My brother killed a police officer while driving drunk, but my whole family is forcing me to take the blame for him. Mom said, “Your brother has always been sickly. What’s wrong with helping him serve a few years in prison? It’s not a big deal. Why are you being so selfish?” Dad yelled, “How did I raise such an ungrateful child? If you had locked your car properly, your brother wouldn’t have been able to take it for a joyride!” My fiancée even threatened me, “If you don’t take the fall for Adam, I’ll break up with you! He’s always been fragile, and now he’s crying his eyes out. Don’t you have a heart?” I refused to accept it, but my family threatened to kill themselves if I didn’t comply. In the end, to repay my parents for raising me, I committed suicide instead of my brother. 1 When I saw my spirit floating next to my mother, I finally realized I was dead. At that moment, the police were staring sternly at my parents: “Let me ask you one more time, it was your older son, James, who drove drunk, assaulted an officer, and fled the scene, correct?” My father immediately nodded: “His mother and I can both testify that he was driving that day! It’s just like him to do something like this!” Fearing the police might not believe them, my mother quickly chimed in: “Yes, yes! It was definitely him. That child has always been a liar, bullying his brother. He’s no good!” With just a few words, the police closed the case. Witnessing this scene, I felt an indescribable bitterness and heartache. The moments before my death flashed before my eyes. Adam had stolen my car and driven drunk. When he was stopped by a traffic officer, he was so brazen as to run over the officer, killing him on the spot. When my parents found out, their first reaction wasn’t to blame him, but to call me and order me to take the fall. How could I agree? If I agreed, my life would be ruined! Why should I go to prison for him? But as soon as I refused, my parents, who had been speaking to me nicely on the phone just seconds before, immediately changed their tune. Mom said, “Your brother has always been sickly. What’s wrong with helping him serve a few years in prison? It’s not a big deal. Why are you being so selfish?” Dad yelled, “How did I raise such an ungrateful child? If you had locked your car properly, your brother wouldn’t have been able to take it for a joyride!” My fiancée, Emily, upon hearing the news, even called to threaten me for my brother’s sake: “If you don’t take the fall for Adam, I’ll break up with you! He’s always been fragile, and now he’s crying his eyes out. Don’t you have a heart?” To force me to comply, my parents even threatened to jump off a building, leaving me, the ungrateful child, to live with the guilt. But little did they know that Adam’s crime wouldn’t just result in a prison sentence. He had intentionally run over a police officer, killing several officers. The crime was so severe that he would either face the death penalty or life imprisonment! In the end, to repay my parents for raising me, I committed suicide instead of my brother. I died, and they should all be satisfied now.

With a sense of resentment, my spirit floated to where my brother Adam was. At that moment, in the car parked in front of our house, Adam was looking at my girlfriend Emily with a pitiful expression: “Emily… I should go to prison. If I suffer, James will be happy, right? I don’t want you to be hated by him because of me…” Seeing him like this, Emily’s heart melted, and she pulled him into her arms: “Adam, don’t say such silly things! It wasn’t your fault, and besides, you’re not well. What’s wrong with James taking your place in prison? He’ll be fine!” Adam’s tears started to fall. “James will definitely hate me. What if he tries to run me over with his car to get revenge?” Hearing his fake, pitiful words, the anger in my heart was about to erupt. He always used these low tactics to slander me, creating a weak persona to gain everyone’s sympathy. But they always believed him wholeheartedly. Slowly, I, the innocent one, became a selfish liar in their eyes, while he became the victim of my daily bullying! Sure enough, Emily immediately got angry. “If he dares to try and run you over, I’ll make sure he goes back to prison! People like him will get what’s coming to them sooner or later!” Hearing this, Adam finally relaxed and leaned against Emily. “Emily, you’re so good to me.” Emily’s expression softened again as she turned to him. “Don’t worry, I won’t let him bully you.” Watching this scene, the anger in my heart had turned into bitterness and self-mockery. Was this the girlfriend I had always cherished and cared for? How ridiculous. That evening, my parents returned home from the police station. As soon as they entered, my mother, her face streaked with tears, hugged Adam: “Adam, your brother has agreed to turn himself in. The police have accepted our report. You poor thing, you’ve suffered so much, but you don’t have to be afraid anymore!” A flash of triumph and excitement crossed Adam’s eyes, but it quickly turned into fake concern: “Mom, it’s all my fault. I’m the reason James is suffering. Even if he bullies me every day like he used to when he gets out, I’ll endure it.” Upon hearing this, my parents, who had been smiling just moments ago, became furious: “He bullies you every day! That beast, doing such things behind our backs!” “We were right to force him to go to prison! I can’t believe we raised such a heartless, ungrateful child. We must have sinned in our past lives!” My girlfriend also chimed in, “Hmph, I’ll break up with him as soon as he gets out of prison. Someone like him can’t even compare to a kind-hearted child like Adam!” These words were like poisoned daggers piercing my heart. I had to struggle to keep my emotions from falling apart. The scene of the four of them happily together undoubtedly told me that I had always been the unwanted one.

That night, the first thing the family did was to erase all traces of my existence. They said that leaving the belongings of a bad seed like me would bring bad luck. My father even posted on social media, distancing himself from me, his murderer son in prison. My girlfriend moved in, saying she wanted to atone for my sins by taking care of my brother. Watching everything this family did, my heart turned ice cold. Was this the family I had given my life to repay? What was I to them? A sense of helplessness washed over me. This house, everything in it, was bought with money I had scraped together through hard work. Now, not only was Adam the owner, but I, who was still paying the mortgage, wasn’t even worthy of entering this home anymore. Just then, the silence in the room was broken by a phone ringing. Emily took out her phone and looked at the caller ID. It was Mark, my best friend from college. He had always disliked Emily, saying she didn’t deserve all the love I gave her. I hadn’t listened to him. Now I knew how much I regretted that. Emily frowned but still answered the call: “What’s wrong with you, Mark? Why are you calling me?” As soon as she finished speaking, Mark’s voice roared through the phone: “Emily, James is dead! You killed him for that beast, do you know that? He jumped to his death!” The deafening voice came through, making Emily feel dizzy. Before she could speak, my mother snatched the phone: “Who are you calling a beast? What trick is Adam trying to play now? Hasn’t he had enough?” “Always lying to get our attention! Tell him for me, stop using such despicable methods. I’m disgusted on his behalf!” Mark laughed bitterly: “Fine, fine. He’s despicable, he’s full of lies. You don’t deserve to be his family. You’d better not regret this!” At this moment, Adam seized the opportunity, putting on a tearful expression and shouting: “Mark, I know James asked you to bully me. It’s okay if I’m bullied, it’s all my fault. I made James unhappy! But please don’t scold Mom and Dad, don’t be angry with Emily. I’ll do anything…”

As soon as he said this, my parents and Emily’s eyes turned red. My mother hugged him tightly, crying and calling him a good child, asking how he could be so understanding. My father grabbed the phone and shouted, “Tell that ungrateful James to serve his time well in prison. Let him sit there until his black heart turns white. I don’t have such a beast for a son!” Mark sneered. It seemed he had experienced the tragedy of my life in this family. After a few seconds of silence, he laughed coldly and said: “Just you wait!” “I will definitely uncover the truth and make sure you beasts get the punishment you deserve!” “I will clear James’s name!”

With that, he hung up the phone, while my parents continued to curse at the silent device. Emily softly comforted Adam: “Adam, don’t be afraid. Even though James’s friends are no good, I will protect you!” Adam wiped his tears: “Emily, you’re so good to me. If it weren’t for you all, I don’t know what James would do to me…” “It’s my fault. I must have done something wrong for James to hate me so much.” I coldly watched him. From childhood, it had always been him playing the victim, slandering me in various ways. Now it had somehow become my fault. But my parents didn’t see it that way. My mother went to the kitchen to start preparing dinner: “Anyway, he’s already in prison. He can’t come and bother us anymore. We can finally have a few years of peace!” Bother? When I heard that word, I was momentarily stunned. So, to this family, I had always been an unwelcome disturbance? Thinking back to the barely concealed looks of disgust on my parents’ faces every time I came home. It turns out they had never considered me part of the family in their hearts. Only I had been foolishly giving my all. At the dinner table, my parents kept piling food onto Adam’s plate, neglecting their own. Adam quickly stopped them: “That’s enough, Mom and Dad. It’s too much, I can’t eat it all.” Only then did my parents stop, putting down their chopsticks and smiling tenderly at him: “Eat more. You’ve lost weight from the shock of the past few days. You need to regain your strength.” Adam agreed, then put down his chopsticks and hesitantly said: “Mom, Dad, I’ve learned my lesson from this incident. It all happened because I wasn’t familiar with James’s car. If I had my own car, this wouldn’t have happened.” “I want to buy a car. I’ve already found one online, it’s only $30,000!” Hearing this, my parents’ hands paused mid-air, as if considering the feasibility of this request. Seeing their reaction, Adam immediately said with guilt: “I’m sorry, Mom and Dad. I shouldn’t have such thoughts. I’ve already caused you so much trouble…” This trick always worked. My mother immediately made the decision: “It’s just a car, what’s the big deal! Your brother is in prison anyway, his car is just sitting there unused. We’ll sell his car and buy you a new one.” Emily quickly nodded: “Yes, yes! If there’s not enough money, I’ll cover the rest. I haven’t touched any of the engagement money James gave me, it’s all for you to use!” Adam looked troubled and said: “Won’t James be upset when he gets out…” Emily quickly interjected: “Of course not! You’re overthinking it. We’re helping him get rid of the accident car, he should thank us!” With the conversation having reached this point, no one had the appetite to continue eating. My parents took out their phones and comforted Adam: “Don’t worry, Adam. We’ll call the prison right now and ask where your brother kept his car keys. We’ll take care of it today!” Adam said, “Mom, Dad, there’s no need to rush,” but the smile he couldn’t suppress betrayed him. After the call connected, my parents quickly put on serious faces: “Hello, we’re looking for the prisoner James Chen.” The prison staff politely replied: “Please wait a moment, we’ll connect you right away.” The group wore expressions of assured victory, waiting for me to obediently tell them where the car keys were. Unfortunately, this was just their assumption. When the phone was picked up again, the confused voice of the staff came through: “James Chen? Didn’t he commit suicide by jumping off a building a few days ago? The body has already been taken away. Don’t you know?” These words struck my parents like lightning, their expressions instantly freezing. They gripped the phone tightly and asked: “Officer, is there some mistake? Could it be someone with the same name?” The staff member laughed coldly: “A mistake? Do you know where this is? There’s only been one James Chen in this prison for the past six months. He’s dead, understand?” The sound of the phone falling to the ground was clearly audible. It was only at this moment that they learned the truth. That I was already dead.

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I had just gotten off work when Elvis surprisingly asked me to get dressed up and go out with him. Full of excitement, I arrived at our meeting spot, only for the scene before me to completely shatter my hopes for Elvis. Fiona was wearing the wedding dress I had picked out for our wedding, kissing Elvis in front of some strangers filming them. Seeing my upset expression, Elvis pulled me aside: “Can you stop looking so sour all the time?” he scolded. “You’ve enjoyed the good life thanks to Fiona for so many years. Now that she’s lost her memory because of you, the least you can do is make it up to her a bit.” I lowered my eyes, feeling utterly heartbroken. Just a few days ago, I had suddenly found out I wasn’t the Johnsons’ biological daughter – Fiona was. After she was brought back home, she saw Elvis holding my hand to comfort me and suffered a shock that caused her to lose her memory. Ever since returning from the hospital, she had been adamant that Elvis was her boyfriend and that I was the Johnsons’ housekeeper. Fiona noticed Elvis and I standing close together and came over smiling, taking Elvis’s hand: “Lisa, you’re just in time! I want to do some role-playing – will you join us?” “Elvis and I are the real couple. We’ll pretend to be husband and wife, and you can play the other woman trying to break us up. What do you think?” I frowned, thinking her suggestion was utterly ridiculous. Her eyes immediately welled up with tears as she turned to Elvis: “I just saw people posting these kinds of videos online and getting lots of attention. I wanted to try it too. Is that not allowed?” Elvis lovingly stroked her head, then bent down to kiss her eyelids, full of concern. “Of course it’s allowed, sweetheart. We’ll do whatever you want.” Fiona smiled and put on the veil, leaning into Elvis’s arms as she began her act. Ignoring my wishes, she pointed at me and shouted: “Why are you trying to seduce Elvis? He and I are so in love – we’ve been together for 9 years and are about to get married! How could you be so evil,Lisa?” “Is it because you’re jealous of me? But I’ve always treated you so well. Why would you do this to me?” She cried and yelled, drawing the attention of passersby who started looking over and pointing at us. People who didn’t know the situation assumed a real argument was happening. Some onlookers took out their phones to record, yelling that they should “beat up the homewrecker!” Others even grabbed props to throw at me. Elvis stood by watching me get humiliated without doing anything, instead shielding Fiona to protect her from getting accidentally hurt. I had become the biggest joke of the night. So this was what I got after loving him for 9 years. My nose stung as I quickly lowered my head and ran out of the crowd. I didn’t want to continue this relationship anymore. Back home, I lay in bed masochistically scrolling through videos of Elvis and Fiona over and over. They had kissed in front of every popular creator filming them. Now the whole internet was envying their love story, while I had been reduced to the “other woman.” I closed my eyes and calmly dialed Galen’s number. “I’ve made up my mind. I’ll marry you.” There was a long silence on the other end before Galen finally spoke, his voice cool and gentle: “You’re sure?” Hearing me start to cry, he paused before softly comforting me: “Don’t cry over someone who doesn’t deserve it.” “Let me know when you’re ready and I’ll come pick you up.” I buried my head as tears fell, choking out a quiet “Okay.” Elvis, Galen and I had all grown up together. But after Elvis and I started dating, Galen went to develop his career in the capital and we lost touch. It wasn’t until recently when he found out about my situation that he proposed we get married. I thought he was joking at first, but it turned out he was serious. I had been reluctant to let go of Elvis before, but today I finally understood that what had been holding me back was just my memories of the old Elvis.

