1 On the anniversary of my grandmother’s death, I went home to sort through the things she had left behind. I also dragged out a few old cardboard boxes to sell for scrap. That was when I ran into my ex-boyfriend and my ex-best friend, whom I had not seen in years. Three years ago, on the eve of my wedding, I caught them in bed together. Marcus Hale had stepped in front of Selena Brooks without hesitation. “If you want to blame someone, blame me, Natalie. I’m the one at fault. I fell in love with Selena. I dragged her into this. Don’t blame her.” Selena had cried so prettily, all trembling shoulders and tear-bright eyes. “Natalie, I’m sorry. Marcus and I truly love each other. Please just let us be together.” I had been so furious I slapped them both on the spot. I called Selena shameless. Called her out for seducing someone else’s fiancé. The next day, Marcus took his revenge. He got ahead of the story and spread rumors everywhere that I had cheated first. He used AI to generate explicit videos of me and circulated them. Then he brought people to my home and trashed the place. My grandmother, who had a heart condition, was so frightened and enraged that she suffered an attack and died on the spot. After that, I cut Marcus out of my life completely and left the city. Now, three years later, the two of them stood in front of me dressed head to toe in designer labels. Marcus frowned. “Natalie King. Have these three years been that hard on you? You’re collecting trash now?” Selena was all warm concern. “Exactly, Nat. Where have you been all these years? If you’re struggling, you can tell us. Marcus’s business has grown so much now. Our company is about to go public. We’re not short on money.” “There’s no need to pick through trash. And look at you. You don’t even dress yourself up anymore.” What they did not know was that any random bracelet in my jewelry cabinet was worth more than their company’s market value. “Nat, if you’re having trouble, you really have to tell us. Don’t keep everything bottled up.” Selena smiled at me with false warmth. I felt sick. I pulled my hand free. “No need. I was just clearing out garbage.” Clearly, Selena did not believe me. She grabbed my hand again. “Why are you being so polite with us? Have you forgotten? We used to be best friends. If life is really hard, I have some spare cash. I can lend it to you. Don’t worry about losing face.” “And…” She glanced at the old neighborhood behind me. “You’re living here now?” “This place isn’t safe. You should move somewhere else.” “How about this? I have an apartment downtown sitting empty. Why don’t you stay there for now?” “No.” I refused again and turned to leave. But she held me back. “Are you still holding a grudge over what happened back then? But it’s been so long. No matter how angry you are with us, you can’t risk your health like this.” “Selena’s right.” Marcus shoved a bank card into my hand. “There’s fifty thousand in here. Take it for now.” “Oh, right. Lila’s getting married today. We were just heading over to her wedding. We’re all friends, so you should come too.” Selena latched onto my arm and forced me into the car. On the way, the two of them performed the role of loving husband and wife in front of me, sweet and inseparable. I had no interest in watching. I took out my phone and sent a message to the person waiting for me, telling him I would be late. Then I looked out the window. Selena’s words had dragged up memories I had buried. Lila Grant had been my college classmate. Theirs too. Three years ago, I cut ties with everyone from my past, so of course I had no idea today was her wedding day. Selena chatted eagerly, then suddenly asked, “By the way, Nat, it’s been so long. You must have a boyfriend by now, right? Don’t tell me you’re still single.” “I’m married,” I said flatly. The car went silent for a beat. Selena covered her mouth in shock. “Really? Something that big happened and you didn’t tell us? When did it happen? Who is he? Bring him out for us to meet someday. We were so close before.” The excitement in her eyes was almost impossible to hide. She looked me up and down. “Two years ago. He’s busy. No need.” “Two years ago?” Marcus slammed the brakes. “Natalie, I know you still resent me for what happened, but you don’t need to invent some man just to make me angry. Two years ago, we had barely been apart. You’re telling me you married someone else?” “You’re overthinking it. I have no obligation to lie to you.” “Marcus,” Selena said quickly, “maybe Natalie really did find someone she can spend her life with.” “What kind of man lets her live like this?” “Oh, what do you mean, like this? Who says marriage has to be about money? Maybe he treats Nat very well. Maybe he’s responsible.” The two of them went back and forth. I turned my head toward the window. Soon, we arrived. Selena warmly pulled me out of the car. “You haven’t contacted us for three years. I missed you so much. Thank goodness you’re back. We can be together again.” I frowned and pushed her away. “Stay away from me.” She looked helpless. “Nat, did I do something wrong? Do you hate me?” I stared at her and suddenly found it absurd. Was she asking on purpose? Or had her memory rewritten itself? She stole my fiancé. She caused the death of the grandmother who had raised me. And she still had the nerve to say these things. If this had been a few years ago, I might have gone mad with rage and grabbed her by the hair. But now, all I felt was calm. “You’re overthinking it.” “Selena!” A surprised voice rang out. Lila, dressed in her wedding gown, ran over. The two women hugged. Then Lila noticed me standing off to the side. “This is… Natalie?” “Natalie, my God. It’s been years. How did you end up looking so… worn down?” At once, everyone else turned to look. They were old classmates. Naturally, they knew some of what had happened between us. And naturally, none of them hesitated to side with Selena. They made jokes at my expense without the slightest restraint. “Yeah, Natalie, I heard you left Harbor City after breaking up with Marcus. You must have had a tough time all these years.” “Look at her. What is she even wearing? It looks like something from a street stall.” “If I looked like that, I wouldn’t have the nerve to come. Standing next to Selena, she looks like a clown.” Because it was my grandmother’s death anniversary, I had worn simple, muted clothes. But the fabric, the cut, the design, all of it had been custom-made by a private designer. Money could not buy it. Lila took my hand. “Natalie, you must really have struggled all these years. You can’t even bear to buy yourself decent clothes. Oh, right, Selena said you got married. Who is your other half? Why didn’t you bring him for us to see?” “Yes, yes, we’re all curious what Natalie’s husband looks like.” “Natalie used to be the beauty of our class. Her husband must be amazing, right?” Selena had been with me the whole time. She had no chance to tell them in person. Which meant she had told them in a group chat. So they still had a group. Of course they did. I had cut them off for years. It was normal that I did not know. Someone snickered. “Look at the state she’s in. What kind of good husband could she have found? If he were any good, would he let her wear cheap clothes? Class beauty? Please. If Marcus hadn’t liked her back then, would she ever have been put on that pedestal?” “Exactly. She probably married some poor, honest guy.” “Nothing like our Selena. Marcus is a CEO now, and their company is about to go public.” “Natalie, why aren’t you saying anything? Is he too embarrassing to talk about?” Lila added another jab. Then someone said jokingly, “Don’t tell me her husband is too shameful to show.” The room burst into laughter. No matter what they said, I had no desire to respond. All I could think about was how to find an excuse to leave. My husband and my little one were still waiting for me. Thinking of them warmed my heart. The corners of my mouth lifted before I even realized it. When I looked up, I met Marcus’s complicated gaze. “Natalie. Does he treat you badly?” “Huh?” “If you’re in trouble, you can tell me anytime.” So my silence had become, in his mind, a painful inability to speak. Suddenly, he stepped forward. “If things are really hard, you can come to me directly. After all, we used to…” “You’re overthinking it. I have something to do. I’m leaving.” I cut him off. I made up a random excuse and stood. He looked at me with pained eyes. Great. What tragic fantasy had he invented now? “Natalie,” Selena called after me, “our company’s IPO celebration is in two days. Come if you’re free.” “Oh, right. Your grandmother’s blessing charm is still with me. You left it behind back then. I haven’t been able to contact you all these years, so I never had a chance to return it.” I had been about to refuse. But when I heard the second half, I hesitated. She said it on purpose. She knew I would refuse otherwise. In the end, I agreed. I wanted to see what she was trying to do. “I’ll drive you.” At the intersection, Marcus pulled up beside me. I hesitated for one second, then got in. “Where do you live now?” “South End Old Lane, number seventy-eight. Just drop me there.” Marcus frowned. “You still live there? That area’s about to be demolished. He lets you live in a place like that?” South End Old Lane, number seventy-eight, was where my grandmother had lived. It was also where I had lived for more than twenty years. There had indeed been rumors of demolition recently. But Sebastian Ford had bought the entire area. Because I had once said I could not bear to lose it. I was too lazy to explain, so I gave a faint hum. Marcus got angry instead. “Natalie King! What kind of attitude is that? After leaving me, you just gave up on yourself? You don’t even take your own marriage seriously?” “If it’s really not working, divorce him.” If Sebastian heard that, he would probably sulk for half a month. Thankfully, we had arrived. I opened the door and got out. “No need. Goodbye.” Then I left without looking back. Most people had moved out of the old neighborhood. Only a few elderly residents remained. The stairwell was dim, and I felt my way up to the seventh floor. When I opened the door, my grandmother’s portrait sat in the center of the room. I walked forward and lit three sticks of incense. Then I sat down and talked to her. As I spoke, I nearly fell asleep. My phone rang. It was a video call from Sebastian. “Mommy!” As soon as I answered, a milky little voice popped out. My son’s face filled most of the screen. “Mommy, Daddy said after he finishes work in two days, he’ll bring Ollie to see you. Mommy, Ollie misses you so much.” His voice was soft and sweet. He clung to the call for a long time before finally handing the phone to Sebastian. The man’s deep-set eyes looked tired. “How have the past two days been?” “Fine.” Sebastian and I met a little over two years ago. At that time, I had just crawled out of the relationship that Marcus had left in ruins. To heal myself, I carried a sketchboard and traveled all over the world. Mountains, rivers, cities, oceans. Sebastian was the model I happened to meet one day. I saw him as my muse. The source of my inspiration. I created painting after painting because of him. And he told me he had never met a woman as unusual as I was. Somewhere along the way, we fell in love. Later, I asked him what made me so unusual. He said, “Other women who see me want to attach themselves to me. They want some benefit from me. But you only wanted me to model for you. That was strange.” I said, “Doesn’t making you model count as a benefit?” He laughed. “Natalie, you’re adorably foolish.” I was foolish. Otherwise, how could I have failed to realize for so long that my so-called best friend had been stealing my fiancé? Only later did I learn that Sebastian had been born into a powerful, rigid family. The schemes, the hierarchy, the endless fight for profit had kept him on guard his whole life. He said that being with me gave him a kind of peace he had never known. We were two wounded people warming each other. Then Ollie came along. And our little family became even more beautiful. Two days passed quickly. Soon, it was the day of Marcus’s company celebration. Selena sent me a message reminding me to come. I replied: Okay. That afternoon, I took a cab to the venue. But I was stopped at the entrance. “Sorry, no invitation, no entry. Do you have an invitation?” The security guard looked me up and down. “No.” His attitude immediately turned sharp. “Then what are you doing here? Do you know what kind of place this is? Today is the day Hale Group celebrates its listing. Random people can’t just wander in.” I was shoved back. Suddenly, someone gasped. “Isn’t that Natalie King? Marcus Hale’s ex-girlfriend.” “It really is. Mrs. Hale, isn’t that your son’s ex?” It was Marcus’s mother, surrounded by a group of wealthy ladies. At that, Mrs. Hale’s smile froze. She rushed over at once. “Natalie King. It really is you. After betraying my son and running off with some man, you still have the nerve to come back?” “Don’t tell me you saw my son succeeding now, saw his company going public, and came back to get a piece of the pie.” “Let me warn you. If you dare cause trouble, I’ll expose everything you did back then.” The others looked at me with disgust. “I heard she cheated before the wedding and broke Marcus’s heart. Thank goodness Selena was there for him later.” “Exactly. Some people really have no shame.” Mrs. Hale squared her shoulders. “Did you hear me? Get out!” “Selena invited me.” “Selena invited you? Do you think I’ll believe that?” Only then did I realize that after I left, Marcus had not only painted himself as the perfect victim. He had also made Selena his savior. In the end, I, the actual victim, had become the only villain. How ironic. I took out my phone to message Selena. But someone slapped it out of my hand. “What? Planning to call my son? You think he’ll soften up and take you back?” “Dream on. Get out right now!” I picked up my phone and tried again. But the screen had gone black. I could not send a message. I could not even make a call. “Mom, what are you doing?” Marcus and Selena walked over. Mrs. Hale rushed to complain. “Son, look at this woman. She must have seen you’ve made something of yourself and come back for benefits. I was helping you chase her away.” “Mom, Natalie hasn’t had it easy these years. Let it go. It’s all in the past.” Marcus spoke. Selena echoed him, stepping forward to take my hand. “Nat, you finally came. I was going to have someone pick you up, but today was so busy I forgot. Oh, right, where’s your husband? Didn’t he come with you?” “No.” “What a shame. I was hoping there would be a few industry leaders here today. I could introduce you and your husband to some job opportunities.” She looked like a generous rich wife offering charity to a beggar. I frowned and pulled my hand away. “The blessing charm.” She froze. “Oh, look at me. I was in such a rush that I left it upstairs. Come in with me first. I’ll go get it for you later.” I had planned to take it and leave. Now I had no choice but to go inside. All along the way, people whispered behind me. “Selena really is generous.” “Exactly. Anyone else would’ve kicked her out long ago.” “I still have that video from back then saved.” Inside the hall, a small figure suddenly darted out and shoved me hard. I fell to the floor. “Bad woman! Don’t get close to my daddy!” “Hugo, don’t act up!” Marcus hurried forward and picked up the boy. Selena smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry, Natalie. He’s still young. He doesn’t know better.” I held out my hand again. “The charm. Give it to me. I’m leaving.” “You vixen! You’re the one seducing my husband, aren’t you?” Suddenly, a force grabbed my shoulder. A slap landed hard across my face. A woman rushed at me like a madwoman, grabbing my hair and tearing at it. “No wonder my husband keeps coming home in the middle of the night lately. If I hadn’t seen the photos, I really would’ve thought he was working late.” “You shameless vixen! How dare you seduce my man!” She shoved me to the ground. Just then, the main doors opened. Someone shouted, “It looks like Mr. Ford. Mr. Ford is here!” All sound vanished. Everyone turned toward the entrance.

