I lost my precious hands to save my husband Jack and son Tommy. When I was about to surprise Tommy with a birthday cake, I accidentally overheard their conversation. “Dad, Mom’s hands are so gross. When can we get a new mom? I feel sick when those hands feed me.” “I like Aunt Olivia. At least she’s normal. I want her to be my new mom.” Jack had his back to me, so I couldn’t see his expression. But his tone was unusually gentle. “Be patient, Tommy. Daddy has wanted to replace Mommy for a long time…” They shared a laugh while I collapsed silently by the door. Just then, a robotic voice echoed in my mind: [Host mission complete. Points available to redeem rewards.] “I don’t want rewards. I just want my hands back.” [Understood. Initiating exchange.] Today is my son Tommy’s birthday. For the first time in years, I ventured outside, ignoring the stares, and carried a cake home in my mouth. As I approached our house, I noticed the front door was slightly ajar. Curious about what they might be discussing in my absence, I paused to listen. “Dad, where do you think Mom went?” Tommy’s small voice drifted out. I thought he might be worried about me, so I kept listening. “Your mom texted that she was getting your cake,” Jack explained gently. Hearing this, Tommy immediately freaked out: “What? How can she get a cake without hands?!” “It’ll have my name on it! Now everyone will know that freak is my mom!” “It’s so embarrassing! Why does she have to humiliate our whole family?” “Just thinking about her deformed hands touching my cake makes me want to throw up!” I expected Jack to scold Tommy for speaking that way. Instead, he just stroked Tommy’s head and smiled. “You poor thing.” Encouraged by Jack’s response, Tommy eagerly continued: “Dad, what do you think about Olivia?” “It’s Mom’s fault for being useless. You can’t divorce her, so Olivia has to sneak around! She’s waited so long!” Olivia? The name was both familiar and foreign. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of Olivia,” Jack assured him. Tommy grew excited. “So can you marry Olivia? Let her be my new mom!” My jaw clenched around the cake, teeth aching. I had begged Tommy’s favorite bakery to make this cake special, since they don’t normally do custom orders. I’d been so happy bringing it home, never imagining my own son could despise me this much. All because of my twisted, disabled hands. At least Tommy was just a child who didn’t understand. Surely Jack, as an adult, wouldn’t abandon me so callously. I was immediately proven wrong. “I’m sick of it too. Looking at those deformed hands makes me want to vomit every second. How can anyone’s hands be so hideous…” “I’ve taken care of her for years. I’ll give her a big settlement – that should clear my conscience.” “After your birthday tomorrow, I’ll ask for a divorce…”

As Jack finished speaking, he seemed to let out a sigh of relief. Tommy’s excited cheers pierced through the doorway, shattering something in my mind. My whole body went cold, the cake falling from my mouth unnoticed. Four years ago, I was an up-and-coming pianist envied by all. While camping with Jack and Tommy, an out-of-control truck came barreling towards us. In desperation, I lunged to push them out of the way, but I was a split second too late. When I opened my eyes, the two most important men in my life lay in pools of blood. The truck’s tires had crushed their legs beyond recognition. I knew that even if they survived, they would never walk again. My proud husband Jack, a titan of industry, would be devastated to lose his ability to stand. And my son Tommy was only 3 – he had his whole future ahead of him, so many paths yet to walk. They both needed their legs, while I was a pianist who could play sitting down. In that moment, I made an instant decision. “System, can you transfer their injuries to me instead?” “Host, the price for two pairs of legs is your hands. Do you still wish to proceed?” “Without hands…I…my son is only 3, he can’t lose his legs so young, he just learned to walk…” The system altered everyone’s memories. They all believed I had pushed Jack and Tommy out of the way that day. My hands were crushed beyond recognition, twisted into grotesque, nauseating shapes. But it was all voluntary – I willingly sacrificed my precious hands to keep them safe. I thought we could stay together, supporting each other for life. Even though I lost my piano and my dreams, I still had my family and my love. My life would still be happy. But reality struck a cruel blow, shattering my delusions. Tommy’s excited voice continued: “Dad, you don’t know – every time I see Mom’s twisted hands I feel like she’s a monster. I have nightmares for days…Doesn’t Mom realize how disgusting she is? Why won’t she just leave on her own!” “I was so worried you wouldn’t divorce Mom, but I’m glad I was wrong. I can’t wait to get a new mom!” Jack’s laughter was ruthless, his tone mocking: “Of course Daddy finds it disgusting too. Daddy’s a normal person. And those deformed hands ooze pus and stink. I have to clean them every day – the smell is indescribable…” “What normal woman smells like that…it kills any desire.” “I’m tired of sharing a bed with her every night.” I peeked through the door. Jack’s smug smile pierced my heart. Rooted in place, waves of pain washed over me. I struggled to hold back tears of hurt and betrayal. When your heart goes numb, does it stop hurting? They went on to discuss Olivia, but I barely registered it. My ears were ringing, my mind blank. Mechanically, I bent down to pick up the fallen cake in my mouth and pushed open the door. The previously lively home fell silent at my entrance. As I set down the cake, I didn’t miss Tommy’s look of revulsion. He said with disgust: “Why bother with this stuff? I don’t want to celebrate my birthday!” With that, he flipped the cake off the table. Frosting and cake splattered across the floor, like the pieces of my shattered heart. I wanted to grab a cloth to clean up, but remembered my useless hands hanging limply at my sides. I could only stand there staring at the mess. Jack came over with a cold expression to clean up. “If you can’t help, just stay out of the way. Don’t make more trouble.” As he cleaned, he kept glancing at his phone, replying to messages with rare tenderness in his eyes. I realized he must be chatting with that woman called Olivia. Of course. Smartphones are useless to me now except for making calls. She’s the one keeping him company through the night now, not me. With mixed emotions, I watched Jack bent over cleaning. “Who is this Olivia woman?” Jack looked up, momentarily flustered before composing himself. He met my gaze steadily. “You’re overstepping, Sophia.” I gave a bitter smile. “I’m not trying to control you. I’m just asking…” “It’s none of your business. Why don’t you worry about your own hands instead of being useless forever!” His gaze deliberately fell on my deformed hands, eyes full of contempt. I looked between him and Tommy. The two men I loved most now looked at me with nothing but disgust and disdain. But why? What right do they have? “Let’s get a divorce.” Only I have the right to end our relationship. Jack and Tommy don’t deserve that power. I gazed at Tommy, the child I carried for 9 months, with complicated emotions. I never imagined the flesh of my flesh would become the sharpest knife to pierce my heart. “Tommy, Mommy has always known you don’t like her. That you find Mommy’s hands disgusting…that you want Olivia to be your new mom. Mommy knows everything.” Tommy’s face showed no sadness, only anger at being exposed. He was too young to hide his feelings or lie. He could only yell back defiantly: “It’s your fault for being a freak! All my friends’ moms have normal pretty hands! Only your hands are gross and deformed! What’s wrong with wanting a normal mom? Since you know, just leave already!” Even though I’d already heard those hurtful words, hearing them directly from my child still made my nose sting with unshed tears. Jack made no move to stop Tommy’s cruel words. Instead, he pulled out divorce papers from his desk drawer. “Sophia, your hands became like this because of us. I’ll give you a settlement as compensation. Of course, for custody of Tommy…” My heart turned to ash. “I don’t want custody.” Jack looked surprised. Even Tommy, who had been yelling for me to leave, froze in disbelief. They all thought Tommy was precious to me. But now I was giving him up. “I wasn’t planning to give you custody anyway. Tommy doesn’t want to live with you. I’ll give you a house and $200,000 as compensation.” I laughed. The CEO of a public company offering only $200k as compensation to his ex-wife. $200k for 4 legs? How cheap. I didn’t argue further, just nodded. “Whatever. Let’s finalize the divorce quickly.” With that, I pressed my deformed fingers to the divorce papers as a signature and walked into the bedroom without looking back. I collapsed to the floor behind the closed door. The system’s voice rang out in my mind: [Detection complete. Host mission accomplished. Points available to redeem rewards.] I laughed bitterly. “Divorce counts as completing the mission?” [Living for yourself and loving yourself is the system’s mission. What reward would you like, Host?] I looked at my twisted, deformed hands, remembering how I once stood proudly on stage. I wasted so many years of youth and dreams on those two ungrateful beasts. How laughable. My expression instantly turned cold. I glanced towards the door with a sneer. “System, I don’t want a reward…” “I want their legs. I want my hands back.” 4 The system’s mechanical voice slowly responded: [Understood, Host. Initiating exchange.] [Exchange will take effect over 3 months. Full exchange complete after 3 months.] I’d endured for years. I could certainly wait 3 more months. After I proposed divorce, Jack dropped all pretense. He immediately took Tommy and left our shared home. Eager to escape the life we’d built together. Before my son left, I couldn’t help asking: “Tommy, now that Mom and Dad are divorcing, will you miss me?” He fiddled with his tablet, playing a shooting game without looking up. “Don’t ask stupid questions.” “I can’t wait to get away from you. Why would I miss you? To have nightmares?” I stiffened at his response. Right. His disgust for me was written all over his face, etched into his bones. Every moment he saw his birth mother as revolting. As a mother, I still couldn’t help advising: “Eat less junk food, play fewer games. Your grades lately…” “Not this again! When will you stop nagging?” Tommy suddenly grabbed a nearby glass and threw it at me, his face twisted with impatience. “If you’re leaving then hurry up and go! We’re divorced so you’re not my mom anymore! Stop bothering me, you freak!” I had no time to dodge, no hands to block it. The glass smashed into my forehead. A sharp pain lanced through my skull. The world seemed to grow lighter. Blood trickled down my face, along my eye sockets, like tears of blood. This was the last chance I was giving our relationship. I took a deep breath. I was done. Done with this family, the man I’d loved for nearly 10 years, even my own flesh and blood. I was letting it all go. As they were leaving, a woman appeared at our door. She had a face similar to mine, but younger and more beautiful. I recognized her – Olivia Wilson, the rising piano virtuoso. My gaze drifted down to her long, slender hands. Normal hands. “It’s an honor to meet you.” Olivia’s smile was dazzling as she deliberately extended her hand, then feigned embarrassment. “Oh, I forgot Ms. Lee is disabled. I wanted to shake hands!” “Such a shame. I heard from Jack that you used to play piano beautifully. But now…” Olivia’s eyes kept darting to the hands I tried to hide behind my back. For the first time, I wanted to completely conceal my weakness. But there was nowhere to hide. “The real homewrecker is the one who isn’t loved. Ms. Lee, you’ve overstayed your welcome as Mrs. Sullivan. Using guilt to cling to your position isn’t right. Oh, and don’t forget to come to Jack and I’s wedding!” Olivia proudly displayed the heart-shaped diamond on her finger. Seeing that ring on her slender hand, I froze for a moment. My heart skipped a beat. When Jack and I were dating, he often cradled my hands, kissing each knuckle. He promised that once he made it big, he’d buy me a huge heart-shaped diamond. Now he’d achieved success and bought the ring – but not for me. His love was so cheap, given to whoever he pleased. I once treasured it like gold. How foolish. “Congratulations,” I said coolly to the woman before me. She was so much like me. And yet not me at all. I’d just escaped the prison of marriage. I could only congratulate this woman for eagerly jumping in. “I heard from Tommy that you actually agreed to divorce Jack right away.” Olivia’s tone dripped with sarcasm. “Don’t think our compensation is too little. A useless cripple like you should be grateful Jack supported you at all. We’re being more than fair – anyone else wouldn’t give you a cent.” “Thank you so much then.” I replied flatly, too tired to argue further. I turned to leave. No rush. After all, my lost hands were gradually being restored. My new life was just beginning. Jack and Tommy could enjoy their last taste of freedom while it lasted. 5 After they left, the whole house fell silent. It felt empty, yet somehow safer. I struggled to pack up the few remaining things of theirs, throwing it all away. Even our old family photos went straight into the trash without a second glance.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296009”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring #惊悚Thriller #魔幻Magic #后宫Harem

