I was secretly dating Lucas Gray. At some point, he became insatiable, growing more and more unsatisfied. He even had the audacity to ask me in front of my official boyfriend: “How long are you going to keep torturing me?” At my 22nd birthday party, as it was winding down, Lucas pulled me into the emergency stairwell. His eyes, hazy with alcohol, fixed intently on my lips. “Aria Reed, I’ve got a birthday gift for you.” With that, he leaned in and kissed me. A strong whiff of alcohol mixed with a faint mint scent enveloped me. As if possessed, I closed my eyes. Perhaps surprised by my compliance, he paused, his forehead resting against mine, our noses touching. “You like it that much?” I tilted my head up and initiated another kiss. He leaned against the stair railing, watching me with a smile. “Dare to come with me?” “What about your girlfriend?” I secretly pinched my palm, trying to sober up. Lucas was like a wild, mischievous wolf cub – very aggressive, wild, ruthless, and heartless. I had long felt that this kind of man was dangerous. Not to be approached lightly. But danger also meant allure. Lucas seemed to have heard something amusing. He narrowed his eyes and smirked, “Isn’t she in your boyfriend’s room? Are you really that naive, or just pretending?” I was shocked for a moment but quickly hid my reaction. I knew my boyfriend had betrayed me, but I didn’t know he was so shameless as to go after his best friend’s girlfriend. Lucas turned his head, pulled out a cigarette from his pocket, and lit it. The gray-white smoke billowed from his nostrils, swirling in the air, obscuring half of his face. The crimson glow flickered on and off, falling into his pitch-black eyes, like the brightest star at the edge of the sky. “Want to come with me?” After finishing his cigarette, his voice was lower and hoarser than before. Mixed with the night, it crept into my ears with a bewitching quality. I stepped forward, meeting his watery eyes: “Do you know what you’re doing?” He raised his hand to caress my face: “Of course. It’s a win-win, isn’t it? Don’t you want to get back at your boyfriend?” My boyfriend was his childhood friend. His good friend had slept with his girlfriend, so he came after me. Fighting fire with fire – I liked it. I wrapped my arms around his waist and gave him a hard pinch: “Let’s go.”

I never imagined Lucas would take me straight to his place. “Couldn’t we go to a hotel?” I asked, tugging at his sleeve. He glanced around the room: “Unless you want to be helpful and change the sheets for me?” We sat awkwardly in the living room for an hour. Suddenly, Lucas angrily smashed a vase on the table and cursed under his breath: “This is boring. I’m done playing. Go find your Noah.” Noah Parker was my boyfriend. We were high school classmates who got together after the college entrance exam. We didn’t attend the same university, but we were in the same city. Back then, he was very good to me, always accommodating my wishes. I was strong-willed, so he was the one who always gave in. In the second semester of our junior year, he participated in an entrepreneurship competition. He was busy day and night and received a lot of praise. I admired him deeply, and to make it easier to take care of his daily life, I agreed to his suggestion of living together. During that time, we, naive and innocent, learned to manage a household together, tempering our relationship through the daily grind of life. Our friends all said we would definitely end up together, and I believed it without a doubt. When exactly did things start to change? A sharp pain pierced my heart, as if countless needles were pricking my tender flesh. I walked over, crouched in front of him, and gently held his hand: “Lucas, what if I take the initiative?” Would that make it more fun? The next morning, I woke up in Lucas’s arms. We hadn’t slept in the bed, but were squeezed together on a narrow, cramped sofa, our bodies intertwined like two symbiotic plants. Looking at his peaceful sleeping face, I felt like a thief, secretly reaching out my hand to trace his features, being especially gentle and careful when I reached his lips. The phone rang abruptly, and I hastily withdrew my hand, putting on a smile to cover my embarrassment: “You’re awake?” Lucas didn’t fully open his eyes, just gave a faint “Mm” and said: “Answer the phone.” I picked up the phone and saw it was that little bastard Noah. Last night he said he had an urgent matter at the company and had to rush back to deal with it. Huh, I wonder which hotel he ended up “dealing” with it in. He probably didn’t have the guts like Lucas to bring someone back home, right? “Hello, what’s up?” I answered. He said a few caring words, then suddenly changed his tone, sounding a bit aggrieved: “Why didn’t you call me last night? Are you mad that I left early?” I laughed silently. Did he really want me to call and disturb him? “I didn’t want to bother you. When are you coming back?” I asked. “I can’t make it back today, still have to work overtime. Take care of yourself.” I tilted my head to look at Lucas, then after a few seconds, smiled and said: “Okay, don’t worry. Focus on your work.” After hanging up, Lucas sat up from the sofa and stretched: “Last night was exhausting. Shall we go grab a bite together to recharge?” I checked my schedule and replied with some regret: “I have meetings during the day, very busy. Maybe after 10 PM I’ll be free.” “Huh… no wonder your boyfriend cheats on you,” Lucas stared at me and said mockingly. I retorted, not backing down: “You’re no better. Didn’t your girlfriend find someone else too?” Before leaving, Lucas gently embraced me from behind. Through the thin fabric, I could clearly feel the rhythm of his heartbeat. “When do you plan to break up, and how?” My gaze fell on an empty spot as I zoned out for a moment. “I never said I was going to break up.”

After getting home and taking a shower, I drove to the office. As bad luck would have it, I ran into Noah and Lucas’s girlfriend on the street. They had just come out of a hotel and were saying a lingering goodbye on the sidewalk. Disgusting. I don’t know if they noticed my car, but Noah suddenly pushed away the woman in his arms and dodged to the side. I didn’t stop, just kept driving normally. Soon after, Noah called me. His tone was nervous, but with a hint of deliberate concealment: “Babe, have you had breakfast?” “Not yet, I’m driving. What’s up? Want to have breakfast together? I can detour to your office to find you,” I replied while driving. He seemed to relax a bit: “No, you focus on driving. Don’t come over, it’s too much trouble. I’ve ordered takeout to be sent to your office. Remember to eat.” “You’re so good to me.” “Of course, I’m your husband after all.” Ugh. I almost threw up last night’s dinner. At 9:50 PM, I finished organizing my plans and stretched, finally having time to check the messages on my phone. Noah had called me once and sent three casual greetings on SnapChat. I could reply or not, it didn’t matter. Lucas had sent me six messages. “Lunch together?” “Finished work?” “Dinner together?” “???” “How can you have an affair when you’re so busy?” The last one was sent three minutes ago: “I’m downstairs at your office. Come down when you’re done.” After thinking for a while, I typed back a simple “Okay”.

Lucas is really reckless and does whatever he says. When I went downstairs, he was already in the elevator going up, and we ran into each other. If I had been even a little later, he would have really gone to knock on my door. “He didn’t do anything to you, did he?” Lucas naturally put his arm around my waist and sniffed me like a puppy. I collapsed tiredly into his arms: “Was everything today planned by you?” Lucas didn’t completely condemn Noah, but left some hope for him just right, then coldly watched how he struggled for this false hope. In this process, he even brought his girlfriend along to play. Vicious. Lucas raised his hand and pinched my nose: “Don’t think of me as so complicated. I just want to… with you…” He glanced down and smiled flirtatiously. Lucas took me back to his place again, proudly pointing at the bedroom and telling me he had changed the bed – it was especially big and soft now. I glanced at the sofa, vividly remembering the details of indulging our desires that day. Huh… I guess a stable married life with kids just wasn’t in the cards for me. Is it my failure, or is life just like this – endless disappointments, unfulfilled promises, inescapable relationships, and messy affairs? I closed my eyes, and just before my emotions were about to collapse, I turned around, stood on tiptoe, grabbed Lucas’s collar, and kissed him squarely on the lips. He responded almost immediately. He understood me well, or perhaps he just understood women well. Rough when needed, yet patient and tender at the right moments. At the height of passion, Lucas hugged me tightly. I bit my lip, too preoccupied to pay attention to him. But unexpectedly, he suddenly flipped over and got off the bed: “If you won’t even give me this little sweetness, why should I bother trying?” I lay dazed on the bed, not knowing whether to cry or laugh. Later that night, as I was drifting off to sleep, I felt myself being pulled into an embrace that smelled faintly of tobacco. That person seemed to whisper in my ear: “Goodnight, babe.” Uh, must be dreaming. Lucas didn’t seem like the type to play these little games with me. When I woke up in the morning, there was no one beside me. I checked my phone and saw it was only 6 AM. Where did he go? I rubbed my messy hair and got up to leave the room. As soon as I opened the door, I smelled a sweet aroma wafting through the air. Following the scent, I saw Lucas busy in the open kitchen. The light from above illuminated his profile, making it look smooth and handsome. A surge of emotion suddenly rose in my heart, almost making me cry out loud. This intense reaction terrified me, and I couldn’t understand it. So I ran. Without makeup, face unwashed, I fled out the door in a mess, running wildly. Only when I was far from Lucas’s place did I stop at a bus stop, belatedly realizing what a stupid thing I had done. I also came to a clearer realization – Lucas and I weren’t evenly matched players in this game of love. I wasn’t as rational or mature as I thought. When it came to relationships, I was just a novice. I needed to retreat quickly, or the risks would be unpredictable.

When I arrived at the office by taxi, Noah suddenly appeared and blocked my way. “Aria, how are you… I’m sorry, it’s all my fault for making you so upset.” Seeing my listless appearance, his eyes filled with deep guilt. This is ridiculous, running into an ex without makeup on. He tried to take my hand, but I stepped back slightly and said coldly: “I need to go to work.” “Okay, then I’ll come pick you up after work.” Noah smiled with excessive gentleness. “No.” I took a deep breath, “I need some time alone to think clearly about how we should handle our relationship.” Noah panicked and quickly grabbed my hand, holding it to his chest: “Aria, I was wrong before. I didn’t give you enough security. Please don’t do anything rash. I’ll change, just give me one more chance.” I forcefully pulled my hand back and walked straight past him towards the office building. Back in my office, I took out my phone to message Lucas. “Don’t show up for the next few days. I’m very busy.” The message was sent less than a minute ago when he replied: “Oh.” He’s really cold and indifferent. If only I could be as detached and carefree about relationships as him, how nice that would be. Unfortunately, talent means nothing in the face of hard work. In the days that followed, Lucas really didn’t contact me again. But through his daily SnapChat updates, I knew he was living a very colorful life, not missing me as just one of his sources of fun at all. As for Noah, he would stake out my office every day whenever he had time, trying to make amends in various ways. My colleagues didn’t know about our situation and just thought we had a good relationship, urging us to get married soon. I didn’t want to make a fool of myself, so I just went along with it perfunctorily. But I didn’t expect Noah to really take it to heart. Friday night, as soon as I left the office building, I saw him kneeling in a circle of flickering candles, holding roses with a face full of tenderness. I paused, feeling a wave of nausea rising in my stomach. It’ll be over soon, almost there… “Aria Reed, marry me!” Noah shouted excitedly, his voice straining. The crowd that had gathered around was ignited by this sound, all cheering and egging him on. Through the dreamy, flickering candlelight, I looked at Noah, unable to help but sneer inwardly. Beneath this beautiful facade lay a festering wound too ugly to look at. If no one knew his true face, what a pity that would be. I squeezed out some tears, stepped over the candles, walked to his side, and looked down at his eager gaze. After a while, I finally broke through the sticky feeling in my throat and spoke: “Noah, I love you.” He suddenly stood up and pulled me into his arms: “I know.” He knows? This threw me off for a moment. Is he that confident? I suddenly felt like I couldn’t continue acting. Seeing that I didn’t speak, Noah released me, took out the ring from the jewelry box with tears in his eyes, and slipped it onto my index finger: “Aria Reed, I love you more.” Suddenly, a low chuckle came from behind, sounding particularly jarring in this romantic atmosphere. Noah’s expression changed abruptly. In his pitch-black pupils, I saw Lucas’s figure. My heart immediately jumped to my throat. Why did he come? “Lucas, what are you doing here?” Noah pulled me behind him, confronting Lucas warily. Lucas’s relaxed demeanor made it seem like he had just happened to stroll by while walking his dog. He stood with his hands in his pockets, the bangs on his forehead swaying gently in the night breeze, making the fragments of light in his eyes flicker on and off. “Hmm…” As if deliberately, he fixed his gaze on me, dragging out his tone, taking a long time to get to the point, leaving people on edge. “I’m here to propose too.” As soon as these casual words fell, he unhurriedly pulled out a sparkling diamond ring from his pants pocket. Compared to the one Noah had just put on my finger, it was much bigger and more exquisite. “Lucas, have you gone crazy?” Noah shouted, losing control. “Aria Reed, do you dare?” Lucas tilted his head and smiled innocently. I heard the cracking sound of Noah clenching his fists, feeling a rush of pleasure in my heart. But this wasn’t enough. The pain after joy, the loss after gain, that would be truly intense. I took the initiative to hold Noah’s hand: “Let’s go, I don’t know what he’s doing.” Noah held my hand as we left, passing by Lucas. As we did, I gave Lucas a deep look. I don’t know if it was my imagination, but there seemed to be a glimmer of moisture in his eyes. “How long are you going to keep torturing me?” His voice was very soft, but I still heard it. I had been intentionally trying to win over Noah’s mom for a while now. When she found out Noah and I were successfully engaged, she was extremely excited and video called Noah for nearly two hours, urging us to get married quickly. I pretended to be shy: “Didn’t Noah say there’s a headhunter trying to recruit him? Would getting married now interfere with that?”

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The day my wife Emily went to fulfill a ten-year promise with her high school sweetheart, I left a divorce agreement and walked away. Before leaving, I commented on their photo together on social media: “Wishing you a lifetime of happiness. I’m stepping aside to make room for you two.” A minute later, Emily called. “Jack, we’re just fulfilling an old promise. Why are you being so selfish?” I laughed coldly and replied, “I don’t care about you anymore. There’s no need to explain anything to me.” But she became frantic. The day Emily went to fulfill a ten-year promise with Nathan, I left a divorce agreement and walked away. Before leaving, I commented on their photo together on social media: “Wishing you a lifetime of happiness. I’m stepping aside to make room for you two.” A minute later, Emily called. “Jack, we’re just fulfilling an old promise. Why are you being so selfish?” I laughed coldly and replied, “I don’t care about you anymore. There’s no need to explain anything to me.” Emily was at a loss for words. Just as she was about to say something, I hung up with a loud click. I could guess what she wanted to say – probably accusing me of making a fuss over nothing, insisting that she and Nathan were just old friends who hadn’t seen each other in years. Hah, friends. More like friends who shared a bed. Emily had never been patient with me. Seeing that I dared to hang up on her, she immediately sent me a question mark. I slowly typed back, “Emily, find time to sign the papers and finalize the divorce. Then you can be with Nathan forever.” I don’t know if Emily truly didn’t want a divorce, or if she was just angry that I was the one to bring it up first. She sent me a long string of insults, ending with the declaration that she would absolutely never divorce me, and that I should give up on the idea. In the past, if Emily had said she would never divorce me, I would have been over the moon. Now it just made me sick. How could someone be like this – refusing to let me go while secretly fooling around with an ex? Seven years. I thought even a rock would have warmed up by now. But I learned that some people’s hearts are harder than stone.

