My elder brother, Roman White, fell in love with a poor student in his class. He thought she was inspiring, kind, and wonderful. My parents, Eric White and Sharon Wilson, after failing to persuade him, could only try to send him abroad to study. Roman chose to run away from home. My parents and I had a car accident on the way to look for him. I was reborn. This time, before I could persuade Eric and Sharon, they directly agreed to Roman’s marriage with that girl and kicked him out of the house. “Dad, Mom, Laura and I are truly in love,” Roman held Laura Cox’s hand and sat opposite us. They looked at each other affectionately, while Eric and Sharon looked very calm. I thought it was a bit strange. In my previous life, when Roman brought Laura to our house, we had a big quarrel. He insisted that she was the most inspiring, kind, and wonderful girl he had ever known. Although her family was poor and her academic performance was not good, she could give him warmth. He even found photos to show us the soup she made for him. Just because she made soup for him, Roman was so touched. Eric was so angry that his high blood pressure flared up, and Sharon even slapped Roman. My parents and I took turns to persuade Roman, but he was still stubborn and insisted on choosing Laura, believing that Laura was the love of his life. In the end, in order not to study abroad, he chose to run away from home. And the three of us died in a car accident on the way to find him. When I was in a hazy state of consciousness, I could still hear Sharon whispering Roman’s name. When I got the chance to be reborn, my first thought was to leave him alone. Now I didn’t care what he wanted to do. “Roman, you’re already grown up. Since you’ve chosen to be with Laura, we respect your choice.” Eric looked indifferent, but he held Sharon’s hand tightly. I didn’t expect that they had the same thought as me. I thought, “Could it be that they were reborn too?” Roman didn’t expect that the matter was resolved so smoothly and hadn’t reacted yet. Laura stood up excitedly and bowed to us. “Uncle, Auntie, Roman, and I will be happy.” Although Laura was a poor student, she had a decent appearance and looked pitiful. Moreover, since all the clothes she was wearing today were bought for her by Roman, her inspiring, kind, and wonderful qualities didn’t show up. Roman came to his senses, his eyes were red, and he choked up, saying, “Dad, Mom, thank you. Laura and I will take care of you in the future!” “You are welcome. We don’t need you to take care of us. You’re grown up, and this is your own choice.” Although Eric felt a bit reluctant, he was firm. “We agree to your marriage. Now you can leave.” Roman was stunned. “Dad, this is my home. Where do you want us to go?” Hearing this, I just felt it was ironic. He didn’t say that when he ran away from home in my previous life. At that time, he said that Eric was a tyrant and a control freak, and this place was not his home at all, but a shackle on him. “I respect your choice, but I don’t approve of it. So don’t come back here in the future.”

Before Roman could react, he was kicked out by Eric. I closed the door and turned around to see Eric and Sharon behind me in tears. No one knew how we felt after the car accident in the previous life. We encouraged each other and waited for the rescue workers to arrive. Eric was the most seriously injured. To protect me and Sharon, he didn’t instinctively turn the steering wheel to the left. Instead, he turned it to the right, causing the truck to hit the driver’s seat directly. He bled a lot. But at that time, he comforted me and said, “Megan, don’t be afraid. We’re all here.” When the rescue workers arrived, we all hoped that they would rescue the other two people first. But we were all too seriously injured, and finally, we died on that day. “Dad, Mom, is this real?” Sharon smiled gently and pulled me into her warm embrace. Eric hugged us tightly and shed tears. “Megan, don’t be afraid. We’re all here.” Roman and I were fraternal twins, and we grew up together. As fraternal twins, I always thought that I knew him the best. I knew his ambition and aspiration, I understood his sense of responsibility, I was familiar with his words and deeds, and I even knew his naivety and childishness sometimes. According to the original plan, after he graduated, he was going to manage the company with our father, and I could choose my hobby. Roman was smart since he was a child and had a talent for business. When he went to university, he decisively chose the business school. Eric said, “Roman, although I hope that you can take over my position, I respect your decision. You can choose the major you like.” Roman smiled and said firmly, “This is my hobby.” I was used to following him since I was a child, so I also chose the same major as him. Although our family was rich, we didn’t like to show off. Our life was not luxurious, and we had no pursuit of luxury goods. No one except my close friends knew that our family was wealthy. Originally, we would all go on as planned at the beginning, but in our sophomore year, he met a poor student, Laura. She was from the School of Foreign Languages but transferred to our class. “Hello, everyone. My name is Laura. I’m glad to meet you all.” She was thin and nervous, wearing clean but simple clothes, and her eyes were attractive. Roman was the monitor and also the president of the student union. As a poor student, Laura’s various application materials for the scholarship were all sorted out by Roman with her. “Brother, you’ve been helping Laura sort out the materials every day. You haven’t had a meal with me for a long time,” I complained discontentedly, leaning on Roman’s shoulder and feeling angry.

He said, “This is my job. And Laura is so pitiful. Her mother abandoned her when she was a child, and her father is an alcoholic all day long. If she didn’t have the scholarship, she couldn’t live.” I was just acting coquettish and wouldn’t be angry because of that. I even gave Laura brand-new clothes from my wardrobe. He asked, “Megan, do you really not want these clothes anymore?” I nodded and explained, “I haven’t worn these clothes before. But I’ve gained some weight recently and can’t fit into them. If you don’t mind, just do me a favor,” I looked at the unchanged number of my weight and sighed. Laura restrained the smile on her face and took the clothes. “Thank you, Megan.” The next day, Laura put on the new clothes I gave her. Sure enough, Laura looked more energetic in the new clothes. “Laura, this dress is nice. It’s not cheap, is it?” The classmates all gathered around her, touching her clothes and admiring them. Although I didn’t pursue luxury goods, I had high requirements for the texture of clothes. Laura said shyly, “It’s not expensive. Doesn’t it look nice?” “It looks great. Just by looking at it, you can tell it’s not cheap. Is this cashmere?” “Yes, I bought it with the money I earned from working part-time.” When I heard her say this, I was a bit surprised. The classmates around her were knowledgeable and curious. They immediately took out their phones and searched for this dress. “Goodness! This dress costs 8899 dollars?” Hearing the price, Laura was stunned, and the smile on her face froze. “Laura, aren’t you a poor student? Why can you afford such an expensive dress?” I, sitting behind the pillar, sighed. I wanted to stand up and tell the truth, but I was afraid of hurting her self-esteem. Just when the atmosphere was getting awkward, Roman said, “There are so many knockoff clothes nowadays. The one she’s wearing should not be the real one, right?” He saved Laura from the awkward situation. The look of admiration in her eyes for him couldn’t be hidden, and she even subconsciously grabbed the hem of his clothes. “Roman, is there a knockoff of such a niche dress?” “Yeah, she suddenly has so many new clothes. Is she squandering the scholarship?” The undisguised contemptuous looks of the classmates hurt Laura’s self-esteem. “I’m not. I didn’t…” Laura stood there crying, and Roman handed her a tissue. “How can you say that without evidence?” The weak always arouse people’s desire to protect, so I didn’t find it strange that he protected her like that.

When I found that Laura often sat next to Roman, I didn’t think it was strange. I thought it was just a normal friendship. I thought the small gifts she gave him from time to time must be to thank him for standing up for her in the cafeteria. After all, Roman had never been in a relationship since he was a child and had no interest in women at all. I had secretly looked at his computer before to see if he was interested in women, but I found nothing. Over the years, the number of girls he had rejected was a lot. Therefore, I thought he couldn’t possibly fall for Laura. When I saw them holding hands and smiling sweetly, I was so shocked that I fell down the stairs. Although the stairs were not high, my ankle was still sprained. Roman carried me to the infirmary, with Laura following behind. He said, “How could you even fall when you’re just walking?” “I didn’t mean to!” I replied discontentedly but frowned as I looked at Laura behind him. The sprain wasn’t serious, but he was worried. He took a few days off for me and took me home. If Roman and I had always been very low-key, then Sharon’s temperament was that of a standard rich lady. Although she was already in her forties, she took good care of herself. Her skin was smooth, her eyes were beautiful, and her pearl necklace made her shine. Moreover, she had a luxury car with a driver and did not look like she was from an ordinary family. Sharon’s appearance confirmed the fact that Roman and I were children of the wealthy. Even though Laura concealed it well, I still saw her excited smile. “Is that Roman’s girlfriend?” Sharon frowned and asked me as soon as she closed the car door. I said, “They often hold hands on campus.” “That girl is not good,” Sharon said with certainty. The last time she said so firmly that someone was not good was last year. She could tell at a glance that the new assistant in the company had bad intentions and wanted to seduce Eric. In the end, that assistant was fired by him. I said, “But Roman likes her. Besides, this is probably his first girlfriend.” Sharon said helplessly, “We’ve just protected you two too well. The girl’s motive is not pure. Roman has been single for so long and can’t resist the temptation of such a girl at all.” I shook my head, not understanding. Although Roman had been single for many years, many girls confessed to him. I didn’t think he would fall in love with Laura. She said, “Do you think you understand love just because you’ve watched a lot of dramas? Many men like weak women.” Although Sharon had never had a job, she had been studying all these years and obtained a PhD in psychology.

She said, “Especially girls like this. Although they are weak, they are very nice to him, and even worship him, making him think that he is amazing and that he is her support. Excessive sympathy is scary. Roman is just an ordinary person. It’s normal for him to fall in love, but he needs to discover the problems behind it.” Later, I felt Roman’s overflowing sympathy. Laura bought him breakfast every day. She would cry when she encountered problems she couldn’t solve, and she used the money she earned from working part-time to buy Roman a pen. I watched Roman slowly fall and spend all his money. Laura’s clothes became more and more expensive and turned into various famous brands. But her thin body didn’t look good in these clothes at all. Money couldn’t solve all the troubles but most of them. Now she was smiling as if she had no troubles. “Megan, Roman said he’s going to participate in the college basketball game today and asked me to accompany you to the infirmary.” The perfume smell on her was faint, but it still smelled bad. I said, “Forget it. You’re thinner than me. You can’t support me.” She said, “We’re all family. I should help you.” I said, “Family? You and my brother aren’t married yet, are you?” I was dissatisfied with Laura’s tone. She and Roman were just dating but already wanted to be my sister-in-law. I sat on the chair and didn’t move. She didn’t say a word, turned around, and ran out. When I was sleeping, I was woken up by the ringtone of my phone. I said, “Brother, what…” “Megan! Why did you scold Laura?” I was confused. I was already angry enough to be woken up while sleeping and didn’t expect to be blamed. I said, “When did I scold her? How did I do that?” I took a deep breath, wishing I could confront him right away. “Roman, don’t get angry at Megan. She might have said something without thinking because she was in a bad mood.” Laura sobbed on the phone and even smeared me on purpose. Roman said, “Laura, Megan is spoiled. She shouldn’t have hurt you.” I didn’t want to argue with him anymore, feeling disgusted. I said, “Roman, since you don’t believe me, don’t contact me anymore.” I directly blocked his contact information and went back to sleep. But I couldn’t fall asleep at all. I was too aggrieved to calm down. I turned on my phone and surfed the Internet, and I actually found the evaluation of Laura by our schoolmates. The post was from half a year ago, but there were a lot of people discussing it. [Do you know that poor student in our college?] [You mean Laura? She loves to pretend to be pitiful.]

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My husband, Charlie Walker, who had been dead for three years, suddenly came back to life. I thought I had regained love and cherished it so much. But I never expected that I had already fallen into the trap set by him and his mistress. He pretended to be affectionate with me for a while and then suddenly said that he had no feelings for me and wanted a divorce. I had waited for him for three years, so I didn’t want to agree. But I never thought that Charlie would team up with his mistress and burn me to death in our house, then inherit all my property. Even my childhood friend, Albert Lewis, who came to save me, was severely burned over a large area of his body. He ended up paralyzed and then died of depression. After I died, I found out that Charlie and his mistress were the ones who had set the fire that he used as an excuse to fake his death. The reason he came back to me was just that he had run out of money and wanted to get a share of my property through a divorce. “Ms. Bennett, Ms. Bennett, wake up.” My head ached like it was splitting apart, and my whole body felt burning hot. I was still wondering why the last voice I heard before dying was that of my secretary, Kelly Edwards. But the pain in my body made it impossible for me to think it through. The feeling of being burned by the fierce fire swept over me, along with a sense of suffocation and fear that filled my body. When I opened my eyes, I saw Kelly shaking my body anxiously. Looking at everything in front of me, I couldn’t help but wonder if everything that had just happened was a dream. Just a moment ago, I was in the middle of a fire, and now I was back in the bright office. Kelly said, “Ms. Bennett, are you feeling unwell? You were shaking just now. I was afraid something was wrong with you, so I woke you up.” It seemed that my body hadn’t adjusted to the dream yet. I felt dizzy and couldn’t think about anything. I waved my hand at Kelly, signaling her to go out first. After resting for a while, I came to my senses. Then, I realized that I had been reborn. What had just happened wasn’t a dream but was the real feeling I had before I died. Memories of my previous life flooded into my mind, bringing me pain and sorrow. I picked up my phone and checked the date. It was three years before I died in my previous life, and it was also a week before Charlie Walker faked his death in the fire. In my previous life, a week later, there was a mountain fire on Sunlight Mount, which was the mountain contracted by my company. The cause of the fire was never investigated clearly. Charlie was a firefighter. The fire burned for three days and three nights, and groups of firefighters were sent in one after another. Finally, on the fifth day, the fire was put out, but Charlie was nowhere to be found. The police, firefighters, and rescue teams searched the mountain for several days but failed to find him. They speculated that he had perished. A fire that burned for four or five days could completely incinerate a living person. I didn’t want to believe it. In the three years after his death, I refused to get a death certificate or dissolve our marital relationship. But what I got in return for my love for him was a heavy blow. Three years later, Charlie miraculously reappeared by my side. He told me that he had fallen off a cliff and lost his memory, and he had just remembered everything recently. He said that as soon as he remembered, he came back to me without hesitation. I was so immersed in the joy of getting him back that I didn’t have time to think about other things. In the following two weeks, he and I were in a sweet relationship. But later, Charlie asked me for a divorce and wanted half of my property. I had waited for him for three years, so there was no way I would agree. I asked him why. He said that he had been saved by a girl and had fallen in love with her. That completely woke me up from my infatuation. I said that a divorce was okay, but he wouldn’t get a single cent of my property. I thought he would at least behave himself for a while. But the next day, he and his mistress set fire to my house and made it look like an accidental fire. After I died, my resentment was so strong that my soul kept following Charlie. Then, I found out that they were the ones who had set the mountain on fire. Charlie had embezzled a lot of my money and then planned this escape with his mistress. He came back just because he was out of money and wanted to get some from me. But he hadn’t expected that I didn’t agree. In my previous life, I was so immersed in the pain of Charlie’s “death” that I didn’t think about the money issue at all. Also, I trusted Charlie, who had been with me from college to marriage for eight years, too much, and in the end, I lost my life in the fire. After I died, my soul left my body, and I saw that my childhood friend, Albert Lewis, was there. The fire was so fierce that the firefighters couldn’t put it out in time. As soon as one side of the fire was extinguished, it flared up again on the other side. The tree I had planted at the door became the last straw that prevented me from being rescued. Not only did it burn and fall across the door, but it also made the fire even bigger. Albert, when the firefighters weren’t looking at him, rushed into the fire regardless of the danger. I watched all this happen and indeed wanted to tell him not to go in and that I was already dead. Albert entered the fire. I watched as he was burned all the way. Despite the pain, he still tried to get to my room and finally fainted at my door. He was finally rescued by the firefighters, but he had severe burns all over his body. His face, which used to be as handsome as a campus heartthrob, was completely disfigured.

“Kimberly, don’t you think you should stand up and greet me?” I heard Albert’s voice coming from the door before I saw him. “Sorry, Ms. Bennett. I really couldn’t stop Mr. Lewis,” said Kelly. Ever since I graduated from college and married Charlie, Albert and I had always been at odds. I didn’t know why he was acting so strange before. It was only after I died that I found out he had been in love with me for a long time. Albert sat on my desk, poking at the succulents on it. These were the ones he gave me when he was 18. In my previous life, I hated Albert’s playboy demeanor. But now, I kind of missed it. Looking at his delicate facial features, I remembered how he had taken meticulous care of me during the three years after Charlie faked his death. At that time, he put away his playboy attitude and became more and more serious. He said over and over again, “Kimberly, let me take care of you.” But at that time, I was so immersed in the pain of Charlie’s “death” that I couldn’t respond to Albert. Now, seeing him standing alive in front of me, I couldn’t help but run over and hug him. I felt the person in my arms suddenly go stiff. After a while, Albert pushed me away, looking at a loss. He said, “What the hell are you doing? You’re already married. I won’t interfere in your marriage, and I won’t be a lover. Just forget about it. If you get a divorce, I might consider it.” Before, when he said such things, I just thought he was teasing me and never took it seriously. I was even angry because of his flippancy. Now, I noticed that his face and neck were all red when he said these words. Even though he was refusing in words, I felt that if I insisted, he might agree to be a lover. Seeing that I didn’t say anything, Albert started chattering. “If you hug me, you have to give me a proper status. But I will never be a lover. You’d better explain why you hugged me. Otherwise, I’ll spread the word that you bullied me.” Seeing that I still didn’t say anything, Albert said awkwardly, “Let me think about it. If I become a lover, my parents will beat me to death.” I was surprised, thinking, “Dude, you’re really in love.” I said, “Don’t think about it. I…” Seeing that I seemed to be rejecting his “lover application”, Albert interrupted me, “I’ve thought it over. I’ll do it. As long as they don’t beat me to death, I can endure any pain. But I’m warning you, you can’t have another lover.” I was annoyed that he interrupted me before I could finish. “Don’t you want to know what I was going to say just now?” Albert shook his head and said, “Kimberly, don’t reject me. If you do, can you please not tell others what happened just now?” I felt that Albert was about to cry. I couldn’t help but smile. How dull was I before that I didn’t notice such obvious love? I smiled, “I’ll give you a proper status, Albert, but not now. You have to wait for me for a while.” Albert was stunned. I thought he was unhappy. I reached out and pinched his chin, lifting his lowered head. Then, a tear ran from the corner of Albert’s eye onto my finger. He said, “Kimberly, I’ve been waiting for you for eight years. Eight years ago, I thought you were just having a relationship, so I kept waiting for you to break up. Then, four years ago, when I heard that you were getting married, I didn’t dare to ruin your happiness. I think I’ll be thankful to myself for the rest of my life for finally taking a brave step today.” Albert hugged me naturally as if he had practiced this action a thousand times. Just thinking about how I missed someone who loved me so much in my previous life, I couldn’t wait to get rid of Charlie and his mistress.

