I was the entertainment industry’s widely acknowledged “bimbo,” dragged onto a luxury cruise ship’s live-stream reality show just to fill a spot on the roster. No one expected us to be hit by a terrorist attack midway through the voyage. Clutching a single eyebrow razor, I wiped out an entire squad of heavily armed mercenaries. Facing the live-stream cameras, I blinked innocently: “We’re all red-blooded Americans here.” “It’s perfectly normal to know a little self-defense, right?” 1 On the day of my retirement, my boss asked me with utmost warmth and friendliness: “Harper Vance, you’ve gone through hell and back for the Agency over the years. You’ve done your country a great service.” “If you have any requests for your retirement, just name them.” I immediately perked up, my eyes shining with anticipation: “My retirement life!” “The main theme has to be absolute luxury, glitz and glamour, indulging in the finest wines, partying until dawn, and endless nights of VIP clubbing in LA!” My boss… My boss had excellent manners. He smiled and said: “Understood!” “So basically, you want us to set you up for a fast track to federal prison, right?” Me… Three days later, I was packed up and tossed into Hollywood. Three years later, I had become the internet’s universally acknowledged “bimbo beauty.” But right when everyone was passionately discussing how I was good for absolutely nothing, yet still managed to be an A-lister because God practically force-fed me my career… Who would have thought that I was once the sharpest blade in the Agency? I hold the record for taking out 12 enemies in 3 seconds—a record that remains unbroken to this day. If “The Blade” is the most secretive covert organization in the world, then I was its most dangerous operative. Back then, whenever enemies mentioned me, they would tremble and say: “She spreads faster than a wildfire.” 2 “Carter, don’t go!” I jolted awake from the nightmare again, sitting bolt upright and gasping for air. A malicious voice drifted over from the side: “Oh my, some people really think they can do whatever they want just because they have a pretty face, huh?” “Do you really think Mr. Hayes is someone a bimbo like you can climb the ladder to reach?” “Calling his name in your sleep? Have you no shame!” The person speaking was Chloe Bennett, the entertainment industry’s designated “innocent sweetheart.” Her public image was infinitely better than mine. We were both signed to Apex Entertainment, but we were famously at each other’s throats. The shock from the nightmare left me disoriented for a moment. After catching my breath, I looked around the familiar dressing room, and it finally hit me—Carter was already dead. The man who had fought shoulder-to-shoulder with me was long gone, leaving not even a body behind. It was only then that I processed what Chloe had just said. I frowned and asked: “What Mr. Hayes were you just talking about?” Chloe rolled her eyes: “The most mysterious CEO of the Hayes Conglomerate, Carter Hayes, obviously.” “Just give up!” “I’ve already been invited to the luxury cruise live-stream show in a few days.” “Rumor has it that Mr. Hayes will be gracing us with his presence.” “I am going to make him fall in love with me at first sight!” “As for a brainless vase like you, you don’t even have the qualifications to board the ship!” My mouth twitched as I looked at the overly confident Chloe. I offered a sincere suggestion: “Remember to get some Botox before you board.” “Look at how much your skin is sagging. Be careful, or the flies buzzing around you will get trapped in your wrinkles.” “Also, being pretty really does mean you can do whatever you want~” “But since you aren’t pretty, you wouldn’t understand.” 3 Leaving the dressing room, I frantically dialed my agent’s number: “Tara! That luxury cruise live-stream show in two days—get me on it!” There was a full minute of dead silence on the other end, letting me yell “Hello? Hello?!” into the receiver. Just as my patience was running out, Tara finally spoke: “They invited you before, just to make up the numbers.” “You righteously refused, claiming you’d never sell your soul for five bucks!” I suddenly remembered. Yes, that did happen. At the time, I figured a cruise ship live-stream would mean way too much sun exposure. Only an idiot would go! Plus, the producer in charge of the show clearly thought I didn’t deserve to be there, which was why I turned it down. Guiltily, I cleared my throat and shamelessly sucked up: “So, um… I know you’re mad, but hold on a second!” “How much are they paying?” Tara replied: “They started at five million, then bumped it to six million.” I slammed the imaginary gavel: “While I won’t sell my soul for five bucks, I will absolutely sell it for six million dollars!” “Accept it!” Tara… Carter… Carter Hayes… Even though I knew it was impossible, a tiny sliver of hope still lingered in my heart. Whether it was a coincidence or a miracle, I had to see it with my own eyes. 4 Tara truly was a top-tier agent. Miraculously, at the very last minute, she managed to stuff me into the cast list. As a live reality show backed by massive manpower, resources, and capital, it naturally generated crazy buzz online. On the day of boarding, the hype reached its absolute peak on Twitter: [So excited! It’s finally starting!] [A live stream on a luxury cruise ship! That’s fresh!] [Look! Chloe is about to board!] [Did you guys hear? Rumor has it one of the female stars on this show has an insane background!] [I heard that too. Supposedly backed by a massive conglomerate…] [I bet it’s Chloe!] [Well, it’s definitely not that bimbo Harper Vance.] I hid by the ship’s railing, leisurely scrolling through the live chat. Suddenly, a voice rang out: “I didn’t expect to see you here.” “Agent Seven.” 5 I had already heard the footsteps approaching from behind, so I wasn’t surprised. I said flatly: “Mr. Sterling. I hope you’ve been well.” Winston Sterling was a textbook patriotic billionaire. For decades, he had donated money and resources to charity without hesitation. His motto was: “A strong nation relies on a prosperous economy.” As his business grew into a massive, diversified empire, he became a pivotal figure in the corporate world. Unfortunately, this offended some foreign syndicates. They hired dozens of the world’s best assassins and issued a kill order on him. At the time, I was ordered to protect him. In just half a month, I eliminated every single assassin and kept him alive. He was also the only person in the entertainment industry who knew my true identity after my retirement. Before we could exchange more than a few words, we were interrupted by a sudden rush of people. Chloe was surrounded in the center like a queen bee, flanked by reporters, show staff, bodyguards, and a handful of invited fans. A reporter asked her as they walked: “Regarding the internet rumors that you have an extraordinary background, how do you respond?” “Is it true, as people suspect, that you have a very high status?” Chloe answered without a moment’s hesitation: “Things like that… it’s better to keep a low profile.” “It’s not something to be flaunted in public.” Amid the awe-struck gasps of the crowd, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Chloe was pretty smart. She didn’t clarify or deny it, nor did she answer directly, but she expertly cultivated a “Yep, you guessed it, that’s me” aura. I even suspected she was the one who leaked those rumors online in the first place. After all, no one should have the ability to dig up my background. Maybe my laugh was too loud. Chloe shot me a deadly glare, but unexpectedly spotted Mr. Sterling standing next to me. She sashayed over gracefully, bringing the camera lenses right to us. “Harper, you really are so fake.” “You originally turned down the show’s invitation, but then you heard Mr. Hayes was coming, and you forced your way back in.” “And now, you’re trying to cozy up to Mr. Sterling.” “As celebrities, we need to have a basic bottom line.” Wow! In just a few sentences, she dumped two massive buckets of dirt on my head. As she intended, the live chat went crazy: [Wow, I didn’t know Harper was that kind of person.] [I always knew she was a bimbo, but I didn’t realize she was this manipulative.] Having finished trashing me, Chloe put on a show of sucking up to Mr. Sterling: “Mr. Sterling, I’ve heard so much about you.” “I’ve always wanted to pay you a visit, but never had the chance. It’s been such a regret.” Mr. Sterling’s status was unrivaled in the entire business world. Chloe was calculating perfectly: if she could just exchange a few words with him, her own status would skyrocket. However… Mr. Sterling looked flatly at Chloe’s extended hand. He didn’t shake it publicly as she hoped. Instead, he said coldly: “It’s not a regret.” “Because even if you tried to visit me, I wouldn’t see you.” “Even the CEO of your conglomerate has to make an appointment three months in advance to see me, let alone a nobody like you.” Chloe’s face instantly turned a sickly shade of green. The atmosphere was incredibly awkward. In the dead silence, Mr. Sterling politely gestured toward me: “I wonder if I might have the honor of inviting Miss Vance for a cup of tea?” I raised an eyebrow, nodded, and followed Mr. Sterling to the dining room, leaving everyone staring at each other in shock. The live chat went even crazier: [Can someone explain what just happened?!] [Why is Mr. Sterling so respectful to that bimbo Harper?!] [Chloe is the most embarrassed one here. Got slapped in the face on live TV.] [Hahaha, Mr. Sterling is hilarious!] 6 It was soon time for the evening banquet. This banquet was also the signal that the live stream had officially begun; everyone would be attending. I nervously changed into my evening gown. I was somewhat hoping that Carter Hayes was my Carter, but rationality told me that was impossible. Besides, if Carter was really alive, how could I explain the explosion back then… Suddenly, there was a knock on my door. I asked warily: “Who is it?” Chloe’s voice drifted in: “It’s me. Are you ready?” “Let’s go to the banquet hall together.” Me: ??? Hold on, since when were Chloe and I on such good terms? Why didn’t I know about this? But I didn’t overthink it. I grabbed my things and headed to the banquet hall with her. 7 On the way, Chloe linked her arm affectionately with mine and didn’t let go even when we entered the hall. We sat in adjacent seats, waiting for the event to start. Cameras covered every angle, broadcasting non-stop. Just then, I suddenly felt Chloe’s hand rubbing against my back. I… Was she sexually harassing me? I swiftly grabbed her hand. Looking closely, she was holding a standard eyebrow razor. My mouth twitched. In a split second, I understood what stunt she was trying to pull. She just wanted to slice my dress open so I’d make a fool of myself in public. Before I could say anything, the lights suddenly dimmed. The banquet was starting. At that exact moment, an ominous premonition washed over me. I had faced life-and-death situations countless times. In critical moments, my sixth sense was sharper than anything else. It was God’s way of giving you a real chance to survive. While I was on high alert, observing our surroundings, a scream pierced the air. Immediately after, all the exits slammed shut, and a squad of heavily armed mercenaries suddenly stormed into the banquet hall. Machine guns fired wildly into the ceiling. Screams erupted everywhere, and sheer panic set in. The mercenary leader stepped onto the stage: “Shut the f*ck up, all of you!” “Right now, on this cruise ship, I make the rules!” My brain raced: Where did these people board the ship? Is there an inside man? If they’ve boarded, it’s highly likely the ship has reached international waters. The mercenary leader laughed sinisterly: “This is a live stream, right? I wonder if anyone wants to watch a live ship massacre?” “You celebrities think you’re such hot sh*t, huh?” “From now on, one life is worth ten million dollars.” “Those who can pay, naturally, get to keep their lives.” “Otherwise, I’ll butcher one of you every half hour and throw you into the ocean to feed the sharks!” The live chat was losing its collective mind: [What’s going on? Mercenaries?!] [Is this real or fake?! Call the cops!] [They’re probably in international waters. It’ll take time to get there, plus there are so many hostages!] 8 Chloe was the first to burst into tears, snot and tears smearing her face: “I’ll pay! I’ll pay!” “Don’t kill me!” Chloe’s assistant whispered a reminder: “Chloe, we don’t have that much money!” “At most, we can scrape together five million.” Hearing this, the mercenary leader’s expression darkened: “Are you f*cking playing with me?” “Then we’ll start with you!” He reached out to grab Chloe. She was so terrified she instinctively pointed her only weapon—that ordinary eyebrow razor—at him in a desperate attempt to protect herself. The man laughed mockingly: “Just that?” “Are you kidding me?” “If you can actually hurt me with that little toy, I’ll hand over my title as Warlord of the Seas to you.” I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. The man narrowed his eyes and glared at me: “What are you laughing at?!” I crossed my legs, casually swirling the champagne in my glass with one hand: “Don’t turtles usually live in ponds?” “How did you end up in the ocean?” The man instantly flew into a rage: “Looks like someone’s begging to die!” “Fine! I’ll slaughter you first!” In an instant, the dark muzzle of his gun was aimed right at my forehead. The crowd screamed in terror. I ignored it all, stood up, and smoothed out my black silk gown. Then I walked over to Chloe, politely and elegantly holding out my hand: “Can I borrow that eyebrow razor for a second?” 9 Chloe was already paralyzed with fear and instinctively handed the razor to me. The mercenary leader sneered from the side: “Still care about your looks, huh?” “You really are a beauty. If you keep my boys entertained, I might just let you live a few more days.” I shook my head: “Villains always die from talking too much.” Before the words even faded, I struck like lightning. The eyebrow razor slashed across the mercenary leader’s throat in a fraction of a second. Blood sprayed into the air. The man clutched his neck in disbelief, a trembling finger pointing at me. But unfortunately for him, he couldn’t speak anymore. Before the blood droplets even hit the floor, he collapsed with a heavy thud, crashing into a table. The remaining mercenaries finally reacted, raising their rifles and firing a hail of bullets at me. I used the overturned table for slight cover, calculating the positions of everyone in the room and the number of bullets they had left. The enemies emptied their magazines. In that brief split-second window, I silently slipped behind them. I grabbed one of the men in a rear chokehold, using him as a human shield while pushing forward. A few mercenaries tried to surround me. I leaped, landed smoothly, and backhanded the two closest to me, taking them out instantly. The remaining two tried to flank and shoot me from the left and right. But to their surprise, I launched myself upward. The bullets grazed past me and slammed squarely into each other’s bodies. By now, the surviving mercenaries had regrouped. One of them grabbed Chloe, who happened to be the closest: “Drop your weapon!” “Or I’ll butcher her!” I waved the blood-stained eyebrow razor, raised an eyebrow, and laughed aloud: “First of all, is this eyebrow razor the ‘weapon’ you’re referring to?” “How can you be this garbage and call yourselves mercenaries?” “You guys are like cheap crops, each batch worse than the last.” “Secondly, the person you grabbed is my rival.” “I f*cking hate her.” The mercenary panicked. Without thinking, he shoved Chloe to the ground, intending to grab a different hostage. He didn’t know that this was exactly the moment I was waiting for. I hurled the eyebrow razor. It sliced through his carotid artery and kept flying. Moving like a phantom, I was there a split second later to catch it on the other side, dropping into a flawless single-knee landing. But the last remaining enemies had already flanked me from behind. All escape routes were sealed off, and a sharp combat knife lunged toward me. After taking out the enemy in front of me, I instantly sidestepped. The knife barely grazed my gown, slicing the fabric. I crushed the attacker’s throat with one hand. With a sharp snap, he stopped breathing. At that moment, the last three mercenaries suddenly pointed at the tattoo exposed by my torn dress: “She’s Agent Seven!” “Agent Seven from The Blade!” “We can’t win! Run!” I frowned. I never showed my face during missions, but the seven-leaf clover tattoo on my shoulder had once struck fear into the hearts of many. I didn’t expect it to be exposed now. I vaulted forward to block their escape path. Before I could speak, a commotion erupted from outside. The Coast Guard had arrived. The room full of celebrities uniformly maintained one expression: jaw-dropping shock. They were so stunned they couldn’t even answer the police’s questions properly. A young rookie cop surveyed the scene, frowning as he asked: “Who killed these men?” A celebrity pointed a trembling finger at me: “The… the bimbo… I mean! The esteemed Ms. Vance, the superhero.” The rookie cop stepped over the bodies and walked up to me: “Please hand over your weapon so we can log it as evidence.” I nonchalantly tossed the eyebrow razor into the evidence bag. The cop stared at it in confusion: “What is this?” I replied matter-of-factly: “My weapon.” The cop gave me an “Are you kidding me” look and was about to speak when another voice interrupted: “She’s not kidding you.” “That is her weapon.” “Forget a blade. If she wants to, a piece of string or a tree branch is more than enough for her to eliminate an enemy.” I turned to look at the speaker. It seemed to be their SWAT team commander. I tilted my head in confusion: I don’t think I know him?