Emily and I fell in love in college. We survived the “graduation breakup” curse and eventually got married. Seven years have passed since then. We worked hard to build a life together in this unfamiliar city, going from renting and taking the subway to owning a home and car. For someone like me without grand ambitions, this was already the best life I could imagine. But for some reason, the happiness that once came so easily now seemed impossible to find. In college, both Emily and I had limited spending money. We were both from rural areas, and our families weren’t well off. If we wanted to buy something or pay school fees, we had to be very frugal. Saving money was important, but so was earning it. Whenever I had free time, I would work part-time jobs. Combined with the scholarships I earned each year, we managed to get by without too much hardship. Emily had a younger brother, so her allowance was even tighter than mine. Whenever Emily’s meal card ran out of money, I would add funds for her. I was terrified of her going hungry. Looking back now, I was just a pathetic fool. Near graduation, Emily fell ill. She cried and told me she didn’t know what to do. Without hesitation, I gave her my savings. But when I tried to help her contact the hospital, Emily anxiously stopped me. “Jack, I’ve had this condition since I was little. There’s an old Chinese medicine doctor back home who can treat it. It’s just that the herbs he uses are expensive…” I was naive enough to believe her flimsy excuse. Emily said she didn’t want me to worry or see her sick, so she wouldn’t let me visit her even once. After we got married, Emily told me that because of that illness, her health wasn’t good. So I let her stay at home while I went out to earn money. Even then, I didn’t let Emily do much housework. I cooked, and she just had to set the table and eat. I earned money, and as soon as I got paid each month, I transferred it to her account. Emily didn’t even need to spend time sweet-talking me, because from the beginning I felt I owed her. I thought my background wasn’t good enough, and that Emily was suffering by being with me. Over seven years, my love for her only grew more intense and irrational. And Emily came to see my devotion as something she was entitled to. But now I realize, to Emily I was just an ATM, a tool she could use. After all, how could Emily not have money for medical treatment when she had Nathan supporting her behind my back? And that year, Emily wasn’t sick at all. She went home to have a baby.

I discovered Emily’s affair with Nathan six months ago, during Chinese New Year. Because this winter was especially cold, my company gave us an early holiday. Emily and I followed our usual custom of returning to our respective hometowns for the New Year. This was Emily’s idea after we got married. Emily said the holiday travel rush was too crowded and tiring. She didn’t want me to suffer through that. As long as we sent gifts, that was enough. Plus, I was an only child and her brother was away at school. It was more filial for us to each keep our own parents company. At first I thought Emily was being considerate, so I agreed with her idea. It wasn’t until I discovered Emily’s affair with Nathan that I realized it wasn’t about going home to be filial – it was to keep me from finding out about her dirty secret. That day, Emily went home first. I followed right after her, buying a ticket for the next high-speed train to surprise her. This year I had discussed with my parents and told them I would spend New Year’s Eve at Emily’s home, then visit them after the holiday. Believe it or not, in seven years of dating I had never been to Emily’s hometown. Whenever I brought it up, she always found excuses to put it off. So this time I simply didn’t tell her I was coming. After getting off the bus, I trudged through the snowy village with my luggage, taking one careful step after another. Just as I reached the village entrance, I saw two older women in headscarves sitting on a doorstep chatting. “Can you believe the daughter from the Jiang family still hasn’t married that Sun boy, even though their kid is so big now?” “Tsk, don’t you know? Emily has a husband in the city. I heard he’s quite well-off. The Sun and Jiang families have bad blood, so even with a child the Jiangs won’t let their daughter marry into the Sun family.” “But I heard the Suns have come into money recently. The two families might reconcile for the sake of the child.” Emily? When those two words entered my ears, they set off a storm in my heart. Could they be talking about my wife Emily? By the time I came to my senses, icy snowflakes had already frozen on my eyelashes and eyebrows. I moved my stiff hands and feet, continuing towards the Jiang family home according to the address. I had never visited in all these years, but I often bought gifts for Emily’s parents. Actually, Emily’s parents had always looked down on me. They thought their daughter was beautiful and accomplished, deserving of someone better. Why did it have to be me? Emily even threatened to cut ties with them to marry me, kneeling in the rain for a whole day before they finally agreed. Because of this, I was even more devoted to Emily. Thinking back on it now, I shook my head. Yes, Emily loved me so much – how could she possibly do anything to betray me?

When I arrived at the Jiang family’s door, I could hear lively conversation inside. I was holding gifts and about to push open the gate when someone came out. It was Emily and a little boy, followed by a man. I looked closer – it was Nathan, Emily’s “good friend.” For a moment I froze in place. What was he doing here on New Year’s Eve? The sun was setting, and they hadn’t noticed me standing outside. I was debating whether to go in when Emily suddenly spoke. “Nathan, our son says he wants to build a snowman. Why don’t you play with him for a bit?” Emily’s words stopped me in my tracks. Son? I stared unblinkingly at the three of them standing close together. Only then did I realize the little boy looked eerily familiar – it was the child Nathan had posted photos with on social media. Why was Emily calling him son? Before I could react, Nathan suddenly stepped forward and pulled Emily into his arms. “What’s the rush? Won’t we have plenty of chances to play with him in the future?” “Emily, I can finally stand by your side openly now. I’m willing to wait for you to get divorced and come back to me. Our family of three can be reunited soon.” The little boy jumped up and down happily beside them, shouting loudly: “Daddy and Mommy are hugging, how embarrassing!” Hearing the child’s words, Emily blushed slightly and leaned gently against Nathan’s chest, her face full of tenderness. “Nathan, I’ve missed you too. If it weren’t for my parents’ opposition back then, how could I have separated from you?” “Even our son – I can only come back occasionally to see him. I feel so guilty.” Emily sighed. “Back then you gave me money for college, but I ended up marrying Jack. Nathan, I’ll make up for all the time I’ve wasted in the future.” Emily’s voice was as gentle as ever, and her words were clear and articulate. But why couldn’t I understand when they were put together? It felt like someone had taken a knife and carved open my chest. The pain made it hard to breathe. I realized that my eager journey to surprise Emily had turned me into a fool in an instant. I don’t remember how I left that night. I only recall that the fireworks were bright, and the journey back was very cold. I checked into a random hotel in town and started to process everything that had happened that day. I knew Nathan. The first time I learned about him was from Emily’s phone. That time she told me she was going to a high school reunion, and Nathan would be there. She even openly told me about him and had us add each other as contacts. It was precisely because of Emily’s frank attitude that I never suspected anything. But now that I think about it, what great acting. I opened Nathan’s social media and saw he had posted many photos with the child, occasionally showing glimpses of the mother’s clothing or shadow. The most recent post was of their family reunion dinner that night. Nathan said he had finally gained his mother-in-law’s approval. After learning about his relationship with Emily, looking at these photos made me feel increasingly ridiculous. Here was a family of three secretly flaunting their happiness, while I stupidly wished them well like an idiot. The instant noodles in my bowl had congealed into a lump. I took two big bites and found them unpalatable. In college, to buy gifts for Emily, I had lived frugally. Even instant noodles seemed like a luxury then. On the rare occasions I ate them, they tasted amazing. But now, taking another bite, they were just salty and disgusting. The next day, I woke up early. My mind was in chaos. I didn’t know whether to leave or confront Emily directly. Actually, even now I didn’t know what I was still hoping for. I had witnessed Emily and Nathan’s intimate scene with my own eyes, but I still clung to one last shred of delusion.

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After my wife abandoned me for her first love for the tenth time, I received the ultimate punishment from the system. My love for my wife was erased. My wife thought I was acting. To force me to apologize, she brought her first love in front of me and kissed him passionately. She posted sweet photos on Instagram that only I could see, and even handed me divorce papers when I remained unmoved. She thought I would definitely compromise. But she didn’t know that I no longer loved her. When I signed the divorce agreement, my wife finally panicked. She cried and begged me to love her one more time. In the dark room, only flickering candlelight remained. The cream on the cake on the dining table had already collapsed. The system’s voice sounded in my head. [Host, this is your last chance. If you can’t call Jessica back, you’ll face punishment.] I calmly replied “okay,” but my heart was still filled with pain. This was the tenth time Jessica had abandoned me for Luke. Today was my birthday, and Jessica had been called away by Luke halfway through. I didn’t know what punishment I would face, but based on past experience, it definitely wouldn’t be pleasant. The first time Jessica abandoned me for Luke, the punishment felt like high-voltage electricity coursing through my body. I couldn’t get out of bed for three days from the pain. The punishments got worse each time. The ninth time, I was vomiting blood non-stop. I was truly scared. I took out my phone and called Jessica. First call. Second call. It wasn’t until the eighth call that someone picked up. Jessica’s impatient voice came through the receiver. “Jessica, wish me a happy birthday…” I said, my throat tight, almost begging. Just saying “happy birthday” would save me from punishment. At least I wouldn’t lose so miserably. But Jessica just let out a cold laugh at those simple words. “Ryan, do you have nothing better to do? Luke is sick, so I came to take care of him. Who are you trying to act pitiful for? Don’t make me look down on you.” I laughed bitterly, my voice calmer than ever before. Every time Luke called Jessica away and I tried to get her to come back, she always said I was making a fuss over nothing and complaining for no reason. I was tired of explaining. “What if I said I would die?” I asked. I wasn’t sure what would happen to me, but I might actually die. Or maybe…I would leave this world? Isn’t that what happens to other system hosts in novels when they fail their missions? I was truly scared. I thought Jessica would at least be anxious if she heard I might die. Even if she just showed a little concern, I would feel like all these years of devotion and love were worth it. But Jessica replied with disgust, “Always talking about dying. It’s just a stupid birthday, can’t you celebrate next year? If you really want to die then go die far away. I might actually think better of you then!” Before I could respond, I heard a male voice on the other end of the call. “Jess, I’m done showering. You can go wash up now.” The call was immediately hung up. As I listened to the busy signal, I fell into deep thought. Jessica never showered outside our home. I couldn’t rule out that Luke had said that on purpose for me to hear, but there was no denying that Luke was always the exception for Jessica. [Host, time’s up. Punishment begins.]

The clock in the living room struck midnight. My birthday had passed, which meant my mission had completely failed. When the system’s voice sounded, it seemed to carry a hint of gentleness. Jessica and I had been together for five years. I had pursued her for five years. That’s right, I was a transmigrator tasked with winning her over. I thought that as long as I married Jessica, my mission would be complete. I never wanted to return to the real world. After all, in the real world I was an orphan with cancer. The exorbitant surgery fees were beyond my reach, so I ended it all by jumping off a building. In this book world, at least I had a complete family. But Jessica’s heart was never with me. Whenever Luke needed something, even if I was sick and hospitalized, Jessica wouldn’t come back to me. Even ice can be melted with enough warmth, but Jessica’s gaze never lingered on me. But I still couldn’t let go. As the punishment began, I felt something being drawn out of my body. Past memories played like a flipbook in my mind. Jessica’s smile, her silhouette playing in the sunlight, me holding her hand as we exchanged wedding vows under everyone’s gaze. Those warm, beautiful scenes unexpectedly brought tears to my eyes. Amidst gut-wrenching pain, I lost consciousness. When I woke up, my throat felt parched. I stumbled to the kitchen for a glass of water, only to run into an exhausted-looking Jessica who had just returned. Luke followed behind her, looking smug. For some reason, even though I knew the woman before me was my wife, she felt like a stranger. Jessica let out a cold laugh when she saw me. “Weren’t you going on about dying last night? Look at you, still alive and well. All talk and no action – it’s disgusting.” I looked at Jessica in confusion. Her words were harsh, even making my heart ache instinctively. I couldn’t quite remember why I had married such a sharp-tongued woman. For a moment, I couldn’t hide my dazed expression. Even my hand paused as I was drinking water. Jessica casually sat down, leading Luke to do the same. Luke said apologetically, “Sorry to disturb you so late, Ryan. It’s my fault for being in poor health. Jess was worried about me, that’s why she brought me back. You don’t mind, right?”

I don’t know if I was being overly sensitive, but I felt like Luke was blatantly showing off. Before I could respond, Jessica rolled her eyes at me and reassured Luke. “You’re my best friend. Certain people aren’t important enough to interfere with my decisions. Make yourself at home. Let me know if you need anything.” Then Jessica turned to me, her eyes wary, as if afraid I might do something to hurt Luke. She warned, “Ryan, I’m telling you, if you want to stay with me, don’t play any tricks. Don’t make me hate you!” I finally realized that I no longer loved Jessica. In the past, when Jessica brought Luke in front of me, I would feel angry, sad, and wronged. But now I felt nothing. So the system’s so-called punishment was to take away my love for Jessica. For a moment, I didn’t know whether to feel sad or relieved. Perhaps I should be relieved. Loving Jessica was too exhausting. Even though my memories were hazy, when I tried to recall the past, it felt like something was crushing my chest, making it hard to breathe. I calmly finished my water and coldly replied, “Oh, okay.” Jessica looked surprised. She had probably prepared a bunch of insults, expecting me to protest. She didn’t expect me to be so indifferent, and was momentarily at a loss for words. But Luke didn’t seem to want things to go smoothly for me. He immediately lowered his gaze, as if I had bullied him. “Jess, maybe I should leave. It seems Ryan doesn’t welcome me. Don’t let me affect your relationship.” Jessica seemed to find an opening and grabbed Luke’s hand in front of me, looking at me with disgust. “Ryan, who are you putting on this dead-faced act for? I came back like you wanted. Luke is just staying with us for a few days. If you don’t welcome him, fine, but do you have to look so sour? Did all those years of education go to waste? You have no manners!” These words left me stunned. I hadn’t said anything, hadn’t even tried to drive Luke away. How had I become the petty one in Jessica’s eyes? Oh, I almost forgot. It wasn’t just this time. It had always been like this. When I protested Jessica seeing Luke, she said I was jealous and had no sense of boundaries. When I was forced to accept Jessica and Luke’s relationship, Luke would find ways to provoke me, saying I didn’t like him. And Jessica would still scold me harshly. In short, everything I did was wrong. Now I was incredibly grateful that I no longer loved Jessica. Looking back, I realized how helpless and pitiful I used to be. I paused as I was heading back to my room. “How about I leave instead?”

