Seven years after I vanished, my brother found me. Not through some private investigator, but on the organ donor registry. “Where is this person?” He asked the nurse. “On the 12th floor, in the palliative care ward. She’s scheduled for surgery tomorrow.” His face a thundercloud, he stormed upstairs and burst into my room. “Aurora!” I looked up at him and smiled calmly. “You must have the wrong person, Adrian. My name is Serena, not Aurora.” He walked closer to the bed, his voice stiff. “Come home with me. Apologize to Willow, and I’ll get you the best doctors money can buy…” “No need. I haven’t done anything wrong, and I don’t need to apologize to anyone.” I didn’t even lift my head, signing the last letter on the donation agreement. After a long, chilling silence, he sneered, “Quite the act. Seven years, and you’re still playing the innocent victim.” “You’re sick? What’s wrong? Why are you having surgery?” I chuckled. “Late-stage glioblastoma. Not long now.” “Might as well give my organs away. Better use for them than just decaying underground, right? At least I can save a few people.” Adrian’s face flickered, but quickly reverted to cold indifference. “Cut the crap. You think I’m going to fall for your pathetic act?” He swept his gaze across the sparsely furnished room, his tone mocking. “Things not going so well for you out here all these years? If you hadn’t pulled those stunts back then, you wouldn’t be in this mess.” I looked down at my emaciated hands, saying nothing. “Aurora…” He suddenly called my name, a flicker of struggle in his voice. “Are you really… that sick?” I looked up at him, my eyes terrifyingly calm. “Does it concern you, Adrian?” “I’m your brother!” “Your sister… she died seven years ago.” His face turned ashen, staring intently at me. “You hate me that much? What happened back then, Aurora, wasn’t it your own fault—” “Enough,” I cut him off. “Adrian, you’re not here just to taunt me, are you? If there’s something you need, just say it.” He opened his mouth, but found himself speechless. “Let me guess,” I said slowly. “Does she… need *another* liver?” Adrian didn’t answer. But his evasive gaze said it all. I leaned against the headboard and let out a light laugh. “So that’s it.” “Seven years, and she finally remembers she has a sister.” “So you’re here today, on her behalf, to demand my liver?” “Not ‘demand,’” he corrected. “It’s your duty. You volunteered your liver back then. Now Willow needs another, and you’re still her sister. It’s your responsibility.” I leaned against the headboard, finding it all utterly absurd. “Adrian, seven years ago, when you threw me out of the house, why didn’t you mention I was her sister then?” “You deserved it!” His voice suddenly rose. “If you hadn’t done all those malicious things back then, if you hadn’t framed Willow, why would I have kicked you out? You’re still lying. Still playing the innocent victim.” I closed my eyes, my heart turned to ash. He never doubted her, it seemed. He always believed I was in the wrong. “Just leave,” I said wearily. “I need to rest.” “Aurora!” He roughly grabbed my shoulder. “You listen to me! Willow needs your liver!” I opened my eyes and looked at him calmly. “Then let her wait for a donor,” I said, my voice flat. “Because my organs? They’re already pledged to strangers.” “You—” He was trembling with rage. “You’re truly that heartless?! Willow saved my life back then! Without her, the Sutton name wouldn’t be where it is today! And you, you ungrateful wretch!” I said nothing, simply turning my head to look out the window. “Aurora, I’m making myself clear today,” he released me, his voice icy. “If you don’t save Willow, I swear I won’t let you die so easily.” “I will use every resource the Sutton family has to treat you, to keep you alive. Living a life worse than death itself.” I listened to his threats, my heart utterly calm. “Whatever.” He gave me a deep look, then turned and left. The door slammed shut behind him. I lay on the hospital bed, tears silently streaming down my face.

My mind drifted back fourteen years. I was thirteen then, Adrian twenty-one. Our parents died in a car accident, leaving behind our sprawling estate and a horde of relatives hungry for the family fortune. Back then, Adrian was like a wolf protecting its cub. He kept me safe behind him, shouldering everything by himself. At the funeral, a drunk relative pointed at me and cursed. “You little menace! If it wasn’t for you, your parents wouldn’t be dead!” Adrian punched him, sending blood spurting across his face. “Anyone who dares lay a finger on my sister, I’ll make them wish they were never born.” That night, he held me as I sobbed, repeating over and over. “Don’t be scared, I’m here.” “I’ll protect you my whole life, Aurora.” I believed him. I thought we would always be like that, dependent on each other. But everything changed when my half-sister, Willow, came into our lives. She wasn’t well, so Adrian gave her *my* room, claiming it had the best sunlight. She didn’t like the food our housekeeper made, so Adrian took her out to eat every single day. She was scared to sleep alone, so Adrian would stay in her room until she drifted off. A month before I was supposed to start college, Willow was diagnosed with a rare liver disease, her life hanging by a thread. Adrian went frantic. He took her to the best hospitals across the country, sought out every specialist. Finally, the doctors gave them two options. Wait for a donor liver, or a living donor transplant. Waiting for a donor could take one or two years, time she didn’t have. A living donor transplant required a blood-type-matched direct relative. And in the entire Sutton family, only she and I had compatible blood types. Adrian came to talk to me when I was doing my final revisions for my college entrance exams. “Aurora,” his voice was gentler than it had been in years. “You know about Willow, right?” I didn’t respond. “The doctors say your liver has the highest chance of a match.” I turned a page in my textbook. “Aurora, she’s going to die.” His voice trembled slightly. “Please, I’m begging you, save her.” I finally looked up at him. “Adrian, do you remember what you were doing the last time *I* was sick?” He froze. “I had a fever of one hundred and four degrees Fahrenheit, lay alone in my room for two days, and no one checked on me.” “And you? You were out shopping with Willow. Because she said she was in a bad mood.” He opened his mouth. “Aurora, I was wrong that time…” “And,” I cut him off. “Do you remember that time I was pushed down the stairs?” “I told you Willow did it, and what did you say? You said I wasn’t watching where I was going, trying to pin the blame on poor Willow.” His face went pale. “Aurora…” “Adrian, you want me to save her?” I stood up, facing him. “Fine.” “But after this, we’re done. Our slate is clean. I’m no longer a Sutton, and you’re no longer my brother!”

He flinched. “What did you say?” “I said, I’m willing to donate my liver to her.” “But after the surgery, I’m leaving the Sutton estate.” “You can all pretend I’m dead.” He was silent for a long time. Finally, he nodded. On the day of the surgery, I was wheeled into the operating room. Before I went in, I saw Adrian standing at the doorway. His lips trembled, as if he wanted to say something. But ultimately, he said nothing. The surgery was a success. Willow lived. I, however, lost a third of my liver and never returned to the Sutton estate. That afternoon, Adrian came again. This time, Willow was with him. Seven years had passed, and she had grown even more beautiful, her dark eyes still sparkling. Adrian sat by the bed. “Aurora, Willow came to see you.” “Sister,” Willow walked closer, her eyes red. “I heard you were sick, I was so worried…” “Cut the act,” I interrupted. “It’s just the three of us. Who are you performing for?” Willow’s face went white, tears spilling from her eyes. “Sister, why do you hate me so much? What happened back then wasn’t my fault…” “Not your fault?” I scoffed. “Willow, you hacked into my SnapChat account to trash-talk yourself in the class group, wasn’t that you? You peeked at my test papers, wasn’t that you? You pushed me down the stairs, wasn’t that you?” “Enough!” Adrian suddenly stood up. “Aurora, it’s been seven years, and you’re still spreading those lies!” “All the evidence back then proved it was *your* doing! How long are you going to keep slandering Willow?!” “Just because you were jealous that Willow was better than you, just because you couldn’t stand her, that’s why you concocted all these lies!” Every word was like a knife twisting in my heart. “Adrian, are you truly so certain that I’m the one lying?” “And aren’t you?” he said coldly. “Everyone at school, teachers and students, saw what you did back then. You were always bullying Willow, always jealous of her!” I closed my eyes, not wanting to argue anymore. It was useless. He never believed me. “Sister,” Willow walked over and took my hand. “I know you hate me. But Adrian said you’re sick, and I’m truly upset about it…” “If you need money for treatment, I can give you all my savings…” I yanked my hand away from her. “Willow, cut out your games!” I looked at Adrian. “Alright, I know what you both want. But no. I won’t donate my liver to her.” “I’d rather give it to a stranger than save her again.” Adrian’s face turned livid. “Aurora, you’re really that heartless?!” “Yes, I am that heartless,” I looked at him. “Seven years ago I gave her a third of my liver, and what did I get in return? You kicked me out of our home!” “And now you come back for me, on what grounds?!” “You deserved it!” “Fine, good,” I nodded. “Then my not saving her now, she deserves it too.” “After all, I’m a cruel woman.” Adrian was shaking with fury. He suddenly grabbed my collar. “Aurora, don’t push me!” “What do you want to do?” I met his gaze. “Hit me? Or kill me?” “I’m dying anyway, so feel free.” His hand trembled. After a moment, he released me, taking a deep breath. “Aurora, I’m asking you one last time. Are you going to save Willow?” “No.” “Fine, good,” he sneered. “Then don’t blame me for what happens next.” He took out his phone and dialed a number. “Execute it. Just like I told you.”

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My boyfriend was absolutely crazy about his cars, practically calling them his ‘wifey’. I respected his passion and rarely interfered. Until one day, I overheard him and his friends playing a twisted game of ‘sharing their prized possessions.’ On the huge screen in front of them, my most private videos were playing, a rotating loop of every angle, posture, and expression imaginable. His friend scoffed, “Ryan, Celeste’s shy little act was novel for a bit, but honestly, it’s getting stale.” Ryan just shrugged it off, a dismissive smirk on his face, clearly unbothered. “Just a girl, right? Nowhere near as thrilling as a sports car. Whatever.” But the moment Jake suggested he record some private footage of Tiffany, Ryan instantly snapped, throwing a punch. The private room was filled with my moans, and outside the door, my face went ghost-white. Ryan’s friend picked at his teeth with a toothpick, bored. “Dude, Celeste is so boring. It’s the same few positions over and over, like a plank of wood.” “Honestly, this ‘holier-than-thou’ act gets old fast. Even I couldn’t get it up watching this, which is saying something.” A chorus of derisive laughter filled the room, their contempt blatant. Ryan didn’t argue. He just grinned, utterly unbothered, not refuting a word they said. “Alright, alright, at least you got something to watch. Don’t say I’m not good to you guys. If it weren’t for this game, I wouldn’t even touch her. She’s just a plain-looking, ordinary girl, not even as exciting as my car.” His friend raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile playing on his lips. “You haven’t been ‘active’ in ages, yet you’ve got this hot bombshell always around. Aren’t you tempted? If you ask me, you and Tiffany should give it a shot. You could even record some videos and share some ‘perks’ with us guys, spice things up a bit!” Ryan, who had been so nonchalant moments before, suddenly stiffened when he heard Tiffany’s name. His face darkened like a storm cloud. He didn’t even think, just lunged forward and landed a punch square on his friend’s face. The force was so great that a tooth went flying. “Don’t you dare come up with anything twisted for our own friends! If I catch any of you with those disgusting thoughts again, don’t blame me when I lose it!” The other friends were startled and quickly tried to smooth things over. “Hey, calm down. They’re just girls, right? You weren’t even this mad when you shared your *own* girlfriend’s videos. He just mentioned it, no need to ruin our friendship.” Ryan shook his hand out, his voice laced with menace. “Are good friends and girlfriends the same thing? If you can’t even stick up for your own, what kind of friends are you? I’m warning you, when it comes to me, Tiffany ranks above all of you!” His friends immediately sobered up, nodding frantically and promising to behave. Ryan then reverted to his usual rogueish demeanor. “My girlfriend’s coming to pick me up soon. Shut those videos off, and don’t say anything stupid! She’s super innocent, she wouldn’t understand this kind of game.” I gasped for air, like I was drowning, tears streaming uncontrollably down my face. Even digging my nails into my palms until they bled couldn’t alleviate an ounce of the searing pain in my heart. I could only clutch my rapidly constricting chest, leaning on the wall as I stumbled away. Veins popped out on my neck, barely visible beneath my skin. The distinctive red mole at the corner of my eye, a symbol of my family, pulsed a deeper crimson. Ryan didn’t know I wasn’t some ordinary girl. I was born into a notorious family of troublemakers. Everyone in my family was drop-dead gorgeous, naturally born with a touch of darkness—cold, ruthless, and utterly insane. I was the only anomaly in the family, born sweet and gentle, with a delicate, understated beauty. My bloodline would only awaken under extreme stress or shock. My family, hoping I’d eventually embrace their nature, sent me out into the world from a young age to toughen me up. Ryan was the one I chose. He was famous for loving cars more than women. So, in a way, I deliberately put myself through this challenge. But after spending so much time with him, I genuinely fell in love. I even thought, maybe I wouldn’t go home. I could stay like this, with my current looks and identity, and be with him forever. But in the end, he broke my heart. I found that old, dusty phone number, my fingers trembling. “Julian, I’m coming home. Give me three days.”