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My billionaire boss gave my executive position to his “darling” trophy wife. So, I checked out. Business plans? Not writing them! High-profile clients? Not meeting them! Million-dollar projects? Not touching them! Then, the funding vanished, the clients jumped ship, and the company teetered on the brink of bankruptcy. The “Alpha CEO” came crawling back, begging me to clean up the mess. I didn’t. Instead, I took the core team, built my own empire, and watched my name climb the Forbes list while his crashed into the dirt. 1 For the past year, I had crushed every KPI and passed every internal audit to secure the position of Marketing Director. But on my first day in the new role, my boss, Arthur Thorne, walked in with a stranger. “This is Tiffany Sterling. Starting today, she’s your new colleague.” She looked barely twenty, stunningly beautiful, and clung to Arthur’s arm like a delicate vine. Arthur scanned the morning meeting before his gaze landed on me. “Sloane Bennett, I expect you to assist Tiffany in everything she does.” The room went silent. Since when does a Director “assist” a new hire? Gossip spread like wildfire. Human Resources later slipped me her file with a sympathetic look. “She’s the boss’s new girl. To make her believe she got the job on merit, Arthur had three Ivy League MBAs interview as ‘decoys’ just to let her win. She’s a princess, Sloane. Good luck.” I flipped through her resume. Vocational school dropout. Worked as a cashier, a manicurist, and a bottle girl at a nightclub. Quite the “all-rounder.” Unfortunately, my team consisted of Stanford grads and former McKinsey consultants. Arthur was clearly trying to play out a “Cinderella and the Billionaire” fantasy. Having a “diversity hire” for the CEO’s ego is one thing—most people would just roll their eyes and move on. But I didn’t realize how much crazier it was about to get. 2 After the meeting, Arthur called me into his office. The door hadn’t even fully closed before I saw Tiffany sitting on his lap, giggling. I cleared my throat. “Mr. Thorne, you wanted to see me?” He didn’t look embarrassed. He gestured to a chair. “Sloane, I want you to hand over the Marketing Director position to Tiffany.” I froze. “Excuse me?” Setting aside her lack of a degree or experience, she had been at the company for exactly ten minutes. Executive appointments required Board approval. What was Arthur thinking? I looked at Tiffany, who was pouting perfectly. I kept my voice flat. “Then what is my role?” Arthur took a slow drag of his cigar, his voice dripping with that classic “Alpha CEO” arrogance. “Given your history with the firm, we aren’t letting you go. You’ll be Tiffany’s deputy. You’ll handle the work; she’ll handle the title.” I almost laughed. “Mr. Thorne, if you want to play house, give her a desk in the corner. Don’t swap out the leadership of your most critical department.” Tiffany’s eyes welled up instantly. “Sloane, don’t blame Arthur. I told him I wanted to ‘challenge myself’ in Marketing. I promise I’ll work hard.” Arthur looked at her with pure adoration, then turned back to me, his voice cold. “Tiffany is independent. She doesn’t want to rely on me; she wants to build something herself. That’s why I made this choice.” “If she wants to build something, why isn’t she starting as an intern?” I snapped. She whimpered, tucking her head into Arthur’s shoulder. Arthur’s brow furrowed. “She has no background. If I don’t give her authority, people will bully her. She’s my woman, Sloane. I won’t let her suffer a single grievance.” He tossed a transfer of authority form onto the desk. “Three minutes. Sign it.” I sneered. “I hope you don’t regret this.” Since Arthur’s mother stepped down as Chairperson three years ago, the company hadn’t innovated once. Our products were being slaughtered by competitors. The only reason we still had orders was because of the personal relationships I had cultivated over years of grinding. I was already exhausted from carrying his dead weight. If he wanted to hand the steering wheel to a toddler, fine by me. As I walked out, I heard Tiffany’s soft voice: “Arthur, is this okay? Is Sloane going to be mad?” And Arthur’s oily response: “Who cares about her? If she tries to make things hard for you, I’ll make her regret ever being born.” … Arthur and Tiffany vanished for three days. According to HR, Arthur bought her a $5 million luxury ranch in Montana as a “get-to-work” gift. I suddenly remembered that my $2 million year-end bonus—and the bonuses for my entire team—hadn’t been paid yet. When I had asked Finance, they told me “cash flow was tight” and payments were delayed. Now I knew where the cash went. It wasn’t tight. It was spent on a stable for a girl who couldn’t spell “Marketing.” I sat in my office all afternoon, drinking tea and reading the news. Arthur Thorne was a lost cause. But one way or another, I was going to get my team’s blood and sweat back from him. 3 On Friday night, I left the office early. I had a steak dinner, went home, took a long bath, and relaxed with my cat. It was the first peaceful night I’d had in four years. I was enjoying my “quiet quitting” when my phone started vibrating like a grenade. The company-wide Slack channel had a new announcement: “Mr. Thorne and Director Sterling invite everyone to their Montana ranch this weekend to celebrate their ‘Journey of Love.’” My team’s private group chat exploded. “I’ve worked eighty hours this week. I just want to sleep. Help me.” “I have a dentist appointment I’ve waited months for. Now this?” “It’s my daughter’s birthday tomorrow. I promised her Legoland!” I looked at the messages, imagining their frustrated faces. In corporate America, “mandatory fun” on weekends is the ultimate sin. And this wasn’t even team building. It was Arthur forcing his employees to be the audience for his cringe-inducing romance. The kicker? The ranch was a five-hour drive away. No company shuttle. Oh, and we were expected to bring our own “rustic gear” and gifts for the “happy couple.” I sent a single emoji to my team: They understood immediately. Monday morning, Arthur and Tiffany stormed into my office. “Sloane Bennett, you encouraged a mass walk-out. Explain yourself,” he roared, his voice echoing through the floor. I looked up calmly. “What are you talking about, Arthur? The attendance records for the Marketing department show no absences during business hours.” His face darkened. “The ranch invite. You didn’t show.” I acted surprised. “Oh, that? I only saw the notification this morning. Besides, that was a weekend. Since when is not attending a private party ‘absenteeism’?” He started to yell, but I cut him off. “According to the Fair Labor Standards Act and our specific state labor laws, mandatory attendance at a non-work event qualifies as compensable time. My team has already exceeded their overtime cap this month. Do you want me to file a formal report with the Department of Labor to verify the hours?” I forgot. Billionaire playboys usually think they’re above the law. He stared at me with those “Alpha” eyes—the ones that are supposed to make women swoon but just made me want to check my watch. “Sloane, do not test my patience.” That’s when Tiffany played her “Sweetheart” card. She tugged on his sleeve. “It’s okay, Arthur. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have expected everyone to be as happy as we are.” Then she turned to me with fake tears. “Sloane, no matter what you think of me, Arthur and I really wanted to host you. We just wanted everyone to feel like family.” Sure. “Family.” You ate Wagyu beef and lobster in a glass-walled dining room while you expected the staff to set up their own tents in the rain and grill cheap burgers. Even worse, Tiffany had suggested that the employees should spend their weekends “tilling the land” on the ranch to “experience the beauty of nature.” She was a classic Hallmark-movie heroine with the brain of a goldfish. Her “stoking the fire” act was clearly designed to get me fired. But Arthur wasn’t quite that stupid. He knew he couldn’t lose my client list yet. His assistant, Mr. Vance, whispered something in his ear. Arthur’s face relaxed slightly. “Fine. This time I’ll let it slide. But don’t push me again.” They left. Mr. Vance stayed behind for a second, sighing. “Ms. Bennett, you have to understand. The boss hasn’t smiled like this in ten years. Tiffany makes him happy. Just… try to be a team player.” I stared at him. “Ten years? Are you sure he doesn’t have a neurological condition? Have you taken him to a doctor?” Mr. Vance turned red, sputtered, and walked out. 4 On Tiffany’s first real day of work, she had to attend the weekly product briefing. The slide deck was all in complex technical English and data analytics. I watched her eyes glaze over. She looked at our Product Manager, Jessica, with a trembling lip. “Why is this all in jargon and data? This isn’t very ‘human-centric.’” Jessica blinked. “Tiffany, we are a global tech firm. These are the metrics our European and Asian partners require. It’s the basis of our business.” Tiffany’s face flushed. “Well, if they want our products, they should learn to adapt to us. This feels very elitist. We should be focusing on the ‘vibe’ of the brand.” Jessica was speechless. I leaned back. “Director Sterling is right. Who needs data when you have a ‘vibe’? Of course, every single person in this room understands the data. Except, apparently, the Director.” Tiffany looked like she was going to cry. At the end of the meeting, Jessica smiled tightly. “Director, we’ll need your quarterly market strategy by EOD tomorrow so we can align our production.” Tiffany sat in her office for eight hours. She didn’t write a single word. I saw the look of a digital illiterate facing a spreadsheet. Mr. Vance brought her templates from previous quarters, telling her to just “fill in the blanks.” She didn’t even know how to use PowerPoint. She couldn’t even convert a CSV into a bar chart. It was beyond pathetic. I finished my coffee, stretched, and watched the sunset. Another day of doing absolutely nothing. … After two days of this, Tiffany broke. That evening, Arthur came to pick her up. She immediately began frantically shuffling papers, looking “exhausted” and “diligent.” Arthur walked to her desk. “Who’s my hardworking little kitten?” She threw herself into his arms. “Oh, Arthur!” It was so greasy I felt like I needed a shower. I packed my bag to leave. “Arthur, I’m so sorry, I can’t have dinner with you tonight. I haven’t finished the report,” she whimpered. “You know I had to drop out of school to help my sick mother. I’m just… I’m trying so hard to keep up, but I don’t want to be a burden to you.” Arthur held her tight. “It’s okay. You shouldn’t have to do this anyway. I’ll have someone else do it for you.” Her eyes lit up, but she feigned hesitation. “But it’s so late…” Arthur pinched her nose. “You just focus on being beautiful. I’ll handle the rest.” He called out to me as I reached the door. “Sloane Bennett. Finish Tiffany’s report tonight. I want it on my desk by 8 AM.” I smiled. “I’m sorry, Arthur. It’s 6:01 PM. My shift is over. Furthermore, the employee handbook states clear role boundaries. This is the Director’s responsibility. I have no authority to touch her files.” He looked at me as if I were speaking a foreign language. “This is a growth opportunity for you. You should be grateful.” The classic corporate gaslighting. I looked at Tiffany and smiled politely. “Arthur, the one who needs the ‘opportunity’ is Tiffany. A Director who can’t use a computer is a rare specimen in this century. Maybe you should enroll her in a community college night class?” Then, I walked out. The main characters in these billionaire stories really have a screw loose. I knew exactly what world I was in. I was a side character in a trashy romance novel titled The CEO’s Darling Little Wife. Tiffany was the heroine. Innocent, beautiful, and “persecuted” by the cold corporate world. In the original plot, I was the “Jealous Female Executive” who tried to make her life a living hell. My ending? Arthur was supposed to fire me, blackball me from the industry, and leave me to be harassed by thugs until I died in poverty. And Tiffany, of course, would know “nothing” about it. She’d just wonder why her “mean” colleague disappeared. But why would I play that role? I worked for four years, becoming the top producer in the company, just for him to hand my job to a girl who thinks a “market strategy” is a mood board on Pinterest? He spent our team’s bonuses on a ranch for her ego. He didn’t care about the single moms on my team or the grads struggling with student loans. So, as a self-aware side character, “quiet quitting” was the only logical move. 5 Slacking off was addictive. After a week of me doing the bare minimum, Arthur finally snapped. “I told you to assist Tiffany!” he barked, hovering over my desk. I shrugged. “I am. I’m doing my job as a Deputy. Her job is… her job.” He scowled. “What will it take for you to actually help her?” “Simple,” I said, not looking up. “Pay the Marketing department our bonuses.” “The company has no liquidity right now! You know that!” Right. Plenty of cash for Montana ranches, none for the people actually making the money. “Then I guess I have no liquidity of effort,” I said, standing up to leave. As I reached the door, he grunted. “Fine. I’ll release half the bonus pool.” … Back at the department, Jessica came over. “Are you really going to help her?” I laughed. “A strategy costs $500k. A report is $400k. Minor tasks start at $50k. Once the money hits the accounts, we’ll talk.” A week later, I received a $1 million payment. My team got their overdue bonuses too. Everyone was thrilled. They invited me out for a celebratory dinner. I agreed, but as we were leaving the building, Tiffany and Arthur intercepted us. “We heard there’s a team dinner! We’re coming too,” Tiffany chirped, clinging to Arthur’s arm. My team and I exchanged looks of pure dread. At the steakhouse, the server handed out menus. “I’ll have the Ribeye, well-done, with peppercorn sauce,” I ordered. Tiffany giggled. “Sloane, you clearly haven’t been to high-end places often. You never order a steak well-done. Medium-rare is the only way.” She lifted her chin, looking triumphant. She looked at Arthur for backup. “Arthur takes me to the best places in the city. He taught me all about it.” I remembered Arthur’s Instagram post from a month ago, bragging about how he met a “pure, unpretentious girl” who took him to eat street food. I guess after three weeks of dating a billionaire, she’d already forgotten her “unpretentious” roots. I kept looking at the menu. “In Europe and high-end culinary circles, ‘Well-Done’ is considered a test of the meat’s quality and the chef’s skill. Low-end restaurants discourage it because they use cheap cuts that turn to leather. A top-tier chef can make a well-done steak succulent. If a restaurant tells you they can’t do it, it’s because they aren’t good enough.” I looked at the server. He caught my eye immediately. “Absolutely, ma’am. Our head chef is classically trained. We can accommodate any temperature perfectly.” I smiled at Tiffany. She looked humiliated, her eyes filling with tears. “Sloane, I know I’m just a commoner and I haven’t traveled the world like you, but you don’t have to be so mean about it.” Wow. The “victim” flip. Arthur glared at me. “Enough. It’s just a steak. Stop being a bully.” My team and I looked at each other. There was no saving this man’s brain. I laughed softly. “First, I’m not arguing. Second, Arthur, you should tell your girlfriend that ‘well-done’ isn’t a crime. And finally, eating at a steakhouse isn’t a status symbol. It’s just dinner. Only someone deeply insecure would think a steak temperature is an insult to their soul.” The food arrived, and the atmosphere was awkward for exactly two people: the brooding CEO and his pouting girlfriend. The rest of us had a great time. When the bill came, Arthur and Tiffany had already slipped out. They left a $2,500 tab. A junior staffer asked if we should cover it. I smiled at the server. “We were just sharing the table with those two. This is a separate bill. For the two who left without paying, you can check your CCTV and their parking validation. I’m sure the Thorne Group would hate to be reported for dine-and-dash.” My team muffled their laughter. Jessica gave me a thumbs-up. “Cold, Sloane. Stone cold.” I walked home under the moonlight, feeling great. But as I approached my building, I realized someone was following me. A shadow stayed exactly fifty feet behind me. I picked up my pace, stayed under the streetlights, and ducked into my building’s lobby. With the 24-hour security and keycard access, I was safe.

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My sister-in-law is a strict vegan. She insisted on raising her baby exclusively on a plant-based diet. She even planned to replace my nephew’s baby formula with soy milk. As a pediatrician, I strongly advised her to ensure a balanced diet with both meat and vegetables, advocating for science-based parenting. In the end, my nephew grew up healthy and strong. But whenever he faced any difficulties in life, my sister-in-law would tell him: “You were supposed to be a pure vegan baby from the womb, blessed with good karma. It was your aunt who ruined your vegan blessings.” Because of this, he resented me for years, and one night while I was fast asleep, he smothered me to death. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day my sister-in-law asked for my advice. This time, I smiled and said: “You’re the mom, you have the final say.” 1 I was reborn on the day of my nephew’s one-month celebration. My sister-in-law, Chloe, was holding the baby, bragging to a table full of relatives about her “pure vegan from the womb” baby. She proudly declared that she had stuck to a strict vegan diet for two years. Even during her pregnancy, she hadn’t touched a single egg or drop of dairy. She proclaimed that the baby would also be raised exclusively vegan—no formula, only soy milk. The relatives thought it was absurd. They chimed in, urging her that growing children need proper nutrition and asking how he could possibly survive without formula. What if it affected his development? Chloe brushed them off, unimpressed. “You guys just don’t get it. Babies who are vegan from the womb are blessed. They’re bound to be much smarter than ordinary kids!” “Isn’t that right, Aria? You’re a doctor. Why don’t you tell them? Isn’t a vegan diet better?” As she spoke, she turned her gaze toward me. I drifted off for a second, then the memories came flooding back. In my past life, she had asked me the exact same question in front of everyone. Back then, driven by professional integrity, I told her the truth. In the pediatric ward, I had treated countless children suffering from malnutrition. I had seen those “pure vegan from the womb” babies that were so trendy in extreme vegan circles. Most of them were shorter, more lethargic, and had weaker immune systems than their peers. Children need a variety of trace elements for growth, many of which simply cannot be provided by a pure vegan diet. A balanced diet of meat and vegetables is essential, and parenting must be grounded in science. Chloe’s face fell, and she stayed silent. Eventually, persuaded by the elders, my brother finally decided against forcing the child to be vegan from birth. My little nephew grew up safe and healthy. But what I didn’t expect was that from then on, every hardship he faced in life would be blamed on me by his mother. If he hit a roadblock in his studies or had a fight with a classmate… Chloe would tell him, “You were supposed to be a pure vegan baby from the womb, blessed with heavenly karma to succeed in everything. But your aunt ruined your blessings.” This led to him resenting me from a very young age. Finally, during one of my visits home, he slipped sleeping pills into my milk and smothered me with a pillow in my room. The security camera in the living room caught a glimpse of it. When Chloe discovered it, her first action was to have my brother delete the footage. Then, they told everyone I died of a sudden heart attack. My mother cried until she lost her voice at my funeral, but after all the guests had left… She held my portrait and whispered, “Aria, I’m sorry. Mom has already lost a daughter; I can’t lose my grandson too.” She knew everything, but she chose silence. These were the family members I had treated with genuine love. Thinking back to this, I looked at Chloe’s eager eyes and offered a mild smile. “There’s no parent who doesn’t want the best for their child. How to raise him is, of course, up to the mother.” She was extremely satisfied with my answer. “See? Even the doctor agrees! What more is there to question!” Yes, this time, I wanted to see just how much “good karma” your pure vegan baby could muster. 2 After the banquet, my mom pulled me aside on the sofa. “Aria, you know we live out of state and it’s not convenient. We’re counting on you for the baby’s formula and things like that from now on.” In my past life, whenever it was time for formula or baby food, they made me buy it. Their excuse was, “Since you’re the one advocating for science-based parenting, naturally, you should be responsible for it.” During that time, my money flowed out like water. When I tried to settle the expenses with my brother and sister-in-law, my mom would intervene, “We’re all family, why are you keeping such strict accounts?” So, more than half of the expenses of raising their child were siphoned from me. But this time, I wasn’t going to be their cash cow. “Mom, Chloe said she’s doing a pure vegan diet. Which formula on the market is vegan?” Her smile froze. She glanced at Chloe, too afraid to offend her daughter-in-law. “Then… what should we do?” What should you do? Feed him soy milk, of course. I took her hand and smiled warmly, trying to comfort her. “Oh, come on, Chloe knows how to raise her child. You just relax and stop worrying.” She looked embarrassed and had to let it go. Then, she watched helplessly as Chloe ordered a massive sack of soybeans online and commanded her to make soy milk every single day. 3 Two months later, in the dead of night, I received a phone call from my hometown. It was my brother, Mark. “Aria, Noah has a high fever that won’t break! Hurry back and take him to the hospital!” Noah was my nephew’s name. It was the same in my past life. Whenever he had a slight headache or fever, my brother and sister-in-law’s first instinct was to call me. They wouldn’t even go to the hospital themselves; they just dumped the responsibility entirely. And I, brainwashed by my mother’s “we’re all family” rhetoric, would take charge of everything. But now, looking at the fact that my shift was over, I leisurely took off my white coat and stretched. “I can’t, Mark. I’m on call and have patients to see. I can’t leave!” The voice on the other end grew frantic: “What patients? Do you not understand prioritization? Who could be more important than your own nephew?” I smiled faintly. “Mark, don’t worry. Didn’t Chloe say that vegan babies are blessed and have stronger immune systems than normal babies? I figured he wouldn’t get sick, so I didn’t make any preparations.” Mark was furious and started yelling at me. Then, he turned his anger on Chloe: “Didn’t you say a vegan diet makes him healthier? Why is he sick?!” Chloe refused to back down: “It’s just a minor illness. It’s no big deal if we don’t go to the hospital. This child has good karma; he’ll be fine.” An argument erupted on the other end of the line. The sound of things breaking and doors slamming echoed back and forth. By the time they finished their commotion and took the baby to the clinic, his temperature had spiked to 106 degrees. 4 However, no one died. Small clinics are best at routine fever reduction. A few bottles of antibiotics, and the effect is immediate. In contrast, major hospitals have strict regulations on IV fluids and prohibit the abuse of antibiotics, so fever reduction isn’t as fast. In my past life, I was even subjected to Chloe’s passive-aggressive remarks because of this. “Big hospitals just know how to make money. A simple IV could solve it, but they always want to admit you!” But she didn’t know that the dependency caused by long-term antibiotic use is a disaster for a child’s immune system. This time, I wouldn’t interfere. Let him get as many IVs as she wished. A child’s destiny is inherently proportional to their parents’ understanding. There is absolutely no need to force a change. 5 The day after the IV, Noah’s temperature returned to normal. Chloe was thrilled, increasingly convinced this was the result of his vegan diet. She immediately posted an update on social media. [Other babies take ten days in the hospital for a cold and still aren’t better. My vegan baby’s fever broke in one night!] She declared that not only would she stick to the vegan diet even more resolutely, but she would also promote the benefits of being vegan from the womb to more pregnant friends. And in the comments section, her circle of friends were all uniformly saying: [Rejoice and praise, boundless merit.] I swiped past casually and calmly turned off the screen. Let her continue wasting her time like this. 6 Time flew by. When I saw Noah again, he was already seven years old. He looked vastly different from my impression of him in my past life. His complexion was sallow, his hair dull and dry, and he was a full two or three inches shorter than kids his age. He stood blankly in the corner, unwilling to communicate with anyone. But Chloe remained as proud as ever. Over these years, under her strict training, no one in the family dared let Noah have a single bite of meat. Even on his birthday, when my mom added a tiny bit of lard to his longevity noodles, Chloe scolded her mercilessly. She was very proud of this, bragging to everyone she met: “Our Noah is just like me. He wants to throw up at the smell of meat.” I pursed my lips and stayed silent. Why do extreme vegans always take pride in being unable to stand the smell of meat? That’s a sign of liver damage. 7 After dinner, my mom held my hand, her eyes eager. “Aria, this is your only nephew. You can’t ignore his elementary school enrollment.” They wanted me to pull some strings to get Noah into the prestigious private Oakridge Elementary. In my past life, with my tutoring, he successfully got into that school. Because it was close to my workplace, he lived with me after starting school. I was responsible for his food, clothing, and daily expenses. I took care of him for nine whole years, until he got into a top high school and secured a guaranteed admission to a prestigious university. And on the day the family threw a celebratory banquet for him, he murdered me with his own hands. Before I died, I heard him say: “If it weren’t for you meddling and taking me away from my parents, I wouldn’t have suffered so much for so many years. “If I had just followed my mom’s vegan diet from a young age, studying wouldn’t have been so hard!” It turned out that my pouring my heart out to provide him with educational resources his original family lacked was, in his eyes, “suffering.” All the money spent on him over those years didn’t earn a single word of gratitude, only accumulated endless resentment. In nine years, I had successfully raised an ungrateful monster. Thinking of this, I spoke calmly: “Mom, it’s just an entrance exam. “With the intelligence of a baby who’s been vegan from the womb, he’ll definitely ace it. Right, Chloe?” As I spoke, I looked at Chloe. She raised her eyebrows proudly: “Of course. An exam like this is a piece of cake for my son.” I smiled. I also wanted to know what score he would get in this life. 8 On the day the exam results were announced, Chloe scrolled on her phone for ages but couldn’t find her son’s name. It wasn’t until she scrolled to the very end of the dense Excel spreadsheet that she finally saw the name “Noah Thorne.” Reading: 52, Math: 34, English: 41. The maximum score was 100. She exclaimed it was impossible. “The school must have made a mistake. How could my son score so low?” 她 paced around the living room, muttering to herself for a long time. I almost wanted to laugh. The multiple elements needed for a child’s brain development cannot be provided by a pure vegan diet. For example, DHA, which affects intelligence, can only be obtained from fish. Being a vegan since childhood, it would be a miracle if his IQ were normal. But Chloe clearly lacked this knowledge base. After muttering for a long time, she turned to me again: “Aria, go talk to the school leadership. Ask them to check if there was a mistake. Otherwise, someone must be cheating!” I was instantly speechless. So the over 300 students ahead of him were all cheating? My mom glanced at Chloe in dissatisfaction but didn’t dare say anything. She could only look to me for help: “Aria, you’re the most successful one in our family. You have to figure something out for your nephew.” Mark chimed in: “Yeah, why don’t you go buy a gift for the principal and ask for a favor? One more student won’t hurt.” If gifts could secure admission, wouldn’t the parents of the other 300-plus students be doing the same? If it’s so easy to use the back door, why doesn’t he do it himself? This brother of mine is always so unrealistic. 9 I sighed, looking troubled: “It’s not that I won’t help Noah. Chloe said vegan babies are the smartest and exams are no problem. I didn’t prepare anything. Now that admissions are closed, it’s too late to ask for favors.” Hearing this, Mark’s face darkened, and he pointed at Chloe, starting to complain: “Didn’t you say that as long as he ate vegan, exams wouldn’t be an issue? What happened now?” Chloe rolled her eyes, put her hands on her hips, and started scolding: “Why are you blaming me? It’s definitely the school’s problem. Don’t I know my own son? He’s always been the brightest. “If you ask me, these private schools just give tricky and weird questions to make things difficult for people. It’s better not to go!” The two started cursing and arguing again. I slowly stepped forward to mediate: “Chloe is right. True gold shines everywhere. As long as the child is smart, it doesn’t matter what school he goes to.” This farce ended with their argument. And Noah in this life would never have the chance to enter Oakridge Elementary. He could only stay locally and attend the most ordinary school. High-quality educational resources were forever out of his reach.