I told Albert to wait for me for two weeks, and he just kept nodding and wiping his tears. I would make those who betrayed true feelings pay the price and make the two of them regret everything they had done. I glanced at the time. It was three o’clock in the afternoon, and Charlie must still be at the fire station. So, I drove to an underground market that was hard for ordinary people to find. I bought three simple small surveillance devices there. After I got home, I installed these three devices in the bedroom, the study, and the living room. This time, I was going to make them lose face and reputation and nail their ugly faces to the pillar of shame. Most importantly, I wanted to know who that mistress was. In my previous life, even though I was schemed to death by her, I had never seen her true face. She had always been hiding under Charlie’s protection. This time, I had to figure it all out. When Charlie came back in the evening, he tried to hug me. As soon as I saw his face, I felt like vomiting. It turned out that the look of love in someone’s eyes could be faked. Charlie noticed my dodging and, in dissatisfaction, straightened my body, then pressed me into his arms. He said, “What’s wrong, Kimberly? Why are you avoiding me?” I gently pushed him away and pretended to be coy as I said, “You’re all sweaty. Don’t hug me.” He stood up and sniffed his clothes. “You never used to mind it before. You’ve changed. I don’t love you anymore.” Charlie was someone who was really good at acting coquettishly and expressing love. So, I was deceived by him for so long. Even after he “died” for three years, I couldn’t forget him, because he was really good at pretending. As he took off his clothes, he talked to me about what had happened at the fire station. I used to admire him because of the halo of his profession. But I never expected that he would set fire to the mountain just for money. He never considered the safety of other people on the mountain or his teammates. I remembered that in my previous life, besides him, a firefighter, whose daughter had just been born a month ago, also died because of that fire. Thinking about the incident of setting fire to the mountain, while Charlie was taking a shower, I called Kelly and told her not to allow anyone to go up the mountain in the next two weeks. I also asked her to arrange for some people to patrol around there and equip them with fire extinguishers. Although I could take care of my property, I couldn’t watch over other people’s. I could only make arrangements at the original accident site and try my best to reduce the damage. Just as I finished making the arrangements, Charlie came out of the bathroom after taking a shower. I had dinner with him. Originally, we had an agreement that we would go for a walk together every day after dinner. But now, I couldn’t even bear to look at him. Using the excuse of not feeling well, I went back to my room alone. As soon as I got back to my room, I turned on the surveillance. Sure enough, he went to the study and made a phone call eagerly.

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Fresh off the plane, my work abroad finally behind me, I was expecting the first message to light up my phone to be from my wife, Karen Levine. But instead, the ping came from an unexpected name, a high school classmate I hadn’t spoken to in years. [Cayson Fuller! Tomorrow’s the big day! Westin Saunders, the high school heartthrob, is throwing a baby shower for his kid’s one-month bash. Everyone’s going, but he specifically asked for you to be there. Talk about an honor! You can’t bail on this one, man!] I blinked, caught off guard. “Westin, the ultimate bad boy in our high school, is a dad now? No way!” I murmured. [Thanks for the heads-up, but I just got back from overseas, and I’ve still got a mountain of contracts to finalize. I’m afraid I’ll have to sit this one out.] The second I hit send, my phone buzzed again, and before I could blink, I was yanked into a class reunion group chat I didn’t even know existed. [Well, well, well! Look who it is, our big-shot CEO, fresh off the jet!] I glanced at my net worth, a cool few hundred billion dollars, and chuckled, typing out a modest reply. [Hey, we’re all old friends here. No need to make a fuss over titles.] However, they erupted in a chorus of mocking laughter, the messages flying in faster than I could read them. [Oh, check it out, guys! He’s actually buying his own hype! A few years out of touch, and now he thinks he’s hot stuff?] [Yeah, right! If you’re such a big deal, how come we haven’t seen you at a single class reunion, huh?] [Come on, man. We all know each other’s dirt. No need to put on airs. If you’re married, bring your wife along to give her a chance to see how the other half lives. Bet she’s stuck eating scraps with a deadbeat like you, huh?] [And hey, just so you know, everyone who shows up to the baby shower gets a sweet deal, a brand-new school-district condo! Westin’s wife is the real deal, a total heiress. Those condos? People would kill to get their hands on one, and they’re just her family’s latest project!] I frowned. Their words stung, but I kept my cool, typing out a polite refusal. [Thanks for the invite, but I really can’t make it this time.] That’s when Westin himself chimed in, his message dripping with smug condescension. [Come on, man! Don’t play hard to get. Is your wife too hideous to show off? Relax, bro. We’re all buddies here. I won’t judge. Though, let’s be real, even if your wife’s a total knockout, she’s got nothing on mine. And with your situation, how can you ever afford a place in that school district? Don’t let your pride screw over your kid’s future, man.] Before I could respond, Westin sent a photo. I tapped it open, but my breath caught in my throat. There, staring back at me, was Karen, whose features were sharpened by her latest round of cosmetic tweaks. Then, I glanced at the address for the baby shower. My heart skipped a beat. “Wait a minute. Isn’t that my villa?” I exclaimed.

I was still reeling, trying to wrap my head around the chaos unfolding before me, when my phone buzzed with a message from Karen. Karen: [Honey, I’m heading to a classmate’s baby shower tomorrow, so I might not be able to reply right away. But the second it’s over, I’ll video call you, okay? Oh, how I wish you were here. I hate going to these things alone. I miss you so much, sweetheart!] Staring at her words on the screen, I felt like I had been struck by a bombshell. How could this possibly be a coincidence? My fingers hovered over the keyboard, hesitating, before I typed out a cautious question. Cayson: [Which classmate?] Karen: [Oh, you probably wouldn’t know them. Anyway, I saw the weather’s turning chilly over there. Make sure you bundle up, okay? I’d hate for you to catch a cold. It’d break my heart!] A year ago, I had left for an overseas business expansion, diving headfirst into the grind to grow our empire. Karen and I had been married for five years, but our love still burned as fiercely as it had on our honeymoon. Especially during my time abroad, we clung to each other through daily video calls, never missing a single night. Her gentle concern wrapped around me like a cozy blanket, keeping my heart glowing even across oceans. Therefore, I worked myself to the bone, pushing our projects onto the fast track, all so I could surprise her by coming home early. I planned to whisk her away to our sprawling villa in the heart of the city, ready to shower her with the romance she deserved. But instead, she had blindsided me with a surprise of her own. Just as I was about to fire off a message demanding answers, a commotion erupted outside. I stepped out of the bedroom and leaned over the third-floor railing, my gaze icy as I surveyed the scene below. The once-quiet grandeur of the first-floor foyer had been transformed into a riot of color, balloons bobbing in the air, streamers cascading from the ceiling, and a towering framed photo standing in the center. There, beaming with picture-perfect happiness, was a family of three: Karen, Westin, and their newborn child. Westin stood at the entrance, greeting guests with an effortless charm. Dressed in a low-key but luxurious white cashmere sweater and tailored slacks, he exuded the aura of a polished, doting husband. His face glowed with uncontainable joy, a stark contrast to the rebellious bad boy I remembered. The guests, familiar faces from our high school days, swirled around him, their voices buzzing with admiration. “Westin’s still got it! The high school legend turned golden boy! Not only did he snag a wife who looks like she stepped out of a fairy tale, but this baby shower? Talk about going all out!” “No kidding! Her dad’s a real estate mogul, you know. If it weren’t for Westin, my kid wouldn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of getting into that elite private school!” “Exactly! Just look at this villa with a prime location and pure opulence. Without Westin, most of us wouldn’t even get a glimpse of a place like this in our lifetime. And his heiress wife was the one chasing him! Man, Westin’s got some serious game!” My eyes landed on a familiar figure in the crowd, Joseph Parry, our old homeroom teacher. Back in the day, he had zero patience for Westin’s wild, defiant streak, always singling him out for lectures. But now? There he was, his back slightly bowed, his face plastered with a fawning smile. “Westin, my boy,” Joseph said, his voice dripping with flattery. “I’ll admit, I was tough on you back then, but that’s only because I saw your potential shining through. I wouldn’t waste my time on just anyone, you know! Seeing you thrive now warms my heart. And I’ve got a cousin with a kid who’s about to start school.” He slipped a check into Westin’s hands, the implication as clear as day. Westin accepted it without a flicker of hesitation, his head held high, his expression radiating smug satisfaction, though he tossed out a token protest. “Oh, come on, no need for all that. But we’ll work something out. No problem.” Watching him play the magnanimous host, I let out a cold laugh under my breath. Karen had always been obsessed with tweaking her appearance, flitting to the plastic surgeon’s office every other day for “minor adjustments.” At one point, she had even floated the idea of a complete facial overhaul, which scared me so much that I scrambled to find a distraction. I handed her the reins to our city’s real estate projects, not caring if she turned a profit, just hoping it would keep her busy. And now? All that capital had somehow morphed into proof of Westin’s brilliance. A sudden cough rippled through the crowd, followed by a flurry of exchanged glances. One by one, their eyes turned to me. Their stares were laced with amusement, mockery dancing in their expressions. Westin’s old high school lackey, always the first to jump into the fray, pointed at me, his voice dripping with ridicule. “Well, well, look at this guy! Cayson, you didn’t seriously think throwing on some fancy pajamas would make us believe you own this place, did you?” “Yeah, right!” another echoed, egging him on. “You were all high and mighty in the group chat, acting like some big shot, and now that you know Westin’s borrowing this villa for the party, you rented it out just to show off? Man, you weren’t this quick on your feet back when you were running errands for Westin in high school!” The laughter swelled, a chorus of jeers echoing through the hall. “You have never split the bill at reunions, and now you’re pulling this stunt just to look cool? Careful, man, your wife might divorce you over this!” “You think slipping into some nice pajamas makes this villa yours? Why not go all in and claim Westin’s heiress wife is yours, too? Oh, and those billion-dollar properties? Sure, those are yours, right?” “Are you delusional, Cayson? Who does this? Oh, wait, I get it. He’s jealous of Westin, pissed that he’s got nothing to show for himself, and now he’s lost it completely!” I stood there and calmly stated the simple truth. “Actually, it is all mine.” The room erupted in shrill laughter, the sound grating against my ears. Westin, his face twisting with fury, jabbed a finger at me. “You’ve got some nerve, claiming that, you bastard! Oh, I see it now. You’re the other man, huh? Caught you red-handed! Take off those pajamas right now. They’re the ones my wife bought for me! Guess high school didn’t teach you any manners, huh? You shameless homewrecker! How dare you strut around my wife’s house, acting like you own the place?”

The crowd downstairs was left with their jaws hanging open. “What do you mean? I thought this place was rented just for the party? This is actually Westin’s wife’s villa? And that pajama belongs to Westin? No wonder I could tell at a glance it’s luxury, a globally limited edition!” Westin effortlessly pulled out Karen’s property deed from one of the rooms. Once again, the crowd was dumbfounded, their tone tinged with envy. “Never would have guessed that the former ugly duckling could now reel in a rich beauty. Is the bar for kept men really this low these days?” Westin clenched his fists, a sneer curling at the corner of his mouth. “No wonder you’ve skipped our class reunions all these years. Guilt got the better of you, huh?” Everyone shot me looks of contempt. “Cayson had the nerve to wear someone else’s high-end pajamas. How disgusting can he get? That outfit’s probably tainted now. What a waste!” “I knew something was off when I saw how much he had changed, suddenly looking so handsome and refined. Turns out money does wonders, maybe even plastic surgery.” “Cayson, enjoying being kept, are we? You used to be so hideous that you could scare kids into tears. Now look at you, living the gigolo life. Must feel great, doesn’t it?” “The mere thought of having shared a classroom with such scum makes me sick.” “A male whore who dares show his face in public without an ounce of shame. Guess his sense of decency went to the dogs.” Even Joseph chimed in, and his face darkened with disapproval. “Cayson, I helped you back then, and this is how you repay me? Don’t ever claim we know each other. I’m old, but I still value my dignity.” The commotion drew a crowd of onlookers, who quickly joined the chorus of insults and even started pelting me with stones. Fuming, Westin snatched a stone from one of the bystanders and hurled it straight at my face. The sharp edge grazed under my eye, drawing blood instantly. I let out a bitter laugh and descended the stairs. “You don’t know anything but dare to lay a hand on me. Do you really want to end up behind bars?” Westin scoffed, “You? Don’t make me laugh. Go check yourself in the mirror first. A slut who ruins marriages and has the audacity to strut around like you own the place. You deserve every bit of what’s coming to you.” He grabbed my collar, yanking me close. “No morals, no scruples, a homewrecker daring to lecture me! Even if I beat you to death right here, everyone would only cheer. After all, this is my wife’s house. Let’s see how you’ll live here now!” Blinded by rage, Westin found some spray paint and began defacing the pristine walls. “Live here, will you? Go ahead!” After venting, the walls were covered in vicious curses and accusations against mistresses. I smirked, trying to reason with him, “You might not want to speak so definitively. Are you absolutely sure this house belongs to your wife?” No sooner had I spoken than Westin seethed even more, erupting like a volcano, completely losing control. “Fine. Since you put it that way.” He spun around, surveying everything, and stormed into the storage room, emerging with an axe and began smashing wildly. The crowd stood frozen for a moment before someone snapped out of it and joined in the destruction. Westin roared, “Good job! Whoever trashes it the hardest gets the biggest reward tonight! Since this is my wife’s place, let’s see how you manage to stay after this, you lowlife!” One after another, they eagerly joined the frenzy. Soon, the entire first and second floors were ransacked. All sorts of smart appliances, marble countertops, and imported custom furniture were smashed to bits. Anything indestructible was slashed with sharp objects, creating a chaotic mess. The worst was the graffiti-covered wall, which, after being battered by the axe, exposed the reinforced concrete beneath. I warned them to stop, but Westin sneered, “Compensation? I’ve got plenty to spare. Besides, this is my woman’s house. So what if I wreck it? I could burn it down, and she wouldn’t dare complain!” Cheers erupted from the crowd. “Westin’s the man! Truly a role model!” At this point, Joseph adjusted his glasses, eyes gleaming as he slowly pushed open the door to the last room on the second floor. Instantly, the crowd’s eyes lit up. They exchanged glances, finally turning to Westin. I furrowed my brows, speaking up immediately, “Westin, you should know better. The items inside are worth several properties combined. I strongly advise against rash actions unless you want to spend your life behind bars!” Antique pieces meticulously collected over the years were displayed on shelves. They were my priceless treasures. Ignoring my warning, Westin strode in and gave a gentle nudge, sending a 17th-century vase crashing onto the woolen rug with a dull thud. “I do know. Despite seeing countless luxuries, I can’t help but admire the value of these items. They’re exquisite, but trash like you, who actually believe selling yourself can elevate your status, don’t deserve them!” With a grin, he turned to the others. “My friends, you’ve probably never heard of such an expensive crash before! Let’s enjoy the symphony today!” I rushed forward to stop their madness. “I’ve already transferred the house to Karen. What you do to it is her concern, not mine. But I’ve traveled across countries and worked hard to collect these antiques, so you mustn’t touch them!” But Westin shoved me aside, exasperated. “Are you genuinely insane or just playing dumb? You’re the mistress; I’m the rightful spouse. This is my wife’s money, our joint property protected by law. I have every right to reclaim it, understand? “You’re ignorant, foolish, blindly confident, and utterly worthless. She must be desperate to settle for someone like you!” I burst into laughter and thought, “So this is how they see me? But aside from indulging in food, fun, and cosmetic surgeries, Karen relies entirely on me for everything. When we married, her family couldn’t even scrape together a thousand bucks. It was all thanks to my support. People said I was going in to lift her out of poverty, and now look how it’s turned!” Under Westin’s direction, a new round of chaos erupted in the antique room. Dissatisfied with the lack of crisp sounds, they tossed the rugs out first, followed by continuous smashing. Knowing there was no reasoning with these fools, I stopped trying, issuing commands to the hidden camera in the corner to record and alert the police. No sooner had I finished speaking when the camera was knocked down violently. “Calling the cops on yourself? These are all Westin’s belongings. Who do you think you are? Better call the mental hospital first. Don’t worry about the medical fees. It’s just a sprinkle compared to Westin’s generosity.” Someone even whipped out their phone, arrogantly announcing, “Go ahead and call the cops. With Westin’s solid backing, let’s see who gets arrested first, you or us!” Westin shot him an approving glance. “Not enough evidence earlier? No problem. Let’s add more.” His gaze shifted toward the third floor. My heart sank. The third floor held something so precious that I couldn’t let it be disturbed!

