A top-tier Manhattan billionaire gave a highly serious financial interview, but a whimsical painting hanging on his wall ended up going viral. When the reporter asked about it, he humbly replied, “My wife painted it.” That very night, a popular young actress painted on her livestream, acting coy: “Oh, he just blurts everything out! So embarrassing~” I was utterly confused. Wait, didn’t I paint that? 01 Grayson Pierce, the titan of the New York business world, was trending everywhere today. It all started with an interview. During an incredibly serious, high-stakes financial interview, the artwork hanging on the wall behind him was decidedly… unserious. It was a painting of a few water lilies. Crystal-clear dewdrops rolled along the edges of the round lily pads, looking incredibly lifelike and on the verge of falling. Normally, a masterpiece of such exquisite skill would be accompanied by a profound, classical poem. But this painting went the exact opposite route. It featured a rather humorous, modern limerick: [Let them be mad, I’ll stay glad. Stress won’t pay my doctor’s bill!] The cameraman was clearly captivated by this bizarre masterpiece, accidentally focusing the lens on the painting several times. The reporter was no exception. As the interview drew to a close, she gathered her courage to ask about it: “I noticed the painting on your wall is quite interesting. May I ask which master artist created this piece?” Grayson humbly replied, “My wife painted it.” The reporter immediately praised, “Your wife must be an incredible artist!” “No, she’s an actress.” The reporter was even more surprised. “Which actress?” “She won’t let me say.” A faint, doting smile played on the billionaire’s lips. “When she finally decides to give me an official title, I’ll tell you.” Just like that, Grayson Pierce’s “obsessed wife-guy” persona exploded across the internet. [Handsome, filthy rich, and obsessed with his wife. Please tell me, does this man have any flaws?] [Being married is his only flaw.] [I don’t recognize him. Who is this guy?] [He’s the current CEO of the Pierce Empire. He’s always been super low-profile. I don’t know why he’s suddenly flexing so hard.] [Blind guess: it’s for his wife. He’s probably investing in Hollywood just to protect her career, right?] [OMG! A romance novel coming to life!] [Am I the only one who wants to know who his wife is? She’s an actress!] [Is it Aubrey Sinclair? Isn’t she the ‘Princess of Manhattan’?] [Only her delusional fans believe she’s the ‘Princess of Manhattan’. Do you honestly think she could even get a word in with the real New York elite?] [I think it’s A-list actress Quinn. Haven’t the tabloids been saying she’s secretly married?] Watching the comments section name-drop every famous actress in Hollywood without ever mentioning me… I secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Being a D-list nobody definitely had its perks. I was just about to text Grayson, warning him to watch his mouth in the future, when my manager, Harper, snatched my phone away. “The show is about to start. Get ready.” I pressed my lips together and abandoned the idea of contacting him. 02 The show I was about to go on was a live-streamed variety show. The concept was simple: The celebrity guests would make a gift live on set, choose a recipient, and then personally deliver it to their door. Because the live gift-delivery segment had produced so many iconic, unscripted moments, the show had skyrocketed to become the hottest live variety program of the year. Before the broadcast even started, nearly a million people were already waiting in the stream. Harper whispered to me from the sidelines: “I didn’t know Aubrey Sinclair was going to be here today. But don’t be afraid of her, and ignore whatever her toxic fans say. Let’s just do our job well today. Don’t start trouble, but don’t back down either, okay?” I nodded. She patted my shoulder. “You’ve got this.” The livestream quickly began. The camera swept across the guests as the host interviewed and introduced them one by one. When it was my turn, the tone of the live chat drastically changed. [Why does this show invite just anyone?] [Who is this girl? Just looking at her annoys me.] [It must be so hard for Aubrey to share a stage with someone like her.] Aubrey Sinclair actually spoke up to “defend” me: “Guys, don’t say that! Chloe and I are actually really good friends.” I looked at her, saying nothing. If I didn’t know her true colors, I really would have thought she was the sweet, kind-hearted angel her fans claimed she was. Aubrey hated me. More than once, she had subtly encouraged her fans to cyberbully me. All because a male actor she had a crush on publicly confessed his feelings for me. Whenever I thought about that, I felt incredibly wronged. I barely knew that actor, Ashton Cole. We had hardly exchanged a few sentences. Yet, on a talk show, he publicly declared I was his ideal type. That move not only made Aubrey hate me, but it also knocked over the vinegar jar at my house. Grayson pinned me to the bed, interrogating me about my history with Ashton. But what history was there? I racked my brain, trying desperately to recall and repeat every single mundane sentence I had ever spoken to the guy. Grayson remained unsatisfied, letting out a dark chuckle. “You remember it all so clearly, huh?” And then came round after round of absolute torment. I really didn’t want to endure another exhausting, back-breaking night like that, so I publicly stated that I didn’t like Ashton. But somehow, Aubrey seemed to hate me even more after that… I genuinely couldn’t understand her brain circuitry, so I just silently tried to stay away from her. But the live chat wouldn’t let me off the hook. [This woman is so rude! Aubrey is talking to her!] [I’m seriously going to cry from how frustrating she is!] [What is wrong with Ashton’s eyes? He ignores Aubrey for HER?] [This woman just knows how to seduce men. Look at that foxy face. Our Aubrey doesn’t have her manipulative schemes!] [Ahhhh! What a pity for my Ashton & Aubrey ship!] The show quickly transitioned into the gift-making segment. The camera focused on Aubrey. The host stood beside her, asking, “What is Aubrey going to give tonight?” “I’m going to give a painting.” “And who is it for?” Aubrey smiled shyly. “You’ll all find out in a bit~” She picked up her brush and dipped it in ink. With a few shallow strokes, a graceful, elegant water lily leaped onto the paper. The live chat instantly boiled over! [Wait, why does this water lily look familiar?] [Hint: One word. Pierce.] [Right?! Isn’t this the exact same one from the billionaire’s study?] [Oh my god! So Aubrey really is Mrs. Pierce!] Aubrey looked up innocently. “Hmm?” To help clear her confusion, the host directly pulled up the clip of Grayson’s interview and played it on the studio’s main screen. After watching it, Aubrey blushed deeply. “Oh my, why does he just blurt everything out? It’s just that our two families have intentions of an arranged marriage. Nothing specific has been finalized yet.” [HOLY SH*T! What did I just hear?] [Key takeaway: It’s not finalized yet, but the billionaire is already publicly calling her his wife!] [Our Aubrey is just too lovable.] [Billionaire Pierce is so impatient! He can’t wait to let the whole world know Aubrey is his wife!] [Hahahaha I’m officially shipping the Pierce x Sinclair CP starting today!] Aubrey spoke gracefully, “Please don’t laugh at us~” Then, whether intentionally or not, she added a few words beside the painting. [Why stress and make a fuss? It’s not worth the mental strain for us.] The Live Chat: [Those are the last two lines of the limerick!] [I’m 100% sure the painting in the billionaire’s study was done by Aubrey! And I’m sure Aubrey is going to give this painting to Billionaire Pierce later!] [Is she planning to give him a whole series?] [I don’t understand you lovebirds and your little inside jokes.] [So romantic!] [Is it because Billionaire Pierce publicly demanded a title, so Aubrey is planning to go public too?] Aubrey never gave a direct response to the chat’s speculations. I couldn’t help but ask, “Did you really gift the painting in Grayson Pierce’s study?” Aubrey raised her eyes to look at me. Her expression was haughty. “If I didn’t give it to him, did you?” [Exactly! This woman is so annoying, asking a question she already knows the answer to!] [Did the show invite her just to piss us off?] [Is the brain on her shoulders just for decoration?] I forced myself to hold back, but I just couldn’t swallow this insult. I nodded and admitted it. “Yes, I gave it to him.” The entire studio fell into a stunned uproar! 03 [This woman really just opens her mouth and spits out lies!] [Look at the expression on her face. Could she actually be telling the truth?] [Anyone can make up a lie. I could say I gifted it too.] [Right! This woman just loves to steal. First, she stole Ashton from Aubrey, and now she’s trying to steal Aubrey’s title as Mrs. Pierce!] [She’s so pathetic.] The live chat was furious. They even started universally spamming [Chloe Vance get out of Hollywood!] across the screen. Aubrey smiled faintly and looked at me. “Is it really from Chloe?” Her face displayed the perfect amount of confusion. “Then, does that mean you’re the ‘wife’ Brother Gray was talking about?” Even though this wasn’t the time to be jealous, I still felt a twinge of sourness at her calling him “Brother Gray.” That dog, Grayson Pierce! When did he get tangled up with Aubrey Sinclair?! I looked her straight in the eye. “I am.” She let out a light laugh. It was the kind of silvery, bell-like laugh her fans always praised, but to my ears, it sounded like nails on a chalkboard. “But I haven’t heard that Brother Gray is already married.” Her expression was innocent, yet seemingly wronged. “Where exactly did Chloe meet Brother Gray?” The chat was easily swayed by her rhythm. [Isn’t it obvious? She’s making it all up!] [Aubrey is such a pure, innocent cutie. I really don’t understand how someone with her personality survives in the entertainment industry!] [Guys, one calls him ‘Brother Gray’, the other calls him ‘Grayson Pierce’. The level of closeness is pretty obvious, right?] [Chloe is just a habitual homewrecker!] [The way she shamelessly admits it is so obnoxious!] [My heart aches for Aubrey!] Aubrey acted like a child who had finally found someone to back her up after being bullied. In a flash, her eyes reddened, and she even tried to soothe the chat: “Guys, please stop. Chloe definitely didn’t do it on purpose.” The live chat went even more insane. Like a sweeping machine gun, they blasted me from head to toe. The situation was spiraling out of control. The producers stepped in to maintain order, announcing a ten-minute break. The moment the cameras turned off, everyone in the studio rushed over to comfort Aubrey. My manager, Harper, pulled me into a corner. “What is going on?! How did you drag Grayson Pierce into this? We seriously cannot afford to mess with him. Let alone you, even the CEO of our agency wouldn’t dare lift his head to speak in front of him.” Bringing this up only made me feel more wronged. “I really am Grayson’s wife!” Harper stared at me, her jaw hitting the floor. I scrolled through my phone looking for evidence. My chat contact name for him was “Dog Man,” and his call log name was “Needy Hubby.” Neither of those proved his identity. Blame it on me being too cautious normally! Left with no other choice, I opened my hidden photo album. Inside was a digital scan of my marriage certificate with him. I zoomed in on the picture and showed it to Harper. “Do you believe me now?” Harper was completely paralyzed. She stood there, dumbfounded, for a full minute before finally squeezing out, “With a background this massive, why are you slumming it in Hollywood with me?” She made me laugh. “Then from now on, you’ll be rolling with me.” 04 The marriage certificate acted as a tranquilizer for Harper. She grabbed my hand to discuss a counter-strategy. Before we could figure out a plan, her phone rang. On the other end was the agency’s CEO, exploding with rage. “How are you managing your artists?! Chloe has no brain, but do you lack one too?! Do you not know who Grayson Pierce is? You just let her spout whatever nonsense she wants?!” “Boss, I—” “I don’t want to hear your excuses! I just want you to fix this! If this isn’t resolved by tomorrow morning, both of you can pack your bags and get the hell out!” He hung up. Harper and I looked at each other. Harper asked me, just to be absolutely sure, “You really are Mrs. Pierce, right?” “100% genuine.” Only then did she relax, and she shared her master plan with me. Originally, my idea was that as soon as the cameras turned back on, I would just slap the marriage certificate on the table. I wasn’t going to swallow this insult. But Harper thought that method wasn’t dramatic enough. And it wouldn’t completely crush Aubrey. She whispered her plan into my ear. I nodded in realization and slowly gave her a thumbs-up. The production team announced the countdown to go back live. Harper patted my shoulder. “The rest is all up to you.” The cameras rebooted, and the live chat was still furious. The number of concurrent viewers in the livestream had multiplied. That was when I found out “Aubrey’s beautiful tears” had made it to the top of Twitter’s trending page. Public opinion was completely one-sided. All the new viewers in the livestream were here to cancel me. I thought to myself, The more people, the better. A bigger audience makes exposing Aubrey’s true colors that much sweeter. “I apologize for losing my composure just now, and thank you all for your concern. My gift is finished; it’s a painting.” Aubrey displayed her water lily painting to the camera. The chat was filled with praise. [Aubrey is so emotionally stable!] [If I were her, I’d be furious for three days straight after being wronged like that!] [It’s just billionaire elite basics. Aubrey has taken emotional management classes since she was a kid.] [Not gonna lie, she paints really well!] Perhaps because there were so many people in the chat, voices of doubt began to slowly emerge. [Wait, does anyone else think the handwriting doesn’t look like the one in the billionaire’s study?] [The water lilies look a bit different too.] [Is the handwriting you use when you’re mad the same as when you’re happy?] [Please, haters, go read a book! You can’t step into the same river twice, and you can’t paint the exact same painting twice, OK?] The chat started arguing over the similarities of the painting. But the gift-making segment continued, and the camera quickly cut to me. I effortlessly picked up my brush. I recreated the exact painting from Grayson’s study onto the paper, right down to the exact lettering of the limerick. The chat went feral. [This woman is such a clout chaser!] [But wait… this painting actually looks way more like the original!] [Holy sh*t! Could that painting actually have been a gift from Chloe?] [Do you guys understand the difference between tracing and an original creation? She’s clearly just copying it!] [My heart aches for Aubrey, getting tangled up with a psycho like this.] [Does she have some kind of mental illness?] The host asked me at that moment, “Chloe, this painting is quite intriguing. Who are you planning to give it to?” I watched the expression on Aubrey’s face and deliberately said ambiguously: “I’m giving it to my Mr. Pierce.” 05 The expression on Aubrey’s face was instantly spectacular. She feigned composure. “Does Chloe really know Brother Gray? “If you’re actually involved with him, then I’ll call my family right now and tell them I refuse to go through with the arranged marriage.” She spoke with a mix of grievance and stubborn pride. “I don’t want a man who is two-timing.” [Ahhhhh no, don’t do it!] [Chloe is obviously just putting on a show for you, Aubrey! Don’t fall for it!] [Where did all the people who believed her go? Come out and explain how a D-lister like Chloe could ever meet a titan like Grayson Pierce?] [Exactly! Mrs. Pierce? Don’t make me laugh. If she really had Grayson backing her, would she be struggling this much in Hollywood?] [I heard someone stole her role recently and she didn’t even dare make a peep. And you’re telling me she’s Mrs. Pierce?] [She’s lying through her teeth!] [I suddenly really want to see Aubrey make that call and cancel the marriage. Billionaire Pierce loves her so much; if he loses his wife, he’ll definitely burn the city down for her!] [Upvote +10086. Chloe is gonna be screwed then.] I kept Harper’s “push and pull” principle in mind and said deliberately, “Huh? But he never told me he was going to have an arranged marriage. “The Pierce family shouldn’t really need to arrange marriages, right?” I mimicked her tone. “Are the Grayson you’re talking about and the Grayson I’m talking about really the same person?” [She makes a good point. Why would the Pierce family need an arranged marriage?] [It’s a power alliance between two ultra-wealthy families. You poor people wouldn’t understand.] [You fans are the ones who don’t understand. That’s the Pierce family!] [Everyone knows that marrying into the Pierce family is never a ‘power alliance’. It’s always considered marrying up!] [Then let’s hear Chloe explain how she hooked up with Grayson Pierce!] The host stepped in to take control of the situation. “Is it really the same person? Let’s look forward to the upcoming gift-delivery segment!” He looked around the set playfully. “Our guests can now call their intended recipients to confirm their location before heading out to deliver their gifts!” Aubrey offered graciously, “Since Chloe is in such a hurry, you can call first.” Instantly, every eye in the studio was glued to my phone. I didn’t flinch. Under the intense pressure, I dialed “Needy Hubby.” One ring, two rings… five rings later, there was still no answer. I mentally cursed my dog of a husband for dropping the ball at the most critical moment. After hanging up, I dialed his work number. This time, it rang until the automated voicemail picked up. Grayson still didn’t answer. Aubrey smiled at me. “No one answering? Let me try.” As she confidently dialed, I saw the live chat explode with mockery aimed at me. [Oh my god, this is too embarrassing!] [She even saved him as ‘Needy Hubby’. Who’s the needy one here?] [If you ask me, Chloe would have had better luck calling me. At least I would’ve picked up!] [Sis, drop the act. You’re digging your own grave.] Just as I was feeling lost and anxious, the screen suddenly lit up with an incoming call from “Needy Hubby.” I exclaimed excitedly, “He’s calling back!” Aubrey looked over, her expression anxious. I hastily pressed answer. From the other end of the line came Grayson’s deep, rich, and velvety voice: “Wife, did you miss me?”

