After I started dating Zachary Goodwin, I overheard his twin brother say: “Bro, let me pretend to be you and play with Lily for a bit.” Zachary carelessly replied, “Sure.” I pretended not to know and dated the fake Zachary. But when Zachary saw the marks on my neck, he went berserk. Grabbing his brother’s throat, he demanded: “Who gave you permission to touch her?!” That night, just after I finished showering, Zachary sent me a message. It was the address of a high-end nightclub. I gripped my phone tightly, not replying. Zachary sent another message: “Don’t keep me waiting too long, Lily.” I sighed and replied, “Coming right away.” I quickly got dressed and as soon as I left the bathroom, I saw my stepfather standing outside the door. His cloudy eyes were filled with a nauseating desire. “All covered up after a shower? Are you going out?” My stepfather approached me, smoking a cigarette. I stepped back, keeping my distance: “Zachary wants to see me.” Hearing those words, my stepfather stopped in his tracks, seemingly afraid. I took advantage of this moment to quickly move past him and open the door. “Shameless girl, you think finding Zachary as your protector means I can’t touch you? Using him to threaten me.” My stepfather spat viciously behind me. I turned back and gave him a cold look, “Would you dare?” Then I slammed the door shut. The sound of the door closing mixed with my stepfather’s curses reached my ears.

When I arrived at the nightclub, I noticed how luxuriously it was decorated, with all the guests dressed in expensive clothes. In my hoodie, I stood out like a sore thumb. As the waiter led me to the VIP room on the top floor, I could already hear voices from inside. “Bro, I heard Lily’s been really good to you?” “Let me pretend to be you and play with her for a bit.” As soon as these words were spoken, a chorus of jeers erupted: “Damn, Harrison, you’re openly trying to steal your brother’s girl!” “You don’t get it, Lily’s so pure. She makes soup for Zachary, coaxes him to take medicine, who could resist that kind of tenderness?” “But would the great Mr. Goodwin be willing to share?” “Don’t be stupid, Zachary and Harrison are so close, it’s not like they haven’t done this before.” … After the teasing died down, Zachary’s deep voice finally sounded: “Sure, consider it my welcome home gift to you.” His voice carried a carefree laugh. The jeering grew louder. The waiter stood there, looking at me awkwardly. As the person in question, I didn’t show any emotion. I smiled at the waiter and pushed open the door to the VIP room. When I first approached Zachary, it was only to gain the Goodwin family’s protection. So I wouldn’t be bullied at school or coveted by my stepfather at home. As for who exactly I was getting close to, I didn’t care.

As I entered the room, the young men inside whistled at me. Quite the playboys. I wore a gentle smile as I walked towards the center of the sofa. Zachary and Harrison sat together, looking at me with ambiguous gazes. Like predators waiting for their prey to enter the trap. They had identical faces. The same pale skin, both extremely handsome. “Lily, you’re here.” A hand reached out to me, pulling me to his side. I looked at that face, inwardly sneering. Although Harrison and Zachary looked the same, their auras were completely different upon closer inspection. Zachary exuded a gloomy, oppressive air. Harrison was arrogant and wayward. But it didn’t matter to me. I didn’t care if he was Zachary or Harrison. As long as he could let me finish my exams safely and leave that rotten home, it was fine. I naturally took Harrison’s hand, as if I really thought he was Zachary. Harrison was pleased with my action, and after interlocking our fingers, he pointed to the person beside him: “My brother, Harrison.” I saw Zachary frown at this introduction, but he quickly composed himself and nodded at me. As if we were really meeting for the first time. I also greeted him politely, then turned to Harrison with a loving gaze: “Zachary, I bought some hangover medicine on the way. Would you like to take one first?” I had said this to Zachary many times before. Every time he drank, I would prepare hangover medicine for him. After sending him home, I would make him a warm soup for his stomach. Harrison looked at the medicine in my hand, his eyebrows twitching slightly as he smiled: “Sure, why don’t you feed it to me?” From the corner of my eye, I saw Zachary holding a cigarette but not smoking it, lost in thought. I brought the medicine to Harrison’s lips, feeding it to him.

After drinking in the VIP room, someone suggested playing a game. “The people with the 3 of clubs and 6 of clubs have to kiss for thirty seconds.” One of the guys shuffled the cards and gave the order. Harrison and I revealed our cards at the same time. “Oh, looks like we’ve got a couple here.” The guy was a good friend of the Goodwin brothers and knew about this boyfriend-swapping game. He now looked around nervously. Harrison held my chin and was about to kiss me. A dull thud sounded from beside us. Zachary had violently kicked the coffee table in front of him. He stood up, looking down at us: “I’m tired. Let’s call it a night.” Harrison paused at my lips, his eyes turning cold. After a moment, he let go of me and stood up: “You’re right. I forgot Harrison just got back today. Let’s end it here then.” Harrison looked at the grim-faced Zachary, continuing the act. Before we left, I gently zipped up Harrison’s open jacket: “It’s windy outside and very cold. You just recovered from a fever, don’t catch a chill.” As I said this, Zachary was standing right behind his brother, staring at me intently. He had a fever a few days ago, and I went to his house to take care of him, coaxing him to take medicine, making him soup and porridge. “Zachary, let’s go home.” Harrison was stunned for a few seconds before gently embracing me. As we were leaving with Harrison, the silent Zachary finally spoke: “Lily.” I stopped and turned back, looking at him like a stranger. Zachary’s brows furrowed, his voice deepening: “Who do you like?” I smiled at him mockingly, then looked up at Harrison who was holding me: “It’s Zachary. The person I like is Zachary Goodwin.” Harrison’s expression gradually cooled at my words. Yet he still insisted on continuing the act.

Zachary thought I loved him deeply. Everyone around him thought I loved him deeply. But they didn’t know that this was just an elaborate scam I had planned exclusively for Zachary Goodwin. I was just trying to survive, to leave my suffocating home. If illness hadn’t taken my father away, I would have been a girl who grew up in wealth and love. Although I lost my mother when I was very young, my stepmother had always been good to me. She would make me sweet cookies, tell me stories, and cover for me when my dad scolded me for being lazy. I thought I would grow up happily like this. But on my 12th birthday, My dad collapsed at home and was diagnosed with late-stage cancer. After a year of treatment, he still left us. I remember that day in the hospital, my dad held my hand and wiped away my tears: “It’s all Dad’s fault, I couldn’t let Lily have her 12th birthday cake.” “This year for your 13th birthday, Dad won’t be able to be with you. You won’t be mad at Dad, right?” I was crying so hard I could barely breathe, I could only shake my head. I didn’t want a birthday cake, I only wanted my dad. If I could, I would trade all my future birthday cakes for my dad to be healthy and safe. But the heavens didn’t hear my prayers. At that moment, his last words to me were: “You must live on well, Lily.” Later, my dad passed away. My stepmother tried to do business with the inheritance my dad left, but ended up being scammed out of everything. I became the biggest burden. My grandfather didn’t want me. My maternal grandparents had long passed away. The only person I could call family was my stepmother, who no longer loved me.

After my dad passed away, my stepmother often scolded me. “What are you looking at? I’m not going to raise you. It’s all because your dad was short-lived!” My stepmother pushed me away as she berated me, getting into a taxi without looking back. Ignoring my scraped knees, I got up and chased after her, crying: “Mom, please don’t abandon me. I’ll be good, I’ll eat very little.” I don’t know how long I chased, but the car finally stopped. I saw my stepmother’s eyes were red, filled with hatred and helplessness. And so, I began to rely on my stepmother for survival. Later, she remarried. The man was ten years older than her. This marriage became my hell. On the first night we moved in with my stepmother, the man opened my locked room door with a key. When I ran out to tell my stepmother, I received a slap. “Don’t spread lies here. He was just worried you might kick off your blanket and catch a cold. If you dare ruin my marriage, get out!” After that, every time I returned to my room, I would push the desk against the door. Then at midnight, I would stand by the bed, holding scissors, watching the door being pushed. Once, twice, three times. Only when the person outside finally gave up would I dare to sleep. At that time, school became my only sanctuary. No disgusting stepfather, no cold stepmother. But this sanctuary also became hell after a mock exam. I had just happily gotten first place for myself. The next second, I was dragged into the bathroom and doused with a bucket of cold water. I was held down and couldn’t fight back. The mastermind was a pretty transfer student, I remember her name was Chloe Lambert. “Lily, it’s all because of you that I only got second place this time. Do you know how many beatings I got at home?” Chloe gripped my chin, looking at me like a rat. As the slaps fell, I heard someone beside Chloe counting. It was long and torturous. When I told the teacher about this incident, I only got one response: “Chloe is an excellent student, she wouldn’t do such a thing.” “When there’s conflict between classmates, you need to be understanding and forgiving of each other.” At that moment, I realized it wasn’t that Chloe wouldn’t do it, but that the Lambert family was too powerful, and they didn’t dare to intervene. As I was leaving the office, I saw a boy walking towards me, surrounded by people. Judging by everyone’s reactions, They all seemed to be afraid of him.

When I returned home in wet clothes, I saw the man who was supposed to be on vacation with my stepmother. He looked at me lecherously. It made me sick. “Lily, why are you in this state?” “Don’t call me that!” I growled, searching for any sign of my stepmother. “What are you looking for? That woman isn’t home, she’s on vacation.” “I told her there was a problem with the business at home that needed to be dealt with, so I asked her to wait for me at the destination.” The man stood up and walked towards me step by step. I fumbled for the new craft knife in my backpack. “Lily, you’re getting prettier and prettier.” The man’s gaze deepened. As if he couldn’t resist anymore, he lunged at me. I slashed the knife hard, blood gushing from his forearm. “You little bitch!” The man roared in pain. “Touch me again, and I’ll kill you. I don’t care if I have to fight to the death with you.” I put the knife back in my backpack and ran out. I had lied to the man. I did care about my life. Because I had promised my dad that I would live on well. Suddenly, I thought of the boy I had brushed past earlier that day. I think I heard them call him Zachary Goodwin. I had a new idea.

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My boyfriend, known as the Silent Boy, has a condition that only one surgery in the world can cure, and it comes with a price tag of a million dollars. I’ve been saving every penny, working tirelessly to pay for it, and I was almost there. But one day at work, I overheard him speaking with a chilling voice: “Just one line to get a woman to spend a million dollars on me, and I’ve won my challenge.” “Crash!” The fruit platter I was holding slipped from my hands, shattering on the floor. The Silent Boy I yearned for turned to look at me. “Emma, what are you doing here?” Declan was shocked to see me, barely able to murmur my name. Hearing his voice made my heart miss a beat, and I felt a numbing pain throughout my body. With tears in my eyes, my voice trembling, I asked: “So… Declan, you’re not mute? You’ve been able to talk all along, haven’t you?!” My question left Declan flustered. He scrambled to explain: “Emma, I didn’t mean to, I just… just…” He stammered for a long time but couldn’t even manage a lie. I felt a deeper chill inside. I clutched my chest, feeling like a part of my heart was being carved out. I closed my eyes, forcing myself to stay calm. After composing myself, I looked at him, eyes red, and demanded: “Declan, do you realize how much I’ve sacrificed to help you get treated?” “I sold the house my parents left me, pawned all my jewelry, and worked five jobs a month. I didn’t spend a single penny on myself, saving everything to help you get treated so I could hear your voice.” “And now… you tell me you could always speak? This was just a game for you, a Rich Kid’s amusement?!” The more I thought about it, the more wronged I felt, and I broke down, screaming at him: “What is real?! Declan, tell me, what is real?!” After my outburst, my voice weakened, and I almost collapsed from exhaustion. Declan reached out to steady me, his fingers brushing against my hands, which were rough and calloused from endless work. Perhaps thinking of all the hardships I endured for him, guilt reddened his eyes too. He pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly. “Emma, I’m sorry, I owe you. I’ll make it up to you, and I promise to treat you twice as well in the future.” This was his usual way of comforting me. When we lived together in that cramped rented apartment, whenever I was upset and vented at him, he’d hold me like this, gently patting my back. I thought it was because he couldn’t speak and wanted to comfort me and make me feel safe. Now I realize he just found me annoying and was brushing me off. This time, it didn’t work on me. I pushed him away, eyes red, staring at him. “Declan, did you enjoy playing with me?” Faced with my question, Declan seemed at a loss too. He looked down in silence for a long time before speaking: “I’ll compensate you, with two million dollars. Don’t worry, I won’t treat you poorly.” “Heh.” Hearing his words, I couldn’t help but laugh coldly. So… in his eyes, I was just a woman who could be dismissed with money.

I couldn’t help but recall our past. Declan was hard to care for. He would rather go hungry than eat cheap takeout with me. So, to take good care of him, I would buy groceries at the farmers’ market every day after work and cook for him. I wouldn’t let him eat bargain food; I always got the best organic vegetables. At first, my cooking wasn’t great, and he’d barely eat a few bites. Seeing this pained me, so I learned his preferences and honed my cooking skills. During meals, I’d always give him the food he liked first. Back then, seeing him eat just one more bite made me so happy. Now, as I looked down at the fruit platter shattered on the ground. In this upscale club, this ordinary fruit platter cost 1888, which was five months of my living expenses. I had to deliver hundreds of orders and make countless crafts to earn that. Looking at his expensive attire, every piece costly. Thinking of this, I couldn’t help but sigh: “Declan, you really went through a lot to deceive me, huh.” Faced with my sarcasm, Declan had no words, only shamefully lowering his head. As we were at an impasse, a delicate hand climbed onto Declan’s shoulder, whining: “Declan, who’s this? Why are you talking so long?” Both Declan and I froze. Declan instinctively straightened up. I felt a chilling coldness from head to toe. I knew that woman’s face all too well. Celeste! How could it be her?! Celeste clearly recognized me too. Unlike my embarrassment, she boldly walked up and kissed Declan’s cheek. As she kissed him, Declan froze, not rejecting her closeness. Celeste intimately clung to Declan’s arm, looking at me with amusement. “Emma, long time no see.” “I never thought I’d see you in such a sorry state. Tsk tsk tsk, even looking at you feels dirty, hahaha.” Then she looked at the frozen Declan, her pale fingers caressing his neck. Her voice was filled with pride: “Declan listens to me the most. As long as I say east, he’ll never go west.” “Last year, Declan chased me and confessed. I casually said if he could make you spend a million on him, playing you like a fool, I’d be with him.” “I never thought he’d actually do it, even pretending to be mute, hahaha.” Saying this, Celeste looked at me mockingly. “Emma, you really do pity every mute person, hahaha.” “No matter how many years pass, your fake compassion is still so annoying!” Hearing Celeste’s words, my face turned pale. I clenched my fists, my heart aching. Even in a warm private room, I felt only cold and pain. Celeste’s face was twisted with the same delight as when she used to bully me. She still hated me, hated me so much that even after Jasper had been gone for so long, she had to find someone to impersonate him to deceive me. Tears fell as I looked at the dazed Declan, shaking my head in despair. He’s not him, no matter how much he looks like him, he’s not him. My heart turned cold, as if I lost all strength, and I turned to leave.