The air in the room froze for a few seconds. Jessica and Luke looked at each other in disbelief, as if they couldn’t believe this was my reaction. It’s true, in the past, if I didn’t kick up a huge fuss to vent my dissatisfaction, I wouldn’t be Ryan. Everyone in our social circle knew I was Jessica’s devoted admirer. I loved Jessica to death. People even joked that even if every man in the world were to change his heart, I never would. It was because I loved her too much that I couldn’t stand any man being close to Jessica, let alone giving them private time together now. But Jessica quickly realized something and laughed loudly. “Ryan, tired of the suicidal act? Now you’re playing hard to get? “Let me tell you, even if you do this, I still…” I had already closed the door and left before Jessica could finish her sentence, cutting off her unfinished words. No heartache, no grievance. I just found Jessica annoying. The streets were cold late at night. I walked aimlessly, feeling an unprecedented sense of freedom and relaxation. Since coming to this book world, every day had been spent hovering around Jessica. I never had time for myself. I still remembered Jessica’s birthday, when she smashed the cake I had made with my own hands onto my body in front of everyone in our social circle. She gritted her teeth and said to me: “Ryan, no matter how much you grovel, I will never like a pushover like you. Even if you were the last man on earth, I would never choose you!” But how did Jessica agree to marry me? At that time, Jessica’s family company was facing a financial crisis and on the verge of bankruptcy. Who among the elite doesn’t kick you when you’re down? Overnight, Jessica was begging everyone for help, even willing to offer herself. But those she once called friends all closed their doors to her. Even her first love Luke made excuses about going abroad and broke up with her. I still remember that rainy night when Jessica came to find me. My family’s company wasn’t small, but it was inferior to Jessica’s former company, which was why she had looked down on me. At that time, I knew I was Jessica’s last resort. When her tear-filled eyes stared at me, begging me to save her family, I softened. Jessica asked to marry me. Although she was my target, I wasn’t the type to take advantage of someone’s misfortune. Besides, I had already truly fallen in love with her after pursuing her day and night. In the end, Jessica’s family felt indebted to mine, so they let her marry me. This time I didn’t refuse. But after marriage, Jessica gradually came to her senses. She felt I had taken advantage of her vulnerability and that I had ulterior motives for helping her. She never looked at me with warmth. But I still remembered why I liked Jessica in the first place. She would buy vegetables and fruits from elderly vendors, donate to orphanages, and smile at poor people. Jessica was originally a good person. She just… didn’t love me.

After walking for over an hour, a Maybach suddenly pulled up beside me. When the window rolled down, it revealed Jessica’s delicate face, though she was frowning and looked displeased. “How long are you going to keep this up? Walking around on the streets like this – if the media reports on it, they’ll say I’m ungrateful again.” Then Luke’s head poked out from the passenger seat. He said pitifully, “Ryan, I’m sorry. My presence caused you two to fight. I’ll go back now. Even though I have no family or friends here, I’ll accept my fate even if I die alone at home.” Luke’s clumsy attempt at playing the victim – I don’t know why I used to fall for it repeatedly. Could Jessica really not see through Luke’s act? She probably could. She just enjoyed Luke going to such lengths for her, which meant he still cared about her. And I was just the sacrificial lamb in their love game. I ignored Jessica and kept walking. The night wind was really cold, seeping into my body. Jessica impatiently honked the horn. Seeing I didn’t react, she stopped the car and shoved me into the backseat. “Can’t you be more sensible? You’re only making things more difficult for me! Why can’t you be more like Luke?” This was probably something Jessica blurted out in anger. Yes, I’m not like Luke. At least in Jessica’s heart, I can’t compare to Luke at all. I wanted to speak, but my throat felt tight and salty. In the end, I couldn’t say anything. People’s preconceptions are like mountains. In Jessica’s mind, I had always been unreasonable and jealous. No matter how I tried to explain myself, the verdict had already been passed. Besides, I no longer cared. The rest of the ride was silent. When we got home, Luke, who had been crying about going home, still followed us in. As soon as we entered, Luke quickly ran in front of me and threw himself against the entryway. His forehead hit the corner of a cabinet, immediately drawing blood. The loud noise caught me off guard. Jessica quickly went to help Luke up. The blood from Luke’s forehead was flowing down his face, looking quite gruesome. Luke’s tears immediately fell. He looked at me in disbelief. “Ryan, even if you don’t like me, you can’t hurt me like this. I’ll leave right now, okay? Please spare me.” As he spoke, Luke stumbled trying to get up, falling several times. I inwardly scoffed. Luke never tired of using these framing tactics on me. He probably couldn’t even remember how many times he’d done it. Jessica held Luke protectively in her arms, looking at me with deepening hatred. “Ryan, why can’t you ever learn? How dare you be so vicious right in front of me. I’m warning you, if anything happens to Luke, I won’t let you off!” Jessica anxiously helped Luke to the hospital. Before leaving, I caught a glimpse of smug satisfaction in Luke’s eyes. But what did it matter? I had anticipated this kind of treatment. In the past, I definitely would have frantically explained that it wasn’t me, even chasing them to the hospital. My desperate attempts to explain made me look like a criminal. Since Jessica despised me so much, so be it. Close to dawn, I saw Luke’s Instagram post. [So this is what it feels like to be cared for.] The photo showed Jessica sleeping by Luke’s hospital bed, her head propped up on her arm. Back when I was punished by the system, I had crawled to the hospital on my own. When I called Jessica, she impatiently said:

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The moment my son took his own life to prove his innocence, my husband Richard was receiving the “Annual Moral Role Model” award. He had unhesitatingly stood up and identified our son as the perpetrator of extreme school bullying that led to a classmate’s suicide, even attempting to use his position as a father to whitewash the situation. A torrent of abuse against our son flooded in from all directions. But at that time, no one knew that this was just a lie Richard had deliberately told to protect his ex-girlfriend’s daughter. Our son, utterly desperate, doused himself in gasoline and set himself on fire while Richard was accepting his award. On the live TV broadcast, Richard shielded his ex-girlfriend and her daughter behind him, his expression solemn: “Before the law, everyone is truly equal!” I numbly held my son’s charred body, my fingers touching his heart that no longer beat. His last cries echoed in my ears. “Mom, why is Dad helping others hurt me? I’m his son!” I couldn’t utter a word. But in my heart, I made a vicious vow— I will not let my child leave this world bearing false charges! All those who owe this blood debt must pay with their lives! … “Mom, I can’t go on anymore. This world is too painful…” “I don’t understand why Dad would frame me. I’m his own son…” In the last moments of his farewell video, tears rolled down Lucas’s cheeks. Then, my son drenched himself in gasoline and set himself on fire at the venue where his father was receiving an award. When I rushed to the ICU, he was already burned beyond recognition, with only a faint heartbeat reminding me he was still alive. I stood by the hospital bed, feeling as if the sky had fallen and the earth had collapsed. My whole being felt as if my soul had been sucked out. “Please, save him! He’s only twenty-two, he just passed the bar exam… He has his whole life ahead of him!” I knelt before the attending physician, my voice breaking. The doctor’s expression was grave as he turned and entered the emergency room. I bit my lip hard, using the pain to keep myself conscious. Lucas’s life was hanging by a thread; he needed me to be strong now more than ever. Suppressing my grief, I dialed Richard’s number. That beast I loathed to the core. He had driven Lucas to his death! A week ago, the police suddenly burst in and arrested Lucas, accusing him of organizing an extreme school bullying group that led a student to commit suicide by jumping off a building. Not only did they find the victim’s suicide note and threatening evidence on Lucas’s phone. There was also eyewitness testimony against him. My husband Richard, Lucas’s biological father. He mercilessly accused his own son of being the organizer of school bullying in court. “When he came home that day, his hands were shaking, and his computer was full of chat records threatening the victim. The evidence is irrefutable!” “I’m a human rights lawyer, it’s my duty to protect the weak, even if it’s my own son!” “Richard, have you gone mad? Do you know what you’re doing?” I couldn’t believe my ears. When I turned to look at him, I saw a flash of disgust in his eyes. A sense of foreboding suddenly came over me. Taking advantage of Richard’s attendance at a public event, I broke into his study and hacked into his computer. The bloody truth pierced my heart like a sharp blade. The real organizer of the school bullying was Chloe! She was Samantha’s daughter, Richard’s college sweetheart! It was Chloe who organized the online bullying group that drove the classmate to suicide. Samantha had turned to Richard for help. “Richard, you must help us. Chloe still has a bright future ahead of her. If this gets out, her life will be ruined!” In the chat records, Richard replied calmly and professionally: “Leave it to me to handle. I won’t let anyone harm Chloe. She’s a child I’ve watched grow up, I’ll protect her.” “I already have a plan. Dry your tears and trust me…” So his carefully crafted “plan” was to let his own flesh and blood take the fall? Lucas was his only child! Sadly, I wasn’t shocked at all in my heart. For the sake of Samantha and her daughter, Lucas and I had been ruthlessly abandoned countless times. On the day of Lucas’s high school entrance exam, he had a high fever, but Richard took a day off to accompany Chloe to a piano competition; When Lucas won the law school freshman scholarship, Richard attended an education forum with Samantha; Once, when Lucas was hospitalized after being ambushed by thugs off campus, Richard canceled his hospital visit just to celebrate Chloe’s 18th birthday… Similar incidents were endless and heartbreaking. Every time I questioned him, he would put on the pose of a moral role model: “Professor Samantha has been my comrade-in-arms for many years, and her daughter is like my niece. You’re too petty. As the wife of a public figure, you need to have a broader mind!” For the sake of Lucas’s growth needing a father, I chose to be understanding time and time again. But Richard, how dare you strike such a deadly blow against my son! I rushed to his office like a madwoman, loudly accusing him of his beastly behavior. But he pushed me away expressionlessly, his tone ice-cold. “Samantha is a single mother, it’s not easy for her to raise a daughter alone. We must help with such small matters.” “Lucas is strong, he’ll get through this. I’ll use my connections to make sure he doesn’t suffer too much.” Due to questionable court evidence, Lucas was temporarily released on bail. After returning home, he became a different person, silent all day, his eyes hollow. My son was like a walking corpse, the light of life forcibly extinguished. Watching him slowly break down before my eyes, my heart ached unbearably. I wanted to quickly find evidence to clear his false charges. But Richard’s actions were faster and more vicious than mine. He publicly released a legal commentary article, completely destroying Lucas’s last line of defense. “The fight against school bullying should start from the family. Exposing my own child’s crimes is the bottom line for a legal professional.” As a top human rights lawyer in the country, his words carried extreme weight. In just a few hours, the article had over a million reads, and the entire internet was in an uproar. Overnight, everyone believed Lucas was a despicable school bully, calling for his punishment. I argued for his defense until my voice was hoarse, but society collectively silenced me. “Even Lawyer Du has personally testified against him, what more do you have to say?” “A legal professional wouldn’t wrongly accuse an innocent person. His son must be guilty as charged. You’re just a mother who can’t face reality!” What followed were colleagues’ sidelong glances, neighbors’ contempt, collective blocking on social media… Lucas’s newly acquired internship at a law firm was canceled. The victim’s family even came to our door every day to make a scene. Blood splattered on the door, threatening letters stuffed the mailbox… The endless harassment made it impossible for us to take a single step. Although I guarded Lucas day and night, he was still like a withering pine, gradually losing his will to live. “Mom, I don’t understand. Why would my father, who taught me to pursue truth and justice since I was young, use the law to kill me?” “Is my existence so offensive to him…” Faced with his desperate eyes, my heart was cut like a knife, but I couldn’t give an answer. Now, my Lucas finally couldn’t hold on anymore. He used to be a stubborn boy who wanted me by his side even for a cold. Setting himself on fire at his father’s award ceremony, he must have endured unimaginable pain and despair. I finally got through on the phone. Just as I was about to speak, Richard’s ice-cold voice came from the other end: “Is it that unfilial son Lucas causing trouble again? How many more problems is he going to give me?” “Haven’t we already agreed that once this storm blows over, I’ll use my connections to send him abroad to study? How can he still be unsatisfied?” “He can’t even handle a bit of criticism from righteous public opinion, how weak! He’s completely disgraced the law school!” Looking at my son covered in burns and fighting for his life in the ICU, I almost lost my mind: “Richard, Lucas is in ICU emergency treatment… He set himself on fire while you were receiving your award. Come to the hospital quickly…” Before I could finish, a sweet female voice came from the other end of the phone. “Richard, I’ve revised the speech. Let me help you check the positioning again, the camera needs to capture all three of us.” “If it weren’t for you stepping up during this time, I really don’t know how Chloe and I would face the world…” It was Samantha’s voice! My blood instantly froze. The next moment, the phone went “beep” and hung up. The harsh alarm of the heart monitor echoed in the intensive care unit. I felt as if I had fallen into an ice cave, standing there in a daze for a long time, involuntarily reaching out to touch Lucas’s face. But 90% of his body had been burned, his skin carbonized and peeling off, like a wooden puppet scorched by raging flames. I didn’t dare touch him, afraid of causing him more pain. I bit my lip hard, but tears still gushed out like a broken dam. “Mom… Mom… don’t be sad… I’m not in pain…” “Only my flesh… was burned… My conscience… has finally returned…” On the hospital bed, Lucas’s entire body was wrapped in bandages, only his swollen and red eyes exposed. He struggled to squeeze out a smile, his vocal cords hoarse from inhaling hot air. “I’m sorry… Mom… I’m… too useless…” “Please… don’t call him… He’s not my father… A true… human rights defender… wouldn’t… kill… an innocent person…” “In the next life… I’ll only be… your son…” Looking at his weakly trembling fingertips, my soul felt as if it had been torn apart. I can’t remember the scene of being forcibly pulled out of the emergency room by medical staff. I can’t remember how many hours I paced in the corridor. From dusk to deep night. The attending physician took off his mask and walked towards me, his eyes filled with undisguisable regret. At that moment. My world collapsed. I covered my ears tightly with both hands, but couldn’t block out the cruel fact shattering my heart. I collapsed on the cold hospital floor, my throat emitting a heart-wrenching wail, everything spinning before my eyes. At this very moment, the TV screen in the emergency lobby switched to a live broadcast. Richard was delivering a speech at the national “Anti-School Bullying Annual Summit”. Because of his “brave act of exposing family scandal”, he was awarded the “Outstanding Moral Role Model” prize. He wore a tailored suit, his eyes bright and spirited, looking dignified and imposing. Behind him, Samantha and her daughter Chloe stood dressed elegantly, smiling gracefully.