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My Alpha husband had sex seven times in the jungle with the female werewolf warrior Sophia to save her from a heat-inducing drug. When he came back, he held the nearly naked Sophia in his arms and looked down at me, begging for forgiveness. “Mandy, Sophia was drugged trying to save me. I had to help her!” Six months later, my husband begged me again: “Mandy, Sophia is pregnant with my child! You can’t have children because of your old injury. Once the baby is born, you can be the child’s mother.” My heart ached terribly. I held back my tears and calmly replied, “Okay.” The pregnancy test report hidden in my hand was crushed into a ball and thrown into the fire. The flames danced. Sophia coughed twice from the smoke. Vincent immediately pulled her into his arms, frowning as he looked at me. “Mandy, Sophia promised me that once the child is born, she’ll give it to you to raise. You don’t need to threaten her. She won’t ruin our relationship.” I stirred the ashes in the basin. The smoke made my eyes red. For a moment, I couldn’t tell if I was crying because my partner had cheated or for some other reason. I spoke calmly. “Vincent, you can just reject me directly.” Vincent panicked and reached out to pull me toward him, begging again. “Mandy, please stop making a scene, okay? Sophia took an enemy’s fangs for me, and she was forced to take poison trying to save me. I owe her two lives. Giving her a child in return isn’t too much!” Though his tone was humble, his words were entirely protective of Sophia. Seeing my expression darken, the others couldn’t sit still either. The werewolf warriors sitting around also begged me. “That’s right. Sophia is already pregnant. It wouldn’t be too much for Vincent to marry her!” “Luna Mandy, you used to be a warrior yourself. You should understand how dangerous it was for Sophia to desperately save the Alpha from those Rogues’ fangs. Even though she’s a female warrior, she was seriously injured saving the Alpha. We all saw how much she sacrificed for him.” “If you ask me, the Alpha should marry Sophia!” “Shut up!” Vincent roared, cutting them off. “Mandy will always be my only mate! As for Sophia, I’ll compensate her.” He looked down at the pregnant woman in his arms, his face unconsciously showing distress. I felt my throat tighten. I opened my mouth but couldn’t speak. The others didn’t know, but Vincent did. I had once fought alongside him and even took a blade for him. That serious injury put my wolf into a deep sleep, and my health completely collapsed after that. I was unconscious for three months. When I woke up, he sat by my hospital bed with red-rimmed eyes, begging me not to participate in any more battles, to give up my duties, to stop taking risks. He said he would protect me for life. And now, he was facing me this way again, but to protect another woman. Sharp pain came from my lower abdomen. I turned and left in silence. Vincent quickly caught up. He gently draped his coat over me and tucked the hair by my ear. “It’s cold outside. Be careful not to catch a chill.” Then he suddenly sniffed the scent on me. I thought he’d discovered I was pregnant. But he only said, “Your body is weak. Don’t come looking for me in such dangerous places anymore. Being exposed to too much death isn’t good for your health.” Death. Did that mean the child in my belly had already quietly died while I was tortured all night by the pain of my partner’s betrayal? I touched my lower abdomen, almost ready to tell him I was pregnant too, but his words interrupted me. “Mandy, Sophia is afraid of the cold. Let her live in that temperature-controlled villa in the suburbs. You go rest at the island for a while.” My words stuck in my throat and I swallowed them down. Years ago, when I blocked that blade for him and developed complications, he specially built that villa for me. Living there felt like eternal spring. But the vacation house on that island was surrounded by sea winds on all sides. My current body couldn’t withstand it at all. Except for a few days during our honeymoon, we never went there again. It had been abandoned for a long time. He used to place all the best things in front of me. Now he wanted me to give them to Sophia. I was no longer in his heart. I lowered my eyes and agreed. “Okay.” Vincent happily kissed my forehead. “Mandy, you’re still the most considerate and understanding.”

I lay alone on the operating table. The doctor held my hand and comforted me. “Luna, your body is too weak. Unfortunately, this child couldn’t be saved.” Though I had a premonition, hearing this news still made me clutch the sheets in pain, tears falling silently. My body was in terrible condition. Getting pregnant was already difficult for me. The night Vincent cheated, I suffered in agony all night. Today he brought the other woman before me, and I endured the immense pain caused by his infidelity again. There was no way I could keep this child. My phone suddenly rang. The nurse pressed the answer button and held it to my ear. Vincent’s furious voice came through: “Mandy, you’ve disappointed me so much! How could you do this to Sophia!” I had no idea what he was talking about. My voice was hoarse as I asked: “What are you talking about?” “Sophia was kidnapped, and the address the kidnappers sent is at the island I gave you!” Vincent was screaming hysterically over the phone. “Only the two of us know the location of that island. If it wasn’t you, who else could it be!” I was in too much pain to speak. I could only shake my head desperately. But I forgot Vincent couldn’t see me. Not hearing my response, he angrily threw out a threat: “If anything happens to Sophia, I’ll make you pay a thousand times over!” Only the mechanical beeping remained on the phone. The nurse awkwardly put down the phone. I closed my eyes in despair. My heart was filled with desolation. After the surgery, the doctor wheeled me out of the operating room. Vincent’s werewolf warriors suddenly appeared and dragged me off the hospital bed. They bound my hands and feet with cold iron chains. “The Alpha said to bring you to the island too. If the kidnappers won’t let Sophia go, they’ll use you to pay with your life!” “Are you all crazy? Stop this! She just had surgery!” The doctor ran forward in panic to stop them. But a werewolf warrior pushed him to the ground. I was forcibly shoved into a car. Because of their rough handling, intense pain came from my abdomen. I soon passed out from the pain. I don’t know how long passed before I was jolted awake by ice water. I shivered in shock and groggily opened my eyes. Vincent slammed the water basin heavily onto the boat deck. He reached out and grabbed my throat. “Mandy, have I been too good to you all these years? Is that why you’ve become so cruel and willful that you won’t even spare an unborn child?” I was freezing all over, my lips trembling. I couldn’t form a complete sentence: “I… I didn’t… it wasn’t me… I didn’t do it…” Vincent didn’t believe me. His eyes red, he roughly dragged me off the boat. The pregnant Sophia was tied to the lighthouse, crying pitifully as she called out: “Vincent, it’s too dangerous! Don’t come over!” Seeing me appear, she cried out to me. “Luna, if you can’t tolerate me, I can leave. Why did you have to hurt my child?” I shook my head helplessly. “It wasn’t me. I didn’t do anything!” “Alpha, the person is gone. They must have run away.” The werewolf warriors checked the surroundings for danger and quickly rescued Sophia. Vincent pulled her into his arms, his face full of distress. A werewolf warrior spat at me in disgust. “Ugh! I never thought you were so disgusting!” “Exactly. You’re so vicious. How can you compare to Sophia! She’s a female warrior who’s bled for our Pack!” “Enough.” Vincent cut them off with a cold expression, then bent down to speak to me. “Mandy, you went too far this time. Stay here and reflect on what you’ve done.” He held Sophia and turned to leave. I collapsed helplessly on the beach. From a distance, I saw Sophia turn her head and give me a triumphant smile. Three days later, my body had lost all feeling from the sea wind. My lips were cracked and painful, my eyes stinging with constant tears. Just when I thought I would die here, a blurry figure slowly approached me. “Save… save me…” I used all my strength but could only make a weak sound. Before losing consciousness, I heard a slight sigh. “Mandy, what should I do with you?” When I woke up, I was lying on the floor of a basement. Opening my eyes, I met Vincent’s complicated gaze. “You’re awake?” He brought a cup of warm water to my lips. I instinctively turned my head away. He slammed the cup heavily on the table. “Have you made enough of a scene?” He looked at me with disgust. “I’ve already decided not to hold the kidnapping of Sophia against you, and you’re still throwing a tantrum at me? Can’t you be less petty?” I laughed bitterly. He didn’t even investigate before deciding it was me. If I really wanted to deal with Sophia, I could have done it six months ago. Why wait until now? “Vincent.” Sophia’s weak voice rang out. She supported her belly as she slowly walked in from outside. “Why did you come here?” Vincent immediately went forward and carefully pulled her into his arms. “I was worried about Mandy, so I came to check. Is Mandy okay?” Sophia asked timidly. “Don’t worry about her. She won’t die.” Vincent glanced at me with disgust. “You’ll stay here for the next few months until Sophia safely gives birth.” As they left, the basement door slowly closed. I barely climbed up from the floor and drank all the water on the table in one gulp. A warm current spread through my body. I supported myself and found a box in the corner of the basement. Taking out an encrypted phone from inside, I dialed a number. “I agree to what you said.” “Really? You’re not lying to me? That’s great… Where are you now? I’ll come get you,” the person on the other end said excitedly. “I still have something to take care of. Wait for me.” “Okay, no matter how long, I’ll wait for you.”

After hanging up, I crawled to the door and knocked on it repeatedly with my hand. After a long time, an impatient voice came from outside. “What now?” It was Vincent’s Beta subordinate, Rocco. I spoke to him through the door crack. “Get me some food. I haven’t eaten in three days.” “Why didn’t you starve to death? Wait here. I’ll go ask Vincent.” The footsteps gradually faded away. When Rocco returned, the basement door finally opened. “Here.” An iron basin filled with spoiled food scraps was slammed down in front of me. I frowned and covered my nose. “How can I eat this?” “This is all there is. Take it or leave it.” I had no choice but to pick up the basin. Just as I was about to bring it to my lips, I suddenly remembered something else. I looked at Rocco. “Come here for a moment. I have something to tell you about Sophia.” Hearing it was about Sophia, Rocco hesitated but still walked over. “What is it… Ah!” Before he could finish, I grabbed him by the throat. My body was extremely weak. I used every ounce of strength I had. After a long time, I finally managed to choke him unconscious. My parents had been the Pack’s strongest werewolf warriors, responsible for protecting the Alpha’s family. I inherited their bloodline. Before my injury, I was also one of the Pack’s strongest werewolf warriors. Later, my parents died in battle and I was adopted by the Alpha. At eighteen, I became Vincent’s mate and rarely participated in combat after that. Even later, I blocked a sneak attack meant for Vincent and was seriously injured. I never participated in battle again after that. No one knew about these things except Vincent. I avoided the surveillance cameras in the villa and went upstairs. Just when I thought I could leave smoothly, Vincent rushed in with a medical team. Seeing me face to face, his expression turned fierce as he strode forward. “Slap—!” A heavy slap landed on my face. My face was knocked to the side. I tasted blood in my mouth. “Mandy! Who gave you the nerve to do such a thing!” I had no idea what he was talking about. Vincent continued raging. He kicked me hard in the chest. Several werewolf warriors immediately came forward to restrain my arms, twisting them behind my back. I cried out in pain. Vincent smashed an eerie ceramic figurine hard against me. Shattered porcelain fragments flew everywhere, cutting my cheek. “You’ve been silent for the past six months, but it turns out you were using dark rituals to curse the child in Sophia’s belly!” I looked at the broken baby figurine on the ground, completely bewildered. Vincent snorted coldly again. “I was about to settle accounts with you, and here you are running out on your own. I forgot about your abilities.” A sharp pain came from my abdomen. Blood flowed from between my legs. I felt all the warmth in my body slowly draining away. Seeing the bloodstain beneath me, Vincent froze for a moment, then frowned in disgust. “What sympathy-seeking trick are you playing now? Pathetic.” I was forced to kneel on the ground. I lifted my head and gave him a bitter smile. “Vincent, since you hate me so much, why not just reject me?” Vincent’s eyes suddenly blazed with fury. He strode over and raised his hand to slap me again, but stopped mid-air. He glared at me through gritted teeth. “You want to leave me? Never! You can only be my woman for life!” I laughed mockingly. After all these years as husband and wife, we’d come to this. It was all my fault. Sophia’s pained moans came from upstairs. Vincent’s expression changed immediately. With a wave of his hand, he rushed upstairs with the medical team. After a long time, he finally came out of Sophia’s room. Seeing me lying weakly on the ground, a trace of reluctance flashed in his eyes, but he still coldly turned away. “Throw her into the jungle to fend for herself.” Following orders, the werewolf warriors dragged me to an SUV. The car drove to the outskirts of a dense jungle. I was kicked out of the vehicle and rolled onto the ground. The sky quickly darkened. I walked in the forest for a long time before finding a water source. Crouching down, I greedily gulped the water. When I looked up, I met a pair of sharp green eyes across the water. All the blood in my body instantly froze. I had encountered these crazed Rogues before during combat, but back then my wolf was still awake and my body was strong. Now, I was no match for these fierce creatures at all. I didn’t dare move, afraid of alerting it. The crazed Rogue across from me couldn’t tell if I posed a threat. It just crouched there observing me. We faced off for a long time. I was exhausted, my consciousness gradually fading. Seeing me let down my guard, it suddenly leaped up, about to pounce on me. I closed my eyes in despair. Suddenly, a scream exploded in my ears, accompanied by the beast’s agonized howl. The pain of being torn apart that I’d imagined never came. I weakly opened my eyes slightly and saw the Rogue lying on the ground, convulsing and coughing blood. A pair of strong arms picked me up. I looked up along those arms and met a pair of worried eyes.

