I was working in the gynecology department when a young woman came in for hymen repair surgery. Her delicate face flushed with embarrassment as she timidly asked me, “Will anyone be able to tell?” I took a liking to her and advised her to be honest. “If two people can’t be together because of this, is there any point in continuing the relationship?” The young woman’s face turned an even deeper shade of red. “I had an accident while running. He says he likes me pure and innocent, and I want to do this for him.” Three months later, the young woman came back to see me. She was cradling her belly, saying she was already pregnant. Her eyes were brimming with happiness. Before I could offer my congratulations, her boyfriend called. “Honey, is the baby okay? Get ready, I’m taking you on a week-long trip abroad as a reward…” Long after the call ended, I couldn’t shake off my daze. The young woman waved her phone in front of my face. “Doctor, when there’s no love left between two people, that’s when there’s no point in continuing.” It was then that I realized. Her boyfriend was my husband. At a coffee shop, Tiffany ordered me a latte. “Iced, no sugar, right?” “Three years ago, you were the youngest surgical prodigy at First Hospital. You gave up your career to take care of your family and chose a less demanding department.” “But Emily, why do you have to do this? Parker doesn’t love you anymore. Why can’t you let go and find someone more suitable?” She held her head high, her pretty face showing not a hint of guilt or shame for being the other woman. Half defiant, half pitying. I took a sip of coffee, suppressing my anger. “You went to all this trouble to investigate me and approach me just to pressure me to leave?” Tiffany scoffed, “I just want you to face reality and stop clinging to Parker.” “He hasn’t touched you in a long time, has he? He’s already chosen a name for our baby.” In that moment, I had the urge to throw the scalding coffee in her face and scream at her! But what would be the point? It was a fact that she was carrying Parker’s child, and it was also a fact that my husband of eight years had been working late for six months straight, barely touching me. My tired face reflected in the glass window, time having taken away my youthfulness and left fine lines. I regretted my impulsive decision to accept her invitation to meet, hoping to learn more about this mistress. What did I have to compete with her for? If she wanted the cheating man, she could have him. “If you’re still not convinced, let’s make a bet!” Tiffany caught up with me as I was leaving, her confident face flushed with excitement. “The day after tomorrow is your 8th anniversary. Guess whether he’ll spend it with you or take me out?” As soon as she finished speaking, her phone chimed. Parker’s voice message was full of affection: “Honey, have you eaten? I know you love seafood, so I had some specially flown in for you…” I looked down at my phone. There was also a message from him. Just a few short words: “Working late, don’t wait up.” Only then did I realize that the happy marriage I thought I had was just an elaborate lie he had carefully maintained. At three in the morning, Parker came home, put down his briefcase, and tiptoed to the bathroom. “Why didn’t you turn on the lights?” My sudden voice startled Parker. Seeing me sitting on the couch, a flicker of panic crossed his eyes, but he quickly put on his usual gentle expression and came over to embrace me lightly. “Of course, I didn’t want to wake you, darling.” “You work during the day and do housework when you come home. I worry about you being so tired. If you don’t get enough sleep, you’ll get wrinkles and won’t be beautiful anymore…” So he knew about my efforts for this home. He was busy with work and had a mild case of OCD, so we couldn’t hire a housekeeper. I managed everything inside and out. For him, I gave up my career, transforming from a surgical prodigy to practically a housewife. Ironically, my womb showed no signs of life, while his mistress was already carrying his child. “If you prefer young and beautiful women, just say so.” He froze, his smile becoming slightly stiff and probing: “Why are you suddenly saying such things? Emily, I love you no matter what.” “You’re not sleeping now, is something bothering you? Do you want to talk about it?” Before I could respond, his phone on the coffee table suddenly lit up. A voice message came from a contact saved as ‘Sweetie’. Parker snatched the phone back almost instantly, making an excuse about “work stuff” and running to the bathroom. When he came out, he hurried towards the front door to change his shoes, barely concealing his eagerness: “Honey, there’s a problem with a big project. You go to sleep first.” “Once this busy period is over, I’ll spend more time with you…” Suddenly, I couldn’t remember the last time Parker had taken me out. The wedding photo on the wall emitted a soft glow. The house was still neat and orderly, and the study was almost overflowing with gifts Parker had given me, so I had put the more valuable ones in a bank safe deposit box. Everyone said our marriage was the model of a perfect couple. But now, all the warmth of the past was tainted with cold lies and betrayal, leaving me feeling chilled to the bone, almost unable to breathe! “Emily, looks like you’re going to lose~” “Parker has already booked flights for us to go abroad the day after tomorrow. He’s going to spend a whole week with me.” “Oh, and Parker won’t be coming home tonight. I told him my stomach hurt, and he rushed over here, worried about leaving me alone…” After reading the taunting messages from the mistress, I sat quietly until dawn. I remembered the first year of our marriage when I had an allergic reaction to peanuts and broke out in a rash. Parker rushed me to the hospital, not even frowning when he missed out on a $300 million project because of it. In our third year, when I passed out from exhaustion after surgery, he stormed into the hospital and berated the director until he was red in the face. But last year, when I had a fever of 102°F from the flu, he only sent a fruit basket and didn’t even visit me in the hospital. I thought time had made our love more subtle, less intense. Little did I know, he had simply transferred his love to someone else. “Darling, why are you up so early?” “I brought you breakfast, and look, I got you some new jewelry from the company. I had to really sweet-talk the board to get it for you~” Early in the morning, Parker returned with dark circles under his eyes and immediately presented a gift, his face showing the same adoration as always, without a hint of anything amiss. The more he acted like this, the colder I felt. I couldn’t tell how much of the past eight years was genuine affection and how much was pretense. “Why aren’t you saying anything? Emily, did you not sleep well? Do you want me to call the hospital and ask for a day off for you?” His face showed urgency as he gently felt my forehead. I resisted the strong urge to push him away and stared deeply into his eyes: “Parker, I’ve taken tomorrow off. Can you spend the day with me?” I wanted to know if our eight years of love could compare to his six months with Tiffany. I wanted to know if he could leave me with some dignity before the divorce. “Tomorrow… I really can’t reschedule tomorrow’s commitments.” Parker pretended to be troubled, holding me tighter: “How about the end of the month? I’ll take you wherever you want to go.” Seeing no response from me, he pouted innocently: “Darling, we have a long future ahead of us, why does it have to be tomorrow?” I froze, instinctively pushing him away and retreating two steps. Not only had he not chosen me. He had even forgotten! Forgotten our 8th wedding anniversary! My unusual behavior made Parker suspicious, but just as he was about to comfort me, he was called away by a phone call. Half an hour later, Tiffany sent me another picture of them together. I had loved Parker for eight years, giving him almost everything, only to be utterly defeated by the mistress! “Emily, I’ve dug up the background on that homewrecker you asked me to investigate…” My best friend sent me information about Tiffany. She was the illegitimate daughter of the Yang family, owners of a major corporation in the city. Although she had grown up separated from the Yang family, living with a housekeeper, she still had inheritance rights to 10% of the family’s assets.

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I spent three years in prison for my husband Adam’s company. When I got out, all I received was a $1 bonus check for the business opening. Just as I thought there must have been a mistake, I noticed the girl next to me, Lily, also only had a single dollar bill in her envelope. Putting aside my concerns, I happily accompanied Adam to complete the opening ceremony. But that night, I came across Lily’s Instagram post. She had shared a photo of a check: “Congrats on the big opening, boss! So generous with that $1 million bonus!” The comments were full of envy, congratulating her on her relationship with the “boss.” Not only did Adam fail to explain, he was quick to distance himself from me: “You just got out of prison, it’s not appropriate to go public. Let’s keep our marriage secret for now. Just call me boss in front of others.” Then he immediately liked Lily’s Instagram post. I wiped away a tear and called his arch-rival. “I’ll work for you from now on.” “You were willing to go to prison for three years for Adam’s business. Why the sudden change to work for me?” “I remember he promised to give you a department manager position when you got out. Are you sure you don’t want it?” I fidgeted with the $1 bill, letting out a bitter laugh. “Mm, I don’t want it anymore.” Just as I said that, Adam suddenly appeared in front of me, asking suspiciously: “What don’t you want?” I calmly hung up the phone and told the truth: “The department manager position.” Hearing this, a flash of relief crossed the man’s complex expression. “Good. I was planning to give it to Lily anyway. You can start as a clerk for now.” Hearing these words, I couldn’t help but frown. Back then, I endured three years behind bars for Adam’s company. He had repeatedly promised me that when I got out, the position would be mine and mine alone. Who would have thought that in the end, I’d become nothing more than a lowly office worker. At this moment, Adam was breaking the promise he made three years ago with his own mouth. But I couldn’t see a hint of guilt in his eyes. My eyes burned as an unstoppable pain flooded my heart. Seeing I didn’t respond, Adam took out a contract from his briefcase and tossed it on the coffee table. He said nonchalantly: “This is a secret marriage agreement, for the sake of the company.” The words “Secret Marriage Agreement” stung my eyes badly. Three years ago, the day before I went to prison, Adam and I got our marriage certificate. The only thing that kept me going was the thought of a happy married life after my release. But now, I had become something he was ashamed to mention. He even wanted me to disappear without a trace. I laughed bitterly to myself, picked up the pen without a second thought. Adam suddenly turned his head, frowning as he watched me about to sign. She who once couldn’t wait to announce this marriage to the world, how could she suddenly be so decisive? He instinctively grabbed my wrist, his words puzzling: “You’re not even going to think about it?” I didn’t even look up, signing immediately. Getting the secret marriage agreement as he wished, he fell oddly silent for a moment. After a while, he cleared his throat, his voice turning gentle: “Rachel, don’t worry. Once the company stabilizes, I’ll definitely make it up to you properly.” I responded with a noncommittal “mm”, just as the company WhatsApp group lit up. Lily had become the company’s first department manager, with all the employees offering congratulations. “You’ve been by the boss’s side these past three years, we’ve all seen it. This position is well-deserved!” “I think Lily will be the boss’s wife soon, right? We’ll have to get on your good side from now on.” Immediately after, Lily sent a shy emoji, tacitly accepting everything. “I still think Rachel is luckier. She went to prison for three years and can still be a clerk at the company. The boss really spoils her!” Knowing the truth, she was clearly mocking me. I struggled to look away from the screen, inadvertently catching Adam staring at his phone. The smile on his lips was a tenderness I had never seen before. It made me wonder. Was his secret marriage to me really for the company, or was it for Lily?

To fulfill the secret marriage contract, Adam moved from the master bedroom to the guest room. Besides that, he also made it crystal clear: I wasn’t allowed to ride in the same car as him. I couldn’t talk to him at the company, only call him boss. And his relationship with Lily was just an act, I wasn’t allowed to make a fuss about it. After explaining everything, Adam disappeared for three days. It wasn’t until I took a day off work with a fever that he bothered to call me: “You’ve only been working a few days and you’re already taking time off. Aren’t you being a bit dramatic?” “You’ll have to go to the hospital yourself. I’m still on a business trip, I can’t take you.” An expected result. I mumbled a vague “mm”. But just as I finished speaking, a coquettish female voice came through the phone: “Adam, my zipper’s stuck! Come help me quick!” Although Adam quickly hung up, I still heard the sound of his hurried footsteps. Looking at Lily’s Instagram again, she had already changed her profile picture. It matched Adam’s as a couple. I remembered when we were dating, I always pestered him to use matching profile pictures. But he always had countless reasons to refuse me: Too much trouble, childish, tasteless… I don’t know what came over him, but he started frantically texting and calling me. I only replied once: “This is my rest time, please understand, boss.” After finishing the IV drip, I returned to the company. My coworkers were as cold to me as ever, piling work on my desk. In their minds, I was probably just a lucky ex-con taken in by the boss. I should naturally take on more. I adjusted my mood and packed all the couple items from the storage cabinet into a black garbage bag. If I had known they would never see the light of day, I wouldn’t have worked so hard to bring them to the office. I was about to go throw them away when Adam unexpectedly returned. Before I could react, he angrily dragged me all the way to the stairwell. Seeing the garbage bag in my hand, the man’s face darkened: “You have time to clean up garbage but not to return my calls?” The strong perfume on him made me take a step back involuntarily as I said calmly: “I replied to your message.” Hearing this, Adam seemed to catch fire, demanding: “Why did you call me ‘boss’ on the phone?” What’s the difference between on the phone and in person? He was the one who told me to, so why was he upset when I did? Seeing I had no intention of explaining, he let out a cold laugh: “You know I don’t like willful women. You’d better not turn into someone I hate.” As he spoke, he snatched the bag from my hand and hurled it to the ground with all his might. Amid the thunderous crash echoing through the stairwell, he strode away. Looking at the shattered photos and couple mugs, my heart trembled. Just like our years of feelings would ultimately be broken to pieces. I cleaned up the fragments and called a lawyer to draft a divorce agreement. After getting the document, I printed a copy in the copy room. Just as I had mentally prepared myself and was about to knock, Adam opened the door first. Meeting his icy gaze, I calmly handed over the document: “Sign it when you have time.” But Adam didn’t even look at it, flipping straight to the last page to sign. Then he handed it back casually, instructing: “Come out with me for a business dinner later. Be smart and remember to help block the drinks.” I was puzzled – Adam could usually hold his liquor well, why did he need me to block drinks? Before I could ask, Lily bounced out from behind him: “Boss is so thoughtful! You even remembered I have a cold and can’t drink!”

Lily sat next to Adam wrapped in a blanket, her head resting directly on his shoulder. Seeing me, she frowned and complained: “The boss is just overreacting. It’s only a cold, but he won’t let me drink or go to work. If I hadn’t begged him, he wouldn’t even bring me to this business dinner.” Hearing her say this, Adam fondly tapped her nose. “I don’t care what you say. Just don’t cry when it’s time to take your medicine.” The two people before me were clearly a couple in love. His gentle humor was also a side of him I found unfamiliar. Clutching the divorce agreement in my hand, I felt oddly relieved. Arriving at the restaurant, Adam exchanged pleasantries with the business partners for a while. Then he stepped back and began introducing everyone. “This is Lily, our company’s department manager.” When introducing me, the partner’s boss frowned slightly. “I remember clearly, this young lady went to prison for owing money. Boss Adam, you really are loyal to old friends.” Adam tensed up, glancing at me before laughing it off in agreement. During the project discussion, Adam and Lily’s seats were pressed close together. He kept giving me looks, telling me to proactively help block drinks for Lily. At the table, someone noticed their intimate gestures and couldn’t help teasing: “Boss Adam and Miss Lily look so well-matched. I wonder if the boss is married?” As soon as the words fell, Adam looked at me, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. The next second, we said in unison: “No.” Even though we gave the same answer, he abruptly turned his head to stare at me in shock. It wasn’t until the partners went to the restroom that he messaged me: “It’s all just an act, don’t take it to heart.” Adam said it was acting, but I was telling the truth. After all, he had already signed the divorce agreement. I glanced at the message and flipped my phone face down. Seeing this, Adam was about to get up and come over, but I turned and went to the restroom. Coming out of the stall, I ran into Lily. She stood with her arms crossed, clearly with a victorious attitude. “Rachel, you’re truly pathetic as a woman. To be so despised by your husband – if it were me, I definitely wouldn’t have the face to show myself in public.” I washed my hands nonchalantly, saying coolly: “That’s not for Miss Lily to worry about.” Drying my hands, I prepared to leave. But Lily darted in front of me, looking me up and down. “How can the boss’s wife still wear such rags?” “Oh I forgot, Adam must have spent all the money buying me haute couture. Sorry about that.” The expensive brands she wore seemed to constantly remind me of the difference between $1 and $1 million. In an instant, the bitterness that had built up in my heart exploded, and I fled in a panic. Back in the private room, I picked up my bag to leave. Adam hurriedly came over to stop me, his tone gentle: “Don’t go yet, I’ll take you home later.” I was about to refuse when Lily suddenly burst in crying. Instantly attracting everyone’s attention. Adam immediately let go of me and ran over to ask what had happened. Lily was frantically rummaging through her bag and all her pockets. Then she cried out in dismay: “My custom diamond ring is missing!”