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I married Sophia Scott less than a year ago, and now her first love has returned to town. She despises me and has even blatantly betrayed me. “You can’t give me what I want. Why can’t you just let me go?” I agreed to the divorce, changed my name, and started over. Five years later, I finally took my company public. When I returned to City A to expand my business, I didn’t expect to be clung to by a little girl the moment I stepped out of the office building. “Daddy!” she shouted, her voice echoing throughout the underground parking lot. The girl looked about four or five years old, old enough to have some understanding, and I didn’t recognize her. I couldn’t bring myself to be harsh with a child, especially not in front of my company’s new office, surrounded by my employees and business partners. “What’s your name, little girl? I don’t have a daughter your age.” I had a headache and decided to put her in the car to figure things out. “My name is Sophie Scott, and you are my dad. I’ve seen you on my mom’s phone,” she said with a pout, clearly displeased. “And who is your mom?” I asked with a wry smile. “Sophia Scott,” she replied, giving me a sideways glance as if my question was stupid. I was taken aback, memories flooding back like a wave crashing over me. Back in college, I had a crush on Sophia for three years. She was the darling of Harvard, and I was just a poor student living on scholarships. During military training, I fainted due to low blood sugar, and Sophia, who was a year ahead of me, was a volunteer at the infirmary. She handed me a gardenia-scented handkerchief, looking like an angel against the light. “You’re awake?” she asked, wiping the cold sweat from my forehead. “You’re in the infirmary now.” “Th-thank you,” I stammered, adding, “senior.” It was ridiculous. She was kind to everyone, yet I couldn’t help falling for her. Having a crush is a one-sided, chaotic feeling. I joined her club just to catch a glimpse of her, attended her college’s events, but kept my distance because she had a boyfriend who was a perfect match for her family’s status. After graduation, with the help of my mentor, I secured investment for a small tech startup. Sophia’s family fell on hard times, and her boyfriend left her to go abroad. She ended up working as a receptionist at my startup. My long-held affection couldn’t be contained, and I pursued her. One night, I was drugged and drunk, and she ended up with me, agreeing to marry me. Sophia didn’t love me, but I thought we’d make it work eventually. A year later, she betrayed me for her ex, leaking my company’s confidential project files. Not only did my company face a crisis, but I was also accused of stealing code. “You took advantage of me when I was drunk and ruined me. I’ll make sure you’re ruined too,” Sophia sneered at me through the bars of the detention center. I looked at the little girl resembling Sophia, feeling a chill down my spine. “I’m not your dad. Get out of the car. I’ll have my assistant take you home, or I’ll call the police,” I threatened coldly. Sophie seemed frightened, her eyes welling with tears. But my mind was made up. I messaged my assistant to take her away. Seeing her tears were useless, Sophie slowly got out of the car, looking back at me every few steps as my assistant led her away. I sighed, silently reassuring myself: Ethan Bennett, you’re not the same person you once were. You’ve been through hell; you can’t go back.

My name used to be Ethan Bennett. Like a character in a clichéd story, my family had an alcoholic dad, a gambling mom, and a broken me. I managed to escape to Harvard, living frugally. Other than my crush on Sophia, I didn’t do anything wrong. I was drugged that night. I didn’t know why Sophia was in my room or who drugged me. Sophia remained indifferent to my pursuit and didn’t believe my innocence, but she accepted my proposal. I thought time would reveal my true intentions. Outwardly, Sophia seemed like a breath of fresh air. Everyone adored her beauty and gentleness, saying I was lucky. I could only smile bitterly. Privately, Sophia was demanding, wanting the best of everything. I was under financial pressure and felt guilty, so I endured her insults without retaliation. Eventually, her verbal abuse became physical. I silently bore the bruises, presenting a polished appearance. Perhaps my compliance satisfied her. Sometimes, she’d let me “serve” her, but even that wasn’t on my terms. Once she was done, she’d kick me off the bed and throw contraceptives at me. “Disgusting. Even as a gigolo, you’re the lowest quality.” I felt undeserving of this treatment, but what could I do? As a child, my dad also beat me after drinking. Maybe I was just fated for this. I was tough, after all, and it wouldn’t kill me. The company picked up, and Sophia’s attitude softened. One day, she brought wine to my office, and we spent a wild night there. A few days later, the police came, accusing me of stealing code from the Carter Corporation and asking me to cooperate with their investigation. The project was gone, and the company’s finances collapsed. But I had evidence to turn the tables. The company might be lost, but I wouldn’t go to jail, just be saddled with debt. My dad had a stroke upon hearing the news, and my mom finally left the mahjong parlor, looking like a skeleton when she visited me in detention. “Mom, it’s okay. He always beat you. Think of it as freedom,” I said, having not slept well for days. But she only complained about her hardships, ignoring my situation. “Ethan Bennett, he’s your dad. I don’t care, you must save him,” my mom screamed, treating me like a criminal. I stayed silent. Save him? But who would save me, dear mother? My mom somehow contacted Sophia, who visited me with David Carter.

They said if I gave up fighting back and took the blame, they’d give my parents money, and I wouldn’t have to repay my debt. “I can crush your little company with a flick of my finger,” David Carter sneered, hand lingering on Sophia’s waist. “How dare you touch my woman. This is your fate!” “You’ll serve just a year and be out. Otherwise, for what you did to me, it’s at least three years,” Sophia nestled in David’s arms, looking at me with disdain. “Haven’t I treated you well since we married? Why did you betray me?” I nearly lost control, like a pathetic, soaked dog. I refused to give up until Sophia came alone. “Give it up. No matter how you struggle, the Carter family can crush you. If I hadn’t lost my virginity to you and married into the Carter family, my family could’ve risen again, and I’d have my old life back. Now I’m pregnant. Without you, I wouldn’t be here. You ruined me. Don’t ruin this child.” Sophia caressed her belly, nurturing a new life. I didn’t flatter myself that the baby was mine; it was likely her bargaining chip to marry David Carter. “I’m pregnant now. I wouldn’t have come this far without you. You’ve already destroyed me; you can’t destroy this child too. You can’t give me the life I want, so why can’t you just let me go?” Sophia Scott gently touched her abdomen, where a new life was growing. I don’t fool myself into thinking the child is mine; it’s probably her way to secure a marriage with David Carter. Yet, unable to handle my mother’s tantrums or the shock of this unexpected child, I eventually signed the divorce papers, exchanging a year in prison for some peace. During my sentence, my father passed away, and my mother, drowning in gambling debts, was chased by creditors and fell to her death while trying to flee. With no one to claim her body, the call was made to Sophia. After I was released, I tried to find out where my mother’s ashes ended up, only to be mocked by Sophia, who said she had thrown them away and told me not to contact her again. Alone, I changed my name to Michael Turner, hoping for a fresh start. I didn’t expect a little girl to suddenly disrupt my life. Fortunately, there was plenty of work in City A, and I quickly forgot about Sophia and that little girl, immersing myself completely in work. “Mr. Turner,” my assistant knocked on the door. “Come in, what’s up?” I looked up from the mountain of contracts, hoping she wasn’t bringing more paperwork for me to sign. “Don’t look so pitiful; I don’t want to work overtime either.” My assistant, Lily Johnson, was a college classmate who had been with me since I started my business. I had changed my name and moved to City C, where I unexpectedly ran into her visiting family, and we became work partners again. “Haha, is it that obvious?” I laughed awkwardly. “Uh-huh,” Lily shrugged. “It’s not work-related. That little girl from last time sneaked into the office. She’s so small she slipped in unnoticed during the chaos. She’s in the meeting room next door right now.” “I’ll handle it.” I sighed and headed to the meeting room. Sophie was sitting there quietly, sipping on the Wahaha drink Lily had given her. I never quite understood why someone like Lily, at twenty-seven or twenty-eight, would enjoy drinking Wahaha. “Daddy,” Sophie called out when she saw me. “Let’s get one thing straight, I’m not your dad,” I quickly interrupted. “Now, little one, can you tell me why you snuck in here?” “Mommy’s not home, and I’m hungry,” Sophie said, looking upset. “Why didn’t you call her?” I asked. “Mommy doesn’t like it when I call. She’s with Uncle David,” Sophie said, looking down, her little fists tightly gripping the hem of her shirt. Uncle David, David Carter? Weren’t those two involved a long time ago? Why does Sophie call him uncle? How have they not married after all these years? The next second, I felt disgusted with myself. Whether Sophia is married or not is none of my business! “If you’re hungry, you should go to a restaurant, not disturb my work,” I said, my mood less than friendly. “I’m sorry…” Sophie immediately began to cry. “Today’s my birthday, but Mommy went to be with Uncle David. I have no money, and I’m so hungry I came to find you.” I noticed her clothes were a bit dirty, her shoes had a hole, but her braid was neatly done, tied with Lily’s favorite Stitch hairband. Sophia never watched cartoons; Lily probably fixed the braid out of pity for the little girl. “Let’s go, I’ll buy you a cake and then take you home.” I finally softened. “Okay.” Sophie stopped crying and carefully held my hand. I will ensure that the content remains true to the original meaning while making it closer to English expressions, making it easier to understand. Throughout this process, we will keep the original format unchanged. To provide a precise analysis of the translation, it is essential to have both the original text and the directly translated text. Since these are not provided in your query, I will outline the typical issues that can arise in direct translations based on general knowledge: 4. Sophie was such a delight. I took her to a dessert café, and she sat quietly enjoying her cake. It was hard not to think of Sophia; not because I still have feelings for her, but because it felt surreal. Here was the child she brought into the world, the one who changed my life before she was even born.

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I, Angelita, woke up in a haze of amnesia, married to William, the world’s richest man. Our relationship was plagued by his childhood friend, Kamelia, who seemed to delight in causing trouble. Mockery and hurt became my daily companions as I tried to navigate this new, confusing life. In a desperate attempt to escape the pain, I committed suicide, only to lose my memory upon waking. Then, an accident led to a life – changing discovery – I was pregnant. Kamelia, consumed by jealousy, launched a terrifying attack, but William stepped in at the last moment. After that harrowing incident, we engaged in many heart – to – heart talks, gradually clearing the misunderstandings that had clouded our relationship… When I woke up, I found myself in an incredibly spacious room. I looked at the strange man in front of me. “I’m telling you, Angelita, faking a suicide won’t work. I suggest you save your efforts,” he said. My mind raced, trying desperately to recall any memories related to this man. Then, I spotted a wedding photo beside me. It seemed that this man was my husband. The man slammed the door shut and walked into the bathroom, leaving me completely bewildered. I frantically searched on the navigation. This place was Azurecrest Manor, and there was only this one building within a radius of several kilometers. I scoured the internet . The owner of the villa was William, the world’s richest man. There was no news of my marriage to him online. Instead, there were numerous tabloid stories. The internet sensation Angelita had resorted to all sorts of bizarre methods to attract William’s attention, but only earned his growing disgust. Angelita, the internet celebrity, became a laughingstock for chasing after the tycoon. Angelita, the internet celebrity, had smeared Kamelia and even threatened William with suicide. This was the last piece of news I could find, just a few days ago. Next, there was eye-catching news about William dating the goddess Kamelia. It seemed this was a story of a love triangle. Before I could figure out what I should do now, William emerged from the bathroom, his body naked. I immediately covered my eyes. “I… What are you doing?” With a sweep of his large hand, he wrapped his arm around my waist. He pulled me into his embrace. “William!” I cried out. “Don’t touch me!” A momentary look of astonishment flashed in William’s eyes. But it was quickly replaced by impatience. “Angelita, stop acting like this,” he sneered. His grip was so strong that it happened to press right on the wound from my suicide attempt by cutting my wrist. A sharp pain shot through me, and I couldn’t help but wince. Tears welled up in my eyes. Suddenly, William withdrew his hand, spun me around, and embraced me from behind. “I’ll let this pass for now, but don’t you ever dare to fake suicide to threaten me again.” I struggled a bit, but William tightened his hold, clearly not allowing me to retort. When I woke up the next day, William was no longer by my side. I casually put on some clothes and went downstairs. There he was, already sipping his morning tea at the dining table. The butler, standing beside him, greeted me, “Good morning.” I stood there, frozen. William didn’t even lift his head as he said, “Come down and have some morning tea.” Despite being just a simple morning tea, the spread was so lavish that it left me astounded. I couldn’t help but think, truly a sign of a wealthy family. Even a morning tea was such an elaborate affair. I sat down directly across from William. As the butler served me a pot of tea, the moment I caught a whiff of its aroma, I furrowed my brow. “Why this tea?” I asked. The butler replied, “This was specially sent by Miss Kamelia. It’s also her favorite, flown in from Japan…” Instantly, my appetite vanished. “I won’t drink it.” The silver teaspoon clinked against the porcelain, producing a clear, crisp sound. William finally lifted his eyes to look at me. “Angelita, enough is enough.” I seethed with anger. “Not drinking this tea is bothering you now?” “Isn’t it precisely because it was sent by Kamelia that you’re refusing to drink it?” William’s face was as cold as ice. “Angelita, when will you ever rein in your jealousy?” Me? Jealous of Kamelia?

Didn’t he even know I was allergic to this tea? Just as I was about to open my mouth, the butler suddenly announced, “Sir, Miss Kamelia has arrived!” A gentle voice echoed through the room, “Am I interrupting you two?” At the doorway, a slender and graceful figure approached. Both the butler and the housekeeper greeted her with great familiarity, clearly indicating her frequent visits. One glance was all it took for me to recognize that this person was Kamelia. Kamelia looked at me with apparent concern, “Angelita, I heard you cut your wrist… Are you feeling better now?” “With someone trying to steal my husband, how could I be?” I retorted. Kamelia turned to William with a somewhat troubled expression, “William, I’m sorry. It seems Angelita doesn’t want to see me. Perhaps I shouldn’t have come.” William glared at me icily and snapped, “Angelita, stop being so unreasonable.” Although I didn’t have any feelings for William at the moment, I couldn’t help but stand up for the me before I lost my memory. Kamelia, however, remained gentle and composed. “William, I came specifically to invite you to my celebration party…” “Should we also invite Angelita?” Originally, I had no intention of going. But upon seeing the hidden disdain and provocation in Kamelia’s eyes, I suddenly curled my lips into a smile and agreed, “Sure. After all, as William’s wife, I should accompany him to such events.” And so, I accompanied William to Kamelia’s celebration party. The moment the three of us appeared, all eyes in the private room turned towards us. “Why on earth did William bring her here?” “Hey, what’s so strange about that? His wife is notorious for her tantrums. Whenever a slightly outstanding woman shows up around William, she goes off like a firecracker. With Kamelia being so exceptional, of course she has to tag along and keep an eye on things.” “Absolutely. I heard that last time, just because Kamelia attended an event where William was also present, she threw a huge tantrum when she got home and trashed the whole house.” “Seriously? She should really think twice. Marrying William is a blessing she’s earned after lifetimes of good deeds. Yet she keeps causing a ruckus day in and day out. Kamelia is a renowned girl from wealthy family. How could she possibly compare?” “Exactly. I think she’s being completely overconfident. She’s probably going to make a fool of herself again today.” I cast a quick glance over and guessed that they were probably Kamelia’s friends. I followed William into Kamelia’s celebration party. The moment we stepped into the private room, the noisy chatter abruptly died down. Streams of gazes shot towards us like spotlights. William and Kamelia, with great familiarity, made their way to the center of the crowd, chatting and laughing heartily. I was left standing on the sidelines, feeling like an outsider who had blundered into the party by mistake. “Look, she’s been left there again. Doesn’t she feel embarrassed?” “Absolutely. She’s like an annoying tail that follows William everywhere, without a care in the world whether she’s in the way or not.” I shot a cold look at the woman who was whispering and raised my voice, “Whether I’m in the way or not, is it any of your business? Mind your own tongue.” The woman’s face flushed bright red. William, sensing the commotion on our side, furrowed his brows slightly, his eyes filled with impatience. “Don’t ruin the mood.” A surge of anger welled up in my heart. I let out a cold laugh. “It seems I’m really unwanted here. I won’t disturb you all any longer.” I headed out to the terrace outside, hoping to soothe my troubled mind.