When I woke up, the dining table was already full of people, with only Fiona missing. I knew this was an ambush against me. Mrs. Johnson’s face fell as soon as she saw me sit down. “Lisa, you and Elvis’s wedding will have to be cancelled for now.” I lowered my head and took a sip of porridge, emotionless. “Okay.” I don’t know how I had angered Elvis again. He slammed the table hard, looking at me with disgust in his eyes: “If you hadn’t stolen the life of a rich young lady from Fiona, I never would have fallen for you. Fiona is the one I should have loved all along.” Elvis suddenly stopped mid-sentence, gazing lovingly behind me: “Fiona, did you sleep well last night?” Fiona sat down on Elvis’s lap, sleepy-eyed. When she saw me at the table, she immediately became upset: “What right do you have to eat at the table with us, you’re just a maid? The daughter of your low-class mother really has no manners.” Mr. and Mrs. Johnson’s expressions darkened, but they still grimly ordered me: “Lisa, from now on you’ll eat with the other staff.” I gave a bitter smile. When I first found out I wasn’t the Johnsons’ daughter, I had offered to leave this family and give her parents back to her. But Fiona suddenly lost her memory, believing I was the maid who had taken care of her since childhood. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson and Elvis all coaxed me to stay, saying not to further upset Fiona. Elvis even said he would marry me whether I was the Johnsons’ daughter or not. I was softhearted then and agreed. I just never expected to receive their increasingly harsh mockery and targeting. After breakfast, a group of people barged into my room. Fiona led the way, directing the maids to move my things out one by one. Her gaze landed on the old piano in the center of the room. “Smash that piano. What an outdated thing – a maid should be taking care of me, not secretly using her salary to learn fancy skills.” That piano was given to me by my late piano teacher. I clenched my fists and stepped forward to protect it, my tone firm: “You can do whatever you want with my other things, but not this piano.” Fiona let out a shrill scream. “Fine then, go sleep in the doghouse with your precious piano!” “Weren’t those little dogs your most prized possessions? Go sleep with them!” Those two puppies were a birthday gift Elvis had given me. When Fiona first came back, Elvis had sent them away because Fiona said she hated the smell of animals. I still remembered, but Elvis looked at me with contempt: “They’re just dumb animals. Only someone from a poor background like you would treasure them so much.” But I clearly recalled how he said he wanted to be the puppies’ dad when he first bought them for me. In the end, all my belongings were thrown into the room I had originally prepared for the dogs.

After hesitating for a long time, I finally called my birth mother from the garden at home. The call connected instantly. My heart was full of anxiety – I didn’t know how she viewed me as her biological daughter. Mom’s gentle voice came through: “Is that you,Lisa?” “Yes.” After a moment of silence, I finally spoke what was on my mind: “Mom, can I move in with you?” Choked sobs came from the other end: “Of course you can, sweetheart. I’m so happy you want to come live with me.” The heavy weight in my heart finally lifted. It turns out I wasn’t a child without a home after all. Mom went on to carefully ask about my likes and preferences, saying she wanted to prepare a room for me. She talked to me about many things. I suddenly felt a warm current flow into my heart. After chatting with Mom, I contacted a moving company to take the piano to her house. Just after seeing them off, I returned to find Fiona hugging a kitten, with Elvis smiling and taking photos of her in front. “Elvis, am I pretty like this? Thank you for the kitten, I love animals so much!” “You’re beautiful, Fiona. You’re the most beautiful woman in the world!” Their conversation carried clearly to my ears even from a distance. In the 9 years Elvis and I were together, he had never taken a single photo of me. Every time I suggested going on a trip, he would refuse, citing work. But these days he seemed like a completely different person, spending all his time with Fiona. Seeing me walk past them, Elvis stopped me and handed me the camera: “Perfect timing, come take a photo of us.” In the viewfinder, Fiona hugged the cat and turned to kiss Elvis’s cheek. The scene was utterly ironic. After I left, Elvis texted me to explain: [Lisa, please understand. I’m just reassuring a patient. I promise I won’t do anything beyond your boundaries with Fiona.] [Once she regains her memory, we’ll have our wedding as planned. You’ll still be my beautiful bride then.] I didn’t reply to him. While I was packing my luggage, Fiona barged into my room. “What, going back to your poor mother’s slum?” Seeing that I ignored her taunts and continued packing, Fiona grew furious: “You better behave yourself tonight and not steal my spotlight.” “I want you to watch with your own eyes as I take back everything that’s rightfully mine step by step.” Her gaze shifted to my still unpackaged paintings, hatred crystallizing in her eyes. She lunged forward to grab my hair: “If it weren’t for you, I would be the one excelling in music, chess, calligraphy and painting now.Lisa, what right do you have to steal my life!” I dodged Fiona’s attack and coldly looked at her: “You’re faking your memory loss?” She smirked proudly, “So what if I am? An outstanding man like Elvis can only be mine. No matter who you tell, they won’t believe you over me.” “You and your mother are both trash! You can’t even keep your own man – whose fault is that?” I could tolerate Fiona’s earlier outbursts and throwing out my things – after all, they did belong to the Johnsons. But for her to insult the mother who had raised her for over 20 years, I felt this person’s heart had turned completely cold. Mom is an outstanding woman. Though she grew up without parents, she still managed to get into college through her own efforts and government aid in that era. Now she’s a university professor. She had always treated Fiona like a precious jewel and never mistreated her. But after Fiona found her birth parents, she pretended to lose her memory just to cut ties, and now called Mom “trash” at every turn. Fiona probably didn’t know that when she found her birth parents, Mom had also found hers – a family in a hundred times more powerful than the Johnsons.

I was about to retort when Elvis walked in holding some documents. He first pinched Fiona’s cheek, his tone affectionate: “Princess, the makeup team I hired for you is here. Go on now.” Then he tossed a file at me: “Sign this.” I glanced down briefly – it was a resignation letter and a project transfer agreement. It was for the project I had built up over 5 years at Mr. Johnson’s company – their most profitable project. They had probably agreed to transfer it to Fiona. Even if he didn’t bring up resigning, I was already planning to quit since I was leaving tonight anyway. I picked up the pen and signed, responding flatly: “Okay.” A flash of confusion crossed Elvis’s face, as if he hadn’t expected me to give up my hard work so easily. He carelessly tossed a gift box at me like throwing away trash. “Sorry for the trouble lately. This is to make it up to you.” Seeing I had no reaction to the gift, Elvis grew angry: “What’s your problem?Lisa, I’m warning you, don’t be so ungrateful.” I threw the gift back at him. “Elvis Smith, we’re breaking up.” Elvis heard Fiona calling him from outside and looked at me with disdain. “Playing this game again? You think you can really bear to leave me?” Tonight was a garden party at home to celebrate the return of the Johnsons’ princess. As I walked past with my suitcase, the place was lively. “Fiona and Elvis really are a perfect match. Only a flawless woman like you is worthy of Elvis.” Fiona basked in the praise. “Where’sLisa? How could she not show up on such an important day?” Elvis had also noticed I hadn’t appeared all night. He suddenly remembered what I had said earlier and frowned slightly. His friends laughed and reassured him: “Trust me,Lisa will definitely come down to make a scene later. After all, there aren’t many men as great as you, Elvis. She’ll cling to you for dear life.” As I approached, they started jeering: “See, I told you no one can resist Elvis’s charm!” Elvis’s furrowed brow relaxed. He told the security staff: “Keep a close eye later. I don’t want her causing a scene and embarrassing me.” Just as he finished speaking, a cool and dignified man walked in through the party entrance. His arrival immediately caused exclamations from the crowd: “Isn’t that Galen? Didn’t he move to the capital? Did he come back specially for Fiona’s party?” Amid envious glances, Fiona walked towards Galen, extending her hand expectantly: “Hello, I’m Fiona Johnson, the eldest daughter of the Johnson family.” Galen walked right past Fiona to me, naturally taking my hand: “I’m here to take you home.” Feeling Galen’s warmth in my palm, I couldn’t help blushing and nodding messily: “Okay.” Seeing Galen and I standing together, Fiona angrily stomped her foot. We had only taken a few steps out when Elvis, his face black as thunder, blocked our way. He stared at me with bloodshot eyes: “Lisa, you’re really leaving with him?”

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I was just ten days away from my due date when I discovered a flight check-in message on my husband’s phone. Curious, I asked, “Who did you buy tickets for?” Jack hesitated, avoiding eye contact as he mumbled, “For me and my parents.” Shocked, I couldn’t believe my ears. I asked again: “You have tickets for tomorrow with your parents? Where are you planning to go?” Jack paused, then reluctantly said, “We’re thinking of going to the capital for a few days.” I could hardly believe what I was hearing. Incredulously, I asked him, “What are you talking about? I’m about to give birth, and at this crucial time, you’re planning to go on a trip with your parents?” Jack tried to explain, “I’ve been so busy with work lately, and now that I finally have some time off, my parents have been wanting to visit the capital. So I thought I’d take this opportunity to take them on a nice trip.” I found it unbelievable and said, “The only reason you have time off is because you took paternity leave, right? And you’re using that paternity leave to go on vacation with your parents?” Jack frowned and said irritably, “The paternity leave is my time off, and how I use it is my business. Besides, your due date is still ten days away. I need to plan this time reasonably. I can’t just sit at home with you every day. You’re not going to give birth that quickly, and I’d be so bored!” “Plus, we’re only going for five days. We’ll definitely be back before you have the baby.” No wonder he had insisted on taking his paternity leave early. I thought he was worried about me being alone at home and might go into labor at any time, so he wanted to stay by my side to reassure me. I was quite touched. I never expected he had planned all along to use this time for a vacation. I tried to suppress my anger and said, “Then why didn’t you tell me about this beforehand?” Jack muttered quietly, “If I had told you in advance, you definitely wouldn’t have agreed…” I interrupted him: “So you decided to act first and inform me later, is that it? Last time we went for a prenatal check-up, the doctor also said that the baby might not necessarily come on the due date, it could be earlier or later. What if I suddenly go into labor when you’re all gone and I’m left alone at home?” Jack said impatiently, “It’s not that easy to give birth! Besides, doctors say that to avoid liability. If the baby comes early or late, they can’t be blamed. Even if you do go into labor early, the hospital is right next door. You can call 911, and an ambulance will be at our doorstep in five minutes. The doctors and nurses are so professional, there’s no way anything could go wrong. Plus, my mom said that first babies always take longer to be born. You’ll probably be in labor for several days, so we’d have plenty of time to fly back.” I stared at him in shock, never dreaming these words could come from a man about to become a father. Seeing him argue so forcefully, I didn’t want to reason with Jack anymore. Jack didn’t want to comfort me either, and the atmosphere became tense. Just then, a phone call broke the cold war. Jack’s face froze when he saw the screen. He hesitated for a moment before answering the call, saying in a low voice, “Mom, yeah, we’re all ready… No, we didn’t fight… Don’t overthink it.” “Sigh, why are you suddenly saying you won’t go? We really didn’t fight.” “The flights and hotel are all booked. You’ve been talking about wanting to visit the capital for so long, I’ll definitely take you there.” “No, no, no…” Jack hung up the phone and sighed after a while, saying, “See how considerate my parents are of you? As soon as they knew you were unhappy, they immediately said they wouldn’t go.” “My parents have sacrificed so much for you, why can’t you consider them a little? My parents were so excited about this trip, they told all our relatives about it. Everyone envied them.” “After you have the baby, my parents will come to help take care of the child. For at least the first three years, forget about traveling – they won’t even be able to take a day trip to the next city.” I laughed coldly to myself. If they really cared about me, they wouldn’t have talked about going on a trip at this critical time. I conceded, “Let’s compromise then. I don’t want your parents to resent me over this. They can go on the trip tomorrow as planned, and you stay home with me.” To my surprise, Jack reacted strongly, jumping up and saying, “That won’t work! My parents are old and have never traveled far. They’re unfamiliar with the place. Forget about sightseeing, they wouldn’t even know where to go after getting off the plane! How can you suggest I abandon two elderly people in the capital? How can you say such a thing? You’re so heartless!” I retorted, not backing down, “So you’re fine with abandoning me alone at home? Aren’t you worried that I might go into labor at any time with no one around? Don’t you know that giving birth is like having one foot in the grave? There’s always a risk of both mother and child dying. Are you unaware of this?” Jack glowered at me and scolded, “Stop trying to scare me with that nonsense! With today’s advanced technology, how could anyone die from childbirth? If it were that dangerous, would so many people still have children? What are the odds that this one-in-ten-thousand chance would happen to you? Driving a car is more likely to cause an accident, so why do so many people still drive?” “I was hesitating about whether it was appropriate to go on a trip with my parents without you, but now I think this decision was absolutely right! We’re definitely going tomorrow!” And so, neither of us was willing to back down, and we ended up not speaking to each other after the argument. In the middle of the night, I lay stroking my swollen belly, recalling Jack’s words from earlier. Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized that in his mind, taking his parents on a trip was more important than me giving birth to our child. Unable to sleep, I opened my phone and saw that Linda had posted several WeChat moments after hanging up the phone: “Sigh, I never thought that after working hard all my life, my daughter-in-law wouldn’t even let me go on a trip. Getting old really makes you unwanted!” “You can pour your heart out for someone, but they might never be satisfied, I guess. After all, I’m not her birth mother.” “Nowhere is suitable to go, might as well just stay at home! Saving money for my son.” “Thank you all for your concern. We’ve decided not to go on the trip. We’re used to staying in our hometown all these years. Now that we’re old, we won’t trouble my daughter-in-law anymore!” With all this passive-aggressive venting, I had become an ungrateful daughter-in-law who didn’t want her in-laws to enjoy life. But the truth is, my in-laws have never sacrificed anything for me. Jack and I are both only children, but my family’s financial situation is a bit better than his. They live in a self-built house in the countryside, while my parents bought an apartment in the city for us newlyweds to live in.