“Hey, Emma, are you running away again?” Celeste called out unwillingly. She continued to provoke me. “Emma, I knew it. As long as Declan pretended to be mute, you’d feel sorry for him. No matter what he wanted, even if it meant digging out your heart for him, you’d do it.” “Because you’ve never forgotten Jasper for a single day!” “Jasper, that dirty soul, only a fool like you would give your all to love him, while I can’t even stand looking at him!” Hearing Jasper’s name, I couldn’t control my emotions anymore. My eyes turned red, all my reason vanished. I rushed over, grabbing Celeste’s collar, crazily demanding: “Celeste! What right do you have to talk about him like that! I won’t allow it! I won’t allow it! Jasper is the cleanest person in the world! He’s the best, the kindest!” “He’s just disappeared, he must still be alive! Tell me! Where is he now! Where is he now! Tell me!!!!” My chest heaved violently, years of pent-up emotions exploding. I felt wetness at the corners of my eyes, not knowing if it was blood or tears. Declan was startled by my outburst and hurried to stop me. He said: “Emma, calm down. Hit me if you must. It’s my fault, not Celeste’s.” His words made my emotions even more intense. “Slap!” I slapped him across the face. “Hit you?! Yeah, I should hit you!” “Declan, did you have fun this year, huh? Can’t help but laugh when you think about it, huh? A Rich Kid pretending to be mute, playing me like a fool. Should I be grateful?” Declan stood still, his face swollen from my slap. “Emma, I’m sorry. You can hit or scold me.” “Bang!” I didn’t hold back, kicking him. Declan clutched his stomach, painfully kneeling. “Declan, stop pretending to be deep. I’ll never forgive you!” “Never!” “Hit you? Yeah, maybe I should!” “Declan, did you enjoy this past year, playing your little charade? Laughing at the thought? A wealthy heir pretending to be mute, making a fool out of me. Should I be grateful?” Declan stood there, his cheek red from my slap. “Emma, I’m sorry. You can hit me, shout at me, do whatever you need.” “Thud!” I didn’t hold back, kicking him hard. Declan doubled over, clutching his stomach in pain. “Declan, stop faking sincerity. I’ll never forgive you!” “Never!” “You can choose not to love me, deceive me, yell at me, but pretending to be mute to trick me is unforgivable! Jasper was the only beautiful thing in my life! He was the untouchable part of my heart! Why did you have to ruin that? Why?!” By the end, I was hysterical. Tears streamed down my face, perhaps because the boy who used to wipe them away was long gone… I never wanted to believe he left me, but I searched every corner of the world and couldn’t find a trace of him. In my despair, Declan appeared, pretending to be mute. I was like a drowning person clutching onto the last piece of driftwood. I gave him everything I had. Even if he only resembled Jasper a little, I was content. But it was all a lie… Just then, Celeste pushed me aside, her fingers gently brushing Declan’s face with concern. “Emma, are you insane?! How dare you hit Declan? Don’t you know he’s the heir of the Declan family?” “Just wait, I won’t let this go. You’ll be begging for our forgiveness!” Her threats didn’t faze me. After all, these rich people are experts at crushing those of us who have nothing. I’m tired of this life, wishing I could just die right now. Maybe in another world, I could find him. — “No… don’t…” “Let her go. I’m fine,” Declan said, struggling to lift his head, tears falling from his eyes. “Emma, I was wrong. I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.” I looked at him coldly. “Declan, hear me clearly. I never want to see you again!” With that, I turned and walked away. Declan kept his word. When I got home, I found two million dollars deposited into my account, undoubtedly from him. It was labeled as a “voluntary gift.” I scoffed and blocked all his accounts. I never want to have anything to do with him again. Back in my tiny rented apartment, surrounded by decay, I lost the will to live. I pulled out a teddy bear from the bottom of a box. It’s the only thing Jasper left behind before he went away. Since he left, I haven’t slept well. I keep running on that road in my dreams. I wish I could run faster, fast enough to keep him, fast enough not to miss him again. “Jasper, don’t go.” At those moments, I would hold the teddy bear tightly. Tighter, so it wouldn’t slip away from my grasp. When Declan came, I locked the bear deep in the box. I wanted to give myself a fresh start, a detox. I saw Declan, who invaded my world, as another Jasper. When I learned he also couldn’t speak, I didn’t hesitate for a moment. Instinctively, I wanted to save another him, to let him have the happiness Jasper never got. But I was wrong, Declan wasn’t him. He wouldn’t deceive me, wouldn’t let me cry… I clutched the bear, kneeling on the ground, crying. “Jasper, can I come find you? I’m so tired alone…” As I cried, I noticed something strange. One of the teddy bear’s eyes seemed to flicker with a red light. I squinted, removed that eye, and found a small USB drive hidden inside. I quickly got up, stumbled back to my room, grabbed my laptop, and plugged it in. The USB contained a video, an address, and a password. When I played the video, I saw the face I dreamed of, the twenty-year-old Jasper. With his slender fingers, he signed: “Emma, if you’re watching this, I’m probably gone. I’m sorry I lied, but I couldn’t leave with you.” “I hate him. He destroyed my life. I want him dead! I want to expose his crimes and make him pay!” “I know I might not succeed, but I have to try.” Jasper stood up, reached out to touch my head on the screen. “My dear Emma, even without me, you must be happy.” When he sat back down, I saw his eyes were red too, filled with reluctance. He continued signing: “Emma, I’ve saved some money for you. Enough for you to live well your entire life.” “This money… is clean…” “Forget me, Emma. Your life should be bright and brilliant.” The video abruptly ended, yet I was still lost in thought. 5 “Jasper!!!” I screamed his name, crying, hugging the screen, trying to see his face again. But no matter how many times I watched the video, ten, a hundred, a thousand times, he never came back. With the account password, I went to the bank to open the mysterious safety deposit box. As Jasper said, he left me enough money to live comfortably for life. Inside was also a letter that read: “Emma, take this money and leave City A. Never come back, and don’t investigate my cause of death. Forget me and start anew.” Staring at Jasper’s handwriting, tears fell, soaking the paper, smudging the ink. In an instant, I made up my mind. “I’m sorry, Jasper. This time, I can’t listen to you.” I know the road ahead is long and my abilities limited. But I’m not giving up.

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Twenty years after our wedding, Frank and I were both given a second chance at life, transported back to before we got married. This time, he bravely pursued his true love, choosing his dream girl, Jessica. I watched coldly as he did everything for Jessica. I saw him running around to celebrate her birthday, getting into fights and facing disciplinary action for her sake, and even giving her the job our professor had recommended for him. A friend told me they were planning to get married right after graduation. I smiled and said, “I sincerely wish them a lifetime of happiness together.” The first thing I did after getting this second chance was to go to the professor’s office. I wanted to take back my decision to give up my spot in the study abroad exchange program. In the office, the professor looked at me with an amused smile. “Why the sudden change of heart? Didn’t you initially tell me you were staying local because Frank was planning to find an internship here?” “I was thinking what a shame it was that such a good student would let love cloud her judgment.” “So many people would kill for this opportunity, and you just gave it up. Now you want it back?” I laughed awkwardly. In this new timeline, I had sent the message to the professor just five minutes ago. After carefully rephrasing my request and begging for another chance, the professor called me to the office and said the words above. She didn’t know that this was my first attempt to change my life after being given this second chance. I stood there awkwardly, not knowing how to explain. After stammering for a while, the professor let me off the hook and agreed to keep the spot for me. As I was about to leave, she called out to me. “Will you still give up your future for that boyfriend of yours?” I thought about Frank. To be fair, he was quite a catch, at least in others’ eyes. When Frank first entered college, the senior girls all declared him the most handsome freshman. His entrance exam scores were also among the top in our major. I had managed to win Frank’s heart by sacrificing my chance to study abroad. After pursuing him for a long time, he finally seemed moved by my efforts but said hesitantly, “But aren’t you going abroad? How can we be together?” So, I gave up the opportunity. Back then, I chose love without hesitation. Later, when I found out he had pulled some strings to give that spot to Jessica, we had a huge fight, but it was too late. Which is more important, your future or love? In my past life, I fell hard for love and paid a heavy price. In this new life, I just want to forge a path that truly belongs to me. The professor was still waiting for my answer. I smiled, looked back at her, and said cheerfully, “Professor, even a love-struck fool like me wouldn’t sell herself short anymore.” “I’m ambitious Samantha now. I don’t care about love, only my future!” The professor laughed and shooed me out of her office. Leaving the office, I headed back to the dorm.

In my past life, after giving up the exchange program, I struggled to find an internship. I rented a small studio apartment and was looking for other job opportunities. But Frank went crazy during that period, showing up drunk at my place every few days. After an accident, I got pregnant. Frank married me hastily out of a sense of responsibility. My parents had passed away early, and I had no other family. I wasn’t sent to an orphanage but was raised by the whole community, each family giving me a meal here and there. Before the wedding, I asked Frank if we could visit my uncles and aunts who had helped raise me. They had taken care of me for so many years, and now that I was starting a family, I wanted to let them see that I was doing well. But Frank impatiently said, “They’re not your real parents. What’s the point of visiting them?” My heart sank. I knew Frank still had feelings for his dream girl, Jessica, but I thought maybe he would fall in love with me after we got married. We got married without a wedding ceremony and without notifying our parents. Later, Frank got a job at a physics research institute through a senior’s recommendation. By chance, he ran into Jessica at the entrance. Jessica hadn’t found a job and had resorted to becoming a mistress to a rich man’s son. She even had a child, hoping to extort a huge amount of child support, but failed. The wife kicked her out, but she didn’t give up. She came to the research institute where the rich man’s son had a position, hoping to try her luck. She didn’t run into him but met Frank instead. While I was at home, suffering from pregnancy sickness and unable to sleep, Frank was taking Jessica and her child out for dinner. He even found Jessica a cushy job and accepted her daughter as his goddaughter. As for me, I slipped and fell at home. I called Frank, but he didn’t answer. It was our neighbor who took me to the hospital. On the way, I was pale with pain, and the neighbor scolded, “What is Frank doing? His wife is so far along, and he’s not taking care of her at all.” In the end, I lost the baby. I was in too much pain to sleep, but thinking about my unborn child, I cried with hatred. I had ruined my promising future for Frank, but he ignored all of that. He abandoned me for his dream girl he had reunited with. Every day in the hospital, I waited for Frank to come, but day after day passed without him showing up. It was our neighbor, Mrs. Johnson, who couldn’t bear to see me like that and brought me milk. She also brought me news. Mrs. Johnson went home that day and felt something was off. She asked her husband to inquire, and what she found out infuriated her. During this time, Frank had been eating at the staff cafeteria with Jessica and her child every day. Family members were allowed at the research institute, so everyone assumed Jessica was Frank’s wife. Occasionally, a curious colleague would ask, “Frank, having lunch with your wife and kid?” He would just smile and nod, tacitly agreeing. Mrs. Johnson’s face reddened with anger as she continued. Even for the institute’s employee benefits, like holiday trips, the name Frank filled in as his family member was Jessica’s. My hand trembled slightly. Mrs. Johnson patted my arm and looked at me with pity. “Samantha, dear, you’re a good girl. People need to learn to move on. You’re still young, you can cut your losses now.” But by then, I was blinded by anger. The day I miscarried, the doctor told me I might never be able to get pregnant again. I had lost my chance at motherhood. I couldn’t let it go! I couldn’t forgive! What I hated was that after marrying me, Frank didn’t give me any respect. He remained silent even when his mother bullied and ordered me around. I hated even more that he disregarded his unborn child and his married status, wining and dining with Jessica outside. He didn’t bring a penny home, treating Jessica like a goddess, and even treating Jessica’s child with another man as his own. But his own child? He couldn’t care less. On one of the rare occasions when he was home, the baby kicked in my belly. I excitedly called Frank over to feel it. He looked at my belly and turned away in disgust. “That’s so unsightly. Don’t expose your belly like that. Look at Jessica, she would never be so indecent.” All of these things fueled my endless hatred in my past life. Mrs. Johnson advised me to let go. Friends urged me to find a new path. But why should the unfaithful go unpunished? Why should I be forced to retreat? Do good people always have to compromise? I refused. I did all the chores at home, big and small. My hands were swollen from washing piles of dishes. I didn’t want to let that scumbag and his mistress off the hook. Even if it cost me my entire life, I wouldn’t let Frank and Jessica walk proudly in public. As long as I didn’t divorce him, Jessica would always be the other woman. Later, after twenty years of marriage, Frank asked me to meet and talk. He looked exhausted too. I knew that Jessica had recently run off with her child when she saw no hope left. She had already lined up her next target. I was a bit curious about what Frank wanted to say, so I went with him. But we hadn’t driven far when he started shouting at me with a twisted face, “If it weren’t for your constant interference, I would have been with Jessica long ago. You should just die!” As soon as he finished speaking, he crashed into an oncoming truck. In the intense pain and fear of death, I suddenly realized, why did I tie myself to this scumbag? I could have chosen a better life. Overwhelmed by regret, I thought maybe heaven took pity on me and gave me this second chance. I was reborn at the moment I gave up my spot in the exchange program. I still had a chance to be myself again.

