My husband accompanies her to concerts, shares a straw with her to drink bubble tea, wears childish headbands with her, and even prepares menstrual pain relief pills for her. Yet he claims he only sees her as a sister. I said, “Oh, the kind of sister you sleep with? Then can I go find a brother too?” Later, my heart died, and I proposed divorce. He broke down, crying and begging me to look at him one more time. A video of a couple’s proposal during an interactive segment at a superstar concert went viral, with netizens calling it sweet. The video shot to the top of the trending list. I clicked on it by chance and spotted familiar figures. Although they were only briefly captured by the camera, I immediately recognized my husband and his young assistant. Tears streamed down my face in that instant. A few days ago, while organizing the closet, I found two VIP tickets to the superstar concert in Jason’s pocket. I was quite happy at the time, being a fan of the singer. I naturally thought Jason wanted to surprise me, so I pretended not to have seen them and put them back. On the day of the concert, I got dressed up early, did my makeup, and even styled my hair specially. However, I couldn’t reach Jason. Worried about missing the time, I went directly to wait outside the venue. But until the show started, he never appeared. While I was waiting in the rain outside the venue, worrying if something had happened to him, he was sitting in the VIP section inside with his young assistant watching the concert. After it ended, his call finally came, “What’s wrong, Emily?” “Where are you? Why couldn’t I reach you on the phone?” “Sorry, I was in a meeting, my phone was on silent.” “Jason.” “Hmm?” “I saw two people in the superstar concert video who looked a lot like you and Assistant Sullivan.” There was a moment of silence on the other end, then he spoke in a calm tone that betrayed no issues, “You must be seeing things. I’ve been in meetings all day, how could I have time to go to a concert?” My heart sank inch by inch. “Jason.” “Hmm?” “Nothing, let’s hang up.” I actually wanted to ask him if he remembered that the singer was my favorite, if he remembered his promise to me. But when the words reached my lips, I didn’t want to say anything anymore. I was so tired, I fell into bed and drifted off to sleep. Back when we were poorest, Jason secretly worked part-time moving bricks to buy me concert tickets of my idol as a birthday gift. He nearly coughed up blood from exhaustion. When he presented the tickets to me, I cried seeing the blisters on his hands. “I don’t want to see the concert, and I don’t like that singer anymore. Jason, I just want you to be okay.” I couldn’t bear to let Jason’s hard-earned money go to waste, so I resold the tickets. He hugged me and swore, “When we have money in the future, I’ll definitely take you to see VIP shows, as many as you want. When we’re even richer, we’ll book private shows. And when we’re super rich, we’ll invite him to sing at our home.” Leaning in his arms, listening to his words, imagining our beautiful future, I felt extremely happy. But after we really became wealthy, we seemed to have forgotten our initial promise and never went even once. Today, he took his assistant to see it. I felt so sad. We used to be so in love, I didn’t understand where things went wrong. The tears at the corner of my eyes were gently wiped away, and Jason’s soft sigh sounded by my ear, “Having a nightmare again?”

I opened my eyes groggily, unable to distinguish between dream and reality. The person before me seemed to overlap with the image of the young man in my memories. My lips suddenly trembled, and I reached out both hands to him, feeling extremely wronged, “Hug~” The person in front of me was stunned for a moment, then immediately held me tightly in his arms, gently patting and comforting me, “It’s okay, don’t be afraid, hubby’s here.” The word “hubby” instantly pulled me back to reality. I immediately retreated from his embrace, “Why are you back?” He looked a bit amused, “Are you still half asleep? This is my home, where else would I go?” I didn’t want to deal with him and lay back down, turning my back to him. “I brought you your favorite cake from that shop, do you want to eat it now?” “…” “Emily, ever since we lost the baby, you’ve been immersed in pain. I know you’re sad, but… it’s been half a year, you should try to move on. Do you want to go on a trip to change your mood? We could go anywhere, domestic or abroad…” Seeing that I didn’t respond, he sighed, “I’ll be in the study. You sleep first.” I stared blankly in the direction he left. You see, he’s still gentle and caring towards me, very attentive. Should I say his acting is too good? Jason, which version of you is the real one… I couldn’t sleep and lay awake until dawn. The next day, I put on slightly heavier makeup to cover my haggard appearance, dressed up carefully, and went to Jason’s company with a food container. Jason has stomach problems, and for years, I’ve insisted on bringing him lunch. After Amber became his assistant, occasionally other food containers would appear on his desk. Once I happened to run into this, and I asked Jason where it came from. He was typing on his keyboard and didn’t even look up, “Oh, maybe Assistant Sullivan brought it over.” “Then why didn’t you eat it?” I asked deliberately. “I only eat the food you cook.” “Does Assistant Sullivan often bring food? Is her cooking good?” “I don’t know, I’ve never eaten it.” At this, Jason finally looked up from his pile of work, looking at me strangely, “Why are you suddenly interested in others? Isn’t my living presence in front of you enough to attract your attention?” I smiled, “If you’re not going to eat it, tell her not to make it anymore, to avoid waste.” “I told her, but she doesn’t listen. She says whether I eat or not is my business, whether she cooks or not is hers. She just does it for peace of mind.” Jason and I once accidentally saved Amber. She was escaping after being kidnapped from the mountains when she met us driving by, and we took her to the police station. Later, after learning about her experience, we helped fund her to continue college. She gratefully said she would consider Jason as her brother and would repay us well in the future. Because of this relationship, she directly entered SQ Company after graduation and became Jason’s assistant. So, I also thought she did these things purely out of gratitude. Since the miscarriage, I had rarely come to the company. The receptionist was quite surprised to see me, but her attitude towards me was as warm and respectful as always. I went straight to the top floor in the elevator. When Amber saw me, she came over with a smile, “Sis, you’re here to bring lunch for Jason?” With just one glance, I noticed the necklace hanging around her neck. I had an identical one at home. It was a wedding anniversary gift from Jason to me. I remember Amber had praised it at the time, “This necklace is so beautiful, Jason has great taste. You’re so lucky, sis. Unlike me, I probably won’t have a chance to wear such a pretty necklace in my lifetime.” Suddenly, I felt sick. Seeing me staring at her neck, Amber also smiled at me, showing no signs of guilt. “Your necklace…” “Oh, you mean this?” She casually fiddled with it around her neck and waved her hand, whispering to me, “This is a fake. I bought it on Amazon for just a few bucks, just to wear for fun. Sis, isn’t it pretty good? It even fooled you into thinking it was real?”