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My Wife’s Childhood Friend Killed My Parents in a Drunk Driving Accident I wanted to report it to the police, but my wife blindfolded me and took me to a basement prison. For three years, I endured various tortures without seeing daylight. After each round of torture, I would hear an icy cold female voice: “Lucas, do you still hate him?” Until that day, when I was crawling on the cold floor, begging on the other end of the phone. “I don’t hate him anymore, I really don’t!” On the phone was my wife’s cheerful laughter. The day they let me out, I avoided my wife’s embrace. She stood there stunned for a long time. When I numbly asked her for a divorce, she went crazy. … In the damp and dark basement prison, I sat in the corner with a crippled leg. The wet wall soaked through my shirt. The light from the opening door made me shield my eyes uncomfortably. Hearing footsteps, I instinctively shrank back further. “Sir, Ms. Hannah sent me to pick you up.” I looked up at the man walking towards me. It was Hannah’s long-time bodyguard. I lowered my eyes and responded. “Okay” I struggled to stand up, limping a few steps. The bodyguard’s face was full of shock. “Sir, your foot?” My hand gripped my pants tightly, my head hanging low. “It was crushed by a cabinet earlier, probably a fracture.” The bodyguard looked at me in surprise, eyes wide. “Why didn’t you tell Ms. Hannah?” I gave a bitter smile, not answering him. What could I say? Even if I told her, would Hannah let me out to see a doctor? Or would she call a doctor for me? “Let me help you walk.” The bodyguard supported me with a complicated expression. Shortly after leaving the basement, I saw Hannah and Leo getting out of a car. “Hannah, I told you he would definitely pretend to be pitiful to make you feel sorry for him. Look, he even needs someone to support him for such a short distance.” Hannah looked in my direction when she heard this. She didn’t say anything, but her eyes were full of smugness. She walked quickly towards me. When she was closest to me, Suddenly, she opened her arms. But I violently flinched. Hastily avoiding her embrace. I curled up, seemingly unaware of the pain in my leg. “Don’t hit me, please stop… I was wrong, I really was!” Hannah’s arms were still outstretched. Her face full of disbelief. Hannah slowly lowered her arms, standing in front of me. “What’s going on?” She questioned the bodyguard beside me. The bodyguard seemed shocked by my reactive response too. Hearing Hannah’s question, he finally came to his senses. “Sir, he—” “Hannah!” Leo suddenly called out, and Hannah instinctively turned her head in his direction. The bodyguard’s words got stuck in his throat, forcibly swallowed back. “Lucas, you’re not holding a grudge against Hannah for keeping you here to reflect, and putting on this act to make her feel guilty, are you?” “Alright, stop pretending. Since you’ve admitted your mistake, Hannah and I won’t pursue the matter of you wrongly accusing me anymore.” He emphasized the words “that matter” heavily. The next second, I stopped trembling in a daze. Leo let out a light laugh. “See, what did I tell you, Hannah?” I didn’t get up, still crouching in place. Hannah’s voice suddenly turned cold. Speaking flatly from above my head. “Lucas, three years, isn’t that enough time for you to reflect!”

“Alright Hannah, don’t be angry. We have an appointment with Director Chen soon, let’s go.” Seeing that I was still crouching, Hannah gripped her Hermes bag tightly, scolding me in exasperation: “Lucas, you really are useless! Look at Leo, and then look at yourself!” “These three years, it’s been Leo by my side helping me. Without him, I would have collapsed long ago! Lucas, look at the state you’re in now! Do you think you’re still worthy of me?” After saying this, she took Leo’s arm and turned to leave. Leo gave me a mocking smile. Silently mouthing the word “loser!” I watched them leave together, trembling all over. “Sir! What happened to your little finger!” I slowly lowered my head. Looking down at my right pinky finger. After three years apart, Hannah only glanced at me briefly before leaving. She didn’t even notice the abnormality in my leg. Let alone my right pinky finger twisted strangely. I smiled self-mockingly. “It’s nothing, just a badly healed fracture.” “…I should still take you to the hospital.” The bodyguard supported me as I stood up. My body felt drained of all strength, all my weight leaning on him. Leo had only come into Hannah’s life three years ago. I always knew Hannah had a childhood friend, a boy she grew up with. Later that boy’s family ran into some trouble, so they sent him abroad. In all the years after, Hannah never dated anyone, nor had any ambiguous relationships with other men. I knew she was waiting for him. And I was waiting for her too. In those years, my family introduced many girls to me, but I politely declined them all. I kept myself so pure that my parents almost thought I liked men. Until that day, when Hannah ran to find me in the pouring rain. “Lucas, I’m done waiting. Do you have someone you want to marry?” “If not, how about me?” I was so excited I couldn’t contain myself, hugging the woman in front of me tightly. Hannah had no idea. How much I loved her at that time. I devoted everything I had, pampering, tolerating, and loving her infinitely after marriage. As time passed, all I gave finally received positive feedback. But all of this changed when Leo reappeared. I had found an eyewitness. Proving that it was Leo who drove into my parents! Moreover, he was drunk driving and fled the scene, afraid of being framed for killing someone. So he repeatedly ran over my parents! But Hannah just wouldn’t believe it. She came forward to vouch for him, saying Leo was with her the entire night. In the end, even the witness changed their testimony. I was isolated and helpless, treated like a madman jealous for love! I’ll never forget. The two already unrecognizable, cold and stiff bodies I saw when I rushed to the hospital that day. And I’ll never forget! How Hannah deceived me, taking me to that basement prison. How cruelly she imprisoned me! “Lucas, you’re too agitated, you need to calm down.” … “How did you get injured like this?” The doctor frowned instinctively, glancing at the bodyguard beside me. “Are you the patient’s family?” The bodyguard nodded reluctantly. “Why did you wait so long to seek treatment for an injury this old? Even if we realign this pinky finger, it won’t fully recover.” “And your leg, how did you injure it?” I slowly raised my head, looking at the bodyguard beside me. I knew he was under Hannah’s orders. I couldn’t say a word about the basement prison. Otherwise, Hannah would never tell me. Where she buried my parents.

The bodyguard dropped me off at the villa and left on his own. Before opening the door. I clearly saw the password he entered. It wasn’t the original password for this house. But Leo’s birthday. I limped in, looking at everything inside. It was the same as three years ago, yet somehow different. The pair of slippers at the entrance – one female, one male. The female ones were Hannah’s, the male Leo’s. In Hannah’s bedroom, there were two pillows. In the closet, her clothes on the left, Leo’s on the right. In the bathroom, two toothbrushes and cups. Men’s products, bottles and jars of all sizes. Everything was telling me. Hannah and Leo had long been sleeping together. When I heard the door close, I walked out of this room that no longer belonged to me. Two intertwined figures. Kissing passionately in the dark moonlight. “Click!” I turned on the living room light. Hannah’s flushed face was full of shock. She instinctively pushed Leo away. “When did you get back?” Hannah rubbed her forehead. “I drank too much. If Leo hadn’t sent me home, I don’t know how I would have escaped those old drunks.” Then, her face changed to an accusing expression. “Lucas, these things should have been done by you. If you hadn’t gone crazy back then, why would I have had such a hard time all these years.” I stood motionless. Listening to the endless complaints from her mouth. Until Leo brought out a cup of hot water from the kitchen. “Drink some hot water to soothe your throat.” Leo’s gentleness, compared to my current wretched state. Made him seem more like a caring husband. Hannah rolled her eyes at me again, letting out a heavy sigh. She drank down the water Leo handed her in one gulp. “Leo’s been looking for a place to live recently. Until he finds one, he’ll be staying at our house.” Just when Hannah thought I still wouldn’t respond, I spoke softly. “I know, your bedroom is full of his things.” Hannah’s expression froze, the glass in her hand accidentally shattering on the floor. “You went into my bedroom?” Her suddenly serious and low voice, along with the sound of breaking glass. Seemed to instantly pull me back to that dark, moldy basement prison. My mind went blank. Making me instinctively want to apologize when I heard her words. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Hannah stood stunned for a few seconds, then frowned as she slowly walked forward. “Lucas, what’s wrong? I was just asking casually.” I didn’t speak. And answering her was Leo’s light sigh. “Sigh, Lucas, you really don’t need to be like this.” “I didn’t realize you hated me this much. Even after three years, you’re still like this. You didn’t lie to Hannah just to get out, did you?” Hannah seemed to suddenly be enlightened by his words. “Is that so, Lucas?” “I’ve told you countless times, I was at a business dinner that day, Leo was with me. Why won’t you believe it? Do you know you almost got Leo killed! His promising career was ruined because of your one accusation of ‘murderer’. He can’t even go out without being pointed at and whispered about. Do you understand how much you owe him! How can you be so hateful!” “You… you have no idea, because of you, Leo almost jumped off a building to kill himself!”

My silence finally angered Hannah. She picked up a glass from the table. And threw it at me. The glass shattered with a crash. And my forehead slowly began to bleed. She looked up at me in shock. “Why… why didn’t you dodge?” Dodge? How could I dodge? Wasn’t it her order? I couldn’t dodge. If I dodged, She would feed my parents’ bones to the dogs. Hannah always did what she said, didn’t she? She once yelled at me. “Lucas, if you dare spread lies about Leo, I’ll make sure you die a miserable death.” And in that basement. Just because Leo lost a few hairs over that incident, She had people beat me several times. When Leo couldn’t eat, I wasn’t allowed to eat either. Not only could I not eat, but I had to control my water intake too. When Leo almost jumped off a building, She had people break my leg and hand bones. The blood kept flowing. I blinked dizzily. Hannah quickly walked to my side. “Leo, hurry and bring some iodine and gauze!” Leo stood still. “Hannah, this is the effect Lucas wants. Standing there motionless to be hit by you, just to successfully make you feel guilty.” Hannah froze in place. The hand holding my arm suddenly let go. After a long while, her voice lowered. “Lucas, how childish are you? Do you think you can manipulate me like this?” “You’ve been out for so long, have you apologized? As long as you sincerely apologize to Leo now, for your past rudeness and rash behavior, I won’t pursue your mistakes anymore and I’ll forgive you.” Leo sneered. “Hannah, is a light apology really enough?” Hannah gave me a complicated look. Then nodded firmly. “Lucas, kneel down and apologize!” Blood from my forehead suddenly dripped onto Hannah’s hand. Like scalding hot water. She instinctively pulled away. Leo walked in front of me, pulling Hannah to his side. He took out a tissue to carefully wipe her hand. “Lucas, what are you waiting for?” Hannah’s face looked very unpleasant. I numbly raised my head. After a while, I took a deep breath. “I can apologize, I can even kneel down, but I want to know, where are my parents buried?” Hannah was caught off guard by the question. While Leo’s eyes seemed to dodge. After a long time, Hannah frowned and looked at Leo. “Leo, I remember you arranged this matter back then. Where were they buried?” Leo’s evasive eyes made me sense something was wrong. I stepped forward and tightly grabbed his hand. “Where did you bury my parents!” “Let go of me first!” I gripped even tighter. “Tell me, where did you bury my parents!” Leo’s dark face suddenly twisted into a strange smile. “Lucas, why do I feel like you hate me even more than before? You’re not planning to pretend to please Hannah, then turn around and find a random car to run me over too, are you?” Hannah, standing to the side, suddenly widened her eyes. “Lucas, let go!” I remained motionless. Hannah shouted. “I said, let go!” “Lucas, do you want to go back for more reflection!” Go back? I don’t want to go back! I suddenly let go of my tight grip. Tiredly looking at the woman standing opposite. “Hannah, let’s get divorced.” The room suddenly fell silent. Hannah looked at me in disbelief. The expression on her face gradually cracking. “Divorce? Are you joking?” “I just told you to let go, and you want to divorce me? Didn’t you see you hurt Leo? Lucas, what exactly are you trying to do?” I pressed my lips together, staring unblinkingly at the woman I once loved deeply. Every day in that basement, I lived worse than death. I really couldn’t believe Hannah would go this far for Leo. Even more unbelievable was that she would have people torture me, just to vent Leo’s anger. I spoke numbly. “Since you two love each other so much, why don’t I just let you be together? Isn’t that good?” Hannah’s face looked like her secret had been exposed. Her eyes wandered to the side. “What nonsense are you talking about, Lucas? Be good, stop making trouble. I never thought about divorcing you. Leo and I—” “But I want to divorce you.” I interrupted her. Hannah’s face turned ugly. Leo laughed mockingly. “Lucas, where can you go if you leave here? The company belongs to Hannah now. You’re crippled and your hand is disabled. Are you planning to become homeless?” His words hit me like a boulder. But when Hannah heard this, she looked at me in surprise. “What? You’re crippled? What happened? And your hand?” I followed her gaze downward. Sneering, I raised my hand. “Didn’t you know about all this already? Why are you so surprised?”

When Hannah saw my strangely twisted pinky finger, she immediately walked over with a serious expression. “I didn’t know!” She didn’t know? How is that possible? That voice after each brutal beating was definitely Hannah’s voice. “What exactly happened?” She quickly grabbed my hand as it was about to fall. I didn’t miss the disbelief in her eyes. But I still chose to push her hand away. I pressed my lips together, giving Hannah a deep look. “Whether or not it has anything to do with you doesn’t matter anymore.” “Hannah, I’m already disabled.” No matter what the truth is. Whether or not Hannah ordered people to beat me. It’s no longer that important. Because the person who tricked me into that basement in the first place was her! If it wasn’t for her so-called “wife’s duty” to “punish” me for my stubborn views about Leo, I wouldn’t have ended up like this. “I don’t want anything. The company is yours. I’ll leave with nothing. Just tell me where my parents are buried. I’ll have someone draw up the contract tomorrow.” My face was pale, and my stomach was aching subtly. This was an old problem I developed during my three years in the basement. Eating half-cooked rice and cold rotten vegetable leaves every day. A bowl of porridge so thick it was hard to swallow. Hannah’s face showed panic I hadn’t seen in a long time. “Lucas, I really didn’t know. Are you saying you don’t believe me?” “Hannah, do you think Lucas would really be willing to divorce you? He’s just saying this on purpose. Don’t take it seriously. Have you forgotten how he took all the blame when your project went wrong, resigning rather than exposing you?” “Lucas only has you now!” Leo was right. Back then, after my parents passed away, I really only had Hannah left. Later, Hannah made a serious mistake at work. She didn’t want to be fired. Her dream was to become a powerful businesswoman. She didn’t want to be looked down upon by those she once despised. The day she found me, she was crying her eyes out. “Lucas, please help me. I’m pregnant, we’re going to have a new life in our family. You’ve given so much to the company, even if you made this mistake, the worst that could happen is being scolded by the board. If you resign voluntarily and I take over, the company will still be ours.” “You’ve worked so hard for so many years, let me help you, let me take over. You can stay home and take care of our baby, okay?” I sacrificed for her and the child. But in the end, we lost that unborn child. The day Leo returned to the country. Hannah went to pick him up at the airport but got into a car accident. When I arrived, I saw her lying in a pool of blood. Hannah suddenly realized, then her face filled with disgust. “Lucas, how childish are you, using this tactic on me? If you really had the guts to divorce me, I might actually respect you a little!” “Alright, if there’s nothing else, just go rest. Leo and I have work to do, unlike you who just freeloads.” Hannah led Leo back to the study. Leo closed the door tightly. As for what they were doing inside, whether working or something else. I no longer cared. I took out my old hiking backpack from the side room and packed some of my things. When I left, the two of them still hadn’t come out. Only faint sounds could be heard through the door crack.