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“Mom, you should really marry someone else. I want the Oscar winner to be my new dad!” The entire internet agreed. The Oscar winner agreed. But her biological father definitely did not. He stormed onto the set of the reality show in a blind rage. My daughter, stubborn as a mule, pointed right at the movie star and told her dad: “Let me introduce you. This is Mom’s new husband, and my new dad!” 1 I am Hollywood’s most hated starlet—a true “love-to-hate” celebrity. My claim to fame? I only play the “Mean Girl” or the “Vengeful Other Woman.” Every villainous role I take is so convincing that people follow me on social media just to curse me out. My reputation is a permanent shade of “infamous.” People even say I’m not acting; they say I’m just being myself. Lately, there haven’t been any good villain scripts, so I decided to join a high-profile parenting reality show with my daughter. 2 When the camera crew arrived at our house to pick us up, my daughter was standing by the bed, shaking me awake: “Miss Sleeping Beauty, the crew is here. Please tell the bed to let go of your highness!” I didn’t even open my eyes. I just mumbled: “I can’t. Mom is too elite. I need five more minutes. Go pack the bags.” “What kind of person makes their kid pack for them? Which one of us is the parent here?” She sighed heavily but started tossing things into the suitcase anyway. “What are we bringing? Cleanser? Makeup? Clothes?” “Whatever you pick… I’ll wear,” I groaned into the pillow. 3 Half an hour later, I finally crawled out of bed. I opened my eyes only to see the production crew standing right there in my bedroom. The livestream was already rolling. [Hahaha, Serena’s bedhead is too real. She looks exactly like me on a Monday morning!] [Serena’s daughter is so cute, I’m dying…] [How can Serena be a mom? She’s making her kid do all the work. Unfit!] [Oh my god, the daughter is so pretty and sweet, I almost forgot I came here to hate-watch Serena.] I blinked stupidly. “Why didn’t anyone tell me we were live?” My daughter puffed out her cheeks and shot me a look: “I told you! But you were having a love affair with your mattress and wouldn’t even lift an eyelid. Who’s to blame?” Me: “…” This kid… she’s a total savage. 4 After washing up and loading the luggage, I followed my daughter into the production van. We headed to the first filming location. During the drive, the producer interviewed us: “Serena, what’s your daughter’s name?” “Just call her Tiga.” The producer paused. “Tiga? Like… the superhero?” My daughter rolled her eyes and said, “She thinks all boys love superheroes, so she named me Tiga so I’d be popular.” I rubbed her fuzzy hair and said with a straight face, “Trust me, honey. No man worth his salt doesn’t love a hero.” My daughter: “I’m literally done.” The live chat erupted. [Tiga! Hahahaha, I’m wheezing!] [Serena: I just want the boys to like my daughter, what’s wrong with that? Hahaha!] [What kind of girl is named Tiga? Look at her face, it’s just pure ‘done’!] [Serena is definitely a few sandwiches short of a picnic.] The producer cleared his throat and asked, “And Tiga, where is your father?” My daughter’s face went cold. “Don’t mention him. Just thinking about him makes my blood boil!” 5 I announced I was married the moment I entered the industry, but I never revealed who my husband was. Over the years, everyone has been dying to know his identity. Fans, haters, even my colleagues. They were all curious how I got such top-tier roles despite being a “villainess.” My shows were always massive hits. No exceptions. They’d gossiped for years, but no one knew the truth. They didn’t know I was basically in a “ghost marriage.” I got pregnant after a drunken night with him right after we wed. He’d never helped with the kid. He’d drop by once in a while to see her, but mostly, it was just me and Tiga in our own world. No wonder she reacted like that. The crew was hoping for a scoop, but they weren’t going to get it from a four-year-old. 6 Star Babies was a new kind of show. Unlike standard family shows, it featured celebrities paired with kids. The director was creative. Aside from me and Tiga, who were actually related, the other groups were famous child stars paired with unmarried celebrities. And the biggest catch? They had signed the reigning Oscar winner, Elias Thorne. Who wouldn’t want to see a man like that playing “Daddy”? The hype was astronomical. When we arrived at the luxury villa for the shoot, one group was already there. Elias Thorne. And his partner, a five-year-old child star named Toby. The second Tiga saw Elias, she dropped her backpack and sprinted toward him. She leaned against the sofa next to him, cupping her face in her hands, her eyes sparkling. “I know you. You’re the movie star.” Elias looked at me, then back at Tiga, and smiled. “And how do you know me, little one?” “Ti—” I tried to stop her, but it was too late. “Because I want you to be my new dad!” Kill me now. I was one step too slow. This kid had been talking about “trading in” her dad for months. She’d decided Elias was the perfect candidate for a dad—and a husband for me. What I hadn’t told her was that Elias Thorne was my ex-boyfriend from college! The livestream went nuclear. [Did I hear that right? Tiga wants the Oscar winner to be her dad?] [Hahaha, this kid is a comedy goldmine!] [Tiga, honey, does your mom have a say in this?] 7 Elias was visibly stunned. Before he could respond, Tiga reached out and poked his arm. She turned to me: “Mom, he’s ripped.” My face turned a deep shade of scarlet. Then she touched his stomach and looked at me again: “Mom, he has a six-pack. He’s actually a catch. Can you please consider making him my dad?” “Tiga! Get your hands off the movie star!” I hissed. Elias looked like he hadn’t expected to be felt up by his ex’s daughter. Then, he spoke: “I can only be your dad if your mom agrees to marry me.” Me: “?” What the hell was Elias playing at? Before I could process it, Tiga screamed: “Mom! Let’s get remarried! I want Elias to be my new dad!” Honey, did you ask your actual father? She was literally trying to give her dad a “green hat” on national television. Are we going to survive the night? Technically, I wasn’t even divorced yet. 8 Tiga marched over to me on her little legs, looking incredibly serious. “Mom, I’m not kidding. Remarry him. “Look, he’s handsome, he’s talented. Sure, my ‘scumbag dad’ might be slightly better looking, but you’ve been looking at that face for years. You’re bored of it. “Just get a new husband and give me a new dad. It’s a win-win, right?” Danger! Danger! My sweet daughter… it’s one thing to call him “Scumbag Dad” at home, but on a livestream?! Do you want to get us canceled or just murdered? The chat was having a field day. [She really wants that upgrade! Hahaha!] [Honestly, Elias saying ‘I can only be your dad if your mom marries me’ is a wild thing to say. He’s into it!] [Tiga (Upgrade Edition): Mom, let’s go. We’re getting a new dad.] [Wait, did she call her dad a ‘scumbag’? Maybe he treats them badly.] [Who the hell did Serena marry?! Does anyone actually know?] I looked at Tiga, trying to be a parent: “Don’t call him that. He’s your father.” Tiga puffed out her chest. “Hmph. He’s a part-time dad. He’s fired.” 9 Ten minutes later, the third group arrived. Brianna Vance, a B-list actress known for having “connections.” And her partner, a four-year-old named Lily. Now that everyone was here, the director started the first segment. “You have to handle your own meals during the shoot. You’ll play a trivia game to win ingredients. First place gets 20 items, full spices, and snacks. Second gets 15 items and some spices. Third gets 10 items and almost no spices.” Each group was given a buzzer. The questions began. “In the cartoon Boonie Bears, what are the two monkeys named?” Buzz! “Bram and Briar!” “In Cocomelon, what is the baby’s name?” Buzz! “JJ!” It was a battlefield of cartoons. The kids were intense. “Final question: In the show Super Pig, what is the name of the pink princess pig?” Tiga’s eyes lit up. She went for the buzzer, but Toby was faster. Toby froze. He couldn’t remember. He scratched his head. “I think… Pinky?” Next second, Tiga screamed at the top of her lungs: “It’s Princess Penny, you amateur! “She’s the most beautiful pig in the world and the love of my hero’s life!” 10 She stood up, looking tiny but fierce, defending the honor of her “hero.” The room went dead silent. I was trying so hard not to laugh. Everyone was. Could we laugh? Was it rude? But she called a pig… a love of her life’s… “Hahahaha!” I was the first to break. Then the whole room exploded. The livestream was a wall of “LMAO.” [Hahaha, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t laugh at a kid, but she’s so serious about the pig!] [Tiga: My hero loves that pig, respect her!] [I can’t breathe! ‘Princess Penny is the love of his life’—Tiga is an icon.] Tiga looked around, confused. “Why are you laughing?” The director wiped his eyes. “We’re… we’re just impressed by your knowledge, Tiga. You won! Pfft…” The scores were tallied. Tiga got 8 right. Toby and Lily both got 6. The ranking: Tiga first, Toby second, Lily third. The rooms were assigned by rank. We got the penthouse on the fourth floor. Elias was on the third. Brianna was on the second. We went to unpack before lunch. 11 I didn’t need Tiga to help unpack, so she took her snacks and went to share them with the other kids. I was busy looking at a cookbook called 100 Easy Meals for Dummies when Tiga came back. “Mom, put the book down. We’re going.” She dragged me to the third floor. She knew I couldn’t cook, so she’d convinced Elias to cook for us too. I have to admit, the man could cook. Everything smelled amazing. BUT! “Tiga, stop calling him ‘New Dad’.” Tiga blinked her big eyes. “But Mom, he said yes. He’s my New Dad now. “I found you a husband who acts and cooks. You should be thanking me!” I choked on my water. Is this real life? A daughter replacing her father with her mother’s ex-boyfriend? This is a structural collapse of the mother-daughter dynamic. Then, I heard a low, melodic chuckle. I looked at Elias. “You agreed to this?” Elias: “To being her dad? It seems I have.” Me: “?” Is everyone insane? I blurted out: “Elias, did you forget you’re my ex?” “I didn’t forget. That’s why being her dad is so interesting.”

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I transmigrated into the female lead of an angst-filled romance novel. On the day I slit my wrists, my husband—the male lead—was bringing his childhood sweetheart back home from abroad. He sneered at me: “Didn’t you say that as long as you could marry me, you could endure anything? You can’t even handle this little thing?” The sweetheart chimed in: “I’m the one he loves. If you hadn’t used his mother’s life to blackmail him, he never would have been with you. It’s time to return him to his rightful owner.” And my mother-in-law, whose life I had saved, said coldly: “I’ll give you your money back. Can you please let my son go? A divorce is best for everyone.” I won’t divorce him. Because he’s going to die soon anyway. 1 When I woke up, I was lying in a bathtub. The water around me was stained crimson. My phone was on speaker, and a man’s angry voice blared from it: “I’m home, where are you again? Playing this game of life and death every day, is it really that fun?” I hung up, dialed 911, and when I woke up again, I was already in a hospital room. The doctor said, “If you had been brought in five minutes later, we couldn’t have saved you. Thankfully, your will to live was strong.” “Mhm, I know.” The female lead of this novel, Chloe Evans, had loved the male lead, Ethan Wright, hopelessly but unrequitedly. Under his long-term emotional abuse, she developed severe depression and strong suicidal tendencies. Tonight, Ethan hosted a welcome-home dinner for his childhood sweetheart, Maya. Triggered by this, Chloe felt she couldn’t hold on anymore and called him to come home. But he ignored her cry for help. Her life was originally meant to end today. But of course, I was here now. “Your phone kept ringing. The caller ID was ‘Husband.’ We notified your family, and he’s on his way.” “That doesn’t matter. How is the baby?” When Chloe attempted suicide, she was pregnant. “The fetal heartbeat stopped for a moment, but thankfully, the baby’s will to live is as strong as yours. The critical danger has passed for now. I’ll bring you the detailed report in a bit.” “Thank you.” A moment later, a man in a tailored suit pushed the door open. One glance at the bandages wrapped around my wrist, and his handsome brows knitted together: “Pulling this stunt again? Chloe, you threaten suicide every day. Why haven’t you just died already?” “You haven’t died yet, so I’m in no rush.” I looked at him calmly. “I’ll send you on your way first, Ethan.” In the original story, after Chloe died with their unborn child, Ethan suddenly seemed to realize he loved her. He was filled with regret. He put on a grand display of belated devotion. A year later, Ethan died of stomach cancer. One year isn’t that long; I can wait. Ethan had never heard such vicious words from Chloe’s mouth. He froze for a moment: “I just went to catch up with an old friend from college. Was all this really necessary?” His so-called “old friend” was his childhood sweetheart, Maya. But of course, I didn’t care about that. “The desire to kill someone is hard to hide. When you wish someone were dead, who you went to see, or what you did, doesn’t matter anymore.” Ethan shook his head in disbelief: “Chloe, are you insane? If you want to die so badly, don’t drag other people down with you.” “Watch your mouth! She’s suffering from clinical depression, and you’re casually telling her to die. How is this any different from attempted murder?” The doctor reprimanded him, then turned to me and spoke softly, “Here’s the report. The baby is fine. You two are tough; mother and child are both safe.” “You’re pregnant?” Ethan looked stunned, then coldly turned his face away. “I said I didn’t want a child right now. I used protection every time. Did you tamper with the condoms?” “The best form of protection is abstinence. Don’t you know that basic fact? Or are you saying I intentionally forced myself on you? If so, go call the cops. Press charges for marital rape.” Chloe was a gentle, quiet woman. This was the first time Ethan had faced such a sharp-tongued version of her. He was so angry he was trembling: “…You’re being completely unreasonable.” “Men who are bad with words make for boring arguments. Aside from your face, you have nothing going for you. You’re just annoying.” I pulled the blanket up to sleep, wondering what Chloe ever saw in him. Just then, Ethan’s phone rang. I could faintly hear Maya’s voice: “…Ethan, I’m drunk, I don’t know how to get to the hotel…” Ethan glanced at me: “It’s not convenient tonight.” “It’s convenient. Get out,” I interjected. Originally, Ethan was supposed to be with Maya tonight. While Chloe was left to listen to her own blood slowly draining away. “Are you done throwing this tantrum?” Ethan was always impatient when he spoke to me. “You’re really hard to please. When I clung to you, you found me repulsive. Now that I don’t want to see you, you stick around like glue. What, have you fallen in love with me?” Ethan glared at me fiercely and slammed the door as he left. Not long after, he dragged a reclining chair over, set it up next to me, and lay down in silence. 2 I stayed in the hospital for a while. Ethan stayed with me, keeping a cold, silent vigil. One day, I went to my therapy session. My attending psychiatrist, Dr. Miller, talked with me for a bit, then had me redo a full panel of neurological tests and psychological evaluations. He looked at my reports as if he were witnessing a medical miracle. “Your depression… it’s cured. The psychological assessments and test results are all perfectly healthy.” “When depression patients first develop symptoms, it’s often due to an excessive fixation on a specific goal. This leads to a narrowing of focus, an accumulation of frustration, which evolves into self-directed aggression and self-loathing. I used to love Ethan. I only saw him. When he didn’t love me back, I felt worthless. Now that I’ve let it go, my vitality naturally began flowing again.” Dr. Miller smiled and shook my hand: “Congratulations. And I say that as a friend.” Dr. Miller was the only person who genuinely cared about Chloe. He had witnessed how this pitiful woman had sunk so deep into the mire of love. All her sacrifices had sunk like stones in the ocean. Her most sincere emotions had earned her nothing but pain. “So, what’s your plan now? Divorce him?” “No.” I curled the corners of my lips. “He’s a CEO, after all.” When he dies, the company is mine. Why would I divorce him? 3 The day I went home, Ethan said he was busy and didn’t come to pick me up. Instead, I received a message from an unknown number. It was a photo of Ethan. He looked slightly intoxicated, smiling gently at the camera, his shirt unbuttoned to reveal his collarbones. Chloe had never seen him like this. I, on the other hand, felt nothing. I forwarded it to my lawyer and told him to file it away. The moment I stepped through the front door, I heard the lock click behind me. The person walking in wasn’t Ethan; it was his childhood sweetheart, Maya. “After all these years, his door code is still my birthday. Chloe, what makes you think you can compete with me?” She carried the arrogance of someone who knew she was favored, looking at me with disdain. “Does guarding his door make you happy?” Maya never expected me to fight back: “Chloe, if I hadn’t gone abroad to study five years ago, you wouldn’t even be in the picture. You saw it yourself; the moment I came back, Ethan couldn’t wait to see me. If you have any self-awareness left, you should pack your bags and leave.” I dropped two slices of lemon into a glass of warm water: “If I recall correctly, Ms. Maya, you went to New York, right? That’s not that far. A five-hour flight, tops. Why are you making it sound like you were separated by life and death and had to break up?” “Five years. 1800 days. 43,800 hours. He couldn’t even spare five hours to visit you in New York once, and you dare believe he loves you? Were you conned by him?” Maya froze for a second: “How could Ethan afford a plane ticket back then? If he had the money, would you have been able to use his mother’s medical bills to force him to marry you?” “So you know. The Ethan from five years ago was just a poor guy who couldn’t even afford a $300 plane ticket.” I swirled my glass and turned around. “Now that he’s the CEO of Wright Corporation, you tell me to get out. Heh, you’re basically committing armed robbery in broad daylight.” Just as I finished speaking, police sirens wailed outside. Maya frowned: “You called the cops?” I raised my glass to her: “When you’re being robbed, any normal person would call the cops. Just so you know.” As she was being taken away by the police, she was still screaming: “Let’s see what charges you can actually pin on me!” 4 “Home invasion and attempted robbery,” I reiterated to the police officer at the station. Maya was crying beautifully: “I just had a little emotional dispute with her…” “I don’t know her. She picked the lock and broke in. That’s a felony. From what I recall, the mandatory minimum is ten years.” “Chloe! I just went back to my boyfriend’s house! And you want to send me to prison?!” Hearing “ten years,” Maya lost control. I spoke slowly and deliberately: “First of all, he is my husband. Second, the house is under my name. Ms. Maya, didn’t you just get back from New York? You should know that in America, the moment you stepped through my door, under the Castle Doctrine, I could have shot you dead, and it would be self-defense.” “Chloe!” A man’s furious, low roar came from behind. “What are you doing?” In the past, whenever he got angry, Chloe would shrink back. She was always terrified of upsetting him. She would swallow her pride and try to keep the peace. I am not that kind of person. “This woman broke into my house.” I raised an eyebrow. “What do you suggest I do?” Ethan turned to the police officer: “This is my wife. She misunderstood my relationship with Ms. Maya here. It’s just a domestic dispute.” He had brought a team of lawyers with him, effectively muddying the waters. Watching the police sign the mediation forms, Maya shot me a disdainful glance, the smile of a victor playing on her lips. Walking out of the police station, Maya immediately clung to Ethan like a fragile bird: “Ethan, it’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have gone to find your wife to explain the misunderstanding from the other day. I didn’t expect it to make her even angrier.” Ethan frowned: “Chloe, even if you’re jealous of her, there’s no need to be so vicious and ruin her life…” Slap! Before he could finish, I raised my hand and slapped him across the face. Ethan was stunned: “You hit me?” “So what?” I said, casually examining my nails. “I hit you because I wanted to. Do I need to schedule an appointment?” Chloe had certainly been jealous of Maya. Jealous of this despicable woman, simply because she had his tenderness. I, on the other hand, do not possess such a saintly heart. “Do you know what you did wrong? Hm?” I pinched his jaw. “I don’t care how many flings you have. When you cheat, I’ve always turned a blind eye. But this stupid woman, who doesn’t even know her place, dared to parade herself in front of me—” “You can’t even keep your little mistress in line. Tell me, how useless are you?” Maya was shocked for a moment, her voice trembling: “What mistress?” She looked at Ethan, saw him staring fixedly at me, and snapped back to reality: “…How can you treat Ethan like this? You actually hit him! Do you have any class?” She raised her hand high, aiming for me. Ethan grabbed her wrist. Slap! Before Ethan could say anything, I slapped him hard across the face again. “Take a good look. This is the woman you’re cheating with. She’s trying to hit your wife. So you like them rough and uncultured? I respect your preferences, but please don’t let her out to embarrass you and disturb the peace.” I patted Ethan’s bruised and swollen face and slowly put my black leather gloves back on: “—Lest people say the CEO of Wright Corporation is such a useless piece of trash he can’t even cheat right, falling for a vulgar idiot.” Ignoring Maya’s crying and cursing, I gracefully picked up my purse and got into my car. On the way home, the paparazzi had already edited the photos and videos of the scene outside the police station into a juicy article. I bought them a spot on the trending list. That day, the internet exploded. #WrightCorpCEOCaughtCheatingBeatenByWife in the streets shot to number one. “Holy shit, this rich wife is a badass.” “When men cheat, most women either cry or post ‘we’ll cherish what we have.’ Very few just beat up the scumbag without a word.” “But she still lost. Look how fragile the mistress is acting.” “The person above me is disgusting. In rich families, marriages are often just business arrangements; they do whatever they want. This wife clearly doesn’t care. With her money and looks, do you think she can’t find a younger, better-looking guy?” “Fucking awesome… this guy is so pathetic.” … I went into the kitchen to cook. Not long after, Ethan walked in holding his phone. He held up the photos Maya had sent me: “Is this why?” “I don’t care about the details. You don’t need to explain to me.” I leaned against the counter, arms crossed. “I only have one rule: If she shows her face in front of me again, I’ll hit you again. My demands aren’t high. Just keep your people in check.” “When are you going to stop being so unreasonable?! I already told you, she and I are just…” “Shut up. I’m trying to eat, and you’re making me nauseous.” I took my plate and sat at the dining table. He followed and sat down across from me, but the space in front of him was empty. “Where’s mine?” Ethan glared at me angrily. He had a bad stomach. Chloe had spent a lot of time trying to nurse him back to health, changing the menu every meal to make it healthy and delicious. “I only made enough for myself.” I held my glass of milk, taking a satisfying sip. “Could you not sit in front of me? Your bruised face is ruining my appetite.” Ethan tossed his phone aside and slumped back in his chair, his face dark. Great. Throwing a temper tantrum, huh? I picked up my plate and went upstairs to watch a show. Downstairs, I heard the sound of pots and pans smashing. Ethan hated Chloe. Because Chloe had said: “As long as I can marry you, I can endure anything.” So he would often bring women home, making her listen to their all-night escapades from outside the door. She would cry and endure it, believing everything was her fault and this was her deserved punishment. On the surface, she had to maintain the dignity of Mrs. Wright, preserving a marriage riddled with holes. When he cheated, she didn’t dare interfere. If she showed the slightest hint of displeasure, it would draw his mockery: “Didn’t you say you could endure anything? If you can’t, then get out.” Now, I didn’t care at all. Instead, he was the one losing his mind. I turned the music up to the max, eating my hot meal and watching my show in my room. He couldn’t handle just this? This was only the beginning. 5 A few days later, Ethan’s secretary, Liam, called me: “Madam, Mr. Wright’s stomach is hurting. He asked you to come over.” “I’m at the spa. I don’t have time.” Rejected, Liam paused for a second: “He’s really in a lot of pain…” “If he’s sick, take him to a doctor. What do you need me for?” I could faintly hear Ethan’s voice through the receiver. Liam laughed nervously: “Mr. Wright says every time his stomach hurts, eating your porridge makes him feel better.” I hung up without hesitation. What did he think Chloe was? A chef or a miracle doctor? Before I even finished my facial, the spa manager came upstairs to tell me someone was waiting downstairs. “Who is it?” “He said his name is Liam, he’s your husband’s secretary. He looks very anxious.” “Anxious for what? Let him wait.” After my massage, I put on some light makeup and walked downstairs leisurely. Liam was standing there, looking miserable. As Ethan’s lapdog, Liam was an expert at reading the room. Since Ethan treated Chloe like dirt, he followed suit. Whenever he had to deliver something, he deliberately made things difficult. Once, while Ethan was fooling around with women in his office, Liam told Chloe outside: “Madam, a smart person knows when to back off. Mr. Wright is indeed hungry right now, but he doesn’t want your food. If you go in there and make a scene, it won’t do anyone any good. It’ll only make him hate you more.” Saying that, he threw Chloe’s carefully prepared bento box into the trash. “Alright, if there’s nothing else, Madam, please leave.” It was raining heavily that day. Chloe was distracted on her way back and got into a car accident. That was how she lost her first child. The Liam from back then was so arrogant; now he looked so pathetic. His clothes were covered in food stains, and there was even grease in his hair. “Well, Secretary Liam, what happened to you?” I asked, gracefully descending the gilded staircase. Seeing me, Liam’s eyes lit up: “I’m here to take you to the company.” “Did you take him to the doctor?” “Mr. Wright refused to go…” He glanced at me. “He’s in a very bad mood lately.” “What, he was in such a bad mood he threw food at your head? Aren’t you his most trusted confidant?” Liam pressed his lips together: “You used to take such good care of his diet, Madam. He won’t eat the takeout we order. We tried every restaurant nearby, and he said none of them tasted right. It’s already 2 PM, and Mr. Wright hasn’t eaten anything yet.” “Which place did you order from?” Looking at his confused expression, I held out my hand. “Give me your phone.” I ordered the exact same meal Liam had ordered, without changing a thing. When we arrived at the company, the food had just arrived. I carried it upstairs. As I pushed the door open, a project proposal came flying at me: “What is this garbage?!” I looked at the stormy atmosphere in the office: “Should I wait until you’re done yelling?” Seeing me, Ethan instinctively loosened his tie, turned his head away, and quieted down, staring blankly at his computer screen. The terrified subordinate shot me a grateful look: “Then I won’t disturb you, Mr. Wright, Madam.” “Get out,” Ethan said calmly. I placed the takeout on the desk, threw myself onto the sofa, and started playing on my phone. Ethan immediately noticed something was off: “Bought from outside?” “I was at the spa.” “I don’t like this stuff,” Ethan said, his face cold. “Outside food is dirty. It makes my stomach hurt.” “Then call someone else.” I looked around the room. “You have everything here—a bedroom, a private kitchen. There are plenty of people willing to cook for you.” Realizing what I was hinting at, Ethan walked over briskly and snatched my phone: “Are you still mad? Because of Maya, you’re not even going to feed me now?” I laughed. All this over just Maya? “You never seemed to like it before. Now that I don’t want to cook anymore, you’re begging for it. Are you going to eat it or not? If not, I’m taking it away.” Ethan glared at me fiercely, went back to his desk, and started eating in sullen silence. He frowned, forcing it down. Putting on a show for me. But I just watched coldly. When I took the trash out, Liam looked like he’d seen a ghost: “I’ll take that, I’ll take that…” The exact same meal. When I gave it to him, Ethan ate it. This was a situation he had never anticipated. I said lightly: “From now on, order him takeout every day at noon.” “This…” “Just tell him I ordered it.” The way Liam looked at me changed, filling with awe: “Even though Mr. Wright has had women around him all these years, I can tell you’re the only one in his heart.” I couldn’t help but laugh: “Don’t give me that flattery. It’s not funny, it’s just gross.” Even at a time like this. Ethan only cared about whether Chloe made him food. He didn’t think about whether her wrist, where she slit it, hurt when she had to lift a heavy pan. That’s not what having someone in your heart looks like. Chloe had put him on too high a pedestal. He was used to looking past her, yet expected her to be there unconditionally. 6 Half a month later, it was Ethan’s mother’s birthday. He threw her a lavish banquet. I hadn’t planned on going, but hearing that many prominent figures in the city would be there, I decided to make an appearance. Seeing that old woman was bad enough. But standing next to her was Maya. Bad luck truly comes in pairs. Dressed like a modest, sweet girl, Maya was sitting in my seat. When she saw me, she stood up: “I’m sorry, Chloe. I was just catching up with Mrs. Wright. We haven’t seen each other in a long time.” “You just sit right there; we haven’t finished chatting. Don’t you like the house I’m living in right now? I’ll transfer the deed to your name tomorrow.” The old woman didn’t even glance at me, instead pulling Maya by the hand. She was wearing a bracelet. It wasn’t expensive, but it was an heirloom of the Wright family. Chloe had always wanted it. Ethan’s mother had said she’d get it over her dead body. Wearing that bracelet, Maya sat back down with a clear conscience: “Chloe, you see, Mrs. Wright asked me to sit here.” “Does taking other people’s things feel that good?” I pulled out a chair and sat down gracefully across from them. “Or do you just enjoy the feeling of constantly winning through competition? That’s a sign of low self-esteem. It means deep down, you despise yourself and can only find a sense of existence through this sick behavior—you should go see a psychiatrist.” I pulled out Dr. Miller’s business card and slid it across the table. Maya was stunned: “Chloe, I know you have a misunderstanding about me. But I was practically raised by Mrs. Wright, and Ethan and I grew up together. I just sat in your seat, and you tell me I’m sick. Isn’t that going too far?” “The internet says much worse things. They call you a homewrecker, a shameless bitch destroying another woman’s family. But you seem fine with it; you don’t even try to avoid suspicion. Do you enjoy the feeling of being despised by everyone?—That’s also a pathology. It means deep down, you agree with and cater to those opinions. You have a strong tendency for self-destruction. You need to see a psychiatrist.” Maya didn’t understand why I kept bringing it back to psychiatrists. It was completely different from her plan to anger me. Furious and embarrassed, she quickly glanced at the business card. Ethan’s mother tore the card up: “What homewrecker? Who’s the real homewrecker here? If it weren’t for you scheming to force Ethan to marry you, Maya would be my daughter-in-law. What right do you have to tell her what to do?” Her voice was very loud. People around us started looking over. I poured a glass of red wine, smiling slightly: “What scheming did I do, hm? Was it the kind of scheming where I spent a million dollars to save your life while you were lying in the ICU?” At the time, Chloe had been chasing Ethan for two years. Ethan was indifferent; there wasn’t much love, but they got along peacefully. When his mother got into an accident, Chloe didn’t hesitate to pull out the life-saving funds. But her condition was that Ethan had to marry her. As long as Ethan married her, the company would be his, and he wouldn’t have to pay back the money. Her original intention was to show them her sincerity. She ran around the hospital, tending to the old woman hand and foot until she was discharged. But because her kindness came with a condition. Ethan and his mother treated her like an enemy. Ethan’s mother treated her even worse, like she was cheap goods delivering herself to their door. Her son deserved better. She huffed: “It was just a million dollars! What’s the big deal? Ethan has money now. We’ll pay you back your million dollars, and you divorce him.” I swirled my wine glass: “What you owe me isn’t a million dollars. That million dollars, back then, bought your life. So if you really want to pretend none of this ever happened, sure—you die right now, and I’ll divorce him right now.” Ethan’s mother’s eyes went wide: “What did you say?! Say that again!!” I lazily lifted my eyelids: “You die right now, and I’ll divorce him right now. Which word didn’t you understand, hm?” Maya slammed the table and pointed at me: “Today is Mrs. Wright’s birthday! How dare you curse an elder like this! Do you have no upbringing?!” “Whether an elder deserves respect depends on the person. Normally ungrateful, using my love for Ethan to arrogantly make demands of me, I put up with it. But today, with so many people here, so many eyes watching, she actually tries to pimp for her son. Is this how an elder should act?” I casually raised my glass to the people around us. “I apologize for letting everyone see this family drama.” Some people were recording the whole thing on their phones. Perfect. I don’t mind buying another spot on the trending list to show everyone the true colors of this family. Before I could lower my glass, my wrist was grabbed. “Chloe, when are you going to fix this habit of going crazy every time you see Maya?!” Ethan hauled me up. “Apologize to my mother!” “Mom? She’s not my mom. My mom wouldn’t forbid me from coming home for Thanksgiving, leaving me to eat food that I’m allergic to, all by myself. “My mom wouldn’t refuse to even look at me after my miscarriage, calling you in the middle of the night to keep her company, saying that if I couldn’t have kids, you should find someone else. “My mom certainly wouldn’t scheme to find out how sick I was, when I was going to die, what relatives I had left, and who my house would go to. “And my mom passed away a long time ago; she wouldn’t be here celebrating a birthday. If my mom were alive, you, Ethan, wouldn’t have even been allowed through our door, let alone have your mother rise in status because of you.” “Listen to what she’s saying! Ah?! Since you don’t know how to discipline your wife, I’ll do it for you!” The woman surnamed Wright lunged forward with red eyes to slap me. It only took a few words to force this vulgar country bumpkin to reveal her true colors. Ethan yelled for someone to stop his mother. I tried to pull my hand away from Ethan’s grasp. But he wouldn’t let go. In his increasingly wet eyes, I smiled, prying his fingers open one by one: “Ms. Wright, I used to give you some face, out of respect for your son.” “Now, I don’t even want your son anymore. You don’t need to try so hard to act all high and mighty in front of me.” I left behind the furious Ms. Wright and Ethan, who stood frozen in place, and walked out of the banquet with a light step. If you draw a circle with a wet finger around an ant, it can’t smell its own pheromones and can never find its way out. It will just wander around inside that little circle. Chloe had trapped herself exactly like this, associating with a pack of ungrateful wolves. The best way not to lose a game is to leave the table. If there’s someone you hate in your life, make them roll out of your life. The world is so big; they aren’t worth it.

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The “innocent” starlet posted a cryptic photo of a marriage certificate: “Some people are just bottom-feeders trying to reach for the stars.” Me: ? The billionaire titan of industry laughed as he looked at me: “This pretty boy Elias is supposed to be my competition?” He flipped his phone and posted a selfie that instantly nuked the trending charts: “Stop sending random nobodies to clout-chase my wife.” 1 “Serena Vance is married!” The moment I opened my eyes, I was blinded by a viral headline and a phone vibrating with a hundred missed calls from my manager. I was stunned. I didn’t understand what was happening. When did the news of my secret marriage leak? I scrolled through Twitter. A minute later, I was staring at a photo of a stunningly handsome man on my own profile, then looked at the real version—Silas Thorne—who was currently looking at me with a pouting, “wronged” expression. “I couldn’t stand them lying about you,” he muttered. “I won’t let every random nobody try to claim my wife.” Last night, several gossip accounts had gone viral with a photo of me and the reigning movie star, Elias Sterling, meeting at night. They started a massive campaign claiming I was the “other woman” in the relationship between Elias and the popular young actress, Mia Dupont. The truth was, Elias and I were just cast in the same upcoming film. He asked to meet to discuss the script. I went. We talked for fifteen minutes and went our separate ways. But in the hands of the tabloids, I was a homewrecker. To make matters worse, Mia Dupont, the “victim” and Elias’s girlfriend, had posted a statement. Mia Dupont V: “I trust Elias completely. We are stronger than ever, but I suppose we can’t stop people with… hidden agendas.” Elias replied underneath: “Thank you for your trust, baby.” Their interaction basically confirmed the rumor: I was the one trying to seduce Elias Sterling. Good lord. They were using me as a stepping stone for clout. Silas had woken up earlier than me. He’d seen the trends and countered by posting a selfie of his own gorgeous face on my account. My manager, Valerie Grant, called again. The second I picked up, I felt a powerful, muscular arm wrap around my waist. He bit my ear. “Stop it!” I hissed. The line went silent for a second, then Valerie’s voice erupted in a scream: “Did you just tell me to stop?! Serena, have you lost your mind? Have you seen the internet?!” “Sorry, Valerie, I wasn’t talking to you.” I glared at the man next to me, but he just buried his face in my chest and rubbed against me. “Wife, don’t be mad. I just didn’t want you to feel small.” His voice was husky and deep. My anger dissolved instantly. I hung up before Valerie could scream again. I stared at Silas. He was the most powerful man in the city, but right now, he was just a clingy husband. I was a “love-to-hate” actress. I only played the high-glamour villains, which meant I had an army of haters who thought I was just playing myself. Silas and I had been married for two years. He had offered to help my career a dozen times, but I always refused. I wanted to make it on my own. But now… I looked at the comments under the post he made. “Where did Serena rent this guy? How much per night? I want one.” “She’s never been seen with a guy before. This is a total fake. Who believes this?” “Serena’s PR team is so stupid. This is hilarious.” “He’s actually hot… probably photoshopped though.” “Who would be gross enough to help Serena Vance fake a marriage for money?” They could insult me all they wanted, but I wasn’t going to let them insult my husband. I grabbed my phone and started typing replies to the haters. “How many years did you pickle your mouth to get it that bitter?” “Did you fail the ‘Basic Decency’ test or were you just born that way?” “You look like someone who barks for a living.” Unsurprisingly, “Serena Vance Claps Back” hit the trending charts again. 2 The internet exploded. Valerie stormed into my apartment, radiating murderous energy. The moment she saw Silas Thorne, her anger vanished like a puff of smoke. “Hi. I’m Silas Thorne.” He looked better in person than in the photo. Valerie stared at him, her eyes practically turning into hearts. “H-hello… I’m Valerie, Serena’s manager. Here’s my card!” She turned to him with professional greed. “You have a face made for Hollywood! Mr. Thorne, have you considered acting? I could make you an A-lister in six months! No, three!” Silas gave her a cold, distant smile. “No, thank you.” He turned toward the kitchen. “Wife, I’m making breakfast.” Valerie finally looked at me. “Explain! Now! Since when are you married?!” “Two years.” “Two years?!” Valerie’s voice hit a high C. “Do you know how hard it is for a married actress to maintain a brand? Especially when your reputation is already… complicated!” “I know.” “And you just posted him? I’ve been your manager for so long and I find out via Twitter? You’ve hidden this so well, I’m almost impressed.” “It’s okay, Valerie. If you’d found out later, the secret would’ve been even older.” “Why did you start a war with the netizens?!” “They can come for me, but they can’t come for my husband.” Valerie pinched the bridge of her nose. Once she calmed down, she dropped the bomb. “Your engagement is higher than it’s ever been. The agency wants to cash in. They’re signing you and your ‘mystery husband’ for a couple’s reality show.” “No way!” Let the CEO of the Thorne Empire do a reality show? I wasn’t insane. “If you refuse, the agency will sue for breach of contract. Can you afford that payout?” I was about to argue when Silas walked out of the kitchen. “A reality show? Sure. Why not?” “I want to see what my wife’s ‘work’ actually looks like.” Valerie beamed. Before she left, she warned me: “Elias Sterling and Mia Dupont are also on the cast. They aren’t good people, and you’re as stubborn as a mule. Watch your back.” 3 The news that Silas and I were joining Elias and Mia on a reality show took over the headlines. The netizens were ruthless. “Oh look, the ‘Photoshop Man’ is going on TV. The director must be desperate. That photo was clearly filtered to death.” “If he actually looks like that, there’s no way he’s with Serena.” “Serena is pretty, I’ll give her that. Better than Mia, honestly.” “Pretty doesn’t matter when your personality is trash. She probably hired this guy to play the part.” I was worried about Silas being on camera. He just laughed. “Not many people in the public know what I look like. What? Is your husband not presentable?” I rolled my eyes. 4 Filming started three days later. The show was a livestream. The comments scrolled in real-time on a massive screen that all the guests could see. When the camera hit Silas, the chat went dead silent for a second, then moved so fast it was a blur. “Holy sh*t! He’s actually that handsome! Where did she find him?!” “He looks better than Elias… I think I’m switching teams.” “Serena, move over! Let me have him!” We sat on the sofa. Elias Sterling stood up and offered a hand to Silas. “Hi, I’m Elias Sterling.” Silas barely glanced at him. He gripped Elias’s hand, his lips curling into a sharp, predatory smile. “Silas Thorne.” Elias turned pale. He tried to pull his hand back, but it wouldn’t budge. I knew Silas was getting revenge for me. I felt a gaze boring into the side of my head. It was Mia Dupont. She walked over and whispered in my ear: “Where did you hire the fake? He’s hot, I’ll give you that… but money is power in this town. You’re dating an extra while I’m dating a king. Are you ready to fall off the A-list?” She pulled back with a sweet, camera-ready smile. “I’m so happy to be on this show with you, Serena! Let’s be besties, okay?” The chat loved it. “Mia is such a saint. She’s so nice even to a homewrecker.” “If I were Mia, I’d have scratched Serena’s eyes out. Mia is too kind for this industry.” Silas put an arm around my shoulder and looked at me. “Serena, when did your taste get so bad? Why would you ever let a random stray dog like that bother you?” I leaned into him. “Don’t say that. Dogs are loyal. Some people aren’t.” “My bad. You’re right.” Their little routine made Elias and Mia’s faces turn various shades of purple. 5 The other guests arrived: a teen idol named Leo and a pop star named Chloe. They were an official couple. The director announced: “The first challenge takes place in this luxury estate. This mansion was generously provided by Mia Dupont.” As we walked in, looking at the marble floors and gold accents, Chloe gasped. “Oh my god! This is incredible! Mia, are you a secret billionaire?” I stood in the foyer, looking at the familiar decor. I looked at Silas. One of the crew members walked over to a vase in the corner and gasped. “Is this… a Ming Dynasty vase?” The chat went wild. “I recognize that! That vase was sold at an elite auction to the CEO of the Vance Group for two million dollars! What is it doing in Mia’s house?” “Mia Dupont is a Vance? Incredible!” “So Mia is the real deal. Serena is just a fake.” The director asked Mia: “Mia, can you explain the vase? And this mansion?” Mia acted coy. “Well, I didn’t want to brag. This house belongs to my family. My father is the head of the Vance Group. I just use my mother’s surname for work.” She winked at the camera. “Please keep it a secret, guys!” Me: … She really went there. I tilted my head, mimicking her “innocent” look. “Is this really your house, Mia?” The chat attacked me instantly. “Serena is so jealous! She can’t stand that Mia is rich.” “Wait, Serena’s last name is Vance too. Is she related?” “Don’t be stupid. ‘Vance’ is a common name. She’s just a hater.” Mia looked at me, hurt. “Serena, if you have a problem with me, just say it. You don’t have to be so passive-aggressive.” Chloe added, “Yeah, Serena. Don’t be so bitter. If this wasn’t Mia’s house, how could we be filming here?” I felt Silas’s eyes narrow. I grabbed the hem of his sleeve and shook my head. Not yet. I wanted to see how far she’d go.