Amber, afraid I didn’t believe her, emphasized again, “Really, sis. I can show you the link if you don’t believe me.” I hadn’t noticed before, but now hearing her repeatedly call me “sis”, I just felt irritated. “From now on, don’t call me sis anymore. Please address me as Mrs. Quinn.” Amber’s expression changed, and she seemed at a loss, like a child who had done something wrong, “Ah! I didn’t mean anything by it, I just thought calling you sis was more affectionate. If you don’t like it, I won’t call you that anymore.” I ignored her and went straight into Jason’s office, then placed the food container on the desk and carefully examined the entire office. I quickly noticed two small green plants next to the computer, with sticky notes attached to them, decorated with cute patterns, looking playful and warm. This spot used to hold my photo. When decorating the office initially, Jason had strongly insisted on putting it there, saying that this way he could see my photo every time he looked up during work breaks, as if I was always there with him while he worked. I laughed at him for being sentimental then, and he hugged me and whined, “I just want to put it here, so everyone can see that you’re my wife.” I opened the drawer and, sure enough, found the photo frame face down in the corner. As I reached for the frame, I accidentally knocked over a bottle nearby. The words “menstrual pain relief” were clearly visible on the bottle. I never have menstrual pain, so it was obvious who these pills were for. My heart felt like it was being tightly gripped by an invisible hand, making it hard to breathe. I don’t know how I walked out of Jason’s office, leaving behind my bag and phone without realizing it. When I went back to find them, I discovered that the lunch I had brought was in the trash can. Amber looked at me with an embarrassed expression, “Jason said he had no appetite and asked me to deal with it. Other colleagues and I have already eaten, and we didn’t want to waste it, so we gave it to the cleaning lady. I don’t know why it ended up in the trash can, sorry…” She said sorry, but her face showed a hint of smugness. “Where’s Jason?” I asked calmly. “He went out.” I reminded her, “Amber, you’re just Jason’s assistant. You should call him Mr. Quinn at work. Jason is an only child, he doesn’t have a sister.” After I said this, I took my bag and phone and left, but Amber chased after me. “Then I’d like to advise Mrs. Quinn something too. You’d better not come to bring lunch anymore.” Her eyes held a challenge, “Jason works so hard every day, it’s really pitiful for him to eat such terrible food. Why don’t you do him a favor and stay at home? Stop holding him back.” Very well, finally dropping the act. “Amber, instead of provoking me here, why don’t you spend more effort on getting Jason to make you, his mistress, official?” Amber was angered by my words, but she quickly smiled again, “The third wheel is the one who isn’t loved. Emily, you think Jason won’t divorce you because he loves you? No, he just pities you.” “He doesn’t love you anymore. You’re getting old, not as young and beautiful and full of energy as I am. When he’s with me, he can feel the beauty and vitality of life. But you, you’re just a dull old hag. He says he can’t stand looking at you for even a moment!” I calmly replied, “Oh, if he likes you so much, why doesn’t he divorce me and marry you?” Walking out of the company, even though it was the height of summer, I felt cold and shivering.