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The zombie apocalypse was upon us, and my neighbor Zoe Bennett was using her mysterious spatial ability to loot everything in sight. She swept away all the nearby supplies and even stole the relief materials the government had sent to our apartment complex. When we begged her to leave us something, Zoe sneered coldly: “In the apocalypse, kindness gets you killed. I gathered these supplies with my own ability. Why should I give anything to useless people like you?” In the end, we starved to death. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day before the apocalypse. As I was thinking about how to lead everyone against this locust-like woman, I turned to see my parents and neighbors glaring at her hatefully. It turns out, I wasn’t the only one who had been reborn. Bang bang bang— “Uncle, Auntie, open up! It’s Zoe. I’m a bit short on cash and need money for something important. Give me some quickly!” I was startled awake by a familiar female voice. Suppressing my shock, I rushed to the window to look outside. The landscaping below was still the same, with neighbors taking their children to play in the community park. There were no rivers of blood, no zombies roaming about – just a peaceful, harmonious scene. With trembling hands, I picked up my phone to check the date. Sure enough, I had been reborn. Reborn to the day before the zombie outbreak. And that parasitic voice at the door belonged to the culprit who had caused the death of my entire family – our next-door neighbor, Zoe Bennett. In my previous life, it was also at this time that Zoe suddenly knocked on our door, brazenly asking to borrow money from my parents. My parents ran a small supermarket on the ground floor of our building. Though modest in size, it was well-stocked and provided great convenience for the neighbors. Recently, the supermarket shelves had been emptied out, and a new shipment of goods was being delivered. So my parents had gone down early to help unload the supplies. I had never liked Zoe, and hearing that she had come to ask for money, I was in no mood to be polite and directly refused her. After being rejected, Zoe’s face twisted in anger as she said: “Emma, I’m asking your parents for money. What does it have to do with you? I need the money for something important! You’ll regret treating me this way!” With that, she turned and stormed off down the stairs. Soon after, I heard her voice again as she went around asking other neighbors to borrow money. At the time, I had no idea that she was desperately trying to gather funds to stockpile supplies. Because the zombie apocalypse was coming.

I had been working in another city and only came back to visit my parents during holidays. Zoe had moved in a year ago. Our building had two units per floor, so she became neighbors with my parents. She was around my age and had a sweet tongue, always calling my parents “Uncle” and “Auntie”. She quickly grew close to them. She even wanted my parents to become her godparents at one point. If I hadn’t gotten jealous and intervened when I found out, my parents might have agreed. After failing to become their goddaughter, Zoe didn’t give up. She still came over for meals every day and would casually take things from my parents’ supermarket. My parents felt awkward charging her money, and over time this Coopered her habit of taking things freely. She acted more like my parents’ daughter than I did. Except this “daughter” only took and never gave back. After borrowing money from other neighbors, Zoe began buying supplies in bulk. Until 8 AM the next morning, when the zombie virus broke out. I was in the supermarket helping my parents organize the shelves when suddenly all hell broke loose outside, filled with the moans of zombies and people’s screams. My parents’ first reaction was to lock the supermarket doors. Their second reaction was to immediately take stock of the supplies, planning to use these goods to help the neighbors survive the apocalypse until rescue arrived. But the next second, someone began pounding frantically on the supermarket door. Zoe’s voice called out for help. She said she was being chased by zombies and begged us to let her in and save her. My soft-hearted parents carefully opened the door. But the first thing Zoe did after entering was wave her hand, causing all the supermarket goods to mysteriously vanish before our eyes. When my parents pleaded with her to leave some supplies for everyone, Zoe’s sweet demeanor vanished. She coldly laughed as she pushed them aside: “In the apocalypse, kindness gets you killed. I gathered these supplies with my own ability. Why should I give them back? Let me tell you the truth – I’m the protagonist of this world. You rejected me as your goddaughter and chose that useless daughter of yours instead. You even refused to give me money to stockpile supplies. People who offend the protagonist never end well.”

In my past life, there was something very strange about Zoe. She seemed to have plot armor like the female lead in an apocalyptic novel. Even though her apartment hadn’t been renovated, it was somehow impenetrable. Even if we broke through the walls of my home next door, we still couldn’t enter her place. Later on, she also started appearing and disappearing mysteriously, able to vanish instantly and reappear somewhere else. This made it even easier for her to hoard supplies. We had no way of catching her, let alone taking back our supplies. Zoe was like a plague of locusts, always managing to sweep up all the nearby resources before we ordinary people could get to them, then escaping unscathed. Much later in the apocalypse, we finally received an airdrop of relief supplies on the rooftop, only for Zoe to wave her hand and steal it all away. Downstairs, one of our neighbors had a newborn baby. The infant’s parents had turned into zombies, leaving the child with no milk to drink. The grandparents knelt outside Zoe’s door with the baby, kowtowing and crying, saying they would do anything if she would just give the child some food. But from inside, Zoe could be heard cooing softly to her two large black dogs: “Buddy, Max, drink up! This milk is the good stuff. Mommy has stockpiled enough for you to drink for ten lifetimes.” Inside the door were her plump, well-fed dogs. Outside were the dying residents of our community. Separated by the door, we angrily asked her why she had to be so ruthless. Zoe coldly replied: “My dogs are far more precious than humans, and more reliable too. You ordinary people are just suffering by staying alive in this apocalypse. Dying sooner would actually be a mercy. I’m doing you all a favor.” That night, the neighbor’s infant starved to death. The grandparents, heartbroken and hopeless, opened a window and jumped from the 11th floor. Later on, even though our community banded together to resist the zombies and tried our best to survive, we still ended up either eaten by zombies or starving to death.

“Uncle, Auntie, are you home? You’re not answering your phones either. What’s going on? I really need money for something important!” Zoe’s impatient voice interrupted my recollections. I took a deep breath, grabbed the fruit knife on the table, and quickly opened the door while she wasn’t paying attention. In my past life, when Zoe came to borrow money from my parents, I had simply rejected her coldly. She held a grudge over that, forgetting all the kindness my parents had shown her before. But quite a few neighbors had lent her money.

The useless people, now without relief supplies, came begging at my door. They even tried to guilt-trip me, saying I had taken everything and their children had nothing to eat, that they were starving to death. They hoped I could give them some baby formula. Wait, what? Having children in the apocalypse? Oh, they were born before the apocalypse? Still, children are just burdens in this world. They’d be better off dead. Anyway, I wasn’t going to save them. While Buddy and Max feasted on gourmet food with me, the sound of kowtowing outside was so annoying. Thankfully, that child finally died, and the two old fools jumped to their deaths. That’s how it should be. The weak don’t deserve to live in the apocalypse. Later, these neighbors tried many methods to enter my home. But the spatial defense was too good, protecting my house completely. After some time, there was no more noise from those useless neighbors. They seemed close to starving to death. So, they opened their doors, deciding to venture out. But our community was now surrounded by zombies, and without vehicles, going out was suicide. They hesitated. My life had become comfortable but boring, so I decided to toy with them. I pulled out a broken-down car from my spatial pocket and casually tossed it at the entrance of the building. As expected, those fools took the bait, deciding to use this junk car to search for supplies, claiming they would save their families. But they didn’t know that I had drained all the fuel from the car. The remaining fuel would only get them about half a mile from the community.

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I adopted a boy in the second year of our marriage due to my husband’s erectile dysfunction. When the child was seven years old, I overheard his friend saying: “Damn, Adrian Blackwood is so cold-blooded!” “Leo is actually your child with Valerie Sinclair?” “Won’t your wife divorce you if she finds out?” Adrian Blackwood sneered, “Divorce? She wouldn’t dare leave me.” It turns out he claimed to have erectile dysfunction and never touched me just to stay faithful to his true love. Now, I’ve changed my mind. I turned the tables and pinned his best friend to the bed. ” Marcus Ryder, I want to have a baby…” On our son’s seventh birthday, Adrian Blackwood invited some friends over to celebrate. As it was getting late, I put Leo to bed. When I woke up in the middle of the night, they were still partying downstairs. I got dressed and was about to go down to the kitchen to make some hangover soup for them, to prevent headaches the next day. I don’t know what they were talking about earlier, but at that moment, Adrian Blackwood’s friends seemed shocked: “Damn, Adrian Blackwood, you’re so cold-blooded! As expected of our bro!” “Leo is actually your child with Valerie Sinclair?” “Won’t your wife divorce you if she finds out?” I was thunderstruck, frozen in place. Adrian Blackwood’s expression was dark and unreadable. He lowered his head slightly, his brows furrowed as if troubled by some emotion. His handsome features seemed almost unreal, now covered with a layer of faint sadness. It was as if endless worries were hidden in those deep eyes. He silently drank one glass after another. But he didn’t say a word to refute them. My fingers tightly gripped the hem of my dress. Another person continued: “Adrian Blackwood, are you still thinking about Valerie Sinclair?” “But your wife is pretty nice. Why don’t you forget about Valerie Sinclair and be good to your wife?” “I see that your wife treats Leo even better than his birth mother. After all these years, you must have feelings for her too, right?” Adrian Blackwood’s thin lips were pressed together, with a barely audible sigh. “I don’t know what to do either. I thought I was ready to spend the rest of my life with Zoe Lancaster like this…” “But… Valerie Sinclair is back.” “She’s sick and wants to see the child. She even wants to take him back.” My heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand. Those once sweet memories flashed through my mind, only to be mercilessly torn apart in an instant. Just as I was about to collapse, a large hand caught me. It was Marcus Ryder, Adrian Blackwood’s sworn brother. I happened to be standing outside the room where he was resting. I steadied myself, wanting to pull away from him. At that moment, the people downstairs seemed to be coming up. But that burning hand tightened around my waist. In a panic, Marcus Ryder actually pushed open Leo’s door and pulled me inside. I gasped in shock: ” Marcus Ryder, what are you doing?” Marcus Ryder’s long fingers pressed against my lips as he leaned close to my ear and whispered: “Shh, sis-in-law~ Keep your voice down. Do you want to wake up your husband’s love child?” I immediately covered my mouth and looked at Leo sleeping soundly on the bed. I glared at the troublemaker, who was clearly doing this on purpose. ” Marcus Ryder, get out!” At that moment, footsteps approached in the hallway.

Adrian Blackwood walked in, reeking of alcohol. I lay on Leo’s bed, pretending to be asleep. But the blanket in my hands was almost torn apart from my grip. I felt his warm breath getting closer and closer. My heart was pounding so hard I thought it might explode. Then, I felt a brief warmth on my lips before it quickly moved away. I heard a barely audible sigh. I pinched my thigh, trying to hold back my nausea. He picked up the sleeping Leo and left the room. I vigorously wiped the spot he had touched, only to realize my hair was damp with tears. As if a switch had been flipped, tears began to pour down my face. Through my tear-blurred vision, I remembered the time before marrying Adrian Blackwood. He told me he had erectile dysfunction and asked if I could accept it. I nodded with tears in my eyes, simply because I loved him. I watched him fall in love with Valerie Sinclair, then part ways as they pursued different paths. Their relationship ended completely when Valerie Sinclair went abroad. I accompanied him as he emerged from the depths of heartbreak. Whenever he needed me, I was willing to go through fire and water, overcoming all obstacles to be by his side. Giving my true heart in exchange for his. After years together, he finally agreed to marry me. I was overjoyed, so excited that I couldn’t sleep all night. As long as it was him, I didn’t care about anything else. In the second year of our marriage. I returned home after a month-long business trip. Suddenly, I found an extra child in the house and asked Adrian Blackwood whose child it was. Adrian Blackwood lowered his head to explain. I couldn’t see his expression clearly at the time. “Zoe Lancaster, this is a child I adopted. I know you’ve always loved children, but because of my condition…” “I couldn’t let you become a mother. I’m sorry for that.” “So I decided to adopt one, as a surprise for you.” “Zoe Lancaster, are you upset with me?” Even now, I still remember the guilty look on his face as he carefully raised his head and asked if I would blame him. At that time, I was so moved that I threw myself into his arms, my tears soaking his white shirt. I also forgot about that fleeting sense of oddness. I was worried he would feel sad and insecure about not being able to have children. Actually, as long as I could spend my life with him, what did it matter if we never had children? He was so thoughtful and considerate of me, taking the initiative to make such a decision. It made me more convinced that even though he had never actively said he loved me, his every action showed that I was in his heart. It wasn’t just me putting in all the effort. At that moment, I boldly kissed his soft lips. I was both nervous and ecstatic. “Adrian Blackwood, you’re so good to me~” He was stunned for a second, then aggressively kissed back… Until I pushed him away, gasping for air. He then just held me tightly. He murmured above my head: “Silly girl.” My heart felt as sweet as if I had drunk honey. Every time I thought about it, the sweetness increased. If I hadn’t just overheard Adrian Blackwood’s true feelings, I wouldn’t have known that this honey was laced with poison. Adrian Blackwood was right, I was a fool, a big fool. I was so stupid that I had been raising my husband’s love child for years without knowing it. And that child was born to his true love! Marcus Ryder had somehow appeared beside me. Seeing my tear-stained face, his eyes instantly turned icy cold. He roughly pulled me to the window and turned my head to look outside: “Zoe Lancaster, guess where he’s going so late at night with his love child?” Adrian Blackwood’s usual car was on the driveway outside. In a moment, even the shadow of the car was out of sight. “He’s done all this, and you’re still crying your heart out for him!” “Zoe Lancaster, tell me, what’s so great about Adrian Blackwood?” But when you like someone, you just like them. It can’t be defined by good or bad. At that moment, I was incredibly calm. I begged Marcus Ryder to take me somewhere. “You know where he went, don’t you?”