“Look, I can let the antiques slide. But the third floor? That’s my line in the sand. Don’t push this too far. Please.” I swallowed my rage, lowering my voice, trying to reason with Westin as calmly as possible. Westin hesitated for a split second before bursting into mocking laughter. “Weren’t you so cocky just moments ago? Keep it up! If you’d shown this attitude earlier, we could’ve saved ourselves a whole lot of trouble.” A smug grin plastered across his face, he patted my cheek lightly, but his next words were laced with venom. “Since it means that much to you, I’m not completely unreasonable, you know. Here’s the deal: bow down and apologize, shout ‘Westin, I was wrong,’ and maybe, just maybe, I’ll give you a chance. What do you say?” My fists clenched tight, my mind racing. Would my assistant arrive with reinforcements faster than they could destroy everything? Joseph, ever the cunning one, saw right through my stalling tactics. He leaned in close to whisper something in Westin’s ear. Westin’s expression instantly darkened. “I’m giving you five seconds. Five. Four. Three. Two, and one. You!” In the end, surrounded by their smug, gloating faces, I slowly sank to my knees. Some muttered among themselves, wondering what on earth could be upstairs that was worth more than priceless antiques, worth sacrificing even my dignity as a man. My gaze drifted toward the farthest room on the third floor. There was my father’s memorial tablet. When I was young, a massive flood swept through our town. In that moment of crisis, my father handed me the last floating ring and stayed behind. By the time I was rescued and returned with help, the raging waters had already swallowed our house whole, leaving no trace behind. Not even his body was recovered. All I could do was set up a small altar for him. Years later, when Karen fell in love with this property and asked me to transfer ownership to her, I specifically told her about this sacred spot. It was my one untouchable boundary, and I emphasized that over and over again. No matter how badly she acted or what she did, even if she cheated on me, I could forgive it all. But this was unforgivable. With trembling resolve, I pressed my forehead to the ground. But Westin’s lackey, impatient with my slow movements, stepped forward, grabbed the back of my head, and slammed it down hard onto the floor with a sickening thud. Biting down on my teeth so hard that I thought they might crack, I gripped my fingers into fists until my knuckles turned white. After that, blood seeped from my forehead. “Happy now?” I spat out between clenched teeth. Westin clapped his hands together, laughing like a hyena. “Oh, very.” He nodded approvingly, but my eyes suddenly widened in horror. Out of the corner of my vision, several figures charged toward the third floor. Unable to contain my fury any longer, I lunged at Westin with a punch. “You son of a bitch! You tricked me!” The blow sent Westin sprawling to the ground, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Before I could land another hit, the others swarmed me, pinning my arms behind my back and forcing me to my knees once more. I struggled, but there was nothing I could do. They held me firmly in place. “And here’s your lesson, scumbag,” one of them sneered. “You’re nothing but a lowly worm beneath our feet. Westin is the real victim, betrayed by his own wife. Consider this a little reminder: some people are off-limits, and messing with them comes at a cost. As old classmates, consider this us doing you a favor. We’re teaching you a valuable life lesson. Next time, think twice before you go sniffing around someone else’s spouse unless you want to end up dead.” Westin staggered to his feet, wiping the blood from his lips. With cold precision, he delivered a series of punches to my face, followed by brutal kicks to my ribs. The final kick sent me flying several feet backward, landing painfully on a pile of shattered debris. A sharp cry escaped my lips as I coughed up a mouthful of blood. By then, the group had already kicked open the last door. The sound of shattering wood echoed through the air. One of them emerged holding my father’s memorial tablet, tossing it carelessly to the ground. He spat on it, “Ew! Is this all? Some crummy piece of junk? Talk about bad luck!” My vision blurred with tears of fury, and an anguished roar tore from my throat. “Stop! Stop!” But I was powerless, restrained, forced to watch as they defiled the memory of my father. I yelled, “I will make you pay for this!” The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth as I tore off a chunk of flesh from my own lip. “Oh my! I’m shaking in my boots,” Westin mocked, cackling cruelly. He stomped repeatedly on the shattered remains of the tablet, grinding it into splinters under his heel until nothing remained. Then, stepping over to me, he planted his foot squarely on my face, pressing down with deliberate force. “Remember high school? This is exactly how I looked down on you then. And guess what? Even now, after you’ve pimped yourself out and cleaned up nice, you’re still nothing but trash beneath my shoe. That’s who you are and always will be. A useless loser like you is destined to stay that way. You belong in the gutter where you came from. Stop trying to act like you matter to anyone unless you want your daddy’s fate to be yours.” Under Westin’s command, others hoisted me up, tying me to a makeshift rope. Their game began: whoever lost would take their frustration out on me with lashes, and whoever won got double turns venting their anger. Amidst their merciless laughter, the rhythmic pounding of footsteps grew louder outside, shaking the very foundation of the house. The door burst open, and figures poured in like water breaking through a dam. They stood clad in black uniforms, hands clasped behind their backs, legs astride, snapping into two flawless lines with military precision, as if awaiting the arrival of some grand dignitary.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296027”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring #重生Reborn #惊悚Thriller

After being crushed to death, I transmigrated into a poor college student in a true-and-false heiress drama. The dirt-poor male lead hurled the villa keys, gifted by the fake heiress, onto the ground, his face twisted with defiance. “Keep your damn charity!” he snarled, his voice raw with pride. The heroine, ever the saintly meddler, chimed in, her tone dripping with righteous sympathy. “Don’t underestimate a young man’s potential just because he’s broke.” Before the keys could even settle in the dust, I dove forward in a dramatic slide, snatching them up with a flourish. Heart pounding, I clutched the cold metal to my chest and declared, “Well, I need it. Thank you very much!” The fake heiress, seizing the chance to save face, gave an approving nod, her lips curling into a smirk. Just like that, I became her loyal sidekick. Whenever the heroine tried her sickly-sweet manipulations disguised as kindness, I was there, ready to slap her down with a verbal beatdown. And the male lead? Oh, the second he sat down to eat, I flipped the table, sending plates crashing and his pride into orbit. From that moment on, I clawed my way to the top.

The day I arrived at university, the entrance was swarmed with people. Pushing my way through the crowd, I caught sight of what could only be described as a scene straight out of a drama. Our male lead, female lead, and the quintessential villainess, the fake heiress, gathered there. Right there in front of everyone, the fake heiress, Molly Joyce, shoved a set of villa keys into Aiden Gray’s hand. Without missing a beat, Aiden tossed them to the ground like they were nothing more than trash. His face hardened with irritation as he glared at her. “Molly,” he snapped, “I don’t need your charity.” Beside him stood the real heiress, Celine Morton. Celine wore simple clothes but carried herself with quiet dignity. Nodding firmly, she added, “Don’t think just because you’ve got some dirty money that you’re better than poor people. Take your little key and get lost.” Molly’s face turned an unflattering shade of red as whispers rippled through the onlookers. The hushed gossip left her stranded on a stage of humiliation, her pride teetering on the edge of collapse. My eyes zeroed in on those gleaming keys lying abandoned on the ground. I thought, “A villa! Can this day get any better?” Without hesitation, I dropped to the ground in one dramatic slide and snatched up the keys before I looked up at Molly with wide-eyed admiration. “I’ll gladly take your charity, Ms. Joyce!” I declared with all the enthusiasm of someone who’d just won the lottery. Her expression instantly brightened. Clearly relieved to have found a willing recipient for her generous gift, she waved dismissively. “It’s yours. Keep it.” Celine shot daggers at me while casting mournful glances toward the discarded keys. Normally, this was where the impoverished leads would refuse such lavish gifts repeatedly, proclaiming their pride and self-worth until Molly forced them to accept under duress. But this time, I intercepted the prize. Those two probably already hated my guts. But honestly, I didn’t care. Standing tall, I sidled up behind Molly, my grin widening. “Please, shower me with your riches, Ms. Joyce! You’re truly beautiful inside and out!” I exclaimed. Molly preened under my flattery, shooting a smug glance over her shoulder at the fuming leads. Then, quirking an eyebrow, she asked, “You really need the cash?” Tears welled in my eyes as I replied, “Yes, Ms. Joyce. With this villa, I won’t have to sleep under bridges anymore!” Seemingly moved, Molly pulled a sleek black card from her designer purse and handed it to me. “There’s half a million dollars in there. Treat yourself to something nice.” She gestured toward the Lamborghini parked dramatically by the gate. “Take my luggage to the dorms, and the car is yours.” If looks could kill, Celine’s glare would’ve reduced me to ashes right then and there. In the original script, Molly should’ve handed Celine that fat stack of cash after being provoked, driving a wedge between her and Aiden. That money was supposed to belong to her. But instead, here I was, cheerfully hoisting Molly’s possibly light suitcase onto my shoulder, trudging ahead to lead the way for her. “No problem, Ms. Joyce! Feel free to call me anytime you need errands run!” Was I shameless? No. I was just desperately broke. Life hadn’t exactly been kind to me since I landed in this world a year ago. Orphaned, penniless, and surviving on scraps, I spent nights curled up in drainage tunnels, wearing clothes so threadbare that they barely kept me warm. Protein came exclusively from cockroaches. If it weren’t for my stellar grades earning me a tuition waiver, free room and board, plus a modest scholarship, I’d have starved long ago. But now, things were about to change. Clutching the keys, credit card, and the car, I could practically taste freedom and luxury. Four years of college expenses were covered. Hunger pangs were gone. Bridge-dwelling lifestyle would never be my thing again. As luck would have it, Molly turned out to be my dormmate. According to the book, she was supposed to fawn over Celine in the dorms for Aiden’s sake, only to be met with icy disdain from Celine. Each interaction would end with snide remarks about looking down on others and reminders that fortunes could flip overnight. Eventually, Celine would win back her rightful inheritance using Molly’s money before forcing her to repay everything to the Joyce family. I clenched my teeth, determination burning in my chest. “Fine. Let the main couple stick to their noble ideals of love over wealth. They didn’t want material comfort? Great. That left plenty of headaches and perks for me to handle instead.” Thinking about the opulent future ahead, I threw my head back and laughed.

Molly stared at me, her perfectly arched brows knitting together in bewilderment. “What are you grinning like an idiot for?” She was unable to wrap her head around the sight of someone losing their mind with joy over a single house and a few hundred thousand dollars. To her, this was pocket change. She had tossed such luxuries at Aiden without so much as earning a flicker of a smile in return. “Oh, nothing,” I replied, clasping my hands together as if in prayer. “I’m just thrilled at the thought of sharing a dorm with someone as beautiful, kind, elegant, and generous as you!” Molly’s cheeks flushed a delicate pink. “Oh, stop it. I’m not that great. Just call me Molly, alright? But seriously, where’s all your stuff? You didn’t bring a single bag.” I scratched the back of my head, offering a sheepish grin. “Well, I’m an orphan. Broke as a joke, too. School’s the only reason I’m here, like government grants, charity programs, you name it. Sometimes my classmates are nice enough to share their leftovers, so I don’t go hungry.” Molly’s eyes widened as she gave me a slow, disbelieving once-over, her gaze lingering on my threadbare clothes, which were riddled with patches. At first, she had probably thought I was rocking some avant-garde “beggar chic” trend, but now the truth hit her. I was the real deal. A wave of sympathy softened her expression, and before I could blink, she grabbed my wrist and tugged me toward the dorm exit. “Come on,” she declared, her voice brimming with haughty determination. “We’re going shopping! No way am I letting my sidekick look this pathetic. It’s embarrassing.” Molly marched me straight to the city’s glitziest mall, her heels clicking with purpose. Inside the most extravagant boutique, she pointed imperiously at the racks of designer clothes. “Not this one. Not this one either. Just wrap up everything else for me.” My jaw dropped as I glimpsed the bill, a dizzying string of zeros that made my hands tremble. “Molly, honestly, I think the stuff from the street vendors outside is just fine.” She whirled on me, her eyes flashing with indignation. “You’re my sidekick, so you do as I say. This? This is pocket change. Stop humiliating me and let them pack it up!” It took all my pleading and the excuse that I physically couldn’t carry any more bags to talk her out of buying out the entire store. Even so, by the time we left, I was dripping in luxury: a sleek Louis Vuitton bag slung over my shoulder, a twinkling starlit watch on my wrist, gemstone jewelry glinting at my throat, and a wardrobe of high-end clothes that cost more than I had ever dreamed of. My arms were weighed down with bags of gourmet supplements, too. “Look at you, all skin and bones,” Molly huffed, eyeing me critically. “You’re an embarrassment to take out in public. When we get back, you’re eating every last bite of this. No scraps left. Got it? And don’t you dare wear the same outfit twice. I’ll wire you a million dollars a month, so don’t even think about shaming me with repeats.” Tears welled up in my eyes, hot and grateful, and I snapped to attention, giving her a salute. “Yes, ma’am! Mission accepted!” Inside, I whispered under my breath, “Please bless this woman. If being the lackey of the so-called “villainess” means living like this, then sign me up. If this is what “evil” looks like, then the world can use a few less goody-two-shoes saints.”

Back at the dorm, Celine had already charmed our two other roommates, the three of them giggling like old friends. But the second I walked in, arms overflowing with shopping bags, her face darkened. She shot to her feet, pointing an accusing finger at Molly. “Molly, this is too much! Nora Gomez isn’t your servant, so you can’t just boss her around like this. It’s degrading!” Before Molly could even respond, I charged forward, my voice ringing with indignation. “Celine, mind your own business!” Celine blinked, undeterred, her eyes wide with faux concern. “Nora, I’m trying to help you! I know exactly what kind of person Molly is. She thinks her dirty money gives her the right to bully everyone. This is textbook campus harassment. You don’t have to be afraid of her!” Molly’s lips pursed, her temper flaring as she snapped, “I’m not bossing her around, you drama queen! What are you even yapping about? I paid her, not enslaving her!” Our other two roommates, clearly siding with the more familiar Celine, frowned at Molly’s sharp tone. “Hey, we’re all roommates here. Do you have to talk like that?” Celine, ever the martyr, dabbed at her crocodile tears, clutching the others’ arms. “It’s fine, really. We’re just poor, so of course she looks down on us. Please, don’t ruin our dorm harmony over me.” My internal alarm blared like a siren. “Oh, enough, Celine! These are my things, and here you are, slandering Molly without a shred of proof. You cry ‘bullying,’ but if anyone’s playing the victim card, it’s you!” Celine gaped, pointing at the pile of Louis Vuitton bags at my feet. “You’re a scholarship girl. There’s no way you could afford stuff like that!” “Oh, so because I’m poor, I must be someone’s lapdog or sugar baby, is that it?” I shot back, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Sounds to me like you’re the one who looks down on poor people, Celine.” The other two roommates exchanged uneasy glances, their eyes flickering to Celine with newfound doubt. “And another thing,” I added, my voice rising with righteous fury. “I didn’t eat your food, and Molly didn’t spend your money. So why are you so hellbent on painting her as the bad guy? She even thought of all of us while she was out shopping!” To prove my point, I dug into the mountain of bags and pulled out three identical Louis Vuitton purses, thrusting one into each of their hands. The roommates’ eyes widened at the price tags, guilt washing over their faces as tears welled up. “Oh my gosh, we were so wrong,” Lexie Willis sobbed, clutching the bag like a lifeline. “Seriously, bring on more of this ‘campus bullying,’” Adley Elliott wailed, laughing through her tears. Celine’s eyes bulged, her face flushing a furious red. “Pathetic,” she thought. “They’re just swayed by Molly’s money, huh? But I wasn’t done.” “Sounds like you’re the one who hates the rich, Celine,” I said coolly. “Molly didn’t spend a dime of your cash, and now that you’ve got a bag in your hands, are you really going to keep badmouthing us without so much as an apology?” I bit my lip, the old saying echoing in my mind, “Take someone’s gifts, and you’re at their mercy; eat their food, and your words turn soft.” At my announcement, my roommates wouldn’t turn on Molly like they did in the story. Instead, they would probably think I was loyal, standing up for a friend with fierce righteousness. “Yeah, Molly’s just blunt. But she’s actually pretty great,” Adley said, bobbing her head like a dashboard toy. “Exactly,” Lexie agreed. “We’ve seen it with our own eyes. She even got us these amazing gifts. Celine, maybe you’re overreacting a bit?” Celine’s face twisted, her cheeks burning as she gripped her own bag, clearly humiliated. Then, in a dramatic flourish straight out of the male lead’s playbook, she raised her hand to fling the purse away. But I wasn’t about to let her grandstand. With a theatrical leap, I snatched the bag midair, cutting her performance short. “Oh, I get it! You’re too pure for ‘dirty money,’ right? Well, in that case, I’ll just take this back, so you don’t have to sully your precious principles or ruin our precious ‘dorm harmony.’” As we stepped outside, Molly’s eyes sparkled with delight, a grin spreading across her face. “That was incredible,” she yelled. For years, she had been the punching bag of Celine and Aiden, pouring out her fortune in pursuit of Aiden, only to watch everyone turn against her, baffled by their disdain. But today, my performance had cemented my place as her number-one ally. Basking in her praise, I felt the ruby necklace at my throat gleam even brighter, as if it, too, reveled in our triumph. “When Ms. Joyce is in despair, I drown in her sorrow! When she is in bliss, I soar with her joy! I’ll raise the grandest banner for her, waving it high with unwavering devotion!” I promised secretly.