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It was midnight. I sat in the recovery room. There wasn’t a single word of concern from my boyfriend, much less a “Happy Birthday.” Instead, the forums exploded with news: **[Campus Heartthrob Liam Speeding on Winding Roads Just to Win a Medal for His First Love, Victoria!]** My chest felt like it was being ripped open. Days of pent-up grievances made me cry for a full two hours. Finally, dragging my post-abortion body, I made my way home. Pushing open the door, Liam was sitting in his wheelchair. “Where have you been so late? Get me a glass of water.” I ignored him, my gaze fixed on his legs. He had been in that wheelchair for three whole years. Yet today, just to please his idealized first love, his years of “disability” had miraculously vanished. All these years, I had worked myself to the bone, saving up for his medical treatment, juggling two jobs day in and day out just to get by. Last week, I found out I was pregnant. Fearing it would affect his treatment, I quietly bought medication and aborted the child alone. But his disability was all an act. “Didn’t you hear me?” he prompted again. Amidst the numbness, I softly uttered three words: “Let’s break up.” 0

Liam froze, his hearing aid lying nearby. “What did you say? I’m not wearing my hearing aid, I can’t hear you clearly.” His ears were also damaged in that car accident three years ago. That accident stemmed from our fierce argument back then. We were bickering endlessly about breaking up, arguing from inside the house to the street, and he got distracted and was hit by a car. The subsequent disability and hearing impairment became his unwavering excuse to cling to me. And my insistence on breaking up initially was only because he had hidden from me that he was going to participate in a race on the winding mountain road. My mother had died in a car crash on that very same mountain road. But he was bent on his own way, entering the race solely to help Victoria win a medal. That medal was his obsession, something he was willing to risk danger and even death for, just for Victoria. It was his public declaration of undying devotion. At this moment, he raised his hand, put on his hearing aid, and waited for my reply. “Let’s break up.” I repeated it, filled with nothing but utter despair. Liam instantly exploded in rage, raising his hand and forcefully smashing one of the hearing aids to the ground. *Bang!* A piercing shattering sound echoed. It wasn’t just the device that broke. It was all the foolishness of my heart and soul over these years. I couldn’t be bothered to deal with him anymore. This guy, a leopard never changes its spots; I wanted nothing more to do with him. I turned and walked into the room, starting to pack my luggage. My swift and decisive actions made him realize my determination to leave. Realizing this, he quickly maneuvered his wheelchair to block my way. “Are you throwing a tantrum because I forgot your birthday?” “I really was held up today, but I still got you a cake in the fridge.” Just as I was about to expose all his lies, a knock suddenly came from the door. Opening it, I saw it was Victoria. “Liam’s ring was left at my place, so I brought it over.” I lowered my gaze to the ring. This wasn’t the couple’s ring Liam and I shared. Looking up, I saw Victoria wearing an identical ring on her hand. The mockery in my heart almost overflowed. Victoria had only been back for two days, and he had not only replaced that old medal but also prepared matching couple’s rings long ago. His hidden favoritism was far greater than I had imagined. Victoria’s smile was gentle: “It’s late, but happy birthday anyway, Sophia.” “I’m so sorry, I took up your boyfriend’s entire day today.” Liam pushed his wheelchair to the door: “Don’t overthink it, Sophia. Victoria hasn’t been back in the country for a long time; I should naturally entertain her.” I retorted coldly, “You, a disabled person with limited mobility, find it convenient to entertain old friends, do you?” These words completely ignited his anger: “What’s that supposed to mean?” I directly exposed him: “You like Victoria, you’re biased towards Victoria…” “Stop being unreasonable!” he harshly interrupted me. “You’re my girlfriend, you’re the only one I like.” Before his words even finished, the entire house suddenly shook violently! An earthquake! Glass bottles on the shelves crashed down. *Clatter, clatter!* Victoria and I both fell to the ground. My palm landed squarely on the shattered glass. A sharp, stinging pain instantly swept through my body… “Victoria!” And at that moment, Liam abruptly stood up from his wheelchair. He strode over, pulled Victoria into his arms, and swiftly shielded her in the corner, protecting her firmly with his entire body. I was trapped in the shaking room, isolated and helpless. Glass shards in my palm cut me, leaving my hand a bloody mess. The sight of him desperately protecting the woman he loved was so deeply moving. Yet, just a second ago, he was still claiming he loved me. How utterly laughable… 0

The tremors gradually subsided, leaving only chaos on the floor. Liam settled Victoria safely, then belatedly turned around. His gaze fell on my bleeding hand: “Sophia, are you alright!” “How did you manage to hit the glass?” “Come on, I’ll take you to the hospital!” I pulled my hand away. Looking at him standing steadily, a cold mockery rose in my throat. “Your legs certainly recovered quickly.” He stiffened abruptly, his panic impossible to hide, and he mumbled an explanation. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to lie to you, I was desperate.” “I truly love you, Sophia.” “But you insisted on breaking up, and I really had no choice but to resort to that.” I didn’t want to debate whether he loved me or not. I slowly raised my hand and picked up the ring Victoria had just delivered. The cold metal pressed against my fingertips, and against my already tattered heart. “How many more things are you hiding from me?” “You said your family went bankrupt, living was tough.” “But I’ve seen this ring before; it’s worth a seven-figure sum.” “What you gave me were cheap trinkets that faded after a few wears and caused me recurring skin allergies.” “Now this sky-high ring is given to Victoria.” “Did you buy it by borrowing everywhere, or did your family overcome their difficulties long ago?” Seeing that I had exposed him, he stopped pretending. The last trace of guilt vanished from his face, and he simply admitted it. “You’re right, I lied to you about that too.” “My family’s troubles passed a long time ago.” “But what’s your status, Sophia, and what’s Victoria’s status?” “I can’t possibly treat her with the same standards I treat you.” I looked up at him, my eyes filled with disbelief. “So, ultimately, I’m just not worthy?” His high-sounding words even made me laugh. “I only deserve these bargain-bin items, is that right?” He frowned, full of impatience and disdain. “What’s with this drama, Sophia?” “Things have been this way for years, haven’t they? Just know your place and that’s enough.” “Why do you have to compare yourself to Victoria? She comes from a privileged background; she naturally deserves the best of everything.” “Are you clinging to all this because you’re just a gold-digger?” “A gold-digger?” Those two words were like a sharp knife, piercing deep into my gut. Years of accumulated grievances broke through my defenses, and I couldn’t hold back anymore, bursting into tears. “Ask me how I’ve survived all these years!” “I scrimped on food and clothes, wearing old outfits over and over, juggling two jobs.” “Every penny I saved went to your so-called medical treatment.” “When I got pregnant, I couldn’t even afford a proper $2,000 procedure, so I secretly bought cheap medication for an at-home abortion.” “And on my birthday, of all days, I lay alone in the recovery room, in agony!” “Now you’re twisting the facts and calling me a gold-digger?” Liam froze, speechless, and demanded, “What did you say? You were pregnant?” I didn’t want to look at him any longer. The wound in my palm was still oozing blood. Warm liquid slowly dripped through my fingers. Biting my lip, I turned and stumbled out. Behind me, hurried footsteps followed. Liam rushed to catch up. 0

I ran like crazy, desperate to escape this suffocating situation. Behind me, besides Liam’s footsteps, Victoria also chased after us. “Sophia, please don’t be angry, okay?” “Liam didn’t intentionally neglect you; it’s just that I just got back to the country, and he had to take care of me out of politeness.” “Be a bit more understanding; don’t fight with him.” Every word seemed to be comforting, but in reality, she was subtly implying I was making a big deal out of nothing and being immature. I couldn’t be bothered with her and didn’t stop running for a second. After only a few steps, a delicate cry suddenly came from behind. Victoria sharply twisted her ankle, falling to the ground and clutching her ankle tightly. The next second, Liam, who had been vaguely chasing me, instantly changed direction. He rushed over, carefully protecting her. The worry in his eyes was undeniable. It was the same concern he had shown for years. The churning pain in my chest completely crushed all my rationality. I lost myself, forgetting I was still standing in the middle of a busy street. A blinding headlight suddenly hit me, too fast to react. A violent impact instantly swept through my body, and I was thrown hard to the ground. In the last moment of my fading consciousness, I looked up at them. Liam never looked back. His eyes were only on Victoria’s sprained ankle. He bent down, picked her up, and walked straight away. He didn’t care about me at all. When I opened my eyes again, I was already in a VIP hospital room. The driver who had hit me was standing beside the bed. He busied himself with paying my bills and completing all the paperwork. He handled all the tedious procedures perfectly. He looked at me with a heart full of distress. “Miss Sophia, please come home with me.” “Mr. Richard has seen how much you’ve suffered, and he’s heartbroken.” I didn’t speak, just wanted to get out of bed and walk on my own. As I reached the door, the conversation from the next room came through clearly. It was Liam and his friends. Someone spoke first, with a hint of mockery. “You couldn’t have missed the car hitting her on the road just now, could you?” Liam’s voice was flat, without a ripple of emotion. “Victoria sprained her ankle; I couldn’t just leave her.” “I glimpsed her out of the corner of my eye; Sophia was fine, she could stand.” His friend pressed on: “So how do you plan to explain it to her?” Liam chuckled, full of indifference. “Just say my hearing aid ran out of battery, and I didn’t hear or notice.” Someone next to him scoffed. “Your fake hearing loss is truly a universal excuse.” “Normally, you use it to avoid her nagging; in critical moments, you can even openly favor Victoria.” I froze at the door. So, all those years I leaned beside him, pouring out my grievances and hardships day and night, He heard every single word. It wasn’t that he couldn’t hear; he simply didn’t care to listen. Someone else asked: “All things considered, do you even like Sophia?” Liam was silent for two seconds. “After all this time, saying I don’t like her would be a lie.” “But she’s like a roadside stall—tasty, satisfying, easy to win over.” “Still, a roadside stall can never be presentable.” “Victoria is different; even if I stopped liking her, she’s still a luxury item, an antique.” “Someone I can take out to impress, someone who matches my status.” His friend teased: “You wouldn’t want both, would you?” Liam hesitated, then scoffed: “I’d definitely choose Victoria.” “I only started dating Sophia to spite Victoria in the first place.” Every word pierced deeply into my heart. Mike, the driver, stepped forward to persuade me again. “Miss, don’t try to be strong. Mr. Richard will be here any minute. Please come back with me.” I looked down, self-deprecating. “I’m just an illegitimate child, a love child who isn’t supposed to exist.” “How could he care about me? Why would he come to pick me up?” As soon as my words fell, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded. I looked up and saw my father, Richard, standing breathlessly in front of me. 0

I sat in the spacious and luxurious Richard family mansion again after many years. Everything around me was grand and opulent, yet so unfamiliar that I felt utterly out of place. Father sat opposite me, his eyes filled with weariness and guilt. “I always thought your mother was doing well with you.” “I didn’t know she passed so early. All these years, I never dared to disturb your lives.” “I only recently found out about you. You’ve suffered, and it’s my fault, Sophia.” I gently shook my head, but tears streamed uncontrollably down my face. Years of wandering and hardship flooded my mind in that moment. He looked at my reddened eyes, his tone growing more distressed. “Yesterday was your birthday, Sophia, and I missed it.” “I’ll throw you a belated birthday party, publicly announcing your identity, telling everyone you are my daughter, a Richard.” I instinctively shook my head, wanting to refuse this belated amends. It was too late; I no longer needed any of this. But Father’s attitude was exceptionally firm, not giving me a chance to decline. He immediately gave orders for the preparations of the banquet. The Richard family’s efficiency was remarkably high. Within a few days, a grand birthday banquet was meticulously arranged. Meanwhile, my phone kept vibrating non-stop. It was Liam. An endless stream of transfer notifications filled my screen, followed by his coaxing messages. He softly apologized, saying he had been momentarily confused and shouldn’t have treated me that way. I remained silent throughout. I understood his intentions too well. He wasn’t missing *me*. He only missed the Sophia who was hardworking, cheap, and easy to use. He missed the Sophia who could be used as a reference point to highlight his deep affection and devotion to Victoria. I looked up at my father beside me, my voice calm and steady. “Dad, would you mind setting me up on a blind date?” “I want to fend off these messy troubles.” Father readily agreed. “No problem, Sophia. I’ll introduce you to the most eligible bachelors in our circle.” On the night of the birthday banquet, the elite gathered; almost all the prominent figures in the city were present. Liam and his friends were also, surprisingly, on the invitation list. In a corner of the banquet hall, a few guys chatted. Someone patted Liam’s shoulder, their tone teasing. “Hey Liam, didn’t you say the other day you couldn’t get in touch with Sophia anymore?” “This newly recognized heiress of the Richard family is also called Sophia. It couldn’t be your poor girlfriend, could it?” Liam scoffed: “How could it be?” “Someone like her, an ordinary girl with nothing, how could she be a Richard heiress?” Someone nearby chimed in, with an envious tone. “I heard that tonight’s banquet isn’t just a belated birthday celebration.” “Ethan Knight from Knight Industries is also here, specifically for a blind date with the Richard heiress.” Liam’s disdain deepened, his voice certain. “Then it’s even less likely to be her.” “Someone who’ll never climb to the top, how could she be worthy of Ethan Knight?” As his words fell, the entrance to the banquet hall suddenly fell silent. I, dressed in a haute couture gown, walked slowly into the venue, side by side with Ethan Knight. My gaze fell directly on Liam. The moment our eyes met, the smile on Liam’s face instantly froze. He stared, slowly scanning me from head to toe. Taking in my expensive gown, my exquisite makeup. *Clatter!* A crisp shattering sound suddenly rang out. The high-stemmed glass in his hand crashed heavily to the ground, wine splashing everywhere.

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At the celebration dinner, I had just secured an exclusive distribution deal worth fifty million dollars, with my commission alone amounting to three million. Yet, Mrs. Smith handed a hundred-thousand-dollar cashiers check to the new intern, Brittany, who only knew how to bat her eyelashes and flirt. For me? A cheap plastic bee trophy and a fifty-dollar supermarket gift card. She looked down on me, sneering, “Luna Miller, your commission is already substantial. This hundred-thousand-dollar bonus is for the new hire, a little encouragement. Don’t be so greedy, Luna.” My colleagues erupted in laughter, enjoying my humiliation. They had no idea that I was the *sole* designated person responsible for that fifty-million-dollar contract. I smiled, placing the gift card on the table. “Fine, you can have fun with this distribution deal yourselves.” Three days later, the company’s cash flow collapsed. Mrs. Smith knelt outside my villa, banging her head on the ground until it bled. The company finally secured the fifty-million-dollar exclusive chip distribution contract. The celebration dinner was held at the city’s most expensive five-star hotel. During the banquet, all eighty-plus employees stared at the mahogany tray on the stage. Inside the tray was the highlight of the evening—the special project award. Brittany, an intern who had only been with us for three months, stood delicately on stage in a pure white designer gown, her every movement exaggerated. Mrs. Smith, beaming, picked up a hundred-thousand-dollar cashiers check from the tray and tucked it into Brittany’s hand. “Our Brittany might be new, but in this fifty-million-dollar battle, she served coffee, kept spirits high, and truly made an invaluable contribution!” “This hundred thousand is the company’s encouragement for young talent!” The room burst into applause. Brittany covered her mouth, her eyes welling up, and bowed repeatedly. “Thank you, Mrs. Smith! I promise to treat this company like my own home from now on!” After the applause died down, Mrs. Smith’s gaze swept through the crowd and landed on me, sitting in a corner. Her smile instantly faded a bit, replaced by a look of lofty condescension. “Next, our project’s main force, Luna Miller.” From the very bottom of the mahogany tray, she fished out an object. It was a cheap plastic bee trophy that looked like something you’d get three for ten bucks at a flea market. A crumpled piece of paper was taped to its base with clear tape—”Walmart $50 Gift Card (minimum $500 purchase)”. The entire room fell silent. Someone couldn’t hold it in and snickered. Mrs. Smith, clacking her ten-centimeter heels, walked over to me and plunked the cheap plastic trophy on my table. “Luna, you’re the company’s sales champion. For this fifty-million-dollar deal, your commission alone is three million.” “Don’t snatch this small hundred-thousand-dollar bonus from a fresh graduate. A symbolic award is enough for you. You need to have a bigger picture, don’t be so greedy.” I looked down at the plastic trophy. The劣質 (lièzhì) cheap gold paint was even flaking off. Brittany, holding the hundred-thousand-dollar check, leaned in and chirped in a voice loud enough for everyone at the table to hear: “Luna, you’re so rich, you surely don’t care about a hundred thousand dollars. You’re not mad at me, are you?” Several colleagues, always jealous of my performance, immediately started making sarcastic remarks. “Exactly, Luna’s already feasting; she should at least let us have some of the scraps.” “The richer people get, the tighter they become, even begrudging a new hire’s bonus.” “If it weren’t for the company providing the platform, could she have landed a fifty-million-dollar deal? People should know how to be grateful!” In their eyes, since I was earning the highest commission in the company, I should silently accept any insult.