Marcus Ryder took me to a villa complex. In the dead of night, through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, I saw a cozy family of three inside. But my heart felt like thousand-year-old ice, bone-chillingly cold. I numbly walked closer, reaching the doorway. I gently pushed the door that wasn’t fully closed, making the gap wider. I heard laughter and conversation from inside. “Adrian Blackwood, thank you for bringing Leo to see me, but… won’t Zoe Lancaster mind?” “If necessary, I can explain everything to her. After all, we were drunk that time… It wasn’t until I got pregnant that I remembered we forgot to use protection.” Based on Leo’s age, they must have met after our wedding. Perhaps they had met more than once while I was completely unaware. I should have anticipated all this, but hearing it firsthand was a different matter entirely. That broken heart had now turned to ashes. Valerie Sinclair seemed to remember something else and assured Adrian Blackwood: “But don’t worry, I won’t take Leo away. I just miss him so much. Could you let me see him a few times a month, to satisfy this mother’s heart?” “You know, Leo will be my only child in this life…” “Is that okay, Adrian Blackwood?” Adrian Blackwood had his back to the door. After a long silence, he finally spoke. “You’re his birth mother, of course you can.” “But I have a condition. Leo’s mom can only be Zoe Lancaster. You can never take him away.” Valerie Sinclair’s face turned pale for a moment. “…Alright.” Her body swayed, and Adrian Blackwood quickly caught her. “Are you okay? Are you alright?” His voice couldn’t hide his concern and anxiety. Valerie Sinclair collapsed into Adrian Blackwood’s arms. Her hand clutched his collar, her face pale and pitiful as she spoke weakly: “Adrian Blackwood, can I hear Leo call me mom just once? Just this once.” Leo was happily playing with his new toy when his dad called him over. He asked him to call this strange woman “mom”. He didn’t understand and asked Adrian Blackwood why: “Dad, I have a mom. Mom’s at home. Why should I call someone else mom?” “Because this auntie has a child who looks a lot like you, but her child isn’t with her. So can Leo fulfill this wish for auntie?” Leo timidly called out: “Mom.” Adrian Blackwood then instructed him: “Leo, meeting auntie tonight is our secret. You can’t tell mom about it, okay?” Leo was confused: “But I don’t have any secrets from mom.” After Leo walked away, Valerie Sinclair raised her hand to caress Adrian Blackwood’s face. He looked at her, their eyes meeting, and the atmosphere instantly became intimate. Their bodies, already close together, now ignited with passion. Their breaths intertwined, lips meeting… The deep, heavy breathing grew stronger… When Adrian Blackwood finally pulled away from Valerie Sinclair’s lips, he gently wiped away the glistening moisture on her full, swollen lips. Valerie Sinclair’s gaze followed his every move. She held the large hand that was on her lips and tentatively asked: “Adrian Blackwood, I can feel that you still have feelings for me.” “I’m not asking for status. I just hope that in my final days, you can be with me?” “I won’t ruin your relationship with Zoe Lancaster…” As she spoke, Valerie Sinclair couldn’t help but cough a few times. Adrian Blackwood looked at her, his eyes full of pain and guilt. He held her in his arms like a fragile, priceless treasure. He looked as if he wanted to bear her suffering himself, urgently saying: “Okay, I promise you. I’ll promise you anything. Leo and I will be with you every day, but you have to get better soon.” “Didn’t you want us to be a family of three forever?” “As long as you get better, I’ll marry you…” I pulled my hand away from the door, no longer wanting to watch their loving embrace. I turned to leave. I had lost, completely and utterly.

I had only walked a short distance when my feet stumbled, and darkness engulfed my vision. When I woke up again, I was in the hospital. Marcus Ryder was keeping watch by my bedside. His features were handsome and refined, with slightly upturned phoenix eyes that were long and deep. The corners of his eyes lifted slightly. Usually, his expression held a hint of laziness and mischief between smiles. His phone vibrated, and a message from Adrian Blackwood popped up. [Zoe Lancaster, I’m taking Leo back to my parents’ place this week. They said they miss him.] [Take good care of yourself at home, remember to eat on time, and don’t work too hard. Love you, hubby.] Right, all these years, his parents had always looked down on me, a girl from a humble background. I had foolishly done many stupid things to try and gain their approval. The cake I made myself was criticized, the things I bought were called cheap and tasteless, showing my lack of sophistication. They wouldn’t even let me in the door when I arrived at their house… Thinking about it now, I realized we were incompatible in every way. Adrian Blackwood liked light flavors, while I couldn’t eat without spice. He preferred a minimalist home, while I loved decorating to make it cozy, enjoying collecting quirky items as decorations. He liked me with long hair, but I found short hair easier to manage. He wasn’t used to sleeping together… Or rather, he just wasn’t used to me. I laughed bitterly, realizing it had always been one-sided on my part… Wiping away the tears that had silently fallen from the corners of my eyes. After resting in the hospital for two days, I decided to go back home first. Some things had to be faced eventually. A week passed, then another. Adrian Blackwood finally brought Leo back. Along with Valerie Sinclair. The moment he saw me, he withdrew his hand from her waist. Leo ran over quickly and hugged my legs, sweetly calling out: “Mom, Mom, I missed you so much~” In that instant, tears sprang to my eyes, filled with mixed emotions. I lowered my head, quickly wiping away the tears. “Leo…” Adrian Blackwood also walked over. Before he even got close, I could already smell the unfamiliar women’s perfume on him. He put his arm around my waist and brushed away a few strands of hair that had fallen. As he was about to kiss my forehead, I reflexively turned my head away. My stomach churned, and I pushed both of them away, immediately running to the bathroom to vomit. I kept retching until even the acid water was gone before I finally calmed down. A pair of concerned eyes, one big and one small. “Honey… what’s wrong? Are you okay?” “Mom, Mom, what’s wrong?” I no longer wanted to discern whether the anxiety and concern in their voices were genuine. I went back to the bedroom to rest for a while. Adrian Blackwood pushed open the door to explain: “Honey, Valerie Sinclair is back. She’s sick and has no one to take care of her.” I paused, looking at him, waiting for him to continue. “She’s sick and might not live much longer.” “Given our past friendship, I want to fulfill her last wish.” I tried my best to keep smiling, trying not to look too repulsive. I asked him: “What wish?” He said: “I promised Valerie Sinclair that we would have a wedding ceremony…” Then he quickly clarified: “Honey, but it’s fake.” “Honey, you’re the only one in my heart, and you’ll be the only one for the rest of my life.” Didn’t he realize how absurd and ridiculous his words sounded? My husband wanted to have a wedding ceremony with his dying true love. I laughed wildly, laughing so hard that tears almost came out.

After I calmed down. “What if I don’t agree?” Hearing this, Adrian Blackwood immediately frowned, his tone displeased: “Zoe Lancaster, at a time like this, can you not throw a childish tantrum?” “She doesn’t have many days left. How can you bear to see her leave with regrets?” “Besides, we’re just going through the motions. It’s not real.” This time, I didn’t back down. Because I had nowhere left to retreat. I calmly said: “Adrian Blackwood, let’s get a divorce.” “This way, everyone won’t have to be uncomfortable. What do you think?” The door wasn’t closed, and our voices carried outside. At this moment, Valerie Sinclair walked in, her face pale. Timidly, with a sob in her voice: “Adrian Blackwood, forget it. I’m already a dying person anyway, it doesn’t matter. Don’t argue because of me. I’ll leave now…” Seemingly trying to make amends, but actually adding fuel to the fire. She said she wanted to leave, but her feet didn’t move. She was secretly observing Adrian Blackwood’s expression. Adrian Blackwood first comforted her and made a promise: “Valerie Sinclair, don’t go. I’ll do what I promised you.” Turning his head, his face darkened as he said to me: “You want to divorce me?” I nodded. Adrian Blackwood’s eyes were full of disbelief. He repeatedly confirmed: “Zoe Lancaster, you really want to divorce me? Can you bear to part with me and Leo?” “Adrian Blackwood, are you still trying to deceive me even now? Whose child is Leo?” “I’m doing you a favor by letting your family of three be together. Shouldn’t you be grateful?” I took out the divorce agreement I had prepared in advance and placed it in front of him. Adrian Blackwood’s gaze froze in mid-air as if struck by lightning. Finally, he murmured: “You knew everything?” I knew everything I needed to know. “I…” Adrian Blackwood was about to say something, but was interrupted by Valerie Sinclair accidentally falling to the ground. Adrian Blackwood quickly caught her, anxiously asking: “Valerie Sinclair, are you feeling unwell again?” Valerie Sinclair shook her head, tears coming instantly, as if she had suffered some great injustice. “Adrian Blackwood, let me go back. I don’t want to be the sinner here.” “I shouldn’t have come back. It’s just that I couldn’t bear to part with you…” The next second, Adrian Blackwood immediately took the divorce agreement and signed his name without hesitation. Meanwhile, Valerie Sinclair was persuading him on the side, wiping her tears. “Adrian Blackwood, don’t sign. I’ll leave, I’ll leave right now…” As she spoke, she struggled to break free from Adrian Blackwood’s embrace. Adrian Blackwood pulled her back, cupping her face with both hands. Carefully wiping away the tears on her face. “Valerie Sinclair, don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything, okay?” Finally, Valerie Sinclair buried herself in Adrian Blackwood’s arms, sobbing loudly. Adrian Blackwood threw the signed agreement on the floor. His tone hinted at anger as he said sternly: “This month, Leo and I will accompany Valerie Sinclair.” “Zoe Lancaster, I hope you can calm down and think clearly during this time, rather than acting on impulse.” “Whether you believe it or not, things between Valerie Sinclair and me are innocent.” “If you still want to divorce after that, then so be it.” But what he didn’t know was that I was already very calm. If I had just acted on impulse, I would have exposed their affair on the spot that day. Instead of enduring until today. “Adrian Blackwood, from now on, you and I are strangers, with no connection whatsoever!” I took the signed agreement and walked out the front door with my already packed luggage. Leo still thought I was going on another business trip and obediently saw me off. I forced myself to harden my heart and not look at him again. If only he wasn’t their child… But there are no “if onlys”.

I moved into the apartment I had bought for myself in a different neighborhood. It was a place I had purchased outright with all my savings from years of work. I thought I would never need it, but life is full of unexpected turns. After marrying Adrian Blackwood, he covered most of the household expenses. And the Pei family wasn’t short on money either. Adrian Blackwood never explicitly said that my job was too tiring and didn’t earn much. But he had mentioned a few times that I could just stay at home with the child, and didn’t need to work so hard. But I still persisted. Because I believed that no matter what, a woman should always have a job that can support herself. Having enough financial backing gives you the courage to face difficulties without hesitation. Falling in love wholeheartedly, leaving decisively when necessary. I couldn’t help but recall what Adrian Blackwood had said before I left. When Adrian Blackwood proposed that absurd wish, it once again refreshed my understanding of how low people can go. How could such a request come from the mouth of a normal person? … A month later, I met Adrian Blackwood again at a business banquet. With Valerie Sinclair by his side. At this moment, my heart was as still as water. I was just purely curious about the person who had said she was dying. Now at the banquet, she was full of energy, socializing effortlessly, like a fish in water. She didn’t look like a sick person at all. I wanted to look closer, but suddenly felt a chill down my spine. The hand around my waist tightened. Marcus Ryder’s ominous voice sounded in my ear: “What? Want to reminisce with your ex-lover?” ” Marcus Ryder, what are you being neurotic about now?” Ridiculous. Just because we slept together a few times, this man started to get serious. I glared at him, and he sheepishly rubbed his nose. When I left for a while to get some food, I came back to see Adrian Blackwood with Valerie Sinclair chatting with Marcus Ryder. ” Marcus Ryder, congratulations! Everyone’s curious about what your sister-in-law looks like. She must be very beautiful to catch your eye, right?” Marcus Ryder was facing my direction and openly admitted: “Of course, she’s also the woman I’ve liked for many years.” Adrian Blackwood was stunned for a moment and asked curiously: “Is it the girl you said you had a secret crush on for years?” Marcus Ryder nodded, his gaze turning to Valerie Sinclair beside Adrian Blackwood: “I suppose this is the recently promoted mistress?” With these words, Valerie Sinclair’s face turned extremely ugly. “Oh, I’m sorry, I misspoke. Should I call you Mrs. Pei now?” Adrian Blackwood immediately denied it: ” Marcus Ryder, you misunderstand. It’s not what you think. Valerie Sinclair and I are just good friends.” Marcus Ryder chuckled lightly, his laugh full of disdain and contempt: “So Miss Lin hasn’t succeeded in becoming the official wife yet. Miss Lin, you still need to work harder.” “Adrian Blackwood is already divorced. It won’t be long before Miss Lin becomes Mrs. Pei. I have high hopes for you, Miss Lin.” Now, both their faces were a sight to behold, with various emotions flickering across them. Especially Valerie Sinclair, who was so choked up she couldn’t speak. Marcus Ryder was in high spirits, his face beaming with a smile. “As it happens, my fiancée is also here. Let me introduce her to everyone.” “But, you all know her already.” Marcus Ryder walked past them, heading in my direction.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296094”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring

On our third wedding anniversary, I saw a text message from my wife Celina’s first love. “Thank you for taking such good care of my son and lover.” Only then did I realize that my adopted son was actually the child of my wife and her first love. Furious, I called to confront her, but was met with a barrage of angry words. “Are you still jealous over nothing? Ryan just came back to the country and I was welcoming him home, what’s there to fuss about?” “Oh, and Ryan’s sick. Bring some medicine over!” Before I could say anything, she had already hung up. The next second, I was hit by an oncoming truck. As I was losing consciousness, only one thought remained in my mind: If I survive this, I’m getting a divorce. I lay dazed in the operating room. In my ears were the doctors’ constant urging: “Has the patient’s family still not answered the phone?” The young nurse’s voice sounded indignant: “They answered, but she said not to use such a childish and clumsy excuse to fool her.” “Even if the patient dies, it has nothing to do with her…” My heart ached uncontrollably. Strong willpower made me wake up. “Doctor, can I sign for myself?” At first, the doctor hesitated, but with a life hanging in the balance, he gritted his teeth and agreed. Fortunately, the surgery was very successful. I lay in the hospital bed without any anger. That evening. I went to get some water but was knocked down by someone. The wound opened up, and quite a bit of fresh blood seeped through the bandage on my head. The person in front of me was a familiar face. It was none other than Ryan Collins, Celina’s first love. “What are you doing here? Following us, aren’t you?” Before I could speak, Celina had already slapped me. “Why would I follow you?” With a self-mocking smile, I turned and went back to my room, handing her the divorce papers I had prepared. “Let’s get divorced.” She tore up the divorce agreement in her hand, her expression impatient: “Enough! Don’t think backing down will make me feel sorry for you. Get lost!” The next moment, Ryan clutched his chest, his expression pained. He couldn’t help but cry out in agony. “Ryan, are you okay? Is your chest hurting again?” Celina visibly panicked. While supporting Ryan, she glared at me. After sending Ryan back to his room nearby, she angrily ran over. “Bang—” She kicked me, and I fell and hit the wall, caught off guard. Blood seeped through the bandage and stained the wall. Celina stood tall and proud: “Arthur Wilson, it’s one thing to be jealous, but causing Ryan’s heart attack is unforgivable!” “How did I end up with such a vicious husband?” She shook me frantically. “What are you doing? He just had surgery, you can’t…” A nurse nearby finally noticed the situation and pushed Celina away. She looked at Celina warily. First, she helped me back into the room, then lectured Celina for a while. I don’t know how long it was before the voices outside gradually faded away. I was woken up by the sound of the door being pushed open forcefully. She seemed a bit guilty, yet impatient: “Can’t you be more careful when you go out?” “Did you have to end up in the hospital to give me a chance to misunderstand you?” “Fine, I’ll stay here tonight to look after you.” She heavily put down some fruit on the table, took out an apple and handed it to me: “Peel an apple for me, will you? You always peel them the best.” I smiled self-mockingly. See, she was always so presumptuous. What made her think I would definitely take the olive branch she offered? I closed my eyes, ignoring Celina’s peace offering. The room was quiet for a long time. I said: “I’ll move out. I’ll mail you the divorce papers later.” I looked at her. Celina’s body stiffened for a moment. She picked up the fruit knife and started peeling an apple for herself. I didn’t care. Once I had made up my mind, even if she didn’t respond, it wouldn’t change anything. “Bang—” The sound of a cup falling to the ground interrupted the silent atmosphere between Celina and me. At the door of the room. Ryan stood there with a pitiful look, barefoot. Noticing us looking over, he hurriedly tried to clean up the broken pieces on the floor. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I just wanted to come and apologize to Arthur. I know I made you—” Celina’s expression changed. She hurriedly took my coat and rushed out. “I’ll borrow this for a bit.”

