In this post-apocalyptic wasteland, my only ticket to survival was Subject 591. He was the apex predator of the Facility. To make sure he would keep me safe when the world inevitably went to hell, I starved myself to save him extra rations. I racked my brain every day trying to make small talk and win his affection. But after all that effort, the look in his eyes when he stared at me was still the look of a beast watching its prey. A massive, ice-cold claw suddenly pinned my chest to the floor. Putrid, bloodstained fangs hovered mere inches from my nose. My entire body locked up in absolute terror. “Please don’t eat me!” My voice trembled violently. “Did you forget? I was the one who hand-fed you when you were just a baby!” 591 did not listen to a single word. Instead, his wet nose began to nuzzle against my cheek. His colossal body pressed flush against mine, and his heavy tail coiled tightly around my calf. I was completely lost. What the hell did he want from me? Just back off! 1 My vision was entirely submerged in blood-red. Agonizing screams echoed in my ears. A split second later, a searing pain tore through my flesh. I lost all consciousness and sank into a pitch-black abyss. Something hard and cold jabbed roughly against the side of my head. I snapped my eyes open. The freezing barrel of a rifle was pressed hard against my temple, digging into my skin with rhythmic, punishing shoves. “What are you standing around daydreaming for? Get back to work.” My survival instinct kicked in instantly. I bent over and began apologizing profusely to the two armed guards in front of me. One of them sneered. “Do your damn job, or I’ll throw you in the pens to feed the test subjects.” Their heavy combat boots faded down the corridor. Only then did I dare to stand up straight and carefully survey my surroundings. The hallway was immaculately clean and brightly lit. I was holding a mop and a plastic bucket, apparently right in the middle of my cleaning shift. I lifted the bucket, set it down, and looked around in utter disbelief. I pinched my thigh hard. I even slapped my own cheek. After doing this a few times, the impossible truth finally sank in. I had been reborn. The memory of being torn to pieces and chewed alive by the experimental subjects was still vividly burning in my mind. A violent shiver wracked my body, and cold sweat beaded on my forehead. In my past life, I was the janitor assigned to clean the observation cell for Subject 591. 591 was classified as a low-threat asset. Nobody in the higher-ups cared about him. Because he was utterly neglected, the researchers constantly used him for cheap entertainment. They subjected 591 to gruesome, sadistic torture. His agonizing shrieks would echo through the entire wing. But his cries never bought him any sympathy. They only made the scientists more creative with their cruelty. I watched it all happen, but I couldn’t do a single thing to stop it. I was just the lowest-ranking cleaner in the entire Facility. In this apocalyptic era, human laborers like us were dirt cheap. The moment we signed those predatory contracts just to get a daily ration of moldy bread, we signed away our freedom. We were nothing more than slaves. I had to stand by and watch them mutilate 591 until he was barely recognizable. But as 591 matured, his size exploded. His physical strength multiplied tenfold. During one of their sadistic sessions, 591 snapped his restraints and ripped the researchers into pieces. I tried to run, but 591 dragged me back. I begged for my life. I sobbed and swore I had nothing to do with it, that I never hurt him. His chilling voice still echoed in my ears. “Did you really think standing by and watching makes you innocent?” I took a deep, shaky breath, gripped my mop, and started walking toward 591’s cell. His room was in the deepest, most neglected sector of the Facility. It took a winding twenty-minute walk to get there. The automated doors hissed open. My eyes instantly locked onto the massive, cylindrical containment pod made of reinforced glass in the center of the room. They called it an “ecological habitat,” but it was really just a few pathetic rocks and some dead grass scattered across a concrete floor. The room was empty. I put down my cleaning supplies and carefully approached the glass. A tiny, pitch-black ball of fur was huddled against a rock. He looked like a stray puppy. Right now, 591 wasn’t even the size of a football. He looked so fragile that any random guy off the street could easily crush him. But I knew the truth. In the future, 591 would grow to be larger than an armored transport van. The spikes running down his spine would be a hundred times harder than tempered steel, and humans would be as fragile as wet paper under his claws. Sensing my shadow, 591 lifted his head. A harmless, fuzzy little face looked up at me. His dark, crimson eyes locked onto me without blinking. He looked me up and down, scanning me the exact way a predator sizes up its food. Because of his low threat level, 591’s cell was incredibly basic. There were no wall-mounted turrets, and no guards were posted at the door. I was probably the only person in this entire hellhole who knew exactly what a nightmare he would become. I didn’t want to die. I wanted to live. I wanted to end this slave-like existence and escape this place for good. And there was only one way to make that happen. I had to make 591 my best friend. 2 While I was busy observing 591, the sound of deliberately muffled footsteps echoed from the corridor outside. I jumped, immediately retreating to the corner where I had left my mop bucket. “Why is there someone in here?” I pretended to be startled, taking a step back and keeping my head bowed respectfully. “Just a janitor? Want me to kick him out?” “Nah, leave him. He’s just a cleaner. What’s he gonna do, snitch? I’ll slit his throat in a heartbeat.” The man’s voice trailed off as he made a slicing motion across his neck, drawing cruel laughter from his two buddies. They ignored me completely and walked straight toward 591’s containment pod. “Are you sure nobody is gonna find out?” “Relax, have I ever steered you wrong?” “Man, look at those red eyes. I really want to carve them out…” My grip tightened around the mop handle. Every muscle in my body pulled taut. I couldn’t let them touch 591. My brain worked in overdrive, desperately searching for a way to stop them. The control panel lit up under their fingers. The three of them began arguing excitedly about where to make the first incision. Just as they finalized their sadistic little game, I stepped forward. It felt like walking to my own execution. “Excuse me…” My weak voice cut through their twisted excitement. All three heads snapped toward me, their eyes locking onto the frail, malnourished cleaner standing in the corner. “They installed a new surveillance system in the containment pod…” I tried with every fiber of my being to sound calm. The air in the room instantly turned freezing. Their eyes cut into me like jagged knives, full of doubt and disgust. “A new surveillance system?” the leader frowned, glancing at his buddy. “I don’t know anything about that…” “Who ordered that?” “Just shut it off.” “I can’t. There’s no override switch on this panel…” The hairs on my arms stood straight up. My cheap uniform was soaked in cold sweat. In this Facility, a researcher could have me tossed into the mutant feeding pits with a single word. I instantly regretted my impulsive move. My instinct was to drop to my knees and apologize. But dying to 591 later, or being executed for insubordination now. It was a death sentence either way. That thought ironically centered me. I faked a terrified flinch, hugging the mop handle tightly to my chest. My voice was a tiny, frightened squeak. “Director Blackwood ordered maintenance to install it this morning.” “Who?” Their patience had completely run out, their faces contorted with rage. “Director Blackwood.” The moment that name left my mouth, the room fell dead silent. Director Blackwood was the absolute sovereign of this Facility. He controlled the food, the water, and whether we lived to see tomorrow. They stared at me in disbelief. “The Director?” I nodded frantically. Getting a firm confirmation, the men slowly pulled their hands away from the control panel. “Why would he suddenly want cameras here? 591 isn’t even a priority asset.” “Dammit, is this rat lying to us?” “Could it be because of what happened last week?” “You mean the guys who got caught running unauthorized vivisections?” “Tch. So the Director doesn’t trust us anymore? He’s monitoring everything himself?” “Probably. There were rumors a few days ago about hidden cameras going up.” “Why didn’t we get a memo about it?” “Are you an idiot? Why would the boss send out a warning if he’s trying to catch rulebreakers?” “This is bullshit!” The leader kicked the control console violently. “I really needed to blow off some steam today…” “Forget it, let’s just go. Don’t let the Director catch us down here.” I went back to slowly mopping the floor, keeping them in my peripheral vision until the heavy metal doors hissed shut behind them. Once their footsteps vanished, a massive breath shuddered out of my lungs. I collapsed onto the cold concrete floor, my heart hammering violently against my ribs. If they had noticed even a single flaw in my lie, I would be monster food right now. As my heart rate finally settled, I turned my gaze back to the containment pod. Pressed against the glass, two tiny, round crimson eyes were quietly watching me. They were filled with blatant hostility and deep confusion. His fur was patchy and dry, and I could clearly see his ribs protruding beneath his skin. Food was incredibly scarce in this apocalypse. Even the high-priority monsters barely got enough to eat. 591, an off-the-books reject, was practically starving to death. I needed to get him some food. Sharing a meal is the universal fast-track to building trust. Whether you’re dealing with a human or a feral beast, food is love. I crawled over to the glass to start farming approval points. “Hey.” “I’m Nate.” I pointed at my chest. “I’m a friendly human. I’m not going to hurt you.” 591 tilted his head, studying me. “Don’t be scared. They’re gone. You’re safe now. I—” A voice suddenly echoed inside my skull, sending a violent chill down my spine. “Did you honestly think playing savior would make me spare your life?” I scrambled backward, staring wildly around the empty room. It was just me. I thought I was losing my mind, so I tried speaking to 591 again. “Hey…” “Idiot.” I was completely speechless. Our eyes met through the glass. Inside the pod, sitting on that fuzzy, adorable little face, was a look of pure, unadulterated disgust and mockery. 3 I didn’t say a word. The only entity capable of speaking into my mind was 591. He sat perfectly still inside his enclosure. His tiny, puppy-like appearance severely contrasted with the deep, resonant, masculine voice echoing in my head. “It’s just you and me in here.” In that exact moment, I knew with terrifying certainty: 591 had been reborn, too. My brain completely short-circuited. 591 didn’t open his mouth, but the voice reverberated through my mind. “Though, keeping you alive isn’t entirely off the table.” He lowered his mental voice into a dark, seductive whisper. “If I’m in a good mood, I might even take you with me when I break out of this cage.” “You’ve been trapped in this hellhole for a long time, haven’t you?” He casually licked his front paw, issuing a commanding order without a shred of hesitation. “I need food.” “Bring me food.” Feeding him was literally step one of my master plan anyway. “Deal.” But my shift wasn’t over, and I couldn’t afford to get written up. I immediately went back to furiously scrubbing the floors. In my peripheral vision, 591 stopped licking his paw. He paced impatiently. “Why are you still standing there? I said I need food.” I didn’t possess telepathy, so I had to answer out loud. “I have to finish my job. If I don’t finish, I don’t get my daily rations, and they’ll beat me.” “Tch.” 591 scratched at the concrete floor but stopped rushing me. He just sat there, monitoring every single move I made. At noon, I lined up at the mess hall with my roommate. The food was a joke. A stale, rock-hard protein biscuit, a spoonful of pickled cabbage, and a bowl of broth that tasted like warm dishwater. That was our entire caloric intake. The janitors did the most grueling, hazardous work in the Facility, but we received the smallest rations. Nobody dared to complain. The cabbage and the broth were impossible to smuggle, so I wolfed them down. I slipped the protein biscuit into my pocket and hid it in my bunk. We only got three meals a day, and breakfast was ironically the best one. It was just the leftover scraps from the guards and researchers from the night before, reheated by the kitchen staff. I stockpiled a little bit from every meal. By the end of the day, I had managed to hide two biscuits and half a synthetic meat stick. I had the food. Now I just had to figure out how to feed it to 591. “Stupid.” 591 looked at me with immense disappointment, tapping his claw against the glass. “Every cell has an automated feeding chute. Over there.” Because 591’s cell was an outdated model, the mechanics were simple. It only took his brief explanation for me to figure it out. I pulled the hidden food out from the bottom of my bucket and shoved it into the delivery pipe. I hit the button, and the biscuits and the meat stick dropped right into his enclosure. 591 walked over and poked the rock-hard biscuits with his paw. The biscuit flattened under his force, leaving deep claw marks in the dough. “This is it?” 591 glared at me, the spikes along his spine bristling with irritation. “Are you screwing with me?” The razor-sharp quills ran from his neck all the way down to the tip of his tail. They weren’t fully matured yet, but they were still lethal enough to impale a human. “No, no, I swear! They barely give us anything to eat…” Right on cue, my stomach let out a loud, aggressive growl, providing solid evidence that I wasn’t lying to him. 591 went silent. He didn’t ask any more questions. He leaned down and sniffed the food. Confirming it wasn’t poisoned, his defensive posture relaxed. The spikes flattened against his back, and he returned to looking like a harmless puppy. Starving, he wolfed down the stale biscuits with a feral ferocity. Once the biscuits were gone, he turned his attention to the synthetic meat. As he was chewing, his eyes locked onto mine through the glass. I hadn’t forgotten my mission to build maximum trust. I leaned close to the glass, doing my best to make sure he understood exactly how much I was suffering to feed him. “The cafeteria gives us barely anything. It’s usually just watery gruel or these little rocks they call bread.” “We do manual labor all day. It’s never enough food.” “But I’d rather starve. I’d rather work until I’m dizzy, nauseous, and my vision goes black, than watch you go hungry in here…” 591 just stared at me. Without breaking eye contact, he picked up his meat stick, turned around, and pointed his furry rear end directly at my face. 4 591 rarely initiated conversations with me. Occasionally, out of sheer boredom, he would observe me and mimic my movements for entertainment. He would pace around his pod, using his tail to sweep the floor exactly the way I used my broom. If I stopped, he would stop, and we would just stare at each other. The second I picked the broom back up, his tail would start sweeping again. When I inevitably got annoyed and started yelling at him to stop copying me, he would bare his fangs in a wolfish grin, clearly laughing at me. My temples throbbed with irritation. I decided to give him a taste of his own medicine. I started mimicking him. Whatever he did, I copied. He stretched his front legs. I stretched my arms. He let out a low howl. I howled back. He licked the glass. I leaned forward and licked the exact same spot on my side of the glass. 591 froze. He tilted his head, his tail flicking in confusion. “What the hell are you doing?” I parroted him out loud. “What the hell are you doing?” In the end, I couldn’t tell if he was furious or just disturbed. He blew a hard puff of air through his nose and retreated to his dark corner. Having won the psychological warfare, I felt fantastic. I hummed a weird little tune as I got back to work. As the days turned into weeks, I started treating him like a captive therapist, dumping my daily complaints on him whenever no one was around. “I’m telling you, there’s not a single decent human being in this entire place. The other janitors keep dumping their sectors on me.” “Thank God I’m quick on my feet and made up a lie, or I wouldn’t have gotten a single minute of sleep last night.” “And don’t even get me started on the researchers. They act like they’re gods just because…” 591 raised both his front paws and clamped them firmly over his fuzzy ears, making it painfully clear he was rejecting my trauma dump. I tapped on the glass. “What’s your problem? You don’t want to listen?” He pressed his paws harder against his head. I let out a heavy sigh. “Come on, just let me vent.” “Aren’t you terrified of me? I’ve killed you before.” To say I wasn’t scared would be a massive lie. But in this sprawling, freezing, metallic tomb of a Facility, 591 was my only friend. “Yeah, but nobody else in here is willing to listen to me.” The furry ears twitched. 591 slowly lowered his paws, giving me a look of profound resignation. After getting everything off my chest, I felt a million times lighter. “If you’ve got anything bothering you, you can tell me too.” 591 flicked his ears, his tone laced with sarcasm. “I’m locked in a glass box twenty-four hours a day. Aside from the complete loss of freedom, what could possibly be bothering me?” “How did they even catch you? Doesn’t Director Blackwood only order the retrieval of high-tier apex mutants?” As far as I knew, the Facility never brought in infants. They always captured adult pairs to breed and experiment on them. 591’s mental voice grew dangerously low. “Humans used long-range artillery to butcher my parents and my siblings.” “When they came to harvest the corpses, they found me in the den.” “The humans said my bone density was highly unusual. They said I would be extremely valuable.” “They said once I grew up, they would skin me and strip my bones…” Putting myself in his shoes, a suffocating wave of despair washed over me. My lips parted, but it took a long time to finally force the words out. “They’re going to pay for what they did.” “I expected you to defend your own kind.” 591 mocked. “Don’t all humans want to eradicate us?” “Not all of us.” The apocalypse started eight years ago. Flora and fauna underwent massive, grotesque mutations, overrunning the cities and hunting humans to near extinction. I didn’t know the exact scientific cause, but it was almost certainly due to global pollution. At the end of the day, humanity brought this upon itself. 591 looked at me. The mockery in his eyes faded. “What about me? I tore you apart.” “If you didn’t think I could break you out of here, wouldn’t you want me dead?” That was a complicated question. For once, I actually used my brain. “It’s a lie to say the thought never crossed my mind. But honestly…” 591 watched me intensely, his claws curling slightly against the floor. “If I were in your shoes, I wouldn’t just kill the janitor. I’d slaughter every single breathing thing in this Facility.” This unexpected answer made 591 tilt his head in confusion. “I’d make the blood flow like a river! I’d make them suffer a thousand times worse than what they did to me!” I let out an evil, unhinged laugh. It actually startled 591 so badly his ears pinned flat against his skull. “Ugh, it’s too depressing. Don’t ask me these heavy questions anymore.” I grabbed my mop and got back to scrubbing.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “423473”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