Back at the dorm, my friend Lily looked at me with concern and tried to comfort me, “Samantha, don’t be sad. Frank betrayed you. He’ll surely come to no good end.” I looked at Lily in confusion. What was she talking about? At this point, Frank should have just agreed to date me. How could he have betrayed me? That was all in the future, wasn’t it? Lily showed me her phone’s social media feed. She had Jessica as a contact. Jessica had posted a status update with a caption: [We’re together now!] The photo showed her and Frank holding hands tightly, beaming with joy. I looked at the unread messages on my phone. Frank had sent a breakup message while I was meeting with the professor. So, it seems I wasn’t the only one given a second chance at life.

I burst out laughing. Lily felt my forehead and asked, “What’s wrong, Samantha? Do you have a fever?” I had pursued Frank for a long time, starting from the beginning of the semester. I brought him breakfast, lunch, and bubble tea every day. Lily thought I had gone mad with anger. But that wasn’t it. In this life, I don’t have time to get entangled with Frank. He chose to be with his dream girl, so let him have his wish. Let him see just how great his precious Jessica really is. There’s only one month left before the study abroad exchange program. Soon, I’ll be heading towards a bright future. But I never expected Frank to have the audacity to bring Jessica to confront me. “Why didn’t you bring me food today? Did something hold you up?” Frank looked at me coldly, as if I were his enemy. I looked at the two of them in disbelief and asked, “Didn’t we break up?” We’ve broken up, so why would I still bring you food? Do you think I’m running a charity? Perhaps because he was used to me taking care of him in every way in my past life, Frank didn’t expect me to talk back. In his mind, I was still the Samantha who clung to him. Maybe he wasn’t used to not having someone anticipate his every need. Back then, I would bring him food every day at school. After we got married, whenever he came home, I would have several dishes prepared for him. He was used to having everything handed to him, and now he couldn’t adapt. At this point, he didn’t have much money. I was poor too, but I could work part-time jobs. I even managed to bring him breakfast and lunch every day. Now that he’s lost all that, he has the nerve to blame me? “Frank, honey, I heard that Samantha used to bring you delicious food every day. You promised me I could try it too,” Jessica chimed in. Frank looked at Jessica awkwardly. I laughed out loud. So they came here to mooch off me. I grabbed the broom from the dorm supervisor and waved it in front of them, kicking up dust that covered their faces. Frank, ignoring the dirt on his face, pulled me aside. “Samantha, I’ll give you money. Just do me this favor.” Favor? What face does he have left now? Frank used to have some money saved, but seeing me bring him food every day, he became extravagant in his spending. Now at the end of the month, he’s so broke he has to come begging from me. I laughed coldly, shook off Frank’s hand, and deliberately raised my voice, “No money to play big shot! I’m not lending you anything!” Jessica’s face changed color beside us, apparently not expecting Frank to be penniless. I know Jessica’s type. She loves money above all else. In my past life, seeing that Frank had a managerial position at the research institute, she latched onto him tightly. I remember most clearly one time when she brought her child to our door with Frank. She looked at me timidly, “Sister-in-law, don’t misunderstand. My child and I just have nowhere to go. We’re just staying for a couple of days.” I knew she had slept with Frank. I found it disgusting and had long since started sleeping in separate rooms from Frank. They stayed at hotels when they met outside, and I didn’t care. I just didn’t expect them to bring it home, apparently unwilling to even pay for a hotel room anymore. I had just finished cooking when Jessica’s child, without even a greeting, went straight to the table and started gobbling down the food. While eating, the child loudly said, “It’s delicious, Mom! I want to eat this auntie’s food every day!” Frank didn’t look at me, just smiled and said, “If you like it, eat more. You can have it every day from now on!” I flipped the table directly. The food and dishes crashed all over the child. I smiled sweetly as I watched Frank and Jessica rush to comfort the child. Frank angrily questioned me, “What are you doing? What’s wrong with the child eating some food?” I replied nonchalantly, “I didn’t like the look of him, so I won’t let him eat.” My child was gone, so I wouldn’t let this bastard child have it easy either. Frank spent half the day comforting Jessica and the child. In the end, they didn’t stay. Jessica left with the child. Frank came back looking exhausted and looked at me, “If you didn’t want them to stay, they won’t. I guess it’s my fault for disturbing your peace.” It was the first time I heard him speak like a decent person, and I couldn’t help but look at him. However, not long after, Frank moved out. When I went out to take out the trash, I passed by the park and saw Jessica arguing with a man, “Wait a bit longer. Once Frank divorces and we get the money, we’ll leave.” My curiosity was piqued, so I asked Mrs. Johnson to inquire. It turned out that Jessica wasn’t just involved with one man. Frank was just one of them. If she couldn’t get money from him, Jessica would run off. But Frank didn’t know this. He just thought Jessica was disappointed because he hadn’t divorced me yet. Now, Frank had exposed his lack of money early on. I wonder how Jessica will react.

I ignored them and prepared to go to the library to borrow some books. Although I had secured the exchange spot, I knew there were always people better than me out there. Learning more would never be a mistake. Jessica secretly cornered me in the tea room. “Did you know Frank had no money? Is that why you broke up with him?” I ignored her and went back to study. Jessica tried to grab me in frustration, but this was the library and she couldn’t make too much noise. She could only watch me leave, unwillingly. Over the next week, I heard that Frank and Jessica had many arguments. They even fought while walking on campus. Once, Frank even raised his hand against her, “Jessica, how come I never realized you were so materialistic!” Actually, if given some time, Frank could have earned money too. But unfortunately, Jessica wasn’t willing to wait. I found another online part-time job writing copy for social media accounts. Although the school covered my tuition and I had a scholarship, there would inevitably be times when I needed money. The earnings weren’t much, but accumulated over time, it would be enough to ensure I could eat and drink well in a foreign country. The elders in my village were all proud of me. The aunts even wanted to pool some money for me, but I politely refused. They had fed me when I was little; how could I take their money now that I was grown? I set aside some money, planning to send it to the village elders on the day I left for abroad, as a small gesture of filial piety. Back home, I looked at the countdown on my phone screen. Fifteen days left. In fifteen days, I would reach a turning point in my life and embrace a new future.

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I’ve always had a habit of competing with my sister Emily for everything since childhood. When we were little, I’d fight her for candy and dresses. As we grew up, I started competing for the company and even her boyfriend. But I rarely won against her, whether it was the company or her boyfriend. I was about to give up when Emily was suddenly diagnosed with a terminal illness – late-stage cancer. She called me to her hospital bed and said her only dying wish was for me to marry her husband? On the day of Emily’s funeral, my brother-in-law Jack looked terribly haggard. His waist seemed to have shrunk under his clothes. When the wind blew, his clothes looked empty inside. He appeared more fragile than his usual cool demeanor. I hobbled over to him on my crutches. Jack caressed Emily’s face for a long time, reluctant to let go. I had to remind him, “Jack, please try to accept it.” Jack stopped, staring at me blankly. The despair in his eyes was as profound as a wild animal on the brink of death: “Mia, Emily is gone…” I averted my gaze, unable to bear it, and looked at my sister in the coffin. In the dark coffin, Emily’s eyes were closed, her face still maintaining the hysteria from before her death. In the last stage of her life, she had become terribly thin, reminding me of a withered twig. Looking at her in the hospital, I could hardly recall her once vibrant appearance. Tears slid from the corners of my eyes. I wiped them away, then bent down and pulled the necklace from Emily’s chest. This was Emily’s most treasured possession in life – a sapphire necklace. Even in the dim coffin, it still sparkled brilliantly. “Mia…” Jack tried to stop me when he realized what I was doing. I dodged to the side, “I want to keep something to remember her by.” I clutched the necklace and looked at him longingly, “Can I? Jack, I want to keep it.” Emily and I looked very similar, especially our eyes. Our eyebrows were just like our father’s. I bet Jack would soften up. Even though this necklace was a gift from him to Emily, a symbol of their love. After just a brief moment of eye contact, Jack was already lost in my eyes. “Can I?” I asked again, my voice hoarse as I gripped the chain. Jack snapped back to reality, a flash of bitterness crossing his eyes. “Yes, Mia. You can keep it.” The soil gradually covered the coffin lid. Jack still stood rigidly, staring at the coffin being buried as if he had lost his soul. After saying goodbye to the mourners, I limped to his side. “Jack,” I called out to him. He didn’t respond. I continued, “When are we getting our marriage license?” 2 Hearing my words, Rachel, who was standing nearby, turned back in shock: “Mia, what nonsense are you talking about?” Rachel was Emily’s best friend, though I wasn’t very close to her. “It’s not nonsense,” I lowered my eyes, smiling both forcedly and sadly, “Rachel, you weren’t there at the time.” “Emily’s dying wish was for Jack to take care of me. She hoped we could be together.” “The sooner Jack and I get married, the more peaceful Emily will rest.” Rachel’s face changed: “How is that possible? This… How could Emily do such a thing?” I put my hand on Jack’s shoulder, patting it comfortingly: “Jack, don’t forget Emily’s last wish was for you to marry me.” “Mia…” Jack opened his mouth, glanced at the covered coffin, his eyes dimming, “Can we talk about this in a few days?” “Okay,” I smiled slightly. I’ve always been patient. “By the way, Rachel…” I turned to look at Rachel, catching the hatred and resentment in her eyes before she could hide it. “What is it?” She looked at me, trying to appear calm. I smiled gently: “Will you be my bridesmaid when the time comes?” “You were Emily’s best friend. If it weren’t for this sudden accident, I’m sure she would have wanted you to be the bridesmaid too.” 3 When I was hospitalized for a broken leg after a car accident, Emily came to visit me. I didn’t know she was already very ill at that time. I only remember her face was frighteningly pale. That deathly pallor almost showed through the powder on her face. But I was in so much pain from my leg that I couldn’t spare much attention to observe her. We chatted briefly. She said she and Jack had set their wedding date for October this year. She mentioned trying on wedding dresses alone for a whole day just last week. Immersed in happiness, she bragged or complained like a girlfriend about how busy the company was, and how Jack could only accompany her for less than an hour to choose a wedding dress before rushing back to work. That was the second to last time we sisters met. My leg hadn’t fully healed when death sentenced her. The last time we met, I hobbled on crutches to the door of her hospital room. She had torn off her oxygen mask, pulled out the IV in her hand, and was screaming hysterically at Jack like a madwoman: “I want you to swear you’ll marry her!” “Marry Mia!” “Marry her!” Jack stood not far away, looking confused and helpless. 4 It wasn’t until Emily saw me that she crawled out of bed and rushed towards me, her eyes bursting with brilliant light: “Mia, marry Jack.” “You must marry Jack!” Her condition at that time must have been a temporary improvement before death. Because after Jack and I swore we would get our marriage license, the light in her eyes dimmed. Soon after, the lawyer appointed by Emily came to us and informed us of her will: “Ms. Emily Smith has left all her assets, including company shares, to Mr. Jack Evans.” “However, Mr. Evans will only be eligible to inherit after obtaining a marriage license with Ms. Mia Smith…” That day, Jack was very depressed and dazed. When he occasionally became lucid, he looked at me with complex emotions. I suddenly realized I couldn’t understand Emily anymore. Why did she force Jack to marry me before her death? Did she know about my secret attempts to seduce Jack? 5 On the third day after Emily’s passing. The company couldn’t function without its leader, so Jack had already returned to work. I continued to recover in the hospital. During this time, I sent Jack more than ten messages about getting married, but he didn’t reply to any of them. However, I wasn’t very angry. I called my assistant to take me home. That home was once the marital house Emily had prepared. It was fully furnished and perfect for me to move in. Shortly after I arrived, Jack also came home from work. I was behind the wine cabinet, about to come out when I heard voices. “Jack, are you really going to marry Mia?” Rachel’s questioning voice made me pause as I was about to move my wheelchair. I only heard Jack say without hesitation: “This is Emily’s last wish.” “I don’t agree! You know I like you. When Emily was here, I didn’t compete with her, but now that she’s gone, why should I…” Rachel’s shout momentarily reminded me of Emily’s hysteria before she died. Jack calmly interrupted her: “Rachel, this is my decision. It has nothing to do with you.” “It’s late, Rachel. You should go home…” “Mmph!” Rachel grabbed Jack’s tie and pressed her lips against his, holding him tightly. I smirked at the wine cabinet beside me and let go of the wine bottle in my hand. Bang! The wine bottle shattered on the floor. Dark red liquid spread everywhere. I wheeled away from the wine cabinet towards the two who had hastily separated, smiling apologetically: “Sorry, Jack. My hand slipped. Did I interrupt something?” Seeing it was me, Jack’s eyes flashed with surprise: “Mia, you…” I raised my hand in a shushing gesture, smiling at Rachel: “Rachel, it’s late. You should go home. This is Emily’s marital home, so I won’t ask you to stay.” Rachel glared at me, leaving quickly without explanation or lingering. “Mia, why are you here?” Jack opened his mouth, seeming to want to explain something. I stopped in front of him, raising my hand to gesture, “Jack, kneel down.” 6 He hesitantly knelt down, and I took out a tissue and vigorously wiped the lipstick mark off his lips. Unable to control my strength, I made him frown slightly. I just looked at him with a faint smile: “Emily never told me you were such a player. She’s barely gone and you’re already hooking up with Rachel.” “No, Mia, I…” I stuffed the tissue with the lipstick mark into his mouth to stop him from talking, smiling gently: “We’re getting our marriage license tomorrow.” Hearing this, Jack fell silent, smiling bitterly with guilt, “Mia, you know I only see you as a sister.” I didn’t answer him, instead turning my wheelchair to briefly survey the living room. “Emily’s taste is similar to mine. I like it here.” “You probably want to live here too. How about we make this our marital home?” “Mia…” I impatiently raised my hand to signal him to be quiet, “Shh, I know.” “But this was Emily’s last wish. Why don’t we get the marriage license first without having a wedding, and then divorce after a few years?” I was lying to Jack. But he believed me. How naive. 7 Jack and I got our marriage license. In the red-background photo, Jack forced a smile, while only I had a radiant grin. After my leg fully healed, I returned to school. I’m pursuing a master’s degree in polymer chemistry. It takes a hundred days for injured tendons and bones to heal, and during my recovery period, many of my experiments were delayed. Exhausted after completing an experiment, I took off my lab coat. My senior happened to walk by and her gaze fell on my chest: “Mia, your new necklace is beautiful. Where did you buy it?” I turned and smiled, touching the sapphire on my chest: “You have good taste, senior. This was a gift from my husband.” My senior was surprised: “What? You’re married? When did this happen?” Before I could answer, my senior seemed to understand, her tone complex: “Was it because of that car accident? I was so scared my heart almost jumped out of my chest when I saw that car rushing towards you that day.” I smiled faintly and nodded: “Yes, after a brush with death, I woke up not wanting to leave any regrets for myself.” After leaving the lab, I walked towards the west gate. Jack had a lecture at S University this afternoon, and I asked him to wait for me at the west gate after he finished, so we could go home together. Emily, Jack, and I were all graduates of S University. Back then, Emily was also invited to give a speech at S University, and it was in the crowd that she fell in love with Jack at first sight. A Cullinan was quietly parked near the west gate. I walked over and opened the front passenger door. “Jack, sit in the back with me.” Jack seemed surprised by my request, politely declining, “Mia, I’d rather sit in the front…” My smile faded slightly as I interrupted him, “Jack, be good.” Jack lowered his eyes, the slight trembling of his eyelashes like raven feathers, making it hard for me to discern his emotions. After a few minutes of standoff, the car slowly moved forward, with Jack sitting silently to my left. The temperature in the car was just right. I took off my coat, and the light from outside occasionally flashed on the sapphire necklace on my chest, its reflection catching his attention. Jack’s gaze instantly froze, fixed on it, “You’re wearing it?” I lowered my eyes casually: “Yes, I am.” Smiling, I explained to him: “It makes me feel close to Emily.” Jack seemed to want to say something but held back. He pressed his lips tightly together, ultimately saying nothing. I shifted to a more comfortable position, looking at Jack against the light, unable to control the accusatory tone in my voice: “You’ve been meeting Rachel frequently lately?” I had bribed Jack’s assistant. He told me that Jack had met Rachel five times this week, twice at his own initiative. Jack’s eyes darkened slightly as he scrutinized me, “Are you spying on me?”