I had been in a mutually torturous marriage with Blake Johnson for three years when I developed a mild illness. It wouldn’t kill me, but my memories would slowly fade away. Then one day, after Blake had broken my heart once again, I looked up at him in confusion and asked, “I’m sorry, who are you again?” Blake’s towering posture didn’t change, but his gaze toward me carried a hint of contempt and impatience: “Zoe Lin, how many times are you going to play this game?” I stared at him with bewildered eyes. “You know my name?” Blake’s patience was exhausted. He coldly picked up his coat and headed for the door. “If your brain’s not working right, go to the hospital. How many times are you going to pretend to have amnesia? I have work at the company. You can eat dinner by yourself.” I watched in confusion as the man stormed out, seemingly furious with me. Unfortunately, I really had no memory of him in my mind. I only remembered that yesterday I should have been working part-time at a bubble tea shop outside the university. How did I end up in this strange place today, with a strange man? Thinking about it wouldn’t solve anything, so I found my phone and called my best friend. The call was rejected twice before finally connecting on the third try. I quickly spoke up: “Hello, Mia? Where are you? I think I’m lost. I’m in a completely unfamiliar place and there’s a strange man saying all sorts of nonsense. Most importantly! I think I might have been kidnapped!” Instead of Mia’s anxious voice as I had hoped, the other end of the line was filled with cold mockery: “Well, well, our Mrs. Johnson who married into a wealthy family still has time to call me? What a surprise.” I was baffled: “Mia, what are you talking about? What Mrs. Johnson? What marrying into wealth? I don’t understand what you’re saying at all.” Mia’s voice lost some of its earlier coldness, becoming hesitant: “Zoe Lin, I’m not that idiot husband of yours. Do you really need to act this convincingly with me?” “Mia… what act? I really don’t know what’s going on.” The other end of the line was silent for a long while before Mia’s voice sounded again: “Don’t move. Just wait for me in that room.” “Okay!” After hanging up with Mia, I felt like I had found an anchor and calmed down enough to survey my surroundings. The luxurious decor and furniture all suggested that the owner of this house seemed to be quite wealthy. Thinking back to the man from earlier, and what Mia had said on the phone. I covered my mouth in surprise, flashes of countless novel scenes running through my mind. But I shook my head to dispel them. The house was decorated very simply, though not to my taste. It must be someone else’s home. This was too absurd. Mia arrived quickly. When she knocked on the door, I was observing the fish tank in the living room. As soon as I opened the door, I saw a more mature and bold version of Mia. The familiar long hair I knew had become a sleek bob, and her lips were painted a fiery red. I exclaimed in surprise: “Mia… you…” Mia’s face was icy cold. She didn’t wait for me to finish before pulling me away. At the hospital. Mia frowned deeply, her expression displeased as she looked at the report in her hand: “So you’re saying she’s sick and has amnesia?” The doctor explained using a bunch of terms I didn’t understand, then pointed at my brain CT scan and said with certainty: “That’s right. Her condition has likely been ongoing for some time, and the symptoms of memory loss have probably been present for a while too. If not treated promptly, she may continue to forget more.” I sat to the side listening to their conversation with a bewildered expression. Amnesia? Illness? I just went to sleep, how did the world change so much? After learning about my amnesia, Mia’s expression softened somewhat, though her brow remained tightly furrowed. At least she no longer looked as cold as ice like when we first met. Leaving the hospital, I tentatively grabbed Mia’s hand. Seeing that she didn’t shake me off, I carefully opened my mouth: “Mia, I just found out I’m sick too. I have no memory of losing my memories. If I upset you before, I’m sorry. Please forgive me.” As I said this, for some reason, I felt a sudden lightness in my heart. Mia looked at me for a long time without speaking, but she also didn’t give me the cold shoulder anymore. “So what are you planning to do next?” Mia suddenly asked. I was caught off guard by her question. Then I thought of the man who had spoken to me so strangely this morning. Just thinking that man might be my husband gave me goosebumps all over. “First, let’s deal with that man.” Mia stared at me intently: “How do you plan to deal with him?” Looking at Mia’s strangely determined face, I hesitantly spoke up: “D-divorce?” “Let’s go. We’ll do it right now.” “Eh… I…” Before I could react, Mia was already pulling me along. Again with this. Mia seemed to have become quite decisive and efficient. When we arrived at the company, Mia and I had just reached the entrance when we were stopped by the security guards. “Mrs. Johnson, the CEO isn’t in the office right now. Please make an appointment and come back another time.” Judging by how practiced this seemed, it probably wasn’t the first time they had stopped me. A wife needing an appointment to see her husband. How interesting. I turned to Mia awkwardly: “Looks like we won’t be able to see him today.” It was my fault for making Mia come all this way for nothing. Mia stood with her arms crossed, her expression blank as she looked at me: “You’re quite the pathetic rich man’s wife, aren’t you?” I laughed sheepishly, using my amnesia as an excuse: “I forgot, okay?” Mia let out a cold laugh: “Alright, let’s go.” Just as she finished speaking and we were about to leave, a girl in a white dress with an extraordinary aura walked towards us. Mia’s expression changed, her already expressionless face growing even colder. I looked up in confusion to see the girl slowly approaching me. “Zoe, what a coincidence to run into you here. Are you here to see Blake too? Why don’t we go in together?” Although I didn’t know who this girl was, based on the current situation and what Mia had told me in the car earlier, I guessed she must be my husband’s beloved mistress. But needing to go through the mistress for the wife to see her husband… that did seem quite pathetic. “Fake sincerity.” Mia directly blocked my way. The girl seemed startled, tears quickly filling her eyes: “I-I’m sorry… I just… I just wanted to help Zoe…” I was shocked by how quickly the girl’s expression changed: “Uh, please don’t cry…” “Zoe Lin!” Hearing someone call my name, I instinctively turned my head. I saw the man I had met this afternoon, angrily striding towards me. “Why are you bullying Lily again!” He then shielded the girl from earlier behind him and started berating me. This was my husband in name. I instinctively said quietly: “I didn’t…” “You didn’t? How could you not have? If you didn’t do anything, why is Lily crying!” I was stunned for a moment, then seemed to come to my senses: “Why don’t you ask her? How would I know why she’s crying? I’m not a mind reader.” “You! Twisting words!” Blake patiently comforted the girl, his face showing a gentleness completely different from how he had faced me earlier. I didn’t understand why he harbored such hostility towards me. Moreover, we were still married. “Didn’t I tell you not to come to the company unless it’s important? What are you doing here?” After consoling his girlfriend, Blake resumed his cold and disdainful demeanor when facing me. Mia couldn’t stand it anymore: “Blake Johnson, what do you mean by this!” Blake’s face was icy: “Don’t you know what I mean? No matter why you came here, making Lily cry is your fault. Apologize to her right now.” Mia was about to step forward, but I stopped her. Then I walked in front of her, looked at the tearful girl, and spoke softly: “I’m sorry. Whatever the reason, it’s my fault for making you cry.” The girl was stunned, surprise evident on her face. “You…” Blake also seemed surprised by how quickly I apologized, but he just frowned slightly. “What trick are you trying to pull now?” I looked at him: “No tricks. I just want to talk to you about getting a divorce.” As soon as the word “divorce” came out. Blake let out a sneer, looking at me with contempt in his eyes: “Zoe Lin, how long are you going to play this divorce game?” “It’s for real,” Mia suddenly spoke up for me from behind. Blake turned to look at her, suddenly laughing: “And who are you to say anything?” ? I suddenly bristled: “Excuse me, who do you think you are to be yelling like this? I’m really sorry to say this, but you’ve got some nerve. You keep a mistress and it gives you a superiority complex? I said divorce and you can’t understand? Why do you like sneaking around with a mistress so much? You just like the thrill of it?” Blake and Lily were stunned by my outburst. People were coming and going at the company entrance. Lily’s face turned bright red as she shook off Blake’s hand and ran away. Blake’s expression wasn’t much better, but all he could do was rage impotently: “Zoe Lin!” I smiled sweetly: “I’m right here. Tomorrow morning at 9, at the civil affairs bureau. Don’t stand me up.” With that, I pulled Mia away and left. After we had walked quite far, Mia calmly gave me a thumbs up: “I didn’t know you had it in you to tell someone off like that.” I scratched my head and smiled: “Well, he was insulting you.” Mia looked at me for a long time without speaking. I fidgeted nervously with my fingers: “What’s wrong? Did I used to yell at you too?” Mia said flatly: “No. Let’s go, we’ll head to my place first.” After talking with Mia all night, I still found this marriage baffling. Mia’s knowledge was limited too. She didn’t know much about how I ended up marrying Blake, or why I hadn’t divorced him even after he openly took a mistress. She only knew that I had inexplicably married into a wealthy family, and then gradually distanced myself from her at the family’s urging, until we had a falling out. I was curious, but we both agreed that divorcing Blake was the most sensible option right now. After a very comfortable night’s sleep at Mia’s place, she drove me back to the Johnson house the next day. There was no other choice, as all my documents were still there. Mia waited downstairs while I ransacked the Johnson house. Luckily, I managed to find what I needed. Just as I was getting up from the mess, I ran right into Blake’s eyes. Blake’s face was mocking: “Stealing from your own home?” Having lost my memories, I had no recollection or attachment to this house. So I instinctively felt awkward and out of place. And I had the misfortune of running into the man of the house. I smiled nervously, waving the documents in my hand: “Civil affairs bureau. Don’t stand me up.” Blake laughed a couple times, no longer paying me any attention. But just as I was about to leave, he suddenly turned back to look at me. “There’s a family gathering this weekend. My mom wants me to bring you along.” I turned around, feeling confused: “What about the divorce?” Blake no longer looked at me, turning to walk inside: “We’ll talk about it when there’s time. A few more days won’t kill you, right?” “No,” I called out to stop him. Blake’s footsteps halted. “Give me a specific date for the divorce.” He stood still, silent for a long while. “Fine. Next Monday then, right after the family gathering.” His voice was cold, devoid of any emotion. “Okay,” I heard myself say. “I recorded that. Don’t go back on your word.” With that, I strode out confidently. I didn’t notice Blake turning to watch me for a long time as I left. Mia was still waiting for me downstairs. When she saw me come out, she walked over. “What took you so long?” I pointed upstairs: “Ran into that jerk. Got held up a bit. He insists I go to some family gathering with him, but I didn’t lose out. I got a specific date for the divorce, so he can’t back out now.” “We agreed that as soon as the family gathering is over, we’ll get divorced.” I was talking excitedly, not noticing Mia’s increasingly furrowed brow. “You can’t go.” “Why not?” “I’m worried his family will all treat you badly. I’m afraid you’ll get bullied if you go.” I shook Mia’s hand: “It’s fine, it’s just for a little while. It’s not like I’ll lose anything. Don’t worry, I won’t let anyone bully me.” “I’m afraid…” “It’s okay,” I looked at Mia. “I have to face these things myself eventually.” Mia nodded reluctantly. “Alright then.” The weekend arrived quickly. Mia dropped me off at the Johnson house. Blake’s car was already waiting at the front gate. I waved goodbye to Mia before getting into Blake’s car. In the car, the two of us sat in awkward silence. After a long while, Blake finally spoke first: “When did you two… make up?” Although I didn’t really want to talk to this jerk, I still answered him out of politeness. “None of your business.” Blake: … The conversation ended, and the car returned to its previous silence. After a while, Blake stretched his arms as if bored, surreptitiously glancing at me. “Wonder what food they’ll have at home.” I closed my eyes to rest, ignoring him completely. Pretending I didn’t hear anything. Until Blake “accidentally” bumped into me. I opened my eyes impatiently: “How would I know? I’m not the family chef. Besides, what do you care what food there is? All you do is eat, eat, eat anyway.” Blake got what he wanted and shut up. This guy just needed to be told off. The driver in front couldn’t help but laugh at our interaction. ———-Cut-off point———- He couldn’t help but remark: “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the young master so flustered.” Hmm. Speechless. The car fell blissfully silent after that. Blake didn’t say another word until we got out of the car. I was happy for the peace and quiet. The Johnson family’s main residence was huge. I couldn’t help but marvel again at the fact that I had really married into such wealth. As soon as we entered, before I could get a good look around, many people came up to greet us. Using my amnesia as an excuse since I didn’t recognize anyone, I just smiled politely at everyone. It wasn’t until Blake called one woman “Mom” that I realized which one was my mother-in-law in name. But when she turned around and I saw her face clearly, I was shocked. How could it be her? My breathing quickened. Blake’s mother. My current mother-in-law. Was actually the wealthy lady who had been quietly supporting me all this time. I was even more confused now, my head feeling like it might explode. What exactly had happened? Why had I become so entangled with her son? Perhaps I had been lost in thought for too long, because Blake suddenly pulled me over. “Mom, Zoe and I came back together.” The woman immediately took my hand: “Zoe’s back too. It’s been so long since I’ve seen you, you’ve gotten thinner. Come here and let Mom have a good look at you.” I froze, barely able to maintain the smile on my face. “I’m fine…” But I didn’t have the courage to call her “Mom.” Before this, during the darkest period of my life. When I was being bullied and humiliated by the other kids at the orphanage, she had been the only one willing to support me, coming like a ray of light. How I had longed to call her “Mom” back then. But it shouldn’t have been in this role. “How could that be? I’ve been taking such good care of her, she’s actually gained weight. If anything, look at your son – I’m the one who’s gotten thinner.” Blake’s attitude towards me changed completely from his earlier coldness. He walked over familiarly, trying to take my hand. “Isn’t that right, Zoe?” There was something in his eyes that I couldn’t understand. I didn’t know what he meant, and I didn’t want to play along with his act. The moment his large hand was about to envelop mine, I instinctively pulled away. Blake’s expression froze for an instant. Mrs. Johnson acted as if she hadn’t noticed our little interaction, pulling me inside: “Never mind him, let’s go in.” Once inside, we were faced with a large group of family members. Perhaps the shock from Mrs. Johnson had been too great. Looking at so many people, I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Before she could lead me to a seat, I frantically ran out. “Excuse me for a moment, I need to use the restroom.” The Johnson family’s courtyard was very large. As I ran to the front, a bamboo grove came into view, with a small river behind it. I actually had no idea where the restroom was. I just purely wanted to come out for some fresh air. The air here was very good. I took deep breaths, trying to alleviate my earlier discomfort. I desperately wanted to recover my lost memories. No one wanted to know why I had married into the Johnson family more than I did right now. “Zoe Lin.” A familiar cold voice interrupted my thoughts. I turned around, and sure enough, it was Blake. Before he could speak, I was already impatient: “What, you again? You’re quite persistent, aren’t you?” Blake’s words got stuck in his throat. “I can’t even leave for a moment? What, your family can’t function without me around?” “Besides, we’re about to get divorced. Your family will find out sooner or later anyway. Why bother putting on this fake ‘happy couple’ act? I hope today’s incident won’t happen again.” I was referring to his attempt to hold my hand earlier. Blake frowned, taking a while to react before laughing instead of getting angry: “Zoe Lin, wasn’t all this what you wanted? Now you’re acting all high and mighty!” His expression was both annoyed and urgent, as if he needed to confirm something: “I’ve told you many times, stop with all these ridiculous games. The person I love isn’t you – why can’t you understand that!” I just found it baffling. “Oh,” I said expressionlessly. “Let me remind you again, we’re about to get divorced. You can love whoever you want, I don’t care.” Blake met my emotionless gaze, froze for a few seconds, then suddenly said viciously: “Zoe Lin, you’d better keep your word.” With that, he walked away. I rolled my eyes in exasperation. “I’ll definitely do what I say. Whoever goes back on their word is a loser!” I shouted at his retreating back. Blake didn’t turn around, but his strides became even larger. When I went back inside, I didn’t see Mrs. Johnson. A servant led me to the banquet hall. Mrs. Johnson saw me come in and smiled, waving me over: “Zoe’s here, come sit by Mom.” After I sat down next to her, she carefully inquired about my health. “It’s nothing serious,” I nodded slightly at her. “I might have just gotten a bit carsick.” “That’s good.” Mrs. Johnson gently patted my hand. I sat there uncomfortably until the banquet began. Glancing around briefly, I noticed Blake was nowhere to be seen. Mrs. Johnson had clearly noticed this issue too: “Where did Blake go?” The people below all said they hadn’t seen him. Mrs. Johnson slowly shifted her gaze to me. I smiled, saying directly: “I don’t know either.” Mrs. Johnson was clearly startled by my frankness, but quickly recovered: “He might have gotten tied up with work and couldn’t get away. Let’s not wait for him then.” I nodded. The food the Johnson family had prepared was actually quite good. I was just about to dig in when I noticed Mrs. Johnson’s unpleasant expression out of the corner of my eye. I politely inquired: “Is something wrong?” Mrs. Johnson lowered her voice: “What was that about earlier? As Blake’s wife, how could you not cover for him and save face?” I asked sincerely: “Then what should I have said?” Mrs. Johnson couldn’t be bothered with me anymore, saying casually: “Just eat.” Oh. After the meal, there was still no sign of Blake. I didn’t care. I was planning to go back to my room for a nap. Led by a servant, I found the room the Johnson family had prepared for Blake and me to rest in. Just as I was about to take a nice nap, a servant knocked on the door, saying Mrs. Johnson wanted to see me. When I got to Mrs. Johnson’s room, I saw Blake, who had been missing for the entire banquet. Holding back a yawn, I politely asked: “Did you need something?” Mrs. Johnson’s expression was no longer as warm as when we first met, carrying a hint of sternness: “Blake tells me you’ve been acting up again lately.” The Mrs. Johnson in front of me was completely different from the Mrs. Johnson I knew. I could only nod and speak frankly: “I want to divorce him.” Blake turned his head to look at me deeply. “Are you going to make a scene in front of my mother too? Don’t you feel ashamed, Zoe Lin?” His voice was icy cold and harsh. But it couldn’t hurt me at all. Seeing that Mrs. Johnson wasn’t going to speak up for me, I had no choice but to face Blake directly. “I’ve had a question since yesterday that I hope you can answer for me.” Blake: “What?” “Why exactly are you so confident? So confident that even when I’ve clearly said I don’t like you and want to divorce you, you still think I’m just making a fuss.” Ignoring Mrs. Johnson and Blake’s unpleasant expressions, I continued: “What do I need to do to prove it? What do I need to do for you to take me seriously when I’m trying to discuss this with you?” “Is this the manners of the Johnson family’s eldest son? Not even having the most basic respect for another person.” “Respect?” Blake suddenly sneered. “I think you’ve taken this amnesia act too far. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten how you used to beg me to love you? Respect? What right does someone as lowly as you have to talk to me about respect?” “Zoe Lin, every inch of your body was paid for by our Johnson family. What gives you the right to talk to me about respect?” Blake got more and more worked up as he spoke, as if he had regained the upper hand. “That’s enough, Blake. Zoe is your wife after all. Why say such things?” Mrs. Johnson finally spoke up. But her expression was indifferent. She seemed to be scolding Blake, but was actually warning me. This was blatant humiliation. I took a deep breath. “How much?” Blake frowned: “What?” “How much? How much money have I cost you over the years?” Although I didn’t believe I would become the kind of person who only cared about money. But the fact that I had married Blake was true. If I had accidentally spent his money, it should be understandable. “Make an itemized list. I’ll pay you back in full after the divorce.” This time Blake was stunned. “Fine, you’ve really outdone yourself Zoe Lin. I’ll make a detailed list for you. I’ll be waiting for you to pay me back.” With that, he stormed out, slamming the door behind him. Mrs. Johnson let out a long sigh. Before she could speak, I said first: “You too.” Mrs. Johnson: “Hm?” “You make an itemized list too. You’ve been supporting me since I was little. It’s time for me to repay you now.” Mrs. Johnson was taken aback, unconsciously calling out to me: “Zoe, are you… are you trying to cut ties with me too?” I lowered my head silently, holding back tears. “It’s normal for men to make some mistakes outside. Why can’t you be more flexible, Zoe?” Mrs. Johnson was still trying to persuade me. “Go back for now. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear anything about a divorce.” “No…” I had barely gotten a word out when Mrs. Johnson shut me down. “Zoe Lin, how many times are you going to make a fuss about divorce? The Johnson family has treated you so well, what more could you possibly be unsatisfied with? I supported you for so many years, and you think you can just pay me off with money? Let me tell you, what you owe me, you’ll never be able to repay in this lifetime!” I stood there frozen. These words felt so familiar. Looking at Mrs. Johnson’s bitter and sarcastic face. The gentle and kind image of Mrs. Johnson in my memories was crumbling bit by bit. The person who had tenderly held my hand was gradually becoming blurry. I don’t remember how I left the Johnson house. By the time I came to my senses, I was already in the car with Blake heading home. Before we left, Mrs. Johnson and Blake had whispered to each other outside the car. I didn’t care at all. After getting in the car, Blake’s expression wasn’t as unpleasant as before. He even took the initiative to talk to me. “You acted pretty convincingly this time. But I still advise you not to waste your efforts. Lily is the only one in my heart. No matter what you do, it won’t change anything.” Looking at Blake’s faintly smug face, I fell into deep thought. Shouldn’t a man who has found true love harshly reject a clingy ex who won’t let go? But why did he seem to be rejoicing that I was just acting? The more I thought about it, the more my head hurt. I simply closed my eyes to rest. Yes. I owed Mrs. Johnson too much. More than I could ever repay. So she took away my marriage. And I couldn’t say anything. Back at Blake’s villa. I called Mia first to briefly report the situation to her. Mia was furious on the other end of the phone: “No wonder you wouldn’t divorce him. So that was the root of it. If you ask me, you shouldn’t have such a strong moral compass. She’s emotionally blackmailing you, you might as well just be an ungrateful bitch.” Now that everything was out in the open, Mia had reverted to her former chatty self. I stayed silent. Mrs. Johnson had always been different for me. “It’s fine. Looking at it from another perspective, I’m rich and free now, and my husband doesn’t even come home. How blissful.” Mia was quiet for a moment before asking: “How much does he give you each month?” I opened my banking app, took a look, and told her a number that nearly made my jaw drop. Mia: “Actually, I don’t think you absolutely have to get divorced.” She made me laugh. “Alright, you get some good rest today.” After chatting for a long time, Mia and I reluctantly hung up. Just as I was about to get some proper rest, I realized Blake was standing silently at my bedroom door. Startled me. “Need something?” Blake shook his head, but walked straight in. He casually opened the closet and started changing clothes. ? How shameless. Thinking this was his home, and I didn’t really have the right to make him leave, so I left first. Blake spoke coldly behind me: “Where are you going?” I turned back in a daze: “Aren’t you changing clothes? I’m giving you some space.” “It’s not like you haven’t seen it before.” But I haven’t seen it. Unfortunately, Blake wouldn’t believe me even if I said so. After this incident, I decided to choose a guest room with better lighting as my bedroom. When Blake found out about this, he didn’t seem to have much of a reaction, so I took it as his tacit approval. We continued like this peacefully for a week. One evening at dinner time, Blake didn’t come home. I didn’t wait for him either. He was probably with his true love. I guessed. In the middle of the night, as I was sleeping hazily, I felt someone standing by my bed. I opened my eyes and there really was someone there. I blurted out a curse. Turning on the light, I saw it was Blake. Having been woken up in the middle of the night, I was deeply resentful: “Are you sick? Standing by someone’s bed in the middle of the night?” Blake stared at my face without speaking. “Weirdo.” I cursed once more before turning over to go back to sleep. “Today, you didn’t send me a text message.” ? What text message? I was so tired I didn’t want to deal with him at all. “If you’re sick, go to the hospital. If you’re lacking love, go find your mistress.” With that, I fell asleep again, not caring if anyone was still there. Hearing my faint snoring, Blake seemed to laugh. “Mistress… looks like you still care after all.” Early the next morning when I woke up, I wanted to confront Blake, but found he had left very early. He got away quickly. After breakfast, I continued my job search. Ever since Blake had told me to pay him back, I had become wary. But after applying to several companies in my field, they all rejected me as soon as they heard my name. I knew Blake and his mother had probably warned them off. They didn’t dare offend the Johnson family, so they wouldn’t hire me. Perhaps this was why I hadn’t been able to find work all these years. But I couldn’t give up. I had to keep trying. Sitting around passively would only make things worse. After searching for a very long time, I finally found a company willing to let me come in for a trial. I was overjoyed and excitedly told Mia about it. “What did you say the company was called?” “Starlight. Why, have you heard of it?” Mia: “Have I heard of it? Starlight was founded single-handedly by the second young master of the Gu family. You forgot about the Gu family? They’re your Johnson family’s biggest rivals in Jianghai.” I pondered for a while. “No wonder they dared to hire me. But I think it’s more likely they want to see the Johnson family make fools of themselves.” “You really plan to go?” “Of course. It’s not easy to get an opportunity, I can’t miss it. Besides, the enemy of my enemy is my friend!” The interview was scheduled for an afternoon a few days later. I went over the professional knowledge in my mind again and again, and put on an outfit I thought was appropriate, before taking a taxi to the interview location. There were far more people interviewing than I had expected. Either bright-eyed college students, or experienced professionals in crisp suits. Looking around, I seemed to be the most ordinary one here. I sighed slightly, thinking I might really be wasting my time today. Sitting outside waiting, I was still a bit nervous. But when the impassive interviewer across from me fired question after question at me. I calmly answered them all. Afterwards, the interviewer nodded and told me to go home and wait for news. I breathed a sigh of relief. At least I had passed this round. When I got home, Blake was sitting on the couch waiting for me. Seeing his expression wasn’t great, I didn’t want to be bothered by him and just wanted to quickly get back to my room.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296008”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring #惊悚Thriller #魔幻Magic #后宫Harem

