I had been married to Jack Wilson for ten years, but we had long since been living separate lives. He was deeply in love with his secretary, while I had my own string of young lovers. I thought this was how our lives would continue indefinitely. Until I met a young man who touched my heart. He didn’t care about my money – he just wanted to marry me. I was moved. I went home and asked Jack for a divorce. That night, Jack smashed everything in the house. He grabbed me by the throat and snarled viciously: “Who gave you permission to take this seriously?!” I was dozing on the couch late one evening when the doorbell rang. I shuffled over in my slippers to open the door. Jack stumbled in, reeking of alcohol. His young secretary was struggling to support him. When she looked up at me, her eyes flashed with disdain even as she flipped her bangs coyly. “Rachel, Mr. Wilson had too much to drink so I brought him home,” she said. She emphasized the words “I brought him” before continuing in a wifely tone: “Rachel, why don’t you make some hangover soup for Mr. Wilson? But don’t add any longan – he doesn’t like that.” She gave a shy smile. “He always wants it when he’s hungover in the morning.” I had to stifle a laugh. This fresh college graduate’s attempts to mark her territory were so clumsy that I couldn’t even be bothered to spar with her. I took Jack from her arms and said coolly: “Alright, thank you. Do you need me to call you a cab home?” “Jack is so careless, making such a pretty young girl bring him home. Aren’t you worried about going back alone? It could be dangerous.” Olivia’s face fell and she said nothing. I couldn’t be bothered to engage further. I closed the door and kicked Jack, who was slumped on the couch. “Alright, you can stop pretending now.” Jack didn’t open his eyes, but his voice was completely sober: “Thanks. She’s been clingy lately, always talking about marriage. I figured I’d give her the cold shoulder for a while.” I said nothing. Olivia was different from the others. Over the years Jack and I had lived our separate lives, with women coming and going from his side. The longest any had stayed was three months. He was a born playboy, never willing to settle down with one person for long. At the time, I thought I would be the exception. But just three years into our marriage, he was already unable to resist the temptations outside. This Olivia was different though – she had been with him for two years now. It was clear Jack truly cared for her. With anyone else, he would have moved on long ago. But this time he was just trying to cool things off a bit. He clearly couldn’t bear to let her go. In the past, I probably would have been crying and screaming, utterly heartbroken. Now I just said emotionlessly: “Jack, let’s get a divorce.” Jack cracked open an eye to look at me and snorted. “Rachel, what’s gotten into you now? Didn’t we agree to live our own lives? What are you on about?” He rolled onto his side, long legs curled up on the carpet, and reached out halfheartedly to take my hand. “I was wrong tonight, okay? I shouldn’t have let her bring me home. She’s young and naive, don’t hold it against her.” I pulled my hand away and took out a divorce agreement from the coffee table drawer, placing it in front of him. “I’m serious. I’ve met someone.”

Jack finally deigned to open his eyes fully. But he still had that lazy, contemptuous look, as if certain I was just acting out again. He picked up the divorce agreement and flipped through it casually, but his expression slowly froze. I leaned over to look, worried he wouldn’t understand. “We have 17 properties in total, including the ones in Australia and America. I had them appraised – I’ll take 8, you take 9. As for the company, I have a 22% stake. You can buy me out at market price if you want. The rest isn’t worth much, we can each keep our own things. What do you think? If it’s not okay I can have a lawyer revise it.” Jack slowly sat up straight. That lazy demeanor vanished in an instant, his whole being radiating pressure once again. “Rachel.” He looked up at me, a cold glint flashing behind his wire-rimmed glasses. Jack’s eyes were a pale color, especially under the lights. When he stared at someone, there was an inhuman indifference in his gaze. “You’re serious?” Of course I was serious. I had brought up divorce before, but that was years ago. Back then, to try to get Jack to change his ways, I had cried and screamed and threatened suicide. I had tried everything. But this time, I truly wanted a divorce. “Rachel, what is it you want this time?” Jack tossed the agreement onto the coffee table in frustration. “Olivia won’t affect your status. Why can’t you just accept her?!” He thought I was making a fuss over Olivia. And it’s true, when I first found out about Olivia, I had thrown some major tantrums. The worst time, I smashed everything in the house. I sat amidst the wreckage with my hair wild, like a madwoman, threatening to slit my wrists with broken porcelain if he didn’t break things off with Olivia. It was useless. He stayed with her anyway. I shook my head. I really had been such a lovesick fool back then. So pathetically desperate, I wanted to go back in time and slap some sense into my worthless self. “It’s not about her this time,” I said, meeting Jack’s eyes. I gave a slightly embarrassed smile. “It’s that young guy I’ve been seeing. He’s insisting on marrying me, won’t take no for an answer. I just can’t say no to him.”

It was rare to see such a blank expression on Jack’s face. After a moment, his expression finally darkened. “Rachel, I’ve already said Olivia won’t affect your position. There’s no need to be so stubborn about this.” He still didn’t believe me. I almost wanted to laugh bitterly. “How about this – you can have a larger share of the assets. The villa in Australia can be yours too. My side is in a rush, so let’s consider it compensation for emotional damages.” Jack stared at me for a while, as if trying to determine if I was really serious this time. He narrowed his eyes, his expression suddenly inscrutable. “Is it that young guy who drove you home last time?” I nodded. Ethan had dropped me off at home once and Jack had seen him. Ethan had even smiled and greeted Jack, calling him “sir”. At the time, Jack’s expression had been a bit stiff, but he hadn’t said anything. After all, the open relationship had been his idea in the first place. He had been actively living that way for years, so he really had no right to object. Thinking of Ethan, I couldn’t help but smile. Today at the beach, he had taken out a ring. The diamond was at least one carat. But compared to my other jewelry, it was actually quite modest in size. I thought it might be fake and didn’t pay much attention. But he knelt down in front of me very seriously: “The ring is a bit small, please don’t mind. I bought it with money from my part-time job. I was going to save up more, but I just couldn’t wait any longer. Rachel, divorce him and marry me.” Most proposals are “Will you marry me?” But he came right out with “Divorce your husband and marry me.” I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. I was about to brush it off casually when Ethan grabbed my hand and wouldn’t let go. The sea breeze carried a crisp, moist scent. His black hair was plastered to his fair forehead with sweat, his eyes shining with pure light that reflected my entire being. The young man’s love burned fiercely like a fire, heedless of time or place, with the courage to consume everything. In that moment, I was suddenly infected by his courage too. A voice appeared in my heart. It was my own voice. I’m already 29. I’ve been entangled with Jack for 9 years. How many more 9-year periods do I have left in my life? Am I going to keep living like this for the next few decades? The wind howled past, waves crashing against the rocks on shore, spraying snow-white foam. After a long while, I heard my own voice. “Okay.”

To be honest, I started regretting it as soon as I got home. After being with Jack for so many years, even just dividing up our assets would be a very complicated affair. For both of us, it would be a painful ordeal. That’s why all these years we had tacitly agreed to live our separate lives, but never actually brought up divorce. But remembering Ethan’s eyes, I felt a secret excitement and reckless sense of liberation in my heart again. Perhaps it was time to start a new life. “Kids, you know,” I smiled. “Always acting on impulse. If I don’t agree he’ll just get upset again. You understand, right?” I looked at Jack. “Isn’t Olivia the same way?” Jack’s brows lowered, revealing a hint of gloom he couldn’t hide. “Rachel, you’re really serious about this?” Admitting I was serious about a guy 8 years younger than me wasn’t something I could easily say out loud. But I still nodded. “Ethan is different from the others.” Jack had once said those exact words to me, when I demanded to know why he had to be with Olivia: “Olivia is different from the others.” His “others” of course included me. I never thought I’d be saying those words back to him now. Jack paused, a storm of emotions gathering in his eyes. His fingers slowly clenched, knuckles turning white. He sneered, “Rachel, you’re really regressing. What can some snot-nosed kid give you?” He jerked his chin at the coat I had carelessly tossed on the couch behind me. “Could he afford even one of your coats with a year’s salary?” That wasn’t untrue. Over the years, although Jack’s heart hadn’t been with me, he had still been very generous materially. I could use his credit cards freely. I didn’t even need to go look at new luxury items myself – the store managers would bring models to try things on for me at home. No wonder Olivia was so desperate to secure her position. The life of a rich man’s wife truly was decadent and luxurious. I touched the unremarkable diamond ring on my hand. It was from an average brand, with average clarity and an average setting. The kind of thing that would never even appear in my jewelry box. But I liked it more than all the others. “It’s fine, I don’t care about those things.” Jack had clearly noticed the ring on my hand too. The engagement ring he had bought me was a 7 million dollar pigeon egg diamond, dazzlingly opulent. He had it specially shipped from Hong Kong. I had always been too afraid to wear it, so I bought a cheaper pair of matching rings for us to wear instead. But after those first few good years passed, we started living separate lives. Or rather, he unilaterally grew tired of me. He stopped wearing his ring, because the young girls outside didn’t like it. During one of our countless fights, I yanked off that ring and threw it as hard as I could. Afterwards, that ring was never found again. My hand remained bare until now. I repeated, “Jack, let’s get divorced.” He paused for a moment, then suddenly lunged forward! The coffee table crashed to the floor, the vase shattering with a crisp sound. I was startled, but he grabbed me by the throat! Jack leaned in close, his eyes full of viciousness. “Rachel,” his voice lost its usual coolness for the first time, “Who gave you permission to be serious?!”

I was shocked, then shoved him away forcefully. “What the hell is wrong with you?!” I complained, rubbing my neck. “Why are you suddenly going crazy?!” Jack stumbled but caught himself. He picked up the agreement: “I’m going crazy?! Do you have any idea how much property we’d have to split up if we divorced? Just that villa you mentioned is worth $120 million! You’re willing to give up all that money for divorce – is that guy really so important to you?!” I thought for a moment, then nodded. “Yes.” It wasn’t that I was blinded by love. Mainly, half of our assets was already more than enough for me to live comfortably for several lifetimes. Why should I stay trapped in this relationship for money I couldn’t even spend? I had thought it through. Even if it wasn’t for Ethan, I didn’t want to keep torturing each other with Jack anymore. Jack clutched the divorce agreement tightly, crumpling the thick stack of papers in his grip. He had always been good at hiding his emotions. In the past, no matter how hysterically I screamed and cried, he would just watch coldly without revealing a hint of feeling. But now he seemed truly furious. His face was dark with anger – I could even see the red veins in his eyes. Just when I thought he might actually hit me, Jack suddenly took a deep breath. He pushed up his glasses, bit down on his back teeth, and regained his usual rational demeanor. But his eyes were heavy, emotions unreadable. “Rachel,” he tore the agreement to shreds and tossed it aside. “If you want a divorce, keep dreaming.” … Jack stormed out, probably to find Olivia. I lay back on the couch alone, covering my eyes with my arm. A message came from Ethan. “Did you talk to him about the divorce? Did he give you a hard time?” I didn’t reply. I didn’t know how to respond. I suddenly felt very tired. How did we end up like this? In the beginning, Jack and I had been so deeply in love. Back then he had no money. After work we’d be starving, but we’d scrape together enough to buy one order of cold noodles to share. He’d swallow hard and push it towards me: “You eat it.” I refused, and we kept pushing it back and forth. In the end we each started from one end, slowly eating towards the middle. He stuffed the last bit of topping into my mouth. When we got married, he was as excited as Ethan is now. Back then he didn’t even have as much money as Ethan. The diamond was so tiny, like the ring Tom gave to the goddess – you needed a magnifying glass to see the stone. He held me close. The young man’s body temperature was so high, I broke out in a sweat. He said: “Rachel, I’ll be good to you for the rest of my life.” Of course I believed him. We were so in love then, we thought growing old together was the most natural thing in the world. It was only later that I realized, the human heart is the most fickle thing of all. In that moment, Jack probably truly meant to be good to me for life. Later, he also truly wanted to be good to others. In our third year of marriage, he came home smelling of Chanel No. 5 perfume that hadn’t yet faded. Tears immediately fell from my eyes as I demanded to know what was going on. He held me and swore up and down that he had just been entertaining clients at a karaoke bar, that the scent had rubbed off. He absolutely hadn’t been unfaithful to me. I believed him. Then it happened a second time. A third time. He slowly lost patience and stopped trying to placate me. He just irritably pushed me away: “Men have to socialize for work, what can I do? Can you stop being so unreasonable!” Later, he got together with Olivia. She was a girl who looked a bit like me, but much younger. Fresh out of college, full of youthful energy. He had made an exception to hire her. Jack started staying out night after night. I knew he was tired of me. With such a young, vibrant body available, why would he come back to sleep next to me? My heart slowly burned to ashes, night after agonizing night. So when he said to me: “Rachel, I think we should try an open relationship. You can go out and find whoever you want, I won’t interfere. And you don’t interfere with me. Of course, I won’t let anyone outside threaten your position. How about it?” I looked at Jack. The man before me didn’t have even a trace of the boy I once knew. That boy who would squat with me at the subway entrance to share a roll of cold noodles was just my imagination, I suppose. The years hadn’t killed him. They had simply revealed his true nature. A nature I had never seen clearly before. After a long while, I closed my eyes. “Okay.” Meeting Ethan was an accident. At the time, I was trying to get revenge on Jack by using his money to hire male models every night. That day I was drunk out of my mind. The manager had sent over five batches of models but I hadn’t liked any of them. Irritated, I stumbled to the bathroom.