I didn’t touch the plastic trophy. I looked up, meeting Mrs. Smith’s face, stiff from too much botox. “Mrs. Smith, if I’m not mistaken, the only thing Brittany did on this project was accidentally spill coffee on my original draft while I was pulling all-nighters revising the technical proposal twenty-three times.” “And I, to secure that fifty-million-dollar exclusive distribution right, practically lived under the Hayes Group building for half a month, ending up with a bleeding stomach ulcer from all the stress.” My voice wasn’t loud, but every word resonated in the quiet banquet hall. “Now you’re telling me she gets a hundred thousand, and I get a fifty-dollar discount voucher? You call that having a ‘bigger picture’?” Mrs. Smith’s face instantly changed. She slammed her hand on the table, making the wine glasses hum. “Luna Miller! What is your attitude?!” “The company pays your benefits, gives you a base salary. Clients are company resources. You just ran an errand!” “Without the company’s backing, who do you think you are for Mr. Hayes of the Hayes Group to even know your name?” She pointed at my nose, her shrill voice piercing everyone’s ears. “Don’t think just because you closed one deal, you can get a big head! The company will run perfectly fine without you!” Mr. Smith, the owner, waddled over with a glass of wine at that moment. Always one to play the good cop, he patted his beer belly and chuckled awkwardly. “Oh, Luna, Mrs. Smith speaks her mind, don’t take it to heart.” “The company’s cash flow is indeed tight lately, as we had to front the security deposit for this project. We’re all pulling through tough times together, you know.” “As a veteran employee, you should be considerate of the company’s difficulties. You’re getting so much commission from this deal, why quibble over such a small amount of money?” Considerate. Pulling through tough times together. Looking at the couple, I felt a surge of nausea. Last month, when the company was on the brink of bankruptcy, I mortgaged my own property to inject capital and help us survive the crisis. At that time, they were vacationing in Hawaii. Now that the fifty-million-dollar deal was secured, they wanted to talk about pulling through tough times together? I stood up and ripped the fifty-dollar gift card from the plastic trophy. “Since the company is in such dire straits.” I slapped the gift card onto Mr. Smith’s chest. “Keep this fifty dollars, Mr. Smith. Maybe buy some brain food.” “After all, you’ll definitely need it soon.”

“Luna Miller! You’re outrageous!” Mrs. Smith trembled with rage, pointing towards the door. “If you dare to walk out that door today, don’t bother coming to work tomorrow!” “Not only won’t you come to work, but you won’t get a single cent of your three million commission either!” The entire room fell silent. Everyone gasped. Three million dollars in commission — that was an astronomical figure. Brittany, nearby, fanned the flames. “Luna, quickly apologize to Mrs. Smith. Losing three million just because you’re stubborn isn’t worth it, is it?” I gave her a cold glance. “That three million is written in my employment contract and project commission agreement.” “Mrs. Smith, if you have the guts to withhold it, we’ll see each other in court.” I picked up my bag and walked out of the banquet hall without looking back. As the door closed behind me, I could still hear Mrs. Smith’s furious curses: “See you in court, then! I’d like to see what Luna Miller is without our company’s platform!” “Brittany! Starting tomorrow, you’re taking over all Hayes Group deals!” “I’ll make her realize that the world keeps turning without her!” I stood in the cold wind outside the hotel entrance and lit a cigarette. I took a deep drag and exhaled a long plume of smoke. The core of the Hayes Group’s fifty-million-dollar exclusive distribution rights wasn’t the company’s platform at all. It was that Aiden Hayes, the CEO of Hayes Group, only recognized *me*, Luna Miller. No one else knew about the additional clauses in that contract. They wanted it? Then let them have it. I just feared that hot potato, however, would burn them to ashes, skin and bone.

The next morning, I punched in for work as usual. As I walked to my cubicle, I saw my computer had already been removed. Only a cardboard box remained on my desk, haphazardly stuffed with a few of my mugs and notebooks. Brittany was sitting in my executive chair, showing off her newly bought designer bag. Seeing me, she immediately stood up, putting on an innocent, almost saccharine expression. “Luna, don’t blame me. Mrs. Smith said since your attitude was bad, I should take over the Hayes project.” “She told me to take over all your client files today.” I looked at her manipulative smile, lacking even the desire to be angry. Just then, Ms. Davis from HR sent out a company-wide email. Subject: Important Notice Regarding Client Resource Ownership and Prohibiting Personal Appropriation of Company Assets. The email subtly accused me of being arrogant and self-important, threatening immediate termination and forfeiture of all commission if I refused to hand over my responsibilities. Immediately after, Mr. Smith’s secretary walked over and said coldly, “Luna Miller, the boss wants you in the conference room.” I pushed open the conference room door. Mr. and Mrs. Smith were already sitting inside. Two documents lay on the table. One was an “Unconditional Client Resource Transfer Agreement.” The other, a “Voluntary Commission Waiver Agreement.” Mrs. Smith was wearing a striking red business suit today, exuding confidence, as if she had found my Achilles’ heel. “Luna Miller, yesterday I saved you some face outside.” She threw a pen onto the table, making a sharp clattering sound. “Sign these two documents, hand over all contact information for Hayes Group liaisons, technical drafts, and pricing models.” “Considering your past efforts, I’ll let you leave gracefully.” I glanced at the commission waiver agreement and nearly laughed out loud. “Mrs. Smith, is robbery this blatant these days?” Mr. Smith cleared his throat, his face stern. “Luna, don’t use such harsh words. Clients belong to the company; you’re just an executor. Now the company has decided to change executors, so just cooperate.” “If you don’t cooperate, according to company regulations, for causing significant project losses, we will not only fire you but also sue you for damages!” Threatening me? I pulled out a chair and calmly sat down. “Alright, a handover, you say?” I pulled out a thick stack of documents from my bag and slapped them onto the table. “These are all the project milestones, contacts, and preferred communication methods for the Hayes Group.” “I’ve organized everything.” Mrs. Smith’s eyes lit up, and she pounced on the documents like a hungry wolf, snatching them into her hands. She flipped through a couple of pages and laughed triumphantly. “Smart of you. But you also have to sign this commission waiver agreement.” I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms. “I won’t give up a single cent of my commission. If you want to withhold it, by all means, try.” “As for the client handover, I’ve handed it over. Can you even manage it?”

“What a joke!” Mrs. Smith slammed the documents onto the table. “It’s just the Hayes Group! What’s so great about it?!” “Brittany!” She called out towards the door. Brittany scampered in like an obedient puppy. “Mrs. Smith, you called?” Mrs. Smith pointed at the phone number of the Hayes Group’s Director of Procurement on the document. “Call it now! Put it on speaker! Let certain conceited people hear that without her, Hayes’s money will still hit our company’s account!” Brittany pulled out her latest iPhone and dialed the number. The conference room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. “Beep—beep—” The call connected. “Who is this?” A cold, crisp female voice came through. Brittany immediately put on a sickly sweet, high-pitched voice. “Hello, are you Director Wang of the Hayes Group? This is Brittany, the new manager for the fifty-million-dollar distribution project~” There was three seconds of silence on the other end. “My name isn’t Wang, it’s Zhao. You don’t even know the name of your point person?” Brittany’s face stiffened, and she looked to Mrs. Smith for help. Mrs. Smith snatched the phone and shouted into the microphone: “Director Zhao, is it? I’m Mrs. Smith, the owner of your supplier company! The fifty-million-dollar contract has been signed, and the first payment of twenty million must be transferred today!” Her tone wasn’t like someone chasing a payment; it was more like a gangster collecting protection money in a back alley. Director Davies on the other end let out a cold laugh. “Mrs. Smith? I don’t care who you are. According to Article Seven of the contract, before payment, you need to submit the underlying architecture authorization for the core A.I. chip, and it must be personally signed and confirmed by Ms. Miller.” “Where is the authorization?” Mrs. Smith froze, turning to glare at me. “What authorization? Why don’t I know about this?” I shrugged, saying nothing. Mrs. Smith could only grit her teeth and shout into the phone, “What authorization? The contract is signed, just send the money! Luna Miller has been fired, and Brittany will manage the project from now on!” As soon as she said that, the air pressure on the other end of the line instantly dropped to freezing. “Fired?” Director Davies’s voice turned completely cold. “Your company unilaterally replacing the core technical liaison and failing to provide the authorization constitutes a fundamental breach of contract.” “Payment processing is immediately terminated. Our legal department will send you a termination letter within the hour.” “Beep—” The call was ruthlessly disconnected. The busy signal echoed in the conference room, like a loud slap across Mrs. Smith’s face.

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In my past life, my best friend, an influencer with a million followers, sold my private schedule and my fear of men to a crazed male fan, all for the sake of a “viral hit.” She called it “testing a boyfriend’s protective instincts.” When that man, knife in hand, dragged me into a dark alley, she hid behind the camera, excitedly counting the skyrocketing traffic. My boyfriend, Ethan, lost control trying to save me, injured the man, and was vilified online as a “violent maniac” and sent to prison. I was labeled a “drama queen seeking attention” and, in despair, jumped from a high-rise. When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the “desensitization test” party she had meticulously arranged for me. Looking at the spiked drink she offered, I smiled. This time, I wouldn’t just tear up her script; I’d make her personally experience what a *real* live broadcast of despair felt like. The deafening bass pounded against my eardrums, and colorful spotlights, like venomous snake tongues, slithered across the dim private room. I jolted awake, cold sweat instantly soaking my back. As my vision focused, a delicate yet sickening face filled my view. “Alice, what are you spacing out for? Drink up, the ‘desensitization game’ is about to begin tonight.” Chloe smiled brightly, swirling a crimson cocktail in her hand, holding it to my lips. I stared at the drink, my fingertips trembling uncontrollably. Not from fear, but from the bone-deep hatred screaming in my veins. I was reborn. Back to my junior year of college, at this so-called “androphobia desensitization party” Chloe had organized for me. In my previous life, it was at this very party that I drank this glass of wine, laced with a potent hallucinogen and sleeping pills. Afterward, she locked me in a dark utility closet at the end of the hallway, claiming it was a “game segment.” Waiting for me there wasn’t some game NPC, but a perverted male fan who had paid a hefty sum for my “first fright experience.” That man covered my mouth, tore at my clothes, and the blade of his folding knife grazed my cheek. And Chloe, my “best friend,” the female empowerment blogger with a million followers, was hiding behind a discreet camera in the ventilation duct, excitedly watching the donations and traffic skyrocketing on her livestream backend. Later, my boyfriend, Ethan, kicked open the door and, red-eyed, beat that man to an inch of his life. But Chloe cut out the footage of the man with the knife, cut out my pleas, and only released clips of Ethan’s beastly violence. The title: *When Your Girlfriend Is in Staged Danger, Is Your Boyfriend a Protector or a Violent Maniac?* Ethan was jailed, his future ruined. I was slut-shamed by the entire internet and eventually leapt from the twenty-eighth floor. “Alice? What’s wrong? You look so pale, are you scared?” Chloe’s voice snapped me out of my memories. She leaned closer, her eyes glittering with undisguised excitement and greed, like she was looking at a trending product about to hit the shelves. “Don’t be scared, I’m here. It’s more impactful if it’s real, right?” *More impactful if it’s real.* There it was again, that utterly disgusting line. I took a deep breath, suppressing the churning in my stomach, and a chilling smile touched my lips. “Alright,” I said, taking the glass. My fingertips traced the cold glass. “But this drink’s color is too vibrant; I don’t really like it.” I picked up another glass of sparkling water from the table. “I’ll drink this.” Chloe’s face subtly shifted, a flicker of panic in her eyes. She reached out to grab my glass. “Oh, no, that one’s mine! This one is my special ‘Water of Courage’ just for you.” Just as she leaned in to lunge for it, I flicked my wrist, my finger subtly nudging the powder hidden under my fingernail into her glass. It was a spare pill I’d slipped out of her bag when she’d turned away moments ago. “Since you specially prepared it, how can I be so rude as to enjoy it alone?” I smoothly crisscrossed the two glasses in the air, swapping them with lightning speed. “Cheers.” I handed the swapped cocktail back to her and tilted my head back, downing the drink that had originally been hers. Chloe paused, seemingly not catching my move. She looked at the drink in her hand suspiciously, then at me as I swallowed, finally letting down her guard. “Cheers, to your… rebirth tonight.” She smiled meaningfully, tilting her head back and drinking the glass, now double-spiked, clean. I watched her throat bob, my eyes icy. Yes, rebirth. But tonight, the one going to hell is you.

Less than ten minutes later, the drugs kicked in. Chloe’s cheeks were flushed with an unnatural color, her eyes began to glaze over, and her body swayed, slumping onto the sofa. “Alice… I’m so dizzy… Is this drink…” She weakly clutched my sleeve, her voice already slurring. I watched her with cold eyes, then grabbed her wrist and pulled her off the sofa. “Dizzy? Good. The game’s about to start.” I leaned close to her ear, my voice soft like a whisper from hell. “Didn’t you say the more real, the better?” Half-supporting, half-dragging her, I steered her away from the chaotic party-goers in the room and straight towards the utility closet at the end of the hallway. The hallway lights flickered dimly, and the air was thick with the pungent mix of cheap perfume and alcohol. The utility closet door was ajar, a suffocating darkness seeping from within. I pushed the door open and shoved the limp Chloe inside. “Alice… What are you doing… Don’t leave me alone…” Chloe fumbled in the darkness, her voice finally laced with genuine fear. “Don’t worry, your ‘leading man’ will be here any second.” I said coldly, then slammed the door shut, the click of the lock echoing. With that done, I turned and walked into an empty room next door, pulled out my phone, and called Ethan. The phone rang once before he answered. “Where are you?” Ethan’s voice was deep and husky, tinged with suppressed anxiety. “The Scarlet Lounge, second floor.” I leaned against the cold wall, listening to his voice, my eyes uncontrollably reddening. In my previous life, he had held me, hands bloody, kissing my forehead repeatedly, saying, “Don’t be scared, I’m here.” This time, I would never let him be tainted again. “I’m on my way.” The roar of a motorcycle engine sounded from the other end of the line. “Ethan, listen to me.” I took a deep breath, my tone more serious than ever. “No matter what you see or hear tonight, absolutely do not lay a hand on anyone. Bring your miniature camera and record everything.” The engine sound paused. “Alice Stone, is someone bothering you?” His voice instantly turned ice-cold, radiating palpable killing intent. “No,” I softened my voice, a hint of reassurance in my tone. “But I need you to help me expose a fraud. Remember, no physical contact, just record. If you so much as throw a punch, I’ll never speak to you again.” There was silence on the other end for a full five seconds. “Fine, I’ll do as you say,” he agreed, gritting his teeth. Hanging up, I walked to a surveillance blind spot at the hallway corner, watching the utility closet. Three minutes later, a man in a black baseball cap and mask skulked furtively down the hallway. He glanced around, pulled a spare key from his pocket, and inserted it into the closet lock. The door opened, and the man slipped inside. Almost simultaneously, a muffled gasp came from the closet, followed by the sound of tearing clothes and the man’s heavy breathing. “Baby, don’t hide, Chloe said you love a thrill…” “Get off me! Don’t touch me! I’m Chloe! Help—” Chloe’s shrill screams pierced through the door, echoing in the hallway. I stood emotionless in the shadows, pulled out my phone, and opened the 911 dialing screen. “Hello, 911? Abandoned storage room on the second floor of The Scarlet Lounge, someone is being sexually assaulted.” After hanging up, I looked down the hallway. Ethan’s tall, imposing figure strode towards me. He wore a black jacket, his eyes sharp, radiating a menacing aura that kept people away. Seeing me safe and sound in the corner, his taut jawline finally relaxed a bit. He took a large stride and pulled me into his arms. His heart raced, and his embrace was so tight it almost broke my bones. “I’m fine.” I hugged him back, pressing my cheek against his firm chest, inhaling the familiar scent of mint and tobacco. The ice in my heart finally cracked. “Who’s in there?” His gaze was fixed on the door, from which screams and thuds continued. “A rotten person getting what they deserve.” I pulled back from his embrace and straightened his collar. “Is the recording on?” Ethan nodded, pointing to the discreet camera on his chest. “Good.” I took his hand. “Now, let’s go enjoy the climax of this show.”