Turning around, I saw Tiffany running towards Ryan, kicking his car. “Dork, you always have your get-togethers here and never invite me! I’m gonna find out what kind of trouble you’re brewing!” Ryan’s face changed. I thought he’d lash out at Tiffany for touching his car. But he just sighed. “Don’t take it out on my car, doesn’t your foot hurt?” “I didn’t deliberately exclude you. These are guy-only gatherings, stinky and not really your scene.” “Hmph.” Tiffany snorted. “I’m nothing like your little girlfriend!” “I have to punish this idiot!” Tiffany swung her bag, and its chain instantly scraped a line across Ryan’s car. She then planted her foot on his car, leaving two dirty black footprints, but that wasn’t enough. “What are you standing around for? Help your queen up! Today I’m going to stomp a bunch of footprints all over your car and post them as trophies on Ins!” Ryan, who would usually throw a fit if anyone so much as brushed against his car, only offered a helpless smile when faced with Tiffany’s unreasonable demands. He indulgently wrapped his hands around Tiffany’s waist, lifting her onto the hood of the car. He let Tiffany stomp countless footprints all over his car, then took photos with these “trophies” and posted them on Ins. In the comments, all their mutual friends were marveling. “Seriously, you’re probably the only person in the world who can touch his car!” “Totally! Anyone else would get their wrist broken! You’re clearly different, mighty queen!” Ryan jokingly called Tiffany “Childish!” Then he commented below: “It’s just a car; of course, she’s more important.” It was a stark contrast to his earlier “Just a girl, right? Nowhere near as thrilling as a sports car.” Tiffany gloated inwardly, but feigned annoyance. “Hey, idiot. Don’t you think my feet are too small? Not cool at all. What if people see these footprints and think they belong to some other girl?” To tease her, Ryan nodded. “They are a little small.” Tiffany slapped him on the forehead. “You moron, looking down on your queen, are you?!” A mischievous idea sparked in her mind. She pulled out her phone and started recording Ryan. “Repeat after me! My queen Tiffany’s size 6 feet are the cutest! My girlfriend Celeste’s size 8 feet are giant clown shoes!” Seeing Ryan hesitate, Tiffany got impatient. “What’s that look for? You don’t want to do a simple little punishment, huh? You idiot, you get a girlfriend and forget your queen!” Ryan, who was initially reluctant, immediately gave in. “Alright, alright, I’ll say it! I’d rather offend my incredibly understanding girlfriend than you, my little terror.” I watched them with cold eyes, waiting until they were done messing around before I finally appeared.

Seeing me, Ryan told Tiffany to get in the car first, and she just plopped herself into the passenger seat. I didn’t say anything, automatically reaching for the back door handle. My fingertips had barely touched the car door when Ryan, reacting instinctively, grabbed my arm and violently shoved me away. Caught off guard, I slammed into a utility pole, and a nail sticking out from it sliced a gash across my forehead, leaving a bloody trail. I remembered the first time we met. I had accidentally brushed against his car. He’d kicked me away, snapping, “Your hands are filthy! Never seen a car before? Don’t touch what’s not yours!” Later, when he pursued me, he sent me a month’s worth of flowers in a convoy of luxury cars to win me over. He even promised to change his habit of reacting aggressively whenever anyone touched his car and to always put me first. But a year had passed, and he hadn’t changed. I thought he treated everyone the same. Turns out, Tiffany was the special one, the exception. And I? I was nothing. Still just an outsider who couldn’t even get close to his car. I pressed my hand against my bleeding forehead, bowing to him in apology. Ryan froze for a second, then realized he’d gone too far and looked flustered. “I’m sorry, I overreacted. You know I’m a car freak, I can’t control myself. Please don’t be mad at me.” “I’ll take you to the hospital first. You’ve been scratched by a nail, you need a tetanus shot.” I nodded, assuming that out of guilt, he’d finally let me ride in his car. But to my surprise, as I took a step forward, he stopped me. He led me to the trunk, where a pink scooter was conspicuously parked. “You know my car is for racing, not for passengers. So I bought you a scooter. Look, all the decorations are things you like, and I personally stuck on all the little ribbons.” “From now on, you can ride your scooter behind my car, and I’ll clear the way for you on your commute to work.” A blissful smile, imagining our future, spread across Ryan’s face. My heart, however, was colder than ice. So, he still thought we had a future. But I didn’t want one anymore. I glanced at Tiffany in the passenger seat, who was watching the show, and a bitter taste filled my mouth. Ryan noticed my expression and actually started to explain himself. “Don’t misunderstand. Tiffany is different from you; she’s been clumsy since she was little, can’t even navigate a straight line. I don’t trust her to go home alone, so I can only inconvenience myself and take her.” Normally, I would have swallowed my hurt and just complied. But today, a surge of uncontrollable fury suddenly ignited within me. I struggled to suppress the impulse to smash his car, speaking mechanically. “No, thanks. My wound hurts, I don’t have the strength to ride. You take her home, I’ll take the subway.” To my surprise, Ryan actually nodded, perfectly at ease. “Alright, I’d actually feel better if you took the subway. It’s too late for Tiffany to go home alone, so I’ll drop her off first.” I watched him drive off with a roar, my heart still aching. He was worried about Tiffany going home late, but perfectly fine with me taking the subway alone late at night? I gave a self-deprecating laugh, collapsing weakly to the ground. A luxury car pulled up beside me, and a cold, unfeeling voice came from inside. “Get in.” I sat in the passenger seat, a little flustered. “Julian, why are you here? I said three days.” My family, though outwardly cold, was fiercely loyal to its own. As long as I was one of them, they would protect me unconditionally. “Mom and Dad are very pleased you’re coming home. You said your bloodline was awakening, yet you’re crying by the roadside because of some nobody?” I rubbed the distinctive red mole beneath my eye. “Almost. I feel like my temper’s starting to fray. Next time, I might just smash his car to pieces. Our family can afford to replace it anyway.” Julian rarely showed emotion, but a slight curve touched his lips. “Good. And,” he added after a moment, “I’ll fund your car-smashing spree. Take as many as you want.”

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My Judge Husband Favored His First Love, Only to Learn the Shocking Truth After My Death After my husband lost his memory, he fell for another woman. He saw me as nothing but a nuisance. As a judge, he even sentenced me to death with his own lips when his mistress framed me. “Avery Shaw, don’t blame me for being heartless. You refused to divorce me, insisted on clinging to me, and stood in the way of me and Serena being together.” Then, I really died. But my husband, his memory restored, went insane. I died in a cold prison cell, brutally tortured to death by the other inmates. My body was a wreck of broken bones and fractures, covered in so many bruises and bloodstains that there wasn’t an inch of unmarked skin left. Someone was trying to reach my husband, Gaylen Hayes, to inform him to collect my body. Over the phone, I heard his voice – mocking, filled with disgust: “Avery Shaw probably put you up to this, trying to trick me. That woman never changes, always scheming, even in prison.” “I sentenced her to death, yes, but it was suspended for two years. As long as she behaves well in prison, there’s still hope for a reduced sentence, maybe even life imprisonment, or getting out!” “I already gave her a chance, what more does she want from me?” “Tell Avery Shaw to stop bothering me!” Gaylen impatiently hung up. A bitter, humorless laugh escaped me. Why, even after I’d died, after I’d become a mere soul, did I still have to hear such cruel, heartless words? Gaylen himself had put me in here. Did he truly believe I’d ever see the light of day again? Didn’t he know I was specifically placed in a cell with a group of hardened, vicious inmates? It was as if they were acting on someone’s orders, subjecting me to unspeakable abuse every single day. For me, death wasn’t a punishment; it was a release. I found Gaylen in a high-end French restaurant. I had just died, yet he was enjoying a candlelit dinner with a charming, graceful woman. Lost in a haze of sweet affection, they were sharing intimate sips of red wine, their eyes locked in adoration. “This restaurant is excellent. You truly have good taste,” Gaylen praised softly, his face alight with tenderness. That scene made me recall the last time I took Gaylen out. He would always complain that my chosen restaurants weren’t elegant or stylish enough. Even when I meticulously picked places that perfectly matched his aesthetic and preferences, he’d still nitpick and find fault. “Avery Shaw, what kind of dump is this? The food is awful, and the service is terrible!” “Just like you – terrible!” Our meals always ended in arguments and resentment. Now, thinking back, it probably wasn’t the restaurant’s fault at all. The real issue was *who* he was dining with. The woman sitting opposite him was Serena Thorne, Gaylen’s new mistress. Serena thoughtfully cut Gaylen’s steak for him and even raised a silver fork to his lips. Gaylen happily opened his mouth and ate. “Gaylen,” Serena glanced at the watch on her wrist, then looked up, her gaze full of suggestive meaning, “Want to come over to my place tonight?” “Oh, I don’t think that’s appropriate.” Serena cajoled, “It doesn’t matter, she’s already… gone.” Gaylen’s face immediately darkened, and he scowled in disgust. “Don’t mention that nauseating name.” “You wouldn’t believe it, she even bribed the prison staff to lie and tell me to collect her body. All she wants is an excuse to see me.” “Hmph, don’t I know her? I have no idea where she gets the nerve to keep pestering me. She’s like a persistent leech, absolutely sickening.” Hearing that, my chest ached with a bitter pang, yet I still tried to console myself. *It’s okay.* Gaylen was just suffering from amnesia. He once loved me dearly.

When Gaylen first mentioned the prison, a flicker of unease, a hint of guilt, danced in Serena’s eyes. Gaylen didn’t notice. That very night, he brought Serena back to the home *we* once shared. As they entered, Gaylen opened the shoe cabinet and glanced at my pink slippers. Those were the matching slippers Gaylen and I bought together at the supermarket years ago. Mine were pink, his gray. The designs, when put together, formed a heart. Gaylen pulled out my slippers, and I expected him to offer them to Serena. But to my shock, he tossed them outside, an unconcealed look of disgust on his face. “Belongings of a criminal. They’re tainted.” I had thought that after death, I wouldn’t feel pain anymore. Yet, in that moment, a thousand tiny needles pricked my chest. He took his own gray slippers and handed them to Serena. “Let’s go to the supermarket tomorrow. We can buy two new pairs of slippers, and some other essentials. Everything in this house needs replacing.” I understood Gaylen’s implication. It wasn’t just the things in the house that needed replacing; the mistress of the house had already been replaced. Gaylen went to shower first, while Serena wandered through the house. Her warm smile had vanished, replaced by a cold, sneering expression. A contemptuous smirk played on her lips as she looked at the row of gold trophies displayed in the glass cabinet. I was a professional race car driver, a global champion. Each of those trophies was earned by risking my life, trading heartbeat for victory, racing on the edge of death. But Serena, without a blink, smiled and pushed the cabinet. With a sickening crash! The cabinet toppled, glass shattered everywhere, and the trophies broke in half. No—!! My phantom self screamed and lunged, wanting to stop her, but it was utterly futile. Hearing the commotion, Gaylen, wrapped in a towel after his shower, rushed out. He stared at the wreckage, momentarily stunned, then quickly walked over, his expression tense. A sliver of hope flickered within me. Gaylen knew how much those trophies meant to me. He had even been present at a few of my races, witnessing firsthand the danger and thrill of the sport, knowing how incredibly hard I fought to win those awards. More importantly, the first thing I did after winning a championship was to hold the trophy and propose to him! He had laughed so happily back then. Those were *our* most precious, shared memories. Would Gaylen show any displeasure? Even a simple word? Gaylen walked past me, his eyes seemingly only seeing Serena. “Oh my god, are you okay? What happened? Are you hurt?” He took Serena’s hand, examining her carefully, and still not satisfied, asked, “Should I take you to the hospital right now for a check-up?” My spirit sank, heavy with sorrow. Right. Gaylen had forgotten everything about me. He only remembered Serena. He would never remember me again. “I’m fine,” Serena said, feigning guilt. “I was just curious about these trophies and wanted to pick one up, but I accidentally knocked the cabinet over. I’m so sorry, Gaylen.” Gaylen shook his head. “You don’t need to apologize to me. They’re not my things anyway, they’re unimportant.” “Oh, I see.” How could Serena not know they were mine? My name was still engraved on the base of each trophy! But she acted innocent, and Gaylen didn’t suspect a thing. Serena continued to pretend remorse. “So they were hers. It’s all my fault for breaking her things.” “What if she’s unhappy when she gets out of prison?” Gaylen wouldn’t dream of blaming her. “Don’t worry about that scumbag, Avery Shaw.” “She was so jealous of our relationship, she drove and killed your patient and even tried to frame you. I must have been blind to ever be with her.” Serena was a therapist. Her patient, the so-called victim, had severe mental health issues and depressive tendencies. He was a vulnerable young patient abandoned by his parents, which was why Serena represented him in court.