Jason and I dated for four years and have been married for eight years. Our story is actually quite cliché. The summer of my freshman year in high school, my mom and stepdad both died in a car accident, and I was taken to live with my biological father. My dad had already started a new family. Naturally, no one welcomed my arrival. My stepsiblings couldn’t stand me, and of course, I didn’t have an easy time at school either. Once again cornered in the bathroom, I no longer called for help, knowing no one would come anyway. I just silently crouched down, hugging my knees, but still couldn’t help sobbing quietly. Not long after, the door opened, and Jason leaned against the doorframe. He said, “Why are you so easy to bully? Call me ‘bro’, and I’ll have your back from now on. No one will dare mess with you again.” Jason kept his word. After that, no one at school ever bullied me again. When I was locked in the basement by my stepsister and nearly suffocated to death, it was he who descended like a god and saved me. When I was trapped by a flood and almost lost my life, it was he who came through the wind and rain, carried me on his back, and escaped the predicament step by step. When I was slandered by classmates, it was he who firmly stood by my side and proved my innocence. But later, Jason’s family suddenly met with misfortune. Overnight, they lost everything and were left with enormous debts. He fell from the clouds into the mud. I stood on tiptoe and kissed away his tears, “You still have me. I’ll always be with you.” Later, I unhesitatingly chose the same university as him and flew to the city where he was. We got married right after graduating from college. At that time, Jason loved me very much and was extremely good to me. Back then, we were very poor, but we were happy. We lived in a tiny partitioned room in a shared apartment, without even a window. Every day we carefully budgeted, trying to find ways to increase income and reduce expenses, hoping to pay off the debts as soon as possible. At that time, our only way to relax was making love. When we made love, the bed creaked along with the hum of the old fan. Jason held me tightly, as if he wanted to fuse me into his blood and bones. Once when he was drunk, he held my hand, his eyes twinkling with laughter. He pulled out a ring from his pocket and carefully slipped it onto my finger, “Wear this for now. When we have money later, I’ll get you a better one.” Later, we really did become wealthy, and I did get better rings. But the one I loved most was still that small ring from back then. Everyone said Jason treated me so well. Many men abandon their wives who stood by them through thick and thin after they become successful. But Jason and I had been together for so many years, and our relationship was still great. If it weren’t for Amber, I probably would have thought so too. I asked Jason to fire Amber, but he refused. “She hasn’t made any mistakes in her work. I can’t fire her without reason. Amber has already explained to me that she didn’t mean any harm.” Jason tiredly pinched the bridge of his nose, “Emily, stop making a fuss.” I suddenly felt it was all quite meaningless. “Jason, have you fallen in love with Amber?” His body froze for a moment. Frowning, he said, “Emily, can you stop imagining things? I just see her as a sister.” I stared at him intently, trying to discern the truth or falsehood of his words from his eyes. My voice was calmer than ever, “The kind of sister you accompany to concerts, keep menstrual pain pills ready for in your office, give the same necklace as your wife, and sleep with? Then can I go find a brother too?” Complex emotions flashed in his eyes as he shook his head repeatedly, “There’s really nothing between me and her. Do you think you’re only insulting me and Amber by saying this? No, you’re insulting yourself too, and the more than ten years of feelings between us.” He’s really good at acting. Looking at the man in front of me, I suddenly felt so unfamiliar, as if I had never understood him at all. My voice was so faint that a breeze could have scattered it, “Jason, if you dare to do it, you should dare to admit it. This… is really tasteless of you.”