Not long after, Kamelia suddenly emerged .​ “Angelita, you truly surprise me,” she remarked with a hint of mockery in her tone.​ I cast a quick glance behind her, noticing she was alone. With a playful yet menacing glint in my eye, I sneered, “I loathe you so much. Aren’t you afraid I might do something to you right here?”​ Kamelia let out a haughty laugh. “I’m more worried that you don’t have the guts. After all, everyone knows William will come to my rescue in a heartbeat.”​ Kamelia then sauntered closer to me, her eyes glinting with challenge. “Angelita, are you brave enough to make a bet?”​ “If you two are so deeply in love, why don’t you just ask William to divorce me? Kamelia, do you really have to trample on someone else’s feelings to stage your so – called love story?”​ Kamelia’s face twitched slightly, a flash of anger crossing her features. “That’s because you’re the one who’s being stubbornly persistent! You’re so desperate to cling to William that you even resorted to suicide. He’s just pitying you!” Swiftly, she regained her calm and gentle demeanor. “Angelita, let’s see if William truly likes you,” . At the edge of the terrace stood a towering sculpture. Made of hard yet brittle plaster, its base fixtures, though seemingly stable, were actually somewhat loose. Just as I stood up, I caught a glimpse of Kamelia’s regretful look. Little did I know that she was lurking right behind me. Without the slightest warning, she launched a violent shove, using all her might. With a deafening “boom”! I was sent hurtling forward uncontrollably, crashing straight into the sculpture. The sculpture teetered precariously for a few moments before toppling over with a thunderous crash. A piercing scream of pain escaped my lips as my body curled up in agony, landing amidst the scattered debris of the broken sculpture. In that excruciating moment, the searing pain from my legs nearly rendered me unconscious. Distantly, I could hear the startled cries of people from the far end . Lying on the ground, my heart burned with fury towards Kamelia. Meanwhile, she stood nearby, a fleeting look of barely concealed triumph flashing across her face. I saw William’s figure dash out from the banquet hall. However, his eyes bypassed me completely, darting anxiously towards Kamelia as he rushed to ask if she was alright. …… Both Kamelia and I were rescued. However, she was saved by William, while a strange, strikingly handsome man came to my aid. I lay on the ground, and he was pressing his hands firmly on my chest, attempting to perform CPR. From the corner of my eye, I saw William approaching as well.

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It was the anniversary of my adoptive mother, Maggie Patterson’s death. I, Alexa Truman, put on a long black dress. Clifford Warren, who was just seven years old at the time, came running towards me. In his hand was a pair of sharp scissors. Swiftly, he cut through the hem of my dress. Then, he emptied an entire bucket of paint over me. “Today is my mother’s birthday! How could you wear such an unlucky thing? Don’t you remember she hated the color black?” Clifford’s words were like daggers. Right then, I understood. In this family, both the father and the son held the most special place in their hearts only for that departed woman. The paint caused an allergic reaction, and rashes broke out all over my skin. The cuts on my legs stung painfully. Looking at the child I had raised with such care standing before me, I just felt completely drained. “Alright, as you wish. I’ll leave this place soon,” I said. The pungent smell of the paint wafted towards me. My entire body was sticky, and the sensation made me wrinkle my nose in distaste. Clifford sneered and jeered, “You deserve it. It’d be even better if your face got messed up. You’re so sly. Did you think that by looking like my mom and having others say you resemble me, you could take my mom’s place? Never in a million years!” His eyes flared red with fury as if he’d been deeply affronted. I’d witnessed this kind of scene far too many times. Whenever someone commented that Clifford’s face didn’t resemble his long-deceased mother but was increasingly looking like mine, he would fly into a rage. In the past, each time I saw him like this, I would console him, saying that he was a member of the Warren family and that the similarity between us was just a coincidence from living together for so long. But today, I truly had no energy left. I was just utterly exhausted. I furrowed my brows slightly and said, “I didn’t have plastic surgery. You look at your mom’s photo every night before going to sleep. You know better than anyone whether she looks like me or not. If you don’t believe me, we can find a doctor to check. Do you really want to hear the truth?” Clifford was taken aback at first, and then his face flushed red. He gave me a fierce glare, turned around, and dashed out. With a sigh, I made my way back to my room and discovered that the maid had already prepared bathwater in the bathtub for me. Unexpectedly, as soon as I stepped into the bathtub, the cut on my leg began to throb sharply, and the skin in other areas also started to burn with pain. I quickly tried to climb out, but I lost my footing and tumbled to the ground. My knee was immediately bruised. Clifford bounded into the room with a sneering expression on his face and taunted, “Stupid! Does it feel good to bathe in salt water and chili juice? This is my way of being kind to you. Aren’t you touched? You should pay for enjoying what belongs to my mom!” He gave me a scornful look. Before leaving, he even shooed the maid away and forbade anyone from helping me. I lay on the ground in a sorry state, watching the ground gradually being stained red with blood, and remained silent for a long time. When my eggs were taken away back then, I also bled a great deal. Later, that egg was combined with the sperm of Vincent Warren, the president of the Warren Group, to create a test-tube baby, which was then implanted into the uterus of his then-wife, Bianca Truman. Then the child who carried part of my genes was born. It was a boy named Clifford Warren. He was the son of the Warren family, the son of Bianca, and Clifford, who loathed me intensely. After washing my body, I walked out of the bathroom and saw Vincent sitting on the sofa, waiting for me. Clifford resembled me a bit in appearance, and his innate noble and haughty demeanor was inherited from the man in front of me. He glanced at the rashes on my body and said indifferently, “Clifford was indeed a bit too extreme. I brought you some anti-allergy medicine. Take it. Don’t spoil the mood at the party tonight.” Although his ex-wife had been dead for many years, on her birthday, Vincent still hosted a grand party at home and wouldn’t allow anyone to forget the woman he had once loved so deeply. Over the years, I, who had been living warily in the Warren family, had always been accustomed to following his orders. Just after swallowing the pill, several servants came up and, without a word, pinned me down on the sofa, restraining my hands and feet. Two masked individuals held seasoning bottles and syringes, smeared them on the wound, and directly inserted them deep into the skin. The pain instantly coursed through my entire body, and I winced in agony. Vincent looked down at me and said, “Although Clifford was indeed a bit mischievous this time, you also shouldn’t have worn the color Bianca disliked on the anniversary of her death. I remember stating that there’s no place in this house for anything that upsets Bianca. Those who make mistakes must face the consequences.” After about an hour, the area where I was originally injured transformed into a vivid and extremely beautiful rose tattoo, with blood beads that hadn’t fully dried at the center of the petals. That was the flower species and color combination that Bianca had adored the most during her lifetime. And she had had the exact same tattoo on her leg as well.

My complexion was pallid, and Vincent’s expression softened slightly. He motioned for the others to leave. He knelt down on one knee. Gently, he pressed a kiss on the rose tattoo, and then his lips met mine. He spoke, “Remember to put on Bianca’s favorite red dress tonight. As long as you’re obedient, I can think about giving back one of your eggs. But you must never let Clifford nearly discover the truth like you did today. Clifford is Bianca’s child, and no one can take her son away from her.” Vincent had always been supremely confident in his physical state. Thus, on the day I first stepped into the Warren family, he had someone remove all my eggs. He declared, “Only the child born from Bianca’s womb is considered my offspring. I asked you to look after Clifford because of Bianca’s final wish. She didn’t trust others, but you can’t harbor any improper ideas.” When his lips were about to touch my thigh, contrary to my usual compliance, I pushed him away. “Mr. Warren, I won’t wear the red dress, and I have no intention of going to the party either. My adoptive mother passed away today. So, the agreement between us is automatically void, and I’m leaving this place,” I stated. As soon as those words left my mouth, the tenderness in Vincent’s eyes vanished instantly. He stood up, his face taking on a somewhat gloomy cast. “So what if an adoptive mother with no blood relation died? Are you going to mourn for someone who has no connection to you? Don’t forget what your identity is now. The Warren family can’t afford to be disgraced like this! Although Clifford isn’t your biological child, he does have half of your genes after all. You’ve raised him for seven years, and now you want to just walk away. Alexa, aren’t you being overly selfish?” When he brought up my identity, I was momentarily confused. What exactly was my identity at present? Was I the daughter of the Truman family who couldn’t be in the spotlight? Or was I the nanny Vincent had hired to take care of the child? Or was I the despised mistress in Clifford’s words? Back then, Vincent and my half-sister Bianca were an enviable couple. Their relationship also significantly elevated the status of the Truman family, making them well-known figures in the circles of Aegisburg. Perhaps their relationship was too idyllic, and even the heavens were envious, for Bianca was born infertile. But she adored children and didn’t want to use the eggs of an outsider. Our little sister, Louisa Truman, was too young, so she came to me, who was in desperate need of money. One million dollars covered Maggie’s surgical expenses, and at the same time, it made me lose my first child. Later, Bianca unfortunately passed away. Before her death, she was worried that no one would take care of Clifford, so she hoped that I would look after him. The Truman family initially objected, but they didn’t want this matter to further impact the family’s interests. So, they changed my surname back to Truman and sent me to the Warren family. Vincent had always heeded Bianca’s words, so we signed an agreement. I would do my utmost to raise Clifford and ensure that Bianca’s soul could rest in peace, and they would be responsible for paying all of Maggie’s medical expenses. Our marriage had no ring and no wedding. Over the past seven years, I had only a husband who didn’t love me and a child who saw me as an enemy. I said calmly, “I came to the Warren family initially to save Maggie. Now that Maggie has passed away, I have no reason to stay here any longer. Moreover, Clifford doesn’t like me. Staying here any longer will only make him more wretched, and it’s not beneficial for the future heir of the Warren family.” Seeing that I was thinking about Clifford, Vincent’s tone softened a bit, which was a rare occurrence. “If you’re worried that you’re not close enough to Clifford and that he’ll be left alone in the future after I return your eggs to you, we can have another child. Although this child can’t have the surname Warren, I can arrange a position for him in the company, and the salary won’t be bad. You…” I cut him off indifferently and took out the signed divorce agreement. “Thank you for your kindness, but I don’t need it. Please sign it.” Over the years, because of my identity and the attitude of this father and son, I had already endured enough cold stares and ridicule from others. If we had another child whose identity wasn’t acknowledged, then I would truly be too humiliated. Vincent completely lost his patience and tore the agreement into shreds. “Alexa, I think you’ve had it too easy and are deliberately causing trouble! Since you don’t want to wear those dresses, you don’t have to attend today’s party either, lest you ruin the event I’m holding for Bianca.”

The Warren family was hosting a party, yet the hostess wasn’t invited. This was a huge humiliation for me. However, I didn’t let it bother me. Late at night, long after the guests had left, bursts of laughter still drifted in from outside. I opened the door and saw Vincent and Clifford, each holding one of Louisa’s hands, walking into the room at the end of the corridor. In the blink of an eye, seven years had passed. The beloved daughter of the Truman family had grown up, and she was looking more and more like Bianca. Previously, only Vincent and Bianca were allowed to enter that room. Once, I accidentally barged in, and as a result, I was punished to kneel in the snow for three days. My knees were almost permanently damaged. At that time, I was lying in the hospital. The wound on my leg festered and oozed pus, and I was writhing in pain. When Vincent came to visit me, I thought he might feel sorry for me. But all he said was, in an indifferent tone, “I hope you learn your lesson. If you dare to break in again, you’ll have to face the consequences on your own.” Now, with a face so similar to Bianca’s, Louisa easily moved into this room. The servants around started treating me with contempt and whispered among themselves. “Some people, no matter how hard they try to worm their way into this family, still can’t win Mr. Warren’s favor. They don’t even have a room of their own. How pitiful.” “Of course. Mr. Warren will never get over his ex-wife in his heart. Some people are just nannies for taking care of the kids. Now that Louisa looks so much like the former Mrs. Warren, I’m afraid Mr. Warren will change his mind soon.” I paid no attention to these rumors. Just as I was about to turn around and leave, I saw a dart hurtling towards me. The dart flew just past my cheek, slicing the skin, and a thin trickle of blood slowly ran down. Clifford held the remaining darts and made a face in front of me. “I just can’t stand the sight of you. I’ll teach you a lesson one day. My mom said, ‘bad people deserve to be ugly’!” I still remember when Clifford was three years old and sick. I took care of him without eating or sleeping for two days and two nights until his fever broke. At that time, I looked so worn-out that I was almost as frightening as a ghost. But then, he still hugged me and said, “Aunt Alexa, you’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. You’re even more beautiful than an angel.” Since then, as Louisa often came to play with Clifford, his attitude towards me gradually turned cold. I picked up the fallen dart and aimed it at Clifford. I asked calmly, “Clifford, did I ever tell you that those who casually hurt others will eventually get hurt themselves?” Although Clifford was scared, he still stubbornly replied, “I’m not afraid of you! You killed my mom and took her place. I’m avenging my mom. At worst, you can kill me too! If you don’t dare to do it today, next time I’ll directly throw sulfuric acid in your face!” After saying that, he quickly slipped into the room and slammed the door shut. My hand, which had been suspended in mid-air, didn’t move for a long time. Finally, I could only smile helplessly and toss the dart into the trash can. This dart was a birthday gift I had once painstakingly made for him with my own hands. I never imagined that it would end up as a weapon used to hurt me. After going back to my room and packing my luggage, throughout the entire night, I heard the sounds of the three of them chatting merrily, continuously coming from that room at the other end of the corridor.