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My husband Ethan Shaw and his childhood friend Chloe got pregnant at the same time. To protect Chloe’s reputation, Ethan said her child was his. And my child? The bastard I conceived from an affair. He even used AI to generate photos of me having sex with different men and sent them to friends and family. Faced with my breakdown, he only said indifferently: “Chloe’s family has always been strict with her. She can’t handle gossip.” What about me? I’m his wife! I looked at the man I’d loved for seven years and decided I would never love him again. Learning that Ethan planned to go abroad with Chloe in three days to rest during her pregnancy, I called my mother-in-law Margaret. “I want a divorce.” My mother-in-law on the other end of the line just sighed. “It’s Ethan’s fault. He’s wronged you.” Ever since Ethan publicly claimed that my child was a bastard, we had the worst fight of our seven years together. But after he learned I wanted a divorce, he had people lock me in the villa. Even when I went for prenatal checkups, a dozen bodyguards followed behind me. He said, “I still love you, and our child must be healthy.” So he still knew this was his child. His hypocritical, casual words could ruin my life and our child’s. Even though he knew our child was his own flesh and blood. And Chloe’s child was the real bastard of unknown paternity. Gently stroking my already swollen belly, I couldn’t help but feel a wave of sadness. As if sensing the warmth of my palm, my belly moved. It was like a telepathic connection between the child and me. Knowing I was sad, as if comforting me. Tears instantly flowed down. I withdrew my hand, covered my face, and cried. The villa door opened from outside. Ethan walked up to me, looked at my swollen red eyes, and said flatly: “For the baby’s sake, you need to take care of yourself. Don’t always cry.” Easy for him to say. If I could control my emotions, I wouldn’t have fallen in love with the man in front of me in the first place. I knew he had always kept a place for Chloe in his heart. I knew his feelings for me weren’t true love. The person I loved deeply was also the one who hurt me the most. “You’ve done so many things to wrong me, trapped me, taken away my freedom.” “What, don’t I even have the right to cry anymore?” He just looked at me, his eyes slightly red, with a trace of guilt, but he couldn’t say a word. Just like a few months ago, when I first suspected I was pregnant. When I went to the hospital to confirm, I happened to run into Ethan accompanying Chloe for her checkup. He was considerate and attentive, afraid she might bump into something. “Ethan, feel our baby, I think he just moved.” Ethan’s face showed a tender light. He let Chloe pull his hand and place it on her flat belly. The next second, he looked up and saw me standing at the corner. Not a word of explanation, just standing there in a daze. What a loving couple. If I weren’t Ethan’s wife, I would definitely say such envious words sincerely. Unfortunately, I couldn’t say it. And he didn’t deserve it. The man in front of me was silent for a while before seeming to remember something. He said perfunctorily: “Tomorrow is your birthday. I’ll throw you a birthday party.” “Oh, and Mom just told me she’s coming back to the country to take care of you. With Mom taking care of you, I can feel more at ease.” He could certainly feel at ease. At ease going abroad with his Chloe to rest during her pregnancy. Not having to come back for months. But he didn’t know why his parents, who had been enjoying their retirement abroad, would suddenly return home. Nor did he know that his parents already knew about the despicable things he’d done to me. I sneered coldly and didn’t object. I was the one who asked his mother to come back. Because I knew that with just my current self, I couldn’t escape from Ethan’s grasp. Seeing I had no reaction, he crouched down and looked at me with a somewhat affectionate gaze. “Joanna, I do love you.” “After Chloe gives birth, I’ll definitely come back to you.” I treated such words as air. Even if he really thought that way now, with just one word from Chloe, he would mercilessly break his promise to me. So I would never believe his words again. Three more days. Then he could completely get rid of me. And focus wholeheartedly on being the father of Chloe’s child.

That night, Ethan didn’t stay home. Because Chloe said her baby was moving a lot and her stomach hurt, he immediately found an excuse to go keep her company. Four years of dating, three years of marriage—I had always thought Ethan loved me. Until Chloe came back. Until she got pregnant with someone else’s child. It seemed like everything suddenly changed. My husband, who had loved me reasonably well, devoted himself to caring for another woman. I was locked in this dark prison. Slowly wearing down all my love for him. Disappointment accumulated until it disappeared completely. So it was time for me to leave. The next day for my birthday party, Ethan said he’d pick me up himself and called several times to urge me. But when I went out, only the bodyguard’s car was at the door. “Joanna, I have something to deal with here.” “You go ahead first, I’ll be right there.” I had no hope to begin with, so how could there be disappointment? The biting winter wind cut across my cheeks like a sickle. But I couldn’t feel any pain. Just like my feelings for Ethan. From disappointment to despair—no pain could hurt me anymore. The car stopped in front of a club. I frowned but still got out. Led by the bodyguard, I walked into a private room. But I didn’t recognize a single person inside. Their strange looks seemed to see right through me, full of mockery and disdain. As if I were trash, they kept their distance. “She cheated on Ethan and still has the nerve to let him throw her a birthday party.” “Ethan is so pathetic, and he’s even allowing her to keep that bastard child.” “I don’t know what Ethan sees in her. She can’t even compare to Chloe’s little toe.” They spoke loudly enough, deliberately saying it for me to hear. See? This was Ethan’s masterpiece. He couldn’t bear to watch Chloe face her parents’ criticism. But he never thought about how the harm I suffered because of them was a thousand times worse than what Chloe faced. I could not care about myself, but I couldn’t bear for my child to be condemned by everyone like this. I stood up, planning to leave. This birthday party didn’t seem to welcome me anyway. But when I pulled open the door, I saw Ethan and Chloe standing outside. One looked away guiltily, the other showed a triumphant smile. I knew they had been at the door listening. Listening to how the people in the room insulted me. Listening to how the people in the room mocked me. But he said nothing, just let Chloe pull me back inside. “So the birthday girl arrived first. It’s all my fault—I’m clumsy moving around with this belly.” “Ethan was worried I’d be uncomfortable in another car, so he insisted on picking me up.” Chloe proudly stroked her own belly, then looked at mine. As if saying, so what if you’re pregnant too? Because of her words, jeering sounds erupted around us. “Since childhood, Ethan has always doted on Chloe exclusively.” “When your baby is born, will there be good news soon?” “Don’t forget to invite us to the wedding.” Amid the congratulations, they seemed to forget I was still Ethan’s wife. They also seemed to forget this wasn’t some engagement party. But rather a birthday party Ethan was throwing for me to make up for his guilt. Watching their faces, I couldn’t control a wave of nausea. I had just stood up to leave when somehow I caught Ethan’s attention. He frowned at me and said coldly: “This is your birthday party. What would it look like if you left?” “It’s just morning sickness. Endure it and it’ll pass.” But the next second, Chloe also retched. He immediately nervously helped her sit down and pulled a sour lemon candy from his pocket. Personally tore open the wrapper, personally fed it into her mouth. Jeering sounds erupted around us again. I closed my eyes. My birthday party had become part of their public display of affection. They acted like a real married couple, chatting and laughing with their mutual friends. While I was just forgotten in the corner. They hadn’t even prepared a birthday cake. How absurd and laughable. This was the birthday party Ethan prepared for me. I held back my tears and swallowed all the bitterness. I should really say congratulations, Ethan. Because in two more days, I would completely leave him. He could give the position of Mrs. Shaw to the person he cared about.

That night I didn’t leave. I just sat alone in the corner and watched this absurd birthday party to the end. It wasn’t until everyone was leaving that Ethan finally noticed me in the corner and offered to drive me home. Even though he was my husband, it was as if he wasn’t going to his own home. But just as he finished speaking, Chloe came over and grabbed his arm. “Ethan, I’m tired. I want to go home and rest.” Ethan affectionately touched her hair. “Is the baby bothering you again? Let’s go home first.” He put his arm around Chloe and left, while I could only get in the bodyguard’s car again. I felt like a clown. I touched my cheeks. The tears I thought would fall didn’t appear. So it was true—when pain reached its extreme, you really couldn’t feel it anymore. I really couldn’t understand. If he cared so much about his childhood friend, why did he marry me and have a child with me? If he wanted so badly to prove to the world how much he cherished Chloe, why wouldn’t he divorce me? Why insist on keeping our child, letting us be cursed and mocked together? That night, I didn’t sleep well. It wasn’t until late morning that I was awakened by the doorbell. Chloe brought her parents and suddenly showed up. As soon as Chloe’s mother saw me, she mocked coldly: “Pregnant with someone else’s bastard, and you still have the face to occupy the position of Mrs. Shaw.” “I don’t know how your parents raised such a shameless daughter.” Chloe’s father also looked at me with contempt. “Enough, why waste words on this kind of person?” “Even looking at her makes me feel dirty.” With that, he and Chloe’s mother carried several large suitcases upstairs. Watching their backs going upstairs, I didn’t understand either. How, as parents, could they raise such a shameless daughter? Seeing only me left in the living room, Chloe walked closer with a mocking smile at the corner of her mouth. “So what if you’re married to him? So what if you’re carrying his child?” “You still can’t compare to me and my child.” “Oh, and Ethan said after the baby is born, he’ll make my child the eldest son with the Shaw surname.” “And your bastard—he’ll only adopt him as a foster son with your surname.” Looking at Chloe’s glaring smile, I just felt a bit bored. I’d seen this kind of trick from her too many times. I moved aside to let her pass and planned to leave. Chloe suddenly fell to the ground crying, “I’m sorry, it’s all my fault.” Chloe’s crying brought her parents running. Her mother lunged at me like a madwoman. Just then, the villa door opened and Ethan rushed in. I was about to explain to him when Chloe’s mother knocked me down, slapping my face while cursing with filthy, crude words. As Ethan stopped her, a flash of heartache crossed his eyes. He was about to speak when Chloe threw herself crying into his arms. “Ethan, you promised that after our baby is born, you’d let my parents come take care of us.” “My place is small, there’s no room for all five of us.” “I just wanted to ask Miss Carter if she minded us living together, but she suddenly hit me…” She covered her own face, then her own belly. And cried even louder. I was getting dizzy from the noise. Where I’d been hit felt numb with pain, probably already swollen. And under Chloe’s palm, her skin was white as ever. Nothing there at all. Feeling Ethan’s conflicted gaze, I wiped away my tears and silently stood up. The husband who once said he’d protect me and cherish me for life had become the confidence that allowed another woman to act shamelessly when I needed protection most. Perhaps our marriage was wrong from the start. If he couldn’t let go of his childhood friend, he could only let go of our marriage. Because in one more day, I would leave him.

Chloe was afraid something had happened to the baby and insisted on going to the hospital for a checkup. Chloe’s mother insisted I apologize. Ethan was caught in the middle, looking at my already swollen face. In the end, he still had to choose the childhood friend he couldn’t let go of. “Joanna, I’ll take Chloe to the hospital first.” “Mom’s back from abroad. When I get back, I’ll take you to her place.” “I promised Chloe. You need to understand—I don’t want to be someone who breaks his word.” Looking at this man who had shared my bed for three years, speaking of promises to someone else. He had long forgotten that when he married me, he also said he would love me forever. And every single thing he had solemnly promised me. Things he could have done, things he had done halfway and then abandoned. After Chloe came back, he hadn’t kept any of them. I put away the desolation in my heart, just wanting to end this farce quickly. “Joanna, I do love you.” Seeing my expressionless face, Ethan added urgently: “No matter what you’ve done to wrong me, my love for you has never changed.” Hearing his words, I found them truly laughable. “What have I done to wrong you?” I moved closer and asked him softly, “Has Mr. Shaw told so many lies that he’s forgotten whose belly his child is really in?” Ethan froze, then remembering Chloe’s family was still there, was about to question me. But I waved my hand, cutting him off. “Don’t worry, I’m leaving right now. I won’t disturb your family reunion.” Hearing that Ethan was sending me away, Chloe’s stomach suddenly didn’t hurt anymore. She didn’t insist on going to the hospital either. She even ‘warmly’ urged Ethan to help me pack. I sneered and pointed toward the bedroom. “My luggage is already packed. Just bring it down and I can leave now.” Ethan looked at me in shock. But I had already put on my coat and walked outside. “I was planning to stay at Mom’s for a few days anyway.” He breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly ran upstairs to bring down my luggage, even thoughtfully calling a car for me. Because I knew his car was already filled with Chloe’s personal belongings. There was no room for me. I sat in the taxi, watching the villa where I’d lived for three years grow farther and farther away. I felt no attachment. The car was quiet. I closed my eyes, feeling utterly exhausted. I seemed to have had a very long dream. Long enough that I relived the first half of my life. Loving him took up a third of my life. Seeing him clearly took me only three months. Once I saw clearly, I stopped loving. The car slowly stopped in front of his mother’s house. When I pushed open the car door to get out, my slightly swollen belly and heavy coat made my movements somewhat clumsy. Ethan sent a message: “Joanna, wait for me a few more months. I’ll definitely come for you.” “Once Chloe’s matter is resolved, I’ll clear your name and our child’s.” “Then our family of three will never be separated again.” Looking at his solemn assurance, I smiled and didn’t reply. I pulled my suitcase and walked toward his mother’s house. No more disappointment and compromise. Only relief. Goodbye, Ethan Shaw. This is the last time we’ll see each other. From now on, you and I have nothing to do with each other. The next day, crossing the street, I was hit by a car running a red light. Sharp pain shot through my lower abdomen. I could feel blood flowing from below. As they lifted me into the ambulance, I knew that as soon as I closed my eyes and opened them again, this child would leave me forever. That was fine. This way, I would never have any blood connection to that scumbag for the rest of my life. In the hospital operating room, as consciousness gradually faded, I slowly closed my eyes. Tears still couldn’t help but fall. At the same time, Ethan, who was about to board a plane, suddenly received a phone call. It was from a friend. “Ethan, congratulations! You can finally get rid of that burden at home.” Ethan’s expression shifted, and he frowned. “What do you mean?” His friend was stunned, clearly not expecting him to ask. “You don’t know? I just saw Joanna at the hospital.” “She was in a car accident and miscarried. She’s already in the operating room.” Ethan’s whole body went cold, as if a basin of cold water had been poured over him from head to toe. He hung up the phone with trembling hands. Without time to think, he left Chloe, who was still urging him to board, and ran madly toward the airport exit.

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My family has a tradition: everyone, regardless of gender, must hide their identity and never reveal their family background. Only the first descendant to conceive a child earns the right to return home and take over the family business. I was the first in the entire family to get pregnant. The moment I found out, I was so excited I ran home without even putting on my coat. With this child, I could finally stop hiding our poverty from my husband, Ethan Moore. And his struggling little company wouldn’t have to worry about next month’s rent anymore. But when I got home and opened the door, I found my husband kissing another woman on the sofa. Ethan held the half-dressed woman and looked at me. “Blair’s back. Let’s get a divorce.” I shoved the pregnancy test back into my pocket. What he didn’t know was that his poor wife who’d suffered alongside him had a world behind her that he could never reach in his lifetime. Fine. I’ll keep the child and leave the father. Goodbye forever. 0

“The divorce agreement is on the table. There’s a pen next to it.” Ethan’s tone was flat. Blair slowly straightened her clothes, her neck covered with intense kiss marks. She sat in my usual spot, glanced at me, and curved her lips slightly without saying a word. As if she were the mistress of this house. I walked over and picked up the agreement. Three pages, densely written. The house goes to Ethan. Company shares go to Ethan. Savings go to Ethan. The car goes to Ethan. I get nothing. “I leave with nothing?” Ethan finally looked at me. “The agreement includes compensation. Thirty thousand dollars. That’s not nothing.” Thirty thousand. I’d been married to this man for three years. Ten thousand per year. Blair set down her teacup. “Vivian, with thirty thousand you can rent a nice studio apartment.” I stared at her. “When did you get back?” “Yesterday.” Blair tilted her head. “Ethan picked me up from the airport. He waited four hours—my flight was delayed.” Yesterday. Yesterday Ethan told me he had to work late at the company. Blair stood up and walked to Ethan’s side, naturally linking her arm through his. “Ethan said you’re a good person and wouldn’t make things difficult for me.” Ethan didn’t pull away from her touch. The phone in my pocket pressed against the pregnancy test, jabbing painfully into my thigh. I’d planned to come home and tell him—Ethan, we’re having a baby. You won’t have to lose sleep over rent anymore, won’t have to grovel and drink with clients until you get stomach bleeding. I thought today would be our best day. “Where’s the pen?” Ethan pointed to the coffee table. I crouched down to get the pen. From this angle, I could see Blair’s hand resting on Ethan’s waist. When I uncapped the pen, the pregnancy test nearly slipped out of my pocket. I quickly pressed it back in. “Sign on the last page. Date it today.” Ethan’s voice came from above. I signed my name. Vivian Stone. Put down the pen and stood up. “Fine. The agreement needs to be filed at the courthouse to take effect.” “Tomorrow morning at nine. I’ll come find you.” After speaking, Ethan picked up his phone and unlocked it right in front of me, scrolling to his contacts. He changed my label from “My Darling Wife” to Vivian Stone. Then he closed his phone and put it back in his pocket. Blair leaned on his shoulder. “Ethan, I want to eat your spaghetti.” “Alright, I’ll make it right now.” Ethan actually turned and went into the kitchen. Three years, and he’d never cooked for me once. I’d asked him if he could cook. He said no, said he couldn’t even fry an egg without burning it. Now he tied his apron with more practiced ease than tying his shoelaces. Blair shrugged at me. “Vivian, don’t just stand there. Hurry and take whatever you need. Tomorrow I’m having people come redecorate. I looked at your clothes—they’re all pretty worn. Don’t bother taking them. They’re too shabby even for cleaning rags.” I went back to the bedroom and grabbed my important documents and a cloth bag containing a few things I’d brought from home when I got married—things that had nothing to do with Ethan. When I came out and passed the kitchen, Ethan was cutting tomatoes. The knife thumped against the cutting board. He didn’t look up. I changed my shoes at the door. Blair followed and leaned against the doorframe. “Vivian, I don’t know if I should say this.” “Go ahead.” “When Ethan’s with me, he never sighs. In these three years with you, I’ve heard him sigh so many times on the phone.” She lowered her head, her voice soft. “Maybe you two really aren’t compatible.” I looked at her. Ethan sighed because of broken funding chains, clients backing out, the company nearly collapsing. Every crisis, I’d been the one supporting him from behind. After he sighed, the next day he’d wake up and the problem would be solved. He thought it was luck. “You’re right,” I bent down to tie my shoelaces. “We’re not compatible.” The moment the door closed, Blair’s voice came from inside. “Ethan, let’s change the door lock code. I want to set it to our anniversary.” 0