As soon as the words left her mouth, everyone in the room started looking for Lily’s ring. While searching, she kept muttering: “This was a birthday gift from Boss Adam, worth over $3 million. I can’t bear to lose it!” Though I didn’t know what game she was playing, I just wanted to leave immediately. But just as I reached the door, Lily blocked me. “Rachel, let me check your bag. Otherwise you won’t be able to clear your name.” Whether or not I stole her ring, I knew the truth. “I’m tired. Miss Lily can look for it herself.” Seeing I was determined to leave, Lily actually grabbed my bag directly. In the struggle, the contents of my bag spilled all over the floor. And among the scattered items, there was indeed a sparkling large diamond ring. I stared at the ring in shock, suddenly meeting Lily’s provocative gaze. “Why are you framing me?” Turning around, I found everyone looking at me with contempt. Especially Adam, who frowned with disgust in his eyes. I instinctively tried to explain to him: “I didn’t take this!” But my explanation seemed so feeble in the face of the glaring “evidence”. Next, Lily picked up the ring and started crying even harder. “This ring means so much to me. How could Rachel steal it?” “I thought Rachel had reformed in prison, but I never expected she’d still do anything for money. I don’t dare work with her anymore…” Lily’s words made everyone’s expressions turn ugly. The partner’s boss spoke up first, breaking the awkward silence: “Boss Adam, let’s call off this deal!” With that, he stormed out of the room with his people. I wanted to chase after them to explain, but was met with a solid slap from Adam. Meeting my incredulous gaze, there wasn’t a hint of regret in his eyes. “I never thought you’d be the type to see money and lose your mind!” “I brought you out, not for you to steal things!” Adam’s words completely convicted me. Didn’t he know what kind of person I was? Had he also forgotten why I went to prison? Seeing the anger in his eyes, I knew he would never believe me. I could only laugh bitterly and hand him my phone. “Then call the police.” He looked down at the phone, then frowned at me again, still not moving. The long stare seemed to let me see through the man before me. After a while, Adam snorted coldly, “Ridiculous!” He turned around, helped Lily put on the diamond ring, and gently coaxed her to leave. In the room, only I remained, along with the mess on the floor. I picked up my scattered belongings and headed straight for the airport without hesitation. In the late night waiting area. I was about to draft a resignation letter when I received a dismissal notice from Adam first. His words were filled with anger: “Don’t come to the company anymore. Stay home and reflect on yourself!” Seeing his absurd demands, I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. Without thinking, I sent him a photo of the signed divorce agreement. Along with the text: “Adam, I wish you and Lily a hundred years of happiness and growing old together!” “But first you need to get our divorce certificate, otherwise I’ll report you for bigamy.” After I sent this, Adam started frantically calling me like his life depended on it. This is the cutoff point I hung up on all the calls, so Adam sent messages instead: “Rachel, what kind of joke are you playing? When did I ever agree to divorce?!” “If you really think there’s something between Lily and me, then I’ll actually do something with her for you to see!”

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Jack’s dog was sick, and his wife abandoned their seriously ill son to go take care of it. I called her over and over again, but all I heard was my wife’s angry scolding: “Did our son die or did you die? Why are you calling? Buddy is very sick, I can’t leave him.” “I can’t be as heartless as you. Buddy is dying, how can I not care?” After saying that, she hung up and turned off her phone. The night our son passed away, I received a video from Adam. I was finally devastated and prepared our son’s funeral alone. But on the day of Tommy’s burial, my wife insisted on fighting for the burial plot I had bought for our son, in order to bury Adam’s dog. 0 Our son had leukemia. I took care of him day and night, nurturing him meticulously, but we still couldn’t overcome the illness. On a warm spring day, our son passed away. Before he died, he held my hand tightly and cried: “Dad, I want to go to the amusement park. I want to see fireworks. I don’t want to be alone.” After our son’s death, I arranged the funeral by myself. I found a burial plot for him near an amusement park and circus. Today is the day of our son’s burial. I held his ashes numbly. Olivia’s parents also rushed over. Her father, despite his age, was crying uncontrollably. “My poor Tommy! How could you leave us at such a young age…” “Grandpa didn’t even get to see you grow up!” He looked at our son’s photo with deep sorrow, sighing repeatedly. Everyone was dressed in black mourning clothes, looking solemn. Only Olivia’s mother had her eyebrows drawn and was wearing colorful clothes, without a trace of sadness in her eyes. Olivia’s mother had always looked down on me, and by extension, our son. She never visited him in the hospital. She despised my poor background and always thought I wasn’t good enough for her well-educated, beautiful daughter. It was Olivia’s father who agreed to our marriage, seeing that I was hardworking and kind-hearted. Olivia’s mother looked around, not seeing the person she wanted to see, and then walked straight up to me, displeased: “Where’s Olivia?” “I’ve been here for a while, why haven’t I seen her?” During the days when our son was seriously ill, Olivia had abandoned him to go find her ex-boyfriend. The reason was that their previously shared dog was seriously ill, and Olivia insisted on going to accompany it in its final moments. Adam even arrogantly posted on social media. He shared a photo of the three of them – him, Olivia, and the dog – with the caption: “From the beginning until now, mom and dad have been by your side the whole time.” Just yesterday, I even received a video from my wife’s ex-boyfriend. I watched expressionlessly as the two of them were intimately entangled. I thought I would be angry, but I wasn’t. Our son was gone, and I no longer wanted to deal with these rights and wrongs. I just wanted to quietly divorce Olivia after our son’s funeral was over. Seeing that I didn’t respond, Olivia’s mother pushed me again. “I’m asking you a question! Where exactly did Olivia go?” My mother thought I was overcome with grief, so she reluctantly answered for me: “Your precious daughter has gone who knows where. Her son is gone but his mother is nowhere to be seen. Even the funeral was arranged entirely by Jack.” I hadn’t told my parents about Olivia’s affair. If they knew the truth, they would surely cause a huge scene. Olivia’s mother was very displeased seeing my mother’s sarcastic tone. “Watch how you speak! What do you mean ‘gone who knows where’? You raised such a good son, who doesn’t even know where his wife went.” My mother, seeing Olivia’s mother’s arrogant attitude, didn’t hold back either and pulled me to ask: “Jack, everyone’s here today. Call Olivia and ask her what exactly she’s doing?” 0

I was about to open my mouth to make up some excuse to get by, when Olivia’s mother stepped forward and slapped me. “Why are you pretending to be innocent? Walking around with that dead expression all day, acting like you’re so wronged!” “No wonder Olivia doesn’t like coming home, having to see your face every day!” Looking at Olivia’s mother’s aggressive face, I really wanted to lay everything out in the open. But the words were on the tip of my tongue and I couldn’t say them. My parents were old and in poor health, they couldn’t handle the shock. And these past two days were my son’s funeral, I didn’t want to make the scene too ugly. Seeing my silence, Olivia’s mother continued: “Hmph! Can’t say anything, can you? Useless man, it’s obvious your family must have bullied my daughter a lot, that’s why she doesn’t dare come home!” Then she turned to complain angrily to Olivia’s father: “This is the good marriage you talked about! I was against it from the beginning, but you insisted on letting Olivia marry this kind of useless man! Now look what’s happened, our daughter is missing!” Olivia’s father really couldn’t stand her unreasonable nagging anymore and shouted at her in a low voice. “Enough! Olivia is a grown woman, how could she just disappear? Her own son has died and she doesn’t even come, yet you have the nerve to yell at Jack! I think Olivia is clearly in the wrong here.” Seeing that her husband wasn’t taking her side, Olivia’s mother was in an even worse mood. She looked at our sad and solemn faces, feeling angry. She took out her phone on the spot and said defiantly: “You cold-blooded people, if you won’t look for my daughter, I’ll do it myself!” She quickly dialed Olivia’s number and put it on speaker. After two rings, Olivia picked up the phone. “Mom? What’s wrong, why are you calling me?” Hearing the familiar voice, I smiled sarcastically. She doesn’t answer any of my calls, but picks up immediately when her mom calls. “Olivia, what are you doing? Why aren’t you coming home?” Olivia’s mother asked. Facing her mother, Olivia lied more naturally. “I’m busy working overtime. The company has a lot going on these days.” Olivia’s mother breathed a sigh of relief and turned to glare at me fiercely. “That’s fine then. Jack said he didn’t know what you were doing. His attitude really made me angry.” Not realizing she was on speaker, Olivia complained about me without hesitation. “Don’t mind him, Mom. He’s just a big man who likes to be petty.” “He always tells others bad things about me, acting like he’s so wronged.” Knowing Olivia was safe, her mother hung up the phone, satisfied. Then she looked at my parents smugly. “Did you hear that? My daughter is busy working. For the sake of this family, she can’t even come to her son’s funeral. Yet you people keep badmouthing her all day! Your whole family is rotten to the core!” Seeing Olivia’s mother’s attitude, my parents couldn’t stand it anymore and wanted to argue properly. I held them back, clenching my fists tightly. I grabbed Olivia’s mother’s phone, wanting to call Olivia back and ask her why, during the days when our son was suffering the most, she was in bed with another man! Olivia’s mother slapped me again. “What are you going crazy for? You useless waste! No skills but such a bad temper!” “You can’t earn money yourself, so don’t disturb my daughter’s work!” Before we got married, Olivia had said she wanted me to be a full-time stay-at-home husband to take care of her. I agreed, and while managing household affairs, I also wrote novels online and accumulated a certain fan base. In the end, our son’s illness became too serious, so I put everything down to fully take care of him. “Once the funeral is over, I’m going to tell Olivia to divorce a useless man like you right away!” “Fine! Let’s divorce, I’ve long wanted to end this!” Olivia’s father looked at the time and pulled his wife back, warning her: “Can you say a few less words? Today is Tommy’s burial day. As his grandmother, just behave yourself!” After saying that, he looked at me apologetically. “Jack, let’s go. Don’t delay Tommy’s time to rest in peace.” 0

I silently hugged the ashes tightly and walked towards the burial plot I had already bought. Seeing her husband’s serious expression, Olivia’s mother finally contained her temper, but she found the coffin inauspicious and didn’t walk at the front, instead following far behind the procession. Our group arrived at the cemetery. I presented the relevant documents and materials. But the staff member looked at me with a troubled expression and stammered: “I’m sorry, Mr. He, but I’m afraid we can’t sell you that plot anymore.” Faced with this sudden situation, I was confused. Could they really cancel an order after the money had already been paid? Seeing our displeased expressions, the staff member continued to explain: “I’m really sorry. Everything was prepared, but suddenly a VIP came and offered ten times your price for this burial plot.” “I’m sorry, we didn’t dare offend them, so we had to inconvenience you. How about I choose another plot for you? This time it will be free of charge.” A gloomy mood gradually spread. “What do you mean? My son is being buried today and you tell me we can’t use it. Is this reasonable? You have no professional ethics!” My mother was also very angry. “This is too unreasonable. How can you sell it to someone else? We want this plot. It was carefully chosen!” Because we had many people, the staff didn’t dare obstruct us. “Fine then. The person who offered the high price is still inside. Why don’t you negotiate with them directly? I’m just an employee, I was only following orders from higher-ups.” I was in a very unpleasant mood. I wanted to see who exactly was doing such an unethical thing as snatching someone’s burial plot. I walked in angrily. But I saw Adam instead. He had a small coffin at his feet. As I walked closer, I saw it was actually the dog Buddy that he and Olivia had raised together before. He seemed to have expected it was me and smiled smugly. “Jack? What are you doing here? Did someone in your family die?” Seeing the memorial photo behind me, he understood, but still taunted: “Oh, so your son died. What a pity.” I ignored his provocation and questioned: “I paid for this plot first. What right do you have to snatch it!” He looked at me and laughed. “Jack, you may be grieving the loss of your son, but I’ve also lost my dog.” “And Olivia paid ten times your price. This dog was like her son too!” I was shocked that Olivia could be so shameless to this extent. I clenched my fists, trying hard to control my emotions, but Adam leaned in and whispered words that stabbed my heart. “You didn’t know? When Olivia found out the owner of this plot was you, she got so angry. I had to work hard to comfort her!” “After Buddy died, Olivia was too sad. We comforted each other, and she released all the frustrations she’s had over the years.” I couldn’t hold back anymore. I raised my fist and swung hard at Adam’s smug, arrogant face. This scene was just seen by Olivia, who was returning from the bathroom. She helped Adam up worriedly and yelled at me: “Jack, have you gone crazy? What are you doing here?” I laughed coldly, my heart turning to ashes. “Olivia, do you know this plot was prepared for our son!” “While you were having an affair with this man, our son was suffering in agony from his illness!” “Do you know today is our son’s funeral!” 0

As expected, Olivia also slapped me. I turned my face. After three slaps from Olivia and her mother, my cheek was already slightly swollen and red. “Adam, are you even human? How dare you curse your own son?” “Tommy has leukemia, but his condition was stable. It’s not at all like what you’re saying!” She really was good at self-deception. “Olivia, during the time our son was sick in the hospital, how many times did you take care of him? How do you have the face to say such things?” “Are you blaming me? Everything you ate and used, Tommy’s medical expenses, which one wasn’t paid for by me?” “Even the burial plot you bought to curse our son was with my money!” She always brings this up. I’m too lazy to argue anymore. “Olivia, if you don’t believe me, I don’t want to bother anymore. But I bought this plot first.” Olivia’s eyes were full of disgust. “Jack, is it worth being jealous of Buddy? This is also a life! Moreover, it accompanied me and Adam for so many years!” “Do you have any heart at all? I won’t let you have this plot no matter what!” At this time, the staff and others finally walked over. I turned and said loudly in front of everyone: “Please help me find a new plot. Olivia won’t allow our son to be buried here.” Olivia’s father looked at her with wide eyes. “Olivia? Didn’t you tell your mother you were working overtime? Why are you here? What’s going on?” Olivia avoided her father’s direct gaze, explaining nervously: “Dad, a dog I raised with a friend before died. I took some time off to accompany him in burying the dog.” Olivia’s father was indeed angry. “You have time to bury a dog! Do you know this was bought by Jack for Tommy!” Olivia was very defiant, “Dad, why are you speaking for Jack! Tommy is alive and well, how could I as his mother agree to buy a burial plot to curse him!” My mother really couldn’t stand it anymore. She held up the memorial photo and cursed: “Olivia! How dare you call yourself a mother? Are you blind? Can’t you see we’re all wearing mourning clothes? Tommy passed away three days ago!” “And you as his mother are busy arranging a funeral for a dog!” Olivia shook her head, still expressing disbelief. She looked straight at me. “Interesting. Jack, you actually got the whole family to cooperate in acting out this play. If you can’t go on living, let’s just get divorced! There’s no need to make up such a clumsy lie to anger me!” “I didn’t expect you all to be such shameless people, actually daring to take a memorial photo of my son?” Then she stared intently at the box in my arms. “What’s in the box you’re holding? Don’t tell me it’s ashes.” After saying that, she snatched the urn of ashes from my arms and scattered them on the spot. Our son’s ashes immediately dispersed in the wind. “Stop pretending with a few handfuls of dirt!” Olivia’s father’s voice trembled as he used all his strength to slap Olivia. “You wretch! You’re truly a wretch!” “You just destroyed the only memento your son left in this world!” I could no longer hear the calls of those around me. There was only one voice in my mind telling me: “Our son’s ashes are gone. I couldn’t preserve his body, and now I couldn’t even protect his ashes.” I knelt on the ground and broke down crying. 0 My parents helped me up, their eyes red. “Olivia, Jack loves Tommy more than anyone in this world. How could he possibly joke about something like this!”