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I woke up to find myself ten years in the past. Ethan Shaw, my husband, had just told me he’d traveled back in time from the future. He slapped me hard across the face: “Ten years from now, you’ll betray me and sell out our family business to our competitors, you bitch!” He claimed that in the future, only his first love Olivia Parker truly loved him. To cure a gravely ill Olivia, he believed in some quack remedy and took me, five months pregnant, to an illegal clinic. He forcibly removed our unborn child, just to use the placenta as medicine for Olivia. I finally gave up on him. Since he claimed I would betray him to his competitors in ten years, why not do it now? I rushed to his office, seeing him for the first time since my “rebirth.” With a lump in my throat, I said: “Ethan, I’m sorry.” After a brief moment of shock, his expression turned cold. “Go ahead, tell me how you’re going to torment me this time.” During that final explosion in my past life, I remember Ethan didn’t make it out. He knelt beside me, always impeccably dressed, and said: “Olivia, don’t be afraid. I’m here with you.” He was 38 years old then. Worth hundreds of millions, he gave it all up without hesitation. To die with me in the inferno. … It was a midsummer evening, the setting sun blood-red outside the window. A stuffy breeze blew into the room. I woke from my dream, sitting dazed on the bed. The clock in the corner ticked away, the calendar lying quietly on the desk. “Ma’am, Mr. Shaw called earlier to say he won’t be home tonight,” the housekeeper’s voice came from the living room, calm and peaceful. I looked down at the shiny new wedding ring on my finger. I closed my eyes briefly. I had really returned to ten years ago. The raging inferno from before my death, and the warm, strong embrace – it had all felt so real. In our final moments, Ethan had told me: “Don’t be afraid, Olivia. I waited too long for you in this life. In the next one, I’ll find you much sooner.” Was this a dream or reality? I pinched myself hard, feeling a dull pain in my thigh. The sound of a car horn outside jolted me from my confused thoughts. After the initial shock, a wave of lingering pain and bitterness washed over me. A misunderstanding, fabricated by others, had caused me to hate Ethan for many years. During that time, his business rivals used every tactic to undermine him. Barely giving him room to breathe. At home, I treated him coldly, so he rarely came back. Ethan’s parents had died young, and he had few relatives. He guarded a business empire alone, living half a lifetime that way. Later, when the misunderstanding was cleared up, we had a brief period of happiness, even expecting a child. But before I could tell him about the pregnancy, we met with an untimely death. … “Ma’am, the flowers have arrived. Are you ready to leave?” the housekeeper came in to ask. “What?” My mind was still in a confused state. “The flowers. Weren’t you going to visit Mr. Brown?” Noah Brown… Hearing that name suddenly, I was stunned. A thread emerged from the tangled mess in my mind. So it was this day. Noah Brown was my childhood friend. He was also a talented actor. But unfortunately… an “accident” left him with severe burns all over his body, requiring long-term hospitalization. In my past life on this day, I had gone to the hospital with a bouquet of flowers. After spending Noah’s birthday with him, I left the hospital to find Ethan sitting in his car, a cigarette burned down to the filter between his fingers, completely unaware. I didn’t want to explain anything, I didn’t even want to see him. “Olivia.” Ethan noticed me, stubbed out his cigarette, and got out of the car, his tone melancholic. “…Today is my birthday.” I stopped, turning back to look at him coldly, “So?” Ethan’s dark eyes gazed at me, saying nothing. I said: “Today is also Noah’s birthday. To marry me, you used any means necessary, ruining his face and his future. How do you expect me to treat you?” Ethan opened his mouth, explaining futilely: “That was just an accident…” “If you hadn’t invited him that day, he wouldn’t still be lying in the hospital. How can I believe it was an accident?” Ethan fell silent, finally saying to me: “I’m sorry.” From that day on, my relationship with Ethan took a sharp downward turn. We began a long and painful cold war. Later, I learned that the “accident” even Ethan believed to be true was merely a scheme by certain people to drive a wedge between us. “I’ve already put everything in the car for you, ma’am. If we leave any later, we’ll hit traffic.” The housekeeper came back to call me. Outside, the sun was half-set, the light growing dim. I came to my senses, hurriedly putting on a coat and getting into the car, suddenly realizing that this was ten years ago – everything could still be changed. The driver merged into traffic, “The road to the hospital is already jammed. Should I call Mr. Brown and ask him to wait a bit…?” “We’re not going to the hospital,” I said, gazing at the changing traffic lights outside the window. “Go to the office.” … Actually, I didn’t have much impression of Ethan’s company. When I was young and hated him, I never came once. Later when I loved him, he was being targeted by enemies, surrounded by danger, so I didn’t dare visit. Now as I stood among the towering office buildings, I felt lost. Which one was his office building? Passersby curiously eyed me: holding a huge bouquet, dressed elegantly, made up – I looked like a girl about to confess her love. Feeling uncomfortable, I took out my phone and pulled up Ethan’s contact. Just his full name, not even listed as an emergency contact. I pressed dial, expecting to wait a while. But after just two short rings, he picked up. His cool, distant voice came through the receiver: “What is it?” Hearing his voice again, my eyes suddenly grew hot, my own voice choking up. “Ethan, where’s your office? I can’t find it…” The passersby looked at me even more strangely. A woman who couldn’t find her husband’s office, standing on the curb, sobbing loudly. There seemed to be a meeting going on on Ethan’s end. He paused briefly, saying: “We’ll stop here for today.” Then he said to me: “Go stand on the sidewalk. I’ll come down.” A few minutes later, Ethan walked out of an office building. His tall figure cut through the neon lights, impeccably dressed in a suit, refined and aloof. In contrast, looking in a mirror, my eyeliner had run down with my tears, making me look like the lead in a horror movie. Damn, it was all ruined. “Why are you here?” His tone was flat, almost cold. I turned around. The tall, handsome man was looking at me coolly, his pupils reflecting my ghastly face, his expression stiffening slightly. No matter when, Ethan was always impeccably put together. Like a flower blooming on a cliff edge, untouched by a speck of dust. “I’m sorry,” I lowered my head, not daring to look at him. “I’ve disturbed you…” “Today…” He only said two words, not continuing. I knew what he wanted to say. Today I should be spending Noah’s birthday with him, not appearing here. But it did remind me of something. I shoved the flowers into his arms, mumbling: “Happy birthday.” A long silence. I snuck a glance at him, seeing him staring at the bouquet, not looking very happy. After a while, he raised a bitter, mocking smile. “Olivia, these are the ones he didn’t want, right?” “What?” I realized his mood was off, my gaze suddenly falling on the bouquet, my heart sinking. Oh no! Ice blue roses. The flower meaning was: I’ll give you the stars and sea. Noah’s favorite was also the stars and sea. My memories were so jumbled upon waking that I had been single-mindedly focused on finding Ethan, overlooking these details. “I’m sorry, I—” “Thank you for the birthday gift.” Ethan’s tone was almost stiff. “It’s getting late. Have the driver take you home.” He turned to leave. I quickly grabbed the hem of his jacket. “Wait!” Ethan hadn’t expected me to do this. Unable to stop in time, he stumbled, causing me to lose balance and crash hard into his back. The back of his designer suit now had colorful stains. Ethan turned back, staring at my fingers for a long time in silence. I stubbornly insisted, “Ethan, I’m not going back.” His expression was desolate as he asked, “Olivia, how are you going to torment me this time?” That question was really hard to answer. In my memories, Ethan and I had just gotten married, and I was fighting with him. I was 23, he was 28. The arguments were almost entirely one-sided output from me. I said whatever hurtful things came to mind. Even when giving him gifts on holidays, I deliberately chose things that would hurt him. I was like the boy who cried wolf. After calling “wolf” too many times, he stopped believing me. Thinking back to how I had handled things in my past life after the misunderstanding was cleared up, my methods had been quite direct and crude – just pouncing on him was enough. This man may look cold, but he was surprisingly easy to coax. But that method might not work right now. Besides, Ethan had endured too much torment and grievance. I wanted to make amends somehow. After pondering for a while, I said: “Let me treat you to a meal.” Ethan lowered his eyes coldly, “No need. I have work tonight.” “Then let’s order takeout!” I shamelessly followed behind him. “I’ll order you some longevity noodles.” Ethan said nothing, not even acknowledging me. He still clutched that bouquet tightly in his hand. Passing a trash can, I thought he would throw it in without hesitation, but he didn’t. I followed him all the way into his office. It was empty. A cold boxed meal lay untouched on his desk. Was this how he planned to get through the night? My heart ached inexplicably. I took out my phone and ordered him a bowl of longevity noodles. Clear broth, light on salt, no green onions. I added some tomato beef and a few vegetable dishes, all non-spicy. In the past, Ethan had always ordered very strongly flavored food to accommodate me. It wasn’t until later that I learned he had a sensitive stomach and couldn’t eat anything too spicy, oily or salty. After placing the order, I sat on the couch, not knowing what to say. Anything I said didn’t seem quite right. Ethan was unwrapping the flower packaging, about to put them in a vase. The ice blue roses pained my eyes. Without thinking, I went over and snatched them away, throwing them in the trash. He was stunned, looking at the drop of blood on his pricked thumb. With a tired sigh, he said: “Olivia, have you had enough?” “No.” I held back the ache in my heart, angry that he was so passive, like a clay figure with no temper. “Forget those. You don’t like them, I’ll buy you something else.” Ethan pulled out a tissue to press on the wound, his eyes lowering slightly as he said resignedly: “Forget it.” I ignored him, picking up the trash and saying, “Wait here,” before hurrying out. On summer evenings, the roadside was full of flower vendors. Compared to the hundreds or thousands spent at flower shops, the quality was a bit lower. I ran to several stalls, buying up all the red roses and roughly tying them into a bouquet with simple wrapping paper. The takeout had just arrived, so I carried everything back upstairs. The 19th floor was even quieter than before. The few employees working overtime had already left. Only Ethan’s office still had a small lamp on. I softened my footsteps, pushing open the door to enter. He stood with his back to me by the floor-to-ceiling windows, his silhouette lonely. The feeling was like an abandoned stray dog. The heavy flowers and takeout banged against the door with a thud. Ethan’s figure stiffened, turning back abruptly to see me nearly crushed under the weight. “Hey, what are you standing there for? Help me!” I panted. He seemed not to have expected me to return. After a brief moment of surprise, he quickly walked over, taking the flowers and food with one hand while supporting me under the arm with the other, helping me to the couch. I caught my breath, sweating a bit, but still smiling, “For you. I bought all the roses from the street vendors.” Ethan’s handsome face showed a brief blank expression. Oh no, the current him didn’t seem able to adapt to how I was treating him. Did I have to… insult him for things to feel normal? Seeing he was about to go back to eating the cold boxed meal, I let out an exaggerated groan. Ethan immediately looked over, his eyes flashing with barely concealed concern. I leaned back on the couch, raising my chin impatiently, “Can’t you eat something hot? Just looking at you eat that boxed meal irritates me.” Ethan: “…” For the next half hour, my complaints echoed through the office. “Don’t you know how to eat?” “Can’t you see that big piece of beef?” “Not eating your vegetables? Still picky at your age?” “Slurp your noodles! Did I buy them just for you to look at?” After my painstaking urging, the steaming bowl of noodles was finally emptied. Worried Ethan wasn’t full enough, I had added two small buns and even gave him the osmanthus cake I’d brought for myself. If I had to nag like this every day, how would I survive? My throat was parched from all the talking. Suddenly a glass of water appeared before me. Looking up, I saw Ethan staring at me. “Wet your throat before you keep scolding.” His expression had softened considerably. Though his eyes were still dull and lifeless, at least the icy wariness was gone. I restrained the urge to hug him, saying: “Ethan, let’s have a good life together from now on.” Hearing this, he lowered his gaze, silently clearing away the dishes without directly answering my question. “Put on your coat. I’ll have the driver take you home.” “But I just got here…” He quickly pushed open the door and left, as if escaping something. After all, tasks like taking out the trash didn’t require a CEO to do them. I couldn’t help feeling a bit disappointed. Reborn once, why did this man seem even harder to coax? I sat on the couch, formulating my next strategy. Should I just pounce on him directly, or pour my heart out first before pouncing? A sudden phone ringtone interrupted my thoughts. I absent-mindedly answered. A familiar voice from long ago came through the phone. “Olivia, where are you?” My previously excited mood instantly plummeted as I remembered this person still existed. “Oh, it’s you…” My tone wasn’t particularly warm. Noah’s voice was gentle: “I’ve been waiting for you a long time. Didn’t we agree you’d spend my birthday with me?” Recalling everything that happened in my past life, my fingers gradually tightened until my knuckles turned white. “Noah, we’re… childhood friends who grew up together, right?” Noah sensed something was off and corrected me: “Olivia, we’re family.” “Family.” I repeated the words, suddenly asking, “You… don’t have anything you want to tell me?” He paused, sighing, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have secretly eaten some cake without you.” See? Why can the person being cared for carelessly lie, make demands, joke around? While Ethan always has to stand in the background, bearing everything? My whole body went cold. I couldn’t even force a smile anymore. “I have something to do today, so I won’t be coming over. Happy birthday.” Hanging up the phone, I took a deep breath, my chest feeling tight. I thought of the phone call Noah made to me before I was kidnapped, asking where I was. I fell into deep thought. He was the person I trusted most. But what if from the very beginning, that explosion was orchestrated by someone familiar? Looking up, I saw Ethan standing in the doorway, his profile hidden in shadow, his expression unreadable. After hesitating for a long time, I asked: “Did you… hear all that?” “Mm.” “I—” “Let’s go.” His tone carried a kind of forced calmness after intense suppression. “The car is waiting downstairs.” I opened and closed my mouth, not knowing how to explain the events that would happen in the future. Afraid he’d think I was crazy. I followed him out the door, feelings of guilt surging. “Ethan.” He only slowed his steps slightly, not turning back. “That was Noah calling me just now,” I spoke rapidly, “Yesterday I did promise to spend his birthday with him, but today’s me is different. I’m from the future—” Ethan suddenly stopped, turning around with a layer of ice in his eyes. “Enough.” He closed his eyes briefly, suppressing his emotions before saying: “The meal today was very good. I’m also very happy you could spend my birthday with me.” I stared at him intently, seeing the pain hidden deep in his eyes. Ethan’s lips were very pale. Every word seemed to tremble out of someone in extreme pain: “So in the end, if you want to go find Noah, I accept that. Because that’s the price.” In my past life, Ethan once told me that back then, every bit of kindness I showed him had to be exchanged for even more suffering. So he never dared to hope for anything, always prepared for me to leave at any moment. These words now felt like a knife stabbing into my heart. Twisting painfully. In my past life on this day, while I was gone, his dinner was just that cold boxed meal. No one said “happy birthday” to him. Is that why he waited for me outside the hospital? Ethan just wanted to hear me say “happy birthday,” but I told him not to meddle and to stay away from me. The belated truth made it hard for me to breathe. He looked away. “I’m sorry, I misspoke. It’s not safe when it’s dark. If you’re going to the hospital, hurry—” I suddenly grabbed Ethan’s hand, forcefully intertwining our fingers. His whole body stiffened, but he didn’t pull away. Instead, he asked in a hoarse voice, “Olivia, what are you doing? Haven’t you humiliated me enough?” I raised my head, suddenly grabbing his tie and pulling him down. “Darling, don’t move.” Those four short words were like a spell, completely immobilizing him. I stood on tiptoe and kissed Ethan’s cold lips. The elegant scent of pine was chaotically disrupted by my clumsy movements. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pushing him against the wall, carefully comforting him… From his initial rigidity, to shock, and finally to surrender, he closed his eyes in defeat, allowing me to “ravage and humiliate” him. His pristine white shirt became a crumpled mess. Without realizing it, he had gripped my waist, gradually tightening his hold until he greedily pressed my back, pulling us tightly together. The lights overhead flickered on and off. Finally, we separated in the darkness, foreheads touching as we caught our breath. “Olivia,” Ethan’s tone was low and gruff as he said with difficulty, “Don’t do this…” “You don’t like it?” “It’s not that.” He was silent for a long time before saying: “Don’t tempt me. While I still have some reason left, go to him.” “Can you bear it?” I softly blew on his ear, pouting pitifully, “Aren’t you jealous? Angry? Can you stand me kissing someone else—” Ethan seemed provoked. He suddenly lowered his head, covering my mouth, reversing our positions. He picked me up and tossed me back onto the couch. Before I could react, his large hand cupped the back of my head. Venting his frustrations, he kissed me again… I smiled slightly. If I didn’t use some drastic measures, he really could endure quite a lot. But the subsequent developments went a bit beyond my control. “Ethan!” I suddenly became alert. “What… what are you doing? I meant we should go home first and then…” I only heard his voice, warm and rich: “I gave you a chance. You didn’t leave.” “Now, that chance is gone.” With those words, I was flipped over, lying face down on the back of the couch. The man’s voice floated softly into my ear, sexy and alluring: “Olivia Sanders, prepare to suffer.” I thought that given Ethan’s personality, he wouldn’t do anything too outrageous. But I forgot that in my past life, he was the kind of madman who dared to die with me. Deep down, there was a bit of a savage side to him. “You… you—” My weak protests were swallowed up between our lips. In the end I could only helplessly wrap my arms around his neck, calling out: “Ethan… have some mercy on me…” He seemed to be angry and wasn’t listening to my words at all. I gritted my teeth, hugging him tightly, my nose stinging as tears fell onto his shoulder. Ethan’s whole body stiffened. He carefully stopped, saying, “I’m sorry.” I rested my chin on his shoulder. Looking up, I could see the bright moonlight outside the window. “Ethan, I’ve already thought of names for our child.” In my past life, I had pondered for a long time but never got to tell him. “Olivia, don’t say it.” His voice was hoarse as he murmured softly. “You don’t believe me?” I was met with endless silence. He probably didn’t dare to hope that we could have a child together. I said, “One boy and one girl. I’ll let you choose the nicknames—” Little did I know, the man who had just regained his senses would fall back into the web of losing control. Ethan didn’t give me a chance to say anything more. He picked me up and carried my half-dazed self through the small door to one side of the office. The door closed gently. The wind lingered outside the floor-to-ceiling windows. The moonlight was clear and bright. On the other side of the door were soft murmurs. ? In the early hours of the morning, I got bratty and kicked him, saying I didn’t want him anymore. Ethan wordlessly dragged me back, asking: “If you don’t want me, who do you want?” He asked very seriously. I blushed furiously. “Anyone but you!” “Mm.” He buried his head. “What you say doesn’t count.” That night’s dreams were filled with Ethan’s entanglement, as well as raging fires. I lay in a pool of blood, my body strapped with explosives. Ethan rushed into the fire, picking me up, his whole body shaking. I saw him crying. I could only weakly raise my hand to push him away. “Get lost…” “Ethan, I told you to get lost… Don’t touch me, I’m begging you…” The dream was shattered by the sound of crying. The warm sensation instantly dissipated. I fell back into darkness, suddenly opening my eyes to find my cheeks wet with tears. I had been dreaming. Coming to my senses, I realized I had pushed Ethan to the edge of the bed. Judging by his expression, I must have been talking in my sleep. He handed me a tissue but remained sitting at a distance from me. His fingertips also avoided touching me. My heart sank. He had misunderstood again. “Ethan.” I tried to speak. “I just had a dream.” He was really listening to me attentively. I spoke with a choked voice, “I was in a huge fire with explosives strapped to me. You wanted to die with me.” “So that’s why I yelled those things. Don’t misunderstand.” Ethan’s eyes only brightened briefly, as if realizing something, before returning to their lifeless state. “Alright, I believe you.” After saying this, he tucked me in and picked up his pillow, heading for the door. “Ethan!” I called out to him, saying to his back, “You’re lying.” He said nothing. I grabbed a pillow and threw it hard at his back. “Fine, go then! My whole body aches and you, you ungrateful bastard, are just going to leave me here to fend for myself!” I didn’t look at him after saying this, curling up into a ball and burrowing under the covers. No wonder they say young people are stubborn. The 28-year-old Ethan was rigid in his thinking, not cute at all. After a long silence, the bed dipped behind me. Ethan sighed, “Go to sleep.” “I want to be held while I sleep.” He obediently pulled me over, wrapping me in his arms. The night was still long, but I stared at the boundless darkness, unable to sleep. Since my rebirth, too much information was swirling in my mind. The person who kidnapped me had previously crossed paths with Ethan – a CEO whose company had gone bankrupt. That accident that happened to Noah years ago was actually a scheme by my uncle to drive a wedge between Ethan and me. These were all things I learned in the final year of my past life. My whereabouts had always been closely guarded by Ethan. But I was kidnapped on the way to a prenatal checkup at the hospital. How did the kidnapper find out? The only possibility was that phone call Noah made to me. Including Ethan’s last words before we died: “Thank Noah. Without him, I wouldn’t have found you.” Hindsight is 20/20. Looking back now, what role did Noah, my most trusted childhood friend of over a decade, really play in all this? ? Due to insomnia the night before, I had a splitting headache the next morning. “Ethan, I can’t get up! How could you do this to me!” After kicking him a few times, he said helplessly: “Get up and have breakfast.” “No.” He really was stubborn to a fault. I said resentfully: “You don’t like your younger self at all.” He paused for a moment before good-naturedly asking: “My younger self?” “Yes!” I fiercely snatched the blanket from his hands, wrapping myself up. “I like the 10-years-older you! Go get old and stop bothering me while I sleep!” I wriggled to the warmest spot, comfortably stretching out my limbs, feeling Ethan’s scent all over my body. I slept until the afternoon. He had clearly anticipated the possibility of me waking up hungry. Lunch was neatly arranged on the table. The room was extremely tidy, everything in perfect order. While my big bed was an island of chaos amidst the orderliness. It was a complete mess. Because of my wild behavior last night, the sheets had been pulled into strips, all tangled around Ethan. I have to say, the 28-year-old Ethan was much more innocent compared to his 38-year-old self. I shook my head, trying to clear away those blushing, heart-pounding images from my mind. After quickly freshening up and eating breakfast, I put on Ethan’s shirt, opened the door and peeked out. The office was silent. A video conference was open on the computer. The setting sun cast slanting rays through the floor-to-ceiling windows, falling on Ethan in his suit. It nicely balanced out the innate coolness and aloofness in his demeanor. My heart skipped a beat… I unconsciously blushed to my ears. Ethan had always been extremely perceptive. The moment I opened the door, he looked up. Seeing what I was wearing, he suddenly froze. I coughed lightly a few times, uncomfortable. Making sure no one else was around, I walked out red-faced and sat across from Ethan. Opening my phone, I saw Noah had called me five times and sent over a dozen text messages. All late at night. By then, I should have been in a daze, not woken by the ringtone. Could it be… I stared thoughtfully at Ethan. He looked focused, as if he hadn’t noticed my presence. Just pretend, why don’t you. I crossed my legs, swinging them back and forth right in his peripheral vision, not caring if I was flashing him. Ethan’s voice suddenly caught as he was speaking. After a brief pause, he said, “That’s all for today.” With that, he ended the meeting. He leaned back slightly in his chair, frowning. “Olivia.” “Oh? Last night you called me ‘darling,’ now I’m back to Olivia?” Look at that proper, upright appearance. Who would believe he’s the same man who did all those things last night, then pretended nothing happened? I nudged his leg hidden under the desk. “Mr. Shaw, did my phone ring last night?” Ethan calmly lowered his eyes. “I’m not sure.” “Is that so?” I leaned across the desk, grabbing his tie and pulling him closer. His eyes were like hooks. “Olivia, this is work hours.” He seriously reminded me. If not for his slightly uneven breathing, I really would have thought he was above such worldly desires. “Oh.” I lightly kissed him. “Want more?” He was silent for a moment before saying directly: “…Yes.” I kissed him again. “I’ll be next door. Wait for you to finish work so we can go home together.” Back in the room, I received another call from Noah. “Olivia, I’ve been discharged.” His voice on the phone was hoarse, his nose sounded congested, as if he hadn’t slept well all night. I was taken aback. “Why were you discharged?” “I’m not getting treatment anymore.” His tone was dejected. “If it can’t be fully repaired, I choose to give up. I want to live a quiet life with you.” I frowned. “We have no future together. Besides, I’m married.” “Then what about me?” Noah said. “What do you think our promises meant? Is it because my face is ruined that you don’t like me anymore?” I started to speak but stopped myself. “You’re the one who said we had to break up for the company to promote you, for you to go further in your career.” “But you promised you’d wait for me,” he said. “How long am I supposed to wait?” I sighed. “You had countless opportunities, yet you kept making me wait.” My uncle was the type of person who would use any means necessary to achieve his goals. After I was born, my parents abandoned me with the Sanders family and each moved overseas to start new families. I was just a pawn for the Sanders family. Noah was earning rave reviews on the big screen, while I was being backed into a corner by my uncle. That night, I called Noah over and over, but he kept rejecting my calls. The next day, I watched his on-screen first kiss and accepted my uncle’s proposal with a heavy heart. Now, Noah was asking me on the phone: “You… you’ve fallen for him, haven’t you?” I didn’t hesitate at all. “I love him.” After that, Noah didn’t message me again for several days. I thought about many things. To catch the culprit who harmed me in my past life, I would need Ethan’s help. The first step was getting him to accept the fact that I had been reborn. So he wouldn’t have me committed to a mental hospital. “…So after this young miss is reborn, she starts investigating who destroyed her family in her past life. Having insider information from the future is a huge advantage. Aren’t you curious how she turns the tables and succeeds in the end?” I rested my chin on my hands, lying in front of Ethan as I enthusiastically recounted the story. This was already the third rebirth novel I had read to him this month. Ethan listened attentively. “If you like it, I can invest in making it into a TV series.” “It’s not about whether I like it. The point is, do you like it?” He looked at the wrinkled shirt I was wearing and sighed, “If you like it, I like it.” I persisted, making a fist to use as a pretend microphone. “Then tell me your thoughts.” Ethan: “…” Recently, my interactions with him had become much more harmonious. He was very accommodating towards me, almost indulging my every whim. But I still felt like there was something between us. “Ethan,” I pulled my chair closer, sitting in front of him with a serious expression. “I think it’s time to tell you.” He put down his chopsticks, adopting a posture of listening intently. “Go ahead.” I began gravely, “Actually, I’ve also been reborn.” Silence. A long silence. Ethan raised an eyebrow slightly, his lips pressed tightly together. He wanted to laugh. I pointed at him. “Aha, you really don’t believe me!” “Continue, Olivia.” The corners of his mouth twitched, but he forcibly suppressed it. “I believe you.” I decided to go all in, recounting everything that had happened in my past life. At first, he listened like an adult humoring a child telling a story. He thought it was just a new trick I had learned. Gradually, he frowned. I knew I was saying the right things. “…The person who stabbed you was surnamed Lewis, probably an employee of your company who later went out on his own. Of course, that’s ten years from now, so I don’t know where he is now. Also, my uncle was involved. Finally, we need to be careful of Noah—” Before I could finish, we were interrupted by a shrill ringtone. Ethan and I both saw the name displayed on the phone screen. “Noah.” Due to my oversight, Noah’s contact was still saved under a nickname instead of his full name. Ethan’s expression closed off, reverting to his cool demeanor. He stood up, picking up the plates. “I’ll go wash the dishes…” That feeling came back again. He was deliberately avoiding the topic. He was still afraid. I gritted my teeth, grabbing the phone and following him to the kitchen. He stood with his back to the door, turning on the faucet. I pressed the speakerphone button. Noah’s familiar voice came through the speaker. “Olivia, this may be the last time I call you.” Besides his voice, there was also the sound of howling wind. I immediately tensed up. “Where are you?” “On the roof of our old high school.” His voice was very soft. “Olivia, do you remember? The day my parents left me, you said your family didn’t truly care for you either. You said we could be each other’s family from then on.” “When I was 18, I wanted to jump from the roof. You stopped me.” His voice was light, tinged with regret. “Now you don’t want me anymore. I feel like there’s no point in living.” “Noah, don’t do anything rash.” My mind went blank. I turned to grab my coat, putting it on. “Wait for me! I’ll be right there!” Hanging up the phone, I turned to find Ethan still standing by the sink with his back to me. As if he hadn’t heard anything, just the sound of running water. I panicked, rushing over. “Hey, are you stupid?! Why aren’t you changing?”

