My sister, Stella, had a string of bad relationships that convinced her all men were jerks. The day I introduced her to my boyfriend, Ethan, she didn’t hold back. “He’s no different from the rest,” she said, “he’ll betray you in the end.” Under the table, I tugged at her sleeve. But Ethan didn’t get angry. He looked Stella right in the eyes and said, word for word: “If I ever betray Luna, I’ll lose everything.” Stella just scoffed. “We’ll see about that.” After that, their relationship was icy, and I was stuck in the middle, torn. Then I went away for a six-month work trip. The night before I was due back, I was scrolling in bed and stumbled upon an anonymous confession thread. [I fell for my sister’s boyfriend. What do I do?] The comments section was flooded with hate. Until I scrolled to a reply from a burner account: [Don’t yell at her, everyone. It’s not her fault; I was the one who pursued her.] [She looks tough on the outside, but she’s so fragile inside. The more I see that, the more my heart aches for her.] My finger froze. I instinctively tapped on the profile. It only had one video of a cat. But a chill ran through me, and I couldn’t stop trembling. That cat was the one Ethan had given me.

I zoomed in on the video again and again. Afraid to miss a single detail. But every detail told me. This was the cat from our first anniversary. Ethan had braved a snowstorm to deliver it to me exactly at midnight on my birthday. He said the kitten’s name was Happy. He hoped I’d be happy every day after that. A massive sense of absurdity washed over me. I could barely breathe. I exited the profile. And scrolled back to the beginning of the confession thread. It had been posted an hour ago. [First time I met him, I hated him. I’d been betrayed before, so I had zero good feelings for men.] [But he was good to my sister. She has a sensitive stomach, so he kept a note of what she could and couldn’t eat.] [Whenever she worked late, he’d pick her up, no matter how late it was.] [He remembered all her likes and dislikes. His profile picture, his social media posts, his background — it was all her…] I bit down hard on my lip, tasting iron. Ethan was so good to me. He remembered my period every month, always keeping pain meds in his bag. Once, I was writhing in pain from cramps in the middle of the night, and he immediately bought the earliest flight to come to me, just to bring me medicine. Things I’d casually mention, he’d take to heart and make happen the next day. He was an atheist, but for me, he’d even visit a church and pray for my safety. I’d always felt lucky to have found the best man in the world. My hands shaking, I continued to scroll down: [Later, my sister went on a business trip and told me to go to him if I needed anything, saying he was reliable. I said I’d rather die than ask him for help.] [That night, there was a heavy rainstorm, and the light bulb in the house suddenly blew out. I’m afraid of the dark, and no one answered when I called maintenance.] [I had no choice but to dig out the number my sister left and called him.] [Half an hour later, he appeared at the door, soaking wet, smiling as he said, “Turns out you get scared too.”] [In that moment, I felt something I couldn’t explain.] I remembered that. Ethan would update me daily. That night, when we were on FaceTime. He’d brought it up himself. “Stella looks fearless, but she’s actually afraid of the dark.” He talked about Stella for a long time. Laughing as he spoke. His laughter held a hint of fondness. At the time, I didn’t think much of it and even told him that if Stella ever needed anything, he had to help her immediately. [After that, whenever something broke at home, I’d instinctively think of calling him.] [We started seeing each other more often, and I guess I didn’t hate him as much anymore.] [He often waited for me to get off work, then accompanied me to the grocery store or to watch a movie.] [He even learned how to cook my favorite dishes, and just like with my sister, he wrote down what I liked and disliked in his notes.] [I once said, “Could you please stop using Luna’s picture as your avatar when we talk?” and he immediately changed it to an avatar with the same color scheme as mine.] [My feelings for him became more and more complicated.] That avatar was the first photo he took of me when we first started dating. I’d even teased him about it back then. “Aren’t you afraid people will laugh at you for using my photo?” He gently squeezed my cheek, a proud look on his face. “My girlfriend is so beautiful, of course I want to tell everyone.” He’d used it for five years, never changing it no matter what anyone said. The day he changed his avatar, I’d asked him about it. He said it was for work reasons. I believed him. Turns out, it was because of one sentence from Stella. Tears welled in my eyes, blurring the screen. [Tonight, he and I went to see a movie. At the end, he suddenly turned to me and asked, “Do you like me?”] [I heard my own heartbeat, and then I heard him say, “I wish I had met you sooner.”] [I couldn’t control myself and kissed him. He didn’t pull away.] [I feel disgusted with myself for doing such a thing to my sister’s boyfriend, but I can’t control how I feel about him.] [My sister comes back tomorrow. I don’t know how I’m going to face her.]

My stomach churned, a wave of nausea rushing to my throat. I hunched over the bed, dry heaving, but nothing came up. Our parents died in a car crash when I was eight and Stella was thirteen. Stella went to all my parent-teacher conferences. She braided my hair every morning. Stella taught me how to use a pad when I first got my period. When I brought Ethan to meet her. I desperately wanted her approval. Because in my heart, she had already surpassed even my mom. But now. The person I loved most, the person I cherished most. Both of them had been hiding so much from me. My heart felt like it was being ripped open, and I curled up on the bed, only able to whimper. The confession thread’s popularity soared. The hateful comments grew more and more intense. [Gross. Flirting with your sister’s boyfriend, and acting all innocent here? How disgusting is that?] [My heart goes out to the sister. The two people she loves most, getting together behind her back. It’s suffocating just thinking about it.] [“Can’t control yourself”? Why don’t you just die? And this guy, what a total piece of trash!] Underneath every hateful comment, there was a reply from Ethan. [She’s in more pain than anyone. She hates herself more than anyone. You have no right to judge her.] [Yes, I’m trash, but even as trash, I want to protect her.] [If I had met her first, I would have chosen her.] The latest update on the confession thread was from a minute ago. [You’re right to curse me. I’m disgusting, I’m vile. I’ll stay away from him from now on. I can’t lose my sister.] My phone slipped from my grasp and clattered to the floor. I had been so excited, thinking I’d be home tomorrow. Now, I didn’t know how I could face them. The city lights glowed outside, and I spent a sleepless night. After a painful internal struggle, I still dragged my luggage to the airport. Stella’s message arrived promptly. [Luna, I’ll be waiting for you at the exit.] Ethan’s message came a minute before I boarded. [Luna, be careful on your way. I’ll be waiting for you.] This was the only message since our hasty call last night. Normally, he’d call me half an hour beforehand to wake me up. He’d fuss over me, reminding me not to forget my ID, not to forget my things, not to forget to eat breakfast. Then he’d text me constantly throughout the journey, telling me to be safe. But now, it was just a brief sentence. I didn’t reply. I turned off my phone and closed my eyes. When the plane landed, I saw Stella and Ethan at the exit. Standing two meters apart, one on my left, one on my right. Like strangers. Stella’s eye makeup was heavy; it was almost impossible to tell she’d been crying last night. She was always like that, never showing her vulnerable side. Not even to me. Ethan didn’t rush over excitedly like he used to. He adjusted to what looked like a natural smile and pulled a bouquet of flowers from the trunk. “Luna, welcome back.” When he handed me the flowers. Both Stella and I froze. Because he was holding white roses. Those were Stella’s favorite flowers.

I fought hard to control my expression, to keep myself from breaking down. Stella only liked white roses, and I was the one who told him that. I only liked baby’s breath; he had never gotten it wrong all these years. He finally realized he was holding white roses. His eyes darted nervously for a moment, then he quickly tried to cover it up: “I was in such a rush this morning, I didn’t even notice I grabbed the wrong flowers. I’ll get you a bigger bouquet later.” He said, then instinctively glanced at Stella. Stella didn’t look at him. She walked straight over and took my suitcase. “Come on, I’ll take you to get something good to eat.” Normally, Stella, Ethan, and I would go out and feast on all our favorite foods. But those words from the confession thread kept replaying in my mind. I managed a strained smile: “You two go ahead. I need to go back to the office first.” Ethan stepped forward: “I’ll drive you.” “No need!” I refused without thinking. Perhaps my emotions were too intense. Ethan and Stella furrowed their brows, their eyes filled with confusion. I lowered my head, took my suitcase back from Stella, and steadied my voice: “The company is waiting for my report. I won’t be back until a bit later.” Their brows relaxed, and Stella smiled: “Okay, then I’ll make your favorite dinner tonight.” Ethan curved his lips: “Then call me when you’re done, and I’ll pick you up.” I nodded. Pulling my suitcase, I fled the airport like a phantom and hailed a taxi to the company. Outside the window, familiar streetscapes sped past. I had lived in this city for twenty-five years. Every road held a trace of both of them. Stella would always rip into Ethan over something he said. Each time, Ethan would raise his hands in surrender, muttering, “My bad, my bad.” Then he’d quietly lean into my ear and complain: “Stella is so fierce.” Those days were truly happy. Snapping back to reality, I realized my face was streaked with tears. The taxi driver glanced at me in the rearview mirror. “Ma’am, nothing’s impossible to get over. You gotta look forward in life.” I gave an embarrassed smile. And wiped away the tears from my eyes. I got out at the company building, paid the driver, and took a deep breath, looking up at the office tower. I’d been on a business trip for six months, temporarily assigned to an out-of-state project. Because of my excellent performance, my manager had even wanted to send me to participate in a secret overseas project. I had refused. Because Ethan said he wanted to get married soon. Before my trip, he’d said we’d look at wedding venues when I got back. But now, no need for wedding venues. But this project, I would take it. Walking into the office, the manager was coming out of a meeting room with a stack of documents. He saw me and paused: “Luna? Aren’t you supposed to be back tomorrow?” “Came back early.” I forced a smile: “Manager, that overseas assignment you mentioned earlier, I want to apply for it.” The manager’s eyes lit up: “Really? I tried to convince you for so long, and you wouldn’t budge.” “What, did you change your mind?” Changed my mind? Even now, I still couldn’t believe Stella and Ethan would betray me. But I knew some things didn’t need to be understood. Only accepted. I nodded. The manager grew serious. “This project is highly confidential. You won’t be able to return home or contact your family for the three years you’re overseas. Can you truly accept that?” “Yes, I’ll leave first thing tomorrow morning.”

At ten that night, I went downstairs. Ethan was leaning against his car, smoking. Cigarette butts littered the ground. The crimson glow of the cigarette reflected on his face, his brows deeply furrowed. In five years of dating, I’d only seen him smoke twice. The first time was the year we graduated, when his parents forced him to go back to his hometown for development. And I only wanted to stay and be with Stella. Ethan then, just like now, smoked one cigarette after another. In the end, he chose me. And now, what choice was he making? I didn’t want to think about it. Seeing me, he immediately put out his cigarette and walked toward me, taking my suitcase. “Just got back and they’re already making you work late. Your company is so inconsiderate.” I replied, trying to sound normal: “There was a lot to report.” He opened the passenger door, and I bent down to get in. A faint perfume scent wafted into my nose. I stiffened. That scent was Stella’s favorite perfume. I instinctively turned my head, my gaze falling into the seat crevice. A lip balm had fallen there. It was the one I’d given Stella last month. He walked around to the driver’s seat, saw the lip balm in my hand, and paused. The car was silent for two seconds. Then he smiled. “Stella must have left it when she rode in my car today. I’ll take it back to her later.” I stared at the lip balm: “Did Stella often sit in the passenger seat when I was away?” His motion of buckling his seatbelt paused. He turned to look at me, his eyes unreadable. Then he reached out, touched my head, and chuckled softly: “What, are you getting jealous of Stella now?” I didn’t smile. His tone became serious. “You wanted Stella and I to get along, right? So sometimes she rides in my car.” He added at the end: “If you don’t like it, I won’t let her sit there anymore.” I didn’t want to hear anymore, so I closed my eyes: “I’m tired.” He gazed at me for two seconds, then said: “Last night, did you… scroll past anything?” I opened my eyes and looked at him: “Scroll past what?” He was silent for a moment, then gave a light laugh: “Nothing. I just noticed you don’t look well today, your eyes are red.” I closed my eyes again. “I was too excited last night, didn’t sleep a wink.” He started the car, shaking his head resignedly: “Still acting like a kid.” Then he casually turned on the air conditioning. It was two degrees higher than usual. Whenever Stella rode in the car with us, the AC always had to be two degrees higher. Because she got cold easily. When we got home, Stella was already waiting at the door. “Must be starving, right? Hurry and wash your hands, dinner’s ready.” I walked straight inside. The table was filled with all my favorite dishes. I still sat in my usual spot. Stella was on my left, Ethan on my right. Both simultaneously put food on my plate. “Luna, your favorite steak.” “Your favorite chicken wings.” For a moment, I was disoriented, as if I was back in the past. But reality told me. Everything had changed. So many words were stuck in my throat. I wanted to tell them, I saw the confession thread. I wanted to ask them, why did you do this? But the words stayed unspoken. The meal was tasteless. Until Stella raised her glass and looked at me: “Luna, let’s raise a toast.” She tilted her head back and drank. “Welcome home, Luna.” Then, she glanced at Ethan: “You two have been together for so long. I used to be against it, but now I’m not. Pick a date and get married.”

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It was Annie’s birthday, and we were heading to the amusement park. Suddenly, a luxury car sped past us. That instantly enraged my husband, a former racing champion. He slammed on the accelerator, giving chase, completely ignoring that Annie and I hadn’t buckled our seatbelts. I don’t think I’d ever seen him lose control like that, except for the time he lost the Underground Racing Championship to a mysterious racer. Eventually, to avoid a child who darted into the road, he swerved sharply, crashing into a tree. Annie and I died instantly. But as my soul left my body, I saw him get out of the car, immediately embrace the female driver of the luxury car, and kiss her passionately. “She’s dead. Let’s get married!” That woman was my best friend. It turned out the so-called accident was nothing but their meticulously planned murder. When I opened my eyes again, I was back in the car, just before we drove off. This time, I buckled Annie’s seatbelt and quickly slipped into the driver’s seat. If they loved racing so much, then I’d show them who the real Underground Racing King was.

Seeing me smiling at him, Johnson’s eyes flickered with a hint of nervousness. He quickly covered it with a doting smile, ruffling my hair. “Honey, I told you I learned to drive so I could be your chauffeur for life. You haven’t touched a car since you got your license, and it’s Annie’s birthday today. How can I possibly let you drive!” If it weren’t for the horrific memory of how he’d killed Annie and me in the previous life just to be with another woman, I might have been touched by him again at that moment. After all, in everyone’s eyes, Johnson loved his wife and daughter most; racing only came in third. Years ago, I’d jokingly said I wanted his desert rally championship trophy as a dowry. He went out, fought a 104-degree fever, and left everyone in the dust in the desert to win that world-class, devilish competition. After crossing the finish line, he was immediately rushed to the ambulance. Before he even fully recovered, he struggled off the hospital bed and onto the podium, proposing to me with the trophy in front of global media. At that moment, I truly felt like the happiest woman in the world. After we married, whenever we went out together, he always insisted on driving, saying it was the only way he could ensure Annie and my safety. It wasn’t until my best friend, Eve, returned from overseas and I introduced them that all his past affection turned into a long-planned scheme! But what he didn’t know was that my delicate wife persona was also an act. Before I met him, I was the undisputed Masked Racer, the queen of the underground racing world. Because racing was dangerous, not even my closest friends knew about my glory. For his ego, I reined in my true nature in front of him, becoming a champion’s wife who seemed to only care about being a dedicated wife and mother. But starting today, I wouldn’t spare him an ounce of dignity! I instinctively dodged his hand, my expression still firm. “You trained too late last night. I was worried you’d be tired.” Annie also played along perfectly, clapping her little hands in the back. “I’ve never ridden in a car Mom drove! It’s my birthday today, so let me experience it!” A cold sweat broke out on Johnson’s forehead. He instinctively looked back in the direction where Eve’s car had appeared in the previous life. Clearly, it was almost time for her grand entrance, and he was afraid of messing up his plan. He sighed, giving in, and sat in the passenger seat. He was so busy sending messages on his phone that he didn’t even bother with his seatbelt, his mind solely focused on informing that bitch. Unfortunately, he was still a step too slow. I glanced at the pink luxury car suddenly appearing in the rearview mirror, a cold smirk playing on my lips. So, you love racing? This time, I’ll give you a real show!

The pink car flashed past, and the gust of wind it created actually made our car sway. Johnson panicked, fumbling to buckle his seatbelt. “Karen, your driving isn’t good enough, don’t try to be like that car just now…” But before he could finish, I imitated his actions from the previous life, my face serious, the accelerator floored. “Johnson, don’t worry, I won’t let any car get ahead of you, the champion! The media all recognize your car. If you’re photographed, your future will be ruined!” As I sped off, the car lurched violently, and he couldn’t get his seatbelt buckle to click. Eve, unaware it was me driving, was still aggressively swerving in front of my car. Johnson, terrified, had to grab the door handle. Guilty but daring not to speak harshly, he tried to sound patiently persuasive. “Karen, it’s your first time driving in ages. Don’t get into a road rage with someone like this! If your license gets revoked, you really won’t be able to drive again!” Remembering how Annie and I had cried and pleaded in the previous life, only for him to ignore us, I gave a cold laugh. “You’ll be driving anyway from now on. Even if my license gets revoked today, I won’t let you lose!” Annie, securely buckled in, sat steadily and even clapped excitedly, cheering. “Mommy is amazing! Faster than Daddy! So exciting!” Seeing that I wasn’t slowing down, and even tried to accelerate into the pink car a few times, Johnson’s eyes were filled with worry for Eve. Finally, he couldn’t keep up the act any longer and roared. “Karen, are you insane? Annie is in the car! Even if you don’t care about me, think about her!” But I had cried just like that, clutching his arm until my voice was hoarse. He had coldly shaken me off, his eyes only showing the grim determination to get rid of us. “I’ve been good enough to you two. Today, can you really bear to see me get overtaken by another car and become a laughingstock?” Even when we crashed into the tree, Annie and I bled out on the spot, and he didn’t spare us a second glance. Instead, he took out a handkerchief to wipe the blood I’d splattered on his designer clothes, his eyes full of disgust. “Even when you’re dying, you still have to dirty the custom-made suit Eve gave me. You really deserve to die!” Only then did I realize that my month-long trip abroad with Annie, where I’d asked him to help take care of Eve, who had just returned, had become a hotbed for their affair. Well, today was the day to settle scores! With a scream from Johnson, I squeezed through an impossible gap, shot past the pink car, And lightly tapped her front wheel, performing a perfect pit maneuver. Her car instantly lost control, spun several times, and crashed into a tree. Though Johnson was also injured, he couldn’t bother to hide his feelings anymore. Before our car even fully stopped, he flung open the door and rushed out, heading straight to the pink car to check on Eve. Seeing that she only had a scratch on her forehead, he hugged her protectively in front of the onlookers, then glared at me. “Karen, if anything happens to Eve, I swear I’ll kill you!”