The coat was put over Ryan’s feet. Celina muttered: “Can’t you be a little more careful? Doesn’t it hurt if this stuff gets stuck in your foot? If you’re not in pain, I still feel bad.” Ryan smiled with an infatuated look. But when he glanced at me, there was a hint of hidden smugness in his gaze. “Ouch—” Celina cried out in pain, with some blood appearing on her hand. Ryan panicked and quickly took Celina’s hand, blowing on the wound: “A girl’s hands are so delicate, how could you do something like this?” “See, when you get hurt, I’m the one who feels the pain…” I covered my head, not wanting to listen to the voices outside. Probably seeing that I was unmoved, Celina’s words also carried some sarcasm. “Ryan cares about me so much, unlike some people who just lie in bed waiting to be served even when I’m hurt.” I knew she wanted me to clean up, and in the past, I probably would have gone over without hesitation. But now, I didn’t want to. Why should I pay for their mistakes? Celina continued cleaning up the broken pieces with dissatisfaction, making a huge noise. It seemed she was deliberately trying to get my attention. Or perhaps she was trying to vent her frustration. Until the man in the bed next to me couldn’t help but curse: “Go torture yourselves somewhere else, do you have to disturb patients trying to rest?” The man raised his hand, making a gesture as if he was going to hit someone. Celina finally quieted down. “The doctor looking after Ryan is calling me, I’ll go over for a bit.” Having stayed in my room for less than ten minutes, she casually found an excuse to leave. I waved my hand, not even looking up. With a beauty by his side, how could she possibly care about me? Sure enough, she didn’t come that night. The next morning, the sun was already high in the sky. I had already finished one IV bag before she appeared. Holding a bag of crab roe buns and milk in her hand, she threw them on my table, guiltily opening her mouth: “You were already asleep when I came back, so I went to buy you breakfast.” “Your favorite crab roe buns, and milk.” As she spoke, she took out the things from the bag. There were only three buns in the box. I remembered that all items from this place were sold in sets of four. I guess it was probably what was left after the two of them ate. I pushed away the things in her hand. “No need, thank you.” “I’m lactose intolerant and allergic to seafood.” She was stunned for a moment. Just as she was about to speak again, Ryan walked in from outside. He glanced at the things on the table, smiling brightly: “Arthur doesn’t like these things? I specifically chose them for a long time.” “If Arthur doesn’t like them, I’ll go buy something else for him.” He made a move to leave. Celina’s face darkened, and she grabbed Ryan’s arm: “Ryan, you’re not fully recovered yet, why are you running around?” “He can’t possibly reject your kind intentions, can he?” Celina glanced at me sideways, pushing the food towards me, emphasizing each word: “He will eat every bit of it.” I smiled faintly and dismissed them. Ryan immediately put on a hurt face: “Arthur, don’t worry, I won’t come here to bother you anymore.” He turned and left without hesitation. Celina hurried after him, and through the door I could see the two of them hugging in the distance. But I no longer felt any ripples in my heart. The man in the bed next to me looked at the breakfast on my table and swallowed. I chuckled lightly and handed the breakfast to him: “Here, you eat it. I can’t eat this stuff, it would be a waste.” The scene of me handing over the food was just caught by Celina. She came over with a gloomy face and snatched it back. Holding the crab roe bun, she tried to stuff it into my mouth: “This is all Ryan’s goodwill, you have to eat it even if you don’t want to!”

My breathing gradually became difficult. My vision blurred. I wanted to push Celina away, but found my body weak, unable to move an inch. “Stop it! He’s almost gone, how can he still eat—” The man next to me was quicker, pushing Celina away and forcefully digging the crab roe bun out of my mouth. Seeing the situation wasn’t right, Celina stepped back in confusion. “I didn’t mean to, I didn’t do it on purpose.” “I didn’t want to hurt him—” “It’s all his fault, he didn’t explain clearly.” Probably afraid of taking responsibility, she stumbled and ran out. With the help of the man next to me and the medical staff, I finally caught my breath. A flash of desolation passed through my eyes. I looked at the man apologetically: “I’m sorry, I didn’t expect she would actually…” The man waved his hand and sighed: “Let me give you some advice, leave this woman as soon as possible.” “She’s not a good match.” I remained silent. I should have seen it clearly earlier, true love can’t be exchanged for true love. “I will divorce her,” I mumbled after a long while. I didn’t know if I was responding to the man’s words or comforting myself. Until I was discharged, Celina never appeared here again. I guess she had already put me out of her mind. The first thing I did after being discharged was to go home to pack my things and draft a divorce agreement. As soon as I opened the door, I saw John staring at me intently. I was startled. “What are you doing?” I frowned in displeasure. In the past, I might have wanted to reason with this kid. But since I found out he was Celina and Ryan’s biological son, I felt uncomfortable every time I thought about it. John completely ignored my cold attitude. He pouted, looking arrogant. “Hurry up and cook for me. These past few days you weren’t home, I’m tired of eating Mrs. Yang’s cooking.” “I want beef stew and BBQ chicken wings.” He pushed me towards the kitchen. I turned around, avoiding his hand. I glanced at him coldly and said, “If you want to eat something, make it yourself. I have nothing to do with you.” John, who was brutally rejected, burst into tears: “You’re a bad person!” “Why won’t you cook for me?” “You’re just a dog we keep at home, how dare you refuse your master?” My body shook. Looking at John, my eyes became a few degrees colder. What could a child of a few years understand? It was nothing but the thoughts instilled by adults. I laughed coldly, raising my hand high and bringing it down: “I’ve raised you for so many years. Even if you’re unwilling to call me dad, you shouldn’t insult me like this!” “You have no right to humiliate me!” John cried even louder. This sound attracted Celina. She rushed out of the room in a hurry, her clothes disheveled. “Arthur Wilson, stop making trouble! The child is innocent!” I looked at Celina coldly. Her unzipped robe revealed half of her figure. The ambiguous red and blue marks could be vaguely seen through the robe. I smiled mockingly: “If he’s innocent, then you and Ryan taught him to call me your family’s dog?” “So you and Ryan are the ones at fault, right?” Celina frowned, seeming a bit conflicted. “If that’s the case, let’s get divorced then.” “I’ve already signed the divorce papers.” I took out the agreement from my bag and put it on the table. Seeing that I wasn’t joking at all, Celina visibly panicked. I pushed the divorce agreement towards her, reiterating: “Alright, sign it.” Celina stared at me for a long time, gritting her teeth: “Fine, I’ll sign! Don’t regret it!” “You’ll never find someone who loves you as much as I do!”

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My husband fell in love with a vibrant college girl and suggested we try an open marriage. I proposed divorce, and he scoffed in disbelief. “Aria, who else would want you if you divorce me?” A month later, Bay City’s most mysterious tycoon held my waist and raised an eyebrow, asking: “Your ex-husband is next door. Want to go see him?” I threw caution to the wind and replied with a slight smile, “Sure, let’s go meet your predecessor.” After Connor came back, he excitedly shared with me that he had never met someone so compatible. They went skydiving together, skiing together, and climbed to the peak of Mont Blanc… Their souls resonated; they were each other’s muse. “Aria, you should go out and see the world too, or maybe start dating. “Honestly, we got married too early, mistaking habit for love. “Why don’t we try an open marriage?” Connor’s face was beaming with sweetness as he generously suggested. I stared at Connor’s handsome face, tracing from his brow bone to his jaw with my eyes. Less than three years after graduation, he had already become a stranger to me. I paused for a moment, then chuckled: “No need for such trouble, let’s just get divorced. “Since you like her so much, I’ll step aside.” A flash of surprise crossed Connor’s eyes. “Aria, you know your situation. Who else would want you if you divorce me?” I was slightly stunned, not expecting him to use this to poke at me. Yes, what was my situation? My mother ran off with someone. My father was a gambling addict who drowned in a muddy pond while drunk. Even my grandmother who raised me passed away a few years ago. I was alone, like duckweed, with no one to rely on. This was the vulnerability I had revealed to him in my fragile moments, and now it had become his leverage to manipulate me. Connor was so sure I couldn’t leave him that he dared to flaunt his new love interest right in front of me. The promise he made when we got married – to love and care for me for a lifetime – was like a sharp knife, repeatedly twisting in my heart. I took deep breaths, hands gripping the edge of the table, staring at him steadily, my tone resolute: “I said, I want a divorce.” Connor was stunned for a moment, a smile unconsciously appearing at the corners of his mouth. “Since you insist on divorce, I have no choice. “Aria, it’s not that I want to let you down, you’re forcing me to do this. “Don’t come back begging me later.” When I went back to the room to pack my things, I overheard Connor’s conversation with his friend. “Connor, are you really divorcing your wife?” “She’s trying to pressure me with divorce, so I’ll let her have her way. “Zoe’s been clinging to me tightly, I don’t have time to deal with her petty jealousy. “She has no family here, it won’t be long before she comes crawling back begging me to remarry her.” A wave of bitterness washed over me. I directly threw our wedding photo along with the wedding ring into the trash can.

On the day of the divorce, the sun was shining brightly. I met the girl Connor had described as his soulmate – she was sporty, with a high ponytail, full of energy. “Sis, you should go out more often. When people get old, they can’t keep up with the times and easily get eliminated.” She clung to Connor’s arm, sitting in his passenger seat, looking at me provocatively. I was barely twenty-five, yet someone was calling me old. Someone passed by carrying a mirror, and I caught a glimpse of myself. Delicate features, long black hair, curves in all the right places, long legs – I wasn’t inferior to anyone. On the way home, I tried hard to control my emotions, but tears still kept flowing. Bang! I crashed into a Rolls-Royce in front of me. I hurriedly got out of the car to apologize. A pair of long legs stepped out of the car ahead. Broad shoulders, narrow waist, impeccably dressed in a suit, exuding nobility amidst his coldness. “It’s you.” The man broke the awkward silence first. I was confused for a moment, then suddenly realized who the man in front of me was. Connor had mentioned him many times – Bay City’s mysterious tycoon, Lucas Sinclair, the helmsman of the financial group that Mitchell Corp had always wanted to cooperate with. “I haven’t even asked for compensation yet, and you’re crying like this.” Lucas Sinclair handed me a handkerchief, his tone surprisingly gentle. “No, you misunderstand. It’s entirely my fault, I’ll definitely compensate you. “I just got divorced, and I’m having trouble controlling my emotions. I’m sorry.” I hurriedly explained, afraid he might think I was trying to shirk responsibility. “Divorced?” Lucas Sinclair asked again. I nodded. “That’s good.” “What?” Lucas Sinclair’s lips curled into a faint smile as he slowly said: “It’s nothing. The weather is nice today, we shouldn’t waste time on such trivial matters. “Miss Bennett, would you mind exchanging contact information? We can talk more later.” I was a bit surprised and didn’t recover for a long time. Connor had once spent hundreds of thousands but couldn’t get Lucas Sinclair’s phone number or SnapChat. Now it was just lying in my phone. Several days passed, and Lucas Sinclair didn’t mention anything about compensation. Even when I asked proactively, there was no reply from the other side. A tycoon is a tycoon, probably busier. Or perhaps he had five SnapChat accounts and didn’t check this one often. The next time I saw Lucas Sinclair was after a company drinking party. I was a bit drunk and bumped into a figure in the hallway. Lucas Sinclair gentlemanly supported me. Under the influence of alcohol, my emotions broke down again, and I cried uncontrollably. “Mr. Sinclair, this…” “I have something to attend to, we’ll talk next time.” Suddenly my feet left the ground, and I was carried by Lucas Sinclair to his car. The atmosphere became somewhat ambiguous. In the confined space, the pheromones emanating from Lucas Sinclair constantly stimulated my nerves. I had heard many stories about him – how he took over Sinclair Corp at a young age and won the trust of the old guard with his thunderous methods. [“Who else would want you if you divorce me.”] Connor’s words echoed in my mind, painful to the point of suffocation. Looking at this face in front of me, more noble than Connor’s, I couldn’t help but lean closer. “Aria, you’re drunk.” Lucas Sinclair’s finger pressed against my shoulder, his voice deep. Maybe it was the alcohol clouding my judgment, or maybe it was my unwillingness to give in. I boldly shook off his hand and leaned forward. “Your lips look so soft, I wonder if they’re nice to kiss.” At that moment my mind went blank, I don’t even remember what Lucas Sinclair replied. I only knew that his breath lingered on the tip of my nose, making my heartstrings tremble. His lips really were soft, yet full of aggression. “Open your mouth to breathe~” I dazedly complied. He cupped the back of my head, like crashing waves. His fingertips slid down my waist, and I couldn’t help but arch my body, pressing against his burning chest. His warm lips moved down inch by inch. In the adult world, we both knew what was about to happen. Lucas Sinclair draped his suit Connoret over my flushed face and carried me into a nearby five-star hotel.

“Connor, isn’t that Mr. Sinclair up ahead? Our project…” Not far away, Connor’s car was parked. “Have some sense, don’t ruin Lucas Sinclair’s mood.” Connor lazily leaned back in his seat, his expression playful. “Rumor has it he doesn’t take interest in women, seems we can’t trust everything we hear. Those you picked before were too low class, go find better ones.” “Yes, Connor.” “I heard your ex-wife is at that store up ahead, should we…” Connor gave a cold laugh and rolled up the window. “Don’t bother with her. “She knew I’d be passing by and deliberately tried to get my attention. “I’m tired of her tricks. “Let’s go somewhere else. “By the way, go buy that jewelry set she likes, so she won’t throw a tantrum at me again.”