Emma Thompson and Lucas Graham had known each other since childhood, their families close for generations. When Lucas’s family went bankrupt, Emma’s parents stepped in to help, covering their debts and supporting them financially. Emma stood by Lucas through college, helping him get into a top university and later paving the way for his career. Their marriage seemed inevitable, a natural progression of their relationship. When Lucas expressed his desire for children, Emma put her thriving career on hold to focus on starting a family. But her world shattered when she stumbled upon a photo of Lucas embracing Lily Chen, her family’s former housekeeper’s daughter, on a luxurious vacation in Dubai. The image of their passionate kiss burned into her mind. Confronting Lucas only led to Emma being locked in the basement. Helpless, she was forced to watch as Lucas and Lily sold off her family’s assets and orchestrated her parents’ deaths. While they lived happily as a family of four, Emma died alone, filled with hatred and regret. But fate had other plans. Emma opened her eyes to find herself back in time, before it all began. Emma and Lucas’s families had agreed they would marry when they were still children. The summer Emma graduated from middle school, Lucas’s family company went bankrupt due to his father’s mismanagement. Unable to bear the massive debt, Lucas’s father took his own life. Emma’s parents, seeing Lucas and his mother in such a pitiful state, paid off their debts and took on all their expenses. In other words, Emma’s family was supporting them entirely. After graduating from university, Lucas started working at Emma’s family company, and they got married. Emma’s parents had good intentions, but they had raised two ungrateful wolves. Lucas and his mother resented Emma’s parents for not paying off their debts before Lucas’s father’s suicide. They conspired with others to cause the deaths of Emma’s parents. Lucas even caused Emma to become infertile, using her guilt to take control of her family’s company. By the time Emma discovered all of this, Lucas and his mistress already had two children. That day, after countless attempts at IVF, Emma finally succeeded in getting pregnant. Overjoyed, she rushed downstairs to share the news with her beloved husband. It was also the day her family’s company declared bankruptcy. Lucas, finally free from having to keep up appearances with Emma, brought his children to meet her. Emma stood frozen at the bottom of the stairs, staring at the happy family of four. The two children looked just like Lucas; she couldn’t deny the truth even if she wanted to. “Lucas, who are they?” Emma asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “My wife and sons,” Lucas replied coldly. Lily Chen, heavily pregnant, walked over to Emma’s side, step by step. She was the daughter of Emma’s former housekeeper. “Well, well, little rich girl. Not so rich anymore, are you?” Lily sneered. “Your family’s fortune is mine now, and your man loves me.” She snatched the medical report from Emma’s hand. “Oh my! You’re pregnant?! After all those birth control pills, how did that happen?!” Birth control pills? Emma had never taken any. Suddenly, she remembered the vitamins Lucas had always prepared for her, constantly reminding her to take them. Emma turned to confront Lucas, but Lily shoved her down the stairs. Instinctively, Emma tried to protect her stomach, but it was futile. As pain ripped through her abdomen, Emma struggled to ask Lucas to take her to the hospital. She saw Lucas covering his sons’ eyes, looking at her as if she were trash. “Please… help me…” Emma begged. No one moved to assist her. As she felt blood pooling between her legs, her body growing colder by the second, Emma heard Lucas’s voice. “Finally dead. If only she had been in the car with those two old fools, we wouldn’t have had to deal with all this trouble.” “Emma?” “How dare you daydream during Mrs. Zhang’s class?” Emma found herself sitting in her high school classroom, as if waking from a long dream. She was back in her senior year of high school. “Lily Chen.” Hearing that name again, Emma’s hand clenched tightly around her pen. Lily stood up confidently, her high ponytail swinging as she answered the teacher’s question. Emma turned her head slightly, catching a glimpse of Lucas through Lily’s arms. And the look of adoration in his eyes. So Lucas had fallen for Lily even back then. Lucas and Lily had consistently held the top two spots in their grade. In her previous life, they had ended up at the same university. Emma had thought Lucas fell for Lily during college, but it seemed to have started much earlier. Actually, at the beginning of high school, Emma had been the top student. She used to outperform the second-place student by dozens of points. But Lucas would always tell her that constantly outscoring him made him anxious. He said that with her family’s wealth, whether she went to university or not wouldn’t make much difference. He claimed that his feelings for her wouldn’t change regardless of her grades, and encouraged her to enjoy life instead of studying so hard. Gradually, influenced by him, Emma only managed to get into an average university for her college entrance exam. Meanwhile, Lucas and Lily were admitted to the country’s top university. After they married, Emma’s ordinary degree became a reason for Lucas’s mother to look down on her. An average university graduate wasn’t good enough for her son from a top university. Now, Emma couldn’t believe how foolish she had been. Why had she pinned her entire future on a man? Especially one who relied on her family’s support. During the break, Emma buried herself in her textbooks. Although she hadn’t completely neglected her studies in her previous life, she hadn’t been as diligent as she had been in her first year of high school. Given a second chance, she was determined to make up for lost time. Her deskmate nudged her arm. Lucas was approaching. “Emma, this is for you,” he said, holding out a star-shaped bottle. Just like in her previous life, Emma noticed the reluctance hidden in Lucas’s eyes. “Thanks,” she replied flatly. As if he had completed a task he’d rather avoid, Lucas turned and left without another word. Emma carelessly placed the bottle on her desk and returned to her studies. Her deskmate stared at the bottle for a moment before poking Emma again. “Emma, about that star bottle…” “What about it?” “I think I’ve seen one just like it with Lily…” Emma nodded, appearing to focus on her book while listening intently and keeping an eye on Lily from the corner of her vision. She watched as Lily listened to Lucas explain a problem, her face flushed with shy adoration. Emma also overheard Lucas’s friends talking. “What’s up with Emma today? She’s so calm.” “Yeah! Lucas gave her a gift, hand-delivered! Shouldn’t she be crying with joy?” “You don’t think she knows it’s the one Lily didn’t want, do you?” “As if! Lily’s leftovers are too good for her!” Emma remembered how in her previous life, she had reacted exactly as Lucas’s friends expected. She had been overjoyed, crying tears of happiness. It had been one of the few gifts Lucas had ever given her. That day, she had posted about it on all her social media accounts. Back then, her deskmate had said the same thing, but Emma had furiously denied it. Emma turned to her deskmate with a guilty look. Her deskmate, still with baby fat on her cheeks, looked alarmed and crossed her arms. “I’m straight, just so you know!” Way to ruin the moment. Emma went back to her studies. After school, Emma couldn’t wait to get home. She missed her parents terribly. She also wanted to tell them that she wanted to break off the engagement, that Lucas and his mother were ungrateful leeches. Emma rushed into the house, but couldn’t find her parents anywhere. She asked the housekeeper, “Where are Mom and Dad?” “Miss, don’t you remember? Mr. and Mrs. Thompson went abroad. They won’t be back for another two weeks.” Right, Emma had forgotten. She also realized something else. Her father had always valued loyalty and friendship. He and Lucas’s father had been best friends, which was why he had paid off their debts after Lucas’s father died.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296007”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring #惊悚Thriller #魔幻Magic #后宫Harem

Two months after our wedding, my husband Lucas suggested we split all our bills equally. Living expenses, supporting our parents, social obligations, raising children – everything was to be split 50/50. I accepted. Later, he couldn’t handle it himself. He begged me to support him! I kicked him out. “Get lost, you jerk!” My dad fell ill. The doctor informed me that after deducting the health insurance coverage, we still needed to pay over $15,000 for the surgery. I regretted buying a new car just last month. I called my husband, Lucas. “Honey, can you lend me $15,000? My dad needs surgery.” “We agreed to split our expenses equally, remember? We’re each responsible for our own families,” Lucas replied, his tone colder than that of a casual acquaintance. I gritted my teeth, trying to stay calm. “I said ‘lend.’ I’ll pay you back!” “I don’t have it. Figure it out yourself.” He hung up without even a word of concern. Furious, I threw my bag onto the chair. What a piece of trash I had chosen! “Amelia, did you manage to borrow the money?” My mom asked, having heard the commotion. “Yes, don’t worry!” I lied. Left with no choice, I called my boss at work. “Boss, I have about $10,000 in commissions from last quarter that haven’t been paid out yet. I was wondering if I could get an advance.” “What happened?” he asked. I explained my dad’s situation. “Alright, I’ll make an exception. If you need more, I can lend you some personally.” Seeing $15,000 deposited into my account, I covered my face and cried. What had marriage given me? Nothing but a mess. The respect and trust I earned through my own hard work and perseverance were worth so much more.

Four years ago, I married Lucas. I was blinded by love, captivated by his good looks since college. Even though my parents objected, thinking Lucas wasn’t reliable enough. Even though Lucas’s family didn’t offer a bride price, I thought love was priceless. Even though I had to bring a house as a dowry, I was willing. But after the wedding, he proposed splitting all our expenses equally. Living expenses, supporting parents, social obligations, raising children – everything was to be split 50/50. I was shocked and didn’t understand. Although we both worked and had our own incomes, I had never asked him for living expenses. We just lived casually. Occasionally, I would pay for utilities, he would pay for gas. I would buy groceries, he would buy daily necessities. I didn’t like to fuss over details and never calculated who paid more. But Lucas kept a little notebook, recording every expense. After two months, I guess he felt he was losing out. But aren’t couples supposed to weather storms together? Did we need to be so calculative? Lucas, however, had his arguments to convince me. “Many people in Western countries do this. It’s progressive and can reduce conflicts.” “But it feels like we’re business partners, not a married couple,” I protested. “Marriage is about choosing the most suitable partner. Besides love, we need to think long-term.” I started to reflect on our dating process, realizing I might have spent more. But I had never calculated it. Since that was the case, I decided to give it a try. From then on, Lucas recorded every bill, and we split them equally, accurate to two decimal places.