Everyone quickly recognized the popular, multi-championship winner and began whispering. “Didn’t the pink car cut off Mr. Johnson’s car first? Why is he comforting the one who caused the accident?” Hearing the murmurs, Johnson realized he’d lost his composure. Afraid of damaging his image and plan, he carefully placed Eve on a roadside bench. He even thoughtfully took off his jacket and placed it on the bench before letting her sit. “You’re hurt, and the bench is cold. You might catch a cold.” Then he turned to me, his gaze icy. “You drove recklessly and startled Eve, which caused her to swerve into your car in a panic. You were wrong first. Apologize to her immediately!” I was about to protest, but the people around us suddenly looked enlightened, glaring at me with contempt. “So she’s just relying on her status as the champion’s wife to drive like a maniac and provoke people!” “No wonder Mr. Johnson always drives. He’s truly spoiled her rotten, making her think the road is her own living room!” “She ruined such a beautiful car. Hurry up and apologize to Miss Eve!” I shook my head, speechless. “She maliciously cut me off first. Why should I apologize?” Eve’s eyes instantly reddened. She pulled at Johnson’s angry arm. “Johnson, Karen only crashed into me because she saw you were too concerned about me. Don’t blame her!” Then she tugged at my hand. “Karen, you misunderstood. He was just taking care of me as you asked him to…” I coldly shook her hand off. “Taking care of you to the point of giving you cars, houses, and even our child?” Eve froze, speechless, tears welling up in her eyes. A flicker of unease crossed Johnson’s face too, But the sight of Eve’s tears filled him with distress. Mindful of the many eyes watching, he suppressed his anger and frowned at me. “Considering it’s your first time driving in a while, get down on your knees and apologize to Eve. Take full responsibility, and this matter will be over.” I laughed, enraged. “Me, kneel? I might have sped up, but it didn’t affect her driving. She deliberately cut me off, endangering my family’s safety!” Several witnesses also stepped forward to speak fairly. “Mr. Johnson, are you mistaken? Eve was driving fast, but within traffic rules. It was this pink car that maliciously cut off your car while speeding. She’s the one at fault!” Seeing everyone’s accusations turn towards her, Eve put on a tearful, wronged expression. “I understand. Just because I’m not the champion’s wife, I’m being ganged up on. I don’t blame anyone, only myself for not having a name or status…” Johnson couldn’t bear to see her like that. Ignoring the paparazzi’s flashing cameras, he raised his hand and slapped me across the face. “Karen, do you have any humanity left?! You constantly told me to take care of her, yet you didn’t hesitate to put her in danger! How can a hypocritical bitch like you be worthy of being my champion’s wife! Get down on your knees and apologize, or I don’t mind finding a new one!” Annie, seeing her father so angry for the first time, burst into tears. “That bad lady bullied our car! Why should we apologize?” Johnson actually kicked Annie, knocking her down. “And you! How dare you be rude to Eve in public, you ill-mannered brat!” My anger flared. I pushed him away, picked up Annie, and glared fiercely at the wretched pair. “If I hadn’t crashed into her, it would have been Annie and me hitting that tree! If I hadn’t been driving today, your wife would probably be someone else by tonight, wouldn’t she?” “You think when I told you to take care of her, I meant sleeping with her and buying her this luxury car to take my daughter’s and my life?!” Johnson’s eyes widened. Only then did he realize I’d seen through their little scheme. He was about to argue when police sirens blared. Seeing the police begin to investigate the scene, Johnson immediately stepped forward to report. “I can confirm, Karen drove recklessly first, which angered Eve and caused her to cut off her car! If you’re going to arrest someone, arrest this ungrateful woman first!”

After reviewing the dashcam footage, the police frowned and gave their assessment. “The video shows your car had no issues; it was clearly the pink car that cut you off first. They are fully responsible for…” Seeing Eve about to be held fully responsible, Johnson immediately raised his hand, cutting the officer off. “No need to say more. Both cars are mine. Eve is magnanimous; she won’t pursue the matter.” Eve’s eyes were full of resentment. She was about to argue, but Johnson gave her a look, and she bit her tongue. I didn’t want to get tangled up anymore. To avoid being targeted by their schemes again, I immediately took Annie home, packed our things, and filed for divorce. But just as we got into a taxi, barely two blocks away, a car suddenly sped towards us. I instinctively shielded Annie in my arms. After a violent collision, I completely lost consciousness. When I woke up, I was bruised and battered, lying in the outskirts of the city. The blinding race lights made it hard to open my eyes. Annie was tied in the passenger seat of the badly wrecked pink car, crying hysterically. “Mommy, save me!” Johnson, dressed in a racing suit, his arm around Eve, who was in a hot outfit, gestured at me with his chin. “I always thought you’d become useless after staying home for so long, but you’re surprisingly clever! Since you know our intentions, I’ll give you a chance to save yourselves today.” “As long as you win against me in this car, I might let you continue being my wife, giving you and Annie three thousand a month to barely survive. If you lose…” He patted the pink car, whose bumper was held on with duct tape. “Then you two are on your own!” I gave a bitter smile. So, his downplaying the accident in front of the police was to complete his unfinished plan— To drag me to this underground racetrack and make us disappear this way. After all, in his arrogant mind, Even if I had managed to stop Eve earlier, I was just a reckless amateur who got lucky. And with a wrecked car that had just been in an accident, tonight would surely be our end. Then he could portray me as an irresponsible mother who took her child street racing, making us bear the blame even in death! The others also chimed in, jeering. “A useless woman who can’t even drive, how could she be worthy of Brother Johnson! Just die gracefully and make way for his true love!” “He’s giving you a respectable way to die, but you have to act tough and even scare Eve. You don’t deserve it!” “Pants are wet now, aren’t they? Hurry up and kneel down to Eve and apologize!” Everyone burst into laughter, certain I would break down crying and beg for mercy. Eve even leaned in, provocatively stroking my face. “Karen, don’t blame Johnson for falling for me. After all, I’m a professional racer from overseas! We are on the same wavelength. How could a useless homemaker like you understand?” “This pink car as your coffin is quite a blessing. After all, the baby in my belly was conceived right in this car…” I was furious. I spat at her fiercely. Eve couldn’t dodge in time and jumped back in disgust. Johnson immediately slapped me hard. “I thought if you showed some humility and apologized, I might even give you a different car, a more dignified death. But you spat on my kindness. Dying in this car is too good for you! I warn you, if you dare refuse, my boys are itching for a good time! If we ‘handle’ you here, record it, and post it online, I’ll have even more reason to kick you out. By then, your reputation will be ruined, and your child won’t be able to hold her head high. That’s truly worse than death!” Seeing that he was afraid I would refuse, I gave a cold laugh and staggered towards the battered pink car. “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s start!” The scoundrels burst into laughter. “Look at her acting all tough. Thinks she’s the Masked Racer!” Johnson also gave a dismissive smile, pulled out a document, and threw it at me. “Sign this first. It proves you’re voluntarily participating in this race, and we’re not responsible for any life-threatening injuries!” I gave a cold smile. “Fine, but on one condition: you sign one too.” He sneered, picking up a pen and signing his name immediately. After all, in his eyes, I was the one destined to die tonight. He then had Eve sit in the passenger seat and raised an eyebrow at me. “As husband and wife, I’ll send you and Annie off on your final journey!” A hot girl walked in front of the two cars, took off her small jacket, spun it, whistled, and tossed it into the air. The instant the jacket hit the ground, Johnson shot off like an arrow from a bow. Eve even smugly stuck her hand out the passenger window, giving me the middle finger as I remained motionless. Everyone mocked and laughed. “That useless woman isn’t scared stiff, is she? Can’t even find the accelerator? How embarrassing!” But I wasn’t in a hurry at all. I slowly shifted into neutral, stomped on the accelerator, then released… As a rhythmic roar filled the air, the smiles vanished from everyone’s faces, and a terrifying memory simultaneously flooded their minds. “Isn’t that… the Masked Racer’s habit before starting a race?” No sooner had the words left their mouths than my car shot forward at a speed they couldn’t comprehend. All they could see was a blurry afterimage…

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The night before the wedding, Lucas Miller’s father, Carter, and his mother, Mary, caught my husband, Lucas, in the act. When I arrived, Lucas was pinned to the ground by Carter and Mary, beaten and covered in blood. Seeing me, Lucas dropped to his knees in front of me. “I couldn’t control myself, I betrayed you!” “I’m willing to cancel the wedding tomorrow and divorce you.” “I just beg you not to blow this up…” I glared angrily at the man I had loved for five years, about to speak. Suddenly, a series of bullet comments popped up before my eyes. [Don’t listen to him! He won $300 million in the lottery yesterday!] [That $300 million is community property, half of it is yours!] [If you divorce, you won’t get a single dime!] Half of $300 million! I reached out and helped Lucas up from the ground. With a pang of fake heartache, I wiped the blood from his face. “I love you so much, how could I possibly divorce you?” Lucas stared at me, stunned. A flicker of disbelief crossed his eyes. After all, I’m not one to tolerate even a speck of dirt. Last time, he just gave a drunk female colleague a ride home. After I found out, I argued with him for a whole week. In the end, I still felt so stifled I wanted a divorce. Mary cried and begged me, and Carter kept promising that Lucas would never do it again. That’s how I reluctantly gave him another chance. This time, I caught him red-handed. According to my usual personality, I would have divorced him without hesitation. But now, I was forgiving him… Seeing this, Carter and Mary immediately rushed towards Lucas. Mary slapped Lucas hard across the face and burst into wails. “You heartless man!” “How could you do something so despicable again!” “That time you cheated on Fiona with that colleague,” “Carter and I went against our consciences begging Fiona to give you another chance.” “What did you promise us back then?!” “Why can’t you keep it in your pants and mess around outside!” Hearing Mary’s words, my heart ached. I instinctively let go of Lucas’s hand. So he had betrayed me even that time! But he had sworn to God that he and Mia were just colleagues. He had sworn that he would only ever love me… My lips trembled with pain, about to speak. Lucas knelt down again. “Fiona, I’m an asshole! I’m sorry!” “Not only did I cheat with Mia, but I also have a child with her.” A child! I stared at him, stunned, tears streaming down my face uncontrollably. Lucas and I had been lovingly together for five years. The man who would call my name in his sleep. Not only did he cheat on me with another woman. He even had a child! I stepped back two paces, the words “divorce him” on the tip of my tongue. The bullet comments scrolled again. [Don’t be impulsive! That child is Mia’s with another man.] [You can ditch the man, but you can’t ditch hundreds of millions!] [Lucas has 58 days left to cash in his lottery ticket.] [For these 58 days, the protagonist just has to put up with a disgusting situation.] I took a deep breath. Forcing myself to squeeze out a smile at Lucas. “Honey, your child is my child.” “If you and Mia don’t mind, I’ll raise this child.” Lucas’s face went pale. He jumped up from the floor as if he’d seen a ghost. He grabbed his clothes, threw them on, and ran out in a panic.

Carter and Mary stared at me, horrified, and quickly chased after him. Watching their retreating backs, I let out a mocking laugh. … The next day, I didn’t receive any notification from Lucas about canceling the wedding. Nor did Lucas’s bridal party arrive. I stared at myself in the mirror, fully made up and wearing a wedding dress. My nose stung. “Fiona, don’t be sad.” “You’re marrying money, not this scumbag Lucas!” So, I took my marriage certificate and drove to the hotel myself. But I still didn’t see Lucas. Even Carter and Mary didn’t show up. I wasn’t angry, nor did I cry. I followed the Emcee, step by step, through the ceremony. The guests below whispered and gossiped. “What’s going on? Why hasn’t the groom shown up?” “Did he get cold feet and not want to marry Fiona after all?!” “Fiona was the one who pursued Lucas, so it’s normal for him to have regrets, right?” “What are the Miller family relatives saying?” “Back then, Lucas’s family was struggling so much. If it weren’t for our Fiona, he wouldn’t be where he is today?” I stared at the relatives from both families arguing below. Scenes from back then instantly flashed through my mind. Many girls liked Lucas back then. But he was aloof, distant, and kept everyone at arm’s length. No one dared to directly confess to him. The only time I dared to approach him was when I was drunk. I chased him for several blocks. “Lucas, we’re in our junior year. If we don’t start dating now, we’ll be old before we know it.” “Lucas, I’m different from them.” “It’s not just your looks I like.” “Lucas, are you not dating because you don’t have money?” “I’m easy to support… I have a lot of money.” After that day, Lucas suddenly vanished from my life. The year before graduation, Lucas’s dad suddenly broke his leg. It needed a lot of money for surgery. Lucas found me for the first time, and spoke up himself. “Fiona, aren’t you rich?” “If you help pay for my dad’s treatment, I’ll be your boyfriend.” At that time, I joyfully put in money and effort to help Lucas through his difficulties. After graduation, I begged my dad to help Lucas invest. From nothing, he built up the small company he has today. Although not extremely wealthy, we were comfortably well-off. I always thought Lucas and I were partners who’d been through thick and thin, with deep feelings. But I never expected that the most important thing in his heart was only money! I snapped back to reality, and took the Emcee’s microphone with a bitter smile. My voice trembled slightly. “Lucas drank too much yesterday and hasn’t woken up yet.” “I asked Carter and Mary to stay home and take care of him.” I looked at the hundreds of guests present and pulled out my marriage certificate. “Lucas and I got our marriage license a year ago.” “Today’s wedding is just to celebrate.” “Please eat and drink well, I thank you all on behalf of the Miller family!” After that, I returned the microphone to the Emcee and left the wedding venue. Half an hour later, I stopped at Carter and Mary’s house, carrying a bag of supplements I’d bought for Lucas. I entered the electronic lock password as usual, but it told me the password was incorrect. I stared at the red electronic lock screen, laughing mockingly. Just as I was about to try another password, the bullet comments appeared again. [The password is 135790] [Lucas and his family are currently figuring out how to force you to divorce him.] [Go in quickly and give them a surprise.] I immediately entered the new password. The lock clicked open.

I pushed the door open quietly, and Mary’s voice immediately reached my ears. “Fiona is truly shameless.” “We didn’t even go to the wedding.” “She actually went through the whole ceremony by herself.” “Last time you took Mia home and she found out, she wanted a divorce.” “Yesterday we said such terrible things, and she still didn’t react.” Mary suddenly lowered her voice. “Could she possibly know about your lottery win?” Carter immediately interrupted Mary. “Absolutely not!” “I think she just can’t bear to leave Lucas.” “After all, she’s almost thirty. If she really divorces him,” “She won’t find another good man like Lucas.” Mary nodded. “Our Lucas, he’s a gem you’d be lucky to find.” I twisted my lips in disgust, about to speak. Lucas, who was leaning on the sofa, suddenly sat up straight. He stared at Carter and Mary with a sinister gaze. “If she still won’t divorce, then…” He leaned closer to Carter and Mary, lowering his voice. But fragmented words still reached my ears. He said: “Then let’s make Fiona the one at fault, so she gets nothing in the divorce!” The one at fault, and gets nothing? He’s dirty himself, and he wants to throw mud at me? No way! I deliberately cleared my throat. All three of them looked at me in horror. Mary shrieked, “How did you get in?!” “I clearly changed…” Carter forcefully pushed Mary. Mary immediately put on a vicious expression. She was about to speak. I immediately interrupted. “You didn’t go to the wedding today because you must have been too tired yesterday.” “I don’t blame you.” “I already showed everyone the marriage certificate.” “Even if Lucas wasn’t there, everyone knows we’re legally married.” Legally married. That means community property, half for each. Lucas’s face instantly darkened. He frowned at me. I didn’t give him a chance to speak. I shoved the supplements into his arms. “Lucas, these are supplements I bought for you all.” “You’ll have plenty of *effort* to expend going forward, so you’ll need to keep your strength up.” Lucas stared at the box of supplements, his temple visibly pulsed a few times. “Fiona, what do you mean?” I suppressed my disgust and intimately linked my arm through Lucas’s. “Lucas, I’ve thought it over.” “No matter what you do to me, I won’t ever bring up divorce.” “I’m almost thirty, and if I divorce you, I definitely won’t find a man as good as you.” “Before, I was young and impulsive.” “From now on, you can do whatever you want, I won’t interfere.” Lucas’s face turned white, and he angrily pushed me away. The bullet comments scrolled wildly. [Fiona is amazing!] [Lucas is panicking. He’ll go cash in the lottery ticket in the next few days.] [Once the prize money is in hand, the protagonist will immediately file for divorce!] [Don’t give him an inch!] For the next week, Lucas didn’t show his face. But Carter and Mary clung to me like demons. Even when I took a shower, Mary would stand guard outside the bathroom door, afraid I would disappear. Until the eighth night, my room door was suddenly pushed open from the outside. I opened my eyes in horror and switched on the light.