Molly swept us, me and our two roommates, into the city’s swankiest influencer hotspot, a seafood restaurant so upscale that it felt like stepping into a fever dream of luxury. The waiters were all chiseled, six-foot-five male models who looked like they had just strutted off a runway. As they set down platters of glistening lobster and caviar-drizzled oysters, I swear I felt tears of joy leak from the corners of my mouth, while drool threatened to spill from my eyes. I dug in with reckless abandon, shoveling food into my mouth like a woman possessed, letting out little mewls of ecstasy as each bite purified my soul. But just as I was about to ascend to culinary nirvana, a deep, accusatory voice boomed from the entrance. “Molly, I knew it! Celine was right. You’re all here having a feast, and you didn’t even invite her? Don’t you think freezing out your own roommate is straight-up bullying?” I froze, a shrimp halfway to my mouth, as Aiden stormed in, dragging a tear-streaked Celine behind him. Her delicate frame trembled, a perfect portrait of wounded innocence, like a rain-soaked flower. Aiden, all righteous fury, jabbed a finger at Molly’s nose, his voice dropping into a commanding growl, “If you want to keep being my friend, you’ll apologize to Celine. Right now.” Aiden stood there, radiating smug confidence, clearly convinced he had Molly wrapped around his finger. After all, he knew she had been pining for him forever. In his mind, Molly was nothing but a shallow rich girl, frittering away her days on frivolous pleasures, always flaunting her “dirty money” to belittle him. Celine, on the other hand, was the only one who truly respected him. Today, he was determined to make Molly grovel. Molly shot to her feet, her chair scraping against the polished floor. “I’ll invite whoever I damn well please. If you’re going to beg, at least pick a place Celine can afford to step foot in. She’s like a bad penny, always turning up where she’s not wanted.” Celine, clinging to Aiden’s sleeve, blinked up at him with doe-like eyes, her voice quivering. “Molly, I know you’ve always had a thing for Aiden, but love, whether it’s romance or friendship, can’t be forced. No matter how much money you throw at our roommates, it won’t change the bond we all share.” At her words, I nearly choked on my lobster. “Bond? You’ve known them for, what, a day? I bet you don’t even remember their names,” I thought. Molly’s lips trembled, her anger warring with the humiliation of having Aiden witness this showdown. She was fuming, but the words seemed to stick in her throat, leaving her flushed and speechless. I sighed inwardly, “Oh, Molly, no wonder you’re the ‘villainess.’ You’re hopeless at clapping back when it counts, while Celine’s over here spinning tales by the bucketload.” I grabbed a silk napkin, dabbing my hands with deliberate calm, and cast a sidelong glance at Aiden. His pants were streaked with grime, his shirt rumpled, his whole vibe screaming “just rolled out of a construction site.” This was the guy Molly had fawned over for years, showering him with job offers and flooding his accounts with cash. With all that money, he could just let it sit in the bank, raking in interest. However, after all these years, he still clung to this same pitiful look. What a hypocrite, playing the martyr while reaping the rewards! “Hold up,” I said, my voice cutting through the tension. “Having dinner is ‘isolating’ someone now? You’re gonna need some proof to back up that accusation.” Aiden bristled, his eyes flashing like a cat with its tail stepped on. “Proof? I’m looking at it! You’re all here, wining and dining, while Celine, your roommate, is left out. On the first day of school, you’re already ganging up on her. Who knows how much worse it’ll get if this keeps up?” I held up a hand, stopping Molly mid-lunge as she looked ready to deck him. “Patience, girl. If you want to take someone down, you let them dig their own grave first,” I thought. “Alright,” I said, leaning back in my chair with a smirk. “If I can prove we didn’t ‘isolate’ Celine, what are you gonna do to make up for slandering us?” Aiden scoffed, folding his arms, “Go ahead. Try to spin your lies. If you can prove you didn’t ditch Celine, I’ll eat every damn dish on this table.” Adley and Lexie instinctively clutched their plates, shooting him wary looks. It seemed that Aiden was trying to freeload. I took my time, pulling out my phone with a flourish, and tapped play on a recording. Celine’s voice rang out, crystal clear, dripping with venom. “Who cares about eating with you losers? Fuck off!” The line went dead, the dial tone echoing in the stunned silence of the private dining room. Aiden’s face turned beet red, his glare shifting to Celine with a flicker of reproach in his eyes. Celine, meanwhile, looked like she had been slapped, her mouth opening and closing as she struggled to comprehend why any sane person would record a phone call. Before either of them could recover, Molly snapped her fingers, summoning the waiter. “Pack up everything on this table,” she ordered. Then, turning to Aiden with a saccharine smile, she added, “Oh, and this gentleman will be taking care of the bill.” As we gathered our things to leave, I couldn’t resist one last jab. I sauntered over to the shell-shocked duo, patting their trembling shoulders with mock sympathy. They should pay fifty thousand dollars for a single meal. “They’re about to go from riches to rags. Or, in their case, from broke to broker,” I murmured. Indeed, I had nearly fainted myself when I saw the radish salad, each plate tagged at a jaw-dropping eighty-eight hundred dollars.

Ever since Aiden and Celine’s wallets bled out at that seafood extravaganza, Molly had been on a mission, dragging me and our two roommates on a whirlwind of retail therapy. Under my relentless coaxing, Molly finally shed the demure aesthetic she adopted to win over Aiden, an ill-fated attempt to mimic Celine’s “innocent” charm. Truth be told, Molly was a bombshell, a vision of vibrant beauty. Her natural allure lay in fiery reds and dazzling golds, not the ghostly pale, ethereal whites and straight brown hair she had forced herself into. That washed-out look had only made her seem gaunt and shadowy, a mere backdrop to Celine’s spotlight. Losing herself was the first step to becoming a supporting character in her own life. But now, Molly was reborn in all her dazzling glory. At the freshman assembly, she strode onto the stage, a vision in a crimson dress that hugged her curves like a lover’s embrace. Her makeup was bold, making her presence electric. The crowd erupted in gasps and shrieks, jaws dropping as she claimed the spotlight. “Who is that goddess? Has she been at our school this whole time?” “I thought Celine had the campus queen title locked down, but wow. This girl’s a total dark horse!” “Sure, she’s gorgeous, but so what? Celine’s the outstanding freshman rep. What’s a pretty face compared to that?” Lexie, buzzing with excitement, leaned in to dish the dirt. “That’s Molly Joyce. You know the Joyce family, the real estate tycoons? She’s the heiress of Joyce Properties. She’s stunning and sweet. She’s opened so many doors for us, showing us fancy dinners and exclusive events. She even helped my family land jobs!” Molly had a habit of showering us with cash like a human slot machine, but her temper could flare up like a wildfire, though never without reason. And when the storm passed, she’d always make it up with extravagant gifts. After just a month of living with her, our roommates had fallen head over heels, utterly enchanted by her charm. We were deep in our gossip, buzzing like bees, when Celine glided onto the stage, a vision in a flowing white gown. “The most important day of my life is today, the day I finally found my real parents,” she declared. The crowd, half-asleep from the monotonous speeches, snapped awake at those words. The air crackled with the scent of scandal, gossip igniting like wildfire. And then, Molly’s scream cut through the murmurs like a blade. “No way! You’re lying! Those are my parents!”

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After the delivery, my husband told me that because I was too overweight, the baby had suffocated to death. Devastated, I later overheard a conversation between him and another woman. “Won’t your wife be angry if you give her child to me?” “She’s just a breeding tool. It’s an honor for her that her child will have such a gentle and beautiful mother as you.” I laughed through my tears. Since you had already reunited, then the three of you could live happily ever after. Today was my wedding anniversary with my husband, Theo Gray. It was pouring heavily outside. I received a phone call from him. “Leah, come pick me up.” I frowned. “Have you been drinking again?” Theo’s voice came through the phone, laced with impatience and the occasional sound of a woman’s laughter in the background. “Don’t bother me. Come to Paisley Hotel now.” I sighed, cradling my seven-month-pregnant belly, and slowly went upstairs to get the car keys. “Mrs. Gray, how about leaving it to me instead?” the driver suggested. I shook my head. “No, I’ll go there. Theo might worry if he doesn’t see me.” Theo and I had been married for three years. We used to be an inseparable couple, but lately, he had been out every night for business dinners and come home drunk. I knew he still loved me. Every time he came back, he would sleep in another room, claiming it was to protect me and the baby. Thinking of him, I smiled happily as I pressed the pedal and headed to Paisley Hotel. I cradled my heavy belly and climbed the stairs one step at a time, ignoring the mocking voices around me. “Look how fat she is. She must weigh 280 pounds!” “Oh, she’s pregnant. She’s holding her waist.” I ignored these remarks. All that mattered was Theo’s love for me. Theo and I were once neighbors. Due to some issues with his family, we were both kidnapped. The kidnapper forced Theo to drink a drug, but I snatched it away and drank it to protect him. Though we were eventually rescued, I started gaining weight uncontrollably because of the drug. Theo, with red-rimmed eyes, held my hand and sobbed, making a promise, “Leah, I’ll take care of you for the rest of your life.” I approached the private room and knocked on the door. “Oh, Theo, your fat wife is here,” a man’s mocking voice echoed in the private room. “Don’t say that. Leah came here in the rain to pick up Theo!” a woman chuckled. “Enough! Didn’t you say that if she came, you would delete Lucy’s photos?” Anger and arrogance tinged the man’s words. I recognized the voices instantly. They were Theo and Lucy Ramos. I walked into the private room and scanned the crowd. Finally, my gaze landed on Theo, who was completely drunk. “I’m here to pick you up, Theo. Let’s go home.” Theo straightened slightly, squinting, trying to recognize the sudden presence. “Yeah, Theo, you should go back. Or Leah will get mad,” someone chimed in. Theo frowned, his face flushed. He mumbled, “She always tries to control me. I hate her.” The crowd egged on Lucy, urging her to continue asking questions since people tend to speak the truth when drunk. Lucy asked, “Theo, didn’t you say you loved Leah the most?” “That fat woman? Just looking at her makes me sick.” Theo snorted. I froze. The others stood there, watching like spectators. Dragging my heavy body, I tried to help Theo up, but he suddenly shoved me away. I fell to the floor, blood pooling beneath me. This scene seemed to sober Theo up instantly. He stood up abruptly and paced anxiously around me. His mind went blank. “Leah! Why did you really come here?” It seemed like something clicked in Theo’s mind. Sweat dripped from his forehead as he fumbled to call an ambulance, nearly dialing the wrong numbers. For a brief moment, I felt his love. But this feeling vanished as quickly as it came.

The ambulance arrived quickly, and several people lifted me onto the stretcher. Throughout the ride, I felt dizzy from blood loss, but there were constant murmurs around me. “Leah, don’t fall asleep.” “Hold on, Leah! You’re the one I love the most.” “Don’t sleep. The patient is hemorrhaging. We need plasma now! ” “Quick! Adrenaline!” “The baby is out. Get it to the incubator!” When I opened my eyes, everything was a blur of white, and the sharp smell of antiseptic made me nauseous. Turning my head, I saw Theo sitting nearby, engrossed in his work. Noticing that I had woken up, Theo breathed a sigh of relief. Though there was still a hint of anger on his face, he brought over a glass of water. “I can’t believe how foolish you are. I told you to go to the hotel, and you actually went.” His tone was full of reproach, but there was an underlying note of concern. “I was worried about you. What about the baby?” I asked. Theo paused, his expression turning sorrowful, and his voice filled with grief. “Your fat was too thick, leading to oxygen deprivation. The baby didn’t make it.” I felt as if struck by lightning. My vision was blurred, unable to focus. Disregarding my weakened state, I tried to get out of bed. “Where is the baby?” Theo’s eyes were bloodshot, but no tears welled up in them. He held me in his arms, his voice hoarse and low. “Leah, it’s okay. You’re still young. We can have more children.” I closed my eyes and lay down, feeling everything from my nightmare was becoming real. When I sat up again, Theo was outside on the phone, looking haggard. Ignoring the pain, I took a few steps toward him. “Lucy, the baby is still in the incubator,” Theo’s voice was unusually tender. “Theo, aren’t you afraid Leah will find out?” A sweet voice came through the phone. “It doesn’t matter. Leah can still get pregnant. Take good care of the baby,” Theo said soothingly, his words dripping with affection. “Alright, she might wake up soon. She’ll be upset if she doesn’t see me.” The moment he hung up, he turned and saw me standing at the door, staring at him. My eyes were bloodshot, and my voice trembled as I questioned him, “Why? That was the child I fought so hard to bring into this world.” For a moment, Theo looked guilty, but he quickly regained his composure, smiling as he walked over to support me, “Leah, you know Lucy is a celebrity, and she can’t have children. Just be generous and help her out, okay? You can have more children.” As Theo held me in his arms, his tenderness made me feel like needles stuck in my heart. I collapsed to the floor, tears streaming down my cheeks. I screamed, “What does it matter to me whether she can have children or not?” Theo frowned, his tone tinged with frustration. “How can you be so unreasonable? You can have more children. Why do you keep obsessing over this one?”

“Theo, you weren’t like this before,” I said, looking up at him. He was dressed in a sharp suit, standing in stark contrast to my fat, fragile body. Theo glanced at me with impatience, hands in his pockets and brows furrowed. “Leah, can you be reasonable? I’m already stressed enough, but you’re still making things worse. The baby is with Lucy now. Don’t mention it again.” With that, he slammed the door behind him, even forgetting his laptop. I struggled to stand, gripping the bed for support. The pain between my legs was nothing compared to the doctor’s words that day. “Mrs. Gray, did you come for your prenatal checkup alone? The baby isn’t doing well. If you decide to keep it, you might never be able to get pregnant again.” At that time, I had smiled sweetly and nodded without hesitation. That child was the only bond I had with Theo. I didn’t know how I managed to reach the laptop, but by then, my legs were numb. Mechanically, I scrolled through the screen. The note Theo labeled me was “Fatty”, while Lucy’s was “Sweet Lucy”. I told myself not to care, but what followed made me feel like being thrown into an icy wasteland. When I finished reading their chatting records, tears were streaming down my face. Staggering back to the bed, I couldn’t help but think of how things used to be. As I fainted, a conversation replayed in my mind, over and over again. Lucy chuckled, “Theo, do you still love Leah?” Theo snorted. “I regret not drinking that drug myself.” ***** Suddenly, a nurse shouted in surprise, “The patient in room 216 is hemorrhaging. Call her family immediately. Her uterus is failing!” Theo sat on Lucy’s couch, staring at his ringing phone, repeatedly dismissing it. “Why aren’t you answering?” Lucy asked, noticing the caller ID labeled “Fatty”. She couldn’t help but feel a twinge of satisfaction. “Lucy, why isn’t Leah as understanding as you?” Theo sighed. He hadn’t slept last night. He then lay back on the couch and fell asleep. Lucy stared at the constantly ringing phone, picked it up, and walked into the kitchen. “Hello, are you Leah Gray’s family? She’s hemorrhaging, and her uterus is failing. Do you want to save her or the uterus? She’s currently unconscious. Please make a decision!” The voice on the other end of the phone was frantic. In stark contrast, Lucy responded nonchalantly, “Just remove it.” Theo felt something was off and couldn’t sleep anymore. He called out from the living room, “Lucy, where’s my phone?” Lucy hurriedly hung up the call, deleted the recent call record, and put on an innocent act. “Oh, I didn’t want the ring to bother you, so I put the phone away.” Though I was barely conscious, I could hear everything. Tears rolled down my cheeks.

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My boyfriend, Kevin Murphy’s childhood friend, Tiffany Collins, had secretly loved him for ten years without being with him. On the night of our wedding, she went to a bar to drown her sorrows and unexpectedly got into a car accident. When she woke up, she claimed to have had a prophetic dream. As the events from her dream started coming true, everyone who had once laughed it off began to believe her without question. It wasn’t until the Murphy family’s dinner party when she pointed at me and said I would cheat, get pregnant with someone else’s child, and still be cherished by the Murphy family, that things took a turn. Kevin stood firmly in front of me, Abigail Carter, smiling without a hint of doubt, and said, “It’s just a dream. It’s not true. I will always trust Abigail. Don’t speak such things in the future.” The next day, I was told that the child I was carrying had a defect and I would have to terminate the pregnancy. But just before I slipped into a coma during the surgery, I overheard the nurses talking curiously. “Her baby was developing well, though. Why would Mr. Murphy not want the child and even insist on removing her uterus?”