She was also the sole eyewitness at the scene of the accident. This was why Gaylen, blatantly disregarding the law, was completely biased in her favor. Yet, everyone else thought Gaylen was upholding justice. It was bitterly ironic. I knew that after his amnesia, Gaylen utterly detested me, believing I had deceived him years ago. He had tried every possible means to force me to divorce him, wanting me to let him be with Serena. I never agreed to sign the divorce papers because I still held onto a sliver of hope. Maybe one day, he would regain his memory. But I never imagined Gaylen would go to such extremes for Serena! When I was accused of the crime, I explained countless times to Gaylen that I was innocent, that Serena was the real killer. All the evidence pointing to me was fabricated by Serena herself. Of course, Gaylen didn’t believe me. He threw a pre-drafted divorce agreement at me, sneering, “Avery Shaw, I warned you to let go, but you wouldn’t listen. You just had to stand in the way of me and Serena.” “Now look what you’ve done, committing such a disgusting act.” “Don’t worry, I won’t show you an ounce of mercy.” He was true to his word. In court, the moment Gaylen brought down the gavel, my heart turned to ash. The last words I left for him in this world were— “I accept the verdict.” I watched, helpless, as Gaylen deliberately stepped on my trophies, crushing them further. “Cars, cars, cars. All day, she obsessed over her worthless cars. It wasn’t enough that she ruined my life back then, now she’s even involved in a hit-and-run.” “Have Mrs. Davis clean up these broken pieces tomorrow.” He looked around, his eyes filled with profound disgust. “This house really needs a deep clean.” “Being married to a person like her is the greatest stain on my life, my eternal shame.” The next day, Mrs. Davis arrived with her team. Gaylen coldly instructed, “Throw away all the contaminated junk Avery Shaw left behind!” My clothes, my shoes, my used cups and towels… Everything I owned, he treated as trash. Until he found an old, yellowed journal in the study. Because it was with my things, he initially intended to throw it away too. His eyes inadvertently fell upon the name written on it – his own. Gaylen paused, picked up the journal, and hesitantly opened the first page. From outside the study, Serena’s voice called out, “Gaylen, aren’t you done yet?” “…I’ll be right there!” Hearing Serena’s impatient call, Gaylen didn’t bother to read further, casually tossing the journal back into the drawer. He had only taken a fleeting glance, not clearly seeing the content. After having all my belongings packed up and discarded, Gaylen and Serena went to the supermarket together. Like a newlywed couple, they began to furnish their home. Serena pushed the cart ahead. Gaylen walked beside her, his arm linked through hers. As they walked, he suddenly frowned. Perhaps, this scene felt strangely familiar to him. We used to be like this, walking hand-in-hand through the supermarket. I would always fill our cart with all his favorite foods. Then, Gaylen would lean in close, kiss me, and sweetly tease, “You’re so good to me, my love.” This supermarket was the closest to our neighborhood. Whenever we passed by after work, if we had time, we would always stop in. But after that accident, Gaylen no longer wanted to go grocery shopping with me. Serena turned around and saw Gaylen clutching his forehead, his face showing a hint of pain. She quickly asked, “Gaylen, what’s wrong?” “Nothing, I just suddenly thought of… that person.” Gaylen pursed his lips. “I wonder if she’s learned her lesson in prison.” “Never mind. Since she wants me to visit her so badly.” “If I ever have time, I might begrudgingly go for a conjugal visit. I’m not that heartless, you know.” The tone Gaylen used when he said that… It was as if he was granting me a great favor, his eyes and brow radiating self-satisfaction. I wondered if he’d still be smiling when that day came.

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My CEO husband, worth billions, only gave my daughter and me a $200 allowance each month. But the day his childhood friend returned, he showered her with a multi-million dollar luxury car and a mansion without a second thought. Later, when our daughter had a sudden heart attack and needed $100,000 for surgery to save her life, he accused me of finally showing my true colors. He had his bodyguards throw me out of his company. I watched helplessly as my daughter died on the operating table. Meanwhile, he boarded an international flight to travel the world with his childhood friend. It wasn’t until after I’d buried our daughter that my husband, Julian, returned from his trip. He found me, completely nonchalant. “Alright, you and Lily always wanted to go to an amusement park, right? I’ll take you both next week.” But he didn’t know that from the moment Lily died on that cold operating table, I was done with him. Our marriage was over. I was sorting through Lily’s belongings when my husband, Julian, finally strolled back home, freshly returned from his global escapade. “Claire, could you give me a shoulder rub? This trip absolutely exhausted me.” Hearing his voice, I, who used to adore him, said nothing. I just kept my head down, packing. Seeing I didn’t respond, Julian frowned, then a thought seemed to strike him, and he chuckled. “No way, my beautiful Claire, you’re not still jealous about me going on that trip with Cassidy, are you?” Cassidy was his childhood friend, someone he’d grown up with. To travel the world with her, Julian had abandoned our seriously ill daughter, leaving her to die tragically on a cold operating table. The memory of Lily’s eyes, slowly losing their warmth, felt like a spike piercing my chest. A sharp, unbearable pain. Before I could speak, Cassidy sauntered in, a look of false sympathy on her face. “Oh, Claire! It’s all my fault. I just had to drag Julian along for a relaxing trip.” “But don’t worry, we just traveled together. There’s really nothing going on.” She said it so casually, yet they were wearing matching outfits and matching rings, looking like a real couple as they strolled down the street. My own wedding ring? Julian had long since discarded it, God knows where. When I still didn’t say anything, Julian sighed, looking exasperated. “Alright, stop being mad. I’ll transfer an extra five hundred dollars for your allowance this month. Get Lily some good food.” “You know I’m good to you both, no need for thanks.” But as I stared at the transfer record on my phone, all I felt was bitter irony. He’d spent millions traveling with Cassidy, buying her designer brands without batting an eye. A single handbag could cost tens of thousands. And now, he was giving me five hundred dollars, acting as if it were the greatest gift. Cassidy stood by, barely suppressing a smile, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Claire, five hundred dollars is a lot! Why don’t you thank Julian?” “I always say, kids should learn to live frugally from a young age. That way, they won’t grow up to be materialistic!” Yet, Julian wholeheartedly believed this absurd logic. To prevent our daughter from becoming greedy, he strictly controlled my and Lily’s expenses, giving us only two hundred dollars a month. I used to argue with him constantly, fighting for a better life for Lily. But now Lily was gone. Any words felt meaningless. Thinking this, I transferred the money right back. My voice was flat. “No need. I don’t want it.” Julian’s smile instantly froze. Then, he looked frustrated. “Claire, I’ve already apologized. What more do you want?” Before I could answer, Cassidy’s sneering voice cut in. “I bet she just thinks five hundred dollars is too little, doesn’t she?” “Honestly, Claire, with how petty you are, how can you be a good role model for Lily?” She lectured me from her high horse. Julian, too, looked at me with profound disappointment. “Claire, we’ve only been married a few years, and you’ve become so insatiable? “In a few more years, will you be asking for my family’s shares and assets too?” Hearing Julian’s accusations, I let out a self-deprecating laugh. So, after all this time, that’s what he thought of me. But my silence, in his eyes, became guilt. The next moment, Julian snapped, annoyed. “It seems Cassidy was right. You’re not a fit mother at all.” “Everything I do is to instill resilience in our daughter.” “If you keep this up, if Lily becomes as greedy as you, how will this family survive?” I looked at his self-righteous face and found it utterly ridiculous. His so-called resilience meant that if I asked for an extra twenty dollars for groceries, he’d lecture me for hours about coveting his family’s wealth. Even when Lily got good grades and wanted a small cupcake, he’d point a finger at her and scold: “Such strong desires at a young age! You’ll grow up to be a greedy woman!” “Your mother will spoil you rotten one day!” Thinking of this, I was about to tell him about Lily’s condition. “Julian, Lily, she’s already…” But before I could finish, Cassidy at the door suddenly let out a yelp. Julian immediately rushed to her side, completely forgetting about lecturing me. “Cassidy, what’s wrong?” Cassidy waved her hand dismissively. “Julian, I’m fine. Maybe just too much flying, my old back pain is acting up again.” “Don’t let me disrupt your family time.” Julian shook his head. “Your health is more important. I’ll take you to the hospital right now.” Just before leaving, Julian seemed to remember something. He turned back to me, sighing heavily. “Claire, let’s both cool down for a bit.” “When I get back, we can talk properly about taking Lily out next week.” But he didn’t know Lily was no longer alive, and I wasn’t waiting for him anymore.

Composing myself, I took the resignation letter I’d already drafted and headed straight to the company to handle my exit. All the way, colleagues whispered and pointed. “Isn’t that Claire? How does she still have the nerve to show her face here?” “Seriously. Who does she think she is? Last month, she dared to ask Julian for ten thousand dollars and he had security kick her out.” “With her salary, how many years would it take to earn ten thousand for Julian?” “Ha, ignore that clown. Let’s go…” Hearing those whispers, I gave a self-deprecating smile. Married for years, Julian had never announced our relationship. In fact, to avoid suspicion, he’d always kept me as a regular low-level employee. For years, I’d worked diligently, even pushing myself to the point of hospitalization after a particularly brutal negotiation, just to secure major deals for the company. I wanted to become exceptional, to make him acknowledge Lily and me. But every promotion application I submitted was rejected, again and again. Confused, I confronted him, seeking an explanation. He’d just smile, cling to my arm, and sweet-talk me: “Claire, this is all part of my plan to mold you. It’ll make you an even better wife and mother!” “Besides, isn’t it enough that I’m the only one earning? Do you think I can’t provide for you and Lily, or are you trying to climb the corporate ladder and take over my power?” I was speechless, believing he had his own reasons. But the day Cassidy returned, he mobilized dozens of luxury cars to greet her at the airport, the celebratory fireworks deafening. That very evening, Cassidy was parachuted into the company, straight into a VP position. Only then did I truly understand: the difference between love and indifference was stark. Given that, there was no point in continuing this ridiculous marriage. I submitted my resignation. Stepping out of the company, I expected to feel heavy-hearted. Instead, there was only lightness. For years, I’d been like a bird with clipped wings, trapped in a cage, experiencing nothing but oppression. Now, freedom stretched before me. I went to Lily’s grave. Before her small headstone, I carefully placed all her favorite toys. I stayed with her until deep into the night, then dragged my exhausted body home. To my surprise, when I opened the door, Julian, uncharacteristically, was waiting for me. “Do you even know what time it is? I thought you’d decided to stay out all night.” On the sofa, Julian sat with furrowed brows, arms crossed, looking thoroughly displeased. That expression was his signal for me to appease him. But I just found it strange. In the past, if Cassidy so much as got a tiny scratch on her finger, he’d be by her side, staying up all night. Yet today, Cassidy had landed in the hospital, and he wasn’t with her? It wasn’t my concern, and I couldn’t care less. I asked flatly: “Is there something you want?” My cold tone made Julian’s face stiffen. Before, no matter what happened, I always greeted him with a smile. But since he returned from his trip, I seemed to have transformed. I didn’t argue or fuss with him anymore. Even the warmth in my eyes when I looked at him was gone. This sparked a flicker of unease in him. He quickly said: “You’re still mad about me going out with Cassidy, aren’t you? I told you, it was just to clear my head.” “Didn’t Lily always say she wanted to go to the beach? Fine, once I’m less busy, I’ll take you and Lily. Is that good enough?” His attempt at reconciliation sounded more like a handout to me now. Lily and I were like two pets to him—amused when he was in a good mood, kicked aside when he wasn’t. Julian suddenly remembered something and looked at me, puzzled. “Hmm? Where’s Lily? I haven’t seen her since I got back.” “Did you send her to your mom’s house?” I stared at him in disbelief. He’d been back for two days, and he was just now asking about our daughter? He didn’t care about Lily at all. He didn’t care about this family. Before I could speak, Cassidy walked out of the bathroom, wearing my bathrobe.

Seeing me, Cassidy showed no embarrassment. Instead, she acted like the lady of the house, enthusiastically inviting me. “Claire’s here! Come in, sit down, don’t be a stranger.” My breath hitched. The words I was about to say caught in my throat. I looked at Julian on the sofa, confused. “What is she doing here?” Julian saw the change in my expression and looked a little guilty. “Cassidy hasn’t been feeling well lately, so I just moved her in to make it easier to take care of her. Don’t overthink it.” It dawned on me. No wonder Julian was home tonight – it was all for Cassidy. Julian even wore a relieved expression. “Good thing you sent Lily to your mom’s house already. Otherwise, with so many people here, it would be a bit inconvenient.” All I felt was sarcasm. He hadn’t noticed anything wrong with Lily’s absence. His only concern was Cassidy. Cassidy feigned remorse. “It’s all my fault, I’m disturbing your marital life. Claire, I’m just staying for a few days, you’re not mad, are you?” But her eyes were filled with triumph and provocation. Fearing I might make a scene, Julian quickly explained. “Claire, don’t worry, Cassidy and I already talked. She’ll just sleep on the couch. We promise not to disturb you.” But the next second, I saw profound tenderness in his eyes. How could he bear to let Cassidy sleep on a cold couch? If I hadn’t unexpectedly returned, he would surely be holding Cassidy tightly in his arms. Thinking this, I spoke. “If her back is bad, how can she sleep on the couch? She should sleep in the master bedroom.” Cassidy’s face instantly lit up. “Really? Claire, you’re so generous!” Julian also breathed a sigh of relief. “Claire, I’m so relieved you’re thinking this way. I was afraid you’d be jealous of Cassidy and make a huge scene again.” He thought I was finally being reasonable, that I wouldn’t argue over such a small matter. But I was leaving anyway. What did it matter where she stayed? As Julian gleefully pulled Cassidy, ready to move into the master bedroom, I quietly finished packing my luggage, preparing to go to a hotel. But just as I reached the door, Julian, who had suddenly come out of the master bedroom, saw me. He rushed over to stop me. “Claire, it’s so late. Where are you going?” I smiled faintly. “To make space for you and Cassidy, of course.” Hearing this, Julian’s face instantly turned ashen. He gritted his teeth. “Claire, what are you talking about?” “I already explained it clearly. Cassidy has back pain, so I brought her home for a few days. And you yourself agreed to let her stay in the master bedroom. What kind of stunt are you pulling now?” “Do you have no sympathy at all?” He lectured me endlessly, but I only found it laughable. I used to argue with him constantly over Cassidy, and he’d call me immature, unreasonable, and irrational. Now I was being reasonable and not arguing, and he was upset again. Cassidy then dabbed at her eyes with fake tears. “I knew Claire was still mad at me. It’s all my fault. I’ll just go, let me just die in the street.” Her acting was terrible, but Julian believed her. He pulled Cassidy behind him. “Cassidy, you’re staying right here tonight! Let’s see who dares to kick you out!” Then, crossing his arms, he coldly told me: “You’ve gotten bold, haven’t you? Go on, leave if you dare!” He was certain I loved him and wouldn’t really go. But from the moment Lily died, my love for him had completely vanished. I would never forgive him, not in this lifetime. I gave a cold laugh, picked up my suitcase, and walked straight out. Julian stood there, staring blankly at my retreating back, unable to snap out of it for a long time. It wasn’t until I was in the elevator that I heard Julian’s shout from behind me. “Go then! If you leave, don’t you dare come back!” But he didn’t know I truly wouldn’t turn back. He had lost me forever. At the hotel, I slept soundly all night. The next morning, I checked my phone to find dozens of missed calls, all from Julian. The last call was half an hour ago. I found it odd. Had he been awake all night? He always told me to be more understanding and argue less with Cassidy. But when had he become so petty? When I opened the door, Julian sat on a chair, his face drawn and haggard. The moment he saw me, his emotions flared. “Is this about me letting Cassidy stay at the house? Are you running away and quitting your job because of that?”