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The day my sister-in-law suffered a sudden heart attack, the hospital was overwhelmed with its surgery schedule. I called my husband, who is also a doctor, countless times, hoping he could help with her surgery. He hung up on me without any concern, and when I tried again, the line was busy. My sister-in-law missed the critical window for treatment and tragically passed away. In the hospital lobby, I saw a news report on the electronic screen. The main subjects were my husband and his childhood sweetheart. The caption read: “Couple gets lost after an adventurous escapade and urgently seeks help from local police.” A bitter smile forced its way onto my face. Five years of marriage, it’s time to put an end to it. My sister-in-law’s sudden death left me in a stupor for a long time. I dragged my weary body home, feeling as if my soul had been drained. Watching the news replayed on TV, my heart felt like it was plunged into an ice cave. I sat on the couch, dazed, through the entire night. The next day, Declan Johnson came home whistling a tune, but his good mood vanished the moment he saw me. He deftly slipped off his shoes and kicked them aside carelessly. Glancing at the news on TV, he hurried to offer an explanation before I could say anything. “The stuff on TV is all fake. You know my friend works in the media; they use these headlines to grab attention. People these days will do anything for money, no limits.” I sat silently on the couch, too tired to listen to his excuses. Seeing my expressionless face, he frowned. Then he pulled out a lipstick from his pocket and tossed it to me. “Here’s your birthday gift. Don’t say I don’t care about you.” I opened the lipstick cap stiffly. My last bit of hope vanished at that moment. It was a used lipstick, the exact shade Phoebe Taylor wore in the video. There were even traces on the collar of his white shirt. Yesterday was my birthday, and my sister-in-law had taken a high-speed train from out of town to celebrate with me. She knew Declan and I had been in a cold war for days. She wanted to use this opportunity to mediate between us. Who knew she would suddenly suffer a heart attack, taking her young life away. Seeing the used lipstick, a flicker of guilt crossed Declan’s face. He hastily shoved the lipstick back into his pocket and awkwardly tried to explain himself. “Last night, I worked overtime until late, and we had a gathering. A female colleague had the same lipstick, probably got mixed up. I’ll bring it back tomorrow.” “It was too late, and I didn’t want to disturb you, so I stayed at a colleague’s place.” His explanation was weak, and his eyes were evasive. I couldn’t help but respond sarcastically. My husband of five years, when did he become such a liar? I gave a cold laugh. If he was really working overtime, his own sister wouldn’t have died. After all, Declan is a top physician. Seeing him explain so earnestly, I coldly responded. “Oh? Really? So I should thank you for not coming back all night? Be considerate of you?” My attitude seemed to anger him. He glared at me with wide eyes. “Nora Johnson, can’t you be reasonable? For whom am I working overtime all night? Always being sarcastic in front of me? Still have the nerve to throw a tantrum? Have I spoiled you too much?” “What man doesn’t need some personal space? You watch me like a thief every day, you’re not uncomfortable, but I sure as hell am!” His emotions erupted in an instant, the veins on his forehead visibly throbbing. But I remained exceptionally indifferent. After all, it wasn’t the first time he’d lost his temper at me. After venting, he ignored me. Instead, he went into the shower and made a phone call. The shower wasn’t soundproof. Even from a few meters away, I could hear everything clearly. On the other end, Phoebe Taylor’s voice was coy. “Declan, yesterday was so thrilling. I really want to go on more adventures with you.” “You promised me you’d never touch that woman again. You’ll belong only to me.” Upon hearing her voice, Declan instantly became tender. “Silly girl, of course, I’m only yours. I’m fed up with that woman.” “You have no idea, today when I saw her sallow face and rough skin, I felt like throwing up.” I instinctively glanced at my rough hands. And the sallow face in the mirror. For Declan, I had been a housewife for five years. I never imagined it would lead to this result. Tears rolled down my cheeks, filled with regret. These five years of marriage might as well have been thrown to the dogs.

My connection with Declan Johnson actually began with his sister. His sister and I both loved painting. We met at the same art studio. She was a very lively and cheerful girl. Very passionate about painting. We quickly became good friends, exchanging painting techniques and sharing our inspirations. One time, we stayed late, and it started to rain heavily. Declan came to pick her up. That was the first time I met Declan. He was very doting on his sister, and his gentle manner moved me. After that, we often met. He would come to the art studio to pick up his sister and occasionally discuss art with us. Through deep conversations, I found him to be a good guy. He was warm, generous, responsible, and reliable. And I developed a special feeling for him. His sister became our matchmaker. She said Declan had a crush on me, and if he confessed, I should definitely accept. She hoped I would become her sister-in-law. I still remember her innocent and lovely face. I thought it was just a joke from his sister. Unexpectedly, the next day, Declan came with a bouquet of flowers to confess. It was a bit awkward since I was allergic to flowers. But that didn’t stop us from being together. Later, we naturally became a couple. From dating to getting married. Everything seemed so smooth. I thought I would be the happiest person in the world. With a loving husband and a sister-in-law as close as a real sister. Until Declan’s childhood sweetheart, Phoebe, appeared. All my beautiful dreams for the future instantly turned into bubbles.

I got up to go to the bedroom, feeling dizzy. Although I hadn’t eaten, my stomach was churning with discomfort. I touched my forehead, feeling feverish. The thermometer showed 40 degrees. Probably due to excessive sadness and a cold. The cold medicine at home was all gone. There were some ginger pieces in the kitchen, so I decided to make some ginger tea. After finishing everything, I was about to carry it out. Suddenly, he wrapped his big hands around my waist from behind. I was startled by the sudden hug. The hot ginger tea slipped from my hands. Crashing directly onto the floor, leaving a shocking red mark on my foot. Declan’s brows furrowed with a hint of anger. “Nora Johnson, why are you always so clumsy? Are those five years of housework wasted?” The pain left me speechless, sweat beading on my forehead. Seeing that I was really in pain, he still crouched down to check my foot. “Come on, I’ll take you to the hospital.” He grabbed my hand, picked up the car keys from the table. And took me to the underground garage. This car was something we bought when we got married. To buy it, I didn’t even ask for a dowry. Because Declan wanted a nice car, he said it would be impressive for business. And I just agreed. But this car seemed to become Phoebe’s exclusive ride. Whenever she wanted to go somewhere, a single call was enough for Declan to be her driver. Seeing the trinkets all over the passenger seat. I froze in place for a moment. “What are you waiting for? Get in the car.” I was still standing by the car, and he was already in the driver’s seat. Completely forgetting that my foot was injured. I glanced at the blistering wound on my foot. Struggling to open the car’s back door. Just then, Declan’s phone rang. After hearing the contents, his face was full of worry. I hadn’t even sat down yet, and he immediately ordered me out. “You go to the hospital yourself. Poppy got scared watching a horror movie, I need to be with her.” My whole body froze midair, not knowing what to do. But he had already made the decision for me. He roughly pulled me out of the back seat. Then sped away from the garage. He disappeared from my sight like a gust of wind. But I was already used to it, skillfully hailing a cab to go to the hospital myself.