A year later, I got pregnant. I had severe morning sickness and had to stay at home after six months of pregnancy. I applied for unpaid leave from work, as my maternity leave hadn’t started yet. Lucas’s face was very dark during that period. I thought he was worried about my health, but it turned out he was concerned about my income. “We agreed to split expenses, remember? You haven’t been paid for months, and I can’t help you,” he said. I frowned. This was even harsher than settling accounts between siblings. Seeing that I didn’t respond, Lucas hurriedly explained. “You still have some savings, right? It should be enough for a few months.” I made a list including formula, diapers, baby clothes, bottles, strollers, and more. “We need to buy all these. It’s a significant expense. You buy them first, and I’ll pay you back later.” Lucas’s frown deepened. He clearly hadn’t planned for this. “It’s so expensive. I don’t have money either.” “Where did your money go?” I asked. Lucas glared at me, displeased. “We agreed to split expenses, remember? We don’t interfere with each other’s spending.” “Split, split! So for having a baby, should I be pregnant for 5 months, then hand it over to you for the next 5 months? I had to take unpaid leave to have this baby, and you don’t consider me at all. You just keep talking about splitting!” Lucas looked at me incredulously. “I can’t help you with childbirth. It’s not that I don’t want to.” “But you can help with the expenses, and you won’t?” “We agreed to split, didn’t we?” I grabbed a pillow and threw it at him. “Get out! If you won’t cover it, I’ll just starve. We can all starve together!” Lucas muttered dissatisfaction as he slowly left the room. I heard him making a phone call in the next room. “Mom, can you transfer me $5,000?” “Isn’t my salary card with you?” “Amelia has severe morning sickness, and I need to cover some expenses. She’ll pay me back later.” “She’ll definitely pay back. Once she starts working again, I won’t cover anymore. I’ll make her pay.” As I listened, my heart grew colder. Lucas had given his salary card to his mother. No wonder he never said where his money went. Now he needed $5,000 and had to ask his mother’s permission. What a calculation! He treated me like an outsider. What if we had a conflict that led to divorce? Our marital property would be divided, but he wouldn’t have any money!

I turned and contacted my mom, giving her my salary card too. My mom didn’t want to take it at first, but I insisted. “Did you have a fight with Lucas? You two should get along, especially now that you’re pregnant.” “No, nothing like that. He’s very filial, and he taught me to be filial too. Just take it, I know what I’m doing.” My parents kept my card but used it to buy me lots of nutritional supplements, a crib, and baby blankets. I also sold my stocks and funds at an opportune time and opened a new account under my mom’s name. I could be carefree when I didn’t care, but I could also be meticulous when I did. Lucas finally noticed that I had changed my account and password. “You changed your bank card password?” “Yes, why are you trying to log into my bank account? Aren’t we splitting everything?” Although we had been splitting expenses, we knew each other’s account numbers and passwords. I was cautious, worried that if one of us suddenly died or had an accident, the other wouldn’t know how much money was left or which bank it was in. “No reason, just wanted to plan. Thinking of buying a bigger car. It’ll be convenient when we have a child.” I nodded. I actually had the same plan. “Let’s wait until I start working again. I’m worried about money these few months.” Lucas keenly noticed my issue. “Did you sell all your stocks?” “Yes, I ran out of money.” “What about your salary card?” “It’s with my mom.” Lucas’s face changed immediately. “Why did you give your card to your mom? How are we going to live? I’ve already covered so much, I can’t cover anymore.” “I learned from you. Didn’t you give your card to your mom? For several months before, I covered a lot for you too.” Lucas paced back and forth, grabbing his hair, very anxious. He clearly hadn’t planned for this. After pacing for a while, he finally thought of a solution. “How about this, from now on, we’ll settle accounts every month. No more covering for each other.” See, this is my husband. Even credit cards are paid off the next month, but my husband wants to settle immediately.

I finally gave birth to a big, healthy boy. It was a natural birth, which saved quite a bit of money. Lucas was very happy. His parents also came to the hospital to see me and their grandson. “Good, very good. Take good care of Amelia, she’s been through a lot,” my mother-in-law said, then ran off faster than a rabbit, afraid I’d ask her to help with my postpartum recovery. Lucas didn’t react immediately. “Your parents will help with your postpartum recovery, right?” “Let’s hire a postpartum nanny. We’ll split the cost.” “I don’t have money for a nanny. Isn’t your mom retired? She’s free anyway.” “What about your mom? Isn’t she free at home too? Why did she run away?” Lucas sighed reluctantly. “She’s not in good health. It wasn’t easy for her to raise me. Besides, my sister-in-law is also pregnant with twins. My mom needs to cook for her.” “Your mom never cooked a single meal for me when I was pregnant.” “Why bother about that? You wouldn’t have liked her cooking anyway.” Lucas stopped arguing with me and went out to take a call. I actually really didn’t like my mother-in-law’s cooking, but I just wanted to make a point. When I’m generous, you nitpick with me. When I nitpick, you talk about being generous. Hmph, such double standards. In the end, my mom compromised. She moved in with me to take care of me and her grandson. Lucas was quite happy about it. He moved into the study, living just like before he became a father. When I asked him to change diapers, he frowned and said he didn’t know how. My mom quickly came over. “I’ll do it, I’ll do it!” When I asked him to prepare postpartum meals, he again claimed he didn’t know how. My mom looked up recipes online herself. “I’ll do it, I’ll do it!” “Mom, we agreed to split expenses. You’re helping me, not him. He should be doing these things!” My mom glared at me, her eyes conveying many meanings. “We’re all family.” Lucas found an excuse to back down and hurried out to buy groceries. “Mom, if you spoil him like this, when my recovery is over and you go back, this child will be left to me alone.” My mom sighed. “You should have opened your eyes before marriage. After marriage, you make do with what you have. You’ve got it backwards.” I was choked up by my mom’s words, unable to argue back. “I really want to get a divorce!” “Don’t think like that. You’re in postpartum recovery now, your hormones are dropping, it’s easy to get depressed. Wait until you can take care of yourself and feel better, then you’ll be able to handle things. We can’t let Tommy be born into a family without a father.” I looked at the sleeping baby. He was so cute. Ah, I couldn’t bear it.

Days dragged on, and finally Tommy was 3 years old and started preschool. I finally got some relief, bought a new car, and everything seemed to be back on track. But then my dad fell seriously ill. When life is smooth sailing, you can’t see the good and bad in people around you, whether they’re human or beast. But once you encounter storms, the ugliness of human nature appears. I never expected Lucas wouldn’t help at all. “My mom and I don’t have time to take Tommy to preschool. We need to go to the hospital. You take him.” “It’s not my month, remember? You figure it out. Next month is my turn.” I really wanted to curse. Even my colleagues were willing to switch shifts to help, but he completely ignored the situation. Even if he were just a relative, just a friend, he would at least offer money or effort, or some words of comfort. But he completely distanced himself, as if my dad were a stranger. This time, I truly saw through him. Since you’re heartless, I’ll be ruthless too. What goes around comes around. Don’t let it come back to me.

Unexpectedly, this karma came back quickly. Three months after my dad was discharged, my mother-in-law fell. Lucas called me urgently. “Amelia, my mom is in the hospital. Go there quickly.” “Why should I go to the hospital? I’m at work.” “I’m busy, about to board a high-speed train. Go to the hospital to pay the bills. My mom fell.” “We split expenses, remember? Handle it yourself.” I hung up the phone. Lucas kept calling back, but I kept hanging up. Lucas sent me voice messages on WhatsApp. “Amelia, that’s my mom. You can’t be like this. You’re her daughter-in-law. Can’t you go take care of her?” “Three months ago, how did you treat my dad? That’s how I’ll treat your mom.” I quickly replied and then muted my phone. After a while, my father-in-law called. “Amelia, your mother-in-law is in the hospital. We need to pay the bills.” “Why don’t you ask your son? Why are you calling me?” “He’s on a business trip.” “I’m busy too. We split expenses, remember? We agreed I don’t take care of your family, and he doesn’t take care of my parents.” “What split expenses? Nonsense. I don’t understand that. Come pay the bills quickly, or if something happens to your mother-in-law, it’s on you.” I hung up the phone directly. I took time off work, feeling that if I stayed at the company, I might get cornered. Sure enough, after work, my colleague called me.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296006”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring #惊悚Thriller #魔幻Magic #后宫Harem

After Dad brought me back home, I was bullied by my twin sister for ten years. To control me, she went as far as drugging her boyfriend and staging a scene where I was caught in bed with him. Just when I thought I could finally escape my sister’s control by debuting through a talent show, I was bombarded with crazy declarations of love from sponsors, and my name was all over the trending topics. When my sister discovered that her string of boyfriends had suddenly turned to fervently support me, she flew into a rage and released a flood of scandals and compromising photos of “me.” I couldn’t defend myself and had to accept being blacklisted from the industry. My sister then brought her entire entourage of boyfriends to mock me, saying, “You think you’re worthy of taking what’s mine? Even if I don’t want something, you can only have it if I allow it!” Even with her pregnancy bump showing, she still imperiously ordered me to sleep with her husband. Later, she even embraced other men in front of her husband and framed me for it. But her husband wasn’t like the boys in her string of boyfriends – he could really bite back. I refused to be my sister’s puppet for life. So, in the middle of the night, I knocked on the door: “Brother-in-law, open up.” 0

I opened my eyes to find myself lying next to a man I knew but wasn’t close with. It was none other than Sebastian Hayes, my sister’s fiancé and the eldest son of the Hayes family. At that moment, Sebastian and I were in bed together, completely naked! The soreness throughout my body and the glaring red stain on the sheets screamed one fact at me—I had slept with my soon-to-be brother-in-law, but he seemed to have mistaken me for my sister. To avoid being exposed, I fled in a panic. On my way home, I made sure to stop by a pharmacy for some emergency contraception. As I pushed open the front door, I saw my sister Vivian standing at the top of the stairs with a cold smirk. “Out all night? Is this how I taught you to behave?” “I had a bit too much to drink at a class reunion and crashed at a friend’s place,” I lied. Vivian knew full well how poor my social circle was. She let out a mocking laugh, clearly thinking I was just making excuses to drown my sorrows after being blacklisted from the entertainment industry despite all my efforts. Vivian and I are twins. When our parents divorced, it made sense to split us up—one went with Dad, the other with Mom. I was the one who returned to our hometown with Mom. Unfortunately, that area was quite underdeveloped, and I got lost not long after. It took years before I was found and brought back. By the time I returned home, Mom had already passed away, and Grandma who had been raising me for a few years had also died. That’s how I ended up being brought back to the Quinn family by Dad. But Dad was hands-off, leaving everything to Vivian once he brought me home. She’s been running the household ever since. I worked hard in the shadow of Vivian’s academic brilliance. Though I could never match up to her, it was still much better than life in our small hometown. The two sisters lived together peacefully like this for years. Until the night before I participated in a talent show, when Vivian caught me in bed with her boyfriend. She took photos and videos of the scene, cursing me for being shameless and cheap. Our sisterly relationship was never the same after that. From then on, Vivian made no effort to hide her contempt for me. She threatened me, controlled me, and monitored my every move. Even when I debuted in the entertainment industry with a face similar to hers, she saw it as something beneath her status. She didn’t hesitate to release a flood of false scandals about “me” to ruin my career. Everything about me was laid bare before Vivian. As time went on, I somehow got used to it and never thought about resisting her control. Looking back now, I realize I never actually slept with her ex-boyfriend. The so-called evidence in Vivian’s hands was either staged photos or pictures of herself. It was all just a ploy for her to manipulate me. Back in my room, I locked myself in the bathroom, stuffed my clothes into the washing machine, and stood under the shower. To my surprise, I heard Vivian shouting and opening the door outside. Years of conditioning under Vivian’s rule had stripped me of the habit of locking doors. I hadn’t thought of it this time either. If Vivian barged in and saw me covered in hickeys… I didn’t dare imagine what that psycho would do. In a panic, I hastily wrapped a towel around myself and ran smack into Vivian as she opened the door. Vivian stood with her arms crossed, eyeing me suspiciously. “Why are you showering in the middle of the day?” I said, “I was out drinking all night and smell awful. You don’t like that, right?” My show of weakness didn’t soften Vivian’s heart one bit. She looked me up and down for a while, then suddenly smiled with her eyes narrowed, though there was no warmth in her gaze. “Slept with a man?” Is Vivian so sensitive about me being with men because she’s afraid I’ll discover I didn’t actually lose my virginity back then? I kept my head down, meekly saying, “No, I really was at a friend’s place last night. You can call and ask her if you don’t believe me, sis.” “That won’t be necessary,” Vivian said. Then, with a cold look in her eyes and a curl of her lips, she continued, “If you didn’t sleep with a man, what are you afraid of? Open your towel and let me take a look.” 0

My pupils constricted as water droplets and cold sweat ran down my back. Seeing my hesitation, Vivian’s suspicion grew. “Do I need to do it myself?” I kept backing away, my heart in my throat, not daring to take a single breath. Just as the situation reached a critical point, Vivian’s phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, she broke into an excited smile. She cleared her throat and answered sweetly, “Sebastian.” Hearing my brother-in-law’s name, my relaxed nerves instantly tensed up again. The heart that had just settled back down leapt right back into my throat. Even my hair stood on end in fear. What if Sebastian asked about last night… Watching Vivian’s expression change as she spoke, my emotions rollercoastered along with her facial expressions. Thankfully, I managed to get through this crisis without incident. After showering, I went downstairs to find Vivian pensively examining a tube of ointment. I tried to quietly slip past, but Vivian caught me with a glance and blocked my way. She raised her arm as if to hit me, but I nimbly dodged. “You dare dodge?” Vivian’s face turned ashen as she demanded loudly, “Tell me! What exactly did you do last night? Why did Sebastian bring me this?” Looking at the ointment in front of me, I wracked my brains and came up with a seemingly convincing lie. Seeing Vivian buy my story, I finally let out a sigh of relief. Vivian handed me the ointment and went back to scrolling on her phone. Just when I thought I’d made it safely through the day, Vivian’s calm voice exploded in my ears: “Find an opportunity to sleep with Sebastian.” Excuse me? I always feel out of sync with this world because I’m not twisted enough. Vivian keeps pushing the boundaries of my understanding of her. I couldn’t help but mock her, “Is sis afraid Sebastian will find out you’re not pure anymore?” Thinking of Vivian’s endless string of boyfriends and her debauched lifestyle as a spoiled rich girl, it seemed to make sense. “Want me to smack that smart mouth of yours?” she threatened, avoiding my question. I didn’t push it. “Sis, have you forgotten? I’m not a virgin either. That time…” “I’ll take you to get it fixed,” Vivian interrupted coldly, as if everything was under her control. “Why don’t you go yourself? Or is sis planning another ‘caught in the act’ scene?” I said lightly, as if just making casual conversation. Vivian’s face changed. She tossed out a “mind your own business” and left. The next morning before dawn, Vivian burst into my room, threw some clothes on me, and dragged me to a sketchy back-alley clinic. I snapped wide awake, looking at Vivian in disbelief, silently questioning her with my eyes. Vivian instantly understood my meaning and said dismissively, “We didn’t come to the wrong place. We can’t leave any records that might raise suspicion.” I dawdled as I walked through the door, about to turn back and come clean to Vivian, when I heard her tell the doctor, “Break it first, then fix it. I paid good money for this.” Vivian was still as malicious towards me as ever. But I had actually slept with Sebastian, so there was no need for any “fixing.” Looks like I’d have to use some tricks. I picked up the scalpel and twirled it expertly, pressing it precisely against the doctor’s neck. It was easy enough to get him to agree to play along with me. I didn’t expect the doctor to be such a coward. I even gained some unexpected intel that gave me a glimpse into Vivian’s little secret. It wasn’t a waste to go along with Vivian’s scheme after all. 0