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When I was five years old, my dad got called back to the office and told my older brother to take me home. Instead, my brother got into a fight with some other kids, leaving me completely alone, and I was kidnapped. Three years later, egged on by my brother, my parents adopted another girl. Seven years after that, the police finally brought me home. Due to severe, long-term malnutrition, I was painfully thin and frail. The adopted girl clung to my mother’s arm and whispered, “Why is she so dirty? She doesn’t look like your daughter at all.” From that day on, my parents couldn’t stand the sight of me. Ultimately, I was bullied to death by that adopted girl, and my parents chose to settle the case out of court. When I opened my eyes again, I was standing at the front gate of our yard, watching my brother being stuffed into a burlap sack. Since natural-born monsters get kidnapped, in this lifetime, I’ll pick out the brother I actually want. 1 When I opened my eyes, I was four years old again. My parents had taken my brother and me back to our rural hometown to sweep the ancestral tombs. And my brother and I ran straight into the human traffickers. In my past life, my brother was snatched first because he was playing right by the front gate. I hid in the firewood pile, remaining perfectly calm as I used my smartwatch to take a clear picture of the trafficker’s face. The moment they left, I immediately called 911 and then ran to the neighbors for help. Because I called the police so quickly, the traffickers were caught within five hours, and my brother was brought home safely. I saved his life, but when he got back, he shoved me hard. “You were right there in the yard! Why did you hide instead of saving me?!” My forehead smashed into the corner of a table, leaving a scar that stayed with me for the rest of my life. My parents brushed it off as kids just playing rough. I was too young to understand why my brother suddenly hated me. Then, when I was five, my parents’ company finally started making real money. They were too busy to pick me up from kindergarten, so they called my brother to get me. Instead, he ditched me at the school gate, glaring at me viciously. “Walk home by yourself. And don’t you dare snitch to Mom and Dad.” I nodded obediently, watching him excitedly round up his delinquent friends to go start a street fight. The very next second, a trafficker threw a sack over my head and dragged me away. I didn’t make it back home until I was twelve. By then, I realized there was no place left for me in that house. My brother had convinced my parents to adopt a girl named Chloe. He protected her fiercely. Chloe despised me from day one. “Where did this ugly little rat come from? You think you deserve to be my sister?” From that day on, I lived a life of relentless bullying at the hands of my own brother and Chloe. When I was eighteen, on the morning of my SATs, Chloe turned off my alarm clock, and my brother slipped sleeping pills into my drink. I missed the most important exam of my life. My parents immediately slapped me across the face. “If you can’t even manage your own schedule, what use are you?!” By the time I was twenty-four, my life was finally turning around. My small business was starting to boom. My brother and Chloe teamed up and bankrupted me overnight. So you see, why on earth would I save an animal like him? I’d be better off taking a nap. At least in my dreams, someone might choose to love me. Right now, I absolutely refuse to be stupid enough to make the same choice again. I remained hidden in the firewood pile, coldly powering off my smartwatch. Through the gaps in the wood, I watched Liam’s mouth get taped shut before he was tossed into a three-foot-tall burlap sack. The traffickers threw him in their van and sped off. I slowly crawled out of the firewood pile, washed my flawless little face until it was perfectly clean, and walked back inside the house. I took off the smartwatch, stood on my tiptoes, and placed it on the table. Then, I crawled into bed and fell fast asleep. Liam was kidnapped. What does that have to do with me? 2 “Penny, wake up. Where’s your brother? “Mrs. Miller next door said she saw you two playing together this afternoon. Where is he now?” Kids really are heavy sleepers. In my past life, from the moment I returned to this “home,” I never had a single good night’s sleep. It was rare to sleep this soundly. I rubbed my sleepy eyes, my face full of confusion. “What are Mommy and Daddy talking about? Liam said he was going up the mountain to find you guys this afternoon.” My mom shot a look at my dad, and both their faces instantly went pale. Not long after, I heard police sirens wailing in the distance, echoing through the village. Several people were whispering anxiously in the courtyard. Mrs. Miller shouted her answer to the police. “I don’t know! I saw the boy this afternoon, but I haven’t seen him since!” My mom frantically rubbed my head. “Penny, be a good girl. Go eat your dinner by yourself. Mommy and Daddy have to go out for a bit, okay?” I nodded obediently. My parents rushed out to talk to the police. I followed them for a few steps and stood in the courtyard. The police asked me a few simple questions, and I just gave them vague, childish answers. My mom was just sobbing hysterically. “Where is my Liam? Where is he?” They got no useful information. The police hurried off, beginning a massive search of the entire village. Unfortunately, it was too late. It had already been five hours since he was taken. Liam, you’d better stay alive. Whatever you do, don’t die. I stared deeply into the starry sky above the fields. Then I turned around and went inside to eat dinner. 3 The police investigation yielded nothing. Exhausted and broken, my parents took me back to the city. I was quiet, obedient, and well-behaved—infinitely more likable than my brother ever was. They seemed to gradually forget Liam even existed. From going to the police station once a month for updates, it eventually became once a year just to check in. I am now seven years old. A while ago, my mom actually had some free time and took me to an amusement park. But because her company was busy, she took a phone call and just walked away, almost getting me kidnapped again. Afterward, she suggested adopting a child to keep me company. Perfect. Since my demon spawn of a brother was successfully kidnapped, in this lifetime, I get to pick the exact brother I want. My parents took me to the largest orphanage in the city. Seeing my parents dripping in designer clothes, the orphanage director happily handed them a binder filled with profiles of the children available for adoption. My parents flipped through the pages, nodding constantly in satisfaction. The director had a staff member take me to the play area, then escorted my parents to meet the children they had selected. Once I was dropped off, the staff member had to leave to handle something else. The playground slides were fine for amusing a toddler. But for someone with the mental age of a twenty-something, it was painfully boring. I stretched my short little legs and started wandering around the orphanage grounds. As I walked past an outdoor equipment shed, I heard the sound of cursing coming from behind it. I peeked around the corner and saw a group of kids surrounding a boy, kicking and hitting him. A girl with her back to me had a particularly shrill, grating voice. “Beat him to death! Ever since he got here, every family that comes to adopt specifically asks for him! We never get a chance!” “Haha, what are you scared of? He got adopted last time and was sent back in a week.” “Exactly! He cursed his own biological parents to death! He’s a jinx!” I hid in a concealed corner. I couldn’t see the boy curled up on the ground. But I got a crystal-clear look at the girl leading the pack. She was a head shorter than me, a bit chubby, with a dark complexion. The kids beating the boy didn’t notice me spying at all, continuing to crowd around the girl excitedly. “Chloe, I heard a really rich family came today! We have to block him in here, or we’ll lose our chance again!” The girl they called “Chloe” looked young, but her expression was unusually vicious. She viciously kicked the boy on the ground in the stomach. “Don’t worry! This time, it has to be me!” My heart jolted. I stared dead at “Chloe’s” profile, recognizing her face perfectly. Chloe! It was actually her! 4 The memory of her framing me in my past life was still burned vividly into my mind. Since the moment I was reborn, I swore that in this lifetime, I would make her and Liam suffer a fate worse than death. But I never expected to run into her here. Seeing Chloe rear back to kick the boy again, I frantically rushed out. I kept my head down, refusing to look at her, acting like a panicked, lost child. “C-Chloe, a family is here to adopt! The director told me to come get you!” “They must be here to adopt me!” Chloe’s eyes lit up instantly, and she immediately bolted toward the main building. As she brushed past me, she slammed into my shoulder like a bear. Then she froze, staring dead at my wrist. “Where did you get that thing on your wrist?” I looked down at the smartwatch I had deliberately exposed, my face a mask of pure terror. For the kids in this orphanage, having a basic digital watch was a luxury. Where would they have ever seen a high-end smartwatch? But just because she had never seen one didn’t mean Chloe couldn’t tell it was expensive. I instantly started trembling and shrinking back, but Chloe and the other kids quickly pinned me down. “I-I-I… the lady who was looking for the director just gave it to me.” “Gave it to you? Impossible! She definitely told you to give it to me, and you tried to keep it for yourself!” “S-sorry, sorry! It was supposed to be for Chloe! I remembered wrong!” My voice shook perfectly. Satisfied, Chloe grabbed my wrist and violently yanked the smartwatch off. Then, like a gust of wind, she sprinted away. All I could smell was the sour, unwashed stench coming off her clothes. It was disgusting. Once the other kids scattered, I quickly rushed forward to help the boy who had been curled up on the ground protecting his head. I couldn’t tell exactly how old he was. His face was sallow, his body incredibly frail and thin. From his calves to his arms, all the way up to his forehead, he was covered in bruises of all sizes. “Are you okay, big brother?” I helped him up, my eyes turning a bit red. The boy actually panicked first. He stiffly patted my back, trying awkwardly to comfort me. “I’m not hurt.” Saying that, he hesitantly pulled his hand out of his jacket. In his tightly clenched fist were pieces of a crushed, stale piece of bread. “Little sister, I’ll give you something yummy if you smile, okay?” I let out a sudden, wet laugh. How could he be so painfully earnest? The bruises on his body were turning dark purple. His hair and clothes were covered in dirt. He was so thin his cheeks were hollow, and his cheekbones stuck out sharply. But even looking like that, his eyes were incredibly bright and clear. I carefully pinched a crumb of the crushed bread and placed it on my tongue. “It’s delicious.” Seeing that I liked it, the boy tried to shove the rest of the crumbs into my hand. I carefully cupped my hands and held it up to his face. “You eat some too.” “I’m not hungry.” He swallowed hard, but stubbornly shook his head. I had to practically trick and coax him into sharing the meager crumbs with me. I tugged on his sleeve. “Big brother, what’s your name?” “Kieran. I’m Kieran. I’m a jinx.” “No, Kieran is so nice. You’re not a jinx.” I looked at him with bright, shining eyes. “Kieran, do you want to eat yummy food every day and never get bullied again?” Kieran nodded earnestly. “I want to.” I grabbed his hand and started walking toward the front courtyard. “Then come with me.” Well-behaved. Honest. And he hated Chloe just as much as I did. He was the absolute perfect candidate to be my new brother. 5 When I got back to the play area, a crowd of people had already gathered. My mom saw me and immediately rushed over to hug me: “Penny, where did you go?! You scared Mommy half to death! “What happened? Why are your clothes and hair such a mess?” Because my mom rushed over, Kieran immediately let go of my hand. I looked back, and he had already vanished into the background. I sighed internally. He really was too well-behaved for his own good. I immediately turned on the waterworks. “Mommy—someone bullied me! She stole my watch, kicked me, and pulled my hair!” My mom looked at my “bird’s nest” hair, which I had deliberately messed up, complete with streaks of mud. The red marks on my wrist where the watch was yanked off were glaringly obvious. My dad instantly exploded in rage, his voice dangerously low as he glared at the orphanage director. “What the hell is going on here?! Is this how your orphanage raises children?!” “I-I-I… I have no idea what happened!” The director was trembling. The scene was pure chaos. My mom held me, trying to soothe me, while I pointed right at Chloe and sobbed out my grievances. “It was her! I saw her bullying someone else, and then she stole my watch! “All the other kids call her Chloe!” My mom shot an icy glare at Chloe, then looked back at the director. “Originally, I thought this child seemed quite nice. But looking at her now, she’s far from nice. She’s a complete nightmare! “The fact that your orphanage breeds children who terrorize the weak like this genuinely terrifies me!” Chloe, who had been holding a gift bag my mom bought for the kids, instantly panicked. “No! Sister, look closely! It wasn’t me!” I called out her name without hesitation, and she was literally wearing my smartwatch on her wrist. This was more than enough proof that we had crossed paths, and that Chloe was the culprit. No one was listening to her pathetic excuses now. My mom rubbed my head, her voice soft and comforting. “Penny, be a good girl. It’s Mommy’s fault. Mommy made a terrible mistake. “Mommy will find Penny a brand new playmate, okay?” I shook my head, wriggled out of my mom’s arms, spun around the room, and accurately grabbed the hem of Kieran’s shirt. “Mommy, I want this big brother.” I smiled and said, “He protected me just now. I like him.” “No! Sister, I’m your sister! Mommy already decided! I’m going to be your sister!” Seeing that my mom was about to nod in agreement, Chloe suddenly lunged out of the crowd, violently grabbing my wrist. Just as she was about to drag me to the ground, Kieran stepped in front of me, wrapping his arms fiercely around me. Before I hit the floor, he pulled me on top of him, acting as a human shield. No matter how furiously Chloe pulled at me and begged, Kieran kept me tightly protected in his arms. By the time the furious director finally dragged Chloe away, my parents were looking at her with absolute disgust. “Director Lee, if you let a child this unstable and aggressive continue unchecked, it’s going to severely impact your orphanage’s reputation in the future. “Our family has made our decision. We are adopting this little boy. “Also, after causing such a massive incident and terrifying my daughter like this, I expect you to give my family a proper explanation, Director Lee.” The director glared at Chloe, who was still screaming and crying, and awkwardly nodded in agreement. I quickly pulled Kieran up and checked to make sure he hadn’t hit his head. Once I was sure he was okay, I let out a long sigh of relief. Kieran awkwardly gripped the hem of his shirt. “I-I didn’t know you were… you were…” This kid was way too sincere. I leaned in close and whispered in Kieran’s ear. “Kieran, no one blames you. “Don’t worry, big brother. From now on, I’ll protect you. No one will ever dare bully you again.” Kieran looked even more nervous for a second. “Okay, I-I’ll protect you too.” 6 Kieran was three years older than me, and my parents were incredibly satisfied with him. We started going to school together. Because Kieran had grown up in the orphanage, his academic foundation was very weak. But he was incredibly smart. After the private tutors went over a concept once, he grasped it immediately. I didn’t hide the fact that I already knew everything being taught in school. I maintained an above-average grade point average, and occasionally, when the timing was right, I’d score first in the class. Kieran, growing up alongside me, definitely noticed that my way of thinking was different from a normal child’s. But he never asked me about it. When I was eleven, we moved. Over the years, thanks to my subtle “suggestions” about emerging market trends, my parents’ company caught the wave of new media and made an absolute fortune. When people get rich, they want to climb the social ladder, and my parents were no exception. As for Liam? They wanted to find him, but at the same time, they didn’t want to find him. It was exactly like how they treated me in my past life. A child who has been wandering the streets for over a decade would have a massive gap in education, worldview, and psychological development compared to normal kids. Especially compared to Kieran and me? Kieran and I had become visibly exceptional over the years. Not only were our grades stellar, but we were also top-tier in various extracurriculars. We gave them plenty to brag about, elevating the family’s status to a whole new level in elite social circles. If Liam came back, how would they choose? This was the dilemma my parents didn’t want to face, so they deliberately avoided it. 7 Time flowed by like water. When the police finally brought Liam back to our house, I was in my second semester of freshman year in college. I had just gotten home from the university lab when I realized the entire dynamic of the house had shifted. Liam was holding my mom, sobbing so loud it could shatter glass. My mom stood there stiffly, incredibly awkward. She didn’t hug him back, nor did she speak. Because Liam looked absolutely wretched. Due to years of severe malnutrition, he was sallow and emaciated, his cheeks completely hollowed out. He was barely 5’5″. He was wearing a mud-splattered construction uniform, and a battered hard hat sat on our expensive marble coffee table. When Chloe saw me walk in, she immediately rushed over, taking my coat from the maid. “Sister, you’re home.” I glanced at her but didn’t say a word. The year my family adopted Kieran, the orphanage was shut down. It was exposed that the orphanage had been neglecting the children long-term, even subjecting them to physical abuse. When the scandal broke that year, it caused a massive public outcry. With nowhere to go, Chloe was forced into illegal child labor. I didn’t even need to arrange it; her life became an absolute nightmare all on its own. So, when she turned eighteen, I “kindly” threw a few breadcrumbs her way. Hoping to turn the page on what happened at the orphanage, Chloe didn’t suspect a thing. She just assumed I felt guilty. Her ambitions were certainly not small. She constantly tried to suck up to my family, affectionately calling me “Sister” at every opportunity. I never rejected it, but I never explicitly accepted it either. I was just waiting for today. Sure enough, hearing Chloe call me “Sister,” Liam’s eyes went wide. He looked at my mom in absolute disbelief. “Mom, who is she? “Do you not love me anymore? Is that why you stopped looking for me all these years?” Liam cried so hard his tears and snot rubbed off on my mom’s designer dress. My mom shot a look at the maid, who immediately stepped forward and gently pulled Liam back. “Young Master Liam, Madam is very tired today. Now is not the time for this. Why don’t I take you upstairs to change into some clean clothes?” My mom smiled benevolently. “Liam, we can talk about everything later. Go upstairs first.” Chloe tried to keep talking, but I gave her a pointed look, and she obediently followed them upstairs. “Auntie, Sister Penny, I’ll go up and help my brother.” My mom let out a long sigh of relief and pulled me to sit down next to her. “Penny, your brother finally made it home. Why don’t you look happy?” I let out a dry, forced chuckle in my head. I’m not the one who’s unhappy. You’re the one who’s miserable and trying to project it onto me. But I had to keep up appearances. I lowered my eyes, forcing a strained smile. “Mom, I’m very happy my brother is back. “But Mom, what are you and Dad going to do about Kieran?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “422571”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