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Jack Thompson woke up one morning, claiming he had traveled back in time from ten years in the future. He slapped me hard across the face and shouted, “Ten years from now, you’ll betray me and sell out our family business to our competitors, you bitch!” He insisted that in the future, only his first love Olivia Parker truly loved him. To cure a gravely ill Olivia, he believed in some quack remedy and took me, five months pregnant, to an illegal clinic. He forcibly removed our unborn child, just to use the placenta as medicine for Olivia. I finally gave up on him. Since he claimed I would betray him to his competitors in ten years, why not do it now? Jack woke up one morning, suddenly declaring he had traveled back in time from ten years in the future. In that future, the Thompson family business had failed, and he had been framed by competitors, facing imprisonment. To save myself, I had allegedly taken the family’s secrets and defected to their arch-rivals, the White family. As he said this, he viciously slapped me across the face. “Emma Wilson, you’re nothing but a poisonous woman!” he spat. He said he had heard the news while in prison and, in despair, had attempted suicide. When he opened his eyes, he found himself back ten years in the past. He glared at me hatefully, his eyes filled with loathing as if looking at his sworn enemy: “To think I loved you so much. You don’t deserve it!” I stared at him in shock, a mix of confusion, bewilderment, and hurt swirling inside me as tears fell. Just the night before, Jack had tenderly wished me goodnight. How could he suddenly become a different person overnight? Seeing my tears, he no longer wiped them away gently as he used to. Instead, he let out a cold snort and walked past me out the door. I heard him instruct the driver: “Start the car. I’m going to the Parker house.” As Jack and the driver left the mansion, I quickly got into another car and followed, wanting to see what had caused such a drastic change in him. My driving skills weren’t great, and Jack’s driver soon noticed me tailing them. He quietly alerted Jack, who glanced in the rearview mirror and said coldly, without a hint of emotion: “Ram her.” The driver was stunned. Jack gave him a look and said harshly: “Don’t you want me to help with your father’s surgery costs?” Jack’s car turned onto a small road and suddenly disappeared from view. I started to panic, and the next moment, Jack’s car suddenly rushed out from a side road. I had no time to dodge. My car was hit and flipped over. As excruciating pain engulfed me, I lost consciousness. In the last second before blacking out, a wave of sadness washed over me: Why was he doing this to me? I was already five months pregnant… When I woke up in the hospital, the doctor said I was lucky to have only minor injuries, and the baby wasn’t harmed. Seeing me awake, Jack’s driver repeatedly apologized, saying Jack had forced him to do it, and he had no choice. I couldn’t hold back anymore and burst into tears. I wanted to find Jack and ask him face to face what was going on. “Where is he now?” I asked. “Sir… is with Miss Parker right now,” the driver said carefully, watching my expression. I took out my phone to call Jack but saw the latest news notification. The headline “Thompson Group CEO Spotted with First Love at Cafe, Marriage Crisis Suspected” was glaring at me. With trembling hands, I clicked on it. A series of photos appeared. Jack was gazing tenderly at Olivia, kissing her hand, adding sugar to her coffee cup… The comment section was bustling with activity. “Wow, what a handsome couple! Wishing them happiness!” “Wasn’t the CEO very much in love with his wife? What’s going on?” “You’re so naive! It’s all for show! I think the CEO and his first love are much more compatible!” The top comment, surprisingly, was from Jack himself. “Thank you all for your concern. I was deceived for a long time and have only now realized the truth. Fortunately, I haven’t missed out on the person who truly loves me. For the rest of my life, I will cherish Olivia, as she was the only one who still cared about me in my final moments.” There were many replies to this comment, with people speculating about the meaning behind Jack’s words, assuming I had done something to wrong him. Mutual friends also messaged me, carefully asking what had happened between us. After all, in their eyes, Jack and I had always been the epitome of a loving couple. I didn’t understand either. Why had Jack suddenly changed overnight as if he were a different person? Could it be true that he had really traveled back in time from ten years in the future, as he claimed? Just the day before Jack claimed he had “traveled back in time,” he had reminded me to rest early, saying he had to entertain some clients and told me not to wait up for him. But when I opened my eyes in the morning, I saw Jack’s face contorted with fury. In the blink of an eye, I had gone from being his beloved to his enemy. What I found most unacceptable was that all these things he spoke of happening ten years in the future – I knew nothing about them! It made me feel incredibly hurt. How could he hate me for things that hadn’t even happened? Did all our past love mean nothing now? After that day, Jack stopped coming home and became unreachable. From bits and pieces I heard from the housekeeper, he was always with Olivia, making high-profile appearances together at various events. One day, Jack suddenly returned home. He grabbed me without a word and walked out the door, getting into the car. I started to panic: “Where are you taking me?” He just stared at me coldly, his gaze so unfamiliar it left me breathless. We arrived at our destination – a run-down little clinic. Several people strapped me onto a dirty operating table. I became even more nervous: “Let go of me! What are you doing?” Jack finally spoke. “Olivia is sick. I found an alternative treatment, but it requires human placenta as medicine to cure her.” His gaze was terrifyingly dark. “I don’t trust anyone else’s, so I have to use yours.” Human placenta? That meant my baby! I struggled desperately, but my hands and feet were already tied down. I couldn’t move. “Jack, our baby is only five months along. If you cut it out now, it won’t survive. Please… don’t be so cruel…” I said, my voice shaking. He let out a cold laugh, looking at me with disdain: “So you know fear too? Ten years from now, when you abandoned me in prison for wealth and status, taking the Thompson family secrets to the White family – did you ever think this day would come?” I shook my head vigorously, tears streaming down my face: “I really don’t know anything about ten years from now… Please don’t do this, spare our child… I’m begging you…” The anesthetic was slowly injected, and I lost consciousness. I had a long dream, taking me back to when we had just gotten married. At that time, my parents’ company was facing a financial crisis. In that critical moment, it was Jack who ordered the acquisition of my parents’ company, solving their financial problems. This made me incredibly grateful to him. A few years later, when my parents passed away, Jack knelt before their graves and swore he would treat me well for the rest of his life. And at first, he truly did. Although work at the company was busy, he always made time to come home and be with me. After I became pregnant, he became even more attentive, hiring three housekeepers to take care of my daily needs. His first love, Olivia Parker, had once come looking for him, but he rejected her in front of me. He said: “I’m sorry, but we can never be together. Emma is the only woman I’ll ever love in this life, and that will never change.” Olivia ran out crying, and Jack took my hand, his tone gentle yet firm. “Emma, no one will ever come between us. Trust me.” The dream gradually dissolved into fragments of strange, distorted light. When I woke up, I was still on the operating table, but the room was empty. The restraints on my hands and feet had been removed. I fell off the table, ignoring the pain in my body because I saw my baby in the trash bin. My precious child, who should have grown safely in my womb for nine months before coming into this world. Yet its father had it cut out prematurely, discarding it like medical waste. I sat by the trash bin for a day and a night, crying until I had no tears left. I made up my mind. No matter why Jack had changed like this, it had nothing to do with me anymore. I would leave him – this man who no longer loved me and had become so ruthlessly cruel. When I returned home, I was surprised to find Olivia there too. Jack called all the servants of the mansion and announced that from that day on, Olivia would be the new mistress of the house. The housekeeper was also confused and privately asked me: “The master was fine before. How did he suddenly change like this when he came back that morning?” My heart skipped a beat, and I asked: “Jack only came back in the morning that day?” After receiving confirmation, I found it very strange. He had said he was going out to entertain clients that night, but he hadn’t come home all night. When he returned in the morning, he had completely changed, insisting he had traveled back in time… But I no longer had the energy to think about these things. No matter what had caused Jack to change, the harm he had done to me was real, and he had even killed our unborn child.