Before entering the operating room, Kevin tightly held my hand, bent down, and kissed my forehead. His eyes were filled with deep affection as he looked at me. “Abigail, don’t be afraid. You’ll be out in no time. It won’t hurt. I’ll be waiting for you outside.” I placed one hand on my abdomen, trying to hold back the sadness inside, forcing a faint smile to respond to Kevin. The little angel I had once hoped for was supposed to come into this world, but after finding out about its defects, I had no choice but to cruelly let it go back to where it came from. The doctor administered anesthesia and wheeled the bed into the operating room. Under the harsh white light, I slowly slipped into unconsciousness, but I could still hear a nurse curiously asking. “Doctor, this patient’s baby is developing well. Even if she doesn’t want the child, is it really necessary to remove the entire uterus?” “Shh, don’t ask that. This is Mr. Murphy’s decision.” “Ah, it’s for that rumor, isn’t it…?” I thought, “Wasn’t the baby supposed to have a defect? What’s this about removing the uterus? What rumors?” A wave of fear gripped my heart. I struggled to wake up, wanting to stop the surgery, but my consciousness was pulled into a bottomless abyss. When I finally opened my eyes, Kevin was the only one in the room. He had stubble on his face, and his eyes were bloodshot, clearly having stayed up all night waiting for me. When he saw me wake up, his eyes lit up. “Abigail, you’re awake. How do you feel?” The incision on my abdomen throbbed with pain, and I felt an immense emptiness inside, as though a huge hole was left in me, the cold air rushing in. Tears uncontrollably slid down my cheeks. I really thought Kevin trusted me. I didn’t expect that, because of Tiffany’s slander, he would actually go so far as to cruelly end the life of our child and forever take away my right to be a mother. I thought, “I have been by his side all this time, trying to calm him, never once straying, so how could I have had an affair?” But I didn’t know. My desperate attempts to prove my innocence only made Kevin think I was guilty. Kevin assumed my pain came from losing the child and comforted me, saying I’d have a child someday. I stared at him, unable to believe that someone could be so loving yet so heartless at the same time. “Kevin, you really don’t care about what Tiffany said that day?” I just wanted an answer, something that would ease my pain. Kevin reached out and lightly flicked my forehead, then smiled indulgently. “Abigail, I already told you it was just sleep talk. Why do you remember it so clearly? Don’t worry. I love you so much. If you don’t believe me, who will?” My heart was filled with bitterness, and I held back the tears, swallowing down all the questions I wanted to ask. After staying in the hospital for half a month, Kevin took me home. As soon as we stepped through the doors of the Murphy Villa, I heard Tiffany laughing cheerfully with Kevin’s mother, Grace Murphy. A strong sense of discomfort surged in my chest. I frowned and looked at Kevin, only to find that he had a look of indifference, as if this was normal. Ever since Tiffany had said those things, I had felt uncomfortable seeing her in front of me. Kevin had promised me that she wouldn’t come to the Murphy Villa anymore. A feeling of disappointment spread rapidly as if everything had happened, just as I feared. When Tiffany saw us, she clutched her belly and knelt before me, tears in her eyes, her face full of guilt. “Abigail, I’m sorry. I was foolish and drugged Kevin before. I’ve realized my mistake, but the baby is innocent. Please forgive us both.” I was stunned by the news. My mind went blank, unable to process what was happening. Grace, who obviously felt sorry for Tiffany, who was carrying her grandson, gave me a disapproving look. “Tiffany has already apologized. You shouldn’t keep holding onto this.” Grace, who had once treated me like her own daughter and showed me so much care when my parents weren’t around, had completely changed since Tiffany’s affair came to light. Now, she seemed to look at me with disdain, and I couldn’t understand why. I could ignore everything else, but what I cared about most was Kevin, who always said he loved me. I turned to look at Kevin, who was silent and couldn’t hold back the tears in my eyes. “When did you find out?”

“Abigail, I’m sorry.” Kevin didn’t answer. Instead, he pulled me into his arms and buried his head in the crook of my shoulder. This was Kevin’s usual way of apologizing. I used to think it was kind of cute, the way he did it. Whenever he messed up, he would do this, and I’d forgive him quickly. I thought, “But did he really think that a simple apology could erase something like cheating? What does he take me for?!” I shoved him away, ignoring the look of shock on his face, and wiped away the tears that had suddenly appeared on my cheeks. Kevin tried to explain helplessly, as though my lack of trust in him hurt him deeply. “Abigail, I never thought she would drug me. The pregnancy… I only found out yesterday. I know you’re upset, but Tiffany said she just wanted to keep the baby, and we’ll raise it.” Tiffany inserted herself into the conversation, choking on her words. “Abigail, you’ve been a mother too. You understand I didn’t want to get rid of the baby, right?” Thinking of the child who had been deprived of life before even being born, my heart ached again, painfully tight, as though I couldn’t breathe. I thought, “Had Kevin known about Tiffany’s pregnancy all along? Was that why he so easily took my baby away? Can anyone really love someone and still hurt them like this?” Tiffany had secretly loved him for ten years, and he’d always made me feel safe, never crossing any boundaries. When our friends teased him, he always put me first. “I only have one lover, Abigail, and I’ll only recognize her.” I thought marrying Kevin meant marrying love, but in truth, love couldn’t withstand everything. A single, light prophecy shattered all the happiness I had once believed in. I suddenly felt so tired, losing the strength to argue about anything anymore. The scheming mistress, the intentionally difficult mother-in-law, and the husband who pretended to love me but pressured me with soft words… Maybe the only solution was to leave. I smiled bitterly, the dull pain in my chest relentless. “Do whatever you want.” Kevin thought I had agreed, letting out a huge sigh of relief. Grace scoffed at me, then turned to smile as she helped Tiffany up, her eyes full of sympathy. “You look so worn out. I’ll ask the nanny to make you some soup later to help you recover.” Tiffany playfully pouted, pulling Kevin’s hand to rest on her belly. “Kevin, look, the baby’s acting up again.” I coldly watched their loving family silently turning and heading upstairs. I had Lily Matthews, my friend from abroad, book me a ticket to leave. If someone was always going to be unnecessary, then I’d step aside and let them have their happiness. In the middle of the night, I woke up suddenly, the image of that child crying and asking why I hadn’t saved him flooding my mind. I trembled, tears silently streaming down my face. The cold, empty space beside me reminded me of the failure of my marriage. Tiffany had said she’d had a nightmare last night, and Kevin, worried about the effect it might have on the baby, said he had to go check on her. He never came back that night. The Kevin who used to pull me close and comfort me after my nightmares was gone. I got out of bed, wanting to go downstairs for a glass of water, but someone knocked on the door. It was Kevin. The look in his eyes was so different I barely recognized him. “Abigail, Tiffany had a dream where you didn’t want the baby and pushed her down the stairs. Now she doesn’t want to give the baby to you. “Mom has a Bible in her room. Maybe you should read it and pray for the baby. Can you apologize to Tiffany, too?”

I thought, “Am I Still Asleep?” I was starting to doubt if I hadn’t woken up yet. “She only had a dream, and you believe everything? Kevin, do you believe in dreams, or do you just believe in her?” The dream about that child made me emotional, and Kevin’s displeased frown made it harder to pretend I was calm. I thought, “To him, that child was just an illegitimate one. How could he feel guilty?” I was so angry that tears streamed down my face, and I couldn’t get a single coherent word out. Kevin sighed tiredly as if my unreasonable tantrum was putting him in a difficult position. “Abigail, just behave and pray for one night. It’s fine. “I’m doing all this for your good. Didn’t you always want a child? Your child is gone, but Tiffany has one. Maybe this is fate.” I trembled all over, unable to hold myself back any longer. I slapped Kevin across the face. If it weren’t for him, how could my child have ended up like this? Kevin’s expression turned cold as he looked down on me. A chill ran through my heart, and I instinctively wanted to lock the door, but Kevin blocked it. “You care so much about that child? Why do you get so emotional whenever it’s mentioned? “Abigail, listen to me, and don’t make me angry. You’ve already put me in a difficult position, but it’s okay. After all, I love you so much, I’m willing to overlook your affair, but if you keep acting like this, I’ll feed that illegitimate child’s ashes to the dogs!” I stared at Kevin in disbelief, unable to believe that the person I had loved for so many years had become so unfamiliar, so capable of saying such cruel things. “What proof do you have that I cheated? It was you who made the mistake first! Kevin, that was our child, how could you… how could you be so heartless?” Kevin didn’t answer, not believing a word I said. I had no choice. The child had already been taken from me. How could I bear to see him not even have peace in death? “Fine, I’ll go.” I closed my eyes, not wanting to look at Kevin again, holding back the metallic taste in my throat and forcing myself to respond. I would go and pray for that child, hoping God would bless him so that next time, he wouldn’t be born into a family that didn’t want him. “Also, Tiffany said the guest room isn’t comfortable. For the sake of the child, you should switch rooms with her for now.” Kevin didn’t care how I reacted. He said it as if it was just a matter of fact, and after hearing that Tiffany was uncomfortable, he left in a hurry. He left me standing there with my heart shattered and cold. From that night on, I had to pray with the Bible for two hours every night. Grace found me in the way, so she had the statue moved to a corner of the stairs, next to the storage room and made me pray while the servants were around. “No one’s watching. Who knows if you’re really sincere?” I remained silent, praying fervently for my child in the midst of the servants’ idle chatter. Meanwhile, the man who claimed to love me, Kevin, appeared with Tiffany in places where I used to be. His childhood friend had become the “lady” in the mouths of the company employees, the sister-in-law of Kevin’s friends, and the true love of Kevin in media reports. Their love was praised by everyone, a decade-long devotion that people envied. I was naturally left behind, even becoming the third party in others’ dinner table gossip. I thought Kevin would finally suggest a divorce, but when I placed the signed divorce agreement in front of him, he remained unmoved. “You and Tiffany are in love and have a child. Isn’t divorce the best option for us?” I had already made this concession, and I didn’t understand what Kevin still wanted. I had shattered my heart into pieces. I had nothing else to give. Kevin picked up the agreement, his eyes dark and unclear, but his face was veiled with coldness. He gave a small smile, but there was no trace of warmth in it. “I’ve already forgiven you for your affair and have been trying to make sure it never happens again. But you’re just thinking about leaving. “So, are you in such a rush to find your lover? Are you really that desperate?”

Kevin had always been gentle and polite in front of me, never speaking such vulgar words. I thought I wouldn’t be disappointed again, but Kevin always managed to surprise me. I endured the embarrassment and fought against the nausea rising in my stomach. There was no need to argue with someone who didn’t believe you at all. Once I got the divorce papers, I could take the earliest flight out tomorrow. “What does it have to do with you? “You accuse me of cheating but can’t provide any proof. On the other hand, you and Tiffany have been secretly meeting, and during our marriage, you both openly attended various events together. So who’s really cheating?” I was ready to see Kevin get angry after I exposed him, but he actually seemed pleased. “Abigail, are you jealous of me? “That’s good, but for the sake of our future, I need you to cooperate with me for now.” I frowned as I watched Kevin stand up, loosening his shirt cuffs and walking toward me. I instinctively stepped back, feeling an overwhelming sense of unease. Kevin saw my attempt to escape and quickly closed the distance, grabbing my hand and pulling me toward the door. I fought back desperately, pounding and twisting his arm, but I couldn’t break free. The feeling of dread peaked when I saw the utility room, and my face turned pale. “Kevin, what are you doing? Let go of me, let go!” I clung to the doorframe, my eyes full of fear for the dark, narrow room. Cold sweat broke out on my forehead, and I couldn’t hear anything around me except the sound of my heart pounding, almost bursting my eardrums. “Kevin, I don’t want to go in there. Please, Kevin, don’t do this…” My whole body trembled uncontrollably, the air seemed thinner, and the sensation of suffocation hit me. My cries didn’t soften Kevin in the slightest. Without hesitation, he pushed me into hell. As the door slowly closed, the last bit of light vanished, and I was consumed by despair. I had been kidnapped when I was young. The kidnappers locked us kids in a small dark room, and if they didn’t get the ransom, they would kill us. The thin door couldn’t block the sounds of machetes slicing through flesh, the blood splattering everywhere. In just a few short hours, I was left with a lifetime of trauma. The first time I told Kevin about this experience, he was heartbroken and cried. He gently kissed my pale face, which was pretending to be carefree, and made a firm promise. “I will never let you be trapped in the dark alone.” But now, it was he who personally pushed me into the depths of despair. I curled up, unable to stop the tears, my body trembling as I weakly slapped the door. “Kevin, Kevin…” I thought, “Please, save me… please…” A buzzing sound came from the device, and Kevin’s voice came through. “Abigail, stop pretending. It’s just a short time in there. It’s not that painful. Reflect on yourself.” The last thread of hope I had was cruelly torn away, leaving me with nothing but despair. I had no sense of time. My mind was completely consumed by hopelessness, and I was on the verge of breaking down, unable to think straight. I thought, “Kevin, why do you say you love me yet constantly hurt me…” Unconsciously biting my wrist, in my blurry consciousness, a voice urged me. “Just bite down, and you can leave. You’ll never be afraid again.” Something wet trickled down. Before I lost consciousness, the door was kicked open, and someone rushed in to grab me. Kevin’s voice, full of suppressed anger, rang out. “Caring about my wife more than me. You dare to claim you didn’t cheat?!” But the next second, when Kevin saw me, his face paled, and he rushed toward me, full of panic. “The patient went into shock from excessive blood loss. If she had been brought in any later, even a miracle worker wouldn’t have been able to save her.” I slowly regained consciousness as the doctor’s harsh words echoed in my ears, my eyes blankly staring at the ceiling. “Abigail, you’re awake? How do you feel?”

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On Jack’s birthday, I shyly put on the lingerie I had bought for him. But when he saw me, his eyes flashed with disgust. “What are you wearing? Take it off quickly! What if my girlfriend sees?” I froze, my voice trembling. “Girlfriend?” “Yeah, Sophia. She just accepted my confession.” Seeing my stunned expression, he sneered disdainfully. “You’re just too old-fashioned. We only slept together a few times. You didn’t think we were actually dating, did you?” “If childhood friends were meant to be lovers, we would’ve gotten together years ago. Why wait until now?” We had lived together for a year and done everything couples do. I always thought we were in a secret relationship. Even our family and friends assumed we were going to get married. But my childhood friend suddenly said we were just adults comforting each other. In that moment, I felt utterly hopeless. I quit my job and left for a faraway city. But he regretted it and came begging on his knees: “We’ve already slept together. Are you really going to be so irresponsible?” 0

After a night of passion, my legs were still shaky as I got dressed. But thinking of his delighted reaction when he saw me made me hurry. After dressing, I shyly looked at myself in the mirror, remembering his intimate whispers in my ear last night. “Olivia, wear it for me. I like it.” We had lived together for over a year, and I always fulfilled his requests unconditionally. Plus, it was his birthday today. I was willing to make this sacrifice for him. Full of anticipation, I opened the door. But instead of Jack’s excitement, I was greeted by his impatient expression as he held his phone. He said tenderly into the phone: “Wait for me.” After hanging up, his expression changed to disgust when he looked at me. “What are you wearing?” I was stunned. He had clearly hinted at wanting me to buy this, even putting it in my Amazon cart himself. I felt lost. The room was cold in the early autumn, and I shivered. He grabbed my lingerie and threw it at me. “Hurry up and change. My girlfriend will misunderstand if she sees!” My mind went blank. I asked in disbelief: “Your girlfriend?” His face softened. “It’s Sophia, the beauty from the dance club. She accepted my confession.” It felt like a blow to the head. I could hardly believe my ears. Sophia was the girl he had chased for half a year in sophomore year. But then she went abroad, and he seemed to get over her quickly. I always thought it was just a passing crush, and that I was the one who truly understood him. He turned to get dressed, the scratches from last night still visible on his back. Childhood friends, with over 20 years of history between us. Living together for over a year, we ate together, watched TV, hiked, saw sunrises, wore matching bracelets, even had couple profile pictures on SnapChat. The man who had been intimately entangled with me just last night suddenly told me he had a girlfriend. What did that make me? Seeing me standing there motionless, he frowned and sneered. “What’s with that expression? Don’t tell me you thought we were actually a couple?” My teeth were chattering, my throat too choked up to make a sound. He threw his jacket at me, saying disdainfully: “You’re just too old-fashioned. We only slept together a few times. We’re both adults, do I really need to spell out this kind of unspoken arrangement?” “If childhood friends were meant to be lovers, we would’ve gotten together years ago. Why wait until now?” I trembled violently, the chill from the floor seeping up to my chest. Holding back the ache in my nose, I forced a stiff smile. “You’re right, it was just sleeping together a few times.” I stiffly started to get dressed, but it was so cold I couldn’t even pull my pants on properly. His phone rang. It was Sophia urging him to come downstairs. He hung up and impatiently pushed me towards the door. “Hurry up, she’s almost here!” I stumbled and fell flat on my face, my nose hitting the floor. Tears immediately welled up. He seemed about to help me up, but then remembered something and ran to the mirror to cover up the marks on his neck. He grumbled impatiently: “You women just love leaving these marks, as if that makes you my girlfriend.” I froze, seeing his mocking and contemptuous gaze. I scrambled to my feet, just wanting to escape this room as quickly as possible. As I was about to open the door, he called out to me. “I don’t want Sophia to misunderstand. Delete your fingerprint access, and leave the key too.” He hummed cheerfully, completely ignoring the blood dripping from my nose. In that moment, I wanted to ask him why he was being so cruel. We had chosen this smart lock together, and set the passcode to our couple numbers. I bit my lip hard, holding back tears as I quickly deleted my access. When the success tone sounded, I couldn’t hold back anymore. Tears streamed down my face. I fled as fast as I could. 0