I stood in the center of the penthouse suite holding a snow-white Teacup Poodle. Suddenly, my lifelong rival, Roman, appeared out of nowhere and pinned me against the floor-to-ceiling window. He kissed me with a desperate, intoxicating heat. Right at that exact moment, rows of glowing text began scrolling across my vision. The comments were vicious. They called me a desperate, man-hungry side character. They said if the male lead hadn’t been drugged and mistaken me for someone else, I would never have had a chance with him. They gloated that the female lead would soon arrive to save him. Once he woke up, I, the wicked villainess, was going to pay a heavy price. Someone even dropped a spoiler. They claimed Roman was the female lead’s loyal guard dog. Because he hated me for defiling him, he would throw me to the streets to be humiliated by a gang of thugs, leaving me to die a gruesome death in an alley. My heart was pounding out of my chest as I read the terrifying predictions. Suddenly, the suite door was pushed open. Lily stood there with red, teary eyes, screaming, “What are you two doing?!” But the steamy, scandalous scene she was expecting wasn’t there. I wasn’t holding Roman in my arms. I was holding a fluffy little Poodle. The dog and I turned our heads to look at her at the exact same time. I let out a confused “Huh?” and the Poodle chimed in with a perfectly timed “Woof!” 1 [Wait, where is my male lead?! Where did my massive, dominating CEO go?!] [Did he just magically turn into a freaking puppy?!] [I wanted to read about the female lead’s emotionally broken puppy boy, not an actual literal dog! WTF!] [My brain hurts… what is this plot twist?] Lily scanned the entire room, failing to find Roman anywhere. She turned to me with a look of stubborn defiance. “Sally, where are you hiding Roman?” I casually stroked the soft fur of the Poodle in my arms. “You must be joking, Lily. Look around. Where exactly could I hide a fully grown man in here?” Lily looked suspicious. Soon, her gaze landed on the dog in my arms. A woman’s intuition told her this little animal was incredibly important. “That looks like my missing dog.” She reached out, trying to snatch him. “Miss Sally, can you give my puppy back to me?” The glowing comments exploded across my vision again. [Stop causing trouble, you wicked villainess! Give the male lead back to the female lead right now!] [Once our sweet girl takes him home, their romantic cohabitation arc begins!] [The process is a bit weird now, but as long as they end up together, it works!] I shielded the Poodle, giving Lily a freezing glare. “You think everything belongs to you just because you say so? Do you have any proof?” Right then, the usually well-behaved Poodle started struggling violently, trying to break free from my arms. [Yes! Bite her! Bite this evil woman!] [You desperate bitch, the male lead is choosing his true love! Stop being so delusional!] An invisible hand squeezed my heart. I couldn’t help but loosen my grip. The white furball dropped to the carpet, rolled over once, and immediately sprinted toward Lily. Lily opened her arms with a delighted smile. “Come here, baby!” The next second, a loud splashing sound filled the room. The Poodle lifted his hind leg and unloaded a massive stream of yellow liquid right onto Lily’s pristine white designer dress. Then, wagging his tail happily, he bounced right back into my arms. His dark, grape-like eyes were completely filled with smug satisfaction. I couldn’t hold it back. I burst out laughing. The scrolling comments went dead silent. Lily’s face turned so green you would think she just swallowed a live fly. I hugged the dog, my expression shifting into a mocking smirk. “Looks like you and your own dog aren’t very close.” I pointed a finger toward the door. “Be smart and get out. I don’t welcome people like you in my space.” Lily’s eyes turned red, her voice trembling. “Sally… I might be a girl from a poor background, but I have my dignity!” “Dignity?” I cut her off with a half-smile. “Right. The designer clothes and bags you are wearing are things Roman supposedly begged you to accept. You despise rich, powerful people like us, don’t you?” “So, could our pure, noble Lily please roll out of my room?” After Lily ran away covering her face crying, I finally had a moment to look down at the Poodle in my arms. Even though I had already processed the initial shock, it still felt absolutely surreal. I called Roman a dog all the time. I just never expected him to literally turn into one. Roman and I grew up together. Our families were close business partners. He was my childhood rival, and aside from constantly bickering with me, he was a perfectly normal guy. That was until Lily showed up. After meeting her, Roman became completely unhinged. He started speaking in a deep, gravelly voice, pinning people against walls, and spitting out ridiculous alpha-male quotes. “Woman, you have successfully captured my attention.” I thought he was just incredibly horny and suggested he get his brain checked. Instead, he accused me of having a sinister crush on him. “The weather is getting cold. It is time for your family’s company to go bankrupt.” I recorded that threat, sent it to his parents, and his father beat him black and blue before freezing all his credit cards. I figured that would shut him up. Instead, he cornered me with a look of supreme disgust. “You think threatening me with my parents will make me love you? My heart only belongs to Lily. Stop being so delusional.” “If you ever dare touch a single hair on her head, I will show you the true meaning of hellfire!” Remembering the comments predicting my gruesome death, my gaze toward the Poodle turned dangerous. My hands slowly moved toward his fragile little neck. The comments immediately panicked. [Is the villainess trying to kill him while he is weak?!] [Holy crap, look at her eyes! She is going to murder the dog!] [Run, male lead! Run!] Noticing my dark stare, the puppy suddenly tilted his head. He looked up at me with huge, watery, innocent eyes. “Woof?” Damn it. That was way too cute. His fluffy tail wagged so fast it looked like a helicopter rotor. The comments were instantly overwhelmed by people crying over how adorable he was. [Help! What happened to the dominating, toxic CEO trope?!] [Where are your morals? Where is your bottom line? Also, drop the address so I can steal this puppy!] [This would be absolutely perfect if he was acting this way with the female lead instead…] The little Poodle was incredibly clingy, burying his face into my chest. His soft, curly white fur tickled my neck. Was this really the same Roman who walked around with an ice-cold resting bitch face all day? He was literally a different breed now. The comments went back to being salty. [Ahhh! Why are you throwing yourself at her?! Open your eyes, she is the evil side character!] [He must have lost his memories when he transformed.] [Just wait until he turns back into a human. He is definitely going to kill her to vent his anger!] I picked the little white furball up by the scruff of his neck. “Stray dogs are filthy. Don’t rub your dirt on me.” The Poodle immediately dropped his ears, looking at me with big, pathetic, wet eyes. A wicked grin crept onto my lips. “You need a bath first.” The moment the words left my mouth, the little guy went stiff as a statue. 2 In the bathroom, I held down the frantically splashing Poodle with one hand and operated the showerhead with the other. Realizing escape was impossible, the little guy eventually gave up and laid flat in the tub, looking completely dead inside. I scrubbed him from head to tail, inside and out. His curly white fur plastered flat against his body, making him look like a drowned rat. However, when I tried to wash between his hind legs, he fought me like his life depended on it. He crossed his two front paws over his crotch, guarding his modesty. “Pfft…” I could not hold back my laughter. “Why are you acting so shy, like you are actually human?” The moment I said that, I froze. I looked down at the dog in absolute disbelief. “Wait a second. Do you still have your memories?” The Poodle, who had been playing dead, suddenly went rigid. He guiltily covered his eyes with his little paws. My scalp went numb. I lifted him by the back of his neck and brought him right up to my face. “Roman! You know exactly who you are?!” The Poodle gave a slow, reluctant nod. I let go of him and buried my face in my hands. Good god. Not only did I just bathe him, but I had completely trashed his reputation, thinking he was an amnesiac dog. He guiltily tapped my sleeve with his paw. I swatted it away. He dropped his head, trotted over to the nightstand, and clumsily used his paw to unlock his phone. A second later, a notification popped up on my screen. A wire transfer for one million dollars. The memo line simply read: [Adoption Fee]. 3 My mood instantly flipped from cloudy to sunny. A small smile tugged at the corners of my mouth before I could even stop it. Roman continued to type clumsily with his paws. [I have no idea why I turned into this.] [I have nowhere else to go right now. Can you please take me in for a bit?] I was about to say yes when I remembered the scrolling comments. Once he turned back, he was supposedly going to be the one to orchestrate my death. My mood plummeted again. “Aren’t you absolutely obsessed with Lily?” I sneered, crossing my arms. “I am sure she would be thrilled to keep you as a pet. I can drop you off at her place right now.” Roman panicked. He spun in circles, his paws furiously tapping the screen. [Bullshit! I do not like her! The person I actually like is…] “Is who?” I narrowed my eyes. Roman suddenly lost his nerve. He covered his face with his paws, peeking at me through the gaps like a guilty child caught stealing candy. Ha! So he still refused to admit it. I mocked his signature alpha-male tone. “Didn’t you say that if anyone hurt Lily, you would slaughter their entire family? You sounded pretty tough back then, Mr. CEO.” It was the very first time I had ever seen a dog look genuinely embarrassed. Roman’s fluffy ears flattened completely against his head. He typed on his phone, looking utterly defeated. [I do not know what happened. During that time, I felt like I was possessed…] I let out a cold scoff. But thinking back, the whole situation had been bizarre. Roman’s personality had basically been hijacked the moment he met Lily. Their first encounter ended with him forcing someone to kneel and apologize to her, calling them filthy peasants. Then came the classic dynamic of her running away and him obsessively chasing. It was a textbook toxic romance between an overbearing billionaire and a pure, unyielding innocent flower. The most ridiculous part was when Roman’s parents tried to gently talk some sense into Lily. Roman exploded, accusing his own parents of trying to tear them apart, and threatened to cut all family ties. His parents were so angry they drove to my house in the middle of the night and complained to my parents until three in the morning. Roman kept typing. [This time, someone drugged my drink. Lily just magically appeared in my hotel room out of nowhere.] [If I had not snapped out of the trance at the very last second and forced myself to run away, she would have completely taken advantage of me!] “So you just broke into my room instead?” I blurted out. The white furball nodded. A weird, heavy silence fell over the room. I remembered how Roman had burst through my door, slammed me against the glass, and kissed me breathless without a word of warning. My cheeks instantly caught fire. Meanwhile, Roman was so embarrassed he had buried his entire face under his paws on the bed. “Ro-man!” I gritted my teeth and picked him up by the scruff again. 4 After putting him in his place, I lay on the sofa to organize my thoughts. According to the comments, we were living inside a cliché billionaire romance novel. Roman and Lily were the main characters. But looking at Roman’s current reaction, he was clearly a victim of the plot too. All the weird red flags pointed directly at Lily. Sending him back to his family was impossible. If his mother saw her son had turned into a Poodle, she would probably pass out on the spot. I had to call his house and tell them he was crashing at my place for a few days. “Keep him! Keep him as long as you want!” His mother sounded absolutely thrilled on the phone. “Tell him he does not ever have to come back! Sally honey, I am leaving that brat in your capable hands.” I hung up and tapped Roman’s wet black nose, laughing at him. “See how annoying you are? Your own parents are celebrating your absence!” Roman let out a pathetic little whimper. He wrapped his front paws around my wrist and rubbed his fluffy head against my palm. Help! How was I supposed to resist this?! I had zero defense against fluffy animals! I gritted my teeth and put him down, fighting the urge to pet him. I could not let this guy win. “I am going to work. Stay here and behave.” Before I could even stand up, Roman leaped right back into my arms. He clung to my blazer, his dark eyes sparkling. “Woof, woof.” I am going too! His logic was that since he turned into a dog while he was with me, he needed to stick by my side to see if there was a trigger to turn him back. I had no choice but to bring him to the office. I left him in the VIP lounge and warned him not to run around. When I finally finished my meetings and went to check on him, I found a massive crowd of female employees packed into the lounge. Looking through the crowd, I saw the little white furball standing on one hind leg on top of the coffee table, wobbling as he struck a majestic pose with his front paws spread wide. The women were practically screaming. “He is so cute!” “I am going to pass out! Someone catch me!” I was utterly speechless. Roman spotted me and immediately barked, launching himself into my arms. His little tail wagged proudly. I didn’t even need a translator to know he was saying, Look how awesome I am! I sighed and rubbed my temples. Roman’s arrogant, show-off personality hadn’t changed one bit. Since he turned into a dog, he acted more like the childhood friend I actually recognized. It proved my theory. There was something deeply wrong with Lily. I called my assistant into my office and handed him a file. “I need a full background check on Lily. Do it quietly. Do not let anyone know.” “Understood, Boss.” He smiled as he took the folder. “You have been smiling a lot more lately.” I paused. “Ever since your falling out with Mr. Roman, you have been ice-cold. People in the office have been terrified to even breathe around you.” My assistant secretly pointed at Roman, who was currently chasing his own tail in circles. “I think this little angel is exactly what you needed.” I let out a soft laugh. If my staff knew this little angel was actually the terrifying CEO Roman, their jaws would drop to the floor. But had I really stopped smiling because of him? I fell into deep thought. A week later, Lily showed up unannounced at my company lobby. I instinctively glanced at Roman. He didn’t react at all, just kept chewing on his glow-in-the-dark bouncy ball. But as soon as she walked in, the floating text flooded my vision again. [Our smart baby girl figured out something was wrong!] [It is all the wicked side character’s fault. The male and female lead should be doing the dirty deed right now!] [It is fine, the plot is about to get back on track. Just wait and see.] Back on track? Meaning Roman would turn into that cold, brainwashed monster again? My chest tightened painfully. Lily suddenly crouched down and pulled a small piece of jerky from her bag. “Here you go, cutie. Have a bite.” Before I could react, Roman darted forward and swallowed it whole. His eyes even gleamed with hunger. Lily smiled sweetly, reaching into the bag to give him another piece. “My dog does not eat random trash from strangers,” I said coldly, stepping between them. The comments exploded, cursing me for being an evil bitch. Lily just offered a fake, apologetic smile and left without a fight.