The following day, as soon as I stepped outside, I caught sight of Louisa and Clifford playing from afar. Clifford’s small face was rosy as he nestled into Louisa’s arms, acting all cute and saying, “Aunt Louisa, I like you. You look like my mom and you can play the tune my mom composed. You’re so much better than those fake-nice people. When I see you, it’s like my mom is still here. Can you marry my dad? I want him to divorce that useless, scheming woman, and then you can be my mom!” Louisa gently wiped the sweat from Clifford’s forehead and said tenderly, “Clifford, don’t talk about others like that. If your dad agrees, of course I can be your mom. I think your mom would be happy about it too.” She seemed to have just noticed my presence and immediately put on an apologetic expression, saying, “Ms. Truman, Clifford is young and speaks without thinking. Please don’t be offended.” Even though we shared the same mother, Louisa had never considered me her elder sister. Clifford shot a glance at me, then tugged at Louisa and ran towards the study. Perhaps they were going to convince Vincent to divorce me. That was precisely what I desired. Just as I was about to leave, someone suddenly grabbed my arm. My so-called elder brother, Leonard Truman, immediately started scolding me. “You’re so useless. How can you not even hold onto your husband’s heart? You actually let Louisa be alone with Mr. Warren. Luckily Clifford was there last night. Mr. Warren only has Bianca in his heart, and Louisa looks like Bianca too. What if Mr. Warren takes a fancy to her? I definitely won’t let my sister be someone’s replacement.” I said, “But I’m also your sister. How can you bear to make me stay with someone who doesn’t care about me?” Leonard furrowed his brows and blurted out, “That’s different. Even if Louisa doesn’t get married, I’ll ensure she lives comfortably. But if you leave the Warren family, you’ll have nothing.” So that was the deal. Since he didn’t want Louisa to become someone else’s substitute and also didn’t want to lose the benefits from the Warren family, he was willing to sacrifice me. Seeing that I remained silent, Leonard continued to persuade me. “Alexa, I know about your adoptive mother. But the future of our Truman family depends entirely on you. The South District development project is about to start. If you don’t cooperate now, what if Mr. Warren abandons us? Besides, Clifford is also your child. How can you be so heartless as to leave him behind? You can’t be this selfish.” I smiled and replied to him, “You’re wrong. I don’t have the surname Truman. This surname was given to me as a charity by you, and now I’m giving it back. Since Louisa has grown up and I’ve fulfilled my responsibility for seven years, it’s someone else’s turn. If you want to gain benefits, you have to pay a price, right?” After hearing this, Leonard flew into a rage and slapped me across the face. “You’re so heartless. I should have listened to Mom back then and left you to freeze to death in the snow! You ungrateful wretch!” My biological mother was Selena Truman, a mistress, and my father was just a model in a nightclub. At that time, to get back at her husband for his infidelity, Selena randomly picked a model and spent the night with him. Unexpectedly, she got pregnant with me. The doctor told her that if she had an abortion, she might never be able to conceive again. She secretly gave birth to me. As soon as I was born, she ordered Leonard, who knew the truth, to abandon me in the snow to fend for myself. The young Leonard really didn’t have the courage to kill me, so he left me at the doorstep of a family. Just like that, Maggie and I lived together, depending on each other for twenty years until one day Leonard found me again and asked me to donate eggs for Bianca. In his view, since he hadn’t been ruthless enough to kill me back then, I should do whatever the Truman family asked of me as a matter of course. I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth and stared straight at him unflinchingly. “Your one act of mercy back then cost me seven years of my freedom and all my chances to be a real mother. Now, I’ve repaid everything I owed you,” I said firmly.

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At the company’s annual meeting, my husband’s assistant, Megan Clarke, secretly revealed that my husband, Timothy Reed, was about to make an official announcement about us. Dressed in a beautiful gown and holding a bouquet of flowers, I, Natalie Pearson, walked towards my husband, only for the scheming Megan to throw the flowers straight at my head, crying hysterically. “Natalie, I only told you about my relationship with Timothy. I didn’t expect you to steal him from me! Even if you are the lead on the core project, you can’t behave like this!” Instead of defending me, my husband did nothing but strip away my year-end bonus and place Megan in my project team for some extra shine. Everyone in the company quickly caught on and began clapping, congratulating my husband and Megan on their fairy-tale romance. My team members even tried to advise me. “Ms. Pearson, I know you’ve had a crush on Mr. Reed for ten years, but now that the company is going public, just hold your tongue and say something nice.” I just smiled at Megan and tossed the appointment letter for the project manager position at her. “How could I let the company’s leading lady be my subordinate? As project manager, I think only you are qualified to lead the company to even greater success.” After all, I was the only one who knew the key formula for the project. I was really curious to see how my husband came up with that ten-million-dollar penalty.

As I took out the appointment letter, everyone froze for a moment. The team members immediately started cheering me on, clapping loudly and saying. “Looks like Ms. Pearson has really realized her mistake. Mr. Reed, please forgive her!” “Yeah, I can see that Natalie is being so generous. There must be a misunderstanding. She’s genuinely wishing you well, Ms. Clarke.” The atmosphere heated up quickly. Megan tightly gripped the appointment letter, her eyes darting over my high-end evening gown. She spoke with a hint of grievance. “But Natalie, wearing such a beautiful dress, isn’t it just to steal the spotlight…” Everyone in the room was taken aback. They didn’t expect Megan to be so persistent, and they all turned to look at me. As for her provocation, my husband Timothy’s expression was unclear, and he didn’t say anything. I couldn’t help but smile bitterly. Ten years ago, I had an offer from a major company overseas, with a salary of several million dollars. But because of Timothy’s plea, I chose to eat humble pie with him and start from scratch. He cried and promised he wouldn’t forget my sacrifices. He said that once the company went public, we’d announce our partnership, and I’d become the vice president with shares in the company. But now, as the company is about to go public, all of his favoritism has been given to a newcomer who’s only been with the company for six months. I took a deep breath and began to put on my coat. “Sorry, it won’t happen again.” I thought, “No more expectations from Timothy.” I said this and walked out of the meeting room. Outside the company, the cold wind blew, stinging my skin. I coughed quietly. The doctor had told me that my lungs were damaged from the experiments, and I could no longer stay up late or overwork. Timothy still didn’t know that the key formula for this project was something I had worked tirelessly on without sleep. In three days, the project was due for delivery. If there were no results, Timothy would be facing a ten-million-dollar compensation bill. Maybe it was time for me to live my own life instead of continuing to pour my heart and soul into someone who didn’t love me. I was lost in thought. Something hit me hard on the back of my head. I turned around and saw Megan glaring at me with malice. The appointment letter for the project manager position was scattered on the floor. “Natalie, how stupid can you be? I pretended to tell you that Timothy was going to announce your partnership, and you actually believed it!” A chill ran through me. Because, deep down, I had always dreamed of making that announcement with Timothy. I was so overjoyed that I couldn’t help but believe it. I remained silent, but Megan pushed further. “Unfortunately, it seems Timothy likes me more. Don’t think you can keep your little project manager position. If I cry, I can have you kicked out of the company.” Megan was always two-faced. After I wasn’t happy with her during the interview, Timothy personally recruited her into the company, and since then, she has made it her mission to make my life miserable. She would provoke me, then cry in front of everyone, making Timothy and me argue and accusing me of being jealous. Now, all I felt was how childish I had been. I had actually fought for Timothy’s affection with someone like her. I turned to leave. But Megan’s eyes flashed, and she suddenly slapped herself hard, causing her thin face to turn red. Before I could even react, she picked up the appointment letter from the floor with tear-filled eyes, bent over humbly, and handed it to me with trembling hands. “Natalie, I know you don’t like me. It’s fine if you hit or scold me, just please stay in the company. If you take the appointment letter, I’ll voluntarily resign and have Timothy know.” The next moment, I heard Timothy’s furious roar. “Natalie, have you lost your mind?!” He threw his coat on the ground and raised his hand to slap me. “Megan was just joking around, and now you’re throwing a tantrum. You’re even hitting people to get your position back. When did you become so violent?!” He looked like a protective father animal guarding its cubs. I licked the broken skin inside my mouth, continuously mocking myself in my heart. Whenever Megan and I had a conflict, Timothy would jump to conclusions, stubbornly believing I was bullying her. In the past, I would argue until my lips were dry, feeling aggrieved. Now, I was simply tired. I smiled bitterly and said, “Thank you.” Timothy’s anger immediately subsided, and he froze, asking, “Thank you for what?” My tone was calm. “Thank you for making me realize that in your heart, I’m just a petty, scheming person full of jealousy.” With that, I turned and walked away. Timothy shuddered. He took a step forward, instinctively grabbing my arm, his touch cold as ice. In the harsh winter, the tip of my nose was already red from the cold. He hastily picked up the coat on the ground and shoved it into my hands. “You… It’s freezing out. Put on the coat. As for the project manager position, I’ll think about it.” When Megan heard Timothy was considering the project manager role, she immediately panicked. With a sense of indignation, she cried out, “Timothy, I know Natalie is an old member of the company, and I’ll never compare to the years of friendship you two share. Please don’t fight over me. I’ll go to HR and resign right now!” She tightly gripped her resignation letter and rushed back to the company. As she climbed the steps, her body swayed, and she clumsily pretended to trip, her knee hitting the step with a loud thud. She clutched her knee and cried out in pain. Timothy widened his eyes, looking between the pain-stricken Megan and me, who was about to leave. After hesitating for a moment, he hurriedly said to me, “Natalie, go home first. I’ll talk to you later.” Then, without a second thought, he ran toward Megan.

Outside the company building, Timothy reached out to help Megan, his movements cautious, as if handling fragile porcelain. But Megan stubbornly brushed his hand away, straightened up, and tried to walk on her own. The next second, she collapsed into Timothy’s strong arms. It was rush hour, and there were plenty of people on the streets. They started pulling at each other right there, immediately drawing a crowd of onlookers. I couldn’t help but give a bitter, sarcastic laugh. When we were outside, Timothy never let me get closer than three steps and only allowed me to call him Mr. Reed. I still remember the time after our argument when I tried to coax him. I stepped a little closer and even held his hand for a moment. He immediately jerked his hand away, like he’d been shocked, and exploded with rage. He scolded me for ruining our agreement to avoid suspicion about a secret marriage and said he wasn’t a monkey at the zoo, that he didn’t have the habit of showing affection in front of strangers. But now, the whole company was shipping their couple, and passersby stopped to watch them, yet he didn’t seem to care at all. I swallowed the bitterness rising in my throat and signaled for a cab to go home. When I got home, and the warmth hit me, I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my cheeks. In the mirror, my face was red from the rose thorns, with visible blood streaks. I thought, “How ridiculous. I looked like a pathetic clown.” My phone, resting on the sink, suddenly buzzed with a new message. [Natalie, have you considered joining our company? We’re a Fortune 500 with great benefits. You could even become the domestic representative!] The message came from an HR representative at a large overseas company who had repeatedly extended offers to me. If it weren’t for our collaboration, I would’ve blocked them long ago. In the past, I’d politely say I wasn’t considering it at the moment. This time, I replied: [Alright, I’ll book a flight for tomorrow.] Instantly, the HR rep was typing rapidly. [That’s great! Natalie, I’ll send you 50 thousand dollars for travel expenses. Please come!] Looking at the 50 thousand dollars that landed in my bank account… And the glaring balance, fifty thousand one hundred three dollars. I couldn’t help but laugh, covering my face. I thought, “Fifty thousand dollars.” Timothy, afraid I might have money in my hands and not focus on my work, only paid me a monthly salary of five thousand dollars. I couldn’t even earn that much in a year. He once said that even married couples should keep things clear. The rent was two thousand a month. I paid for utilities and handled the housework, and when I took a roll of toilet paper, he charged me a hundred. But he never mentioned the money I spent on groceries, cooking, or household supplies. After all these years, I found myself with nothing to my name. I took a deep breath, trying to shake off my mood, and walked out of the bathroom to pack for my flight. When I opened the drawer, I found an old digital camera tucked away in the corner. It was a model from ten years ago. I hadn’t used it in ages, but I was surprised it still turned on. I transferred the photos to my computer and started scrolling through them. This camera was a gift from Timothy when we first started our business. He knew I loved photography and promised me that once our company went public, he’d buy me an even better one. Those were tough times. We were both orphans with no family support, relying only on each other for warmth. The photos showed us sharing a plate of pasta, dating on the subway while trying to catch some warmth, and, on Christmas Eve, watching fireworks outside. We fought over a piece of meat that ended up on the floor, and Timothy ran to the bathroom crying in frustration. All those memories felt like they were from yesterday, yet somehow also like they belonged to another lifetime. But as the dates got more recent, the number of photos decreased. The last one was from six months ago. In that photo, Timothy, dressed in a professional suit, looked handsome and mature, frowning as he blocked the camera lens. That day, our project had unprecedented success, and Timothy was already planning to go public. As usual, I pulled out the camera to take a photo. But he mocked me, blocking the lens. “Natalie, no wonder your experiments have been progressing so slowly lately. Looks like your mind isn’t on work anymore but on taking pictures of my embarrassing moments. This garbage camera you’re using, I would’ve smashed it a long time ago.” But when Megan pulled out her phone to take a picture with Timothy, he smiled and posed without hesitation. From that day on, this camera, once a symbol of our love, was shoved to the back of the drawer. I shook off the memories and moved my fingers. I permanently deleted the entire album and tossed the camera into the trash. Some things just needed to be thrown away. After that, I printed out the divorce papers. But as I slouched on the sofa, waiting for Timothy, by 10 p.m., he still hadn’t returned. I was about to get up and go to the bedroom when I suddenly felt unbearably hot and started coughing uncontrollably. Seeing the thermometer reading 102 degrees Fahrenheit, I realized I must have pneumonia. Thinking I might need to be hospitalized, I grabbed my luggage, figuring I could avoid the trouble of going back home to pack. During the consultation, I answered the doctor’s questions in a daze. Suddenly, a concerned yet clear male voice sounded. “Doctor, she’s okay, right? Please, take a good look!”