I left in such a hurry that I didn’t even put on socks, walking out into the chilly autumn street in just thin shoes. Passersby kept turning to look at me, because I was crying, wearing only a thin jacket, with messy hair and a swollen nose. I didn’t dare go home. I stood alone by the bridge in the cold wind for a long time, until my tears were dried by the wind. Then I got a call from work. My manager said the client needed to check a document from last year. All my files were locked in the cabinet at Jack’s place. After hanging up, I reluctantly dialed his number again. The phone rang for a long time before someone picked up. I could hear noisy voices in the background. I tried hard to suppress my emotions, not wanting to sound like a jealous woman. “Jack, I left some documents at home. Can you give me the passcode?” Thankfully, he just asked what documents they were. I described them, and he hesitated before saying: “Why don’t you come over? I’ll give you the key.” “No need, just give me the code. I’ll delete it afterwards, don’t worry.” He insisted: “Come get the key. I’ll text you the address. Sophia’s moving in tonight, I can’t guarantee she won’t throw your stuff out.” He said it so casually, but those were all things we had bought together. I remember how nervous and happy we were when we picked out those little items. Now he was treating them like trash. I gave a bitter laugh and took a taxi to the address he gave. I entered the private room and immediately saw it was full of friends Jack and I had in common. They were all toasting Sophia. She sat in the place of honor, elegant and haughty. Her gaze swept over me with contempt. “Jack, is this your little childhood friend?” Only then did I notice Jack sitting beside her, focused on peeling shrimp for her. The plate next to her was already piled high with peeled shrimp. The man who couldn’t even use chopsticks in front of me was now acting like an attentive waiter for another woman. I swallowed the bitterness in my heart and reached out my hand to him. Before I could speak, he suddenly stood up and came over to me. “Sophia, I invited her here today to prove I have nothing to hide. There’s nothing between us, we’re just family friends. I couldn’t refuse out of consideration for our families.” Ignoring my suddenly pale face, he turned to our friends. “You guys can vouch for me, she’s the one who’s been chasing after me this whole past year.” I looked at him in shock, then uncertainly at our friends. They had all witnessed Jack’s and my relationship develop. They saw us go from being inseparable to living together. We spent every important holiday together. They had all seen our passionate embraces. No one would meet my eyes. They just muttered: “Yeah, Sophia, don’t misunderstand. They’re just friends.” “Olivia’s the clingy type, that’s why she’s always hanging around Jack.” I opened my mouth, feeling a stab of pain from my fingertips to my chest. “Sophia, now do you believe me? There’s really nothing between us. I’ve seen her looking like an ugly tomboy, who would fall for a buddy like that?” Sophia snorted. “So you’re saying she shamelessly threw herself at Jack to live with him? Olivia, you’re really pathetic.” I jerked my head up, glaring coldly at her about to retort. Sophia suddenly threw her phone at Jack. “Prove it to me. If you don’t love her, announce in all your group chats that she’s the one who chased you. So no one will misunderstand.” I froze in shock. Jack and I had gone to the same schools since childhood. We had so many mutual friends. We were in almost all the same group chats. That was my entire social circle. 0

Jack seemed to hesitate too. He glanced at me furtively. I bit my lip hard, past caring. “Sophia, there’s nothing between Jack and me. You don’t need to worry or test me anymore. I won’t contact him again.” But Sophia just sneered again. “If there’s nothing, what are you afraid of? Jack, don’t tell me you’re too scared? Was it a lie when you said you only love me?” Jack glanced at me quickly and muttered “Sorry.” He picked up the phone and, right in front of me, opened one group chat after another. “Listen up everyone, there’s nothing between Olivia and me. I only love Sophia. Please don’t spread rumors about us anymore.” “Sophia is my only girlfriend!” My phone started buzzing non-stop, vibrating so much my hand went numb. My heart felt numb too. When he finally finished, Sophia patted his head like rewarding a dog. “I heard Miss Olivia plays piano. It’s Jack’s birthday, why don’t you play something to liven things up?” I looked sharply at Jack. Only he knew I played piano. He also knew that I could no longer play after my fingers were damaged saving him. That year, there was a fire in the school gym equipment room while Jack was moving equipment inside. No one dared to go in, but I forced open the red-hot iron door with my bare hands. I had always loved arts, dancing and piano came naturally to me. Though I never had formal training, I was quite talented. But after that incident, my fingers were fused from the burns. I could never play piano again. I still remember when the doctor broke the bad news, Jack’s hands trembled as he gently stroked my face: “Olivia, I’ll protect you forever from now on.” Those words still echoed, but the person had changed. Catching my pained and shocked gaze, he looked away uncomfortably. Sophia sneered: “I heard you used to play for Jack all the time. I guess I’m not worthy.” She made as if to leave. Jack immediately stopped her and coaxed her to sit back down. Then he came over to me and said in a low voice only I could hear: “Olivia, just play something for show. Sophia just got back, don’t make her lose face in front of my friends.” I said shakily: “Jack, you know I can’t play piano anymore!” At a party years ago, someone had also urged me to play. Jack angrily smashed a glass to make them shut up. Jack gritted his teeth, his voice turning cold: “Then leave. But you won’t get your documents.” “Those documents are important, right? Didn’t you always want a promotion?” An icy chill ran through me. So he knew. Had he forgotten I gave up a overseas assignment for him, ruining my chances at promotion? I looked at him, my eyes burning and nose stinging. The boy I loved had completely changed into someone I didn’t recognize. Something inside me slowly shattered. I lowered my head and gave a bitter smile, holding back tears. “Fine.” I walked to the piano and slowly sat down, gently placing my hands on the keys. It had been five years since I touched a piano, but I felt no joy, only numbness and sadness. As expected, even a simple “Happy Birthday” came out discordant and awful. Whispers broke out in the room. I heard Sophia’s friend snicker: “Look at her hands, they’re like chicken claws. If I were her, I’d be too embarrassed to keep playing.” “Sophia, why don’t you play instead?” The next moment, Sophia stood up and came over, her voice haughty. “Miss Olivia, what a coincidence. I also learned piano, and even won some small awards.” She shoved me aside and sat down. Her long fingers quickly produced a melodious tune. Jack led the applause, and the room immediately erupted in enthusiastic clapping. It made me feel even more like a pathetic clown. When she finished playing, Sophia stood up. Jack immediately went over to take her hand, looking at her adoringly. “Sophia, you play so beautifully.” Sophia glanced at me meaningfully. “Jack, you should eat something good.” I stood in the warm room but felt chilled to the bone. This farce finally ended after Sophia’s grand performance. Jack gave me the key. As I was leaving, he grabbed my arm. “Olivia, don’t be angry. We’re still friends. If you ever need help in the future…” I raised my hand and slapped him hard. “Future?” Tears streamed down my face. “We have no future!” 0

I rushed back to the office as fast as I could and worked until 3 AM to finish everything. My head was pounding. The day’s events had left me utterly exhausted. Instead of going home, I fell asleep right at my desk. In my dream, I returned to Jack’s and my teenage years. He was full of vigor, leading me through mountains and rivers. His youthful voice clear and bright: “Olivia, when we get married, let’s build a house here with a big yard…” I was woken by a commotion. Vaguely, I heard people whispering: “I saw clearly, isn’t that Olivia’s boyfriend?” “Yeah, her childhood friend!” I rubbed my aching head and opened my eyes to find it was already bright outside and my coworkers had arrived. Seeing me awake, my colleague Amy pulled me to the window. I immediately saw Jack standing below, holding something. Even from a distance, I could see his angry expression. “Olivia, get down here!” I was startled by Jack’s harsh tone. To avoid making a scene during work hours, I could only text him. “Can we talk after work? Today is really busy, please.” I was already using my most humble tone to beg him. When I didn’t get a reply for a while, I thought he had agreed. But a minute later, the office door was pushed open. My manager was discussing yesterday’s work with me when Jack marched straight up to my desk and slammed down what he was holding. “Olivia, you’re so manipulative! I told you clearly there was nothing between us, that I don’t love you! But you turn around and have your parents bring this stuff to my house!” “Don’t you know yesterday was my dad’s birthday? Sophia was there, all our relatives were there. Where am I supposed to put my face?” “You made Sophia cry. What are you trying to do? Do I have to spell it out for you? I’m not going to marry you!” I felt like I’d been stripped naked and thrown onto the street for everyone to gawk at. I was utterly humiliated. My coworkers’ stares, my manager’s scrutiny – it all felt like being sliced apart over and over. The shock left me trembling all over, my tongue so stiff I couldn’t make a sound. Jack wasn’t done. He called Sophia and put her on speakerphone, shouting loudly: “Olivia, listen up! Even if you were the last woman on earth, I wouldn’t marry you! I only love Sophia!” “Stop chasing after me. If you want a man, I can introduce you to someone!” “We’re just friends, stop doing things that make people misunderstand!” The stares of everyone around made my mind go blank. Sophia’s voice came through, choked with sobs: “Please stop seducing my boyfriend! He was corrupted by you. I’m not like you, sleeping around. I’ll only sleep with my future husband!” I clutched at my collar, struggling to breathe. Tears spilled from my eyes, blurring my vision. I opened my mouth, using my last ounce of strength to point at the door: “Get out!” Jack left. The office was dead silent. But I felt crushed under the weight of a thousand stares and unspoken judgments. My back was rigid as I wiped my tears over and over, quickly packing up my things on the desk. My phone on the desk rang. It was my mom. “Olivia, your dad collapsed. Come to the hospital quickly.” … I arrived at the hospital. The doctor found me and spoke earnestly: “Your father’s airways and blood vessels have always been weak. He needs to avoid emotional stress.” I nodded and went to my father’s bedside, feeling ashamed. He was awake, but his face turned red with anger when he saw what I was holding. “That bastard Jack! How dare he say my daughter isn’t good enough for him? He humiliated you in front of all those people, saying you were chasing after him! What bullshit! We all saw how he couldn’t bear to be apart from you all these years!” “When you were kids, he’d cry if he was away from you. At night when the adults weren’t around, he always wanted to sleep next to you!” “You lived together for a year, and now he says you’re just friends?! How did I not see earlier what a scumbag he is?” Yes, Jack used to be such a good person. He was humble and polite, and extremely protective of me. He never let anyone bully me. As kids, he got into countless fights for me, taking so many beatings from his mom on my behalf. It was all these little things piling up that turned into love, making me willing to live with him for a year without any official status. My mom sighed and explained what had happened. Apparently they had gone to Mountain Temple a few days ago and heard it was good for praying for marriage. My mom had knelt for half a day and gotten two red strings and a pendant from the monk. They took it very seriously, bought gifts, and chose yesterday’s auspicious date to personally deliver everything to Jack’s house. When they explained the items and their purpose, Jack immediately threw everything out and said a lot of hurtful things. My dad just scolded him a bit, but for Sophia’s sake, he actually yelled at this elder who had always doted on him. He even kicked my parents out, spouting nonsense about introducing men to me if I couldn’t get married. … Tears fell from my eyes in big drops. It was my love for Jack that had humiliated them like this. I knelt in front of my dad, silently crying for I don’t know how long until my tears were almost dried up. But my heart slowly grew more determined. I choked out: “Dad, Mom, let’s go stay with Uncle. The doctor says your condition needs a change of environment to recover.” My uncle lived in River City and had always wanted us to move there. My parents only stayed because they didn’t want to separate me and Jack. They were stunned for a moment, but quickly nodded. “Okay, we’ll do as you say. Our Olivia can thrive anywhere.” … With things decided, I immediately listed the house with a realtor and started the resignation process at work. A week later, the house sold smoothly and I got my resignation paperwork. But the day before leaving, I ran into Jack again at the mall while buying seasonal clothes for my mom. Since I had blocked him, his expression turned ugly when he saw me. He was clutching his stomach, with dark circles under his eyes. Sophia had dragged him out shopping. “Olivia.” He stood in front of me, carefully looking me over. “I heard you quit your job?” I didn’t want to talk to him, but was afraid he’d make a scene. So I just gave a faint “Mm.” “Why didn’t you tell me?” His voice was tinged with grievance. “I had to hear it from friends.” I ignored him. He trailed pitifully behind me: “Are you really angry about last time? They just showed up suddenly, Sophia misunderstood. I was just trying to calm her down.” Seeing I wasn’t responding, he stepped in front of me, putting on his usual act of weakness. “Olivia, my stomach hurts again.” In the past when his stomach was bad, I’d search everywhere for folk remedies to make for him. I spent a year breaking his habit of drinking on an empty stomach to finally improve his stomach. But in just a week, he was back to his old ways. I looked up at him. His eyes immediately lit up with joy. He tried to grab my hand but I dodged. I laughed: “What, being a lapdog not comfortable enough? Can’t even eat dog food properly?” He had posted an official announcement with Sophia on Instagram. Sophia commented: “Good boy, my little puppy.” His expression darkened, then he smiled strangely: “Olivia, Sophia says you like me. You’re not jealous, are you?” I stared at him silently, like looking at an idiot. He thought he had guessed right and smiled: “Olivia, we’ve been together so many years. I understand you. You’re just jealous.” “I said we could still be friends. Isn’t tomorrow your birthday? I’ll come see you, okay?” “Didn’t you always want to see the sunrise? I’ll go with you. We can stay at the mountaintop hotel for a night.” I looked at his excited, expectant eyes and smirked. “Sure, I’ll wait for you.” Sophia called his name from outside. He answered, then quickly kissed my forehead. “Wait for me at home tomorrow.” After he left, I disgustedly wiped off the mark on my face. Wanting to have your cake and eat it too. Jack, you really are despicable to the extreme. But this time you might be disappointed. I don’t want you anymore. … The next day, just before the plane took off, I got a call from Jack using another number. “Olivia, you sold the house? Where did you all go? Where are you going without me? Why didn’t you tell me? Aren’t I the person you care about most? You lied to me!” I laughed lightly: “Oh, I’m off to find a man who’ll marry me after sleeping with me.” His anguished yelling came through the phone. I hung up, blocked the number, and turned off my phone. The plane took off, carrying me towards a beautiful new future. 0 When we got off the plane, we were greeted not by my uncle, but by a stranger. The man called my name: “Olivia?” I searched my memory but was sure I didn’t know him. He smiled: “Your uncle sent me to pick you up. I’m Ethan.”

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On the night of my birthday, Jack opened the gates of the amusement park for me. The park, usually closed at night, was lit up like daylight. I had always believed that wishes made on the Ferris wheel were more likely to come true, as if the sky could hear them more clearly. I stepped into the Ferris wheel cabin, but Jack let go of my hand. His phone rang. I glanced at the screen – the caller ID read “Lily.” “I’ll just take this call. When you finish your round, I’ll come up and join you,” he said, looking up at me with an indulgent smile on his face as he gazed at the screen. I lowered my eyes, feeling dejected, but nodded obediently. When the Ferris wheel reached its highest point, I clasped my hands together and closed my eyes to make a wish: I hoped that after Jack and I got married, Lily would disappear from our lives forever. Even though I knew this wish might be asking too much of the heavens. Jack had two childhood friends – me, his fiancée since childhood, and Lily, an orphan who had grown up in his family. She had always been like a little tail following us around since we were kids. As we grew up, she constantly had “Brother Jack” on her lips, and Jack was always at her beck and call. It made me, his fiancée, feel like the third wheel intruding on their relationship. Although I no longer had any hope for him, our families’ arranged marriage was set in stone long ago. As I was lost in thought, suddenly there was a loud “clang,” and the cabin shook. The Ferris wheel had malfunctioned and stopped! I was still about ten feet from the ground. I could see Jack sitting on a bench, his fingers tapping the screen of his phone, the light from it illuminating the brilliant smile on his face. He must be video chatting with Lily, or watching her livestream. Only for Lily would he show such a pure and doting smile. I was mesmerized by the sight. But then he put away his phone, stood up, and turned to leave. He walked briskly towards the exit of the amusement park. I panicked and started banging on the glass door of the cabin, calling out his name loudly, until I watched him get into the white Porsche Cayenne parked at the entrance and speed away. I stared blankly as tears rolled down my cheeks. If only he had looked back once, he would have seen that I was trapped in the malfunctioning Ferris wheel. My purse with my phone, my coat, and my birthday cake were all still in his car. I couldn’t even call for help. As the night grew colder, I could only curl up in the corner, hugging my arms, praying that the staff coming to work the next day would find me early. The amusement park was brilliantly lit – it was specially decorated to celebrate my birthday. Now it all seemed like a joke. That night, I came to understand many things. An arranged marriage doesn’t need deep love between husband and wife. Both parties are united for the sake of benefits. As long as we don’t interfere with each other’s lives, it’s enough. Once I realized this, I suddenly felt lighter all over. The next day when I returned home, I had dark circles under my eyes and looked exhausted. Mom called me to have breakfast, but I wearily shook my head, only wanting to go back to my room to catch up on sleep. She stopped me and said with an awkward smile, “So… did you have fun with Jack yesterday?” “Mm, it was fine.” She hesitated, then said tentatively, “Well… Mom knows you young people like to have fun, but you still need to protect yourself and take precautions. If you get pregnant before the wedding, it won’t look good in your wedding dress.” I was stunned. “I know, Mom.” How could I possibly be pregnant when we hadn’t even kissed in a long time? When I woke up from my nap in the afternoon, I used the house phone to call Jack, asking him to bring back the things I had left in his car last night. After all, it was boring without my phone. He was silent for two seconds, as if just remembering that he had left me alone at the amusement park. Regretfully, he said: “Bella, I’m so sorry. Last night I… I suddenly had something come up and had to leave early. I forgot to tell you.” I replied flatly, “Mm, I know.” His tone lightened considerably as he said, “I knew you wouldn’t be mad at me. Next year I’ll definitely throw you an even bigger birthday party to make up for it.” “So can you have someone bring my bag to me now?” I asked. He said he would have his driver bring it right over. I waited for half an hour, then he said to come pick it up myself, that he wanted to apologize to me in person. I had no choice but to drive over to the Wilson house. Laughter could be heard coming from the kitchen – it was Jack and Lily baking a cake together. Jack dipped his finger in some frosting and smeared it on Lily’s nose, laughing exaggeratedly as he said, “Little… kitty… cat.” “Stop it~” Lily chased after him, playfully hitting him. No matter how you looked at it, they were the perfect couple. I leaned quietly against the doorframe, not wanting to disturb the two of them, but the flour they were tossing around irritated my nose. As I coughed, they both turned around at the same time. The scene froze for two seconds.