I saw a big, corpulent man staring at me with a lecherous grin. I shrieked in terror, frantically grabbing a pillow and throwing it at the man. The man was unfazed and chuckled suggestively. “Don’t panic. I’m Lucas’s friend.” “He said you’re scared of the dark at night, and asked me to keep you company.” “I’m very gentle.” Lucas! That scumbag! To make me leave with nothing, he actually did something so sick and twisted! I clenched my fists, forcing myself to calm down. The bullet comments appeared again. [Lucas has already cashed in the prize money.] [As soon as this creepy man succeeds, Lucas will rush in to take evidence and make you leave with nothing!] [Fiona must leave here immediately and find a lawyer to divorce him!] Leave! Find a lawyer to divorce him! I repeated these two sentences over and over. Looking up, the man was already by the bed. He tore off my blanket and sat down next to me. “Beautiful, I’m here!” I stared in horror at the man lunging at me, grabbed the vase from the bedside table, and smashed it hard on his head. He cried out in pain, clutching his head and falling to the floor. I seized the opportunity to jump out of bed, and kicked him hard in the groin. A more agonizing scream filled the entire bedroom. I cowered in the farthest corner, trembling with fear. Terrified tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. The bedroom door was suddenly thrown open. Carter, Mary, and Lucas stood at the doorway, each holding a phone, their faces excited. But when they saw the man lying on the ground, covered in blood, they all froze. Lucas was the first to react. He rushed forward, quickly playing the victim. “Fiona, you’re so shameless!” “You’re bringing other men into our home!” “What exactly did I not provide you with,” “that you’re playing such perverted games with another man!” Mary snapped back to reality, pressing the camera button repeatedly. “You shameless bitch, you’re cuckolding our Lucas!” “I’m going to make Lucas divorce you!” “I’m going to make you leave with nothing!” Carter chimed in. “That’s right! Leave with nothing! You won’t get a single dime!” I stared at Carter, Mary, and Lucas, trembling all over. For the past five years, I had treated them like family, giving them my whole heart. What I got in return was their cold indifference today. My body shaking, I painfully moved to stand in front of Lucas. I raised my hand and slapped Lucas across the face. “Lucas, *you’re* the one who should leave with nothing!” Lucas stared at me, bewildered. It took him a while to react. The next second, his palm landed on my face. “Make me leave with nothing? In your dreams!” He held up his phone. “Even though I didn’t capture the most ‘exciting’ moments.” “But a man and a woman alone in a room, everyone knows what that means.” “This video alone is enough to prove you cheated!”

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Just as I lay down on my bed, my best friend’s call came through: “Ethan, where the heck are you? The wedding’s about to start! Why aren’t you here yet?” I was stunned. “What wedding?” Liam sounded furious. “Yours and Chloe’s wedding, of course!” I thought he was joking, but then he turned the camera to the wedding venue. In the city’s premier hotel ballroom, my parents and a host of relatives and friends were all seated. The welcome sign at the entrance clearly read: 【Ethan Miller & Chloe’s Wedding Ceremony!】 My scalp instantly prickled. Chloe? Wasn’t she the goddess I’d secretly adored for years? She was the city’s wealthiest CEO, and I was just a guy barely scraping by on minimum wage. I hadn’t seen her since high school graduation; I didn’t even have her SnapChat. Get married? Get married to whom? But Liam was so insistent, everyone was urging me to hurry to the wedding. To find out what was going on, I rushed to the hotel. But the moment I stepped out, I was hit by a runaway truck and died on the spot. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the moment Liam called me.

When I opened my eyes again, I was drenched in cold sweat. The pain of being hit by the truck in my past life still lingered. Even as I died, I couldn’t understand why everyone was saying today was my wedding to Chloe. I quickly searched: “Chloe wedding.” But there wasn’t a single piece of information about her dating or getting married! My contacts, my chat history, even my Ins and photo gallery— there was no information about her anywhere! My phone vibrated frantically. Liam’s anxious voice came through: “Ethan, the wedding’s about to start, where are you?” “Everyone’s getting impatient, hurry up, you need to make your entrance!” His voice was full of frantic urgency, but I felt ice-cold all over. I, stone-faced, sent him screenshots of the information I’d gathered: “Liam, there’s a limit to jokes! Chloe and I have zero connection. What wedding are you talking about?” Liam paused, then immediately turned his phone to the grand ballroom. Chloe, in a flowing white gown, and a crowd of guests appeared before my eyes. “Dude, are you okay? You already signed the papers, and you’re saying you’re not married?” “The ceremony’s about to begin! Why are you using some ancient news from a burner account to pretend you’re single? What’s your deal?” “Stop stalling! Everyone’s waiting for you to make your entrance!” The groomsmen also crowded around: “Ethan, where did you go? You just disappeared, we’ve been looking everywhere!” “Chloe proposed to you 99 times! This wedding alone cost millions! What more could you possibly want?” Chloe proposed to me 99 times? What a joke! She was known as the Ice Queen, untouchable and aloof. What pull do I have with a multi-billionaire tech CEO like her? Chloe’s clear, cool voice suddenly cut in: “Did you find Ethan? Is his phone connected?” “No, not yet…” Liam quickly covered his phone, answering guiltily. Chloe’s eyes darkened. She turned and coldly instructed her bodyguards: “Check the hotel surveillance. Find Ethan immediately!” Seeing this, Liam immediately lowered his voice and warned me: “You moron, did you hear that? Chloe’s been looking for you all morning!” “Stop messing around and get out here! No matter how much she spoils you, you’re leaving everyone hanging here today. Where’s her dignity in that?” “If you don’t come soon, I can’t cover for you anymore!” As he spoke, he raised his phone again. My parents stood anxiously by the door, looking around, and guests were buzzing with chatter.

Chloe’s expression grew colder by the minute. Everyone’s anxious, worried faces didn’t look fake at all. But in my last life, I believed them and died on the road. Thinking of this, I couldn’t help but clench my fists: “Liam, I’ve never even dated Chloe, let alone married her!” “Joking around with AI videos, I’m genuinely getting angry!” Liam froze, then laughed in exasperation: “AI? Ethan, are you out of your mind? Look closely, is that AI?” “Get this straight, today is *your* wedding, not mine! Whether you want to get married or not, I’m done dealing with it!” With that, he angrily sent me a screenshot and then hung up. I was dumbfounded. In the screenshot, I had officially announced my marriage! And on that marriage certificate, my and Chloe’s photos were clearly visible! I looked at it several times; there were no signs of Photoshop or AI manipulation. But I had never posted a marriage certificate, nor had I seen this post on Ins before! My mind was a mess. Liam and I have been best friends since childhood. He always stutters when he lies. But his rant just now clearly wasn’t an act. And my parents had no reason to conspire with them to trick me. If all of this was real, why did I have no memory of dating Chloe? Why was everyone insisting today was my wedding to Chloe? Just then, I suddenly remembered someone. My Aunt Carol works at the marriage registry. If the marriage certificate was fake, she’d definitely find out! I immediately sent her the marriage certificate: “Aunt Carol, I need to ask you something! Is this marriage certificate real?” Aunt Carol immediately snapped in anger: “You little rascal, trying to fool me with a fake certificate? You’re doing this on purpose to annoy me!” “I introduced you to so many potential partners, and you didn’t like any of them! Now you’re trying to wind me up!” Hearing Aunt Carol’s familiar grumbling, the knot in my stomach finally loosened a bit. “So, this certificate is fake?” “Of course it is!” Aunt Carol shoved her computer screen right in front of the camera. “Look at the system yourself. Does it say ‘married’ anywhere in your marital status?” “The registrant’s name on there is mine! If you were getting married here, wouldn’t I know?” I stared intently at the screen. Sure enough, it said ‘single.’ Aunt Carol’s colleague also leaned over, joking: “Honestly, it’s a pretty good fake!” “Ethan, your aunt has been worrying herself sick about your marriage, don’t mess with her like this! Hurry up and find someone to marry, your aunt will personally register you!” Listening to their familiar chatter, I let out a long breath. Yes, my aunt had always doted on me since I was little; there’s no way she wouldn’t attend my wedding if I were truly getting married. The official government system even showed I was single, so I definitely wasn’t married! But the next second, a SnapChat group called “Operation Wedding” exploded on my phone. Countless people were furiously @-ing me: “Ethan, where the hell are you? The MC has called for you a dozen times, why aren’t you making your entrance?” “Hurry up! If you don’t start soon, the guests will riot!” My head buzzed. When did this group appear? I have no memory of it at all! Just then, a voice message popped up: “Ethan Miller, are you getting married or not?” It was Chloe. Her tone was clearly tinged with anger. My parents also sent voice messages: “Ethan, what are you doing? Marriage is a serious matter, why are you disappearing now?” “Hurry up and come in! Everyone’s waiting! Chloe has been looking for you everywhere. Don’t mess around at a time like this, hurry up, if you don’t come, we’re going to get angry!”

I was instantly infuriated, and I directly sent them the video recording of my call with Aunt Carol. “Mom, Dad, what’s going on with you? Why are you all in on this trick?” “I’m not married at all! Why are you playing such a joke? This isn’t funny!” I thought they’d back down, but then my mom’s scolding voice came through. “Carol, what are you doing! My son is acting up, but are you losing your mind too? Is this really something to joke about?” Aunt Carol’s pleading voice followed: “Oh, Honey, I’m sorry!” “I thought Ethan was having cold feet, so I just wanted to tease him! How was I supposed to know he’d hide and skip his own wedding!” “Ethan, your aunt was wrong! You really are married! I processed your marriage certificate myself! Hurry up and come in, Aunt Carol has been waiting for ages to celebrate your wedding!” I widened my eyes in disbelief. Didn’t Aunt Carol work at the civil affairs bureau? How could she be at the wedding venue? I quickly video called Aunt Carol. But Aunt Carol was sitting primly at the marriage registry, looking impatient: “You kid, I’m busy right now! Why are you calling again?” I instantly felt a chill run through me. What was going on? How could there be two Aunt Carols at once? But neither of them seemed fake. Which one was real? I felt like my head was going to explode. Trembling, I sent the call history into the group chat. “I’m not married at all! What exactly are you trying to do?” The previously buzzing group chat suddenly fell silent. Then, Chloe sent a voice message: “Ethan Miller, what are you trying to prove by constantly sending AI images?” “My patience has limits. I’m giving you five more minutes. If you don’t show up, you’ll face the consequences…” Hearing that, I stiffened. Chloe, the city’s ultimate power player, who dared to cross her? But would someone like her play along with a nobody like me? This wedding was incredibly lavish and dreamy. Just the imported peonies alone, flown in from overseas and worthy of a royal wedding, cost over a million dollars. Who would spend such a fortune on a prank? The group was still buzzing with urgent messages, and my phone kept ringing. My emotional defenses slowly crumbled; I desperately wanted to rush to the venue to confirm. But the fear of being hit by the truck in my past life once again choked me. No! I couldn’t gamble. Just then, my phone rang urgently: Chloe! My pupils constricted instantly, and I almost dropped my phone. Impossible! I had searched countless times just now; Chloe’s name wasn’t in my contacts at all! Why was her name appearing on my phone now?! My heart pounded wildly. Trembling, I pressed the answer button. Chloe appeared on the screen, her face a mask of frost: “Ethan Miller, time’s up. Are you… still not coming?” A strange pang of sadness hit me, and I cautiously began: “Ms…. Ms. Chloe, we’re not… not married, are we?” As my words fell, her eyelashes trembled violently for a few seconds on the video call. She let out a bitter, sarcastic laugh. “Ethan Miller, you really outdid yourself!” “We’ve been together for three years. I thought if I loved you unconditionally and fulfilled your every need, I could win you over…” “But now, it seems I was wrong…” Seeing her forlorn expression, I almost reflexively denied it: “No, it’s not like that…” Marry her? I’ve dreamed of it! I’ve had a crush on her since high school. All these years, I hadn’t dated anyone because my heart was always set on her!

But logic told me that this was all fake. How could an ordinary man like me make the ‘Ice Queen’ burn with passion? Moreover, in my previous life, I died tragically at that intersection; I couldn’t gamble with my life! I took a deep breath and looked at her with a mix of seriousness and complexity: “Ms. Chloe… we really aren’t married! Please stop messing with me… okay?” Hearing this, the warmth in Chloe’s eyes slowly froze. She gave a desolate smile, nodded, and then simply hung up. Before I could react, my parents’ call immediately came in: “Ethan Miller, are you insane? A wife like Chloe, you wouldn’t find even if you searched with a flashlight, and you’re letting her go!” “Why are you so willful? You always took her love for granted when you were dating, constantly making her prove how much she loved you. Now that you’re married, you’re still acting up like this? What exactly do you want?” I was so anxious, I almost cried. “Mom, Dad, what’s wrong with you? I’m not married to Chloe, I…” My parents immediately erupted in anger, delivering harsh threats: “Still playing dumb!” “Let me tell you, Ethan Miller, if you don’t show up, we won’t acknowledge you as our son!” The call was immediately cut off. When I tried to call back, the number was disconnected. I was on the verge of a breakdown. Suddenly remembering the hotel’s name, I immediately called them. “Excuse me, is Chloe and Ethan Miller’s wedding being held at your hotel today?” The voice on the other end was decisive: “I’m sorry, we don’t have any wedding banquets today. Are you looking to book one?” The knot in my stomach finally loosened. See? They were indeed lying to me! It must be Chloe who had bought everyone off, deliberately playing a cruel trick on me! Only she would have such immense power to make everyone listen to her. But what was her motive? Before I could figure it out, Liam suddenly sent me a link. I instinctively clicked it open, and the sight that greeted me made my vision go black! It was Chloe standing at the ballroom entrance! Her eyes were bloodshot as she publicly announced the cancellation of her wedding to me. Countless reporters swarmed her, their cameras flashing wildly. News of me ditching my wedding flooded the internet. Everyone was calling me an arrogant jerk, ungrateful, saying I turned down the city’s wealthiest CEO. My parents and Liam were frantic, sweating profusely, constantly trying to dissuade her: “Chloe, Chloe, please wait a little longer, okay?” “Ethan isn’t someone who’d be so inconsiderate, he must have run into something. Can we please wait a little longer?” “I’ll go find him myself right now, I’ll drag him back and make him explain, okay?” Aunt Carol eagerly chimed in from the side: “Yes, Chloe, Ethan definitely didn’t do this on purpose!” “You don’t know, Ethan might be willful around you, but he’s always liked you! He’s acting up because he feels you’re too amazing, he feels insecure, like he’s not good enough for you!” “That kid, Ethan, has liked you since high school, he dreams of being with you! He cried with joy the day you got your marriage certificate. How could he intentionally not show up for such an important occasion as his wedding?” Chloe, her eyes bloodshot, let out a low laugh. “Not on purpose?” “Three years ago, the moment I met him, I swore I wouldn’t miss him again.” “To be with him, I gave my whole heart. This wedding has been planned for a year. I thought he was as excited as I was, but it seems it was all just my own self-delusion…” “He’s been treating me like an idiot, trampling my dignity into the dirt!”

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My husband Caleb’s mistress and I were in a car crash at the same time, but he chose to save her first. At the hospital, the doctor told me I had a miscarriage because I was taken to the hospital too late after the accident. “Caleb,” I croaked, “our baby is gone.” Caleb was standing at the door of the ward, holding his mistress, Daisy. Daisy only had a few scrapes. He frowned. “Willow, stop making a fuss. Daisy’s pregnancy is still delicate.” That’s when I finally saw it clearly. The woman he was protecting had a visibly rounded belly, at least four months along. He had publicly announced it was the posthumous child of “his fallen brother.” Later, from the next room, I heard the sounds of them making love. He gasped. “Daisy, I love you.” That night, I packed my bags, leaving the miscarriage report and two time capsules on the table. Inside the capsules were his promises. “I’ll cherish you my entire life, never let you down.” He had written those words himself three years ago. Before boarding, I pulled out my SIM card and broke it in half. Caleb, your child killed my child. This time, I don’t want you anymore.

Willow’s POV “Madam, your divorce decree with Mr. Owen has been processed as per his request.” Mr. Davies, the lawyer, respectfully handed me the final divorce papers. I took the papers, softly hummed, and stared blankly at them. “If you have no other instructions, I’ll take my leave.” I nodded, not speaking. The lawyer relaxed and immediately stood to depart. I gripped the divorce papers tightly, my mind buzzing, wanting to cry but unable to. My phone rang. It was Caleb. “Willow, did you get the divorce decree?” His voice was as deep as ever, but this time, it held a rare hint of tension. “Yes.” “It’s just a sham divorce, don’t worry about it. Once the scandal blows over, we’ll get remarried, okay?” He quickly added. “Okay.” He cautiously continued, “I’ll leave work early tonight. Want to go out for dinner?” “Sure.” Hanging up, I looked at the divorce decree in my hand and suddenly started to laugh. As I laughed, my cheeks grew cold, and tears dripped onto the paper. I was Caleb’s first love. In college, I was walking past the sports field when Caleb hit me with a basketball. From then on, Caleb started his relentless pursuit of me. He brought me breakfast every day and walked me back to my dorm from the library every night. I casually mentioned a cake shop I liked, and Caleb would drive halfway across the city and wait in line for three or four hours just to buy it for me. After graduation and starting work, to take care of me, he, who had never stepped into a kitchen, learned to cook. Later, I found out Caleb was the heir to the Owen family, one of the wealthiest in the country. But I was just an ordinary girl. My parents passed away, and I only finished my studies through scholarships and part-time jobs. How could someone from my background ever be worthy of the Owen family? So I broke up with him. Caleb refused. He waited outside my apartment building for seven days and nights, refusing to leave even when a severe storm hit. I watched his resolute figure from my window upstairs, standing in the pouring rain, and finally, my heart softened. To get his mother to agree to our marriage, Caleb pleaded with Eleanor for three days, enduring her furious disapproval and extreme conditions, until she finally gave in, and he married me three years ago. After we married, he spoiled me rotten. For my birthday, he booked all the giant screens across the city. For our anniversary, he chartered the most luxurious yacht for a trip out to sea. If I had a fever, Caleb would drop his overseas projects and fly back overnight. When I had period cramps, he’d rub my stomach all night, not sleeping a wink. The entire internet envied Caleb and my love story. Everyone said I was lucky, marrying into a wealthy family and marrying for love. Everyone praised Caleb as a rare good man. Every time I saw comments online, my heart swelled with happiness. This man had suffered so much for me; I wished I could give him the best of everything in the world. Yet, this very Caleb, two months ago, suddenly brought home a woman named Daisy. Caleb said, “This is my brother Oliver’s girlfriend. He was killed in the line of duty, and she’s pregnant. As his brother, I have to take care of her and ensure his child is safe.” I believed him. My heart ached for Daisy. I often visited her, chatting, cheering her up, taking her shopping, buying her gifts, diligently caring for her on Caleb’s behalf. But gradually, things started to feel off. Caleb and I had planned to go to the movies, but Daisy said she had a prenatal check-up, so our date was canceled. I was running a high fever, but Daisy called in the middle of the night, and Caleb immediately got up and left. His excuse was that Daisy had a nightmare about his brother. When I landed after a business trip, Caleb, who was supposed to pick me up, bailed again. Because Daisy was scared of thunder. I had to take a cab home alone in the pouring rain. No matter what we were doing, one call from Daisy could always make Caleb leave.