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I gently wiped the wine from my face, my expression perfectly calm. “Since you keep talking about spending the rest of your life with that stuffed bear, I am simply granting your wish.” “Gunther!” “Our daughter just turned one, and you are using this ridiculous excuse to divorce me. You are a complete and utter bastard.” Judy was shaking, her eyes rimmed with furious, red tears. “Sign the papers,” I said, entirely unfazed. “I will see you at the divorce attorney’s office tomorrow at nine in the morning.” I did not want to waste another breath. I threw the divorce agreement onto the table and turned to leave. The entire banquet hall fell dead silent. None of the guests could comprehend why the city’s most envied, picture-perfect couple was suddenly imploding. A flash of panic crossed Judy’s eyes. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Kensington, frowned deeply, their expressions turning dark. No one expected me to be this ruthless. Simon, her executive assistant, lunged forward and grabbed my shoulder, pulling me back. “Girls love stuffed animals. Stop acting crazy and apologize to Judy right now.” “Do you not remember what she went through for you? She almost died giving birth to your child. She labored for two agonizing days without an epidural.” “She sleeps in a separate room and takes care of the baby alone just so you can get a good night’s rest. How can you be so blind to her sacrifices?” The surrounding guests immediately joined in, burying me in criticism. “Simon is absolutely right. You have a perfect life. What is wrong with you? Do you have any idea how many men would kill to have a wife like her?” “If something is bothering you, sit down and talk like adults. You do not just take your anger out on your wife and throw the word divorce around.” Taking a deep breath to compose herself, Judy rushed forward and wrapped her arms tightly around my waist. “Honey.” “We have known each other, loved each other, and stayed by each other’s side for twelve whole years. I know you. You are gentle. You never lose your temper.” “Is something wrong at the company? Are you asking for a divorce because you are in trouble and do not want to drag me down? Tell us. We can figure it out together.” Seeing her defend me so fiercely, the crowd praised her grace, which only made me look like an ungrateful monster. “Gunther, I may be retired, and I step back from the business these days, but people in this city still respect my name.” “We are family. If you are in trouble, speak up. Do not bottle it up inside.” Mr. and Mrs. Kensington finally broke their silence. They still chose to trust my character. After all, I was the son-in-law they had carefully handpicked. Ignoring the piercing stares of everyone in the room, I shoved Judy away. My voice was ice. “It is very simple. I do not love you anymore.” A pin drop could be heard in the hall. “What? Say that again.” Judy froze, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. “I said I do not love you anymore!” “Did you hear me clearly this time?” With that, I stepped around her and headed for the door. “Stop right there!” Simon violently grabbed my collar, screaming in my face. “Drop this act right now! Even as an assistant, I cannot stand to watch this.” “Did you forget how obsessed you were with her? You chased her for three entire years! You dated for six years before you finally got married!” “Did you forget your own wedding vows? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health. She never abandoned you.” “Your daughter is only a year old! Do you want her to grow up in a broken home?” Watching him play the furious protector, a mocking smirk touched my lips. “Why are you so desperate? Unless…” Simon completely cut me off, his arrogance flaring. “Anyone with a conscience would be disgusted by an ungrateful parasite like you.” “You came from nothing. Judy never looked down on you. She gave you a high-level position in her family’s empire.” “If it was not for the Kensington family, would you have this luxury life? Would you be sitting in a CEO chair?” Smack! I backhanded him across the face with everything I had. “You are just an assistant. Know your place.” Judy immediately panicked. “Are you insane, Gunther? What gives you the right to hit Simon?” She shoved me hard in the chest and rushed to help Simon off the floor. Her eyes were overflowing with frantic, undeniable concern. “He deserved worse,” I said, clenching my fists. I felt absolutely zero remorse. My coldness instantly triggered the crowd’s disgust. They all whispered that my usual gentle demeanor was nothing but a fake mask, hiding a violent, hypocritical nature. Simon looked at Judy, playing the wounded victim perfectly. “I am so sorry, Judy. This is all my fault.” “I should have kept my mouth shut. I made Mr. Kensington angry. Please do not blame him.” He kept his head down, looking terribly guilty. “It is not your fault.” “I dragged you into this.” Judy comforted him softly before turning back to me, her tone shifting into a pathetic plea. “Honey, we do not need to take our issues out on other people.” “Today is our daughter’s first birthday. Please stop causing a scene. I am begging you.” As she spoke, her tears began to fall again. Her heartbreaking compromise contrasted perfectly with my brutal arrogance. The guests entirely sided with her. Mr. Kensington took a deep breath, trying to be the voice of reason one last time. “Gunther, you have worked hard all these years. You have been a good husband and a respectful son.” “There is no need to make this so ugly.” “If you can show me actual proof that you have been wronged, I swear I will stand by you and seek justice.” He was handing me an olive branch. I did not take it. My expression remained locked in stone. “This marriage is over.” Mr. Kensington’s face turned completely purple. Judy stared at me through her tears. “Are you seeing another woman?” “Think whatever you want,” I replied flatly. “Enough!” Mr. Kensington finally lost his temper, his voice booming across the room. “I am giving you exactly three days to think about this, Gunther.” “You either come home and fix your marriage.” “Or I will see you in court, and you will walk away penniless.” “Do not ever forget that everything you own today was given to you by me.” His threat was heavy. Everyone expected me to instantly fold. Instead, I turned on my heel and walked out the door. Outside in the cool night air, my junior from law school, Audrey, had been waiting for me by her car. “I already sent my private investigators to Europe,” she said with a sharp, confident smile. “You will have the answers you are looking for very soon.” “Thank you.” “We are going to trial against Judy in three days. I need you there as my lead attorney.” I collapsed into the leather backseat, utterly exhausted. I pulled out my phone and opened a saved security video. On the screen, Judy’s beloved giant stuffed bear was casually walking out of the guest bedroom. It stood in the middle of the living room and did a bizarre, rhythmic dance directly in front of the hidden camera. Three days was more than enough time to set the trap and burn everything to the ground. I originally planned to stay at a luxury hotel, but every single one of my bank cards declined. That was when I remembered that over the past year, Judy had slowly manipulated the finances back under her family’s control. Even the names on the joint accounts had been quietly changed to hers. On the surface, I was the head of a happy, wealthy family. In reality, I was completely isolated. I crashed on Audrey’s couch for the night. The next morning, I went to the corporate headquarters to pack my personal belongings. The moment I stepped into the lobby, the whispering began. “A pathetic gold digger who does not know how good he has it. Asking for a divorce? What an idiot.” “So what if the boss likes sleeping with a giant teddy bear? I love stuffed animals too. It is harmless.” “He is probably just tired of her post-pregnancy body and wants a younger model. I bet he is hiding a dozen mistresses in the city.” They looked at me like I was a convicted serial killer. The judgment in their eyes was suffocating. Before I could even respond, Judy’s voice echoed behind me. “Shut your mouths. Who gave you permission to gossip? Get back to work.” The employees scattered like frightened mice. “Honey.” “I bought you a new watch. Try it on.” Judy pulled a pristine, velvet-lined box from her designer bag. Gasps immediately filled the lobby. “A limited edition Patek Philippe! Only three of those exist in the world, and they were supposedly bought by anonymous billionaires.” “She must have moved mountains to get that watch. She cares about him so much.” Jealousy radiated from everyone in the room. My face remained completely blank. I pushed the box away. “I am just here to pick up my family heirloom. Give the watch to your teddy bear.” The room froze. Judy stood there, completely stunned. The employees were furious, whispering that I was a heartless piece of trash. I tuned them all out and walked straight to the executive floor. When my parents passed away, the only thing they left me was a simple jade pendant. They said it would ward off evil. I had worn it around my neck my entire life. A few months ago, Judy kept complaining that her office felt freezing and creepy, claiming she heard weird noises. I took the pendant off and hung it in her office. The strange occurrences supposedly stopped. She did not deserve to have it anymore. I pushed open the heavy glass doors to her office and saw Simon playing with my daughter on the carpet. “Mr. Kensington.” “You finally came back. Living a good life is better than throwing it all away. Look at your daughter.” “She is so precious. How could you ever abandon her?” Simon said, picking the baby up and stepping directly into my path. “Get out of my way,” I said, a deep frown carving into my face. “Sir.” “This is your own flesh and blood. Are you really refusing to even look at her?” Simon demanded loudly. “Move!” Annoyed, I shoved Simon’s shoulder aside and walked straight to the back wall to retrieve my jade pendant. A second later, a loud, piercing cry echoed through the room. I turned around. Simon and my daughter were both sprawled on the hard floor. Right at that exact moment, Judy and several senior executives walked into the office. Judy dropped her files, rushed over, and snatched the crying baby into her arms. She frantically checked her for injuries and let out a huge sigh of relief when she saw no blood. “What exactly happened here?” Her furious gaze darted between me and Simon. Simon lowered his head, his voice trembling. “I just wanted him to look at his daughter. But he refused. He shoved me away.” “It is my fault. I am useless. If I had better balance, we would not have fallen.” What? Hearing his pathetic lie, Judy stood up, marched over, and slapped me across the cheek. “How could you be this cold-blooded?! That is your biological daughter!” “She is only a year old! What if you broke her neck?!” My reaction was chillingly calm. “Say whatever you want. I do not care if she drops dead.” Judy completely broke down, sobbing hysterically. Simon pointed a shaking finger at my face. “Are you even human?! Cursing your own baby to die? You are absolute scum!” “Enough. Do not waste another breath on him.” Judy looked at me, her entire body trembling as she wiped her tears. “I am completely done with you.” “Get out!” “Get the hell out of my building! I can live perfectly fine without you, and my daughter does not need a monster for a father.” “I will see you in court!” She screamed the last sentence until her voice cracked. I did not say a single word. I turned around and walked out. The news of our explosive divorce leaked to the press almost immediately. The internet was flooded with wild rumors. Anonymous sources claimed I was funding dozens of mistresses. Tabloids published blurry photos claiming I frequented underground escort clubs. Bloggers swore I had secret illegitimate children hidden across the country. I was nailed to the cross of public opinion. To the entire internet, I was a cheating, ungrateful parasite who abandoned his perfect wife and innocent child. I chose total silence. I did not offer a single explanation. Three days later, I finally appeared at the city courthouse. Because the trial was open to the public, the gallery was packed with mutual friends, business partners, and a swarm of hungry journalists. “Gunther.” “I am giving you one last chance. Swallow your pride, apologize, and we can go back to our normal lives.” Judy stared at me, her fists clenched tight in her lap. Simon sat right behind her, chiming in. “You have absolutely zero legal ground. You are going to lose, and you are going to walk away with nothing. How will you even survive? You will be a pariah.” “Give up before you end up sleeping on the streets.” Mr. and Mrs. Kensington sat in the front row, their faces grim. “Gunther, I strongly suggest you think about the consequences.” “Trying to take half her assets just because she likes sleeping with a stuffed bear is a joke. You cannot win.” I ignored every single one of them. I walked straight to the plaintiff’s table and sat down next to Audrey. The Kensington family let out a collective, disgusted scoff. The judge slammed his gavel. The trial began. The judge reviewed the massive stack of documents Judy had submitted. He looked down at me from the bench. “Sleeping with a stuffed animal does not constitute marital fault.” “However, the respondent has submitted fifty photographs of you being intimately close with other women.” “If you cannot provide compelling new evidence, this court will rule you as the party at fault based on the established facts.” I stood up, adjusting my suit jacket. “I have evidence, Your Honor.” The real show was about to begin. Every camera lens in the room focused on me. The crowd leaned in, desperate to see what desperate trick I was going to pull. “The plaintiff requests permission to play a video file,” Audrey said, handing a secure USB drive to the bailiff. The judge nodded. The court clerk plugged the drive into the system, projecting the contents onto the massive screen above the witness stand. There were three locked folders. At my instruction, the clerk opened the first folder and clicked play. The courtroom gasped. On the screen, Judy was wearing a sheer, electric-blue silk nightgown. She was straddling her massive stuffed teddy bear on their bed. She was moving her hips in a slow, provocative rhythm, pressing her body intimately against the plush fabric. Her eyes were half-closed, her face flushed with pure, intoxicating ecstasy as she whispered breathlessly into the bear’s ear. “Oh my god… Judy was secretly doing that with a teddy bear?” “That is absolutely insane. She is a married woman!” “Who dry-humps a toy while their husband is in the next room?!” The gallery erupted into shocked, scandalized whispers. Judy’s face flushed a violent, humiliating crimson. She never expected me to have this footage. She knew for a fact there were no security cameras inside the master bedroom. “She has a medical condition!” Simon suddenly shouted, jumping up to run damage control. “Judy nearly died on the operating table giving birth. The trauma caused severe postpartum depression!” “We have certified medical records from her psychiatrist. This was just a coping mechanism. A harmless way for her to relieve extreme stress!” Hearing this medical excuse, the crowd’s tone shifted. “Oh, if it is postpartum depression, that actually makes sense.” “Yeah, trauma patients do really weird things when they are breaking down.” “When I had PPD, I used to sit in the closet and cry while holding a potted plant.” “What kind of monster husband films his sick wife having a mental breakdown just to humiliate her?! He is disgusting!” Seeing the crowd side with them again, Simon went on the offensive. He pointed a self-righteous finger at me. “You have crossed the line, Gunther.” “You neglected your sick wife, and now you are weaponizing her darkest moments to publicly destroy her.” “You are doing all of this just to steal her money. Are you even a man?!” He was masterfully manipulating the narrative, trying to trap me in a moral cage. Judy buried her face in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably. “Do not cry, sweetie. Mom and Dad are right here. We will protect you!” Mrs. Kensington wrapped her arms around Judy, glaring at me with pure hatred. “They say marriage is sacred. How could you abuse my daughter like this?” “Do you know how important a woman’s reputation is?!” “How is she supposed to show her face in public after this? You are a psychopath!” Mr. Kensington’s eyes were bloodshot. He gritted his teeth, his voice trembling with rage. “I was blind to let you into my family. I fed a rabid wolf.” “I swear on my life, I will destroy you for humiliating my daughter!” The entire courtroom was practically calling for my blood. The reporters were furiously typing, live-streaming the drama to millions of angry netizens who were demanding I be locked up. “Order in the court!” The judge slammed his gavel violently, silencing the chaos. “Please open the second folder,” I said, my voice cutting through the silence like a scalpel. Since I had dared to walk into this courtroom, I was prepared to burn it all down. The judge nodded. The clerk opened the second folder. It was filled with dozens of video files. They played the first video. It was the exact footage I had watched in the car.

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When I found out the investor was Lincoln, I knew I was going to lose to Mia. She was Lincoln’s first love—the one he could never forget. After the meeting ended, Lincoln chose Mia’s proposal, just as I expected. Mia looked at me and sneered, “Even if you’re his wife, in his heart, I’ll always come first.” “Everything you schemed so hard to get comes effortlessly to me.” She and I had been rivals since our student days, ever since her mother stole my father. And she could just as easily occupy Lincoln’s heart. I glanced wearily at Lincoln in the distance, suddenly unwilling to fight Mia anymore. This time, I was giving up on him. Between Lincoln and my career, I chose my career. The company’s new investor caused quite a stir among the young women because he was incredibly handsome. The investor was Lincoln, my husband. The moment I learned this news, I knew my competition with Mia was already lost. In the break room, my colleagues were gossiping about the new investor. “This investor is the CEO of Zenith Group, the heir to the company—Lincoln himself.” “If our team’s design catches his eye, we won’t have to worry about performance metrics going forward.” “I bet Mia’s team will get it. I heard that Lincoln’s first love is Mia.” “Mia and Lincoln were college classmates, each other’s first love. Lincoln’s investment this time is all for Mia.” Hearing these words made my heart tighten. I returned to my office feeling lost. News that Lincoln was the investor had already spread throughout the company. The director called Mia and me to his office. “Jane, Mia.” “The investor for our project is Lincoln from Zenith Group. You two will each lead your teams to design a proposal. Submit them in one month.” The director looked at Mia with meaningful appreciation he couldn’t hide. It seemed he too had heard those rumors and understood why Lincoln had chosen our company. Before I even left the office, I knew our team’s design proposal would be a waste of effort. Competing against Mia, I’d likely just be there to make up the numbers. Outside the office, Mia stopped. We stood facing each other. I met her gaze. She smiled slightly. Her smile was triumphant and bold. “Jane, may the best woman win.” Yet her demeanor showed absolute confidence in victory. Because she knew very well that between her and me, Lincoln would definitely choose her. Watching her walk away with her head held high, I turned and left. The design department erupted in excitement. If my team’s design proposal was rejected, I’d spend the next period working under Mia, swallowing my pride and accepting all her guidance. I didn’t want to humble myself under her. Before the end of the workday, everyone gathered around Mia, praising her endlessly. “Mia, you’re amazing.” I made eye contact with Mia through the crowd. She was surrounded, the center of attention. Compared to her, my corner seemed cold and desolate. I stood alone in the corner, no one beside me. She smiled at me, lips pressed together. I looked away, put on my coat, and walked out.

Lincoln came home. His expression was its usual cool indifference. I still couldn’t help but ask. “Lincoln, you invested in our company?” Lincoln looked up at the sound. He met my eyes briefly, his expression bland, and hummed softly in acknowledgment. I continued asking, “Why did you choose our company?” I used a joking tone, “Will you give me special treatment?” Lincoln’s brow furrowed slightly, his expression serious. There wasn’t a trace of amusement in his eyes. After a moment’s thought, he said, “This was a decision by the company’s senior management.” “The proposal isn’t my decision alone.” The implication was that even being his wife didn’t matter. I didn’t ask any more questions. He was always this cold and distant, following his own rules and logic, never willing to make exceptions for me. And I always humiliated myself hoping to become his exception. Lincoln turned and left, entering his study. The study door wasn’t completely closed. I could hear him talking on the phone. The voice on the other end was Mia’s. Lincoln occasionally laughed softly in response to Mia. After hanging up, he pushed open the study door. He walked to the entryway and grabbed his coat from the rack. Putting on his overcoat and changing into dress shoes. He straightened up and said to me, “I have a business dinner tonight. I’m going out.” I nodded. Lincoln was extremely handsome, with deep-set features, a high-bridged nose, and thin lips. The dark overcoat over his perfectly fitted suit made his figure even more imposing. He disappeared through the front door. He came home very late that night. The words I wanted to ask died in my throat after seeing the post Mia shared on social media. Mia’s post showed a group photo. Four people in the photo: Mia, Lincoln, and two of their college classmates. Seeing this photo, I realized I didn’t need to ask that question. I wanted to ask Lincoln if he would favor Mia. I knew he would. I used to leave a light on for Lincoln when he came home late from business dinners. After turning off the light, I slept soundly. When I woke up, Lincoln and I didn’t run into each other. We each went to our respective companies. Everyone in our design department fawned over Mia, orbiting around her. Everyone knew that without Mia, Lincoln wouldn’t have chosen our company. My conflict with Mia was my own business. My colleagues only needed to care about their year-end bonuses and whether performance targets would be met. Today Lincoln appeared at the company as the investor. The director called Mia over. When Mia returned, everyone’s eyes were on her. “Mia, is Mr. Lincoln intimidating?” Mia’s lips curved slightly, her answer vague and ambiguous. “Mr. Lincoln and I have known each other for quite a while. He’s not intimidating.” “Everyone can relax.” Several people exchanged glances and smiled knowingly. I had already clicked the link and read through Mia and Lincoln’s love story once. If I weren’t Lincoln’s wife, I too would sigh about how beautiful young love was. Unfortunately, reading the love story between Lincoln and Mia compiled by their college alumni, I could only feel heartache. Mia still had a social media account from her college days that she hadn’t deleted. It was full of posts documenting their relationship. I masochistically scrolled through all these posts. The more I read, the more I realized Lincoln had truly loved her. Lincoln would patiently read through each of her posts, then comment and like them. And it was Lincoln who had pursued Mia first. It took me a whole year to pursue Lincoln. When I learned that Lincoln’s ex-girlfriend was Mia, a flash of satisfaction crossed my mind—a sense of revenge against Mia. But I quickly realized I had lost completely. That Lincoln still had his ex-girlfriend in his heart was utter humiliation to me. This let Mia gain another advantage over me.

Mia and I had been rivals since middle school. We were like fire and water, incompatible. Her mother had wormed her way into my family, and my mother became depressed and attempted suicide. I nearly lost my mother. In high school, we ended up at the same school again. She was one point short of getting into First High. My father, Jason, pulled strings to get her in. That year in high school, Mom went abroad. I stayed at the Jane house. I thought if I went too far, Mia and her mother would know when to back off. My methods weren’t sophisticated—rather stupid, actually. I poured ink into their cups. I was afraid they’d actually drink it, so I used colored black ink. I just wanted to scare them, to establish my authority in front of Mia. Unexpectedly, Mia complained to Jason, whose face darkened as he scolded me with furrowed brows. I hated them but didn’t dare do anything truly excessive. And everything I did only made Jason feel he’d wronged them. After high school graduation, Mia and I finally weren’t at the same school. What made me completely give up on Jason was during my first winter break in college, when Jason brought Mia to a gala. He didn’t deny that Mia was his daughter. He even wanted Mia to take the Jane surname. I told him that if he let Mia take the Jane surname, I would change mine to my mother’s maiden name. His eyes filled with fury as he looked at me, his arm raised in midair about to strike me. But a tall figure blocked it. That person was Lincoln. After graduation, I encountered Lincoln again. I pursued him for a whole year. Just when I was about to give up, he relented. It wasn’t until after marriage that I learned Mia was his ex-girlfriend. And that Lincoln had visited the Jane house as Mia’s boyfriend to meet Jason. So when Jason learned I had married Lincoln, his face darkened, clutching his chest, barely able to breathe. “Did you do this on purpose?” “You knew full well that Mr. Lincoln was Mia’s ex-boyfriend, yet you still married him?” I was stunned for a long while. During New Year’s, I didn’t want to return to the Jane house, but Lincoln insisted on taking me back. At the Jane house, Mia and I got into another conflict. We fell in the Jane house courtyard. Lincoln reacted quickly, striding forward to catch Mia. I took a fall. At the hospital, I stubbornly asked Lincoln with red eyes why he didn’t catch me. He cut fruit with an indifferent expression. “I didn’t see.” When Lincoln left the hospital room, Mia came to see me. She smiled as she looked at me lying in the hospital bed, recounting everything about her and Lincoln in college. In her telling, it was a side of Lincoln I didn’t know. My heart constricted. After I was discharged, Mia and I crossed paths again. We even ended up working at the same company. She and I competed neck and neck, neither willing to submit to the other. She wore the identity of Jason’s daughter, making the director treat her with utmost respect. Now she had an additional identity—the heir’s ex-girlfriend. Everyone fawned over her even more. I knew my design proposal would most likely be rejected in the end, but I still led my team working overtime, rushing to complete the design proposal.