Police sirens pierced the night’s stillness, and flashing red and blue lights illuminated the area outside the bar like daylight. Officers stormed up to the second floor and kicked open the utility closet door. The scene inside was gruesome. The masked man was pressing Chloe down, a gleaming folding knife still in his hand, its blade against Chloe’s neck. Chloe’s clothes were disheveled, her hair a mess, her face streaked with tears and terror, her meticulously applied makeup smeared. “Police! Drop your weapon! Hands on your head!” The man was terrified by the sudden bright lights and shouts. His hand shook, and the knife clattered to the floor. Officers swiftly moved in, twisted his arms behind his back, and pinned him to the ground. Chloe cowered in the corner, trembling like a dying fish. When she looked up, her eyes widened instantly, filled with disbelief and venomous hatred, as she saw me, unharmed, standing outside the hallway crowd. “Alice Stone! It’s you! You set me up!” She shrieked desperately, trying to lunge at me, but was held back firmly by a female officer. I looked at her expressionlessly, my gaze like I was looking at non-recyclable trash. “Chloe, you’re drunk. What are you rambling about?” My tone was calm, even with a hint of appropriate shock and pity. “I just went to the restroom, and when I came back, I saw all these people gathered here… How did you end up with someone like this?” “Bullshit! You swapped my drink! You locked me in!” Chloe roared hysterically, like a madwoman. “Madam, please mind your language,” the lead officer frowned. “You sent messages inviting this man here. We’ve found your chat logs on his phone.” Chloe looked as if struck by lightning, freezing in place. Of course, she knew the chat logs were real; she had personally sent them to this perverted fan, originally to use against me. Now, they had become ironclad proof of her soliciting or staging a crime herself. “No… It’s not like that… I was just testing…” She stammered, trying to explain. “Testing what? Testing how to incite sexual assault?” The officer scoffed. “Take her away!” Chloe and the man were escorted downstairs. As she passed me, Chloe glared, gritting out a sentence: “Alice Stone, you just wait, I won’t let you get away with this!” I offered a slight smile, saying in a voice only she could hear, “Alright, I’ll be waiting to see how you disgrace and ruin yourself.” After the police left, the bar fell into a dead silence. Ethan remained silently behind me, like a guardian angel. He reached out, wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and pulled me into his embrace. “This is what you meant by exposing a fraud?” His voice was low, tinged with dangerous scrutiny. “Yes.” I didn’t hide anything. I looked up, meeting his deep eyes. “Ethan, Chloe tried to destroy me with the most vile methods. If I had been the one in there tonight, you would now be in prison for beating that man to a pulp to save me, all thanks to her.” Ethan’s pupils constricted sharply, a tsunami of rage instantly swelling in his eyes. He cupped my jaw, the rough touch of his thumb making me shiver slightly. “She dared to lay a hand on you?” His voice was gritted through his teeth, filled with potent killing intent. “She already did.” I gripped his hand, my gaze firm. “So, I won’t let her manipulate me anymore. Ethan, I’m going to fight back. I’m going to return everything she did to me a thousandfold.” Ethan stared at me for a long time, the storm in his eyes slowly subsiding, turning into a bottomless abyss. He lowered his head and kissed my lips fiercely. It was a kiss filled with aggression and possessiveness, carrying the scent of blood and an undeniable dominance. “Alright,” he released me, pressing his forehead against mine, his breathing heavy. “Whatever you want to do, I’ll be with you. If the sky falls, I’ll hold it up for you; if hell’s gates open, I’ll break through them for you.”

The next morning, public opinion exploded as expected. But the direction of the explosion was completely different from what Chloe had anticipated. Last night’s anti-vice raid at The Scarlet Lounge became a local trending topic. Bystanders caught photos of Chloe being escorted into a police car, looking disheveled. Though her face was pixelated, her distinctive haute couture dress and limited-edition bag were immediately recognized by sharp-eyed fans. “Holy shit! Isn’t that Chloe, the million-follower blogger who constantly preaches ‘female independence’ and ‘safety precautions’?” “What’s going on? The female empowerment blogger is playing this wild behind the scenes? Suspected of prostitution?” “Inside scoop: apparently, it wasn’t prostitution, but she was playing some ‘real-life test’ that backfired badly and nearly got her assaulted by a fan.” The internet instantly blew up. Chloe’s team reacted incredibly fast. In less than two hours, they released a clarification video. In the video, Chloe appeared without makeup, her eyes red and swollen, face pale, looking pitiful. “Hello everyone, I’m Chloe. Regarding last night’s incident, I must clarify.” She choked back tears, large drops falling. “Last night, I was trying to help my best friend with a ‘fear of men desensitization test.’ She’s been unable to move past her past trauma, and I was too eager, wanting to use the most realistic scenario to stimulate her.” “I found a trusted fan to help me stage it, but I never expected my friend to misunderstand my good intentions. Not only did she abandon me at the last minute, she also locked me in the room and even falsely reported me to the police, slandering me…” “I’m truly heartbroken. I poured my whole heart into helping her, why would she do this to me?” As soon as this video was released, public opinion instantly reversed. Chloe’s long-cultivated persona as a “confidante” and “women’s protector” played a huge role. Countless fans flooded the comment section, beginning to furiously insult the “ungrateful friend.” “This friend is so toxic, isn’t she? Someone tries to help her kindly, and she bites back?” “Fear of men? I think it’s more like a victim complex! People like her should be avoided!” “Doxx her! Find this viper and make her apologize to Chloe!” Soon, all my personal information was dug up. My name, school, major, even records of my past therapy sessions were exposed online. Countless malicious DMs and texts flooded in like a tide, making my phone almost unusable. The university counselor’s call also came through to Ethan’s phone. “Ethan, are you with Alice Stone? The current online controversy is negatively impacting the university. The department has decided to suspend Alice from classes for her to reflect at home. As her boyfriend, you should also be mindful of your influence and not get involved in this mess.” Ethan hung up immediately and threw his phone aside. He turned to look at me, his eyes sharp as knives. “Do you want me to get her account taken down?” I sat on the sofa, looking at the disgusting insults on the computer screen, a cold smile on my lips. “No need,” I said, taking a sip of coffee. “Taking down her account now would be too easy. The higher you climb, the harder you fall.” I pulled out the voice recorder. Inside was Chloe’s admission from last night, “It’s more impactful if it’s real,” and the complete chat logs between her and that perverted fan, which I had backed up long ago. But this wasn’t enough. In my previous life, Chloe relied on her powerful PR team and her skill at taking things out of context to twist black into white. With just this evidence, she could easily claim it was a fan acting on their own, and that she was a victim too. What I wanted was ironclad proof that would nail her to the pillar of shame. I wanted to peel back her hypocritical facade and show the entire internet what kind of vile schemes this “women’s protector” spouting righteousness and morality was really up to behind the scenes.

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Ever since I was a child, I could see the fate lines connecting me to others. When I started school, the line between my desk-mate and me was a vibrant red. On graduation day, that line faded to a dull gray and quietly snapped. I wasn’t sad. I knew the three lines connecting me to my dad, my mom, and my brother were always blazing red and thick. That was all the confidence I had in this world, the freedom to be myself, to be a little bit spoiled and demanding. Until I was 13. They brought home a timid, shy girl and said she was their biological daughter. Eleanor hugged me, crying. Richard and Ethan, their eyes red, swore: “Even though Chloe’s back, our love for you will never change.” I believed them. But when I looked up, the lines connecting me to them had already faded to a light pink. It was just pink at first. Then came the day Chloe showed up, covered in bruises, crying and telling them I had led the bullying against her at school. I desperately tried to explain, to prove my innocence. They listened, and like always, patted my head, smiling. “Mia, don’t cry. We believe you.” They said they believed me. But in the very next second, those three pink lines seemed to be drained of their last bit of life. Right before my eyes, they turned completely gray. Only then did I truly understand: my confidence, my foundation, was long gone.

I stared at the gray lines, my heart pounding with anxiety, and whispered: “Do you… do you really believe me?” No one answered. They were busy tending to Chloe’s injuries, their faces etched with concern, utterly focused. Seeing this, I clenched my fists and asked again, louder this time. Ethan finally turned his head, his voice laced with exasperation. “We already said we believe you, Mia. Can you please just stop making a scene?” His eyes held a frustration I didn’t recognize. I stood there, stunned, a mix of hurt and bewilderment. Watching the lines fade even more, I didn’t dare speak again. I picked up a bottle of antiseptic and, trying to be helpful, stepped forward. But I tripped over something, losing my balance, and the entire bottle splashed onto Chloe’s face. She shrieked, closing her eyes and shrinking into Eleanor’s arms. “Mia, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have told on you. Please, don’t bully me anymore.” “Richard, Eleanor, maybe you should just send me back. My life there might be just as bad as it is here, but at least you won’t have to deal with me.” Eleanor’s eyes instantly welled up. Despite her usual aversion to messes, she disregarded her sleeve staining and wiped Chloe’s tears. “Don’t be silly, Chloe. We’d never send you back to those horrible people!” “Mia wouldn’t bully you. I promise you, she’s not that kind of malicious person.” As she spoke, the red line between us thinned by an inch. So, in her heart, she truly thought I was malicious. Richard gently nudged my back, pushing me forward. “What are you standing there for? Apologize to Chloe. Your mom is defending you, aren’t you going to show some remorse?” At his words, I clutched Richard’s sleeve, pinning my hopes on him. “Richard, please believe me. Someone tripped me just now. It wasn’t on purpose.” “No one said it was on purpose. But you splashed Chloe, so you should apologize.” He looked down at me, his voice still patient, but his eyes were utterly devoid of warmth. “Maybe she tripped me! Maybe she did it on purpose to frame me!” The pride cultivated in me over many years made me unwilling to apologize, so I pointed at Chloe, accusing her. “Richard, please believe me this one time!” “You always taught me not to lie, and I’ve always remembered it. If you lie, you get punished!” Richard pursed his lips, looking at me. I tried to meet his gaze with the most sincere look I could manage, hoping he would side with me. But in the next second, the line connecting me to him became even thinner. And with it came his chilling words: “Then you will be punished.” “Liars have to kneel outside. I believe in fairness, so I won’t play favorites with you.” Kneeling outside was the severest punishment in our household, and I only remembered it happening once. When Ethan was little, he didn’t watch me, and I scraped my knee. For such a small injury, Richard and Eleanor made Ethan kneel for an entire day. Back then, they punished Ethan because they couldn’t bear to see me hurt. Now, they were punishing me because they couldn’t bear to see Chloe hurt. My heart turned to ice. My face pale, I walked towards the door. With every step, I hoped someone would call out to me. No one did. Until I stood at the doorway and knelt heavily before them. Even then, the lines connecting us didn’t change at all. The outcome, it seemed, had already been decided. No matter what, they would distance themselves from me for Chloe’s sake. I don’t know how long I knelt. I was dizzy with hunger. Back then, when Ethan was punished, I secretly snuck him food. Now, the house was brightly lit. The aroma of dinner, their happy chatter, the cozy atmosphere—it all braided into a cruel rope, Lashing at my heart, reminding me that there was no one in this world who would care for me anymore. I hung my head, my spirits sinking, my mind starting to drift. Suddenly, I heard footsteps. My heart skipped a beat. I looked up hopefully, Expecting to see a glimmer of hope that I wasn’t abandoned. But when I clearly saw who it was, I froze.

It was Chloe. She held a piece of bread in her hand, her face full of concern. “Mia, are you hungry? I secretly got you some bread.” I stared at her, unable to tell if she was being genuine. But my upbringing told me not to refuse someone’s kindness. So I reached out, wanting to take the bread, And cautiously began to suggest: “I appreciate your offer, but from now on, let’s just stay out of each other’s way and live in peace, okay? I don’t want the house to be a mess.” Chloe smiled at that. It wasn’t a smile of agreement, because there was no line connecting us. Anxiety bloomed in my chest. Sure enough, in the next second, she shook her head regretfully, her tone light but chilling. “No.” With that, she suddenly threw the bread away and shrieked as she fell to the side. I watched in shock, realizing how ridiculously naive I had been. Chloe only wanted to be the executioner, severing the red lines. Hearing the commotion, the three of them rushed out. Seeing Chloe lying on the ground, Ethan, who was in front, quickly helped her up, his voice filled with concern. “Chloe, what happened? Why did you fall?” Chloe’s eyes and nose were red, her face streaked with tears, portraying utter helplessness. “I saw Mia hadn’t eaten all day, and I was afraid she’d be starving, so I brought her some food.” “She’s probably still mad at me, she wouldn’t eat… and she pushed me…” Hearing this, Ethan’s eyes flared with anger. “Mia, where did you learn such cruelty?” “Chloe was thinking of you, despite everything, and you repay her with malice!” Looking up again, Richard and Eleanor’s disappointed gazes felt like daggers. I wanted to ask what kindness I had repaid with malice. I wanted to ask what they were so disappointed about, when I hadn’t done anything… But my head felt lighter and lighter. Before I could speak, I fainted. In a hazy dream, I heard Richard and Eleanor’s conversation: “She thinks faking a faint will get her off the hook? She’s 13 already, no sense of responsibility at all.” “Just let her lie there. We’ll see how long she can pretend.” Then came the sound of receding footsteps and a door closing. … When I woke, sunlight streamed directly into my eyes, making me tear up. My muscles were stiff. I turned my head and realized I was still lying by the front door. Those voices were real; they hadn’t bothered with me. After a moment to gather myself, I tried to push up, But my strength failed, and I fell back. The scabbed wound on my knee ripped open again, blood welling out. I bit my lip and dragged myself towards the house, crying out in pain and injustice. “Richard, Eleanor, it hurts so much…” Before, if I got even a small scratch, they would make a huge fuss, tending to my injury. But now, when I looked up, I saw Maria’s indifferent face. “Where are Richard and Eleanor?” “Today is family day. They went out.” That spot in my chest began to ache and throb again. Had no one remembered that I was the one who initiated “family day”? Back then, Richard and Eleanor were busy with work, and Ethan rarely came home from boarding school. Unhappy with this, I insisted that Saturdays be designated “family day” for a family outing to strengthen our bond. They naturally agreed, and Eleanor even pinched my nose, saying: “You little mischief, you just want to go out, don’t you? Our bond doesn’t need strengthening, Richard, Ethan, and I will always love you.” I believed it then, because our lines were thick and red, strong and vibrant. But now, there was nothing to support her words. I sniffled and held out my hand to Maria. “Then please help me up. I’m hurt.” Maria stepped back, her voice cold. “Mr. and Mrs. Sterling said we’re not allowed to help you.” “They said if too many people fuss over you, you’ll become even more spoiled and arrogant.” I stared blankly at the bloodstain on the ground, murmuring: “Even if I’m bleeding, they won’t let you help?” “Not under any circumstances.” At that moment, my heart felt like a piece had been torn out, and the wound hurt even more. But I gritted my teeth and dragged myself to the sofa. I thought, if I just rested for a while, once my legs recovered, I could take care of myself. With that thought, I drifted off again. When I next opened my eyes, I was jolted awake by a sharp sting. Eleanor’s face was before me. She was applying medicine to my wound.