Willow’s POV I voiced my dissatisfaction once, but Caleb always used the same line: “Daisy is pregnant, and this is for Oliver’s child.” Though I felt wronged, I didn’t want to make things difficult for his brother’s widow. After all, it was a life. I thought, it’ll all be fine once the baby is born. Until the night before last, Caleb was with Daisy at a concert, and a reporter snapped photos of them supposedly kissing. The next day, media outlets rushed to report it. Suddenly, Caleb’s affair and the identity of his mistress became hot topics online. That day, I went to a private club to find Caleb, wanting to discuss how to handle it. As I approached the door of the private room, I overheard Caleb’s conversation with his friend. “Everyone knows about your situation. What are you going to do?” Caleb sat in the middle of the sofa, long legs crossed, his brow deeply furrowed. He was silent for a moment before speaking, “Willow and I will get a sham divorce first, so Daisy won’t be considered my mistress. Once the storm passes, I’ll remarry Willow.” His friend sounded incredulous, “You’re really willing to divorce Willow for Daisy?” “It’s just a sham divorce. Willow will always be my wife.” “I really don’t get it. You clearly love Willow so much, how did you end up having a child with Daisy?” Caleb looked down, twirling a lighter in his hand, and after a while, he said, “Daisy came from a humble background, and to make ends meet, she worked as a hostess at a high-end club. She reminds me so much of how Willow used to be, struggling but resilient and brave.” “Being with her, I feel like I’m back to the beginning of my relationship with Willow.” I stood outside the door, my mind exploding. What brother’s girlfriend? What brother’s child? It was all a lie. That was Caleb’s own mistress and child. “Aren’t you afraid Willow will find out?” His friend asked. Caleb’s face darkened, and he was silent for a longer moment, “Oliver is on a mission. He won’t be back for several months.” “As long as he doesn’t come back, Willow won’t know.” “Once Daisy has the baby, I’ll send her and the child abroad.” I leaned against the hallway wall, utterly cold, my limbs refusing to obey. My heart felt like it was being violently seized and then ripped apart, making me break out in a cold sweat. On my way here, I was still thinking that, for his brother’s sake, I would endure it and work with him to figure out how to handle the public outcry. But it turned out his brother wasn’t dead at all. And Daisy, whom I had genuinely cared for for two months, wasn’t his brother’s girlfriend at all. She was my husband’s mistress. The shopping trips I took her on, the gifts I picked out for her, the comforting words I spoke to her, all became a complete joke. Caleb, who had constantly vowed to love only me forever, cheated on me after three years of marriage. He neglected his wife at home to have an affair with a woman who reminded him of my past self, and they even had a child. Not only that, he brazenly brought his mistress right in front of me, confidently expecting me to care for her. Caleb, you are truly audacious. That evening, Caleb returned home and, as expected, brought up the sham divorce to calm the public. His words were sincere, his tone gentle, and he reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, “It’s just temporary. Trust me.” Caleb probably expected me to cry and make a scene. Instead, I accepted it without a word. Caleb visibly relaxed. He thought he had appeased me. He didn’t know that what I agreed to wasn’t a sham divorce at all. What I wanted was a real departure. I snapped back to reality, put away the divorce decree, and went out to do two things.

Willow’s POV First, I applied for a visa. Second, I canceled my ID and wiped my records from the system. The clerk said all procedures would be completed within two weeks. As I walked out of the ID office, my phone rang. It was Caleb calling. “Willow, where are you? Why aren’t you home?” His tone was urgent, barely concealing his anger. It used to be like this. Once, I went to the grocery store and didn’t notice my phone. I was only out for forty minutes, but when I returned, I found Caleb had called twenty-seven times. Seeing me return with grocery bags, he pulled me into his arms, squeezing me so tight I couldn’t breathe. “Willow, if I can’t find you, I’ll go crazy!” That Caleb, so anxious and caring about me, could also make room for another woman in his heart. How ironic. “I just came out for a walk, to clear my head,” I tried to make my voice sound normal. “Stay right there, I’m coming to pick you up.” Caleb’s voice was tense, “The divorce news just broke, there are reporters everywhere. You’re not safe alone.” After hanging up, I suddenly realized. Caleb and Daisy’s affair was still trending on social media. Going out alone now indeed made me an easy target for reporters. Caleb arrived quickly, his Maybach screeching to a halt. He pushed open the car door and strode over, not even wearing his suit jacket, clearly having dropped everything to rush here. When he reached me, he instinctively reached out to pull me into his embrace. His arm lifted halfway, then dropped. We were outside now. And we were publicly divorced. His hand froze in mid-air, eventually just lightly resting on my shoulder, giving it a squeeze. He lowered his eyes to look at me, a hint of indescribable grievance in his expression, “Willow, I’m just glad you’re okay. I was so worried about you.” I looked at his face, and a sharp pang twisted in my chest. He looked so sincere, so concerned about me. Just like every other time he couldn’t find me. But I already knew that this concern wasn’t just for me anymore. I lowered my eyes and quietly asked, “Where are we eating?” Caleb quickly pulled open the car door for me, “I’ve booked a restaurant. It’s a private event, just the two of us tonight, Willow.” The car drove into the private driveway of a French restaurant in the city center. The entire restaurant had been booked out, the crystal chandeliers glowed softly, and someone played the violin in the corner, the melody lingering beautifully. Caleb pulled out my chair, personally spread the napkin on my lap, and ordered for me. When the steak arrived, he took the knife and fork, expertly cut the meat into small pieces, and pushed the plate toward me. Every time we ate Western food together, he was this thoughtful and attentive. I looked down at the neatly arranged steak pieces on my plate, my throat tight, unable to swallow a single bite. Caleb observed my expression, put down his knife and fork, and took my hand, “The divorce is just for show.” “Willow, just bear with it for a few days. Once this is over, we’ll remarry immediately.” “My care for Daisy is just for…” “Just to take care of Oliver’s girlfriend for you.” I finished his sentence for him, even managing a small smile. “He was always the best to you since you were little. I know. I understand.” Caleb finally exhaled in relief. He reached out and pinched my cheek, a smile in his voice, “Willow is the most understanding. You’ll always be my wife.” He took my hand, lacing our fingers together, his thumb slowly stroking the back of my hand, and whispered, “When we remarry, I’ll propose to you again.” My eyelashes trembled. I remembered the night he proposed three years ago. Caleb knelt before me and said, “Willow, I will never marry anyone but you. Marry me, and we’ll be together forever, okay?” I was crying so hard I couldn’t speak. The same hands that put a ring on my finger three years ago handed me the divorce decree three years later. Caleb’s phone rang. He glanced at the screen. I clearly saw the tenderness and deep affection in his eyes vanish instantly, replaced by tension. He answered the phone, “Daisy, what’s wrong?” The restaurant was quiet. Daisy’s tearful voice came through the receiver, “There are reporters outside the door, I’m so scared.” Caleb shot up, “Don’t be afraid. Lock the door. I’m coming right now.” He hung up and looked down at me. His eyes still held an apology, but his body was already moving toward the door. “Willow, Daisy has a situation. I need to go handle it. I’ll have the driver come pick you up.” With that, he was out the door. I sat alone in the empty French restaurant. A whole table of carefully prepared dishes, barely touched. The waitstaff stood in the distance, their gazes carrying a hint of undisguised pity. I waited for two hours. The driver never came. Caleb had forgotten me. I walked out of the restaurant alone. Before I even reached the roadside, a group of reporters swarmed me, cameras and microphones practically shoved into my face: “Ms. Lynn, is it true you’re divorcing Mr. Owen?” “Do you know about Ms. Rance’s relationship with Mr. Owen?” “When did your relationship break down?” “Is Ms. Rance the reason for your divorce?”

Willow’s POV I finally managed to escape the mob of reporters and took a cab home, looking utterly disheveled. But before I even reached my doorstep, I saw a group of reporters squatting outside the main gate, long lenses and microphones set up everywhere. I couldn’t go home. I had no choice but to take a cab to our small apartment. Back when Caleb was pursuing me, he didn’t mention his identity as an Owen heir, fearing I’d reject him. To live with me, he bought a small 600-square-foot apartment on the west side of town. Back then, we went furniture shopping together, chose a decorator together, and furnished our new home together. Every single item in that small apartment, we had picked out together. Later, Caleb revealed his identity, we got married, and moved into the mansion. He kept that small apartment, arranging for it to be cleaned regularly. He never allowed anyone to touch anything inside. He said it was our home, just for the two of us, filled with too many memories for anyone else to touch. Occasionally, he would even take me back to stay for a night or two. I took a cab to the small apartment, opened the door, and froze right inside the entrance. A pair of women’s flats were on the floor. They weren’t mine. I was rooted to the spot. Faint voices drifted from inside. Caleb and Daisy. “Make yourself comfortable. No one knows about this place, so no reporters will bother you.” Daisy’s voice was timid, “Will Willow be unhappy if I stay here?” “Willow won’t know.” He had said this was our home, just for the two of us. Now, another woman was walking on the floors I picked out, sleeping in the bed he and I chose together. He remembered to find a secluded spot for Daisy, away from reporters, but he forgot that I, too, was blocked by reporters and had nowhere to go. He didn’t think of me even once. Pain spread from my chest, stifling me until I could barely breathe. I silently backed out, gently closing the door. As I walked out of the apartment building, I looked down and saw my hands trembling. My phone vibrated. It was a message from Caleb: “Willow, we can’t be photographed together for the next few days. I won’t be coming home these days.” I stared at the screen, wanting to ask him, “Are you going to stay with Daisy in our small apartment? Are you going to sleep in our bed?” But I couldn’t type a single word. My vision was completely blurred, and tears streamed onto the phone screen. I waited at a street corner near our house until past 1 AM, waiting for the reporters outside to leave, then secretly returned home. Back home, I found my documents, then picked out a few common clothes and toiletries and stuffed them into my suitcase. A twenty-inch small suitcase held everything I wanted to take from three years in Caleb’s house. Four days later, Caleb finally returned. The moment he walked in, he pulled me into a hug, resting his chin on my head, his voice urgent, “Willow, I missed you so much. Did you miss me?” I didn’t speak, my hands hanging at my sides. Caleb noticed something was off. He released me and looked down at my face. A clear tension in his eyes. “The reporters were too vigilant these past few days. I didn’t dare come back. But I worried about you every single day. Please don’t be mad, okay?” Worried every single day. Yet, in those four days, he didn’t send me a single call or message. He didn’t ask what I ate, didn’t ask if I was cornered by reporters, not even a goodnight. I subtly stepped back half a pace from his embrace, “I’m not mad. You’ve worked hard.” Caleb took one of my hands, brought it to his lips, and kissed it, “For our future, it’s not hard.” He took out a jewelry box. Inside was a ruby necklace. He personally put it on me, “Come on, tonight I’m taking you back to the family estate for dinner. I told Mr. Jenkins to prepare all your favorite dishes.” “The divorce is just a public statement. In our family, you’re still my wife. That won’t change.” I didn’t want to go back to the family estate. His mother, Eleanor, never liked me from the start. She disliked my ordinary background, feeling I wasn’t worthy of the Owen family. That year, Caleb, to marry me, was willing to face punishment, even declaring firmly, “If she doesn’t marry me, I’ll never marry anyone else.” Only then did Eleanor agree. The first year of our marriage, Eleanor was relatively polite to me, considering Caleb. From the second year on, because we had no children, Eleanor’s attitude toward me grew colder by the day. But Caleb didn’t wait for me to refuse. He took my hand and walked out. I sat in the car, watching the city lights pass by. The man who once said he’d marry no one but me, changed so quickly.

Willow’s POV At the family estate, I greeted Eleanor. Eleanor scowled, not even looking at me. Caleb frowned, reminding her, “Eleanor!” Only then did she grudgingly respond. Before dinner was even served, Caleb sat beside me, peeling grapes for her. Eleanor sat opposite, her face so dark it looked like it could wring out water. Dinner began, and Caleb busied himself serving me food and handing me napkins. Not long after, Daisy arrived. Eleanor’s face immediately lit up. She stood to greet Daisy, taking her hand and smiling warmly, “Daisy, you’re here? Is it cold outside? Are you hungry? Come, sit down.” She then turned to urge Caleb, “What are you waiting for? Get Daisy a glass of freshly squeezed juice, there’s some in the fridge.” Caleb put down his cutlery, stood up, and went to get it. At the dinner table, Eleanor’s gaze remained fixated on Daisy’s swollen belly, her joy evident. She suddenly spoke, “Caleb, since you two are already divorced, I don’t think you need to remarry.” “Daisy is all alone, and besides, this child is yours, the Owen’s.” “You’ve already announced publicly that you’re with Daisy, haven’t you? Why don’t you marry her? Take good care of her child. Everyone will be happy.” Caleb put his cutlery down on the table with a clatter and said coldly, “Eleanor!” Eleanor huffed in displeasure but didn’t say anything more. Caleb squeezed my hand, lowering his voice, “Willow, Eleanor’s getting old and confused. She just said that. Don’t take it to heart.” I looked at his earnest apology, and my heart ached as if someone was clutching and twisting it. It was then that I realized Eleanor had never cried, never even talked about her eldest son. She didn’t act like a mother who had lost a child. So, Eleanor knew the truth. She knew the child was Caleb’s. In the end, everyone knew the truth, and I was the only one being fooled. They were making a fool of me. “Oh, dear.” Daisy suddenly let out a soft cry. Caleb immediately turned, “What’s wrong?” Daisy’s small face was crumpled, “Nothing, the bowl was too hot.” Caleb quickly went over, took her hand, and examined it thoroughly, “You’re pregnant, how can you be so careless?” He called Mr. Jenkins for burn cream and personally applied it carefully to Daisy’s hand several times. After that, he continued eating, constantly serving Daisy food, spooning soup for her, and testing its temperature, terrified she might get hurt again. He never thought of me again. That night, we all stayed at the family estate. Back in the room, Caleb took my hand and apologized earnestly again, “Willow, Daisy is carrying Oliver’s child. Oliver passed away, so Eleanor and I both have to protect her. Please don’t be mad.” Listening to that familiar excuse, my heart felt submerged in ice water, chilling me to the bone. I avoided his gaze and whispered, “Yeah, you said that.” Caleb leaned closer, his hand resting on my waist, intending to kiss me. I turned my head, “I’m too tired today.” I turned over and lay down, my back to him. Caleb didn’t insist but still wrapped his arms around my waist from behind. I don’t know how long passed, but I woke up thirsty. The space behind me was empty. Caleb wasn’t there. I got up, intending to get some water. As I reached the hallway, the door to the next room was ajar, and muffled sounds came from within. “No, Willow is right next door. It wouldn’t be good if she heard us,” Daisy’s voice was sweet and soft. Caleb let out a low, husky laugh, “Then you’ll have to bear it. Be quiet, okay?” A series of hurried gasps. “Don’t, Caleb, the baby…” “It’s already four months.” Caleb’s urgency was barely contained, “I asked the doctor; it’s fine. I’ve missed you terribly lately.” Then came the rhythmic thudding sounds and the woman’s suppressed moans. I was frozen solid, losing sensation inch by inch from my feet upwards. I remembered our wedding night, Caleb holding me, saying, “Willow, I’ll never want anyone else in my life. You’re all I need.” And now, just a wall away, he was giving the same tenderness and intimacy to another woman. I was chilled to the bone, and my stomach churned violently. I clutched my mouth and stumbled back to my room, dry-heaving over the toilet.

Willow’s POV I couldn’t sleep anymore. I lay in the darkness with my eyes open, my body rigid as a board. After an unknown amount of time, the door gently pushed open, and Caleb softly walked in, lifted the covers, and hugged me from behind. As if nothing had happened. He smelled of an unfamiliar perfume. My stomach churned again. I gritted my teeth, pushing down the nausea again and again. Caleb’s arms tightened, his lips pressed against the back of my neck, and he mumbled vaguely, “Willow.” I lay still, pretending to be fast asleep. He fell asleep quickly. But I kept my eyes open until dawn. The next morning, as we were leaving the family estate, Daisy timidly said, “I can just take a cab. No need to trouble you.” Caleb immediately shook his head, “No way. You’re pregnant, and there are a lot of reporters out there. It’s not safe. Come with us.” The three of us walked to the car. I habitually reached for the passenger door. From behind me, Daisy’s timid voice came again, “The front seat is more spacious, and it’s a bit uncomfortable for me since I’m pregnant. Willow, could I sit in the front?” I didn’t say anything, turned, walked to the back seat, opened the door myself, and got in. Caleb looked at me, ultimately said nothing, and then opened the passenger door for Daisy. As the car drove onto the main road, a truck suddenly lost control and overturned, causing a multi-car pileup. Caleb slammed the steering wheel, and the car violently crashed into the guardrail. The massive impact flung me toward the car window, and blood streamed down my forehead. Daisy in the front seat shrieked in terror. Caleb immediately turned sideways to shield her stomach, “Daisy! Are you okay? The baby? Does your stomach hurt?” Daisy trembled all over, shrinking into his embrace, shaking her head. The road was blocked, and the ambulance wouldn’t be able to get through for a while. The accident scene quickly gathered a crowd, and people started recognizing them. “Is that Caleb Owen?” “The woman next to him, is that Willow? Mrs. Owen?” “Mrs. Owen? They’re divorced, everyone knows that. The other one is Caleb’s current girlfriend. Didn’t you see that photo of them kissing at the concert?” “Wait, why is that woman’s belly so big? They just got divorced, right? Her belly is already so big, the timing doesn’t add up.” “Isn’t she just his mistress then? Cheating during marriage!” “That mistress has no shame.” Caleb’s face instantly darkened. He unhesitatingly pulled Daisy into his embrace, then turned to me, his gaze cold and sharp, and loudly snapped, “Stop following me! We divorced a long time ago!” My body trembled. He publicly lied, pushing me out to take the blame for Daisy. Sure enough, the onlookers immediately changed their tune. “Oh, so they were already divorced. She’s not a mistress then, we misunderstood her.” “So what’s the deal with this Willow? Divorced but still clinging to her ex-husband? His new girlfriend is even pregnant.” “What else could it be? She can’t let go of the Owen family money. She came from an ordinary family; how could she willingly give up such a rich family?” “So she’s a gold-digger? Mr. Owen used to spoil her so much; he should have divorced her sooner.” I lowered my head, closed my eyes, unable to utter a single word. The pain from my injuries made me break out in a cold sweat, but none of it compared to the ache in my chest. It felt like someone had torn my heart from my chest, thrown it on the ground, and stomped on it. Caleb’s gaze fell on my pale face. He was about to say something. “My stomach hurts so much.” Daisy clutched her belly, her voice trembling. Caleb immediately pulled his gaze away and held Daisy even tighter. “Don’t be afraid, Daisy. The ambulance will be here any minute.” The ambulance finally arrived. I lifted my heavy eyelids and saw Caleb carrying Daisy onto the ambulance. All his attention was on Daisy. His steps were hurried. He didn’t look back once. My vision grew increasingly blurry. The sounds around me faded away, finally plunging me into darkness.