A month later, I walked into the conference room with the proposal. Everyone was present except Mia. She arrived with Lincoln. Light fell perfectly on the two of them. Lincoln occasionally bowed his head, accommodating Mia’s height to hear her speak. The man’s profile was illuminated, his features sharp and defined. His eyes were dark, his smile faint. In that unintentional moment our eyes met, I wanted to read something different in his gaze. But there was nothing—still the same cool indifference. The lottery determined the presentation order. I was before Mia. I calmly took the stage and opened my PowerPoint presentation. I explained all my design concepts and inspiration. During the presentation, I was completely focused. When I stepped down, sparse applause sounded. The most enthusiastic applause came from Nora, a young woman who had been interning with me since graduation. Lincoln showed no expression. No one could read his thoughts. The director tried to gauge the meaning in his expression with sidelong glances. It was Mia’s turn to present. She naturally made eye contact with Lincoln. They smiled at each other. Colleagues below exchanged glances with gossipy smiles. Nora leaned close to me and whispered, “Jane, is our team’s proposal going to be rejected?” I pulled at the corners of my mouth, forcing a strained smile. After Mia’s presentation ended, her applause was clearly much louder than mine. The director enthusiastically applauded her. Lincoln’s lips curved slightly upward. There was a thirty-minute break midway. Recently, I’d been caught up in the rumors about Lincoln and Mia, barely able to breathe. The way he looked at me was too cold, making my heart tighten. Through office gossip, I learned more about Lincoln and Mia’s past. Lincoln had actively pursued Mia. He unfailingly walked her back to her dorm and brought her breakfast. All their classmates at Preston University knew how much Lincoln loved Mia. I sat motionless in my chair. Watching Lincoln and Mia walk out side by side, my nose tingled. The man I’d schemed so hard to get held my most hated person in his heart. Only Nora and I remained in the conference room. Nora held my hand. The thirty minutes ended. The results were in. Lincoln and the Zenith Group team had already left. Our director announced the results. Three votes total. All three votes went to Mia. When the results were announced, my eyes stung, welling with tears. I forcibly held back those tears. The director and Mia exchanged glances, expressing his approval. Several colleagues surrounded Mia. “Mia, you’re incredible.” I left with a lonely silhouette. But Mia chased after me. “Jane.” I stopped. Her eyes curved in a smile. “Even if you’re his wife, in his heart I’ll always come first.” “Everything you schemed so hard to get comes effortlessly to me.” Yes, at fourteen, Mia could easily take Jason’s love for me. Now she could occupy Lincoln’s heart too. In the distance, Lincoln was ushered into the elevator by the director, his posture lazy and casual. Suddenly I felt exhausted. I didn’t want to fight Mia anymore. I didn’t want Lincoln either. The elevator stood still. The director, very observant, quickly called out for Mia and me to enter the elevator together. The elevator slowly descended. The director kissed up to Lincoln. “Mr. Lincoln, you and Miss Mia are a perfect match. Made for each other.” Others chimed in. “Exactly. I heard Mr. Lincoln and Miss Mia are already married. Mr. Lincoln really dotes on his wife, specifically choosing our company for Miss Mia.” I numbly listened to these flattering words, unable to summon any reaction. Sensing a covert but burning gaze from beside me, I looked over. Lincoln’s face stiffened. The director nudged my arm, hinting that I should say something too. “Jane, don’t you agree? Mr. Lincoln and Miss Mia are such a perfect match.” The elevator doors opened. I calmly met Lincoln’s eyes. “Indeed, a perfect match.” Panic flashed in his normally indifferent eyes, his thin lips parting as if to say something.

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Ethan Hunt pretended to be gentle for three years, raising me to be a tool for his first love’s paintings. I heard him laughing in the lounge. “I don’t love her at all. Being with her? Aside from the paintings, the sex is amazing.” I stood outside the door holding coffee. My hands didn’t shake, but my heart turned cold. That night, I burned everything he’d given me, jumped from the second floor, and ran toward the future I’d once rejected for him without looking back. Only later did I learn that the SUV that rescued me in the pouring rain wasn’t a coincidence. The man named Louis had been secretly collecting all my paintings since I was a little girl doing street graffiti. He said, “I’ve waited three years for you. Waited for you to wake up from another man’s cage.” This time, I won’t run away again. Cherry POV When I pushed open the slightly ajar door of the gallery VIP lounge, laughter was coming from inside. “Ethan Hunt, we really don’t get you. You’re a billionaire, a top-tier curator. Why are you acting like a servant in front of that poor girl Cherry? Cooking for her every day, even taking off her shoes for her. What’s the point?” Hearing my own name, my hand froze mid-push. After a brief, deathly silence, Ethan’s habitually gentle voice rang out, but it carried a coldness and mockery I’d never heard before. “Wild cats need to be stroked the right way to be tamed.” A lighter clicked, and he seemed to light a cigarette. His voice sounded distorted through the smoke. “Vivian’s hand is ruined. She can’t hold a paintbrush anymore. Cherry’s painting style is identical to hers, even more spirited. If I don’t spoil her rotten and make her devoted to me, how will she willingly paint those thirty pieces to pave the way for Vivian’s comeback exhibition?” Each word stabbed brutally into my eardrums. All the blood in my body froze solid in that moment. I felt like I’d fallen into an ice pit. I was a ghostwriting tool for Vivian?! The lounge fell silent for a moment, then erupted in even more enthusiastic exclamations. “Damn, that’s so you, Ethan Hunt! That’s ruthless. Using your current girlfriend’s blood and bones to feed your first love’s dreams. That’s insane.” “I heard Vivian’s coming back next week? Since you’ve almost gotten all thirty paintings, what about Cherry? She’s so headstrong. If she finds out she’s been used as a blood bag for three years, won’t she blow the roof off?” Ethan laughed lightly, his tone dripping with contempt. “She can’t leave me. For three years, I’ve cut off all her social connections and raised her to be a waste of space who only knows how to depend on me. Even if she finds out, she’ll just stay obediently in the cage I’ve built for her.” Seeing someone about to come out, my face went deathly pale as I jolted awake and stumbled backward out of the hallway on stiff legs. Outside, a blizzard had started at some point. I didn’t even have my coat on as I walked into the swirling snow. Icy snowflakes slammed into my face, melting into water that mixed with my tears and fell into the mud. Everything before my eyes blurred, but scenes from the past three years flashed through my mind. Ethan was the youngest art professor at New York’s top art academy, and also an extremely influential curator in the industry. The first time I met him was in an alley behind an underground racing track. I’d gotten into a bloody fight with some thugs over graffiti territory, biting one guy’s neck like a lone wolf. Ethan appeared holding a black umbrella, his leather shoes stepping through filthy puddles. With those slender fingers that usually handled masterpieces, he wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth. He said gently, “Cherry, hands are for painting, not fighting. Come home with me.” In that moment, having grown up in an orphanage scraping by and enduring countless cold stares, I heard my own heart pounding wildly. I thought I’d found salvation. For three years, Ethan had spoiled me to a pathological degree. He wouldn’t let me do any housework for fear of hurting my hands. He cooked for me with endless variety every day, and when I was tired from painting, he’d even kneel on one knee to massage my aching calves. I thought this was the ultimate expression of love. Turns out, he was just maintaining a useful tool. He was afraid of my hands getting hurt because I had to paint for Vivian. He kept me confined at home because he was afraid my painting style would be exposed prematurely. Even in bed, when he always liked to hold me from behind and force me to watch my right hand holding the brush in the mirror. It was because that hand could fulfill his first love’s dreams! I crouched in the snow, biting hard on the back of my hand, crying until my throat was torn raw and I tasted thick blood. I don’t know how long passed before I swayed to my feet. My tears had dried up, leaving only ash-gray desolation in my eyes. I pulled out my phone from my pocket, found a number I’d blocked for three years, unblocked it, and dialed. It was the private number of Crete, France’s top art master. Three years ago, Crete had recognized my talent and wanted to take me to Paris for secret intensive training to mold me into the next generation’s artistic giant. But for Ethan’s words “I can’t live without you,” I’d refused without hesitation. The call connected. I cleared my hoarse throat, my voice cold as ice. “Mr. Crete, this is Cherry. Is your offer still valid? I’m willing to go with you.”

Cherry POV “Cherry! You’ve finally come to your senses! My God, I knew you wouldn’t let your talent be buried! In half a month I’ll send a private jet to pick you up. Use these two weeks to settle everything in America!” Hearing the French on the other end of the line, excited to the point of breaking, I calmly responded “okay” and hung up. When I returned to the luxury villa Ethan called our “love nest,” it was already late at night. As soon as I pushed open the door, warm air hit my face. Ethan, wearing gray loungewear, was coming out of the kitchen carrying a steaming cup of mulled wine. Seeing me covered in snow and looking disheveled, his eyes immediately creased with concern. “Where were you? How did you get like this, not even using an umbrella?” He walked over quickly, habitually trying to pull me into his embrace. I instinctively turned my head away, avoiding his touch. Ethan’s hand froze mid-air. A flash of displeasure crossed his eyes, but it was quickly covered by gentleness. He sighed and forcibly grabbed my cold hand, rubbing it between his palms. “Cherry, sulking at me again? The gallery was too busy today. I didn’t have time to pick you up. That’s my fault. Drink the mulled wine first, don’t catch a cold. You still need to deliver the last three paintings next week.” Listen to that. Such a perfect excuse. Caring about me was fake. Caring about those last three paintings was real. I lowered my eyes, looking at his refined, scholarly face, and suddenly felt my stomach churning with nausea. “Ethan.” I suddenly spoke, my voice terribly hoarse. “Mm?” He looked down, blowing on the mulled wine, responding carelessly. “If one day I couldn’t paint anymore, would you still treat me like you do now?” Ethan’s motion of blowing on the wine abruptly stopped. He looked up, studying me deeply, then laughed and reached out to ruffle my damp hair. “What nonsense. Even if you became completely useless, I’d still take care of you for life. Cherry, drink up.” If this were before, hearing those words would have made my eyes redden with emotion. But now, I only felt my hair stand on end. His promise to take care of me for life meant keeping me chained in a basement like a pet, draining every last drop of blood from me. I didn’t take the wine. I walked past him and headed upstairs. “I’m tired. I want to sleep.” I didn’t look back, but I could imagine the gentleness instantly draining from his face, his expression turning sinister and cold. Over the next few days, I behaved unusually quietly. I no longer clung to Ethan acting cute like before, nor did I pull him out to look at stars in the middle of the night. I locked myself in the studio every day, painting frantically. Ethan seemed very satisfied with my obedience. He probably thought his “domestication” had finally reached its most perfect stage. At noon that day, Ethan came into the studio carrying cut fruit. “Cherry, take a break.” He wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, his chin resting in the crook of my neck, but his eyes greedily fixed on the nearly completed “Sunflowers” on the canvas. The brushwork, color, and light were virtually identical to Vivian’s work from her peak years, even more stunning. “This painting is beautiful.” He praised it sincerely. My hand holding the brush tightened slightly, my knuckles turning white. I turned my head, looking at his face so close to mine, and suddenly smiled. “Is it? Whose name are you planning to sign on this painting?” The smile on Ethan’s face instantly froze. A flash of panic crossed his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure, even adding a touch of indulgent reproach. “What are you overthinking now? Your painting will naturally have your name on it. Next month’s exhibition, I’ll let the entire New York art world know how excellent my girlfriend is.” Watching his masterful performance, the last trace of hope in my heart completely died. I calmly pushed him away and picked up the palette nearby. “I’m thirsty. I want the coffee you make.” “Okay, I’ll go brew it for you.” Ethan kissed my forehead and headed downstairs. After confirming he’d left, I immediately locked the studio door and opened the laptop Ethan had left on the desk. I used to run the streets. My hacking skills weren’t top-tier, but cracking Ethan’s password was more than easy enough. Three minutes later, a document hidden deep in the files appeared on the screen. “Vivian’s Comeback Solo Exhibition Planning Document.” The catalog of thirty exhibited works was exactly all the heart and soul I’d poured out over the past six months! And the exhibition date was in ten days.

Cherry POV The black text on white background on the screen burned my eyes. Thirty paintings. Each one I’d stayed up countless nights to complete, painstakingly crafted stroke by stroke under Ethan’s “gentle encouragement.” Now, they all bore Vivian’s name. I laughed coldly, destructive madness churning in my eyes. I didn’t make a scene. I silently cleared my browsing history and put the computer back in its place. Footsteps sounded outside the door. Ethan came in carrying coffee. “Cherry, coffee’s ready.” I turned around, took the coffee and sipped it, then suddenly my hand shook and the scalding coffee spilled directly onto the nearly finished “Sunflowers”! The dark brown liquid instantly spread, ruining the entire painting’s color structure. “What are you doing?!” Ethan’s voice shot up sharply. His gentle mask instantly shattered, his eyes erupting with barely concealed fury and heartbreak. He shoved me aside and lunged at the canvas, trying to wipe away the stains with his sleeve, but the more he wiped, the worse it got. The force of his push made me stumble backward. My waist slammed hard against the easel, pain making me gasp. But I laughed. “My hand slipped.” I looked at Ethan’s frantic back, my tone light as air. “It’s just a painting. Why are you so worked up? Worst case, I’ll just repaint it.” Ethan’s whole body went rigid. He seemed to realize he’d lost his composure. He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the violence in his eyes. When he turned around, he’d become that gentle, considerate perfect boyfriend again. “I’m sorry, Cherry. Did I hurt you?” He came over, rubbing my waist with apparent concern. “I just thought it was such a shame. You spent so long on this painting. I feel bad about all your hard work going to waste.” “Feel bad about my hard work, or about your cash cow being destroyed?” I looked at him with a half-smile. Ethan’s eyes darkened. He suddenly grabbed my chin, applying so much force he nearly crushed my bones. “Cherry, what’s gotten into you today? All these passive-aggressive remarks.” He leaned in close, his tone carrying a dangerous warning. “I’ve been swamped lately preparing for your exhibition. Can you be a little more sensible and stop making trouble?” “I’m making trouble?” I met his gaze fearlessly. “Ethan, do you dare look me in the eye and tell me this exhibition is really for me?” The two of us stood in a standoff, the air thick with gunpowder. Just then, Ethan’s phone suddenly rang. A special ringtone. Ethan’s expression changed. He immediately released me and walked onto the balcony with his phone. Though separated by the glass door, I could still clearly see the careful, treasuring expression on his face. An expression of genuine emotion he’d never shown me. “Vivian, you’ve arrived? Good, wait for me at the VIP passage. I’ll be right there.” Hanging up, Ethan rushed back in, putting on his coat as he spoke. “There’s an emergency at the gallery. I need to handle it. Stay home and paint obediently. That ‘Sunflowers’ must be redone within three days, understand?” Without giving me a chance to respond, he slammed the door and left. I walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and watched the black SUV shoot out of the villa like an arrow released from its bow. I pulled out my phone and called a rideshare. “Driver, to the airport.”

Cherry POV Half an hour later, outside the airport VIP passage. Wearing a hat and mask, I stood behind a pillar. Not far away, Ethan was holding a black umbrella, carefully sheltering a woman in a white trench coat with a delicate demeanor. The woman seemed cold. Ethan immediately took off his own coat and draped it over her shoulders, then naturally tucked her cold hands into his embrace. “Vivian, welcome home.” His eyes were so tender they could drip water. Vivian leaned into his embrace, acting coquettish. “Ethan, how are the preparations for my exhibition going? My hand shakes even holding utensils now. If the exhibition fails, I’ll never be able to show my face in the art world again.” “Don’t worry.” Ethan lowered his head to kiss her hair, his tone firm and cruel. “All thirty paintings are ready. Every single one is top quality. They’ll definitely restore you to your peak.” “That ghostwriter Cherry… she won’t cause trouble, will she?” “Her?” Ethan’s lips curved with contempt. “Just an orphan who’s never seen the world. Give her a few scraps and she’d gladly give me her life. After the exhibition ends, I’ll find some random excuse to get rid of her.” Behind the pillar, I held up my phone, recording every moment of this scene completely. My heart had gone numb from the pain. So in his eyes, I wasn’t even human. Just a piece of trash to be thrown away after use. I put away my phone and turned to walk into the rain. Ethan, you want to use my blood to nourish your first love? Dream on. Over the next three days, I seemed like a different person. I no longer resisted painting. Instead, I locked myself in the studio like a madwoman, working day and night. Ethan was very satisfied with my condition. He thought his trip to the airport hadn’t been exposed, that I was still the fool he had firmly in the palm of his hand. To placate me, he even canceled several important engagements and came home on time every day to cook for me, playing the role of perfect boyfriend. “Cherry, eat first. There’s no rush with the painting.” Ethan set a plate of cut steak on the table and hugged me from behind, intimately nuzzling my cheek. I didn’t turn around. The brush in my hand flew rapidly across the canvas, adding the final brilliant touches of color. “It’s finished.” I set down the brush and turned around, looking at Ethan with calm eyes. Ethan’s gaze moved past me to the canvas. It was a brand new “Sunflowers,” even more vivid and stunning than the one that had been destroyed, as if one could feel the sunflowers’ life force burning under the scorching sun. “It’s perfect…” Ethan murmured, his eyes gleaming with fervent light. He must be thinking to himself. With this painting, Vivian’s exhibition would definitely cause a sensation! He excitedly embraced me and kissed me hard. “Cherry, you’re a genius! Don’t worry, after the exhibition ends, I’ll definitely make it up to you. What do you want? Designer bags? A sports car? Or… should we get married?” Get married? I laughed bitterly to myself. A marriage bought with my thirty paintings. The thought disgusted me. “I don’t want anything.” I pushed him away and walked to the sink, methodically washing my hands. “I’m tired. I want to rest for a few days. I’ll leave the exhibition matters to you.” “Of course. You rest well. I’ll handle everything else.” Ethan couldn’t wait to call a moving company and have all thirty packaged paintings from the studio transported away. Looking at the empty studio, my lips curved into an icy arc. Five days until Crete’s private jet arrived. Three days until Vivian’s exhibition. The show was just beginning.