I didn’t answer directly. Instead, I frowned and asked: “How did you know I was here?” Julian’s voice was hoarse. “I checked your bank card transaction history.” It suddenly hit me. Not long after we got married, Julian had taken sole control of our finances, strictly managing my and Lily’s expenses. All the bank cards were in his name. Looks like I couldn’t use this bank card anymore either. But what puzzled me was why he was here. Shouldn’t he be at home taking care of Cassidy? Julian, uncharacteristically, gently took my hand. His voice was soft. “I know you’re still angry about last night.” “So this morning, as soon as Cassidy felt a little better, I sent her home immediately. Don’t worry, I made her sleep on the couch.” I looked at him, astonished. He never used to explain these things to me. Whenever I argued with him about them, he’d call me petty, saying a malicious person sees malice everywhere. But now that I wasn’t asking, he was babbling on and on. I found it irritating. I pushed him away, expressionless. “Are you done? Because if you are, I have a job interview to get to.” I’d sent out several resumes recently, and a few big companies had already extended offers. But as I was about to leave, Julian grabbed my arm, tears welling in his eyes. His voice trembled. “Claire, do you have to be so cruel?” “Cassidy and I grew up together. I just wanted her to have a good life. Am I wrong for that?” “Besides, haven’t I been good to you and Lily?” “All these years, every bit of your food, clothes, and expenses—didn’t I pay for it all?” “How can you do this to me after all my efforts?” Seeing his self-righteousness, I felt utterly disgusted. Because he only gave Lily and me two hundred dollars a month. It wasn’t even enough for food, let alone school or transportation… To ensure Lily had enough to eat, I worked three part-time jobs after my main job. That’s why, in the end, I couldn’t even scrape together the $100,000 for her surgery. I could only watch helplessly as she died on the operating table. Julian spoke softly now. “Claire, stop this. Just take Lily and come home with me. Let’s be a happy family of three, okay?” He looked at me with a pathetic, pleading gaze, but all I felt was scorn. Why should I have to be like a dog, doing whatever he wanted? Seeing my grim face, my silence, he grudgingly relented. “Okay… I’ll increase your and Lily’s allowance to five hundred dollars a month!” “Didn’t Lily say she wanted to go to the beach? We can leave today. Is that good enough?” “Look, I even bought her the swimsuit she’s been dreaming of.” He finished, looking at me expectantly. He believed the offer he’d made was enticing enough that I’d have no reason to refuse. But I gave a cold laugh. “You want to take Lily to the beach, do you?” “Then come with me.” Julian had no idea what was about to happen. He thought I’d forgiven him. Even after I drove him to the car, he was still grinning. “We’re not exactly newlyweds, and you’re still planning surprises for me?” “Alright, I’ll humor you. I’ll reluctantly come with you to see.” But when I pulled the car up next to Lily’s grave, Julian looked utterly confused. “Claire, weren’t you taking me to see Lily at your mom’s house?” “What are we doing in a place like this?” But the next second, when Julian saw our daughter’s photo on the gravestone in front of him, the swimsuit he’d bought for her immediately slipped from his hands and fell to the ground.

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The first thing Scarlett did after being diagnosed with cancer was to ask me for a divorce. “Matteus, liver cancer is terminal. I don’t care what happens to me, but I can’t hold you back for the rest of your life.” I paused, saying nothing, and quietly left the house. Sure enough, the next second, her cheerful voice echoed through the home security system. “This ‘cancer’ plan is brilliant! He’s definitely gone out to raise money now.” “Who cares how he gets the money? Once we have it, you just tell him I need to go overseas for treatment.” “With how much he loves me, he’ll definitely agree to the divorce to give me what I want.” “I want the money, and he can shoulder the debts. Think of it as compensation for my wasted youth.” Watching Scarlett’s face, full of anticipation, on the monitor. I clutched the pancreatic cancer diagnosis report in my hand even tighter. My dearest wife, I hope you’re still as optimistic when you find out you really have cancer. Listening to Scarlett, I felt much calmer than I expected. Truth be told, I’d already suspected she had a lover on the side. And I’d guessed she was plotting to divorce me. I just never thought she’d choose *this* method. She wasted years of my life, lived off me since we got married, and I never complained once. Honestly, I’d been good enough to Scarlett. But she still chose to betray me, and before leaving, she planned to fake an illness to scam me out of my assets. If I hadn’t realized she had a lover beforehand, I might have actually done as she said, foolishly raising a large sum of money for her ‘treatment.’ My friends had warned me before, saying Scarlett didn’t seem to love me, but rather my money, and that I wouldn’t be happy with her. But I didn’t listen, lost in our so-called love, insistent on marrying her. What was the point of marrying someone who didn’t love me? This marriage had brought me nothing but betrayal and lies. I didn’t turn off the monitor, so Scarlett and her lover’s flirtatious voices clearly reached my ears. I listened as they discussed how they’d spend my money, where they’d travel, and how many luxury items they’d buy. Their future plans sounded so wonderful. Too bad Scarlett wouldn’t get a chance to reach that point with her lover. Scarlett’s ‘liver cancer’ was fake, but the report in my hand? That was real. A while ago, we had a routine medical check-up together. She never showed me her report. Perhaps that’s when she started preparing to deceive me. But she didn’t expect that, out of concern for her health, I’d specifically asked her doctor. The doctor said her report showed nothing serious. She used a clean bill of health to concoct her liver cancer lie. Yet, a few days ago, I got a call from the hospital. They said there were too many patients that day, and they’d accidentally mixed up Scarlett’s report with someone else who had the same name. That healthy report belonged to another “Scarlett,” and the Stage II pancreatic cancer report in my hand? That was hers. I’d left work early today, planning to tell her the news and urge her to get treatment. But instead, the moment I walked in, before I even took off my shoes, I heard her impatiently plotting her divorce from me. Since that’s the case, then of course, I could only grant her wish.

After Scarlett’s declaration, there was no way I’d raise any money for her. We’d been married, and I initially thought we could part ways amicably. She was clearly trying to screw me over, but I’d also been suspicious of her for a while. Besides, she was already a goner. What was the point of squabbling over every little thing? I hired a lawyer to handle the asset division. She wouldn’t get a penny more than what was legally hers, but I wouldn’t shortchange her on what she deserved either. My lawyer and I were discussing the divorce agreement, but for some reason, Scarlett found out I’d hired legal counsel. One day, I suddenly had a knot of dread, so I decided to check the monitor to see what Scarlett was up to. The moment I turned it on, I heard her and her lover’s conspiracy. “What now? I heard he hired a lawyer! Shouldn’t he be desperately gathering money for me right now? If a lawyer gets involved, I won’t get much!” Scarlett snapped. “That doesn’t make sense. You said he loved you to death! Knowing you’re ‘dying from a serious illness,’ how could he be so calm?” her lover said from the other end of the line. “Tell me, do you think he knows something? That you’re faking, or about us?” For them, knowing either of those things would be catastrophic. They had no idea I already knew their entire scheme. On the monitor, Scarlett’s face instantly went pale at the thought. My once gentle and considerate wife transformed into someone I didn’t recognize at all. Her face darkened, and the look in her eyes wasn’t fear of me knowing. It was icy cold and full of malice. Seeing her gaze through the screen, I couldn’t help but shiver. I finally understood where my bad feeling had come from. My gut screamed at me: in that instant, Scarlett genuinely wanted me dead! Sure enough, the next second, I heard her say: “What now? I have to get that money. I’m not going to just settle for this divorce.” “If he won’t give it to me willingly, then he’ll have to face the consequences.” “After all, there’s more than one way for us to ‘separate.’” “Dead men don’t take money.” Her lover was clearly shocked by her idea, remaining silent for a long moment before saying, a hint of excitement in his voice: “You’re right! Why didn’t we think of such a brilliant plan before?” “If he ‘accidentally’ dies, and you two don’t have kids, and he has no other immediate family, then all his money would be ours!” Scarlett’s eyes unconsciously drifted to our wedding photo, then she smirked. “I didn’t want to go this far, but he was the one who was ‘ruthless’ first, so it’s not our fault.” At that moment, my heart ached. All my past kindness to her, every concession I made while drafting the divorce agreement, felt like a blade turning back on me. My blood ran cold. I sat there, listening to them plan my ‘murder.’ They discussed tampering with the brakes of my everyday car, staging an ‘accident’ so I’d be left in pieces. What a despicable plan. Those two conniving snakes, they didn’t just want my money, they wanted me gone for good. Since that was the case, I didn’t need to be polite to them either. My garage had security cameras, and Scarlett knew about them. So, when she suddenly messaged me, saying the circuit breaker tripped and the power went out at home, I knew they were making their move. Scarlett didn’t pay attention to the house’s systems. She didn’t know my cameras were all battery-powered. Even with the power off, they’d keep recording. I smirked, watching her post on SnapChat about how scared and helpless she was, while the monitor showed her using a flashlight to let a man in. This must have been her lover. The man leaned in to kiss her, but she stopped him. Scarlett muttered something about ‘business first’ and then led him to the garage. Scarlett didn’t go in herself; she stayed in the living room and called me. I continued to take her call, giving her vague answers, while watching the man tamper with my car. The ridiculous part was, even at a moment like this, Scarlett was still spewing words of love to me. All lies.

I’d recorded Louis tampering with my car. They had sabotaged my vehicle, yet I had to pretend I knew nothing, because they were already out for blood. If I suddenly stopped driving the car I used for my daily commute, it would raise their suspicions. Right now, they only suspected I knew something and wanted me dead. I absolutely couldn’t let them see anything was off. They had many ways to kill me, and I couldn’t always avoid them. Even knowing the car was compromised, I had to tough it out. I didn’t drive that car to work. Instead, I pretended to go on a business trip, heading towards a road with an emergency runaway ramp. Brake failure was inevitable. I just had to ‘discover’ it before reaching the ramp and steer the car onto it in time; that was my only chance of surviving the crash. I’d called a friend beforehand, making an excuse that I wanted to clear my head near that area, and asked him to come along. His car would be behind mine, which would provide an extra layer of safety. When Scarlett heard I was driving far away, her eyes lit up. Then, as if realizing her reaction was inappropriate, she quickly softened her gaze, looking at me with a sad, reluctant expression. “Let’s talk about the divorce when I get back. Take care of yourself.” I said. She wanted to put on an act, and I was happy to play along. Scarlett agreed readily. She couldn’t see it, but I clearly saw the blatant malice in her eyes. Her gaze seemed to say: “You’re not coming back.” I forced a smile, then turned and left. Getting into the car, starting the engine, the moment I backed out of the garage, I was drenched in cold sweat. But at this point, there was no turning back. My hands were sweating so much I almost couldn’t grip the steering wheel. I took a few deep breaths, forcing myself to calm down, then drove in my pre-planned direction. About twenty minutes later, I suddenly noticed a car seemed to be following me. As it got closer, through the rearview mirror, I saw a familiar face. It was Scarlett’s lover, Louis! He was right behind me, speeding up, clearly about to ram my car. He kept tailing me, forcing me to accelerate, otherwise, he’d rear-end me. I quickly realized, he was doing this on purpose! This was probably part of their plan. If he kept following me, forcing me to speed up, my chances of crashing with faulty brakes would increase exponentially. He was absolutely doing this intentionally. I gripped the steering wheel, repeatedly telling myself to stay calm, not to fall into their trap. The runaway ramp wasn’t far ahead. If I could just make it there, I’d save my life. I followed the map, driving towards the ramp, when suddenly, my phone rang. It was Scarlett. I was in a state of high tension, and the phone ringing startled me so badly I almost lost my grip on the steering wheel, veering slightly to the left. Precisely at that moment, the man spotted the runaway ramp! His expression hardened. He sped up, pulling parallel to my car, blocking me and forcing me further left. If I veered left, I wouldn’t make it onto the ramp. There was no time to hesitate! I gritted my teeth and floored the accelerator. The man clearly hadn’t expected my sudden acceleration. After realizing what was happening, he desperately tried to squeeze me further left. If I’d been a second slower, I wouldn’t have made it onto the ramp. I would have been crushed between that man and the highway barrier by the high-speed impact. But I made it! In that critical moment, the man crashed into my car’s rear, but because of my speed, he only grazed it. I managed to stop within the runaway ramp, while he, due to the force of the impact, spun several times before smashing into the barrier. The ramp’s barrier blocked my driver’s side door. My car’s front end had also crashed too far into the end barrier, almost completely caving in. Fortunately, aside from some scrapes, I was mostly unharmed. Just as I was about to climb out of the car, I suddenly saw in the rearview mirror that the man was actually climbing out of his own car. And he was carrying a can of liquid, walking straight towards me. “You’re still alive after all that? You’ve got nine lives, don’t you?” The man sneered, looking at me, still sitting stunned in the driver’s seat. “Too bad. Your survival is getting in our way.” “You’re just unlucky to cross me. Today, I’m sending you off.” He said, twisting open the can, ready to pour the liquid over my car. He was much bigger and stronger than me. Fighting him hand-to-hand, I had virtually no chance. But if I stayed in the car, I’d die here too! Just as he grinned menacingly and the liquid began to pour out, A shout came from nearby. “Hey! What are you doing! Stop right there!” It was my friend, Mark, and the other guys. The moment I heard their voices, I almost burst into tears. They had driven together. Three or four big men charged out of their car. Louis’s expression stiffened. There was no time to pour the rest of the liquid. He tossed the can aside, then struck a match. It was then that I smelled a strange odor. A feeling of utter despair washed over me again. It was gasoline. As the flames ignited, and my consciousness faded, I realized. The liquid he’d poured was gasoline.