In that instant, my tears started flowing before I even fully registered what was happening, and I spoke, my voice full of hurt. “Eleanor, you didn’t really abandon me, did you?” But Eleanor’s face was expressionless. After she finished applying the medicine, she sighed. “Don’t pull these self-pitying acts again. This is the last time.” “Next time you do this, you’ll suffer by yourself.” Only then did I see the line between us, so thin it was barely visible. My eyes widened in panic, my tears stopped. “Eleanor, I didn’t! I fainted, that’s all…” Eleanor stood up, cutting me off. “Don’t try to justify yourself.” Not far away, Chloe, wearing a trendy dress, shyly asked Richard and Ethan: “Does it look good?” Their eyes were full of tenderness. Richard said: “My daughter looks good in anything.” Ethan also said: “My sister looks good in anything.” Eleanor took a Tiffany necklace from a bag and put it around Chloe’s neck. “They’re right. It looks even better with this.” As I watched, my eyes started to sting. Not long ago, Chloe had secretly worn one of my dresses. When I found out, before I could even say anything, she quickly took it off, pleading: “Please don’t be angry. I’ve never worn such a beautiful dress, I just couldn’t help but try it on.” Richard and Eleanor saw this and immediately intervened, saying right in front of me: “You look better in this than Mia. Keep it. Mia has plenty of clothes anyway.” I used to think those compliments belonged to me. Now I understood, they belonged to Richard and Eleanor’s biological daughter, Ethan’s biological sister. The current me, was no longer that. I looked away, down at the bandage on my knee. A little red had seeped through, like a small, unnoticed period at the end of a sentence. After two days of rest, I could finally walk again. The first thing I did once I could walk was to go see Chloe’s adoptive parents, Who were also my biological parents. As soon as I met them, I saw the thick, red lines connecting us. And their humble, honest appearance was a stark contrast to Chloe’s descriptions. My heart settled completely, and I told them the purpose of my visit.

After returning that day, I stopped being the pampered young lady of the Sterling family. This time, I wasn’t throwing a tantrum; I just didn’t want to fight anymore, or rather, I couldn’t win. I locked myself in my room, from morning till night. I only came downstairs for meals, sitting quietly in a corner, and returning to my room when I finished. Richard, Eleanor, and Ethan were surprised by my quietness, and their attitudes softened somewhat. They would serve me food during dinner, but only after serving Chloe. They would talk to me, but our conversations would barely last a few sentences. With Chloe, however, they had endless things to say. I listened quietly, and after eating, I’d put away my dishes, say, “I’m done eating, please enjoy the rest of your meal,” then head back to my room. I didn’t expect to be asked to stay, didn’t expect any concern. After living like this for a while, the hurt and sadness in my heart began to heal, like gradually closing wounds. The pain slowly subsided until it disappeared completely. One day, Eleanor said the venue for my high school acceptance celebration was set up and wanted to show me the design plans. Chloe also leaned over to look, her eyes full of envy. “It’s so beautiful! I’ve never had a party like this.” Ethan, sipping coffee nearby, suggested: “Why don’t we combine your welcome-home party with Mia’s celebration?” I instinctively refused, a hint of displeasure in my voice. “Why? This is clearly for me.” Before, to avoid being called the spoiled Sterling girl, I studied relentlessly, participated in various competitions, and earned an early admission slot to the best high school. When they heard the news, they were overjoyed, their eyes red, as if they wanted to proclaim their pride in me to the world. Now, hearing my refusal, Ethan frowned. “You’re sisters. Why the division?” Chloe clutched the hem of her dress, her voice full of grievance. “Maybe it’s because my grades aren’t good, Mia thinks I don’t deserve a party like this.” Eleanor lovingly put her arm around Chloe, comforting her softly: “You’re my daughter, of course you deserve it. We’ll hold them together. You come look at the plans too.” Hearing this, I swallowed all my arguments. What good would it do to speak? I was no longer their pride. Now, the one they wanted to proclaim to the world was the recovered Chloe, Not me. I stood up, my voice low. “Let her look at the plans. I’m going to rest.” Chloe still feigned reluctance. “Never mind. Mia’s already angry. I shouldn’t steal her thunder.” Ethan snorted coldly. “Don’t worry about her. She’ll cheer up when she sees the custom designer dress we picked out for her.” I walked into my bedroom without stopping. Closing the door, I leaned against it and slowly slid to the floor. I didn’t cry. I just felt empty. As if the last bit of expectation had been removed. This celebration truly felt like my farewell party from them. Time quickly passed to the day of the party. Chloe and I were changing in the hotel. Halfway through, Chloe’s dress ripped. Eleanor, without a second thought, turned to me. “Give your dress to Chloe. It’s her first time at an event like this; she needs to look presentable.” This was a dress I had waited for for a long time. I had been looking forward to it since the day I got my early admission, repeatedly discussing the design with the designer, every detail personally confirmed by me. But I still took off my dress, folded it, and handed it over. Eleanor paused, surprised I was so obedient. As she took the dress, she couldn’t help but say with satisfaction: “Mia has finally grown up.” With her words, the lines connecting us suddenly thickened by a few inches and gained a faint hint of color. I stood there, frozen, an infinite sadness rising in my heart. Fate, it seemed, was truly mocking me. The thing I had strived for so long, finally found hope the moment I decided to give up. But this hope, I no longer wanted. Chloe changed into the dress and entered the ballroom before me. It was as if she was the star of the show. I wasn’t in a hurry. I checked the time. Almost an hour late, I finally walked into the hall. But as soon as I appeared, Eleanor slapped me hard across the face, raging: “Mia Sterling, I thought you’d matured, but it turns out you were just plotting to frame Chloe.” “Tell me, did you intentionally ruin both dresses to make Chloe look bad?” My cheek tingled from the slap, and my head spinning, I looked over. Chloe was truly wrapped in Ethan’s jacket, sobbing in his arms. Everyone looked at me with complex expressions, whispering amongst themselves: “Mia Sterling is as bossy as the rumors say, she just can’t stand the real heiress.” “At only 13, she’s so cunning. How did the Sterling family raise such a malicious person?” Richard, hearing the whispers, his face darkened, and he warned me in a low voice: “If you still want to be a Sterling, quickly admit your mistake and apologize to Chloe.” “As long as your attitude is sincere, your reputation in our circle can still be salvaged.” I scoffed, refusing directly. “Don’t worry. From today on, I am no longer a Sterling.” Richard stared at me, his expression icy, and demanded sharply: “If you’re not a Sterling, where else can you go?” Just then, two people walked in from outside. They were wearing perhaps the best clothes they owned in their wardrobes. Even so, there was still a considerable difference between them and the people gathered here. But I felt they were radiating light. Chloe saw them and shrank into Ethan’s arms in terror. “Are they… are they Mia’s doing?” “I’m sorry! I truly know I was wrong. I won’t ever take anything from her again. Please, don’t let them take me away!” Ethan glared at me, scolding: “Mia Sterling, what has Chloe done that you want to destroy her like this?” I looked at him, my cheek stinging from the slap mark, feeling only despair. Richard glanced at me, then scolded the two newcomers: “You’re not welcome here. Get out! Don’t scare my daughter!” But the couple just nervously rubbed the hems of their clothes, raising their voices to respond: “We’re here to take our daughter home.” Eleanor frowned in disgust. “Can’t you understand? Your daughter isn’t here!” “Someone, get them out!” As her words fell, my voice rang out: “Wait!” “They’re here for me.” The atmosphere froze. Just three seconds later, those dim, thin lines suddenly grew thick and vibrantly red.

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My husband, Julian Croft… the man who makes Wall Street tremble. He has an adopted sister, Chloe. An angel-faced code wizard who’s nothing but trouble. For eight years, their dynamic has never changed. Chloe uses her keyboard to cause chaos, and Julian uses his money and power to wipe it all clean. Their toxic bond slowly choked out our marriage. Until today… when she finally targeted me. I was cruising the coast when her malware hijacked my Tesla’s autopilot. The steering wheel jerked on its own. The car spun out of control, tore through the guardrail, and left me dangling over a 300-foot drop. I woke up in the hospital, hooked up to a dozen tubes. Julian stood by my bed, signing a surgical consent form. His Armani suit was perfectly tailored. He just looked a little tired. He sighed. “Eleanor, don’t be mad at Chloe. She was just playing a prank.” “She did her research. The car has world-class airbags and safety features. She just wanted to give you a… surprise.” The second he finished signing, his assistant called. Chloe was being harassed by some punks at an exclusive Manhattan club. Julian bolted out the door instantly. He was in such a rush, he didn’t even notice the fatal mistake he made on my medical chart. Under my blood type, he checked “Type A”. A cold, mechanical voice suddenly echoed in my mind. It was the System, back after all these years. [Trigger Activated: Fatal hemolytic reaction from incorrect blood transfusion. Outcome: Manslaughter by Male Lead. Do you accept this route?] I looked at the blood bag the nurse rolled in. The tag clearly said “A”. But I am Type O. I smiled, and said softly, “Do it.” …… “Mrs. Croft, this bag is Type A. Are you absolutely sure?” The young nurse looked a bit uneasy, holding the bag of blood. “I’m sure.” My voice was as calm as if I were discussing the weather. “My husband confirmed it himself. There’s no mistake.” The nurse hesitated, but ultimately trusted the paperwork. The cold needle pierced my skin. That dark red liquid dripped, drop by drop, crawling down the clear IV tube and seeping into my bloodstream. [Route Confirmed. Fatal hemolytic reaction countdown initiated.] [Estimated survival time: 72 hours.] I closed my eyes, feeling an alien, chaotic burn surging through my veins. In less than half an hour, an agonizing pain ripped through my back, like a thousand ants gnawing away at my kidneys. Violent chills racked my body until my teeth rattled in my skull. The hospital door burst open, and Julian strode in. He smelled like an expensive mix of whiskey and cigars from the club, laced with a faint trace of women’s perfume. Some cheap body glitter was stuck to his handcrafted white dress shirt. Behind him stood Chloe, completely unharmed. Trembling in a sexy slip dress, she clung to the hem of Julian’s jacket, her face still streaked with crocodile tears. “What kind of stunt are you pulling now?” Julian stood by the bed, staring down at me, his brows tightly furrowed. “The doctor said you only had a mild concussion and a few scrapes. What’s with the dramatic shaking? Who are you putting on a show for?!”

I clenched my jaw against a piercing spike of pain, cold sweat beading on my forehead. “I’m cold,” I choked out. “Cold?” Julian scoffed, irritably tugging at his collar. “The room is set to 78 degrees, and you’re telling me you’re cold?” He turned to Chloe, his tone instantly softening. “Baby, go turn off the AC before she finds another excuse to throw a tantrum.” Chloe nodded obediently. She flicked off the AC switch, then turned to me with a kicked-puppy look. “Eleanor, I’m so sorry… I really didn’t mean it. I just wanted to run a test on a new backdoor program I wrote…” Tears began to roll down her cheeks again. “Julian already yelled at me. Please don’t be mad, okay?” Julian instantly shielded her behind him. “Enough. Why are you apologizing? She’s lying right here, perfectly fine, isn’t she?” He turned back to me, his eyes hardening into ice. “Eleanor, Chloe almost got assaulted at the club. She’s completely traumatized, but she still came all the way here to see you. And you can’t even crack a smile? You’re seriously out of line.” Looking at his self-righteous face, I suddenly found the whole thing utterly absurd. My car almost plunged into the Pacific Ocean. I was teetering on the edge of death. And him? He only gave a damn that his precious sister got catcalled. “She’s traumatized?” I forced a weak smirk, my voice hoarse. “Going to a club, drinking, dancing, and getting hit on by guys— that’s what you call traumatized?” “Then what about me? Trapped in the driver’s seat, forced to watch myself hurtle toward a cliff— what was that? A fun VR experience?” Julian’s scowl deepened, sheer disgust radiating from him. “Can you stop being so bitter? Is throwing the word ‘death’ around really that fun for you? Didn’t I just hire the best medical team for you?” “Besides, Chloe ran the calculations. With that speed and angle, your life was never actually in danger.” She ran the calculations? I stared down at the IV bag, watching it drip its so-called “life-saving” fluid into my veins. Yeah. Her calculations were spot on. She even perfectly calculated that I was going to die today. “Julian,” I called his name, my voice barely a whisper. “What if I actually die?”

He froze for a second. Then, sheer irritation took over. “Here we go again. Every time Chloe messes up even a little bit, you start playing these mind games to get at me. Jesus, Eleanor, do you have any idea how pathetic this is?” He pulled up a chair and crossed his legs, oozing arrogance. “Enough. Drop the act. If you’re really that uncomfortable, I’ll have the doctor prescribe you some painkillers. Chloe was terrified tonight, so I need to go stay with her. You just stay here and think about how you’ve been acting.” I didn’t say another word. A sudden, searing heat washed over me. The world blurred at the edges, and a roaring fire tore through my chest. Textbook early symptoms of a hemolytic reaction. “Eleanor… your face is so red,” Chloe mumbled, peeking out from behind him. “Are you running a fever?” Julian barely gave me a passing glance. “A fever? No, that’s just anger. She’s mad I’m not staying here to hold her hand.” He stood up, stepping closer to the bed. His gaze was pure ice. “Eleanor, I am warning you one last time. Stop begging for attention with this cheap act. Chloe is the only real family I have, and it’s my job to protect her. You ever come after her again, I won’t give a damn that you’re my wife.” I looked up at him, forcing a hollow smile. “Fine.” “Then you better… watch her closely.” Julian let out a cold scoff, taking Chloe’s hand. “Let’s go. Just ignore her, she’s out of her mind.” The door slammed shut. I looked at the nearly empty bag of blood, and closed my eyes. “System,” I spoke inside my mind. “Activate pain nullification. Maximum setting.” The cold, mechanical voice echoed. [Command received. Enjoy your journey.]