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The day before I was due to give birth, my home was invaded. By the time the police got me to the hospital’s operating room, I was too weak to open my eyes. Amidst the fog of pain and confusion, I heard the voice of my husband, Asher White. “Do you have confidence?” “Yes, but are you absolutely sure about your decision? We can still save the baby if we operate quickly.” “No, remove the uterus too. That way, Freya’s son will be the only heir to the White Corporation. As for Adeline… being Mrs. White is enough to guarantee her a smooth and worry-free life.” It was then I realized that everything had been a meticulously crafted deceit. The man I loved was the one wielding the knife. If that’s the case, I don’t need him anymore. As the anesthesia wore off, I slowly regained consciousness. I tried to open my eyes but heard Asher White’s voice again. “Dr. Wesley, how did Adeline’s surgery go?” “Mrs. White’s uterus has been completely removed. She just needs to rest now.” Dr. Wesley paused before cautiously asking, “Mr. White, are you sure you won’t regret this?” “I saw the little girl. Her thick eyebrows and big eyes looked just like yours.” “It’s a shame she couldn’t see the world before she left.” “There’s nothing to regret,” Asher said calmly. “She was an obstacle for Little Finn, and I had to remove her myself.” “As for Adeline…” Asher paused. “In a while, I’ll arrange for someone to bring Little Finn back from the orphanage. Then Adeline can be a mother.” “But Little Finn looks so much like you. Won’t Ms. Adeline…?” Dr. Wesley hesitated. “Don’t worry, all babies look alike. Adeline won’t notice. Besides, she trusts me. She’ll never suspect anything.” With that, Asher sat by my bed, tightly holding my hand. His touch was warm, but I felt cold down to my core. This was the man I had loved for ten years. He was willing to sacrifice my child’s life for his and Freya’s illegitimate son. He even stripped me of my chance to be a mother. Worse, he expected me to raise the child who was the reason for my daughter’s death. I was overwhelmed with grief, my heart aching painfully. If only I had been more careful and avoided that robber. Just then, Asher’s phone rang. “Is everything taken care of?” “Transfer him to the furthest prison, and as for his family…” “Pay them to leave City A.” “Do it cleanly, don’t let Adeline find out.” Hearing this, a chill ran through me, freezing my blood. I had wondered how a robber could get past the tight security of our neighborhood in City A. It turns out my husband orchestrated the whole robbery. He went to such lengths for Freya and his illegitimate child. I felt a sense of hopelessness. I couldn’t have avoided the robber, no matter what. If that’s the case, I’ll let Asher have his way. I slowly opened my eyes and looked at the man in front of me. “Adeline, when did you wake up?” Asher looked uneasy. “Just now,” I said, trying to control my grief, but tears still fell. “Adeline, what’s wrong? Is your wound hurting?” Asher looked worried and anxious. “I’ll get the doctor.” “Don’t…” I gently pulled Asher back. “I’m not in pain. I’m just surprised I’m still alive.” “Adeline, don’t say that!” Asher’s face hardened. “As long as I’m here, no one will hurt you again.” Hearing this, my heart ached with bitterness. All the harm was brought by Asher. There’s no future for us. Asher didn’t notice my change. He picked up a damp cotton swab and gently wiped my dry lips. “Adeline, you can’t drink water yet after the surgery. Please bear with it.” I nodded, feeling even more sorrowful. Why? If he never loved me, why pretend to be so caring? Afterward, Asher tucked me in and said, “Adeline, there’s something I need to tell you.” “Our child is gone, and your injuries are too severe. You won’t be able to…” Asher hesitated. Seeing his troubled expression, my heart stung. Asher was truly an actor. Fine. Let me end this myself. Just as I was about to speak, Asher continued, “Adeline, the White Family needs an heir.” “Let’s adopt a child.”

Hearing this, I was stunned. I thought Asher would continue to lie to me, but he straightforwardly suggested adopting a child, using the excuse of needing an heir. Asher was truly impatient. Suppressing my sorrow, I nodded. “Okay.” Asher was overjoyed. “I’ll have someone look for a suitable child right away!” Then, realizing his behavior was inappropriate, Asher looked at me awkwardly. “Honey, don’t be mad.” “I was just… worried you’d be heartbroken over losing our child, so I wanted to find a child to ease your pain.” “Don’t worry, I’ll never have another woman in my life. Once we find a child, we’ll treat him like our own son.” Hearing this, my heart ached with bitterness again. My child was killed by the robber Asher sent. And my future hopes of having a child were destroyed. Asher still wanted me to raise his and Freya’s child. He was truly cruel. Overwhelmed with grief and anger, I clenched the bedsheets tightly, my fingertips turning white. “Honey, what’s wrong? Is your wound still hurting?” Asher looked concerned. I shook my head. Just then, a video call came through. Asher looked uneasy. “Honey, there’s something at work I need to handle. Rest well.” With that, Asher hurried out of the room. Watching his back, I was filled with immense hatred. I picked up the tablet he left behind, unlocked the screen, and opened SnapChat logged in on both his phone and tablet. Freya’s chat window appeared before me. [The current video is being answered on another device.] Seeing this short line, I gave a bitter smile. Sure enough, it was Freya calling him. With my bandaged hand, I scrolled through their chat history. “Honey, the baby kicked me today.” “Honey, the doctor said our son is healthy.” “Honey, the baby learned to smile today.” “Honey, how do you plan to bring the baby to the White Family?” … Most of the time, it was Freya talking to herself and sending pictures of the child. Asher rarely replied, but every night there was a video call lasting four to five hours. No wonder he was furious when I entered the study to bring him tea. “Why are you in here?” “This room is full of computers and other electronic devices. The radiation could harm our child!” “You’re a mom now. Can’t you think things through?” Now I realize Asher wasn’t worried about me and my child. He didn’t want me to interrupt his nightly sweet video calls with Freya. I felt guilty for a long time, thinking I was stupid. I coldly looked at the chat history on the screen, feeling like I had swallowed a bitter pill. Just then, Asher’s mother sent a message. “Asher, today Freya and I took Little Finn for a check-up. He’s very healthy.” “Did you tell that fool Adeline? When will Little Finn officially get a place in the White Family?” I was stunned, feeling as if all the blood in my body had frozen. Even my mother-in-law knew about this! My heart ached to the extreme. After getting married, I quit my beloved job to take care of this family because my mother-in-law said she didn’t like housekeepers. I treated her like my own mother, yet she helped Asher deceive me. I was suddenly filled with disappointment. Maybe this family never truly welcomed me. I decided to leave. I took out my phone and booked a flight to Maple Country for a week later.

On the day I was discharged, Asher said he was busy with work and told me to go straight to my mother-in-law’s house. However, when I got home, the living room was empty. I went up the stairs to the second floor. Passing the first room, I heard the faint cries of a baby. After hesitating for a few seconds, I pushed open the door. A very cute baby was lying in the crib. Seeing me, he stopped crying, his big eyes full of curiosity. “Ahh…” The little one babbled something I couldn’t understand. If my child had been born smoothly, they might have been like this too! 3 The day I was discharged from the hospital, Asher White told me he had some business at the company and asked me to go directly to my mother-in-law’s house. However, when I arrived, the living room was empty. I made my way up the stairs to the second floor. As I passed the first room, I heard the faint cries of a baby. After a moment of hesitation, I pushed the door open. Inside the crib was an incredibly cute baby. Seeing me, he stopped crying and looked at me with wide, curious eyes. “Goo goo ga ga…” The little one was babbling something. If my child had been born without complications, he would be like this now! But… his own father denied him the chance to see this world. The thought of it brought tears streaming down my face, and my heart ached unbearably. Just then, I heard soft moans coming from the next room. “Asher, you… you’re amazing!” “Asher, am I better than Adeline?” “Oh… Asher, you’re so naughty!” … I froze in place! So, Asher’s so-called business at the company was actually fooling around here with Freya! My face turned pale, and I felt as if the blood in my veins had frozen. It was as if countless arrows had pierced through me, and the pain was excruciating. What an irony! Just a few days ago, they killed my child with their own hands, took away my ability to have children, and now they brazenly brought the mistress into the house? I crouched down, buried my head in my arms, and cried in agony! At that moment, a shadow rushed into the room and hit me hard on the head with a broom! “You bring bad luck!” “What are you doing here alone?” “Are you trying to harm my grandson?” The figure shouted while beating me mercilessly. It wasn’t until she was exhausted that she stopped. I looked up and saw it was my mother-in-law. “Mom…” I tried to hold back the grief in my heart and the burning pain in my body, attempting to explain, but my mother-in-law cut me off! “Don’t call me Mom!” “You lost my eldest grandson! And you still have the nerve to come back!” Hearing this, a sharp pain pierced my heart! She knew the whole truth but blamed everything on me. For the first time, I felt my mother-in-law was so hypocritical, hypocritical to the point of being a stranger. They conspired to stage a play to kill my child! I lost my ability to bear children, and yet they still humiliate me like this! I couldn’t help but clench my fists, my fingertips turning white from the pressure. At this moment, Freya and Asher from the next room also heard the commotion. They came over. “Mom, what’s going on?” Asher looked at me, then at his mother, frowning. There were still traces of their recent intimacy on his neck. It was extremely galling to me. “Son, look at this wretched woman you married. She just tried to harm Little Finn when no one was around!” “I didn’t!” I quickly said. “Adeline, how could you be so cruel? Little Finn is just a baby!” Freya said as she rushed to the crib, picking up the child and checking him carefully! “Adeline, you can’t just kill Little Finn because your own child didn’t survive!” “Little Finn’s neck is all red from your grip!” “You’re lying, I didn’t touch him!” I rushed forward to see the child in Freya’s arms. However, Asher grabbed me! “Adeline, you actually laid hands on a baby. I really regret marrying you!” “You deserve to be without children for the rest of your life!” “Today, I’ll strangle you, you wicked woman!” Asher said, stepping forward to choke me, his eyes filled with malice! A wave of suffocation instantly overwhelmed me. I wanted to plead for mercy but couldn’t get a single word out! As I was about to lose consciousness, I used the last of my strength to grab a vase nearby and smashed it hard on Asher’s head!

