I bought a secondhand laptop online. The moment I turned it on, my heart stopped. The wallpaper was a photo of my fiancé, Lachlan… with another woman. I couldn’t move. Before I could stop myself, I opened the folders. Video after video filled the screen—Lachlan and that same woman. Just as I grabbed my phone to confront him, it rang. “I’m so sorry! I accidentally shipped you my boyfriend’s laptop!” “There are important files on it—please don’t open anything! I’ll send you a replacement right away!” Her voice was soft. Sweet… and way too familiar. And in that moment, something inside me shattered. The man I had loved for years… Lachlan had been cheating on me this whole time. After hanging up, I forced myself to calm down, my fingers trembling as I moved the mouse. Apart from that wallpaper, the desktop was suspiciously clean—just one folder labeled “My Treasure.” Lachlan had once created a folder with that exact name for me, filled with photos of us from childhood to now. My heart pounded wildly as an absurd thought exploded in my mind. Was Lachlan cheating on me? The thought only lingered for a second before I crushed it. Because I knew perfectly well that even if every man in the world cheated, Lachlan would be the exception. After all, we were childhood sweethearts who grew up together in the same neighborhood, watched over by everyone. He loved me—loved me enough to remember my period every month and have hot milk ready in advance. Loved me enough that the passwords to his phone, computer, and all his social media accounts were my birthday. Besides, our wedding was only two weeks away. This had to be a misunderstanding. I took a deep breath, as if trying to suppress the inexplicable panic rising in my chest. Double-click. The folder opened. What appeared before my eyes were intimate photos of Lachlan with an unfamiliar girl. All the blood in my body seemed to freeze instantly, like lightning striking me, the shock making every organ in my body ache. I looked through them one by one. Every single photo mocked my self-deception. Lachlan really was cheating. And I had been lost in the joy of soon becoming his bride. How ridiculous. I don’t know how long I sat there in a daze before I finally calmed down. The first thing I did was open my phone and book a flight to Paris in seven days. That was the dream destination I had once given up to be with Lachlan. Now, I was going to pick up my paintbrush again and pursue the artistic dream that had been shelved by love for too long. Next, I packaged all those disgraceful photos from the computer and sent them to my best friend, Zoey. Zoey’s call came through immediately, her voice full of shock and fury: “Harper! That bastard! Just wait—I’m getting people together right now to destroy him!” I interrupted her, my voice terrifyingly calm: “No need. Saturday, at our families’ engagement party, I’ll handle it myself. I need your help with something. I’m going to give Lachlan a big gift.” Just as I finished speaking, Lachlan’s voice suddenly sounded behind me, his tone light and tender: “Harper, guess what I brought you?” He was carrying cream puffs from my favorite shop. When he saw my face, the smile on his face instantly froze. “Harper? What’s wrong? Why are your eyes so red?” He dropped the bags and quickly walked over, reaching out to hug me. I instinctively dodged. I opened my mouth, my voice sounding dry and unlike my own: “Lachlan, you…” Just as I was about to tear away this layer of false warmth, his phone rang abruptly. Lachlan instinctively glanced at the caller ID, and his expression changed instantly. He quickly pressed silent and flipped the phone face-down on the table, his movements so fast it seemed like he was hiding something. “A… telemarketer,” he explained, his tone somewhat unnatural. But I had seen it. The moment the screen lit up, the caller ID showed “Quinn.” Watching him panic while trying to maintain composure, I found it unbearably ironic. I looked up at him and asked softly, “Lachlan, do you love me?” He looked stunned by my question, then laughed and affectionately tapped my nose. “Silly girl, why ask that? If I don’t love you, who would I love?” I stared into his eyes, asking word by word: “What about Tara Quinn? Do you love her too?” Tara Quinn—that was the seller’s name.

The doting smile on Lachlan’s face crumbled inch by inch. He stared at me blankly. After a few seconds, he finally found his voice, tinged with disbelief. “Harper, what are you talking about? Where did you hear that name?” Within just one second, that familiar face had taken on an expression of hurt and helplessness. He reached out to touch my face, his voice low and aggrieved: “Harper, Tara Quinn is a new intern in my department. There was a problem with a project today, and I just helped her out.” The wounded look of being falsely accused was perfectly calibrated. If I hadn’t seen those photos with my own eyes, I would have thought I was being unreasonable. He tried to pull me into his arms, his voice softening even more, as if coaxing a child throwing a tantrum. “Is the wedding stress getting to you?” “Don’t overthink it. After fifteen years together, don’t you trust me?” I looked at his face, so close to mine, yet instinctively pushed him away. This action made the hurt in his eyes deepen. His voice carried a barely perceptible tremor: “Harper, what’s wrong with you? Did someone say something to you?” Just as I was about to pull out that laptop and throw all the sordid evidence in his face, his phone—still face-down on the table—vibrated again. This time it wasn’t a call, but a message. He instinctively reached for it, but I was faster, catching a glimpse of the calendar reminder that popped up on the screen. [Today at 5 PM: Pick up Devotion.] My heart clenched suddenly. Devotion was the name of the first painting I’d ever sold. That year, when I had just started college, my work was hung in the school gallery with no buyers. Finally, a mysterious buyer purchased it. Much later, I learned that buyer was Lachlan. He hung the painting in our future marital home, pointing at my messy signature on it and saying: “For the rest of my life, I’ll marry no one but you.” That painting was the beginning of our love, the unique, devoted love he promised me. Seeing that I’d noticed the reminder, a flash of annoyance crossed Lachlan’s face, which then softened into helpless tenderness. He handed me his phone and opened the note for that reminder. It read: Harper’s wedding ring—inspired by the painting, named with love. He sighed and gently hugged me from behind, his chin resting on my shoulder. “I wanted to surprise you the day before the wedding, but you discovered it early.” “I found a designer in France and had the compositional elements of Devotion made into a ring. Harper, our rings are one-of-a-kind in the whole world.” His voice carried a smile, warm breath falling on my ear. “Don’t be angry anymore, okay? I admit, that Tara Quinn pestered me with some talk, but I rejected her.” “In my world, besides you, there’s no room for anyone else.” He paused and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “I’m going out to pick up the ring. It’s too cold outside—stay home and wait for me. I’ll be back soon to keep you company.” I pulled my hand back, my voice eerily calm: “Go ahead.” As soon as Lachlan left, I grabbed my phone to check the transaction records on the secondhand platform. The seller’s name was Tara Quinn, and the address was a high-end apartment complex in the western part of the city. Once, Lachlan had pointed at a billboard for that place and said to me: “Harper, I bought you a small place there. You can paint there in peace from now on!” I had been so happy then, thinking it was another testament to our love. Now, it had become the cruelest irony. I opened a rideshare app and entered the address. Half an hour later, the car stopped at the entrance to the complex. I immediately spotted Lachlan’s familiar black Range Rover. I didn’t go in, just stood in the shadows across the street. Before long, the building door opened. Lachlan walked out with a petite figure. I recognized her immediately as the girl from the photos—Tara Quinn. Tara clung intimately to his arm, practically hanging on him. She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. And Lachlan looked down at her with a hint of indulgent affection at the corner of his mouth—the same way he’d looked at me for the past fifteen years. My hands and feet went ice cold, yet I instinctively raised my phone’s camera and pointed it at them.