A kind driver noticed my injured foot. He carried me to the hospital entrance. Seeing me alone and struggling to walk. He decided to help me find a wheelchair. Not far away, I saw the driver getting into a dispute. My body was suspended in mid-air, unsure of what to do next. He made the choice for me. Without hesitation, he pulled me out of the car. Then, hitting the accelerator, he sped out of the garage. He vanished from my sight in an instant. But I was used to it and easily hailed a cab to the hospital on my own. 4. A kind driver noticed my injured foot. He carried me to the hospital entrance. Seeing I was alone and struggling to walk, he offered to find a wheelchair for me. Not far away, I saw the driver in a dispute with someone. That someone was none other than my husband and his childhood sweetheart. The driver politely explained, “Sir, I have a passenger with a foot injury who needs the wheelchair. Your girlfriend looks fine. Please, show some kindness and let someone in need use it.” Unexpectedly, Declan Johnson was incredibly stubborn. He clung to the wheelchair and refused to let go, shouting as if no one else was there. “Her injury isn’t my concern! My Poppy was just frightened, and I need to take her to the doctor. Can you afford the delay?” His words were so commanding that the driver didn’t dare argue further. Phoebe Taylor stood by, pretending to be frail. Before the driver could react, Declan Johnson had already taken the wheelchair. I couldn’t help but tremble, a bitter smile forming on my lips. Is this the same man who couldn’t resist bringing stray cats home? Registering, seeing the doctor, and getting medicine—all done while hopping on one foot by myself. Two young nurses came to help me apply medication. Seeing my wound, they couldn’t help but comment. “How did your foot get burned like this, and your husband’s nowhere to be seen? Unlike the woman in the next room, her husband is so attentive, just because she got scared by a horror movie.” “Ah, life’s really unfair. Why can’t we find such good husbands?” Through the gap in the door, I saw Declan Johnson’s worried silhouette. My husband was with another woman.

When I got home, there was a package on the shoe cabinet. It had my name on it. I shop online often, mostly for household items. They’re cheaper than in-store. When I opened the package, I found an ill-fitting lingerie set and some adult toys. I couldn’t hold it, and everything spilled onto the floor. If I’m not mistaken, these were bought by Declan Johnson. He uses our home address and my name for his shopping account. After seeing that news, I should have known Declan Johnson was cheating. But I didn’t want to believe it until I saw his favoritism towards Phoebe Taylor. And now with these items, I truly expect nothing more. Laughter echoed from the elevator entrance. Declan Johnson was holding Phoebe Taylor, both looking intimate and smiling. His hand on her shoulder quickly withdrew the moment he saw me. “Quickly help me pack; I have a business trip tonight.” I stood still, coldly watching them, anger and disappointment swelling within me. Phoebe Taylor looked at me provocatively, a smug smile on her lips. “Why should I pack for you? What does your trip have to do with me?” I replied coldly. Declan Johnson seemed dissatisfied with my response, his voice rising in irritation. “What kind of attitude is that? I’m working for this family on this trip.” Phoebe Taylor circled from behind Declan Johnson, arms crossed like she owned the place. “Vivi, how can you say that? Declan is working hard for us, and you won’t even help pack?” The two plane tickets in the drawer gave them away. Their so-called business trip was just an excuse to fool around. In the past, I would have questioned it endlessly. Now, I find it unnecessary. Phoebe Taylor gently patted Declan Johnson’s back, trying to comfort him. “Declan, don’t be mad. If Vivi won’t pack for you, I will.” With that, she led Declan into the house. Declan glared at me, muttering under his breath. “Look at Poppy, if you were half as sensible, I wouldn’t be so angry.” I calmly threw the package in front of them. “So, this is what your ‘business trip’ is really about?” Declan Johnson looked guilty upon seeing the items. Yet, he insisted they had nothing to do with him. He even blamed the delivery, suggesting it was a mistake. But he knew the truth. Feeling unlucky, he tried to leave with Phoebe Taylor. But I couldn’t help but speak up. “My sister-in-law’s cremation is tomorrow. Are you sure you’re not going?” The flight is tomorrow, and so is my sister-in-law’s cremation. He grabbed a cup from the table and smashed it on the ground. The sound of shattering echoed in the air. Declan Johnson’s face turned terrifyingly dark as he lunged at me, choking me. “Nora Johnson, you witch! Why curse my sister’s death just because you’re mad?” “My sister was always good to you, and you curse her like that?” I could predict his reaction; I knew how important his sister was to him. She was indeed good to me, but she really did die. Declan could have saved her himself. The call went through, but he deliberately didn’t answer. He preferred to get lost with his childhood sweetheart, becoming a laughingstock. I mustered all my strength to break free from Declan’s grip and blurted out, “Declan Johnson, let’s get a divorce!”