The sharp click of heels echoed down the hallway, drawing closer. Chloe had returned. Without Julian around, her innocent little-girl act dropped instantly. I ignored her. The fever had drained every ounce of strength from my body. Chloe walked up to the bed. She flicked my IV tube with a neon-pink manicured nail. “Tsk, tsk… how pathetic.” She leaned in close, dropping her voice to a whisper. “Did you know? Even out in the hallway, Jules was just complaining about how dramatic and manipulative you are. He said compared to me, you’re basically nothing.” I forced my eyes open and gave her a dead stare. “Are you done? Then get out.” Instead of being angry, her smile only grew wider. “Aww, don’t be so mad, Eleanor. Enjoy acting tough while you can. It won’t be for much longer anyway.” She pulled out a tablet from her Birkin bag. Her fingers flew across the screen, a stream of glowing blue code flashing past. “Jules thinks you’re faking, but honestly? You look half-dead. How about I do you a favor… and make your vitals look a little more realistic?” The second the words left her mouth, the vital sign monitor beside my bed suddenly erupted in a piercing alarm. “Beep—! Beep—! Beep—!” Red warning lights flashed wildly. The heart rate on the screen spiked to 180 as my blood pressure completely tanked. The deafening alarm instantly blared through the entire floor. The sound of chaotic footsteps rushed down the hallway. Julian was the first one to burst through the door, his face livid. “What the hell is going on?!” Right before he crossed the threshold, Chloe had slipped the tablet back into her bag. Instantly, she clamped her hands over her ears, screaming in terror. “Jules! I don’t know! The machine just went crazy! It’s so scary!”

She buried her face deep in Julian’s chest, crying perfect, delicate tears. Doctors and nurses swarmed the bed, frantically checking every machine. “This is strange… the patient’s vitals are perfectly stable. Why did the alarm go off?” A flustered doctor hit the restart switch on the monitor, and the numbers instantly reset to normal. Julian’s face morphed into rage. After soothing Chloe in his arms, he turned back to me, his gaze digging in like daggers. “Eleanor! When is enough finally enough for you?! Hacking the hospital equipment just to force me to come back? Have you completely lost your mind?!” I lay still, looking up at his enraged face. “You really think I did this?” “Who else could it be?!” he sneered. “You’re so jealous of Chloe you’d actually frame her!” He marched forward and ripped the blanket off my body. “Get up! Apologize to Chloe. Right now!” The frigid air hit my burning skin. I couldn’t hold back a violent fit of coughing, the heavy metallic stench of blood rising thick in my throat. Swallowing it down, I looked up at him, fixing him with the gaze you’d give a dead man. “Julian,” I said calmly. “Are you out of your fucking mind?” He froze. In three years of marriage, I had never spoken to him with a tone like that. “What did you just say?” “I called you a complete idiot.” I reached over and pulled the plug on the monitor. The piercing alarm died instantly. “The next time you two want to play mind games, don’t bother me.” I turned away, giving him my back. “It’s disgusting.” “Fine. Perfect.” Julian was shaking with fury. “Since you’re so tough now, Eleanor, you can stay here by yourself. Let’s see how long you can keep this up!” He grabbed Chloe’s hand and stormed out, not even looking back. His footsteps faded. I closed my eyes, forcing down another mouthful of blood. “System, how much time do I have?” [Remaining survival time: 60 hours.] I smiled. “Finally, it’s almost over. ”

On the wall-mounted TV in my private suite, a CNN anchor was delivering a breaking news report. “The ‘Odyssey’ autonomous driving system, developed by Croft Industries, was exposed today for harboring a fatal security backdoor.” “During this morning’s rush hour on the Bay Bridge in San Francisco, dozens of vehicles utilizing the system suffered critical logic failures, resulting in a multi-car pileup and several devastating collisions. The current casualty count remains unknown. The NTSB has reportedly launched a federal investigation…” I leaned heavily against the soft pillows, struggling to wipe the blood from my mouth. The hemolysis was tearing me apart from the inside. My retinas were detaching, fracturing the world into a doubling blur. My husband, Julian Croft, stood by the massive floor-to-ceiling window across the room. With his back turned to me, he barked into his cell phone. “Is the entire PR department run by absolute morons?!” “I don’t care how much it costs! Scrub this off Google and Twitter! I want it gone in thirty minutes!” “Find a scapegoat! Blame the outsourced dev team for a structural bug, fire them all!” He furiously ripped off his four-figure Hermes tie, slamming it down onto the sofa like trash. His precious sister, Chloe, was curled up in the corner of the couch like a frightened little kitten. “Julian… I’m so sorry…” “I just thought the underlying firewall for Odyssey was way too boring… so I just… added a tiny little backdoor to test its AI limits.” “I thought it would be a fun surprise! How was I supposed to know they couldn’t even drive…” She pouted, her voice entirely devoid of a single shred of remorse. Julian’s rigid jawline softened. He walked over and ruffled her perfect flaxen curls. “It’s okay. Shhh. I’m right here.” “Next time, no more reckless little games, alright?” “The media always blows things wildly out of proportion. It’s just a few fender benders. The insurance companies will handle everything.” Listening to his casual dismissal, a violently sick feeling turned my stomach over. That so-called “little game” probably just destroyed dozens of families. To him, deadly prank was just another mess to buy off.

Fighting back the tearing pain of multiple organ failure, I reached under my pillow and pulled out my highly encrypted MacBook Air. The bite of the cold metal snapped me out of my daze. My fingers flew across the keyboard. Julian would use every connection to scrub Chloe’s digital footprint clean. I had to lock down every shred of her crimes— from the server hacks to the market manipulation—before he could. The progress bar on the screen inched forward, slow but steady. My vision was getting darker by the second. I was practically blind-typing, relying entirely on raw muscle memory. “What the hell are you doing now?” Julian hung up, His freezing gaze instantly locked onto my laptop. He lunged across the room, slamming the laptop shut with a deafening crack. “The company is burning to the ground over a ‘little mistake,’ and you’re just sitting there scrolling?!” “Eleanor, do you have any humanity left in you at all?!” I slowly raised my head, meeting his furious gaze. “Humanity?” I let out a cold laugh, coughing up a mouthful of blood. “Julian Croft… you’re covering for a criminal who qualifies as a domestic terrorist… and you’re questioning my humanity?” His expression turned lethal. The air between us turned to ice. “What the fuck are you talking about?!” “Chloe is just a spoiled kid! What could she possibly understand?!” “Don’t flatter yourself. You’re a housewife. You have no idea how a hundred-billion-dollar company actually works.”

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At the Spirit Bonding Rite, my sister Seraphina Whitlock saw the griffin choose me and burst into tears. “Please, Ava, you’re the Alpha’s eldest daughter. You’ve had everything your whole life. Can’t you let me have this one thing?” And just like that, the whole pack turned on me. They told me to be generous. I didn’t argue. I walked past the griffin, crouched beside the creature nobody wanted. A scrawny little black pup — nobody could even tell what species he was. I picked him up and held him against my chest. Behind me, I heard the whispers. She lost her mind. She gave up a griffin out of spite. But they didn’t know that pup was no mutt. He was an ancient Thunder Wolf . A beast born to command storms and lightning. … “Ava, please. You grew up spoiled by this pack. The best things have always belonged to you. I had to fight for every scrap just to catch up to you. Can’t you pity me for once?” Seraphina clutched the griffin she’d just taken — ripped straight out of my hands. Eyes wide. Glassy. Working the crowd without saying a word. If you didn’t know the truth, you’d think I was the villain. And pretty girls crying? That works on people. Every time. Around us, pack members started glaring at me. “Seraphina’s right. It’s just a spirit beast. With your bloodline, Ava, you’ll attract something even stronger. Seraphina’s not like you. She’s weak. She’s suffered. Grow up, Ava.” “Exactly, you’ve always been selfish. You never let your sister have anything.” I looked at all of them taking her side, and something complicated churned in my chest. I was the Alpha’s daughter. Born to lead. Raised at the center of everything this pack had to offer. I was stronger than the others. The whole younger generation grew up revolving around me. I thought that would never change. Until Liam — our pack’s Beta — brought a stranger back from patrol. He found her in a human village. Rogues had slaughtered almost everyone there. She was the only one left alive. Later, my parents revealed the truth. She was the daughter they had lost years ago. My little sister.

But the moment she came back, my fate started changing too. Seraphina had a gift for making people like her. She knew exactly what to say. And that fragile, innocent act of hers? It worked every time. She won the whole pack’s sympathy in just a few days. The elders saw how weak she was and ordered me to take care of her. But over time, she started treating everything I did for her like it was only natural. As if I owed it to her. She grew more disrespectful by the day. Whatever was left between us had turned to ice. Now, watching her hide behind Liam with that innocent look on her face — I just shrugged. She thought I was going to snatch the griffin back. So she instinctively took a few steps away. “Ava, I’ve never asked you for anything. Not once. Can’t you let me have this one thing? You already have everything, so why do you keep coming after me? Do you really have to push me this far? Will you only stop when I’m dead?” She liked to act helpless. But she was sharper than she let on. She knew exactly what that griffin was—a powerful fire-aligned spirit beast. If she bonded with it, her strength would rise fast. That was why she was willing to drop all pretense and fight me for it openly. She braced herself, ready for me to make a move. Too bad for her, because I couldn’t even be bothered to look at her. I walked straight past her, picked up the black cub everyone else had rejected. I held it close and stroked its fur. “It’s okay, you’re okay now. I’m taking you home.” I had barely made it a few steps. Liam stepped in front of me and threw out an arm to block my path. “Ava, enough. How long are you going to keep this up? You’re seriously choosing that worthless thing just because you’re angry? Do you want our whole pack to become a joke to every other pack in this territory?” I immediately covered the cub’s ears in my arms and thought, Don’t listen. Just some fool running his mouth. I walked right past him and threw one line over my shoulder. “We’ll see who the real joke is. It’s way too early to call it now.” Honestly, it was almost funny. The griffin was gifted, sure — but griffins were also notorious for being arrogant, hot-headed, and impossible to handle. If Seraphina wanted to make herself miserable, that was her problem. Because I wasn’t leaving empty-handed. I was walking out with an ancient power this pack had never seen. And we were going straight to the top.

The first time around, I ignored everyone’s warnings and fought Seraphina for the griffin anyway. As the Alpha’s daughter, my strength and status were far above hers. So in the end, she couldn’t take it from me. But because of that, the whole pack started seeing me as selfish and overbearing. Like I was some bully who got off on pushing her own sister down. And little by little, everyone started keeping their distance from me. As for the griffin I fought so hard to win, he turned out to be nothing but an ungrateful beast. When he shifted into human form, he took the name Icarus. I hadn’t even gotten a word out before he was already hitting me. “Why didn’t you let that girl take me? Do you know how much I despise you? People like you are the ones I hate most—born-alpha brats who think bloodline gives them the right to do whatever they want” He hit me again and again. My head spun. I went down hard, scrambling just to stay conscious. He only stopped when he could see I was close to dying. Even then, he looked annoyed he’d had to bother. The next morning, I was ready to send him straight back to the ritual altar. A spirit beast like that? I had no business trying to manage him. But then I watched him fight. He easily defeated every spirit beast bonded to our generation. Every single one. And just like that, I changed my mind. A spirit beast that powerful was too rare to give up. And I was ambitious. I wanted to use him to secure my future as Alpha. So every time he came at me, I gritted my teeth and took it. And the more I poured into him, the faster he grew stronger. That didn’t scare me — it thrilled me. It made me feel like everything I wanted was finally within reach. But the stronger he became, the more openly he looked down on me. Every time he knocked me down and stood over me, he’d spit on the ground in contempt. “If it weren’t for your bloodline giving me access to the finest moon essence and the best energy cores in this pack, I’d be sick just touching you.” He was right. In the entire pack, I was the only one who could give him the highest-grade resources. He despised me, but he still needed me. So I kept telling myself it didn’t matter. Given enough time, he would come around. And when that day came, the two of us together would be unbeatable among our generation.

But after I burned through most of my savings to get him an extremely rare energy core, he handed it to Seraphina right in front of me. Then he reached up and brushed his hand gently across her cheek. “Don’t worry. As long as I’m here, no one will ever hurt you again.” I had already put up with too much in the name of power. But everyone has a breaking point. And then Seraphina looked straight at me with that smirk on her face— then deliberately loosened her grip and let the energy core drop. It hit the ground with a sharp crack. She covered her mouth and widened her eyes in fake surprise. “Oops. I guess I didn’t hold it tight enough. You’re not mad at me, are you, Ava?” I couldn’t take it anymore. I lunged at her, ready to tear her apart. But before my hand could even brush a single strand of her hair, Icarus kicked me so hard I went flying. Then he came down on me, one foot planted on my chest. “If I hadn’t wanted your status and your resources, I never would’ve let you bond with me. Now my power is fully grown. I don’t need you anymore.” Then he crushed my heart with his own hand. I could only watch as Seraphina stepped in and took everything that had once been mine. The griffin I had poured everything into submitted to her willingly. Even the pack members I had grown up with cheered at my death. They whispered behind my back that someone like me — privileged, untouchable — had it coming. Only my parents, the Alpha and Luna of the pack, were destroyed by my death. When they went to demand an explanation from Seraphina, Icarus drove his claws straight through their chests. And Seraphina? She just stood there, voice dripping with fake innocence — “Huh. I always wondered if Alpha blood ran red just like everyone else’s.” I threw myself over their bodies and screamed. Maybe the Moon Goddess heard my grief. Maybe she heard the injustice of it. Because she gave me another chance. Seraphina. This time, blood will answer for blood.

After I carried the cub back to my room, I immediately took out the moonlit herbs and healing elixirs I’d been saving. I carefully fed them to him. One cup, then a second, then a third. By the time I poured the fourth, I glanced at what was left of my precious stash and started having second thoughts. How was this little guy burning through resources even faster than the griffin had the first time around? I was not about to raise another ungrateful beast. Just as I was grumbling to myself, a burst of white light exploded in the air before me. Standing there was a tall, lean man with his bare chest completely exposed. My face went red immediately. “Oh my — put some clothes on! Now! You can’t just walk around like that.” But before I could say anything else, I heard a quiet sniffle. I looked up again. He was crying. Tears slid down his face — a face almost too perfect to look at. And somehow, watching him cry, I felt a pull I had no business feeling. Ugh. What was wrong with me? I rushed over and steadied him. “Wait — why are you crying? Did I scare you? Come on, buddy, don’t do anything stupid on me, okay?” But he only looked at me with those deep, shimmering eyes and took my hand. “I’m not worth wasting so many precious potions on.” “I’m just dead weight. I’d only cause trouble for you.” “My power is weak. I couldn’t even beat a young forest wolf. Training me would only waste your time and resources.” His voice was shaking the whole time. It was obvious he had almost no confidence in himself. A man that beautiful, crying right in front of you? It hits different. I’m not going to lie. When I opened my mouth to respond, I started stumbling over my own words.

“You’re… you’re amazing. Don’t think that way about yourself. And if anyone dares say one bad thing about you, I’ll go knock their teeth out myself.” A flicker of hope flashed through his eyes, but it disappeared just as quickly. In the next second, he lowered his head again, shrinking back into himself. “Are you lying to me too?” “I’m sorry. I have nothing right now. I can’t repay you. But I’ll try. I really will.” His words were so small, so worn down. And somehow, they made the sadness around him feel even heavier. I had no idea what the divine wolf could have gone through to become this insecure. And the moment I chose him, I meant to see it through. So I placed a hand on his back and gently patted him. “Hey. Look at me — as long as I’m alive, this is your home. You hear me?” No one had ever said words like that to him before. He hesitated for a long moment, then finally chose to believe me. Flustered, he carefully worked a wolf-fang necklace free from around his neck and pressed it into my hand. It had been stained dark — worn through with old blood. He rushed to explain, almost afraid I’d turn it down. “This is the only valuable thing I have left. Take it. And don’t worry—one day, I’ll give you the very best of everything.” The certainty in his voice made something in my chest go warm. Just then, a rapid knock came from outside the door. “Ava, are you in there? I need to talk to you!” Seraphina.