My stomach churned violently, worse than when I’d first seen those photos. Tara tilted her face up, seeking a kiss. Lachlan didn’t push her away—he just smiled helplessly and tapped her forehead with his finger. “Stop it. What if someone sees?” Tara shook his arm insistently, her voice coquettish: “So what if they see? Your fiancée loves you so much that even if she found out, she’d just assume I seduced you.” Lachlan’s face hardened, his voice cold with warning: “I told you clearly before we got together—I have my responsibilities and my boundaries. Harper is the person I’m going to marry. That will never change.” Tara pouted and pulled an exquisite velvet box from her purse, holding it out to Lachlan. “Okay, okay, don’t be mad. I promise I won’t make a scene in front of her. Look what I got you!” “Can we call our rings Devotion too?” Lachlan’s expression stiffened for a moment. He looked at Tara, and finally smiled: “You little vixen.” I watched him accept that ring and slide it onto his ring finger. The design of that ring was seventy to eighty percent similar to the wedding ring he’d just described to me—the one supposedly inspired by my painting. The last trace of warmth I’d felt for these fifteen years completely dissipated. I recorded this final scene, put away my phone, turned around, and hailed a cab. Back home, I didn’t turn on the lights. In the darkness, I sat on the sofa, replaying that video over and over. Watching the hesitation that flashed across Lachlan’s face when he put on that ring, followed by his eventual surrender. None of it was an accident. That laptop, that wallpaper—all of it was a trap Tara had carefully designed. Just waiting for me, the legitimate fiancée, to personally uncover my husband’s other face. She’d succeeded. My world, along with those fifteen years of love, shattered completely. After sending this video to Zoey as well, I acted as if nothing had happened, quietly waiting for the day of the engagement party. Lachlan was probably feeling guilty—he became even more attentive and considerate toward me. The more he acted this way, the more disgusted I felt. The night before the engagement party, Lachlan excitedly brought over an exquisite gift box, his face wearing a tender smile. “Harper, come quick! Look at the dress I had custom-made for you. You’ll look absolutely beautiful wearing it at tomorrow’s engagement.” He opened the box like presenting a treasure. Inside was a champagne-colored mermaid gown. The hem was studded with tiny crystals that sparkled gently under the light. Then he knelt on one knee and opened a velvet box. Inside lay a diamond ring with an intricate design. The lines winding around the band were the composition from my painting Devotion. He looked up at me, his eyes brimming with love: “Harper, this is our Devotion. It will be like my love for you—eternal and unchanging.” “After tomorrow, you’ll be my wife. Harper, I’ve waited so long for this day.” His voice carried a barely perceptible nervousness, his fingertips trembling slightly. I looked at myself reflected in his eyes—the girl who had once been full of joy and hope for the future now felt only a barren coldness. I didn’t extend my hand. I just quietly watched him, watched the anticipation in his eyes gradually freeze and finally turn into unease. He asked tentatively, “Harper? Don’t you like it?” I slowly shook my head, my voice flat: “I like it. It’s beautiful.” He visibly relaxed and tried to take my hand to put the ring on me. But I gently moved away, taking the ring box from his hand. Looking at those winding lines, I suddenly smiled. “What if tomorrow… I ran away from the wedding? What would you do?”

“What are you talking about, silly?” Lachlan laughed and ruffled my hair: “If you ran, I’d turn the whole earth upside down to find you and lock you by my side.” I lowered my eyelids, hiding the mockery in my eyes: “Lachlan, if… if I did something to hurt you, would you forgive me?” The smile faded from Lachlan’s face. He cupped my face, forcing me to meet his eyes, his expression frighteningly serious. “Don’t say things like that.” His thumb caressed my cheek, his voice low: “Harper, between us, there’s no ‘hurting’ and no ‘forgiving.’” “You would never do anything to hurt me, just like I would never betray you.” He said it with such certainty, such apparent sincerity. I almost laughed out loud. Was this certainty based on his trust in me, or his confidence in his own acting skills? I said nothing more, letting him hold me in his arms, feeling that false yet familiar warmth. On the day of the engagement, before leaving, I took out my phone and sent Zoey a final message: “Proceed as planned.” The banquet hall was lively and warm. Both our parents and several close elders were there. Lachlan’s mother held my hand, beaming: “Harper is getting more beautiful every day. Our Lachlan marrying you is a blessing from eight lifetimes of good karma.” I smiled, playing the role of a bride-to-be immersed in happiness. Lachlan sat beside me, considerately serving me food, occasionally whispering sweet nothings in my ear. We looked so intimate that everyone envied us. Halfway through the dinner, Lachlan’s father cleared his throat and stood up, preparing to announce our official wedding date. Just as everyone’s attention focused on him, Lachlan’s phone vibrated. He picked it up, glanced at it, and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. Then he gave me a reassuring smile and lowered his voice: “Something urgent at the office. I’ll step out to take this call. Be right back.” He got up and hurried out. The moment the private room door closed, I stood up. Under everyone’s bewildered gazes, I walked to the front of the room and connected my phone to the huge screen that had been prepared to show our sweet memories. Zoey’s carefully edited video began to play. The entire room fell deathly silent. I heard Lachlan’s mother gasp, saw the shock drain all color from my parents’ faces. I picked up the microphone, my voice ringing clearly through the room: “I’m sorry, everyone. This engagement party is canceled.” With that, I put down the microphone and, under everyone’s stares, turned and walked out of that suffocating banquet hall. Lachlan was leaning against the window at the end of the corridor, softly coaxing Tara on the phone. “Okay, okay, it’s just a stomachache. As soon as the engagement party ends, I’ll come keep you company. Don’t cry, my baby.” Before he could hang up, a resounding slap landed hard across his face. Lachlan was stunned. He covered his face, looking up in disbelief. The next second, his father pointed at him, trembling with rage: “You disgraceful bastard! Get in there right now and see what you’ve done!”

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My best friend, Sophia, had just escaped an abusive marriage. After the divorce, she walked away with nothing. I took her in and let her move into my place. I traveled with her to help her heal, supported her through therapy, and bought her expensive jewelry and clothes. My boyfriend, Ethan, kept frowning. “Charlotte, we’re getting married soon. How can you spend all your money on Sophia?” For once, I snapped at him. “She’s my best friend. She’s at her lowest right now—how can you be so heartless?” Later, I had to leave for a business trip to the UK. Before I left, I asked Ethan to take care of her. But three months later, when I came home dragging my suitcase— I saw Sophia lying on the couch in a nearly sheer dress, while Ethan was giving her a massage. My blood ran cold. Looks like… he took very good care of her. The room fell into a moment of deathly silence. Only the laughter from a variety show on TV filled the air. Sophia was the first to react. She scrambled up from the couch and walked toward me, her face pale. “Charlotte… when did you get back? Why didn’t you tell us ahead of time? I… I could have picked you up.” Ethan stood quietly behind her, saying nothing. Sophia’s smile looked forced. “You must be tired. Let me get you some water.” She turned around frantically, grabbed a glass from the coffee table, and in her flustered state, knocked over the water pitcher, spilling water all over the floor. Ethan frowned and pulled out tissues to clean up. “Stop making things worse. You don’t know how to do this kind of thing anyway.” Though his tone was scolding, the intimacy in his words was unmistakable. The last trace of hope in my heart vanished completely. My hand gripped the handle of my bag unconsciously, leaving a deep mark on my palm. “When did this start?” Sophia froze and instinctively turned to look at Ethan. He remained calm, sweeping his arm to shield her behind him. “It has nothing to do with her. It’s my fault.” His tone was flat, as if he were talking about the weather. Ethan had an aloof personality—decisive and cold in business, composed and self-controlled. People always said he was unapproachable, that only with Charlotte Smith would he ever show emotion. I used to think I was his only exception. Until this moment, when he stood on the opposite side from me, using the calmest, coldest words to completely shut me out. Sophia looked panicked. “No… Charlotte, let me explain. We’re not…” I stood there quietly as she stammered but couldn’t come up with any explanation. I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. “Can’t even come up with a decent excuse?” Sophia’s face went even paler. Ethan held her trembling hands and said in a low voice, “It’s okay. I’ll handle this, all right?” He stepped forward and took my luggage. “Charlotte, let’s go outside and talk.” I looked at his face. In just three months, it had become so unfamiliar. Fighting back the sting in my eyes, my voice trembled slightly. “Ethan, this is my home. You’re telling me to leave?” He fell silent for a moment, his voice carrying a hint of pleading. “Charlotte, I’m asking you as a favor. She caught a cold yesterday and isn’t feeling well. Let her rest early, okay?” I pressed my hand hard against my chest. There was no visible wound, yet the pain felt fatal. Ethan picked up his coat from the back of the chair and spoke gently to Sophia. “Be good and go to sleep. Leave the rest to me. I’ll bring you pizza when I come back.” I rushed out the door before they could see the tears streaming down my face. In the hotel suite, Ethan sat politely and distantly on the far couch. He quietly smoked two cigarettes before speaking in a low voice. “This is my fault. Whatever compensation you want, I’ll give it to you.” “I was the one who fell first. Don’t blame her.” I dug my fingers into my palm and took a deep breath. “Why?” Ethan lit another cigarette and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Charlotte, you’re smart, calm, and capable. But Sophia is different. Without me, she can’t survive.” Through the dim red glow of his cigarette, I saw his face and found it utterly ridiculous. Before, as my best friend, Sophia was someone Ethan looked down on completely. He said she was dramatic and out of touch with society, a parasite living off others at home, a clinging vine that could only survive by latching onto someone else. Three months ago, when I had to go to England for business, I begged him repeatedly before he reluctantly agreed to help her occasionally when she needed it. Back then, he had been unusually childish, biting my face fiercely. “Charlotte, I’m not even married to you yet, and I already have to deal with your family affairs. You’re leaving me with this mess—you’d better compensate me well.” I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his lips, promising him that once I finished the project in England, we would get married. Now, in just three months, everything had changed.