On the subway to work, I overheard an old woman bragging to another older lady. “Girls these days are so easy,” she scoffed. “I just taught my son to put in a tiny bit of effort—like making them a cup of hot tea when it’s their time of the month, or bringing them an umbrella when it rains. And boom, these shameless women throw themselves at him. Thanks to my methods, my son is juggling eight girlfriends right now.” Hiding behind the crowd, listening to her, I felt sick to my stomach. I silently took eight seconds to mourn for those eight poor “sisters.” I never expected that the very next day, I’d be going to meet the parents of my boyfriend of three years. Unless I was suddenly blind, the old lady standing in front of me was the exact same woman who had been bragging on the subway about her son’s eight girlfriends. And I had become one of those “shameless women with interchangeable parts” she had sneered about. 1 Because my car was unexpectedly in the shop for maintenance, I took the subway that day so I wouldn’t be late for work. On the train, an old lady was loudly bragging to another older woman. “Girls these days are so easy. I just taught my son to put in a tiny bit of effort—like making them a cup of hot tea when it’s their time of the month, or bringing them an umbrella when it rains. And boom, these shameless women throw themselves at him, one after another. Thanks to my methods, my son is juggling eight girlfriends right now.” “Let me tell you, raising a son is all about strategy,” she continued. “Whenever my son doesn’t listen to me, I warn him, ‘I’m the one who got you all these women. If you don’t listen, I’ll stop helping you.’ He gets so scared he does whatever I say. I always tell him, every woman has the same parts anyway, so he’ll definitely find one he likes.” I was hiding behind the crowd, listening to her, and feeling physically sick. I mentally took eight seconds of silence for those eight poor girls. I never expected that the very next day, I’d be going to meet the parents of Carter, my boyfriend of three years. The moment I stepped through the door, I was startled by the old lady standing in front of me. Unless I was suddenly blind, the old lady standing in front of me was the exact same woman who had been bragging on the subway about her son’s eight girlfriends. And I had become one of those “shameless women with interchangeable parts” she had sneered about. 2 As soon as I stepped into Carter’s house, his mother pulled out a pair of fuzzy slippers and insisted on putting them on my feet herself. “You must be Harper. You’re so beautiful.” I quickly took two steps back, dodging the old woman’s hands. Feigning calmness, I greeted her: “Hello, Mrs. Hayes.” Carter’s mother beamed instantly, looking extremely satisfied with me. The moment I sat down on the sofa, the old woman was bustling about, bringing me fruit and handing me a cup of milk tea. “I heard you young people love drinking this stuff. I thought the store-bought ones were unsanitary, so I looked up a tutorial online and made it myself. Try it quickly and see how it tastes.” I looked at the kind, amiable old lady in front of me, completely unable to reconcile her with the bitter, mean woman from the subway. I even started to doubt if I had seen the right person. Or maybe the old woman was just trying to show off in front of her friend and made it all up. After lunch, Carter’s mother pulled out a worn, dark-looking savings passbook and placed it in my hand. “Harper, there’s ten thousand dollars in here. I know your family has plenty of properties and you probably don’t care about one or two more, but the money in this passbook is my entire life savings. Now, I want you to take it and go buy a house with Carter so you two can get married.” I looked at the passbook placed in my hand, momentarily at a loss for words. First of all, the amount was too small; it wouldn’t even cover a fraction of a down payment. But if this passbook truly held her “coffin money,” as the old lady claimed, its weight far exceeded its monetary value. If it hadn’t been for that scene on the subway, I probably would have declined the money immediately, perhaps even comforting the old lady that she didn’t need to worry about a house because my family had it covered. But with that subway scene stuck in my head, something felt off. I don’t know if my silence dragged on too long, or if the old lady sensed my mood, but she suddenly grabbed my hand and tearfully pleaded: “Harper, I know it’s not a lot of money and it won’t buy a house. But you know Carter’s father passed away early. I’ve worked myself to the bone all these years just to put Carter through grad school. Even though he’s working as a software engineer at a Big Tech firm now, he’s only been there for two or three years, and his salary is still entry-level. It’s incredibly hard to buy a house in San Francisco on his own.” “How about this: you ask your parents to chip in a little first, so you guys can buy a house and get married. Don’t worry, once Carter starts making more money, I’ll have him pay your parents back.” Carter’s mother’s words sounded very considerate, but maybe I was just being sensitive. I felt like something about this whole situation stank. I looked at the old woman with feigned innocence. “Mrs. Hayes, whose names will be on the deed?” The old lady smiled and patted my hand. “Well, that goes without saying. It will obviously have both your names on it.” “Don’t worry, once you buy the house, I promise I won’t bother you two.” Those four words, “both your names,” sent a jolt through my body. First of all, the absolute worst fixer-upper in San Francisco starts at around a million dollars. Given how much my dad dotes on me, if I were getting married, he definitely wouldn’t buy a small starter home. A multi-million dollar property was the minimum. Coupled with the scene on the subway, I had my suspicions that whether it was Carter’s mother’s tears or this worn-out passbook, it was all a calculated trap set for me. 3 Although I was suspicious at Carter’s house, considering we had a three-year relationship, I still didn’t quite believe he was that kind of person. But from that day on, I started closely observing Carter’s schedule. For instance, I noticed that every time he came to my place, he smelled faintly of dampness, like he had just taken a shower. For instance, if he worked late and then came to my place, he generally had no interest in intimacy, acting exhausted. For instance, he frequently got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, and would spend an hour in there scrolling on his phone. I had never scrutinized Carter’s schedule before. I believed in mutual respect and maintaining independent space in a relationship. But what if Carter was using that time to juggle other girlfriends? Finally, one night, while Carter was in the shower, I couldn’t resist checking his phone. His text messages were very clean, with my name pinned at the top. The other contacts were either coworkers or friends, some of whom I recognized or had even met. This gave me some comfort. The only anomaly was his chat history with his mother—it was completely empty. But they had seemed so close that day. What exactly were Carter and his mother talking about that required clearing the chat history? I was just about to put the phone down when I suddenly remembered an influencer sharing a story about discovering her husband’s infidelity by checking his phone’s location history. Relying on memory, I opened the location services settings on Carter’s phone, and looking at his daily movements, I grew even more confused. First, his location history only showed him at his place, my place, and his company on the days he came to see me. The rest of the time was completely blank. Did Carter not take his phone with him when he didn’t come to see me? Just then, Carter, still drying off with a towel, walked out of the bathroom. He looked at the phone in my hand, his expression completely unchanged. He walked over and hugged me, his face full of teasing. “Find anything interesting?” I tilted my chin up haughtily. “Who knows if you men are messing around out there? I’m just checking to be safe.” Carter pursed his lips and chuckled, reaching out to gently tap the bridge of my nose. “Be good, how could I ever betray you? I love you so much.” “Besides, my phone has never had a passcode. You can check it whenever you want.” That was true. Carter had never been secretive with his phone around me. Sometimes when I used his phone to make a call or track a package, he was always completely open. So much so that I had never had the urge to check his phone before. But how could those anomalies on his phone be explained? 4 Perhaps driven by a woman’s sixth sense, the next day after work, I went to Carter’s office. Right at 6:00 PM, I saw Carter walking out of his building. The moment I saw his figure, I froze. Because Carter had just texted me saying he had to work late. Given that he was at a major tech firm, I had never doubted his “working late” excuses. I dialed Carter’s number with trembling fingers. He declined it instantly. But what surprised me more wasn’t that Carter lied about working late, but that the Carter right in front of me didn’t even reach for his phone in his pocket. Right then, Carter sent me a text. “Baby, I’m in a meeting. I’ll call you back later.” I stared at the message, the fingers gripping my phone trembling. Because at this exact moment, the Carter right in front of my eyes was waving his hand to hail a cab. I swallowed hard in fear and pulled up my old chat history with Carter. First, on the days Carter came to see me, he would be very distant via text, often replying with short phrases like “mhm” or “okay.” But on the days he didn’t see me… He would be much more enthusiastic. He would tell me jokes, send me good songs, and be incredibly attentive. Although sometimes I felt his tone was a bit old-fashioned, I just chalked it up to him being a typical clueless tech bro. But wasn’t it a huge red flag that his communication style swung between two such extremes? My nerves were taut, like something was about to burst out. I quickly drove off, tailing Carter’s cab. The cab didn’t stop until it reached the entrance of a luxury apartment complex. As soon as he got out, a young woman rushed out of the complex gates. She clung to Carter like a koala bear and showered his cheeks with kisses. Carter affectionately ruffled her hair. The two looked exactly like a deeply in love couple. I watched the scene unfold before my eyes, my eyes red and wide. Just as I was sitting there, stunned and unsure of what to do, I received another text from Carter. “Baby, don’t forget to eat dinner tonight! You’re already beautiful enough, you don’t need to diet anymore.” 5 As soon as I got home, I rushed to the bathroom and threw up in disgust. If I didn’t realize by now that Carter and his mother were playing me, I’d be the biggest idiot in the world. If my guess was right, the person texting me all these years was Carter’s mother. Just thinking about the flirtatious things Carter supposedly said to me, actually being typed by his mother… I couldn’t help but throw up into the toilet again. This was even more sickening than Carter simply cheating. That night, Carter came to my place at 10:00 PM. He brought food cooked by his mother. Carter put a piece of shrimp in my bowl. “My mom knows you like shrimp, so she made this especially for you.” My fingers tightened around my chopsticks. “How did your mom know I like shrimp?” Carter stiffened for a second, but recovered his composure moments later. “Well, that goes without saying. I told her, of course. You’re a great daughter-in-law. Not only do I love you, but my mom absolutely adores you too.” I feigned a teasing tone. “Then you’d better hurry up and marry me. By the way, I talked to my dad about the house. He said there’s no problem on his end, but you know my background. All my friends get at least a hundred grand as a down payment contribution from the groom’s side. My dad said if your family can’t afford a hundred grand, you need to provide at least fifty grand, otherwise he won’t let me marry you.” Carter smiled calmly. “That’s no problem. You just take the deed to your current place, take out a home equity loan for fifty grand, and we’ll just go through the motions for your parents. Don’t worry, I’ll cover the interest.” My stomach churned, and I almost gagged in disgust. “What, you don’t trust me? My mom practically emptied her life savings for us. I know there’s a financial gap between our families, but I promise I’ll work hard and make money. I’ll never let your friends look down on you.” I pretended to be moved and buried my face in his chest. But where Carter couldn’t see, my fingernails nearly pierced my palms. I never thought Carter actually treated me like a complete idiot. 6 The next day, I went to find the girl Carter had met, Mia. After hearing my story, Mia’s face was full of disbelief, her body trembling. “But… I was going to marry him.” I closed my eyes tightly. “Me too…” Mia instantly burst into loud, sobbing tears. I don’t know how long it took, but Mia finally lifted her tear-streaked face. “Let’s… let’s compare our chat logs.” After we verified all our interactions with Carter, we both stood frozen in horror. We never expected that from the very beginning, Carter and his mother had premeditated everything. First, we both met Carter because we were bumped into by a delivery driver, and he “saved” us, which led to us exchanging numbers and chatting. Furthermore, from our daily interactions, all the chat conversations were identical. Even the day we went to meet his parents, I went in the morning, and Mia went in the afternoon. After comparing all the chat logs, Mia started crying hysterically. “I’m going to kill that piece of trash, Carter.” It wasn’t just Mia; even my worldview was shattered by what lay before us. I fought to control my trembling body and grabbed Mia. “It’s not worth getting our hands dirty for trash like him. Let’s gather evidence first. The law will make Carter and his mother pay.” 7 At the time, when Carter was hit relatively hard by the delivery driver, I was afraid the driver would deny it, so I kept his phone number. This actually made it convenient for us to find a witness. I called the delivery driver right then and there. “Hello, I have a package to send. Can you come pick it up?” When the delivery driver arrived at my place, I asked directly, “Do you know Carter?” The delivery driver turned around, wanting to leave. I threatened him: “If you dare leave, I’ll sue you for fraud. If Carter gets arrested, you’re an accomplice. You can leave if you don’t want to go to jail.” The delivery driver was spooked by me. He looked at me pitifully. “Ladies, you can’t blame me for getting scammed! How was I supposed to know you women were so gullible, believing those cliché romantic movie tropes?” My heart skipped a beat. “You women.” So Carter really did have eight girlfriends. I looked at the delivery driver coldly. “How many women have you hit for Carter in total?” The delivery driver shrank back. “I’ve hit about a dozen or so over time. That guy who ‘saved’ you paid me a hundred bucks an appearance each time.” Mia and I exchanged a glance. “Do you have the phone numbers of those girls?” The delivery driver shook his head in panic. “Why would I keep their numbers for something like this?” I lowered my head in thought for a moment. “Then do you know how many Carter actually succeeded with?” The delivery driver shook his head. “How would I know that? But I heard the guy mention a few times that once he got bored, he’d just break up with them. The success rate must be pretty high, otherwise he wouldn’t pull this stunt every few months.” Seeing that the delivery driver couldn’t offer much more, I pulled out a document and placed it in front of him. “Sign your name here. Don’t worry, I won’t sue you. I’ve recorded what you just told us. You just need to show up in court when the time comes. But if you dare tell Carter, I will sue you as an accomplice to fraud. We have plenty of money to fight a legal battle. Don’t believe me? Try it.” The delivery driver was indeed intimidated by me, pulling out a pen and quickly signing his name. He also apologized profusely, saying he shouldn’t have done something so immoral.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “422570”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

In my previous life, I was hacked to death in the street by my mother’s debt collectors, my body left to rot in the open. It was only then that I learned the truth: the massive, life-ruining debt wasn’t even hers. It belonged to my aunt. My mother simply couldn’t bear to see her precious younger sister chased by loan sharks, so she took the entire burden upon herself. When I opened my eyes again, I was reborn on the exact day my mother signed that promissory note. I grabbed our family’s essential documents, shoved them into my dad’s hands, and said, “Dad, you two need to get a divorce.” 1 My mom suddenly owed over a million dollars. For an ordinary, middle-class family like ours, it was a death sentence. My dad, unable to bear abandoning her, took the heavy burden upon his shoulders. From then on, our family of four worked ourselves to the bone. We sold our house, lived out of suitcases hiding from collectors, set up street stalls to make pennies, and constantly borrowed from Peter to pay Paul. We never had a single decent meal. Finally, after four grueling years, we had paid off around $400,000. There was still over $700,000 left to go. That day happened to be my little brother’s birthday. We had rarely splurged, but we bought a fresh fish and were just sitting down to eat. That was when Victor, the biggest loan shark of them all, kicked our door in. He had been a gang enforcer in his youth. Both of his massive arms were completely covered in intricate, intimidating tattoos of dragons and tigers. With a casual flick of his wrist, he flipped our flimsy dining table upside down. The food scattered across the floor. It was such a waste. Victor sneered, looking like a demon straight out of hell. “Sarah, where the hell else do you think you can hide? When are you paying me my money? Speak!” My mom’s voice trembled in terror. “Vic, I just sent you $4,000 last month. I’ll pay you the rest slowly, I swear.” Victor lost his patience. “Four thousand a month? At that rate, you’ll be paying off a $500,000 loan until the next ice age! And with the interest compounding, you will literally never clear this debt.” Victor lit a cigarette and sat down heavily on a chair. “If you don’t want to die today, give me your sister Brenda’s address. I’ll go collect from her.” My mom immediately panicked, her eyes turning red. “You can’t go after my sister! She’s struggling so much right now. Come after me.” My dad hesitated, then cautiously spoke up: “Sarah, no matter how much Brenda is struggling, she’s doing better than us. I heard she just bought a two-thousand-dollar purebred cat last month. Maybe… maybe you could ask her to lend us a little to hold them off?” My mom glared viciously at my dad. The moment Brenda was mentioned, she suddenly found her backbone. “I will prioritize getting the money for you during this period! But if you want Brenda’s address, you’ll have to kill me first!” Victor was enraged. He slammed his hand against a cabinet. “Give you this period? Do you have any idea how many years you’ve been saying that?! Since you want to play the martyr so badly, I’ll take this $500,000 out of your hide today!” Furious, Victor kicked my mom to the floor. My dad rushed forward to help, but Victor’s goons dragged him away and started beating him mercilessly. Watching my little brother crying hysterically, I immediately grabbed my phone to dial 911. But that only enraged Victor further. He lunged at me, slapped me hard across the face, and smashed my phone against the wall. I grabbed a kitchen knife to defend myself. He easily disarmed me, then began punching me, blow after agonizing blow. He took the knife. As I scrambled to escape out the door, he hacked at my back, screaming curses: “You’ve got a young, pretty daughter right here! Why hasn’t she sold herself to pay off the debt, huh?!” Victor had completely lost his mind. I stumbled, fell, and scrambled up again, only for him to catch me. He chased me out of the apartment and straight into the street. He was seeing red. He beat me until I was barely clinging to life. The cuts on my body grew deeper and deeper. Every slash was more brutal than the last. “You haven’t paid me a dime in years! I’ve given your family too much grace! That bitch Brenda said she’d pay me back the second month. It’s been twenty f*cking years! Can she even pay it back now?!” Victor’s goons finally rushed over and pulled him back, panicking. “Boss, stop! You’re gonna kill her! This kid looks like she’s barely in her twenties! You can’t keep hacking at her like this!” I looked down and saw my face bruised and swollen, my back covered in horrifying, deep gashes. A trail of my own blood stretched from our apartment all the way out to the asphalt. 2 I knew right then that I was dead. I could perfectly see my own mangled, bloody corpse lying on the pavement, and I couldn’t feel a single ounce of pain anymore. Victor finally snapped out of his rage. He jumped back, collapsing onto the ground, looking genuinely terrified by what he had done. My mom rushed out of the building. She threw herself over my corpse, sobbing as she looked at the loan sharks. “My daughter just paid off the debt with her life! You can’t go after Brenda anymore!” My soul felt like it had been struck by lightning. I had been hacked to death, yet my mother’s first thought—her primary concern—was making sure her sister wouldn’t be inconvenienced! Victor looked at my mom, his expression incredibly complicated. “Since your daughter paid with her life, I’ll consider that $500,000 a total loss!” He took a few steps, then turned back to my mom. “Your daughter having a mother like you… she’s unluckier than I am. “That money was borrowed by Brenda. You insisted on taking the fall for her. Even if you sold every single thing your family owned, it wouldn’t even cover the cost of one of Brenda’s designer bags. I genuinely don’t understand why you’re playing the hero!” My mom aggressively wiped away her tears, her voice stubborn and proud. “I am the older sister. It is my absolute duty to protect my younger siblings from the storms of life. It was worth it!” Worth it? I felt like I had been struck by lightning again. This massive debt had forced our family to live like rats scurrying in the gutters. It had cost me my life. And in the end, she looked at my corpse and said, “I’m the older sister. It was worth it.” Then what was my dad? What was my little brother? What was I?! My dad arrived, saw my lifeless body on the ground, and broke down sobbing uncontrollably. The sheer agony was too much, and he passed out on the street. The neighbors called the police. At the police station, Victor claimed it was manslaughter. My mom agreed that our family was at fault first, signed a letter of forgiveness, and declared the debt settled with my life. Victor only got three years in prison. As for my Aunt Brenda? She didn’t even bother to show up to my funeral. My dad cried at my grave for a full day and night before completely losing his mind. When I opened my eyes again, I was reborn. 3 “If I owed a million dollars, would you help me pay it off?” My mom sat on the edge of the bed, folding laundry, asking my dad in an artificially casual tone. My dad, who was playing a game of digital Connect Four on the computer, turned around and looked at her in confusion. This exact scene was too painfully familiar. In my past life, it played out exactly like this. My mom was furious because my dad had only given her family an $800 cash gift for a recent celebration. She accused him of not caring enough about her side of the family and threatened to divorce him. She had given him the silent treatment all day. In my past life, my dad was thrilled that she finally initiated a conversation. “No matter what happens in the future, I will always carry the burden with you.” And my dad was a man of his word. Over the next few years, even when he fell ill and couldn’t handle heavy labor, he persevered, constantly working to pay off the massive debt she claimed was from a “failed investment.” Perhaps it was my dad’s unwavering sense of responsibility that gave her the audacity. She knew she had a safety net, which was why she recklessly took on that toxic debt for her sister, dragging our family down with her. It got me killed, drove my dad insane, and forced my little brother to live a life of transient poverty from the age of one and a half. Before my dad could answer, I immediately interrupted them. “Mom, Dad, weren’t you guys talking about getting a divorce yesterday? Are we going to the courthouse this morning or this afternoon?” My mom froze, looking incredibly awkward. Remembering her threat from yesterday, her face darkened again. “I already sent Brenda another $200 to make up for the cash gift. If your father takes his paycheck this month to buy your cousin Mason a new gaming console, and goes with me to Brenda’s house to apologize, I might consider holding off on…” I pulled out our family’s essential legal documents and shoved them directly into my dad’s hands. “I fully support you two getting a divorce. Dad, since Mom thinks you treat the people she cares about so terribly, you should just let her go.” Please, Mom, let my dad go! My dad took the documents, looked at my mom, then at me, and lowered his eyes guiltily. My mom immediately switched to a sorrowful, victimized expression, dredging up the past again. “When you had absolutely nothing, no family to speak of, I chose to be with you. I didn’t want anything from you except for you to treat me well, and to treat my family well…” My dad had always felt deeply indebted to my mom because she didn’t look down on him for being an orphan. My mom constantly used this fact to emotionally manipulate him, keeping him tightly under her thumb. I chimed in: “Exactly! Dad, Mom treats you so well, yet when Aunt Brenda hosted that graduation party for Kevin, you couldn’t even bear to give a $1,000 cash gift! Remember how generous Aunt Brenda was when my little brother had his one-month celebration last year?” My mom’s face instantly became incredibly uncomfortable. I faked righteous indignation. “This divorce has to happen. Dad’s behavior is completely unacceptable.” My mom let out an awkward, strained laugh: “Actually, your dad isn’t that unforgivable.” My dad muttered, clearly feeling wronged: “At your brother’s one-month celebration, your sister and her husband only gave $200, and they borrowed that $200 from you! I don’t even know if they ever paid you back!” “I’m the older sister! What’s wrong with giving a slightly larger cash gift to take care of my younger siblings?!” The moment anyone dared to criticize her family, my mom’s face would twist in anger. She threw the folded clothes aside, ready to explode at my dad. Just then, my mom’s phone, which was charging on the nightstand, started ringing. 