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On the day I was seven months pregnant, James Sullivan proposed to his first love. That woman took off the ring James had personally put on her finger and threw it into the sea. “James, I heard Miss Carter used to be a state swimming champion. Why don’t you let her jump in and fetch the ring for me?” she said, her finger tracing James’s chest muscles as she whispered in his ear, “I’ll do anything you want tonight.” James’s heated gaze roamed over her legs before turning to me with a smirk. I saw his intention and frantically clutched my belly, pleading, “James, I’m seven months pregnant, and it’s winter…” But James just swallowed hard and sneered, “You don’t really think I want that bastard child, do you? It’s not like you haven’t miscarried before. Stop being so dramatic. Jump in and get the ring back, or you’ll never come up again!” He had someone forcibly lift me and throw me into the sea. I bobbed up and down in the icy water, searching for hours. Until I felt something slip out of my belly, until the azure sea was stained with a patch of blood… I looked up at the scene on the yacht where James and his first love were holding their wedding ceremony amidst the crowd’s cheers, and my heart finally broke. Seven years of marriage, nine miscarriages, this was the last time. When I woke up again, I found myself in the hospital. I felt my now flat and empty belly, staring blankly at the stark white ceiling of the ward. My mind was still replaying the scene of being engulfed by the cold seawater. Then I heard James’s impatient voice: “Awake? Then stop playing dumb. It’s just a miscarriage, what’s there to be so delicate about?” I turned my trembling gaze towards the sound, only to see James still holding Sophia Reed’s waist, their bodies pressed tightly together. On Sophia’s finger gleamed the jade ring that symbolized the Sullivan family’s daughter-in-law status. This was also the ring I had risked my life to retrieve from the sea for her, time and time again. I pulled my lips into a bitter smile. This was my ninth miscarriage. During my previous pregnancy, the doctor had told me that due to the earlier miscarriages, my uterus had been severely damaged. So this time, I was extra careful, doing prenatal exercises every day without fail, drinking bitter Chinese medicine to nourish my body. Even though the hospital had deemed it a high-risk pregnancy, I was still desperately trying to give birth to this last child with James. But now, because of one casual remark from Sophia, this child was gone. I still remember when I was pulled out of the sea for the last time by their cable, I was clutching that jade ring tightly, my belly hurting as if a thousand knives were twisting inside, the surrounding seawater gradually spreading with a salty, bloody color. “James, I found it, look…” “Please, save me, save our child…” There was a doctor on board the yacht. If only they had called for help, perhaps my child would still have had a glimmer of hope. But what I faced was James’s impatient face. He clicked his tongue, snatched the jade ring from my hand, and put it back on Sophia’s finger. “Can’t you see I’m busy? Today is my wedding with Sophia, who has time to care about you?” James and I were legally married. His marriage certificate and the Sullivan family records all bore my name. But everyone knew that I, this ‘Mrs. Sullivan’, was just a pathetic joke. So, after Sophia returned from abroad, James bought her millions of roses in front of everyone, creating a romantic sea of flowers on a yacht, proposing to her and holding a fake but grand wedding to make her happy. Before this, he had me brought onto the yacht to witness their happiest moment firsthand. Staring at the ring on Sophia’s hand, my eyes stung, and I barely managed to hold back my tears. The cries of those unborn children seemed to still echo in my ears. Accusingly and resentfully blaming me, their useless mother. I clenched my jaw tightly until the taste of blood spread in my mouth. At this moment, Sophia twirled the ring and said softly, “James, I heard this ring is only for the Sullivan family’s daughter-in-law to wear.” “After all, Miss Carter is your lawfully wedded wife. Isn’t it inappropriate for you to give it to me just like that?” James interlaced his fingers with hers, holding her hand and placing a light kiss on the ring: “This ring was always meant for you. As for her…” His sidelong glance fell on me: “Do you think she has the fortune and qualifications?” After seven years of marriage, I had never gained the approval of the Sullivan family or James. Let alone dreaming about this ring. I closed my eyes, then heard Sophia giggle: “You’re right. She didn’t qualify before, let alone now. After all, the Sullivan family doesn’t need a barren woman.” She affectionately wrapped her arms around James’s neck, then blinked her big watery eyes and pouted. “James, don’t worry. I’ll make up for all the children she lost. I’ll give you as many as you want…” James’s satisfied laughter immediately echoed through the ward, falling on my ears like countless needles pricking painfully. I finally couldn’t bear it anymore and said to them: “Have you said enough?” “I just had a miscarriage. I need to rest now. Can you please leave?” The next moment, James frowned in displeasure, snorting with full sarcasm. “What are you pretending for? You weren’t this dramatic with your previous miscarriages. Don’t tell me you’re trying to use this to attract attention?” My first miscarriage was because James dragged me to a business dinner to help him entertain clients. At that time, I was nearly six months pregnant and was forced to drink glass after glass of water disguised as alcohol. Despite this, when I miscarried in the hospital the next day, I heard that Sullivan Group’s project had hit a snag. I still stood outside the partner company’s building in 110-degree heat, fainting from heatstroke, to help him secure the contract. The second miscarriage happened when he came home drunk. I rushed to get him a hot towel and hangover soup, but James, in a moment of impatience, grabbed my wrist and forcefully threw me down the stairs. My belly hit the corner, and the scalding soup spilled all over me. At that time, I was nine months pregnant, just about two weeks from my due date. After resting in the hospital for a few days, I saw news of James having a car accident while on a business trip out of town. Seeing photos of him with his arm wrapped in layers of bandages, I immediately checked myself out of the hospital and rushed to the accident site to be by his side. But now, everything I had desperately done for him in the past had become his reason for telling me not to be so dramatic. Seeing me sitting silently on the hospital bed with reddened eyes, James finally lost patience. He stepped forward and roughly grabbed my wrist, violently pulling me onto the floor. “Still pretending? Sophia will be living with us from now on. Go home and clean up the room, give your room to her!” “She’s not used to the food made by the housekeeper. From now on, before she wakes up or comes home, you prepare the meals in advance…” I finally looked up, staring blankly at James’s face contorted with disgust. I didn’t cry or make a scene. Instead, I looked at him and pulled my cracked, bleeding lips into a smile. “James Sullivan, are you satisfied with how I look now?” Seven years ago, I was on the state swimming team with James’s sister, Emma Sullivan. We became best friends, and Emma even introduced me to her brother, James. During that time, the three of us went on adventure trips together. Even the day before Emma’s accident, James had blushed and placed a light kiss on my forehead. Everything was going well, but an accident pushed the fate of us three into an abyss. That night, Emma and I were coming back from swim practice when we encountered a group of thugs at the dark alley entrance. In the critical moment, Emma threw herself at the group, screaming for me to run. I was scared stiff at the time and instinctively lifted my feet, running out of the alley without looking back to find help. But when I returned with people, I only saw Emma lying in a pool of blood, her clothes in disarray… I still remember, in the funeral home where we said our final goodbyes, James, with bloodshot eyes, dragged me to the courthouse to get married. Ignoring my cries and pleas, he took me forcefully in the place where Emma was killed, which was like a nightmare to me. “Lily Carter, this is just the beginning…” “I’m trapping your soul here, in the Sullivan family, to atone for my sister for the rest of your life!” From that moment on, I seemed to be stuck in a nightmare I could never wake up from. Trapping myself in that long, dark alley, constantly getting pregnant and miscarrying, torturing myself to the point of madness in this way. But now, I’m tired. Even if it means death, I don’t want to continue anymore. Dr. Hannah Moore from the obstetrics department was my good friend. Seeing me admitted to the hospital again after another miscarriage, looking as pale and frail as a sheet of paper, she sighed. “Lily, this is your ninth miscarriage.” “You should know how much damage pregnancy and miscarriage do to a woman’s body. You won’t be able to have children anymore.” I forced a smile through heavy eyelids. “That’s fine. I don’t… want to have children anymore anyway.” Hannah seemed to want to say something but held back, finally offering some words of comfort: “How long are you going to torture yourself? What happened wasn’t your fault at all. If Emma were alive, she wouldn’t want to see you destroy yourself like this!” At the mention of Emma, I clenched my fists tightly, then took a deep breath. “You’re right. So I’ve decided to be selfish for once and let myself go.” On the way back to the Sullivan house from the hospital, I received a call from James, ordering me to get to the family mansion right away. The time on my phone showed it was the anniversary of Emma’s death. I knew the Sullivan family’s annual program targeting me was about to begin. Since Emma’s accident, not only did James hate me, but the Sullivan family naturally wouldn’t let me off either. The first year, Mrs. Sullivan whipped me until I was covered in cuts and bruises in front of her daughter’s memorial tablet. The second year, they forced me to crawl on my knees from the alley where Emma died all the way to her gravestone. … Now, I had been wallowing in this pain for seven years. As soon as I stepped over the threshold of the Sullivan house, Mrs. Sullivan ordered the housekeeper to hold me down and forcibly strip off my clothes. I tried to struggle against the weakness and pain from the recent miscarriage, but before I could, a bucket of black dog blood was poured over me from head to toe. Mrs. Sullivan held a whip, sneering at me: “Lily Carter, married for seven years, nine miscarriages, and you still say you’re not a jinx? How unlucky can our Sullivan family be to have someone like you? You caused the death of my precious daughter, the death of your parents, and now you can’t even keep your own children alive!” Seeing her mention my parents, a flash of pain finally crossed my numb, deadened eyes. My parents died in a car accident on the way to take me to the hospital during my fifth miscarriage. That day was Mrs. Sullivan’s birthday banquet. My parents, who didn’t know how to drive, knelt on the ground in front of all the guests, begging James to send someone to take me to the hospital. But the response they got was James coldly kicking them away, denying any relationship with me. Now, no matter how much abuse and humiliation fell on my ears, it all turned into a cold numbness. I laughed softly, raising my head to stare at Emma’s black and white photograph. She was still young and vibrant, but I seemed to see a trace of sorrow and heartache in her smile. If Emma were still alive, she wouldn’t want to see me become like this, would she? So… I turned to James in a daze, finally speaking hoarsely: “If that’s the case, James Sullivan, let’s get a divorce.” Hearing this, Mrs. Sullivan fell into an awkward silence. Sophia’s eyes flashed with excitement as she turned joyfully towards James. But James stared at me intently, and after a moment, he suddenly snorted mockingly and kicked me hard. My body slammed heavily into the table behind me, and my already pale face twisted in pain. Just as I tried to get up from the ground, James suddenly grabbed my neck. His eyes were bloodshot, like an enraged beast, gritting his teeth with hatred and murderous intent: “Lily Carter, how dare you?” He pointed at Emma’s memorial tablet with his other hand, shouting hoarsely: “Look at Emma’s photo! Think about the crime you committed. What right do you have to ask me for a divorce?” Then he leaned close to my ear, laughing coldly in a breathy voice: “I told you before, from the moment you caused Emma’s death, your life no longer belongs to you. Did you think I married you because I loved you?” Meeting my trembling, panicked gaze, he grinned viciously, his fingers touching my face: “It was to torture you better, to make you atone to Emma!” Perhaps the mention of divorce truly angered James. That day, his punishment for me was more severe than ever before. He had people bring in nine glass jars containing the blood and flesh of our unborn children. Some of the children had already taken shape, while others were just small lumps of flesh with indistinguishable limbs. But even though they were dead, their biological father was unwilling to let them go, keeping them pickled in jars of blood. Looking at those children, my body began to shake violently, and I clutched James’s pant leg tightly. “James, no, they’re your children too…” “Please, let them rest in peace. For the sake that they’re your flesh and blood…” But James just laughed coldly, squeezing my neck hard and speaking ominously: “Rest in peace?” “When my sister died, her eyes weren’t even closed. What right do you have to talk about resting in peace?” Then he turned his head and barked an order: “Go, bring me the ashes of those two old folks as well!” Realizing what he was about to do, I covered my ears and screamed: “No, please, don’t…” But James still dug out my parents’ ashes and shattered them in front of me. He forcibly pressed my head down, slamming it again and again into my parents’ ashes, making me kowtow to Emma’s memorial tablet. “Remember this, seven years of marriage, two lives, nine children…” “Now there’s only you left. When you die, we can finally settle our debt!” Due to the massive shock and bone-deep pain, I coughed up blood and fainted on the spot. When I woke up again, I found myself back in the hospital. As soon as I opened my eyes, I heard James roaring furiously outside: “What are you all good for?”