Ethan stood up, pressed his lips together, and his expression grew complex. “I’ve wronged you. For the projects we’ve collaborated on before, I’ll give you 20% of the profits. If you need my help in the future, just ask.” “I only have one request—you’re very important to Sophia. She doesn’t want to lose you as a friend.” I looked up at him as if I’d heard the biggest joke in the world. Even my tears came out from laughing. Three months ago, I had used this very reason to ask him to take care of my best friend. Three months later, I had become the one being asked. I heard my voice trembling slightly. “Ethan, don’t you two think you’ve gone too far?” “What makes you think I, Charlotte, deserve to be trampled on by you? I’ll expose everything you’ve done to the public. If you dare do it, you should dare own it.” Ethan took a step back and narrowed his eyes slightly. “Charlotte, don’t throw a tantrum. You built everything from nothing and got to where you are today through hard work. Don’t destroy yourself over a momentary impulse.” His voice carried a hint of warning, making me shiver. Ethan looked down at me from above, completely adopting the posture of someone in power. People often said Ethan was cold and ruthless. I never agreed. But now I suddenly realized the rumors were true. He had simply given his tenderness to me before, and now he’d given it to someone else. “I’m going back. Without me, she won’t sleep well at night.” “I’ll take her away tomorrow. Sorry for the inconvenience tonight.” The door closed, and I finally collapsed onto the pillow, sobbing uncontrollably. Outside the window was the bustling city landscape. I had rushed home after a long journey, only to be placed in this cold hotel. A few hundred meters away, the two most important people in my life were being intimate in my home, in my bed. How ironic. The next day, I covered my swollen eyes with sunglasses and parked my car outside a dessert shop. Sophia wore her work uniform. When she saw me, her eyes lit up at first, then she lowered her head dejectedly. She brought me coffee and sat down across from me. Her smile was forced as she spoke carefully. “Charlotte, I know you’re angry with me. I’m sorry. I know you’ve been good to me. All these years, thanks to you…” “Look, I’m working now. Everything I owe you, I’ll definitely pay back…” I couldn’t help but sneer as I looked at her. She was just a baker, yet she wore jewelry worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. “Pay me back? With your current job?” Sophia froze. She had gotten married right after graduation and became a housewife. Her former husband had treated her decently, indulging her every whim. Combined with my unconditional support, Sophia’s life had been smooth sailing. Until six months ago, when her husband cheated with his secretary. Within two months, he had divided their assets and kicked her out. If I hadn’t arrived in time, she might have starved on the streets. She wanted to start a new life, but years of being disconnected from society made it hard for her to handle ordinary jobs. Fortunately, as a housewife she had enjoyed studying baking, so she applied to be a baker at this dessert shop. I said nothing, just gestured with my hand. The shop manager walked over respectfully and stood before me. “Ms. Smith, you’re here.” Sophia’s face went white, her eyes widening. I removed my sunglasses and spoke coolly. “After your divorce, you had a breakdown until you said you wanted to work and start a new life.” “Sophia, you’re not stupid. Why didn’t you wonder why you kept getting rejected everywhere, but then this dessert shop just happened to hire you—a baker with zero work experience?” “I gave you everything I had. Is this how you repay me?” Sophia’s eyelashes trembled as tears fell. Her voice shook badly. “I didn’t know… I didn’t know…” She suddenly grabbed my hand. “But he’s good to me. He loves me. Charlotte, you’re so capable—you’ll be fine without anyone. But I can’t.” “You said before that you’d share everything you have with me. I don’t want anything else anymore. I just want him, okay?” I looked at her quietly. We’d known each other since we were three—twenty-five years of friendship. In this moment, it became unrecognizable. “Since childhood, I’ve given you whatever you wanted.” “But Sophia, taking without asking—that’s stealing.”

When Ethan arrived, he saw Sophia nearly kneeling at my feet, crying hysterically. His expression changed. He strode over quickly and without a word pulled her up and shielded her behind him. His face was iron as he looked at me, almost grinding his teeth. “Charlotte, I told you if you have a problem, come at me. Don’t make things difficult for her.” “How much has she spent of your money all these years? Name your price. I’ll settle it all at once.” I looked at him and laughed coldly. “Mr. Hayes, you really are wealthy and generous. Unfortunately, what you two owe me can never be repaid in this lifetime.” Ethan’s face changed. He opened his mouth to retort, but then Sophia suddenly shouted, “Enough!” Her body trembled slightly, yet she lifted her head to look at me. “Charlotte, you owe me this. I don’t care if you resent me or hate me—I won’t give up. From now on, between you and me, we’re even.” She took off her work apron and took Ethan’s hand. The two of them left without looking back. I sat by the window. Outside, two girls in school uniforms passed by sharing an ice cream cone, laughing and chatting happily. Something felt cool on my face. I reached up and realized I was crying without knowing when it had started. Sophia and I met when we were three and had been inseparable from elementary school through college. Ever since I could remember, my parents had been in constant fights. They never divorced because they couldn’t agree on terms. Neither wanted to be burdened with me. Every time they smashed the house to pieces, Sophia would quietly push open the door to help me clean up the mess, then pull me away without a word and make me sit at her family’s dinner table. The year I graduated, Sophia sold her gold bracelet to scrape together my tuition. She licked her ice cream carelessly. “Hey, my grades aren’t great, but yours are so good—it’d be such a waste if you didn’t go to school.” “Don’t cry, Charlotte. I could tell long ago that you’re exceptional. When you get rich someday, just remember to buy me ten gold bracelets.” In my teenage years, Sophia was my first hero, the most important person in my life. When I got home, all traces of them were gone. I stared at the empty house in a daze. When I bought this place, I had set aside a room for Sophia. Back then, Ethan had been a bit unhappy about it. I just smiled and said it was my promise. At her wedding, I was the only bridesmaid. After catching the bouquet, I made her a promise: As long as I was here, she would always have a home to return to. But now, the one without a home was me. Ethan’s things were still in the house, things he hadn’t taken with him. Our competition certificates from college. Photos from our trips together. Matching toothbrushes in the bathroom. The blanket left on the couch and the unfinished book on the coffee table. When I closed my eyes, I could almost see how the two of them had rolled around on this couch together. I covered my mouth and rushed to the bathroom to dry heave, as if trying to empty my insides. Looking up at myself in the mirror, I looked haggard and unfamiliar. Ethan was my college classmate and teammate in entrepreneurship competitions. The day he confessed, his usually cold face was unusually flushed. “Charlotte, you’re the smartest and strongest girl I’ve ever met. Give me a chance to take care of you.” After graduation, I gained experience at a listed company, then quickly seized opportunities to start my own business. Ethan had helped me tremendously. He was my comrade-in-arms, my intimate lover. Because of him, I tried hard to move past my childhood trauma and attempted to accept and build a family. I had truly planned to spend my life with him. I looked at the face in the mirror and slowly clenched my fist. They had once been my reason for living, the goal I fought for with everything I had. Yet they had dealt me the most fatal blow. Why? So I took out my phone and dialed a number I hadn’t contacted in a long time.