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A car accident caused my soul to swap with Vivian’s, my husband Alexander’s childhood friend. Vivian, now in my body with an injured leg, took my place as the lady of the Sterling household. Meanwhile, I was relegated to the guest room, forced to listen to their nightly passion and watch everyone praise their “undying love” despite the accident. When I lashed out in desperation, Alexander locked me up, gripping my throat: “Vivian endured pain for you. She deserves to enjoy your life now.” “Be good and I’ll keep you as my mistress. I’ll take responsibility!” But the day I was exposed as “the other woman”, Alexander personally kicked me out of the house. He left me to sleep on the streets as onlookers hurled insults, ignoring when I was assaulted by homeless men and miscarried. As I lay dying on the street, cradling the lost child that wasn’t even mine, I swore vengeance. When I was reborn, I immediately handed Alexander divorce papers… “Baby, you learned a new position?” “Same body, but such a different sensation – how thrilling!” The housekeeper standing outside blushed hearing their passionate exchange, marveling at the couple’s intimacy as she blocked my way. I barely held back tears, my chest heaving, as I brandished the knife I had prepared: “I’m going in there today no matter what!” After the soul swap, Alexander had moved into the master bedroom with Vivian, who had stolen my body. They flaunted their love shamelessly every day. He always told me to be patient, for his sake and for Sterling Corp which had just gone public. We couldn’t let anyone notice anything amiss! But no matter how much I endured, they only grew more brazen! I shoved the door open. The couple on the bed, tightly joined, appeared before me without warning. My heart shattered seeing them like that. Alexander had always insisted they were just pretending, but this looked all too real! Our five years of tenderness had clearly become Vivian and Alexander’s love nest long ago! “Ah!” Vivian let out a shrill scream, quickly hiding in Alexander’s arms. The man glared at me furiously: “How dare you! You think the Sterling house is your playground, barging in wherever you please?” Alexander showed no trace of panic, still acting like the lord of the manor, as if he truly didn’t know I was his real wife. With a glance, he dismissed all the servants. Roughly running a hand through his hair, he threw on some clothes before coming to stand before me, irritated: “Didn’t I tell you not to come here? Why won’t you listen?” I pointed at the bed, my vision blurring with tears: “So this is what you call pretending, Alexander? What an actor you are!” I had discussed boundaries for their interactions many times since the accident. But Alexander had gone from promises to dismissive excuses! He argued back, unrepentant: “What am I pretending? It’s your body, so how can it be cheating?” “Besides, do you know how much Vivian has sacrificed for you? You lost a leg in the crash, but Vivian took on that pain for you! Now she’s even giving her body to play my wife convincingly. Why can’t you be as understanding as Vivian?” I stared at him in shock, tears flowing freely. How dare he bring that up? In that critical moment during the crash, Alexander’s first instinct was to protect Vivian in the backseat instead of me right beside him. And when I first woke up in Vivian’s body, before Alexander even knew about the swap, he had immediately embraced and kissed me to comfort me. He later explained he was just too emotional. But looking at the rumpled sheets on the bed now, everything suddenly became clear! I grabbed a nearby vase and hurled it at him, demanding: “You two were sneaking around long before this! You’ve been lying to me this whole time!” “I don’t want to pretend anymore. I’m going to tell everyone the truth!”

I turned to leave, but Alexander couldn’t stop me. In desperation, he grabbed my wrist! “Who would believe you now? Besides, Sterling Corp has just stabilized! Can’t you think of me for once?” When I ignored him, Alexander simply threw me over his shoulder and locked me in a room! He hissed through gritted teeth: “Think of our child. He’s only one year old. If you keep quiet, you can still see him by pretending to be my childhood friend living with us. But if you speak up, you’ll be seen as mentally ill and locked away in a hospital!” At the mention of our son, I calmed down. He was right, but how much longer did I have to endure this? When I first married Alexander, I knew about Vivian’s existence. She was orphaned young and grew up in the Sterling household. Back then, I admired Alexander’s loyalty in still caring for his childhood friend even after our marriage. I didn’t mind Vivian living with us since she had nowhere else to go. But over time, the two grew increasingly intimate in front of me. It wasn’t until after this soul swap that I finally realized the truth. They had just been hiding their true relationship all along! I gazed at Alexander through the window, lost and confused: “So you only married me for my family name and wealth? Just because I’m the Turner heiress?” Alexander turned away, unable to meet my eyes: “Don’t overthink things. Just calm down for now, alright?” His footsteps faded as sounds of pleasure once again drifted from across the hall. I laughed bitterly, realizing all my sweet memories with Alexander now felt like a dream. As night fell, my heart grew colder. The next day, my door remained locked. After Alexander left for work, Vivian had the nanny bring our son to play in her room. Seeing my child, I couldn’t help but warn her as she passed: “Don’t you dare touch him!” Vivian, still holding a puppy, looked at me with amusement. “Why can’t I touch my own son?” she taunted in a low voice. “I’ll take care of him however I want.” A sense of dread washed over me. The nanny hurried after her with two leashes – one for the dog, and one for…my son! “Leo!” I cried out. “What are you doing?” Vivian glanced at me as she set both the child and dog on the ground, making them compete for food from a single bowl on the floor. My blood boiled as I frantically rattled the doorknob! Vivian seemed utterly relaxed: “I’m just training the kid. If he can beat a dog, he won’t get bullied in preschool later. You wouldn’t understand a mother’s love.” “You monster!” I kicked at the door desperately. The servants found my reaction strange, but no one helped. Only Daisy, who used to care for me, apologized: “I’m sorry Miss Wood, but Mr. Sterling ordered us not to let you out!” Vivian even kicked the dog to make it more aggressive. My son was already crying from being scratched by its sharp claws. I clutched Daisy’s hand like a lifeline. “Please, I’m begging you. Just bring me my phone!” She hesitated before secretly passing it through the window. I immediately called Alexander. “Alex, hurry and have someone open the door! Vivian is abusing our child! I need to save him!” I put the phone on speaker and held it out the window: “Mr. Sterling says to let me out right away!” Seeing this, Vivian’s face flashed with guilt. But the next moment, Alexander’s annoyed voice came through the speaker: “Do you have nothing better to do? An outsider couldn’t possibly care for a child better than his own mother. If you keep saying such things, don’t blame me for disowning you as my sister!” Click. The call ended abruptly. I was still in shock when Vivian’s laughter reached my ears. “I’m disciplining my own child, yet my ‘sister’ tattles to my husband? Aren’t you overstepping, dear?” The servants nodded in agreement. They had always disliked Vivian’s behavior, thinking I was finally standing up to her. Little did they know our souls had long since swapped. The person before them was no longer me, but Vivian. She snatched my phone away and turned to Daisy. “Go treat the child’s wounds. Press hard – the more Leo cries, the more effective the medicine!” “No!” I cried out. My son’s wails tore at my heart. I smashed everything in the room trying to break down that door, but it wouldn’t budge. I slumped against the door, my eyes bloodshot: “What do you really want?” Vivian looked down at my defeated form from outside: “Find a chance to leave the Sterling house. Otherwise, you may never see Leo again!”

Her words chilled me to the bone. I didn’t know if Vivian would actually harm Leo, but I couldn’t take that risk! “Fine! I’ll do what you say!” My voice shook. I just needed to wait for Alexander to return and tell him everything. That evening when Alexander came home, he saw the injuries on our son. I waited anxiously for him to realize something was wrong. But Alexander simply put an arm around Vivian’s waist to comfort her: “It’s okay, honey. New moms are bound to make mistakes.” “Don’t blame yourself too much. Boys are tough – he’ll be fine!” He gently wiped away Vivian’s crocodile tears. The tender gesture made my anger and grief surge. When Alexander finally came to unlock my door, I told him what really happened. But he just brushed me off carelessly: “Don’t be so sensitive. It’s normal for kids to get bumps and bruises. You never used to blame the staff before. Why have you become so unreasonable since swapping bodies with Vivian?” A wave of helplessness washed over me. Tears streamed down my face: “You still don’t believe me?” I curled up, burying my face in my knees. Ever since that car accident, everything had changed. Every time Vivian gave me that taunting look, I felt intensely unsafe. As if the moment I let my guard down, I would lose everything I cherished – my child, Alexander, all of it! I missed my mother terribly. If she were here, would she recognize me? Would she understand my pain? Alexander sat down and held me close, sighing at my state: “You’ve been a pampered heiress all your life. You don’t know how hard it is for those of us who grew up without parents. Is this little setback really too much for you?” “I’ve been more than good to you! Even though you’re in someone else’s body, I still love you.” “Olivia, please don’t make things harder for me.” He leaned in to kiss me, but I shoved him away, wiping my tears: “Is it really for my sake? Or is it because of this body? I bet you and Vivian were already sleeping together long before this!” “You don’t want to sleep with me – you want to sleep with her!” My voice broke as I glared at him accusingly. Alexander’s anger flared, his hand raised to strike me. But he held back at the last second: “Fine! We did have an affair! You think I’m not hitting you because of you?” “Don’t flatter yourself. It’s only because this is Vivian’s body that I can’t bring myself to hurt it!” I stared at him unblinkingly, my heart turning to ash in an instant. Vivian burst in at that moment, slapping me hard across the face. “Don’t worry about my body, Alex. People who need discipline should be disciplined!” I wanted to hit her back, but Alexander quickly shielded her. Vivian pointed at me indignantly: “Alex has been agonizing over our situation, working himself to the bone to keep up appearances for Sterling Corp!” “Meanwhile all you do is cause trouble and throw tantrums!” “If I’d known you were this useless, I never would have let you marry into the family!” As they ganged up on me, I started to doubt myself. Was it really all my fault? They were the ones having sex in my bedroom! They made my child compete with a dog for food. How could I not fight back? Alexander looked down at my wretched state, his tone dripping with pity as he volunteered: “I’ll invite your mother over tomorrow so you can see her. If you behave yourself this time, I won’t restrict your movements in the future.” Vivian chimed in: “Don’t forget your promise from earlier, sis. What’s more important – you or the child?” I tossed and turned all night, but seeing my mother the next day lifted my spirits immensely. I rushed to greet her, but Vivian beat me to it, taking my mother’s hand coyly: “Mom, I’ve missed you so much!” Her expression and tone were identical to mine. My mother didn’t suspect a thing, smiling as she walked arm-in-arm with Vivian right past me. “What are you standing there for? Go prepare some tea and snacks.” Vivian ordered me haughtily. I swallowed my emotions and busied myself in the kitchen. When I returned, Alexander and Vivian sat on either side of my mother, cradling Leo. They looked like the perfect family. My hands shook as I poured tea for my mother, scalding myself. I wiped it away silently and served her. She finally glanced at me, saying happily: “Vivian has really matured. She’s becoming more and more like Olivia. When you get married someday, I’ll prepare a dowry for you too.” My voice quivered as I couldn’t hold back any longer: “Mom…” Hearing me speak up, Alexander quickly changed the subject and pulled me aside: “Olivia! You need to accept the situation. If Mom sees you acting like this, she’ll get suspicious!” He continued trying to persuade me: “Look how pleased Mom is with you now. She doesn’t dislike Vivian anymore like before.” “If you two get along well, maybe she’ll even adopt you as her goddaughter someday. Then Mom can shower you with more affection. Wouldn’t that be nice for all of us?” After a moment of silence, I looked up at him: “But all that affection was originally mine!” “You’re the one who’s happy, aren’t you? With a wife and a mistress on the side?” Alexander’s fist flew past my ear, slamming into the wall behind me: “So what?” “Are you trying to disgust me by saying that? You two can’t switch back anyway. Who else could you possibly marry now? Why not just serve me together?” “Olivia, I’m telling you – you have no choice!” He forcefully pinned me against the wall by the balcony, crushing his lips against mine. The more I struggled, the deeper he probed. Just as my dress was about to be torn off, I bit down hard on his lip. Only then did he release me! “You’ve got guts, Olivia! We’ll see how long you can keep this up.” Alexander stormed off angrily. I crouched in the corner for hours. When the house finally grew quiet, I snuck back to my room in my tattered clothes. The next day, photos of Alexander and I kissing passionately went viral online! Chapter 5 “I told you that Vivian girl was trouble! I said to kick her out, but you just wouldn’t listen!” my mother ranted furiously, clutching Vivian’s hand as she repeated the same scoldings she used to give me! I faced the group, listening to my mother’s tirade while awkwardly standing off to the side. My face burned with shame, but I couldn’t utter a word in my defense. She jabbed a finger at my nose: “And to think I praised you for being sensible yesterday! I should have known you’d never change, you disgraceful creature!” She then turned her rage on Alexander, hurling whatever was in reach at him: “And you! How could you do this to my daughter?” Alexander didn’t dodge, letting my mother vent her anger. Only when he looked at me did he finally speak: “I treated you like a sister. How could you try to seduce me?” “Apologize now. For old times’ sake, I won’t press charges!” I stared at him wide-eyed, stunned that Alexander would pin this on me! Seeing I didn’t move, he kicked the back of my knees, forcing me to kneel: “Mom, don’t worry. I won’t let Olivia suffer for this.” I laughed bitterly, finding his words jarringly insincere. I tried to stand, but Alexander gripped my hair, whispering in my ear: “Think of the child! Apologize now!” My lips trembled as I knelt before everyone, forcing out each word: “I’m sorry! It was wrong of me to seduce Mr. Sterling. It’s all my fault!” Tears rolled down my cheeks as Vivian pressed on relentlessly: “You’ve brought such shame on us. The Sterling house can’t keep you any longer!” “Throw her out!” I jerked my head up in shock. Even Alexander seemed taken aback as he looked at her. “For the child’s sake, I can’t risk keeping someone so morally corrupt around. You wouldn’t understand a mother’s concerns!” Vivian continued applying pressure. Alexander stood frozen, hesitating. My mother eagerly agreed, nodding in approval: “It’s about time! Alexander, go take care of it. Don’t disappoint the Turner family!” “Alright!” Alexander grit his teeth and complied. I couldn’t read his expression as he turned away. “I’ve already apologized. Isn’t that enough?” I pleaded desperately. “It’s all my fault. Please don’t make me leave. I’m begging you!” Once I left, I would have nothing left! But Alexander ignored my pleas, shoving me out the door in nothing but my nightgown. “Just bear with it for now. I’ll bring you back after your mom leaves!” he whispered. The door slammed shut with finality. In the freezing winter air, I pounded on the door, shaking uncontrollably! But all I got in response was a bucket of ice water dumped on me by a maid! My body began to stiffen from the cold. Survival instincts kicking in, I desperately begged passersby for help. Finally someone gave me a thin jacket, but then they recognized me as the homewrecker from the viral photos. A barrage of cruel insults rained down. “Why give her clothes? The ungrateful bitch! The Sterlings raised her from childhood, but she still did such a disgusting thing!” “Yeah, the Sterling couple is so in love! She just had to insert herself as the other woman. This is what she deserves!” “Get lost! Don’t hang around my shop – you’re bad for business!” I was chased away like a stray dog, clutching the thin jacket as I fled. I just had to make it until nightfall. Surely Alexander wouldn’t abandon me completely. But as night deepened with no sign of him, I noticed several homeless men had started following me. Terrified, I ran frantically towards the Sterling mansion. But the security guards wouldn’t let me in! “There are bad men after me. Please, you have to help me!” I begged. The guard yawned indifferently: “Mrs. Sterling already gave orders to cut all ties with you. Even if you get assaulted, it’s got nothing to do with us. Now scram! You’re disrupting my nap.” My strength finally gave out. The Sterling house had been my last hope. I weakly pounded on the iron gates. The group of homeless men grabbed my legs, dragging me into a dark corner. My bloody fingernails left desperate scratches in the snow as my hoarse screams for help mixed with the men’s vicious laughter. My body went numb. I lost count of how many men violated me before the endless flow of blood between my legs finally made me lose consciousness. In my haze, I saw Alexander rush over with reddened eyes. He stumbled to his knees before me: “Olivia, wake up! You animals, I’ll kill you all!”