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I fell and started bleeding profusely after shielding Lucas from a flying teacup, threatening my pregnancy. As the ambulance arrived, Lucas’s first love called, asking him to bring her some sanitary pads. Despite the paramedics’ objections, he insisted on leaving. “I’m not a doctor. It’s useless for me to stay here. Don’t be so dramatic,” he said coldly. “I’ll be back after I deliver these to Lily.” I fell and started bleeding after shielding Lucas Gray from a flying teacup. As the ambulance arrived, Lucas’s first love called, asking him to bring her some sanitary pads. Despite the paramedics’ objections, he insisted on leaving. “I’m not a doctor. It’s useless for me to stay here. Don’t be so dramatic,” he said coldly. “I’ll be back after I deliver these to Lily.” With those words, Lucas hurried across the street and hailed a taxi. I curled up in pain on the stretcher as the paramedics lifted me into the ambulance. Sharp pain spread through my abdomen, as if invisible hands were violently twisting my insides. I was drenched in cold sweat, unable to utter a word. The paramedics’ angry comments reached my ears. “What kind of person is he? His wife is in this condition, and he just runs off? What if we need a signature for surgery?” “Never seen anyone refuse to accompany their family member after calling an ambulance. What could be more important than your loved one’s life?” “A dog would be more loyal than that.” My own husband, willing to abandon his critically ill wife to buy sanitary pads for his first love. How ridiculous is that? Tears slid down my cheeks as I watched Lucas’s retreating figure through blurry vision. Then, I lost consciousness.

When I regained consciousness, four hours had passed. Lucas still hadn’t shown up. The hospital room was eerily quiet. I instinctively tried to sit up, but the sharp pain forced me back down. A nurse entered with an IV drip and quickly stopped me. “You just had a miscarriage surgery. Don’t move.” I froze, tears streaming down my face, blurring my vision. So, before I even had a chance to feel its presence, that little life had silently slipped away. Did the baby sense that its father didn’t care about it, and decide not to come into this world? The nurse tried to comfort me, “You’re still young. You can have children in the future.” I forced a smile, staring at the fluorescent light on the ceiling for a long time until my eyes hurt. Then I turned and picked up my phone from the bedside table. There were only work messages on it. Nothing else. Lucas had said he’d come back after delivering the sanitary pads to his first love. But he hadn’t appeared even after the surgery was over. A hint of mockery crossed my pale face. In his eyes, buying sanitary pads for his first love was more important than my life.

My relationship with Lucas was an accident. Years ago, my father, for the sake of a business deal, deliberately drugged me and sent me to the bed of a 50-year-old coal tycoon. After escaping with all my strength, I accidentally stumbled into Lucas’s room, where we ended up having sex. This scene was caught by the media and became trending news. My parents, of course, wouldn’t miss this opportunity to climb the social ladder. My father deliberately used the pressure from public opinion, and in the end, Lucas and I were forced to get married. Although he was like those pampered rich boys, arrogant and unruly, I thought this marriage was just a forced arrangement, maintaining only appearances, and would eventually end in divorce. When did things start to change? Perhaps it was the first time he stood up for me against his parents, shielding me like a protective lion. “She’s the wife of the Gray family. If you want to give her a hard time, you’ll have to go through me first,” he had said coldly. He would cancel all his appointments on my birthday to personally bake me a cake. He once rented hundreds of drones to form my name in the sky, lighting up fireworks across the entire city for a whole night. He took me on a motorcycle trip around the entire Northwest. Once, when I mentioned craving chestnuts, he made a special hour-long detour just to buy some for me. Although our relationship didn’t have a good start, it didn’t prevent us from enjoying a happy married life afterward. I thought our relationship would continue like this. But when did things change? I guess it was the day his childhood sweetheart returned from America after her divorce. That day, we had planned to attend a concert together. He stood me up. I waited stupidly in the cold wind for three hours until the concert ended, but he never showed up. It was the first time he had broken a promise since we got married. Later, I found out from online photos that he had gone to pick up his first love. After that, his first love would always “coincidentally” appear wherever we went – friend gatherings, movie nights, and so on. At first, I would question him, but he would always laugh it off carelessly, saying, “We’re just friends.” Eventually, I got used to it, even became numb to it. I even started counting down the days of our marriage.

Meanwhile, Lily posted on her social media: “During that special time of the month, I’m so glad you’re always here for me. Touched, heart emoji.” The picture showed a pack of sanitary pads and a man’s profile. The comments section was flooded: “Ooh, are you two… back together?” “Lucas still loves you after all.” In their circle of friends, Lily and Lucas were like Cinderella and Prince Charming. Although Lily was the daughter of his family’s former housekeeper, she had managed to climb the social ladder using her connection with Lucas. Everyone in their circle supported their relationship. However, as the Gray family was a top-tier company in the country, they would never allow their pride and joy to marry a housekeeper’s daughter. For them, girls from such backgrounds were fine for casual dating, but could never be welcomed into the Gray family. To prove herself, Lily had hastily married a wealthy suitor and moved abroad. It wasn’t until a month ago that she returned to the country after her divorce. I stared at that post for a long time. As I was about to exit, I accidentally liked it. The next second, Lucas called. Before I could speak, Lily’s voice came through the speaker. “Hey, sis! Are you okay now? I just found out that Lucas left you alone to buy me pads. That’s terrible! I’ve already scolded him for it. How could he treat you like that? I’m apologizing on his behalf.” Her words held no trace of sincerity; they sounded more like bragging. She then complained to Lucas, “It’s all your fault. How could you abandon her when she was in such danger? If anything had happened to her, I wouldn’t have forgiven you.” Lucas lazily replied, “The doctors were already there. I couldn’t have done much anyway. Besides, you were more urgent, weren’t you?”

Lily feigned embarrassment, “What are you saying? Don’t make your wife misunderstand.” Her tone couldn’t hide her smugness. I calmly spoke up, “Are you two done talking?” Lily continued in her coy voice, “Sis, Lucas and I are just friends. Please don’t misunderstand.” Before she could finish, Lucas’s lazy voice interrupted, “Why are you explaining? My wife isn’t that petty.” “Honey, you sound fine. I won’t come over tonight. Take care of yourself, and I’ll visit you in the morning, okay?” He made a kissing sound into the phone, “Love you!” The line went dead. I held the phone, frozen for a moment, before putting it down. I couldn’t help but laugh, but as I laughed, tears involuntarily streamed down my face. Tonight was supposed to be the usual Gray family dinner. During the meal, someone intentionally mentioned the recent trending photos of Lucas and Lily looking intimate. Mr. Gray warned him to be careful and not mess around outside. Lucas, seemingly deliberately defiant, raised an eyebrow and said nonchalantly, “Even if I wanted to divorce and marry her now, do you think you could stop me? You think I’m still the same Lucas you can push around?” Indeed, the Gray family was now entirely under Lucas’s control, and he had the power to protect whoever he wanted. His provocative attitude angered Mr. Gray, who threw his teacup at him in a fit of rage. As the cup was about to hit his face, I instinctively shielded him. The scalding tea poured down my back. Seeing this, Mr. Gray stormed off angrily. Lucas quickly pulled me towards him, trying to lift my clothes to examine the wound. I instinctively stepped back but tripped over a chair and fell to the ground. Intense pain suddenly overwhelmed me. He urgently called for an ambulance. Seeing his anxious gaze, I thought the old him had returned. I remembered when I accidentally cut my finger while cooking, and he anxiously dragged me to the hospital. The doctor had joked that if we’d arrived any later, the wound would have already healed. I instinctively gripped his arm tightly, unable to hold back a painful groan, “It hurts so much…” He kept comforting me, saying the ambulance would arrive soon, telling me not to be afraid. But unexpectedly, just as the ambulance arrived, he received a call from Lily and left without hesitation.

It wasn’t until the next morning that Lucas finally showed up. He brought my favorite dumplings, acting as if nothing had happened, and offered them to me. I didn’t take them, my eyes unconsciously glancing at the clock on the wall. It was already 10 AM. He followed my gaze and feigned sudden realization, “Lily wasn’t feeling well and couldn’t go out, so I delivered to her first. That’s why I’m late.” “Don’t worry, nothing happened between us.” He leaned closer with a mischievous smile, reaching out to stroke my hair. But the pungent jasmine perfume emanating from him made me want to vomit. I frowned and instinctively leaned away. Seeing this, his expression froze, and he opened his mouth as if to say something. I looked straight at him and said flatly, “Let’s get a divorce, Lucas.” His smile gradually faded, his face instantly darkening. His tone was filled with disbelief and incomprehension. “Just because I went to deliver sanitary pads to Lily? You want a divorce over such a small thing?” “You know I tricked her into the water back then, which caused her painful periods. Is it wrong for me to take care of her?” “She was worried you’d be upset about it, and she couldn’t sleep all night because of it.” I had heard before that when Lucas was young, he loved to play pranks. When he first met Lily, he tricked her into getting into the water, saying there was money in it. But it happened to be during her period, and ever since then, she experienced painful menstruation. In his view, I was just upset because he had abandoned me yesterday. And me? If I hadn’t shielded him from that teacup yesterday, I wouldn’t have miscarried and ended up in the hospital. As my husband, he didn’t even ask about my condition. Lucas looked at me with disappointment, as if I was being unreasonable. But I didn’t care anymore.

Lucas didn’t agree to the divorce and stormed off angrily. In his view, I was just throwing a tantrum, deliberately acting out. After all, without his protection, where could I find someone better? After that day, Lucas never contacted me again. He had always been the golden boy, used to being adored. He was waiting for me to apologize first. But how could that be possible?

After being discharged from the hospital, I contacted a lawyer to draft divorce papers. Then I rushed home to pack my luggage for a business trip. In my opinion, no matter how rich others are, it’s better to have your own money and capabilities. As I was going downstairs, Lucas’s mother was sitting in the living room, looking displeased at my suitcase. “Going on another business trip?” The company I managed required frequent travel, with about a third of each month spent away. I gave a light “Mm” in response. Hearing this, she slammed the magazine she was holding onto the coffee table and scolded, “You’re a woman, always busy with work and never at home. Married for years and still no children?” “A woman should stay at home, support her husband, and raise children. Why are you competing with men for business?” Lucas’s mother had always been dissatisfied with me. In her view, since I married into the Gray family, I should have quit my job and stayed at home to prepare for pregnancy and raise children. She then commanded, “Quit your job immediately. If I don’t have a grandchild within a year, you two should get divorced.” In the past, out of respect for Lucas, I rarely talked back. I always tried to tolerate her unreasonable demands. But now, I didn’t want to serve anymore. I smiled and said, “No need to wait. We can divorce anytime. I’ll step aside.” Her face changed, and she glared at me angrily, about to say something. I continued, “Actually, there was a child, but unfortunately, you weren’t destined to meet. I miscarried two days ago.” As soon as I finished speaking, there was a commotion at the door. Lucas stood there, his eyes full of disbelief. “What did you say?” He strode over and gripped my hands tightly. “Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant?” If he had paid even a little attention to me, he would have known why I was hospitalized. I forcefully pulled my hands from his grip, a hint of mockery flashing in my eyes as I sneered, “Isn’t all this because of you?”

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I’m known as Jack Wilson’s number one doormat. Jack, the most popular guy in school and a notorious playboy, only keeps me around because I look somewhat like his dream girl, Emma Frost. He chased after Emma for two years, but she always looked down on him and eventually went abroad. Now, Jack uses every opportunity to humiliate me, his substitute. It’s his way of getting revenge on Emma, taking out his frustrations on me. Despite this treatment, I still take care of him and comply with his every whim. He once asked me, “Why are you so good to me? What are you after?” I couldn’t help but laugh. What could I possibly want from him? “I want your heart, of course!” I replied. “My heart? Now that’s asking for too much!” he scoffed. What Jack doesn’t know is that I’m after his actual heart – his physical organ – not his affection for me. I pushed open the door to the bar’s private room, carrying a birthday cake. All eyes turned to me as the noise inside suddenly died down. Jack, with his arm around a girl in a mini skirt, spoke impatiently, “What took you so long to buy a cake? Everyone’s been waiting to celebrate Chloe’s birthday.” I set the cake down on the table and smoothed my wind-tousled hair. “There was some traffic,” I explained. My response was met with a round of mockery from the others. “Jack, man, you’ve got her so well-trained!” “I need to learn your secrets, bro!” Ever since I transferred to Southern University in my junior year to be close to Jack, his friends have called me his doormat. They say I changed schools just for him. They’re right about that part… They also say Jack only agreed to be with me because I look somewhat like Emma Frost. Emma was his dream girl, the one he chased for two years without success before she went abroad. Jack opened the cake box and lit the candles. He pulled Chloe close and told her to make a wish. “I wish Jack would take me to see the ocean,” Chloe said dreamily. Someone teased, “Saying it out loud means it won’t come true!” Chloe turned to Jack with her big, beautiful eyes. “Jack, do you think my wish will come true?” Jack kissed her cheek and glanced at me from the corner of his eye. “Of course it will. We’ll go this Saturday.” He added with a mischievous grin, “We’ll camp on the beach overnight. I’ll bring a tent to set up on the sand.” Chloe shyly kissed Jack in return. Jack then turned to me, sitting in the corner. “Sophia, make sure you buy a tent before Saturday.” “Okay,” I replied. “And get a thick, soft mat too. Chloe’s delicate skin won’t be able to handle lying directly on the ground.” “Alright,” I agreed. The group erupted in laughter. “Now that’s a dedicated doormat! She’ll agree to anything!” “Jack, you’ve got some serious skills!” Chloe nestled into Jack’s arms, embarrassed. I stared at the spot over Jack’s heart. He shouldn’t let Chloe lean there. That’s mine… A sharp pain shot through my chest. I closed my eyes, fighting back tears. The reason I stay by Jack’s side is because I like being close to his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat. It’s a soothing remedy for my pain, a comfort during sleepless nights of agony. After they finished singing, the group decided to go for hot pot. I followed behind Jack. When I saw Chloe pour Jack a glass of beer, I quickly took it away. “The doctor said you can’t drink alcohol.” Jack looked up at me, sitting across from him. “If I can’t drink it, then you drink it!” The others chimed in, “Yeah, Jack said so. Drink up!” I didn’t want to drink, but seeing Jack’s displeased expression, I picked up the glass and downed it in one go. I never upset him, not even the slightest bit. The doctor had said his emotions shouldn’t fluctuate too much. Seeing him reach for the spicy broth, I reminded him, “You also can’t eat spicy or stimulating food.” Someone teased, “Jack, she’s already acting like a nagging wife before you’re even married!” Jack raised an eyebrow. “Who said I was going to eat it? Our Chloe loves spicy food.” He picked up a slice of lamb and fed it to Chloe. The group laughed again. “Jack likes hot and sexy girls like Chloe. Much better than the plain and boring type!” The speaker glanced at me as he said this. “Jack’s got great taste, that’s for sure!” …