I was pinned against the door by Lucas Sinclair, his tall figure tightly enveloping me. As my clothes slipped off, I suddenly felt like retreating. “Scared?” Lucas Sinclair’s finger slowly slid down my spine, and for a moment my mind cleared. I shook my head slightly and directly wrapped my arms around his neck, kissing him back. After years of following the rules, what harm could one moment of wildness do? Moreover, the man in front of me was Lucas Sinclair, whom countless people pursued. The night was deep, the moon had just peeked out, stirring the spring waters all night long. When I woke up, the sound of water came from the bathroom, and the man’s toned body was silhouetted behind the misty door. His waist was slim but powerful. Recalling last night’s frenzy, my face instantly turned red. Lucas Sinclair opened the door, the towel around his waist a bit short. I couldn’t help but swallow. Even though I had seen everything last night, being so close and meeting his gaze still involuntarily drew me in. Connor was right, I should date more. Having never tasted anything good, I had stupidly clung to him. But someone of Lucas Sinclair’s background wasn’t suitable for me. “What are you thinking about?” Lucas Sinclair’s fingertip touched behind my ear, leaving a gentle kiss. What followed was another surge of passion. While Lucas Sinclair was in another room taking a conference call, I quietly put on my clothes and left the hotel, blocking his contact information. This incident was just a mistake. People in the clouds are out of reach. To keep myself clear-headed, I agreed to a date with a college student. In a coffee shop on the corner, I took out a mirror to touch up my makeup when someone I didn’t want to see appeared – Zoe Harper. “Sis, what a coincidence. Are you waiting for someone?” Zoe Harper sat down across from me uninvited. Today she was dressed provocatively sexy. I had no interest in engaging with her and picked up my bag to change seats. “The person you’re waiting for won’t come, sis. He’s my junior, I asked him to invite you. “I didn’t expect you’d be so easy to ask out, sis. Seems you’re really not popular, no one’s chasing you. “No wonder Connor said you’re boring.” Zoe Harper’s words made me stop in my tracks. I turned around and poured my unfinished coffee on her. “Is interfering in other people’s marriages something to be proud of? “Should I go advertise at your school, let your juniors and seniors admire you properly?” “Aria! Don’t go too far.” Connor had just arrived and saw me bullying his precious little girlfriend. He protectively shielded her behind him. “Sis was stood up by my junior, that’s why she took her anger out on me. “It’s okay, I’m fine. Look, I’m perfectly alright.” Zoe Harper smiled as she wiped the coffee stains off her face, enthusiastically explaining on my behalf in front of Connor. “Junior. Heh, Aria, when did you start trying to date college boys too? “Remember what I said? After divorcing me, no one else would want you.” A thousand words stuck in my throat, my chest feeling as if pressed by a heavy weight. I looked at him and poured the remaining coffee in the cup directly onto his face. “Connor, you’re disgusting.” After doing this, I clenched my sweaty palms and quickly left the coffee shop, dragging my tired body and mind. Back home, that eye-catching Rolls-Royce was parked in the community parking lot. After going upstairs, sure enough, Lucas Sinclair was standing at my door, his eyes bloodshot with exhaustion. “Mr. Sinclair, what a coincidence.” I felt a bit awkward and guilty, not knowing what to say for a moment. “Mr. Sinclair? That night…” Lucas Sinclair raised an eyebrow. I immediately nervously covered his mouth and pulled him inside after opening the door. Lucas Sinclair confined me in his arms, his kisses forceful and surging.

It wasn’t until I was pressed down that he looked down at me, his eyes icy cold, and asked: “Aria, do you know how many people want my contact information? “Why did you block me? What did you take me for? “A tool to dispel your sorrow, or a substitute for your ex-husband?” Those eyes were bottomless, making me afraid to meet his gaze. The wind whipped the flowers into a frenzy. I couldn’t help but tremble, biting down on his shoulder. “Think it through before you speak.” For a period of time after that, Lucas Sinclair and I maintained a delicate balance. I had seen firsthand how uncompromising he was in negotiations. No matter how cultured he appeared on the outside, it couldn’t hide his decisive and ruthless nature. For someone like him, women wouldn’t be in short supply. I really couldn’t figure out his intention in squeezing into my home every day. Perhaps he found it novel… “What do you want to eat? I’ll take you out.” Lucas Sinclair put on his watch and buttoned up his shirt, returning to his cold and noble state, a stark contrast to the beast from moments ago. “Anything is fine with me.” I’m not picky about food. Lucas Sinclair directly took me to a high-end restaurant, where Connor used to love bringing friends. “Covering old memories with new ones helps you let go of the past.” Lucas Sinclair ordered several dishes, and I realized he understood me better than I had imagined. “Did you specially choose this place?” I couldn’t help but ask the question in my mind. “I hope that in the future, wherever you go, the only person you think of will be me.” Lucas Sinclair cut the steak and gently pushed it in front of me. “Mr. Sinclair, don’t joke around. We don’t have a future.” I smiled wryly. The expression of the person in front of me suddenly turned cold, filled with some indecipherable emotion. “Aria, do you think I’m the kind of person who’s casual about relationships? “You’ve provoked me, don’t you plan to take responsibility?” “Mr. Sinclair, I’m divorced.” I sighed. “So what?” “We’re not suitable.” “You didn’t say we weren’t suitable when you wanted to kiss me. “Now that you’ve had your fill, you want to sever ties with me?” Lucas Sinclair stood up and gripped the back of my chair, his hot breath fanning my face, his soft lips just inches away. I still wanted to kiss him. “Connor, you really don’t want to find your ex-wife?” The voice of Connor’s friend sounded outside the private room, and I immediately held my breath. “Wait until she comes to apologize on her own.” Connor said coldly, his tone tinged with impatience. Looking at his phone, Aria had blocked all his contact methods, even on social media platforms. This time, her temper was quite big. It was time to properly grind her down. “Miss Harper will be here soon. Should we order her favorite dishes?” “Whatever, you don’t need to ask me about these things.” Aria still hadn’t actively sought reconciliation with him, to the point where Connor had lost interest in Zoe Harper as well. Perhaps he had been too harsh towards Aria that day at the coffee shop. Next time he saw her, he could consider giving her a way out. During their time apart, Connor finally realized that compared to the fresh excitement outside, he still preferred Aria’s stability. He and Aria were meant to be together, destined to be bound for life. “Go order a bouquet of flowers, red roses, 999 of them.”

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I had just lost my husband, Zachary. My in-laws felt sorry for me, especially since I was pregnant. They suggested that Zachary’s twin brother, Ethan, should taking care of both families without explicitly marriage to both women. Ethan’s wife, Sophia, called me shameless and fainted from anger. That night, I went to my in-laws’ door. I wanted to persuade them to give up this idea. But I accidentally overheard my mother-in-law asking in confusion: “It was clearly your brother who died. Why did you insist it was you?” The man sighed and said: “Sophia is fragile. If she knew my brother had passed away, she definitely couldn’t bear it. Besides, the one I’ve always loved is her. I only married Rachel to let her be with my brother. Now, I’ve already given Rachel a child. I don’t owe her anything anymore. In the future, I’ll take care of Sophia for the rest of my life in place of my brother. Don’t mention taking care of both families again, it’ll only upset Sophia.” I finally understood. The person who died wasn’t my husband, but his brother Ethan. The next day, I said to my in-laws at the dinner table: “You’ve been urging me to move on. I’ve thought it through now and decided to terminate this pregnancy and start a new life.” The man who was taking care of his sister-in-law’s meal suddenly stood up.

After my husband’s funeral. I found out I was pregnant. For this child. I tried hard to suppress my pain deep in my heart. Afraid that my emotions would affect the baby. But because my husband Zachary had weak sperm. This pregnancy was particularly difficult. Not only did I need daily injections to keep the baby, but I also vomited until I nearly fainted. In just over a month of pregnancy. I had already lost over 40 pounds. I was almost half dead. Later, my in-laws couldn’t bear to see me like this anymore. They tried to persuade me to terminate the pregnancy. To forget Zachary and start a new life. But I refused all their suggestions. Zachary was so good to me, how could I give up? Actually, when I first got engaged. It wasn’t to Zachary, but to his brother Ethan. But before the wedding, I was kidnapped and abused for three days and nights. Ethan thought I was impure and broke off the engagement to marry Sophia instead. It was Zachary who rescued me from the kidnappers. He was stabbed multiple times but still held me tightly. He knelt firmly in front of my father, saying he had loved me for a long time and wanted to marry me. For years, everyone said he loved me deeply. And under his gentle care. I gradually healed the wounds in my heart. Unfortunately, the good times didn’t last long. Just three years after our marriage. He died in a car accident. My world collapsed, and I even thought about following him. It was this child that gave me the motivation to live on. This was his only bloodline. Even if it cost me my life, I wanted to keep this child. Seeing my insistence, my in-laws stopped trying to persuade me. But the very next day. During lunch. They suggested that Zachary’s twin brother Ethan should take care of both families. To look after me and the child in my womb. I was about to refuse. But sister-in-law Sophia suddenly had an emotional breakdown. She slapped me across the face, crying and cursing me for being shameless. She was already weak, and before I had time to explain. She fainted from the shock. Ethan frowned, looking at me with displeasure. Then he left, holding Sophia lovingly in his arms.

Sophia’s slap caused me to have pregnancy complications again. I had to stay in bed for two days before I barely recovered. I didn’t blame Sophia. After all, I had been engaged to Ethan before, so it was understandable that she had some resentment. Moreover. Not to mention that Zachary and I had a good relationship. Even if we didn’t. The idea of Ethan taking care of both families was absurd. Not only for them as a couple. But I wouldn’t agree to it either. I felt a bit guilty for making my sister-in-law faint. So, when I was able to get out of bed, I went to my in-laws’ room. I wanted to persuade them to give up this idea and never mention it again. I also thought that after convincing my in-laws. I would personally go to apologize to Ethan and Sophia to put their minds at ease. However, just as I reached the door of my in-laws’ room. I heard my mother-in-law’s confused voice from inside. “Zachary, it was clearly your brother who died. Why did you insist it was you?” Zachary, wasn’t that my husband’s name? He didn’t die?! The person who died in the car accident was actually my husband’s older brother Ethan? I was shocked, as if struck by lightning. My eyes widened, and I stood there stunned. How, how could this be possible! I shook my head hard, thinking I must be hallucinating. But the next second, I heard a man’s voice from inside. “Mom, don’t let Sophia know about this. She’s always been weak and sickly, with a bad heart. If she knew it was my brother who passed away, her body definitely couldn’t take it.” Ethan, no, I should call him Zachary. My husband Zachary. He paused, then sighed and said: “Besides, the person I’ve always loved is Sophia. I only married Rachel to let Sophia be with my brother. Now, I’ve given Rachel a child, so I don’t owe her anything anymore. In the future, I’ll take care of Sophia for the rest of my life in place of my brother. Don’t mention taking care of both families again, it’ll only make Sophia sad and upset.”

“But Rachel has already suffered enough. Back then, to break off her engagement with your brother and let your brother be with Sophia, you deliberately had someone kidnap Rachel for three days and nights, causing her to be abused. Now that she’s finally moved on and is carrying your child, it’s only right for you to take care of her…” My mother-in-law wanted to continue persuading him, but Zachary impatiently interrupted her: “Enough, Mom! To make up for her, I married her without caring about others mocking me for accepting a ‘tainted’ woman. Then I took care of her wholeheartedly for three years, helping her move on. Isn’t that enough? Do you want me to spend my whole life repaying her? Mom, I’ve suffered for three years, pretended for three years, I’ve had enough! Living with her is torture for me every day! Now that heaven has given me a chance to be with Sophia again, I don’t want to give up this opportunity…” They said some more things inside. But I couldn’t hear anything anymore. I just felt cold all over. It felt like someone had stabbed me hard in the chest. The pain was unbearable. I stumbled back to my room. Only then did I realize that my whole body was shaking, and my face was already covered in tears. So, the person who died in the car accident wasn’t my husband at all, but his brother Ethan. And Zachary’s deep love and gentle care for me over these three years were all fake. The person he liked, from beginning to end, was the same as his brother. Only Sophia! Even the person who had me kidnapped back then was Zachary. The reason was simply to let Sophia marry Ethan. If they didn’t want to marry me, they could have broken off the engagement openly. But they chose to ruin me instead! What’s more ridiculous is that I actually treated this demon as my salvation. And I was even willing to risk my life to have his child…

Although I had tried hard to calm my emotions. The hatred and anger in my heart. Still made my tears flow uncontrollably. The next day, I came downstairs with swollen red eyes and a pale face. I saw Zachary carefully taking care of Sophia’s meal. The two of them were cuddling together, looking very intimate. From a distance, they really looked like a perfect couple. I clenched my fists. The pain in my palms made my mind clearer. Soon. Sophia noticed that I had come down. Seeing my miserable appearance, her eyes showed a hint of triumph. Then, as if to show off, she buried her head in Zachary’s arms and acted coquettishly. As for Zachary, his heart was completely focused on Sophia. He was dedicated to taking care of her meal. And hadn’t noticed my arrival. I lowered my eyes, looking at his doting smile towards Sophia. My heart was filled with mockery. This kind of doting was something I had never seen in these three years. I touched my belly and calmly sat down in the dining chair. Then I lowered my head and started eating. I picked the nutritious food to eat. Forcing myself to eat more. I would terminate this pregnancy and take care of my own body. Then make those who had hurt me pay the price double! After eating my fill, I wiped my mouth. Opposite me, Zachary had also finished attending to Sophia’s meal. He finally had time to look up at me. When he saw my swollen eyes and pale face, he was slightly stunned. He probably thought I had been crying again because of his “death”, and there was a moment of guilt on his face. But he quickly cooled his expression and said displeased: “Sister-in-law, I know you’re sad about Zachary’s death. But I won’t agree to take care of both families. My heart only has room for your sister-in-law Sophia. It’s impossible for me to give even a bit of my heart to you.” Sophia’s eyes looked at me even more triumphantly. But on the surface, she pretended to be worried and said: “Sister-in-law, you didn’t cry all night because my husband refused to take care of both families, did you? I’m sorry, I was too impulsive yesterday. But… but I really can’t give up the husband I love deeply…” As she spoke, her frail body trembled, and her eyes reddened again. She covered her chest, looking extremely distressed. Zachary was heartbroken. He glared at me warningly. Then he hugged Sophia in his arms comfortingly: “Sophia, don’t worry, I only have you in this life. I would rather die than touch another woman.”