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Lucas Hart strode into the conference room to find the department director and Yasmin Quinn fighting over my computer, determined to delete my design work. I was pushed to the ground, a sharp pain shooting through my two-month pregnant belly. “Stop this at once! What do you think you’re doing?” Lucas’s voice was cold as ice. “Lucas, you’re here! Did you come to see me?” Yasmin’s eyes lit up at the sight of Lucas, her face flushing coyly. Lucas ignored her and scooped me up in his arms. “Lucas, what’s going on? Do you know this woman? She must have ulterior motives – she’s just pretending to get your attention!” Yasmin cried out. The bodyguards held them back at the elevator doors. Just before they closed, Lucas said icily, “If anything happens to my wife, you’d better not plan on living either!” The scorching sun beat down as I walked step by step towards the Blue Zenith Design office building, my heart full of hope for my new life. Suddenly, a deafening roar came from behind me. I turned to see a Lamborghini barreling towards me on the sidewalk, showing no signs of stopping. I froze in place, unable to react. The Lamborghini screeched to a halt mere inches from me. My body instinctively jerked backwards and I fell to the ground. “My baby!” I clutched my belly protectively. The car door opened and an aggressive-looking girl stepped out. Though impeccably made up, she couldn’t hide the hostility in her eyes. “Are you f***ing suicidal? What are you doing standing in front of my car? Do you have a death wish?” she snarled. I struggled to my feet, relieved to feel no abdominal pain. The baby seemed fine, though my dress was torn and my heels scuffed. A stinging sensation made me realize my leg was scraped, with visible blood. “This is a sidewalk. I was just walking normally. You’re the one illegally driving on the sidewalk,” I said, suppressing my anger. “What? You dare talk back to me? Don’t push your luck! It’s my first day of work and I don’t have time for this. Get out of my way!” The girl spat on the ground, got back in her car, and sped off. What awful luck to encounter someone like that! But thinking of my two-month-old baby, I knew I needed to stay calm and cheerful. I took a deep breath and did my best to clean up the scrape. Just ten minutes earlier, I had gotten out of Lucas’s car at the previous intersection. He had looked worried, reluctant to let his pregnant wife walk even a short distance in heels. But I insisted on getting out early, not wanting to reveal our relationship just yet. I could already imagine his reaction when he saw my injury tonight – angry, but mostly concerned.

Arriving at the 58th floor reception area of Blue Zenith Design, I stepped out of the elevator to find two rows of receptionists lined up. “Welcome, Miss Quinn—” they chorused with a bow. My mind went blank – had Lucas made our relationship public after all? “What are you doing? Stop that right now!” A woman with her hair in a bun came rushing over. “How many times do I have to tell you to use your brains! Look at how she’s dressed – torn dress, scuffed shoes. How could this possibly be the CEO’s wife?” The woman stood haughtily in front of me, berating her staff. “Yes, Ms. Young.” The receptionists looked me up and down, seeming to agree with her assessment, and lowered their heads. This left me thoroughly confused – if I wasn’t Lucas’s wife, then who was? Just then, the elevator doors opened again. The girl who had nearly run me over earlier swaggered out. The receptionists and Ms. Young immediately bowed respectfully in greeting. “Hello everyone, I’m Yasmin Quinn.” Yasmin looked very pleased by their deferential welcome. “Miss Quinn, oh I mean Mrs. Hart! Yesterday our director said the CEO’s wife with the surname Quinn would be starting work here. I received your resume last night and couldn’t sleep a wink from excitement! Please look after me and support me in the future!” Ms. Young fawned obsequiously. “Really? The director said I’m Lucas’s wife?” Yasmin’s face lit up with joy. “Yes! I received two resumes – yours and this woman’s. If you’re not the CEO’s wife, surely it couldn’t be her?” Ms. Young jerked her chin dismissively in my direction. Yasmin glanced at me scornfully. “Her? In those cheap clothes? As if she could be the CEO’s wife.” The others laughed derisively at her words. “If that’s what the director said, it must mean Lucas has feelings for me! After all, he and the director are so close, there’s no way he could have misunderstood!” Yasmin smiled smugly, her eyes gleaming with coy delight. Her expression made me rather uncomfortable. “Ms. Young, I think Miss Sinclair is wearing a Prada haute couture dress…” Tina, who had been standing quietly beside Ms. Young, said softly. Ms. Young’s face changed instantly upon hearing this. Yasmin also caught Tina’s words. “Haute couture? Prada? Come on Tina, don’t joke around. I’ve been to every major fashion show – that’s clearly a cheap knockoff!” “Haha, you’re right Yasmin! Tina, I can’t believe you got it so wrong! Don’t overthink things – hurry up and show Miss Quinn to the special workstation we prepared for her!” Hearing Yasmin’s words, Ms. Young relaxed completely. “Yes, Ms. Young. What about Aria Sinclair’s desk?” Tina asked. “Aria Sinclair? We don’t have any empty desks left! Let her work in the storage room for now!”

I entered the storage room, which was covered in dust. It was so stuffy I could barely breathe. I had to grab cleaning supplies from the utility closet and start scrubbing. I had just cleaned enough space to sit down when Ms. Young came in and dumped a huge pile of work on me – all her personal tasks. “Ms. Young, making a PowerPoint for your kid…is this really part of my job?” I asked incredulously. “Who do you think you are, Aria Sinclair? When I give you work, you do it! Don’t think I don’t know your type – daddy’s little rich girl who only got in here through connections!” Ms. Young put her hands on her hips and started berating me. “The design department is the biggest in Blue Zenith, and I’m the biggest player in the design department! You’d better listen to me and do whatever I say, or I’ll have you fired in no time!” With that, Ms. Young slammed the files on the desk and stormed out. I sighed and picked up the documents. Lucas’s words from yesterday echoed in my mind: “No matter how strict the management, in such a large company there are bound to be some sycophants in the subsidiaries. I’m worried they’ll bully you…” I had to laugh, remembering how I told him to think positively and trust his employees, as well as me. My whirlwind romance with Lucas felt like a fairytale. The reason I was reluctant to make our marriage public wasn’t just because I didn’t want to live under his protection, but also because I wanted to stand beside him with a brand new identity. I used to be a professional rehabilitation therapist, serving ultra-wealthy families in New York City. My very first client after starting work was Lucas Hart, who had lost feeling in his legs after a car accident. As the new CEO of Blue Zenith Group, news of Lucas’s potential paralysis would undoubtedly impact the company’s stock price and exacerbate the complex power dynamics among upper management. So Lucas decided to keep it under wraps, using the excuse of studying abroad to go to Switzerland with me for rehabilitation. At the time, Lucas didn’t know if he was facing permanent disability or eventual recovery. All he knew was that his 28 years of pride and invincibility had been shattered in the face of disaster. His mood was extremely unstable then. The slightest frustration would set him off throwing things in anger, causing his family great distress. But in those darkest moments, I patiently stayed by his side. I took him out in nature, let him vent his emotions freely in the wilderness, listened to his sorrow and helplessness, and offered sincere comfort… Later, to both our surprise, we fell in love. What surprised me even more was that his legs miraculously recovered. I had thought someone like him would never have a story with me. When I learned Lucas’s legs were back to normal, I was overjoyed but also deeply saddened, feeling I would no longer have the chance to stay by his side. I left a letter confessing my feelings for him and wishing him well in the future, then returned to the US alone. Unexpectedly, on the third day after I got back, as I was sitting at home lost in thought, the doorbell suddenly rang. Lucas was standing outside. He knelt on one knee with flowers and a ring, his eyes brimming with love. “Marry me, Aria.” … After we married, I quit my job as a therapist, but I wasn’t content to just be an idle housewife. I picked up my art and design studies again, which I had abandoned years ago due to financial constraints. I hoped to join my dream company – Blue Zenith Technologies under the Blue Zenith Group – as a designer. Even though I was pregnant, Lucas was very concerned about my health but still respected my wishes and agreed to let me pursue my dreams. But I never imagined that as soon as I arrived at the company, I would be taught such a ridiculous lesson.

“Aria Sinclair, come out for a minute.” Ms. Young had barely left when Yasmin came knocking. “What is it?” I followed Yasmin to her bright, spacious workstation. “Aria, did you know that for the first month at the company, we’re both on probation? Only one person can stay in this position, so there will be fair competition.” Yasmin crossed her arms and lifted her chin, smiling strangely. “Although they say it’s fair competition, we all know how things really work… My family may not be as powerful as the Harts, but we’re still one of the top families in New York. So I don’t need to spell out which of us will stay, right?” “You mean I’ll be the one to leave?” I smiled too. But my smile angered Yasmin. “What’s that supposed to mean? You think it’ll be me? I’m just giving you fair warning so you don’t cry too hard when the time comes!” “I believe Blue Zenith is a fair company that will keep the person who’s most qualified for the job.” I replied calmly. “Qualified? Ms. Young showed me your resume – you’re just some poor student who had to drop out after one year at the Paris College of Art! I studied properly in the US for three years. How can you compare to me?” Thinking of my unfinished studies, I lowered my eyes, feeling a moment of sadness. But then I remembered how my French professor Léo always said: “Aria, you have such talent. It’s as if you were born for art.” “Not necessarily. I don’t think I’ll necessarily lose to you.” I took a deep breath and said quietly. “Don’t push your luck!” Yasmin flared up. “Since that’s how it is, next week we’re co-hosting a fashion show with a French design company. You two will represent Blue Zenith. I want to see what skills you really have!” Ms. Young had just come over to bring Yasmin coffee and overheard our conversation. “One week…” I murmured. “What’s wrong? Scared? Listen up, if your design isn’t chosen by the French side, forget one month – I’ll kick you out of the company immediately!” Ms. Young said contemptuously. “I was going to say that one week is plenty of time.” I smiled, leaving the two fuming women behind as I walked away.

One week is indeed very tight for creating a perfect work of art. But in my mind, I had already sketched out a design – it was an unfulfilled dream from my time studying in Paris. It was a gown with the pattern of Wang Ximeng’s “A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains” painted on it. Silk lining embroidered with Chinese landscapes. An organza overlay to add a dreamy, ethereal feel. The main colors would be smoky gray with low-saturation blue-green and white tones… I pulled three all-nighters to complete the design. After the final stroke, I collapsed onto the desk in the study and fell into a deep sleep. In my dreams, I heard Lucas gently scolding: “How could you fall asleep here…” I felt his strong arms lift me up and carefully place me on the bed, followed by a light kiss on my forehead. … The next morning, I rushed out the door with my drawings. Lucas chased after me: “Staying up late every night, and now getting up so early! Aria Sinclair, do you care about your health at all? What about the baby?” Seeing how worried he was, I couldn’t help but smile. “I’m fine, I feel great. Work makes me happy! The baby’s good too, I felt it move just now!” “Then, then what about me? Don’t you care about me anymore?” Lucas furrowed his brow and pouted. Is this what a sulky CEO looks like? I couldn’t help but giggle and gave him a quick kiss to reassure him. “That’s more like it! Oh, and Mom’s coming to New York to see you in the next couple days. Make sure you come home early!” Hearing that my outgoing and friendly mother-in-law was visiting, I was also very happy and nodded repeatedly. Little did I know that when I got to the office, things would take an unexpected turn.

Ms. Young and the design team staff were already waiting in the conference room. Today’s meeting was to conduct an initial screening to determine if my and Yasmin’s designs qualified for the fashion show. Yasmin presented her work first – a bright red brocade gown. You could tell some effort went into it, but not much. Ms. Young still praised it effusively with exaggerated expressions and tone, then asked everyone for feedback. It was clear no one wanted to offend this young heiress. They each took turns complimenting Yasmin’s design with flowery words, no two people saying the same thing. Yasmin could barely contain her smug smile. She turned to me triumphantly: “Aria’s supposed to be a big shot designer who studied in New York for a year. I can’t wait to see what masterpiece you’ll present!” The others laughed at her words. My resume was indeed the least impressive compared to theirs – they just wanted to see me make a fool of myself. Unfazed, I connected my computer to the projector. The moment I opened my design, the previously noisy conference room fell silent. Everyone held their breath, as if afraid to disturb the atmosphere. “It’s so beautiful!” “Incredible!” “Wow Aria, I had no idea you were this talented!” … People started whispering excitedly. Yasmin’s face visibly darkened. “Aria, this design looks familiar somehow. You didn’t plagiarize it, did you?” Yasmin suddenly asked coldly. “That’s right, I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere too. You must have copied it!” Ms. Young quickly chimed in. “That’s impossible. I stayed up for days designing this myself. All the drafts are on my computer.” I replied calmly. “Really? I don’t believe you. Show us the drafts then.” Ms. Young sneered. I opened my computer and pulled up the folder. The various draft versions were clearly visible. “Ms. Young, these drafts were probably stolen together. Aria didn’t even finish grad school, how could she have this level of skill!” Yasmin continued stirring things up. “We can’t let these designs get out, it would ruin Blue Zenith’s reputation!” “You’re right. Tina, delete all these files from Aria’s computer!” Tina responded and lunged for my computer. “Don’t you dare touch my designs!” I shouted. They all froze for a moment. But they quickly recovered and three of them started fighting me for the computer. “Let go, you b*tch!” Yasmin yelled as she grabbed at it. “Let go, or I’ll fire you right now!” Ms. Young snarled through gritted teeth. “You try firing me and see what happens! How can Blue Zenith have someone like you? Is there no justice?” I shot back without hesitation. SLAP! A stinging slap landed on my face, making me stumble. I lost my balance and fell to the ground. A sharp pain shot through my abdomen, making me see stars. My heart clenched in fear. The baby… my baby… I fought through the pain, trying to stand up and get the computer back. I couldn’t just watch helplessly as they destroyed my hard work! But the physical pain prevented me from getting up no matter how hard I tried. Just as they were about to delete the files, a thunderous shout came from the conference room door. “STOP RIGHT THERE!” Lucas strode in with my mother-in-law on his arm, followed by several bodyguards and assistants. “What do you think you’re doing?” Lucas’s voice was ice cold as he quickly made his way to my side and helped me up.