On Saturday, Zoe and I waited outside the boys’ dormitory with two tents, ready for Jack. Zoe is my roommate and my best friend at Southern University. When I first met her, I felt drawn to her. There was something familiar about her, as if we’d met before. Jack came out of the dorm building with his arm around a petite figure whose face was hidden by a baseball cap. As they got closer, I realized it was a girl. She was even wearing Jack’s baseball jacket. Seeing them, Zoe got angry on my behalf. She confronted Jack, “Who is she? You’re supposed to be taking Sophia to the beach, and now you’re bringing another girl? And she’s so shameless, going into the boys’ dorm!” I regretted not telling Zoe earlier that Jack was bringing Chloe. But this wasn’t even Chloe. The girl glanced at Zoe and snuggled closer to Jack. In a coy voice, she said, “Jack, she’s so mean. I’m scared.” Jack patted her head and snapped back at Zoe, “If Sophia doesn’t mind, why should you care? You’re not even involved. Aren’t you just tagging along uninvited?” I stepped in front of Zoe. “I insisted that Zoe come. You can treat me however you want, but don’t talk to Zoe like that!” Seeing that I was genuinely upset, Jack’s tone softened slightly. “She started it. But fine, I’ll be the bigger person and let it go.” Zoe tried to argue further, but I quickly pulled her away. “Come on, Zoe, let’s go. Just think of it as accompanying me to the beach. Don’t let this ruin your mood.” As we walked away, Zoe said, “I can’t stand to see you treated like this! What’s so great about that two-timing jerk that you have to put up with this?” I replied softly, “He may not be good, but his heart is good…” “Huh?” Zoe looked confused, but I didn’t explain further. Southern University isn’t far from the beach, so we took a taxi. By early evening, the beach was crowded with campers, mostly college students out for fun. I had just finished setting up the two tents when I overheard two girls talking nearby. “Did you hear about that incredibly handsome guy from your school who got into a car accident recently?” “Yeah, he was a genius too, top of his class in every subject!” “Such a tragedy… What was his name again?” “Ethan Sky…” When I heard that name, my blood ran cold. My heart felt like it was being torn apart, and I couldn’t breathe. I watched the sun slowly disappear below the horizon, leaving behind a darkening sky. Just like my world without him – pitch black. I had lost him forever.

I crouched down, hugging my knees, as tears soaked the sand beneath me. I remembered another evening like this when he had built a sandcastle on the beach. He had been so secretive, not letting me see it until it was finished. He had covered my eyes with his hands and led me to the castle. With a dramatic flair, he had announced, “Ta-da! Miss Thompson, behold your future home! One day, I’ll buy a house just like this castle and bring my princess home…” But later, the sea washed away the castle, and he left me too… Zoe returned with firewood and was startled to see me in such a state. She quickly hugged me. “Sophia, what’s wrong? Did those two jerks upset you?” “I’m going to give them a piece of my mind!” she declared, ready to confront Jack and his new girl, who were making out in the distance. I held her back. “No, Zoe, it’s not because of them. I’m not feeling well. Can we go back to school?” We got into a taxi back to campus. Zoe sat with me in the back seat. Knowing I didn’t want to talk about it, she just held me close, gently rubbing my back. It reminded me of how Ethan used to comfort me whenever I was sad… I felt the warmth from her, and surprisingly, the pain in my heart began to ease. Back at our dorm, Zoe gave me her large panda plushie to sleep with, saying it would help me sleep. She meant well, so I couldn’t refuse. I lay in bed, hugging the panda and staring at the ceiling. I thought it would be another sleepless night, like so many before when I longed for Ethan. But somehow, I eventually fell into a deep sleep.

That night, I had a long dream. I dreamed of the sweet memories from when we first met. When I was in kindergarten, new neighbors moved in next door. They had a son a year younger than me. From the day they arrived, I had a little shadow with a runny nose following me around. Every day when I went to kindergarten, he wanted to come too, but the teachers wouldn’t let him in. So he begged his mom to let him go to kindergarten as well. I remember when I first started kindergarten, I cried my heart out every day, missing my mom terribly. But Ethan, from the day he started, never cried. He just happily followed me around. Because he was younger, the teachers gave him special treatment. Whenever he said he wanted to find his “big sister,” they would let him sit next to me. Even though he was in the toddler class, he learned everything we did in the junior class, and he learned it faster than me. He even helped me with the crafts the teacher assigned, so I could finish them. During games, while others paired up one-on-one, we were always a team of two against one… This went on, with him skipping grades to be with me in kindergarten. When I graduated and was about to start elementary school, he still had one more year of kindergarten left. Every day when he went to kindergarten then, he cried his heart out, worrying his mom to no end. His classmates in the senior kindergarten class teased him: “How come you’re still not used to it after three years? We stopped crying in our first year!” Ethan, sniffling, replied, “I got used to having my sister with me for three years in kindergarten. Now I’m all alone, that’s why I’m sad.” Finally, Ethan started elementary school, but this time the teachers wouldn’t let him sit with me in the second-grade classroom. So every break, he’d run to my classroom, bringing me snacks, stickers that little girls liked, and all sorts of little trinkets. He spent all his pocket money on me. My classmates all thought he was my real brother and called him the “sister-doting maniac.” Later, when I started middle school, Ethan’s family had to move away due to his father’s job transfer.

The night before they left, Ethan knocked on my window with a bamboo pole from his family’s small balcony. Our balconies were right next to each other, close enough that we could talk from them. Our families got along well too. My dad would grill kebabs on the balcony and pass some to Ethan. Ethan’s dad would brew tea on a small stove on their balcony and offer a cup to my dad. After Ethan called me out, he handed me a letter. His ears were red as he said, “Wait until I’m gone tomorrow to open it.” I asked why I had to wait until he left to read it. He stammered for a while but couldn’t give me an answer. Seeing he wasn’t saying anything, I thought the conversation was over. I was about to go back inside to continue reading my romance novel. I had just gotten to the part where the heroine runs away pregnant, and I was curious if the clueless hero would be able to find her. As I turned to leave, Ethan called out loudly, “Sophia, wait for me. I’ll definitely come back for you.” I replied, “Okay, don’t come empty-handed.” It was meant as a joke, but he took it seriously. When we met again, he really didn’t come empty-handed. That was on the first day of our freshman year in college. The young man stood under a phoenix tree, holding a large box in both hands. He wore a clean white shirt and jeans. The sunlight filtering through the leaves cast a glow on him. When he saw me approach, his smile was brighter than the sunshine. When Ethan’s family left, I was actually very sad, but I didn’t show it. I didn’t want to make the atmosphere too gloomy, and it wasn’t like we’d never see each other again. I didn’t go down to see them off, but instead watched from the balcony as their car drove further and further away. It felt like a piece of my heart was missing… Ah, I would never again taste Ethan’s mom’s sweet and sour pork ribs, meatballs, fish, or pork loin… Ethan’s mom had tried to teach my mom, but with my mom’s cooking skills, she nearly burned down the kitchen. I went back to my room and opened Ethan’s letter. After reading it, I was angry! I had thought of him as a little brother, but he didn’t see me as a sister. He even wrote about wanting to rightfully call my mom “Mom” in the future! At that time, I was obsessed with romance novels. I imagined men who could sweep me off my feet and pin me against a wall, saying, “Woman, you can’t escape me.” When I thought of Ethan, who was even younger than me, I wondered if his skinny arms could even lift me. In novels, the men were always older, experienced guys falling for younger women. I was still waiting for my mature man to come along. Back then, I never would have imagined that this scrawny boy, who dreamed of calling my mom “Mom,” would one day sacrifice his life to protect me. His departure left me with a pain that cut to the bone. I hated that truck driver who had fallen asleep at the wheel! In my mind, I was back to that day…

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Three years ago, I accidentally witnessed my husband’s scandalous affair with our adopted daughter, who has dwarfism. As a result, Gabriel completely rejected me. Rose, our adopted daughter with dwarfism, locked me in the cellar, chaining me through my shoulder blades until I was nothing but skin and bones. Three years later, Rose fell seriously ill, and Gabriel finally remembered me. He brought a large group of people to search for me, but all traces led to the cellar in our own house. He thought I was still throwing a tantrum. “If you’re willing to personally perform the surgery on Rose, I can forgive you for leaving without a word three years ago,” he said. My voice was hoarse, and when I opened my mouth wide, I could only make a “heh heh” sound. Finally, Gabriel opened the cellar door himself. Only to find me, starved to death. Three years ago, I should have been at work, but I returned home to retrieve an important document I had accidentally left behind. That’s when I discovered my husband’s affair with our adopted daughter with dwarfism. In our mansion, all the servants had been sent away. Our marital bed was creaking rhythmically. Rose, our adopted daughter with dwarfism, was wearing my sexy nightgown, straddling my husband’s lap. “If she knew that you only adopted me to make it easier to sleep with me, she’d probably die of anger.” “Well, she’s so stupid she can’t even tell you have dwarfism,” Gabriel said, looking satisfied as he held Rose. “We absolutely can’t let her find out. I told her I’d love only her for life. If she wasn’t on her period lately, it wouldn’t be your turn, you little minx.” I trembled all over, my eyes instantly turning red. Gabriel and I had been in love for years. Everyone said Gabriel was a good man. When he pursued me, he said, “I want to win your heart and grow old with you.” After we married, he even dismissed all the female servants in the house, even hiring a male housekeeper. All to prove his undying love for me. Everyone said he loved me more than his own life. But only I knew that Gabriel had one exception: Rose. Rose was the adopted daughter Gabriel had insisted on taking in. His exact words were: “Rose was entrusted to me by my war buddy. I can’t abandon her.” I never imagined he would personally “take care” of her in bed. Whenever it came to matters concerning Rose, Gabriel seemed to lose all reason. On our first wedding anniversary, I had carefully prepared a special celebration. But because Rose had sprained her ankle, he left me waiting and personally took her to the hospital instead. Once, when things were getting hot and heavy between Gabriel and me in bed, Rose called, crying that she was afraid of thunder. Gabriel pulled up his pants and went to comfort her. There were many such incidents, but I never thought much of it. I never imagined they had been having an affair all along, and I had been kept in the dark for so long until this accidental discovery. It turns out Rose has a childlike appearance due to her dwarfism. I had been fooled so badly. I thought I would burst in angrily and confront them. But I didn’t. I just stiffly put down the file folder and waited for the two inside to finish. I thought Gabriel would look guilty and ashamed after being discovered, but he was surprisingly calm. “Since you’ve found out, you should treat Rose even better from now on. She’s not really your adopted daughter, so don’t force her to call you mom anymore. If you two can get along harmoniously, I won’t have to go to the trouble of hiding it anymore.” Gabriel looked at me as if everything he had done was justified, as if I had forced him into this. I trembled with anger, almost on the verge of collapse. I pointed at the two of them and said, “How could you do this to me?” Since marrying Gabriel, I had done everything to please him. I even often handled his family business affairs for him, giving him more free time. Out of pity for Rose’s tragic past, I made her nutritious soups every day. But these two had been doing such outrageous things behind my back. “Why are you acting like someone from the old society? Can’t you handle even this much?” “Let’s talk when you’ve calmed down. I’m going on a business trip for a few days.” “I’m afraid you might hurt Rose while I’m gone, so I’ve transferred the house’s security and management rights to her,” Gabriel said with a look of disgust, then put on his coat and left. Only Rose and I were left in the room. She pitifully held a bowl of chicken soup, looking helpless. But I only felt disgust and knocked the bowl out of her hand. “Rose, you make me sick. Is tricking me so much fun?” If I had known earlier that Rose wasn’t really a child, but just a person with dwarfism, I would never have agreed to my husband’s adoption plan. But as I turned away, a flash of malice and cruelty crossed Rose’s face. That night, while I was sound asleep, she snuck into my room and smashed a vase against the back of my head. The once gentle and timid adopted daughter with dwarfism suddenly turned into a powerful brute. With a hideous expression, she grabbed my hair and inhumanly dragged me into the cellar. “You should have just gone along with it. Mia, you’re nothing but an orphan. How dare you give me attitude?” “You shouldn’t have discovered our dirty secret. To keep you from telling anyone, and to make him love me more, I have no choice but to do this to you.” Rose threaded an iron chain as thick as a finger through my shoulder blades, locking me in the cellar. I screamed shrilly, but no one heard me. A feeling of utter despair washed over me. When Gabriel returned from his business trip, he didn’t find me at home. He asked Rose, but got no answer. In the end, he just assumed my disappearance was my way of protesting against him. Gradually, I was forgotten. “Mia, are you addicted to throwing tantrums? Forget it, don’t bother about her. If she wants to run away from home, let her go.” I cried out in my heart: No, I didn’t! Gabriel, why couldn’t you look for me a little harder? I was imprisoned like this for three years, becoming nothing but skin and bones. Rose would occasionally bring me some leftover dog food, just enough to keep me from starving to death. My tongue had been cut out, so I couldn’t say a single word. But recently… I felt confused, blinking my sore eyes. Rose hadn’t given me any food for a long time. My body was extremely weak, all four limbs chained, surrounded by darkness and a foul stench. A bitter smile crossed my mind. Perhaps today would be the day I die. But then Gabriel brought a large team of bodyguards to stand in the courtyard. Pinching his nose, he called out: “Mia, I know you’re hiding in there. If you’re willing to personally perform the surgery on Rose, I can forgive you for leaving without a word three years ago.”