I froze, and my mind cleared instantly. It was Timothy’s voice. I turned to look. I saw Timothy standing in the doorway of the exam room, one hand holding a CT scan, the other supporting Megan. Megan, leaning weakly against him, cooed, “Timothy, you’ve been with me all night. You’ve really been a great help. Let’s go to my place to rest, just like before…” When she saw me, Megan looked surprised. The next second, she trembled, lowering her head and hiding behind Timothy. “Natalie, did you see my Instagram and come to find me on purpose? Please, don’t take revenge on me…” Megan loved to provoke others by posting on Instagram. On a rainy day, she’d use the excuse of not having an umbrella and ask Timothy to take her home. Then, she’d post on Instagram, praising her boss for being handsome and kind. When I did something good, and Timothy wanted to reward me, she’d fake an illness or faint to interrupt, asking Timothy to take her to the hospital and stay overnight. Then, she’d post on Instagram, saying how much she loved a boss who cared so much for her employees. Again and again, it wore me down, leaving me feeling hopeless. I didn’t even need to think. Today, Megan definitely posted something on Instagram to provoke me. But now, I didn’t even want to see what she posted. Timothy frowned and gave me a long, deep look. His chest heaved, and he turned to ask the doctor. “Doctor, she says she’s having trouble breathing. Can you check on her?” The doctor frowned, clearly annoyed. “There’s a queue for medical care.” Timothy pointed at me with a look of disdain. “Doctor, you don’t know, but she’s just faking it. She’s wasting medical resources on purpose!” Before the doctor could respond, I stood up and calmly said. “It’s fine, let them go first.” Only then did Timothy seem satisfied, eagerly handing over the CT scan. The doctor helplessly reviewed it, then shook his head. “Your girlfriend is fine. Just let her rest.” Timothy asked, still doubtful. “Are you sure? But she keeps saying she can’t breathe properly and needs someone with her. Plus, she fell and hurt her knee today!” Looking at his worried face, I knew it. He was acting out of concern. In the hospital, all the family members were attentive to their loved ones. But over the years, I’d always come to the hospital alone, and Timothy often scolded me for being lazy. I felt a bit suffocated in my chest and walked out of the consultation room. Not long after, Timothy came out and said gently to Megan. “Let’s go get another X-ray of your knee.” I was about to go back and continue my check-up when Megan suddenly made a move. “Natalie, are you still pretending? You should just stop bothering the doctor, don’t you think? “I know you didn’t come just to make trouble for me. I’m sorry, whether it’s the year-end bonus or the leadership role, I’ll give it to you. Is that okay?” Her eyes turned red, looking as though she had been wronged beyond measure. Timothy immediately frowned, grabbed my shirt, and sharply said. “Natalie, you bullied Megan like this, aren’t you ashamed? Apologize to her now!” I felt dizzy, unable to pull away from his grip, and could only silently endure his scolding. Once Megan went for her check-up, I sighed in relief and coughed. “Mr. Reed, if there’s nothing else, I’ll leave now.” But Timothy grabbed my hand. At the change in my body temperature, his fingers trembled. He stepped closer and, to my surprise, stood on tiptoe to check my temperature with his forehead. Looking at his face getting closer, I pushed him away, startled. He clenched his fingers and sneered. “Stop pretending. You came to the hospital because you were jealous. Megan’s not feeling well today, and I stayed a little longer with her. Didn’t I tell you? She’s a lot like you back when we were together. I’m just making up for what I didn’t do for you back then.” After a pause, he awkwardly added. “You even faked a fever to get my attention. Fine, I’ll secretly give you the year-end bonus. But next time, don’t cause a scene about announcing it publicly.” I shook my head. What I wanted was never the year-end bonus. Before I could speak, Megan came out, immediately grabbing Timothy’s attention. Watching the two of them walk away together, supporting each other, they looked like a couple in love. I suddenly realized that I seemed to have forgotten something important. I took out the stack of papers and called out to Timothy. “Mr. Reed, can you sign this for me?” Timothy frowned in annoyance. “With everything going on right now, you still want me to deal with work? We’ll do it tomorrow at the office!” I shook my head and handed it over again. “Just a quick signature.” Timothy looked at poor Megan, who was waiting for him, and impatiently took the paper and pen. Just as he was about to sign, he felt like something was off. He furrowed his brows, flipped to the beginning, and instantly gasped. “Divorce…”

Sensing Megan’s gaze on him, he said, getting irritated. He slapped the divorce agreement onto my chest and gritted his teeth, saying. “Natalie, you’ve caused enough trouble already. What more do you want?” I coughed harder at the slap but still insisted. “Mr. Reed, please sign it. It won’t be easy to explain if Megan asks later.” As soon as I said that, Timothy’s brows furrowed even tighter, almost in a knot, and he stamped his foot. In a lowered, harsh voice, he said. “Explain? What’s there to explain? I’m just concerned about her like a sister. Can’t you stop overreacting? Fine, go home already! You’re just annoying.” With that, he gave me one last cold glance and helped Megan leave. Megan looked at me smugly and secretly gave me a thumbs-down. I said nothing and went back to the clinic. The doctor told me I had pneumonia and needed an IV drip. The cold liquid ran through my veins, and I felt a chill throughout my body. But my mind had never been clearer. I thought, “If a normal divorce won’t work, then I’ll go for a lawsuit.” And also, I had forgotten to submit my resignation earlier today in all the rush. I pulled out my phone and directly submitted the resignation request. Technically, I was just a nominal team leader without a project on hand, so I could leave at any time. But to my surprise, my request was instantly rejected by Timothy. And he added a note. “If you want to quit, fine. Show up at the company tomorrow and make a scene.” I couldn’t help but cough again. The next morning, feeling much better, I went straight to the company. My desk was a mess. My team members were carrying Megan’s things, avoiding eye contact with me. Megan smiled innocently and said. “Sorry, Natalie, when we were moving things, I accidentally dropped your stuff. You’re not mad, are you?” Timothy was supervising and gave me a glance before saying with a fake smile. “Company property. Some people who are leaving don’t have the right to get upset.” The CEO’s attitude said it all. The people around quickly chimed in with compliments. “Mr. White, you were just promoted to vice president by Mr. Reed today. Natalie is your subordinate. She should be the one apologizing to you for getting in your way!” “That’s right! Natalie left early yesterday and is late today. Someone like her should have been fired long ago!” Megan puffed out her chest, showing off her shiny new vice president badge, scanning me from head to toe, and deliberately spreading rumors. “Hey, Natalie, your dark circles are so bad, and your face is so pale. Did you go to a hotel to party all night? Looks like you had a great time.” Timothy’s face instantly darkened, and he snorted coldly. “Some people have a lot of guts, staying out all night. Coming to work in this state, our company definitely can’t keep someone like that.” I thought, “How did he know I stayed out all night? Did he actually go home last night?” I coughed lightly, pulled out my resignation request, and said faintly. “Mr. Reed, please sign this. I’m in a bit of a rush.” Timothy’s expression grew darker. After a long pause, he sneered and signed the paper with a mocking smile. “You’re playing the game well, Natalie. But your little tricks won’t work. You think this company can’t run without you?” He slammed the pen down and signaled to Megan, arrogantly saying. “Megan is a top student in materials science. She took the time last night to improve your formula. Your team has been praising her for her talent. “What took you six months to do, she finished in a few hours and handed it over to the partners. “Natalie, if you’re smart, you’ll apologize properly, promise to work hard in the future, and I might reluctantly take you back as an intern.” Megan pretended to be shy and said. “Natalie, don’t worry. When I report back, I’ll include your contribution. We’re just waiting for the final payment from the partner, and the company will go public. If you regret it, you can always apologize.” It seemed that Megan had copied the formula I had left on my desk. But what she didn’t know was that the formula, while looking reasonable, couldn’t be mass-produced. They were digging their own grave by giving the wrong formula to the partner ahead of time. A disaster was coming their way. Just then, the secretary rushed in to report to Timothy. “Mr. Reed, the partner is here, and they look very urgent!” Timothy immediately brightened up and said smugly. “It seems they’re happy with the cooperation and want to offer more money! Natalie, I’m giving you one last chance to reconsider.” I couldn’t help but laugh. Timothy, suspicious, asked. “What are you laughing at?” Megan covered her mouth and chuckled. “Natalie is probably upset because she didn’t get the credit and is too disoriented to think straight.” I smiled and shook my head, stepping aside to make way. “Let him explain to you.” The next second, the partner stormed in, slammed the contract down on the table, and coldly said. “Mr. Reed! The formula your company provided has contaminated our production line. We demand a ten million dollar penalty and 50 million in damages!” Everyone froze, staring at the contract that had been thrown in front of them. Timothy’s eyes widened in shock. Before he could speak, the partner threw a lawyer’s letter down in front of him. “Mr. Reed, please transfer the money to our company account within seven days, or we’ll take legal action!”

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It was the tenth year of my marriage to Kenneth Rogers. I discovered he was cheating on me not according to any photos or proof, just a gut feeling triggered by his unusually cheerful “Good morning” one morning. When the investigator sent me the photo, I was at my usual coffee shop, ordering my cappuccino. The steam from my coffee blurred the image on my phone, but the truth was clear. Kenneth had cheated on me with a girl who had just turned twenty, twelve years younger than me. The photo showed Kenneth gazing at her with deep affection. I set down my cup, feeling the bitterness of the coffee match my mood. It was two days ago that I found out the first signs of his cheating. That morning, he woke up beaming, wore a sweater instead of his usual dark suit, and greeted me with, “Good morning.” A woman’s intuition was often considered accurate, and mine proved to be correct. On a day when there were no photos, no evidence, and no woman at the door, I was sure that my husband of ten years had cheated on me. After he left, I hired a private detective, and today’s findings confirmed my suspicions. I felt unnaturally calm, almost as if I had lost my feelings for Kenneth. I saved the photos, made the final payment to the detective, paid for the coffee, and took a taxi to Kenneth’s office. The receptionist saw me and was about to inform him, but I stopped her. I took the elevator to the ninth floor. When I opened the door, Kenneth was absorbed in his phone, giggling. As soon as he saw me, his expression shifted to warmth. “Elaina, what brings you here?” I held his gaze, noticing the sweat forming on his forehead and the panic in his eyes. To make him uncomfortable, I said, “I just remembered today is our 10th anniversary, so I booked a restaurant and thought we could go out after work.” His face paled for a moment. He had completely forgotten. I knew he had plans to take the young girl to the amusement park that evening. The detective had even provided me with that girl’s Twitter account. Out of boredom, I browsed through it. They had met ten months ago, and her name was Jasmin Weaver. She was a dessert maker at a cake shop, which explained the frequent appearance of Jasmin’s Handmade desserts at home. Kenneth had even brought home mango desserts a couple of times, despite my allergy to them. She also owned a white cat, which explained the cat hair on Kenneth. Kenneth had always claimed to be allergic to cats, so I never owned one. It seemed he was sacrificing for this new love. The twenty-year-old was easy to understand, and she shared sweet moments with Kenneth online. Her posts were filled with affection, referring to Kenneth as “Uncle.” For the past nine months, she had documented their sweet moments together. [Uncle came to buy cake today. I drew love hearts on it, making it extra special.] [Uncle confessed his love to me. It feels like a dream. I’m the happiest girl in the world.] And she posted a picture of roses. That night, Kenneth didn’t come home. I remember it vividly because I had a stomachache and couldn’t reach him after multiple calls. The next day, he returned, hugged me, and apologized, claiming he had to work late due to a company emergency.

I continued scrolling down, where I saw Kenneth accompanying her on birthdays, trips, and dates. They certainly looked very happy. Then, I saw her latest update. [Uncle finally agreed to ride the Ferris wheel with me tonight. We plan to kiss at the top, vowing never to part.] Kenneth chose me over her for the Ferris wheel. Ten years of marriage outweigh ten months, after all. At the familiar revolving restaurant, we enjoyed the best view of the city. From sharing a bowl of noodles to ordering two fresh steaks flown in from Barunya, our journey had been long. I pushed the gift I prepared for Kenneth across the table. He had to pretend to be touched. It was a pair of cufflinks, worth over a hundred thousand dollars, but Kenneth wasn’t wearing a suit. He didn’t even wear the wedding ring. “I’m touched, thank you, Elaina,” he said. “I also want to apologize for forgetting our anniversaries and not getting you a gift. Can you forgive me?” Kenneth took my hand, apologizing with a seemingly sincere tone. I smiled. “It doesn’t matter. I forgive you.” It was a double entendre I hoped he’d catch. We fell into silence, clinking glasses and cutting steaks, the sound of utensils harsh against our plates. Kenneth fidgeted, glancing at the clock. I asked, “Do you remember when we were struggling financially? One day, I got a part-time job as a waiter at a five-star restaurant. A table of guests ordered numerous expensive dishes, and while serving, I accidentally dropped a piece of dessert. The guests were furious, and that piece cost me one thousand dollars, which was half my monthly salary.” Kenneth seemed bashful. “Elaina, why are you bringing this up suddenly?” Ignoring him, I continued, “The supervisor scolded me and punished me stand there for two hours. After the customers left, I secretly packed up a plate of dessert. That day, we squatted in the rented room during the blackout and ate it. At that moment, I thought it was the best dessert in the world, but now…” I looked up to find Kenneth gazing at me sheepishly. “I suddenly forgot what it tasted like.” “Would you like some? I can have someone order it right away,” Kenneth said attentively. “Forget it, let’s eat,” I replied, lowering my eyes. Suddenly, Kenneth stood up. “Elaina, there’s an emergency at the company. I have to go back. I promise to make it up to you next time for our anniversary.” Flustered, he stumbled out without looking back. That girl updated her post. [Uncle is a liar. I don’t care about him anymore.] The picture showed her burned hand and a half-finished anniversary cake. I gazed out at the bustling city at night. Setting down my knife and fork, I finally remembered what that dessert tasted like. It was bitter. My tear-streaked face reflected in the glass. Kenneth had forgotten that night when we huddled on the tiny bed, him promising to succeed and take me to the highest point in the city for the finest meals. Now, we had the meal, but he was gone. It turned out ten months could truly outweigh ten years.

After that day, Kenneth didn’t come home for three days. Love was often impulsive and passionate. Before midnight, they rode the Ferris wheel, kissed at the top, and promised to stay together forever. The girl said, “Hello, here’s your cake.” “Thank you,” I politely apologized and switched off the photo of their kiss on my phone. I sized up the girl in front of me. She was Jasmin, Kenneth’s lover. She smiled warmly, revealing her eye teeth. She said, “This is our store’s signature cake. It’s super delicious.” Young girls were so different, energetic, and sunny. Taking a bite of her cake, I found it good, though overly sweet. I said, “It’s delicious. Pack me another. I want to bring it to my husband.” She smiled. “Okay. You and your husband are so affectionate.” I remained silent, watching her carefully tie the bow on the bag. As I left, she sweetly said, “Welcome next time. I hope your husband likes my cake too.” I replied, “He will. He’ll love it.” I gave her a meaningful look before turning away. I sat on the couch, waiting for Kenneth to return. Since he hadn’t been home in days, he wore a curt smile and said, “Elaina, I’ve been busy these past few days. I brought you a present. Please don’t be mad.” He wrapped his arms around my shoulders, burying his face in my neck, but I still caught that sweet scent. I didn’t pull away and handed him the packaged cake. His face went pale the moment he saw it. “Why did you buy a cake all of a sudden?” He was testing me. I remained expressionless. Kenneth pulled out a velvet box containing a gemstone bracelet. He said, “Are you still mad at me? I swear, it won’t happen again. Please don’t be mad.” Once, I thought Kenneth was clingy and childish, but I was glad. No matter how much he was slaying on the outside, when he came home he would always be my Kenneth. Now, that specialness felt like a cover for his lies and infidelity. I forced a smile. “I passed by and remembered you love it, so I bought it.” Kenneth sighed in relief and placed the bracelet on my wrist. “I knew you wouldn’t be mad at me.” I felt dazed, thinking Kenneth hadn’t changed, still the same twenty-year-old in my mind. Now, I noticed the subtle lines around his eyes, his sagging cheeks, and the gray in his brunette hair. I asked, “How many years have we known each other?” “Fifteen years. Five years in love and ten years married,” Kenneth answered quickly, as if afraid I would find his mistake. I said, “Fifteen years is a long time.” “Elaina, we have fifteen more to go,” Kenneth was eager to prove his loyalty. But fifteen years was a long time. It was long enough for some to grow tired of it.