Cherry POV The next day, Ethan used the gallery as an excuse and didn’t come home all day. I knew he was with Vivian. I methodically packed my luggage. Actually, there wasn’t much to pack. Everything in this villa was bought by Ethan. I didn’t want to take a single item. I only took my passport and the utility knife I’d always carried with me. At ten p.m., Ethan came home reeking of alcohol and faint perfume. “Cherry, still awake?” Ethan loosened his tie and walked to the sofa, habitually trying to rest his head on my lap. I subtly avoided him and stood up. “I’ll run you a bath.” Ethan froze, watching my cold retreating figure, probably feeling an inexplicable irritation rising in his chest. These past few days, I’d been too obedient. So well-behaved it was abnormal. No acting cute, no clinging to him, even the look in my eyes when I looked at him carried the stillness of dead water. He strode over and grabbed my wrist, pinning me against the bathroom doorframe. “Cherry, what exactly are you sulking about?” He looked down at me, his eyes sinister. “I’ve already taken the paintings. The exhibition is about to start. Are you planning to pull some stunt?” He was gripping me so hard my bones ached, but I didn’t struggle. I looked up, meeting his eyes directly, and suddenly smiled. “Ethan, do you have paranoia? What stunt could I possibly pull? I’m just tired.” “Tired?” Ethan sneered and roughly tore open my collar. “If you’re tired, let’s do something relaxing.” He lowered his head and kissed me brutally, with the intent to punish, roughly biting my lips. I didn’t resist, letting him manipulate me like a puppet. This dead-fish response completely enraged Ethan. He shoved me away violently, his eyes full of disgust. “Buzzkill.” With that, he turned and walked into the bathroom, slamming the door with a bang. I leaned against the wall, wiping the blood from the corner of my mouth, my eyes cold as if frozen in ice. Ethan, this is the last time you’ll ever touch me. Vivian’s exhibition was set at New York’s largest private art museum. The night before the opening ceremony, Ethan came home unusually early. He was carrying an exquisite gift box containing a custom haute couture gown worth a fortune. “Cherry, wear this to the exhibition tomorrow.” He placed the gown on the bed, his tone carrying an unquestionable command. I didn’t even glance at the dress, asking flatly, “In what capacity? Your girlfriend, or… Vivian’s ghostwriter?” Ethan’s face darkened, his eyes instantly turning sharp. “What nonsense are you spouting?” He stepped forward, staring hard into my eyes, trying to find any flaw. “Who told you about the ghostwriting?” “Does anyone need to tell me?” I met his gaze fearlessly, my lips curving in a mocking smile. “Ethan, did you really think I was an idiot? I saw the planning document on your computer ages ago.” The air seemed to freeze in that moment. A flash of panic crossed Ethan’s eyes, but it was quickly replaced by icy killing intent. He suddenly grabbed my throat and slammed me against the wall. “You snooped through my computer?!” His voice was distorted with rage. “Cherry, you’ve got some nerve!” The sensation of suffocation instantly overwhelmed me. My face flushed red, but I didn’t struggle. I just stared at him hard, my eyes full of contempt and mockery. “What? Exposed and now you’re lashing out in humiliation?” I squeezed the words painfully from my throat. “Ethan, you disgust me.”

Cherry POV “Shut up!” Ethan tightened his fingers, and watching me struggle in pain probably gave him some perverse satisfaction. “Since you already know, I don’t need to keep acting for you anymore.” He leaned close to my ear, his voice like a venomous snake. “That’s right. All those paintings are for Vivian. You’re nothing but a dog to me. Being able to make way for Vivian is your honor!” He suddenly released his grip. I fell to the floor like a broken doll, coughing violently. “Tomorrow, you’re not going anywhere. Stay home like a good girl.” Ethan looked down at me, his eyes cold to the extreme. “After the exhibition ends, I’ll give you some money. Get out of New York. If you dare say a single word outside, I guarantee you’ll disappear from this world.” With that, he turned and walked out of the bedroom, locking the door from the outside. Hearing the lock click into place, I lay on the floor and suddenly began to laugh quietly. The laughter grew louder and louder, finally turning into heart-wrenching, maniacal laughter. Ethan, you think one door can contain me? You really underestimate me. Late at night, the villa was completely silent. I pulled out a black backpack from under the bed, filled with tools I’d prepared long ago. I walked to the window and looked down at the drop below. Second floor. For someone like me who used to do parkour on the streets, this was nothing. I tore the bedsheet into strips, tied them into a rope, secured one end to the bed leg, and let the other end drop out the window. Just as I was about to climb out the window, footsteps suddenly sounded outside the door. Then the lock turned. Ethan pushed the door open, holding a glass of water. Seeing me standing on the windowsill, his pupils contracted sharply. The glass in his hand crashed to the floor, shattering into pieces. “Cherry! What are you doing?!” he shouted and rushed forward. I looked at him coldly and jumped without hesitation. “No!” Ethan lunged to the window, only catching a corner of my clothing. I slid down the bedsheet halfway when it suddenly snapped. I fell heavily onto the lawn. Intense pain shot through my ankle. I grunted, cold sweat instantly beading on my forehead. “Cherry!” Ethan’s furious roar came from the second floor. Gritting my teeth, I forced myself up from the ground despite the excruciating pain and limped toward the villa’s main gate. I couldn’t let them catch me! Absolutely not! Rain poured down, instantly drenching me. The pain in my ankle made every step feel like walking on knife points, but I didn’t dare stop. Behind me, I heard the villa’s main door being violently pushed open. Ethan, holding an umbrella and accompanied by several bodyguards, rushed into the rain. “Catch her! Don’t let her get away!” Ethan’s voice sounded especially vicious in the thunderstorm. I clenched my teeth and desperately ran toward the mountain road. I knew that if I could just reach the road and flag down a car, I’d be saved. But my ankle had swollen like a bun, and I was getting slower and slower. Just as the bodyguards were about to catch up, a black SUV suddenly burst around the corner, its blinding high beams forcing everyone to shield their eyes. The SUV screeched to a stop in front of me, and the door flew open. “Get in!” A deep, powerful male voice rang out. I didn’t have time to think. I scrambled into the car. The SUV roared like a wild beast and shot forward like an arrow, leaving Ethan and the bodyguards far behind. The car’s heater was on. I collapsed in the back seat, soaking wet, gasping for air. “Thank you…” I said weakly. The man in the driver’s seat handed me a clean towel, his voice cold and hard. “Dry yourself off.” I took the towel and, by the light of the streetlamps outside, got a clear look at the man’s profile. His features were chiseled, sharp as if carved by a blade. His eyes were keen as an eagle’s. He radiated the aura of someone battle-hardened. “Who are you? Why did you save me?” I asked warily. The man didn’t turn around, only saying flatly, “I was asked to do a job. Crete sent me to pick you up.” Hearing Crete’s name, my taut nerves finally relaxed. I leaned back against the seat, closed my eyes, and let exhaustion and pain wash over me. Ethan, we’ll settle our accounts slowly.

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Eight years after my husband Ethan died, I finally agreed to the blind date my sister arranged. Before the date, I went to the salon for a new hairstyle and bought a new dress at the mall. My sister had set fire to Ethan’s belongings. I ignored my burns and snatched our wedding rings from the flames. I held the rings and arrived at the restaurant where I was supposed to meet my blind date, Noah. Through the glass window, I saw Noah chatting with a friend. When Noah lowered his head, I caught a clear view of his friend’s face. In that instant, I nearly stopped breathing. That man was Ethan—the same Ethan I had pushed into the cremation furnace with my own hands. And beside him sat a woman with a stunning figure, clinging close to him. I didn’t have the courage to push open the door. I leaned silently against the wall, listening to the conversation inside. “Noah, the woman you’re meeting is already half an hour late. You think she stood you up?” That voice—I would never forget it, even in death. It was Ethan. My Ethan, the one I’d missed desperately for eight years. But why was he still alive? And why was there a woman I didn’t recognize sitting beside him? Why hadn’t he come back to find me all these years? Why hadn’t he told me he wasn’t dead? Too many questions clogged my chest until it felt suffocating. Then another voice spoke—Noah’s. “Women like to dress up. It’s natural for them to take a little longer.” Then Noah changed the subject. “Ethan, I really envy you. You married a beautiful woman like Ivy and she even gave you such an adorable son. You two must have been together for many years.” Ethan’s cheerful voice drifted out. “Ivy and I have been together for nine years.” How ridiculous. For the past eight years, not only had Ethan not died—he’d gotten married and had a child with someone else. He’d been living carefree in a world I knew nothing about, while I’d nearly lost half my life from missing him. Eight years ago, one rainy night, I’d insisted on having pizza. Even though the rain was pouring, Ethan grabbed an umbrella and went out without hesitation. I curled up on the couch, but instead of pizza, I received news that he’d died in a car accident. By the time I arrived at the scene, his car had burned to a hollow shell. The downpour had doused the flames, leaving only a few streams of foul-smelling black smoke. Ethan in the driver’s seat was burned beyond recognition. If not for the wedding ring on his left hand, I wouldn’t have been able to identify him at all. In the years that followed, I drowned in endless guilt. I kept thinking. If only I hadn’t insisted on pizza that night. If only I’d gone out with him. If only… Ethan were still alive. I turned gray overnight at such a young age. I became a shell of myself. I gave up my social life, quit my job, and locked myself indoors all day. Ethan’s death turned my life completely upside down. If my sister hadn’t pulled me out of that abyss, I probably wouldn’t exist in this world anymore. Tears fell heavily onto the ground. My sobbing finally drew the attention of those inside. Noah slowly opened the door and looked surprised to see me. “What happened? Did something go wrong on your way here?” I shook my head and followed him inside. Noah stood by my side, staring at my red, swollen hands. “If you don’t treat those wounds, they might get infected.” I tucked my hands behind my back, my gaze locked onto Ethan’s face. That face I’d missed day and night now appeared before me like something from a dream. “Ethan, you lied to me so cruelly.” Ethan looked equally shocked. Disbelief flashed in his eyes. “You’re Noah’s blind date?”

At this moment, did it even matter who the blind date was? I just wanted answers for the past eight years. I couldn’t have spent eight years grieving over a man who was still alive. Searing pain shot through my palms. My throat choked up as I shouted at Ethan. “Ethan, tell me—why did you lie to me?” “Do you know what these eight years have been like for me?” “What happened that night? Tell me!” Ethan took a deep breath and glanced at the woman beside him. Then he stood and walked up to me, his gaze settling on my face. “I had no choice.” “That car accident—I planned it.” One phrase—”I had no choice”—to justify his enormous lie. One phrase—”I couldn’t help it”—to turn my past eight years into a joke. I laughed coldly and raised my hand, slapping Ethan hard across the face. “Ethan, you know that’s not the explanation I want!” “This slap is for those eight wasted years.” Then I raised my hand again and struck the same spot. “This slap is for the apology you owe me for lying.” My palm burned with pain. Blood began seeping from my burn wounds. Ethan’s eyes turned cold. He casually wiped the blood from his lip. His fists clenched slightly. “That’s enough, Stella. I told you—I had no choice.” “You always said a man needs to take responsibility. So when Ivy got pregnant, I chose to step up. I couldn’t let the child be born without a father. I couldn’t let people think Ivy was some irresponsible woman.” “What I did was just fulfilling a man’s duty.” “Are you satisfied with that explanation?” “But you cheated on me! How can you talk about cheating like it’s something honorable?” “You couldn’t bear to hurt another woman, but you could let me live like a ghost for eight years and make me feel guilty for the rest of my life.” “Ethan, is this what you call responsibility?” I laughed and staggered backward, remembering that the day after Ethan left, I discovered I was pregnant. I’d wanted to die, but the baby’s arrival gave me a reason to keep dragging myself through life. I never imagined that the belief I’d clung to so desperately would end like this. Ivy, sitting nearby, walked over to Ethan with concern. Her delicate hand gently touched his face. Then she looked at me with an expression full of guilt. “I’m sorry, Stella. We didn’t mean to hide this from you.” “But now Ethan and I are married and we have a child. About the past… could you maybe—” I stared at her seductive face. “Not hold it against us? Not pursue it?” “Ivy, if you were in my position, what would you do? If I told you to be generous, could you actually do it?” “It’s only because you’re not the one who got hurt.” With that, I threw the wedding ring I’d been clutching into a nearby trash can. I turned, opened the door, and walked straight out. So this was how my eight years with Ethan ended—with a period. All that devotion and guilt finally turned to ash in this moment. Noah caught up with me, holding gauze and iodine. No one had expected today to turn out this way. As Noah cleaned my hands, he spoke. “I didn’t know you and Ethan had that kind of history.” “I’m sorry I didn’t warn you they’d be here.” I couldn’t bring myself to smile, staring at the raw red flesh on my palms. “Noah, we can be friends.” His hand paused mid-motion. He looked at me intently. “Stella, I don’t mind your past.” “Don’t shut me out just yet.”

This blind date was my sister’s arrangement. Noah and I weren’t really familiar—we only knew each other’s names. My sister wanted to help me move on from Ethan’s death, and I truly did need to start a new life. Noah was worried, so he took me to the hospital. On the way back, he placed the gift he’d prepared for me on the seat beside me. “Stella, I can wait for you.” His gaze was sincere and warm, rekindling something in my deadened heart for just a moment. When I got home, I hid the fact that I’d seen Ethan from my sister. I knew her temper. If she found out Ethan had deceived me, she’d definitely go after him. But now, I didn’t want to see Ethan anymore. The real Ethan had died eight years ago. A week later, I agreed to Noah’s pursuit and we planned our wedding date. Everyone said we were rushing things, that we should take more time to get to know each other. But I just didn’t want to keep drowning in those old memories. I didn’t want the memories of Ethan to slowly devour me. News of the wedding eventually reached Ethan’s ears. It was the first time he sought me out alone. In the park downstairs. “Stella, you can’t marry him.” The Ethan before me was dressed in a sharp suit, tall and handsome, but his eyes no longer held the warmth I remembered. “Who are you to me? What business is it of yours whether I get married?” “Ethan, please keep your distance. Don’t let your wife get the wrong idea about our relationship.” My deliberate coldness displeased the possessive Ethan. He stepped forward and gripped my shoulders tightly. “Stella, wait for me another ten years. In ten years, my son with Ivy will be an adult. Then we can remarry, okay?” “I really had no choice.” I laughed. “Ten years? How many decades does a woman have? I already gambled away eight years. You want me to gamble another uncertain ten years?” “Do you think I’m still that stupid?” “You had the right to cheat. I have the right to pursue happiness.” I stepped backward. Ethan’s hand hung suspended in midair. Anger shadowed his brow. “Stella, you could marry anyone else. Why does it have to be Noah?” “How am I supposed to face you two after this?” “How to face us? You seem pretty good at adapting.” “Let me tell you—it’s Noah or no one.” Without giving Ethan another chance to speak, I turned and left the park. The night before the wedding, Noah invited many friends to his house. The living room and bedrooms were packed with people. Noah was smiling, holding an air pump and inflating balloons. By the time I arrived at his place, the bridal suite was already decorated. I just didn’t expect Ethan and Ivy to show up uninvited. Ethan held a gift box and casually tossed it onto the coffee table. “Noah, are you really going to marry a divorced woman? As your friend, I need to warn you—it’s not too late to back out.” Ethan said this only because of what happened in the park. He was just bitter. Even though he’d deceived me, even though I’d thought he was dead, in his mind I was only allowed to remain faithful to him. Even if he didn’t want me anymore, I had no right to marry anyone else. Noah stepped forward and took my hand, as if declaring ownership to Ethan. “I don’t mind Stella’s past. What matters is the present.” “Ethan, don’t forget to come drink at our wedding tomorrow.” Ethan flew into a rage, his sharp gaze landing on Noah. “You’re really going to throw away our brotherhood over a woman?” “You’ve got so many women around you. Why does it have to be Stella?” “Noah, let me make this clear—if you dare marry her, we’re done as brothers.”

That night, I received a message from Ethan. “Can’t even wait ten years? Stella.” “Since you insist on getting married, I’ll send you a big gift tomorrow.” It wasn’t that I couldn’t wait. I just didn’t see the point anymore. I didn’t reply. I blocked the unfamiliar number. On the wedding day, Noah invited many relatives and friends. He said he wanted more people to witness our happiness. The large screen behind us displayed our wedding photos. They flashed by one after another. I suddenly remembered that when I married Ethan, we never even took proper wedding photos. He made excuses—too tired, too busy at work—always finding reasons to put me off. Later I understood. He wasn’t too busy. He was spending all his time with Ivy and simply couldn’t get away. As the last wedding photo faded, the guests thought it was over. But then more photos appeared. They showed me half-naked, my cheeks flushed, eyes unfocused, completely drunk and unconscious. Whispers spread through the guests below. “This woman has no shame. Look how exposed she is.” “Could she be a prostitute?” “How inappropriate to show photos like this at a wedding. She’s disgraced the entire family.” A bolder relative stood up and advised Noah directly. “Noah, I think you should call off this wedding.” “I’ll introduce you to someone better later.” “This woman is clearly no good. That kid is probably some illegitimate child she’s too embarrassed to admit to, so she’s calling it her sister.” “Still involved with her ex-husband, and now a child appears out of nowhere. If you really marry her, you’ll regret it.” Noah quickly had the staff turn off the screen and apologized to me repeatedly. I knew whose doing this was. Utterly despicable—just like his fake death eight years ago. Noah still held my waist tightly. “Stella is a wonderful woman. Those photos must be someone’s malicious prank.” “And our wedding is not for outsiders to comment on.” I scanned the crowd and spotted Ethan sitting in the corner, his eyes fixed on me. A faint smile played at his lips, as if mocking me on stage. I lifted my wedding dress and walked up to Ethan. “Is this all you know how to do—these underhanded tricks? Now and eight years ago.” “Ethan, the biggest regret of my life was marrying you.” Ethan let out a scornful laugh, his gaze shifting to Noah behind me. “Noah, you really want to pick up my leftovers?” “You saw it yourself—what Stella looks like in those photos, didn’t you?” Then Ethan withdrew his gaze, his eyes crinkling. “Stella, do you like the gift I sent?” “Actually, if you’d just been nicer to me, I would’ve given you a proper explanation for those eight years.” “I could even bring you home to live with Ivy.” “I know how heartbroken you’ve been these eight years without me.” He deliberately leaned closer, a wicked smile on his lips. “Do you dream about me every night? Do you miss me so much you can’t sleep?” “You’re disgusting!” Furious, I slapped Ethan across the mouth. Ethan immediately straightened up. Every eye in the room turned to him. “Stella, you’re insane!” Ethan grabbed a wine glass and hurled it at me. Just as the glass was about to hit, a small voice called out from behind me. “You bad man! Don’t bully my sister!” Ethan froze mid-motion, staring hard at the little girl. “What did you call her?” Emma said fiercely, repeating herself. “She’s my sister.” Ethan suddenly threw the wine glass at his feet and frowned. “Stella, you don’t even have parents. Where did this sister come from?” “Who is this girl?”