I had been missing for three years, and Gabriel finally remembered me. He thought I was still throwing a tantrum and kept trying to persuade me: “Mia, I won’t agree to divorce you. You’ve been gone for three years, surely you’ve had enough of being willful. It’s time for you to come back.” “Mia, Rose is seriously ill. All the doctors in A City told me that only you can perform this surgery. Please come out and do the surgery for Rose, okay?” My expression was wooden, but hearing these words, I finally showed a hint of emotion. So Rose was seriously ill. Gabriel, you only remembered me now? It’s been three years already? Before marrying Gabriel, I was a highly reputable doctor. After marrying him, I became the lady of his house. Every day was spent taking care of Gabriel and handling messes for his family business. If not for Gabriel’s calls, I would have forgotten that I was once a doctor. I opened my mouth, wanting to shout loudly, wanting to tell Gabriel that I was in the cellar. But I could only make a “heh heh” sound. I had lost my tongue long ago. I began to cry silently, tears wetting my cheeks. Gabriel continued shouting in the courtyard: “Mia, stop throwing tantrums. Rose is our adopted daughter. How can you bear to see her die so young?” I remained silent, my face wooden. What he didn’t know was that Rose had imprisoned me for three years. For three years, I had lived like a dog. Without a tongue, I could only make low whimpering sounds. The interior of the mansion was managed by servants arranged by Rose, so no one had discovered me. Gabriel frowned coldly: “Mia, you’ve gone too far. What kind of tantrum are you throwing? Don’t forget you’re still my wife. All these years, you’ve never fulfilled your duties as a wife.” “Compared to Rose, you have absolutely no sense of responsibility.” He snorted in disgust, comparing me unfavorably to Rose. Gabriel felt a hint of unease. He had investigated his wife Mia’s whereabouts and found that she hadn’t left the city three years ago. In the end, all traces pointed to this cellar. But would Mia, a person with severe germaphobia, hide in a cellar for three years? This was clearly impossible. Gabriel took out a handkerchief from his pocket and covered his nose and mouth, as if something was bothering him. The closer he got to the cellar, the stronger the strange smell became. He called out a few times but heard no response. His impatience reached its peak. “Send a few men to break down the cellar door. I want to see what’s inside that could keep her hidden for three years.” Gabriel sneered, his eyes full of disgust. “Maybe her lover is in there.” With a loud “boom”, the bodyguards went forward to check, but then turned back to report: “Mr. Gu, there’s a specially made iron door inside. We can’t break it down.” Hearing this, Gabriel was stunned, then flew into a rage. As if he had caught me in some wrongdoing. He continued shouting into the cellar: “Mia, I knew you were hiding in there. I never specially renovated the cellar in this mansion. It must be you in there!” “Continue, continue breaking it down. I want to see what Mia’s lover looks like.” He seemed to have completely forgotten that he was the one who cheated first, and instead was bent on catching evidence of me having an affair. I curled my lips, moving the iron nails in my face, causing festering blood to flow out. Gabriel, when you personally see me in this miserable state, will you regret indulging Rose? After a bout of violent demolition, the cellar was opened. Fresh air rushed in for the first time in years. “Mr. Gu, it’s open. But it’s filthy and stinks inside. It doesn’t look like a place where someone could live.” The bodyguard casually glanced around at the entrance. “Do you want to go in and check yourself?” Gabriel frowned, not believing it. He wanted to search the place himself. But just as he was about to step into the cellar… “Mr. Gu, the hospital called. Miss Rose’s condition has worsened.” Gabriel’s face changed dramatically, his voice trembling. “Let’s go to the hospital. Rose’s condition is urgent.” “Mia, you’d better come out voluntarily to perform surgery on Rose, or I’ll never let you off for anything.” His eyes were only for Rose. Even as he left the cellar, he had to leave those harsh words for Rose’s sake. As I heard the footsteps moving further away from me, I became anxious. I started making whimpering sounds with all my strength. Help! Gabriel, I’m just a few steps behind you. Gabriel, if you just turn around, you’ll see me. But having not eaten for days, I quickly ran out of strength to call out. A wave of dizziness completely enveloped me. But Gabriel didn’t notice the commotion behind him at all. Instead, he walked towards the hospital without stopping. My vital signs began to disappear.

As I lay dying, my soul seemed to float above the hospital. I heard Gabriel suppressing his anger. “Mia should be the one dying. Rose is so pitiful, why does she have to get this illness?” Rose lay pale on the hospital bed. Her words implied: “I don’t blame Mia. It’s my fault for doing wrong with Gabriel. She hates me and deliberately poisoned me to cause this illness. I deserve it.” Floating nearby, I couldn’t help but smile bitterly. So even as I was about to die, Rose was still throwing mud at me. I was really about to die. Gabriel began to curse angrily: “Mia, you’re so heartless. Rose is just an innocent girl. Just because she has dwarfism, you had to do this to her?” “If you have the guts, keep hiding. Don’t let me catch you, or I’ll definitely punish you severely.” A flash of malice crossed Rose’s eyes as she asked expectantly. “I heard Gabriel went to find many doctors for me. Did you find that reclusive doctor?” Gabriel’s face froze, then he comforted her, patting her shoulder: “Rose, I’ll definitely get that doctor to perform surgery on you.” “I believe in you, Gabriel. You’re the best.” The two were lovey-dovey in the hospital room, not at all mindful of the medical staff. I felt utterly hopeless. Even though Rose had shown me countless intimate photos over the past three years, it was nothing compared to what I saw today. I felt a surge of blood in my heart, a sweet taste spreading in my throat. This was the omen of death. My pupils dilated, and after spitting out a mouthful of blood, I finally passed away. Gabriel rushed back to the cellar entrance. “Bang bang bang.” Violent knocking came from the cellar door. This time, Gabriel opened it himself. His expression was full of disgust, not even trying to hide it. “Mia, it’s been three years. You should have some limits.” For Rose’s condition, even if there was only a glimmer of hope, he recklessly plunged into the cellar. But the cellar was empty, except for various blood-stained torture instruments. And a blood-covered figure that was almost mummified. Nothing else. He walked towards the wooden stake, full of suspicion, cursing as he went: “Mia, what kind of trick are you playing?” But the next second. His expression changed drastically, as if he had seen a ghost. His lips trembled, even his fingertips shaking. The objects in the cellar were old and in disrepair. After the bombing and blasting, the wooden stake was about to collapse. The stake swayed, about to fall to the ground. In that instant, Gabriel clearly saw the face of the blood-covered figure. He scrambled towards the blood-covered figure. His eyes nearly popping out of their sockets: “Mia!”

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I Supported Him from a Debt-Ridden Streamer to a Top Internet Celebrity For six years, I worked multiple jobs despite my gastritis to help him pay off his debts. Yet he flirted with others during his livestreams and accompanied sponsors to scenic night views. I never complained, silently cleaning up every mess he made. Until that day, when I received photos of him in bed with his top fan. He knelt down and proposed, promising to marry me once the debts were cleared. I pushed him away and calmly replied, “I don’t love you anymore.” The person I loved was the young man who bought me porridge six years ago. “Ouch—” I curled up on the changing bench, peeling off a band-aid. The fluffy fur of the Mickey Mouse head was sticking to my sweaty neck, while the air conditioning vent blew cold air directly onto my bleeding ankle. Just as my phone vibrated, I accidentally knocked over the iodine bottle with my knee. As Ryan Collins’s message popped up, the brown liquid was dripping onto my phone screen. The light came on, revealing the gastroscopy report I hadn’t had a chance to check earlier: “Chronic atrophic gastritis.” The diagnosis was slowly being covered by the medicine. I quickly wiped the screen with my palm, careful not to touch the costume. A single costume was worth a whole day’s wages from my part-time job. “Babe, a sponsorship deal fell through. I need to accompany Ms. Chen today.” The heartbreaking stomach pain began to throb again. I tilted my head back, trying to hold back my tears. “Okay.” To help Ryan pay off his debts, I had been working two part-time jobs for two years, hoping to clear his debts as soon as possible. Ryan’s parents had accumulated a lot of debt due to gambling. Being a filial son, he started livestreaming in his sophomore year to help pay off his parents’ debts and support his sister, taking advantage of his good looks and physique. However, over the past few years, his business had grown significantly, expanding from online to offline, and he started choosing more lucrative work. “Ms. Chen’s Rolls-Royce leather seats are much more comfortable than the livestream studio,” his words from last week’s stream suddenly echoed in my ears. I clutched my stomach, trembling as I opened my yellowing second-hand designer bag. I twisted open the medicine bottle only to find that I had run out of painkillers. They say the stomach is an emotional organ. So, even my stomach could feel it? Before I could dwell on it, Jane, who often introduced me to part-time jobs, walked in. “Emily, the dinosaur costume needs two layers of cotton lining to be stable enough.” Jane threw the costume over my shoulder. The synthetic fabric rubbed against my sunburned skin, but I couldn’t feel any pain except in my stomach. “The girl who played Mickey last month and got heatstroke was diagnosed with heat illness today.” Seeing my determination, Jane, despite being a capitalist, added a few more words about taking precautions against heatstroke. The scorching 104°F heat couldn’t deter me from returning to the amusement park. “Phew, finally done.” I staggered with dizziness, stars dancing before my eyes as I took off the character head. A cool breeze hit my neck – it turned out a light rain had started. I suddenly remembered that stormy night in my freshman year. Ryan stood under the dormitory building for three hours, holding a leaking umbrella, with a convenience store red bean bread tucked in his jacket. He said, “My part-time job money just came in. Want to go for Japanese food?”

The stinging pain from the blood blister on my ankle brought me back to reality. Without time to think further, I returned to the changing room to put away the costume and continued with my part-time job. As the seventh shot of tequila slid down my throat, the house singer’s husky voice suddenly tore through the noise. “All these years of youth I’ve given you—” I knocked over the bar stool as I rushed to the bathroom, my knees hitting the marble steps hard. Vomit mixed with blood splattered on my newly opened phone screen. Ryan’s livestream was exceptionally clear amidst the filth. His fingers were pinching a cherry stem, using the magic trick I taught him to charm the VIP fan into flooding the screen with Porsche gifts. As my stomach cramped, I seemed to see the Ryan from years ago in a haze. “Babe, you need to eat well even when you have a fever. Come on, the porridge is still hot, hurry and eat it.” Twenty-year-old Ryan braved the rainy night, warming the porridge container with his body heat, the plastic spoon broken in two inside the thermal bag. I slowly turned off the screen, a salty taste now surging up from my stomach. Forcing myself back to the bar, I kept repeating to myself: “I need this job. Once the debts are cleared, Ryan and I will have a bright future!” The fur-clad woman in the booth, cigarette dangling from her lips, saw me return and dug her sharp, long nails deep into my shoulder. “Finish this bottle, and I’ll give you a grand in cash.” Her nail jewels scraped against my collarbone, where Ryan’s bite marks from yesterday still left a bruise. People around started to egg me on, and the manager came over repeatedly urging me to drink. Fighting the discomfort in my stomach, I slowly poured the cold alcohol mixed with my freely falling tears down my throat. My stomach suddenly began to spasm, and I couldn’t hold onto the expensive liquor, dropping it onto the table. Glass shards scattered across the glass table, and the manager’s palm came flying towards me with a whoosh. I fell to the ground powerlessly, seeing countless pathetic reflections of myself in the glass shards. I didn’t even notice my knees being cut by the broken glass.

Ryan’s video call came through at that moment. Taking advantage of the cleaning lady tidying up the table, I ran to the side and pressed the answer button. The crystal chandelier behind the man hurt my eyes. Seeing my background, he hesitated for a moment and frowned. “Come home early after your part-time job.” After briefly saying this, he swirled his wine glass and said with a smile: “Thanks to Ms. Chen, I landed a new endorsement deal tonight. I’ll take you to pick out wedding rings next week.” I stared at the Rolex Submariner on his wrist. Suddenly remembering his reddened hands from our junior year. The chilblains from handing out flyers in 19°F weather were exchanged for a bowl of beef noodles. All just to celebrate my 22nd birthday. Ryan was still showing off the logo on his steak knife in the video. “Why aren’t you saying anything?” His frown was identical to the one he wore during livestreams. A coquettish female voice came from the background. I recognized it as the second-highest tipper who had sent thirty Diamond gifts last month. Blood trickled from my knee into my high heels – the 4-inch stilettos were his anniversary gift. At this moment, the manager called me over. I hurriedly hung up the phone and downed the eighth shot of tequila the manager brought over. As the alcohol burned through my stomach lining, the house singer was crooning, “Forever isn’t necessary for love to be complete.” The neon sign shattered into stardust through my tear-filled eyes. The warmth of that bowl of porridge from when I was twenty had finally grown colder than tonight.

The Hermès gift box in the entryway was tied with a silver ribbon, reminiscent of the clumsy bow he tied on our first night together. The shower stopped, and Ryan came out, pressing against me with steamy warmth. I counted three new scratch marks on his abs, one less than Ms. Li had left last month. “Just bought a new bag, see if you like it.” He licked the sweat off my collarbone, his fingertips trailing down my spine. As the platinum bag’s metal clasp cut through the darkness, I felt the curled hair inside the lining, just long enough to wrap around his wrist twice. Fireworks exploded outside the window as Ryan made his vow in a husky voice. “Once the debts are paid off, I’ll set off fireworks for you every day.” But now, the ticking of his Vacheron Constantin watch on his wrist was clearer than his vows. I counted my heartbeats, waiting for him to tell that all-too-familiar lie. “The platform wants to push me for the year-end gala.” He whispered, nibbling on my earlobe, the couple’s ring on his ring finger digging painfully into my skin. This wasn’t our couple’s ring. Seeing me staring intently, he casually said it was something Ms. Chen required him to wear, telling me not to mind it. “Once we get the bonus, we’ll go get married in Iceland, your favorite place, okay?” I composed myself and said okay. The digital clock on the bedside table changed to 02:07, and suddenly his phone screen lit up. The lock screen notifications were crowded with unread messages, including the topmost one with a pink avatar. “Babe, the couple’s necklace you gave me is so pretty~” My brow twitched, and I closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep. Hearing him tiptoe to the balcony to reply to the message, I painfully supported my sore waist to get out of bed, took out the key, and pulled open the most hidden drawer. It was empty. It used to hold the couple’s necklace I had personally designed for our fourth anniversary. Moonlight sliced through the curtains onto the bedsheet, making the stain he had just left look incredibly ironic. When Ryan returned and saw me standing blankly to the side, he noticed the open drawer. He hurriedly grabbed my arm. “Babe, I’m just playing along with clients, don’t take it seriously. Think about it, we can make so much money just by borrowing it for a while!” “What were you just doing?” I asked calmly. Ryan paused for a moment. “Didn’t I tell you? I’m participating in the year-end gala. My assistant just told me that to win the bonus this time, you’ll need to cooperate with me for a while!”