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Lucas was in a car accident. When I rushed to the hospital, his parents were fussing over him. The moment he saw me, Lucas frowned, “Who are you?” The room fell silent. After examining him for a while, the doctor regretfully told me, “Mrs. Gu, it seems Mr. Gu may be experiencing selective amnesia.” Selective amnesia? So after the accident, he remembered everyone except me. I curled my fingers, a bitter smile playing on my lips. Lucas glanced at me, his eyes filled with inexplicable disgust. His parents weren’t upset about his memory loss. Instead, they seemed particularly pleased. His mother put her hands on her hips, “Oh, son, it’s better that you don’t remember her. It’ll save you from all that trouble!” His father nodded, then gestured for me to step outside for a chat. Mr. Gu spoke bluntly, “Emily, Lucas forgetting you is actually a good thing.” “You should leave soon. It’ll be better for both of you.” “Your father still needs money, right? If you agree to leave, we can transfer the funds today.” Looking at the man before me, I was momentarily stunned. I bit my lip, about to speak when I heard his mother’s excited voice, “Who is she?” “Just a gold-digger who wormed her way into our family. It’s better you don’t remember her!” Lucas and I had been married for five years, spending the last three in an emotional stalemate. I always knew they didn’t like me, but I never expected them to force me out like this. And I certainly didn’t expect them to insult me. I gripped my purse strap tightly and smiled, “Alright.” “But besides the money for my dad, I want an additional $200,000.” I was dying anyway. I didn’t want to fight with Lucas anymore. At this point, I just wanted to suffer a little less in my final moments. $200,000 wasn’t much for the Gu family now. Mr. Gu agreed readily. He even allowed me to say goodbye to Lucas. Lucas had probably heard about all the “terrible things” I’d done over the years from his mother. He now knew that Sophia should have been the Gu family’s daughter-in-law. So he looked at me with particular coldness. I forced a smile, “Lucas, I…” I wanted to tell him he was free now, that he didn’t have to be with me anymore. I even wanted to tell him I was dying. After all, at this moment, he was still legally my husband. But he cut me off with a low hiss, “Get out!” I blinked back tears and turned to leave. I felt somewhat relieved, grateful that I had only been using him as a substitute all along. Otherwise, I’d probably be heartbroken right now. Although Lucas and I had been together all these years, we were like a couple bound by contract, emotionally miles apart. We kept our things in separate rooms. So it didn’t take long for me to pack up when I got home. I looked back at the house I’d lived in for five years, letting out a sigh. I couldn’t help but feel a bit sentimental. “Emily?” A familiar male voice called out. I turned to see Ethan. He looked more mature than before, but still maintained that gentle, refined air about him. As always, he greeted me with a warm smile. I carefully held my breath, stiffly calling out, “Ethan.” He was Lucas’s older brother. And the man I had admired for a long time. Just having him stand in front of me made my heart beat faster than usual. Ethan asked in surprise, “Emily, are you going on a trip? Why do you have so much luggage?” I froze in place, my body stiffening, “No, I’m just… moving to a new place.” “Is it because of Lucas?” He took the suitcase from my hand. He asked gently, “I know he’s going through a bit of a rough patch right now, which might upset you.” “But if you’re not in a hurry, I’d like to talk with you for a bit.” I didn’t know what he wanted to say, but looking into his eyes, I found myself following him without thinking. It wasn’t until he was pouring me tea that I noticed something different about him. He was wearing a wedding ring. “I got married!” Ethan explained with a smile when he saw my gaze fall on his hand. My heart sank, and I felt a bit dazed. I only snapped back to reality when I heard Lucas’s name. “Lucas has always been a bit full of himself. He gets cocky with compliments but sulks at the slightest criticism,” Ethan could go on for hours about Lucas’s embarrassing childhood stories. “In 2008, when Lucas was twelve, he was still a chubby kid. He had a crush on some little girl and would go out every weekend with a bag full of stuff. He even asked me to make him grasshopper figurines every week.” “That summer, I broke my leg and couldn’t even rest properly at home.” I suddenly looked up, confused, “In 2008, you broke your leg during summer break and couldn’t go out?” Ethan nodded, not understanding my reaction. I felt the world spinning, my head starting to ache. I made an excuse and left early. Sitting on the couch at home, I stared at the photo of Lucas and Ethan on the opposite wall. I realized their eyes were very similar, both taking after their mother. But Ethan’s eyes were a bit rounder than Lucas’s. More like the boy I met when I was young. All these years, I had thought it was Ethan who brought me food and grasshopper figurines back then. Today, I finally learned that it had been Lucas all along. He was my savior. I curled up in bed, clutching an old grasshopper figurine. In my dream, I was back to when I was twelve, by the Reed River. Back then, my dad was generally okay with me, but he was an alcoholic. When drunk, he’d take out his frustrations on me. It happened every weekend. After being beaten, I’d run to the riverside and hide in a corner. That’s when Lucas found me. His eyes were rounder back then, and he was a bit chubby, but very agile. Seeing me crouched by the river, he slid over on his knees and picked me up without warning. I was small and skinny back then. He carried me effortlessly. I screamed and pounded on him, afraid he might be a bad person. He set me down on the roadside and asked cheekily, “Little girl, don’t you know it’s dangerous to be alone by the river? You’re so small, no one would notice if you fell in!” I rolled my eyes. Realizing this chubby boy was just trying to be nice, I retorted, “Psh! I wouldn’t fall in.” He playfully pinched my cheek. I swatted his hand away, but because my palm was swollen from my dad’s beating earlier, tears immediately welled up in my eyes. Lucas wasn’t very bright back then. He grabbed my hand and exclaimed, “Wow, you hit me and made yourself cry?!” Seeing my tears fall, he quickly tried to comfort me with candy. It wasn’t until I kicked him that he realized he had accidentally pressed on my injured hand, causing me to cry from pain. Lucas, at a loss, rummaged through his pockets and pulled out a grasshopper figurine. I had never had many toys growing up and had always envied others. When he brought out this little thing, it might not have meant much to other kids. But it was enough to make me stop crying immediately and even call him “big brother” sweetly. The young Lucas was pleased, losing himself in my praise. He proudly declared that he had made it himself and promised to make an even better one for me next time. Sure enough, the following week, he brought a new one. That summer was the happiest I’d had in years. Every week, Lucas would meet me by the river, tell me jokes, bring me snacks, and give me grasshopper figurines. He told me to call him brother, but I refused. I said I was twelve, not that little anymore. He scratched his head and puffed out his chest, saying he was thirteen, just a bit older than me. He told me that not all parents love their children, but we should love ourselves. His serious expression while lecturing me then made me laugh uncontrollably. But only I knew that I had etched his image from that time into my heart. It wasn’t until later when I met Ethan, who was a year older than me, and saw him skillfully making grasshopper figurines, that I realized I had been too young back then to understand what it meant to have a crush. And because I was so young, I forgot to ask for his name. I only remembered that the little “big brother” was a year older than me. So I missed out on all these years. But now, it’s too late. After moving to my new place, the first person to show up was, surprisingly, my dad. “Quick! Did your husband give you money? Give some to daddy, I need it urgently!” His eyes were clouded, filled with greed. He looked at me without any familial affection, as if I were just a tool. I pressed my lips together, blocking him at the door, “I warned you! That was the last time I’d help you solve your problems!” He had been an alcoholic for years, becoming violent when drunk. In the past, when he wasn’t drunk, he still had some feelings for me, but over the years, he’d gotten worse. After I married Lucas, he picked up other bad habits and even found a girlfriend seventeen years younger than him. He got scammed, buying luxury goods for his young girlfriend, getting into drunken fights. Each time, I was the one cleaning up his mess. This time, he even got into gambling. The Gu family had agreed to pay people to solve his problems on the condition that I divorce Lucas. Now, he was back again. But he was oblivious, grabbing my collar, “I need money! I owe some people money. Your husband is so rich, help me out!” I felt utterly powerless. I couldn’t help him forever; my life was coming to an end. And now, Lucas had nothing to do with me anymore. I pushed his hand away, shoving him aside, “I won’t help you! And Lucas won’t either. We’re divorced.” His face crumpled, stammering that it was impossible. “That boy loves you so much! How could he divorce you!” His mind was jumbled, speaking incoherently. But slowly, I began to understand. It turned out my own father had gotten into trouble long ago, and when people were after him with knives, it was Lucas who helped him. It was also Lucas who had been supporting him all these years. The problems I had solved for him were just the tip of the iceberg. At that moment, I felt the world spinning. He kept shouting, “That fool treats you like his heart and soul, how could he possibly forget you!” My dad’s face was contorted, barely human anymore. I slapped him hard, seething, “Let me tell you, I’ve more than repaid any debt for raising me. Don’t come looking for me again!” “Soon, you won’t be able to find me anyway!” “I’m dying! I won’t have to bear your burden anymore!” I gritted my teeth, tears streaming down my face. He was stunned for a moment, then suddenly elated, “You’re dying! So your money is useless to you now! Give it to me!” I watched as he excitedly swore to give me a proper burial if I just gave him all my money. With a bitter laugh, I squeezed out one sentence: “Keep dreaming!” The doctor told me to be kind to myself in my final days. I decided to leave this place and move to a seaside town. Before leaving, I bought the best medicine I could afford, trying to minimize my suffering. In the coastal city, I watched the sunrise and sunset every day, cooked my meals, and occasionally pet the neighbor’s dog. It was peaceful, if a bit boring. Sometimes I thought about Lucas, but I never expected to see him so soon. And with Sophia. Sophia and Lucas were childhood friends, from families of similar status. She was tall, over 5’7″, with a slender figure and an intelligent beauty that charmed everyone who met her. If her family hadn’t sent her abroad for early studies, and if she hadn’t been so focused on her career that she didn’t come back, Maybe Lucas would have ended up with her instead of me. My dad said Lucas loved me, but I didn’t quite believe it. Because I knew there was always someone in his heart. And his parents and his collection of mementos all told me that person was Sophia. The year Lucas and I got married, Sophia couldn’t come back from abroad due to some issues. So she never met me. I had only seen her in photos. Naturally, Sophia couldn’t recognize me, but Lucas could. He frowned as soon as he saw me, as if looking at something distasteful. I smirked inwardly and turned to leave. But I heard Sophia’s sweet voice asking Lucas, “Lucas, do you know her?” I paused. Lucas coldly said he didn’t know me. But Sophia didn’t believe him: “Come on, we’ve been friends since childhood, I know you too well! That look on your face isn’t normal!” She jogged over and tapped my shoulder, “Hey there!” I turned around to see her bright eyes, filled with a smile. Lucas reluctantly followed, standing silently to the side. I forced a smile, “Hello there!” Sophia pointed at Lucas, curious, “Girl, you look so familiar! Do you two know each other?” “Yes!” Lucas suddenly spoke up. “No.” Our voices overlapped, making the situation incredibly awkward. I rubbed my nose nervously. Sophia burst out laughing, “What’s going on with you two!” She was much more lively than her appearance suggested. Upon learning we were college classmates, she insisted on treating me to a meal to uncover some secrets about Lucas. I was dragged along to join them at a table. Sophia was very talkative, especially knowledgeable about Lucas’s embarrassing moments. “I know all about his childhood antics. If I hadn’t been away when he got married, I definitely would have told his bride how stupid he used to be!” Sophia declared confidently. Lucas scowled, muttering, “You won’t have the chance anymore.” “Right, right! I know you’re divorced now, so I’ve missed my chance.” Sophia ate all the food Lucas had put on her plate, her eyes darting between Lucas and me. She propped her chin on her hand, “There’s such a weird vibe between you two!” I had been eating with my head down, but looked up awkwardly when she pointed this out, forcing a smile, “There’s nothing weird. We’re just regular classmates.” Sophia didn’t seem convinced, but Lucas insisted we were just ordinary classmates, claiming his earlier reaction was due to his post-injury confusion. I nodded along. Seeing she couldn’t get more information, Sophia pouted and went to the restroom. I poked at my food with my chopsticks. “Regular classmates?” Lucas snorted, glaring at me. I didn’t know what had gotten into him, leaving me confused. “Aren’t we?” I asked. “I’m a woman too, I can tell Miss Yu has feelings for you. I hope things work out for you two.” Lucas’s face suddenly turned ashen. He crossed his arms and turned away, ignoring me. We didn’t say anything else after that. Learning that I lived here, Sophia was so excited she nearly jumped. She grabbed my hand to add me on SnapChat, eager for me to show her around the local attractions. I couldn’t refuse her, and Lucas didn’t say anything. Sophia was a truly exceptional person. She had excellent grades in college and even held a personal exhibition before graduating. Her SnapChat showed her past works. That’s when I realized she was quite a well-known up-and-coming artist in the art world. I couldn’t help but feel a bit overwhelmed. No wonder Lucas’s parents didn’t like me. From every angle, I fell far short. With mixed emotions, I took them tide pooling. Lucas carried the bucket and tongs, watching Sophia’s antics with a smile on his face, looking completely at ease. It was so different from how he was with me. I felt a twinge of unhappiness. Sophia caught a small crab and ran to Lucas, showing off, “Look how amazing I am!” Lucas said, “It’s just a tiny crab, nothing to be proud of!” But he still pulled out a sun hat and put it on her head. Sophia adjusted the hat and ran off. He muttered under his breath, “How can she be so careless at her age? Not even bringing a hat, she’ll get sunburned.” He fell silent after speaking. We both paused. I suddenly remembered the early days of our marriage when we were still close. We went to the beach, and I got sunburned on the first day. My exposed skin was red and painful. As he applied ointment, he insisted I couldn’t go out the next day. But it was my first time seeing the ocean in my life. The next day, I couldn’t resist and snuck out. He chased after me, exasperated, and plopped a huge sun hat on my head, “How can you be so careless at your age? Aren’t you afraid of getting roasted?” For those seven days, he followed me around with a sun hat every day. I had wondered how a man could be so attentive, but now I realized it was because of Sophia. Later, I took them to a local seafood restaurant. Sophia ordered some seafood, and Lucas suddenly asked to add spicy razor clams. Sophia’s delicate brows furrowed, “Why add spicy food? Aren’t we here by the sea to eat steamed seafood?” “Neither of us eats spicy food.” As soon as she finished speaking, my chopsticks fell to the ground. My heart was in my throat. Lucas doesn’t eat spicy food, and he doesn’t eat razor clams. But I do. Whenever I ate seafood with him, I always ordered spicy razor clams. Lucas seemed to come to his senses, realizing his mistake. He ran his hand through his hair and canceled the order. When he turned to look at me, he suddenly asked, “Emily, what do you want to eat?” My whole body stiffened, afraid Sophia would catch on. But she just smiled at me warmly. Then I remembered that when Lucas and I got married, he had sent Sophia an invitation in English. It only had our English names, without any photos. I was listed as Emily Shen. I couldn’t help but feel relieved, then annoyed at myself. After all, I had been Lucas’s wife for five years. It wasn’t surprising that he remembered one of my small preferences. “Just steamed is fine, I can’t eat spicy food,” I said. Lucas looked at me thoughtfully after hearing this, his expression unreadable. Over the next few days, I showed Lucas and Sophia around the coastal city. I discovered that Sophia truly was a wonderful girl, deserving of everyone’s love. So before they left, I sincerely told Sophia, “I hope you find your happiness soon!” Sophia’s face turned red. She glanced at Lucas and whispered to me, “It’ll happen soon!” At that time, I didn’t understand what she meant by “soon.” My condition worsened, and the medication made me drowsy and lethargic. I couldn’t muster energy for anything. I frequently felt nauseous and vomited, sometimes even coughing up blood. I knew I didn’t have much time left. So when I saw Sophia’s post about an engagement ring, I was only stunned for a moment. Sophia was engaged. Both Lucas and Ethan had liked the post. Not wanting them to see me, I privately congratulated Sophia. I opened my chat with Lucas, where the last message was from long ago. The bitterness in my heart was hard to bear. I buried my head in my arms, taking a long time to suppress my emotions. “Congratulations!” I sent the message quickly. But Lucas didn’t reply. Perhaps he was busy preparing for the wedding. Or maybe he was with Sophia. I didn’t know, but suddenly Sophia didn’t seem so great anymore. I felt a bit jealous of her. I took my medicine and dozed off until late at night. Suddenly, I heard a noise outside my door. Again and again, very regular, very polite. My heart started racing. I knew this knocking pattern all too well, having heard it for several years. But when I actually saw Lucas, I realized how much I had been hoping it was him. I had been longing for him to come find me. “Emily…” Lucas reeked of alcohol. He pulled me into his arms, calling my name over and over. His tears soaked through my clothes. My eyes quickly filled with tears too, and I gently wrapped my arms around his waist. Since realizing my true feelings, I had imagined countless times when he might regain his memory. If he did, would he love me? But now that the moment had come, I was nervous and afraid. Lucas pushed me into the room, whispering in my ear, “I still haven’t regained my memory. Why did you run away?” My heart tightened. Had he really recovered his memory? As I hesitated on how to respond, he suddenly collapsed on the floor, passed out. I looked at him, torn between laughter and tears. How could I forget that this guy passes out after one drink? For him to smell so strongly of alcohol, he must have been completely out of it. I didn’t have the strength to move him now. I could only bring a blanket and pillow, trying my best to wrap him up. Sitting beside him, I watched as the moonlight cast shifting shadows on his face. Lucas was a person favored by fate. He had excellent looks and a great physique. Even now, he still retained a hint of his youthful charm. Unlike me. I looked at myself in the mirror, hair a mess, gaunt and withered, surrounded by an aura of death. When Lucas woke up the next day, his whole body ached. He glared at me, demanding to know how he ended up here. I shrugged, “How should I know!” His head was pounding. It took him a while to remember that he had been drinking with friends last night. He clearly remembered calling a cab to go home. How did he end up here? The coastal city wasn’t far from their hometown, about 300 kilometers, a four-hour drive. I glanced at him sideways, watching as he discovered his ride history and gradually became frustrated. He cursed, sure that one of his “dog brothers” had played a prank on him. But I knew his friends well, each one a golden boy. They looked down on me. They were all happy when they learned about our divorce. He could get engaged to Sophia, so last night must have been his joyous bachelor party. Who would send him to me as a prank? And besides him and Sophia, who else knew my current address? I held my cup, lost in thought. Lucas got up and stared at my hands, suddenly saying, “You actually drink hot water now?” Before I could react, he froze. He clutched his head, looking pained. I was startled by his expression and quickly asked what was wrong. “Emily…” He started calling my name again. Over and over. It made me incredibly uncomfortable. I wanted to tell him to stop, that I would cry if he continued. Lucas slowly raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, “Emily!” “We’re divorced?” I couldn’t help but take two steps back, bumping into the table. I forced a smile, “You remember now?” Lucas had remembered. He sat down with a grim expression, “You divorced me just for money?” Money? No, if it was for money, I should have clung to Lucas tightly, as that would have maximized my benefits. Lucas seemed to realize this logic too, his expression softening, “Is it because I forgot you that you divorced me?” He snorted, “After all, we had been in a cold war for so long before, and you never mentioned divorce!” Mentioning the cold war immediately chilled the atmosphere between us that had just started to warm. Come to think of it, it had been a long time since we had a calm conversation before the divorce. And the reason for our cold war was that I discovered things he had hidden. A diary, recording years of unspoken affection. When I placed it in front of him, he flew into a rage. He snatched the diary away, tearing it to shreds, his boyhood sentiments in tatters. He demanded to know why I had touched his things. I still remember how he pinned me down that day, his face full of anger: “Emily, how dare you!” I couldn’t escape, I could only struggle desperately, my nails scratching his face. When we saw the blood, we both froze. I felt some regret, thinking I shouldn’t have scratched so hard. But I was also angry – he had been keeping a record of his love for another girl, how could he blame me? After that, we didn’t speak for three years. I tried to make amends, but he wouldn’t acknowledge me. Now, bringing up the cold war again, My feelings for him immediately cooled. In those years when I was his wife, he could give me the cold shoulder because of his crush on Sophia. What about now? But he asked me, “Emily.” “Do you still like Ethan?” I was stunned by the content of his words, unable to move for a long time before turning my head. He gave a bitter smile, showing a rare moment of embarrassment, “Did you divorce me because of my brother?” “Because he got married, and you can no longer secretly watch him through me, so you want to divorce me.” This was absolutely ridiculous. “I didn’t divorce you because of your brother,” I said, enunciating each word. Lucas’s face immediately brightened. His eyes lit up with joy, “Not because of him? Then why?” Because I’m dying. So I wanted to set you free. The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t say them out loud. A sharp pain shot through my abdomen, and cold sweat broke out on my forehead. “Lucas, don’t you know why?” “I divorced you so you could be with Sophia. Now that you’re engaged, you should leave.” Leave quickly. The pain was becoming unbearable, and my vision was starting to blur. But I didn’t want him to see me in such a miserable state, nor did I want his pity. Lucas looked bewildered, “What does this have to do with Sophia? What engagement?” A thunderous realization struck me, but the pain prevented me from thinking clearly. All my strength seemed to drain away with my cold sweat, and I felt myself falling backwards. I heard Lucas shouting nearby, “Emily!” Then everything went black, and I lost consciousness. When I opened my eyes again, everything around me was white, and the smell of disinfectant filled my nostrils. I was in the hospital. Lucas was still wearing the same clothes, with dark circles under his eyes, looking disheveled. Seeing me awake, his eyes immediately brightened, “Emily’s awake! Nurse, doctor!” After the examinations were done, he sat down beside me and held my hand, “Emily! How could you be so cruel?” “I don’t blame you anymore.” “It doesn’t matter if you like Ethan. I won’t hold it against you even if you married me to get close to him.” “Just please, don’t die, okay?” The doctor had told him about my condition. His voice was choked with tears. My eyes stung. If I had known I would have an attack, I should have sent him away earlier. I was saddened by his distress. And even more angry at myself. So he had known all along that I married him to get close to his brother. From the moment I met Ethan, I knew he had a girlfriend. I suppressed all my feelings, quietly watching Ethan from afar. When I confirmed he wouldn’t break up with his girlfriend, I was heartbroken and devastated, drowning my sorrows at nightclubs. It was Lucas who picked me up, lecturing me that a girl shouldn’t get drunk alone outside. After Ethan went abroad, I couldn’t keep up. Among the people I knew, only Lucas could bring me news about Ethan. So I approached him, followed him. Until both of Lucas’s parents fell ill, and Ethan was too busy with his studies abroad to come back. Lucas took over the domestic work and was swamped. That’s when we really got entangled. After waking up in the same bed with him, I told him to marry me, otherwise the scandal about the Gu family’s younger son couldn’t be contained. Lucas agreed with a sour face. Even though his parents disapproved, his friends were against it. Everyone said I was a gold digger, with a troublemaking father who would eventually drag Lucas down. He still married me. At the time, I consoled myself that I had no chance with Ethan in this lifetime anyway, so I could just watch him from afar. I collected news about Ethan, saved his photos. Only looking at them when I was in pain, giving myself some strength. I mistook my past fantasies about Ethan for love. But I didn’t know that Lucas had long discovered my special attention towards his brother. He also knew that Ethan had once occupied my heart. I opened my mouth to explain. But I didn’t know what to say. Tell him I had mistaken my savior, that I had thought his brother was him? This explanation seemed weak and unconvincing. Lucas suggested taking me back to our hometown. I didn’t agree, “I really like the sea. I want to stay by the coast.” His eyes darkened, his expression unreadable. He called his family, had his clothes mailed over, and insisted on living with me. “Whether you like me or not, you’re still my ex-wife. It’s my duty to take care of you,” he explained gruffly as he folded my clothes and put them in the closet. Sophia was indeed engaged, but not to him. I suddenly looked up, my eyes wide, “What?” He shoved the clothes into the wardrobe irritably, “I said, Sophia’s true love is her classmate from abroad!” “What kind of brain do you have, thinking someone who doesn’t even know my wife would have a crush on me!” “You congratulated her, and she came to tell me what a good person you are.” “Damn it!” I curled up in a corner, my mind in chaos. Sophia had a lover. Then what about Lucas? Lucas seemed to know what I was thinking and asked through gritted teeth, “You think I like her?” What else could it be? His diary was full of mentions of “little swallow.” Lucas took a deep breath, explaining uncomfortably, “That notebook was a birthday gift from Sophia. She likes to buy things with swallow patterns. When I wrote in it, I just liked to doodle…” Me: … “Besides, that diary is from a long time ago. I wrote it in middle school when I met a cute little girl. I was just starting to have feelings, it’s normal to have a first love, right?” He tried to explain, his voice getting lower and lower. “Forget it, there’s no point talking about this anyway.” “You like Ethan after all.” He said bitterly. But I felt my heart soften as I listened. I didn’t know who his first love was. But all his actions were telling me that he had once cared for me. Whether it was out of sympathy or something else. I should at least explain to him, “I’m sorry.” “I did, at one point, think I liked Ethan.” Lucas’s lips turned white from how hard he was biting them. “But later I realized I was mistaken.” I’m sorry, I only just realized that you were the one I was looking for all along. “Mistaken?” Lucas suddenly looked up. Seeing his expression of disbelief and joy, I smiled, “Yes, mistaken.” “It turns out I didn’t like him.” I like you. In every day we spent together. I was just blinded by my past notion of being saved. Lucas was very good to me. He could cook, and he made my favorite spicy chicken cubes exceptionally well, though unfortunately I couldn’t eat it now. He also knew I liked light green clothes, and when we went out, he bought me a light green shawl. The vendor praised, “Young lady, your boyfriend has good taste!” We both turned away, neither of us explaining the situation. When we got home that night, Lucas suddenly sidled up to me, “Emily, why didn’t you correct that person when they called me your boyfriend?” I thought for a moment, “Sorry, I just felt it would be troublesome to explain at the time.” His face fell, and he stormed off to make porridge, clearly upset. After washing the dishes, he couldn’t let it go. He snatched the TV remote, turned it off, and asked me, “Emily, does my presence bother you?” “When someone called me your boyfriend, you didn’t correct them just because it would be troublesome?” “Wasn’t there even a tiny part of you that didn’t explain because you liked it?” I curled my fingers. Of course it wasn’t because it was troublesome that I didn’t explain. I wanted people to misunderstand. But I’m dying. A dying person doesn’t deserve to talk about love. My illness was getting worse, and I was coughing up blood more frequently. Lucas, who had been ready to argue with me, was so frightened he didn’t dare say anything. Finally, after I fainted again, he cried. “Emily! Why are you being so cruel?” He cupped my face, kissing my cheek. I trembled all over, my heart shaking uncontrollably. “I’ve had my brother contact hospitals abroad. It’s all arranged. I’ll take you overseas for treatment.” “We’ll definitely find a way.” I slowly shook my head. Actually, I had overheard his phone call that day. Lucas had awkwardly called his brother. Ethan teased him on the other end, “It’s been three years since you inexplicably got angry and stopped calling me ‘brother’.” “Now you’re suddenly calling me ‘brother’ again, what do you want?” He had asked his brother to help find a doctor for me. But after reviewing my case, the doctors told him it would be very difficult. There was basically no hope. The night he received the news, Lucas cried for half the night. Then he wiped away his tears and came to see me, his eyes red as he asked, “Emily, can you forget about my brother?” “Can you stay and love me once?” I didn’t dare open my eyes. I didn’t dare answer. I want to, Lucas, I really do. That morning, I was feeling particularly good. I asked Lucas to bring me my shawl and push me to the seaside. Lucas received a phone call and asked me coldly, “When you asked for $200,000 back then, you only kept $30,000 for yourself?” “Huh?” I was enjoying the sea breeze, not sure why he was asking about this. “Your dad called me,” he said in a low voice. I suddenly looked up at him, “Don’t worry about him.” When I had asked for $200,000, I spent $10,000 on medicine, then brought some money with me to the coastal city. I gave the rest to my dad. After all, he had been good to me once. This was my last time helping him, fulfilling my filial duty. But I didn’t want to burden Lucas. His face darkened, “Your dad also told me he went to my house looking for you.” “He ran into Ethan and saw his grasshopper figurines. He said you had a few when you were little.” “Did you? Emily who lived by Reed River?” he asked, enunciating each word. My suspended heart finally settled. “Yes, I did.” I smiled faintly, “There was a chubby boy back then who said he could make them. He brought me one every week.” “At that time, seeing him was the happiest thing in my life.” So even though my dad would drink and beat me on weekends, I was still happy. Lucas knelt on the ground, burying his head in my lap, reproaching me, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” “I wrote so many diary entries for you.” “In those years when I first learned to like girls, my heart was full of you!” My hand froze in midair before finally landing on his head. I laughed through my tears, “I’m so angry!” “Back then, I thought you liked someone else. Who would want their husband to have someone else in his heart?” “Especially when you were so good to me at the time.” He had been very good to me then, taking care of me in every way. I gradually let go of my fantasies about Ethan and thought about having a good life with him. But it turns out, we were both foolish. After I died, Lucas took my ashes home. He ran into Ethan, who was with his wife. Ethan waved at Lucas, “Lucas, have you remembered everything?” Lucas paused, barely audible as he said, “Yes, I have.” “That’s good. Don’t keep fighting with Emily. Live a good life together.” “She’s not very talkative. As her husband, you need to take the initiative more.” Only then did Lucas realize that because his brother had just gotten married, his parents hadn’t told him about the divorce. They had only mentioned his car accident and forgetting Emily. Lucas forced a smile, looking down at the box in his arms. His eyes immediately reddened. “Okay.” He wanted to be with Emily, never to be apart again. Ethan noticed something was wrong with his mood. His gaze fell on the box in Lucas’s arms, and his pupils constricted. “Where’s Emily?” Lucas could no longer hold back his tears. He covered his face, choking out, “Brother, I’ve lost Emily.” Lucas thought back to that night when he was drunk. He had actually recognized Emily, which led to that incident. He was willing to marry her, but because she said, “If you don’t want to, we can live separate lives after marriage!” So he married her with a sullen face. They actually had a good period after the wedding. At that time, he secretly vowed to take good care of her, but two years later, he discovered her secret. Emily called out Ethan’s name when she was drunk, saying she wouldn’t like him anymore. She had secretly collected Ethan’s photos and plane tickets. Each item laid out before him spoke of Emily’s past crush on his brother. Lucas still remembered that feeling of anger and pain. He considered whether he should divorce Emily for her sake. After all, Ethan wasn’t married, and he had praised Emily as a good person. But he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. He maliciously wanted to keep her, never divorce, never let them meet. Emily was truly ruthless too. She only approached him twice, then never said anything again. Every time Ethan said he had something abroad and couldn’t come back, Lucas was especially happy. When Ethan started dating, Lucas was the one who told Emily. He cruelly observed Emily’s expression, feeling pleased by her slight sadness. … When he woke up after the car accident and first saw his parents, Lucas felt an inexplicable disappointment. It wasn’t until Emily came that the disappointment gradually faded, replaced by contentment.