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I’ve been married to Lucas for three years, only to suddenly discover he has had a girlfriend for eight years. When I proposed divorce, he cried and told me he had a mission to complete. “Emma, we can’t divorce. I’ll die!” “If we’re not married for at least four years, I’ll die!” What mission? This is absurd! I sneered at him and filed for divorce anyway. Later, I really saw his obituary on social media. Today is our wedding anniversary. Lucas and I had agreed to have dinner at this restaurant. The waiter enthusiastically ushered me to the private room. Just as I was about to push the door open, I heard his sneering voice, “If it weren’t for completing the mission, would I have married her?” “A woman who’s been used by other men, would you want her if I gave her to you?” I don’t know who he was talking to on the phone. The speaker was on, and a teasing voice came from the other end, “I’ve been envying your wife’s figure and looks. If you don’t want her anymore, why not let us brothers have some fun?” He slowly blew out a smoke ring, and even more offensive words came out of his mouth, “She’s no better than any prostitute out there.” “Once you’ve tasted her, you’ll realize she’s nothing special.” He spoke carelessly, as if I were an object that could be discarded at will. The waiter had tactfully left long ago. I stood at the door, listening to his tone that didn’t sound like a joke, my eyes rimmed with red. I let go of the hand that was about to push the door, not even having the courage to confront him. In the end, I went home in a daze. Lucas had pursued me for three years. When he learned that William Shen was going to break up with me and get engaged to the real heiress Cindy Lin, he disregarded his boss’s scolding and resolutely broke his appointment with a client to hold an umbrella for me in the pouring rain. “If he doesn’t want you, I do!” “Emma, look back. I’ve always been here.” I was stunned by his sudden appearance, and the tears I had been holding back could no longer be controlled, falling along with the heavy rain. In the following days, he took care of me wholeheartedly, helping me get over the breakup. He would drive me around, and appear by my side immediately whenever I felt sad. To confess to me, he rented the largest electronic screen in the city center. Declaring his love for me to the whole world. He said, “Emma Lin is the best Emma Lin in the world. I, Lucas Lu, will have no one but you!” That day, in front of our friends, he said he would give me the happiest life. So, we got together under the witness of our friends. During our relationship, he kept his promise to me. His kindness to me made all our friends envious. In the fourth year of our relationship, he and his friends carefully planned a proposal for me. When he asked if I was willing to face the future together with him, my eyes welled up with tears. Without saying anything, I extended my hand. He was overjoyed, and I cried tears of happiness. We stood in the middle of the crowd, accepting everyone’s blessings. After marriage, his care for me became even more meticulous, from daily meals to hospital stays when I was sick. Even outsiders couldn’t find any fault. Let alone me. The moment I opened the front door, looking at the empty room, the sadness in my heart intensified. I dragged myself to the sofa, and my phone screen lit up at the right moment. “Baby, have you arrived?” “I ordered your favorite lobster.” I nestled tiredly on the sofa, recalling what Lucas had said in the restaurant. A woman who’s been used… no better than a prostitute… Every word stabbed my heart, almost drawing blood. Even though I heard it with my own ears, I couldn’t believe these words really came from his mouth. The person who was so good to me that he would give his life for me. I’d rather believe these were drunken ramblings. But they say drunk words are sober thoughts, and he was clearly so sober… My eyes unconsciously reddened again and again, tears falling like broken strings, seeping into the sofa and disappearing. I took a deep breath, wiped away my tears, no longer wanting to let this matter occupy my mind. I forced an ugly smile and replied to his message, “Baby, I think my period came. My stomach hurts so much. I’m already home now.” “I’m sorry, I should have told you earlier.” He quickly replied, “You don’t need to apologize. My baby’s health is the most important.” “Wait for me at home, I’ll be there soon. I’ll make you some ginger tea when I get back.” He was always so understanding. It only takes 20 minutes from the restaurant to home, but it was more than an hour later when he got home. He hurriedly pushed the door open, carrying my favorite seafood porridge. “Babe, I got held up a bit on the way, so I’m a little late.” “But I packed some seafood porridge for you.” He proudly placed the porridge in front of me and opened it, then handed me a tulip. I looked at the porridge and flower in front of me and smiled weakly. But my mind was in turmoil. He patted my head and turned to the kitchen, “You eat the porridge first, the ginger tea will be ready soon.” The moment he went in, his phone screen lit up. A notification from a food delivery app. It was a cake, delivered to an unfamiliar address, with a bouquet of flowers. The note said “Love you forever.” My mind exploded in that instant. I asked hoarsely, tentatively, “Lucas, did you buy cake and flowers for someone else?” He reflexively denied, “No, of course not.” The screen darkened, and my heart sank a few degrees. So all this wasn’t my misunderstanding? “I bought it for you, silly. I thought you couldn’t eat cake during your period, so I had the order sent to someone else.” He came out with the ginger tea, a gentle smile on his face, “If I really had it delivered here, could you resist eating it?” I stared at his face, trying to find any flaws. But there were none. He disguised it well.

I smiled sweetly, “I thought you had another woman outside.” His expression seemed to freeze for a moment, but before I could be sure, he returned to his gentle self, lightly tapping my head. “What are you thinking? How could I have another woman? You’re enough for me in this lifetime, Emma Lu.” With that, he kissed my forehead again and again. In the past, I would have believed him without a doubt. But today, I had heard him disparage me with my own ears. I remained calm, acting as usual, giggling as I pushed him away, “Go wash up, you stink!” After he left, I picked up his phone and opened the messaging app. This was the first time I had ever checked his phone. It was clean, nothing suspicious. But it was too clean. Finally, in his payment records, I found an unusual expenditure. Every month, he would transfer money to this account, for five years. Seeing the name on the account, I remembered a person I had seen earlier. Opening her profile, I quietly noted down the phone number displayed. By the time he came out, the phone was back in its original position on the table. He glanced at me, his expression inexplicably flustered, but quickly returned to normal, “Baby, did anyone message me?” He was wiping his hair, pretending to ask casually. I feigned ignorance, got up and looked at his phone, “No.” The next day, on what should have been a workday, I took a day off. After Lucas left for work, I dialed the number I had noted down last night, “Hello?” The other end responded, the voice gruff, a man. I suppressed my pounding heart and exhaled, thinking, thankfully it’s not her. But the next moment, his question plunged me into an icy abyss. “Are you here to rent an apartment?” I couldn’t control my trembling voice, and just managed an “Mm.” “You’re in luck, a tenant is just moving out. You can come take a look.” “Don’t worry, our security is very good. This tenant who’s moving out has lived here for five years!” He was enthusiastically promoting the place, and when I heard “five years,” everything seemed to fall into place. Why Lucas often worked overtime. Why he always smiled stupidly while looking at his phone. Why it took him an hour to get home yesterday when the restaurant was so close. It turned out that while I was being kept in the dark, while he was being good to me, he had another woman. And they had been in contact for five years. I took a deep breath, suppressing the emotions about to burst forth, “Can I come take a look later?” After he agreed, I hung up the phone. The tears that had been welling up in my eyes broke free, and I could no longer control myself from crying out loud. After a long while, I composed myself and called my best friend Sophie to go with me to the address the man had sent. Seeing my distress, Sophie asked what had happened. I told her everything about Lucas, and she angrily asked, “So what are you going to do?” I laughed lightly, “Everything needs evidence.” We arrived at the address the man had given and followed him to the apartment that was about to be rented out. Standing at the door, watching the man’s back as he knocked, I suddenly felt as if time had frozen. I gripped Sophie’s hand tightly, but still couldn’t help sweating. I still hoped, deep down, that this person didn’t exist. The moment the door opened, my eyes stared blankly at the person who opened it. “Here to see the apartment?” he asked proactively. I frowned and looked at Sophie, who also looked confused at me. Was this whole thing really just me misunderstanding Lucas? After viewing the entire apartment, I pretended to be dissatisfied and walked out. Sophie exchanged a glance with me, “Landlord, do you have any other apartments?” The landlord hesitated, “There is one, but the tenant went out this morning. I’d have to ask if they’re willing to let us in to view it first.” We nodded, saying we could wait, and he went to call the tenant. “Sophie, I think I really misunderstood him. How am I going to explain to him?” I nervously held her arm, my face full of worry. She told me to relax, that everything would turn out fine. The tenant agreed to let us view the apartment, and we casually looked around. Thinking that after this viewing, I would go home and make a loving dinner for him. All these years, he had always been the one cooking for me. The times I cooked for him could be counted on one hand. The landlord was introducing the layout and lighting to us. Finally, afraid we wouldn’t rent, he told us, “A young woman lives here. All in all, she’s been living here for five years.” Five years? This number made me extremely sensitive. Our previously jovial expressions now turned solemn. Sophie casually asked, “She looks quite pretty. She must have a boyfriend, right?” The landlord chuckled, “Of course! It’s always her boyfriend who pays the rent. I even have his WeChat in my phone.” He took out his phone and showed us the chat history with Lucas, full of money transfers. I froze in place, my mind in chaos. Sophie was the first to react, “Are you sure this is her boyfriend?” The landlord looked disdainful, “Of course! He always comes during the day, rarely seen at night!” His voice suddenly lowered, “This girl is probably a mistress! What couple has a boyfriend who’s never there at night, right?” My eyes were already red. I felt like a walking corpse as Sophie supported me. I lowered my head, silently wiping away tears, then forced a smile, “Can we take some photos? We’ll discuss it when we get back.” The landlord happily agreed. Sophie looked at me worriedly. I squeezed her arm and said softly, “Now we have solid evidence, don’t we?” It’s not all bad. I took photos of the room’s layout, and secretly took a photo of the girl’s picture.

When I got home, Lucas had already prepared dinner and was waiting for me. “I’ve made dinner, come eat quickly.” The phone screen lit up. It was the landlord. “Miss, the apartment you viewed later can be moved into the day after tomorrow. You should decide quickly.” I replied, “How can it be so fast?” “The tenant today went out to buy a house with her boyfriend. They said they’ve already decided and will move out by the day after tomorrow at the latest.” “Okay.” I sneered as I looked at Lucas, who was still busy. Now he’s washing clothes and cooking for me, but during the day he went out to buy a house with his mistress. How wonderful. Lucas saw my expression and moved me to the dining table, kissing the corner of my mouth, “Is my baby unhappy today?” I looked at him for a while before speaking, “I went to your company to find you today, but you weren’t there.” Lucas’s expression visibly stiffened. I continued to press, “You weren’t at work? Where did you go?” His smile had already gradually disappeared, but the next second it rose again, “I went out to meet a client today. Why did my baby come to the company to find me?” I smiled lightly and hugged his waist, snuggling into his arms, “Nothing, I just missed you.” I took out my phone and flipped to the photos of the apartment I had taken in the afternoon, “Sophie and I went to look at apartments this afternoon. What do you think of this one?” I handed the phone to him. His smile became particularly uncomfortable, but his tone was still gentle as usual, “Why are you looking at apartments?” I spoke softly, carefully observing his expression, “Sophie said she wants to renovate the one she bought, so she needs to rent one temporarily.” He nodded casually and handed the phone back to me, “This one is not bad.” I smiled and flipped to the girl’s photo to show him, “I saw this girl when I was viewing the apartment. She’s quite pretty, so I couldn’t help but take a photo.” He glanced at it, his expression evasive. His hand shook a little as he served me food, “She is pretty, but my baby is prettier.” I smiled and put away the phone, “Let’s eat.” This was the most silent meal we had had since we got together. That night, when he wanted to be intimate, I coldly pushed him away, “Have you forgotten? I’m on my period.” He retreated sheepishly, holding me tightly in his arms. The day after tomorrow is my birthday. As usual, I would celebrate with Sophie first and then come home to celebrate with Lucas. But on this day, Sophie and I went directly to that community. We stood outside the community, watching Lucas and another woman laughing and kissing passionately. Sophie was about to rush over to confront Lucas, but I stopped her. We followed them to their new community where they were moving. To my surprise, Lucas was so bold as to buy a house in the same building as ours. How loving. I deliberately returned home at ten o’clock as before, after celebrating my birthday with Sophie. When I got home, I didn’t turn on the lights. I sat on the sofa in the dark, waiting for Lucas to come back. Lucas came back at half past ten. When he saw me sitting on the sofa, he was startled. The next moment, he returned to normal, just like before, holding a cake in his hand and a bouquet of tulips I liked. “Baby, I’m back! Happy birthday!” I looked at his performance quietly, chuckling, “Thank you.” I accepted the cake and blessings as usual. He sang me a birthday song, turned off the lights, and let me make a wish. I closed my eyes and made a wish for a long time. When the candles were about to go out, Lucas started to urge me, “If you take too long, it won’t come true.” I blew out the candles and spoke in the darkness, “Lucas, would you be as good to other women as you are to me?” When Lucas turned on the lights, I saw his panicked expression again, “Baby, what are you talking about?” He pinched my face, “You don’t seem to be in a good state lately. Is it because of your period?” I couldn’t control my emotions anymore and slapped his hand away, “Lucas, have you had enough of this act? How long do I have to play along with you?” His expression froze, and he stared at me blankly, his eyes panicked. “Are you going to confess yourself, or do you want me to say it?” Seeing him not speaking for a long time, I sneered and stood up, taking out a report from my bag and throwing it in his face. “This is the pregnancy test report I saw in your car yesterday.” ———-This is the cutoff point———-