When I came out, Vivian just gave me a cursory glance before stepping on the gas and driving off alone. I knew crystal clear that Vivian had definitely run off to meet up with one or more of the boys in her string of boyfriends. But unlike usual, I didn’t try to bargain or negotiate. I just kept staring intently at Vivian’s belly. No wonder Vivian had become more generous with money lately. Turns out it was thanks to the little one in her belly! But Vivian went through men faster than I went through pen refills. Did she even know who the baby’s father was? And how could she be sure she could keep it a secret from the Hayes family? If the truth came out, wouldn’t the entire Quinn family become targets for the Hayes family’s revenge… Lost in thought, a black car sped past then reversed back to stop beside me. The window rolled down to reveal none other than my soon-to-be brother-in-law. “Didn’t you use the ointment I gave you? Get in, I’ll give you a ride.” Following the man’s gaze, I looked at my wrist. Damn! I remembered to apply it on my legs but completely forgot about this spot. But from the looks of it, he seemed to have mistaken me for Vivian again. I kept reminding myself: Stay in character, stay in character! Thinking about how I could squeeze some more money out of Vivian when I got back, a professional smile instantly spread across my face. I smoothly opened the car door and got in. “Thanks, bro-” My polite self almost slipped up. Meeting the man’s scrutinizing gaze, I gave an awkward laugh and continued, “Can I borrow your charger? My phone’s dead.” Sebastian didn’t probe further, and my little life was saved. After getting home, messages from Vivian came pouring in. “Make sure you seal the deal with Sebastian tomorrow night.” “The weather forecast says it’ll rain tomorrow. I’ve mailed you some aphrodisiacs via express delivery. I don’t need to teach you what to do, right?” “Don’t try to be clever. Remember to take photos in bed for me to check! Otherwise tomorrow’s headline will be your sex tape. You know I’m capable of anything.” “You wouldn’t want to experience cyberbullying again, would you?” Vivian sure moved fast. She could still think of everything while fooling around with her boy toys. That’s something. Counting the string of zeros in the payment Vivian sent me, I slept soundly that night. The next evening, I timed it perfectly to get caught in the rain on my way to Sebastian’s villa. When I arrived, Sebastian lived up to his reputation as a gentleman, easily agreeing to let me stay the night. Perhaps to avoid making me uncomfortable, he hid in his study all evening without coming out. I sat in the living room, watching the clock hands go round and round, but there was no sign of him emerging from the study. I pondered silently, then heated up a glass of milk, secretly dissolving a sleeping pill in it, and carried it to Sebastian’s study. I handed him the milk and made sure to give him a suggestive look before leaving, coyly reminding him, “Don’t lock your door tonight, okay?” Then I sashayed out. I mentally calculated how long it would take for the drug to kick in. When I estimated the time was right, I took my phone and snuck into Sebastian’s bedroom, planning to stage some suggestive photos. Just when I thought I had succeeded and was about to leave, his hand suddenly wrapped around me like a vine, locking me in place like an iron clamp. He even unconsciously gave my butt a light pat, mumbling drowsily, “Still being naughty in my dreams?” As soon as he finished speaking, his burning lips crashed onto mine fiercely. It was as if he wanted to swallow me whole, clearly intending to thoroughly feast on me. I didn’t dare struggle too hard for fear of waking him, but my small attempts to break free were completely ineffective against his grip. I was both angry and anxious, only able to silently curse Vivian. The intel didn’t say he was resistant to sleeping pills! That Vivian really set me up this time. To think I delivered myself right to his doorstep, letting him have an all-you-can-eat buffet for free! 0

I woke up groggily in the morning and instinctively looked to my left. He happened to glance to his right at the same time. Our gazes collided unexpectedly, like an electric shock, and we quickly looked away. In that instant, the awkward atmosphere in the air was so thick you could cut it with a knife. I was so uncomfortable I couldn’t even stay for breakfast before fleeing in a panic. Mission accomplished. Vivian was in an unusually good mood and treated me with unexpected kindness for two whole months. Until I just got her call, I realized the interest on her kindness was more than I could bear. Looking at the cold $100,000 in my bank account, my heart was pounding. This… this couldn’t be hush money, could it?! When I rushed to the hospital, I even doubted if I had gone to the wrong place. My sister, my brother-in-law, and one, two, three… countless guys from Vivian’s string of boyfriends. What a chaotic scene!! I had anticipated that the $100,000 wouldn’t come easily, but I never imagined it was for me to inherit Vivian’s “harem”! Looking at all these men, I felt my scalp tingling. My mind was screaming: This many men, I really can’t handle it! This is not okay at all! Vivian didn’t care about any of that. When she saw me arrive, it was like she had found a lifeline. She grabbed my hand tightly and said, “Aria, you’re finally here. Your brother-in-law came with me for a prenatal checkup, but these boyfriends of yours mistook me for you. Quickly explain to your brother-in-law.” After saying this, she took advantage of everyone’s distraction to pinch my waist hard without leaving a trace. Under Vivian’s threatening gaze, her boy toys swarmed towards me one by one. I welcomed them all without discrimination. To everyone’s shock and bewilderment, I gave each of them a resounding slap across the face. I muttered under my breath, loud enough for everyone present to hear clearly: “Each of you claims to love me the most, yet you can’t even tell me apart from my sister. What a bunch of brainless losers. No wonder none of you can become official boyfriends. Your intelligence is really worrying!” After finishing, I noticed from the corner of my eye that they were still dumbfounded, not yet recovered from the shock. I quickly turned my head, flashed a ingratiating smile at my brother-in-law, then made a swift escape from this “den of trouble”. Not long after I got home, Vivian predictably came storming in to confront me. Those little fish in her pond had each whispered lies in her ear, instantly bewitching my sister to the point where she couldn’t tell north from south. Fortunately, our family is now on the brink of bankruptcy with nothing left. We don’t have to worry about my sister doing anything as stupid as “using sex to gain favors from powerful men.” But I still underestimated Vivian. To please her boy toys, she actually outsourced the task of “bonding” with my brother-in-law to me. Seriously? Is this right? Even when filming movies, the lead actress’s name appears in the credits while a body double does all the work! But thinking of the threatening messages bombarding my phone from her sugar daddies, I had no choice but to continue following Vivian’s orders. Who would have thought that Vivian’s little fish were all richer and more powerful than me! If I were to betray her now, who knows what trouble it would stir up. With this helpless mindset, I came to Sebastian’s house again. As soon as I entered, without a moment’s hesitation, I walked straight towards the study door. “Sis…” I was about to say “Sis’s husband, open the door.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296005”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring #惊悚Thriller #魔幻Magic #后宫Harem

I woke up with a start, memories of my past life flooding back. Three days after I had run away from my arranged marriage, my fiancé had committed suicide in our new home, leaving all his assets to me. When I went to sort through his belongings, I was shocked to find walls covered in photos of me and bloodstains on the floor. His assistant told me, “The boss had loved you for many years. His depression was severe – only seeing you or thinking of you brought him some relief…” Each revelation left me stunned, horrified, and inexplicably sad. So this time around, when my childhood friend Lucas suggested I escape the arranged marriage again, I smiled and refused. “I’m not running away,” I said. I wanted to see just how foolish this man who loved me so desperately could be. Ethan died three days after I ran away from our arranged marriage in my past life. My father and brother had just left after apologetically informing Ethan about my escape when they received news that he had slit his wrists in the mansion. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The will he had prepared in advance left all his assets to me. When I got the call from my brother in North America, I felt my expression slowly harden. To me, Ethan had been a stranger who suddenly appeared demanding marriage. We had never even met before. And yet, all the evidence suggested he had loved me deeply for many years.

I rushed back at the lawyer’s request, numbly accepting Ethan’s urn. His background was a mystery and he had no known relatives. His assistant gazed sorrowfully at the small box containing his ashes and said softly: “The boss had loved you for many years. His depression was severe – only seeing you or thinking of you brought him some relief. I thought once you two were married, he wouldn’t be so pessimistic anymore. But I never expected…” His voice trailed off. There was no accusation, but I felt an inexplicable ache in my heart. The assistant handed me a key. “This is the estate the boss prepared for you. It’s also where he personally decorated your new home.” The place where he had killed himself.

The estate was massive, with lush green lawns and even a racetrack. The decor was in my favorite shade of navy blue. The furniture, decorations – everything matched my tastes perfectly. One room was filled wall-to-wall with photos of me. I examined them closely and realized they spanned from my sophomore year of college up until now. It seemed I had been under this man’s lens almost every moment. On the floor were faint bloodstains from where he had slit his wrists, giving off a slight metallic scent. Each revelation left me stunned, horrified, and inexplicably sad. I couldn’t help feeling angry too. If he liked me, why didn’t he just say so? Bursting into my home and demanding marriage like some kind of bandit – how could I possibly feel at ease marrying him? Was this gruesome scene meant to make me feel guilty and unable to forget him for the rest of my life? Dream on. I ended up donating all the assets, including the mansion, to charity. The cleaning lady tore down the photos on the walls, carelessly tossing them on the floor to cover the bloodstains… And just like that, all traces of Ethan’s brief but remarkable life vanished from this world.

It took me three days to accept the reality that I had been reborn. Three days ago, Ethan had just arrived at my home, forcefully demanding an arranged marriage in a manner bordering on coercion. When Lucas heard about it, he immediately urged me to run away to North America for a few days to avoid the situation. That’s exactly what I had done in my past life. But this time, remembering those walls of photos and the horrific bloodstains on the floor, I calmly shook my head. “I don’t want to run away,” I said. “I’m going to find him and ask why he wants to marry me.”

Ethan’s company was very successful. When I went to see him, he was still in a meeting. His assistant personally came down to greet me and asked me to wait in his office for a moment. “The boss will be down very soon,” he assured me. I nodded softly in acknowledgement. True to his word, Ethan arrived quickly. Before I had even finished my tea, he strode in hurriedly, fastening his cufflinks as he walked. When he saw me, he stopped in his tracks and greeted me coolly: “Miss Gu.” His demeanor was cold and distant, as if looking at a stranger. Taken aback by his coldness, I fumbled for words before quietly asking: “Mr. Shen, my father said you want to marry me. Why is that?” “I want to, so I will. No reason needed,” he replied curtly. I was at a loss for how to respond. Slowly standing up and grabbing my purse, I said, “Well, I’ll be going then.” Ethan’s expression shifted slightly, a rare look of confusion crossing his face. “You’re leaving already?” I stared at him expressionlessly, watching as his face gradually paled and his whole demeanor became dejected. Still, he stepped aside to let me pass. If I wasn’t certain this man liked me, I would have thought he was just toying with me… I sighed and took the initiative to grab his sleeve. “How about we have dinner together?”

Ethan’s assistant seemed on edge watching us interact. As I was leaving, the assistant kept apologizing to me: “The boss isn’t good at talking to women. Please don’t be upset with him, Miss Gu.” “I’m not upset,” I said with a smile. “I actually quite like him… his looks are very much my type.” The office door was ajar. Through the small gap, I clearly saw Ethan touch his face, his expression dazed. I smiled slightly and told the assistant: “I made dinner plans with your boss tonight. Remind him not to stand me up.” The assistant nodded hurriedly, as if afraid I would change my mind any second. I walked out of the company building in my high heels. As soon as I stepped outside, I got a call from Lucas. Looking at the contact name “Lucas” on my phone, I calmly declined the call and stared blankly at the clouds in the sky.

Lucas had always been good to me and truly had my best interests at heart. But childhood friends, close friends – they all inevitably fade away on the long road of life. Just like in my past life. He found a lover, had children, and learned to keep his distance from me. So even when I was later trapped in the mountains with an expedition team and called him for help, his wife berated me, calling me an old maid who couldn’t get married. Lucas was right beside his wife when she insulted me, silent and unresponsive. I ended up dying there in the mountains. I wonder how he felt about that.

Ethan arrived early for dinner that evening. The atmosphere was quite cold and awkward. I struggled to make conversation, but he seemed like a conversation-killing machine, uninterested in engaging no matter what I said. Feeling exhausted, I set my fork and knife down heavily on the table. “Mr. Shen, your behavior is making me feel like you don’t actually want to start a family together.” Ethan’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he lowered his head and apologized. “I’m sorry.” “You know that’s not what I want to hear,” I said, truly exasperated. “You’ve run your company for so many years, rarely losing at the negotiating table. Your insight into human nature should be flawless. And yet now you’re like this… “It makes me think you’re not actually interested in me at all.” Ethan’s face paled. His fingertips dug tightly into his palms, drawing faint traces of blood. “Don’t overthink it,” he said. “I’m just… not used to being this close to you.” His sudden, almost confession-like words surprised me. His nervousness and melancholy, along with the blood on his palms, didn’t seem fake. I suddenly remembered what his assistant had said in my past life: “The boss’s depression was very severe. Only when he saw you did he feel a little better…” “Mr. Shen,” I asked, suddenly very curious, “Did we know each other before?”

Ethan’s thin lips trembled. His eyes instinctively avoided mine as he turned his head to look out the restaurant’s glass windows. “We did,” he admitted. “When?” I pressed. But Ethan clamped his mouth shut tightly, refusing to say any more no matter what. Feeling somewhat deflated, I started eating my steak, no longer trying to make conversation. Ethan didn’t speak either, seemingly unaware of how awkward the atmosphere had become. He just stared blankly at my lips and neck, his gaze following the red wine as I swallowed, slowly moving down to my throat before stopping, restrained by his manners. I glared at him. He hurriedly turned away, his face pale. He accidentally bit his lip, drawing a spot of bright red blood. I sighed in exasperation. “If you want to look at me, just look directly. Don’t be all secretive about it. “We’re going to be married soon, Mr. Shen. Can’t you do something more open and aboveboard?” He had taken so many photos of me, hired people to watch me, and even seemed to have bribed my family’s maid… If it weren’t for how tragically he had died in my past life, I would have reported him to the police for being a stalker by now. But his assistant had said Ethan was ill. I should be more patient with someone who’s unwell. I took his hand, ignoring how he instantly tensed up. I dampened a napkin with water and gently wiped away the blood on his palm. “Your hands are so beautiful. Please don’t hurt them anymore, okay?” Ethan didn’t answer, just staring at my face. After a long while, he asked in a low voice: “Does this mean you’re willing to marry me now?” “Did you give me any choice not to?” I retorted. His Adam’s apple bobbed. “Actually, if you don’t want to…” “What, run away? Or find you and yell in your face that I’ll never marry you?” I cut him off, staring into his eyes. “I could do that easily, but Ethan, what would happen to you if I did?” The result was obvious. He would die. In my past life, I never understood how someone could be so weak and helpless that they would end their life so casually, just from hearing news of an escaped bride, without even meeting face to face. And yet, for some reason, I couldn’t bear the thought of his death.

Ethan was undoubtedly a genius. He had a keen eye for business, but his background was a complete mystery. His rivals dug and dug but couldn’t uncover anything about his past. They could only watch helplessly as he seized opportunities in the internet boom and rocketed to success. With just a few casual remarks, he had the old-money families of River City gasping for air. And yet a man like this, at the prime of his life, killed himself over a woman. In my past life, Ethan became a laughingstock. He was crowned the “Number One Love Fool” and viciously mocked by his rivals’ deliberate smear campaigns. I didn’t want to see all that happen again. On the way home, my mind wandered aimlessly as I thought about many things. Finally, looking at Ethan’s expressionless face as he drove, I decided to have a chat with his assistant in a couple days. I truly didn’t know how to interact with this guy. And his illness… Was there really no way to help him?