I moved into a studio apartment near the university that rented for three hundred dollars a month. Next door was a restaurant. Cooking oil fumes seeped in through the window cracks. I sat on the hard bed and stared at the pregnancy test for a long time. Two bright pink lines, piercingly clear. My phone rang. Ethan. “Vivian Stone, you still haven’t canceled that company credit card.” “I’ll take care of it tomorrow when we go to the courthouse.” “Fine.” I was about to hang up when Blair’s voice came from his end. “Ethan, does she still have the company access card? I saw it in her bag last time.” Ethan paused. “Bring the access card too.” “What else?” “That’s it for now.” He hung up. The phone screen glowed, showing three years of chat history with Ethan. His first message to me was: Miss Stone, thank you for helping me out today. That day he’d been negotiating with a client who suddenly raised the price. He was sweating profusely. I happened to be there and discreetly helped him reorganize the contract terms. The other party signed on the spot. Ethan didn’t know that client was already connected to my family. He only knew his wife worked as a supermarket cashier making thirty-five hundred dollars a month. For three years of marriage, I’d maintained that persona. The next morning, Ethan’s mother called. “Vivian, have you finished packing?” “I’m packing.” “Don’t bother with those clothes of yours—they’re nothing special anyway. Also, those pickles you used to make, Blair said they’re pretty good. She wants the recipe.” I’d made pickles for three years. Ethan ate them every day. My mother-in-law had never praised them once. “I’m not giving it to her.” “What kind of attitude is that?” Her mother-in-law immediately changed her tone. “You’re already divorced and you’re still being petty? Blair’s family has real status. She’s doing you a favor by asking for your pickle recipe.” “What status?” “Blair’s parents run an import-export company in New York. Not everyone’s a supermarket cashier like you.” Her mother-in-law lowered her voice. “Vivian, I’ll be honest with you. I was never really satisfied when Ethan married you in the first place. You’ve been hardworking these three years, I’ll give you that. But people move up in the world. Ethan’s company is growing now. You can’t keep up.” “Blair and Ethan were college classmates. They’re a perfect match. Now that she’s back, don’t stand in the way.” Last year when Ethan nearly went bankrupt over a bad debt and couldn’t even pay employee salaries, I used my family’s connections to recover that bad debt. Ethan thought the debtor had a sudden attack of conscience and repaid voluntarily. He was so happy when he came home that day. He hugged me and said, “Honey, we’re so lucky.” “I’m not giving her the pickle recipe. Do you have anything else to ask?” My mother-in-law hung up angrily. Half an hour later, Ethan sent a message: My mom says you had a bad attitude. We’re already divorced—don’t make this uglier than it needs to be. I didn’t reply. I turned my phone face-down on the bed and touched my stomach. In three months, I’d start showing. By then I’d return to the family as the only heir who’d successfully conceived, and take over everything. Ethan’s company that he’d worked so hard to build was worth three million. In front of the Stone family, that wasn’t even pocket change. That afternoon I went to the hospital to register for prenatal care. While waiting in the queue, my phone rang again. Blair, calling from Ethan’s phone. “Vivian, sorry to bother you. I found a bottle of folic acid in your old bedroom. I wanted to ask if it’s yours or if it was left by the previous tenants?” Folic acid. That was what I’d been taking while trying to conceive. I gripped my phone tightly. “Throw it away. It’s expired.” “Okay. By the way, Ethan asked me to ask you—when are you canceling the credit card?” “Tomorrow.” “Great, bye then.” She hung up. My hand was trembling. Not from anger, but from fear. Blair had found the folic acid. “Will she figure it out?” I stared at my phone, talking to myself. No one answered. 0

The day my prenatal test results came back, I sat on a bench in the hospital corridor in a daze. The doctor said everything was normal, the baby was healthy, and told me to watch my nutrition and rest. The baby is healthy. I repeated those words three times. “Vivian?” I looked up. Blair stood at the end of the corridor holding a bag of fruit. She smiled and walked over. “What a coincidence! You’re at this hospital too?” “What are you doing here?” “Visiting a friend.” She sat down next to me and casually glanced at my hands. I turned the test results face-down, but her eyes had already caught something. “Obstetrics?” Blair’s tone changed, no longer that sweet enthusiasm. She stared straight at my face. “Vivian, you’re not…” “It’s none of your business.” “Pregnant?” I stood up. “Blair, this isn’t your concern.” “Of course it’s my concern.” She stood up too. “If it’s Ethan’s child, then it is my business.” People were passing back and forth in the corridor. She lowered her voice and moved closer. “Vivian, are you planning to hide this from everyone and have the baby? And then what, use the child to threaten Ethan?” “I don’t need to threaten anyone.” “But Ethan won’t want this child.” Blair’s tone was certain. “He said his child should be born into a complete family. The family he’s chosen doesn’t include you.” “He told you that?” “He tells me everything.” Blair pulled out her phone and played a voice message. Ethan’s voice came from the phone: Blair, once I get through this busy period, we’ll have a wedding ceremony. We’ll deal with the future later. Just settle in for now. “Did you hear that? He’s already planning our wedding. If you show up pregnant now, everyone will think you’re being clingy and desperate.” I took a deep breath. Blair watched my reaction, as if confirming something. “Vivian, I have a suggestion. Get rid of the baby, and we’ll go our separate ways. I won’t tell Ethan, and I won’t tell anyone.” “Or else?” “Or else I’ll tell him. What do you think he’ll do when he finds out?” She pulled an envelope from her bag and handed it to me. “What’s this?” “Open it.” Inside the envelope was an ultrasound report with Blair’s name at the top, dated two weeks ago. It clearly stated: Intrauterine early pregnancy, 7 weeks. “I’m pregnant too.” Blair put away her smile and looked at me seriously. “Ethan already knows. He’s thrilled. He bought a ton of pregnancy supplies.” “So you understand now? His first child can only be born to me.” I stared at that ultrasound report. Seven weeks pregnant. Blair had only returned to the country yesterday. Seven weeks ago she was abroad, but this ultrasound had the stamp of the city’s maternal and child health hospital. The timeline didn’t match. But I said nothing. Now wasn’t the time to expose her. “Think about it.” Blair patted my shoulder. “Before things get messy.” She turned and left. I clutched that ultrasound report. You say you’re pregnant too. Seven weeks ago you were abroad, but the ultrasound has this city’s stamp. “Blair, what the hell are you?” 0

The next day at ten a.m., Ethan appeared at the door of my studio apartment. “I know.” He stood outside, his expression complicated—not angry, more like a kind of patronizing helplessness. “Know what?” “That you’re pregnant. Blair told me.” She hadn’t kept her promise after all. Ethan walked in and looked around the room—less than a hundred square feet—and frowned. “Vivian Stone, what are you planning to do with this child?” “Have it.” “Have it and then what?” His voice rose slightly. “You make thirty-five hundred a month. You can barely support yourself.” “You don’t need to worry about me.” “I’m worried about myself.” Ethan sat on the only plastic chair, hands clasped. “Blair’s pregnant too. You know that, right? She’s further along than you—already seven weeks.” “She showed me the ultrasound.” “Right.” Ethan nodded. “Let me be clear. My first child should be with Blair. Yours… isn’t appropriate.” “Ethan Moore, are you sure you want me to abort your child?” “We’re already divorced. Even if you have this child, it’ll be a single-parent family. That’s not good for anyone.” He stood up. “Get an abortion. I’ll pay for the procedure and nutrition costs. Is fifty thousand enough?” The door was pushed open from outside. My mother-in-law. She walked in carrying a plastic bag and looked around. “This is where you’re living?” My mother-in-law put the plastic bag on the table. “There’s twenty thousand dollars in there for the abortion. Plus the thirty thousand from Ethan, that’s fifty total. Enough for you to start over.” “I told you, I’m keeping the child.” My mother-in-law’s face darkened. “Vivian, don’t be ungrateful. You know what Blair’s family is like. She’s Ethan’s legitimate wife. You’re carrying a bastard…” “This isn’t a bastard. It’s Ethan Moore’s child.” “If my son doesn’t acknowledge it, then it isn’t.” My mother-in-law’s voice rose. “You think getting pregnant means you can latch onto our family?” “Vivian Stone, I’ll say this one last time.” Ethan didn’t look up from his phone. “Get rid of the child and we’ll part on good terms. If you don’t, I’ll go to court and apply for a paternity test and fight for custody. I have a house and a company. You have nothing. The court will award me the child.” “And then I’ll let Blair raise this child.” Let Blair raise my child. That sentence was like a knife, stabbing precisely into me. My mother-in-law pushed me. “Did you hear? Don’t think pregnancy gives you leverage. You’re nothing in front of us.” Ethan’s phone screen lit up. A message from Blair popped up. I glimpsed a line of text: [Ethan, is it handled? I bought your favorite cheesecake.] Ethan replied, locked the screen, looked up at me, waiting for my answer. My mother-in-law stood beside him with her arms crossed, like a supervisor. I touched my stomach. This child was the Stone family heir, the child my entire family had waited over a decade for. Ethan wanted to fight for custody? He had no idea who he was challenging. I took out my phone and found a number I hadn’t called in three years. I dialed. It was answered after one ring. “Dad, come pick me up. I’m pregnant.” Ethan and my mother-in-law both looked at me. My father’s voice came through the phone, very calm, but every word carried undeniable weight. “Give me twenty minutes.” I hung up. Ethan frowned. “Who did you call?” “My father.” My mother-in-law laughed mockingly. “Your father? Didn’t you say your father was a farmer in the countryside? Calling some old farmer to back you up?” I put my phone back in my pocket. “Ethan Moore, you just said you want to fight for custody.” “That’s right.” “Fine. Then wait.”

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On our fifth wedding anniversary, I once again received a family photo of my husband, my son, and her. I looked at the radiant smiles of that family of three in the picture. At that moment, I suddenly let go of the obsession I’d held for five years. “Mrs. Harrison, the five-year term is up. Can I leave now?” On the other end of the line was my mother-in-law in name only, who was also my employer. “Are you sure about this? If you leave now, you won’t get the child or the money. Why can’t you hold on a bit longer?” “No, school starts soon. Divorce is complicated enough as it is!” “Fine. Give me ten days. I’ll help you handle all the paperwork. You’ll get every penny of what the contract promised!” With Mrs. Harrison’s words, a bitter smile crossed my face. As the clock struck twelve, I blew out the candles on my cake. Late that night, I sat on the couch binge-watching shows. Ever since I’d had Ethan as my son, I’d been working like a nanny, exhausted day after day. I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d watched a series. I never imagined that in just a few short years, my favorite actor had filmed so many TV shows. I really wanted to catch up on all of them during this time. But even such a small wish was hard to fulfill. My phone rang, piercing the silence. “Sophia, get to the hospital right now. Our son is sick and getting an IV. He’s crying for you!” Zachary didn’t say which hospital the child was at, and when I called back, no one answered. Thinking that he was my biological son after all, I searched hospital after hospital through the night. I searched all night long, and only found out through Autumn’s social media that my son was actually at the Harrison family’s private hospital. I didn’t dare delay and rushed to the hospital immediately. Last night while looking for the child, the first place I’d thought of was the Harrison family’s private hospital. I’d run over to ask, but they said they’d never seen Ethan. And today was the same. “That’s impossible. My son is right here. How could you not know him? Let me in!” The hospital nurses kept blocking me, and finally they called security. Three or four large men pinned me firmly to the ground. A young, pretty nurse frowned with disgust in her eyes. “We already told you he’s not here. Can you please stop disturbing their family of three? You’re so annoying!” As I was being dragged out, I happened to see Zachary and Autumn walking out of a hospital room, carrying Ethan. The three of them really did look more like a family. Just like the countless times they’d appeared together on public websites participating in variety shows. And that young nurse was apparently a fan of this family of three. Just like that, I was thrown out of Harrison Hospital. The last thing I saw was my biological son in Zachary’s arms, planting a kiss on Autumn’s face and calling her “Mom.” The rough concrete scraped my knees and wrists raw, leaving me disheveled. When I limped home, I was greeted by yet another picture-perfect family scene. “Autumn’s cooking is still the best. Even ordinary scrambled eggs taste better than what that woman makes. She tricks me with fake eggs every day. I’m so sick of it!” “If you like it, have some more. Whenever you want it in the future, Mom will make it for you!” “Okay!” My son, whom I’d carried for ten months and given birth to, was clinging to someone else and calling her Mom. And my husband sat nearby, his usually stern face showing a rare gentle expression. The man who was normally ice-cold to me was now so tender. If this had been before, seeing this scene would have made me frantic with worry. Because Ethan would get diarrhea from eating eggs, yet he insisted on seeing eggs at every breakfast. I would use other ingredients to substitute for eggs. But suddenly I realized that my heart wasn’t anxious at all. It was filled only with bitter relief. I let out a rueful laugh. At least in ten more days, it would all be over.

Though my laugh was very soft, it still startled the family of three inside. When Autumn saw it was me, she immediately assumed the demeanor of the lady of the house. “You’re finally back. Where have you been all night? Don’t you know how pitiful little Ethan was, crying because he couldn’t find you?” “Hurry up and make him some porridge. He’s been craving it all night and kept praising it to me!” Before I could open my mouth to speak, Ethan threw an apple at me. The apple hit my injured leg, making me gasp in pain. “I don’t want her porridge! Who knows where she was last night, not even caring about her own son!” Beside him, Zachary’s face darkened. Seeing my disheveled appearance, anger flashed across his face. “Where the hell did you run off to yesterday? The child was seriously ill in the hospital. I called you and said he wanted porridge. How could you have no reaction at all? Do you even deserve to be called a mother?” I didn’t respond to their accusations, only asked coldly in return, “Which hospital was the child at yesterday?” Zachary sneered and raised an eyebrow at me, as if looking at an idiot, his tone full of self-righteousness. “Don’t tell me you didn’t know which hospital your son was in. I clearly sent you a message yesterday!” Zachary had indeed sent me a message, but he quickly recalled it. I had no idea where the child was. I held up my phone. Our chat window was filled with glaring green screens, each message followed by a conspicuous red exclamation mark. Zachary looked confused and instinctively pulled out his own phone, but couldn’t find our chat. Just as he was frowning in puzzlement, Autumn beside him suddenly burst into tears. “I’m so sorry, Zachary. I didn’t know this would happen. Last night while I was helping Ethan fall asleep, your phone kept going off.” “I was afraid it would disturb you two, so I blocked her. I’m the one who recalled that message, because Ethan said he didn’t want to see his mom!” Zachary’s frown deepened. He seemed somewhat displeased with Autumn. But Ethan wouldn’t allow Autumn to be scolded by his father. He jumped up from the couch like a hero, standing in front of Autumn. “Dad, what are you trying to do? Don’t yell at Autumn! Mom isn’t completely innocent either.” “Even if she couldn’t reach you, I was only at our family’s private hospital. Was it really that hard to come and check?”

Zachary found this reasonable and turned to glare at me, but I cut him off first. “No need to say all that. I went to no less than thirty hospitals looking for you last night. Every hospital has a record of my inquiries. You can go check for yourselves.” “And the first place I went was Harrison Private Hospital. But your father once gave an order that anyone or anything related to me is absolutely forbidden from entering Harrison Private Hospital!” “I went there this morning too. I was dragged away right in front of your family of three. Ethan, you don’t need to pretend you don’t know anything. I saw you!” Zachary frowned slightly, turning to look at Ethan with some confusion. Ethan’s expression turned panicked. When their family of three had left, he had turned his head and seen me. He had watched with his own eyes as his biological mother was beaten bloody by a group of security guards and dragged out like a dog, yet he hadn’t made a sound. He’d even kissed Autumn right in front of me. When I was thrown out earlier, I’d still been thinking that maybe it was just my imagination, that the child hadn’t seen me. But seeing this scene now, I was completely heartbroken. Perhaps I really shouldn’t have appeared here at all. Zachary was very displeased about this. He wouldn’t allow a child raised by his family to be labeled as someone who abused his biological mother. After all, this was his designated heir. “Ethan, did you see your mother?” Ethan had always been most afraid of Zachary, but he had a solution. Using Autumn’s usual trick. “Oh no, Dad, my stomach is starting to hurt again. I feel terrible!” He clutched his stomach, hunching over, though being so young, he couldn’t help but steal glances at his father while putting on the act. Such crude acting, yet these two adults both believed it. Autumn cried inconsolably beside them. Anyone who didn’t know better would think I was bullying their family of three. “Zachary, stop it. The child is so young and he’s sick. It’s perfectly normal that his eyes were blurry and he didn’t see Sophia clearly!” “Besides, the child was calling for his mom all night. Have you forgotten how pitiful he was?” Hearing this, Zachary sighed and picked up the child to leave. Autumn, following close behind, shot me a challenging look before smiling and catching up with the father and son. I let out a bitter laugh and returned to my room, gritting my teeth as I peeled off the clothes stuck to my wounds. The instant the fabric tore away, the barely clotted wounds began bleeding again. The pain was bone-deep and piercing, yet I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Because on my way home, I’d received a message from Mrs. Harrison asking me to fill out various application forms. After simply treating my wounds, I immediately filled out the application forms and sent them to Mrs. Harrison, then let out a breath. It would finally be over soon. Since I hadn’t slept all last night, I was now completely exhausted. I collapsed on the bed and fell into a deep sleep. Perhaps because I was about to leave, I actually dreamed of the year I first met Zachary. Everyone thought I was the one who had broken up Zachary and Autumn. In truth, Zachary and I had known each other since we were twelve years old.

I was born in a remote area. My parents didn’t want me to go to school and wanted me to drop out and work to support my younger brother. I refused, so my parents forcibly dragged me back home. It just so happened that Zachary’s parents were conducting a charitable outreach activity and came to our mountain village. Zachary got lost and accidentally saw me chained up in my family’s cattle shed. In a moment of kindness, he saved me. From that moment on, my heart was completely occupied by Zachary. My life seemed to have light, a direction to move forward. From then on, I became everyone’s known lapdog for Zachary. Later, I received sponsorship from the Harrison family. I successfully left the mountains and carved out a world of my own. When I learned that Zachary had fallen into a life crisis after a breakup, I came to his side without hesitation. Mrs. Harrison knew my background and identity, which was why she signed a five-year agreement with me. As long as I could help her son regain control of the company and drive out the Harrison family’s illegitimate child. Mrs. Harrison would give me fifty million dollars and send me abroad to study. I agreed to these terms, not only for my own future, but also for the hero who had appeared in my life as a child. Later, although I never officially married Zachary, I did have a child with him. And Mrs. Harrison seemed to care more and more about me, as if I really were the daughter-in-law of the Harrison family. Mrs. Harrison even began to think I would marry Zachary and then carefully nurture their family’s future heir. Zachary also gradually changed from being cold to me at first to becoming doting. I thought we would continue like this for a long, long time. Until Autumn returned to the country. Everything seemed to change. Zachary gave all his care to Autumn. Even the child I’d carried for ten months and given birth to began calling Autumn “Mom.” And I seemed out of place in this family, like an outsider. Actually, the contract had long since expired. I was just clinging to that unrealistic beautiful dream in my heart. Now the dream was over, and I should return to my own world. In the evening, the father and son came home for once. But the house was unusually cold and quiet today. Zachary had always hated having too many strangers around, so the household chores were usually my responsibility. No matter how late the father and son came home, there would always be a light left on for them, and the table would have a late-night meal prepared. But today the house was pitch dark, and there were no sumptuous dishes on the table. Seeing this scene, Zachary’s heart suddenly seized. For some reason, a feeling of panic welled up in his chest. Ethan pouted. “Dad, why isn’t there any food today?” Hearing this, Zachary frowned, patted Ethan’s little head, and said gently, “It’s okay. I’ll have your mom make some right away.” “Sophia!” Zachary called out, but the room answered him only with dead silence. He strode quickly to my bedroom and raised his hand, pounding heavily on the door. Seeing that the door was locked from inside, he seemed to relax and let out a sigh of relief. “Sophia, are you in there?!” Zachary’s voice had clearly softened a few degrees.