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On the day Alexander Hayes’ company went public, he was being interviewed on a TV show. I was in a basement, my body covered in wounds, being tortured by a man. To liven up the atmosphere, the host added a small segment. He asked Alexander to close his eyes and call the top contact on his phone. My phone rang immediately. The man holding me captive tied my hands and put the phone to my ear: “Now that you’ve seen my company go public, do you regret leaving me for money back then?” Alexander’s voice came through. I looked up and saw the man gesturing with a whip. I sneered: “Alexander, how pathetic are you? Give me a million dollars, and I’ll play with you for a while.” Alexander fell silent and abruptly hung up. He didn’t know that when his company successfully raised funds years ago, It was because I had secretly sold myself to another man’s bed. On the day Alexander Hayes’ company went public, he was being interviewed on a TV show. I was in a dark room, my body covered in bruises inflicted by a man. To liven up the atmosphere, the host added a small segment. He asked Alexander to close his eyes and call the top contact on his phone. My phone rang immediately. The man holding me captive put the phone to my ear: “Now that you’ve seen my company go public, do you regret leaving me for money?” Alexander’s voice came through. I looked up at the man threatening me with a whip and sneered, “Alex, how pathetic are you? Give me $100,000 and I’ll play with you.” Alexander fell silent and abruptly hung up. He didn’t know that when his company successfully raised funds years ago, I had secretly sold myself to another man to make it happen. Victor Sullivan got off me with a satisfied look, dressed, and left. I lay curled up on the floor, touching the bite marks on my body. My phone lit up, showing a notification of a $100,000 transfer to my account. I froze, feeling a lump in my throat and a surge of complex emotions. Victor called, telling me to get ready and meet him at a restaurant. I didn’t dare delay. On the way, I wondered why he wasn’t spending Valentine’s Day with his official girlfriend. I waited outside the restaurant for a long time without hearing from Victor. Suddenly, an SUV careened towards me out of control. I closed my eyes, bracing for impact, when a strong arm pulled me into a familiar embrace. His scent was so familiar it made me want to cry. “Emily, are you okay?” Alexander looked down at me in his arms, his voice full of concern. I looked up at his handsome face and those familiar eyes. Five years had passed, and his features had become sharper and more defined. Time seemed to favor him even more. The only thing that had changed was that I was no longer the person he truly cared about. When he realized it was me, his pupils constricted, and he roughly pushed me away. “It’s you?” he said in disbelief. I forced a smile. From his appearance, it seemed he had rushed here straight from the TV show to spend Valentine’s Day with his celebrity girlfriend, Sophia. Sophia appeared nearby in a red dress. Alexander frowned, took off his coat, and lovingly draped it over her shoulders. I lowered my gaze, pretending not to see them, and turned to leave. He suddenly called out coldly: “Aren’t you going to thank your savior before you go?” I froze in my tracks, unable to move. His eyes were filled with hatred and emotions I couldn’t understand as he stared at me. I looked at him coldly, waving my phone, and said slowly: “Alex, my price has gone up. Now it takes $200,000 to get me into bed. Want to give it a try?” He was stunned for a moment, then his eyes blazed with anger. He grabbed my hand tightly, gritting his teeth: “Five years have passed, and you’ve become so disgustingly cheap!” My wrist immediately swelled and hurt. I looked at him mockingly, enunciating each word: “Want to sleep with me? I’ll give you a 20% discount.” Alexander’s expression was shocked, his eyes filled with complexity I couldn’t understand. As he was about to speak, Sophia came over and wrapped her arm around his other arm. “Alex, is this your gold-digging ex-girlfriend?” she asked. She looked me up and down, her tone contemptuous: “You think you’re worth $200,000? You’re really desperate, naming any price. But Alex buys me bags that cost more than that.” “Now you’ve resorted to selling your body to make money. If you hadn’t abandoned Alex for being poor back then, I wouldn’t have met such a wonderful man.” Memories from years ago flooded my mind. Alexander and I met in college. We were each other’s first love, sweet yet bittersweet. Back then, he wasn’t a famous entrepreneur yet. My reputation wasn’t so bad that everyone despised me. We were young and naive, sharing many precious firsts together. Though we argued sometimes, we held each other’s hands firmly, dreaming of growing old together. After graduation, Alexander invested all his savings into starting a business, but was tricked and lost everything. Debts piled up like a bottomless pit, constantly demanding more from us. Alexander’s mother suddenly fell seriously ill, adding to the burden on our shoulders. To pay off the debts, I worked several jobs a day, sharing a single piece of bread with Alexander for meals. We saved every penny we could, but it wasn’t enough to keep up with the mounting interest. Alexander’s mother was admitted to the ICU, and we couldn’t afford a cent of her treatment costs. I watched him fall into despair, even sleepwalking at night wanting to jump off a building. My heart was torn to pieces, and I could barely breathe. Victor approached me, offering to pay for Alexander’s mother’s treatment and help revive his business. The condition was that I become his mistress.

Alexander kissed Sophia’s fingers tenderly, his eyes full of affection. “Heaven opened its eyes. Leaving her allowed me to meet you, someone truly worth spending a lifetime with.” Their intimate gestures stung my eyes, making my chest tighten. I pulled my coat tighter, preparing to leave with a cold expression. As I took a step, Sophia stuck out her foot and tripped me. I stumbled, and birth control pills and condoms fell out of my bag. Alexander instinctively reached out to help me, but quickly withdrew his hand. Sophia covered her mouth in mock surprise: “Why are you carrying these things around?” Alexander’s attention was drawn to the items on the ground. He picked up the birth control pills with a gloomy face, looking at me hatefully. He threw them at me. “Emily Collins, have you no shame? Are you willing to degrade yourself like this for money?” “Is money really that important to you? Important enough to become such a promiscuous woman?” I looked at his tailored suit and the luxury watch on his wrist. Bending down to pick up the items from the ground, I smiled: “Of course it’s important! Why don’t you support my business, Mr. Hayes? Help me earn some more money.” Sophia looked at me with feigned surprise, her eyes gleaming with schadenfreude. “How can you, as a woman, say such things? You have hands and feet, can’t you earn money to support yourself?” “Alex… if she hadn’t left you back then, we wouldn’t have met.” “Her thinking is really extreme. No matter what, she was someone you once loved. Why don’t we help her find a job?” These words reminded Alexander of how I had abandoned him for money when he was in dire straits years ago. Alexander’s face turned cold. “She doesn’t deserve it!” He took Sophia’s hand and turned to leave. Before leaving, Sophia looked back at me, her eyes curved in a smile full of malice and mockery. I stood there expressionless, stuffing the birth control pills and condoms back into my bag. I watched them leave. My eyes began to water, their silhouettes becoming blurry. After a long while, I crouched down, burying my head in my arms. I wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes and opened my phone. There were several missed calls from Victor. The wounds on my body still ached dully. Alexander still didn’t know. The funding for his company… I had exchanged my body for it.

Five years ago. Alexander’s mother was critically ill, and we still couldn’t raise enough money for her surgery. Alexander broke down crying, holding his head in his hands. He even considered jumping off a building to follow his mother. After Victor approached me, I came home to find Alexander taking antidepressants like a zombie. I couldn’t hold back my tears anymore and hugged him tightly, crying hysterically. I agreed to Victor’s proposition. To be his caged bird until he got bored of me. Victor was a sadist who enjoyed torturing women in new ways. Whipping and burning became routine for me. I don’t know what kept him interested in me, but he still hasn’t let me go after all this time. It’s been five years now. The scars on my body have only become clearer with each passing day. … I didn’t go back into the restaurant. Instead, I took a taxi home. It had been a long time since I’d been back. When Victor’s official girlfriend wasn’t around, I had to be available to him 24/7. The apartment wasn’t big, but it felt particularly cold and desolate. This was where Alexander and I used to live together, where we dreamed of walking down the aisle together. After I agreed to Victor’s proposal, I pretended I couldn’t bear the hardship anymore and picked fights to break up with Alexander. We had been in love for four years since college. When he went bankrupt, I stayed by his side without complaint, working like a horse to earn money to pay off his debts. We were too clear about our love for each other; he didn’t believe I was someone who only cared about money. I forced myself to break up with him abruptly. To ensure he would have a better life, I had no choice but to do this, even if it meant hurting him deeply. He searched for me everywhere for three months, kneeling before me, crying and begging. Pleading with me not to leave. I cruelly said I was tired of living from hand to mouth. Tired of being by his side, working like a slave to fill his bottomless pit of debt. Tired of being with him, having to split a dollar in half to make ends meet. Tired of being dragged down by his dying mother. I remember how I angrily complained, driving him away. His eyes were red, his lips trembling. The usually proud man bowed his head, his shoulders shaking as he cried silently. I turned away decisively. Long after, I watched him from afar, covering my mouth to stifle my sobs. He lay on the ground, crying his heart out, then got up and left. Someone saw me getting into Victor’s car. After the breakup, I was completely labeled as a gold digger. In the villa, I lay in Victor’s arms. Replaying the heartache of pushing away the person I loved most. I just never thought there would be a day when Alexander and I would meet again. Now, he has risen to a position far beyond my reach, becoming the successful man I had hoped he would be. While I am covered in wounds. I reach out to touch his image on the TV screen. He looks so confident and accomplished. That’s good. My phone rings again. I answer, and Victor’s playful voice comes through. Fear seeps into my bones. He tells me to buy more whips and candles before coming back to the villa to see him. In the evening, the cold is biting. I kneel in front of Victor’s villa wearing thin clothes, freezing. Victor holds a whip, steadily pressing it under my chin, forcing me to look up. He blows out a smoke ring, lifting his eyelids carelessly. “Why didn’t you go into the restaurant? Was it because you saw Alexander?” “You really wasted the surprise I prepared for you.” I clench my teeth, saying nothing. “When the little cat misbehaves, a good beating will teach her a lesson.” The whip cuts through the air, landing on my body. Fresh blood flows onto the ground, my back a mess of torn flesh.

Sophia is Victor’s cousin, and she’s about to get engaged to Alexander. Victor forces me to accompany him to the engagement party. I see Alexander wearing a white custom-tailored suit, looking dignified and handsome. Sophia is in an elegant gown, graceful with every step. They stand side by side, a perfect match of talent and beauty. Everyone is praising how well-suited they are for each other. I shrink beside Victor, my fingernails digging into my palms. My heart silently shatters into pieces at this grand engagement party. Victor looks over, leading Alexander towards me. “Cousin, where’s your fiancée? Why did you bring this kind of… unsuitable woman to my engagement party?” Sophia pouts. Victor glances at me and Alexander, raising an eyebrow: “Just bringing my little bird out to see the world. After all… she won’t have many chances to see such things in the future.” Alexander remains silent, his knuckles white as he grips his wine glass. Sophia teases, then suddenly stumbles, knocking over the red wine I was holding for Victor. It spills on her dress. She yells angrily: “You did that on purpose! You’re trying to ruin my engagement party!” I look up at Victor. He smirks, sipping his wine and enjoying the show. Alexander stares at me intently, his lips pressed tightly together. Sophia glares at me hatefully. She raises her arm and slaps me, knocking me to the ground. “You slut! Waiter, throw her out!” Sophia shouts furiously, her eyes blazing with anger. I fall to the ground awkwardly, as people gather around, whispering. A flash of pain crosses Alexander’s eyes, and he involuntarily takes a step forward, but then sees Victor pull me into his arms. His eyes darken, and he clenches his fists, stepping back. Victor helps me up, gently tucking a stray hair behind my ear. His eyes flick to the crowd, where an elegant woman stands… his fiancée. He lets go of me and walks over to her with a bright smile: “Darling, you came too?” The woman ignores him, and he hurriedly follows after her. The hall suddenly falls silent, as if time has stopped. Everyone looks stunned. All eyes turn to me, filled with curiosity and mockery. They whisper among themselves. “So she’s not Mr. Sullivan’s hidden fiancée, just a mistress!” “She looks familiar… Isn’t she the gold-digging ex-girlfriend who abandoned Mr. Hayes?” “She deserves this. Now it’s her turn to be abandoned by Mr. Sullivan. Karma really does come around…” Someone throws their red wine at me, and others follow suit. Sophia’s friends grab my hair, wanting to get revenge for her. I remain silent, letting them bully me. My eyes are dull and lifeless. A few rich playboys approach with wine glasses, trying to grab me. “You’re pretty good-looking. I heard you’ll sleep with anyone for money. How about spending the night with me?” The crowd laughs, and the atmosphere turns vulgar. Alexander’s face darkens as he steps forward to remove their hands. “$500,000 as a down payment. Come with me,” he says. The hall falls silent once again. Sophia’s face turns sour as she glares at me and Alexander. “Have a drink with me,” Alexander continues slowly.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295807”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #校园School #励志Inspiring #重生Reborn