The black Rolls-Royce stopped in front of my family’s villa. By coincidence, we ran into Lucas, who was walking up with a box of pastries. Ethan’s eyes narrowed. “Do you want to go say hello?” he asked. I turned to him and said, “Lucas is a good friend of mine. No need.” Ethan leaned over and unbuckled my seatbelt. “You should head inside then.” Though he said it wasn’t necessary, his heart clearly sank, a bitter taste rising in his throat like he had swallowed some bitter herb. I grabbed his wrist. “Lucas and I really are just friends. Don’t overthink it.” “I won’t,” he said. “You really won’t?” I turned my head and saw him gripping the steering wheel tightly, faint blue veins visible. I reached out and touched his fingertips. “If something’s bothering you, can you tell me? “Don’t keep it all bottled up inside. It makes things very difficult.” Pressured by me, Ethan’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He turned to look away and slowly admitted: “I don’t really like him.” “Then you don’t have to interact with him,” I said, encouragingly patting his head. “He’s just my friend. You don’t need to force yourself to like him.” “Besides, we’re going to be husband and wife soon. That’s a much closer relationship than I have with him. If you’re uncomfortable with my friendship with him… I can keep some distance from now on.” Ethan looked surprised. “You’d distance yourself from him for my sake?” “Why not?” I smiled at Ethan and said softly, “We’re going to be married after all!” Ethan froze, looking somewhat dazed. I pressed on while the iron was hot, leaning close to tell him: “See, talking things out is how problems get solved, right? “If you’re ever unsatisfied with me or want to tell me something, you have to let me know. “Don’t keep it all inside and make yourself miserable while I’m completely unaware. That would be such a waste!” I was starting to realize that Ethan didn’t know how to handle intimate relationships. He tried to use his business negotiation tactics in matters of the heart, coercing my family into an arranged marriage. But when I took the initiative to seek him out, he was at a loss for how to respond. He was incredibly naive when it came to romance. “It’s okay,” I thought to myself. “I can teach him slowly.”

Lucas watched me get out of Ethan’s car, his eyes narrowing with a hint of hostility. As the car drove away, Lucas walked up to me. “So you’ve decided to marry him?” he asked. “He’s handsome, rich, well-behaved in social circles, no scandals. Why shouldn’t I marry him?” I replied. “But…” he started to say something before trailing off. Looking a bit flustered and angry, he finally blurted out: “Are you sure you like him?” “In our social circles, how many marriages are actually based on liking someone?” I shrugged. “He’s a very suitable match.” Lucas’s eyes widened. “But he can’t possibly be better than the two of us…” “Lucas!” I cut him off coldly. “I’m getting married. Don’t say things that could be misunderstood.” With that, I walked towards the house without waiting for him. To be honest, even after being reborn, I still couldn’t figure out Lucas’s attitude towards me. When things were good between us, he was incredibly nice. He once scoured small towns across Northern Europe just to buy me a necklace I wanted. But when things were bad, they were pretty bad. To this day, he still can’t remember my birthday. In my past life, I had suggested we get married. He refused, saying he wanted to play the field for a few more years. Then while building a snowman in St. Petersburg, he fell in love at first sight with a sweet, innocent girl. They got married and had a child in less than three months. His wife was very wary of my existence, so I tactfully kept my distance and didn’t contact him. Little did I know that would be our final goodbye. Lucas must have felt at least a little sad when he heard news of my death. After all, when his dad and stepmom slapped him over his little brother, I was the one who sat with him on the roof terrace all night, counting stars. 13.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296004”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring #惊悚Thriller #魔幻Magic

Lucas, the Wolf Prince, had lived for a thousand years. Though feared throughout the shapeshifter realm, he showed no interest in romance. The Wolf Queen Mother was frantic, as beauties from various clans lined up outside the royal den. I’m Lily, a poor girl from the modern world who accidentally fell into this realm of shapeshifters. After crossing over, by a twist of fate, I stumbled into the Wolf King’s chambers. On the day of his engagement to the Tiger Princess, I ran away carrying a litter of wolf cubs. Years later, I was busy feeding meat to eight little wolf pups. He pushed open my courtyard gate, looking as pitiful as a basset hound. “Lily, do you really not want me anymore?” I never expected to fall into a world of shapeshifters. One moment I was picking herbs for my grandmother in the mountains, the next I found myself in a strange land filled with half-human, half-animal creatures. Before I could get my bearings, a group of wolf patrols surrounded me. They were about to dispose of me when an old leopard lady intervened and brought me to the wolf territory. Growing up isolated in the mountains with only my grandmother, I was naive about the outside world. At first, I thought I could treat these beast-people like the small animals back home. But when I tried to pet their heads and ears, their fierce looks scared me away. They were more intimidating than the Tibetan mastiffs in my village! The leopard granny was kind to me though, just like my own grandmother. She wanted me to help with chores, but unfortunately, I was clueless about this world. Instead of helping, I caused all sorts of trouble – tearing precious scrolls while organizing bookshelves, nearly burning a hole in the floor after spilling potions… Exasperated, the leopard granny eventually brought me before the Wolf Queen Mother. The Queen Mother was pleased with my curvy figure, whispering to her attendant: “This little human would make a good surrogate, though she seems rather simple-minded and naive.” “That’s fine for a surrogate. She’ll be easy to deal with once we have a new princess.” I didn’t understand what they meant by “surrogate” or “new princess”. I only cared that the leopard granny said I could survive here if I slept in the Wolf Prince’s bed for one night. And so, I was happily led to Prince Lucas’s chambers. At the entrance, I saw a group of wolf beauties gathered there. They were clearly unhappy about my arrival. One silver wolf beauty even deliberately threw my luggage into the most remote corner of the courtyard. It wasn’t until evening that I first saw the Wolf Prince. He had a pair of fluffy wolf ears on his head, but his face was so handsome I couldn’t look away! “You… you’re so handsome…” I blurted out. Lucas was taken aback, seeming to develop some interest in this human. He leaned in to sniff me, then looked me up and down thoughtfully. This scene infuriated the other wolf beauties in the courtyard. From then on, they bullied me relentlessly. If they weren’t threatening to tear my throat out with their fangs and claws, they were putting bugs in my food. For days, I couldn’t eat a proper meal. Most wolves ate raw meat, which I simply couldn’t stomach as a human. When I was starving and couldn’t take it anymore, I remembered what the leopard granny said – I just needed to sleep in the prince’s bed for one night to survive and get good food. So in the dead of night, I snuck into the prince’s chambers. The room was empty, so I climbed right into bed and under the covers. Soon after, Lucas entered. He walked in while undressing, heading straight for the bath. Through the misty steam, I could only make out his muscular waist and the smooth lines of his muscles. This was the first time in my life seeing a naked man! My face burned as I watched, when suddenly he turned around. I quickly ducked under the covers, not knowing how much time passed. He stood by the bed, looking down at the little mound I made under the blanket. “Come out,” his voice commanded from outside, full of pressure. I timidly peeked out, patting the pillow next to me. “Prince, shall we… sleep together?” Lucas raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “What’s your name?” “Lily,” I answered honestly. As he spoke, he seemed to focus only on my lips, his breathing growing heavier. Then he turned and went back to the bath, emerging again moments later. His eyes were even redder than before, his breathing ragged as if struggling to suppress something. “I… I was recently injured and have some evil energy I’m having trouble controlling,” he said. “Lily, I want you now. Is that okay?” Want me? What did he mean? I was confused by his burning gaze. “If I say yes, will you give me food? Will I get to live?” I asked. He chuckled softly and nodded. Hearing there would be food, I perked up immediately. “Then hurry up! I want to eat after!” The next second, he pinned me to the bed. His kisses came like a storm, making me dizzy. I felt like I was melting into a puddle. In my daze, he tore off all my clothes. Suddenly, intense pain jolted me awake. I tried to push him away. “It hurts! I don’t want to anymore. I don’t need food!” He gently kissed away my tears, whispering soothing words, but his movements only grew more fierce. My protests and struggles seemed to fuel his frenzy. “Be good, just relax. It will feel better soon,” he murmured. I cried from the pain, but he seemed intoxicated, pinning me down for what felt like forever before finally stopping. Afterwards, I clung tightly to his arm. “You promised. I want food.” Lucas stroked my head indulgently, looking thoroughly satisfied. He immediately called for a table full of delicious food to be brought in. And just like that, I – a human who had only arrived days ago – inexplicably became the first person to sleep with the Wolf Prince.

The next morning, I woke up covered in Lucas’s scent. I had no idea what this meant in the beast world. The group of wolf beauties in the courtyard huddled together, their eyes shooting daggers at me. In just one night, I seemed to have become public enemy number one. I was moved to a special room, supposedly designed for humans, with strange charms hanging on the walls. It was close to Lucas’s chambers but heavily guarded. The leopard granny was right – after sleeping with the prince, I no longer had to starve. No wolf dared to threaten me anymore. Lucas treated me very well, sending all sorts of cooked dishes and desserts every day. Though some were quite strange, it was better than having nothing to eat. People outside said Lucas was cold and disliked women, but I knew better now – those rumors were complete nonsense! Since that night, he seemed addicted to me. As soon as he returned to his chambers, he would pounce on me relentlessly. From the bed to the bath to his desk, nowhere was spared. I would come to my senses to find it was already dawn outside. Even when handling official business, he often held me in his lap, kissing and nibbling. I was sore all over from his attentions but didn’t dare complain. In the end, I secretly went to the kind leopard granny to pour out my troubles. After hearing my description, a knowing smile appeared on her face. She patted my hand and said meaningfully, “Silly girl, the prince is marking you! In our world, that’s an immense blessing!” “Once you’re carrying his pups, you’ll have a bright future ahead! You’ll be a hero to the wolf clan and never want for anything again.” I listened in a daze, suddenly thinking of a serious question. “What if I give birth to a human baby?” This stumped the leopard granny. She frowned in thought. That night, curled up in Lucas’s arms, I worked up the courage to ask him. “Prince… if we have a baby, will it be a wolf cub or a human?” Lucas’s hand paused in my hair, then he casually replied, “You’re still young. Don’t worry about children yet.” But from the next day on, after each time we were intimate, he would feed me a strange fruit. He said it was good for my body, so I didn’t think much of it and ate them. It wasn’t until much later that I realized they were contraceptive fruits. Clearly, Lucas never intended for me to bear his heir. On normal days, as long as Lucas was in the territory, he liked to keep me by his side. During his free time, he would teach me the beast language and writing. I have to say, the beast script was even harder to write than human languages. My writing looked like chicken scratch. But Lucas was very patient, guiding my hand stroke by stroke. I loved writing his name in beast script the most, my heart fluttering with each careful line. Lucas understood my tastes well. Every time he returned from a trip, he would bring me exotic beast delicacies – glowing berries, strangely textured mushrooms, even the legendary “divine nectar”. Without realizing it, my heart grew stranger. When I couldn’t see Lucas, I was always thinking of him. When he was by my side, even if he was busy with work, I felt utterly content just quietly staying near him. Soon it was time for the annual “Full Moon Festival”, held at a distant sacred site. As the Wolf Prince, Lucas had to attend. The night before he left, he pinned me down in various places, frantically taking me as if to make up for a month’s worth. I was reluctant for him to go too. That night I was unusually proactive. Lucas was so excited his beast tail manifested, wagging happily. After he left, I wilted completely. Even my favorite roast chicken wings lost their appeal. Suddenly I remembered a beast proverb Lucas taught me: “A lone wolf howls at the moon, its solitary shadow sleepless.” I didn’t understand it then, but now I felt it deeply. As someone who had never dated before, I finally realized – this must be love. Without me noticing, it had already carved itself into my bones. The day Lucas returned, he dragged me into the room without a word. I thought he wanted me, but he mysteriously pulled out a glowing fruit from his robes. “Try this. It’s fruit from the divine tree. I managed to secretly pick one.” I was so touched tears nearly fell. The divine fruit was a treasure of the beast world. Even the Wolf King was said to be reluctant to eat it, yet Lucas secretly brought one back for me. Taking a bite, a strange energy immediately flowed through my body. I felt light as air, as if I could fly. In that moment, I even thought that if I could stay with Lucas like this forever, maybe never returning to the human world wouldn’t be so bad. But I forgot I was just a “surrogate”. How could I dream of growing old together with the Wolf Prince? Not long after, news spread throughout the beast world that the wolf clan would be forming an alliance through marriage with the tiger clan. The tiger clan’s eldest daughter was coming to stay in wolf territory, clearly with the air of a future queen.

The wolf beauties who had always looked down on me now took the opportunity to mock me even more. “A mere human, how dare you think you could monopolize the prince’s favor forever?” “The real deal is here now. A little thing like you who can’t even grow fur, get lost!” We lined up in two rows to welcome Lucas and Natalie, the tiger princess. As they walked hand in hand, my heart skipped a beat. Lucas exuded the powerful aura of a beast king, while Natalie’s beauty was both elegant and wild. They looked perfect together. My heart was instantly flooded with bitterness. Thinking of the long years ahead, having to watch them as a loving couple, I found it hard to breathe. In the days that followed, Lucas accompanied Natalie around the territory. They admired the moon together and chased each other while hunting. Some busybodies even used illusion magic to capture their sweet moments, deliberately showing them to me. I pretended not to care, but late at night, I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. Lucas hadn’t summoned me in many days. He returned very late at night, and I couldn’t even catch a glimpse of his shadow. Perhaps as the others said, I was just a toy he played with when bored. His previous affection was probably just a way to pass the time. Suddenly one day, the Wolf Queen Mother summoned us to the great hall. It turned out Lucas was busy with official duties and worried Natalie would be lonely, so he wanted us to keep her company. Natalie walked towards me with a smile, linking her arm with mine affectionately. “I heard you take care of Lucas. It must be hard work, right?” Once we were alone, her face immediately changed. She viciously flung my arm away. “A mere human like you, how dare you stay by Lucas’s side?” “I heard you think you’re his bedmate? Guess who’s more important to him – you or me?” My internal alarms went off, but before I could escape, I saw her rip off the protective charm around her neck and throw it into the nearby miasma-filled forest. Just then, Lucas happened to walk into the courtyard. Natalie immediately threw herself into his arms, crying crocodile tears as she accused me. “Lucas, this human in your household is so ill-mannered. I just wanted to chat with her, but she insulted me and threw the protective charm my mother gave me into the miasma forest!” I hadn’t seen Lucas in a long time. The man I once spent every day with now wore a cold expression, his gaze unfamiliar and making me uneasy. He glanced at me indifferently, his eyes as cold as ice. “I didn’t…” I tried to explain but was cut off. Lucas lowered his head to gently comfort Natalie in his arms. “Don’t be afraid. I’ll send someone to find it right away.” But Natalie pouted, pointing at me. “She lost it, so she should go look!” Humans have the weakest sense of smell among beast people. I had no way to navigate in the miasma. Lucas knew this – he used to tease me for being a “noseless fool” because of it. But now, he coldly ordered me: “Go find it!” I stumbled into the miasma-filled forest. The acrid smell made me dizzy, the poisonous gas burning my skin. I fumbled around, feeling my life force slowly draining away. After searching for who knows how long, I finally touched that damned charm. Covered in wounds, I crawled out of the forest and handed it to Natalie. The Wolf Queen Mother had arrived at some point. She glared at me furiously. “How outrageous! You’re a disgrace to our wolf clan!” “Go reflect in the dense forest for a day and night!” Lucas didn’t even look at me as he left with his arm around Natalie. The night wind blew, making me shiver. At that moment, I finally understood the vast difference between a surrogate and a queen. Here, I didn’t even have the right to speak. Natalie could easily control my life and death. I, who had once been intoxicated by sweetness with Lucas and attached to this wolf territory, thought about leaving for the first time. I couldn’t hold out for long in the miasma forest before passing out. In my hazy state, I thought I caught Lucas’s scent. He seemed to be carefully licking my wounds with his tongue, his movements incredibly gentle. Sobbing, I asked him: “Do I have a place in your heart?” But he remained silent. When I fully regained consciousness, there was no one around. I laughed bitterly and shook my head. It must have been a hallucination. Suddenly, a familiar set of footsteps approached. Lucas entered with a gloomy face, pushing open the door. My heart leapt with a glimmer of joy. “Your Highness, why did you come?” He sat down by my bed, staring at me with a complex expression. “Lily, Natalie contracted a spiritual decay after losing her protective charm. Her condition is critical.” He paused, his gaze growing determined. “The shaman said they need human blood as a catalyst for the medicine. You’ve always been understanding. Can you… help her?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296003”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring #惊悚Thriller #魔幻Magic