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When my wife underwent artificial insemination for her cancer-stricken first love, I left a divorce agreement and walked away. Before leaving, I commented on their sweet photo on social media: “Let’s divorce. I’m making room for you two.” A minute later, she called, “Ethan, how can you be so selfish? Can you bear to let him die without an heir?” I laughed coldly and replied, “I don’t love you anymore. It has nothing to do with me.” But she became anxious. On our wedding anniversary, I asked my wife to come home early. Her usually cold expression showed a brief surprise before she silently nodded. That night, I prepared dinner and cake, waiting for her on the sofa until dawn. She never came home. Zoe Pei and I had been married for five years, but we were husband and wife in name only. She was the only daughter of Pei Group, the future heir. As for me, I was just an adopted son Grandpa Pei picked up from an orphanage twenty years ago. I met Zoe when I was eight years old. It was my first time being brought into the Pei family by Grandpa Pei. Years of living in ordinary circumstances made me feel out of place in such a grand house. Every move I made was cautious, careful not to upset anyone. Despite this, Zoe gradually helped me integrate into the family, taking care of my fragile self-esteem. To this day, I still remember when Old Mr. Pei told me to marry Zoe. I was overjoyed, thinking it would be worth it even if I died that day. Although everyone around me said I wasn’t good enough for her, I still plunged headfirst into the relationship. After all, who would pass up the chance to hold the moon in their arms? I sat on the sofa, silently watching the clock on the wall strike midnight, but there was still no news from Zoe. I couldn’t help but call her, but all I got in response was a cold electronic voice. Just as I was about to go out to find her at the company, Leo sent me a photo. In the picture, Zoe was hugging Leo, who was wearing a hospital gown. They looked intimate. Like a loving couple. Below the photo was a message from Leo: “Sorry, Ethan. I’m sick, and Zoe is keeping me company. The hospital needs to be quiet, so I muted her phone.” Leo’s message shattered my last bit of hope. I should have known all along that Zoe never loved me. I always knew that Zoe was never my moon. It’s just that for a moment, the moonlight really shone on me. I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly at myself, mocking how long I had clung to the title of her husband. So long that I had become complacent. I didn’t reply. I just silently walked into the kitchen and reheated the already cold food. I swallowed this bitter dinner bite by bite, along with the cake. In fact, I had long understood that Zoe loved Leo. Leo was her first love from her teenage years. One was a beautiful and well-mannered heiress, the other a campus celebrity. And I was just the Pei family’s adopted son, hidden in the shadows. No matter how you look at it, they should have been a couple, but Grandpa Pei didn’t agree to their relationship. After Leo left heartbroken, I was able to pick up this bargain. On my eighteenth birthday, I wished that Zoe would look at me once more, and later she married me. Now, at twenty-eight, I only ask that she let me go in the little time I have left. At the same time, I’m letting myself go too.

A year ago, Leo, who had been missing for a long time, suddenly reappeared. Unlike before, his still handsome face now had a sickly pallor. After learning that he had cancer, Zoe began to devote her entire heart to him. Every day after work, she would go to the hospital to take care of him. I, who was already insignificant in her eyes, became completely invisible to her now. Occasionally, I would call Zoe to come home for dinner, only to be met with her cold rebuke. “All you think about is these trivial matters. Do you know how much Leo is suffering alone in the hospital?” “Honestly, why couldn’t it have been you who got this disease? It’s a waste for Leo to suffer like this.” Before I could answer, she would hang up. Sometimes, even Zoe’s gaze towards me carried a hint of resentment. Perhaps she hated me for agreeing to Grandpa Pei’s marriage arrangement back then, hated me for driving Leo away. But no matter what she thought of me, it no longer mattered. Because, just as she wished, I had been diagnosed with bone cancer six months ago. I had been hiding it from Zoe, afraid she would think I was trying to gain her sympathy by appearing weak. Ironically, even God seemed to think I was redundant. In these six months, my condition had rapidly deteriorated. The chemotherapy that was once a month became twice a month or even more frequent. The pain that seeped into my bones tortured me constantly. But I still persevered. I wanted to live a little longer, to see my moon once more. Until that day, right after chemotherapy, trembling in pain on the hospital bed, I saw Leo’s social media post. “Thank you to my angel for bringing me a little angel when I needed companionship the most.” Accompanied by a sweet photo of the two of them. At that moment, I only heard a boom in my mind, my heart feeling like it was being wrenched. Even the lingering pain from the chemotherapy couldn’t compare to the pain in my heart at that moment. The girl I had loved for over ten years, my wife of five years. She was having a child for another man. Nothing could be more heartbreaking than this. I knew it was time to let go. I drafted the divorce agreement. Zoe rarely came home these days, and I wouldn’t pretend to be pitiful to trick her into coming back. So, I chose our wedding anniversary as a reason to ask her to come home. To tell her about the divorce decision, and also to tell her that my time was running out. I didn’t expect that I had underestimated Zoe’s indifference and overestimated my position in her heart. I cleaned up the dining table, went back to the bedroom to pack my meager belongings, and left with nothing. I had entered the Pei family with nothing, and now leaving, I naturally couldn’t take anything with me. Thinking about how I had spent my entire life seeking a proper home. Now, as I was about to die, I realized that being clean and unencumbered was quite good too. After doing all this, I left the house keys along with a copy of the divorce agreement on the dining table. I sent Zoe a message. “The divorce agreement is on the table. I’m making room for you two.” Then I turned off my phone, closed the door, and left without looking back.

Half a month later, I came to the hospital to complete this month’s last chemotherapy session. On my way to deliver the medical report. I happened to run into Zoe accompanying Leo for a checkup. “Pregnant?” I asked casually. “No, Zoe is just accompanying me for a checkup. Thanks to her, I’ve recovered so quickly,” Leo explained, seeing my unfriendly expression. “That’s good, congratul-” Before I could finish, Zoe, who had been holding Leo’s arm, interrupted me. “Ethan, what are you doing? Why aren’t you answering your phone?” “And what’s this about divorce? Who allowed you to divorce? Are you planning to leave with nothing?” “What, now you’ve come to the hospital to win me back? Are you trying to play the victim?” Zoe’s barrage of questions made my already unclear mind feel even worse. Thinking about the upcoming chemotherapy, I didn’t bother with them anymore and walked straight into the doctor’s office. “Mr. Cheng, this is your last chemotherapy session for this month.” “Given your current condition, we suggest you start inpatient treatment after this session.” The doctor’s expression was grave. Combined with my current physical state, even I understood. My time was running out. I nodded, telling the doctor I wanted to think about it and finish this chemotherapy session first. After arranging with the doctor, I walked out of the office, preparing to enter the treatment room. Zoe grabbed me at the door. Leaving Leo looking at us with reluctant eyes. “Ethan, what are you doing? Are you serious?” Zoe crossed her arms, her usual dismissive gaze showing a hint of confusion. “What else? At this point, what reason do I have to lie to you?” I waved my hand wearily, just looking at her calmly. “Then why didn’t you say anything? Dragging it out until now, are you waiting here to make me pity you or-” “Do you remember our wedding anniversary half a month ago? I wanted to tell you that day, but where were you?” Zoe’s expression was shocked when I suddenly interrupted her, as if she couldn’t believe it. In fact, this was the first time in my life I had ever interrupted her. In the past, I would have been happy for an entire day just for having an extra word with her, but now I only found it annoying. Her words were either constantly ignoring me or endlessly mocking me. She really thought the world revolved around her. Although I hadn’t received the divorce certificate with Zoe yet. In my view, since I had drafted that divorce agreement, we had already become strangers. Suddenly realizing this, I felt that I was actually colder than I had imagined. Once I decided I had no relationship with someone, I thoroughly cut off everything with them. Be it relationships or emotions. The deeper my love for Zoe had been, the more indifferent I felt towards her now. At this moment, the nurse from the chemotherapy room called my name, asking me to come in for treatment. Hearing this, I turned to leave. Seeing me about to leave, Zoe hurriedly said, “What about my grandfather?” With these words, I immediately understood her meaning. Back then, Grandpa Pei had used the Pei Group heir position to threaten her into marrying me. Now that I wanted a divorce, I naturally had to give Grandpa Pei an explanation. “Don’t worry about that, I’ll explain everything to him.” After saying this, I left directly, not looking back at her once. In the past, I always watched Zoe’s retreating figure. Now, I no longer needed to.

After the chemotherapy, I stared blankly at the ceiling of the hospital room as usual. The color was so white it made me feel cold. It reminded me of the morgue where my adoptive father’s body was kept twenty years ago. Everything there was equally hopeless. As far back as I could remember, the only person by my side was my adoptive father. My adoptive father made a living as a taxi driver. The neighbors all said he was a bachelor approaching thirty who still hadn’t found a wife. And I was an orphan abandoned by my birth parents from birth. At that time, I was just a baby, thrown like garbage at my adoptive father’s doorstep. Seeing that I was as pitiful as him, he took me in. For the next eight years, it was just me and my adoptive father relying on each other to survive. Although life was tight then, those were some of the few happy days in my impoverished life. Perhaps it was destined that I shouldn’t have lived a peaceful life. When I was eight, my adoptive father went out to work a night shift in the rain and never came back. I only remember being led by a group of people in white coats into a very cold place. My adoptive father’s cold body was lying there stiffly. No matter how heart-wrenchingly I cried, he wouldn’t get up and hold me like he used to. Gently patting my back, telling me not to cry, that everything would be alright. After my adoptive father’s death, the neighbors avoided me like the plague. I became an orphan once again, entering the orphanage as my final destination. The long night was hard to endure, but the sun would always rise as usual. On the second day after I entered the orphanage, Grandpa Pei personally came to take me back to the Pei family. “Child, what’s your name? Would you like to come with me?” “My name is Ethan, meaning peace.” Ethan means long-lasting peace, to be safe and sound for life. My adoptive father hadn’t read much, I only heard him often murmuring in my ear that as long as one lived peacefully, it was good enough. After I finished speaking, he gave me a smile. That smile made me feel like my adoptive father had returned. It was also this smile that made me plunge headfirst into a world that didn’t originally belong to me. It was in this world that I met the person I would chase for most of my life. When we first met, Zoe was wearing a pure white princess dress, sitting at the grand piano in the center of the spacious living room. Her fingers, white as jade, continuously played beautiful notes. At that moment, I gazed at her as if entranced. Perhaps seeing my gaze was too intense, Zoe looked at me and walked over with a smile. “Are you the new friend Grandpa mentioned? Hello, I’m Zoe Pei.” “Zoe means ‘like’ or ‘love’, you know!” As she spoke, she reached out her hand to hold mine, leading me to tour every corner of the Pei house. At that time, I didn’t ask for anything, didn’t want anything, just a home, just love. Even if I died, I didn’t want to be abandoned again. Thinking of this, I unconsciously gripped Zoe’s hand tightly. Like a drowning person clinging desperately to the only lifeline nearby. In the days that followed, Zoe became like my little shadow, following me wherever I went. In her words, I was the only one in this family willing to play and have fun with her, her best companion. We absolutely couldn’t be separated. And so, Zoe and I grew closer and closer. Sometimes, the colder a person is, the more they want to get close to something warm. Zoe was gentle and passionate, like a ray of sunshine illuminating my originally barren life. When I was with her, I always felt a long-lost sense of peace and tranquility. So, I will never forget what she once said to me: “From now on, this is your home, and I am your family.” But now, hearing these words, I only feel extremely bitter.

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Five years of marriage, yet my wife never let me touch her. It wasn’t until she left me in the emergency room to pick up her true love at the airport that I finally understood. She was saving herself for her ideal man. And I was just a substitute, a toy she could discard at will. I gave up, choosing to let them be together. But my wife grabbed my clothes, kneeling on the ground, refusing to let go. “You said you’d love me for a lifetime,” she pleaded. My girlfriend was lying on the couch, editing photos on her phone. As I walked by, I accidentally caught a glimpse of a picture of her with her ideal lover. The two of them were wearing matching outfits, cuddling together, looking like the perfect couple in love. My heart instantly turned cold. In our five years of marriage, forget about matching outfits – she wouldn’t even walk next to me in public, saying I was too ugly and embarrassed her. I had a crush on her for four years in college, and we rushed into marriage right after graduation. I knew it was because her ideal lover had abandoned her that day, and I happened to be by her side when she impulsively chose me. Despite this, I still believed that through sincere dedication, I could make her fall in love with me. But now, seeing this photo, I realized it was just my wishful thinking. I confronted her with a dark expression: “Why do you still have this kind of photo with Chris?” To my surprise, she exploded, looking down on me with contempt. “Who told you to look at my phone? This is private, don’t you understand?” Private? After five years of marriage, I just glanced at her phone, and she talks about privacy? Chris was practically kissing her cheek, and she had a big smile on her face. I felt sick. Seeing that I didn’t respond, Mia became even more aggressive. “Chris is now working with our company, and this photo was just for a game. If you don’t believe me, there’s nothing I can do about it.” “People with dirty minds think everything is dirty.” With that, Mia walked away without looking back. In the past, I would have tried to stop her. But today, I didn’t. I was starting to lose hope in her. Did she even believe what she was saying? What kind of game requires matching outfits? And looking at the watch Chris was wearing, it was clearly a couple’s set with hers. Was that part of the game too?