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My mate Leon is the Alpha heir of Shadowclaw pack. Once again, he didn’t spend my birthday with me this year. Because today is also his childhood friend Nora’s birthday. I opened Nora’s Ins, and sure enough, there was a new post. “Grateful for your company every year on my birthday. We promised to spend every future birthday together!” The photo showed two hands making heart signs in front of a cake. One of them was Leon’s—I recognized the watch I’d given him. I hit like, set down my phone, and dumped all the dishes I’d lovingly prepared—all Leon’s favorites—into the trash. Then I went to a restaurant, ordered what I liked, and celebrated my birthday alone. Leon didn’t know I’d already made my decision—to break up with him and return to Frosthowl pack to become the Alpha heir. Halfway through my meal, Leon called, his tone somewhat anxious. “Rhea, did you see Nora’s post?” “I did.” “I’ll come back after I finish celebrating with her. I’ll spend it with you next year. Be reasonable and don’t make a fuss, okay?” The old me would have cried and thrown a fit. But not anymore. I simply said calmly, “Okay.” The next morning around seven, my phone woke me. It only rang a few times before stopping—probably because he didn’t want to wait again. I picked it up and looked. It was Leon. He used to be too lazy to use his own key, so he’d always call me like this—let it ring a few times, then hang up. No matter what I was doing, I’d immediately run to open the door for him. But not today. I tossed my phone aside, pulled the covers over my head, and went back to sleep. The spare key was under the doormat. He knew that. I’d stayed up until three in the morning packing last night, and my head was still foggy. My phone rang several more times, but I didn’t even bother looking. I don’t know how long passed before I groggily heard someone opening the door. The door slammed against the wall with a loud bang, then the bedroom door was shoved open, accompanied by Leon’s angry questioning. “Rhea, why didn’t you open the door for me? I called so many times! You know I hate using keys!” I opened my eyes and looked at him without much emotion. “I was too tired. Didn’t hear it.” Leon opened his mouth, then finally just said, “I’m hungry. Get up and make me something to eat. I was up all night, and I need to catch up on sleep after I eat.” In the past, I would’ve jumped up immediately to make him breakfast. But now I just said flatly, “I’m really tired too. Go buy yourself some breakfast downstairs.” Leon was clearly angry, but he held it in. “You’re still mad I didn’t spend your birthday with you yesterday?” “No, you’re overthinking it.” Leon didn’t believe me and explained unprompted, “Nora is like my little sister. Her dad died for mine. I’ve taken care of her since we were kids—if I don’t stay with her, who will? Stop being so petty, or I’m really going to get angry!” “You’re right, you should stay with her. I’m not mad.” Nora’s father was Leon’s father’s Beta. When Nora was seven, a Rogue attacked Shadowclaw pack, and her father died protecting Leon’s father. Nora’s mother died not long after from grief. Since then, Nora had lived with Leon’s family. Unlike their childhood bond, Leon and I met through a friend’s introduction. When we first met, we both realized we were fated mates. Leon blushed as he looked at me, said it was love at first sight, and asked if I wanted to date him. I blushed too and said yes. Later we fell in love and went on dates everywhere. I thought I’d be happy like that forever—until I met Nora and saw how attentively Leon cared for her. Later I accidentally overheard Nora’s friends talking and learned that before meeting me, Leon and Nora had almost started dating. I was the one who’d come between them, forcing them to remain just friends. From then on, I kept thinking back to my first meeting with Leon. I couldn’t help wondering—did Leon really fall for me at first sight? Or was the so-called love at first sight just an act, something he said because dating his fated mate would solidify his position as Alpha heir? My reminiscing ended. I couldn’t sleep anymore, so I got up to go to the bathroom. Leon grabbed my wrist and reluctantly pulled a bracelet from his pocket. “Here, stop being upset. Your birthday present.” Looking at that cheap bracelet, the decorative metal piece dangling and swaying with the movement, it seemed so perfunctory. Then thinking about the designer watch Leon wore in Nora’s social media photos, I couldn’t help but smile bitterly. I shook my wrist, revealing the watch my mom had sent a few days ago. “Thanks, but I have a watch now. Wearing this would be inconvenient. You keep it.” Leon said angrily, “And you say you’re not mad! You used to be so happy with whatever I gave you. Now you’re turning up your nose at it, is that it?” Leon’s income wasn’t high. The things he gave me for my birthday in the past were never expensive either—little trinkets costing a few dollars or tens of dollars, sometimes he’d even forget to give anything. But I’d never minded. Every year on his birthday, though, I carefully prepared gifts. Last week for his birthday, I gave him a designer bracelet. I was tired. I really didn’t have the energy to argue anymore. I took the bracelet and put it in my pocket. “Thank you.” I changed clothes and prepared to leave. Leon asked urgently, “Where are you going?” “Meeting friends. Going to the gym together.” Since getting together with Leon, I’d spent almost all my free time on him. Accompanying him, taking care of him, barely having any time for myself. But not anymore. From now on, I was going to live for myself.

After an exhilarating workout with friends, we sat in the rest area drinking water. My friends joked half-seriously, “We thought you’d forgotten about us once you got a boyfriend. We almost didn’t dare invite you anymore.” I quickly apologized and promised, “I’m sorry! It won’t happen again. If there’s any activity, definitely invite me!” “That’s more like it! Come on, let’s go sit and chat at a café.” After getting together with Leon, I’d always tried to fit into his circle, unknowingly distancing myself from my own friends. Every day revolved around him, putting him first in everything. Looking back now, I’d been such a fool. By the time I got home, it was almost midnight. I pushed open the bedroom door to find Leon sitting on the bed. He frowned. “Rhea, why are you back so late? I had to order takeout for lunch and dinner. It was terrible.” I opened the closet to get clean clothes. “I ate out today too. It tasted pretty good, no worse than homemade.” Leon’s eyes widened in surprise. “Didn’t you used to say you’d cook for me every day from now on, that you wouldn’t let me eat takeout because it’s bad for my health?” “I was wrong. Living in this era, if you can’t cook, you have to get used to takeout.” Anger flashed in Leon’s eyes. “And you say you’re not mad! Out all day, not a single call or message, and you didn’t come back to cook!” I said calmly, “I’m really not mad. Just hanging out with friends. My phone died.” Seeing me like this, Leon suddenly threw off the covers, got out of bed angrily, grabbed me as I was about to leave, and raised his voice: “Can you stop being so petty? I told you we’re just like siblings! What exactly are you making a fuss about? Rhea, my patience has limits!” I pulled my hand free. “I’m really not making a fuss. I’m tired. I’ll sleep in the guest room tonight.” With that, I took my clothes to the bathroom, ignoring Leon’s calls behind me. That night, I finally slept soundly through the whole night. The next morning, Leon sat in the living room with his arms crossed, his expression dark. I knew he was waiting for me to apologize first, to make him happy. In the past, whenever he was unhappy, whether it was my fault or not, I’d beg him humbly for forgiveness. Then he’d make a bunch of demands, and only after I’d done everything would he reluctantly forgive me. This had been the pattern for years. I was tired of it. I ignored him, washed up, and left. I had important things to do today. I found a café and made a video call home. My father is the Alpha of Frosthowl pack. Since dating Leon, I’d moved to Shadowclaw pack to live with him, only returning to Frosthowl pack during holidays. This time, I told my parents I was planning to return to Frosthowl pack and wouldn’t be leaving again. I saw the tears of joy in my mother’s eyes. My father was clearly relieved too, saying I should come back to help him share some of the pack responsibilities. Frosthowl pack is located in a quiet northern town with a cold, damp climate. Leon grew up in a warm region and never adapted to the weather there. He’d always refused to go back with me, which is why I’d left my parents to live with him here. That evening, I met my friends for dinner and told them the news. Someone asked, “What about Leon?” I was silent for a moment, then smiled bitterly. “We… should be breaking up soon.” I used to think I’d build a family with Leon here. But now that home no longer existed. I was going back to the home with my parents—the one that would never abandon me. When I got home, I saw Leon wearing a white dress shirt, his hair carefully styled, holding his phone on a video call with Nora. Nora’s voice came through the phone. “Leon, you look so handsome! Even a simple white shirt looks so good on you!” Leon laughed happily, his voice full of mirth. “Really? You always know what to say.” I stood quietly without speaking. This expensive white shirt was also a gift from me to Leon. When Leon turned around laughing and saw me, his face immediately fell. He turned back to Nora and said, “I have to go. I’m heading out soon and will be there shortly. Eat something to tide you over first.” Leon could greet Nora with smiles and thoughtful care, but couldn’t spare even a smile for me. He glanced at me with annoyance, walked past me, changed his shoes, and left. He was starting to give me the silent treatment again. Over the years we’d been together, he’d often ignored me over things related to Nora. Each time I’d been anxious, trying every way to make him happy. But this time, I wasn’t worried. I just took the groceries I’d bought and went to the kitchen to make myself a late-night snack. I’d been too busy chatting with friends at dinner and hadn’t eaten much. Now I was a bit hungry. Over the next few days, I busied myself packing. My belongings in the house gradually decreased. Leon didn’t notice.

Today, Leon went out to see Nora again. I sat at the dining table, eating while looking at my phone. Nora had posted: “Whenever I feel lonely, you’re always there. It’s wonderful. Grateful!” In the photo, Leon and Nora had their heads together, making peace signs at the camera. Leon’s buddies all liked and commented, envying their relationship. All along, they’d thought Leon and Nora were better matched—childhood sweethearts, how nice—while I was like a third wheel inserting myself between them. Looking at that post, I suddenly felt those friends were right. The two of them did look more like a couple. In the past, after holding back for a long time, I’d carefully remind Leon to keep some distance from Nora. His buddies would mock me for being too controlling, saying I had control issues and wouldn’t let Leon have freedom in his friendships. Leon never spoke up for me. Instead, he’d join them in criticizing me, telling me not to restrict him and to give him more space. Leon had also commented below: “You’ve always been there for me too!” I calmly exited the app and got up to clear the dishes. Thunder rumbled outside. It was going to rain. I went to the balcony to bring in the clothes. Bean-sized raindrops immediately began pelting the windows. In the past, whenever it rained, I’d rush to call Leon asking where he was, wanting to bring him an umbrella so he wouldn’t get wet. He and his friends would laugh at me for worrying too much, managing too much, preventing them from having fun. I showered early, lay in bed watching videos, and fell asleep without realizing it. The sound of Leon forcefully pushing open my bedroom door woke me. Seeing me asleep, he questioned angrily: “Rhea, it’s raining so hard, your boyfriend isn’t home this late, and you’re not worried at all? If it were my buddies’ girlfriends, they’d already be calling nonstop asking where they are, personally bringing an umbrella to pick them up! And you?” I was somewhat surprised, not understanding why he was so angry. Once before when he was with Nora and it rained, I’d called several times asking where he was and when he’d be back, wanting to pick him up. He’d gotten very angry, saying I was worrying needlessly, that he was with Nora and needed to take her home first. He also said I just didn’t want him with Nora, that I was making excuses for him to come home early, that my need for control was suffocating him. Now I’d given him freedom, yet he was questioning why I didn’t pick him up. I really didn’t understand what he wanted from me. I answered with a heart like still water, “You were with Nora, so I wasn’t worried. You two can hang out longer, then take her home.” Leon’s eyes widened in disbelief. Perhaps he was wondering how I could so calmly mention Nora and even allow them to stay out this late alone. After a while, he seemed to think of something and explained, “Today… was the anniversary of Nora’s father’s death. She was very upset. As a friend, I couldn’t leave her alone. Don’t read too much into it.” I expressed understanding and nodded in agreement. “I get it. You should definitely spend more time with her on a day like this.” My reasonableness left Leon at a loss for words. He studied my face carefully, trying to find a trace of anger, but found none. Leon softened his tone. “Rhea, I need to shower. Can you run the hot water for me?” I looked at him in surprise. This was almost like him initiating reconciliation. In the past, he was always so superior, making me beg and plead before he’d reluctantly make up with me. I pretended not to understand his hint and just said, “No, I’m tired. Run it yourself, then get some rest in your room.” Leon looked at me in disbelief, then angrily turned and left. I got up and closed the door myself, then went back to sleep. A peaceful night’s sleep.

Early the next morning, my friend Vivian called to invite me to dinner. She’d just returned from a business trip. Hearing I was returning to Frosthowl pack, she wanted to get together again since there wouldn’t be many more chances. I felt a bit sad hearing this, but agreed. Before hanging up, she added, “Oh, bring Leon too. I won’t contact him separately.” Right—Vivian wasn’t just my friend, but Leon’s too. She was the one who’d introduced us in the first place. But this way, I couldn’t hide my return to Frosthowl pack anymore. I’d originally wanted to wait until everything was settled before saying anything, to avoid complications. After hanging up, I saw Leon coming out of his room. I hesitated, then spoke up. “Vivian wants to have dinner with us tonight.” He looked at me, seeming somewhat hesitant, about to speak when his phone rang. I didn’t know what the person on the other end said, but Leon soothed them gently, “Nora, don’t worry, it won’t be lost. I’ll come right over to help you find it.” Leon hung up and hurried toward the door, efficiently changing his shoes while saying to me, “Rhea, Nora has an emergency and needs my help. You go to dinner by yourself tonight. I won’t make it. Let Vivian know.” That evening at a restaurant, Vivian and I had just raised our glasses when Leon walked in with Nora by his side. The moment our eyes met, Leon looked somewhat surprised and embarrassed. Nora beside him gave me a slightly provocative smile. Leon stepped forward, his expression somewhat unnatural. “What a coincidence, you’re here too.” Nora said with false apology, “Leon saw I was hungry and said he’d bring me here to eat. We’re not interrupting, are we?” Vivian seemed to have forgotten Leon’s earlier refusal to join us for dinner. She enthusiastically invited them to sit together and had the server add more dishes. Leon wanted to sit next to me. I got up and moved next to Vivian, leaving the opposite seats for him and Nora. Leon’s buddies were right—he and Nora did look more compatible. I shouldn’t squeeze myself in the middle. Leon’s face showed some nervousness. Several times he seemed about to explain to me but was interrupted. I chatted with Vivian on my own. My phone kept buzzing with notifications. I took a moment to glance. They were from Leon. “Rhea, don’t misunderstand. After I helped Nora find her things, she said she wanted to eat at this restaurant, so I brought her.” “I really didn’t know you’d be here too.” “If you’re unhappy, I’ll be more careful next time.” “After dinner, let’s go home together, okay?” I looked down and replied, “No need. You two go ahead. I want to chat with Vivian a bit longer.” I put down my phone and focused on talking with Vivian, ignoring the subsequent messages. After a few drinks, Vivian was a bit tipsy. She put her arm around me, her eyes slightly red. “Why are you suddenly going back to Frosthowl pack? You’re my best friend here. When you leave, I won’t have anyone to chat and shop with.” My heart ached too, my nose tingling with emotion. “My parents are getting older and struggling to handle pack affairs. I need to go back to help them. Come visit me there, and I’ll treat you well.” Vivian ultimately didn’t say more, just raised her glass to toast me again. Leon seemed to have heard something. His eyes widened as he stared at me in shock.

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Five years ago, at my engagement party, I slapped my fiancé’s secretary Samuel so hard I knocked his newly done nose crooked. To avenge his secretary, my fiancé Raymond personally sent me to prison. The day I was released happened to coincide with Raymond and Samuel’s wedding. Everyone thought I would seek crazy revenge. But I didn’t make a scene at the wedding like everyone expected. Instead, I boarded a flight to another city and disappeared without a trace. Five years later, I returned to the country with my husband Manuel, just in time for my birthday. Manuel and I had plans to celebrate together. But when I arrived at the agreed-upon restaurant, I ran into Samuel. “Well, well? Who do we have here?” “If it isn’t Aurora?” “Haven’t seen you in years, Aurora. How did you end up looking so pathetic? Can’t even afford decent clothes?” Samuel’s voice was loud and dripping with sarcasm. The entire lobby instantly fell silent, with everyone’s eyes turning toward us. I looked down at my clothes. Though they looked simple and plain, with no designer logos visible, they were all custom-made by Italian craftsmen. Each piece cost at least a hundred thousand dollars. But I didn’t need to explain that to Samuel. I ignored him and picked up the menu from the table. My disregard only enraged Samuel further. He snatched the menu from my hands, raising his voice: “What, did two years in prison make you deaf? Didn’t you hear me talking to you?” Before he finished speaking, the entire restaurant erupted in whispers. “Looks normal enough, but who would’ve thought she’s an ex-con.” “Oh my God, how did someone like that get in here?” Ignoring the murmurs and pointing fingers from surrounding customers, I slowly raised my head and looked at Samuel expressionlessly: “Excuse me, do I know you?” Samuel froze, then said angrily: “Aurora, what’s with the act? Do you really think you’re still that high-flying CEO from back then?” “Do you even know where you are? This is And Happy, the most elite, most luxurious restaurant in Massachusetts. A single cup of coffee costs hundreds of dollars.” “Take a good look at yourself. Can you even afford to eat here? Get out! Just get out and stop embarrassing yourself!” Samuel looked at me with utter contempt and actually kicked the table in front of me. A loud crash echoed through the space. The coffee cup shook violently, brown liquid splashing out. Looking at the brown stains on my white shirt cuff, my expression darkened. This shirt was a birthday gift from Manuel. Today was the first time I’d worn it. I looked at Samuel coldly: “Apologize!” But Samuel just laughed mockingly: “You want ME to apologize?!” “Aurora, you must be dreaming!” “If anyone should be apologizing, it’s you apologizing to me. Being in the same space as a bitch like you is ruining my appetite.” With that, Samuel turned toward the door, his voice shrill: “Security!” “Where’s security? Where the hell did everyone go? Letting just anyone in! Do you all want to lose your jobs?” Two security guards approached hesitantly. Just then, the restaurant manager arrived after hearing the commotion. Seeing Samuel’s angry expression, the manager jogged over quickly. “What seems to be the problem? Tell me what’s wrong and I’ll handle it immediately.” Samuel snorted coldly: “What’s going on with you people?” “Service standards are getting worse and worse. Can’t you see there’s some poor trash here ruining the atmosphere?” The manager froze, following Samuel’s gaze toward me. “I’m so sorry, I’ll handle this right away.” The manager bowed and scraped before Samuel, his tone full of obvious flattery and fawning. Then he turned to me with a stern expression: “Miss, this is a high-end establishment, not a homeless shelter. Please leave immediately.” He made a gesture toward the door. “Did you hear that?” Samuel smugly patted my face: “Poor people should know their place. If you’re broke, don’t come out here trying to act rich!” I didn’t move. Samuel thought I was scared and became even more arrogant. He pressed harder: “I should’ve made sure you stayed in there a few more years back then, so you wouldn’t get out and embarrass yourself like this.” I smiled coldly: “Samuel, that line should be directed at you.” “Have you been living the good life so long that you’ve forgotten how you used to crawl through garbage heaps looking for food?”