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That night, when I pried open Liam Sterling’s safe, the password I entered was my younger brother Jace Holloway’s birthday. There was no cash or jewelry inside, only a stack of medical reports. The last page read: [Sibling umbilical cord blood matching, a perfect match.] My hands were trembling. The door swung open, and Liam Sterling leaned against the doorframe, his expression so calm it was as if he had been waiting for this moment for a long time. I held up the report: “You married me just to use my child to save Jace Holloway?” “Iris,” he said, “we can have more children later.” He looked at my belly, his expression calm: “As for this one, if it dies, it dies.” I touched my six-month-old belly and suddenly burst out laughing. As I laughed, tears splattered onto the floor. So my three-year marriage was just a carefully planned procedure to extract medicine. It turned out he was in love with my own younger brother. Iris Holloway POV When I was six months pregnant, Liam Sterling organized a grand art exhibition for me. Everyone in New York’s business elite said that Liam Sterling, this ruthless, cold, and taciturn rising business magnate, had given all his tenderness to me. I had casually mentioned once that I liked a certain deceased painter’s rare manuscript, and he spent hundreds of millions on an international auction, just to make me smile. I didn’t sleep well during my pregnancy, so he canceled all his international meetings and stayed by my bedside every night, lulling me to sleep by reciting poetry in his deep voice. I, too, once believed I was the happiest woman in the world. Until tonight’s Holloway family dinner. At the long dining table, the atmosphere was oppressive. My parents’ gaze was almost entirely fixed on Jace Holloway across from us. Jace Holloway was my younger brother, sickly since childhood, with a pale but rather delicate face. “Jace, eat more. You look so pale lately.” Mother lovingly put food into his bowl, then turned to me, her tone instantly chilling: “Iris, your brother isn’t well. You’re pregnant, so stop running around outside. What if you catch germs or viruses and pass them to him?” My hand, holding the chopsticks, paused slightly. Ever since I was little, my parents’ hearts had always leaned towards my younger brother. Before I could speak, Liam Sterling, beside me, had already put down his knife and fork. “Mother,” Liam Sterling’s voice was cold and clear, his tone carrying an oppressive weight. “Iris is my wife. Whatever she wants to do, I will accompany her. As for your so-called infection, if the Holloway family can’t even provide a sterile environment, I wouldn’t mind having Jace stay at the Sterling family’s private hospital.” Mother’s face stiffened, and she closed her mouth with an embarrassed smile. I turned to Liam Sterling; the man was unhurriedly peeling a shrimp, placing the translucent shrimp meat onto my plate. His profile was sharp, and his eyes held an unshakeable focus. In that moment, a warmth blossomed in my heart. After dinner, a heavy rain began outside. Jace Holloway suddenly clutched his chest, his brow furrowed, and his breathing grew rapid. “Jace! What’s wrong? Is it another episode?” Mother frantically supported him. Liam Sterling moved faster than everyone else. He shot to his feet, strode over, and scooped Jace Holloway into his arms. I stood rooted, watching a clear panic surface on Liam Sterling’s usually impassive face. “To the hospital,” Liam Sterling’s voice was strained. He carried Jace Holloway and rushed into the rain, not even taking time to open an umbrella. I instinctively took a step forward, but Father roughly pushed me aside: “Don’t block the way! If anything happens to your brother, you won’t have it easy either!” I stumbled, barely steadying myself by gripping the doorframe. Rainwater poured down from the eaves, splashing onto my ankles, icy and bone-chilling. Liam Sterling’s car had already vanished into the night. He had left in such a hurry that he even forgot to look back at me, still pregnant. Late at night, St. John’s Hospital in New York. I carried a meal box, walking alone down the empty corridor. I was worried, so I still had the driver bring me here. The door to the VIP ward was ajar, letting out a sliver of warm, yellow light. Just as I was about to push the door open, I heard voices from inside, and my feet froze to the spot. “Liam, it hurts so much…” Jace Holloway’s voice was tearful, heartbreakingly fragile. “Bear with it, it’ll be over soon.” Liam Sterling’s voice was low and hoarse, laced with a tenderness and indulgence I had never heard before. I peered through the crack in the door, my pupils constricting abruptly.

Iris Holloway POV On the hospital bed, Jace Holloway leaned into Liam Sterling’s embrace, his hands tightly wrapped around the man’s waist. And Liam Sterling not only didn’t push him away but lowered his head, pressing his slightly cool lips gently to Jace Holloway’s forehead. It was a kiss full of comfort and affection. My mind went blank with a “boom,” and it felt as if all the blood in my body had been drained in an instant. Liam Sterling was bisexual; this was an open secret in New York’s upper echelons. But after our marriage, he had led a clean life, never involved in any scandals. I thought he only loved me… Yet now, my husband was holding my own younger brother, his eyes filled with a deep affection I had never witnessed. “Liam, can the baby in Iris Holloway’s belly really save me?” Jace Holloway looked up, tears still clinging to the corners of his eyes. Liam Sterling’s slender fingers ran through his hair, his tone firm: “Yes. The doctor said that once the baby is born, a stem cell transplant using the umbilical cord blood will completely cure your illness.” “But will Iris Holloway agree? She dislikes me so much.” “She doesn’t need to agree.” Liam Sterling’s gaze turned cold, radiating bone-chilling frost. “She just needs to give birth to the child. I went to such lengths to marry her, gave her the title of Mrs. Sterling, and gave her the love and career she desired. She has no room to refuse.” The meal box slipped from my hands. A muffled “thud” echoed, especially jarring in the silent corridor. The sounds from the ward ceased abruptly. I frantically covered my mouth, tears falling without warning. So, all of this was a carefully orchestrated deception! He married me, doted on me, put me on a pedestal, not because he loved me. But because I was a perfect vessel, capable of bearing the medicine that would save his beloved. I stumbled backward, then turned and ran frantically out. The corridor lights were stark and blinding. I felt as if my heart was being brutally torn apart by an invisible hand, the pain so intense that even my breaths tasted of blood. My proud love, the child I joyfully anticipated, all of it was a sacrifice prepared for Jace Holloway. I don’t know how I got back to the villa. I collapsed onto the cold floor, looking at the room full of famous paintings and antiques Liam Sterling had collected for me, and suddenly felt incredibly nauseous. My stomach churned, and I rushed into the bathroom, throwing up violently. The person in the mirror was pale and disheveled. I touched my swollen abdomen, feeling the faint kicks within, my heart twisting in agony. “Baby…” I murmured, tears slipping through my fingers. “What should we do?” Liam Sterling returned just before dawn. He pushed open the bedroom door, bringing in a crisp chill. Seeing me curled up on the sofa, his brows furrowed slightly. “Why are you sleeping here? You’ll catch a cold.” He walked over, instinctively reaching to pick me up. I recoiled sharply, avoiding his touch. Liam Sterling’s hand froze in mid-air, his eyes darkening. “What’s wrong? Are you upset I didn’t stay with you last night?” He sighed, his tone regaining its tenderness: “Jace’s condition was critical, and Father and Mother were distraught. I had no choice but to take him to the hospital first. Be good, don’t throw a tantrum.” What a perfect excuse. What unassailable tenderness. I looked up, staring fixedly at the handsome man before me. “Liam Sterling.” My voice was terribly hoarse. “Is it really me you love?” Liam Sterling paused slightly, then chuckled softly, stroking my cheek with his thumb. “What nonsense are you thinking? Of course, I love you.” He lied. I looked into his deep eyes, and the last shred of hope in my heart turned completely to ash.

Iris Holloway POV Liam Sterling’s thumb was warm, slightly calloused from years of holding a pen, as it gently caressed my cheek. If it were before, I would have leaned into his palm, enjoying that unique tenderness. But now, that warmth felt like a snake’s tongue, sending shivers down my spine. “I’m tired, I want to rest.” I turned my head, evading his hand, my voice so calm even I found it incredible. Liam Sterling didn’t say much, simply tucked the blanket around me: “Alright, get some more sleep. I’ll go to the study to handle some documents.” The moment the door closed, my tense body instantly sagged. I knew I couldn’t just sit there and wait for death. Liam Sterling’s study had always been off-limits, but he had never guarded it against me, and the password was my birthday. While Liam Sterling was at the company for a meeting, I pushed open the study door. I walked straight to the locked safe and entered my birthday. A “beep” sounded, a red light flashed, password incorrect. I froze. I tried Liam Sterling’s birthday, our wedding anniversary—all wrong. I entered Jace Holloway’s birthday. “Click.” The safe opened. In that instant, my heart felt as if it had been plunged into ice water, aching with cold. There were no confidential documents in the safe, only a thick stack of medical reports and a worn-out sketchbook. With trembling hands, I opened the medical reports. Jace Holloway’s name was prominently displayed. The diagnosis was a rare aplastic anemia, and the last page of the treatment plan highlighted sibling umbilical cord blood stem cell transplant. The matching results showed that my gene loci were a perfect match with Jace Holloway’s. The date was exactly one month before Liam Sterling proposed to me. I bit down hard on my lower lip, tasting a strong metallic tang of blood. I then opened the sketchbook. It was filled with drawings of the same young man, laughing, playing, or quietly reading. The style was amateurish, yet it radiated the artist’s overflowing love. The young man in the drawings was an eighteen-year-old Jace Holloway. On the last page, a sentence was written: “My Jace, may you always be happy.” The signature was Liam Sterling. So, they had been in love for a long time. It turned out that I was the ridiculous third party, a human blood bank existing solely to save their love. I put everything back exactly as I found it, then stumbled back to the bedroom. In the afternoon, the roar of a car engine sounded outside the villa. Liam Sterling not only returned himself but brought Jace Holloway back with him. “Jace needs to recuperate in a sterile environment. The hospital is too crowded, I don’t feel at ease.” Liam Sterling explained to me while instructing the servants to set up the guest room as a sterile room, “You usually get bored alone at home. With Jace here to keep you company, I’ll also feel more at ease.” I looked at Jace Holloway standing at the main entrance, dressed in Liam Sterling’s oversized shirt, and my stomach churned again. “Iris, I apologize for the intrusion.” Jace Holloway smiled at me, his smile seemingly innocent and harmless, but his eyes held a hidden challenge. The next few days, the villa became my purgatory. Liam Sterling practically moved all his work to the house. He personally supervised Jace Holloway taking his medication, accompanied him in the glass conservatory to sunbathe, and even wiped Jace Holloway’s mouth without a hint of distaste when he vomited due to medication side effects. And I became invisible. Only when reminding me to take folic acid or go for prenatal check-ups would Liam Sterling deign to cast a glance my way. “How are you feeling today? Has the baby kicked you?” Liam Sterling came up to me, holding a glass of warm milk, his gaze falling on my swollen abdomen, his eyes so tender they could drown someone. Looking at his affectionate demeanor, I only felt absurdity.

Iris Holloway POV “Liam Sterling, who are you truly thinking of when you look at me every day?” I finally couldn’t hold back, piercing through the layers of this false pretense. Liam Sterling’s brow furrowed slightly as he placed the milk on the table. “Iris, you’ve been too sensitive lately. I understand that hormonal changes are significant during pregnancy, but don’t be unreasonable.” “I’m unreasonable?” I let out a soft laugh, though my eyes were red. “Do you dare to say you brought Jace Holloway here just for him to recuperate? Do you dare to say you didn’t marry me for the umbilical cord blood in my belly?” Liam Sterling’s eyes instantly turned cold, the atmospheric pressure around him dropping to freezing point. “You looked in my safe.” He stated it as a fact, his tone absolute. I didn’t deny it, raising my head to look him straight in the eye: “Yes. So what? Are you going to kill me for your Jace?” Liam Sterling stepped forward, pinching my chin. The force wasn’t heavy, but it carried a warning. “Iris, I’ve given you the best life, the honor of being Mrs. Sterling. As long as you obediently give birth to the child, nothing will change. Jace is your own younger brother, after all; saving him is your rightful responsibility.” “What did you say?” My tears splattered onto his hand. “By what right do you make decisions for me! That’s my child!” “And my child too.” Liam Sterling released his grip, looking down at me. “Don’t do anything foolish. You should know that in New York, without my permission, you can’t even walk out that front door.” He turned and left, his back resolute. I collapsed onto the sofa, trembling all over. That evening, Jace Holloway knocked on my bedroom door. He walked in smiling, carrying a plate of sliced fruit: “Iris, have some fruit. Liam specifically had it air-shipped for you.” I looked at him coldly: “Get out.” Jace Holloway wasn’t bothered. He simply sat down on the sofa, crossing his long legs. “Iris, why are you so angry? Actually, you should thank me. If I hadn’t gotten sick, how would Liam ever have noticed a mediocre woman like you?” He leaned forward, lowering his voice, his tone filled with malicious gloating. “Don’t you understand? That glass conservatory you’re so proud of, Liam actually built it for me to watch the stars. The reason you have all this now is also because of me.” My fingertips dug into my palms, my nails almost breaking. “Have you said enough?” “No,” Jace Holloway’s smile grew even brighter. “Iris, guess what: once the baby is born, will Liam keep you, a woman who has lost her usefulness, or will he openly be with me?” I abruptly stood up, picked up the water glass from the table, and fiercely splashed its contents onto Jace Holloway’s face. “Shut up!” Jace Holloway shrieked, then stumbled to the floor, knocking over the fruit plate. The door was violently flung open, and Liam Sterling strode in. Seeing the mess on the floor and the water stains on Jace Holloway’s face, his expression instantly turned utterly grim. “Iris Holloway, what are you doing!” He roughly pushed me away, pulling Jace Holloway into his embrace. I stumbled back a few steps, my side hitting the corner of the table hard, a searing pain shooting through me. But Liam Sterling didn’t even glance at me, only anxiously checked Jace Holloway for injuries. “Liam, don’t blame Iris, I accidentally made her angry…” Jace Holloway murmured, leaning against him. I clutched my faintly aching stomach, looking at the embracing pair before me, and suddenly burst out laughing. As I laughed, tears streamed down my face. In this house, even my breathing felt wrong.

Iris Holloway POV The bruise on my side ached faintly, but it was nowhere near a thousandth of the pain in my heart. Liam Sterling carried Jace Holloway out of the bedroom and didn’t return all night. I lay awake in the darkness, my eyes open, until the sky began to lighten. I touched my swollen abdomen; the little life inside seemed to sense my sorrow, giving me a gentle kick. “Baby, I’m sorry…” I whispered, my voice utterly broken. I couldn’t let my child become a sacrifice for someone else’s love, nor could I let my child face the fate of having its umbilical cord blood drained the moment it was born. I had to leave. I forced myself to calm down. Liam Sterling’s influence spread throughout New York; a direct escape would be tantamount to seeking my own death. I needed a detailed plan. A few days later was the annual New York Charity Gala. As the CEO’s wife of Sterling Group, I had to attend. It was my only chance to reach out to the outside world and find an opportunity to escape. On the day of the gala, Liam Sterling had the stylist deliver a haute couture gown early. It was a dark blue velvet gown that perfectly accentuated my pregnant figure, making my skin appear as white as snow. Liam Sterling stood at the closet door, looking at me in the mirror, a flicker of admiration in his eyes. He walked up to me, wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, and placed a priceless sapphire necklace around my neck. “Beautiful,” he murmured, his chin resting on my shoulder, his warm breath fanning my ear. If I hadn’t known the truth, I would have indulged in that tenderness. But now, I only felt a chill run down my spine. Through the mirror, I gazed at him coldly. “Liam Sterling, aren’t you tired of acting?” Liam Sterling’s movements paused slightly, then he recovered his composure. He brushed back a few stray strands of my hair, his voice flat. “Iris, as long as you cooperate, we will remain New York’s most envied couple. Tonight’s gala is very important; don’t disappoint me.” I didn’t speak, just lowered my gaze. The gala hall was bustling with activity. Liam Sterling escorted me in, instantly drawing everyone’s attention. He thoughtfully fended off all the toasts on my behalf, shielding me from the crowded guests, perfectly playing the role of a devoted husband. “Mr. Sterling truly dotes on his wife.” “Indeed, I heard Mr. Sterling even put off a multi-billion dollar project just to accompany his wife for her prenatal check-ups.” The constant flattery around me felt incredibly ironic. Just then, a stir suddenly rippled through the crowd. I looked up to see Jace Holloway, dressed in a well-tailored white suit, entering surrounded by our parents. Though his face was pale, the lighting accentuated a fragile beauty about him. Liam Sterling’s grip on my hand tightened abruptly. I distinctly felt the man beside me’s breathing falter. His gaze cut through the layers of people, fixated on Jace Holloway, bearing a restrained longing and desire. “Why is he here?” Liam Sterling whispered to his assistant behind him, his voice laced with tension. “Jace Holloway said he was bored at home and wanted some fresh air, so Mr. Holloway brought him,” the assistant replied nervously. Liam Sterling’s brows knitted tightly together. Jace Holloway seemed to sense his gaze, looking over from a distance with a faint smile on his lips. In that moment, I felt like nothing more than a superfluous ornament. Halfway through the gala, I used the excuse of going to the restroom to escape Liam Sterling’s watchful eye. 6 Iris Holloway POV Hiding in the shadows of the corridor, I pulled out the spare phone I had secretly hidden and dialed my college friend Kaelen Voss. “Kaelen, do me a favor. Help me get a fake passport to go abroad, as soon as possible.” My voice was a low, trembling whisper. Kaelen Voss on the other end of the line was startled. “Iris? What’s wrong? Isn’t Liam Sterling treating you well?” “It’s all a lie…” I closed my eyes, tears sliding down my cheeks. “He married me just to use my baby’s umbilical cord blood to save Jace Holloway. Kaelen, I beg you, help me.” Kaelen Voss was silent for a moment, then gritted her teeth and agreed. “Okay, give me three days.” After hanging up, I let out a long breath. As long as I could get the passport, I could escape this cage. I composed myself, preparing to return to the ballroom. Just as I reached the corner, I heard muffled gasps. A faint light peeked through the half-open door of the lounge. I instinctively stopped, looked through the crack in the door, and my blood ran cold instantly. Inside the lounge, Jace Holloway was pinned against the wall by Liam Sterling. “Who told you to run around? Don’t you know your body can’t handle this strain!” Liam Sterling’s voice was low, filled with intense anger and heartache. Jace Holloway tilted his head back, his eyes slightly red. “I just wanted to see you… Liam, watching you and Iris together every day, I’m going crazy.” “Just hold on a little longer.” Liam Sterling raised a hand to caress his cheek, his thumb gently stroking the corner of his eye. “Once the baby is born and your illness is cured, we won’t have to hide anymore.” “Really?” Jace Holloway rose on his tiptoes, leaning close to his lips. “Then kiss me now, okay?” Liam Sterling didn’t refuse. He lowered his head and kissed Jace Holloway’s lips. The air in the corridor seemed to have been sucked dry. I stood rooted to the spot, even forgetting to breathe. I clamped my hand over my mouth, preventing myself from making a sound. My fingernails dug deep into my palms, drawing blood, yet I felt no pain whatsoever. I thought I was numb enough, but seeing my husband and my own brother kissing, the soul-rending agony still made me wish for death. This was the man I had loved for three years. This was my proud marriage. I stumbled backward, then turned and ran out desperately. I didn’t want to stay in this heartbreaking place for another second. Just as I ran out of the corridor, I bumped into my Mother, who was looking for me. “Iris! Where did you run off to? Can’t you watch where you’re going!” Mother grabbed my arm, reprimanding me sharply. I looked at the mother who had given birth to and raised me, despair filling my eyes. “Mom, did you know all along?” Mother froze for a moment, her gaze evasive. “Know what? What nonsense are you spouting!” “About Liam Sterling and Jace Holloway! About their conspiring to use the baby in my womb!” My voice was shrill, filled with a sorrow so deep it felt like weeping blood. Mother’s face instantly changed. She clapped a hand over my mouth, lowering her voice to a furious whisper: “Shut your mouth! Since you already know, then obediently give birth to the child! Jace is your brother; are you going to just watch him die? It’s your luck to be able to exchange a child for your brother’s life!” I felt as if I had been struck by lightning. I stared at my mother in disbelief, as if looking at a monster. So, everyone knew. Only I, like a fool, had been kept in the dark, trampled upon and used by them at will. “Let go of me…” I violently shook off Mother’s hand, my eyes terrifyingly vacant. “I won’t let you have your way.” I turned and ran out of the ballroom, disappearing into the vast night.