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My husband lost his memory. He pinned me down, treating me like his lover: “Baby, I only want you. Don’t even think about making me marry that Lin guy.” Oh. But I am that Lin guy. He’s forgotten we’ve been married for three years, and that we were about to get divorced. Mason’s barrage of phone calls came through while I was still in a meeting at the company. The conference room instantly fell silent. I gestured for them to continue, put on my earpiece, and dialed the number. “Lucas! I called eleven times! Do you know how I’ve been trying to reach you all afternoon?!” The person on the other end was furious, not giving me a chance to speak. “Come back right now! Don’t make me say it twice!” “Otherwise you can forget about your $30,000 living expenses this month!” I calmly browsed through the $3 million cooperation project, realizing the person on the other end had finished speaking. “Okay, got it.” This response somehow set Mason off again. “What kind of attitude is that? Don’t you want your mom’s surgery fees?!” For the next half hour, the topic drifted to “my” alcoholic father, sick mother, and sister still in school. I sighed, regretting not having discouraged Mason from reading those melodramatic novels before. As the lecturing on the other end was winding down, I was starting to doze off and was about to take a sip of coffee. “How can you let your sugar daddy call you home every day?!” “As a kept man, you need to know your place!” I froze at those words, glancing at the ring on my right ring finger. A plain band. We’ve been married for seven years. He once put this ring on my finger himself, vowing to love me forever. Too bad he’s forgotten it all. When I got back, Mason was sitting on the couch, glaring at me angrily as he heard the door open. I raised my hands in surrender, “I bought some pork knuckles you like on the way.” Mason snorted coldly, “At least you know what’s good for you!” I let out a breath. I’d long since figured out Mason’s temperament – explosive, but easy to appease. But tonight Mason wasn’t buying it. “Why are you only getting back at 9:30 PM?” My foot, which had just stepped towards the bathroom, paused. I habitually took two steps back. “Overtime.” Mason narrowed his eyes, “When did you eat dinner?” “6 PM…” “You ate the lunchbox I prepared for you?” “Mm…” Mason pressed on, “How was the carrot?” “…” This question was definitely a trap. I kept a straight face, “I don’t remember any carrots in dinner.” “I hid them under the rice!” Mason gritted his teeth, “You just opened it for a look without eating anything, didn’t you!” …I’d let my guard down. I was so busy working until 9 PM, I’d completely forgotten food even existed. What a waste of Mason’s efforts. I hadn’t even opened the box… Seeing the storm brewing, I turned to go upstairs, heading straight for the bedroom. Mason took the stairs three at a time, blocking the door just as I was about to close it. He smiled ominously, “Baby, what did I say would happen if you didn’t eat properly?” “…” What else? He’d eat me after I finished eating… Tonight was destined to be another sleepless night. In the middle of the night, my stomach ulcer suddenly flared up. I gritted my teeth and endured it, afraid of waking Mason. I shrank back, trying to move to the side. But as soon as I moved, I was pulled back into an embrace from behind. The other person was clearly still asleep. “Baby, don’t move.” Mason’s hand came around from behind, his large palm resting on my stomach. “Lucas, be good. It’ll stop hurting soon…” Mason had never held and comforted me like this before. After all, our marriage was just a family arrangement. Back then, Mason had just taken over the company. When he learned of this news, he only contacted me for a meal. “Mr. Lin, this is the prenuptial agreement drafted by the lawyer, valid for three years or more.” I blankly accepted the thin paper. All the property figures on it became blurry, except for one line. [Mason and Lucas are lawfully wedded husbands.] Enormous joy made my heart pound, but I didn’t dare show it. If Mason knew he was the person I’d had a crush on for five years, he’d probably run away scared! I could only pretend to be calm and nod, “Whatever you say, Mr. Mu.” Mason took a sip of coffee. His handsome face showed no other expression as he simply nodded. “Then we’ll go get the marriage license today. We can hold the wedding in three days.” My heart jolted again, this time in genuine surprise. “So fast?” “Yes.” He glanced at his watch. “I’m very busy lately, the sooner the better.” A wave of disappointment suddenly welled up. So Mason was only rushing because of time constraints, not because he was eager to be with me. So I didn’t tell him that today was April Fool’s Day, not really suitable for getting a marriage license. Looking back now, it was fitting. Because our marriage, from beginning to end, was like a joke. Mason was a good husband. Although I knew the only “I love you” he’d ever said was just part of the wedding ceremony script. But he truly did his duty – never staying out overnight on business trips, never fooling around. So it wasn’t until the second year of our marriage that I found out he had a long-cherished love. Back then, Mason adhered to the principle of not interfering in each other’s affairs in an arranged marriage. He worked diligently every day, even on weekends. If I wanted to see him during the day, I could only go to his company to find him. I came at a bad time today. Mason was in a meeting. I was led to wait in his office. Like all CEO offices, Mason’s was simple yet grand, minimalist but luxurious. I scanned around, finally resting my gaze on a rabbit plush toy in the corner of a shelf. Behind that out-of-place toy, there was an inconspicuous crack in the wall that looked like a hidden compartment. I unconsciously walked over. When I was just an inch away from the toy, a low voice suddenly came from behind. “What are you doing?” I froze, turning to see Mason’s stern face. Only then did I realize how rude I’d been. “I’m sorry.” Mason walked straight to the couch, “Why did you suddenly come over?” I took out the pastries I’d prepared, “I was bored on the weekend and tried making some desserts.” Mason didn’t say much, just sampled a few and finally commented that they were good. Usually I’m the one livening up the atmosphere, but today I was distracted. My eyes kept darting to that toy. The flash of panic in Mason’s eyes earlier kept bothering me. What an ordinary plush toy, but the initials sewn on its heart were a bit unusual. — ML Like someone’s name. I thought I’d never have a chance to learn the truth, but coincidentally, just as I left Mason’s office that day, I ran right into someone. Coffee instantly spilled all over me. The person who bumped into me looked like an assistant, with fair skin and delicate features. My gaydar went off – I could tell at a glance he was gay too. More importantly, his name was Mark. Mark looked extremely guilty and quickly took me to clean up. When he realized my suit was custom-made and very expensive, he took out his phone. “Mr. Lin, let’s exchange contact info. I’ll definitely compensate you.” His profile picture was a cartoon rabbit. This instinctively made me take out my phone too. After adding him on Snapchat, I casually asked: “I rarely hear Mason mention you. Are you two close?” Everyone knew about my marital relationship with Mason. Although our feelings weren’t that deep, I still wanted to emphasize my position in front of others. “Of course!” Mark smiled lightly. “Our families are old friends. I grew up with Mason.” He paused, then looked at me kindly. “But don’t worry, Mr. Lin. Mason and I are just friends.” Even so, I still felt uneasy. As I was about to leave, Mark called out to me again. He smiled innocently. “Let me give you a ride, Mr. Lin! Mason has a meeting this afternoon. I can help bring him an important document.” Mason had strong boundaries. He didn’t like outsiders visiting or touching his things. But judging from Mark’s attitude, this clearly wasn’t the first time. Much later, I finally understood that perhaps I was the outsider. That night I drifted in and out of sleep, and my dreams weren’t very pleasant. So by the time I was fully awake, it was nearly noon. I was alone in the house. I washed up as usual and prepared to go out, planning to have my assistant bring me food at the office. Just as I was fully dressed, the door was pushed open. Mason came in carrying several plastic bags. He looked surprised to see me. “Where are you going?” “The office.” “It’s a day off today.” He then pulled me inside without further ado. “Don’t go to that lousy job anymore. Quit and I’ll support you.” “…” How could I quit my own company unless it went bankrupt? But I didn’t dare say that out loud. With Mason’s capabilities, he really could acquire my family’s company. “I bought groceries. Have a seat for now.” “How about tomato beef brisket for today?” Since losing his memory, he seemed to have become a different person, transforming from a workaholic into a perfect househusband. Not only did his personality become much more domineering, he was also incredibly clingy. As if I really was his kept lover. Lover… A name floated up in my mind. I laughed coldly to myself. So this was how Mason treated his lover. No wonder Mark was so eager to get close to him. Speaking of which, I’ve rarely seen Mark since Mason lost his memory. It doesn’t match how frequently we used to meet before. I tentatively asked: “You’ve been sick for so long. How come Mark hasn’t come to see you?” Mason frowned slightly, habitually glossing over the fact of being sick. “Mark? Am I close with him?” I didn’t comment. More than just close. He not only has your house key, but also knows your phone password. My silence made Mason increasingly doubtful. He pondered for a long time, then knocked on his head. “Isn’t he my childhood friend? Why are you bringing him up? What’s your relationship with him?” Mason actually remembered Mark. It seems he’s not far from fully regaining his memory. This farce of the past two months is probably coming to an end soon. I smiled, “He’s your true love, the person you really like.” “Impossible!” Mason’s face darkened. “My mind is full of your name. How could I like someone else?” He leaned in closer, his tone carrying a hint of expectation. “To be honest, after being lovers for so long, when will you agree to marry me?” “I’ve even thought about the ring design. It’ll be engraved with our initials.” I remained silent. When Mason first lost his memory, he tried to use his sugar daddy status to keep me by his side. I couldn’t stimulate him, so I could only gradually hint at the truth. “Don’t you remember you’re already married to the Lin family’s son?” But not only did he not remember, he thought I was urging him to marry someone else. Mason’s face darkened as expected. He leaned down over me. “Baby, I only want you. Don’t even think about making me marry that Lin guy.” Baby… That term of endearment made me shudder. I violently pushed him away. “Don’t call me that. It disgusts me!” Let’s go back to three months ago. The three-year term had just passed then. My relationship with Mason was still harmonious. He even cooked for me personally every day. I even thought living like this for a lifetime wouldn’t be bad. Mason had been busy lately. When he came home, I could only receive a cold message. [I won’t be back tonight. Don’t wait up for dinner.] After a few times, I still couldn’t help but find a chance to ask: “Has the company run into trouble recently?” “No, don’t worry about it.” Mason’s answer was within my expectations, but I still couldn’t completely put my mind at ease. In the end, I learned from Mark. “A project encountered a hitch at the last minute. The contract couldn’t be signed. The partners have some misunderstandings about Mason…” Mark said a lot. From his tone, the situation didn’t seem very optimistic. I didn’t think too much and inquired about more details of the project. As luck would have it, the partner was Mr. Zhang, whom I knew. “I might be able to help contact him about this matter,” I said, then paused as something occurred to me. “Just don’t tell Mason first.” Mark agreed. Mr. Zhang was a wealthy man who loved wine, women and song. After accompanying him drinking for four or five nights in a row, he finally relented. I hurriedly called Mason, ignoring my stomach pain, but he didn’t answer for a long time. In the end, I was in so much pain I had to go to the hospital. That’s when Mason suddenly called back. At the time, I was sitting on the hospital bed admiring the night view when Mark’s voice came through. “Mr. Lin, do you need something?” Mark’s voice sounded a bit flustered. “Mason drank too much. I saw you called many times, so I thought it must be urgent. That’s why I took the liberty of calling you back from his phone.” Took the liberty… So he knew Mason’s phone password. My heart sank, but I still tried to stay calm: “It’s nothing. I just wanted to tell him the issue has been resolved.” “Ah—” Mark exclaimed in surprise. “I forgot to tell you, my dad is good friends with the partner. The matter was settled long ago.” Settled long ago. So it was all just me being presumptuous. Bitterness welled up in my heart. This feeling was even worse than the dull ache still in my abdomen. I just couldn’t understand – if it was so simple, why did Mark deliberately make it sound so serious before? I lowered my eyes. “Are you two together right now?” “Yeah! Mason drank too much at the reception today, so I had to bring him to a hotel.” Footsteps came from the other end, probably Mark entering the room. Next, I heard a familiar breathing pattern, followed by a term of endearment uttered like in a dream. “Baby, don’t go…” The sourness in my heart reached its peak at that moment. I didn’t dare listen anymore and quickly hung up the phone. But Mason’s pet name kept echoing in my mind.