Three days after making that call, Ethan stormed into my office in a rage. He slammed the door with earth-shattering force. “Charlotte, did you go to Sophia’s parents?” “Her mother called last night and scolded her for a full hour, saying she’s ungrateful, saying she’s wronged you. Sophia cried on the phone until she nearly fainted. Are you satisfied now?” I laughed lightly. “You two dare to do it but are afraid of others knowing?” Yet my heart ached sharply. I had always remembered how good the Morrison family had been to me. Over the years, I’d earned money and paid them back ten, even a hundred times over. Mrs. Morrison had apologized to me on the phone, her voice trembling with anxiety. But the person who should apologize most had said nothing. Ethan took a deep breath and suddenly calmed down. “Charlotte, I’m giving you one last chance. Apologize to Sophia right now, and I can pretend this never happened.” I felt like I’d heard the world’s biggest joke. “Apologize? I’m not the one who should be apologizing.” His face went cold. “Starting today, I’m terminating all cooperation with you. The East District project you’re pushing forward—the partner happens to be my contact. You know that without me, that project won’t go through.” “I’m giving you three days to think about it. Charlotte, you’ve been smart your whole life. Don’t be stupid now.” I watched his retreating figure, and the last trace of warmth in my heart vanished without a trace. When Ethan was good to someone, he’d offer them all the treasures in the world. But once he turned his back, he was truly ruthless. He did exactly what he said. Overnight, all partners withdrew their funding. The project stalled. The entire company was in turmoil. But I didn’t beg him. Ten years ago, I had no parents and clawed my way to success on my own. Ten years later, I could still carve out a bloody path forward. A month later, I received a message from Sophia. [Charlotte, Ethan and I are getting married next month. You’re the most important person in my life. I hope to have your blessing. I know I’ve wronged you, but I’m begging you, one last time, okay?] I glanced at it and continued with my meeting without replying. On the wedding day, I still showed up on time. Sophia stood beside Ethan like a delicate bird, her eyes full of sweet happiness. When they saw me, both their faces changed color. The hall full of guests suddenly fell silent. My relationship with Ethan over the years had never been a secret. In just six months, the bride had changed. Ethan instinctively moved in front of her, his eyes guarded. Sophia looked at me, tears shimmering in her eyes. “Charlotte… I…” I looked at the two of them and smiled softly. “Don’t be nervous. I promised I wouldn’t miss each other’s most important moments.” “So today, I came to give you a wedding gift.” Behind me, the large screen playing sweet wedding vlogs suddenly went black.

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During college. Ethan brought breakfast every day—two portions. One was for me, and one was for my roommate and best friend, Lily. But the breakfast he brought me was always just a slice of toast. Lily’s breakfast was a croissant with eggs and cheese, paired with a yogurt cup. Even on my birthday, the gifts he prepared came in pairs. My birthday gift was a simple greeting card. Lily’s were concert tickets, a Hermès bag, a couture dress, and a diamond ring. Finally, on our graduation trip, the three of us arrived at the station. The two of them smoothly scanned their QR codes and passed through. I was stopped outside. Ethan slapped his forehead in annoyance and gave an apologetic, sheepish smile. “I only remembered to book Lily’s ticket. I forgot yours.” “Look, we’ve already gone through, so don’t waste money. Next time I’ll take you on a trip, just the two of us.” Lily patted her chest and assured me. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn’t cheat.” Watching their backs as they walked away shoulder to shoulder, laughing and talking, I smiled bitterly. Not wanting to deceive myself anymore, I turned around and bought a ticket home. “Dad, you asked me to get married as soon as I graduated… I agree!” “That intern you asked me to recommend, Ethan… cancel his position!”

On the way home, Ethan kept sending me messages apologizing. “Aria, I really didn’t mean to.” “Who told you that a few days ago when I was halfway through buying the tickets, that troublemaker Lily got drunk outside?” “If I hadn’t gone to get her, and something happened to her, you definitely would have resented me.” I remembered a few days ago, I was on the phone with him in the dorm. Just as we were getting to the sweet part, the call suddenly cut off. I sent him countless question marks, but they sank like stones in the sea. Vaguely uneasy, I didn’t even bother putting on shoes and ran toward his dorm. On the way, a stone scraped off a large piece of skin from my foot, but I still limped forward through the pain. Instead, I came face to face with him, his expression dark, carrying a completely wasted Lily in his arms. He just brushed past me like that. The cold wind cut through my nightgown, making me shiver. Afterward, Lily took the iodine he’d given me and gently cleaned my wound. “Aria, he was just afraid I’d be in danger outside and make you worry.” “To be honest, this guy was doing it for you!” I opened my mouth several times, wanting to ask her. Why did you call him when you were drunk? Why, when you were in danger, did he ignore my existence? But I still couldn’t ask. Lily’s message popped up at that moment. “Didn’t you tell me you wanted to marry him after graduation?” “Think of these few days as me doing a deep investigation for you.” “How about that? Pretty big sacrifice on my part, right?” I stared at these lines of text—they were so glaring. Just yesterday, I had crawled into her bed, hugged her, and fantasized about the future. “Lily, you and Ethan are both important people in my life.” “After graduation, I’m going to marry him. You have to be my maid of honor!” Lily’s body stiffened in my arms, then relaxed. “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely appear at the same wedding as you.” My eyes gradually moistened, tears slowly falling one by one. I didn’t reply individually. I just typed word by word in our group chat of three. “Hope you guys have fun!”

After I got home, my father looked behind me and his expression darkened. “Weren’t you traveling with Lily? Where is she?” I forced a smile and stepped forward, linking my arm through his and acting cute. “I suddenly missed you, so I came back. Let her go have fun by herself!” His expression softened slightly, but his tone remained stern. “Aria, after all, Lily is the housekeeper’s daughter.” “The reason the Morgan family has supported her through college is so she can take care of you.” “If she can’t do that, I don’t mind cutting off her living expenses!” The smile disappeared from my face. My heart felt like it was being stabbed with needles. Lily had been brought into the Morgan household by Helen when she was seven. I remember her thin, frail body standing there timidly, like a stray kitten. When I learned that she’d been abused by her biological father and sometimes went days without a proper meal. As an only child, I treated her like a real sister. She had been part of nearly my entire life up to this point. Even though I knew Ethan’s feelings for me were slowly shifting. Even now, I didn’t believe she would betray me. My sad eyes dodged my father’s gaze in panic. I quickly put down my backpack to cover it up. “Okay, okay, I’m hungry!” My father’s instructing voice sounded behind me. “Tomorrow, meet with the heir of the Pierce family!” “If it goes well, we can start preparing for the wedding!” My whole body stiffened. After a long pause, I responded. “Okay!” I made plans with Nathan Pierce at a stylish café. I scrolled through my phone listlessly, waiting for him. Lily’s social media feed kept updating. They first went to the seaside to feed seagulls, then went to a church, and next were planning to climb a mountain. This was the detailed itinerary I’d spent a month preparing in advance. I had been so full of anticipation, but ultimately it came to nothing. As bitterness filled my heart, Lily video-called me. She excitedly introduced me to the beauty of the coastal city and kept praising Ethan. “I’m doing an inspection for you. So far, not bad.” “When I got tired walking, he carried me on his back. When I pouted, a cold drink appeared at my lips. He even knew to hold an umbrella to keep me from getting sunburned…” My perfunctory smile disappeared. My gaze fixed on her neck. Those red marks were like knives stabbing my eyes painfully. Perhaps seeing my expression was off, she unnaturally adjusted her collar. “Today… there’s a bit of wind, you know!” Before she could finish, a figure rushed over and hugged her. “I told you not to sleep naked with the AC on last night. You’re going to catch a cold, aren’t you?” “You’re not getting any more tonight…” Lily’s face showed panic. The video suddenly cut off. But I still recognized it… That was Ethan’s voice. My mind went blank. My hand froze in the air, not knowing where to put it. I desperately called Ethan, but no one answered. Until I was soaked in cold sweat and slowly regained consciousness. Only then did Ethan video-call me back. His eyes were full of tenderness, completely normal. “I was concentrating on picking out a gift for you. My phone was in my pocket and I didn’t hear it.” “Do you miss me? We’ll be back in a few days…” But through the video, I saw Lily hiding not far away. The jacket she was wearing was the Valentine’s Day gift I had dragged her along to pick out for Ethan. My heart felt like someone had punched it hard. My face went pale and I couldn’t breathe. I hung up the video in a panic. A cup of hot water was placed in front of me. It was Nathan Pierce. I forced a smile that looked worse than crying. “It’s an arranged marriage anyway. Nothing to talk about.” “If you have no objections, let’s prepare for the wedding!”