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When it came to our divorce, Daniel wanted custody of our son. My ex-husband said, “How about we ask him what *he* wants?” Lucas, my son, held his phone, calmly glancing at me. “Are you really going through with the divorce?” “Yes.” I nodded, firm in my decision. “Alright then.” Lucas, still engrossed in his game, casually spoke to Daniel. “I’m with Mom. But you need to give her more assets; I’m worried she won’t be able to afford me otherwise.” Daniel dragged Lucas into his study. I started to follow, worried, but the door slammed shut with a “bang” right in front of me. Daniel’s furious voice echoed from inside. “Lucas Miller, I’m asking you one more time, are you really sticking with your mom? Don’t say I didn’t warn you, your mom’s just a homemaker. Do you seriously think she can take care of you?” Lucas’s indifferent voice replied, “Dad, honestly, it doesn’t really matter who I live with. The main thing is, Chloe Johnson is pregnant with my little brother. If I stayed with you, I’d just be afraid of upsetting her.” Having his dirty laundry aired by his own son, even Daniel, with all his nerve, probably felt a little flustered. The voices inside quieted down. I couldn’t make out what they said next, reaching up to wipe my tears, only for more to stream down. I don’t know how long passed, but the study door reopened. Daniel walked up to me, and seeing me hunched over, crying, he seemed to feel a flicker of remorse. He handed me a tissue and slowly said, “Lucas will stay with you.” I lifted my tear-streaked face. My ex-husband continued, “The car and the house are yours, plus five hundred thousand dollars. If you agree, we can file the papers tomorrow.” I stared at him blankly. To be honest, I was the one who pushed for the divorce. But when it came to the actual divorce settlement, I hadn’t the faintest clue. “Don’t give her the car.” Lucas suddenly spoke up. I snapped back to reality, a bitter laugh catching in my throat. Of course, the father-son bond ran deep; he was clearly siding with his dad. But then he continued, “Seriously, Mom’s driving? She’d either never use it, or she’d cause an accident. Let’s just cash it out. “Your car must be worth seven or eight hundred thousand, minimum. So, a hundred thousand on top of the house, I think that’s fair.” Daniel’s gaze turned heavy as he looked at Lucas. Lucas shrugged indifferently. Daniel looked away. “Alright, we’ll do that. Tomorrow at nine, meet at the divorce attorney’s office.” The front door closed. My heart clenched with it. Daniel was gone, likely never to return. We had been together since college. Our young love, so genuine, so pure. I thought we’d grow old together. But somehow, we’d ended up like this. “Mom.” Lucas’s voice pulled me back from my sadness. “I’m hungry. Did you make dinner?” I quickly got up, wiping away my tears. “I’ll go buy groceries right now.” A hint of grievance crept into his voice. “Mom, you’re about to have a million dollars. Can’t you just treat me to a big dinner out?” I took Lucas to the barbecue joint downstairs. He handed me a large piece of beef. “Mom, it’s an all-you-can-eat buffet. You gotta eat a lot to get your money’s worth.” “Oh.” I took it and put it in my mouth, finding it tasteless, unable to swallow. I thought of all the online articles about how divorce traumatizes children. I carefully began, “Son, even though your dad and I are getting divorced, he’s still your father. I might hate him, but you don’t have to.” “I don’t hate him.” He flipped a chicken wing. “You shouldn’t hate him either. Hating someone is exhausting.” He sat across from me, and through the rising smoke, I could barely make out his face.

The next morning, I was sitting on the edge of my bed, lost in thought, when Lucas knocked on my door. “Mom, time to go. Let’s get moving.” I jolted awake. Why did it feel like he was more eager for our divorce than his own father? I opened the door, looking at him suspiciously. “Why aren’t you at school yet?” He gave me a complex look. “Mom, summer break started today.” I’d been so out of it for the past month that I’d even forgotten his vacation. Guiltily, I straightened his collar. “I’m sorry, son.” He tilted his head and smiled. “If you’re really feeling guilty, why not take me on a trip? Let’s go to the beach, scuba diving, eat seafood.” He made a ‘V’ sign with his fingers. “Sounds good.” I couldn’t help but smile too. Some of the gloom in my heart seemed to dissipate. Chloe Johnson arrived with Daniel. Not even divorced yet, and she was already so eager to stake her claim? Lucas greeted her proactively. “Well, hello, Ms. Johnson, braving this heat to tag along? Be careful, you might melt my little brother.” “You—” Chloe glared at him, annoyed, twisting her body as if seeking Daniel’s support. Lucas quickly clarified, “Dad, I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s forty degrees out; I’m genuinely worried about my little brother.” Daniel’s face was grim as he told Chloe, “Go wait in the car; don’t come inside.” We submitted the divorce registration application. Daniel pulled up in his car and called out to us. “I’ll give you a ride home.” I was about to refuse when Lucas darted forward and opened the car door. “Mom, hurry up! I’m melting!” I had no choice but to follow him into the car. We sat in the back, while Chloe occupied the familiar passenger seat in front. She tugged on Daniel’s arm, saying sweetly, “Honey, where should we go celebrate later?” Lucas leaned forward. “Chicken Little Chloe, how about that restaurant? Dad loves their food the most. He used to take Mom and me there whenever something good happened.” In the rearview mirror, I saw Chloe’s face fall considerably. It wasn’t very kind of me, but I secretly felt a little pleased. Lucas leaned back, continuing his assault. “Mom, where are we going for our trip? Maybe not the beach; how about Hawaii? They say it’s where people go for new experiences, maybe even find a rebound.” Daniel’s expression also soured. “Planning a trip?” He glanced at me in the rearview mirror. “Yes.” I didn’t want to talk to him, so I turned to look out the window. “It’s good to get away and clear your head.” He spoke to himself. “But Hawaii isn’t that special. How about the Maldives? I have a friend who owns a resort in Haikou Bay.” Lucas leaned forward again. “Oh, cool, Dad, can we get a discount? With our resemblance, your friend will recognize us right away, won’t he?” Daniel chuckled, reaching back to pat Lucas’s head. “You’re my son, of course, it won’t be a problem.” They interacted intimately, completely missing Chloe’s stormy face.

Lucas and I did end up going to the Maldives. He was incredibly excited, making three full pages of travel plans. I didn’t want to be a spoilsport, so I tried to keep my spirits up and accompany him. Thirteen or fourteen-year-old boys are full of energy. During the day, I’d go skydiving, surfing, and scuba diving with him, and at night, I’d have to accompany him to the night market to catch hermit crabs. After a whole day, my body felt like it was falling apart. I’d hit the bed and fall asleep instantly, not even having time to feel sad about the divorce. When we returned from the Maldives, I originally wanted to get some good rest. But then Lucas started criticizing my cooking. “Mom, your food isn’t bad, it’s just… lacking variety.” I glared at him. “You’ve been eating my cooking for years, and now you’re complaining?” He scratched his head, chuckling. “It’s not complaining, exactly. Just a little bored. If you could add more variety, I swear I’d grow to six feet three.” “Get out of here.” I playfully slapped his face, laughing. After all these days, I finally understood. This kid was finding every possible way to keep me busy, just so I wouldn’t have time to be sad. My judgment in choosing a husband might have been terrible, but the child I bore was a treasure. What was there to be sad about anymore? I decided to look for a job. Although Daniel had promised me a million dollars and committed to timely monthly child support payments. A million dollars, once you start spending it, isn’t actually that much. Lucas’s various extracurricular classes alone cost nearly two hundred thousand a year. Not to mention daily expenses. If I just stayed at home, my savings would be depleted in no time. After being a homemaker for over a decade, my work skills were almost nonexistent. I thought I’d start with something easy to learn and manageable, then switch to something better once I gained some experience. I shared my idea with Lucas. After all, if I went back to work, I might not have as much time to take care of him. He thought for a moment, then said, “Of course I support you working, Mom. But finding a job is like finding a partner; you need to think it through before you act.” Hearing his little adult talk, I burst out laughing, unable to resist teasing him. “Have you ever looked for a partner, for them to be the same?” He argued earnestly, “Well, if you just settle for the first one you find, and then you meet someone better, would you break up, or just keep dragging it out?” I thought about it, and he had a point. If I just took any job, and then a better opportunity came along, taking time off for interviews and such would be a hassle. Lucas continued, “Finding a job isn’t urgent, but something else is.” “What is it?” I asked him. “Cancel my training classes.” “No!” I refused him flatly. “Mom!” he wailed. “Learning so many talents every day, I’m your son, not a slave.” After friendly negotiation, we decided to cancel the equestrian and fencing classes. For now, we kept cello and rugby. Our lives slowly settled into a routine. That day, I was ordering something from a link my best friend, Brooke, had sent me. Lucas leaned over and watched for a while, then suddenly asked, “Can Brooke make money doing this?” “Yeah, pretty well.” I answered casually, still processing my payment. He tugged my hand, his big eyes sparkling as he looked at me. “Mom, I think you’d be really good at this.” My heart fluttered. Brooke always had a keen eye; she’d done very well in e-commerce years ago. This time, she’d moved into a newly launched community group-buying platform. While it didn’t have many users yet, the shopping process was convenient, and the distribution channels were flexible. Its development prospects looked promising. Most importantly, it had a one-click reselling feature, so I wouldn’t have to worry about sourcing products—perfect for a beginner like me. “Alright, I’ll go ask Brooke about it.” If there was one thing I gained from fifteen years as a homemaker, it was my purchasing skills. I’m a bit picky; when I buy things, I not only look at the price but also demand high quality. I often compare three different options and do thorough research. So, my friends always came to me for recommendations. As Lucas said, doing something like this platform truly suited me. With Brooke’s help, my online shop was quickly set up. I was very strict about the quality of the products I resold; I had to try them myself and approve them before listing. So, although I didn’t make a lot of money at first, I quickly built up a loyal following. Almost a month passed in the blink of an eye. Daniel suddenly showed up at my door. He said he wanted to withdraw the divorce registration application.

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The moment I stepped into my alumni reunion, a little boy crashed into me. A total stranger. But his face was a mirror image of my ex, Adam Hayes. Our old teacher, looking on, beamed with fond nostalgia. “Is this your and Adam’s son? He’s absolutely adorable!” Before I could even explain, Valerie, my former best friend, rushed over and scooped the boy into a tight hug. “Leo! You can’t just run off like that!!” Adam followed close behind her, freezing solid the moment his eyes landed on my face. “Jenna? You’re…alive?” Valerie’s head snapped up at his words. Her eyes wide with shock. After all, to them, I’d been dead for five years, lost at sea. I offered a thin, unsettling smile. “I’m a survivor. A bit of saltwater wasn’t enough to finish me off.” Ever the quick thinker, Valerie mastered her expression in a heartbeat. She bounced the little boy gently in her arms. “Leo, this is Auntie Jenna. You should call her Godmother.” Years back, we pledged to be each other’s maid of honor and godmother. It felt like forever, then. The boy, Leo, shyly mumbled. “Godmother.” I didn’t respond. Offering the teacher the briefest of apologies, I turned and walked away. Our teacher, sensing the drama, was probably grateful for my exit. Adam was not. I heard his steps immediately behind me. “Jenna, where are you going? I’ll give you a ride.” Valerie subtly frowned, but her voice was sweet. “He’s right, you don’t even drive. It’s so inconvenient to be alone.” I had to suppress a laugh. After all these years, she still saw me as some fragile, useless thing. But hey, if someone was practically begging to be my chauffeur, why say no? All the way, Adam kept asking about my life. I gave him only the barest outline in return. Someone had pulled me from the water that day. I’d survived. I’d spent the years since abroad, building a life by selling my paintings. I was back now because a collector, a regular patron of my work, had insisted on meeting in person. At that, Adam’s tone turned sharp. “A collector? Man or woman? Are you sure they’re trustworthy? You can’t be too careful.” I shot back, without a hint of mercy. “If I couldn’t trust the friends I grew up with, or the husband I shared a bed with, what possible standard could I use to judge a stranger?” Adam immediately fell silent. Valerie’s face went completely blank, then she looked furious. Once we arrived at my place, I grabbed my things and got out of the car. But then, I turned back and walked toward the boy by Valerie’s side. Little Leo. His upper face was Adam’s, his lower face Valerie’s. The moment I extended a hand towards him, Valerie clutched the child to her chest in terror. “What are you doing? Do you want my child to pay for your revenge? He’s innocent!” Adam also called my name, a warning in his voice. But all I did was reach out and pluck a fruit pit from Leo’s mouth. “I was just afraid he might end up like my own child. With adults right there, choking on something, suffocating to death.” Their faces went white. Silence descended. Back home, I received a message from Mr. Henderson. He truly appreciated my work, and for years, whenever I had a new piece, he’d admire it even if he didn’t buy it. My trip back wasn’t just to meet him; it was also to put an old heartache to rest. In a quiet cafe, I met Mr. Henderson. He looked to be in his fifties or sixties, with a distinguished, lean face. “Ms. Sterling, I see so many stories in your paintings. They make me incredibly curious.” “Would I be so honored as to hear some of them?” I glanced around the peaceful cafe, then nodded.