After that day, Kenneth stayed home for a week due to guilt. Then, he began disappearing again. I went to Jasmin’s Handmade, sitting in the same spot as before, scrolling through Jasmin’s Twitter with downcast eyes. I learned Kenneth had taken her skiing the previous week. The same cake was delivered to me, and Jasmin greeted me with her usual smile. “See you again.” I nodded but didn’t touch the cake. “What’s the matter? Don’t you want to try it today?” she asked. “Tired of it,” I replied curtly, watching her expression stiffen before her smile returned. “It’s okay. We have other flavors, and they’re all delicious. You can try another one.” I picked up my phone, snapped a picture of the store, and posted it with the caption, [It’s delicious.] Moments later, Kenneth called, but I ignored it and silenced my phone. Jasmin was busy making a cake, so I walked over. “Do you want to try it?” she asked, smiling. “It’s different when you make it yourself.” I nodded. She led me into her workshop and taught me how to make the cake. As she worked, she chatted, “My boyfriend and I met while making a cake. The first time, his turned out crooked and ugly.” “You two are very affectionate,” I noted. Jasmin blushed, her eyes sparkling. “Yes, I like him so much.” “We have to trim the dough first,” she said, handing me a knife. I raised it, looking at her youthful face as suddenly I heard a shout, “No!” Kenneth rushed in, knocking me aside to shield Jasmin, his expression a mix of shock and urgency. “Elaina, I know I was wrong, but don’t do this to her.” Pain shot through my shoulder as I hit the wall, and the knife grazed my hand, drawing blood. I stared at Kenneth as I dropped the knife, standing straight. Jasmin didn’t know what happened and clung to Kenneth’s shirt. “What’s wrong, Uncle?” I held up my ring, a perfect match for the one on Kenneth’s left hand. She finally realized I was Kenneth’s wife whom he had lost his affection to. Her earlier words echoed in my mind. [So heartbroken for Uncle to be stuck in an unloving marriage, but it’s okay, I don’t want anything, I just want his love.] She knew all along that Kenneth was married. I watched her face turn pale with panic before she found her courage. Bowing slightly, she said, “I’m sorry. I know I’m immoral, but I’ll say it anyway. Uncle and I truly love each other. I don’t want anything. I just want him.” Kenneth gazed at her with deep emotion. Yet he had forgotten I had said the same thing a decade ago, kneeling before my dad with determination. “I don’t want anything. I just want him.” Back then, Kenneth held my hand and had promised he would never fail me. Now, he said, “Elaina, I’m sorry, but I love her.” Their relationship seemed stronger as they embraced, casting me as the villain in their story. I slapped Kenneth hard, my palm tingling from the impact. The wedding ring flew from my hand, rolling away before disappearing. Kenneth covered his face and didn’t dare to meet my gaze, while Jasmin looked heartbroken, wanting to speak but being held back by Kenneth. I said nothing, straightened my spine, and walked out of the workshop, fixing my hair and grabbing my bag. Turning back to Kenneth, I said the only thing I had since he arrived, “I emailed you the divorce papers. Sign them as soon as you can.” Their relationship seemed stronger as they embraced, casting me as the villain in their story. I slapped Kenneth hard, my palm tingling from the impact. The wedding ring flew from my hand, rolling away before disappearing. Kenneth covered his face and didn’t dare to meet my gaze, while Jasmin looked heartbroken, wanting to speak but being held back by Kenneth. I said nothing, straightened my spine, and walked out of the workshop, fixing my hair and grabbing my bag. Turning back to Kenneth, I said the only thing I had since he arrived, “I emailed you the divorce papers. Sign them as soon as you can.” The divorce papers were prepared long ago after I discovered Kenneth’s infidelity. I approached my attorney friend, who had witnessed our relationship, to draft the divorce agreement. Her initial reaction was disbelief, which turned to heartache when she saw the photos of Kenneth cheating. “I thought you guys were different.”

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Reborn for Revenge My best friend, Annabelle Shepard, was like a sister to me, closer than blood. In the will she left behind after passing away, aside from what her kids got, all the rest of the property was mine. Plus, she dropped a note that said: [I took the contract for that order. Now we’re even.] That was when it all clicked. She’d taken that contract, the one that could’ve saved my dad’s company and kept us from going under. Because of her, my parents lost everything and ended up taking their own lives. I just couldn’t stomach that blow. I dropped out of college on account of depression and bummed around, frittering away a whole bunch of my prime years. And it was all thanks to my so-called “best friend”. I was ready to blow the lid off everything at her funeral. I wanted to scream the truth to everyone there, but my husband, Charlie Gomez, stopped me cold. “Let it go,” He said, his voice low but firm, “The dead deserve respect. Can’t you just let her rest in peace? And honestly, the only reason I even pursued you was because you were Annie’s best friend. Now that she’s gone, don’t make me regret staying with you. Oh, and since we’re airing things out, I was the one who told Annie about that contract.” His words hit me like a ton of bricks. At that moment, I couldn’t see a way out. Overcome with despair, I turned and slammed my head into the marble pillar right there at the funeral. Everything went black. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on campus, like none of it had ever happened.

“Selena, why do you always camp out in the library? Annie’s been asking you out for ages,” When Charlie told me with a look of disgust, it jolted me awake big time. I finally grasped that I was truly back in the past. I was back to a time when my parents weren’t drowning in debt, when Annabelle hadn’t stolen the contract that could’ve saved us, and when my life hadn’t spiraled into chaos. Only Charlie kept yapping away, “Look at you! No makeup, messy hair, and that ratty T-shirt. Why can’t you be more like Annie? She’s got style. If you keep this up, I’m not even gonna tell people you’re my girlfriend.” I clenched my fists, biting back the urge to slap him. Instead, I kept my voice icy. “You know what? Let’s just break up.” Charlie’s jaw dropped. “What did you just say?” “You heard me. We’re done.” I stood up, glaring at him with all the disgust I could muster. “You’re always gushing about Annie. Don’t think I don’t see how you look at her. You’re just using me to get closer to her. You’re not only a jerk, but you’re too chicken to own up to it!” Without waiting for a response, I turned and walked away. My time was too precious to waste on someone like him. Back in the day, I’d been blind to his true colors. “Selena, what the hell are you talking about?” Charlie shouted, chasing after me. He grabbed my arm, his grip tight. “Why are you being so jealous? Annie’s your best friend! And your family’s about to go bankrupt. You’re not some rich girl anymore. Wake up, or you’ll be begging me to take you back!” Hearing that, my hand flew across his face before I could stop myself. The sound of the slap echoed in the hallway. “Charlie, listen up. I’d rather marry a rock than spend another second with you.” I didn’t stick around to hear his reply. I had bigger things to worry about. Ignoring whatever Charlie’s next comeback might be, I hotfooted it out of there. In my previous life, what with the lousy economy, my old man’s company was going downhill fast and was teetering on the brink of bankruptcy and collapse. Seeing my father slogging away day in and day out and my mother looking like a wet weekend all the time, I was worried sick. Desperate to help, I’d buried myself in the library, teaching myself languages and reaching out to clients overseas. Finally, all that hard work paid off. A client in Portugal was won over by my sincerity and decided to place an order for our stuff. But by the time my parents couldn’t take the strain of bankruptcy and offed themselves, I still hadn’t got that order contract. I fell apart after that. Then, I dropped out of school, battled depression, and eventually married Charlie. With my parents gone, I caught hell from his mother and the never-ending housework wore me down to a frazzle. I thought that’s how I’d spend the rest of my days, until Annabelle’s passing that I realized my life could’ve taken a different turn. Annabelle nicked the contract that should’ve saved my father’s company, which led to my parents’ untimely deaths and me not being able to graduate from college smoothly. I should’ve had a whole new lease on life. Did she think that leaving me a bit of property in her would make it okay to say we were even? And Charlie, as an accomplice, not only trashed my life but also played me for a fool, making me wait on his family like a maid. Just thinking about how those two screwed up my life made me want to carve them up and feed them to the vultures.

In my former life, since I wasn’t sure if the client in Portugal was on the level, I could only pray he’d keep his word. Then, I sat around like a chump waiting for the contract that might show up any minute. Now that I’d been reborn, no way would I be that passive again. As soon as I got off the phone with the client, confirming he’d sent the contract, I rushed to the school’s parcel locker. “Daniel,” I said, catching my breath, “In a few days, I’m expecting an important document from Portugal. When it gets here, I need you to hold onto it. No one else can touch it, okay?” I repeatedly reminded Daniel Riley, the staff member at the parcel locker. “Got it. It must be pretty important if your best friend already came by to ask about it.” My stomach dropped, thinking, “Has Annabelle already been here?” I clenched my fists, trying to keep my cool. Even though I knew what she’d done, hearing about it still made my blood boil. I pulled a hundred bucks out of my wallet and shoved it into Daniel’s hand. “Look, I need you to do me a solid. When that mail arrives, call me immediately.” Daniel tried to wave me off. “Hey, it’s just a mail. You don’t have to…” “Take it,” I insisted, “Daniel, I need to know I can count on you.” He hesitated, then finally took the money. With that settled, I felt a little better. Then, I immediately headed straight for my house without a second thought. When I walked in, my parents were in the kitchen, laughing as they prepped dinner. The sight of them hit me like a punch to the chest. “Mom! Dad!” I ran over and threw my arms around them. “Hey, kiddo,” my mom teased, “What’s with the bear hug? You look like you’re still in kindergarten.” My dad, though, noticed something was off. “Lena, what’s wrong? Did something happen at school?” I shook my head. “No, I… I just missed you. It feels like it’s been forty years.” My mom laughed. “Sweetheart, you’re being dramatic. You’re not even forty yet.” I didn’t argue. In my world, it had been decades since I’d seen them like this, so I wasn’t going to waste a second of it. At the same time, I swore to myself under my breath that I’d never let the same tragedy play out again. So, unlike last time, I wasn’t going to wait for the contract to arrive to give my father a pleasant surprise. “By the way, Dad, I want to give you some good…” However, when I was about to spill the beans to my father, someone butted in mid-sentence, “Maria, what’s for dinner? Smells amazing. Can I stay?” “Of course, dear,” My mom said, smiling,”You’re such a foodie! I bet you could smell it from a mile away. You must have planned to come back with Lena,” My mother said with a chuckle. “Oh, Annie’s here. How’s your father doing these days?” My father also greeted her cordially. I bit my tongue, forcing myself to stay calm. For a split second, I almost reached for the fruit knife on the table, but I managed to tamp down my rage. I turned around and glared at the woman who’d royally screwed up my destiny. “Lena,” Annabelle said, bouncing over to me, “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming home? We could’ve come together.” “I just decided at the last minute,” I said, keeping my voice steady. Even though I wanted to stab Annabelle with a knife, I didn’t want to burn my bridges with her until I got the order contract, just in case something went pear-shaped. Annabelle pouted, “Hey, you’re also a foodie. Maria’s spoiling you.” Annabelle muttered, poking me playfully as she spoke, just like she always did. To be honest, if she hadn’t come clean herself, I really wouldn’t have believed she’d do such a thing. Our families had been close for years, and with our fathers being business partners, it was only natural that we felt like one big family. Annabelle and I grew up side by side and were as close as two peas in a pod. She was the outgoing one, the life of the party, while I was the quiet, bookish type. When my family fell apart, hers thrived. She married into money, became a socialite, and left me in the dust. Now that I thought about it, the Shepard family’s rise to the top back then was clearly tied to Annabelle nabbing my contract. At that time, the Shepard family was also feeling the pinch of the economy, and their business wasn’t exactly booming. However, Annabelle, for the sake of her cushy life, brought my family to its knees. Meanwhile, I also had a question. In my previous life, what was Annabelle doing at my house? Thinking of this, I continued to tell my father, “Dad, I’ve got some good news. I’ve been in touch with a client in Portugal. He’s sending over a contract soon. It could be exactly what we need.” My dad’s face lit up. “Really? ” I handed him the documents I’d prepared. “Yeah. Here’s the info. You can reach out to him to confirm.” My dad was beaming. “Alright. That’s fantastic, Lena! You’ve really stepped up.” Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Annabelle secretly. When I noticed that instead of looking disappointed, she seemed downright thrilled, as if she was happy for us, and for some reason, I got a funny feeling in my gut.

For the next few days, every spare moment I had, I was at the school’s parcel locker. My classmates started joking that I should just set up a cot and live there. I didn’t try to hide it and was upfront with everyone about what was going on. Naturally, my advisor, John Roberts, caught wind of it pretty quickly. With my permission, he used my situation as a case study in class, calling me sharp and proactive for tackling a crisis head-on. He said I was someone worth emulating. Before I knew it, I was the talk of the school, exactly what I’d been aiming for. Quite simply, I mainly did it to prevent problems before they happened. I came from a family of merchants, and I knew darn well that a legal contract could be a big deal one minute and not so much the next. During that time, I bumped into Annabelle a couple of times. Even though she was acting like business as usual, something just didn’t sit right with me. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but it was like a nagging itch I couldn’t scratch. One day, I was walking to the parcel locker after class, same as always. Out of the blue, Annabelle came up to me. “Lena, you got a sec?” I had no clue what she wanted, but since she was here, I decided to table my worries about the contract for now. “What’s up? Need something?” I nodded. “Perfect!” Annabelle chirped, grabbing my hand. “We haven’t talk for so long. You’ve been so busy lately.” “Yeah, well, my family’s business isn’t exactly thriving, so I’ve had to step up,” I explained, forcing myself not to yank my hand away. Until I had that contract in hand, I wasn’t about to rock the boat. “Don’t sweat it. I’m sure Keith will figure it out,” Annabelle said, patting my hand like she was some kind of life coach, “Also, if things really go south, my parents and I won’t just sit on our hands.” Then, I sneered inside. In my previous life, after my family’s downfall, Annabelle and her family paid me a visit once, and that was it. After that, I never saw them again, not even after her parents passed. As for help? Forget it. Instead, Annabelle would casually drop by to chat, bragging about her latest ski trips, mountain climbs, and scuba diving adventures, pretending we were still friends. Looking back now, I realized she’d been dripping with malice, flaunting her stolen happiness right in my face. Even after she died, she still found ways to mess with me. I just wished I’d seen through her act sooner. “By the way, I heard you and Charlie called it quits,” Annabelle said, switching gears. “Weren’t you head over heels for him?” Hearing that, I felt a weird pang, like I’d forgotten something important. “We just fell out of love, so we ended it,” I said, brushing it off. “Or did you find out he’s got a thing for me now?” Annabelle giggled, her laughter growing louder. She looked downright nuts. Seeing this side of her, so different from her usual front, a knot of unease tightened in my stomach. “All right, I’ll lay off,” Annabelle finally stopped laughing. “Since you’re not into this topic, I’ll let you in on a little secret.” She leaned in close, her voice dropping to a whisper. “I know you’ve been reborn. But guess what? So have I.” Annabelle’s words hit me like a bucket of ice water, and I started shaking. Finally, it clicked why I’d been feeling like something was off these past few days. It turned out that she’d also been reborn.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296030”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring #重生Reborn #惊悚Thriller