I was distracted and out of it all afternoon. I made an excuse about not feeling well and left in a hurry. On the way back. I looked at both their profile pictures and suddenly realized they looked like couple avatars. My hand felt as heavy as a thousand pounds. After hesitating for a long time, I chose to block and delete them both. I didn’t expect that the next day, Ethan and Lily would appear before me, travel-worn. Ethan scolded me with a dark expression. “Just because you blocked us, Lily was worried you’d misunderstand and rushed back overnight.” “How old are you, still playing the blocking game!” Looking at his familiar yet strange face, I felt dazed. In four years of college, Ethan had never once gotten angry with me. I always joked that he was mature beyond his years. Now I finally understood. Only when facing Lily would he lose control of his emotions. Lily cautiously stepped forward, took my hand, and explained. “Aria, did you misunderstand something? There’s nothing between Ethan and me.” My gaze touched her wrist—she was wearing the Cartier bracelet Ethan had me accompany him to carefully select not long ago. I had been full of anticipation, thinking he’d finally set his heart on me. Now it looked so ironic and glaring. I looked at the red marks on her neck that hadn’t yet faded and sneered. “Doing an inspection for me? Did you inspect his body while you were at it?” Lily’s face instantly went deathly pale. She unconsciously let go of my hand. Ethan supported her with concern. “Aria Morgan, how did you become so bitter and mean?” I could no longer control the anger in my heart and roared at them. “Then what do you want me to do?” “When I clearly see my boyfriend sleeping with my best friend, should I still act like a fool and let you play me?” “You’ve already had sex, so why won’t you admit it?” Ethan stepped forward and confronted me with his head held high. “Yes, I’ve been with Lily behind your back for two years now…” Lily frantically covered his mouth. “Don’t say it!” “Aria won’t be able to handle it…” He tightly gripped Lily’s hand and looked at me with blazing eyes. “Aria, you’re boring, dull, plain-looking, sensitive, and suspicious.” “If you hadn’t shamelessly clung to me, if Lily hadn’t been afraid of hurting you, I would have broken up with you long ago.” Hearing his vicious words, my whole body trembled. I still remembered our first meeting. I had fallen into the artificial lake trying to save a stray cat. He happened to pass by and jumped in to pull me out. His starry eyes looked at me and smiled. “How can there be such a silly girl? How interesting!” The resentment in my heart gushed out. I pointed at the door and screamed at them. “Get out! Both of you, get out of my house!” Instead of getting angry, Ethan laughed, crossing his arms and looking at me coldly. “Is this your house?” “This is Lily’s house. You’re the one who should get out!” I stared at Lily in shock. “What is he talking about?” Lily’s eyes darted away as she stood between us, looking at me pleadingly. “Aria…” “How about… you go to the maid’s room to cool off for a bit?” Ethan stepped forward and hugged her, reproaching her with displeasure. “You’re just too kind-hearted.” “She’s just a housekeeper’s daughter. Does the Morgan heiress need to speak to her so humbly?” Suddenly understanding, I laughed. “Helen!” Helen was Lily’s mother.

Seeing me call out her mother, Lily instantly panicked. Helen came out, her gaze wandering between us before finally settling on me. She stepped forward respectfully. I looked at Ethan and snorted coldly. “Explain to him who the Morgan heir really is.” Without hesitation, Helen answered. “Of course it’s you…” Lily suddenly raised her voice to interrupt her, then fell to her knees with a thud in front of me, her face already drenched with tears. “We’ve grown up together. Why make things so ugly?” “Is it my fault that Ethan fell in love with me?” “I’m kneeling before you now, isn’t that enough?” Helen’s brows furrowed tightly, her hands unconsciously clenching. Without any warning, she pressed me hard to the ground. “Of course it’s because you’re ungrateful, daring to make the Morgan heir kneel!” I looked at her in disbelief, but the sharp pain in my knees reminded me this was no illusion. Lily secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Ethan couldn’t help but laugh mockingly. “Aria, don’t think that just because you have the Morgan surname you can pretend to be the real heiress.” “Lily, as the Morgan family’s only daughter, not only treats you like a real sister, but has also paid for your tuition and expenses from childhood to now.” “You should be grateful!” He walked up to me, crouched down, and lowered his voice. “I received the notice to join Morgan Corporation a few days ago. Lily arranged it for me.” “If you stop making a scene, I promise you that after Lily and I get married, I’ll keep you on the side.” “Except for the title of wife, I can give you everything!” Enduring the pain, I raised my eyes to look at him. This was the man I’d loved for four years? I remember when we first got together, he held me and solemnly promised. “Aria, after graduation I’ll work hard to give you a beautiful future!” Now, for the sake of the so-called Morgan heiress, he was ruthlessly abandoning me. I slapped him hard across the face. “In your dreams!” Ethan’s expression instantly darkened. As if he’d already made himself the master of the Morgan household, he turned to look at Helen. “Helen, right?” “Although she and your family’s heir are as close as sisters, you can’t blur the line between master and servant!” “If you don’t give her a small punishment to make her recognize her place, she’ll continue to hurt Lily without restraint in the future.” Lily’s face showed conflict. She stepped forward and grabbed his arm. “That’s not necessary…” Ethan patted her hand and gently reassured her. “The Morgan family will be yours in the future. You’re too kind-hearted. I’m teaching you how to manage a household.” Watching the two of them showing off, I just felt disgusted. “Don’t believe your own act.” “Lily, you know exactly what your real identity is!” The hesitation in her eyes disappeared. She looked at me with venom and unwillingness. She shouted harshly at Helen. “What are you standing there for?” “Take her to the courtyard and make her kneel. Don’t let her get up until she apologizes to me.” Helen wanted to stop her, but in the end, her eyes darkened and she called over the servants. Under her authority, the servants hesitantly came forward and pressed me down on the hard floor of the courtyard. Lily walked over and patted my face. Her eyes held a calculating look I’d never seen before. “Aria, look. Now I’m the one in charge of the Morgan family.” “Tell me, if I killed you here, based on all our years of friendship, would Uncle Morgan adopt me as his goddaughter?” “Then I’d really be the Morgan heiress, wouldn’t I?” The scorching sun burned my skin. My knees felt like they were kneeling on hot coals. I glared at her furiously. “Lily, you wouldn’t dare!” She slapped me hard across the face. “I’ve had enough of being given handouts by you.” “We’re both human beings. You just happen to have a powerful father. I’m not willing to accept this. I’m not willing…” She slapped me crazily and viciously, one slap after another. As if she wanted to beat me to death right there. As I grew dizzy, I seemed to hear Nathan Pierce’s voice. “What are you doing?” Then came Lily’s scream.