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When I was seven months pregnant, I noticed Smith had a new female friend. They talked about everything, sharing an incredible, unspoken understanding. Every day, Smith would buy two bouquets of roses—one for me, and one for her. But there was never anything overtly out of line. Until that woman asked him, “If you had met me first, would you have married me?” Smith didn’t answer. Instead, he smoked on the balcony all night. Smith was completely distracted today. He looked like he was about to say something several times, but then he’d swallow the words. Finally, I spoke up, “Is something wrong?” Smith sighed, “I need to go on a business trip, to the next city over. I’ll be back tomorrow. But I can’t leave you alone! Forget it, I’ll send someone else!” As he spoke, I watched him, seeing how earnestly he tried to convince me. He met my gaze directly, not flinching. He asked, puzzled, “What’s wrong?” I shook my head. “Nothing.” I told him, “You should go.” “What about you, all alone?” “I’ll have my mom come stay with me.” Ever since I got pregnant, Smith had been incredibly attentive. Especially as my belly grew, he was always worried about me being home alone. He canceled many social engagements just to be with me. “What if something happens and no one’s around? “I’ll be worried sick if I’m out anyway, so it’s better if I just don’t go.” Even if he absolutely had to go out, he’d at least wait for my mom to arrive, giving her countless instructions to take good care of me. It got to the point where my mom would laugh, “She’s my own daughter! Do you think I’d let anything happen to her?” But today, he only hesitated for two seconds before nodding. “Alright then, take care of yourself. I’ll be back as soon as possible. Call me if anything happens!” He left in a hurry, only grabbing a change of clothes before rushing out the door. I sat still, not moving. Even when he turned back to look at me, I smiled and waved. After the door closed, I still didn’t move, but the rigid posture I’d held relaxed. Smith was acting strangely. Everything about him was off. But I didn’t say a single extra word, nor did I ask a single extra question. Because I knew where he was going and who he was going to see. At first, I didn’t know the woman’s name. I only knew her last name was Clement, and Smith called her Ms. Clement. The first time I saw her was a year ago, before I was pregnant. I was waiting for Smith at a new coffee shop downstairs from his office. I hadn’t told him I was coming, planning to call him around lunchtime. But then he suddenly walked in. The receptionist, who had been lounging lazily, straightened up. Smith nodded to her, and she smiled, giving him an OK sign. It was an unspoken understanding. I’ve always found that kind of unspoken understanding between a man and a woman terrifying. It makes them both mistakenly believe they’re destined to be together. But at that time, the strange feeling only flickered in my mind, and I didn’t think much of it. Later, Smith saw me and looked surprised. He asked what I was doing there. I said, “Waiting for you to have lunch.” “Why didn’t you call me?” “I didn’t want to disturb your work!” I asked him, “Why did you come down?” He rubbed his temples, sighing, “Work stuff, it’s really annoying. Just came down to walk around and grab a coffee. Their cookies here are pretty good, you should try some.” As he spoke, he raised his hand, “Ms. Clement, another order of cookies, please!” Meeting the woman’s questioning gaze, he smiled and introduced me, “My wife!” They were both completely at ease that day. Smith introduced me naturally. Clement greeted me openly, even comping our order. Smith said the coffee here was authentic and quite good the one time he tried it, so his company’s afternoon tea was now ordered from this place. That’s how they got to know each other. Back then, I thought they were just a simple shop owner and customer. I didn’t know that those delicious cookies weren’t actually for sale at their shop. Nor did I know that Clement would text Smith, asking him: “If you had met me first, would you have married me?”

Smith texted me at ten o’clock that night. He said he had just finished working and arrived at his hotel. He said he was too tired to video call me today. He told me to take care of myself and call him if anything happened. I replied to each message, telling him not to worry, that I was fine. I asked the coffee shop barista, “Where’s Ms. Clement? She’s not here?” The barista, a simple and good-hearted guy, saw my familiar tone and smiled. “She went out, just left! It’s her birthday today, so she must be on a date with her boyfriend. She was carrying a huge bouquet of roses, so romantic!” I nodded, got my coffee to go, and left. This city is huge; finding two people is incredibly difficult. But Smith had bought me a smartwatch with call functions. I’d slipped it into his laptop bag before he left. He bought it for me when I was four months pregnant. I’m the kind of person who gets really severe morning sickness. Up until my fourth month of pregnancy, my weight was decreasing, not increasing. I didn’t know I was already anemic, nor did I know I would faint in a mall due to poor ventilation. Smith was terrified. His hands were still trembling when I woke up. That watch was for monitoring my health and tracking my real-time location. It was expensive, so its GPS accuracy was extremely high. Just like now, it had been at a hotel on the twelfth floor for three hours. I didn’t rush over that night. My due date was only twenty-three days away, and I still had to prioritize myself. I threw out the coffee, drank some milk, and lay on the soft bed, listening to white noise for sleep. But even so, I couldn’t sleep, just like that night over a month ago. That was the first time I snooped through Smith’s phone, because he was so agitated. He cut his hand while peeling an apple for me. He dropped and broke a glass while pouring me water. He slammed his foot into the chair in front of him, his face dark. His outburst made me scream. He apologized, saying he was upset about something at work, that he didn’t mean it. But when I woke up in the middle of the night, I found his side of the bed cold and empty. Smith had smoked on the balcony all night. With a sinking heart, I unlocked his phone. The chat interface hadn’t been exited. The person saved as ‘Clement’ had sent a message that afternoon. “If you had met me first, would you have married me?” Smith hadn’t replied. Not a single word. But that night, my heart died right there, in his phone.

I arrived at the hotel at 6 AM, with my marriage certificate and ID. I placed everything on the service desk. “Smith is my husband. I need to know which room he booked. If you can’t tell me, I’ll call the police.” I didn’t have the energy to argue with anyone. I was exhausted, physically and mentally drained! The front desk person stared for a long time, their expression shifting from surprise to hesitation, then to pity. “Please wait a moment, I’ll check for you right away!” They quickly gave me the room number and asked if I needed any help. I smiled, shook my head, gently stroked my swollen belly, and went upstairs. Smith didn’t make me wait long. I had only been standing outside the door for less than forty minutes when it opened. Smith stood there, gripping the doorknob. Behind him, a slender pair of arms wrapped around his waist. “Smith, thank you for this night. I’ll remember it forever…” Forever what? Her words were cut short as Smith frantically pushed her away. He saw me and hurried towards me. But I tilted my head, looking past him. Clement sat on the floor, her fiery red slip dress unable to conceal her pale legs. She stared blankly at Smith’s back, her eyes filled with sadness and hurt. “Julian!” Smith’s voice trembled when he called my name. Mine too. My hands, clasped behind my back, wouldn’t stop shaking. I thought I was mentally prepared and could handle this calmly. But in that moment, I found it hard to even stand upright. “Where’s the car?” “Underground parking.” “Let’s go!” I braced myself against the wall and turned first. Smith tried to help me. I growled, “Don’t touch me!” His hand flinched and froze, then he followed close beside me. Clement caught up with us at that moment. “Ms. Julian, you really don’t have to act this way. There’s nothing dirty going on between Smith and me!” Her tone was neither humble nor arrogant, her face full of stubbornness. Almost the instant her words fell, I slapped her. “Smack!” “Ah!” Clement screamed, “How dare you hit me?” She raised her hand protectively, wanting to touch Smith’s visibly reddened face. Smith turned away, dodging her touch. He looked at me pleadingly, “Julian, let’s go home!” Clement clenched her fists, glaring at me fiercely. “Ms. Julian, if you have a problem, direct it at me. How dare you hit Smith?” “Stop talking,” Smith ordered. Clement looked at Smith, disbelieving, “I’m helping you!” “Shut up!” Smith snapped. He didn’t spare Clement a single glance, keeping his eyes fixed on me, and spoke again. “Julian, let’s go home!”

“Julian, I can explain.” “Yesterday was Clement’s birthday. She doesn’t have any friends here, so she just wanted me to spend some time with her.” “I just celebrated her birthday with her, nothing else happened.” “It was wrong of me to lie to you, and I apologize.” “I was just afraid you’d be angry, afraid you’d overthink things!” “I was wrong. If you mind, I won’t see her again.” “She’s just a friend.” “Julian, please don’t ignore me. Say something, okay? “Don’t scare me!” Since we got home, Smith had said a lot. Explanations, apologies, self-reproach. I wanted to speak, but my throat felt like it was stuffed with cotton. I couldn’t utter a single word. I didn’t know where to start, or what to say. Finally, I managed to say, one word at a time, “Smith, let’s get a divorce.” My words made Smith tremble violently. He clenched his fists, closing his eyes tightly. When he opened them again, it was as if he had suppressed his furious emotions. “Nothing really happened between her and me. We just had some drinks and talked.” “Julian, please don’t be like this, okay? I know you’re angry, I was wrong, I messed up, I’ll accept any punishment.” “But you have to believe me, I didn’t do anything to betray you!” What exactly did he consider “betraying me”? “You must have hugged, you probably kissed. You smell of her perfume. And here…” I pointed to his lips, “a bite mark!” Smith flinched, his lips tightening. I looked at him in despair. “How much further do we need to go? Catching you red-handed in bed? You were in a room together, all night. How am I supposed to believe you?” “Smith, how can I believe you?” Smith slumped his head in defeat. He knelt on one knee before me, wanting to touch me but not daring to. “Julian, I was wrong! I was foolish, I lost my head, but I swear, nothing more happened.” “I’m begging you, for the sake of all these years we’ve been together, for the sake of our child who’s about to be born, please give me one more chance.” How laughable. He knew about our years of shared history, he knew our child was coming. Yet he still did all this, and he still hoped I would forgive him for their sake. Layer upon layer of emotions, memory after memory, each one tearing me apart. I looked around frantically, then my gaze fell on my own belly. Tears fell uncontrollably, and my sobs sounded like a trapped animal. Smith protectively reached for me, “Julian, what’s wrong?” His voice was like a match, instantly igniting me. I finally burst into loud sobs. “I want a divorce! I want a divorce from you!”

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The girl my lawyer boyfriend once defended, Chloe, put a thumbtack in my shoe, leaving me bleeding profusely. My boyfriend apologized for her again. The doctor was disinfecting and injecting me. The needle went in deep, making me sob uncontrollably. “Ethan, how many times have you apologized to me because of Chloe?” He looked dazed, meeting my reddened eyes. I told him, “Fifty-one.” On average, once a week. This has been going on since he took Chloe’s case, during our eighth year together. It was spent enduring his endless apologies. My voice still trembled at the end, but I wiped away my tears. “Ethan, I’ve had enough.” “I’m tired. Aren’t you tired of it too?” “I’m sorry.” He was silent for a long time, and still, that was all he said. I let go of his hand. I hated needles. For years, whenever I had an injection, it was our ritual for him to offer his hand for me to squeeze tight. “Ethan, I’m sick of hearing ‘I’m sorry.’” He lowered his gaze, watching me struggle to even walk. “I’ll make Chloe come and apologize too.” “Sarah, I promise, this will be the last time something like this happens.” When I saw Chloe, she was already sobbing. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to.” “The thumbtacks spilled, and I didn’t notice one fell into your shoe.” Ethan didn’t need my reaction; he already believed her. “Sarah, the security camera footage isn’t very clear. You can’t just assume she did it.” It was the same as every other time he’d defended Chloe. “Let’s just drop this.” My wound was still seeping blood. “Ethan, you apologize for her, and you’re just going to let it go for my sake.” “You’re really good at handling things, aren’t you?” Catching the sarcasm in my voice, Ethan’s brow furrowed abruptly, and his voice involuntarily rose. “She already said it was an accident, so what more do you want?” “What kind of apology or compensation would satisfy you? I’ll take care of it.” He loosened his tie, looking at me as if I were some kind of cold-blooded monster. “Chloe’s still young. She’s not as bad as you think.” “You’re years older than her, why are you being so petty?” His chest heaved. In the past, at this point, I’d be too exhausted to argue, intimidated by his aggression, and the matter would be dropped. But now, I looked at Chloe, who had arrived home before Ethan and me, busying herself in the kitchen. I didn’t want to pretend nothing had happened anymore. Hearing the door, Chloe peeked out from the kitchen. “Sarah, I figured you hadn’t eaten yet, so I came back early to cook. Consider it my apology.” “I’m a great cook, you know.” “Whenever you were away on business, I’d come over and cook for Ethan.” Chloe’s fingerprint was in our digital lock. She was wearing slippers identical to Ethan’s. She was wearing my pajamas. She was rummaging through the kitchen with familiar ease. And she kept saying, “I’m always here.” After returning from my business trip and going straight to the hospital, I finally started noticing all these traces in our home. “Ethan, she came here often while I was away?” He pursed his lips. “She’s taking a break from school and said she was bored at home, so she offered to cook for me.” “She’s just being kind; it doesn’t concern you.” My eyes, swollen and aching from crying, made my sensitive nerves still throb. “It does concern me.” Of the fifty-one apologies Ethan had given me, some were for Chloe breaking my necklace that was in his car. Some were for the many times he ditched me to go find Chloe. Some were for Chloe crashing my dates with Ethan and insisting on joining us. Some were for Chloe tripping me and spilling hot soup on me, causing me injuries multiple times. I pointed at Chloe and said coldly, “Pay my medical bills. Not just for this, but for all the previous incidents…” I calculated a total. Ethan’s jaw tightened beside me. I continued, “And take off those clothes. They’re mine…”

“Enough!” As if he couldn’t bear it anymore, Ethan suddenly roared. “I told her to wear the clothes.” “Last time she was here, it got too late, so I let her stay the night and found her one of your shirts.” “It’s just one outfit.” “If you want, I’ll buy you another one, exactly the same!” “It’s not the same!” I screamed back, my face a mess. Veins bulged on the back of his hand as he repeatedly asked me, “How is it not the same? Is it just because you don’t like her?” “I’ve paid her debt for the money you wanted.” “Ten times the amount, is that enough?!” “Why are you harassing a young girl?!” My ears throbbed, and my palms tingled; I gasped for air. “You’re paying for her? What makes you her protector?” “She’s a criminal. Where do you get such a huge sense of responsibility?” “Time after time, she does this on purpose. Ethan, are you blind? Can’t you see it?” We argued at the top of our lungs. “You only took her mother’s case as her defense attorney.” “There are professionals to look after her, to guide her.” “She clings to you, and you just let her.” “Can’t you see she likes you?” His words weren’t just words; they were needles, piercing me where I was most vulnerable. “Sarah, shut up!” “Do you have any empathy? How can you be so vicious?” “She made mistakes, but does she have to be bound by her past forever?” “You keep calling her a criminal. Why are you acting so superior?” In the midst of our argument, Chloe ran out, as if she couldn’t stand it anymore. Ethan moved to follow, but I blocked his path, tears streaming down my face. “Don’t you dare leave!” “If you walk out that door today, we’re over.” Ethan ignored my tears, his voice filled with rage. “Sarah, I told you.” “The only reason Chloe bullied others at school was because her parents neglected her. She made mistakes because she grew up in a loveless home.” “She’s not bad at heart.” “The court only ordered probation.” “What right do you have to insult her?” “I defended her, I believe in her, so she relies on me, she’s willing to listen to me and make amends.” “Why wouldn’t I look after her?” “Are you really going to be as cold-hearted as you are, and abandon a child’s future?” His last sentence was slow and cold. “Now I even wonder if you did something between you and Chloe.” His phone rang. Chloe’s name flickered like a persistent ghost. I wouldn’t let Ethan answer. He tried to snatch it. He yanked me, slamming me against the wall with a loud thud. My foot was still injured; I couldn’t stand steadily and collapsed to the floor. His phone also fell, and a spiderweb of cracks spread across the screen. Ethan’s eyes blazed with fury. My tailbone, back, and lower abdomen screamed in agony; every word I spoke made me gasp. “Ethan, help me up…” His eyes were fixed on the leaking phone screen. He fumbled with it, his hand slipping three or four times before he finally answered. He tried to pull me up from the floor. “You’re coming with me.” “You’re going to apologize to Chloe for what you said!” Chloe’s voice leaked from the phone, crying and yelling, “I don’t want to see her! I don’t!” I flailed in Ethan’s grasp like a duck whose neck was being squeezed. He tossed me away again, and I fell back down with a heavy thud. The room darkened with the fading light outside. Ethan rushed out, the hallway light casting his face in a chiaroscuro of light and shadow. “And another thing.” “So what if Chloe likes me?” “It’s normal for a young girl to have a crush; she just needs proper guidance.” “Not for you to act like a maniac, just because you’re jealous of a little girl.” “Today isn’t about you threatening to break up with me.” “It’s about whether you can bear the consequences if Chloe gets hurt.” My fingers curled up in pain, and I melted into a heap on the floor. It took a long time for me to find the strength to respond.