4 Seeing “Brenda” on the caller ID, I immediately stepped forward, answered the call, and put it on speaker. My aunt’s voice echoed through the room: “Hey, Sis, have you thought it over?” Hearing this, my mom practically lunged across the room in three strides, snatching the phone from my hand and furiously turning off the speaker. She shot a guilty, panicked look at my dad, who had gone back to playing Connect Four. I asked, pretending not to care, “Thought what over?” My mom stammered her response to my aunt: “I still don’t know what Arthur thinks about it… Let me think about it a little more…” I don’t know what was said on the other end, but it was likely my aunt losing her temper. My mom’s brow furrowed deeper and deeper. After hanging up, my mom said, “Arthur, I need to go over to Brenda’s house later.” 5 My dad looked surprised. “Didn’t you just get back from her place a couple of days ago?” “This is different. After Kevin’s graduation party ended, they kept two tables of close friends and family around for a private get-together. They invited me to come over for a bit.” My dad nodded in understanding. A sharp memory from my past life violently surfaced. It was exactly after attending this specific “family gathering” at my aunt’s house that my mom suddenly came home burdened with over a million dollars in debt. Every single promissory note had her bright red thumbprint on it, explicitly acknowledging the debt in black and white. There were seven or eight different loan sharks involved. There were definitely hidden details about this gathering that my dad and I were never privy to. This time, I was absolutely not going to let our family repeat the same fatal mistake. “Dad, I really want to go celebrate Kevin’s graduation too! Let’s all go with Mom.” My mom was naturally thrilled; she always desperately wanted us to be more involved with her side of the family. Before my dad could refuse, I added, “Mom was just talking about divorcing you because you don’t treat her family well. You can’t just skip out and make her lose face in front of her family today.” Persuaded by my logic, my dad agreed. My mom happily took us out to buy Mason a gaming console first. 6 I stared at the $300 gaming console, then looked at the “toy” my little brother was currently playing with—a cheap, empty plastic wrapper from a pack of wafers. My mom was always like this. Regardless of the price, she prioritized giving the best of everything to her younger siblings and their children. Even down to a single bowl of rice, or a single orange. Whenever I, my brother, and Mason were together, if my mom had three oranges, she would give two to Mason, and my brother and I had to share the remaining one. I was so confused at the time. “Shouldn’t everyone get one? Why does Mason get two?” My mom scolded me for being selfish. “How can you compare yourselves to him? You are my children, you have to be on my side. You need to be accommodating.” She deprived herself, and she deprived her own children, just to be endlessly generous to everyone else. She was always like this—boundlessly giving to outsiders, incredibly harsh to her own flesh and blood. My brother sat next to me. With a little squeeze of his hand, the plastic wrapper made a loud crackle. He giggled, completely carefree, blissfully unaware that his life was about to be turned upside down. I pointed to a remote-control car on the shelf. “Mom, my brother can play with that remote-control car too. It’s twenty dollars cheaper than the gaming console. If you’re buying one, you should buy the car for my brother too.” My dad grabbed the remote-control car, placed it in the basket, and smiled. “We’ll buy both.” My mom’s face changed instantly. She snatched the remote-control car out of the basket, put it back on the shelf, and then tentatively asked me: “Avery, why don’t you skip going to that expensive private university? It costs too much. The family doesn’t have the money to support it.” My dad immediately asked, “What do you mean we don’t have the money?” My mom stammered, “There are going to be a lot of places we need to spend money later on. We need to start saving.” I looked at the expensive gift she was holding for Mason and let out a harsh, incredulous laugh. “Saving up my college tuition so you can buy your sister’s son a gaming console?!” “How dare you speak to me like that!” My mom raised her hand to slap me, but my dad intercepted her arm. He said firmly, “It doesn’t matter if I have to work harder. Avery is absolutely going to that university.” My mom opened her mouth, then clamped it shut, saying nothing more. My nose stung. In my past life, after my mom took on that massive debt, I dropped out of college. I worked alongside them, running street stalls, leaving before dawn, and returning after midnight, hauling heavy sacks of rice and fighting for discounted vegetables at the market. I caught my dad secretly wiping away tears so many times, feeling like he had failed me. In my past life, the loan sharks went to the hospital where my dad worked to harass him, causing him to lose his job as a respected surgeon. He ended up hawking cheap goods at a night market. Unless we were truly at a dead end, he would never have agreed to let me drop out of college. 7 My aunt opened the door. When she saw my dad and me, her hand clearly froze on the doorknob. She obviously hadn’t expected us to come. She forced a stiff, unnatural smile. “Oh, Arthur and Avery came too~” My mom smiled warmly. “Yeah, Arthur bought a gaming console for Mason, and some action figures for Kevin, to celebrate him getting into college.” My aunt glanced into the living room, her smile looking incredibly strained. I noticed a designer bag hanging on the entryway hook and smiled brightly. “Aunt Brenda, is that your new bag?” Seeing me notice the bag, my aunt beamed, a hint of arrogance flashing in her eyes. “Of course. It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?” “It’s beautiful,” I said. Of course it was beautiful. It was an authentic Louis Vuitton; it better be beautiful. My aunt took the gaming console. “Come on in and sit down.” Stepping inside, I saw over a dozen people crowded into the long living room. There were seven or eight older relatives I recognized, and seven or eight unfamiliar faces. Among the unfamiliar faces, I locked eyes with someone I knew intimately. My heart gave a violent tremor, a primal, physiological terror washing over me, making my body shake. That man was Victor, the loan shark who hacked me to death in my past life. I forced myself to calm down, reassuring myself that right now, he didn’t know me. He naturally wouldn’t target me, let alone hurt me. And my only job today was to ensure my family cut all ties with this catastrophic, life-ruining debt. My aunt truly was a master manipulator. It was obvious now: in my past life, my mom had been pressured into signing those promissory notes right here, in front of this group of elder relatives. Confused and manipulated, she stamped her bright red thumbprint on every page, transforming my aunt’s borrowed money into our family’s toxic debt. 8 Before we even had a chance to warm our seats, a middle-aged woman on the sofa suddenly burst into loud, theatrical wails. “My husband is still in the hospital! That $7,000 is literally life-saving money! I’m begging you, just pay me back first!” My dad was stunned, clearly bewildered by the sudden outburst. My aunt cast a few anxious, pleading glances at my mom, who immediately understood her assignment. She stepped forward and helped the wailing woman up. “It’s $7,000, right?” The woman looked at my mom in confusion. My mom pulled out her phone and checked her bank balance. “Scan my Venmo QR code, or give me your bank routing number. I’ll transfer it to you right now!” She was about to transfer $7,000 without a second thought. Even my dad, who usually didn’t manage the household finances, was suspicious. He asked my mom, “Sarah, what is this $7,000 for?” My mom looked at my dad, desperately trying to formulate an explanation. My aunt quickly stepped in to clarify: “My sister owes Mrs. Martinez $7,000. Mr. Martinez is in the hospital with kidney failure, and they desperately need the money for dialysis to save his life.” The moment those words left her mouth, not only my dad, but even Mrs. Martinez looked confused. Mrs. Martinez looked at my aunt, then back at my mom, who was holding her phone ready to transfer the money. The phrase “But you’re the one who borrowed the money” died on her lips. My dad asked, “Sarah, what exactly is going on here?” My mom thought for a second, then lied smoothly: “I lost some money on a bad investment. I borrowed it from Mrs. Martinez. Since her husband desperately needs it for life-saving treatment right now, we need to withdraw it and pay her back to cover the emergency.” Hearing this, although my dad looked unhappy, he knew that debts must be paid. It was only right, and there was nothing else to be done. Watching my dad sit back down, my aunt clearly let out a massive sigh of relief. She turned to address the room: “I told you my sister would definitely pay back the money. There won’t be any issues. “Today is supposed to be a celebration for my Kevin. Can we discuss the rest of these matters later?” Seeing my mom generously stepping up to take responsibility, the other creditors assumed she was a wealthy, easy mark, so they didn’t raise any further objections. As Mrs. Martinez was scanning my mom’s Venmo code, I muted the TV, picked up the karaoke microphone, and stood up. “Hello everyone. My name is Avery, Sarah’s daughter. Excuse me, but are there any other people in this room that my mom owes money to? “My parents are getting a divorce soon. We’re here to clear up all the marital debts right now.” 9 Divorce? My aunt’s eyes bulged out of her head. She knew better than anyone that my mom was a stay-at-home housewife with zero income. The entire family relied on my dad’s salary. If they got divorced, my mom would have absolutely no way to shoulder over a million dollars in debt. She immediately rushed forward, her face twisted in rage, pointing a furious finger at me. “Avery, what nonsense are you spewing?! A marriage isn’t something you can just end on a whim! “As a daughter, shouldn’t you be wishing for your parents to be happy? How can you be so incredibly ignorant and disrespectful?!” I blinked innocently. “It’s true. If you don’t believe me, you can ask my mom. They were literally planning to go to the courthouse to file the divorce papers today. We only delayed it because you called us over.” I turned the volume on the microphone up and shouted again. “Since no one is answering, if my parents walk out that door, we are absolutely not recognizing any debts that magically appear later!” Still, no one stepped forward. After all, they knew the money was personally borrowed by my aunt, not my mom. Hearing that the divorce hadn’t been finalized yet, my aunt clearly let out a sigh of relief. Terrified that my parents might actually go straight to the courthouse after leaving today, she made a desperate gamble. She turned to my dad. “Arthur, please don’t be angry. My sister only owes a little over a million dollars. She had a failed investment. Please don’t blame her. In business, there are always wins and losses. You need to look at the big picture. If your whole family works together, you’ll definitely pay it all off eventually.” My dad’s entire body violently jolted. He looked like he was about to pass out from sheer rage. The creditors looked equally confused, exchanging bewildered glances. Wasn’t Brenda the one who borrowed the money? Why did this guy suddenly appear out of nowhere to take the fall as the ultimate sucker? My aunt noticed their confusion and quickly turned back to the creditors: “Everyone, please don’t worry. My brother-in-law is a highly respected surgeon at the county hospital. He has a very secure, high-paying job. He will slowly but surely pay back every cent he owes you.” Her ambiguous phrasing gave the creditors hope, while simultaneously keeping my dad completely in the dark about the true nature of the debt. I walked over to my dad and looked earnestly at my mom. “This million dollars… did you really borrow it?” My mom paused, glancing at my aunt’s pitiful, pleading face, and gritted her teeth. “Yes. It’s my debt.” I nodded slowly. “Okay. In that case, can you name every creditor in this room? “Do you remember exactly how much money you owe to each person?”

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I got early admission to Stanford, but Mia begged me to give my spot to her. When I refused, she cried, “Your family is rich. Going to Stanford is just the icing on the cake for you. But if I go, it could change my whole life…” She even secretly opened my admissions packet. “You’re so smart, even if you take a gap year, you’ll still get into Stanford. But I only have this one chance…” Just like that, my parents and my brother, whose hearts ached for her, forced me to step aside. Later, on my way to enroll at Stanford anyway, I was crushed to death by a semi-truck. After I died, I heard her crying in my brother’s arms, “She only lost her life, but I lost my identity as a Stanford student…” When I opened my eyes again, I was looking at Mia, who was timidly trying to please my parents. I smiled. In this life, as long as she’s miserable, I’ll be happy. 1 The gears of fate began to turn the moment Mia pushed open the front door of my house. And thanks to her, after I died, I was reborn. “Chloe! Don’t just sit there. Come over and meet Mia. She’s going to be part of our family from now on,” my dad called out to me. But Buddy, the golden retriever in my arms, barked aggressively at Mia, his hackles raised, just like in my previous life. Mia’s eyes welled up with tears, and she hid behind my older brother, Liam. “Mr. and Mrs. Sterling, I’m scared. Maybe I should just go back to my own house… sob.” Playing the victim to get her way again. I couldn’t help but sneer. In my past life, the day after Mia arrived, my beloved dog, Buddy, whom I’d raised for three years, was crushed to pieces by a delivery truck. I was too consumed by grief back then to think clearly. But looking back now, who else but Mia could have done it? After all, Buddy had gone through two thousand dollars’ worth of professional training. He was incredibly well-behaved and never ran out into the street. Before my parents could scold Buddy, I cut them off: “Mom, Dad, did you forget? You only agreed to let me bring Buddy home because he’s a good guard dog. If he didn’t bark, that would be a problem!” My parents opened their mouths to speak but stopped themselves. “Ah, right. Don’t be scared, Mia. Buddy just barks at strangers. He’ll get used to you.” Catching the word “strangers,” I couldn’t help but let the corners of my mouth curl up. Mia bit her lip a little harder. “Stranger”—that was the word Mia hated most in this life. Meanwhile, my idiot brother, Liam, grabbed a water bottle and threw it at Buddy. “Stupid dog, if you bark again, I’ll eat you!” Buddy whimpered and lay by my feet, looking full of grievance. I rubbed his little head. Mia’s mother was my mom’s best friend. Two days ago, she and her husband died in a car accident. Rumor had it they were on their way to pick Mia up from dance class. Unable to bear seeing Mia become an orphan, my parents brought her straight to our house. They constantly whispered in my ear about how pitiful Mia was and how I needed to let her have her way. In my past life, I yielded to her at every turn, but it only made her bolder. She used her manipulative, “pick-me” tactics to steal all the affection from my family, and eventually, she set her sights on my early admission spot to Stanford. Because of that, I died a gruesome death in a car crash on my way to enroll. Only after I died did I learn how despicable and cheap I was in Mia’s stories. Being reborn, if I let these idiots hurt me even a little bit, I’d have lived this second life in vain! 2 Just like in my previous life, Mia fully moved into our house. To make her feel more at ease, Liam started coming up with terrible ideas again. “Chloe, let Mia have your room. You can take the guest room. I’ll take you to buy new furniture tomorrow, okay?” Here we go again. I didn’t see through it before I died. Only after did I realize my own brother and Mia were having an affair. Or rather, Mia had a clear target and was gunning for my brother from the very beginning. “Chloe, what are you thinking about? I’m talking to you!” I swatted away Liam’s hand waving in front of my face and bluntly refused this time: “No.” Mia opened her mouth, then lowered her eyes submissively and tugged at the hem of Liam’s shirt. “It’s fine, I’ll just sleep in the guest room.” I crossed my arms and watched her perform in silence, even nodding in agreement. “Yeah, Liam. I’ve lived in this bedroom for eighteen years. I can’t just give it up.” Liam glared at me, scolding me for being unreasonable. I tilted my head, ready to manually open Liam’s mind. In my past life, I was always the one yielding to Mia. In this life, Liam can be the one to yield: “You know, Liam makes a good point.” I nodded. Just as Liam’s expression softened, I pivoted: “Then Mia can just sleep in your bedroom!” The smile that had just appeared on Liam’s face instantly froze, and the tips of his ears turned red. “No, I… that wouldn’t be appropriate.” Heh. I blinked innocently at Mia. “Then you’ll just have to make do with the guest room…” After closing my door, I heard Mia mumble a few words. And then Liam’s bedroom was no longer his. Either way, I wasn’t the one yielding. What did it matter to me? 3 The next day, Mia offered to walk Buddy, claiming it would help them bond. Buddy wore a harness but absolutely refused to budge. Watching this scene, my eyes slowly filled with tears. In my previous life, I had personally pushed Buddy out the door and made him go with Mia. This life… I smiled and took the leash back from Mia: “Mia, you just got here. How could I let you walk the dog? Look, Mom and Dad aren’t home, and Liam is right over there. Why don’t you go bond with him instead?” After saying that, I took Buddy and left the house. I walked him around the block and then went to the backyard. Buddy and I pressed our faces against the glass door. I wanted to see exactly when Mia and Liam hooked up. The two of them were sitting in the living room. Everything seemed normal at first. About three minutes later, Mia suddenly stood up but grabbed her head, swaying unsteadily. Seeing this, Liam hurried to support her. Mia conveniently collapsed, her soft curves pressing directly against Liam’s arm. In that moment, Liam froze. No wonder. No wonder the brother who used to dote on me completely changed after Mia arrived. In my past life, Liam even hit me twice for Mia’s sake. Makes sense. With a beautiful girl throwing herself at him, what does a younger sister matter? 4 That very evening, Liam suggested Mia transfer to my private prep school. I raised both hands and feet in support. My parents looked at me, a hint of relief on their faces: “Chloe, you’re finally acting mature.” I chuckled dryly. In my past life, with Mia acting all sweet and innocent at home, my own parents didn’t give me an ounce of trust. Even after I got the early admission spot to Stanford, they unanimously told me to give it to Mia. Mia nervously fiddled with her chopsticks. “But that’s an elite prep school. I’m afraid I won’t fit in.” As soon as she said that, my mom immediately offered to take her shopping for clothes. I put down my chopsticks. “No need! I have so many clothes in my closet. Once Mia transfers to our school, I need to take good care of her. I’ll definitely give her some of my clothes then.” My parents exchanged a hesitant look, while Liam’s eyes lit up and he nodded. He nudged Mia’s arm: “Chloe’s clothes are all designer pieces. Even the limited editions aren’t always available in stores.” “Okay.” Mia agreed readily, but I saw her toes curling tightly against the floor under the table. A flash of resentment crossed those seemingly innocent eyes. I was in a great mood. Only after I died in my past life did I realize Mia completely took my good intentions for granted. I used to feel sorry for her, so I cut the tags off many new clothes and gave them to her. But in her mouth, it turned into me treating her like a garbage can. Since she was so willing to degrade herself, I’d grant her wish in this life! When we picked out clothes that night, I deliberately left all the closet doors wide open. Shock flashed across Mia’s face, followed by an undeniable eagerness. She especially couldn’t tear her eyes away from the clothes with huge designer logos. Seeing this, I smiled. Just like in her past life, she was short-sighted, only seeing the logos and not the quality. “Chloe, thank you so much. Can I have these few pieces…?” I smiled and agreed, pulling out all the logo-heavy clothes she was eyeing and handing them to her: “Sure! We’re family now. These are all yours.” I said “family” with a thick layer of sarcasm. Unfortunately, not only did she miss it, but the corners of her mouth twitched upwards uncontrollably. Her gaze landed on my jewelry, and she deliberately touched her bare neck: “I hope so. It’s just that I…” I understood instantly. I shoved a bunch of chunky, gaudy, sparkling jewelry into her arms. “Now your outfit is complete!” 5 When I saw Mia the next day, I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. Even Liam frowned imperceptibly. We were both wearing understated designer pieces, while Mia was dressed like a flamboyant peacock. “These are the clothes you gave Mia?” I shook my head innocently. “She picked these out herself.” In my past life, Mia had wanted to dress like this too, but I stopped her. In the end, she didn’t embarrass herself, but she held a grudge against me instead. This life, of course, I was going to let her fly her freak flag! “Liam, do I look okay like this?” Mia intentionally flipped her hair. The gaudy rings on her hands were blinding. Liam glared at me. “It’s fine. You look beautiful!” I smiled coldly. My parents went to handle Mia’s enrollment, and she ended up in the same homeroom as me. I confidently walked into the bustling crowd of students, while Mia followed awkwardly behind. To “take care” of her… “Chloe, where should I sit?” Her soft, sweet voice immediately caught the attention of several classmates who turned to look. But the moment they clearly saw Mia, everyone’s mouths twitched, and they looked at me. I understood instantly, frowning and shaking my head slightly: “You can sit anywhere. The teacher will be here soon.” Mia looked around and finally found an empty seat right in the middle of the classroom and sat down. Some people smirked, others rolled their eyes. I just raised an eyebrow. In my past life, Mia sat there too, but only because I forced her to. This time, without my help, she sat there purely on the strength of her own thick skin. 6 To let Mia fully unleash her “pick-me” attributes. I deliberately took a week off school. During that time, my friends texted me to complain. [Why haven’t you come back yet? [If you don’t come back soon, the Sterling family’s eldest daughter is going to be that Mia. [She has zero taste and dresses like a trashy peacock, but insists you told her to dress like that. Now everyone misunderstands and thinks you have malicious intentions!] I laughed. I didn’t explain, nor did I go back. After all, if I went back, how could the knock-off throw her weight around? I wanted Mia to stand on a pedestal so she could fall hard. When Mia came home for the weekend, she was exuding confidence. Right before my parents got home, she dove into the kitchen to cook: “Mr. and Mrs. Sterling, you’re home? “I’m making pork rib soup for you tonight.” I didn’t say a word, but two sharp glares shot my way. “Chloe Sterling! “What did Mom and Dad tell you? You come home from school and watch TV, while Mia is in the kitchen cooking! “You said you’d be mature. Mature, my foot. You’re really disappointing us.” Liam gripped the remote control, fanning the flames. “Exactly. I just told her that, but she wouldn’t listen.” Here we go again. Just like in my past life! I was scolded into obediently going into the kitchen, only to get splattered in the face with hot oil, leaving several large blisters. This life… I leisurely held up my phone and opened my photo gallery: “What are you talking about? Mia was sitting on the couch playing on her phone a minute ago. She only went into the kitchen when you guys walked in.” Mia, in the kitchen, panicked. “Wh… what?” I smiled and showed her a video I had just recorded: “Sorry, I was just taking a selfie video and happened to catch you in the background.” 