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After arguing with my wife Charlotte, I just got out of the car to pick up a package. When I came back, my son Drake was gone. From that day on, I searched for Drake like a madman, living in guilt every single day. Charlotte pointed at my head and cursed: “Why don’t you just die? If we can’t find our child, we’re getting divorced!” From that day on, for four whole years, I gave up my career and life, searching for my child across the country 99 times, but every attempt ended in failure. Self-inflicted scars covered my entire body. I developed severe depression. Until the 100th time, I swallowed an entire bottle of sleeping pills. As I lay dying, I heard Charlotte talking with her childhood sweetheart Brown: “Charlotte, you’ve messed with him enough. When are you planning to tell William that the child was never lost? I can’t wait to see his expression.” Charlotte laughed and said unhurriedly: “No rush. This is what he gets for forcing me to abort our baby.” So four years of inhuman torture was just her way of punishing me. As she wished, this time I really died.

To be closer to Drake, I died in his nursery. Charlotte opened the bedroom door and found me absent, assuming I hadn’t come home yet. She turned and pulled Brown onto our bed together. Her tone was indifferent: “He probably believed some scammer again and ran off to the middle of nowhere.” Brown laughed loudly. “It’s not the first time. I’ve never seen anyone so stupid—he believes whatever scammers tell him.” “I remember once he ran into the mountains and almost didn’t make it back. When the police arrived, he was disheveled, holding a knife and going crazy. Three men were lying on the ground. I have no idea what happened.” As soon as he finished speaking, the temperature around Charlotte suddenly dropped. She pushed him away coldly. Brown realized he’d said the wrong thing and immediately circled her neck ingratiatingly, pressing his lips to her neck. “I won’t talk about it anymore, Charlotte. It’s been so long since we’ve been intimate.” Charlotte wrapped her arms around his neck, kissed his lips, and a wicked smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. “Don’t think I’m jealous. I just find him stupid.” “Back then, if he hadn’t been so controlling, I would never have divorced him.” “But he has a life on his hands. He deserves this suffering. He can’t blame anyone else.” With that, their clothes scattered across the floor. On this bed where we had made love countless times, the two of them became entangled passionately. I thought after death, people wouldn’t feel pain anymore, but my heart felt like it was being pierced by a thousand needles. Back then, she was the one who knelt before me, holding me and refusing to let go. “William, don’t leave me. I was drunk that day and mistook him for you. I’ll take care of the baby. Please believe me.” But I didn’t forgive her. I insisted on divorce. Charlotte went crazy, dragging Brown to apologize to me, then went to get an abortion herself. My heart softened. After struggling for months, I finally forgave her. The price was being fooled like an idiot for four years. The ambiguous moaning continued until midnight. The breathless Charlotte finally seemed to remember me, frowning toward the door. “Where the hell did William go? He didn’t even send a message about not coming home.” She called me. After a few seconds of silence, my phone suddenly rang in the house. Charlotte’s whole body stiffened as she looked sharply toward Drake’s nursery.

A flash of glee crossed Brown’s lips as he pretended to be nervous: “When did William come back? Did he hear us already?” Charlotte quickly put on her clothes and walked toward the nursery. I followed behind them, coldly watching Charlotte hesitate to push open the door. Finally, with a creak. After pushing open the door, she walked to the bedside. I was covered with a blanket, my whole body curled up inside. Charlotte’s face alternated between pale and flushed. She thought I was deliberately ignoring her. “William, since you know, I have nothing left to hide.” “Yes, I took Drake away, but you were wrong first.” She glanced at me, her tone pausing: “As long as you don’t cause trouble, we can keep living like this.” After she finished, the air was silent for dozens of seconds. Charlotte’s face looked ugly. She sneered. “You’re playing dead with me? Fine, let’s see how long you can keep this up!” I coldly watched her curse at me in exasperation, my heart completely unmoved. I was even curious what expression she’d have when she saw my corpse. Charlotte soon slammed the door and left, but before long she returned, holding a four-year-old child by the hand. My eyes immediately widened. I recognized this was my child Drake. His eyes looked exactly like mine. Tears immediately burst from my eyes. I rushed over wanting to hold him, but futilely passed through his body. Charlotte’s voice was somewhat triumphant as she threw the child onto the bed. “I’ve been keeping him at my mom’s place all this time. Now I’ve brought him back. Are you satisfied?” With that, she and Brown left the house again. Bastard, this bastard! Leaving such a small child here alone! In the pitch-black room, Drake cried in fear. My heart felt like it was being cut by knives. I tried to comfort him despite my grief. “Drake, don’t cry, Drake, I’m here…” But I was too foolish. How could a person hear a ghost’s voice? Drake curled up beside me and cried himself to sleep. I looked at Drake with overwhelming love, tears falling in sorrow. He must be so scared and hungry. Even his sleeping face showed pain. Like this, I stayed by his side all night until the next day when he groggily sat up. His childish voice was filled with panic. “Grandma, where are you? I’m hungry…” He rubbed his swollen eyes and carefully glanced at my corpse beside him. After hesitating for a long time, he said softly: “Can you get up and find me something to eat?” “I’ll be good. Just a little bit will be enough.” After a long silence, he dejectedly got out of bed. Then he picked up a bottle from the floor. I instantly broke down—it was my sleeping pills. There seemed to be a few pills remaining inside. My heart immediately jumped to my throat. But Drake was overjoyed. “Candy!” He poured some into his hand and looked back at me. Ingratiatingly, he said: “I’ll only eat three pieces. I’m so hungry.” With that, he impatiently put them in his mouth. “No!” I screamed shrilly, rushing over to stop him, but it was completely useless. The next second, with a bang, Charlotte pushed open the door. The moment she saw what Drake was doing, her eyes nearly split with rage. She rushed over and tried to force it out of Drake’s mouth. “Spit it out, spit it out quickly!” Drake was so frightened he burst into tears. “Don’t hit me, I won’t do it again, Mommy, I’ll never do it again.” Only after she’d gotten everything out did Charlotte’s deathly pale face slightly ease. She looked at me, her eyes full of disgust. But before she could speak, Brown first accused me: “William, you’re being so irresponsible. The child is so small—you could have killed him.” “I know you resent Charlotte for deliberately taking the child away, but you can’t take it all out on Drake!” He brazenly humiliated me while Charlotte coldly looked on. But if they looked closer, they’d see my skin was dry and waxy yellow, my body already faintly giving off a foul smell. But I was disappointed in the end. After standing for a full three minutes, Charlotte still picked up Drake and left. She took Drake to lunch, but remained distracted the whole time. Charlotte opened her phone. It had been almost two days since I’d last spoken to her. For some reason, she was unusually anxious. Because I never gave her the silent treatment. Because I’d once told her: “When something happens, don’t run away. I like to solve things directly.” Even when I caught her cheating, even though I was devastated, I still didn’t retreat. Charlotte’s mind suddenly buzzed as she realized something might have really happened to me. She stood up abruptly, muttering to herself: “Something’s wrong. He’s not right.” With that, she turned to rush back home.