That night, I was negotiating with a client and ended up with an acute gastric perforation. The doctor said I needed a family member to take care of me. In this city, Mia was my only family. It was because of her that I came to this city in the first place. I had no choice but to call her. “Mia, can you come to the hospital to take care of me?” Before I could finish, she coldly interrupted me. “It’s just a photo, and now you’re pretending to be sick to trick me? I’m out right now!” Before she finished speaking, I heard a man’s voice, and then the call was abruptly ended. Looking at the five-second call on my phone, I laughed bitterly, my heart turning cold. I recognized the voice – it was her ideal lover, Chris. I was her husband, drinking myself to the point of gastric perforation just to help her more. Yet she would rather accompany her true love than come to the hospital for me. No wonder in five years of marriage, she wouldn’t let me touch even a finger. She was saving herself for her ideal man. Maybe if I really had an accident, she would be happy. After all, without me as an obstacle, she could openly be with her true love. That night, I spent the most painful night of my life in the operating room. I thought I would be very angry, that my heart would ache. But surprisingly, I felt nothing, not a single emotional fluctuation. I knew this was a sign of falling out of love. Mia could no longer affect my emotions in any way. The doctor saw that I didn’t make a sound during the surgery and couldn’t help but admire me. It wasn’t that I couldn’t feel the pain, it was just that in my state of despair, this little pain was negligible. The day after the surgery, ignoring the doctor’s advice, I forcibly checked out of the hospital. I printed out a divorce agreement downstairs. Lying on the couch, I quietly waited for Mia to come home. 2 It wasn’t until midnight that Mia returned home, drunk and smiling. In five years, I had rarely seen her smile so happily. She could smile and speak softly to others, but to me, she was always cold-faced, speaking in a commanding tone. Seeing me lying on the couch, Mia waved her hand and coldly ordered: “Jack, go get me some water to wash my feet.” Seeing that I didn’t move, Mia’s expression turned colder. “Jack, are you deaf? I’ll say it again, go get me some water to wash my feet.” I had just had surgery on my stomach and couldn’t move easily. I shook my head. “Go get it yourself.” As soon as I spoke, Mia’s eyes turned ice-cold. “You think you’ve grown wings now, daring to disobey me?” Mia sat down opposite me with a mocking expression, reeking of alcohol, her eyes full of disdain. I laughed coldly inside. It seems she had quite a few drinks today, and she was in a good mood. No wonder, two old lovers reuniting. If she had said she wasn’t coming home tonight, I wouldn’t have been surprised. After loving each other for so many years, having dinner, drinking, and maybe rolling in bed to reminisce – not too much to ask, right? I took a deep breath and looked at her calmly. “Mia, let’s get a divorce.” Mia’s expression changed as she looked at me. It wasn’t pleading or reluctance, but shock. “You dare to divorce me?” Her tone was high and mighty, as if speaking to her servant or slave. She couldn’t believe I had the guts. For five years, I had been like a dog, accepting everything she did. When we got married, she refused to serve tea to my parents as a sign of respect. She said she had already served tea to her ideal lover’s parents before, and that she would only do it once in her life. She could only have one set of in-laws in this lifetime. The wedding venue fell silent instantly. It was me who jokingly took the microphone and went along with her wishes. Under my parents’ grim expressions, I served that cup of tea on her behalf. Thinking about it now, I was such an idiot! I handed her the divorce agreement, my expression flat. “Sign it. I’m making way for Chris. From now on, the man of this house will be the one you’ve been dreaming of day and night. You won’t have to face this substitute anymore.” Mia’s face changed, looking a bit flustered. “How did you know? Did you follow me?” “If you had spoken a little quieter on the phone a few days ago, I wouldn’t have heard. And didn’t you go to see him today?” I laughed coldly. Did I need to follow her? A few days ago, they were video calling in the living room, laughing and chatting, completely disregarding my presence. They even openly planned their travel itinerary. It’s really ironic when I think about it. She never went out to eat with me, not even to watch a movie. But for her ideal lover, she could drop all her work just to accompany him properly. Mia fell silent at my questions, her eyes dodging mine. But she quickly regained her composure. “Jack, don’t be delusional. When I married you, you had nothing. Now that you’ve achieved a little success, you want to fly solo? Not a chance. I’ll make sure you leave with nothing, you ungrateful bastard!” I looked at her calmly, my eyes full of disappointment. The year we graduated, because I had a falling out with my parents, I was penniless. Her parents demanded a $50,000 bride price, plus a house and a car. I borrowed from everywhere, but still fell short. Because of this, her parents always looked down on me, thinking I wasn’t good enough for Mia. Mia negotiated with her parents to pay them in installments. I agreed readily, vowing at the time to love her, cherish her, and spoil her for a lifetime. I never expected that after five years of marriage, I still couldn’t warm her heart.

“I can sign the agreement. The company is yours. I came with nothing, and I’ll leave with nothing. Consider it the final punctuation mark for all these years of dedication.” I didn’t want to argue with her anymore. After we got married, to give Mia a better life, I chose to start a business and worked part-time at night. Once the company stabilized, Mia said she wanted to help and asked me to arrange a vice president position for her. I gladly agreed. But she only took a salary, going out shopping with friends every day. It was me who went to entertain clients, drinking until I got a gastric perforation. I personally negotiated all the important projects for the company. Mia knew nothing about the company, no wonder she was worried. If she wanted it, she could have it all. Consider it my closure for these five years of marriage. This way, at least there would be no financial disputes. “Divorce is impossible. You said you’d love me for a lifetime. Are you going back on your word? Don’t you have any feelings for me at all?” Mia suddenly changed her attitude, stepping forward and tearing the divorce agreement to shreds. “What about you? Can you put your hand on your heart and say you have feelings for me?” I asked sarcastically. The room fell silent for a moment. My words had stumped her. Looking at Mia standing there dumbfounded, I felt no ripple in my heart. Five years of marriage, no, nine years of love. How ridiculous. “I’ll print another copy of the divorce agreement. This marriage is over, as far as I’m concerned.” I looked at Mia, then stood up to leave. Perhaps I got up too quickly. A sharp pain shot through my abdomen. I clutched my stomach, staggering and almost falling. Mia frowned slightly and came forward to support me. Seeing me clutching my stomach, pale-faced and sweating profusely, she lifted my shirt despite my protests. The bandage on my abdomen was soaked with blood. I must have torn the wound open with my sudden movement. “You had surgery? Why didn’t you tell me?” Mia asked, shocked. I laughed bitterly. “Didn’t I tell you? Oh right, you were too busy rushing to the airport to pick up your true love to listen to me.” “I… I’ll take you to the hospital,” Mia said, her eyes dodging mine. “No need to trouble you, Ms. Lee. I’ll go myself.” She flinched at my formal address. I used to call her “honey”. Addressing her by her title for the first time signified that she no longer held a place in my heart. “You can’t leave. I won’t allow it,” she said weakly. Hearing her powerless words, I said flatly, “I’m tired. I can’t love you anymore.” “You proposed marriage back then. Today, let me end it.” “Mia, if I could do it all over again, I wouldn’t have attended that graduation party. I wish… I had never met you.” With that, I pushed her away, ignoring her attempt to grab me, and walked out the door. I didn’t have much in this house anyway. I was always an outsider here. Mia would lock the door whether she was sleeping or showering. Who else was in the house besides me? She guarded against me like I was a thief. Was there any point in continuing such a marriage? Once outside, I took a taxi back to the hospital to have my wound restitched. I felt utterly exhausted, so I stayed at the hospital for the night. The doctor was worried about my wound reopening, so he quickly arranged a bed for me. The next day, I went to a small shop outside the hospital to print another copy of the divorce agreement. Just as I was about to go back and end this relationship that had exhausted me for years, I saw a man and a woman approaching, laughing and chatting. They were carrying gifts, as if visiting someone in the hospital. The woman was my wife, Mia, and the man was her ideal lover, Chris.

Of course, I didn’t think they were coming to see me, because Mia had no idea I was in this hospital. Mia was startled when she saw me. She looked flustered and quickly put down what she was carrying, walking up to me. “Honey, why are you here?” Honey? How ridiculous. In five years of marriage, this was the first time she had called me that. Yesterday she was making a fuss about not wanting a divorce, and today she’s laughing and chatting with her ex. The term made me feel sick. “Don’t call me honey. It makes me nauseous,” I said, looking at Mia with disgust. Seeing me, Chris’s face took on a playful expression, like a cat that had stolen some fish. “Hello, I’m Mia’s friend. Nice to meet you.” “Are you here to visit a patient too? Mia insisted on coming with me to see my mom. I told her it was just a fever, but she was so worried.” “Look, she even bought all these gifts.” After speaking, he gave me a smug look. I laughed coldly inside, ignoring him. When I was lying in the hospital unable to even drink a sip of water, I didn’t see Mia come to visit me once. But when her ideal lover’s mother just had a headache and fever, she rushed to visit as if the woman might die any second. How ridiculous. Anyone who didn’t know better would think they were the real family. Mia seemed to remember why I was in the hospital and looked at me with guilt. I sneered, “The divorce isn’t final yet, and you’re already so eager to see your future mother-in-law?” Mia looked at me nervously, “I didn’t… you misunderstood me.” I waved my hand dismissively. “That’s not important.” “Just sign the agreement quickly. We’ll go to the civil affairs office this afternoon. Otherwise, if I leave, you and he won’t be able to be together openly.” Mia’s face changed. “You’re leaving? Where to?” “None of your business!” After coldly saying this, I ignored her and turned to go home to pack, leaving her to do whatever she wanted with her ideal lover. I had very few belongings, just a few changes of clothes and shoes. My only suit was bought for the graduation party. Over the years, although I had earned quite a bit of money, I rarely spent it on myself. It was mostly to please Mia, buying her things to make her smile. For every holiday, anniversary, or birthday, I would prepare a gift for her. But she would always throw them in the trash without even looking, trampling my sincere feelings at will. As I thought about this, I fell asleep on the couch. I was woken by the sound of the door opening. Mia was back. I looked at the time. It was already afternoon. That meant she and her ideal lover had been out playing all day. They might even have been invited to her future mother-in-law’s house. Seeing Mia nervously approach me, I took out the divorce agreement I had signed. “Hurry up. Sign it and we’ll go to the civil affairs office. I don’t want to delay your date.” I said coldly. But Mia suddenly grabbed my clothes, her face pleading. “Jack, let’s not get divorced, okay?” “I know I wasn’t good to you before. I’ll make it up to you.” “I even bought some lingerie. You’ve always wanted children, right? I’ll give you one today.” As she spoke, Mia started to undress. It was the first time I had seen her white body. It was so alluring. The body I had longed for day and night was right in front of me, but I felt no desire at all. In fact, I felt a bit disgusted.

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When I was seven months pregnant, my undercover identity was exposed. The mafia boss who had always treated me well smashed my teeth with his gun, broke my ribs with his kicks, and threw me into a dark cell. I miscarried in that cell, and the mafia boss took away the dead fetus. I never saw him again after that. Five years later, a little girl crawled into my cell and said to me: “Mommy, Daddy’s drunk. He’s crying and saying he misses you.” Five years ago, Adrian Bright beat me brutally, took away the dead fetus I had delivered, and I never saw him again. Day and night, I was confined in darkness, surrounded by four walls with only a chamber pot. Sometimes I got so lonely that I would chat with a rat for hours if I caught one. It’s a miracle that I haven’t lost my mind in these five years. But my body has been gradually deteriorating. With no sunlight, damp conditions, and rotten food, every part of my body aches. The little girl was the first living person to speak to me in five years. She said— “Mommy, Daddy’s drunk. He’s crying and saying he misses you.” I didn’t understand. Why did she call me mommy? And who was her daddy? I wanted to talk to her, but when I opened my mouth, I realized I had forgotten how to speak after being silent for so long. In my anxiety, I started coughing violently. A mouthful of blood splattered onto the girl’s white dress. She got scared and ran away. Great, I’ve gotten myself into trouble again. Sometimes when those men are in a bad mood, they barge in and beat me up. Because five years ago, I was the one who provided information to the FBI, causing them heavy losses. Many people died, and their base was destroyed. The boss, Adrian Bright, had to flee abroad with me and some of his trusted men. Later, when they found out I was an undercover agent, I became a thorn in their side. They called me a traitor. Hah, I never betrayed my beliefs. How could I be a traitor? Adrian Bright used every torture method he knew on me. I begged him to kill me. He said he wanted to keep my worthless life. As long as I was alive, Lucas Lang would come for me. Lucas Lang, my husband. He was an FBI agent, and also my partner. His head was what Adrian Bright wanted most.

Clang, clang. The iron door outside opened. Heavy, steady footsteps echoed on the stone floor. Someone was coming. Judging by the footsteps, it didn’t sound like Ray, who usually brought me food. I huddled in the corner, fearfully watching the newcomer. He was carrying a bottle of liquor, and the strong smell of alcohol filled the small cell. He put a cigarette in his mouth. Lit a lighter. The flame illuminated his face. Sharp, defined features, a rugged profile, and wolf-like eyes glinting coldly. After five years, I recognized him instantly. My former “lover,” the boss of the Bright Family, Adrian Bright. He leaned against the iron bars, smoking. It was very quiet, with only the sound of the cigarette burning. “Chloe, long time no see,” he said in a low, hoarse voice. I didn’t speak. I was no longer used to talking. “We’re leaving,” he continued. “This area is getting too dangerous. We plan to flee far away. We’ve made enough money anyway. But they don’t agree to bring you along. They all want me to kill you.” Kill me? Killing me would be good. I’m better off dead. “But I want your death to have value. So, before you die, I need you to do something for me.” He came closer, grabbed my chin, and forced me to look at him. His alcohol-laden breath hit my face, terrifyingly oppressive. “I need you to lure Lucas Lang out.” I remained calm, neither humble nor arrogant, without joy or sorrow. This angered him. In his fury, he slapped me hard. Suddenly, blood gushed from my nose. He paused, “I didn’t hit that hard…” Indeed, he hadn’t used much force. This nosebleed wasn’t caused by his slap. It was my illness. I felt very sick. Death must be near. Since I was going to die anyway, why should I help Adrian Bright hurt my husband? Adrian Bright used the sleeve of his white shirt to wipe away the blood and pulled me into his arms. I struggled, but he held me tight, resting his chin on my head. “Chloe, listen to me, listen to me,” his voice was seductive. “Did you see that little girl earlier? Her name is Hailey. She’s your child. The baby you gave birth to that year wasn’t stillborn; she survived. If you help me take down Lucas Lang, I’ll spare Hailey’s life. If you don’t cooperate, I’ll make you hold her as we jump into the sea together…” I stopped struggling.

This was the first time in five years that I was taken out of the dark cell. When the sunlight hit me, I screamed like a frightened mouse and tried to run away. Adrian Bright caught me and dragged me into the villa. On the spacious sofa in the villa sat several heavily made-up women. “Mr. Bright…” They stood up to greet Adrian Bright. One of them even came over to kiss him. In front of me, Adrian Bright passionately embraced her. “Lily, take her upstairs for a bath and clean her up,” he said to the woman. The woman named Lily glanced at me sideways, “Come with me, bitch.” It took Lily and the other women an entire afternoon to clean the dirt and fleas off my body. Hot water washed over my skeletal frame. My ribs were clearly visible, and I looked like a walking corpse. Five years had taken their toll. The once beautiful FBI agent Chloe Summer had become a living dead. Lily was brushing my hair, speaking softly, “Don’t get any ideas. Mr. Bright is not the same man he was years ago. If you want to live another day, just behave yourself.” “Lily, you can leave now,” Adrian Bright appeared at the door. Lily gave me a warning look before leaving. Adrian Bright stood behind me, looking at my reflection in the mirror. His long, slender fingers brushed through my hair, down my neck, across my collarbone, and slipped inside my collar, slowly moving downward. I frowned, unable to hide my disgust. He stopped. Suddenly, he grabbed my hair, forcing me to tilt my head back. “Look at yourself now! No one would want to see you even if you were naked!” he snarled viciously. “Daddy!” A little girl’s voice came from the doorway. Adrian Bright paused for a moment and released my hair. “Daddy, you finally brought Mommy out!” The little girl ran over, looking up at me intently. “Mommy is so pretty, just too thin. Mommy needs to eat more meat.” I looked at her, my eyes welling up. Is this really my child? Is she really my child? “Hailey, how about Daddy takes you and Mommy out for steak tonight?” Adrian Bright said. “That’s great!” Hailey jumped and laughed. I didn’t know how she had grown up to be so innocent and lively in this den of evil. On the way to the restaurant, she kept smiling, interested in everything outside the car window. Adrian Bright spoke to her gently, his eyes no longer showing their usual cruelty. As I watched this “father and daughter,” my thoughts drifted back to over twenty years ago. That year, I was also five years old.