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I thought my marriage to Lucas Keller was just a business arrangement. Initially, my only impression of him was his perfectly sculpted butt. But now, it seems like I’m actually falling for him. When we first got married, Lucas said, “It’s just a marriage of convenience, don’t think too much of it.” A few months later, he pinned me against the car and said, “Can you stop going out drinking with other men? I really care about you.” “Can you kiss me again?” As soon as I returned to the country, my parents arranged a blind date for me. They thought I was too wild and needed someone to tie me down. So Lucas and I got married the day after we met. Apart from close relatives and friends, hardly anyone knew. The last time I saw him was on our wedding day at the courthouse. Now, five days later, I’m at my eighth welcome-home party, drinking with friends. “Move in,” read the message that popped up on my phone. I stared at it, confused, unable to recall who the sender was. Three minutes later, another message: “My mom said so.” The chat history showed we had only added each other as contacts five days ago. “Aria, what’s wrong?” My friends noticed my distraction. “What are you looking at?” “I can’t remember when I added this person,” I admitted. “Let me see,” Emma said, taking my phone. She scrolled down and another message appeared: “Five days and you’ve already forgotten who you married?” I gasped, “Oh, I think he’s my husband.” I took the phone back from Emma, trying to recall our two meetings. I could vaguely remember his appearance, but the most memorable thing was his perfectly sculpted butt. I couldn’t help but chuckle. “How could you forget that?” Emma teased. “I’ll give him a nickname now.” I clicked on his profile picture, which was blank, and his timeline empty. I saved him as “Mr. Perfect Butt”. When I arrived at our new home, my luggage had already been unpacked. As I walked up to the third floor, I noticed the study door was ajar. Was someone else in the house? I carefully pushed the door open. The creaking sound startled the person sitting at the desk. He suddenly looked up, his piercing gaze making my heart skip a beat. His features were strikingly handsome – high cheekbones, a straight nose, and a healthy complexion. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you,” I apologized. Lucas stood up and walked towards me. I took a half-step back, swallowing hard. He was about a head taller than me, exuding an air of nobility that made him seem like a young master from a wealthy family. I had to admit, my mom had good taste. I tilted my chin up, meeting his eyes. He took a few large strides out of the room. “This entire floor is the master suite,” he said. I followed him into the bedroom. “Your clothes have been put in the walk-in closet. The rest of your things upstairs haven’t been fully unpacked yet…” he was saying, but I wasn’t really listening. My eyes were drawn to the large, soft-looking bed. The duvet was pink, completely at odds with Lucas’s style. I sat down on the bed without thinking. It really was as soft as it looked! Lucas cleared his throat. “I’m not your real estate agent.” I raised an eyebrow. So what? Did I ask you to show me around? Why are you acting all high and mighty? I walked further into the room and noticed another smaller bedroom. “Are we going to sleep separately?” I asked. “If you want,” he replied in a low, deep voice that made it sound like I owed him something. “Then…” I hesitated. “The housekeeper works for my mother,” he interrupted. “Does one of us have to sleep in this smaller room?” I pointed to the inner room. “I don’t want to.” “Why not?” “They’ve already put pink sheets on the big bed. Would it be appropriate for you to sleep there?” I argued. Lucas’s brow furrowed slightly. After a long pause, he reluctantly agreed, “Fine.” The club was filled with pulsing music. Lucas lounged casually on the sofa, his legs crossed. “Hey Keller, why the long face? You just got married,” his friend Jack teased. “Other than having a marriage certificate, what’s different from before?” Lucas retorted. He clinked glasses with Jack and downed his drink in one go. “Aren’t you going to bring her out to have dinner with us?” Jack pressed. Lucas thought about the past two days living together. Aria had been getting home even later than him. They were living under the same roof but barely saw each other. “Maybe some other time,” he deflected. Lucas stood up to leave. “I’m going to the restroom.” “I’ll come with you,” Jack said. The men’s room was crowded and rowdy. Jack leaned in close to Lucas and whispered, “Isn’t that Marcus Lee from Joy Entertainment over there?” Lucas followed Jack’s gaze and saw Marcus Lee talking to someone by the sinks. Joy Entertainment was a longtime rival of the Keller family’s business. “Mm,” Lucas grunted in acknowledgment. As they turned to leave, they overheard part of the conversation. “Did you hear Aria Collins is back in the country?” “The Collins family’s only daughter?” Lucas paused mid-step at the mention of Aria’s name. “Yeah, I met her before. That waist, those legs, that chest… damn,” the man said crudely. The two men’s lewd laughter continued. “Forget about her family’s wealth, I’d want to get with her anyway. Wonder how wild she got abroad. Bet she’s been passed around…” Before the man could finish his sentence, Lucas’s fist connected with his face, drawing blood. Seeing Lucas attack, Jack rushed to join the fight. Marcus and his lackey were caught off guard, their eyes swelling shut from the blows. “Who the hell do you think you are?” Marcus sputtered. “Your daddy,” Lucas growled. The beating was far from over. Lucas grabbed Marcus by the collar and shoved his head towards the toilet. He could hear Marcus choking as he repeatedly dunked his head. Jack called from outside the stall, “I’ve taken care of the other guy.” “Come hold him down,” Lucas ordered. Marcus was still bent over the toilet bowl. Lucas kicked him hard in the back. The sound of ceramic breaking mixed with splashing water. “Watch your filthy mouth in the future, understand?” Lucas threatened. When there was no response, he kicked him again. “We should stop before it gets too serious,” Jack warned. Lucas looked at Marcus, who could barely open his eyes, but still felt unsatisfied. One final kick. “I’m sorry! I swear I’ll never do it again,” Marcus begged, collapsing to the floor. “Never do what again?” Lucas pressed. “I’ll never make crude comments in public again.” Another kick. “What about in private?” “I won’t, I promise!” Marcus pleaded. Lucas stormed out of the bathroom, his clothes stained with water and blood. He had lost all desire to continue the night out and decided to head home. When Lucas pushed open the bedroom door, he found Aria twirling and dancing with her eyes closed. He could tell she had been drinking without getting too close. His irritation from earlier flared up again. “Aria!” he called out sharply. She finally noticed someone else was in the room. She stumbled over to Lucas and rubbed his jacket sleeve between her fingers. “Did you just slaughter a pig or something?” she slurred. “Mm,” he grunted noncommittally. Lucas moved to let her pass, but she grabbed his sleeve. “Hey, I’m not a pig.” “Can you drink less?” he asked, exasperated. “I can hold my liquor,” she insisted confidently, though it wasn’t entirely true. “Who brought you home?” “The driver.” “Take some bodyguards with you next time you go out.” “Why? I hate being followed around.” Even Aria herself didn’t realize how whiny and coquettish she sounded. The comfortable home environment made her relax and unconsciously act spoiled. Lucas pressed his lips together, hesitating before saying, “I’ve made some enemies recently. They might try to get to me through you.” “Is this person hiding in the house?” Aria asked seriously. Her curly brown hair brushed against his arm as she leaned her head on his shoulder. “Drunk fool. Go to sleep,” Lucas sighed. Aria whimpered in protest but made no move to comply. Lucas shrugged off his dirty jacket and tossed it aside. His shirt underneath was clean. He grabbed Aria’s arm and pulled her towards the bed, his grip firm but not painful. “Ow, that hurts,” she complained. The sudden movement caused Aria’s dress to ride up slightly. Lucas noticed for the first time what she was wearing – a black off-the-shoulder mini dress that accentuated her pale skin. His gaze traveled up to the gold chain necklace resting on her collarbone, then to her flushed face. When she smiled at him, her eyes curved into crescents and her long lashes fluttered. She looked like a mischievous kitten ready to scratch. The bangles on Aria’s wrist jingled as she struggled against his grip. When he finally let go, there was a faint red mark on her skin. Lucas lowered his head. “I didn’t use much force.” The little kitten looked ready to pounce now. “It’s fine, I’ll magnanimously forgive you,” Aria said with a cheeky grin. “I’m going to bed now.” “Goodbye.” Her voice was soft and sweet, melting Lucas’s heart. Lucas’s father’s summons came urgently. Aria was barely awake when she heard Lucas urging her to get up. “My dad wants us to go over,” he explained. Aria let out a small whine. Lucas had already learned to interpret her sounds – this meant she was stalling. “Should I have the housekeeper drag you out of bed?” he threatened. “I’m getting up now,” Aria mumbled. Lucas headed for the door. “I’ll wait downstairs. Don’t take too long.” Once the bedroom door closed, Aria clutched the sheets and forced herself to sit up. What could be so urgent? She was exhausted. In the car, Lucas also felt uneasy. He wondered if news of last night’s incident had already reached his father’s ears. He hadn’t expected it to spread so quickly. He stared out the window, his breathing heavy. “Sorry to keep you waiting,” Aria said as she got in the car. Lucas turned to look at her. She was wearing a long white dress with subtle makeup and dainty square-toed flats. She looked completely different from last night. In contrast, he was wearing one of his usual suits. To an outsider, they might look mismatched, like there was a significant age gap between them. “Do I not match you today? I thought…” Aria trailed off, uncertain.

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For three years, Louis York kept me like a caged bird. Everyone envied him for having a wife who never argued. Even when I was pregnant, he sent me out late at night to buy condoms for them. I endured it without a word. Everything changed the night his beloved threatened to jump. He rushed to save her, and in the chaos, I lost our baby. When Louis arrived, he cradled his barely-scratched darling in his arms and carried her to the ambulance, leaving me bleeding on the rooftop. That night, for the first time in years, I picked up the phone and called my mother. “Mom, I want to come home.” Her familiar Mosani accent carried a hint of joy. “Great! Your grandmother and aunts have been waiting. Mosani women never marry outsiders. No one will protect you so far away.” I stared at my reflection in the hospital bathroom mirror. The once-rosy cheeks were now gaunt and pale, a jagged scar slashing across my left cheek. A bitter smile tugged at my lips. She was right. I was Mosani. In our matriarchal society, marriage was never binding. We lived with our mothers, our grandmothers, our aunts. Fathers were a distant concept. The truth was, I never needed Louis. Hanging up, I booked my ticket home. Clutching my abdomen, I shuffled out to discharge myself, only to run into Louis and his precious Lillie Cortez. Despite having nothing but a band-aid on her ankle, she exaggerated every step, milking the injury for all it was worth. Louis fussed over her like she was made of glass, his concern deepening with every dramatic wince. Then his gaze landed on me. He froze. A second later, his expression hardened. “What are you doing here?” As the hospital’s chief obstetrician, he should have noticed my pallor, the fresh scars from emergency surgery. But he didn’t. Lillie burst into tears. “Why did you even bother saving me? I have no family, no love. Death would be a mercy…” Louis panicked, pulling her close. “Who says you’re unloved? “I’m your family now. The world may abandon you, but I never will. “I’ll always be your rock, Lillie. “Wherever you go, just turn around. I’ll be there.” Their melodrama was nauseating. I turned to leave, but Louis stopped me. “We’re having friends over for dinner tonight to welcome Lillie. “Cook something local, but no spice, no garlic, no ginger. She’s allergic. No meat or grease either, because of her injury. And make her favorite mushroom soup…” He rattled off her preferences effortlessly, then tossed me a laundry bag. “Hand-wash her silks. Change the detergent. She hates the scent.” Pain flared in my abdomen, but his demands made my skin crawl. I finally snapped. “Do you even care how I’m doing?”

Louis blinked, his gaze searching my face. Lillie broke into fresh sobs. “I should just die! Then I wouldn’t be a burden to you!” That set Louis off. “Kailey Harris, enough!” he roared. “I’m an OB-GYN! If something were wrong, I’d know! You survived falling off a cliff and carried me ten miles. Quit the theatrics!” We had met in my hometown. Lost in a storm and bitten by a snake, he’d stumbled upon me while I was out gathering herbs. I sucked out the venom and dragged him to the hospital. That rescue had cost me a broken arm and a body covered in thorn scratches from tumbling down a cliff. And now, my resilience was his excuse for cruelty. Meeting my tear-filled eyes, Louis hesitated for a moment before snapping at someone else. “She’s depressed! She can’t control how she feels! “Why are you deliberately making it worse?” All this over a single question. His outburst left me speechless. The last time Lillie scarred my face, I merely glanced at the mirror and was immediately accused of guilt-tripping her. That night, I did nothing. Her laundry sat in a heap in the bathroom. When Louis came home, he was furious. Friends stepped in, placating him. “She’s pregnant. Don’t make her do chores. Let’s go out for dinner. Lillie’s favorite.” So, all along, it was Lillie who had been wanting me to cook the meals. As they headed out, Lillie turned back with a smirk. “Coming with us, Kailey?”

At dinner, Louis fawned over Lillie. When she wanted roasted chestnuts, he burned his fingers peeling them for her. The slightest complaint about spice had him rinsing every bite. Yet during my pregnancy, he wouldn’t even buy me oranges from the shop downstairs. When someone raised a toast to Lillie, Louis snatched the glass from her hand. “She’s injured. No alcohol.” Lillie pouted. “Just one sip!” Then, casting a pointed glance my way, she added sweetly, “But Kailey has wine.” I hadn’t touched mine since the miscarriage. Still, Louis snapped at me. “You’re pregnant! Do I really need to remind you?” Silence fell over the table. Awkward laughter quickly shifted the focus back to Louis and Lillie. “Louis has always been her knight,” someone chuckled. “When I crashed my bike with Lillie on the back, he nearly beat me up!” “That’s nothing. I got death threats just for watching porn with her!” another chimed in. Laughter died as their eyes flicked toward me, the current wife. A voice muttered, “Just reminiscing, no offense.” Louis’ blatant disrespect gave them permission to pile on. After my face was scarred, one of his friends sighed, “Regretting your choice now? “Should’ve waited for Lillie to come back. “You only picked her because she looked like her. “Now that her face is ruined, nothing’s stopping you from going back.” They envied Louis’ blindly devoted wife. Little did they know, Mosani women didn’t marry. We stayed with our partners by choice, leaving when love faded. Why bind two hearts with a piece of paper? Not even their gossip could shake me now. My indifference made Lillie’s eyes gleam with malice. Giggling behind manicured fingers, she asked, “Is it true Mosani women sleep around and raise fatherless children? “Are all your women so… available?” Then, with mock innocence, she added, “How many men climbed into your bed before Louis?” My face went cold in an instant. My hand tightened around my utensils, trembling with the effort to suppress my anger at her calculated provocation. Right on cue, Louis chimed in.