But Brown suddenly said: “I saw William get up to eat yesterday.” Charlotte paused and slowly turned around. She repeated: “He got up yesterday?” Brown nodded, his expression somewhat awkward. “Yeah, I talked to him but he ignored me and even told me to get out…” Charlotte’s face immediately became extremely ugly. She sneered twice and sat back down. “I knew it. He’s faking it. Looks like he was just pretending to love Drake all along. He almost killed Drake!” I floated above, smiling bitterly. I wasn’t faking illness—I was really dead. Watching the triumphant smile on Brown’s lips, I really wanted to know if he could still smile when the truth came out. I floated back home and stayed with my corpse for a few more hours. My phone suddenly made a sound. It was my mother. Not having received a message from me for two days, she must have sensed something was wrong. She called three times in a row before the ringing finally stopped. Sure enough, within half an hour, she rushed over. Breathing rapidly, face tense, she came in and went straight to the bedroom. “William, William?” Not finding anyone, she went to the guest room, finally entering the nursery. “Ah! William!” A shrill scream pierced the sky. The rest of the scene was too painful for me to watch. Mom cried inconsolably, holding me and rocking back and forth. “How could you bear to leave me alone! How am I supposed to live!” Several hours later, Mom took me away. When the door opened again, it was Charlotte reeking of alcohol. She pushed away Brown who was supporting her and headed straight for the nursery. “William, how long are you going to keep playing dead!” As her words fell, she froze in place. The bed was empty. I was already dead. Her heart spasmed twice. She sneered: “Can’t keep it up anymore? Now you’ve learned to run away from home! Then get lost and never come back.” She returned to the living room and plopped down. Brown curled his lip in disgust: “Walking away is one thing, but making the house smell so bad—it really makes me want to vomit.” Charlotte seemed not to hear. Something occurred to her and she walked to the bedroom, yanking open the closet. All my clothes inside were untouched. She instantly felt relieved. “I thought you had some backbone, but you didn’t even take your clothes. You just want me to come begging, don’t you? Keep dreaming.” She relaxed and even let Brown move in. “Since he doesn’t care, let’s see how long he can hold out.” I looked on coldly, my soul floating in the room. Over the next few days, Charlotte lived it up, taking Brown to all kinds of public venues. But she didn’t become happier—instead, she grew increasingly gloomy. Finally, on the seventh day of my disappearance, she couldn’t hold out anymore. She brought Drake back. She opened my Twitter and ordered Drake to call for daddy. Drake was frightened and didn’t speak. Charlotte’s face darkened as she roared: “Call him! Are you deaf? I told you to call for daddy! Do you hear me!” Drake’s fear reached its peak. He burst into tears with a wail. I was filled with rage, wishing I could flay her alive. Drake was only a four-year-old child. To torture me, she would do anything! “Daddy, daddy, daddy…” Charlotte got what she wanted and sent the voice message. “William, do you still want your child or not? Are you just going to let him cry like this as his father?” Brown came over and hugged her, his voice gentle: “Don’t be angry, Charlotte. Since he’s so heartless, why do you still care about him? This kind of person doesn’t deserve to be a father.” Charlotte was silent for a long time. She looked at her phone, which still showed no response. She couldn’t hold back anymore and directly called me. Once, twice, three times—nothing changed. Still no answer. With a bang, Charlotte smashed her phone.

Brown was frightened, not understanding why she was so angry. He just said with a trembling voice: “Charlotte, the child’s here. Don’t be angry. At worst, divorce him. Why make yourself suffer?” The word “divorce” seemed to sting Charlotte. Her eyes turned bloodshot. She suddenly laughed. “Divorce? Wouldn’t that just let him off easy?” She took a deep breath, picked up the phone with its screen shattered to pieces, and called my mom. After a long ring, my mom answered in the last second. Before she could speak, Charlotte said urgently: “Mom, where did William go? I want to talk to him.” Mom’s voice was hoarse, each word seeming to burst from her throat one by one. “You bastard, you’ll never see him again in this life. Are you satisfied now?” Charlotte was stunned, not understanding what she meant, but before she could speak, the call was disconnected. Charlotte’s face flushed red. She cursed and opened my chat window, typing viciously: “William, you don’t want to live like this anymore, right? Fine, I’ll grant your wish. Get your ass back here and I’ll divorce you!” Still no reply. Hearing she wanted a divorce, Brown was so happy he couldn’t contain himself. He immediately ran to the bedroom to look for documents. But just as he ran out, he saw Charlotte pick up the still-sobbing Drake. She rushed out the door. “Charlotte, where are you going? Charlotte!” Charlotte didn’t look back as she floored the accelerator. I floated to the back seat to accompany Drake, my heart filled with hatred. “Bitch, driving so fast—where are you going? Aren’t you afraid of an accident? Aren’t you worried about Drake getting hurt!” But soon I knew her destination. Charlotte stood breathlessly at my family’s door, pounding on it viciously. “William, open the door! I know you’re in there! Don’t be a coward—if you have something to say, say it to my face!” With a creak, the door slowly opened from inside. Charlotte’s angry expression hadn’t faded when her whole body froze in horrified shock.

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To earn some extra money for the household, I secretly opened an online sex toy shop without telling my wife Victoria. I hoped that once I made enough money, I could surprise her. Especially on Valentine’s Day, I had dozens of pre-orders lined up. I packed and shipped everything early, but I never expected the first order’s delivery address to be my own home. I was stunned. After checking the phone number and name repeatedly, I confirmed it was an order placed by Victoria! But Victoria was away on a business trip. She’d already been gone for a week. Worried about a mix-up, I called Victoria after careful consideration, deliberately using a video call. Three seconds later, Victoria answered right on time. The screen showed her inspecting a factory. The garment workshop was full of people, and the noise was constant. “What’s wrong, honey? Do you miss me? You’re calling me so early!” Victoria’s sweet smile instantly dispelled the dark clouds in my heart. I went along with what she said, deliberately walking outside so she wouldn’t see the shop I’d secretly opened. “Yeah, I miss you.” “Then say you miss me! It’s Valentine’s Day today. Shouldn’t you show me something?” “Of course I will.” I smiled, hung up the phone, and transferred $5,000 to Victoria to express my love. She quickly accepted it and replied with a kiss emoji, saying her flight would land tonight and she’d come home. After the transfer, I got even more orders. They kept popping up, and business was booming. I didn’t think much of the first order. I marked it as out of stock and contacted the buyer for a refund, thinking it was just a mix-up. But an hour later, another order came to my home address. The recipient was still Victoria, with the same phone number. She’d ordered several more items—things that rarely sold in my shop. They were more discreet and more expensive. At first, I got excited, thinking I’d landed a big order. But after I saw the address clearly, I felt uneasy. I thought Victoria had discovered I was running a sex toy shop and was deliberately placing orders to tease me. But when I called her again, it kept showing no one was answering. I had no choice but to mark it as out of stock for a refund and bury myself in other orders. But another hour later, another order came from the same address! This time was even more outrageous. She ordered fifteen bottles of liquid products and specifically noted that they should be delivered upstairs, with an additional tip promised. The tip wasn’t small either. As soon as the order appeared, several delivery drivers spotted it because she’d also selected express one-on-one delivery. Soon, several delivery drivers arrived at my online shop, urging me to pack and ship quickly. “Boss, hurry up! This is one-on-one express delivery, and the price is good! If I take this order, it’s worth more than two hours of my regular work.” I looked troubled and was about to mark it as out of stock when the delivery driver noticed. “Hey! Don’t mark it out of stock. No matter what you’re missing, you need to wait until I deliver it before you communicate with the buyer. I finally got such a good order.” “But I really don’t have enough stock!” “Well, there’s nothing we can do about that. You can refund the difference to them later! It’s fine. I’ve taken many orders like this. I know how it works.” Seeing the delivery driver was determined to deliver this order, I had no choice but to prepare the goods. As I packed the goods and handed them to the delivery driver, an idea suddenly came to mind. “how about this… I’ll give you another tip. You just need to help me with one thing after you deliver the goods!”