Zachary had a bad stomach, so I always made light, bland meals for him. Our son Ethan was very sensitive to food and would have allergic reactions easily, so I was always extra careful when cooking. Seeing that I wasn’t responding from inside the room, Zachary seemed to get anxious. “Can you stop making a scene? I called you all day today and you didn’t answer. I sent someone to the house to find you, and you wouldn’t open the door. What exactly do you mean by this?” Ever since this house had only me left in it, I’d always had trouble sleeping at night. I would wear headphones and listen to music to fall asleep. I truly hadn’t heard the commotion when this father-son duo came home. Never having been ignored before, Zachary was completely angry. He found the spare house key to unlock the door, then kicked it open with one foot. The violent noise made the nightstand in the room shake. The medical books piled high on top fell all over the floor. One book happened to land by the headboard, and only then did I slowly wake up a bit, sitting up with drowsy eyes. Ever since I’d given birth to the child years ago, Zachary had been unwilling to stay in the same bedroom as me. What was going on today? Why had he suddenly come here? “Do you need something?” I asked softly. Hearing such a calm question, Zachary was instantly speechless. Hearing his son still crying and making a fuss outside, he said irritably, “Our son is hungry. Aren’t you going to come out and make food?” “I don’t think so. It’s too late and I’m very tired. If you want to eat, restaurants outside serve food twenty-four hours a day.” Zachary froze. If this had been before, if I’d heard that he and the child wanted to eat, I would have been overjoyed. But today I’d just refused them so bluntly? “Our son is sick, and you want him to eat outside fast food? What kind of mother are you?” Hearing this, I couldn’t help but laugh mockingly. “Didn’t you say I’m not fit to be the child’s mother? That I give him the wrong medicine, make a big fuss over small things, and that even the food I make might be poisoned!” “Besides, Ethan also said today that my cooking tastes terrible. Since you all don’t like my food, why should I exhaust myself making it?” Zachary stood frozen in place. These words did sound very familiar. Before, Autumn had fed Ethan fried chicken, which gave him diarrhea. I’d urgently made him throw it up and brought him medicine to take. But Ethan had knocked it to the floor, saying I wasn’t a doctor and shouldn’t randomly give him medicine. Zachary was silent for a long time before speaking. “Enough. I’m the child’s father, and I also run a pharmaceutical company. Medicine has side effects. How can you just give it to a child casually?” “I think you’ve gone crazy with wanting to do medical research, haven’t you? Using your own son as a lab rat for experiments. I’m warning you, stop bringing your food in front of our son!” “Making a big deal out of nothing. Ethan is a boy. You’ll ruin him acting like this!” That was the first time Zachary had blamed me.

Zachary stood by my bed, frozen for a long time. “Do you have to be so passive-aggressive? We’re family. Is it necessary to be so petty about everything?” “I’m not family with you people. In all those family reality shows and family gathering photos, the woman by your side has never been me!” “Even in your spouse column, my name has never appeared. What kind of family is this? At most, I’m just a nanny!” Zachary looked somewhat bewildered, a flash of panic in his eyes. Then, as if he’d figured something out, he said: “Sophia, I already told you that Autumn and I have no relationship. We’re just friends. Do you have to be so petty?” “Besides, we haven’t even gotten our marriage certificate yet. What right do you have to restrict my freedom!” “If you want to marry me, you can just say so. There’s no need to talk in circles. And I never said I wouldn’t marry you. Do you really need to put on such a show?” Hearing these words, I wanted to laugh, but today I really didn’t want to argue with this man anymore about these things. “Who you marry has nothing to do with me, as long as you don’t marry me. I never thought about restricting you. After all, I have no right to. Now can you leave? I need to rest!” Zachary listened to me using his own words against him and stood frozen in place. For the first time, I, who had always been obedient to him, was being so sharp-tongued. It stuck in his throat. Although he’d never said he would marry me, he did want to give his son a family. And over all these years, I had always stayed within bounds. Zachary had been thinking that in another two years, he’d go get the marriage certificate. But my words today seemed to turn Zachary’s plan into wishful thinking. For a moment, he flew into a rage from embarrassment. “Fine! This is what you said. Don’t come begging me to marry you later!” With that, Zachary slammed the door hard. Outside, Ethan had cried himself hoarse. Zachary thought that since I had taken care of this child for so many years, I couldn’t possibly ignore him completely. So Zachary left his son on the couch and went back to his own room to sleep. Before long, Ethan’s voice gradually weakened. The next day, when I went out. I happened to run into Zachary anxiously carrying Ethan in his arms. His eyes were bloodshot as he glared at me. “You didn’t check on Ethan at all last night?!” I was somewhat speechless. “Didn’t I already tell you that?” Zachary gritted his teeth. Not having time to think much, he carried the child and left without another word. The child’s gastroenteritis hadn’t been effectively relieved and had instead caused a fever. But the company needed Zachary to rush over to handle things, so he had no choice but to call me. I didn’t want to answer, so Zachary just kept calling relentlessly. I simply blocked his number.

I had been out handling my affairs for going abroad, but there was one thing I still couldn’t let go of. After getting into graduate school, I met a very good mentor. This mentor had dedicated his life to researching medicine for children with cerebral palsy. I followed this mentor down the same path, but after getting together with Zachary, I gradually abandoned this experiment. And this experiment was directly declared dead in the water after my professor passed away. But even so, the rough prototype of this new drug had still been developed by my professor. And this experimental result ultimately remained in my hands with the help of my professor’s son. Before passing away, my professor had always hoped I could return to this experiment, but unfortunately, I let him down. Now that I’d decided to study abroad, I wanted to restart this project. But when I tried to restart the project, I discovered that someone had beaten me to it. I spent three full days running around before learning that this project had somehow fallen into Zachary’s hands not long ago. The development of this new drug was my professor’s life’s work. Thinking of this, I didn’t dare delay and immediately ran to the company, wanting to ask Zachary about it. Who knew that right at the entrance of Harrison Group, I would run into a group of reporters interviewing Zachary and Autumn. “This special medicine specifically for children with cerebral palsy is the result of five years of persistence I maintained abroad. I’ve brought it back this time hoping to benefit newborns everywhere.” “Harrison Group is very honored to welcome back this top student in pharmaceutical research to continue benefiting newborns.” Autumn stood before numerous media outlets with a brilliant smile, brazenly claiming this project as her own. And Zachary beside her was helping to coordinate, the two of them interacting with such intimacy that no one would believe they had no relationship. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I was clearly the lead on this project. Without my signature, who could have taken it away? Unless Zachary had schemed against me. There was a period when Zachary had me sign various agreements, saying he wanted to plan ahead for marriage and needed to sort out finances in advance. I wasn’t with Zachary for money to begin with, so of course I wouldn’t refuse to sign. But while reviewing the contracts, Ethan had been shouting and making a fuss beside me, insisting on going out to play. In my flustered state, I’d hastily signed those documents. At this moment, I couldn’t think about anything else. I just wanted to reclaim my professor’s project. But before I could take two steps, I was grabbed by the bodyguards beside Zachary. Clearly Zachary had already guessed I would come looking for him and had prepared for it in advance. After everything below was mostly resolved, Zachary finally saw me, restrained, in his office. “So you finally came. I really didn’t expect that worthless project to be more important to you than your biological son. Your son was so sick, yet you didn’t come to the hospital even once!” “Now this broken project appears and you show up immediately. Didn’t you say you had such backbone? Didn’t you dare to block me? If you’re so capable, don’t come back!”

I glared at Zachary through gritted teeth. I never imagined this man would take the project and rush to launch it, all just to force me to show up. “Zachary, have you lost your mind? That new drug hasn’t undergone clinical trials yet. And many of the ingredients and dosages are still uncertain. Rushing it to market like this could kill people!” “Enough!” Zachary’s face was full of impatient reproach. “Don’t think you’re the only top student from medical school. I already had Autumn look at that drug!” “Autumn also had people test it. That drug has absolutely no problems. It just needs clinical trials. And we’ve already had people conduct clinical testing without any issues!” “I really didn’t expect you to be so selfish. When my company was on the brink of collapse, I never saw you bring out this drug!” “You just watched me struggling there. All these years you’ve said you love me, but you’ve never once considered my needs!” “Now you go to the hospital right away and take good care of our son. That’s the only use you have left. If you can’t even take care of him properly, get the hell out of here!” I struggled to move forward, but the two bodyguards behind me gripped my arms tightly. I used so much force that I even heard the sound of bones grinding together. “Zachary, that drug can’t go to market. It can’t undergo clinical testing. That drug has problems. It will kill people!” “Autumn’s credentials are fake. She made it all up while she was abroad!” “Shut up!” When Zachary heard me talk about Autumn this way, he became furious. Without a word, he stepped forward and slapped me across the face. “You have no right to slander Autumn. When I was at my most difficult, Autumn knew to introduce me to domestic pharmaceutical experts. But what about you?” “You clearly had such a good project in your hands, yet you weren’t willing to think of me at all. Now you even dare to slander Autumn. Who gave you the nerve?” After taking that slap, I couldn’t help but laugh. Back when the company had problems, I had no choice but to seek out my professor, who was seriously ill, hoping the professor could help Harrison Group get through the crisis. At that time, my professor was gravely ill and couldn’t appear in person. That credit was brazenly stolen by Autumn. After my professor passed away, the matter was completely swept under the rug. Even though I’d explained many times, he never believed me. As for Autumn’s fake credentials, a simple investigation would reveal the truth. When Autumn first entered the company, I was a bit worried and asked a former classmate to help investigate, which was how I discovered the truth. I had reminded Zachary about it many times, but he refused to believe me. He attributed all my actions to jealousy and insisted on bringing Autumn into the company’s core despite everyone’s opposition. For all these days, I’d been keeping a close eye on Autumn, afraid she would bring trouble to the company. But this slap had finally woken me up completely. “You’re right. You’re not worthy of my love at all. Since you’re so eager to die, suit yourself!” With that, I completely stopped resisting. The bodyguards on either side, seeing I was no longer struggling, slowly released their grip. At this moment, Zachary felt somewhat panicked. He had a feeling something was about to leave him completely, but his control over me made him dismiss the thought.

“Enough, stop making a scene. You’ve been away from the lab for so many years. Just because you can’t do something doesn’t mean Autumn can’t.” “This project can immediately establish Autumn’s reputation domestically and take the company to the next level. I don’t want to hear any negative comments about Autumn from the outside world.” “Otherwise, you can forget about ever seeing our son again.” I smiled, my eyes and tone full of mockery. “No need. Starting today, I don’t want to see either you or that son of yours. You three enjoy your family life together!” After speaking, I staggered out of the office. Behind me, Zachary flew into a rage, scattering everything on his desk across the floor. “Fine, Sophia Reed! If you’ve got the guts, don’t come back! Even if you kneel before me like a dog in the future, I won’t spare you a glance!” “Go put up a sign outside the company: No dogs or Sophia allowed!” Hearing this, I only smiled lightly. When I walked out of the company, I happened to see someone putting up a sign. Even more ridiculous, the sign had my photo on it. Looking at those nearly humiliating words, I pulled out my phone and decisively chose to report it. Good thing the paperwork would be ready today, and I could leave for good. Zachary, we’ll never see each other again. Not wanting to be entangled with Zachary anymore, I packed my things and went to a nearby hotel. I still needed to explain to my former fellow students about my professor’s research being stolen. But by unfortunate coincidence, the place where they’d arranged to meet was where I ran into Zachary again. I’d chosen a high-end teahouse, and coincidentally, Zachary was there today to discuss business for producing the new drug. By sheer bad luck, the three of us ran right into each other. Seeing me, Zachary instinctively wanted to step forward, but was held tightly by Autumn at his side. “Sophia, are you here looking for Zachary?” “I’m not trying to lecture you, Sophia. I know this project means a lot to you. But you should also care more about Zachary.” “The company’s projects haven’t been doing well lately. You should at least consider your husband. And you moved out without a word. Ethan hasn’t had anyone to take care of him these past two days!” “That poor child is still in the hospital. As his mother, how can you not go visit him?” “If I weren’t still going over regularly to bring him food, who knows how thin the child would have gotten?” “Autumn regularly going to bring Ethan food. I knew about that.” Ever since I’d moved out, Zachary had been deliberately showing off, sending me photos of the three of them living in harmony every time. But with just one glance at those meals, I could tell Ethan absolutely couldn’t eat them. Although Ethan’s stomach was weak, after so many years of careful management it had recovered. If he weren’t constantly eating these things, how could he still be in the hospital now? “Is that so? Well, you’d better put in the extra effort, since you’re about to marry into the family!” Hearing me say this, Zachary became even more furious. “Sophia Reed, you’re something else. When we get engaged, you’d better not forget to come celebrate with us!” “No need. We’re not that close!” After speaking, I left without looking back. But afterward, I took note of their business partners and sent them a report on the drug testing anomalies. After doing all this, Mrs. Harrison’s call finally came. “Sophia, are you really unwilling to stay?” I shook my head. “Mrs. Harrison, there’s no need. This place never belonged to me anyway.” Mrs. Harrison was silent on the other end of the phone for a long time, then let out a long sigh. “Have a safe journey.” My fifty million dollars and plane ticket finally arrived. Standing at the airport, I let out a long breath and received another call from Zachary. “Did you contact my business partners behind my back? Does seeing me do well make you so uncomfortable? You don’t care about our son or our home anymore?” “I don’t want them anymore. I’m giving you everything. The project, you, the child. They all belong to someone else now. You got what you wanted!” With that, a relaxed smile crossed my face. I pulled my suitcase and boarded the plane.

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After getting back together, Ashton Blackwood spent one hundred million to buy his first love’s virginity. When I went to confront him, I found them tangled together, naked, in our marital bedroom. Right in front of me, Ashton calmly dressed Vivian, whose skin was still marked with traces of their intimacy, his movements gentle—almost tender. He said, “Be understanding and gracious. Vivian once saved my life. I still can’t forget her.” He was certain that, this time too, I—Seraphina—would swallow my pride and endure it. But faced with Vivian’s taunting smile, I was tired. I took out the divorce agreement. “Let’s get divorced. I really don’t want you anymore.” Seraphina’s POV I dated Ashton for four years. The moment I discovered his affair, I didn’t hesitate to break up with him. The first day after our breakup fight, Ashton knelt outside my apartment building for a full day and night, trying to win me back. I ignored him completely. A week after the breakup, Ashton learned to bake my favorite strawberry mousse himself. I fed it to the dog without even looking at it. A month after the breakup, Ashton bid on my favorite antique piano at auction. I donated it to a children’s home on the spot. After that, Ashton publicly announced that he was transferring all his shares to my name. If he ever wronged me again, he’d be left with nothing. After a whole year of going back and forth, I was moved. I agreed to get back together with him. On our wedding day, Ashton rented every billboard in the city, displaying our photos on rotation, announcing our wedding of the century in the most high-profile way. He kissed me under the fireworks. “Everything I have is yours now, Seraphina. You’re my everything. From now on, I’ll never let you go.” In that moment, I truly believed he would love me like his own life and never betray me again. Until that charity gala night. Ashton brought me to the event, but during the auction segment, he saw a girl in a white dress with a pale face. She was brought on stage by the host as a “special auction item.” Dinner with the highest bidder. With just one glance, Ashton’s expression changed completely. “Ten million.” “Twenty million.” “Fifty million.” The gavel rose and fell. Ashton’s bids grew more frantic each time, every raise of his paddle carrying absolute determination. The numbers climbed to absurd heights. Even the auctioneer started sweating. “One hundred million! Sold!” The final strike of the gavel. Ashton won the “dinner rights” at an astronomical price. The entire venue erupted. Before the applause even stopped, Ashton was already striding onto the stage. Under everyone’s gaze, he took off his suit jacket and draped it over the girl’s trembling shoulders. “Mr. Blackwood?” The gala host approached in surprise. Ashton ignored him. He grabbed the girl’s wrist, his voice low. “What are you doing here? Do you know what this so-called dinner right actually means?” “I…” Tears instantly welled up in the girl’s eyes. She looked pitiful. “I need money. They said if someone was willing to bid on my dinner rights, I’d get one-tenth of the auction price. My mom is sick and hospitalized. I need a lot of money. I had no choice…” Ashton’s thumb gently wiped away her tears, the gesture painfully tender. “How much do you need?” The girl named a figure. Without a word, Ashton signed a check and handed it to her. The gala host, reading the room well, immediately stepped forward to smooth things over. “Mr. Blackwood, what is your relationship with this young lady…?” “She’s the daughter of an old friend.” Ashton said, his gaze never leaving the girl. “Her father saved my life.” I stood frozen in place, nearly crushing the pearl clutch in my hands. I recognized her, of course. A year ago, I broke up with Ashton because of her. Under the host’s subtly changed expression, Ashton finally looked at me. “Seraphina, don’t misunderstand.” He quickly turned and came down from the stage to my side. “Her father died saving me years ago. Now her mother is sick and hospitalized and needs money. I can’t let her go down the wrong path for money. You know what this dinner right really means.” Those words were like a key, unlocking the floodgates of my memory. A year ago, when I discovered those intimate text messages on Ashton’s phone, he said the same thing. “Seraphina, let me explain. Her father died saving me. I’m only taking care of her to repay that debt.” But later, when I caught them in bed together, he had another righteous explanation. “Seraphina, listen to me. I was drugged last night. I thought she was you.” And now, hearing his excuses that barely differed from a year ago, I couldn’t help but laugh. “A year ago, you took care of her in every way, saying it was to repay a debt. Later, when you were in bed together, you said you’d been drugged and mistook her for me. Now you’ve spent a hundred million on dinner rights with her, saying you don’t want her to go down the wrong path for money.” My heart felt like it was being carved with a knife, my voice trembling. “Ashton, how many more reasons and excuses do you have?” Ashton hadn’t expected me to question him publicly. His face immediately darkened. “Seraphina, that’s enough. Don’t make a scene here.” “A scene?” I laughed. “Ashton, am I the one making a scene?” Behind him, the girl timidly tugged at his sleeve, her voice barely a whisper. “Mr. Blackwood, please don’t fight with Ms. Hart because of me…” Ashton stepped forward, shielding her behind him, his gaze falling on me. “We’ll talk about this at home.” I watched him protect another woman and found the whole situation absurdly laughable. “Ashton, do you remember what you said to me before?” He said he would cut all ties with this girl. He would never wrong me for another woman again. Ashton’s expression flickered. He was about to speak when I turned and left. “Seraphina!” He called after me. I didn’t look back, just walked quickly away from this suffocating gala. Ashton instinctively moved to chase after me, but the girl gently held him back. “Mr. Blackwood, Ms. Hart seems really angry… It’s all my fault…” He paused mid-step, turning back to look at her.