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My wife, Gigi Chapman, worked as a flight attendant. It all started when I boarded a flight she was working on. I was minding my own business when I heard unmistakable noises coming from the lavatory. Before I could even process what was happening, Gigi stepped out, followed by some foreign guy. That was when I stumbled upon the airline’s dirty little secret. Gigi was a stunner as a flight attendant. She was nearly five-foot-seven, with a figure that was just about perfect. I mean, she could turn heads in an instant. We’d known each other for five years, married for three, but we’d barely spent any real time together. Gigi loved the freedom of flying, so after we tied the knot, I gave her all the space she wanted. Our only real couple time was on weekends when we were both off. That day, the company sprung it on me that I had to go overseas to check out a project. Then, by coincidence, I ended up on Gigi’s flight. To cut costs, they only got me an economy seat, but I managed to upgrade on my own. After that, I slapped on a hat and a mask right after security, all geared up to give Gigi a surprise. Once I boarded the plane, I spotted Gigi right away. Even among all those other flight attendants, she stood out like a sore thumb, looking as gorgeous as ever. With her leading the way, I settled into my seat, but oddly enough, first class was practically empty, just me and three other guys, all foreigners, each with an iced Americano in front of them. “Sir, what can I get you to drink?” “An iced Americano, please.” I tried to keep my voice down on purpose. But for some reason, I could practically see Gigi’s mood lift right before my eyes. “I’ll be right with you.” There were three flight attendants in first class. Besides Gigi, there were two other stunning women. I’d just slipped into my slippers when one of the girls, Monica Geller, Gigi’s colleague, took a tumble and landed right in my arms. I caught her instinctively, then helped her up. “You okay there?” “Thanks, sir. I was so clumsy. Need anything else?” “Nah, I’m good. Thanks.” My attention snapped back to Gigi, who was swaying toward me with my drink, but there was a flash of anger in her eyes. I thought, “Oh, crap. Did she recognize me?” Then, I realized she wasn’t making a beeline for me. Instead, she told Monica, “Monica, watch your step next time. You mess up again and make a passenger unhappy, I’ll bust you down to economy.” “I’m sorry, Ms. Chapman. It won’t happen again.” Since when did Gigi have that kind of authority? I was gobsmacked, having no idea she was the chief flight attendant. “You’d better hope this gentleman forgives you.” As Gigi spoke, she swung her gaze my way and handed the iced Americano to Monica. Monica crouched down a bit, her cheeks turning beet red, her eyes darting around, and handed me the drink with both hands. “Mr. Lewis, would you be kind enough to forgive me?” “Sure, don’t sweat it.” I took a swig of the iced Americano. Then, I shut my eyes, pretending to rest before I blew my cover. Monica let out a sigh of relief and tagged along with Gigi as they left. It wasn’t until the plane took off that I cottoned on to what that cup of iced Americano was all about.

“This flight’s gonna be a ten-hour haul, and we’ll touchdown at eight tonight.” The moment Gigi said that, two of the foreigners hopped to their feet. Another flight attendant swooped in and said with practiced ease, “Gentlemen, the lavatory is right this way.” Half an hour later, the third guy, Dominic Monaghan, also got up. This time, it was Gigi who greeted him. “Right this way, Mr. Monaghan.” I had a sneaking suspicion something was off, thinking, “Everyone’s gotta pee at the same time? But there are only two lavatories up front. What is this, a magic airplane?” Another ten minutes or so passed, and not a single one of them came back. I was even more flummoxed. Were they all having tummy troubles the second they boarded the plane? Just then, Monica scurried over and crouched down next to me. “Mr. Lewis, allow me to show you to the lavatory.” “What? I’m not ready to go yet.” I was caught off guard and couldn’t help asking, “How many lavatories are there anyway?” Monica blushed and said, “Six in total. Four in first class and two at the back.” Was that for real? I was bowled over and thought, “Maybe it’s because I hardly ever take these international flights.” Half an hour later, the two foreigners finally sauntered back, looking as content as could be. They were just plain weird, and I couldn’t help but give them a side-eye. I was just about to head to the lavatory myself when Monica swooped in like she had radar. “Mr. Lewis, the lavatory’s this way.” The first-class treatment was something else. I cracked a smile and followed Monica to the lavatory. Just as my hand touched the doorknob, a breathy whimper slithered into my ears. My hand froze in mid-air. I thought, “Who the heck are they? What are they doing something like that on a plane for?” I frowned, turned on the faucet, and was about to wash my hands. The next second, the door swung open, and Dominic came out, still hitching up his pants. “Your service was top-notch. I’ll be asking for you next time.” “Thank you, Mr. Monaghan.” Hearing the woman’s voice, I whipped around in disbelief. Gigi trailed out after Dominic. She had sweat on her face, her makeup was smeared, and her clothes were all wrinkled. Her black stockings were gone, and she didn’t seem to notice or care. Instead, she snapped at Monica behind me, “What are you just standing there for? You gonna let the passenger wait like this?” Monica shivered and yanked me into the lavatory. “Mr. Lewis, I’m not very good at this. Maybe you could take the lead?” I was so distracted I didn’t even hear Monica. “Mr. Lewis, let me help you take off your pants…” She started undoing my belt, and that was when I snapped back to reality and pushed her away. “Is this what you call service?” Monica’s face drained of color, and she dropped to her knees. “I’m sorry, Mr. Lewis. I…” Before she could finish speaking, I interrupted her, “I’m not blaming you. Just tell me, what the heck is your service all about?” Monica peeked up at me nervously. “Mr. Lewis, you ordered an iced Americano, right?” “What’s that got to do with it?” “If it’s an iced Americano, a flight attendant is required to provide you with service unconditionally throughout the whole flight.” I was rocked to my core, and the last shred of hope I had was gone. My breathing sped up. Then, I spun around and was about to make a break for it. Monica clung to me like a limpet and begged, “Mr. Lewis, please. If you go out like this, Ms. Chapman will think I didn’t do my job right and I’ll get demoted. Please, help me. Let me serve you just once!” I turned around and glared at her coldly. “Do you even realize this is illegal?” Before Monica could say a word, there was a knock on the door. Then, Gigi’s voice came from outside. “Sir, Monica’s still learning. I need to give her some pointers. Could you open the door?” “Nah, we’re good here.” It took a full minute before Gigi’s retreating footsteps finally faded. Then, Monica’s eyes welled up with gratitude. “Mr. Lewis, please, just let me do my job. If I don’t, I’ll get written up, and I…” “If you don’t wanna get a complaint filed against you, just do as I say, okay?”

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My family wanted me to choose someone for an arranged marriage, but I wasn’t ready to settle down yet. So I picked a notorious playboy prince as my husband, thinking we’d both do our own thing after getting married. I didn’t expect that when I was partying at a bar late one night, he’d send people to shut the whole place down. He shooed away the male models keeping me company, then placed my hand on his abs with a pitiful look: “I may not have dated before, but I can learn whatever you want.” On my 20th birthday, my parents told me I needed to choose someone for a business marriage arrangement. My brother laid out photos of eligible bachelors for me to pick from. “This is the eldest son of the Cloud family. He has exceptional intelligence and leadership skills, and heads Cloud Corporation. This one is the second son of the Qi family. Not only is he handsome, but he also has a brilliant mind and is pursuing scientific research. And this is the eldest son of the Fu family. His looks are impeccable, but… he spends all his time idling about, eating, drinking and having fun…” “I’ll take him,” I said without hesitation, pointing to Ethan Fu, the Fu family’s eldest son. My parents and brother were stunned. They never expected I’d choose a notorious playboy. First of all, I’m all about looks, and Ethan was extremely handsome in his photo. I liked that. Secondly, I’d heard he had quite the reputation as a player in the city. Most importantly, I wasn’t done having fun yet. Choosing someone who also liked to party meant we could each do our own thing. Perfect. I got so drunk on our wedding night that I blacked out. I have no idea how I even made it to the bridal suite. When I woke up the next morning, Ethan was already sitting on the couch playing video games. He glanced up at me: “You’re awake?” “Yeah. Is there anything to eat? I’m kind of hungry,” I said awkwardly. It was pretty embarrassing that the bride had gotten wasted on her wedding night. Ethan pointed to the kitchen: “There’s warm milk and eggs in the kitchen.” I brought out the milk and eggs and started eating. “Sorry about last night. I drank way too much,” I said between bites. “I understand you were excited to marry me. But you really shouldn’t drink that much. Good thing I was there, or you’d have spent the night hugging the toilet.” When he said the first part, I wanted to punch him. As if I was thrilled to marry him! But hearing the second part, I held back. Sounds like I must have been quite a handful. My girlfriends were all texting me to come out, so after breakfast I rushed out the door. Ethan wanted to come with me but I refused: “Bro, you’re too handsome. Better not come or my girls will be all over you.” The corners of his mouth turned up in a slight smile as he acquiesced to my decision. I thought to myself, shouldn’t a guy that good-looking be desensitized to compliments by now? Why did he seem to enjoy being praised so much? This was my first time going out with my girls after getting married. Everyone was excited and peppered me with questions about the wedding night and my new husband. I shut it all down with one sentence: “I was drunk, I don’t remember anything.” My answer clearly disappointed them. But partying was our real purpose: “Girls, go wild tonight. Drinks are on me!” We went from karaoke to the bar. Before we knew it, it was the middle of the night. Before I got married, my parents would call to nag me to come home when it got late. Now that I was married, no one could tell me what to do. Haha, I was going to party as much as I wanted. I tossed my phone aside. It’s not like anyone was going to call and tell me to come home. Ethan was probably out drinking with his friends too.

One of my girlfriends tried to convince me: “Mia, maybe you should head home. It wouldn’t be good if your husband gets upset.” “No way! We have no real feelings, it’s just a business arrangement. Why would he care about me? Besides, isn’t it better if we each do our own thing?” As I spoke, I called out to the male model across from me: “Pour me another drink, let’s keep going!” Just then, the bar owner came in looking nervous. He told the model: “Mr. Fu is here. You all need to leave, quickly.” Next thing I knew, Ethan walked in. His face was expressionless as he scanned the room, his gaze finally landing on me. Seeing Ethan sobered me up instantly. “What are you doing here?” I asked. Before he could answer, my girlfriends all grabbed their purses and abandoned me, leaving just the two of us in the VIP room. He came and sat down next to me, gazing at me tenderly. I have to say, he was the most handsome man I’d ever seen. As our eyes met, I felt my heart start to race in a way I’d never experienced before. The next moment, he took my hand and placed it on his abs, saying pitifully: “I may not have dated before, but I can learn whatever you want.” Hmm? I couldn’t detect any hint of lying in his eyes. But I just didn’t believe him. Wasn’t he supposed to be a notorious playboy? How could he have never dated anyone? My hand was forced to roam over his abs. My fingertips felt electrified by the contact, sending tingles through my entire body. My face flushed hot as I quickly pulled my hand away. “It’s late, we should head home,” I said. The corners of his mouth turned up as he obediently replied: “Okay, wifey.” This was my first time being alone with a man while sober. I couldn’t help feeling nervous. I grabbed my most conservative pajamas and went into the bathroom. When I came out, he had already showered and was lying on the bed waiting for me. In the soft light, his chiseled features, damp hair, and long lean body made me swallow hard. I’d seen plenty of male models at the clubs before, but none of their looks or physiques compared to Ethan’s. How could I not be attracted? “Come to bed, wifey,” he said softly, patting the space next to him and winking at me. I often went out partying with my girlfriends and had seen lots of men, but I’d never actually shared a bed with a stranger before. Now that I was about to lie down next to him, I suddenly felt very nervous. Seeing him gazing at me so tenderly, I wondered if he was planning to do that with me. At the thought, my face turned bright red. I quickly said, “Um, I’m on my period, so don’t get any ideas.” He burst out laughing: “Wifey, what are you thinking? Even if you weren’t on your period, I wouldn’t force you if you didn’t want to. Come on, let’s just sleep.” For some reason, I believed him and climbed into bed. The next second, his strong arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me tightly against him. The more I tried to wriggle free, the tighter he held me. “Stop squirming. I just want to hold you while we sleep. If you keep moving around, I can’t guarantee what might happen next,” he whispered in my ear, sending shivers down my spine.

That’s when I felt something poking me from behind. It was very uncomfortable. I froze, not daring to move a muscle for fear of what he might do next. A few moments later, I heard his steady breathing. He had fallen asleep. I finally relaxed and tried to escape his grasp. “Don’t move. Go to sleep,” he mumbled in a low voice that startled me. I didn’t dare move again. I had planned to wait until he was in a deeper sleep before sneaking away, but I ended up falling asleep myself without realizing it. The next day, he suggested we go to the store to buy some snacks and groceries, since this would be our home now and we should stock up. I do enjoy snacks and fruit, so I agreed to go to the store with him. In addition to snacks and fruit, I also bought some feminine products to have on hand. He bought lots of vegetables, rice, and other staples. I was surprised. Wasn’t he supposed to be a playboy? Did he actually know how to cook? “You can cook?” I asked. “A little bit,” he replied. Actually, I can cook too. When I studied abroad, I couldn’t get used to the food there so I taught myself to make dishes from home. But I’m lazy and just want to have fun. I rarely set foot in the kitchen unless absolutely necessary. As we passed by the checkout counter, his eyes lit up when he saw some small boxes on a shelf. He immediately grabbed two and tossed them in the cart. I quickly averted my gaze, pretending not to notice, but my cheeks instantly turned red. Even when we were checking out, I was too embarrassed to look at those two boxes. We had just left the store when a woman in a miniskirt called out to Ethan. “Ethan, baby! I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” she said coyly, reaching for his arm. Ethan stepped back to avoid her. “Ethan, when I heard you got married, I couldn’t sleep all night. We…” “We should keep our distance. I’m a married man now,” Ethan said, taking my hand and interlacing our fingers. The woman looked dissatisfied, giving me a disdainful glance before continuing: “But baby, it’s my birthday today. Can’t you celebrate with me?” His brows furrowed as he said coldly: “No.” “You two chat, I’ll wait in the car,” I said. I didn’t want to get involved in his personal life, just like he stayed out of mine. You can’t keep tabs on a man who isn’t faithful anyway. And this was just a business arrangement, we had no real feelings for each other. “Let me get the car door for you, honey,” Ethan said, hurrying to open the passenger door for me. The woman rushed over, saying in a cutesy voice: “Ethan, baby, can you give me a ride? It’s on your way.” “It’s not on our way.” “But I haven’t even said where I’m going yet!” “Wherever you’re going, it’s not on our way.” After coldly dismissing her, Ethan turned to me and said gently: “Buckle up, honey. Let’s go.” As we drove off, I saw the woman stomping her foot angrily in the rearview mirror. I almost burst out laughing. Ethan glanced at me, looking annoyed: “What’s so funny?” He seemed upset. Was it because I was there, interfering with their plans to meet up later? I stopped smiling and said: “Is she your… ex-girlfriend? Or just one of your many conquests? The way she looked at you was pretty intense.” “She looks at any rich, handsome guy like that. I would never have anything to do with her.” “Oh really? That doesn’t seem like your style. I thought a player like you would always have women around…” Before I could finish, he slammed on the brakes, pulling over to the side of the road.

By the time I came to my senses, his handsome face was right in front of mine, so close I could feel his breath. If either of us moved even slightly, our lips would touch. I suddenly felt very nervous, barely daring to breathe: “What are you doing?” “As my wife, do you want me to be surrounded by other women? Do you want me to be with lots of women?” “I… that’s not what I meant.” “You weren’t even a little upset when that woman was all over your husband?” “I…” I shook my head slightly, but seeing the anger flashing in his eyes, I quickly nodded instead. What I didn’t realize was that my face had turned bright red and my breathing had become rapid. The next second, one of his hands cupped the back of my head while the other tilted my chin up. He kissed me, starting gently but quickly becoming more passionate and demanding. He didn’t give me any time to react. My first kiss, gone just like that. Just as I was about to suffocate, he finally released me, looking satisfied. “I’m your husband. You’re supposed to get jealous when other women talk to me, got it?” he lectured. He forcibly kissed me and then had the nerve to scold me! He continued: “And everything you’ve heard about me is just rumors. It’s not true.” I stared at him in disbelief for a long moment before reluctantly nodding. He could tell my nod was forced. He shook his head helplessly and said: “Let’s go home. I have something important to take care of tonight.” Something important to do tonight? I suddenly remembered those two boxes he bought at the store and felt nervous all over again. That evening, he took me out to dinner, saying some of his good friends wanted to get together. I didn’t want to go, but he refused to let me stay home: “You should meet my friends. I don’t want to keep any secrets from you.” I wanted to say I didn’t care about any of that, I just wanted my freedom to party as much as I wanted. But I ended up going along. He introduced me to the five or six people there as his good friends. It was from his friends that I learned the truth – his playboy reputation was entirely fabricated. He had two reasons for creating that image. One was to avoid taking over the family company and being tied down to work. The other reason was to avoid marriage. Once people heard about his womanizing ways, no one dared try to set him up anymore. “Then why did you agree to marry me? Am I just a shield for you?” I asked, confused. His friends exchanged glances and laughed: “You’ll have to ask Ethan about that. We have no idea.” They didn’t answer my question, but I realized why Ethan had brought me out tonight. He wanted his friends to help clear up the rumors about him. Whether it was true or not, it showed he was making an effort. “So Ethan, tell us about all the romantic things you’ve done since getting married,” his friends said, looking at us curiously. I wondered, did they mean him storming into the bar to bring me home late at night? Or encountering that clingy woman outside the store? Or forcibly kissing me in the car? “Can’t you guys talk about anything else?” Ethan said, giving his friends an exasperated look. Then he turned to me and asked gently: “Are you still hungry?” I quickly shook my head, smiling. I knew I was acting a bit fake. Normally I’m very casual and straightforward, not all sweet and smiley like this. But I was trying to save face for this man. After all, I was his wife. “Want to go for a walk?” he asked me. “Sure,” I agreed readily, standing up. Even though they were his good friends, I still felt a bit awkward meeting them for the first time. At that moment, I actually felt more relaxed being alone with Ethan.

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