My father was an FBI agent. He was often away on business, spending over 200 days a year away from home. Every time he came back, I was overjoyed and would pester him with questions. That day was my fifth birthday, and my parents said they would take me to McDonald’s. I sat on the back of my father’s bicycle, holding a pinwheel that spun in the wind. The wheels of fate also began to turn. I only remember several loud “bang” sounds. I fell off my father’s bicycle. Before my eyes, everything turned blood red. My parents lay in a pool of blood. I don’t know how long it was before a man ran over, picked me up, and covered my eyes: “Little girl, it’s okay, don’t be afraid.” … The man took me back to his home. At first, I wouldn’t eat, wouldn’t speak, and wouldn’t cry. I was like a walking corpse. The man had a son named Lucas, who talked to me every day, tried to cheer me up, and played cops and robbers with me. Later, we went to school together, did homework together, took exams together, and got into the same police academy. After graduating from the academy, we joined the same police department and became detectives together. We worked on many big cases together, shedding blood and sweat. One year, I was injured during a mission. Before I was wheeled into the operating room, Lucas held my hand and cried, saying he loved me. “Chloe, you must live. I want to marry you.” During our school years, neither of us had dated anyone else, and even after we started working, we tacitly avoided talking about marriage. We knew we were waiting for each other. After I recovered from that injury, Lucas took a day off specially on Valentine’s Day to take me to see the cherry blossoms at St. Mary’s Church. It had just snowed that day. The snow weighed down the cherry blossoms, with the church’s spires in the background, creating a scene as beautiful as a painting. Under the cherry blossom tree, Lucas proposed to me. We embraced, vowing to protect each other for the rest of our lives.

As we were leaving St. Mary’s Church, a young man in a black suit brushed past us. My heart skipped a beat. I grabbed Lucas and whispered, “Does he look familiar to you?” Lucas said, “I noticed too. He looks like Adrian Bright.” Adrian Bright, the eldest son of Vincent Bright, the boss of the Bright Family. We had been investigating this mafia family for the past two years, but they were so discreet that we couldn’t find an opportunity to make a move. And now, with Adrian Bright right in front of us, how could I let him slip away? I told Lucas, “You go back first. I’ll follow him and see what he’s doing here.” Lucas knew my temperament. Once I made up my mind, there was no talking me out of it. He could only say, “I’ll wait for you at the bottom of the hill. Be careful, and don’t confront him directly!” I followed Adrian Bright into the church. I saw him kneel before the altar, light three incense sticks devoutly, and mutter something. What, did he think he could lay down his knife and instantly become a saint? Impossible. Adrian Bright was the right-hand man of the Bright Family, ruthless and cruel. The kind of demon that even God wouldn’t accept. After finishing his prayers, he got up to leave. I couldn’t follow him anymore, so I bought some incense sticks and casually asked a priest, “That handsome guy just now, does he come here often?” The priest replied, “Yes, he comes two or three times a month, at irregular times.” I had a bold idea: to get close to Adrian Bright and infiltrate the Bright Family. Lucas strongly opposed it, but I threatened not to marry him if he didn’t let me do this job, forcing him to agree. I said, “Lucas, this is the last time. After we take down the Bright Family, I’ll quit being a detective. I’ll work at the front desk registering people, marry you, and have children, okay?” Lucas didn’t say anything. He was still angry. I waited at St. Mary’s Church for half a month before I finally saw Adrian Bright again. While he was praying, I stood not far away, watching him. After he finished, he turned around, his sharp gaze shooting straight at me. Our eyes met for a moment, and he walked towards me. Good, woman, you’ve successfully attracted his attention. “You seem to have been watching me. Do we know each other?” he asked loudly. “Can we get to know each other?” I asked boldly. “Why?” “You’re… handsome,” I said, my face probably turning red. “Nonsense,” Adrian Bright turned away and left. After that, every time he came to pray, I would try to talk to him. Finally, one day, he said, “Beautiful lady, would you like to have dinner?”

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I lost five years of memories. When I woke up, I discovered that Ethan Sinclair, my longtime crush, had become my husband. But he wasn’t good to me at all. All his tenderness was reserved for his childhood sweetheart. Even when my life was in danger, he only cared about being with her. Everyone said I was madly in love with him; that even if Ethan made me serve his sweetheart hand and foot, I would do so without hesitation. Ridiculous. I didn’t remember this person at all. I didn’t remember Ethan. He wasn’t good to me, so I naturally suggested divorce. But later, he lingered outside my door late at night, refusing to leave for a long time. “Aria, can you… look at me one more time?” “Mrs. Sinclair attempted suicide!” I woke up to a blinding white light. Before I could fully process my surroundings, a sharp pain shot through my wrist. As I started to come to my senses, I heard an urgent male voice nearby. I saw a man with his back to me, speaking on the phone: “Mr. Sinclair, your wife is in the hospital. Would you like to come see her?” A cold voice came through the phone: “Is she dead? If not, don’t bother me!” The call ended abruptly. The man sighed heavily and turned around, startled to see me awake. After a moment, he approached me. “Mrs. Sinclair, you’re awake?” “…Mrs. Sinclair?” I looked at him in confusion. “Are you talking to me?” “You don’t recognize me?” The man’s expression changed. “I’m Zack, Mr. Sinclair’s assistant.” “…Who’s Mr. Sinclair?” Zack frowned, his patience clearly wearing thin. “Mrs. Sinclair, Mr. Sinclair is very busy with work right now. Your suicide attempt won’t get his attention, and pretending to have amnesia certainly won’t either! Give it up – he’s not coming to see you!” I was even more bewildered, not understanding what he was talking about. Seeing my silence, Zack took another step forward and continued in an exasperated tone: “Mrs. Sinclair, you’ve been married to Mr. Sinclair for five years and causing trouble for just as long. He still hasn’t fallen in love with you. Don’t you think it’s time for some self-reflection instead of constantly creating problems for him?” Although I still didn’t know what was happening, his attitude made me very uncomfortable. Looking at his face, I felt an inexplicable aversion. Wait a minute… “Did you say… five years?” I rushed to the bathroom attached to the hospital room and looked in the mirror. It was still unmistakably me, but I looked more mature, with a hint of sorrow I couldn’t quite place. Could what that man Zack said be true? Was it really five years later? Am I actually married? … As it turned out, I really was married. And had been for five years. I hadn’t time traveled or been dreaming – I had lost my memory. My current memories were still those of my 18-year-old self, just starting college. Back then, I had a crush on a senior named Ethan Sinclair. He was the epitome of perfection – looks, family background, abilities, all unparalleled. The quintessential ice prince. And now, apparently, I was married to him. According to Zack, I had married Ethan when I was 20, in a whirlwind romance with little foundation. I was still in college then, so we only registered the marriage without a ceremony. After getting married, I discovered Ethan’s heart wasn’t with me, but seemed closer to his childhood friend Olivia James. Apparently she was his unattainable first love. Unloved, I started acting out in our marriage. I used all sorts of outrageous methods to get Ethan’s attention, but only earned his increasing disgust. His friends all treated me like a joke, just waiting to see when we’d get divorced. Olivia never took me seriously either. She was the princess of their social circle. My hysterical antics just made me look like a clown in their eyes. Finally, I used suicide to threaten Ethan, demanding he cut off all contact with Olivia. But he didn’t agree. He even told me to go ahead and die. So I attempted suicide. That’s what happened right before I woke up – It all seemed so surreal to me. Suicide for love? That didn’t seem like something I’d ever do! By the time I pieced this all together, I was already in the master bedroom of our marital home. The doctor said I was fine, so Zack had brought me straight back, warning me not to cause any more trouble before he left. Looking at the massive mansion before me, I no longer had any desire to make a scene. I was completely overwhelmed by the sheer opulence. Just the walk-in closet alone was bigger than my old apartment! As I was taking in the grandeur of mine and Ethan’s bedroom, I heard movement at the door. I whipped around to find myself face-to-face with Ethan Sinclair, his expression cold and stern.

Even though I knew Ethan and I had been married for five years, this was still the first time I’d seen him up close from my perspective. I had to admit, there was a reason he’d been my teenage crush. Just having that face in front of me improved my mood considerably. Even with his cold expression, I didn’t find him particularly off-putting. Seeing that I didn’t speak, he frowned slightly. “Aria, what are you up to now?” As he spoke, he strode into the closet, passing right by me without pausing. He selected a robe and came back out. I turned to look at him. “Up to?” From the time he suddenly came home until now, I hadn’t said a word. How was I up to something? Ethan’s dark eyes glanced at me. “Haven’t you always thrown yourself at me the moment I get home? Changing tactics now?” I was a bit shocked. Had I really been so forward after marrying Ethan? But I kept my face neutral, only saying flatly, “Oh, that won’t happen anymore.” I had expected Ethan to be relieved. But instead, his brow furrowed even more, his tone growing increasingly impatient as he looked at me. “I’ve been very busy with work lately. I don’t have time to indulge your dramatics.” I stayed silent. Seeing this, Ethan’s gaze suddenly turned cold. “Aria, stop trying to do anything to Olivia. She hasn’t done anything wrong. Even if you threaten suicide again, it won’t work.” I was taken aback, my emotions complicated. Zack had already told me most of what had happened between Ethan and me. Basically, I loved Ethan, Ethan loved Olivia, and I was the clown in this love triangle who could only constantly cause trouble for Olivia, earning more and more of Ethan’s disgust. This suicide attempt was because I was jealous of how Ethan doted on Olivia, so I privately attacked Olivia’s company and slandered their artists. But Ethan unhesitatingly chose to support her – This undoubtedly told everyone in their circle that my position as Mrs. Sinclair was in name only. I didn’t even rank as high as Olivia’s pinky finger in Ethan’s heart. So I lost my composure and tried to use suicide to win back Ethan’s heart. The result was predictable. A man who was already tired of me wouldn’t suddenly cherish me because of a suicide attempt. He’d only find me more troublesome. Seeing I still wasn’t speaking, Ethan lost patience and went to the bathroom. I let out a sigh of relief, flopping onto the large bed, my mind in chaos. After all, I’d lost the memories of these past few years. I truly didn’t understand why I would have gone so crazy. My 18-year-old self had always looked down on people who lost themselves in relationships. Now I had apparently become the very thing I despised, ready to die for a man. I never imagined I’d see such a day! I was lost in thought, not yet sure how to handle my current situation, when the blanket beside me was lifted and a tall, firm body lay down next to me. The sudden warmth startled me. I turned my head to see Ethan looking at me with those pitch-black eyes, his usual cold indifference now tinged with a hint of suppressed intensity. I stammered, “W-what are you doing?” Though I had lost my memories, based on what I knew, Ethan and I should have a pretty bad relationship, right? We were probably even sleeping in separate beds. So why was he so naturally lying down next to me? Ethan seemed not to notice my panic. He wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me into his embrace without a word. Then he pressed me beneath him, his calloused fingers expertly finding my most sensitive spots, igniting unfamiliar sensations— “Ethan!” I couldn’t help crying out his name. “Don’t touch me!”

My eyes must have shown real resistance, not just an act, because Ethan paused for a moment, looking confused. But irritation quickly took over. “Aria, stop throwing a tantrum.” I didn’t like how he always used that tone with me. Even his face that I’d crushed on for years was starting to lose its appeal. “I’m your wife, right? I attempt suicide and end up in the hospital, but you don’t even ask if I’m okay. Now you’re just criticizing me. Ethan, what gives you the right to treat me like this?” My anger seemed to ignite his own. He gripped my wrist tightly, his tone icy. “Because you brought this all on yourself.” His grip was too strong, right on the wound from my suicide attempt. I winced in pain but held back any sound. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I saw my own pitiful reflection in Ethan’s gaze, on the verge of crying. Ethan suddenly let go, turning me away from him and holding me from behind. His voice was cold: “I’ll let it go this time, but don’t ever fake a suicide attempt to threaten me again.” I struggled a bit, but Ethan held me even tighter, clearly not wanting to let me argue. The difference in our strength was too great. After a few futile attempts to break free, I gave up. When I woke up the next morning, Ethan was already gone. I threw on some clothes and went downstairs to find him already eating breakfast at the table. The housekeeper greeted me. “Good morning, Miss Aria.” I stood there motionless. Ethan didn’t even look up. “Come eat breakfast.” Though it was just breakfast, the spread was impressive enough to make me gape. I couldn’t help thinking, no wonder they call it high society. Even breakfast is such a production. I sat down across from Ethan. The housekeeper brought me a bowl of sago pudding. Smelling mango, I frowned. “Why is there mango?” The housekeeper explained: “This is Miss Olivia’s special recipe, sent over by her. It’s her favorite, made with mangoes flown in from Europe…” I immediately lost my appetite. “I’m not eating.” The clinking of silver utensils on porcelain rang out. Ethan looked up at me, his voice cool. “Aria, that’s enough.” I held back my anger. “Is not eating mango offensive to you too?” “You’re not eating it just because Olivia sent it, right?” Ethan’s face was cold. “Aria, when will you rein in your jealousy?” Me? I’m jealous of Olivia? I don’t know how the 25-year-old Aria acted in front of Ethan, but I imagine it was a pitiful, petty image. But no matter what, we’re husband and wife. Does he not even know I’m allergic to mango? I was about to speak when the housekeeper suddenly said: “Sir, Miss Olivia is here!” A gentle voice rang out: “Ethan, am I interrupting?” A slender figure walked in from the doorway. The housekeeper and maids all greeted her familiarly. It was clear she was a frequent visitor. One glance and I knew this woman was Olivia. I noticed how the housekeeper addressed us. I was the lawful Mrs. Sinclair, yet he called me “Miss Aria,” while calling her “Miss Olivia.” The difference in closeness was obvious. No wonder the 25-year-old me was so hostile towards Olivia. As Ethan’s lawfully wedded wife, I still couldn’t compare to his blatant favoritism towards another woman. Anyone’s mental state would crumble. Olivia looked at me with concern. “Aria, I heard you cut your wrists… Are you alright now?” I snorted dismissively, not bothering to be polite. I don’t know how the 25-year-old me acted in front of them. Perhaps very meekly, perhaps willing to swallow my pride because I loved Ethan so much— But right now, I’m the 18-year-old me. I don’t love Ethan at all. So I have no reason to hold my tongue. Olivia turned to Ethan, looking troubled. “Ethan, I’m sorry. Aria doesn’t seem to want to see me. Maybe I shouldn’t have come…” “You knew that and still came?” I said bluntly. “Did you come to gloat?” Olivia’s face instantly flushed red. Ethan coldly rebuked me, “Aria, stop being unreasonable.” He was clearly defending Olivia. My impression of him sank even further. Originally, waking up to find I was married to my crush had made me a bit excited and grateful— But now I see, Ethan isn’t all that great. So what if he’s handsome and rich? Treating his own wife like dirt doesn’t make him look good. If he’s so great, why did he marry me in the first place? I was indignant, but Olivia remained gracious and calm. “Ethan, the reason I came today was to specially invite you to my celebration party…” As she finished speaking, she seemed to suddenly remember I was standing right there. She couldn’t very well not invite me, so she reluctantly said to me: “Aria, why don’t you come too?” I had originally planned to refuse. But seeing the barely concealed disdain and challenge in Olivia’s eyes, I suddenly smirked and agreed. “Sure, I am Mrs. Sinclair after all. I should accompany Ethan to social events.”