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After my mom woke up from a nap, she became a completely different person. Before, she always doted on my sister, fulfilling her every wish. As for me, she was always critical and harsh. But now, everything has flipped upside down. She started demanding that my eight-year-old sister take care of the whole family’s daily needs, often beating and scolding her, claiming it was to toughen her up. Meanwhile, she began buying me pretty dresses and delicate cakes that I’d never had before, calling me her little princess. Under Mom’s treatment, my sister grew more sullen by the day, which only led to harsher punishments from Mom. But only I knew the truth: Mom had traveled back in time. Interestingly, so had I. “How did I end up with a child like you? Eat, eat, eat, that’s all you do. You see food and can’t control yourself. Were you a starving ghost in your past life?” I had just opened my eyes when I heard Mom yelling at my sister Rachel downstairs. Soon after, Rachel’s earth-shattering cries filled the air. I had lost count of how many times Mom had found an excuse to beat and scold Rachel like this. I waited until Rachel’s cries subsided a bit before slowly getting out of bed and heading downstairs. The moment Mom saw me, her fierce expression instantly melted into a smile. She hurried over to greet me, glancing at my feet before turning to yell at Rachel again, “Are you blind? Can’t you see your sister isn’t wearing slippers? Hurry up and get her a pair!” Rachel, still sitting on the floor, wiped her eyes roughly before reluctantly getting up to fetch my slippers. By then, Mom had already carried me to the dining table and set me in a chair. In front of me was an elaborate breakfast, though I noticed the plate of cherries was considerably depleted. Connecting this with Rachel’s scolding earlier, it wasn’t hard to guess that Rachel had been caught sneaking some cherries. Ever since Mom woke up from her nap last week, Rachel hadn’t had the chance to eat any fruit. Even for regular meals, she only got leftovers after everyone else had finished. I poked at the food on my plate with my fork, smiling silently to myself.

Last week, after Mom woke up from her nap, she started acting strangely. She came downstairs to find Rachel riding on my back, making me mop the floor while pretending to be her horse. Mom’s face immediately darkened. In the past, Mom would have praised Rachel for being clever. But this time, she rushed over and knocked Rachel to the ground, slapping her several times and scolding her for bullying her sister. Shocked by the sudden slaps, Rachel wailed loudly, which only earned her more punches and kicks from Mom. Then Mom scooped me up in her arms as if I were a precious treasure. Ever since Dad died in a plane crash, Mom had given all her love to Rachel, who resembled Dad more. She always treated me with coldness and quick temper. It seemed like my only purpose in life was to please and serve my sister. Feeling Mom’s warm embrace after so long, I instinctively tried to pull away. But Mom held me tighter, and I heard her muttering to herself. “Never again… This time I won’t make the wrong choice. I won’t spoil that ungrateful brat anymore, never again.” Hearing Mom’s words, I understood the reason for her change in attitude. In my previous life, Mom had given all her love and attention to my sister. She indulged Rachel’s every whim, no matter how outrageous. If Rachel had asked for the stars in the sky, Mom would have moved heaven and earth to get them for her. Under Mom’s pampering, Rachel became increasingly selfish and willful. She treated me, the unloved younger sister, just as badly as Mom did, often hitting and scolding me. “I’m Mom’s favorite child. If you make me unhappy, I’ll tell Mom to throw you to the beggars and let you have a bunch of beggar babies!” Rachel would say. Rachel slapping me and pulling my hair in front of Mom had become a regular occurrence, and Mom never batted an eye. At school, Rachel bullied me without restraint, even spreading rumors about my supposedly improper behavior, claiming it caused her and Mom a lot of trouble. With me as a foil, Rachel became known as the beautiful and kind older sister. Later, Rachel tricked me into going to a bar late at night to pick her up, only to watch with a smirk as I was drugged and kidnapped by human traffickers. During the police investigation, Rachel just cried crocodile tears, insisting that I was promiscuous and would go off with any man I saw. She claimed there was nothing she could do about it. Mom chimed in, fabricating numerous stories about my “past misconduct.” But Rachel, who had grown up so spoiled by Mom, ran off with all the family’s money when Dad’s company started going downhill. When Mom finally found her, Rachel tricked her onto a boat in an industrial park and sold her for a few thousand dollars to maintain her lavish lifestyle. It wasn’t until the very end that Mom realized she had raised an ungrateful child. As she was beaten by thugs in the industrial park, she cried and wished she could start over, vowing not to love the wrong child again. Her wish came true. She traveled back in time. But what she didn’t know was that I had also traveled back in time, just an hour before her. She came back with hatred for Rachel, while I returned with hatred for both of them, back to when I was six years old.