Before I could even open the door, the griffin behind her—Icarus—kicked it open with one brutal strike. Seraphina strolled in like she owned the place and dropped into my chair. “Ava, Icarus is still a little weak, and I don’t exactly have anything valuable on hand. So hand over your moon essence and let me use some. You’ve got plenty of resources anyway. It’s not like this little bit means anything to you.” I honestly thought I’d misheard her. Then my mouth twitched. “Do I owe you something? If you want what’s mine, fine—pay market price. I won’t charge you a cent more.” Seraphina hadn’t even opened her mouth. Icarus cut in from behind her, staring at me with cold contempt. “You should be honored we even came to you. Don’t be ungrateful.” Unbelievable. The owner had no shame, and her spirit beast was cut from the same cloth. “Oh, is that what this is?” “Then maybe I’ll take my generosity somewhere it’s actually appreciated. And you—a spirit beast who only just took human form—what exactly gives you the right to talk to me like that?” A proud Icarus was never going to take that quietly. He stepped forward at once, raising a hand to strike me. But before his palm could come down, a powerful force slammed into him. The force sent him flying clean across the room. Both of them froze, eyes wide with shock. Kieran stepped out from behind me and placed himself between us. “You raise your hand against the future Alpha, and this is supposed to pass for manners?” Humiliated in front of Seraphina, Icarus wasn’t about to let that slide. With a roar, he charged forward again. But this time, the person who stopped him was Seraphina. She fixed her gaze on Kieran’s face. Hungry. Unashamed. “So you’re the cub from yesterday.” “I never expected you to look like this after shifting. Well. Aren’t you full of surprises.” Icarus clearly hadn’t expected Seraphina to admire another man right in front of him. For a second, he looked completely thrown. But Kieran didn’t respond to her flirtation at all. He looked at her like she wasn’t even there, his expression cold. “Miss Seraphina, if there’s something wrong with your eyes, you should get that treated before it gets worse. If you go blind someday, you won’t just drag down the whole pack.” “You’ll drag down my —” “— Ava.” The way he said my name—low and intimate—sent a shiver straight through me. And I didn’t stop him. “How dare you!” That was the final straw for Icarus. His pride had been trampled harder than ever before. In the next second, he gathered all his power, turned into a streak of fire, and shot straight toward Kieran’s face. That attack was meant to kill.

Before I could react, Kieran was already moving. He met Icarus head-on and landed a clean, solid strike right into him. Icarus flew out of the courtyard like a rag doll. He hit the ground hard and coughed up a mouthful of blood. Seraphina stomped her foot in frustration and rushed after him. Even then, she still turned back to steal one last look at Kieran before leaving. I hurried to shut the door, then pulled Kieran toward me and checked him over head to toe. “Are you hurt? Does anything hurt? You scared me half to death. Why would you take him head-on like that? What was I supposed to do if you got hurt?” Kieran stared at me for a moment. Then he suddenly reached for my hand and held on. “I don’t know. I just saw them treating you like that, and I got angry. I only wanted to stand up for you.” “Did I do something wrong?” Looking at him like that—so helpless, so innocent—I couldn’t bring myself to scold him. Besides, those two had it coming. So I let it go and spent the next few minutes talking him down. I’d already forgotten about the strange intimacy in his voice when he called my name earlier. But in his eyes, just for an instant, something flickered — quiet, satisfied, like a plan that had gone exactly right.

The quiet didn’t last. A few days later, the council of elders summoned me. The moment I stepped into the great hall, I saw Seraphina kneeling below the dais, crying to the elders about all the terrible things I had supposedly done. “I know I come from a lowly background,” she sobbed. “Ever since I returned to the pack, I’ve been careful with every step. I never dared overstep. But I don’t know how I offended Ava. She targets me at every turn… If this is what it’s come to, then I’d rather die to prove I’m innocent!” With that, she lurched to her feet and tried to throw herself at one of the stone pillars, only to be stopped by the people beside her. I let out a cold laugh and walked in. “So my dear sister hates me this much?” I said. “That’s heartbreaking. Over the years, what have you ever asked for that I didn’t give you? Take the griffin, for example. I knew you wanted it, so I let you have it. So tell me—what do you want from me this time?” In a few lines, I made two things clear: I wasn’t the one in the wrong, and Seraphina wasn’t here for justice. She was here for what I had. Her face stiffened instantly. “I may have been human once,” she snapped, “but I won’t accept that kind of slander!” “That’s enough. Silence.” A powerful voice cut through the hall from the elders’ seats above. My father. The current Alpha of the pack. Only then did Seraphina shut her mouth, though not willingly. I looked at my father—still strong, still alive, still standing where he belonged— and felt my eyes sting. The first time around, he had died under Icarus’s claws—killed for trying to get justice for me. Kieran felt the shift in my mood and quietly squeezed my hand. “Seraphina,” my father said, “you claim Ava ordered her spirit beast to injure Icarus. Do you have proof?” That was the question Seraphina had been waiting for. She immediately pulled Icarus forward. The second I got a clear look at his face, even I was startled. He had always relied on my resources to maintain his strength. Now that he had lost access to them—and after Kieran had injured him— his face was deathly pale, and his aura was unstable. He shot me a vicious glare, then reluctantly lifted his shirt to reveal the wounds on his body. His chest and abdomen were covered in overlapping bruises and burns. Some of the wounds had already begun to rot, oozing pus and giving off a foul smell. Seraphina burst into tears on cue. “That day, I only wanted to borrow some moon essence from Ava,” she cried. “But she humiliated me. She said someone of my status had no right to use something so precious, and then she had her spirit beast attack Icarus! I know I’m not worthy, but I still have my dignity!” She painted herself as a proud, wounded victim so convincingly that the younger pack members started speaking up for her one after another. They demanded that the Alpha punish me severely, saying anything less would never convince the rest of the pack. I knew better. They weren’t standing up for Seraphina. They were eyeing the top-grade resources I’d lose if I were punished. The greed in their eyes was practically spilling over. And just as the pressure in the hall reached its peak, Kieran stepped forward from beside me. “He’s lying.”

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My mom is the Luna of the Thorne Pack. Seven males walked into her bedroom tonight. One by one. The one who set it all up is my Alpha father. He stood in the doorway the entire time, his new whore in his arms, smiling. “The proud Luna.” he says. “You always thought you were better than Brielle. But now…” “Half the males in the pack have seen your skin. Touched it. So you’ll finally agree to let me take Brielle as my second, won’t you?” It wasn’t the first time. I know. And this time, Mom doesn’t scream. She doesn’t fight. She doesn’t even cry. That night, she just slips the mating pendant from her neck — the one my father gave her the night they mated— and drops it straight into the flames. The next morning, he throws Brielle the loudest mating ceremony the Thorne Pack has ever seen. Bigger than the one he gave Mom. Louder. Brighter. Every Alpha and Luna from three territories shows up. I sit beside Mom in the back row in a plain gray dress, digging my claws into my own palms hard enough to bleed. Then, right when the howls go up the loudest — drawings starts raining down from the rafters. Filthy drawings. My mother’s body. Naked. I scramble across the floor, ripping them, stuffing them under the tables, my whole face on fire. My father’s eyes go black. “So you like showing off that much?” he roars at her. “Your’re nothing but a slut! Warriors — drag the Luna to the Pit!” The warriors close in. Two of them grab Mom by the arms. They don’t even wait for her to stand. They haul her up — her feet barely touching the floor — and drag her straight through the hall. I scream. I claw forward. I have to get to her. I have to pull my mom back. But the old nursemaid clamps a hand over my mouth and drags me out kicking. All I can do is watch. Watch the warriors drag her past me — pulling her one way, while the nursemaid pulls me the other. The dark swallows her whole. Soon, the howls begin. Something inside my chest breaks. And their laughter keeps coming. “Any wolf who comes out of the Pit alive can’t even shift again. Useless. Broken.” “Generous of the Alpha, letting his own Luna feed the Pit…” “Pretty Luna. She’s sweeter than any rogue. But it won’t be pretty anymore when they’re done with her wolf.” I go cold all the way to my bones. I tug the nursemaid’s sleeve, voice shaking. “What’s the Pit?” She just shakes her head, eyes wet. “The cruelest thing they’ve ever done to a wolf. That’s all I’ll say.” … The howls go on for hours. I’m locked in my room. I don’t know how long. I don’t sleep. I don’t speak. Then — footsteps in the corridor outside. Heavy. Dragging. I throw myself at the door. Pounding. Screaming. The door swings open. I tear out into the corridor. I crash into Mom’s room — and the smell hits me first. Blood. Sweat. Strangers. My stomach flips. She’s lying on the bed, eyes wide open, staring at nothing. Her robe is so thin I can see right through it — she’s bruised everywhere. Every inch of her. “Mom…” My voice cracks. My fingers hover over her arm — I’m too scared to touch her. I spin around to run for a healer. The curtain slams open. My father walks in with Brielle tucked under his arm, her face painted, perfume sharp. She wrinkles her nose at the smell and hides behind him. He looks down at Mom like she’s a stain. “Maren. Drop the act.” “Yur wolf is still there, and I told every male not to actually touch you. Stop playing dead.” I open my mouth — she has bruises everywhere, can’t he see? But Mom grabs my wrist first. From under her pillow she pulls something out. Then she lifts her chin and looks her mate dead in the eye. “Damon Thorne. I, Maren Ashford, reject —” “ENOUGH.” The Alpha command cracks through the room so hard the windows shake. My knees buckle. Mom’s voice locks in her throat. He used his power on his own Luna to shut her up. “You don’t get to say it,” he hisses. “Not a word more!” He paces. Then, like the words cost him nothing, he says, “Where would you even go, Maren? Your father’s dead. Your brother’s dead. Your mother’s been gone for years. There’s nothing left of the Ashford Pack but bones. I’m all you have.” I freeze. So he remembers. He remembers her brother died to draw the rogues away from him — shredded by a hundred hunters, bones still buried somewhere in the northern sand without a single marker. He remembers her father tore his own throat open in the middle of the council hall, on his knees, begging other Alphas for backup. Bled out on the floor. Just so he could come home alive. He remembers kneeling at the Ashford ancestors’ altar, swearing on the moon: I, Damon Thorne, will protect Maren Ashford until my last breath. One mate. One Luna. Forever. Forever lasted three years. He came home from the Northern War with Brielle on his arm. Said she was a rogue. Said Mom should be gracious and give up the Luna’s quarters. Mom did. Brielle sneezed at the moonflowers in the garden — Mom’s moonflowers, five years of her own hands in the dirt — and he tore them all out the next morning. Then Mom got pregnant. A boy. The pack heir. Brielle whispered one sentence into his ear, “The pup’s spirit clashes with mine, my Alpha. If he lives, I won’t.” That same night, he held Mom down himself and poured the wolfsbane tonic into her mouth. Mom bled out the pup on the bedroom floor, screaming loud enough that every wolf in the pack heard her. But not one came. And out front, in the great hall, my father had Brielle on his lap, laughing, drinking, drums pounding — like he couldn’t even hear her. Like she wasn’t worth hearing. That was the night I knew. My father, who used to lift me onto his shoulders, who held my mother’s hand under the full moon, was already dead.

Like he’s afraid Mom will try to reject him again, Damon snatches the thing she pulled from her pillow — a small carved token marked with the Ashford sigil — and throws it into the fire. The flames eat it in seconds. Then he sighs. Soft. Almost tender. He reaches out to brush her hair back, the way he used to. Mom turns her face away. His hand freezes mid-air. His jaw locks. The whole room drops ten degrees. “Tonight Brielle and I are attending the Blood Moon Ball,” he says flatly. “Give her your mother’s moonstone set. The necklace, the pendant. All of it.” “NO!” I’m on my feet before Mom can move. “That belonged to Grandma. It’s all Mom has left of the Ashford Pack. Nobody touches it.” Brielle’s eyes fill instantly. “My Alpha, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t want anything that belongs to the Luna. I wasn’t born lucky like Elise. I don’t have parents to protect me. Let them all laugh at me tonight then, it’s fine. I’m used to it…” Damon’s face goes to stone. “Maren. Is this how you raise a daughter? Disrespectful. Wild. No discipline at all. Maybe Brielle should raise her from now on. Teach her what obedience looks like.” Mom’s face drains white. She drags herself off the bed on shaking legs and shoves me behind her. “Take all of it. Don’t touch Elise.” A flicker of triumph crosses Brielle’s eyes before she goes soft again. “My Alpha, I’m such a simple she-wolf. I’ll embarrass myself at the Ball without guidance. Why doesn’t Luna Maren come along as my personal maid? She can correct me when I make mistakes.” The Luna of the Thorne Pack. Serving as a maid to her mate’s whore. That’s not guidance. That’s public execution. Damon doesn’t even pause. “Done.” By sundown, a coarse gray maid’s dress lands at our door. I watch my mother peel her robe off her wrecked back and pull that ugly dress over bruises that haven’t even started healing. Tears just keep coming and I can’t stop them. She reaches up and wipes my face. Then she presses something cool into my palm — a moon-bone hairpin, white and smooth as river stone. “Elise, baby.” Her voice is so quiet. “I don’t think I have much time left.” “When I’m gone, take this pin. Run for the Northern Territories. Find Alpha Cassian. Your grandfather raised him like a son. He’ll keep you safe.” “I just wish… I could’ve watched you grow up.” I close my fist around the pin so hard the edge cuts me. I already know. She’s been bleeding out for months. Not from the wounds. From her wolf. She fought, in the beginning. Every time, they shoved her deeper. When Brielle first arrived, Mom didn’t want a rogue she-wolf in our pack around me. She bought a small house at the edge of pack lands and put Brielle there. Reasonable. Generous. The next morning Damon dragged Mom out and made her crawl on her knees the full length of the pack road, in front of every warrior, to invite Brielle home herself. For being a jealous Luna. Six moons ago, after the miscarriage, Mom grabbed a silver knife and went straight for Brielle’s throat. Damon caught her at the door. He didn’t strike her. He told her, very calmly, that if she stepped one paw across that door again, he would dig up Grandma’s bones and scatter them so her wolf could never return to the Moon. Three nights ago, somebody leaked old filthy pictures of Brielle from her rogue days in the north. Damon decided Mom did it. So that night, he drugged her. Then he threw her in a locked shed with a pack of starving rogues. And he stood outside and listened. That was the night her wolf went silent inside her for good. I press my face into her chest. She’s so thin I can feel every rib. “Mom…”