The wound on my foot had scabbed over and the scab had fallen off. I couldn’t say what else vanished with that wound. My twenty-seventh birthday arrived. My friend, Maya, covered my eyes and led me all the way to our destination. “Happy Birthday!” Fireworks burst one after another in the sky, laughter filled the air, and confetti floated down. My blurry vision cleared, and I saw everyone’s smiling faces. Ethan knelt on one knee before me. “Happy birthday, Sarah.” “Will you marry me?” He was so gentle, nothing like the horrible fight we had that night. “I haven’t been in touch lately because I was afraid you were still mad at me.” “I’ve also been preparing for this proposal.” The city’s most exclusive rooftop view, custom-made fireworks, peonies covering the ground. It clearly required a lot of thoughtful preparation. “I’ve handled everything.” “I’ve handed Chloe’s case over to someone else, she won’t bother us anymore.” “Sarah, marry me!” The cheers reached a crescendo. “Say yes! Say yes!” “I…” Just as I uttered a syllable, Ethan’s phone rang again and again. One ring, two rings. The hand holding the ring trembled, and he bit his teeth. Still, he answered. He gestured for everyone to wait. And stopped my hesitant, trembling hand. Only a few muffled sounds came through the phone, but I clearly heard, “waiting for you.” I was all too familiar with this scene. Many times, Ethan had been called away like this, because Chloe said she was in trouble, or she was sad, or she needed him. Ethan’s temple throbbed. He shoved the ring into my hand. “Sarah.” “I’m sorry.” The fifty-second apology, on the first day of my twenty-seventh year. “Wait for me to come back. I’ll propose again properly then.” He ran out quickly, his clothes flapping in the wind. The awkwardness, the probing looks, the pity from everyone fell on me. “Ethan, where the hell are you going—” The wind scattered Maya’s curses. Ethan pushed open the door to another terrace. “Chloe, get down from there!” Chloe sat on the railing, swaying precariously, her expression manic. “It’s my eighteenth birthday today too, and you haven’t even wished me happy birthday.” Ethan rubbed his throbbing temples, worn down, with no fight left. “Okay, happy birthday.” “Now, get down. Please, get down, and I’ll spend it with you however you want.” Her face lit up. “However I want?” “Then I want you not to propose to your girlfriend, and I want you to be my boyfriend!” Ethan’s steps towards her halted, and his expression darkened completely. Chloe flinched under his gaze, and as if she’d done something wrong, she instinctively started to whine. “Not forever, how about just one year?” “Six months? A month?” “A week then? Just one week!” She started crying, leaning back a little further. “Ethan, you won’t even give me one week?” “If you still don’t agree, I’ll jump from here!” The moment she acted cute, Ethan’s expression softened considerably. Then, because of her next action, his eyes wide with panic, lunging to grab her, his voice trembling, he hastily agreed. “Okay, I’ll be your boyfriend! I’ll be your boyfriend!” Chloe’s eyes brightened, and she flew into Ethan’s arms. Her arms wrapped around him, holding him tight. Ethan hesitated for a moment, then his hand slowly came up to her head, stroking her hair. Thud. I released my grip, and the ring dropped to the floor. Ethan, still holding Chloe, turned around. I stood in the narrow doorway. In his stunned gaze, I suddenly smiled. “I’m leaving.” My friend, Maya, rushed to my side, panicking, “Sarah, where are you going?” I touched her reddened eyes. “I’m going home.” “I’m his ex-girlfriend now.” “It’s not appropriate for me to stay here.” Ethan didn’t come back for a long time. I hadn’t expected him. “Why are you back?”

His voice was barely a whisper. “I came back to get a few things.” He added, “Chloe’s emotionally unstable, I went to stay with her.” Seeing I wouldn’t engage, he looked down and said helplessly, “Sarah, you saw it. I had no choice today.” My voice was absent from the room; only the sounds of my movements broke the silence. Ethan’s brow instantly furrowed. He leaned against the half-open closet, gripping my wrist. But all his anger seemed to dissipate when he saw that I was holding his clothes. “Just take a few items.” “You’ll be back in a few days, you don’t need so much.” I was calm. “Please move your things out as soon as possible. I’m selling this house.” The clothes, unclaimed, fell to the floor in a crumpled mess, softly, yet heavily. Ethan grabbed me, his words forced out between clenched teeth. “Sarah, what crazy talk is this?” “Didn’t I explain it to you? Teenagers are very sensitive. I was just humoring her, it didn’t mean anything!” I met his gaze, like he wanted to devour me. “Ethan, when we first got together, it was also on my eighteenth birthday.” He didn’t understand, or he didn’t want to. “So what? Was I supposed to let her die?” “Why are you being so dramatic?” I didn’t say another word. Ethan was busy fulfilling his promise. He and Chloe acted as if they needed to cram all their future together into those few days. I was busy packing and selling the house. Occasionally, I’d still receive photos of Ethan and Chloe from unknown numbers. I thought Ethan and I were done for good. But there are always surprises. The day the ‘for sale’ sign went up, I found out I was pregnant. It wasn’t a good day; the rain hadn’t fallen yet, and the air was heavy, and my heart felt just as suffocated. “I was injured before, I had an injection.” “I fell once that day. My lower abdomen hurt terribly then, but I didn’t think anything of it.” “Later, I cried a few times, and once, after crying, I bled. I thought it was just from being too emotional.” I looked at the doctor helplessly, my eyes wet with tears. My ability to speak seemed to regress; I spoke very, very slowly. The doctor sighed. “Try to relax for now. I’ve scheduled you for an examination tomorrow.” “We’ll see the baby’s condition then.” I don’t know how Ethan had found me. “Sarah, you actually sold the house?” Just looking at him made my whole body feel a wrenching pain. “Sarah, I’m talking to you!” The ultrasound report fell to the floor. Ethan saw it, then reread it, disbelieving. His voice trembled at the end. “Sarah, you’re pregnant?” “We’re having a baby?” As if desperately trying to compose himself, his hand reached out to touch me, then hesitated. “I’ll come back tonight to take care of you.” “Why didn’t you tell me?” I tugged at the corner of my mouth. “Aren’t you in a relationship?” His smile was forced. “Sarah, none of that was real.” “Besides, I promised her seven days, and today is already the sixth.” “Wait for me. Chloe’s here too; I’ll go clarify things with her right now.” Could he really make it clear? When Chloe rushed over with a knife and stabbed me in the stomach, I really wanted to ask Ethan. Her face was contorted. “I won’t let you take him from me! He’s mine! He’s mine!” “I’m telling you, we’ve done everything!” “You have a baby? I can have one too!” The wound was cold at first, then came a searing, gut-wrenching pain. Blood flowed ceaselessly. Ethan initially stood still. He’d listened to Chloe, who said she wanted to apologize to me alone. Until the knife’s blade reflected a dazzling light. The rain that had been brewing all day finally fell. The pouring rain diluted the puddles of blood, washing them everywhere. I watched Ethan scramble and stumble, more disheveled than I’d ever seen him, running towards me. I never imagined rain could make me tremble and shiver so much. My consciousness slowly blurred. I felt as if I had truly become the most insignificant thing in the world. “Sarah—” “Don’t you dare close your eyes! Look at me, please, just look at me!” Ethan screamed, heartbroken. Rain, tears, and blood mingled together. Ethan had just looked at me, full of conviction. “From now on, it’ll just be the three of us.” But Ethan, Look at us now. How can there be a “future” for us anymore?

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The magnificent fifty-million-dollar pink diamond, crafted by Smith Group, vanished without a trace during its launch event. Chloe, my subordinate whom I’d personally mentored, wailed hysterically into the cameras of a hundred media outlets: “Eleanor, that’s the lifeblood of Smith Group! Even if you desperately need money for your mother’s medical treatment, you can’t steal it!” Ethan, the Smith Group CEO I had loved for five years, publicly threw out a fabricated surveillance screenshot, captioned: “Mistaking garbage for gold is the biggest stain on my life, Ethan Smith.” Overnight, I became a notorious thief, public enemy number one across the entire internet. My mother’s intensive care ward was violently kicked open by influencers, and my brother, Leo, who has Asperger’s, was forced to drink dirty water from a toilet. Everyone demanded that I pay for my crimes with my life. Ethan’s bodyguards cornered me at the edge of the Brooklyn Bridge. The entire internet celebrated: “Jump! You deserve to die!” But three days later, when Chloe, at her lavish engagement party, flaunted that same pink diamond to the world, dozens of police cruisers roared to a halt, completely encircling the entire ballroom. Did they really think I was just some pushover all these years?

“Eleanor, where did you hide the ‘Star River Pink Diamond’? Speak up!” Chloe’s hand clamped down hard on my arm. Her freshly done, diamond-studded manicure dug sharply into my forearm. Tiny trails of blood instantly seeped out. Her eyes were bloodshot, and large tears streamed down her face. She sobbed dramatically into the hundreds of media cameras at the press conference. Mr. Davies, Smith Group’s Head of Security, irritably tugged at his walkie-talkie. A police baton slammed against the display stand with a resounding thud. The bulletproof glass hummed. “Eleanor, this pink diamond is a crucial piece for Smith Group, set to win a gold award at the International Jewelry Exhibition!” Mr. Davies pointed his finger at me, spittle flying as he spoke. “Now, the iris-recognition safe that Chloe was personally responsible for has been forcibly cracked, and the diamond is gone!” “The hallway surveillance clearly shows that only you returned to the core design studio last night, past midnight!” “If you don’t produce the diamond today, I’m calling the police to arrest you immediately!” I stared at them expressionlessly. I raised my hand and, one by one, pried Chloe’s fingers from my flesh. Then I pushed her back about a foot and a half. “I came back last night to get the exhibition schedule I’d forgotten.” I met Mr. Davies’ eyes, my voice flat. “As for that iris-recognition safe, Chloe insisted on being personally responsible for it from the very beginning.” “Only she recorded her iris and dynamic password. I never even touched that wretched box. How could I have cracked it?” “You’re lying!” Chloe shrieked, her perfectly applied makeup contorted with rage. She spun around abruptly and flung herself at Ethan, who was emerging from the VIP channel. “Ethan, you heard it last night, didn’t you?” Chloe tugged at the sleeve of his tailored suit, crying dramatically, her face streaked with tears. “Eleanor said in the breakroom last night that her mother’s kidney failure needed urgent surgery, and she wanted to take valuable company items to the black market for a quick turnover.” “I chewed her out, and she even got mad at me!” I froze. My blood slowly turned cold. Ethan. The man for whom I’d pulled countless all-nighters, revising proposals, and braved a blizzard to cross half of New York to queue for special stomach medicine. The man I had silently loved for five entire years, even sacrificing the chance to launch my own brand to support him. Ethan straightened, scoffing. He tossed his Rolls-Royce car keys onto the display stand, where they landed with a sharp clink.

“I’ll vouch for that.” He didn’t even spare me a glance, his eyes filled with nothing but disgust. “Eleanor did say something like that.” “It’s normal for scum from the streets like her to go crazy with envy when she sees a fifty-million-dollar pink diamond.” Every word was like a rusty, dull knife slicing into my nerves. “Ethan, when did I ever say I’d steal something for money?” I bit down hard, tasting blood on my tongue. “Why are you giving false testimony for her?” Ethan pulled out his phone. The screen was shoved directly into my face. It was his latest social media post, already with tens of thousands of likes. The accompanying image was a surveillance screenshot of me searching for documents in the design studio last night. The caption read: “Mistaking garbage for gold is the biggest stain on my life, Ethan Smith.” “Don’t play innocent here.” Ethan looked down at me. “You’re always trying to worm your way into my life, aren’t you, just for my money?” “Now that you realize you can’t get anything out of me, you’ve laid your grubby hands on the company’s confidential assets?” “Ethan, don’t be so harsh on Eleanor.” Chloe nestled closer to Ethan, looking like a frightened, pitiful kitten. “She might really be desperate.” She turned, addressing me in a condescending, charitable tone. “Eleanor, if you just hand over the pink diamond, we won’t call the police. We can resolve this internally, okay?” Mr. Davies impatiently tapped the table. “Eleanor, the public outcry is already out of control!” “The PR department’s phones are ringing off the hook with calls from investors!” “If you don’t produce the diamond, the company will fire you today and blacklist you across the entire industry!” I straightened my spine, refusing to back down. “I didn’t steal it.” “Go ahead and call the police. Investigate my income, search my apartment.” Hearing “search my apartment,” Chloe’s eye twitched violently. But she immediately raised her voice. “What good will searching her apartment do?” “It’s a fifty-million-dollar diamond! You could sell it at any black market or hide it in some sewer. Who would ever find it?” “Eleanor, did you secretly mail the diamond overnight to your crazy brother at that special education school?” My fists clenched. My brother isn’t crazy! He just has Asperger’s Syndrome! His talent in mathematics is far greater than anyone present! Chloe was fabricating lies, even dragging my innocent brother into it, just to solidify my guilt. “Chloe, spreading rumors and defamation, causing significant economic loss, can land you in jail.” I stared at her. “Me, spreading rumors?” Chloe suddenly sneered. She pulled out her phone, attached it to a selfie stick, and opened a live stream. The camera zoomed in on my face. “Everyone! This is Eleanor, the thief who stole the fifty-million-dollar pink diamond!” Chloe, who had been sneering a second ago, instantly burst into tears. “She won’t even return the diamond, and she’s threatening me!” “The company’s hard work, meant for the exhibition, all taken by her to squander on her psycho brother!” The live stream instantly surged to over a hundred thousand viewers. The comments section was flooded with malicious curses. [She looks so poor, turns out she’s a thief!] [Find out where she lives! Kill her whole family!] Ethan stepped in front of the camera, wrapping an arm around Chloe’s shoulder. He looked at me as if I were a pile of garbage. “Don’t worry, everyone, I’ll hire the best legal team in New York for Chloe.” “We won’t let any corporate scoundrel get away with it.” I looked at that loathsome couple. A wave of nausea washed over me. So, five years of genuine affection had been thrown away on nothing. “Ethan, do you really think I stole the diamond?” “Do you really think you’re worthy of my trust?”

“Get out! Our company finds your filth disgusting!” I had just been shoved out of the company building by security when a cup of scalding iced Americano came flying at my face. I dodged, but the bitter coffee splattered against the revolving glass door, soaking my only white work blouse. Outside the building, chaos reigned. My office belongings were in a broken cardboard box, tossed on the steps, covered in muddy shoe prints. A large, glaring splash of red paint marred the center, making it look like a crime scene. Chloe stood inside the door, wearing limited-edition high heels. Several interns who usually sucked up to me crowded around her, all holding up their phones, recording me. “What are you staring at?” Chloe rolled her eyes. “Even your breathing pollutes Smith Group’s air.” “Everyone collectively decided to throw you out like trash.” The entire street was packed with onlookers. Contemptuous stares and whispers felt like knives slicing my face. “She even stole the company’s lifeblood, why isn’t she dead yet?” “I heard she used to get poverty subsidies from the company. Pure ingrate!” I ignored the voices. I knelt, searching through the rubbish on the ground. I picked up a shattered photo frame. Inside, it was a picture of my mother, my brother, and me. My father had died in a car accident years ago, leaving us with crushing debts. My mother had worked construction to put me through college. A shard of broken glass dug deeply into my index finger. A bead of blood welled up. Chloe stepped out. Her slender heel deliberately ground into my design drafts, twisting it twice. She leaned down, whispering in a voice only we could hear: “Eleanor, don’t struggle.” “Just take the blame for this, and you’ll get less abuse.” I slowly stood up. I stared coldly at her Botox-filled face. “You know best where the diamond went.” I lowered my voice, my tone chilling. “Are you sure you deleted the underlying hidden logs of the iris-recognition safe completely?” Chloe’s smug expression instantly froze. Her pupils contracted slightly. But she was a born drama queen. The next second, she stumbled back two steps, slamming her back against the glass door. “Ah—!” Chloe let out a bloodcurdling scream. She collapsed to the ground, clutching her face and wailing. “Eleanor! Why did you hit me!” “I was just telling you to turn yourself in before it’s too late!” “You stole something, but how can you hurt someone too!” The crowd outside instantly erupted. “Holy crap! The thief even dares to hit people!” A slightly overweight male fanatic rushed forward and shoved me hard. I was unprepared. My back slammed against the marble pillar, and a spasm of pain shot through me. “Beat this shameless bitch to death!” The crowd lost control. Countless hands reached out. Someone pulled my hair. Someone tore at my collar. Someone took advantage of the chaos to kick me hard in the shin several times. I could only clench my teeth, fiercely clutching the photo frame to my chest. “What are you doing! Are you rebelling!” The building security guards, armed with riot shields, charged into the crowd, forcibly pushing people away. I leaned against the pillar, gasping for breath. My hair was disheveled, my white shirt torn, exposing my shoulder. Chloe was solicitously helped up by several interns. She hid behind the crowd, a cunning, poisonous smile curling her lips. “Security guards, she stole a fifty-million-dollar diamond and hit me.” Chloe, the villain, cried foul first. “We absolutely cannot let a violent maniac like her remain near the company!” The security guard looked at me with disgust, as if I were something filthy. “Eleanor, Mr. Smith just issued strict orders.” “You’re completely fired.” “Grab your junk and get off this street immediately.” I said nothing. I picked up the broken cardboard box and haphazardly shoved the undestroyed drafts from the ground inside. Hugging the box, I walked down the steps, one by one. Outside, the sun beat down fiercely. My phone vibrated frantically in my pocket. I pulled it out to see a trending news notification: [Former director of a famous New York jewelry company steals fifty-million-dollar pink diamond, a beast in human skin!] The accompanying image was a screenshot of my university mentor’s Ins post. The esteemed old professor, a giant in the design world, had publicly written: “The biggest shame of my life is having taught a student like Eleanor.” Immediately followed by a second post: [I have resigned from all association positions out of shame, unable to face the public.] My mind buzzed and exploded. My fingers trembled uncontrollably. My breathing felt blocked by sandpaper. A SnapChat notification popped up. It was a message from Chloe. [Eleanor, the whole internet is condemning you. Why don’t you get on your knees and beg me? If I’m in a good mood, I might even put in a good word for you. ] I took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to smash my phone. I typed a reply. [Chloe, you’re overacting. It’s easy to lose control of the show.] Her reply was instantaneous. [Still so stubborn. You’ll soon find out what true despair feels like.]