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After a night of passion, my childhood friend thoughtfully prepared a morning-after pill for me. I held his wrist and pouted, “The pill is bitter. I don’t want to take it. If I get pregnant, let’s just get married.” Hearing this, Jack patted my head and chuckled, “Don’t be silly. Having a baby is much more bitter than taking a pill.” “Besides, I’m getting engaged on Sunday. Whose child would it be if you had one?” I froze on the spot. Jack kissed my forehead casually, coaxing me, “Be good, Aria. Pack up your things and take them with you later. We can’t play like this anymore.” “My wife wants me to be faithful.” Hearing this, I numbly threw my things into the trash can and then called my father. “I’ll marry him.” “To be honest, I’m used to having you around.” “How many years have we known each other? Since elementary school until now?” Even as Jack held me in his arms, I couldn’t stop the chills running through my body. Jack and I had known each other for sixteen years and had been sleeping together for eight. Five minutes ago, he was trembling, desperate to become one with me. I thought we were in love. Although we never said it out loud, I always believed we had an unspoken understanding. I had long considered us to be in a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship. But I never expected… was I just a friend with benefits? The morning-after pill stuck in my throat, too bitter to swallow. “Want to go another round?” Jack gently pushed me back onto the bed. The pink bedsheet was the one I had put on yesterday when Jack carried the mattress. At that time, he joked, “We’re like an old married couple.” Now, my heart was in shambles. “We’ve already taken the pill, might as well not waste it,” he said. “Let’s make this a perfect ending to our wild youth.” I instinctively pushed against Jack’s shoulder. “You just said… you’re getting engaged?” Jack grabbed my wrist excitedly, his attractive voice penetrating my ears. “I wanted to tell you earlier, but a certain little glutton was too eager to satisfy her hunger and shut me up~” “Rachel’s back. She said she still wants to marry me.” Rachel Zhou, the class beauty who confessed to Jack at our high school graduation ceremony and was rejected. The person Jack punished himself with three drinks for not wanting to mention. They’re getting engaged?! Jack, oblivious to my shock, enthusiastically shared with me. “I checked, and the earliest auspicious date is this Sunday!” “Rachel doesn’t have many old friends abroad, so you can help her fend off drinks at the engagement party and be her bridesmaid at the wedding.” As he spoke, he seemed to remember something and took out an invitation card from the bedside table. “Rachel said I should design the wedding invitation, but I don’t understand you girls’ tastes.” “Be a good girl, Aria, and give me some advice.” Twenty minutes ago, what he took out of that drawer was the morning-after pill that was now bitter in my throat. The white invitation card was low-key yet elegant, with Jack and Rachel’s initials intertwined like a pattern. It was clearly an expensive, carefully designed piece. Jack had long decided to marry Rachel, preparing for their wedding while entangled with me in bed. The immense anger made my whole body tremble. “Jack, you’re letting me look at your wedding invitation with another woman while I’m in your bed?” I tore the invitation into pieces in two swift moves. “You’re getting engaged, getting married, so what the hell am I?” “Aria Lin! Are you crazy?! Why did you tear up my invitation?!” Jack was busy picking up the pieces, not noticing my expression at all. Seeing me get out of bed to get dressed, he grabbed my arm. “What are you throwing a tantrum for?! Am I not supposed to get engaged or married? Do you expect me to play around with you forever?! I don’t even like you!” After shouting, he seemed to realize he had gone too far. He frowned at me, his voice dry: “I’ve always treated you as my best friend, close enough to share everything, my childhood sweetheart…” He said this, but his hand let go of me as if touching garbage. His expression returned to his usual nonchalance, tilting his head to look at me teasingly: “Or are you saying my charm is so great that you’ve unknowingly fallen head over heels for me?” “Aria, don’t scare me.” Jack pretended to be calm, but his panicked eyes betrayed him. That fearful look of being saddled with responsibility made me laugh bitterly, laughing until my eyes burned. This made him even more panicked, and he turned his back to me to get dressed. “Aria, we’ve been the best of friends since we were kids. You crying like this makes it seem like I’ve bullied you.” “We’re in an age of gender equality now. Don’t be so old-fashioned, it’s not interesting!” He finished dressing and turned to leave: “Rachel’s flight has arrived. I’m taking her to a hotel tonight.” “Pack up your things, especially all those cheap identical knick-knacks you bought. Take them all with you, don’t leave any for me.” The last thing he said to me before closing the door was: “We can’t play like this anymore. It’s not fair to Rachel.”

It wasn’t until the door had been slammed shut for a while that the frantic vibration of my phone brought me back to reality. In our old high school class group chat, Jack had dropped a bombshell: [The class president is back in the country. Party at the old spot tomorrow! Everyone must come! @all] The accompanying picture showed two happy faces close together, Jack kissing Rachel’s hand. Below were a flurry of curious comments, [Jack! Even if the class president hasn’t been back for years, you don’t need to be this enthusiastic!] [Did I wake up in a parallel universe?! Since when can you kiss the class president?!] Many people even tagged me. [Aria, come to the front row to watch, your childhood friend has strayed!] At our graduation party when we were eighteen, Rachel publicly confessed to Jack. The girl on one knee, full of hope, was only met with Jack’s scornful laugh. “Are you misunderstanding something, my dear class president?” “It’s not Chinese New Year yet, I haven’t prepared any red envelopes!” Seeing Rachel’s reddening eyes, Jack turned away and put his arm around my shoulder: “I have my little Aria here, that’s enough for a lifetime! We’re getting married after college! None of you are allowed to miss it! You all better bring wedding gifts!” Rachel stood up and slapped me hard across the face before running away in tears. Thinking back now, his reddened eyes at that time weren’t out of concern for me, but probably worry that Rachel’s hand might hurt. Just then, Jack sent another voice message: “I can’t kiss the class president, but I can kiss my fiancée.” “I’m getting engaged to Rachel.” Instantly, all the comments tagging me disappeared like the wind. Only a flood of congratulations remained. Someone else joked, [Looking at the background, a night of passion is worth a thousand gold (dog emoji)] Jack replied almost immediately, “Get lost! Don’t make such jokes!” His tone was serious, full of protection. I suddenly thought of myself. At a class reunion six months ago, a guy in our class asked about my performance in bed. I got angry and argued with him. But Jack said I was no fun, “We’re all classmates, don’t take jokes so seriously.” It turns out, he just didn’t care. As I smiled bitterly, Rachel posted in the group: [Getting legally married on Sunday, law-abiding citizens doing things by the book (sunglasses emoji)] Everyone quickly followed suit, offering congratulations. Rachel then actively tagged me, [Aria, I’m sorry. Eight years ago, Jack used you as a shield, which led to me slapping you. Now you’re being joked about because of us again.] [Jack said you volunteered to be my bridesmaid, thank you! See you tomorrow, old classmate!] I was still wondering what she meant by “shield” eight years ago when Jack’s messages came flooding in. [Aria! Why are you pretending not to see?] [Can we not bring up ancient history?] [Rachel just got back, and you’re already trying to put her in an awkward position?] [Reply quickly!] The messages came one after another, piercing my heart without giving me a chance to breathe. Finally, he dropped one last message, [If you don’t want to reply, forget it!] Then he tagged me in the group again, [Don’t party too hard, remember to take the morning-after pill (dog emoji)] Rachel quickly followed up with, [I guess all those years abroad were wasted, I’m not as open-minded as Aria (covering mouth laugh emoji)] I was about to reply when I realized I had been muted by the group admin, Jack. Overwhelmed with anger, I called Jack. After a few seconds of connecting, it was Rachel’s voice that came through. “Jack, when you rejected me back then, did you really think I couldn’t compare to Aria?” Jack’s familiar tone answered without hesitation, “Aria? I never even thought of her as a woman.” “At that time, my dad’s company was in trouble. I didn’t know if my family could recover, so I couldn’t bear to let you suffer with me. I had to find an excuse to make you give up, and I didn’t want to mess around with other girls.” “But now all that’s in the past. I can support both of us now.” “Rachel, I’m never letting you go for the rest of my life.” After a rustling sound of kissing, Jack said tenderly, “Let’s wait until we’re legally married. We have a lifetime together, there’s no rush.” “I don’t want to wrong you without making things clear.” I abruptly hung up the phone. At the graduation party, Jack had drunk too much. A few classmates carried him to a hotel. I was afraid to leave him alone, so I stayed to take care of him. In the small hotel room that cost $30 a night, Jack pulled me into his arms. The next day, seeing the bloodstain on the sheets, he slapped himself hard. “I’m sorry.” At the time, I thought that “I’m sorry” was for me. Now I realize it was probably for Rachel. Sorry for rejecting her. Sorry for sleeping with me. I wiped away the cold tears on my face and called a moving company. It only took a few hours to clear out the room I had spent years decorating. Watching the garbage truck drive away, I left the spare key in the shoe cabinet. My parents divorced when I was young, and I was tossed back and forth like a soccer ball. If there’s any advantage to that, it’s probably that I can quickly accept all heartbreaking things. No matter how much my heart hurts, I can force myself to act like nothing’s wrong. Closing the door, I called my dad. “I’ll agree to marry that disabled person you mentioned.” “Consider it repaying the debt I owe you.”

Back when Jack’s family was in decline, I secretly begged my estranged father to help them out. At that time, I promised I would definitely repay this debt. Three months ago, my dad’s company faced a crisis and urgently needed a large sum of money to keep operating. “Either you get that Jack to pay back the money! Or you obediently go through with this business arrangement marriage to get the money!” “If the Zhang family in Beijing wasn’t desperate because of his disability, how could they look at a good-for-nothing like you! Throwing yourself at men! I’ve told you before, all men are ungrateful dogs!” Several times when my dad called asking for money, Jack was right beside me. I thought he couldn’t hear. Now I know, he was just pretending. Just then, a new post popped up on SnapChat. It was a photo Jack took of Rachel’s silhouette against a sky full of fireworks, looking exceptionally happy. [If I can’t pluck the stars for you, I’ll give you a starry sky. Welcome home, my princess.] There was a comment below with many likes: [A masterpiece of love by the fireworks master! Spending millions to make a beauty smile, Jack is so generous!] I suddenly remembered the month after Jack and I first slept together, on my 18th birthday, he bought me a sparkler. In the dim light, the boy’s face was full of sincerity, “Aria, when we get through these hard times, I promise I’ll show you the most beautiful fireworks in the world!” At that time, I didn’t know there was a little baby in my belly, nor did I know that after the hard times would come even harder times. In the hospital room, Jack looked at my pale face after the surgery, “I’m sorry, Aria. From now on, I’ll buy the most expensive contraceptives. I’ll never let you suffer again!” I should have woken up then. It’s all my fault. The memories scattered in the cold wind. I put my frozen red hands back in my pockets with my phone. The last message on my phone was from my dad. [You better behave yourself! The Zhang family is coming to pick you up tomorrow.] Dragging my suitcase, I plunged into the dark night. One last cry, and after dawn, Jack and I would have nothing more to do with each other. After a night of tossing and turning, I finally found a hotel to settle in. Just as I was falling into a light sleep, I was jolted awake by my phone ringing. Jack’s angry voice made my heart ache, “Where are you?” “Just because Rachel asserted her position in the group chat yesterday, you’re being this petty?” “Everyone’s coming to welcome Rachel back at the class reunion! Why do you have to be different from everyone else?” “Do we need to send a sedan chair to invite you?” “Just because you’re not coming, Rachel has been worried that you’re still holding a grudge about that slap!” “Come over quickly and explain clearly! Don’t let Rachel feel uneasy!” The once gentle voice was now full of impatience. I used to think I was the exception to Jack’s bad temper, but now that the real exception had returned, I realized I was just a self-deluded joke. But I don’t want to be a joke anymore. “Why should I go? What does it matter to me whether Rachel feels at ease or not?” “And who are you to order me around?” “Jack, in what capacity are you calling me? Do we have any relationship?” This was the first time I had ever snapped at Jack. My temper isn’t particularly mild, it’s just that in the past, I had covered my sharp edges with love. Jack was stunned for two seconds, then lowered his voice, “Aria, are you jealous now? What’s the point?” “I told you we were just playing around, you have no right to be jealous!” “Besides, Rachel and I are serious. No matter how much you make a fuss, it’s useless.” “Aria! I’m begging you! Can you not cause trouble for me?!” I hung up the phone directly and started to get ready. The Zhang family was coming to pick me up today. My mom always taught me when I was little that if I agreed to be a bargaining chip, I should be a bargaining chip worth having. I was planning to go downstairs to wait for the Zhang family, but unexpectedly, I ran into Jack, Rachel, and a group of old classmates in the hotel lobby. Rachel grabbed my arm, smiling, “I was wondering why Jack suddenly wanted to change the location, turns out Aria was waiting here!” “I knew Aria wouldn’t refuse Jack. Not replying to messages was just to make a surprise appearance and get extra attention from old friends, right?” After eight years apart, Rachel’s gaze on me still felt like a hook, scrutinizing, “Disappearing for a night was to get all dressed up, huh? People might think you’re really trying to compete with me for today’s leading role!” Rachel’s nails dug into my wrist as she forcefully pulled me into her arms, as if for a long-awaited reunion hug, but whispered in my ear, “Looks like yesterday didn’t make you back off. You couldn’t hold onto Jack for eight years, now you’re just making a fool of yourself by being clingy.” With that, Rachel suddenly pushed me hard, making me fall heavily to the ground.

The high heels I was wearing twisted my ankle badly, with a slight cracking sound that instantly covered me in cold sweat. Three years ago, Jack had a high fever in the middle of the night, right when there was a power outage in our neighborhood. I carried Jack, who was two heads taller than me, down eight floors, and missed a step, twisting my ankle. The doctor said I must never injure that ankle again, or I might end up with a permanent disability. The pain now was even worse than that year. As I fell, my phone flew to the side, now flashing on and off. My voice trembled with pain, “Jack, call an ambulance for me.” The Zhang family’s son I was supposed to marry was missing a leg, and I didn’t want to end up disabled too. I pleaded with Jack. He rushed towards me urgently, but just as he got close, Rachel hugged him around the waist. Rachel’s eyes were red as if she had suffered a great injustice and shock. “I… I didn’t!” She looked at Jack with teary eyes. “Jack, I didn’t!” “I really didn’t push Aria! I don’t know why she pulled me down with her!” As she spoke, large tears fell from her eyes, crying pitifully, “I did slap Aria before, but this time I really didn’t.” “How can I prove myself? How can I make you believe me!” “Jack, I’m so stupid, please tell me, how can I prove it?” The old classmates watching behind whispered among themselves, “Putting on a show of framing someone as soon as they meet?” “On the way here, Rachel was saying she was worried Aria might still hold a grudge about that slap from before, afraid of something like this.” “Guess she was right!” “Even if they’re childhood friends, it doesn’t matter! Jack has a girlfriend now! Who does she think she is to be so possessive!” Jack held Rachel tightly in his arms, “You don’t need to prove anything, I’ll always believe you unconditionally.” Then he frowned and gave me a cold look as I lay there unable to move due to my twisted ankle. “Aria, stop acting! Aren’t you ashamed?!” “I didn’t…” The slightest movement brought another wave of dull pain. Jack laughed coldly, interrupting me. “I thought I knew you well enough.” “But Rachel’s right, men can never imagine how cruel women can be to each other.” “Just because Rachel slapped you once eight years ago, you’re sure everyone will believe it’s her hurting you again.” “Not answering calls, playing disappearing acts, showing up all dressed up, and now using such a low trick. Aria, doing this only makes me feel disgusted with you.” I could only grit my teeth and explain, “It’s not like that, I’m here waiting for my fiancé…” Rachel cried even more heart-wrenchingly, and in her emotional state, she even made to kneel down to me, “Aria! I admit it!” “If you say I did it, then let’s say I pushed you! I’ll kneel down and apologize, okay!” “I’m begging you! Please don’t try to steal my Jack.” “I care about everything else, but I only want Jack. Please, give him to me!” I understood there was no hope in relying on them, so I could only painfully crawl towards my phone. Just as my fingertips touched the phone, Jack forcefully stepped on the screen. “Acting so real, you’ve lost all sense of shame, you should be nominated for an Oscar!” “Want your phone? Apologize to Rachel first.” I futilely pushed at Jack’s ankle, “I’m really not acting! You forgot my foot was injured before?” “I’m not lying either! I really am waiting for my fiancé!” “I never thought about competing with Rachel for you!” But these words only made Jack angrier, his eyes filled with a disgust I had never seen before. “You can even say you have a fiancé!” “You just have to bring up how you were injured for me in front of Rachel, don’t you? You just have to air everything between us for everyone to know, right!” “Fine! Aria, you asked for this!” Jack crushed my phone under his foot, ignoring my pain as he grabbed my collar to face everyone, “Rather than let you spread lies, I might as well tell the truth myself!” “Yes, I did sleep with Aria for eight years!” “But I never said I would marry her! From the beginning to the end, Rachel was the only one in my heart!” “I rejected Rachel back then because I was afraid she would suffer with me! That’s why I had Aria act out a play with me! Aria was the one who took it seriously and deluded herself!” Amidst the shocked gasps of the onlookers, Jack grabbed my clothes and slapped me hard across the face. “Now I’m the one slapping you, so hate me if you want!”

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