On my wedding day in my previous life, the man I had waited 20 years for held his secretary’s hand and forced me to accept them: “It’s just a wedding ceremony, what’s wrong with three people doing it together? Lily doesn’t mind, so who are you to object?” I was so angry I felt dizzy. Thankfully, I still had my parents to back me up. But when they arrived, they rushed towards the secretary instead: “We’re so sorry the hospital mixed up the babies and you suffered all these years. Don’t worry, we’ll give you everything a daughter could want!” “Charlotte! Hurry up and bow to your sister! Be a good girl and accept being second wife!” The shock of these betrayals triggered my heart condition and I died right in front of them. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to my wedding day. The fear of death suddenly engulfed me like a tidal wave. My agonized screams from my final moments seemed to still be echoing overhead. The three people I had trusted most in life were tightly protecting the one who had caused my death. They frowned at me: “Can you stop making a scene? Do you think pretending to be sick will make us feel sorry for you? If you’ve got the guts, why don’t you really die?” A sharp pain shot through my chest. I could only watch helplessly as my body collapsed. “No!!!” I jerked awake with a gasp, panting heavily. Strangely, that awful scene from my past life didn’t play out. I found myself lying in my own bedroom, surrounded by familiar decorations. My mind raced as an unbelievable thought struck me. I had been reborn! Had the heavens taken pity on my tragic fate and given me another chance? Suddenly, a glass came flying at my head. If I hadn’t ducked quickly, it would have smashed into my skull. I turned around angrily to see Sean glaring at me coldly: “What are you standing around for? The guests will be arriving soon. Hurry up and go greet them!” As I stared at his face looming so close, I suddenly smiled: “You’re right, I should go greet the guests. And you should rest up.” In my past life, I had loved him blindly. I would have done anything he asked, even if it meant dying. I never even dared to speak harshly to him. He was used to me being so submissive: “Sigh, I’m doing all this for our family. If only you were as understanding as Lily and could help me with work, I wouldn’t be so exhausted all the time.” I was astounded at how low a person’s morals could sink. In my past life, I had trusted him so completely that even when intimate photos of him and Lily were sent to my phone multiple times, I still believed they were just boss and employee. Until they confronted me at the wedding and admitted they had been secretly sleeping together, even demanding we have a three-person wedding in front of all the guests. I refused to agree. I had been counting on my parents who had doted on me since childhood to stand up for me. But who could have guessed that when they rushed in, instead of defending me, they took Lily’s hand and announced to everyone that she was their real daughter. And I was just a baby that had been switched at birth. In an instant, the betrayal of both my love and my family caused my existing heart condition to flare up. Actually, if they had just quickly taken me to the hospital, I still would have had a chance to survive. But they didn’t care if I lived or died. They just kept pressuring me to agree to this absurd wedding. My life ebbed away bit by bit as I writhed in agony on the ground. But they surrounded me, berating me for being selfish. In the end, I was literally tortured to death on what should have been my wedding day. I died from the cruelty of those who claimed to love me. Remembering their crazed expressions still filled me with dread. I was the biggest victim, yet not a single one of them felt sorry for my tragic fate. After I died, Lily smoothly moved into my home, spending my parents’ money and sleeping with my husband. Meanwhile, my body was left to rot. They didn’t even bother buying me a coffin. It was all so unfair! In this new life, I would never allow that to happen again.

I knew Lily was waiting for Sean downstairs. His excuse about needing to work was just a cover to go sleep with her. How ridiculous – the wedding was starting in a few hours. He had abandoned his bride to go have sex with another woman. He truly didn’t see me as a human being at all. Instead of arguing like I used to, I patted his hand sweetly: “I saw your assistant waiting for you downstairs for a while now. You should go check if there’s some urgent work matter.” Sean was taken aback by my understanding attitude. In the past, I would fly into a jealous rage at any mention of Lily and force him to choose between us. But now I was suddenly so reasonable? He wasn’t stupid. He eyed me suspiciously: “You’re okay with me going to see her? You’re not planning some new way to bully her, are you?” I lowered my head, unconsciously touching my beating heart. This new life was precious. I couldn’t make the same mistakes again. With that in mind, I forced an understanding smile: “Don’t be silly. I trust you won’t do anything to hurt me.” “Besides, Lily has worked for you for so long. If there was something between you two, it would have happened already.” Sean had been anxious to go to Lily. Seeing me give him an out, he grew even more excited: “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of things there and be right back. It won’t delay the wedding.” After confirming I wasn’t angry, he finally rushed downstairs to drive off and meet Lily. Once I had successfully tricked him into leaving, I collapsed weakly into a chair. Thank goodness. Thank goodness. There was still time. In my past life, my trust in them had delivered me straight to hell with my own hands. Now I no longer hoped for love from him or my parents. I just wanted to live this life in peace. My parents weren’t here either. I assumed they had gone to get the DNA test results with Lily. Thinking of the home I had lived in for over 20 years, despite my reluctance, I knew I had to leave. After all, this was no longer a place where I belonged. But I hadn’t expected Sean to return so quickly. And my parents came back with him. Seeing the tears in their eyes as they kept glancing at Lily, I knew. They had confirmed she was their daughter. When they saw me, they looked uncomfortable. Lily boldly stepped forward: “Charlotte, you know Cloud and I truly love each other. If I can’t marry him, my life would have no meaning. You can understand that kind of feeling, right?” I couldn’t understand at all. The world of mistresses was too bizarre. How could she be so blatantly provocative? But I didn’t get angry. I just calmly looked at Sean: “What does she want?” Sean frowned, speaking carelessly: “Lily started dating me right after graduating. I have to take responsibility for her.” “You just want a wedding ceremony anyway. Let’s have the three of us do it together today. Lily’s even willing to let you be the first wife. You should be grateful!” My parents nodded along: “Charlotte, whether it’s looks or knowledge, you can’t compare to Lily. It’s already amazing luck that Sean still wants you. Hurry up and…” “I agree.” Before they could finish, I had already agreed to their proposal.

Under everyone’s incredulous stares, I spoke calmly: “Since you two are truly in love, and I truly love Sean, I can only agree…” My graciousness and understanding stood in stark contrast to their unreasonable demands. They probably hadn’t expected me to love him so much that I would endure even this level of humiliation. Sean fell silent for a moment. He glanced at Lily, his lips moving, but ultimately said nothing. Seeing his expression change, Lily immediately panicked: “If you hadn’t stolen my identity and husband, why would I have to use this method? You’re the real third wheel between us!” The hall instantly erupted in an uproar. I was clearly Sean’s original fiancée – what nonsense was she spouting? Lily’s face turned pale under everyone’s accusatory stares, but she stubbornly continued: “None of you understand! Sean’s heart truly belongs to me. If it weren’t for worrying about gossip from all you relatives, we would have gotten married long ago!” How stupid. If Sean really loved her, why didn’t he break up with me earlier and give her proper status? In the end, he just couldn’t let go of my family’s strong financial backing. Now that she had been acknowledged as the true daughter, of course Sean would immediately abandon me for her. This man didn’t truly love anyone but himself. I put on a sad expression: “I understand. Let me go to the restroom first, then we can have the three-person wedding when I get back, okay?” Sean couldn’t wait for me to agree. He impatiently waved me off: “Hurry back! Don’t delay this auspicious day!” I quickly lifted my skirts and walked away. Like hell I’d come back, you asshole. As soon as I left the bathroom, I saw Sean gazing lovingly at Lily on stage. Professing his devotion to her. For such a romantic moment, it would be a shame not to add some atmosphere. Five seconds later, the balloons tied to the curtains suddenly burst. A horrible stench filled the entire banquet hall. The guests turned green, covering their noses as they fled outside: “Who took a dump in here? This is disgusting!” “It must be heaven showing its disapproval! I told you being a mistress never ends well!” Lily had been in the middle of her vows on stage when she was suddenly assaulted by the stench. She nearly fainted from the shock: “It must be that bitch Charlotte playing tricks! I knew she wasn’t really okay with this!” My best friend happened to overhear this as she was looking for me. She immediately exploded: “Who are you calling a bitch?!” She ran on stage and grabbed Lily’s hair, the two of them brawling. The calm surface had finally erupted into turbulent waves. I may have been able to endure the insults, but my best friend couldn’t. I stormed on stage and slapped Lily hard across the face: “You never fucking stop, do you?!” As I was “breaking up the fight”, I managed to land several solid punches on Lily, leaving her face swollen like a pig’s head. Seeing his lover getting beaten, Sean panicked and roughly shoved me away. There were various wedding implements behind me. My body slammed into their sharp edges. The world spun. Guests pointed at me and screamed: “Blood! There’s so much blood!” Blood was gushing from between my legs. The fear of death from my past life enveloped me once again. Sean was terrified: “I just pushed you lightly! Stop pretending! He moved to help me up. I shoved him away without mercy. I didn’t want to say a single word to this man anymore. My best friend was horrified, her face streaked with tears: “Charlotte, what’s wrong?! Let’s go to the hospital! Now!” I wanted to say I was fine, but my head was spinning badly. I could only lean against her. And so this farce ended in this bizarre fashion.

The hospital hallway was in an uproar. Uncle John was shouting outside the door: “You can’t blame my daughter for everything! If they hadn’t run their mouths, how would things have turned out like this?!” Sean hadn’t expected things to go this way. He stammered out an explanation: “Y-yeah! Who knew she’d be so vicious as to deliberately sabotage my wedding? Of course I had to teach her a lesson!” Go to hell. Shameless bastard. The doctor saw I was awake and hurried to support me: “Young lady, don’t move around. Sigh! Try not to be too upset. You can still have children in the future. You’re still young…” Children… What children? Seeing my blank expression, the doctor grew even more sympathetic: “You didn’t know? You were pregnant…” In my past life, I had already died by this point. Of course I never had a chance to know I was pregnant. I instinctively touched my belly, thinking of that unborn child. My heart was a tangle of emotions. Never mind. We weren’t meant to be. It’s better this way. If the child had been born, it would have been trouble for all of us. Sean quickly chimed in: “Charlotte, we can still have children together…” Just hearing his voice made me nauseous: “Shut up!” This was the first time I had ever yelled at him. He was stunned. I ignored him, slowly turning to Uncle John: “Uncle, have you forgotten it was your daughter who destroyed my family on my wedding day, not me? Do you think I haven’t compromised enough?” “My child is gone now. Who do you think is more pitiful?” Hearing me call him “Uncle”, John’s expression faltered: “How can you call me Uncle…” He was helping outsiders bully me, yet still expected me to call him Dad? My best friend couldn’t stand it anymore. She laughed coldly: “What a bunch of shameless scum.” Sean stepped forward, trying to soothe me: “Don’t be angry. I really didn’t mean for this to happen. It was just an accident. If you hadn’t tried to ruin the wedding, how would you have gotten hurt?” I laughed bitterly: “You’ve got some nerve. You’re the ones who ambushed me with this polygamy scheme without my knowledge. What’s wrong with me retaliating?” Sean coughed awkwardly, wanting to check on my injuries. But Lily dramatically clutched her chest and collapsed to her knees first: “Sean, I think my asthma is acting up again. I’m sorry…I’m so useless…” Seeing Lily looking so weak in his arms, Sean’s veins bulged in panic: “What are you all standing around for?! Hurry and get a doctor! If anything happens to Lily, I won’t live either!” His wife had just lost a child and he couldn’t even pretend to care. But his mistress had an asthma attack and he was frantic like an ant on a hot pan. My heart filled with desolation. In his heart, Lily had always been number one. I only regretted not realizing it sooner in my past life. The doctor came by for his usual rounds. But Sean grabbed him first: “Doctor, check on Lily first. Why did she suddenly faint?” The doctor’s face turned cold: “Don’t be ridiculous! I’m not an internal medicine specialist. Move aside, the patient needs her dressing changed urgently. Any delay could cause complications!” But Sean wouldn’t listen: “How is that possible?! You’re a doctor, you must know how to treat everything! She just lost a baby, but Lily actually fainted! Clearly Lily’s condition is more serious!” The pain in my abdomen was getting worse. My back was drenched in cold sweat. I struggled to stand: “No…take care of me first!” Lily had been bouncing around fine a second ago. Now she suddenly fainted? Who would believe that? But Sean ignored me completely, dragging the doctor towards the door: “If you don’t treat Lily, I won’t let you treat Charlotte either!” He treated a matter of life and death like child’s play. I was truly heartbroken! I looked at Sean, but he avoided my gaze: “Charlotte, I’m doing this for your own good. If anything happens to Lily, you’ll be implicated too. You understand, right? Stop being petty. It’s just a lost baby. You’ll get over it soon.” How could this be endured? Just as they disappeared through the hospital doors and I was about to pass out from the pain, I fell into a warm, strong embrace: “Charlotte! Open your eyes and look at me!” ———-This is the breakpoint———-

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296002”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring #惊悚Thriller #魔幻Magic

I had been in love with Lily for four years. We promised to get married once my company went public. But on the last day before that milestone, she became someone else’s bride. I looked at her painfully, wanting her to give me a reason, but she was pulled behind by the man next to her. “Jack, I have a terminal illness with not much time left. My only wish in this life is to marry Lily once,” Ryan said. Lily’s eyes were brimming with tears, her voice choked with sobs: “Can’t you be a little less petty? I’m just helping Ryan fulfill a wish, it’s not like I’m really marrying him.” I smiled bitterly and turned to leave, saying “You might as well really marry him then.” That same day, I packed up all her things and threw them out. There was just one day left before my company’s IPO. But Lily had disappeared without a trace. The mutual friends Lily and I shared looked at me with complex expressions, as if they had something they wanted to say. I had a bad feeling and frantically tried calling Lily, but no one answered. Until a friend sent me a photo. [You won’t be able to reach her. She’s getting married.] [If you come now, you can still make it.] The message included an address. I had a feeling this wasn’t a joke. Lily was someone who loved romance but wasn’t proactive. She would never arrange some romantic proposal ceremony herself. As I got closer to the destination, the unease in my heart grew deeper. Until I saw Lily’s brother at the entrance, along with those friends. Lily’s brother looked like he’d seen a ghost: “Shit, which bastard told my brother-in-law the address?” His outburst completely confirmed my suspicions. I pointed at the tightly closed doors and asked, my voice trembling: “Why couldn’t you tell me?” “Let me rephrase – is that your sister getting married in there?”

Lily and I had basically grown up together. We were both excellent students – I was always first in the class, she was second. We were the model children other parents always talked about. Even when Lily and I got together later, people would just say: “Those two are a perfect match. It’s only natural they ended up together.” I thought so too. Because we were mature for our age, the behavior of our peers often seemed childish to me. This also meant I didn’t have many friends. I had thought more than once that if Lily wasn’t by my side, I would probably die of loneliness. I was grateful that heaven had sent her to me. Whenever I said this, she would lean close to my ear and laugh. “Have I ever told you that without you, I’d die of boredom too?” I would just look at her tenderly, my heart slowly filling up. How fortunate I was to have her by my side. I kept my promise – once the company went public, we would get married. But with just one day to go, she became someone else’s bride. Lily’s brother ultimately couldn’t stop me. When I pushed open the doors, Lily’s gaze turned to me along with the guests. In an instant, her face changed dramatically. Just as she was about to speak, Ryan pulled her behind him. He looked at me apologetically: “Jack, please don’t blame Lily.” “I have a terminal illness with not much time left. My only wish in this life is to marry Lily once. Lily is just fulfilling this wish for me.” Lily’s eyes were brimming with tears, her gaze full of accusation as she looked at me. “Jack, can’t you be a little less petty? I’m just helping Ryan fulfill a wish, it’s not like I’m really marrying him.” “Ryan is dying, can’t you let him have this?” Looking at her expression, all the questions I wanted to ask died in my throat. I could feel the strength rapidly draining from my body. I nodded and smiled bitterly: “Fine then. I’ll let him have this. I’ll let you go too!” I slowly took off the couple’s ring I had worn around my neck for so long and threw it violently to the ground. My heart clenched painfully. “You two are a match made in heaven. I wish you a lifetime of happiness together.” With that, I turned and left. Lily hadn’t expected me to be so resolute. She wanted to chase after me, but stopped when she heard Ryan’s voice. “Lily, go after him if you want. I’m a dying man, I have nothing left to hope for.” “Jack is the one you’ll spend your life with. I don’t mind!” In the end, Lily didn’t come after me.

