

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