“Mom, I’m full. I need to go to class now,” I said, putting down my knife and fork and looking sweetly at Mom. After realizing Mom had also traveled back in time, when she frantically tried to make it up to me and asked what I wanted, I pointed at the TV and said I wanted to learn ballet and enter math competitions. I told her I wanted to become a daughter she could be proud of. Mom’s eyes filled with a kind of frenzy when she heard that. In my previous life, under Mom’s doting, Rachel never cared about studying. She often got Mom called to school because of her poor grades. If she couldn’t even handle basic schoolwork, forget about any extracurricular activities. While kids from similar backgrounds all had one or two special skills, Rachel only knew how to eat, drink, and have fun. I knew that even though Mom never said it out loud, she secretly envied other people’s children. So, if that’s what she wanted, I’d become that child she envied in others. After all, knowledge belongs to whoever learns it. As Mom and I finished getting ready and were about to leave, Mom suddenly turned to look at Rachel standing alone behind us, her face filled with undisguised disgust. “Clean up the house before we get back! All you do is eat and sleep all day, like a pig. How did I end up with a child like you?” Turning back to me, Mom’s voice became extremely gentle. “Sweetie, after your class, how about Mom takes you shopping for clothes? That brand store just got a lot of new styles in. They’ll look perfect on our little princess!” I hugged Mom’s neck and thanked her sweetly. My gaze fell on Rachel’s bruised face behind Mom, and I couldn’t help but smirk. You think this is unfair? This isn’t even a tenth of what you and Mom did to me in my past life! Just you wait, the real suffering is yet to come.

The better I performed, the more enthusiastic Mom became towards me. Correspondingly, Rachel faced the same nightmarish treatment I had endured in my previous life. The only difference was that I wouldn’t do to her what she had done to me. Interestingly though, people are different. In my past life, I endured endless abuse, still foolishly hoping for the day Mom would love me. But in this life, faced with the same situation, Rachel had already started trying to threaten me. On my eighth birthday, I won the children’s ballet championship. Mom threw a grand party for me, never once mentioning that she had another daughter. After we got home, I casually brought up what Mom had said at the party. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rachel’s expression grow increasingly twisted. After Mom went upstairs to rest, I was about to return to my room when Rachel violently pushed me to the ground from behind. The next second, she was on top of me, grabbing my hair. “You little bitch! You stole Mom from me! What’s so great about being able to dance? I’ll cut your tendons and see how you dance then, you bitch!” Rachel raised a piece of broken glass, her face a mix of excitement and ferocity, about to stab at my ankles. “Sister, no!” I cried out in feigned panic, trying to struggle. But I clearly heard Mom’s hurried footsteps coming from her room. Three, two, one… Before Rachel could react, Mom kicked her away. The next moment, Mom held me in her arms lovingly, glaring at Rachel with fury. “You little demon! What were you trying to do to your sister?!”

Of course, Rachel didn’t get the chance to do anything to me. After making sure I was okay, Mom put me down and started beating Rachel. I slowly got to my feet, watching coldly as Mom grabbed Rachel’s hair and slammed her head against the wall repeatedly. She still held the broken glass Rachel had prepared, now using it to slash at Rachel’s body. Rachel cried and tried to dodge, but being only ten years old, she was no match for an adult no matter how hard she struggled. It wasn’t until Rachel’s head was visibly bleeding and her body covered in cuts that I timely let out a yawn. “Mom, I’m tired. I want to go to sleep.” My voice immediately snapped Mom back to reality. She instinctively looked down at Rachel, disgustedly throwing her aside. “You’re disturbing Lily’s sleep. I’m warning you, if you dare bully your sister again, I’ll break your legs!” Turning around, Mom beckoned to me lovingly, saying that since I’d been frightened today, she would tuck me in. But before we could enter my room, we heard Rachel’s weak sobbing. “Mom, why? Why are you doing this?” Rachel raised her head pitifully, her face a mess of tears, snot, and blood. She struggled to open one eye. “You used to love me the most. Why are you being so mean to me now?” After Rachel’s words, a fleeting look of confusion and struggle crossed Mom’s face. She seemed to remember how close they had been as mother and daughter in the previous life. But then… Mom seemed to recall how her beloved daughter had betrayed her in the end. Her face suddenly turned cold, and she patted my shoulder. “Lily, dear, go to bed first. Mom needs to have a talk with your sister.” I nodded obediently, but as soon as I went inside, I immediately pressed my ear against the door. I heard the sounds of Mom abusing Rachel again. At first, Rachel was wailing, but her voice grew weaker and weaker until it stopped completely. Is that all? I lay back on my bed comfortably. It’s not enough, far from enough! But to my surprise, the next day, Rachel gave Mom and me a big “gift.”