7 Mia’s cheeks instantly flushed red. I don’t know if she was burning with shame. Even the expressions of the parents who had been defending her turned subtle. “Mr. and Mrs. Sterling, I… “Actually, you guys…” Liam clicked his tongue and interrupted, “What nonsense are you talking about? “Mia is just thoughtful and wanted to show off her cooking skills. She didn’t say anything. You’re the one making a fuss over nothing, Chloe, causing everyone to misunderstand.” Mhm… My brother is an expert at shifting the blame: “Chloe, are you jealous that Mia is in our house?” Jealous? I was more than jealous; I wanted to tear her apart. But on the surface, I scratched my head looking apologetic, even saying “sorry” to Mia: “Sorry about that. Maybe I really did misunderstand you. “So, keep going with the pork rib soup? I want to taste your cooking too.” My parents looked pleased with my good attitude, but Mia was stunned. I laughed. Because I knew she had no idea how to make pork rib soup. She was just pretending! But since the fire was already lit, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and go back into the kitchen. The four of us sat in a row on the sofa watching TV. Ten minutes later, we heard Mia scream. Everyone jogged over. In the kitchen, Mia was squatting on the floor, covering her face. 8 There were three blisters on her pale cheek. Glancing at the ribs she had just pulled out of the water, I covered my mouth. “Oh my, you silly girl. Of course hot oil will splatter if you put water in it.” Mia was crying from the pain, and my idiot brother was stamping his feet in distress. I deliberately covered my mouth and gasped, “Oh no! Hurry, go to the hospital! What if her face is ruined!” As soon as I said that, Mia was terrified. On the way back from getting ointment at the hospital, the atmosphere in the car was oppressively tense. As soon as we got home, Liam slapped me across the face. I deliberately didn’t dodge. My cheek felt numb and hot. “Liam, why did you hit me?” I cried. I faked it. Liam had one arm around Mia and pointed at my nose with the other: “You still have the nerve to ask! If you hadn’t pressured her, why would Mia have cooked? How else would she have gotten three blisters on her face!” Looking at the three red spots on Mia’s cheek, I felt happy despite the slap! But on the surface, I looked at my parents: “Mom, I had nothing to do with this. Why aren’t you saying anything to Liam!” The couple shared a rare moment of unspoken agreement, looking away from my face: “Chloe, you only got slapped once. But the burns on Mia’s face might leave scars. “Mia is an orphan now. We can’t let her suffer in our house. Go to your room and reflect on your actions.” I smiled brightly: “Right. One minute before you got home, she went into the kitchen. I forced her to. “She said herself she wanted to make pork rib soup for you. I forced her to. “She messed around when she didn’t know what she was doing. I forced her to. “Are you two sure you’re fit to be parents?” When I finished, I saw the embarrassment flash across the faces of the people opposite me. My mom hesitated, about to say something, but I ignored her, turned around, and went to my room. Having lived through my past life, I had absolutely no hope for this family. So, I wasn’t going to take that slap for nothing. 9 By the time I went back to school, Mia had already become quite popular in my class. As soon as class ended, people crowded around her, showing concern. “Mia, what happened to your face?” “How did you end up like this just by going home for a couple of days?” Mia didn’t answer directly. Instead, she looked at me hesitantly a couple of times: “Ah, it’s nothing. I wasn’t careful.” My classmates’ looks toward me shifted. Two of the blunter ones even started making passive-aggressive remarks. “I heard that Mia is the Sterling family’s foster daughter now. She goes home for two days and ends up like this. She must be getting bullied.” Mia tugged at their sleeves and shook them gently. “It’s not like that, stop talking…” That explanation was worse than no explanation at all. But, I opened my mouth, and I was going to speak my piece. I took two steps forward and, in front of everyone, brushed aside the hair covering my cheek: “Mia, are you intentionally trying to make everyone misunderstand me? “You said yourself you wanted to make pork rib soup to thank my family. You accidentally burned your face, and my brother came home and slapped me without asking any questions. “Between the two of us, who is the innocent one?” I spoke louder and louder, wishing the whole world could hear. My classmates fell silent. Seeing that no one was taking her side anymore, she blinked and was about to cry. I preempted her: “Cry! Cry! Cry! “Because you cried, the brother I grew up with hit me for the first time! Now you’re crying again. Do you want everyone to misunderstand me and isolate me!” Mia’s spellcasting was violently interrupted by me. After I finished, I started wailing at the top of my lungs. Mia stared at me blankly, for a moment forgetting to even react. My classmates exchanged glances, and my friends started adding fuel to the fire. “This Mia looks weak and fragile, but she’s full of lies.” “She’s so manipulative. Is she intentionally trying to cause drama among classmates? Did she know we all come from prominent families and is doing this on purpose?” After a few sentences, the classmates who were just siding with Mia switched sides. No matter how she explained, it was useless. Taking advantage of the situation, I swapped out Mia’s burn ointment. Without that pitiful, pathetic face. I wanted to see how she could play the innocent victim anymore! 10 With college entrance exams approaching, I battled wits with Mia while studying hard. My grades steadily improved, while she became increasingly anxious: “Chloe, could you tutor me a bit?” Looking up at her face, which looked as if she had been wronged, I wanted to laugh. She continued as usual: “I know you’re still mad about what happened before. “I’m sorry, I misunderstood you. Please, if you’re really that angry, I’ll kneel down and apologize in front of everyone.” Everyone looked over again. I couldn’t hold back a laugh, sitting straight in my seat, looking at her with a beaming smile. Seeing that I didn’t stop her, Mia was stunned: “Chloe, I… I’ll kneel down and admit my mistake.” I blinked and nodded in agreement. “Sure, go ahead and kneel.” Mia choked on her words. She looked around helplessly, but not a single person in the whole class spoke up for her. She stood in front of my desk, caught between kneeling and not kneeling. “Tsk.” I shook my head. “You say you want me to forgive you, forgive you for what? For last time? But didn’t that happen a long time ago? If you want me to tutor you, just ask nicely. Why pull this stunt? “If people didn’t know better, they’d think I was bullying you.” Mia shook her head frantically. “It’s not like that. Chloe, you misunderstood. I just wanted to ask you a few questions. “You have good grades and a good family background. I became an orphan at a young age and have to rely on others. Maybe I’m too insecure and sensitive. Since you want me to kneel, then I’ll kneel.” Mia bent her knees to kneel down, but before I could speak, a loud shout came from the doorway. Liam took a few large strides, rushed in front of me, and pulled Mia behind him. Typical. If she was willing to put on this act, it meant Liam was definitely here. I wasn’t surprised, watching Liam spew nonsense: “Chloe Sterling, don’t go too far! Is this what you meant by not bullying people? “Is this what you promised Mom and Dad at home? And you kept saying you’d take care of Mia!” This time, I didn’t speak. I just silently signaled my friends. Two or three people gathered in front of me, shielding me behind them. “I think you’re the one who can’t tell who your own sister is, right?” “Yelling at your own sister for an outsider. Look for yourself, the swelling on Chloe’s face from when you hit her still hasn’t completely gone down!” Liam was rendered speechless by the questioning. His face flushed red before he managed to squeeze out that both were his sisters. Quite a few people in the class laughed. Everyone could see it clearly. Someone in the crowd even asked, “Biological sister, or ‘romantic’ sister?” Everyone erupted in laughter. Mia cried from anger, and Liam’s gaze toward me darkened. That look was familiar. It was the exact same expression Liam had on the day of my car accident in my previous life. For some reason, a cloud of suspicion gathered in my mind. In my previous life, my whole family wanted me to give the Stanford spot to Mia. After I refused, I set off on the road to Stanford alone. But was that car crash really an accident?

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My broke boyfriend suddenly became the sole heir to the city’s wealthiest billionaire, and my twin sister decided she wanted my life. She conspired with our parents to imprison me, selling me off to a foreign trafficking ring where I was brutally mutilated into a “human sculpture”—a limbless freak put on display in a jar for the sick amusement of the underground elite. Meanwhile, she stole my face, my clothes, and my identity, seamlessly slipping into my place by my boyfriend’s side. For a time, my sister genuinely believed she had successfully replaced me, becoming the luckiest woman in the world. But what she didn’t know was… my boyfriend wasn’t just deeply, obsessively possessive of me. He was more ruthless and psychopathic than anyone could have ever imagined! 1 My soul hovers in the cold air, watching my twin sister, Scarlett, holding my phone. She’s on a FaceTime call with my boyfriend, Caleb Vance. I stare at the screen, at the man I’ve loved for years. Ever since he was revealed to be the long-lost heir of the multi-billion-dollar Vance empire, he’s been flying across the globe—learning the business, building connections. We’ve spent more time apart than together, keeping our love alive through a two-year long-distance relationship. “I just landed and went to your apartment, but you weren’t there,” Caleb says. “Why are you suddenly at your parents’ house?” His face is etched with exhaustion. He’s breathless, likely having rushed from the airport just to find me. He looks just as I remember—sharp features, deep, haunting eyes—but he’s grown more mature, more imposing. To the world, he is an apex predator, a hawk circling its prey. But to me, he was always the most gentle, devoted man. Scarlett hesitates, then lies, saying there was a family emergency and she had to stay at her parents’ for a couple of days. She had to be here. When Caleb went from a penniless orphan to the heir of the world’s wealthiest family, my sister’s envy curdled into pure, venomous jealousy. She conspired with our parents to erase me and step into my life. They kept me prisoner for six months. They tried to beat every detail of my relationship with Caleb out of me—my habits, my secrets, his likes and dislikes. At first, I cooperated just to stay alive. But when I realized they never intended to let me live—that they wanted me dead so Scarlett could wear my face permanently—I stopped talking. They have my passwords, but they don’t have the keypad code to my hidden rental apartment. Scarlett has nowhere else to go but our parents’ house. “Come downstairs,” Caleb says, his voice thick with a joy he can’t hide. “I’m at the front gate. I brought you those artisan donuts from that shop you love.” “I missed you so much,” he whispers. “I couldn’t wait another second.” Scarlett panics. She doesn’t even know what to wear. “Deep breaths,” our mother whispers, comforting her. “Don’t be nervous. You’re twins. You look identical, your voices are the same. You’ve been mimicking her diary for months. It’s been two years since they’ve seen each other in person. He’ll never know.” “Right, right!” Scarlett murmurs, convincing herself. She puts on my clothes and walks out with a mix of dread and anticipation. I follow her like a shadow. The moment she steps outside, there he is. Caleb. He’s thinner, but more magnetic than ever. He’s wearing a long black trench coat, one hand on a suitcase, the other holding a small pastry box. The moment he sees Scarlett, he breaks into that breathtaking smile that could captivate anyone. He sets the box down and opens his arms. “Hug?” It’s his signature move whenever we reunite. Caleb has always struggled with a deep lack of security. Every time we saw each other, I would hold him tight, stroke the back of his hair, and whisper, “I’m here. I’m always here.” Scarlett steps forward and wraps her arms around my boyfriend. “Get off him!” I scream. I absolutely refuse to let her touch him. My instinct is to run forward and rip them apart. But my hands pass straight through their bodies. I can do nothing. 2 I know he can’t hear me, but just as I’m about to break, Caleb suddenly pulls away. The smile on his face vanishes bit by bit. His eyes turn cold, clinical, as he studies her. “Wh-what is it?” Scarlett asks, her voice trembling slightly. The sudden shift in his demeanor makes her anxious. I see her hands clenching tightly at her sides. She clearly doesn’t understand the unspoken rhythm between me and Caleb. “Nothing.” Caleb’s eyes flicker with an unreadable emotion. The excitement of the reunion completely fades. He picks up the pastry box and hands it to her. “I went out of my way to get these from your favorite place.” Those donuts aren’t even that good. I only “loved” them because they were from the shop where he took me on our very first date. He knew that. He told me that as long as we were apart for more than three days, he would always bring them when we met. He called it the “start of our forever.” “Thank you,” Scarlett says, mimicking my sweetness as she obediently takes the box. “Thank you?” Caleb’s brow furrows even deeper. She doesn’t know. I was never this perfectly obedient in front of Caleb. And I never, ever said “thank you” to him for things like this. Scarlett’s grip on the box tightens. Caleb lets out a short, dry laugh. He reaches out and pats her shoulder. “It’s been two years. I just got off a flight, and you aren’t even going to invite me inside?” He has never asked to come inside this house. Because he knows exactly what this family means to me. Scarlett and I are twins, born twenty minutes apart. But the exact moment I was born, our grandmother passed away. My mother always believed my birth brought death into the house. To them, I was a mistake that shouldn’t exist. Since childhood, nobody loved me, and nobody cared about my feelings. If murder weren’t a crime, I probably would have died at their hands years ago. My ghost feels a surge of joy. Did Caleb notice something? “I-I’m just so happy I forgot my manners,” Scarlett says with a forced smile. She leads him inside, trying to hook her arm through his, but he subtly shifts, dodging her touch without making it obvious. 3 “Caleb! You’re here. Come in, sit down,” my mother greets him with a massive, plastic smile. “Scarlett, go make some tea.” Scarlett freezes for a second before realizing my mother used her real name instead of mine. She takes a few seconds to snap out of it, stammering a “yes” and rushing to the kitchen to prepare the good tea. “Where is Scarlett?” Caleb asks the moment he walks in, his eyes scanning the room. Nothing escapes his gaze. When we were together, he never mentioned my sister once. “Oh, Scarlett?” my mother chirps, her smile overly bright. “She’s studying abroad. Left a few days ago.” “Is that so? What a pity.” Caleb says it to her, but it sounds like he’s talking to himself. He looks thoughtfully at the tea Scarlett brings out. After exchanging a few meaningless pleasantries, he stands up to leave. “Caleb, aren’t you staying?” Scarlett asks, stepping in front of him, looking like a kicked puppy. “We finally have time together.” “I’m back for good now. We have all the time in the world.” He says it, grabs his suitcase, and walks out the door without looking back. “Mom, do you think he knows? He was so eager to see me, but then he just left,” Scarlett asks frantically the moment the door shuts, her heart pounding. “He’s probably just exhausted. Don’t overthink it.” My mother whispers, comforting her. “Look, he was looking for you the moment he walked in. That means he has a good impression of you. Even if he finds out you’re actually Scarlett one day, as long as he’s used to you, you’ll be the one by his side. We already sold Serena. How could she possibly come back and fight you for him?” They are my mother and my sister. Yet they locked me in a basement for half a year. They beat me, starved me, and dehydrated me. When I was no longer useful, they sold me to a human trafficker. The trafficker then smuggled me overseas. They were right about one thing. I could never come back and fight Scarlett for him. Because I refused to cooperate with their sick charade, they chopped off all four of my limbs. They cut off my nose, blinded my eyes, and poured mercury into my ears. I was stuffed into a ceramic jar, turned into a “human sculpture” for the sick amusement of paying customers. Even though my physical body wasn’t technically dead yet, the light had already left me. I think my obsession was just so impossibly deep that my soul separated from my body and drifted back home. Maybe once my physical body draws its last breath, my soul will finally vanish. 4 During the day, I fear the sun and hide in the shadows of the house. When the sun sets, I drift out to find Caleb. He is the only thing left of my heart. I have no time left; I just want to spend every passing second by his side. When I find him, he’s sitting in front of his office computer, gently rubbing his temples. “Mr. Vance,” his assistant says, knocking and walking in. “Did you find what I asked for?” Caleb doesn’t open his eyes. He’s exhausted, his voice soft, as if asking a casual question. “Yes. We checked everywhere. There is absolutely no record of Scarlett Miller leaving the country.” “So she just… vanished into thin air?” Caleb’s voice isn’t loud, but it’s so cold it makes the assistant shiver. “Since Serena visited her parents eight months ago, there has been zero trace of Scarlett.” “Eight months ago… Serena goes home…” Caleb finally opens his eyes. They are entirely bloodshot. I reach out, gently tracing the line of his cheek, my heart breaking for him. He seems to sense something. His head snaps violently in my direction. I’m so startled I yank my hand back. But it’s just my imagination. His gaze is unfocused; he’s looking at empty space. “Sir, do you think something happened to Scarlett?” “I’m not worried about her.” Caleb waves his hand, dismissing the assistant. In the massive, empty office, I hear his heavy sigh. “Serena… why do I feel like you’ve changed?” He suddenly remembers something, grabs his keys, and drives straight to the apartment I used to rent. I lived in that apartment for over three years. The keypad code is the year of his birth and the day he first confessed his love to me. This room has been empty for exactly eight months. The moment Caleb steps inside, his brows knit tightly together. The apartment is tidy, but you can tell the owner left in a hurry. Caleb slowly runs his finger across the dining table. It comes away coated in a thick layer of dust. Everything inside the refrigerator is rotten and spoiled, emitting a foul odor. Caleb covers the lower half of his face with his hand. A sudden, dark, guttural laugh tears from his throat. “‘There was a family emergency and I had to stay at my parents’ for a couple of days’?” He is teetering on the absolute edge of losing control. I want to reach out and hold him, to tell him I’m right here beside him. But right then, Caleb’s phone rings. It’s Scarlett. Like the start of many typical couple conversations, she asks what he’s doing. “Take a guess?” Caleb’s smile widens. He knows she doesn’t have the answer. “I’m waiting for you at our place.” 