How ironic. Then where did the child in my womb come from? But then again, he did indeed “die”. I suppressed the bitterness and anger in my heart, no longer looking at this loving couple. I forced down my nausea and nodded: “Don’t worry, the idea of taking care of both families is absurd. I wouldn’t agree to it either.” After hearing my words, Zachary turned his head and looked at me with some surprise. I looked up and saw my in-laws coming down from upstairs. They had also heard what I just said. They looked at my pale face and swollen eyes with pity. My mother-in-law hesitated: “Rachel…” I looked at my in-laws, feeling mixed emotions. Since I married into the family, they had indeed treated me well. Their concern these days was also genuine. But when I thought about how Zachary had me kidnapped and abused for three days and nights, and they all knew about it. Only keeping it from me alone. My feelings towards them became indescribably complex. I could no longer call them “Mom” and “Dad”. “You heard me, the idea of taking care of both families is too absurd. I don’t agree.” My mother-in-law probably remembered what Zachary had said yesterday and didn’t try to persuade me further. She just sighed and said: “I know you have deep feelings for Zachary and can’t forget him, so you definitely wouldn’t agree to this. But mom is really worried about you…” She paused, looked at Zachary, and continued earnestly: “Rachel, Zachary is gone, but you’re still alive. People need to look forward. Mom still wants to advise you not to always think about him. Move on early and start a new life.” Zachary and Sophia, who were sitting opposite, heard that I didn’t agree to the idea of taking care of both families. They obviously relaxed, and their expressions improved. As for Zachary, his eyes looking at me became more complex. Hearing his mother’s words, he also started to pretend to persuade me: “Sister-in-law, mom is right. Zachary is gone. No matter how much you love him, you’re now separated by life and death. There’s no possibility between you anymore. You still have to live your life in the future. It’s better to forget him early. It’s good for both you and him. Fortunately, he left you a child, which is something to remember him by. In the future, without him, you can still live on with his child. For the sake of the child in your womb, you should be strong and move on early.” Listening to Zachary’s high-sounding words. I couldn’t help but laugh coldly in my heart. The child? He still dreams that I would give birth to his child? What a delusion! I was filled with mockery in my heart, but on the surface, I pretended to be moved and went along with their words: “You’re right. I thought about it all night last night and I’ve understood. Before, I was indeed stuck in a rut, making you all worry. Moreover, since Zachary was born with weak sperm, and this pregnancy is so difficult. It must be heaven’s will, destining him to have no descendants in this life. So, I want to follow heaven’s will and listen to your advice. Terminate this pregnancy, let him go completely, remarry and start a new life.”

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My husband, William Harris, fell in love with my best friend Sarah Ward after undergoing a heart transplant. Because the donor was Sarah’s boyfriend, Daniel Wilson, William insisted he was Daniel. I tried everything, desperately hoping to bring back the man I once loved. Until one day, I overheard a conversation between William and Sarah. “William, you tricked Paige into thinking you received my boyfriend’s heart transplant just so you could be with me. Don’t you regret it?” William’s voice was cold and indifferent. “She’s just a woman. It doesn’t matter if I threw her away. As long as I have you, that’s all I care about.” So it had all been a carefully staged lie. A setup. A betrayal. “Get out of my house! How dare you covet your best friend’s man?” William threw the water cup at me in disgust, and it shattered against my forehead. Fresh, red blood started to flow down from my forehead. “Paige, maybe you should go for now. I’m just afraid his heart can’t handle this much stress,” Sarah said softly, cowering in William’s arms while looking at me. I watched the strong bond between the two of them. It seemed like that they were unable to part. My heart felt like it was being torn apart. A painful, scattered sensation overwhelmed me. One was my husband of five years, and the other was my best friend from university. William, due to his congenital heart condition, had received a heart transplant from Sarah’s boyfriend, Daniel, who had passed away in a car accident. When he woke up from the surgery, he insisted that he was Daniel. I forced a smile and placed the soup box on the table beside the hospital bed. “Sarah, this is the soup I spent three hours making. Please have William drink it later.” I came out of the bathroom after tending to my wound, and as I passed by the hospital room door, I saw Sarah throw the box directly into the trash can. I paused for a moment, sighed, and decided to leave. Back when William was diagnosed with heart disease, I was not only worried but also surprised. I had been married to William for two years, and his routine was always disciplined. As a university teacher, he had even represented the school in a basketball match. Two months ago, he was diagnosed with congenital heart disease. While I was sleepless, worrying about finding a heart donor, Sarah’s boyfriend had an accident. Daniel’s car brakes failed on his way to work. Coincidentally, his heart was a perfect match for William. However, William woke up from the heart transplant surgery and insisted he was Daniel. He no longer recognized me. When I went to bring William home, he coldly refused. “Paige, I’ll say it again. I’m Daniel, not your husband. I’ve seen many women like you, vain and shallow. You disgust me.” “Paige, maybe Daniel… William should stay at my house. It will help his recovery.” So, I packed up and moved into Sarah’s house. The first night back, I carefully prepared a table full of dishes, all of William’s favorite foods. I hoped that he would recover soon. “Ugh, Paige, are you doing this on purpose? Don’t you know I’m allergic to eggs?” William took a bite of the pie, realized it had egg in it, and quickly spat it out, glaring at me. I didn’t know if Daniel was allergic to eggs. I only knew that William loved my eggs benedict. “You really are Daniel. Daniel is allergic to eggs.” I saw Sarah tearfully covering her face in distress, and William stepped forward, gently holding her and comforting her. I thought, “William, are you still William?” I left the house in despair to take out the trash and saw a figure standing still over there. It was David Parker, one of William’s close friends. I approached and greeted him. “David? How did you know William moved into Sarah’s house? Although, he probably doesn’t want to see you.” David glanced at me, silently sizing me up but didn’t speak. His gaze shifted back toward Sarah’s house, and then he turned and walked away. “How strange,” I thought.

By the time I returned, William had already fallen asleep. After all, he had just been discharged from the hospital, and his body still needed to recover. “Paige, don’t worry. As long as Daniel’s heart and William’s body don’t have any rejection, I will return William to you,” Sarah said carefully, walking out of William’s bedroom, giving me a firm promise. But the very next day, Sarah collapsed and was hospitalized. “Paige, you poisoned Sarah? You vicious woman!” As I anxiously arrived at the hospital, what greeted me was a heavy slap from William. “William, don’t blame Paige. I ate something bad myself,” Sarah said, her face pale, getting out of bed to stop William from unleashing his fury on me again. Seeing Sarah was about to collapse, William, unable to care about me, hurriedly stepped forward and caught her in his arms. “Sarah, you’re too kind. You don’t need to protect her!” I covered my cheek, looking at William with pain in my eyes. I thought, “William, do you even remember when you married me, you knelt in front of me, promising you’d never let anyone bully me? So, that didn’t include yourself!” Sarah stayed in the hospital for three days. Although the doctor suggested she could be discharged that day, William insisted on having the doctor prescribe three days’ worth of nutrition fluids because he was worried. I watched as William carefully cared for Sarah by her bedside, thinking, “Does he know that, during the days when he was unconscious, I took care of him just like this?” “Paige, you got Sarah hospitalized. If you still have any conscience, you should take action to atone for it.” I thought, “Yes, as Sarah’s close friend for four years, I know her eating habits well. I’m jealous of your love for Sarah, so I poisoned her food. William, is that really what you think? But you’re my husband.” I began caring for two frail patients, taking over all the household chores and meals at Sarah’s home. “Paige, I know you didn’t do it on purpose. Maybe it was something I ate outside. Don’t mind what William said,” Sarah explained, looking guilty. “Sarah, you know, William is my husband, at least for now.” I watched as Sarah’s face turned pale instantly. “Paige, stop with your dirty thoughts. Don’t even think about it. If you dare to say anything to hurt Sarah again, you better watch out!” William warned, pulling Sarah protectively behind him with disgust. I wearily took off my apron and laid it on the table. “Even if you are Daniel inside, you can’t escape the fact that your body is my husband, William.” I left Sarah’s house, feeling overwhelmed by everything. I needed to pick up Coco. Coco was a parrot I had raised. Ever since William had been hospitalized, I entrusted it to his friend, David. “Liars, liars!” As soon as I arrived outside David’s door, I heard Coco’s squawk. “If I told you I’m actually Daniel, would you believe me?” I looked at David, who was clearly annoyed, with a wry smile. “David, what are you joking about? Or have you fallen for Sarah too?” Feeling frustrated, I ignored him and picked up the birdcage, turning to leave. “Why does it feel like everyone around me is bewitched?” I thought. I took Coco to the park and walked with a stranger, an old man. For the first time, I felt relaxed. My phone kept ringing, and fearing something might have happened to William, I quickly answered it. “Paige, are you atoning for your sins like this? It’s already this late and you’re still not home to cook? Do you want Sarah to starve?” William’s furious voice came through the phone. I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. Was he really implying that without me, they would starve to death?

After all, I had promised Bella that I would take good care of him, so I still went to the market. Bella Harris, William’s older sister, was a girl who grew up with us in the orphanage. Her life had ended at just twenty-three. She had been drugged and assaulted while working a part-time job at a bar. When we got her call, William and I rushed out of class without hesitation. On the large hotel bed, Bella lay there naked and hopeless. Blood poured from between her legs and her wrists, soaking the sheets in dark red. I grabbed the blanket with trembling hands and quickly covered her, holding her close in panic. I felt like I was losing her. “Paige, I won’t be able to protect you anymore. What I worry about most is William. Please… take care of him for me. “William, I know you have feelings for Paige. Treat her well. Or I won’t be able to rest in peace, even after I’m gone.” I saw William’s eyes turn red, brimming with hatred, his fists clenched, his face twisted in fury. Bella died in the prime of her life, while the man who ruined her, protected by power, walked away unscathed. William and I leaned on each other, working and studying harder than ever. But I never forgot Bella’s final words. I took good care of William. I returned from the market with Coco and hurried to make dinner. “William, William!” As soon as Coco saw him, it called out his name. I didn’t miss the faint smile that briefly flashed across William’s face. I thought, “William, do you still remember Coco?” Back then, William had been preparing for the university recruitment exams. Worried he wouldn’t have time for me, he had spent an entire month’s living expenses to buy Coco from the pet store. I thought, “William, do you still remember that month we lived off nothing but bread? We couldn’t even afford noodles.” “Liar, liar! William is a liar!” Coco said again. I was busy cooking and didn’t notice how William’s eyes turned cold. That afternoon, I went back home to get Coco’s food and supplies. “Coco?” I called its name as I entered, but to my surprise, there was no response. I didn’t even bother taking off my shoes and rushed inside. Coco’s lifeless body was lying in the cage, cold and stiff. Panic surged through me. I reached out with trembling fingers to touch it, but its body was already rigid. My mind went completely blank. “Paige, I saw it chirping nonstop. I thought it was hungry, so I gave it a little chocolate, but…” Before Sarah could finish, I slapped her hard across the face. I told her. I told her how much Coco meant to me. It was family. William stormed out and slapped me back, then quickly checked Sarah’s cheek before turning to glare at me. He warned, “It’s just a damn animal. So what if it’s dead? Paige, touch Sarah again and I swear I won’t let you go.” I held my cheek, stunned, staring at him. “William, that was Coco. Our Coco.” I searched his face, hoping desperately for a flicker of guilt, or sorrow. But all I saw was coldness and ruthlessness. When I arrived at Bella’s grave, I saw a bouquet of gardenias resting there. These were her favorite flowers. She loved them because they symbolized lifelong devotion. “Was it William?” I thought. I looked around with hope, but there was no one. Only my own lonely, stubborn figure in the empty graveyard. Maybe I was wrong. Right now, William was probably somewhere comforting the fragile Sarah. I let out a bitter laugh at myself. I buried Coco beside Bella. “Bella, look. You won’t be alone anymore. Coco will keep you company. And don’t worry. I’ll take care of William.” It wasn’t until the sun dipped below the horizon that I turned and left. Only then did a man step out from behind the tall tree.

I returned and found William wasn’t home. “Paige, William is Daniel. I know it’s hard for you to accept. But Daniel came back to me. As my best friend, shouldn’t you be happy for me?” Sarah said, swirling the wine in her glass, a mocking smile tugging at her lips. I stared at her, not understanding how Sarah had become this person. We had spent four years together in college, practically inseparable, sharing everything. She knew how much William meant to me. “Why are you putting on this act? If you love Daniel so much, why are you still clinging to William? “Is it just because William has Daniel’s heart?” “Paige, after all these years, you still don’t understand me,” she sighed, looking at me with a hint of pity. “Paige, do you think William will still want you after seeing you hurt me?” I heard the click of the door unlocking. Sarah’s expression instantly changed. She smashed the wine glass, grabbed a shard, and slashed it across her own arm. Blood streamed down in a chilling red line. Before I could react, she stumbled toward the door in panic, just in time to crash into William as he stepped inside. “William! I won’t call you Daniel anymore, just please, tell Paige not to kill me!” I didn’t even get a chance to explain. William stepped forward with long strides, shielding Sarah behind him, and shoved me hard. I fell straight onto the shattered glass, red liquid spreading beneath me. Whether it was wine or blood, I couldn’t tell. “Paige, didn’t I just warn you?” The coldness in William’s eyes cut into me like a blade. I couldn’t bear to look anymore. Without another word, he scooped Sarah into his arms and rushed out the door. “Paige, I won’t let anyone bully you.” William’s old promise echoed in my ears. “William, treat Paige well.” Bella’s dying wish flashed in my mind. I looked around the empty room. My body was so numb I couldn’t even feel the pain anymore. Dazed, I walked out. Just as I was about to faint at the bottom of the stairs, I collapsed into someone’s arms. I woke up again to see David. My injuries had already been treated. “Paige, don’t you want to know the truth?” he asked, handing me a file. “I’m the Daniel Sarah’s been talking about. “Sarah’s favorite flower is the daffodil. She always said people should only love themselves. She has a mole right here, on her chest…” “Stop…” I shut my eyes tightly, refusing to hear more. There was no way David could know her so intimately. But David went on. “Back then, Sarah didn’t want to make our relationship public. So she made up Daniel. “Which means William has been lying to you this entire time, working with Sarah to deceive you.” I spent a few days recuperating at David’s place, and William hadn’t sent me a single message since. David, on the other hand, was always out from dawn to dusk, but he would bring back delicious food for me every evening.

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