Seraphina’s POV After leaving the charity auction, I drove aimlessly. When I came back to my senses, I’d stopped by the lake near the university district. The lake surface glittered with fragmented silver light under the moon. This was where Ashton and I had our first date, first held hands, first kissed. Ashton and I first met at a party. At the time, I’d rejected the advances of a man in our circle, and he publicly dumped a drink over me and verbally humiliated me. Everyone knew I was the adopted fake heiress of the Hart family. With the return of the real heiress, I’d fallen out of favor. When no one was willing to speak up for me, Ashton stepped forward and punched the man to the ground, forcing him to apologize to me. From that moment on, I fell helplessly for him. And Ashton seemed to like me too. He pursued me actively. After we got together, he treated me incredibly well. My friends all envied me. If only there had been no Vivian… Vivian appeared two years ago. Ashton said that when he was a teenager, his family’s enemies came for revenge. Vivian’s father had taken a fatal knife blow meant for him. He owed the family a life, so he had to take responsibility for taking care of her. At the time, I thought it was right to repay kindness. But then Ashton started frequently taking Vivian’s calls, even during our dates. He remembered all of Vivian’s preferences. He knew she was allergic to mangoes, knew she was afraid of the dark, would take care of her during her period. “Her father died for me.” Whenever I showed even a hint of insecurity, Ashton would explain it this way. “Seraphina, I have to repay this debt.” Back then, I naively believed that Ashton’s special treatment of Vivian was purely because she was his savior’s daughter. Despite my misgivings, I endured it. Until a year ago, when I saw Vivian running out of Ashton’s bedroom wearing my pajamas. Even then, Ashton claimed he’d been drugged and mistook Vivian for me. I thought after that, I’d never cry over Ashton again. But now, the tears still wouldn’t stop. My phone vibrated in my bag again and again. All calls from Ashton. I didn’t answer. Finally, I just turned it off. At one in the morning, I finally returned to the villa. The massive house was empty. The festive wedding decorations in the bridal suite hadn’t been taken down yet. They looked particularly glaring now. I took a shower, buried myself in the blankets, and fell into an exhausted sleep. The next morning, I was woken by my phone ringing. I groggily answered. Before I could speak, my best friend Lily’s urgent voice exploded through the line. “Seraphina! Have you seen the news? Look now! Right now!” “What news…” My voice was hoarse. “Ashton and that Vivian! They’re trending!” I was instantly awake. I hung up and opened social media. No need to search. The top trending topic was #Blackwood CEO Spends Fortune on Mystery Woman’s Dinner Rights#. I clicked in. Nine photos arranged in a grid. The first three were from last night’s charity auction. The rest were candid shots from various angles. In the photos, Ashton and Vivian shared dinner at an upscale restaurant. After they left the restaurant, they got into Ashton’s car together. The car stopped at a five-star hotel entrance. Ashton and Vivian walked in side by side, eventually entering a hotel suite together. The caption was suggestive and detailed. “Blackwood Group CEO Ashton Blackwood spent one hundred million to win the ‘dinner rights’ of mystery woman Vivian. The two shared a romantic dinner before entering a hotel together, not leaving until this morning. Reportedly, Ashton and his wife Seraphina Hart were recently married, having held a high-profile wedding of the century. The vows are still ringing in our ears.” The comment section had exploded. “One hundred million! Just for dinner? Only an idiot would believe that! This is obviously ‘dinner’ turning into ‘all night’!” “This Vivian’s got something. She can make Mr. Blackwood throw money around like that and publicly slap his legitimate wife in the face.” “Ashton is so handsome though. Spending a fortune just for one dinner? Why do I find this kind of sweet?” “Am I the only one who feels bad for his wife? She was there last night, right? Watching her own husband bid frantically for another woman. What kind of hellish scene is that? Their wedding billboards aren’t even down yet…”

Seraphina’s POV When Ashton came home, I was sitting in the dining room eating breakfast. On the tablet to my left was the entertainment news about him and Vivian. “Seraphina, it’s all false reporting. Don’t believe what these journalists write.” A flicker of panic crossed his eyes as he stepped forward. “Last night, Vivian was too upset about her mother’s illness. I only took her out to eat. She got drunk, so I had to get her a hotel room.” I ate my eggs and smiled slightly. “You got her a hotel room, but forgot to leave yourself? You slept in the hotel with her all night?” Ashton’s expression stiffened, guilt flashing by. “Last night she kept crying and vomiting. I had no choice but to stay and take care of her. But I really didn’t touch her. Nothing happened between us.” I looked at the fresh kiss mark barely hidden beneath his collar. My stomach churned, nausea rising. “Ashton,” I put down my knife and fork, closing my eyes. “Make her leave. Send her back to the countryside, or another city, or anywhere abroad. I don’t want to see her again.” He was silent for a few seconds, impatience creeping into his expression. “She only has her mother left. Her mother is seriously ill and needs surgery. If I make her leave now, it’s like sending her to her death.” “Then let’s get divorced.” I looked up. “Since you can’t send her away, let’s get divorced.” “Seraphina, you’ve pulled this stunt before. It won’t work twice.” Ashton’s eyes darkened. “The first time you made a scene about breaking up, I was willing to humor you and let you throw your tantrum. But now we’re married. Do you think the position of Mrs. Blackwood is something you can take or leave as you please?” His tall figure loomed over me with oppressive pressure, his tone ice-cold. “The Hart family raised you for years. They won’t pass up your value. Without me, you’re nothing but a bargaining chip for the Hart family to trade for profit. They could marry you off to someone else at any time.” Those words were like a blade, stabbing straight into my heart. “Be realistic. Stop threatening divorce at every turn, because this time, I might not humor you.” Then he made another declaration, firm and final. “Vivian needs money and a job. Starting tomorrow, she’ll join the company as my personal assistant.” My last shred of rationality completely crumbled. I raised my hand and delivered a resounding slap across his face. “Ashton, you disgust me.” He turned his head, running his tongue along the inside of his cheek. When he turned back, his eyes were ice-cold. “It seems we both need to cool down. I’ll stay at the company for the next few days. I won’t be coming back.” With those words, he turned and left without hesitation. My chest felt like it had been brutally carved open, a gaping wound. I laughed softly. After a moment, I picked up my phone from the table and made a call, my heart turning to ash. “Prepare divorce papers for me. I want a divorce.” For several days in a row, Ashton didn’t come home. But an unfamiliar number I didn’t recognize sent me photos almost daily. In the photos, Ashton brought Vivian to yacht parties, accompanied Vivian to the hospital to visit her seriously ill mother, and at business receptions, held her waist while introducing her to everyone. Unable to bear it any longer, I drove straight to Blackwood Group. Ignoring the reception desk’s attempts to stop me, I swiped my card and entered the executive elevator. In the office area, Vivian was talking with someone. Hearing footsteps, she looked up. “Mrs. Blackwood?” I didn’t pause. I walked right up to her and slapped her across the face. The crisp sound exploded in the quiet air. “Miss Vivian, Ashton wants to repay his debt and keep you by his side. I have nothing to say about that.” I said coldly. “But we both know exactly what you’re thinking. As long as I haven’t signed divorce papers, you’re nothing but a homewrecker.” Vivian covered her rapidly swelling cheek, tears welling in her eyes. “Mrs. Blackwood, you misunderstand me. I really didn’t…” “Seraphina!”

Seraphina’s POV Ashton’s voice came from the end of the hallway. He strode over quickly, pulling Vivian behind him and completely shielding her with his body. His gaze fell on me like a frozen pond. “Seraphina, know your place. Don’t bully people.” Anger simmered in his eyes. “Do I need to remind you how you were publicly drenched in alcohol at that party years ago? How people bullied you and said those horrible things?” Something squeezed my heart viciously. That party years ago. He was the one who came to my rescue, stomping on that man and forcing him to apologize to me. But now, this same person was digging up my most shameful past. He once pulled me out of that humiliating situation. Now he was laying it bare before everyone. Ashton’s tone was harsh. “It seems I’ve spoiled and indulged you too much all these years. You’ve forgotten that you’re just the Hart family’s fallen-from-grace fake heiress who once endured endless bullying and ridicule from others.” “Go home.” He commanded, brooking no argument. “Go home and accept your punishment.” I couldn’t believe it. I pointed at Vivian, whom he was protecting behind him. “You want me to accept punishment for this woman?” “I just want you to understand. Don’t forget what you went through. And don’t think that sitting in the position of Mrs. Blackwood means you can abuse your power and do whatever you want.” Nearby, Vivian tugged at his sleeve, her voice fragile and uncertain. “Mr. Blackwood, forget it. Punishment is too severe. Please don’t fight with Mrs. Blackwood because of me. I’m fine already… See, my face doesn’t even hurt anymore.” “She must accept this punishment.” Looking back at me, his expression grew dark and oppressive again. “As Mrs. Blackwood, you should be tolerant, generous, and dignified. Not run to the company like a madwoman and hit people.” I’m like a madwoman? I was so shocked I almost laughed. I pressed my lips together. “What if I refuse to accept this punishment?” His presence was intimidating. “Seraphina Hart, I’m not negotiating with you.” The atmosphere was nearly frozen. Just as we reached a stalemate, suddenly Vivian let out a weak moan. Her body swayed and she fell backward softly. “Vivian!” Ashton’s expression changed. He reached out to catch her. Vivian leaned in his arms, unconscious. Ashton swept her up into his arms. When he looked at me again, his eyes were filled with barely suppressed fury. “You’d better pray nothing’s wrong with her. Otherwise, I won’t forgive you.” He didn’t spare me another glance. Carrying Vivian, he strode quickly toward the elevator. I stood there, feeling eyes on me from all directions. My heart felt like it had been stabbed and twisted repeatedly with a knife. The last bit of light in my heart went out. I took the elevator downstairs. As soon as I walked out of the company entrance, two bodyguards in black suits grabbed me from either side. “Mrs. Blackwood, our apologies. Mr. Blackwood ordered us to take you to the basement for punishment.” I struggled, but it was futile. I was shoved into a car. The car drove toward the suburbs, finally stopping in front of the Blackwood family estate. The bodyguards dragged me out and pushed me into the basement. “Accept it, Mrs. Blackwood.” I straightened my spine. “I did nothing wrong. I won’t kneel!” The two bodyguards exchanged a glance. Then one of them kicked the back of my knee directly. Caught off guard, my legs gave out and I crashed heavily to my knees. Searing pain shot through my kneecaps. I gasped. I struggled to stand, but the two bodyguards pressed down hard on my shoulders, forcing me back down. “Mr. Blackwood ordered that you must kneel for a full twenty-four hours before you can get up.” The Blackwood family’s punishment. Kneeling in the basement, atoning for a full twenty-four hours. But on our wedding night, Ashton held me in his arms and said he’d never let me suffer this kind of humiliation. Ashton, your words truly can’t be trusted. Not a single one. But I was too foolish before. I believed him again and again. I’ll never love him again.

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After my mother-in-law retired, she fell into an online romance, insisting she’d found her second chance at love. I’d worked at the Anti-Fraud Center for years. I recognized this scam pattern immediately. So in my previous life, when my mother-in-law was about to wire three hundred thousand dollars of her retirement savings to support her boyfriend’s “business venture,” I stepped in to stop her. Her boyfriend quickly blocked her, and she had a complete breakdown,pointing at me and screaming: “You think everyone’s like you, eyeing my three hundred thousand in retirement savings!” My usually reasonable husband, Nathan Williams, turned cold toward me too: “Mom’s been single for years. It’s normal for her to find a boyfriend.” My mother-in-law posted my intervention video online. The internet tore me apart, saying I wanted to steal my mother-in-law’s money. Depressed, I died in a car accident. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day my mother-in-law held her phone, ready to transfer the money. This time, I didn’t stop her: “Linda, is three hundred thousand enough? If not, I can help you scrape together more.”

“None of you better even think about my money. I’m absolutely giving this three hundred thousand to support my boyfriend’s business.” When Linda May’s voice rang in my ears again, I instantly realized I’d been reborn. In my previous life, after my mother-in-law announced her online romance, she spent every day calling him “baby” and “sweetheart.” Before long, she couldn’t wait to pull out three hundred thousand to support her boyfriend’s business venture. Working at the Anti-Fraud Center, I immediately recognized this as a scam. My mother-in-law was over sixty, a rural woman with limited education. Besides money, what else could this person possibly want from her? When I discovered the three hundred thousand had already been transferred, I nearly fainted. I worked through the night, getting colleagues to help freeze the scammer’s account. After that, I pulled strings and called in countless favors to recover the money from the account. But once the money was recovered, my mother-in-law could no longer contact her boyfriend. She flew into a rage: “This is all your fault! If you hadn’t insisted Raymond was a scammer, I would’ve made who knows how many more hundreds of thousands by now. Now he’s blocked me!” She maliciously edited surveillance footage of me trying to warn her and posted it online, claiming I was preventing older women from pursuing happiness. I never imagined a good deed would destroy my entire life. Fortunately, fate gave me a second chance. “Mia Johnson, are you deaf? Can’t you hear me talking to you?” I snapped back to reality and pretended to look apologetic: “Linda, is three hundred thousand enough? Let me have Nathan scrape together more.” Linda scrutinized me for a few moments before pursing her lips. “Nathan’s my son, of course he’ll support me. What about you—how much are you planning to contribute?” I froze. From her tone, Nathan’s contribution apparently didn’t count. I needed to chip in money too. I pointed at Nathan, who stood silently nearby. “Nathan and I are family. What he gives represents both of us.” Linda swatted my hand away, her cloudy old eyes widening: “You married into this family to serve us! Nathan’s money has nothing to do with you!” So marrying in meant I’d been sold to the Williams family? If Nathan hadn’t gotten on his knees before my parents, begging them to let their daughter marry him, I never would have married down. I’d genuinely considered myself part of this family. But them? This time, I wouldn’t be so foolish. I didn’t argue with Linda. Instead, I looked dejected: “Linda, I’ll be honest with you. My parents need money for surgery recently.” “I’ve already taken out one loan. If I apply for another, the bank probably won’t approve it.” When Linda heard I was giving money to my family, she immediately started cursing. “Look at you! You haven’t brought much money into this house, but you’re giving it all to outsiders!” Her words got increasingly ugly, dragging my parents into it too, her face full of disgust. In my previous life, my parents already had high blood pressure. To clear my name, they’d rushed around speaking up for me. Finally, while arguing with Linda to defend me, they got so worked up that they both passed away. Thinking about it, I clenched my fists, my resolve hardening. This time, I would make this family pay a terrible price. “Linda, that’s not fair. When Nathan was unemployed, wasn’t I the one supporting the household? Why don’t you mention that?!” Seeing the topic shift toward him, Nathan stammered: “Linda, three hundred thousand isn’t a small amount. Who would…”

Linda put her hands on her hips and yelled at him: “What do you mean? You think your mother can be scammed?” Recently, to secure Linda’s retirement savings, her online boyfriend had gone all out. Various anniversary transfers and birthday gifts. That gold necklace alone was worth at least ten thousand dollars. Seeing Linda throw a tantrum, Nathan looked to me for help. “Mia, why don’t you check in the system at work? Then we can all feel reassured.” I sneered internally. In my previous life, Nathan had also tried to smooth things over like this when the money was being transferred. But after I recovered the money, he stood on Linda’s side. “Mia, Mom just wants to find someone to talk to. Why are you making such a big deal out of it!” Starting over, I wouldn’t be so stupid. “Nathan, that’s not necessary. I trust Linda’s judgment.” “And if we make money, our whole family will have a better life!” Linda immediately nodded smugly. “That’s right, Nathan. Why don’t you come to the bank with me and transfer a hundred thousand?” Nathan’s eyes also showed a hint of greed. But he was still uneasy. “Linda, all my money went to the mortgage. I don’t have any…” Before he could finish, I quickly interrupted. “Nathan, money’s not a problem. We can take out a mortgage on our house.” “I can get a clean divorce first, with the debt under my name. Once the money comes through, we can remarry.” “That way the bank won’t have any issues.” Linda’s expression finally improved. “Alright, let’s do it your way!” Probably afraid this money-making opportunity would slip away, Linda dragged Nathan and me to the Registry Office first thing the next morning. After completing the paperwork, I used work as an excuse to leave early. Looking at the divorce certificate in my hands, I couldn’t help but laugh. From now on, whatever happened to this family had nothing to do with me. Living under the same roof with these people—even one more day felt suffocating. Linda pointed at my retreating figure and cursed: “Look at what you married! She’s useless every single day!” “Good riddance. I didn’t even know she’d been quietly taking so much money home to her family until yesterday.” I hadn’t been at work long when my phone rang. Nathan’s anxious voice came through. “Mia, this bank account is showing as abnormal. Can you check it out?” I gripped my phone and answered crisply. “Sure, I’ll check for you.” Five minutes later, I called back, my tone certain. “Nathan, I looked into it. The account is fine, no problems at all.” Nathan’s voice clearly dropped. “Really no problems? But the bank is showing a warning…” “It’s probably a system error. Large transfers often trigger risk controls. Just go ahead and transfer it.” The line went silent for a few seconds. “Really? Let me think about it…” I deliberately sighed. “What, you don’t even trust me?” “I’ve worked at the Anti-Fraud Center for years. Can’t I tell if someone’s a scammer?”