Lily’s brother and our mutual friends watched me come out and all rushed to try to persuade me. “Jack, my sister and Ryan are really just friends, don’t overthink it!” “Come on man, be a little more open-minded. It’s not like they’re really getting married.” “Jack, you and Lily have been together for so many years. Don’t throw it all away over something so small…” Looking at these former friends, I felt a wave of desolation. “Stop calling me Jack. From now on, if we pass each other on the street, let’s pretend we don’t know each other. I can’t afford friends like you.” Among them were classmates I had known for over a decade and childhood friends I had grown up with. But when it came to Lily’s situation, Their first thought wasn’t to tell me. It was to hide it from me. Wanting me to continue living in blissful ignorance in that fairy tale relationship I had constructed. Like an idiot. But why should I? Sitting in the driver’s seat, I slowly opened the front compartment. Inside was a property deed for the riverside apartment Lily had been dreaming of for so long. I had bought it for her. I was planning to give it to her as a wedding gift. Now it seemed there was no need.

Actually, there had been signs of something between Lily and Ryan for half a year. It was around the time my company first started taking off. I rarely came home then. On the rare occasions I did make it back, I never saw Lily around. Whenever I called to ask where she was, she always brushed me off with various excuses. “I’m playing mahjong with my girlfriends. I’m often not home. What, am I not allowed to stay with my friends?” Hearing her coquettish complaints, I felt guilty. “I’m doing this for our future. Once this busy period is over, I promise I’ll spend more time with you.” “Take your time honey, don’t worry about me. I’m not some clingy vine that needs constant attention. You focus on your work – that’s how we’ll have a good future.” I was touched by how understanding she was. I subconsciously dismissed the unfamiliar male voice I heard in the background as coming from the TV. Looking back now, she wasn’t playing mahjong with friends at all. She was in bed with another man. How ironic. I contacted the sales manager for the riverside apartment, intending to put it back on the market. I didn’t care about the price. But to my surprise, within a few hours, a buyer had already contacted me. And coincidentally, it was one of the few mutual friends Lily and I had who hadn’t shown up at that deceitful ceremony today – Olivia. She looked at me and sighed softly. “Was this apartment meant for Lily?” I nodded, smiling self-mockingly: “Not anymore.” Seeing my expression, she sighed helplessly: “I see you found out about that ridiculous situation.” Her expression was complex: “I tried to talk her out of it. How can you treat marriage so casually, using some ‘dying wish’ as an excuse? But she’s always been stubborn. The more you try to dissuade her, the more determined she gets.” “I know Ryan. He’s been a spoiled rich kid since childhood. He’s liked Lily for a while, but even so, he’s never stopped seeing other women.” “I heard he found out he doesn’t have much time left, so he’s trying to fulfill his ‘dying wish’. Lily is being so foolish!” Olivia felt the whole fake marriage thing was completely out of line. To get married to someone else when you already have a fiancé? That’s basically no different from cheating. How could she claim her heart still belonged to her boyfriend? Wasn’t she afraid he’d break up with her when he found out? She probably wasn’t afraid. She probably didn’t even care. What other reason could there be? I didn’t know.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to push the pain from my mind. Olivia took out her phone, looking frustrated: “I actually wanted to tell you about this at first, but you had blocked me on everything.” I picked up my phone, pretty sure I knew who was behind that. Seeing I was in a bad mood, she dropped the subject of being blocked and suggested we go get a drink instead. As soon as the alcohol hit my throat, it exploded. My stomach started burning, the pain of betrayal, hurt, and humiliation all masked by the violent churning in my gut. My head was spinning, scenes flashing before my eyes like a zoetrope. As I slowly lay down, He was still so young. The first thing he did when he got home from work was ruffle my hair, then go to the kitchen to cook. He made my favorite dishes and mom’s favorites, but never his own. I asked him once why he never cooked things he liked. Dad always smiled gently but helplessly: “Dad likes spicy food, but mom can’t eat it or even smell it.” “I may not get to eat what I like, but I get to look at your mother every day. As long as she’s by my side, what’s giving up a little food pleasure?” I didn’t understand much then, but I understood what dad meant. To love someone is to accommodate them. It’s to hope for a long future together. But a father like that didn’t end up getting the lasting relationship he wanted. That day when I came home, I saw dad crouched on the floor drinking alone. Mom appeared in front of him wearing a fancy dress I’d never seen before, handing him a folder. “Let’s part on good terms. I was the one who emotionally cheated first, so I’ll take responsibility. I’ll give up everything in the house, and I won’t fight you for custody.” “I’ll send money every month for the child’s expenses.” With that, mom left with her luggage, her departing figure resolute. She used divorce to teach dad a lesson. Love yourself first before loving others. Dad was in a daze for a while. In the end, he pulled himself together. He didn’t wallow in self-pity. During that time, he completely forgot about my existence. I survived on snacks every day, and when those ran out, I could only eat vegetables that hadn’t gone bad. Finally, one day at school, I fainted from hunger. That’s when the teachers realized something was wrong. They contacted my dad. Seeing how weak I looked, dad cried. The father who hadn’t shed a tear when mom betrayed him cried when he saw me sick. From that day on, he pulled himself together. He sold our old place and took me to a new environment. I was happy because dad was finally moving on.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296001”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring #惊悚Thriller

I was kidnapped along with my wife’s first love. But my wife only paid the ransom to save her first love. When I used my last chance to call my wife for help, she impatiently blocked me, “Just die if you want to die! I gave you $500,000 already, how can there be such a greedy person like you!” She thought this kidnapping was staged by me. Just to get her attention. Later, the kidnappers became enraged and stabbed me to death. After death, I didn’t directly embark on the journey to heaven or hell, but instead floated back to Wendy’s side. She was anxiously waiting outside the hospital room. When the doctor walked out, Wendy immediately rushed up, grabbed the doctor’s hand and asked, “Doctor, how is Zach?” The doctor said calmly, “The patient is in shock and not in a good mental state. We’ve treated the wounds on his body, there’s no danger.” Wendy let out a sigh of relief after hearing this and muttered to herself, “Thank goodness Zach is okay, heaven really has eyes.” As her husband, I leaned against the wall watching this scene. I thought I wouldn’t have any feelings after death. But now my heart felt like it was being stabbed by a knife, painfully. Zach only received a shock, yet Wendy was so worried she dropped everything to stay by his side. But when I was in the hands of the kidnappers, she didn’t care at all, as if my life and death were trivial matters. I smiled bitterly as the last memories before my death flooded back into my mind. After being beaten by the kidnappers for several days, there wasn’t a single good spot left on my body. Seeing me on the verge of death, the kidnappers impatiently threw me a phone, letting me call Wendy, my wife. As soon as the call connected, Wendy’s impatient voice instantly came through: “Are you done yet, Charlie? What trick are you trying to pull now?” I begged her for help: “Wendy, I’m not pulling any tricks… Save me, I’m about to die…” Before I could finish, Wendy laughed coldly on the other end of the phone: “I gave you $500,000 already, isn’t that enough? How can there be such a greedy person like you?” “Weren’t you kidnapped? Fine, tell them I won’t give them a single cent, let alone $500,000!” “If they want to kill you, go ahead! You selfish bastard, it’s better if you die!” With that, she hung up the phone without giving me a chance to explain. I called back in disbelief, only to hear the blocked number tone echoing through the room. The kidnappers beside me saw her attitude and became furious, kicking me hard: “Isn’t she your wife? Why doesn’t she care if you live or die? Damn, you made us waste our efforts!” Realizing there was no hope for my ransom, they suddenly swarmed me, punching and kicking harder than before. Finally, after days of torture and no food, my already weak body couldn’t hold on any longer. After a few more blows, I coughed up blood. The skinny man beside me was startled and stammered to the kidnapper boss: “Boss… if we keep beating him he’s going to die…” The kidnapper boss looked at me with disdain: “So what if he dies, no one cares about him anyway, no one will give a damn if he’s dead!” I felt only desolation in my heart as my vision gradually darkened. The despair and fear of impending death instantly filled my mind. I reached out my hand into the air. Wanting to grasp something, but in the end it fell limply. On the verge of death, I thought of all I had given to Wendy over the years. From the moment I met her until I closed my eyes, it was all one-sided giving on my part, while Wendy was always on the receiving end. Actually, from the very beginning, it wasn’t worth it. With regret and unwillingness, I closed my eyes forever.

After entering the hospital room, Wendy’s first sight was of Zach trembling in the corner. She immediately rushed over and carefully embraced Zach, as if protecting a priceless treasure. Zach looked up at Wendy shakily and said, “Sister Wendy, I’m so scared, those kidnappers were so terrifying…” Seeing him like this, Wendy’s eyes reddened. She held him tightly and said, “Don’t be afraid, Zach. I’m here with you, no one will dare touch you.” How ridiculous. I was her lawful husband. But in her eyes, I probably mattered less than a stranger she met on the street. I remembered once when I caught Wendy and Zach being intimate in the office, I angrily rushed in to confront Wendy. Unexpectedly, Wendy slapped me directly and looked at me with disgust: “Can’t you be less narrow-minded? Your heart is filthy, so you think everyone else is filthy too!” Those words were like shards of a shattered glass bottle, deeply embedded in my heart. Whenever I recalled them, they were always accompanied by a dull ache. Zach nodded while sighing, not feeling there was anything wrong with lying in another man’s wife’s arms. He said with a pale face: “How’s Charlie? Wasn’t he kidnapped too? Has he come back?” Hearing her mention my name, Wendy’s expression instantly became visibly annoyed. She said with disgust: “What does it matter to me if he comes back or not? That beast deserves to die out there!” “He even dared to kidnap you. It’s because I’ve been too lenient with him time and time again, letting him forget his place!” “If he really died, that would be great. One less burden, my life would be so much easier.” Seeing her frowning expression and these cold words, I felt as if I had fallen into an icy pit, my whole body numb. I was an orphan, discriminated against by others since childhood. It was Wendy who appeared and rescued me from being bullied. She promised to protect me for life, and I believed her. I wanted to give her my heart. But after Zach appeared, everything changed. She started to get tired of me, started staying out all night. Leaving me alone at home waiting from dusk till dawn. Every time I brought up not wanting to be left alone, she would impatiently push me away saying: “Haven’t you had enough of your pity party? I’m busy, don’t bother me.” After that, I learned to keep my mouth shut. Hearing Wendy’s loving words, a flash of smugness passed through Zach’s eyes, but he quickly feigned concern again: “It’s not Charlie’s fault, it’s all my fault for making Charlie jealous and doing these things…” He was deliberately provoking Wendy, gauging her attitude. Sure enough, Wendy’s face grew increasingly unpleasant. She gritted her teeth and said fiercely: “Using these despicable tactics will only make me despise him more!” After saying that, she stood up with a face full of tenderness and poured Zach a cup of hot water, placing it in his hands: “Your main task now is to recover. With me by your side, you have nothing to fear.” She then picked up the phone Zach had tossed on the pillow and opened the WeChat message list. Since the kidnapping drama began, I hadn’t sent her a single message. In the past, I would send a dozen messages a day. Looking at the message column dated to last week, a fire of anger rose in her heart. She was certain I must be safe and sound, not sending messages was just another ploy to play hard to get. She didn’t want to find me. After scrolling through the phone for a while, she turned off the screen and tossed it aside again. Zach saw her little action and said pitifully: “Charlie still hasn’t messaged you? Should I apologize to him and promise not to get in his way anymore?” Wendy immediately flew into a rage: “You’re just too kind-hearted! We shouldn’t care whether that kind of person lives or dies!” “Besides, I’ve already been tolerating his harassment of you every few days. Now he even dares to set his sights on you, arranging this kidnapping.” “What right does a viper like him have to make you apologize? He should come kneel down and beg for your forgiveness!” As she said these words, the disgust and contempt on her face were undisguised. It was like the sharpest sword piercing my heart. A flash of joy passed through Zach’s eyes. Wendy hating me so much now was exactly what he wanted. But he still pretended to be troubled: “Don’t fight with Charlie because of me…” Wendy’s face was expressionless: “Don’t worry about him. He’s the one who wronged you. That kind of person doesn’t deserve a second glance from me!” With that, she picked up the porridge she had bought and started feeding it to Zach spoonful by spoonful. Watching this intimate scene between the two, I tightly closed my eyes, not wanting to look anymore.

To help Zach get over the trauma of being kidnapped, Wendy eagerly took him on a trip as soon as his mental state improved slightly. Watching them take photos together and play around at various scenic spots, my heart felt like it was being tightly squeezed by a large hand, unable to breathe. I had begged Wendy many times in the past to go on a trip together, even if just for one day. But she was always either busy with work today or had a business trip tomorrow. Each time she would impatiently tell me: “Why do you have so many annoying habits? When do I have time to accompany you? The company has so much business, which isn’t more important than you?” So I never brought it up again. But now, to accompany Zach, Wendy had specially taken several days off from the company, pushing aside all her tasks. I finally understood. It wasn’t that Wendy didn’t have time. It was just that in her heart, I wasn’t even worth one ten-thousandth of Zach. I followed the two of them like this, watching their sweet moments together as if they were a married couple every minute of every day. After all these years, it was like I was meeting her for the first time. On the way back, Zach fiddled with the photos in his hand, suddenly asking with red eyes: “Sister Wendy… if Charlie finds out we went out to play together, will he kidnap me again?” Zach seemed to have some deep grudge against me, not forgetting to bring me up even at this time. Sure enough, Wendy’s face instantly turned from smiling brightly to stormy. She raged: “He wouldn’t dare! Don’t worry, just stay by my side. I’d like to see how he could do anything to you!” Zach’s face immediately lit up with a bright smile: “Sister Wendy, you’re so good to me…” Looking at the sweet couple, my heart could no longer stir any waves. Perhaps it was because I was dead, or perhaps after being by her and Zach’s side for so long, I finally understood. She had never liked me. It was all just my wishful thinking. Why did I bother deluding myself? Just then, for some reason, Wendy became very agitated. She kept taking out her phone to look at it. I suppose she had gotten used to my attentive care and concern, and felt uncomfortable not receiving any harassing messages from me for so long. I’m sure she’ll be freer from now on, at least without me, this annoying lapdog, getting in her way. “Sister Wendy, what’s wrong?” Zach noticed Wendy’s change and purposely asked. Wendy shook her head, “It’s nothing. I just wanted to see if Charlie had repented these past few days and sent a message to apologize to you.” “Looks like I gave him too much face.” Wendy glared coldly, taking her phone out and putting it back several times. In the end, she still opened my phone number and called me. Unfortunately, dead people can’t answer phone calls. After calling three or four times with no answer, Wendy’s patience finally reached its limit. She laughed coldly and blocked me, “Since you don’t want to answer, don’t ever call again!” Zach said softly: “Is Charlie deliberately trying to get your attention? Or is he jealous of me and doesn’t want to talk to you…” Wendy gritted her teeth: “He still hasn’t had enough of these boring tricks! Why can’t he learn a thing or two from you!” I listened to the two of them complaining about me with disgust, letting out a bitter laugh. They still thought I was playing games. Wendy, what would you think if you found out I was dead?

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296000”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring #惊悚Thriller