The delivery driver paused and looked at me thoughtfully. “Do what? Tell me first.” I smiled awkwardly and made up a lie on the spot. “To be honest, this address belongs to my friend’s house. I think he’s messing with me, deliberately causing me trouble! I want to ask you for a favor. After you deliver the goods, just secretly take a photo of the person who signs for it.” “No way! What if I get caught? The buyer will grab me and won’t let me leave. Wouldn’t that delay my work?” “It’s okay. You don’t have to photograph their face. Or you can just look and send me a message.” The delivery driver hesitated, then made an “OK” gesture at me. I nodded in agreement, and he immediately left with the goods, laughing as he walked, sharing with Victoria how much he was earning today. Twenty minutes later, the delivery driver privately messaged me with a line of text that startled me. “Signed for. There’s a woman there, looks about thirty years old! Dressed pretty sexy. She tipped me $200.” Someone was actually home? And it was a woman! My alarm bells went off immediately. Could Victoria have come home early without telling me? I had just lied to Victoria saying I needed to work overtime for a promotional sale and wouldn’t be done until at least midnight. Could she have taken advantage of this window to come home? But why would she order these things? An uneasy premonition spread through me. Faced with order after order popping up, I no longer felt any joy. I could only pack goods numbly like a robot. The questions in my mind confused me one after another. I was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, eagerly pressing the delivery driver for what happened next. “Didn’t you take a photo? Did you see anyone else in the room?” “I took a few photos, just a bit blurry, but you can still see them! I think there was a man in the room too, because there was a pair of men’s leather shoes in the living room. I photographed those too. I’ll send them to you.” “Ding dong” several times, and I received three photos from the delivery driver. The first two were photos of a woman wearing a short skirt and black stockings. Her face wasn’t visible, but her figure looked exactly like Victoria. Those black stockings were torn in several places. Even though the photos were blurry, I could see it clearly, as if something intense had happened in the room. The last photo showed the men’s leather shoes, neatly placed in my entryway. They looked expensive—a brand I’d never worn. The size and style clearly wouldn’t fit me. So… Victoria brought another man home? My head heated up, and my heart exploded. Combined with all the items Victoria had ordered, I was about to lose it completely! But then the delivery driver added another comment that made me even angrier. “Oh, by the way, when I went to deliver, I ran into another delivery driver. They seemed to have delivered sexy lingerie, and there was a large bouquet of red roses at the door. Looks like this woman is pretty popular.” I collapsed, slumping in my chair for a long time, unable to recover. With trembling hands, I thanked the delivery driver and added another $100 to the agreed tip as thanks. Now I completely lost my motivation to prepare and pack goods. I wanted nothing more than to grab my car keys and rush home. But soon more delivery drivers came, all urging me to process orders. After all, on a special day like this, suddenly closing the shop or marking everything out of stock would affect all three parties.

I had no choice but to grit my teeth and continue, numbly preparing goods, packing, and shipping like a robot. I stayed busy for five hours straight. When I saw the online shop’s revenue dozens of times higher than usual, I didn’t feel that rush of excitement. I just felt heavy inside, as if a needle was stuck in my heart. During those five hours, Victoria didn’t call me back. She didn’t even send me a single message. When I finally sat down to catch my breath after finishing, my phone received another order. I opened it. It was my home address again, Victoria’s name and phone number again! This time she ordered some mechanical items—very wild and very private, and quite expensive. I really couldn’t understand what she was up to. Why would she order these things! Half a day had passed, and she still hadn’t had enough? This was getting ridiculously crazy! Now I wasn’t just in a state of collapse—I’d turned completely angry. I wanted nothing more than to grab a steel pipe, break down my door, and see what the hell was going on. Unwilling to give up, I called Victoria several more times, but still no one answered. That’s when I realized I might have been blocked. Soon after, that delivery driver came again, grinning from ear to ear. “Boss, you’re really lucky! Your friend keeps giving you business, literally throwing money at you! I got this order again—another $200 tip!” I couldn’t even force a smile. My hands were trembling. The delivery driver, still oblivious, kept urging me. “Hurry, boss! Won’t you do this money-making business? But is your friend playing too wild? Can they handle this all day?” I was confused too. It seemed I was the one who couldn’t handle it. I didn’t want to look at the shop anymore. I just wanted to rush home as fast as possible. Just then, the delivery driver suddenly gave a low cry. “Hey, boss! Your friend contacted me and asked me to help bring something.” “What thing?” “A suitcase. She specifically noted it should be red, 12 inches.” Didn’t she bring a suitcase when she went on her business trip? Why buy another one? What game was she playing? What suspense was she selling! Furious, I pinched myself hard to stay calm. I temporarily dismissed the idea of going home to look, wanting to see what Victoria was really up to. So I took out another $1,000 as a tip and basically hired the delivery driver for the rest of his day, hoping he’d help me see clearly when he delivered again. “Just do what she says. Buy whatever she wants. The tip won’t be small anyway. I have another favor to ask. After you deliver the goods, don’t leave right away. Stay downstairs or in the stairwell and help me see what she’s really doing.” The delivery driver hesitated, as if he’d seen murder in my eyes, and suddenly panicked. “You’re not going to do anything illegal, are you? Don’t drag me into trouble!” I shook my head. I had no choice but to tell the truth. “I’ll be honest with you! That’s my house. The person placing the order is my wife. I have to watch the shop right now and can’t go there. I can only ask you to help me see what she’s doing at home. Please!” “I’m willing to add another $200—$1,200 total as a tip. Don’t take any more orders after this. Just help me see clearly, okay?”

“Alright… but let me be clear upfront. I’m only responsible for helping you look. I’m not involved in anything else, and nothing has anything to do with me! You need to record a video promising me that no matter what happens, it won’t implicate me.” “I promise! I promise!” After some hesitation, the delivery driver agreed. After recording a video of my promise, he took the goods and left. Twenty minutes later, the delivery driver reached my apartment complex and messaged me. “I’m here. I’m going upstairs now.” A minute later, he sent me a photo of my front door, saying there was another bouquet of flowers at my door. I opened the image. Sure enough, there were now two bouquets at my door—clearly expensive. On Valentine’s Day, they were definitely high-quality, premium flowers, with prices doubled or tripled. But Victoria didn’t care at all. She just left them at the door without bringing them inside. I asked the delivery driver to check if there were any notes on the flowers or any other gifts. The delivery driver looked all around, even checked the garbage bag at the door, but found no trace of anything. Before the delivery driver knocked to deliver the goods, I video-called him, telling him to act natural holding his phone, mute it, and let me see the scene to see who was actually inside. The delivery driver did as I asked, pointing the camera at my front door. The moment the door opened, my heart jumped to my throat, as if it was about to burst out of my chest! I was incredibly nervous, covering my chest and taking deep breaths. Sure enough, I saw someone in my home, and there was a pair of men’s leather shoes in the entryway. Soon, a familiar figure walked out from inside. But I couldn’t see her face. The delivery driver was also nervous, not daring to raise the camera. I could only hear a woman’s gentle voice. “You’re a bit late this time, but it’s okay. I’ll still give you a good review. By the way, did you bring what I asked you to get?” I was shocked… The voice was identical to Victoria’s! Now I completely lost control. I slammed my fist hard on the table and continued listening to her conversation with the delivery driver. “I brought it. I bought a 12-inch red suitcase like you said, and the things you ordered on the platform—I brought everything.” “Good. Wait a moment. I’ll get your tip.” “Okay. This stuff is kind of heavy. Let me help you carry it inside.” To let me see clearly, the delivery driver deliberately held his phone upright against his chest. I could clearly see the furnishings and layout inside—it was definitely my home, exactly the same! As soon as he entered, I could see our wedding photo hanging in the living room. Absolutely no mistake. Victoria’s clothes were scattered on the sofa, along with a strange man’s suit jacket and pants. Through a crack in the half-open bedroom door, I could vaguely see a shirtless man moving around inside. A minute later, Victoria finally came out, handing several hundred dollars in tips to the delivery driver, telling him not to talk about this. The delivery driver accepted the money with both hands and bowed to Victoria in thanks. As he bent down, the phone camera captured Victoria’s face, and I saw it crystal clear! This was definitely Victoria! At that moment, my heart shattered like debris. I had to accept the fact that Victoria was cheating. At midnight, I returned home exhausted. I’d already drunk two bottles on the way. Dizzy and disoriented, I opened the door, planning to confront Victoria and ask for a divorce. But when I entered, there was no one home. It was completely quiet all around, with no trace left behind. Just as I was puzzled, the door opened shortly after. It was Victoria, pulling her suitcase, walking in exhausted. She said she’d just gotten off the plane and took a cab home. As for what happened during the day, she acted as if nothing had occurred. I was about to question her, but when I saw the suitcase behind her clearly, I broke out in a cold sweat…

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “386454”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

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