In high school, I was a carefree heiress without a worry in the world. While my classmates were practically chaining themselves to their desks, studying day and night, all I cared about was painting and having fun. Adam Hayes was my polar opposite. He was the undisputed top student in our year, brilliant, and socially adept. At first, I found him utterly annoying, just another pretentious show-off. Then Valerie arrived. She came from a poor family and studied incredibly hard. Every day after school, she’d work a part-time job to help her family make ends meet. I admired her greatly, so I asked my dad to establish a scholarship specifically for students from low-income families, like hers. I didn’t want any fuss. But the teacher, in front of the whole class, revealed the scholarship’s origin, making Valerie bow to me in thanks. Looking back, I think that’s when Valerie started to resent me. Yet, I was foolish enough to pour my heart out to Valerie, treating her like the sister I never had. Valerie’s ultimate goal was to be the top student in our year. But Adam was like an insurmountable mountain. Valerie always came in second. After yet another attempt to beat him, Valerie burst into tears. To comfort her, I pulled out all the stops. “Fine, I’ll just go flirt with Adam, maybe even date him, and mess with his perfect grades!” Adam, who happened to be passing by, snorted. “Jenna Sterling, you’re so clumsy, you wouldn’t even know how to flirt with me. Want me to teach you?” Later, we actually started dating. During our senior year, I experienced the biggest upheaval of my life: My dad went bankrupt and took his own life. In my darkest hour, Adam and Valerie stood by me. Adam promised he’d step into my dad’s shoes, become the man who loved me most. Valerie let me stay at her house and worked tirelessly to tutor me. I pulled myself together and started studying hard. I was set for a top-tier college until the SAT. I’d prepared for everything. Everything except actually bringing a #2 pencil. I searched my bag twice. Nothing. After the exam, I broke down. I remember sitting in my car, hitting my own thighs, convinced I’d ruined my future. I was useless. Adam and Valerie pulled me out of that hole. They both got into Westwood University, the state’s most prestigious school. I, convinced academia wasn’t for me, took a waitressing job near campus. Adam would show up the moment his last class ended.After a few months, regulars just assumed he worked there. Adam often talked to me about his plans for our future. He said as soon as he graduated, we’d get married. He’d work hard to support me, buy me the best art supplies, and let me continue being a carefree wife. But I still felt a deep sense of insecurity. I begged Valerie to keep an eye on Adam for me. Valerie looked at me with deep, unreadable eyes and offered a stiff smile. I just figured I’d made her a little jealous, so I urged her to find someone, too. But Valerie just said, “No need. I already have someone I like.” It was a long time before I understood that smile, and who she liked. By then, it was too late.

Adam and I got married right after his graduation, just as we’d planned. But life wasn’t as easy as he’d imagined. He worked himself to the bone to earn money, coming home exhausted every day, collapsing into bed the moment he walked through the door. To ease his burden, I learned to cook, clean, and manage the household. I never knew before how much housework there was. Endless meals to cook, floors to sweep… Each task seemed insignificant, yet together, they threatened to drown me. Once the financial pressure eased, our daughter was born. I named her Lily, hoping she’d be as gentle and sweet as Valerie. But from day one, she was a ball of energy, crying and fussing. Every night, I had to carry her around the living room until she finally fell asleep. By the time I crawled into bed, Adam’s hand found me. “Honey, it’s been so long since we’ve…” Exhausted in both body and mind, I still submitted to his touch. But just at the crucial moment, Lily’s cries reached us. I abruptly pushed Adam away, leaping out of bed naked to pick up our daughter. I didn’t see the look of pure annoyance on Adam’s face behind me. Life had finally ground me down from a naive princess into a boring, joyless housewife. That year, for my birthday, Adam bought me the most expensive art supplies. But I looked around our house and said, “We’re out of diapers. You should have bought some diapers instead.” Meanwhile, Valerie was busy conquering the corporate world. She and Adam had joined the same company. Her competitive spirit unchanged, still constantly challenging Adam. But she still couldn’t beat him. One time, she’d prepared meticulously, refining her proposal repeatedly, yet the boss still chose Adam’s. Valerie called me, sobbing hysterically. “Why can’t I ever beat Adam?!” “It’s been years! Can’t I just win once?!” I glared at Adam, preparing to go comfort Valerie. But Lily clung to my leg, refusing to let me leave, so I sent Adam instead. “She’s a woman, drinking alone in a bar, it’s not safe.” “You caused this mess, you clean it up.” Adam’s movements faltered. He looked at me intently. “You really want me to go?” “Of course.” Adam, as if making a huge decision, said, “Fine.” Before he left that night, he turned back to look at me several times. I didn’t sense any premonition, though. I was just holding Lily, telling her jokes to make her laugh. The disaster was brewing. That night, Adam didn’t come home at all. When he finally returned the next morning, I was already up, making breakfast. He offered a few hurried explanations, claiming Valerie had been impossibly drunk and a nightmare to handle. He said he’d finally managed to get her home, then collapsed from exhaustion and fell asleep right there. His tone was so casual, so natural. And Valerie was my best friend. So, I easily believed him. In the days that followed, Adam started working overtime and going on business trips more and more often. At first, I just assumed the company was going through a particularly busy period. But gradually, I noticed things weren’t right. A stray hair on his shirt. An unfamiliar scent of perfume. Finally, when I found an opened condom wrapper in his pocket, I knew for sure he was cheating. Heartbroken, I stormed to Adam’s company and caused a huge scene. I cried, I screamed, I even lay on the ground, throwing a fit, demanding he tell me who she was! Adam looked at me with utter disgust. “Jenna, I feed you, I clothe you, I let you live a life where you don’t have to worry about anything! And this is how you repay me? By slandering me with baseless accusations?!” He pulled out his phone, turned on the camera, and pointed it at my face. “Look at you! What a sight you are! You’re a raving lunatic!”

From the phone screen, I saw myself: hair wild, face pasty. My outdated clothes were covered in stubborn grease stains. Behind me, a group of female employees, their makeup perfect, their clothes chic, exuded the confident aura of successful career women. They looked at me with a mix of pity and contempt. Valerie emerged from their midst. “Jenna, stop this. It’s truly pathetic.” Adam snapped, “Let her scream! She just wants to get me fired, wants the whole family to starve! Go on, make a scene, go live on TikTok, let everyone see!” It was then that I realized I had no leverage against Adam. After we got married, I’d completely detached from society, staying home. And with only a high school diploma, I had zero competitive edge in the job market if we divorced. He’d also take Lily away from me. Suddenly, I snapped back to reality. I got up from the floor and said, “I’ll stop. I’m going home.” After that day, I became subservient, terrified of upsetting Adam. He grew bolder, his shirts often stained with lipstick prints. Yet, all I feared was him abandoning me. All I could do was try to use Lily to rekindle Adam’s affection for our home. Thankfully, Adam did truly love Lily. When he wasn’t busy, he even took her to the office to play. One day, he took her again. After finishing my chores, I scrolled through my phone. Quite by accident, I stumbled upon a post. The title read: “The Runner-Up’s Obsession with the First Place.” My heart lurched. A thought flashed through my mind, and I quickly scrolled to the end. “After yet another loss to him at work, I went to a bar to drown my sorrows. He came to comfort me.” “He asked what I needed. I told him to kiss me, and he did.” “From high school until now, he’d rejected my advances a thousand times, but the thousand-and-first time, he accepted. I took him home, and we made love until the world faded.” “The man who’d always been out of my reach was finally mine, utterly under my spell.” My blood ran cold. Valerie’s liked Adam all along. And Adam’s affair was with Valerie! I instantly lost all reason. I ran to Adam’s company, barging into his office. Immediately, muffled moans came from the adjoining rest room. I kicked the door open and saw Valerie, disheveled, straddling Adam. Blinded by rage, I hurled everything I could get my hands on at them. A ceramic good luck charm hit Valerie’s head, and she bled. Tears suddenly streamed down my face. If Adam’s betrayal had left me heartbroken, Valerie’s betrayal left me utterly devastated. “We were best friends! How could you do this to me?!” Valerie wiped the blood from her forehead and said coldly, “I never considered you a friend.” “A pampered, useless thing. All you ever knew how to do was bestow favors from your high horse.” “I hated you. From the moment we first met, I hated you.” I scrabbled for any proof, any shred of evidence to deny her words. “If you hated me so much,” My voice trembled, “why take me in? Why spend all those nights tutoring me?” Valerie let out a soft, chilling laugh. “All those times you ‘checked’ your bag? I was right there. I palmed your pencil at the door, right before you walked into the testing center.” “What?!” I felt like I’d been struck by lightning. Valerie giggled, shaking Adam. “We even have a witness here. Adam, you saw me take the pencil, right?” Adam’s face stiffened, and he turned his head away. “Oh, don’t be shy. You didn’t tell Jenna back then, so I knew you had to love me.” In an instant, I felt my blood run cold, my limbs go weak. I nearly collapsed. “I’ll… I’ll expose both of you…” Adam’s face darkened, and he roared, “Jenna! Enough!” “Think about our daughter!” Then, his expression shifted, and he looked around frantically. That’s right, Lily? Wasn’t she supposed to be here? Eventually, by checking the security footage, we found Lily’s lifeless body under the desk. Adam and Valerie had been fooling around inside the office, leaving Lily to eat dried fruit by herself outside. Lily choked on a fruit pit, banging on the door for help, but her cries were drowned out by their sounds. She tried to reach for the water on the table, but she was too small, she couldn’t reach it. She died silently, just a door away from her own father. By the time I finished my story, the cafe was dead silent, save for the muffled sniffling. Mr. Henderson let out a long, weary sigh. “I never imagined you carried such a weight, Ms. Sterling.” “Five years have passed. Do you still hate your ex-husband?” I took a slow sip of my coffee, the bitterness a familiar comfort. A faint, unreadable smile touched my lips. “Adam Hayes, or rather, your boss, is this all he wanted you to find out?” Mr. Henderson froze, his expression turning flustered. “Boss? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I walked past him, towards a customer who had been sitting quietly in a corner since I arrived, and pulled down his mask.

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At 10 PM, a notification lit up my phone. My next-door neighbor had tagged me in the apartment’s Facebook Group. “@Vivian, you disgusting bitch. Get your shit together. Your bed’s been squeaking all night. Are you trying to keep the whole building awake?” “My baby has a heart condition. Wake him up again, and I swear I’ll kill you and your whole family!” I quickly replied that I lived alone. She refused to believe it. I tried explaining, patiently, a few more times. Then I gave up. I never imagined that two weeks later, she’d kick in my door with a kitchen knife and stab me eighteen times. I collapsed in a pool of blood, but she kept swinging the knife like a maniac, screaming. “It’s all your fault! My baby died last night! You’re going to pay with your life!” My vision blurred. As I lost consciousness, one thought lingered: How could I have hurt a baby I never even saw? Then I opened my eyes. I was back on the day when she started to curse me in the group. This time, I didn’t back down. I typed my reply, my fingers steady and cold. “Stop being crazy! Your baby died three years ago!!”

The moment my message landed in the group, the lively chatter died. An absolute, loaded silence fell. A few minutes later, my next-door neighbor erupted. “What the FUCK are you talking about, you crazy bitch? My baby is turning one next month! How DARE you say that?” “You all saw that, right? This barren witch in Unit 705 can’t have her own, so she’s putting a curse on mine!” The other neighbors, witnessing the firestorm, quickly rallied around Jaclyn. “@Vivian, that was completely out of line. You never bring a child into it.” Someone else tried to calm Jaclyn. “Jaclyn, sweetie, take a breath. We all have to live here. Let’s just talk this through calmly.” Jaclyn didn’t like that one bit. “Talk nicely? My ass! What is there to talk about with a piece of trash like her? She just can’t stand seeing me happy, seeing my baby alive!” “My baby has a heart condition! He barely made it to one year old, and the doctors said we have to be extra careful with him!” “If anything happens to my baby because of her, I’ll put her in the ground myself!” The virtual mob in the group chat quickly fell in line, their words turning into weapons aimed at me. “Jaclyn has a point. You should really control yourselves late at night.” “It’s past ten. Have some decency.” Reading their messages, I just felt it was absolutely absurd. I’ve lived alone in Unit 705 since the day I moved in. Not a single man has ever set foot in my apartment. As for Jaclyn next door, her baby passed away shortly after birth. How could I possibly, with a non-existent man, wake up a dead child? I was about to explain when Jaclyn started cursing me in the group again. “You bitch, are you starting again? Will you die if you don’t go at it all night?” “Are you doing this on purpose? You don’t want my baby to be well, do you? He’s finally grown this big, and you just have to kill him, huh?” “If his heart condition acts up and something happens, can you even take responsibility?” Several other neighbors also sent messages, their words dripping with impatience. “Vivian, her child is sick, he has a heart condition. Do you really have to be so mean to a child?” “Yeah, Jaclyn is a single mom, it’s not easy for her. If you can’t be considerate, fine, but don’t curse her child to die!” In my previous life, I repeatedly explained that I lived alone, but they completely ignored me. Instead, Jaclyn started harassing me even more aggressively. I called building management and even the police, but they were useless against her. In a rage, I just packed up and stayed at my best friend’s for a few days. I never imagined that when I returned to Unit 705, Jaclyn would directly break into my apartment with a knife and stab me to death. Even now, whenever I close my eyes, I remember Jaclyn’s deranged expression. I couldn’t hold back my anger anymore and just sent a voice note to the group, screaming. “Can you stop bothering me?! Your child died a long time ago!”