So I ended up going with Ethan to Olivia’s celebration party. When the three of us arrived, the reactions of the people in the private room were quite colorful. “Why did Ethan bring her?” “Not surprising. His wife is always making scenes and acting jealous. She’s hostile towards any woman near Ethan, let alone Olivia!” “I heard she even attempted suicide because of Olivia?” “That’s right! But she really doesn’t know her place. Marrying Ethan was already aiming too high for her. What right does she have to control him? Those other women were one thing, but Olivia? She’s not even in the same league!” These voices weren’t particularly quiet. I could hear them clearly. I swept my gaze over the group, guessing they were probably Ethan or Olivia’s friends. They were all part of the same social circle, no doubt. I inwardly scoffed. No wonder the 25-year-old me had attempted suicide. Hearing such belittling comments day after day, how could my psyche not become warped? Not to mention, I must have really loved Ethan back then. That’s why I suffered through the daily torment to the point of being willing to give up my own life. Ethan and Olivia had already sat down in the seats reserved for them. I was the only one left standing. “Is she just going to stand there by herself? Isn’t that awkward?” “How could it be awkward? As long as she gets to be near Ethan, she’d probably even kneel if you asked her to!” I coldly looked at the man gossiping. “He’s not dead, why would I kneel for him?” The man’s expression changed, clearly not expecting me to talk back today. Ethan’s expression was impatient. “Alright, that’s enough.” I had just been insulted like that, but not only did he not stand up for me, he just brushed it off equally. I sneered. “Looks like I’m not welcome here. I’ll take my leave.” With that, I turned to leave. Behind me, I heard those people’s sharp intakes of breath: “Did I see that right? She actually gave Ethan attitude!” “You don’t think she really went crazy because of Olivia, do you?” “I bet she won’t last half an hour before coming crawling back…” “…” Those noisy voices behind me were very off-putting. I went to the outdoor pool area to clear my head. Not long after, Olivia suddenly came out. “Aria, you’ve really surprised me.” I glanced behind her, seeing she had come alone. I said mockingly, “I hate you so much. Aren’t you afraid I might push you into the pool?” Olivia laughed. “I was hoping you’d dare. After all, everyone knows Ethan would save me.” I pressed my lips together, not bothering to respond. Olivia walked closer. “Aria, want to make a bet?” I found it strange. “If you two really love each other that much, why not just have Ethan divorce me? Olivia, do you really need to step on someone else’s sincere feelings to act out your little drama? Is that what you call true love?” Olivia’s expression changed for a moment before quickly returning to her calm, gentle demeanor. “That’s because you won’t let go! You cling to Ethan so desperately you’d even attempt suicide. He’s just taking pity on you!” Soon, she regained her composure and asked again, “Aria, dare to bet?” The pool’s surface sparkled, looking clear but actually quite deep. I shook my head firmly. “No.” I can’t swim. One stupid suicide attempt was enough. No need for a second. I had just stood up when I caught Olivia’s disappointed gaze. She was standing behind me and suddenly pushed me hard— Splash! Screams erupted all around as my body hit the water and quickly sank. In that moment, I couldn’t feel anything. Only the terrifying sensation of water engulfing me from all sides. My throat started choking on water, my lungs growing heavy. I desperately struggled to swim upwards, but only saw a familiar figure quickly swimming in another direction. My husband, Ethan Sinclair, swam towards her when Olivia and I both fell in the water. My heart was pierced by a sharp pain. This was perhaps the last bit of feeling left from my 25-year-old self… Although I had forgotten the past and no longer loved him, my body’s instincts remained. But this time, they were thoroughly drowned too. … When I came to, I was lying by the pool. Olivia and I had both been rescued, but she was saved by Ethan while I was saved by a stranger. He was quite handsome. I lay on the ground as he pressed on my chest, trying to expel the water I had swallowed. I coughed it all out— From the corner of my eye, I saw Ethan walking over. Olivia was still clinging to him pitifully, reluctantly watching him leave. Ethan seemed to have only just remembered he had a wife. He frowned and asked, “Are you alright?” I didn’t answer, struggling to stand up. The man beside me tried to help me up, but I pushed him away. When Ethan reached me, I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face— A deathly silence fell over the scene. I could even hear everyone’s deliberately slowed breathing. “Ethan Sinclair, let’s get divorced.” After a long moment, I heard my own voice in the silence. “Consider that slap your alimony payment to your ex-wife.” [Cutoff point]

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In my previous life, my wife and I shared a lifetime of love, vowing to reunite in our next incarnation. When I opened my eyes, we had both been reborn to the year we entered college. But she let go of my hand and turned to chase after her first love from her youth. She even claimed I had ruined her happiness in our past life, mocking my inadequacies. This time, I finally woke up. I no longer gave up my inheritance and the opportunity to study at a top university for her sake. I reclaimed the life that should have been mine all along. Little did I know that my wife’s first love was actually a psychopath who wanted her to take the fall for his crimes. Later, my battered and bruised wife tried every trick to beg for my forgiveness. But I never looked back at her again. As I approached the twilight of my life, I stood with my beloved wife Olivia Lin beneath the wishing wall in the park, writing down our lifelong wish. “In my next life, I want to spend another lifetime with Olivia Lin.” She was the love of my life, but I still hoped for another chance in our next incarnation. The next morning when I opened my eyes, I was shocked to find myself back in the year I first entered college. “Welcome, new students!” The banner hanging at the campus entrance was particularly eye-catching, instantly bringing back memories of that year. Back then, I had given up the opportunity to attend a prestigious university to pursue Olivia Lin, choosing instead to enroll at her college. After years of relentless pursuit and devotion, she was finally moved by my efforts and agreed to date me. Thinking of this, I eagerly put down my luggage and rushed to Olivia’s dormitory building, hoping to see her. “I wonder if she’s been reborn too?” I thought to myself as I ran to meet her, my heart filled with anticipation. As I sprinted along, I suddenly heard a familiar voice from nearby. “Ethan, I have so much luggage and I’m exhausted. Could you help me please?” I whipped my head around to see Olivia Lin holding a suitcase, her cheeks slightly flushed as she spoke coyly to the man beside her. She was still as beautiful as ever, with skin as fair as snow and long, flowing hair. I knew the man next to her all too well. He was Ethan Chee, Olivia’s first love. Back then, everyone knew about Olivia’s crush on Ethan. He was the ideal first love for many girls, with countless admirers, and Olivia had once been one of his most ardent pursuers. Ethan took her luggage, smiling at her. I could see her ears turning redder by the second. The two of them walked away, chatting and laughing. I gradually sensed something was amiss. In my previous life, I had proactively offered to help Olivia move her luggage at this time. But this time, even though I had arrived earlier than before, why had she sought out Ethan first? It was clear that Olivia had been reborn as well.

That night, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Olivia had been reborn, so why didn’t she come to find me first? Why did she choose to seek out Ethan instead? Finally, I couldn’t stand it anymore. I called her, determined to get to the bottom of this. “Olivia, you’ve been reborn too, haven’t you?” There was a moment of silence on the other end before she answered with a single word. “Yes.” Excited by the fact that we had both been reborn, I momentarily forgot about her interaction with Ethan. “That’s wonderful, Olivia! Our wish came true! We’ll be together again in this life!” I was beside myself with joy, completely oblivious to the lack of enthusiasm from the person on the other end of the line. When Olivia was preparing for her major transfer exam, I made sure to remind her. “Make sure you study hard to get into my medical program, okay? We promised each other we’d live more successful lives this time around.” She agreed without hesitation, spending seven to eight hours studying in the library every day. I was very pleased. It seemed that she felt guilty about not getting in last time, and was now determined to work hard for me and be with me. I was the only one in Olivia’s heart. That day, she must have just bumped into Ethan and caught up with an old friend. Every day, I dreamed of the wonderful college life Olivia and I would have in the same major. I even imagined our future, continuously advancing in the medical field, becoming an outstanding couple in this domain. Until one day, I accidentally saw Olivia’s major transfer application. The intended major she had written down wasn’t medicine at all. It was psychology – Ethan’s major. In that instant, the confusion in my heart became a tangled mess. I angrily confronted Olivia. “Didn’t we agree that you’d transfer to the medical program so we could work hard together? How could you secretly change to psychology behind my back?” Her eyes filled with tears, seemingly frightened by my tone. She looked very upset by my questioning. “I’m sorry, it’s just that the medical program is really too difficult to get into. And I found that I’m still more interested in psychology. We’ve been given a second chance at life, I want to study something I like.” “I didn’t mean to hide it from you, please don’t be angry.” She held my hand, her fingers gently swaying on mine. My gaze was fixed on her face, trying to read her inner thoughts through her eyes. But looking at her smile, her brows, even her lightly trembling eyelashes, I felt deeply drawn to her. She kept whispering in my ear, begging for my forgiveness. My resolve wavered. “If you really like psychology that much, then I support you.”

To help Olivia prepare for her exams, I rushed around gathering information for her. But on one of these errands, I suddenly got into a car accident. When I opened my eyes, I was lying in a hospital bed. Fortunately, the accident wasn’t serious, just some minor injuries. A few of my roommates were sitting beside me. I immediately sat up and looked around, trying to catch a glimpse of the person I was expecting to see. “Don’t bother looking, Olivia didn’t come at all,” one of my roommates, Mike, spoke up. “Why didn’t you tell her? There’s no way she wouldn’t come when I’ve been in such a big accident!” I started to panic. They exchanged glances, hesitating for a while before saying, “We not only told her, but we even exaggerated and said you were hit by a car and almost died. She said she had an urgent matter and didn’t have time to come see you…” “Just now, a classmate told me she’s currently holding hands with Ethan at an art exhibition. Look, there’s even a photo.” He handed me his phone to see. I felt as if I had been struck by lightning. In our previous life, Olivia and I were so in love. How could she betray me like this? Ignoring my roommates’ attempts to stop me and my injuries, I rushed out of the hospital to find Olivia. This time, I had to get to the bottom of this.

“Meeting you was so fortunate…” “Actually, I’ve been singing this song for someone special. I’ve liked him for a long time.” “But today, I don’t want to keep it in my heart anymore. I want to express my feelings to you here.” Olivia stood in the middle of the campus field, unconsciously fidgeting with the hem of her clothes, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush. I had been running frantically back to campus, only to stumble upon this scene. My steps faltered. I held my breath, praying in my heart that Olivia wouldn’t say those words. “Ethan, I’ve liked you for a long time. Will you be with me?” She shouted into the microphone she was holding, her confession echoing across the entire field. Instantly, everyone turned to look at where Ethan was standing and started cheering. “Say yes! Say yes! Say yes!” My heart skipped a beat. My suspicions over the past few weeks were true, and Mike and the others hadn’t lied to me. Ethan was pushed by those around him to Olivia’s side. Standing together, they indeed made a good-looking couple. “Olivia, actually, I like you too.” Ethan reached out and caressed her face, gazing at her eyes lovingly. Olivia smiled. I had never seen her smile so brightly before. “Ahhhh! They’re together!” They embraced on stage, the cheering from the crowd below grew more intense, with screams ringing in my ears. No one noticed me in the corner, my heart breaking.

“Why?” I looked at this familiar yet strange person before me, my voice trembling. Olivia seemed shocked by my appearance. “Didn’t Mike say you were hit by a car and almost died? How are you standing here perfectly fine?” Her words truly chilled me to the bone. So she really wanted me to just die like that, so she could be with Ethan in this life without any obstacles. Olivia decided to drop the act and lay all her cards on the table. “Lucas Quinn, do you know why I was also reborn to today?” “Because the wish I wrote on the wishing wall was that if I could go back to the past, I would definitely be with Ethan.” There wasn’t a hint of guilt in her eyes, as if everything was perfectly justified. “Olivia, I was reborn for you. You’re all I have in this world, and you even promised me. How can you abandon me like this?” I felt an unprecedented despair. She let out a cold laugh. “I wasn’t happy at all being with you! You ruined my wonderful life in the last lifetime!” “My life has finally gotten a second chance. I’m begging you, please don’t interfere with me living a better life, okay? Being with you was painful enough. You have no money and no ability to give me a good life. Ask yourself, are you worthy of me?” She spoke with a crying tone, as if I was the one who had betrayed her. In my previous life, I had given up the opportunity to attend a prestigious university and inherit the family fortune to be with her. I even transferred from a top program to her mediocre major, ruining my own future. I had done all this for her, giving up my family wealth and a top university, but now these became her ammunition to mock me. It turned out that everything I had done meant nothing to her. Ethan suddenly appeared by Olivia’s side. “Olivia, it’s getting late. Let me walk you back to your dorm.” He thoughtfully draped his jacket over Olivia’s shoulders. Olivia’s eyes lit up at the sight of Ethan. “Okay, let’s go.” Before leaving, she didn’t forget to turn back and taunt me one last time. “Lucas Quinn, no wonder your parents didn’t want you. Just be an orphan for the rest of your life!” Indeed, those closest to you know exactly where to stab the knife. But the fact that I was an orphan was a lie. Not only was I not an orphan, but my family also ran several hospitals, and my parents were quite renowned in the medical field. In my previous life, after cutting ties with my family, I had hidden my true family background from Olivia, telling her that I had been abandoned by my parents since childhood and was an orphan. At that time, she had looked at me with pity, constantly saying words of comfort. I never expected that beneath her seemingly understanding exterior, she was actually gloating inside. This time being reborn, I finally saw through the person who had lain beside me. In my previous life, when my father learned that I had cut ties with them for Olivia’s sake, he was so angry that he coughed up blood and eventually passed away in despair. But I had been too stubborn to go back and see him one last time. Thinking of him now, I felt immensely guilty. Fortunately, at this point in my previous life, I hadn’t yet severed ties with my family; we were just in the middle of a cold war. In this life, I couldn’t leave any regrets behind. I immediately dialed my father’s number. “Dad, I’m sorry. I understand now. I can’t give up my bright future for a woman. I will definitely pursue further studies in the medical field to inherit the family business in the future.” I wanted to show Olivia just what kind of pinnacle I could reach without her in my life. I successfully reconciled with my family and took over some of the family business. One day, my father suddenly took me to meet someone.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295970”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #重生Reborn #惊悚Thriller #校园School