Samuel grew up in the slums. When I met him, he was only thirteen, dressed in rags and digging through a garbage heap for food. I gave him the bread I had left over. He took it and wolfed it down in two bites. When I tried to leave, Samuel knelt at my feet, clutching my pant leg and refusing to let go. I softened in that moment and took him home, supporting him financially all the way through college. After graduation, I even arranged for him to work at the company as Raymond’s secretary. I never imagined that this moment of compassion would eventually push me into an abyss of no return. A wolf is always a wolf. You can never domesticate one. The person I treated with all my heart was the one who stabbed me deepest in the back. Like many people who forget their roots after making it big, that time in the slums was taboo for Samuel—a past he never wanted mentioned. Samuel’s expression changed instantly. Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, he bristled with rage, pointing at me and shrieking: “Bitch! You’re asking for death!” “How dare you bring up my past!” “Believe me, I’ll cut out your tongue right now and feed it to the dogs!” Watching Samuel’s furious reaction, I smiled coldly: “Cut out my tongue?!” “Are you sure you have what it takes?” “Don’t end up crying in some man’s arms again!” “You…” Samuel choked, pointing at me unable to speak for a long moment, his face turning red then pale. It was the shame and humiliation of having the truth exposed. “Aurora, you’re dead today.” Samuel stared at me, eyes full of venom. The atmosphere in the restaurant suddenly shifted. The previously noisy private room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop. Everyone’s eyes on me changed too, as if looking at someone courting death who didn’t know their place. Everyone knew that Samuel was the precious darling of Raymond, CEO of the Raymond Group. The Raymond Group had been thriving these past two years, going from strength to strength. In Massachusetts, who would dare disrespect the Raymond Group? Crossing Samuel meant crossing the entire Raymond Group. Samuel roared at the security guards behind him: “What are you standing around for? Get her! Let this bitch know what happens when you piss me off!” As his words fell, two burly security guards immediately stepped forward, grabbing my arms from both sides. The guards’ grip was strong, making my arms ache. “I suggest you let go of me, or you’ll regret it.” My voice was cold, as if pulled from an ice cellar. But Samuel just laughed as if he’d heard the funniest joke: “Regret?” “Who are you trying to scare!” “This isn’t five years ago. You’re just an ex-con, a poor nobody—like a fly to me.” “Forget hitting you, even if I killed you, what could you do about it?” I narrowed my eyes, watching Samuel draw closer and closer. When he was one step away, Samuel stopped, looking down at me from above. After a long moment, he slowly bent down, grabbed my chin with his hand, eyes challenging: “Aurora, you’re worthless.” “Calling you garbage picker and you still won’t admit it!” Worthless. Garbage picker. Samuel’s voice echoed in my ears again and again. I felt transported back to five years ago.

That day was my engagement party with Raymond. When the ceremony reached the cake-cutting portion, Samuel suddenly presented an exquisite gift box. When the box opened, inside was a worn-out high heel. Laughter erupted around us. And Samuel, as if that wasn’t enough, leaned in closer and continued mocking me: “So what if you’re the boss? You still have to pick up my hand-me-downs! Sleep with the man I slept with! You’re worthless, the queen of trash!” Before he finished speaking, an explicit bedroom photo appeared on his phone screen. In the photo, Samuel wore sexy, revealing black stockings, eyes seductive as silk. And Raymond was shirtless, desire burning in his eyes, completely different from his usual cold demeanor. Samuel smiled at me triumphantly. My pupils constricted violently, all the blood in my body seeming to boil. In that moment, I could no longer remain calm. The rage flooding through me burned away all reason. I raised my hand and slapped him across the face… Because of that slap, I spent two full years in prison. “Hahaha—” Pulling myself from the memory, Samuel was still laughing triumphantly. The other people in the restaurant joined in the laughter. Everyone was enjoying my embarrassment and distress. My eyes turned cold. I suddenly jerked my head, shaking off Samuel’s hand that was still pinching my chin. Taking advantage of everyone’s momentary shock, I broke free from the two guards’ restraint. I looked at Samuel’s perfectly repaired nose mockingly: “I see you need to be taught a lesson again.” “Looks like enough time has passed to make you forget the pain of having your nose broken. Today I’ll kindly help you remember.” My eyes were sharp, my voice as cold as Satan from hell. In that instant, everyone was shocked into silence by the powerful aura emanating from me. Meeting my fierce gaze, Samuel looked panicked: “Bitch, you wouldn’t dare?!” “Aren’t you afraid I’ll send you back to prison?” I smiled coldly: “Let’s find out then.” Ignoring Samuel’s threats, under everyone’s horrified and disbelieving gazes, I swung my fist hard at Samuel’s face. “Ahhh—” Samuel staggered back two steps, clutching his nose and letting out a piercing wail. His expensively repaired nose was crooked again. Two streams of blood gushed out between his fingers. “You dare hit me?!” Samuel was shocked and furious. He never expected that after I’d been through prison, I would still dare to strike him. The restaurant manager panicked, snorting coldly: “Don’t you have eyes? Don’t you know where you are? Making trouble here? You must have a death wish.” If Samuel got hurt in his restaurant, when Raymond asked about it, he’d have no way to explain. “Daring to hit Miss Samuel? This is suicide!” The others snapped back to reality as well, looking at the blood on Samuel’s face in horror. “She’s insane, completely insane!” “This bitch has a death wish! She actually dared to hit Miss Samuel?” Everyone looked at me as if I were already dead. But I remained calm and composed. Samuel’s eyes were bloodshot, his face twisted with rage, looking at me as if he wanted to tear me into a thousand pieces. “Aurora, either get on your knees and apologize, or die!” “Choose!” I laughed mockingly: “You want me to apologize? You’re not worthy.” “Good, good, GOOD!” Samuel said “good” three times, then pulled several stacks of bills from his wallet. He slammed them on the table with a “smack” and said to the security guards behind him: “All of you, attack together. Beat her to death! Afterward I’ll pay triple!” Everyone’s eyes lit up, eager to act. Just as fists were about to land on me, a surprised and uncertain male voice came from behind: “Aurora?!”

I slowly turned around, looking toward the voice. Raymond stood there, watching me with complex emotions in his eyes. “Where have you been all these years? Why didn’t you come find me after you got out?” Compared to Raymond’s excitement, my expression was calm, my eyes devoid of emotion. Seeing the man I once loved desperately, my heart was surprisingly still, without a ripple. “Where I’ve been is none of your concern, Mr. Raymond.” That one phrase—”Mr. Raymond”—was distant and unfamiliar. Raymond’s emotions surged instantly, his eyes reddening. A flash of jealous hatred flickered through Samuel’s eyes. “Ugh…” Samuel cried out in pain. “What’s wrong?” Raymond snapped back to attention, looking at Samuel anxiously. When he saw the blood on Samuel’s face, his expression changed dramatically: “You’re hurt? Who did this?” Samuel immediately put on a pitiful expression. “Raymond, you’re finally here. We haven’t seen each other in years. I kindly invited Aurora to dinner, but not only did she not appreciate it, she attacked me.” His eyes reddened, as if he’d suffered infinite grievance. He was completely different from his earlier arrogance. The restaurant manager quickly chimed in: “That’s right! This person came here to cause trouble and insulted Miss Samuel. We were just about to teach her a lesson!” Raymond froze, then frowned, the excitement in his eyes gone as he looked at me: “You really hit Samuel?” I nodded with a smile: “Yes, I did.” Seeing me admit it so readily, Raymond said angrily: “Aurora, I really underestimated you.” “Two years in prison not only didn’t teach you to restrain your violent nature, but made it worse?” “Samuel practically grew up under your care. How could you bring yourself to do this?” Samuel added with false sympathy: “Raymond, don’t be angry. I think Aurora might still resent us for sending her to prison back then…” Raymond snorted coldly: “Resent?!” “If you do something wrong, you should be punished. Otherwise, if everyone could just murder and steal, the world would descend into chaos.” “If you ask me, two years wasn’t enough time.” With that, Raymond picked up his phone and dialed a number: “Chief Johnson? This is Raymond. There’s an ex-con causing trouble at And Happy. Please send some officers over!” Samuel looked at me triumphantly. “Aurora, if you don’t want to go back to prison, it’s not impossible.” “Just get on your knees and apologize. Say you were wrong, and I’ll forgive you.” Compared to sending me back to prison, Samuel preferred to enjoy the satisfaction of grinding me into the dirt. Raymond seemed to sigh helplessly: “You’re always so kind.” Then he looked at me coldly: “Did you hear that?” “Kneel and apologize to Samuel, and I won’t pursue this matter.” Samuel thought victory was assured and became complacent. “But I suggest you hurry. The police will be here any minute.” “I assume you don’t want to go back to prison.” I smiled coldly: “Make me kneel? Dream on!” Raymond’s eyebrows shot up, and he snorted coldly: “Stubborn fool.” “I gave you a chance. You chose not to take it.” “When the police take you away, don’t blame anyone.” Just as Raymond finished speaking, the sound of sudden braking came from outside the hotel entrance. Dozens of black Rolls-Royces approached from the distance, forming a line as they stopped in front of the restaurant.

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I was shopping at the mall when my period suddenly started, the blood staining my entire white pants. I had no choice but to hide in the mall bathroom and ask my boyfriend Ethan to buy me tampons and clean pants. But I waited for three hours. By the time the mall closed, he still hadn’t come back. I called him frantically. He didn’t answer. But then I saw his female assistant post an update on Instagram. “Wanted macarons, and the boss immediately brought me a whole 80 of them! I’m going to be his assistant forever!” Completely disheartened, I sent my mom a message. “Mom, that blind date you mentioned—go ahead and arrange for us to meet.” The mall closed. The lights went out, just like my relationship with Ethan. When I walked out of the mall bathroom covered in blood, I startled the security guard on patrol. “Miss, what happened to you? Did someone attack you? Should I call the police?” I smiled bitterly and declined the kind man’s offer. Ethan had driven off with the car, so I could only stand on the roadside trying to hail a ride. Several drivers saw the blood on my pants and either got scared or disgusted, refusing to pick me up. Half an hour later, I finally met a kind-hearted female driver, and I was finally able to go home. My phone kept ringing while I was washing up. When I came out, I saw missed calls from my mom and a long string of messages. “You finally came to your senses? I told you that Ethan was a heartless bastard!” “Seven years! If he wanted to marry you, he would have done it ages ago! Why would he string you along for so long? At least you’re waking up before it’s too late. The blind date I found for you is eight streets ahead of that scumbag!” It turned out my parents’ words really were wise. When you’re young, you always think they don’t understand love. After a few more years, you realize it’s you who doesn’t understand life. “I was just in the shower. Mom, I’ll listen to you.” Right after I replied to my mom, Ethan finally came home. And he brought along his precious Chloe. “Aria… you… you’re already back? When I got to the mall it was already closed…” He looked somewhat embarrassed, but quickly held up a large plastic bag as if presenting a prize. Inside were various brands of sanitary pads. “I don’t know anything about pads, and I was afraid of buying the wrong kind, so I asked Chloe to help me choose. That’s why I came back a bit late.” What a pathetic lie. But I felt no anger or grievance anymore. This must be what they mean by the greatest sorrow being a dead heart. “It’s fine. I’ve already taken care of it myself. No need to trouble you.” I said flatly, not looking at Ethan’s evasive eyes. Knowing he was in the wrong, he pretended to go to the bathroom, but before leaving, he didn’t forget to earn brownie points for Chloe. “Chloe knew you weren’t feeling well, so she specifically came up to check on you.” “Yeah, Aria, are you okay? We women really suffer when our periods come. Should I make you some ginger tea to warm you up?” Chloe was as good as ever at playing sweet in front of Ethan. But once Ethan went into the bathroom, Chloe’s face immediately changed to a sharp, mocking, vicious expression. She sneered in a voice only the two of us could hear. “Aria, these pads should be enough for an old woman like you to use until menopause, right?” “Haha, it’s embarrassing just thinking about it!” “A woman covered in blood, dirty and smelly, abandoned at the mall with no one caring—if I were you, I’d rather just die!” “Ethan clearly doesn’t love you anymore. Why are you still clinging on shamelessly? Can’t you leave yourself some dignity? Do you have to wait to be kicked out? Do you really enjoy being a beggar for love?” The closer Chloe got, the more she said. She deliberately brought her face close to mine. I knew what Chloe was planning. Nothing more than provoking me to slap her so she could play the victim in front of Ethan. To continue driving a wedge between us. In the past, I definitely would have slapped her. But now? Would you fight someone over a piece of shit? I just looked coldly at Chloe’s performance. Like watching a green fly dancing over a cesspool. Under my gaze, her expression changed from smug provocation to puzzled bewilderment. Then to panic and unease. Finally to shame and anger. She gritted her teeth, suddenly raised her hand, and gave herself a hard slap. With the crisp sound of the slap, Chloe burst into tears. “Aria, don’t do this!”

Chloe’s cry was like a hunter’s starting gun. Ethan burst out of the bathroom like a hunting dog. “What happened to Chloe?” Chloe’s self-inflicted slap had been forceful, leaving a clear handprint on her delicate face. “Aria… she’s in a bad mood… I can understand her taking it out on me… I don’t blame her…” Her acting wasn’t sophisticated, but it was enough for a foolish man. Ethan immediately became the most loyal protector, glaring at me angrily. “Aria! What’s wrong with you? If you’re angry, take it out on me! What kind of skill is it to bully a young woman?” “Chloe just graduated from college. She doesn’t know anything. She’s so pure and kind. Why are you bullying her? Apologize right now!” He demanded I apologize. I was too lazy to speak and turned to go into the guest bedroom, locking the door from the inside. Chloe was crying, and Ethan was comforting her. Finding it too noisy, I put on my headphones. My phone buzzed with a friend request. The note said “Blind Date.” I accepted the request from this man named Marcus. It got quiet outside. Ethan had taken Chloe home. He didn’t come back that night. In the early morning hours, a photo of Ethan in bed suddenly appeared in the company group chat. He was sleeping shirtless, his face showing satisfaction and exhaustion. There were still plenty of night owls. Company employees immediately left comments underneath. But some old colleagues also messaged me privately, feeling indignant on my behalf. “Aria, that bitch is getting more and more outrageous!” “Isn’t this a public declaration of war?” “You need to hold onto Mr. Hayes. Don’t let that homewrecker steal him!” When Ethan was starting his business, I was always his right hand. Many of the company veterans were personally recruited by me. Later, when the business was on track, Ethan said he didn’t want me to work so hard, that he could completely support me. He also said couples weren’t suitable as coworkers, that it easily created conflicts. So I left the company and became a full-time supportive partner. In the blink of an eye, several years had passed. Aside from the company veterans, many new employees no longer knew I existed. “Just a rotten peach. I don’t want it anymore.” After saying that, I left the company group chat. That night I thought I’d have insomnia, but I slept surprisingly well. That blind date named Marcus hadn’t said anything since adding me as a friend. I wasn’t too concerned about it either. I only agreed to the blind date to put my mom’s mind at ease. I didn’t want her worrying about my love life anymore. As for love? I had long stopped expecting it.

The next morning I packed my things to return to my hometown. I organized several large suitcases and had a logistics company send them ahead. Ethan came home around noon. He obviously knew about the bed photo incident in the company group chat last night, and that I’d left the group. After all, he was the group admin. So he was clearly feeling guilty. “Last night was too late and Chloe was worried it wasn’t safe for me to drive at night… Nothing happened between us… I slept on the couch…” “The photo was just a joke. She’s just a young girl—what bad intentions could she have?” Ethan kept talking while carefully watching my expression. “When it comes down to it, you shouldn’t have taken it out on her last night… It was clearly my fault…” Seeing me looking at my phone instead of him, he pulled a box of macarons from his pocket and placed it on the coffee table. “Isn’t it trending online to test your boyfriend or husband with macarons? You don’t need to test me—I already bought them for you! All 8 are yours!” I glanced at the macarons. The production date was yesterday. Chloe couldn’t eat all 80, so he brought the rest back for me to deal with? I reached out and threw the macarons in the trash. “What are you doing? Stop being childish! Men have it hard out there!” Ethan’s face darkened. The truth was so ugly. He didn’t love me anymore. “I don’t like sweets.” I continued looking at my phone. My mom had sent me hotel options, wedding dresses, and banquet menus to choose from. She was being a bit too hasty. I’d only just said I agreed to go home for a blind date, and she was already eagerly preparing wedding arrangements. “You really don’t understand romance!” “When Chloe got the macarons, she was so happy—” Halfway through, Ethan realized his slip and quickly shut up. His eyes unconsciously swept across my phone screen and saw my mom had sent another wedding dress picture. “I think this one suits you better. You’re tall, so you’d look good in this floor-length style. I’ve even found the flower children to carry your train—a pair of twins, hehe…” Ethan’s face immediately looked like he’d eaten shit. “What wedding?” “Who gave you permission to choose wedding dresses on your own? Did you discuss this with me?” “Is your mom pressuring you to get married again? She’s really getting senile! Why is she causing trouble!” Ethan’s tone was full of dissatisfaction with my mom. He’d completely forgotten that when we were in college and my mom came to visit me, she brought him more food and clothes than she brought me. After Ethan’s parents divorced and remarried, he became the extra one. Besides sending him money, his parents basically ignored him. So my mom doted on him especially, letting him feel long-lost maternal love. Back then he always said, “Aria, I love you, and I love your family too!” But we didn’t have much money then, and we didn’t have our own place. We couldn’t afford to get married. Yet every day in our rental apartment, we’d fantasize about our future happy married life with children. That was the greatest motivation for starting the business. Later we had money, we had a house, the business was successful, but marriage became a taboo topic. “Career comes first!” “Too busy!” “I heard marriage is the grave of love!” “We’re still young!” “Let’s wait a bit longer…” Ethan had countless reasons to dodge and deflect. Though I felt wronged, I kept enduring. I always felt that having already invested seven years of my youth, I couldn’t bear to give up halfway. But I’d now come to my senses. If I gave up now, seven years of youth fed to a dog. If I continued being pathetic, I’d just keep feeding a thankless dog. The past couldn’t be undone. Cutting losses was the wisest choice. Ethan was still venting his emotions. The angrier he got, as if my mom had committed some unforgivable crime. Seeing I wasn’t responding, he simply grabbed my phone and started a furious voice message rant. “Ma’am! Stop making trouble, okay?” “We young people have our own plans and rhythm for life. You interfering like this will only cause conflicts between us!” “We have no plans to get married right now! So stop scheming!” After finishing, he angrily threw down the phone. “Aria, your mom is getting more annoying as she gets older!” I slapped Ethan hard across the face. His words stopped abruptly. “You can disrespect me, but you cannot disrespect my mother!” I said word by word. “The man my mom wants me to marry isn’t you. Don’t flatter yourself!” “Let’s break up.” At the same time, his assistant rushed through the door in a panic. She was crying. “Ethan, you didn’t use protection last night, and I didn’t take the pill either!” “I’m too embarrassed to go to the pharmacy to buy the morning-after pill myself. What should I do?” “I’m still young. I don’t want to get pregnant!” 3 Chloe’s crying threw Ethan into complete disarray. “Ah? Now really isn’t the right time to have a baby!” “But the morning-after pill is effective for 72 hours!” Forgetting that I’d just said “let’s break up,” he grabbed Chloe’s arm and hurried downstairs. I looked at the empty apartment. There really was nothing left to miss. I opened my phone’s booking app to check flight information back to my hometown. My hometown was over 800 kilometers away. The nearest flight wasn’t until tomorrow evening. My mom called. She was furious. “Where’s that bastard Ethan? Does he know how to talk to people? All that good food I gave him was wasted on a dog!” “Come home right now! I don’t want you near that animal for one more second!” I calmed my mom down while saying I planned to buy a ticket for tomorrow evening. “Don’t buy a ticket yet. Just wait for word!” My mom hung up in a hurry. Just ten minutes later. The blind date named Marcus on my phone sent me a message. “Come downstairs in 5 minutes. I’m here to take you home.” I was surprised. How did he get here so fast? And how did he know my address? I grabbed my suitcase and went downstairs. It didn’t even take 5 minutes before a black Mercedes van slowly stopped beside me. An elegant, refined man got out of the car. “I’m Marcus. Your mother sent me.” At the same time, across the street at the pharmacy, Ethan, having already bought the morning-after pill, came out with a smug-looking Chloe. He happened to see me and Marcus standing face to face. Marcus even took my suitcase and put it in the back seat. His face immediately turned dark as he strode over. “Aria, where are you going? Stop being childish, okay? I can explain what happened last night. It was just an accident!” I was so sick of his noise. So I pointed at Marcus and introduced him. “My blind date. He’s taking me back to my hometown. We have nothing to do with each other from now on.” After speaking, I got in the passenger seat and closed the door. Ethan’s anger flared even more as he frantically banged on the car door. “What blind date? Aria, get out here!” Marcus didn’t say anything, just got in the car too. He hit the gas, and the van suddenly took off, throwing the unprepared Ethan face-first onto the ground. I saw in the rearview mirror Chloe going over to help him up, but Ethan shoved her away. He staggered to his feet and chased our car, but lost his footing and fell again. I closed my eyes. Ethan, my life will definitely be better without you.