I was about to add a few more reassuring words when Linda’s furious cursing came through the phone. “Stop being so paranoid! She already said it’s fine. Why are you asking so many questions!” “This kind of money-making opportunity—people are fighting over it. If you keep hesitating, you won’t even get scraps!” Imagining Nathan cowering on the other end, unable to speak up, a mocking smile crossed my lips. “That’s right, Nathan. Just listen to Linda. Opportunities don’t wait.” Two days after the money was transferred, Linda received a deposit of three hundred and fifty thousand dollars. In the following days, she went around the neighborhood endlessly sharing her investment wisdom. She even claimed that anyone who wanted to make money could come to her for advice—five thousand dollars per consultation. The neighborhood was full of retired folks with pensions and nothing to do. “Linda, you really made three hundred fifty thousand? That’s not pocket change!” “What kind of business is this? Can you bring me in on it?” “Of course!” She patted her chest, guaranteeing everyone they wouldn’t lose money. Watching one consultation fee after another roll in, Linda’s smile never faded. Nathan became even more arrogant, completely reclaiming his masculine pride. “Mia, I told you that you don’t have your priorities straight, always supporting your family.” “Now you’ve missed out on such a great opportunity to get rich. Being jealous won’t help.” I watched their smug displays, secretly sneering inside. That three hundred fifty thousand was just bait the scammer threw out to hook bigger fish. Just wait—this was only the beginning. The happier they were now, the more miserable they’d be when they lost everything. From that day on, I never returned to that house. I used the excuse of caring for my sick mother to move back to my parents’ home. Seeing my parents again, I couldn’t help but throw myself into their arms and cry. Seeing me return alone, my mom looked worried. “Mia, be honest with us. You and Nathan…” I wiped my tears and said: “We’re divorced.” After I spoke, I felt anxious, but I saw her breathe a sigh of relief. “Good. Your father said all along that boy wasn’t good enough for you.” “I’ll have your aunt set you up with some better prospects.” Her words made me laugh, and the depression and grievance I’d been carrying lifted considerably. During my time at my parents’ house, I completely avoided the Williams family’s troubles and focused on spending time with my parents. Linda was too absorbed in her get-rich-quick dream to bother with me. But calculating the timeline, it was almost time for the scammer to close the net. Sure enough, within two days, I received frantic calls from Nathan. When I didn’t answer, message after message flooded in. “Mia, you knew all along, didn’t you? That person was a scammer!” “Now the bank’s coming to collect debt every day. This is all your fault. You have to take responsibility!” Seeing his crazed state, I simply changed my social media accounts and contact information. My phone finally fell silent. The next news I heard about Linda came when I was leaving work and two old ladies downstairs were gossiping. When I heard the total amount collected, I couldn’t help but gasp. I knew Linda would scam money from people, but I didn’t expect her to raise an amount that could lead to a life sentence. Linda’s online boyfriend had vanished without a trace. The mortgage on the house worth hundreds of thousands, the loan sharks, and all those retirees’ pension money—all gone. Now they couldn’t even go home. Every day, people demanding their money back blocked the door. “At her age, falling for an online romance. Does she really think anyone would be interested in an old lady?” “What about her son and daughter-in-law? Why aren’t they doing anything?” “Oh my, her son can’t even take care of himself. I heard he borrowed from loan sharks and got one of his legs broken.” I was munching on sunflower seeds, enjoying the gossip, when I caught sight of two familiar figures.

I quickly dialed the police. “Hello, I’ve spotted suspicious individuals from a wanted notice.” Seeing me, Linda lunged forward viciously, her nails scratching several bloody marks on my skin. “You bitch! You knew that account had problems all along, didn’t you? You tricked us into taking out loans! How did our family end up with a daughter-in-law like you!” I gripped her hands tightly, struggling to speak. “I have… nothing to do with your family anymore!” Just then, my parents suddenly appeared and kicked the thrashing Linda away. “Let go of my daughter!” Linda collapsed on the ground in pain, rolling around and wailing loud enough for the entire neighborhood to hear, drawing a crowd of onlookers. “Help! Someone’s trying to kill me!” “She said the account had no problems. Now something’s happened, and she’s working with the scammer!” ” You married into this family! You’re one of us, whether you like it or not!” “You have to pay our debts!” Many neighbors stood around with folded arms, watching the show. Some eyes darted between Linda and me, seemingly speculating about something. “Mia, let’s talk this through. Don’t make such a scene in public. Let’s go inside and discuss this.” Nathan, who’d been silent the whole time, finally spoke. His words seemed to give me an out, but he was actually desperate to pin the scam on me. Waves of contemptuous voices rang out. “Could what the old lady and her son are saying be true?” “The Johnson family’s daughter works at the Anti-Fraud Center. If everything was fine, why would her mother-in-law get scammed out of so much money?” “She’s been staying at her parents’ house lately. Who knows if it’s out of guilt!” I steadied myself with my parents’ support and clenched my fists. In my previous life, Linda had done the same thing—shamelessly slandering and spreading rumors, ultimately dragging me into the abyss. This time, I would never repeat that mistake. I looked at Linda still throwing her tantrum on the ground and sneered: “Do you have any evidence for what you’re saying?” “I moved out simply because Nathan and I got divorced. That’s all!” Clearly not expecting such a firm, decisive response, Linda’s face turned alternately pale and flushed, her neck stiff as she shouted: “I have evidence!”

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Three years after my husband Garrett’s death, I treated my mother-in-law, Martha, who had Alzheimer’s, as if she were my own mother, caring for her with complete devotion. Even when she forced me to sleep standing up, drink dirty water from the toilet, and even defecate in my food bowl. This led me to develop severe depression. My mental state deteriorated rapidly, and I attempted suicide several times without success. Just as I reached the depths of despair, early one morning I suddenly heard Martha quietly opening the door to leave. Afraid something might happen, I instinctively followed her out and saw her slip a box into the hands of a pregnant woman. What shocked me even more was that my dead husband’s voice came through the phone the pregnant woman was holding! “Martha, did you give Susanna the depression-inducing drugs or not? Why hasn’t anything happened to her yet?” Martha replied, “Don’t worry! I used a very large dose this time!” Garrett said with disgust: “She can’t even give me a son, and she dared to humiliate Renee in public. I’m being more than merciful just drugging her into depression.” So the three years of hellish torment… Were all just my mother-in-law pretending to be crazy and senile, performing an act to drive me to death so Garrett could marry this woman called Renee! Then there’s no need for me to tell them that this Renee is actually an AIDS-infected pregnant woman my mentor just took on as a patient! And Garrett, who never liked using condoms, most likely won’t have much longer to live either.

I whipped around to look at the pregnant woman who had turned to face me, clenching my fists, my face pale as death. The voice on the phone continued. Garrett laughed coldly, his tone contemptuous: “Once Susanna is officially diagnosed with depression, I can bring Renee and my grandson home to see you. After all, who would believe the words of a crazy person like Susanna?” “When the time comes, let her make whatever scene she wants, get her fired from the hospital too — perfect excuse to kick her out and get revenge for Renee!” I nearly lost my footing, my legs going weak as I almost collapsed to the ground. Back then I was still a medical resident, and that pregnant woman was the first patient I ever received. Because she concealed her STD, I came into direct contact with her blood. I cried in the hallway, terrified, and it was Garrett who firmly wiped away the tears on my face. He took me for comprehensive testing, then publicly warned Renee Foster that he’d see her in court. How did this become me humiliating her? I couldn’t hear what else was said on the other end. Renee Foster inadvertently turned her head and saw me. Her expression changed instantly. Even my mother-in-law froze for a moment. Seeing my approaching steps, she panicked and tried to stop me. But I shoved her aside and lunged for Renee Foster’s phone. At that moment, Renee Foster let out a scream, and tears immediately began streaming down her face: “Don’t come near me! My baby! Garrett, help!” And I hadn’t even touched her yet. Both Garrett on the other end of the phone and my mother-in-law behind me became frantic. A slap came from behind. I took the full force of my mother-in-law’s blow. The hit made everything go black, and I nearly fell to my knees in front of them. But this time I didn’t indulge my mother-in-law anymore. I slapped her right back. The old woman looked at me in disbelief, then immediately sat on the ground and began wailing. By now it was fully light out, and many residents in the complex stuck their heads out to see what was happening. But I couldn’t care about any of that. I snatched Renee Foster’s phone and was just about to speak. When I heard Garrett’s furious voice explode from the phone: “Susanna! How dare you touch my mother and Renee! Just you wait!” Even now, caught red-handed by me, he showed not a trace of guilt. His heart was full of concern for others. A heart dies in an instant. I hung up the call and shoved the phone back into Renee Foster’s hands. At the same time, before I could even turn around, a tremendous force came from behind — a kick sent me flying. “Susanna! If you’re angry, come at me! Why would you hurt a delicate young woman like Renee?” “Bullying the weak, attacking a pregnant woman — have you no shame?” “You lunatic, apologize to Renee and her unborn child right now!” My forehead struck a nearby tree. Blood covered my eyes, but compared to the tearing pain in my chest, it was nothing. Garrett carefully helped Renee Foster to her feet. She collapsed in his arms, crying pitifully: “Garrett, why would Susanna hit me? You two have been separated for years — legally you could already be divorced. I’m not a homewrecker. We’re true love!” I laughed bitterly. Perhaps even this little performance was calculated in advance. Paving the way to establish me as a lunatic. Then Garrett could legitimately swap out his wife. He could dream on! The delicate, pitiful young woman in Garrett’s eyes had long ago contracted AIDS from years of promiscuity. And now she was pregnant with Garrett’s child. Which meant Garrett hadn’t used protection. In that instant, I understood what it meant for the person who betrayed and schemed against me to finally reap what they sowed — they should swallow ten thousand needles. I just needed to give things a little push at the right moment.

In my moment of distraction, hearing my scornful laughter, Garrett’s face flooded with extreme mockery: “All these years, you never learned how to soften toward me.” “Your cold face won’t attract my attention — it only makes me think you’re ungrateful and even more disgusting!” As he spoke, he straightened up and asked Renee Foster in a gentle, caring voice: “Where did she touch you? Let me help you get even, okay?” At that moment, my mother-in-law, who had been wailing and complaining to neighbors about how I abused her, finally found her opportunity. No longer pretending to be demented, she grabbed my hair in one swift motion. And slammed it hard against the tree trunk! Searing pain overwhelmed my consciousness. A bloody wound quickly appeared on my head. I instinctively looked around for help. But Garrett just held Renee Foster and watched coldly. My consciousness gradually faded. Garrett only cared about Renee Foster’s unharmed belly. He couldn’t be bothered to care about me, who was nearly dying. The difference between Garrett’s love and lack of love was too obvious. We met at the hospital. I was a resident doctor with no rights, and he was a low-level pharmaceutical rep. When my attending physician made me cry, when I couldn’t answer questions during rounds, when I’d been working for twenty-four hours straight without sleep — It was him. Despite his own exhaustion and countless rejections, he persisted. He saw my abilities and my worth. He never stopped encouraging me, comforting me, coaxing me to dry my tears. He even transferred a major deal he’d worked hard to secure into my name so I could successfully convert to a permanent position. Back then, watching him always standing by my side, shielding me from trouble… My young heart couldn’t help but fall in love with him. Many people gossiped behind my back, saying I’d sold myself just to stay at the hospital. He felt terrible for me then, and in a rare moment of fury for my sake, he checked surveillance footage and tracked down the rumors. In front of everyone, he proved my innocence and affirmed my medical skills. Then he knelt before me and proposed, swearing he would only love me for the rest of his life. Garrett gave me the most grand and brilliant love in this world. Unfortunately, love is fleeting. After I gave birth to our daughter Lily, my mother-in-law gradually began showing symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. I was as busy as a spinning top, so naturally I refused Garrett’s demand for a second child. After he brought it up several times and I still wouldn’t budge, his attitude gradually grew cold. Even worse, when Lily cried at night and disturbed his sleep, he changed like a different person, roaring that he wanted to kill her. Though we still slept in the same bed, we gradually went from sleeping in each other’s arms to maintaining strict boundaries. Until I caught him in bed with a new medical resident. Garrett ground my face under his foot. In the middle of the night, I could never understand why he had changed this way. Fortunately, after I made a scene, he seemed to restrain himself. He started coming home on time and stopped demanding a second child. Except for still not liking our daughter, everything seemed to return to normal. Until a car accident completely shattered the peace I’d worked so hard to maintain. But today I learned that all of it was just an act Garrett put on to get rid of me! At this thought, grievance wrapped around my neck like a rope, tightening relentlessly. The sourness in my chest wouldn’t stop. I could never continue living with such a rotten person after suffering such grievances. And I absolutely couldn’t let my daughter follow in my footsteps with such a rotten father! I don’t know how long passed. I was woken by someone patting me.

I opened my eyes groggily. The wound on my head felt like it was tearing me apart. Renee Foster’s cloying voice kept drilling into my ears: “Garrett, you know a pure girl like me never wanted to be the other woman. The son I’m carrying is your family’s eldest grandson.” Garrett laughed softly: “She’s just a jealous shrew throwing a tantrum, playing hard to get. You just got caught in the crossfire this time.” “Susanna loves me so much — she’s endured even my mother treating her that way. How could she bear to be angry with me?” I snapped fully awake, nausea surging to my throat. I almost vomited right there on the spot. Feeling utterly disgusted, I finally saw clearly that the person who’d been patting me was actually my four-year-old daughter Lily. In the freezing winter, my four-year-old child wore only pajamas, shivering from the cold. Tears and snot stuck to her face. Seeing me wake up, she burst into loud sobs. And her biological father Garrett stood behind her, watching her tears with cold eyes. I struggled to raise my arms and pulled her into my embrace. Renee Foster saw this and covered her nose with contempt, fanning the air in front of her. She turned her head and whined coquettishly to Garrett: “Garrett, what’s that smell? Even our dog wouldn’t pee randomly like that. My morning sickness is coming back — it’s so disgusting!” Garrett’s expression darkened, but he said to me: “Since you’re awake, why are you curled up there playing dead? Getting hit twice and you can’t even hold your bladder, making such a mess on the ground.” “Hurry up and clean the floor. It’s disgusting.” “Don’t cause trouble for the property management.” His disgust was completely unconcealed. But I was already dizzy from the pain, with no strength left to curse at them. Seeing me ignore them, Garrett walked over and dragged Lily out of my arms: “Susanna, this is just a small punishment. If you hadn’t dared to hit Renee, you could still be taking care of my mother!” I couldn’t help but laugh mockingly. What royal throne was their family inheriting that serving the old lady was some kind of honor bestowed upon me? I shakily stood up, shielding my daughter behind me, glaring at them with hatred: “Garrett, you show no remorse! How could you use depression drugs to harm me?” “If you want a new wife, you could’ve just told me directly. We could divorce!” “Better than going through all this trouble, even faking your death to deceive me!” Garrett’s eyebrows twitched. He couldn’t help but look at my tear-stained face. Renee Foster immediately noticed his hesitation and nestled fearfully into his arms: “Susanna, what are you talking about? You’re the one who’s been badmouthing the child’s father all this time. How can you blame us?” “We’re willing to raise her. Why don’t we let the child choose who she wants to be with!” The moment of softness Garrett had inadvertently shown vanished completely. He gritted his teeth and forced my daughter to choose. Lily became even more frightened, cowering behind me, not daring to move. Garrett’s iron grip was about to close around Lily’s neck. I blocked her, but he didn’t reduce his force. “Susanna, is this how you raise a child? She won’t even acknowledge her own father!” With that, he completely tore away my last shred of dignity. I couldn’t hear his words anymore. I just felt a chill all over my body and instinctively tried to cover myself, but it was all in vain. More and more eyes fixed on me, making me feel utterly humiliated. I wanted to crouch down and curl up. Renee Foster suddenly screamed: “Susanna! There’s a child here! Even if you want to seize this opportunity to seduce men, you can’t just lie down like that!” “You don’t care about your daughter’s upbringing, but I have to think about my son’s prenatal education!”

I stared at her in disbelief. Like a madwoman, I tried to struggle up from the ground, but blood loss and the depression drugs made my vision go black. I had no strength in my limbs. Then I heard Renee Foster continue saying to Garrett: “Garrett, you should stay back. The neighborhood bus won’t wait — out in public with no clothes on!” Garrett’s merciless gaze reflected in my eyes. His contemptuous voice rang out: “Susanna, you stand on your high horse judging me for having an affair, but aren’t you out there messing around too?” Renee Foster walked to his side, giggling: “Who would take damaged goods with baggage? There must be other conditions.” “Susanna, you didn’t agree to give away such a young child too, did you?” “Garrett, what kind of good child could a mother like that raise? Why not send her to my relatives in the countryside?” “Their son happens to be simple-minded. They’re looking for a child bride to grow up with him. Perfect — we can exchange her for some startup capital for our son!” I don’t know where the strength came from, but I lunged forward recklessly and grabbed her throat. “You’re a slut yourself, so you think everyone else is as filthy as you?” “If you dare sell my daughter as a child bride… I’ll kill you! I swear I’ll kill you!” Garrett quickly reacted and shoved me away. “Susanna! You dare hit someone right in front of me?” “What did Renee say that was wrong? You did it but won’t own up to it — have you no shame?” Blood covered my eyes. I stared at them both with blood-red eyes filled with hatred. Under my gaze, Garrett frowned deeply, his eyes surging with stormy rage, absolutely furious. “In that case, we’ll do as Renee says! Give me the child!” I watched Garrett’s condescending attitude and knew he was truly capable of this. Sure enough, a van soon pulled up behind us. Several burly men got out and asked directly: “Which little girl are you selling? We need to inspect the goods!” Following Renee Foster’s pointing finger, their gazes locked onto my daughter behind me. I tried my best to block them, but my strength was nothing compared to theirs. I glared at Garrett with blood-red eyes: “You’re not human! Garrett, you bastard!” “Do you think you’ve found true love?” “A cheap whore with AIDS and an idiot too stupid for words — a perfect match made in hell!” A bloody tear rolled down my cheek: “Garrett, if you sell my child, you’ll never have a second healthy child.” “Because you won’t live that long. You deserve this. This is exactly what you deserve.” No matter how I struggled, I couldn’t pull away the hands on my daughter. I could only watch helplessly as she was tied up with rope and gagged! Just as she was about to be dragged into the pitch-black van! Garrett, whom I’d knocked against the tree, initially looked furious. But soon he clutched his chest. “Pfft — ” He spat a mouthful of blood onto the ground!

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