“Ellie… they said you’re a thief… they stomped on my drawing board… and they held me in the sink…” On the phone, my fourteen-year-old brother, Leo, was sobbing uncontrollably. In the background, there were sharp jeers and the sound of things smashing. My mind went blank. I dropped the box and ran like a madwoman to flag down a taxi. By the time I reached the special education school, the sky had turned gloomy. The school entrance was blocked, swarming with influencers who had descended from every corner of the city, drawn by the scent of blood. Seven or eight blinding ring lights were pointed at the school gate. “Everyone, look closely! This is the crazy brother of that fifty-million-dollar pink diamond thief!” A yellow-haired influencer held a selfie stick, almost shoving his phone into Leo’s eyes. “To raise such a scoundrel, this little psycho must be rotten to the core too!” The school’s security guard was sweating profusely, trying to block the cameras. “Stop filming! The child is innocent!” “Hey, what the heck! The old man dares to hit me?!” The yellow-haired influencer shrieked dramatically, then grabbed a cup of sour milk tea from a nearby trash can and violently slammed it onto Leo’s head. Sticky tapioca pearls and sour milk tea dripped down Leo’s face. Leo cowered in the corner, clutching his head, trembling all over, letting out unconscious screams. It was a sign of his condition acting up. My eyes instantly turned red. I charged into the crowd, grabbed the yellow-haired influencer by the collar, and shoved him hard. “Get out! Who gave you permission to cause trouble here!” I stood in front of Leo, like a protective mother wolf. “The main culprit is here! Guys, quick, film her!” All cameras instantly swiveled, pointing at me. The flashing lights made it impossible to open my eyes. Just then, the screeching roar of a sports car tore through the commotion. A black Rolls-Royce drove directly onto the sidewalk, stopping at the school gate. The crowd automatically parted. The car door sprang open. Ethan, dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, his leather shoes spotless, stepped out. Chloe clung to his arm, looking like a helpless bird. She carried a brand-new Hermès Himalaya bag, its perfume scent overpowering the sour smell in the air. “Eleanor, you won’t believe it until it’s staring you in the face, will you?” Ethan walked up to me. He pulled a black card from his suit’s inner pocket, holding it between two fingers, disdainfully swaying it in the air. “Inside here is a million dollars.” He gestured to the ground with his chin. “Now, kneel down.” “Kowtow three times to Chloe and say you were wrong, that you shouldn’t have thrown dirt on her name.” “Then I’ll give you this money, as if charity to a beggar, for your mother’s surgery and to treat your foolish brother.” The surrounding influencers, as if on drugs, furiously pressed their camera shutters. Leo cried out in fear, clutching my shirt corner tightly. I pulled Leo behind me. I turned, staring fixedly at Ethan. The hatred in my eyes was almost palpable. “Ethan, you think a bit of money can help you manipulate everything?” I gritted my teeth, enunciating each word. “Your dear sister right here knows better than anyone where that fifty-million-dollar pink diamond went.” Ethan took a step forward. He grabbed my chin tightly, with so much force it almost crushed my jawbone. “Eleanor, I’m warning you for the last time.” His eyes were menacing. “Dare to bite Chloe again, and I’ll make sure your whole family can’t survive in New York.” He disgustedly pushed my face away. He took a wet wipe Chloe offered him, carefully cleaning his fingers as if he had touched some disgusting virus. When he finished, he crumpled the wipe into a ball and threw it at my face. “Tomorrow, the industry-wide blacklist will be sent to every company.” “Let’s go.” The sports car roared away, leaving a trail of exhaust and the influencers’ unrestrained mockery.

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I was sickly as a child, constantly in and out of the hospital. My mom always said that if I married a man with even an ounce of decency, he’d never be able to bring himself to be harsh with me. But then came an arranged marriage, and I was practically packaged and delivered to Jaxson Hayes, the notorious hothead from the city’s elite circles. Everyone thought the marriage was ridiculous. After all, it was common knowledge that he was in love with Skylar, his childhood best friend and personal boxing coach – a woman who couldn’t stand my frail constitution. While my friends were betting on how many days it would take for me to be sent back, my mom came clutching my leg, her makeup streaked with tears. “Honey, that’s the future head of the Hayes empire. No matter how much of an asshole he is, you just have to grit your teeth and bear it.” “Otherwise, our entire Sterling Group will go bankrupt next month, and thousands will lose their jobs!” I comforted my mom: “Don’t underestimate my sense of responsibility for the family business!”

“Mrs. Hayes? With that tiny frame?” Skylar leaned against the doorframe, the muscles in her arms taut beneath her sports bra. Her gaze swept over me, like she was looking at a fluffy bunny who’d strayed into a boxing gym. “I thought we’d get someone with a little more substance. Turns out, a strong gust of wind could probably blow her away.” I stood in the grand foyer of the Hayes villa, dragging my suitcase. A blast of cold air from the central AC made me let out a tiny sneeze. “Achoo—” The sound was soft and light, almost a kitten’s whimper. Skylar dramatically shivered. “Oh my god, that sound. Anyone who didn’t know would think a kitten got lost.” I rubbed my nose, ignoring her, and continued dragging my suitcase further inside. I’d prepared myself before coming to the Hayes family. As an arranged bride, being unwelcome was normal. As long as things didn’t get too out of hand, there was no point getting into a spat with a boxing coach. “Hey, I’m talking to you.” Skylar snatched my suitcase from behind me, weighing it in her hand. “I’m Skylar, Jaxson Hayes’s personal boxing coach. We’ve also been childhood best friends.” She emphasized “childhood best friends.” “I usually run things around here. Jaxson is busy; he doesn’t have time for household matters.” Daisy, my personal attendant who’d been with me since childhood, finally couldn’t hold back. “Miss Skylar, my lady is Mrs. Hayes, officially married into this family. You’re just a coach…” “Daisy.” I pulled her hand, shaking my head slightly. No need. I was here to fulfill my six-month contract and secure my father’s port development project with the Hayes Corporation. Arguing with someone like her? Winning would be beneath me, and losing would be a complete humiliation. Skylar raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised by my silence, but quickly smiled. “Alright, smart girl. Follow me.” She put me in the furthest annex of the villa, a room on the ground floor at the very end, facing north. The window looked out onto a vine-covered wall, and the radiator was icy cold to the touch – broken. Daisy’s face turned livid with anger. I looked around, sighing inwardly, but kept my expression neutral. “It’s fine, I can live here.” In the evening, I was tucked into bed, sipping the ginger tea Daisy had brewed, when the door opened. I looked up. Jaxson Hayes looked at me, wrapped in a blanket, the corner of his mouth twitching almost imperceptibly. “This is the one from the Sterling family?” He wasn’t talking to me. He turned his head to Skylar behind him. Skylar shrugged. “Yeah, as you can see, the kind that a breeze could knock over.” Jaxson’s gaze returned, sweeping over me one last time. “Don’t cause any trouble for the family.” Five words. No greeting, no pleasantries. He turned and left, Skylar following close behind, the two of them disappearing down the hallway. I put down the ginger tea. I took a deep breath, pushing down the surge of irritation. My mom’s words, whispered repeatedly as she held my hand before I left, echoed in my ears again. “Thousands of families depend on this marriage for their livelihoods, Elara. Our entire business.” I gripped the blanket, my knuckles white from the effort. Bear it. I can bear it.

At six o’clock the next morning, there was a pounding on my door. “Mr. Hayes uses the dining room at seven. You need to be finished and gone by six-thirty.” I sat at the breakfast table, my face pale from lack of sleep. Plain broth, pickled vegetables, and nothing else. At precisely six-thirty, with my bowl still half full, the housekeeper came to clear the table. “Time’s up.” I glanced at the broth, said nothing, put down my spoon, and left. At ten o’clock that morning, Skylar called me to the living room. Jaxson sat on the sofa, scrolling through his phone, not even bothering to lift his eyelids. Skylar slapped a printed document onto the coffee table. “These are the house rules. I’ll say them once, and only once.” “Wake up at six AM, no sleeping in. No medicine bottles in common areas – it’s an eyesore. Jaxson’s study, the gym, and the entire third floor are off-limits.” She paused. “And—Jaxson doesn’t like to be disturbed. Don’t go seeking him out unnecessarily.” I listened, finding it a bit amusing. I’m not some groupie; why would I want to be near him? But there was no need to cause a scene over such a minor thing. “I understand.” Skylar seemed pleased with my obedience. I turned to Jaxson, still wanting to confirm. “Mr. Hayes, do you… agree with all of this?” He finally lifted his eyelids. “What she said is what I mean.” Fine. Nothing more to say, then. That afternoon, I was reading in the private courtyard, soaking up the sun. Skylar suddenly appeared at the gate, holding a focus mitt in her arms. “Elara Sterling, I heard you’ve been sickly since you were a child?” I nodded. Suddenly, she threw the focus mitt at me. It was fast and packed a punch, heading right for my face. My body instinctively moved to catch it, but I forced myself to swerve mid-air, stumbling a couple of steps and falling to the ground. “Cough, cough, cough… why did you suddenly throw something…” I coughed, clutching my chest, my voice sounding weak and wronged. Skylar frowned, staring at me for a few seconds. “Can’t even dodge a simple toss. Pathetic.” She picked up the mitt and walked off. I sat on the ground, slowly unclenching my fist. That was close. I almost caught it. Before dinner, I was carrying the soothing herbal brew Daisy had made for my lungs, walking down the hallway. Skylar emerged from the gym and immediately spotted the bowl in my hands. “Who said you could use the main kitchen?” “Daisy used my own ingredients—” “Your ingredients, maybe, but the utilities are the family’s, right?” She cut me off. “Dump it.” This time, I didn’t immediately comply. I looked at her, my voice still soft, but firm. “Skylar, this brew is for my bronchitis, it’s not some exotic dish. “I don’t want to bother Mr. Hayes with such a small matter, and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t make things difficult for me over it, okay?” Skylar paused, seemingly surprised that I’d talked back. She tilted her head towards the gym. “Do you want Jaxson to come tell you himself?” Jaxson was leaning against a punching bag, a towel draped over his shoulder, his gaze sweeping over casually. He still said nothing. But his silence was his answer. I stood there, clutching the bowl of brew Daisy had spent two hours making. Three thousand families. The port project. Six months. I closed my eyes. I turned and walked to the end of the hallway, pouring the broth into a nearby planter. Skylar laughed out loud behind me. I didn’t turn back. The ceramic bowl, however, now had a silent crack forming along its rim, courtesy of my fingers. She called out to me again. “Wait.”

I stopped. The tension within me ratcheted up even further. Skylar plucked a flower from a nearby potted plant, a playful smile on her face, and brought it close to me. “I hear you have allergies? Does this bother you?” She flicked the bloom, sending a cloud of pollen right into my face. “Achoo—Achoo—” I sneezed several times, tears uncontrollably welling up. Skylar laughed, stepping back, and called down the hallway. “Jaxson, come look! Your wife is hilarious!” Jaxson had appeared at the entrance to the connecting corridor at some point. He glanced at my disheveled, sneezing state, his brow furrowed slightly. But in the end, he just said, “Stop fooling around. It’s dinner time.” Skylar pouted, slung an arm around his shoulder, and walked off with him. “No fun.” Daisy rushed over to help me, tears immediately streaming down her face. “Miss Elara… can we just not put up with this anymore…?” I wiped my face with my sleeve, taking several deep breaths to suppress the sneezes. “It’s fine, Daisy.” I patted her hand. Don’t underestimate my connection to the company! On the fifth day of my stay, the Hayes family hosted a dinner party. It was supposedly for the family elders to “meet the new daughter-in-law.” I was seated at the very end of the table. Jaxson sat next to the head of the table, and Skylar was on his other side, even closer to him than I, his official wife, was. The elders’ gazes darted between Skylar and me, their expressions full of unspoken meaning. As the third dish was served, Aunt Carol spoke up. “Jaxson, your new wife looks rather delicate, but her constitution… how will she ever have children?” “I heard she was always in and out of the hospital as a child. If that’s hereditary…” All eyes turned to me. I put down my forks, ready to deal with it myself. Skylar smiled and placed a bowl of herbal pear soup in front of me. “Elara isn’t feeling well, so I specially asked the kitchen to make this pear soup for her throat.” The elders praised her, “Skylar, you’re so thoughtful.” I looked at the soup. And detected a faint, unwelcome scent. Alcohol. I’m severely allergic to alcohol; it can cause breathing difficulties, and it’s clearly noted on the first page of my medical file. Skylar couldn’t possibly not know. Everyone was watching me. My mom’s words ran through my mind. Three thousand families. Six months. Just bear it. I took a deep breath. Picked up the bowl, and took a sip. Three seconds later, my face flushed, my breathing became rapid, and large red hives erupted on my neck. “Miss Elara!” Daisy rushed in. Skylar covered her mouth, looking innocent. “Oh my goodness, I truly didn’t know Elara was allergic to alcohol! I only added a tiny bit of cooking wine for flavor…” “Allergic to this, allergic to that,” Aunt Carol shook her head. “This constitution might not be able to handle it.” The elders whispered among themselves, their disdainful looks unconcealed. I gasped, standing up, tears streaming down my face. Not from sadness, but from the allergic reaction irritating my tear ducts. But to everyone else, it looked like the new wife was crying embarrassingly at the family dinner. I walked out. As I passed Jaxson, I glanced at him. He hadn’t even put down his forks. Expressionless, he said nothing. Daisy helped me to the door, where my legs suddenly felt weak. I instinctively steadied myself against the doorframe. The solid wooden frame silently indented under my fingertips – five clear prints. I quickly let go, hiding my hands in my sleeves. Deep breaths. Bear it. I can still bear it.

The allergic reaction bothered me for most of the night; Daisy had to give me an anti-allergy shot to stabilize me. The next day, I woke up at six as usual, pretending nothing had happened. At three in the afternoon, I was reading in the private courtyard. Skylar pushed the door open, followed by two distant Hayes relatives. The same two who had been gossiping the loudest in the corner at last night’s dinner party. “Elara Sterling, the elders were very displeased about yesterday’s incident.” Skylar sat opposite me, crossing her legs. “Aunt Carol said that if you have a weak constitution, you should know your place and not embarrass the Hayes family.” I closed my book. “I’m very sorry about yesterday.” My tone was calm. I had no patience for Skylar anymore, but I didn’t want to escalate things. It wouldn’t benefit anyone. “What good is ‘sorry’?” Brenda, the nosy relative, chimed in. “Your father came from nothing, a total nobody, and he actually thought he could marry you into the Hayes family?” I put down my book and looked at her. “I suggest you watch your mouth.” My voice was soft, but the smile was gone. Brenda stared at me, startled, then grew indignant. “What’s with that attitude? Am I wrong? Everyone knows about your mother, how she basically threw herself at your dad back in the day.” “I said.” I cut her off, enunciating each word. “Watch your mouth.” “That’s twice.” The air went silent for a moment. Skylar smiled and patted Brenda’s shoulder, signaling her to back off. Then she stood up, slowly walked over to me, and leaned down. “Elara, don’t get upset. They’re just chatterboxes.” Her voice was very soft, as if soothing a child. “But I am curious, what exactly happened with your mother when she was young?” My body tensed. Skylar straightened up, her expression meaningful. “I heard Aunt Carol talking about it yesterday. Something about an unclear relationship with someone?” “That’s why everyone said your dad was practically begging your mom to marry him. After all, what respectable girl would throw herself at a man like that?” My fingers began to tremble. Not from fear. But from restraint. “Shut up.” “Oh, I’m not saying anything bad.” Skylar smiled, spreading her hands. “That’s just what everyone says—” “I said shut up.” I stood up. My chair slid back sharply, nearly a meter, hitting the wall with a loud thud. Skylar paused, but quickly recovered her smile. She thought I was just bluffing. After all, in her eyes, I was just a sickly girl who could be blown over by a gust of wind; what threat could I possibly pose? The two women behind her also laughed. “Oh, she’s getting defensive.” “Why are you so upset? Guilty conscience?” Skylar looked down at me, her eyes filled with knowing malice. She knew I wouldn’t dare to do anything. This marriage held the Sterling Group’s lifeline, and I couldn’t jeopardize it. So her next sentence was spoken exceptionally slowly, exceptionally clearly. “Look at you, so frail, always in the ER. Exactly like your mother when she was young.” “Just like your mother, a cheap little gold digger, born to leech off men.” “Snap.” It wasn’t the sound of a slap. It was the sound of the spine of the hardcover book in my hands being crushed between my two fingers. Splinters of wood clattered to the floor. The living room fell silent. Skylar looked down at the deformed book in my hand, her smile finally freezing on her face. I looked up. Tears still clung to my eyelashes, my voice still soft, still carrying my naturally soft, almost whiny tone. But every word was like a razor blade. “Skylar.” “You insult me, I can let it go.” “You bully me, I can pretend it didn’t happen.” “But if you dare to say one more word to insult my mother—” I let go of the fragments in my hand, slowly taking a step towards her. Skylar instinctively took half a step back.

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