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My sister Hazel was scammed out of all her money by a scumbag, and she came crying to stay at my place. I helped her collect the debt and even gave her my year-end bonus for emergencies. My boyfriend Ethan grew more and more impatient: “Hazel isn’t grateful at all! She maxed out your credit card, called you to pick her up drunk at 3 AM. Natalie, are you her mother? She deserves to be scammed by jerks like that.” For the first time, I threw a cup at him: “Our mom died when she was only eight. I’m the one who raised her. So please, be nice to her.” Later, the company sent me on a business trip, and I still called her every day to help her get through the trauma. Until two months later, I changed my flight and came home early. I pushed open the bedroom door and saw her wearing my silk pajamas, leaning in Ethan’s arms. He picked up a strawberry and fed it to her, looking completely content. The bedroom fell deathly silent in an instant. Hazel was the first to react. She sprang out of Ethan’s arms, her lips trembling. “Natalie? You—how are you back? Wasn’t your flight the day after tomorrow…” Ethan’s hand froze in midair, strawberry juice dripping onto my silk sheets. His face looked terrible, but he said nothing. I stood in the doorway, still gripping my suitcase handle, my fingertips digging deep into my palm. The air conditioning was clearly on, yet my back was covered in cold sweat. Hazel forced out a smile that looked worse than crying. “Natalie, you must be tired. Put down your luggage—” She rushed toward me barefoot in a panic, accidentally hitting her knee on the bed frame. She gasped in pain, her eyes instantly reddening. Ethan frowned and reached out to steady her. “Slow down. You’re so clumsy.” His tone carried reproach, but his hands were impossibly gentle. I stared at the hand supporting her arm, my heart sinking to rock bottom. “When did this start?” My voice was calmer than I expected. Hazel’s whole body stiffened, and she instinctively looked up at Ethan. He pulled her slightly behind him and finally looked at me directly. “It has nothing to do with her. It’s my fault.” Ethan was usually a man of few words, never showing his emotions. I’d agreed to be with him because I valued his stability and reliability—he wouldn’t make me feel insecure like those playboys. The year my mom died, I was twelve and Hazel was only eight. My dad couldn’t handle the blow. He turned to alcohol, skipped work, was eventually fired, and died two years later. From then on, I never relied on anyone again. Ethan was the first person who made me feel that being taken care of wasn’t a debt. That I could be vulnerable too. But now he stood across from me, protecting Hazel behind him, looking at me with the coldest eyes. Like I was a stranger! Hazel peeked out from behind him, her eyes red. “Natalie, it’s not what you think… We…” “Got your excuse ready?” I asked coldly. “Go ahead then. If you’re going to explain, make it clear. What’s your relationship now? When did it start? How far have you gone?” Hazel froze, tears immediately spilling over. She rubbed her eyes, sobbing pitifully. I let out a dry laugh, not sure if I was laughing at her or at myself. Ethan squeezed her hand and said gently: “It’s okay. Let me handle this. You put your shoes on first—the floor is cold.” Then he looked up at me. “Natalie, let’s talk outside.” “Ethan, this is my home.” My voice began to shake. “You’re telling me to leave?” He fell silent for a few seconds, glancing back at Hazel. She stood there with hunched shoulders, toes curled, like a frightened rabbit. Ethan’s voice immediately softened, carrying a note of pleading. “She couldn’t sleep until 4 AM last night. Let her rest first, okay?” In three years together, I’d never seen Ethan beg anyone. He was such a proud person—he never backed down in negotiations, never softened even when he offended people. Now he was begging me for my sister! Ethan picked up his jacket from the chair and turned to Hazel with gentle instructions. “You rest. Don’t wait up for me. There’s milk in the fridge—remember to heat up a glass.” I turned and rushed out. If I stayed any longer, I was afraid I’d cry in front of them. Ethan stayed half a step behind me, eyes downcast, his expression unreadable. When we reached the underground parking garage, he opened the car door for me. I didn’t move. “Let’s just talk here.” His hand paused, then he closed the door and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, lighting one. The parking garage lights were dim, the cigarette’s red glow flickering on and off. “I made the first move.” He took a drag, his voice low and hoarse. “Don’t blame her. Hazel is your sister. You raised her—you know her best. She’s timid, can’t survive without someone. That guy she was with before scammed her completely clean. I just… worried about her.” He flicked ash onto the ground without looking at me. “But you’re different. Natalie, you’re the most capable woman I’ve ever met. Even without me, you’ll do just fine.” I stared at him, my nails digging into my palms. “So what? Because I’m capable, I deserve to be treated like this by you two?” I found it utterly absurd. When Hazel first moved into my place, Ethan wouldn’t even mention her name. If he ran into her wandering the living room in pajamas, his brow would knot up, and he’d argue with me in hushed tones back in the bedroom. Saying she had no sense of boundaries as an adult, saying our home wasn’t a shelter. Two months ago when I left on this business trip, I’d asked him to look after Hazel. He stood at the airport departure level, hands in his pockets, his face cold the entire time. “She’s your sister, not my responsibility.” That was only two months ago. Now he stood before me, using that face I knew so well to say the most foreign words.

Ethan shoved the cigarette pack back in his pocket, his tone complicated. “I’ve wronged you. The money you transferred to Hazel for emergencies—I’ll pay back every cent. The apartment is yours. I won’t set foot in it again.” He paused. “I only have one request. Hazel really cares about you. Don’t let my mistake ruin your sisterhood.” I found it laughable—so laughable I didn’t even have the energy to be angry. “Since you know getting involved with my sister was wrong, then why the hell did you do it?!” His jaw tightened. After a long while, he finally spoke: “Natalie, some things I can’t control. What’s done is done. I’ll do everything I can to make it up to you.” “If this gets out, the person who’ll be hurt most is Hazel. You wouldn’t want to see your sister gossiped about, right?” “I’ll take her away tomorrow. Please stay at a hotel tonight—I’ve already booked one. Just give your name at the front desk.” He turned and entered the elevator, leaving me standing alone. My phone vibrated. He’d sent the hotel address, followed by “I’m sorry.” I stared at those three words for a long time. At this very moment, upstairs in what was my home, a light was on. That was a lightbulb Ethan and I had changed together before I left. Now it was shining for someone else. This city had eight million lights. But not a single one was lit for me. I finally crouched down, buried my face in my knees, my shoulders shaking violently. I didn’t end up going to the hotel he booked. Instead, I drove around the ring road all night. The next day, I went to the old district. There was a flower shop on the corner, run by my college roommate Lily. After Hazel’s ex-husband kicked her out, I hired a lawyer for her lawsuit while asking Lily to arrange an easy, low-pressure job for her at the shop. I paid the wages myself and told Lily not to mention it. Lily had laughed over the phone at the time: “Natalie, why do you care more about this sister than yourself?” Hazel stood at the flower shop entrance wearing an apron, crouched on the ground repotting a plant. When she saw me, the trowel in her hand clattered to the ground. “Natalie? How did you know I was here…” I said nothing and pushed the door open. Hazel followed behind me, frantically moving a chair and wiping it over and over with her sleeve. “Natalie, let me get you some water…” She turned too quickly and bumped into the flower stand. The watering can tipped over, water spilling everywhere and soaking her shoes. She looked down, then up at me, standing there helplessly like an elementary student called to the principal’s office. I suddenly remembered when we were little. The year Mom died, she was only eight. She couldn’t sleep alone at night—she had to hold onto my arm to fall asleep. Later when she got a bit older, she was still clingy, following me everywhere like a tail I couldn’t shake off. “Natalie,” her voice pulled me back. “I know you hate me. But I really didn’t mean for this to happen. I don’t know how it turned out this way…” She looked up at me, her eyes completely red. “I know you’ve been good to me my whole life. But you were always so busy. You were always solving my problems, never had time to listen to me talk. But Ethan was different.” “He’d ask what I ate today, he’d remember every little thing I mentioned, he’d answer the phone when I had nightmares.” “You said you hoped someone would treat me well. Now there is someone—why aren’t you happy?” Listening to her aggrieved yet self-righteous words, I couldn’t help but want to laugh. The sister I’d worked so hard to raise for sixteen years turned out to be such an ungrateful wretch! “Hazel, since childhood, what have you asked for that I haven’t given you?” “Your tuition, living expenses, rent, lawyer fees for the lawsuit, the credit card you maxed out, the money that man scammed from you—have you counted how much I’ve spent on you over the years?” “But I never imagined that the sister I raised with my own hands would steal my boyfriend!” She lowered her head, lips trembling, tears falling and splashing on the flower shop’s wooden floor. “I was twelve years old writing homework for others to earn money. At fifteen I was waiting tables at restaurants, getting splattered with hot oil that left scars all over my arm—they’re still there. At twenty I worked overtime until I had a gastric hemorrhage and got taken away in an ambulance with no one by my side!” I rolled up my sleeve, revealing those pale white old scars on my forearm. “You didn’t know any of this because I never told you.” She stared at those scars, the color draining from her face bit by bit. “Hazel, for sixteen years, I’ve given you half my life! And how did you repay me?” “You wore my pajamas, lay in my bed, sat in my boyfriend’s arms!” She slid down onto the flower shop floor, sobbing in a mess, her apron covered in dirt. I crouched down and looked at her with a cold heart. The memories that once meant everything had become unrecognizable in this moment. “Hazel, whatever you wanted that I could give, I’ve already given.” “But what I don’t give, you can’t take. You have no right to take it.”

Ethan arrived just in time to see Hazel collapsed on the floor, trembling with sobs. His expression changed drastically. He strode in and yanked her up from the ground, shielding her behind him. “I told you—if you have a problem, come at me!” He glanced back at the trembling Hazel, then turned back to me with fury nearly overflowing from his eyes. “She has a heart condition—don’t you know that?! Can’t you just talk properly? Did you have to push her this far?!” I looked at him and let out a cold laugh. “Ethan, you’re quite practiced at protecting her. When she first moved into my place, you wouldn’t even say her name! Now you’ve become her guardian angel?” Ethan stood his ground righteously. “Want to rehash the past? Fine. How much money did you spend raising her all these years? How many favors did you owe? Name your price!” “I’ll pay back every cent with interest! Is that good enough?” Looking at this stranger before me, I suddenly remembered three years ago when he was pursuing me. In the dead of winter, he’d wait for me outside the company building after work, keeping my favorite roasted chestnuts warm in his jacket. Because he was afraid of disturbing my work, he never told me—just waited silently, his face turning red from the cold. Back then I thought, this person is truly wonderful. So wonderful that I felt all the suffering in the first half of my life had been to save up my luck, so I could meet him. But now he stood across from me, trying to convert everything between us— Three years of feelings, countless late-night phone calls, too many hugs and kisses to count, those things I thought would be carved into my bones for life—into a cold string of numbers. A one-time settlement. “Enough!” Hazel suddenly shouted, stepping out from behind him. Her face was covered in tears, her chest heaving violently as she gasped for air. Ethan instinctively reached out to support her, but she pushed him away. She stubbornly lifted her head to look at me, her eyes filled with almost savage determination. “Natalie, I wronged you. I owe you a debt I can never repay in this lifetime. But don’t make yourself sound so noble!” “You raised me for sixteen years—every meal, every piece of clothing, every cent—I remember it all. But do you know that the person I’ve hated most my whole life is you?!” “You arranged everything so perfectly, which just made me feel like I, Hazel, am worthless and can’t survive a single day without you!” “I could never hold my head up in front of you, so I desperately wanted to leave you! The only reason I married that bastard was because he said he’d take me to another city!” “He still scammed me in the end, but this time I won’t listen to you anymore.” She took Ethan’s hand, interlacing their fingers. “I’ve found my true love, and even if you hate me forever, I’ll never let go!” “Besides, you have so much already—what’s wrong with giving him to me?!” Hearing her speak so righteously, I felt thunderstruck. I stepped back two paces, watching Ethan firmly clasp her hand in return, then laughed softly. “Fine. Hazel, from today on, you don’t owe me anything anymore. From now on, whether you’re well or not, dead or alive, it has nothing to do with me.” I turned and pushed open the glass door of the flower shop without looking back. The year Dad died I was fifteen. To support myself and my sister, I went to class during the day and waited tables at night. That winter, I collapsed from exhaustion and came down with a high fever. Hazel piled all the blankets in the house on top of me, then went out alone to buy medicine. Afraid the medicine would get wet from the snow, she carefully kept it in her jacket while she fell several times on the icy roads. Her knee wound got frostbite, became infected, and she developed a high fever that eventually turned into myocarditis. The doctor said her heart was damaged and she could never do strenuous exercise again or handle stress. So I always felt I owed her, and was willing to devote myself to her for life. But now she was holding my boyfriend’s hand, saying the person she’d hated most her whole life was me! One was the sister I’d raised with my own hands, the other was the person I’d planned to spend my life with. The two people I cared about most had joined forces to deliver the most fatal blow! Why? I closed my eyes and pulled out my phone, scrolling to a number.

The next day, Ethan came storming to my door. “Natalie, you sent Hazel a lawyer’s letter?! Have you lost your mind?!” “She got so stressed from the letter that she couldn’t breathe until midnight!” I leaned back in my chair and looked at him. “Debts must be repaid—it’s only natural. Don’t you know how much money she’s spent of mine?” Ethan’s jaw clenched. He took a deep breath. “Natalie, I don’t have that much money right now. Withdraw the lawyer’s letter and we’ll settle this privately.” I looked like I’d heard a joke. “Don’t have it? Ethan, didn’t you say yesterday you’d settle everything in one payment?” He stared at me hard, his eyes bloodshot. “Natalie, she’s your sister!” I smiled slightly. “She’s already cut ties with me. Why should I care if she lives or dies? Eighty thousand dollars. Pay up! I’m giving you three months.” Ethan’s face turned iron-blue. He gritted his teeth threateningly: “That client your company is negotiating with—the person in charge is my friend. One word from me and he’ll tear up the contract! Natalie, you’d better not be stupid about this!” With that, he kicked the door open and left. I watched his retreating figure, but my heart felt nothing. He did exactly as he said. The next day the sales director came to me, saying the client suddenly wanted to reassess the partnership. I didn’t ask questions. I just pulled out my backup plan. I’d lost both parents at fifteen. Every step I’d taken was like walking on thin ice—how could I not leave myself a contingency? A week later, I got a call from my cousin Emma. “Natalie, Grandma’s birthday is this weekend. Come back home—she keeps asking about you.” I was about to refuse when Emma paused and added: “Hazel’s coming back too. Says she’s bringing her boyfriend to meet Grandma.” I was silent for a few seconds, then finally agreed. That weekend, I drove back to my hometown. Two tables were set up in the courtyard, with relatives arriving one after another. Before long, Hazel walked in on Ethan’s arm. The entire courtyard went quiet for a moment. Over the years, everyone had watched me hold up this family on my own. Ethan was the man I’d brought home for Christmas. They all recognized him. In just two months, the person by his side had changed to my sister. Ethan instinctively shifted his body, shielding Hazel behind him, his eyes wary. Hazel looked at me, her lips moving. “Natalie…” I looked at the two of them and smiled lightly. “Don’t be nervous. It’s Grandma’s birthday. I’m here to celebrate.” “Since everyone’s here, let’s share a video to liven things up.” The TV behind me lit up. The moment they saw what was on screen, Hazel and Ethan froze in place, the color draining completely from their faces!

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