Brielle isn’t done with us. At the Blood Moon Ball, she keeps Mom on her feet all night — pouring her wine, kneeling to fix her shoes, presenting her cup with both hands. Every Luna in three territories watches the proud Luna of the Thorne Pack serve a rogue. When she’s bored of that, she pulls us out to a quiet lake behind the Ball. She unhooks one of her moonstone earrings and flicks it into the dark water. “Pick it up.” Mom doesn’t move. Brielle’s voice goes sharp. “Maren. You are my maid tonight.” Mom finally lifts her eyes. Cold. Steady. Old Ashford fight. “The moonstone set doesn’t make you a Luna. You’re still a rogue.” Brielle’s hand flies up. I throw myself between them and shove her back hard. “Don’t you dare touch my mother!” “You little bitch — ” She swings at me. Mom yanks me into her chest and Brielle’s nails rake across her neck instead, leaving four red lines. For one second, my mother’s eyes catch fire. The Alpha blood rises in her. Brielle actually steps back. Then it’s gone. Brielle laughs. “Look at you. A toothless old wolf. All bark.” “Fine. You don’t. But your daughter? She’s going to suffer for it.” “You wouldn’t dare.” Mom is shaking. “Elise is the Luna’s daughter. You touch her and I will haunt you out of your skin.” Brielle smiles. “oh the Luna’s daughter. But you know. Plenty of packs have already asked my Alpha to promise Elise in mating. Should I tell him to say yes to the Crowley heir? Or the Vance heir?” Two of the most rotten males alive. One trades she-wolves like coins. The other has buried three of his mates already. Mom’s whole body trembles. “Fine. I’ll pick it up.” The lake water in autumn is freezing. Mom wades in step by step. Within moments her lips are blue. Her hands shake too hard to grip anything. I scream for her to come back. Brielle smacks me hard. Twice. “Shut up, you little bitch. One more sound and I cut your tongue out.” My cheek burns. I glare at her with everything I have. A voice cuts the air. “What is going on here?” Damon. Brielle’s face flips in half a second. She grabs my hand and slams it against her own chest — then throws herself backward into the lake. The splash is huge. Damon dives without thinking. He drags Brielle out, holds her against him, panic and tenderness all over his face. He doesn’t even glance at Mom drowning in the center of the lake. A passing pack warrior pulls her out. Brielle clings to Damon, soaked and shaking, then sees me and screams. “No — please — I’m sorry — don’t hit me again, please — ” “I never touched you!” My voice rips out of me. I point to my own swollen cheek. “She made my mother go into the cold water for an earring! She called me a little bitch! She slapped me!” Damon finally looks at Mom. She’s barely breathing. After everything her body’s been through, the freezing lake almost finished her. Something flickers in his eyes. Almost regret. Brielle bursts into tears against his chest before he can speak. “Luna, I know you hate me. Fine. Hurt me, I deserve it. But teaching Elise to lie about me…” “Yes, I slapped her. Because she called me a bitch. She insulted my dead parents. I’m a rogue, my Alpha, but I have pride. I would rather die than be treated like that — ” She lunges toward the water again like she’s going to jump. “ENOUGH.” Damon’s roar shakes the trees. “Elise. Attacking the Alpha’s second. Drag her to the Pack Hall. Twenty lashes.” “NO!” Mom drops at his feet. Soaking. Bleeding. She slams her forehead into the stone in front of every guest there. “I raised her. Whatever she did, punish me. Take mine.” Damon’s eyes are ice. “Forty.” … The Pack Hall is cold. Stone. Old. Mom kneels on the floor, swaying. The silver-laced whip comes down and her skin opens on the first hit. Silver — to a wolf — is fire under the skin. She doesn’t scream. She bites her lip until it bleeds. I drop to my knees and claw at the stone floor, begging anyone, the Moon herself. My skin splits. Blood runs into my eyes. The forty count finally ends and Mom coughs up a mouthful of red and folds forward into the dark. I have her carried back. I send for every healer in the territory. I sit by her bed all night. Sometime before dawn, I fall against the side of her bed. Footsteps wake me. Damon. He kneels by her bed. His fingers shake as he peels the bandage off her back. The whip marks are deep, raw, crusted black with silver burn. His eyes go red. A tear lands on her shoulder. He starts cleaning the wounds himself, hands careful, voice ruined. “Maren. Why are you so stubborn.” “Brielle is not perfect, I know, but she has a good heart. She saved my life in the Northern War. I owe her that.” “Look. If you really can’t stand her, then once she gives me a pup, I’ll send her out and you and I and Elise will be a family again. Like before.” I keep my eyes shut. I don’t want to see him. There is no before anymore. There is no us anymore.

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I was the Snow Wolf Princess. My clan gave everything to make Bloodfang king. Six months pregnant, he forced a wager on me. My Luna title. Three thousand Snow Wolf lives. At the Autumn Hunt, I had to outshoot his favored consort. His favored consort was the pack’s top female archer. She smirked triumphantly in his arms. One arrow. My sacred crown was gone. The bastards laughed their hardest. Right then, I heard my unborn pup’s voice. He said he was the War God Sky Wolf reborn. “Mom, take the bet!” I drew my bow. First arrow, straight through the bell. Second arrow, clean through the hall. The bastards were left with nothing. Military command and the throne. Both mine! Inside the Alpha King’s tent, I stood below, cradling my belly. I watched that disgusting pair cuddled on the throne. Bloodfang’s men watched me like predators, jeering from both sides of the hall. “Luna, you accepted the bet to shoot against Her Highness Consort Nayi. Are you backing out after only one arrow?” Nayi sat in Bloodfang’s lap, black-eared and gold-eyed, smirking at me. A lithe Black-Stripe Jackal. The pack’s finest female archer. I was the Snow Wolf Princess. My kin came from the snowfields, every last one pure white. During the fight for the throne, I led my kin thousands of miles. We sought these warm valleys solely to crown my mate King. But the moment my dear mate took the throne, he made Nayi his consort. He exalted his mistress and crushed his Luna. At the Autumn Hunt, Bloodfang used entertainment as his excuse to pit me against Nayi. Three thousand Snow Wolf lives thrown on the table. He even demanded my sacred crown as a wager. My bow hand trembled. I bowed my head. Desperate tears splashed onto my knuckles. Right then, I heard a child’s voice from inside my belly. [Fear not, Mother. I am the War God Sky Wolf reborn. The next shot is mine.] My eyes went wide. A tiny wolf spirit emerged from my belly. Silver-white all over, his translucent body shimmered with starlight. Left eye gold. Right eye silver. [Zephyros is here! Who dares bully my mother?] Zephyros, the War God Sky Wolf. The most legendary young hero in wolf history. Could it truly be him? Yet no one else in the hall seemed to see him. Bloodfang drawled from his throne. “Can’t keep up, Luna? Just concede. It is a trinket. Nayi wants it, so let her play with it for a few days. You’re the Luna. Act like it.” My fists clenched tight. That crown had always been the sacred symbol of a Luna’s rank. A crownless Luna. The humiliation would be endless. Nayi stroked Bloodfang’s chest and looked my way. A dark, sultry smile curled her lips. “My King, you are so good to me. But if the Luna is struggling, let’s raise the stakes. I want the ice crystal around Isolde’s neck. Does she dare?” The hall erupted. I hissed. “This crystal is the Heart of Everwinter, our pack’s sacred charge. The Sky Wolf God granted it to our ancestors. It is no power symbol or military seal. It is the foundation of the entire wolf order. Nayi, how dare you treat it like a toy!” I lifted my ice-blue eyes. My voice came out cold and steady. Bloodfang waved his hand and pulled Nayi close with a doting squeeze. “Whatever you want, my love.” I gritted my teeth. The godlike little pup placed a paw on my hand. [Fear not, Mother. Take the bet. With me here, you will not lose. Not a chance.] I paused for just a beat, then made up my mind. “Since Your Majesty will sacrifice a century of our pack’s foundation just to amuse a mistress, then I accept.”

The entire hall went silent with shock. Nayi stepped down from the throne and reached into my collar. She pulled out the ice-blue crystal. The temperature in the tent plunged. Even the flames in the braziers dipped lower. “Perfect, Isolde. It is sacred and beautiful. I have always wanted this…” “Stop!” Slap! I knocked her hand away hard. “This is no trophy or toy. It is the anchor of a thousand years of wolf order. You’re from some backwater Black-Stripe Jackal offshoot. What gives you the right to touch it?” Nayi clutched her hand and stumbled back, feigning injury. She threw herself into Bloodfang’s arms, crying and complaining. “My King, Isolde clearly agreed just now. Why is she taking it back?” Bloodfang had been lounging against his throne, toying with the wolf-tooth pendant at his waist. He slammed a heavy palm on the armrest. His golden pupils shrank to thin vertical slits. The most dangerous signal before a wolf’s rage. Terrified elders dropped to their knees throughout the hall. “My word stands, Isolde. Do you want every beast clan to think the Alpha’s word is worthless?” “I would not dare,” I said coldly. “But beast-kin wagers are known for fairness. The stakes must be equal.” I lifted the sacred crown from my head. My white hair spilled down like a waterfall. Nine pure white wolf-tooth pendants swayed, clinking softly. “I stake this crown and the Heart of Everwinter. I wager my Luna title and our lineage’s dignity. Nayi, what do you have to wager? The slave identity you crawled out of a hyena den with?” In Bloodfang’s arms, Nayi’s pupils flared and her ears shot up. She glared at me with hatred. I went on, unbothered. “You were a slave picking arrows on the wasteland. You only wear silk and brocade because you crawled into the King’s tent. Do you really think you have the right to bet against me?” “Enough!” Bloodfang slammed the throne suddenly. His fangs showed. A low growl rumbled from deep in his throat. Nayi seized the moment and threw herself into his arms. Her tears fell like beads from a broken string. “My King… I am from a minor branch. I have nothing but you. She is right. I am unworthy to bet against her.” She put on a tearful, helpless look and started to rise. Bloodfang yanked her back into his arms, knuckles cracking. He stared at the crown in my hand, then looked down at his bawling mistress. Then he laughed. “Who says she has nothing?” Bloodfang slowly pushed Nayi aside and sat up straight. He raised his right hand and slid the heavy ring off his thumb. Cast from black iron, set with a blood-red wolf-eye gem. The totem of the Great Ancestor Wolf was engraved on the band. “I, the Alpha King, will cover her stake.”

“This is the Alpha King’s Signet, a relic of past Kings. It commands three thousand Grey Wolf warriors.” He slammed the ring hard onto the throne’s armrest. It landed with a dull thud. “Enough to cover that worthless crown of yours, Luna?” My pupils shrank. Every elder in the tent sucked in a sharp breath. Elder Whitemane shot to his feet. “Your Highness, reconsider! The ring must not…” Bloodfang shot him a cold look. His golden slit pupils flared. The elder went silent immediately. Nayi pressed against Bloodfang’s chest and flashed me a provocative smile. A cheerful pup’s voice echoed in my ears. [The Alpha King Ring! We hit the jackpot, Mom. Grab the bow! Your son will guide your arrow!] I watched that bastard pair in silence and smiled. There was a touch of pity in it. “Since Your Majesty is wagering for her, I shall gladly play along.” Bloodfang’s lips curled slightly. “Round two. Change the targets!” For years, I stood by his side at every hunt and archery match. Yet he only ever let me cheer from inside the tent. He forbade me from touching weapons, saying iron was too rough for my delicate hands. So earlier, I could barely draw. I barely scored a five. Nayi grew up on the wild plains and easily scored a perfect ten. Bloodfang knew all of this perfectly well. Iron-spine slaves moved on command. The first-round targets were wheeled away. Two taller iron racks were brought forward. Two copper bells hung from iron chains, suspended a full two hundred paces out. “Change bows,” Bloodfang ordered. His voice was cold as ice shards. Attendants presented two bows. Nayi took hers. Rosewood frame, wolf teeth inlaid on the arms. One of the strongest bows in the pack. She drew it easily into a full moon. The attendant set my bow at Nayi’s feet. It was no ordinary bow. The frame was jet black, heavy as iron. Three cords of ox tendon twisted into a string thick as a pinky. Stood upright, it nearly reached my chest. Hushed voices murmured across the hall. “That is the first Alpha’s Stone-Crusher Bow. Without godly strength, no one can draw it. The Luna is pregnant. The Alpha really is trying to finish her off.” Bloodfang sat high above it all. “You’ve never had a bow of your own, so I’m lending you one worthy of your title.” I said nothing and bent down to pick it up.

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Julian treated “breakup” like his trump card. He always won. Any time we hit a rough patch, he’d throw those words at me. I was always the one swallowing my pride to fix us. Then, I saw it on his laptop. A round-trip flight confirmation to Seattle. His ex-wife lived there. I confronted him with the silent evidence. Offended impatience filled his face. “Isabella is doing poorly. I’m heading to the West Coast for work anyway. Just stopping by to see her.” He didn’t even bother to close the laptop. “If you can’t even trust me, maybe we should break up.” The flight details stared back at me. Then I looked at the man I’d loved for three years. A long silence followed. “Fine. I agree. Let’s break up.” … Julian’s movements froze. He clearly didn’t expect my agreement. An indifferent glance flickered my way. Then he simply returned to his files. “Suit yourself.” I closed his laptop gently. Then I walked out of the study. Outside the door, I closed my eyes. My heart throbbed with pain. Julian didn’t come to the bedroom that night. I knew he was waiting. He thought I’d push open the study door like always, wearing that same practiced smile. But I was done being the clown. The next morning, I carried my suitcase downstairs. Julian was on a call. He saw me and spoke quickly into the phone. “Okay, see you the day after tomorrow.” Julian hung up in a hurry. I knew it was Isabella on the other end. Julian looked at my suitcase, then my face. His brow furrowed deeply. “Where are you going?” “Moving out.”

“Moving out?” He smirked. “When are you coming back?” I ignored his contemptuous tone. “I’m not coming back.” Impatience nearly overflowed from his face. “Clara, knock it off. Seriously? It was just a quick stop to see her. You’re really blowing this up into something it’s not.” I looked up and watched him silently for a long time. “It is.” It wasn’t just one ticket. Unwavering monthly records filled his account. The orders were dense. Every single trip was to see Isabella. I wasn’t throwing a fit. I just realized there was nothing left worth saving. Julian frowned. “Since when are you so petty?” Maybe I was. “Yes, Julian. I’m petty.” I looked straight into his eyes. My voice was firmer than ever. “That’s why I agreed to the breakup.” Last night, Julian didn’t take me seriously. He was sure I couldn’t let go. For three years, I was always the one chasing after him, always the one giving in. He was used to my obedience, used to me letting everything slide. Even my friends thought I was wasting myself on him. Friends said I was hell-bent on clinging to a man who didn’t deserve me. Julian’s face darkened completely. He let out a cold laugh. “Fine. If you’re set on it, we’re done.” I moved out of the Upper East Side apartment. Julian didn’t contact me. He never reached out first. I visited him once after the Seattle trip. My arrival didn’t surprise him. The situation was entirely under his control, or so he thought. I would return and bow after my so-called tantrums. Leaning against the door, he waited for me to coax him. Instead, I slid the engagement ring off my finger. “This belongs to you.”

Julian lowered his eyes but did not reach out. He suddenly gave an extremely mocking sneer. “Clara, you’re actually giving this back?” Six months ago, Julian proposed out of nowhere. The moment he slipped that ring onto my finger, forever felt real. So I cherished that ring obsessively. I never took it off, even to sleep. He once mocked me for making a fuss. I ignored his sarcasm and repeated my words calmly. “Yes. Returning to sender.” Julian’s smile froze for a moment. Then he curled his lips with a condescending tone. “Keep it.” He said lazily. “Putting it back on you later is too much trouble.” Trouble? In Julian’s world, what was actually easy? Crossing the whole country to see her was not trouble. Gifts and messages always arrived punctually every year. Dropping everything to comfort her wasn’t trouble. If she was upset, he’d drop everything and fly out just to be there for her. Even while I waited for him at home. I had always chosen not to think too hard about these things. Now, they hit me like a tidal wave. I thought if I just kept waiting, he would eventually be fully mine. I was wrong. No matter what I did, Julian always kept a place in his heart just for Isabella. “No thanks,” my voice lacked even a single ripple. “We are completely finished.”

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