5 “Caleb…” Scarlett’s voice is low, trembling slightly. “You left in such a hurry, I forgot to tell you. I don’t live there anymore. I’ll drop you a pin with my new location.” Caleb doesn’t argue. He looks at the location she shares. “Pretty far out, isn’t it? Are you sure you can make the commute every day?” “But I like the peace and quiet. It’s… nice here,” Scarlett says, desperately trying to mimic my tone. I like the peace and quiet. That was a line Scarlett read in my diary. My current rental was quiet and remote, so she naturally assumed that was the reason I chose to live there. The truth was, I rented it because it was cheap. Back then, neither of us had any money. He was trying to save capital to start a business, and I wanted to save as much as I could for him. During that time, we were practically counting pennies. Combined with the insane rent prices near my office, a place like this was my only option. Later, when Caleb was recognized as the billionaire heir, he repeatedly urged me to find a place closer to the city center. But I didn’t want to spend his money. He had just entered that cutthroat family. He wasn’t used to it, and he had a dozen sets of eyes watching his every move. He was walking on thin ice. How could I make selfish demands at a time like that? I like the peace and quiet was just the excuse I used to reject his offer. Caleb didn’t push it. Because from that point on, we rarely got to see each other. I missed him terribly, but I never dared to interrupt his work. He was like a hawk; the vast, open sky was his ultimate destiny. I was willing to be the woman standing quietly behind him, supporting him forever! If only… My mood plummets. They say a few more things, but I don’t listen. When I look up again, Caleb has already hung up the phone. He takes off his jacket, rolls up his sleeves, and starts cleaning the apartment. He cleans it meticulously. He even swaps out the sofa cushions for fresh ones. I watch him sitting exhaustedly on the sofa in the spotless room, my heart aching with a bitter sorrow. I don’t know what he’s clinging to, but I know he’s already started suspecting Scarlett. Scarlett severely underestimated our bond! She underestimated my place in Caleb’s heart. “Where are you? What exactly happened?” Caleb mutters to himself, letting out a heavy sigh into the empty air. “I’m right here. I’m right beside you.” I stand behind the sofa, reaching out to wrap my arms around his neck. Even though I can’t hold him, I just want to nuzzle my face into his hair. He grew up unable to trust anyone. He had zero sense of security. But the day we got together, he held my hand and looked at me dead in the eye. He said that from now on, I was his only safe harbor. I was the only person in the world he was willing to surrender his body and soul to. 6 Caleb treats this apartment as his actual home now. He doesn’t call Scarlett. He just has his assistant quietly dig up everything they can find about me and Scarlett. Scarlett is the one who loses her patience first. She went to all this trouble just to marry Caleb. Now that he’s finally back, he’s completely ignoring her. Caleb doesn’t reject her enthusiasm. He even actively invites her to go grocery shopping with him. Scarlett has memorized my diary backward and forward. She knows my preferences, and she knows some of his. I can see that when it comes to picking out food, she is extremely cautious. “Did you forget? I’m allergic to mangoes,” Caleb says, leaning over her from behind, pressing his hand over hers as she reaches for a mango. He whispers it right next to her ear. That seductive, magnetic voice makes even my ghostly, incorporeal heart race. Scarlett freezes. Mechanically, she puts the mango back on the shelf. Her cheeks flush red, and she lowers her head shyly. “How could I? I was just looking.” Heh. I was with Caleb for years. I didn’t even know he was allergic to mangoes. Every time we got mango shaved ice, he ate just as much of it as I did. Caleb narrows his eyes. He stands up straight, his voice instantly turning cold. “Let’s go. We’re going home.” Scarlett is clearly confused by his sudden shift in attitude. She freezes for a few seconds before quickly hurrying after him. “Caleb, where… where are we going?” she asks nervously, sitting in the passenger seat. “Home,” Caleb chuckles darkly. “What, did you forget the way to your own house?” “But… this isn’t the way home.” It’s not the way to her new rental. It’s the way to my old apartment. I know this road better than anyone. It isn’t a main road, but it never has traffic. Every time we came back from this specific supermarket, we always took this exact route by unspoken agreement. Caleb doesn’t answer. He expertly parks the car in my old spot, grabs the groceries, and heads toward the stairs. Scarlett finally recognizes the building. She researched everything about me, so naturally, she scouted this place. But I bet she only came here a handful of times. She clearly hasn’t memorized this maze of side streets and shortcuts. Caleb walks fast, completely ignoring the fact that Scarlett is wearing high heels, practically running behind him as she clicks frantically against the pavement. “Caleb, slow… slow down.” Scarlett is panting by the time she catches up to him outside the door of my rental. “My hands are full. You open it.” Caleb smiles earnestly, stepping aside to give her room. He genuinely looks like his hands are tied up. “Caleb.” Scarlett awkwardly tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “Did you forget? I don’t live here anymore.” Caleb looks like he just remembered, shrugging with a perfectly natural expression. “I forgot.” Scarlett doesn’t know him, but I do. The more he makes that face, the closer he is to a complete psychotic break. “The lease isn’t even up, and you already forgot the passcode?” Caleb’s smile widens, growing more terrifying by the second. “Did you get rich when you went back to your parents’ house?” Scarlett panics. Before she can explain, Caleb drops the groceries and gently, almost lovingly, takes her right hand. “It doesn’t matter if you forgot the code. Your fingerprint still works, right?” As he speaks, he slowly forces her hand toward the smart lock. Scarlett violently yanks her hand back, clutching it to her chest. “My… my right hand is injured. It hasn’t healed yet. The scanner probably won’t recognize my print.” Looking at Scarlett still trying to act her way out of this, I know she’s finished. Because that lock doesn’t even have a fingerprint scanner. Sure enough, upon hearing her excuse, that dark, guttural laugh rumbles from Caleb’s throat again. He rests a hand gently on Scarlett’s shoulder, his face a mask of pure tenderness. Then, his hand violently drops, grabbing her right arm and yanking her forcefully toward him. Scarlett watches in sheer terror as her fingers are fully exposed to Caleb. She tries to pull away, but his grip is ironclad. “Didn’t you say it was injured?” His voice is impossibly soft. But with his other hand, he pulls a pocketknife from his slacks and, without a second of hesitation, slices deeply across several of her fingers. “Now it looks like it’s injured.” Scarlett lets out a bloodcurdling scream, her face contorting in agony. Terrified out of her mind, the moment Caleb slightly loosens his grip, she doesn’t even care about her bleeding fingers. She turns to run. But Caleb grabs her by the hair, punching the passcode into the door, and practically drags her into the apartment. When it comes to anyone other than me, he has absolutely no concept of the word “gentleman.” “Wh-what are you doing?!” Scarlett slumps pathetically on the floor, staring in horror as Caleb lazily plays with the bloody pocketknife. “We only bought vegetables today. We didn’t buy any meat. Why don’t you… contribute some?” Caleb’s voice is so gentle it could melt snow, but he waves the blade menacingly in front of Scarlett’s face. 7 I always knew Caleb was a little unhinged. I met him when we were in middle school. He was just an orphan from the group home. Even though his grades were always top of the class, he was incredibly isolated. He always had this cold, unapproachable aura. One day after school, I watched a guy two grades above him corner him in an alley. The guy poked Caleb in the chest, calling him a motherless bastard, a stray mutt who didn’t deserve to live, and threatened to kill him one day. One second, Caleb was smiling at the guy. The next second, he kicked the guy so hard in the shin that his leg snapped. The guy collapsed. Before he could even scream for help, Caleb clamped a hand over his mouth. Aside from the initial yelp of pain, the bully couldn’t make another sound. “Shh,” Caleb whispered, the laughter in his throat growing darker. “Since your parents love you so much, let them spend some quality time with you in the hospital.” Wearing the gentlest smile while committing the most brutal acts. That was Caleb Vance. That was the first time I saw him fight. The second time was the year I graduated high school. Because of my parents’ extreme favoritism, I was desperate to escape that house. I scored incredibly high on my exams and was accepted into my dream university. But my parents not only demanded I marry some local thug immediately, but they also wanted my sister to steal my identity and go to university in my place. I fought them tooth and nail. My parents threatened me, saying even if I went to college, they wouldn’t give me a single cent, and threatened to disown me. But I had stopped caring about them a long time ago. Whether I took out loans or worked three jobs, I was going to finish my degree. I thought my persistence would earn me a future. I didn’t expect that the day after my massive blowout with my parents, I would be cornered in an alley by three thugs. They held a knife to my throat and ordered me to strip. When I refused, they slammed me against the wall, covered my mouth, and started tearing at my clothes. I shook my head frantically, making muffled noises of terror, but my limbs were pinned. I couldn’t move. Fear… despair… my mind went completely blank. I felt a sudden chill against my skin, and tears instantly flooded my eyes. I never asked for wealth or luxury. I just wanted to live a normal life. Why did it have to be this hard? Hands were groping all over me. I stared with wide, horrified eyes as one of the men eagerly started unbuckling his belt. I used every ounce of strength I had left to try and break free. But another man grabbed my hair and slammed my head violently against the brick wall. “You’re not happy marrying our boss? You shouldn’t have f*cking provoked us then! Let’s see if anyone wants you after we’re done making you our little bitch!” I didn’t even know what they were talking about. All I knew was that someone was smashing my head against the wall, over and over again. Dizzy, blinded by pain! The moment they let go, I collapsed to the ground. I thought I was going to die in that alley. But the pain didn’t continue. Instead, I heard the sounds of a brutal fight and agonizing screams! Blood was pouring down my forehead, gluing my eyes shut. I struggled to open them, and saw Caleb fighting the three thugs like a man possessed, wielding a heavy metal pipe. He had trained in martial arts. He swung the pipe down on one of the thugs, breaking the man’s arm with a sickening crack. He tossed the pipe aside, ignored their begging, and started beating them to a bloody pulp with his bare hands. “Caleb…” Looking at his bloodshot eyes, I was genuinely terrified he was going to kill them. I tried to stop him, but my voice was pitifully weak. But he heard it instantly. He sprinted over to me. I watched him take off his jacket and drape it over me. Before I could even clearly see his face, I lost consciousness. Caleb called the police. Even though the thugs ended up in the ICU, the police didn’t press charges against Caleb. From their confessions, we learned they had mistaken me for my sister. They were actually hired to force her into marrying their boss. My parents couldn’t bear to let my sister suffer, so they tried to use me as the sacrificial lamb! After that incident, I was mentally unstable for a long time. I was terrified of being touched. I was terrified of knives. My parents and my sister just called me dramatic. They said since nothing actually happened—and even if I had been raped, so what! I wasn’t missing an arm or a leg. They told me to stop making such a big deal out of it. “Is that really how you think?” I will never forget the look of utter heartbreak and rage on Caleb’s face that day. He grabbed my hand and dragged me out of that house. From that day on, I never voluntarily spent another night in that house. In this world, the only person who could bring warmth to him was me. And the only person who could bring warmth to me was him!

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We agreed to an open marriage when I tied the knot with the heir of the Pierce family three years ago. We played by our own rules. At a business gala. Carter Pierce stared at my interlocked fingers with my new toyboy, his expression unreadable. “You seem busy, honey.” I scoffed, glancing at the two teary-eyed starlets flanking him. “Right back at you.” Then, a video titled “Mrs. Pierce Takes Toyboy Diamond Shopping” shot to the top of the trending topics. That night, Carter pinned me against the wall. “Playing for keeps this time?” I flashed the diamond ring. “Yeah. I think I’m ready to settle down.” 1 Carter’s birthday party was a lavish affair. Everyone who was anyone in New York’s elite circle was there. When I arrived, he was in the middle of a passionate kiss with a trending pop star. Someone noticed me, stood up, and called out, “Hey, Chloe.” Others quickly followed suit. I nodded in acknowledgment, long accustomed to Carter’s reckless behavior. “So you’re the famous Mrs. Pierce?” A girl wearing barely anything blocked my path, her tone laced with provocation. I looked at her face, which was a carbon copy of the starlet currently in Carter’s arms. “Twins?” Before she could speak, I walked straight past her to a single armchair near Carter and sat down. “You really know how to play.” Carter released the starlet, his long legs spread casually. With a relaxed, rebellious air, he pulled a cigarette from his case, held it between his lips, and lit it. “Why didn’t you bring your new catch?” Hearing Carter mention him. I couldn’t help the corners of my mouth curving up: “He has a tournament this month.” Carter found that smile deeply irritating and narrowed his eyes. I pulled a manila envelope from my bag, placed it on the table, and gave it a push. It slid to a stop right in front of him. “Happy Birthday.” He took the cigarette from his lips and stubbed it out, his voice utterly flat: “Is this because I’ve been getting close to Sienna these past two days?” Carter came from a powerful family, was ruthless in business, and had a sharp mind. He didn’t need to open the envelope to guess what was inside. Sienna was the younger of the twins, the one who had just been sitting on his lap. She was soft and fragile, like a delicate flower clinging to a tree. Since I arrived, she hadn’t said a word, just sat obediently beside Carter. Lighting his cigarette, handing him the ashtray. Sensible, never overstepping. Occasionally looking at him with big, watery eyes, perfectly designed to trigger a man’s protective instincts. He smiled, feigning nonchalance: “Sienna is a good girl. She won’t threaten your position.” I looked up, meeting his pitch-black eyes. “But you are threatening his.” The words hung in the air. A bottomless, freezing glint appeared in Carter’s eyes. “What did you just say?!” The once-lively VIP room was swiftly cleared out. Carter pulled out the divorce papers and tore them to shreds right in front of me. “Has no one ever told you that using this trick too often makes a man resent you?” He quickly reverted to his usual lazy, arrogant demeanor. “I don’t care who you have on the side, and you don’t manage my affairs. We keep playing by our own rules. When we need to put on a show for the parents, you give me a call.” He stood up, grabbed his suit jacket, and prepared to leave. At the door, he turned back: “I won’t look into your guy, and you don’t cause trouble for Sienna. Her career is on the rise.” “Carter, I’m serious. If you don’t sign, I can’t get a marriage license with him.” The anger Carter had just suppressed flared up again. He grabbed the heavy crystal ashtray and hurled it at the floor. “Chloe, are you out of your fucking mind?!” I don’t have the best temper either. I grabbed a wine bottle and chucked it at him. He dodged it, walked over, and hoisted me over his shoulder in one swift, rough motion. At the door, he looked at Sienna, whose eyes were swollen from crying. “You go home first.” 2 Ever since I brought up the divorce, Carter hadn’t gone out partying for days. At a gathering with friends. I pulled my hand free from Carter’s grip. “I’m going to get some air.” Carter watched my retreating figure. Next to him, Julian Vance blew a smoke ring and raised an eyebrow. “I heard Chloe asked for a divorce?” Carter narrowed his long eyes. “Someone whispered some sweet nothings in her ear, and she got hot-headed and made a rash decision, that’s all.” He continued dismissively, “Even if she wants a divorce, the Quinn and Pierce families won’t agree so easily. It’s not as simple as she thinks.” Julian advised him, “You should probably dial it back lately. If Chloe is really dead set on a divorce, you’ll be the one crying.” “How many boyfriends has she had in the last three years? Have any of them lasted more than a month? This time is no different; the novelty just hasn’t worn off yet.” Carter firmly believed that no matter how much he messed around, I would never actually divorce him. At most, I was just throwing a tantrum. Julian looked concerned. “You should still rein it in. In the past, when Chloe threw a tantrum, it was at home. This time, it was public, in front of everyone. Haven’t you thought about why?” Carter’s gaze slowly darkened. 3 I stood on the terrace, leaning against the railing, looking out over the glittering Manhattan skyline. Suddenly, an arm wrapped around my waist. “I didn’t see you get this mad when I was playing around with other women before. Sienna is just like the rest of them. Don’t take it to heart.” I sneered. If she were really like the rest of them, she wouldn’t have gone out of her way to let me know. I loosened his tie and pulled out the jade pendant he was wearing. “Didn’t you say you hated wearing this kind of stuff?” For his birthday last year, I specifically went to a temple to get a blessed jade pendant for him, meant to ward off evil and bring peace. He said he didn’t like wearing it and told me to put it away safely at home. Carter’s fingers stiffened slightly. “It’s just a trinket little girls like. If you don’t like it, I won’t wear it.” I looked up at the moon. “Carter, I’m not throwing a tantrum. I really want a divorce.” He looked stunned, unable to believe it. “What exactly are you throwing a fit about?! I told you, you will always be Mrs. Pierce. Sienna won’t threaten your position, and I’ve even made time to be with you. You’re still hung up on the divorce thing, aren’t you?” He bit down on a cigarette and lit it, a hint of hostility between his brows. Carter was about to say something else when his phone suddenly rang. He glanced at the caller ID, hesitated, and then answered. I don’t know what Sienna said, but the usually composed man showed a rare expression of panic: “I’ll be right there.” “Sienna fell down the stairs, I…” Sienna again. “Go ahead. I’ll drive myself back later.” “I’ll have the driver wait for you.” “No need.” With that, I turned and walked away. 4 On the drive back. At a red light, a car failed to brake and rear-ended me hard. With a loud crash, I instinctively raised my arms to protect my head. It took me a minute to recover. I opened my eyes, looked in the rearview mirror, and saw a man stumble out of the car behind me, reeking of alcohol and pointing at me. “Do you know how to fucking drive?!” I frowned, pulled out my phone, and started recording. “You’re driving under the influence?” “You’re the one under the influence! I’m not drunk.” “…” Seeing how wasted he was, I didn’t bother arguing. I called the traffic police and then dialed 911 for myself. If my guess was right, I probably had a mild concussion. After the police arrived and determined fault, I was taken to the hospital. The doctor examined me and said, “Mild concussion. We need to keep you for observation overnight.” A nurse handed me my phone. “I couldn’t reach your husband at first, and then he just started declining the calls. I called over a dozen times. I have to say, your husband has some nerve, not even worrying that something serious might have happened to you.” The nurse’s words felt like a knife twisting in my heart. I pretended not to care and took the phone. “It’s fine. I can handle it myself.” She wanted to say more but seemed to realize it wasn’t her place, so she just said “get some rest” and left. In the next bed was a young couple, giggling and playing around, completely oblivious to whether other patients were trying to rest. “Miss, didn’t your boyfriend come to stay with you?” The girl looked over, blinking her big eyes at me. I thought for a moment, then just before pulling the covers up, I said, “He’s dead.” The girl instantly felt terrible and stuck her tongue out. “I’m so sorry.” After that, she went back to messing around with her boyfriend. Chattering all night long. The next morning, after the doctor cleared me, I was discharged. The Pierce family estate. As soon as I walked in, I heard laughter coming from the living room. Carter’s parents were fussing over Sienna. Grace Pierce: “Sienna, your belly is truly a blessing. This is the eldest grandson of the Pierce family. You must take good care of yourself. Falling down the stairs like that can never happen again.” Sienna is pregnant? My hands, hanging by my sides, unconsciously clenched my clothes. Sienna was the first to see me. She called out “Chloe,” then quickly lowered her head. Carter looked over, his pitch-black eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions, including apology. Grace, who had long been dissatisfied with me—a daughter-in-law who hadn’t produced an heir in three years of marriage—took the opportunity to humiliate me: “Good timing, you’re back. I have something to tell you. You haven’t given the Pierce family a child in three years, and now Sienna is pregnant. She’s a hero to our family. I’ve decided she’ll stay here to rest during her pregnancy. You don’t have a problem with that, do you?” “Not that it matters if you do. Considering how much your Quinn family has benefited from the Pierce family these past few years, you don’t have the right to object.” Carter interjected: “That’s enough!” Grace was actually quite intimidated by her son. She glared at me and shut her mouth. Sienna timidly tugged at his sleeve: “Mr. Pierce… please don’t argue because of me. I can just go home to rest.” Carter pinched the bridge of his nose and glanced at her. Sienna obediently sat down. “Go back to the bedroom. I’ll give you a proper explanation.” He reached out to take my hand. I took a step back, leaving Carter’s hand hovering in mid-air. I said expressionlessly: “No need. Just sign the divorce papers. I don’t care who lives here.” Hearing that I wanted a divorce, Grace looked incredulous: “What did you say?! You want to divorce my son? Do you even know what you’re saying? If anyone brings up divorce, it should be us. It’s not your place!” I astutely noticed that when I said “divorce,” a glint of calculation flashed in Sienna’s eyes. It seems she wasn’t as innocent as she portrayed herself to be. “Enough, everyone shut up!” Carter forcefully grabbed my wrist and dragged me back to the bedroom. He took off his jacket, sat on the sofa, and was silent for a moment before speaking: “I’m sorry about Sienna getting pregnant. After she has the baby, I’ll make her leave the Pierce estate. Your dad has always wanted that East Side development project. I’ll have my assistant sign the contract tomorrow.” Hearing Carter’s words, I couldn’t suppress my anger: “Are you trying to use a project to compensate me?! Carter, you always know exactly how to humiliate me.” Carter frowned slightly: “That’s not what I meant. I just want to do something.” “Then sign the divorce papers.” I was completely and utterly disappointed in this man. Carter kicked the coffee table: “Chloe, you’ve really got some nerve!” He had been spoiled since childhood, everything had always gone his way. Hearing me repeatedly bring up divorce, his tone became laced with anger. “What’s wrong with you lately? It’s not like this hasn’t happened before, so why are you making such a huge deal out of it just because it’s Sienna!” From last night until now, the rationality I had been forcing myself to maintain completely shattered. “Why?! Why didn’t you answer any of the dozen calls I made to you last night? Do you know I got rear-ended?! I was alone at the hospital getting scans! I had a mild concussion and still had to go to the police station to handle the accident report! Tell me why!” I felt so sick I couldn’t stand straight and swayed on my feet. Carter moved quickly to catch me, but I dodged him. Hearing this, his heart clenched: “I’m sorry, I didn’t know. I thought you…” I thought it wasn’t anything important. “I ended up in the hospital from a car crash, and you were keeping Sienna company. I’m tired. I just want a divorce!” Carter’s gaze fell on me, mixed with too many emotions. He pulled a cigarette from his case, lit it, and didn’t speak for a long time. He smoked one cigarette after another… After a long while, his hoarse voice broke the silence in the room: “Have you really decided to get a divorce?” I pulled out a spare copy of the divorce agreement and signed it with a flourish. “The fault in our marriage lies with your infidelity. I want 15% of Pierce Enterprise’s shares and two hundred million in cash.” Carter nodded: “Your post-marital income is more than two hundred million. I’ll have the lawyers prepare your share and transfer it to your name.” I packed my things. As I walked to the door, Carter suddenly asked: “Is that man good to you?” “Very good. He’s like you when we first started dating. His heart and eyes are full of only me.” Carter smiled: “That’s good.” We went downstairs together. As I was leaving, I heard Sienna’s happy laughter from behind: “Mr. Pierce, why aren’t you wearing the jade pendant I gave you? I went out of my way to get it blessed to keep you safe.”

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