The group chat went silent for several seconds. I thought she’d finally shut up, but then an urgent banging erupted at my door. Through the peephole, I saw Jaclyn, her eyes wide, roaring at my door. “You bitch, you’re dead! How dare you say my baby is dead!” “My baby finally just fell back asleep, are you saying that to deliberately harm my baby?!” “If anything happens to my baby, I’ll kill you!” Other neighbors came out of their apartments after hearing the commotion, angrily scolding me. “Vivian, you’re crossing the line! Jaclyn’s child is barely almost one year old. Can’t you show some decency?” “Exactly! You’ll have children too someday. Would you stand by and let someone curse your own child with such vicious words?” “Picking on a child who’s not even one, aren’t you afraid of what karma will do to you?!” Jaclyn was still pounding on the door, her eyes bulging with pure hatred, as if she wanted to rip me to shreds. “You damn bitch! You whore! How dare you curse my child!” “I’ll kill you! I’ll kill your entire family!” Her shrill cries, piercing my eardrums, made the early morning hours particularly chilling. Just thinking about being unfairly accused in my previous life and then stabbed eight times by this psycho made my body tremble uncontrollably. Hearing her threaten to kill my whole family, I couldn’t take it anymore. I quickly yanked the door open and slapped her hard across the face. “Who the hell are you yelling at?! Where’s your baby? Why don’t I hear him crying?!” “Just bring your baby out for me to see, and I’ll happily be your free babysitter!” The slap stunned her. After a few seconds, she suddenly lunged at me, all claws and fury. I quickly dodged back into my apartment, sticking out my foot to trip her. Recalling being stabbed to death in my past life, I was blinded by rage. I plopped down on Jaclyn’s back, grabbing her hair and pulling it in both directions. “Scream now, bitch! Smash my door again, I dare you! Let’s see how tough you are now!” Jaclyn, pinned beneath me, could only shriek hysterically. “Vivian, you’re an animal! This is insane! I’m calling the cops!” Her piercing screams drew the neighbors out. They scrambled to pull us apart and called building management. I glared at Jaclyn, still seething. By my calculations, I’d only been reborn for about an hour. That meant just an hour ago, I had been killed by this lunatic right in front of me! How was I supposed to stay calm? But after pulling me away, everyone started blaming me. “Vivian, you were in the wrong to begin with, and now you’re getting physical? You think it’s okay to pick on a single mother?” “I never realized we had such a cruel neighbor on this floor!” “I’ve already called building management! If you keep this attitude, we’ll call the police and let them handle it!”

Without my weight pinning her down, Jaclyn got arrogant again. She drove two stinging slaps across my face, the sound echoing in the hallway and lighting up the motion-sensor lights on the entire floor. “You miserable bitch! You dare wake my baby, then lay a hand on me? This is what you get” I tried to struggle and hit back, but the neighbors held me in a vice grip. “Just stop struggling! Can’t you see you’re only making it worse?” Jaclyn gloated and spouted even nastier insults at me. The other neighbors also chimed in, accusing me of lacking common decency. A mom with a child, Brenda, soothed her baby with one arm while glaring at me with the other. “You’re a grown woman, don’t you have any shame? You’ve woken up every kid on this floor, what about our sleep?” “Jaclyn is a single mother, and her child has a heart condition. How can anyone put up with you causing such a ruckus?” I struggled to break free from their grasp, arguing back. “How many times have I explained? I live alone! What bed am I shaking? With a ghost?!” “Besides, she says I woke her baby up. Has anyone here even seen her child?” My words made a few of them pause, and a flicker of doubt crossed their eyes. But Jaclyn immediately retorted. “My baby just finished feeding and is sleeping soundly inside!” I scoffed. “You just said I was shaking the bed and keeping your baby awake. Now you’re out here making so much noise, and your baby can sleep through it?” Everyone was taken aback. Brenda, the mom with the baby, murmured to herself. “My baby is already a pretty sound sleeper. If her child is so sensitive to noise, how come he didn’t cry with all that commotion just now?” Just then, Mr. Davis, the building manager, hurried over. Hearing our argument, he quickly spoke up. “Ms. Jaclyn, the sounds you’re hearing might be from an aging wooden structure in your apartment.” “If it’s convenient now, we can check it out for you, to avoid disturbing your baby’s rest.” Jaclyn, who had been so arrogant, suddenly fell silent. After a long pause, she reluctantly said, “Come back tomorrow! My baby is already asleep, and all that banging and clatter will wake him up!” No way I was letting her off that easy. “I think you’re just scared, aren’t you? I’ve lived here this long, and I’ve never once seen your child!” Jaclyn immediately grabbed my arm. “You keep cursing my baby to be dead. I ask you, if my child is sleeping soundly in his room, what will you say then?” I declared right away. “If your child is truly sleeping in there, I’ll move out of this apartment complex immediately, and I guarantee you won’t hear a single peep from me!” Then, Jaclyn addressed everyone. “Everyone heard that, right? She said it herself!” With that, she yanked me into her apartment. “Fine, I’ll let you see with your own eyes!” The neighbors and I followed her inside. As soon as we entered, a strong scent of baby formula hit us. Uncleaned formula and unfinished baby bottles sat on the living room table. Baby clothes were drying on the balcony. Inside the bedroom, a crib, wind chimes, a soft play mat, and corner protectors were all perfectly in place. All these things made me start to doubt myself. Did Jaclyn really have a baby? She dragged me by the arm to the crib. “Look closely! Is my baby in there or not?!” I peered into the crib and couldn’t say another word. Jaclyn was still gloating, “Everyone heard her promise. Vivian will have to get out of this apartment complex!” After she finished, she too glanced into the crib. But then, in an instant, she collapsed to the ground. Because that crib-it was completely empty.

Jaclyn quickly got back up and frantically searched the room for her child, mumbling, “Where’s my child? Baby, where did you go?” But she searched every corner of the room and found no trace of her child. Brenda, the mom, comforted her with a pained expression. “Jaclyn, think carefully. Did you perhaps carry the baby somewhere else?” “A child less than one year old can’t get out of a crib by themselves!” At this, Jaclyn’s eyes suddenly lit up as if she’d remembered something. “Yes, someone must have carried him away just now!” With that, she violently grabbed my shoulders. “Aha! I knew it! I wondered why I didn’t see the guy you’re seeing earlier. He must have snuck off with my baby in the commotion!” “Vivian, if you dare harm my child, I’ll take your life!” She demanded the building management lock down the complex immediately. The security guards and informed neighbors helped with the search. Thirty or forty people searched the complex for over half an hour, but found no suspicious figures. Mr. Davis comforted Jaclyn. “Don’t worry, as long as the child is still in the complex, we’ll find him. If not, we’ll call the police!” Jaclyn shook her head violently. “No! We can’t call the police! It’ll scare the baby! My baby has a congenital heart condition!” Mr. Davis frowned, then continued. “But this is a big deal, you should at least tell your family, like your husband?” Unexpectedly, Jaclyn reacted even more strongly. “No! Not yet! The baby isn’t even one year old yet! I want to give him a surprise!” Her words confused everyone, but I sensed something was off. I frowned and spoke up. “Her baby isn’t in the complex anymore. You can turn this place upside down, and you still won’t find him.” Mr. Davis was furious. “Did you really take her child? Do you know kidnapping a child is a felony?!” Mark, a male neighbor, angrily slapped me across the face. “You animal! It must be because Jaclyn interrupted you and your lover messing around that you retaliated by taking her child!” Hearing this, Jaclyn rushed at me, pinning my arms down tightly. “You bitch! My baby is so small, and he has a heart condition! How could you be so cruel!” “Tell me now, where is my baby?!” I gritted my teeth and said, “I told you, your baby died a long time ago!” Everyone gasped, thinking I had killed the child. They all cursed me, as if I were some evil, cold-blooded monster, completely disregarding my explanations. Until Mr. Davis said, “We should call the police first.” Soon, the police arrived. Rose, Jaclyn’s next-door neighbor, provided surveillance footage from her front door. The footage showed that from the moment Jaclyn left her apartment to bang on my door until her child disappeared, no one entered or left her room. Building management checked the main gate cameras next. No child was seen leaving the complex. Not then, not ever. After a full investigation, the police concluded there was no evidence of an abduction. In fact, the records showed that for the past month, only Jaclyn had been seen coming and going from Unit 706. Not once was a child with her. All eyes once again fell on me. Because from the very beginning, I was the only one saying her child was already dead.

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After our parents’ tragic death, Elara and I were both put up for adoption. In my previous life, a timid Elara chose to stay with Grandma Sarah in our secluded community. But Grandma worked her to the bone every day, leaving her utterly exhausted. Meanwhile, I was adopted by the wealthy Sterling family, transforming into an elegant socialite. Elara cried, begging Grandma to let her leave, but Grandma slapped her and locked her in the barn. When I snuck in to visit her, she set the barn on fire. We perished in the flames, only to awaken, reborn, back on the day we were to be adopted. This time, Elara was the first to take Mrs. Sterling’s hand. I smiled, turning to tightly clutch Grandma Sarah’s sleeve. I was sick of being a pawn in other people’s games, constantly passed around. After Mom and Dad died tragically in the fire, the question of where my twin sister, Elara, and I would go became the most pressing issue in our isolated community. As everyone worried, Grandma Sarah and Mrs. Sterling, a wealthy socialite visiting our community, both offered to adopt us. Seeing Elara rush to grasp Mrs. Sterling’s hand, I knew she had been reborn with me. In our past life, fear of the outside world had made her choose Grandma first. “Maya, I’m scared. You promised Mom and Dad you’d take good care of me. Please, go with them, okay? You’re so smart; the Sterlings will love you.” With so many eyes on me, I knew I had no other choice. Grandma Sarah was old and couldn’t possibly afford to raise two sisters. So, even though I was just as terrified, I followed the Sterling couple out of the secluded community where I had grown up. Our last meeting in that life was at Grandma Sarah’s 61st birthday celebration. I stepped out of a luxury car, wearing a beautiful designer gown, with a nanny and bodyguards trailing behind me. The people in the community, the aunts and uncles who’d known me forever, greeted me warmly, their faces beaming as they asked about my life in the outside world. “I can’t believe that little country bumpkin has turned into such a beautiful young lady!” A middle-aged woman grabbed my hand, unwilling to let go. Elara, dressed in a faded, worn-out dress, sat beside me, her eyes filled with resentment and envy. After the gathering, Elara went to Grandma Sarah again, proposing her desire to leave the community. But Grandma slapped her and locked her in the barn. I secretly snuck in to visit her, but she locked the door from the inside and suddenly set the barn ablaze. Her face twisted with a maniacal grin as she stared at me: “Maya, why do you get to leave and live a good life while I’m stuck here, suffering in these mountains? If I can’t leave, then you’re staying here to keep me company.” She held me in a death grip, and we both died in that fire when we were eighteen. When I opened my eyes again, we were back to that fateful day when we were eight years old, the day our destinies diverged. This time, Elara was the first to take the Sterling couple’s hand.

“Mrs. Sterling, please take me with you. I promise I’ll be a good girl.” “Maya, you’ll let me, right?” Mrs. Sterling didn’t seem to care which one of us sisters chose to go with her. Since Elara had chosen her first, she simply reciprocated, clasping Elara’s hand and pulling her closer. Elara clutched Mrs. Sterling’s hand, her eyes gleaming with triumph. With the matter of our adoption settled, everyone started to disperse, leaving only the Sterling couple and Grandma Sarah waiting outside our door. As Elara and I went back to our room to pack, I watched her cheerful retreating figure and couldn’t help but try to dissuade her: “Are you really going with the Sterlings? The outside world isn’t as good as you imagine.” I was genuinely trying to warn her, out of a sense of kinship, but Elara instantly bristled, like an angry cat, and hissed at me: “Maya, don’t even *think* about trying to steal my new mom. You already had your turn in the last life, this time it’s mine. You can just stay in this community with that old hag and live your miserable life.” Seeing how utterly deluded she was, I didn’t try to persuade her any further. Instead, I quietly went to my side of the room and started packing my own clothes. If she wanted to steal my life, she could have it. I just hoped she wouldn’t regret it later. Outside, Mrs. Sterling was growing impatient. “Elara, are you ready yet? What’s the point of packing those old rags? Once you’re out of this place with us, you can have all the clothes you want.” Hearing Mrs. Sterling’s words, Elara immediately dumped her clothes out, grabbed an empty bag, and headed for the door. Before leaving, she looked at me with a triumphant smirk: “Did you hear Mrs. Sterling? She said she’ll buy me countless beautiful dresses. You can keep these old rags.” Elara walked out without a backward glance. Watching her carefree departure, the corners of my mouth couldn’t help but curl upwards. Good. This life, I wouldn’t have to navigate the Sterling family’s wolf’s den, wouldn’t have to be passed around like a mere toy.

I followed Grandma Sarah back to her house. Only then did I realize her home was in a very unique location. From the attic, you could see the entire community, but from anywhere else in the community, you couldn’t see Grandma Sarah’s house. When Mom and Dad were alive, Grandma was quite reclusive, rarely interacting with us. So, looking at my only remaining relative, I felt like I was with a complete stranger. Grandma Sarah was far stricter than I’d imagined. The day after I arrived, she presented me with a detailed schedule. It specified when I had to wake up, when to study, when to go out to the fields with her to work, and even how many times I could use the bathroom each day—all meticulously laid out. I held the schedule, lost in thought. Grandma Sarah watched me, her expression stern: “The conditions here are tough, and my expectations are high. If you can’t handle it, go find Chief Miller right away and see if he can arrange for you to leave too.” Chief Miller was the unofficial title of the community leader, but Grandma calling him “that guy” (“那小子” in Chinese implies a certain informal seniority from Grandma’s side). This immediately told me her standing in the community was anything but low. I carefully taped the schedule onto the desk Grandma Sarah had prepared for me, then looked at her with determination and said: “Grandma, I won’t regret this. That wealthy couple might not be as kind as they seem. I’d rather stay here with you in these mountains. It has beautiful scenery, and a Grandma who truly cares about me.” As I spoke, I reached out and gently took her arm, a gesture of goodwill. Grandma Sarah’s eyes fixated on me, as if trying to see through my facade: “You’d better mean what you say. I don’t welcome deserters here.” I offered her a sweet, compliant smile: “I won’t be, Grandma. I’ll stay here, with you, always.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “311468”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn #魔幻Magic #狼人Werewolf

我叫Alara Nightfang。我的表妹Lyra Shadowmane在月神祭典上假装血脉躁动，偷偷服下催情性质的狼毒，哭着请求我将我的alpha未婚夫Chandler Lakin借她一晚，以平复她的混血血脉暴动。 我为她找来了始终倾心于她的Corbin Ironhowl。 Lyra苏醒后发现标记她的并非Kael，羞愤自尽。 Kael并未因此责怪我，依旧待我如初。 我始终对Lyra心怀愧疚，在她去世后，悉心照顾她的家人。 然而结契仪式当天，Kael却命人给我下狼毒，将我丢给流浪狼人糟蹋。 “Lyra当年也承受过这般痛苦，就用你这卑贱之躯为她赎罪吧。” 我在月光最盛之时被凌辱致死，一尸两命。 重睁双眼，我回到了Lyra哭着求我将Kael让给她那一晚。 …… 月神祭典上，Liliana假意血脉失控，服下狼毒，泪流满面地哀求我，“Alara，求求你让Kael救救我好不好？” 她一边哭着，一边拉着我的祭典礼服裙摆。“Alara，我就借Kael一晚，你就成全我好不好？” 我望着跪在我脚边啜泣的Lyra，轻叹一声。“Lyra，我和Kael已有契约，你这样，以后你还怎么寻找伴侣？” Kael也在一旁皱眉斥责。“我是你姐姐的命定伴侣，你这种行为真让人作呕！” 说罢，他一脚踢开Lyra，拉着我转身离去。 我望着地上因血脉暴动而痛苦挣扎的Lyra，终究还是心软了。 我为她叫来了一直倾慕她的Corbin。 Lyra与Corbin本就有婚约在身，Corbin为人正直，绝不会将此事张扬出去。 让他来进行临时标记是当下最妥当的选择。 然而她醒来发现标记她的是Corbin后，当场崩溃大哭。 她指着我怒骂是我毁了她，随后决然自尽。 这件事成了我心中挥之不去的阴影，我始终认为是我害死了她。 在她死后，我尽心照顾她的家人。 Kael体恤我的辛劳，也时常陪伴我一起照料他们。 可在我们的结契仪式当夜，他竟找来几名流浪狼人将我凌辱致死。 我苦苦哀求他放过我，他却厌恶地看着我。“要不是你，我早就能和Lyra血脉融合了。这一切都是你的错！ “Lyra当年也承受过这般痛苦，她死了，你就用你这条命为她赎罪吧。” 原来，在与我订立契约之前，他便与Lyra早有私情。 我从Lyra送他的狼纹皮卷中得知，Lyra是他的初恋。 但他不知道，那本皮卷里记载的，全是关于我的点点滴滴。 Lyra自幼嫉妒我的纯正血脉，便近乎疯狂地模仿我。 从祭典着装到狩猎时的战嚎，甚至连我的狼纹皮卷她都一一模仿。 她以为，只要模仿了我的一切，就能取代我在部落的地位。 前世，我因她是我的表妹而一再忍让，最终却丢了性命。 这一世，我决定成全他们，因为我有更重要的事要做。 当熟悉的剧情再次上演时，我以更换祭典礼服为由提前离开，将舞台彻底留给Lyra。 她果然如前世一般，假意血脉躁动误服狼毒。 随后，她甩开Corbin，四处寻找我和Kael的踪影。 见始终找不到我，她只能跪在地上恳求Kael。“求求你标记我好不好？ “你要是不救我，我的混血血脉会崩溃的。” 她用生死逼迫Kael。 Kael面上闪过一丝嫌恶。 然而，前来向我通报的族仆低声禀报，“Bloodmaw公子说有急事，已经先行离开仪式祭坛。” 我望着镜中映出的我自己，脑海中浮现出前世惨死的画面，不禁一阵战栗。 还好，我重生了。这一世，我要亲手将他们送入地狱！ 我吩咐道，“去请Ironhowl公子来，就说我很担心Lyra，想请他一同寻找。” 族仆离开后，我开始高调地四处寻找Kael。 每到一处，我便焦急地询问，“你看见我的未婚夫和表妹了吗？” 很快，祭典仪式上的宾客们都知道Kael与Lyra同时失踪了。 Corbin听闻后也焦急万分。“Lyra是本就是混血女狼，这件事再传出去对她的名声和部落荣誉影响太大了。” 他立即吩咐手下。“务必尽快找到Lyra！” 众人四散寻找，几乎翻遍了整座祭坛。 最后只剩下准备用于祈福的密室未查。 众人站在密室前犹豫不决，进退两难。 就在这时，我焦急地跑了过来。“找到Lyra和Kael了吗？” 众人沉默不语。 族仆说，“祭坛和厅室都找过了，只剩下……” 他话没说完，我便猛地推开密室的石门。“Kael，Lyra，你们在吗？” 下一秒，密室内传来女子的尖叫与男子的怒吼。 我站在门口震惊不已，身后众人亲眼目睹了这一幕。 Kael竟在月神祭典上与我的表妹Lyra睡在一起！ 我脸色苍白地望着Kael。“你……” 话音未落，我眼前一黑，晕了过去。 Corbin迅速扶住我，他怒视Kael。“这件事你们部落必须给我们一个交代，否则……” 他没有说下去，但所有人都明白他的意思。 Ironhowl部落如今声势正盛，即便Corbin只是二儿子，也不是谁都能随意欺辱的对象。 Corbin扶着我离开了现场。

等我再次醒来时，已经是傍晚时分。 我爸妈Garrick Nightfang、Elara Nightfang、Lyra的母亲Isadora Shadowmane，以及the Bloodmaw clan和the Ironhowl clan的人都在场。 见我醒来，Kael的母亲Selene Bloodmaw立刻上前扶我。“Alara，你终于醒了。” 我却避开了Selene，一头扑进Elara的怀里，放声痛哭。 任谁看了都会觉得我是个受了委屈的可怜人。 Selene尴尬地收回手，轻声说道，“Alara，事情已经发生了，要不然就让你妹妹也跟了Kael吧？你放心，你还是the Bloodmaw clan的Luna。” 说完，她转头看向身后的Kael和Lyra。“我们的意思是让Lyra做Kael的普通伴侣，这样既保全了几个部落的颜面，又能让你们姐妹互相照应，你看行不行？” Garrick听后，不满地冷哼一声。“你们家倒是想得美，还想让我女儿跟了Kael？哼！做梦！” The Ironhowl clan的人脸色也不好看。Corbin的伴侣竟然随意被许给Kael当伴侣！ 这事要是传出去，the Ironhowl clan的荣誉可就丢尽了。 Lyra自然不愿意，眼看着她要从Luna变成普通伴侣，她怎么可能答应？ 她好不容易才攀上了Kael，可不是来做一个普通伴侣的。 Lyra依偎在Kael怀里，哭得上气不接下气。“Alara，只要你能原谅Kael，我愿意做普通伴侣，只求你别为了我和Kael生气。” 此时，Isadora也在一旁哭。“Alara，你要是不放过Lyra，那她就真的只有被驱逐出部落一条路了。” “闭嘴吧！你看看你教出来的好女儿！混血果然根子里就是烂的，在神圣祭坛上做出这种亵渎的事，还好意思在这哭哭啼啼？”Garrick怒道。 他一向对Isadora格外包容，不管她犯了什么错，他都看在她们孤儿寡母的份上，不与她们计较。 可现在，Isadora竟然纵容Lyra做出这种事！Garrick只觉得丢了部落的脸。 Kael见心上人哭得伤心，心疼不已，皱着眉看向我。“我都已经答应让你当Luna了，你还想怎样？非要逼得Lyra走投无路你才甘心吗？” 话音刚落，他脸上便重重地挨了他父亲一巴掌。“你给我闭嘴！这里没你说话的份！” Garrick冷冷地看着这对父子，开口道，“你们也不用在我面前演这出父子情深了。Alara才不会进入你们部落。” 这一巴掌彻底激怒了Kael，他瞪着眼睛看向他父亲。“我这辈子除了Lyra，谁也不认！父亲，你要是那么喜欢Alara，你可以自己与她结契！” 一直在旁冷眼旁观的Corbin的父亲Thorn Ironhowl这时忍不住嗤笑出声。“这就是the Bloodmaw clan的教养？” 说完，他看向Garrick。“这件事，我们两家都是受害者，不如我们两个部落结亲联盟，你看怎么样？” Garrick不可置信地瞪着Thorn。“你当我女儿是可供人随意挑选的生育工具吗？” Thorn笑着解释道，“这话你就说得不好听了。今天这事传出去，我们部落是丢了荣誉，可Alara才是真正的受害者。你让她以后怎么寻找伴侣？” Garrick刚想拒绝，却听见我淡淡开口，“和你们部落联盟，对我有什么好处？”

Thorn见我开口，顿时眉开眼笑。 他早就不满Lyra了。 他一直觉得她不但血脉不纯，眉眼间还透着一股算计。 若不是Corbin喜欢Lyra，他根本不会让这种女狼进入部落。 此刻见我松口，他自然是万分乐意。 他说，“Alara，别的我不敢保证，但有几点我绝对能做到。 “第一，就是划分猎场。只要你们结为伴侣，家里的猎场、领地印记，我立刻就去部落长老会办理见证，我的两个儿子各继承四成统治权，剩下两成留给我们养老。” “第二，” Thorn拖长了语调，一脸不屑地看向Kael，才慢悠悠地继续说道，“我们铁嚎部落最讲规矩，Corbin绝不会闹出在月神祭典上和未来伴侣的表妹纠缠不清的丑闻。 “至于最后一点，结为伴侣后你们俩的全部领地与资源，都必须登记在你的狼纹名下。” 此言一出，在场众人无不倒吸一口凉气。这几乎等于把部落家底都送给了Alara！ 铁嚎部落为了Corbin的婚事，真是下血本了！ 只有Kael一家、Lyra和Isolde脸色阴沉。 Thorn的话几乎就是在指着他们鼻子骂不要脸了。 我静静听完，点了点头。别人或许听不出这番话的真假，但我却清楚。 前世Lyra死后，Corbin听从部落安排，与另一位女子结为伴侣。 虽然Corbin并不爱她，却依旧待她百般体贴。 家族的领地与猎场印记也都记在那女子狼纹名下，他自己名下却一无所有。 如果能与这样的狼在一起，即便他不爱我，也不至于害我。 更何况，我有重生带来的信息差，未必需要依附雄性而活。 只是如今对女狼终究苛刻，若我不结契，Garrick和Elara便会被人指指点点，背负骂名。 我怎么样都无所谓，但不能连累他们一同陷入非议。 我说，“好，那我考虑一下。” 听到这话，Corbin的爸妈都是一愣，随即露出满意的笑容。 而一直在旁看戏的Lyra却坐不住了，她愤怒地看向Thorn。“凭什么？当初你可不是这么说的！你明明说只给三成猎场！ “而且，你也没说要把领地印记全转到我狼纹名下！” Thorn皱眉看着她。“从你和Corbin定下盟约开始，你接受的每一次血脉滋养、参加的每一场月光仪式，哪一样不是我们部落提供的？ “我做这个决定是怕你把部落败光！再说，你血脉、样貌哪点比得上Alara？ “我就是喜欢Alara，愿意把家底双手奉上，怎么了？” Lyra被怼得脸色难看，含泪看向Corbin。“你就这样看着他们欺负你的未来伴侣？” Corbin冷冷地望着她。“Shadowmane小姐，说话请注意一点。我现在，可不再是你的未来伴侣了。” Lyra被噎得说不出话，躲进Kael怀里哭哭啼啼。 见我们两家三言两语就敲定了婚事，Kael脸色愈发不爽。 他推开怀里的Lyra，怒气冲冲地走到我面前。“Alara！你是我的未来伴侣，你在我面前说要跟别人结契，有考虑过我的感受吗？”