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To help her lover, Jack Anderson, become the vice president, my wife Ruby Hayes pretended to have amnesia after a car accident, planning to take my position, Matthew Jacobs. One day, I overheard their conversation as I passed by. Jack asked Ruby, “Aren’t you worried Matthew Jacobs will never speak to you again after this?” Ruby brushed him off, saying, “I’ll only let him play this game for seven days. After that, I’ll just tell him my memory came back. How could he blame a patient for that?” I paused, but I didn’t expose her lie. The next day, at the meeting table, Ruby slammed her hand on the desk and said that Jack was her real husband, ordering me to leave the company and hand over all the projects. All the employees watched me, waiting for me to stop her unreasonable behavior. But I didn’t resist. I simply signed the resignation agreement. What she didn’t know was that the project submission deadline was only seven days away, and the client only recognized me as the core member. After seven days, not only would she not get what she wanted, but she would also face massive compensation fees and even possible prison time.

“You can leave, but you must delete all the clients’ and colleagues’ contact information. These are company assets, and you have no right to take them with you!” Just as I was about to leave, Ruby’s lover, Jack, blocked my path. Having managed the company for years, I knew full well there had never been such a rule. He was just deliberately making things difficult for me. I turned to Ruby. “Is this your wish too?” Ruby paused for a moment, then coldly nodded. If I really deleted these contacts, there would be no turning back. She was sure I wouldn’t leave, so she acted so harshly. It wasn’t surprising she thought this way. We had been married for seven years and had no children. The company was like our child, and I cared for it more than she did. I worked tirelessly, getting up early and staying late, always focused on the business, and never slacking off. Last week, she proposed promoting Jack to head of the tech department. The senior employees flattered Jack to help her out, but I was the only one who stood firm and vetoed her proposal when I saw Jack didn’t have the skills. Ruby knew that I wouldn’t let her make random decisions in the company. So, to get Jack’s promotion, she even went as far as pretending to have amnesia. She was forcing me to give in. Seeing us argue, some colleagues came to try to mediate. “Mr. Jacobs, calm down. Ms. Hayes is just sick. As her husband, you should be more understanding and compassionate during her fragile time.” Ruby was encouraged by this and solemnly declared, “My husband is my everything. Anyone who goes against him is going against me!” The colleagues laughed and teased me, “Mr. Jacobs, look, your wife still loves you. She’s just sick, mistaking someone else for you.” As I felt their envious gazes, I couldn’t bring myself to smile. The truth was the exact opposite of what they thought. Ruby and I were married, and we treated each other with respect. But whenever things got tough, she always pressured me to compromise. No matter who was right or wrong, no matter the situation, she would always stand against me. Because of this, we argued often. But she would always say, “You’re my family. No matter what happens outside, we can always make up at home.” It was different from others. Once she got truly angry, there was no chance of reconciliation. Although I felt uncomfortable deep down, after hearing it so many times, I started to think there was some truth in what she said. But now, seeing her throw away all her principles and bottom lines for Jack, I finally understood that when he truly loved someone, his first instinct when they were hurt was to protect them, not coldly calculate the pros and cons. While I was thinking, Jack suddenly kicked over the chair in front of me. “Matthew, you shameless old man! Ruby’s husband is me! If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll tear your mouth off!” He pointed at me, cursing as if I were the one destroying someone’s family. Ruby watched the whole scene, but she didn’t speak a word to explain. She just silently stood behind Jack, acting as his support. I smiled. “Alright, I’ll delete it.” With that, I pulled out my phone and posted an update on Instagram that I had resigned, then raised my hand to deactivate my work account. Ruby saw that I was serious and suddenly panicked. She quickly stopped me. “Forget it, since you’ve been with the company for so long, you don’t need to delete it. Just go ahead and leave!” Everyone else let out a relieved sigh. But Jack wasn’t happy. He stomped his foot. “Dear, am I not even allowed to have this little bit of authority as Vice President?” Ruby, who usually indulged Jack, gave him a warning look this time, signaling him to stop causing trouble. Then, she softened her tone, transferred fifty thousand dollars to me, and promised, “Don’t worry. The company won’t let its loyal employees feel unappreciated. Even though you’re leaving, you’ll still get everything that’s rightfully yours. It’ll just take a little time. “As for your severance, we’ll give you an answer in seven days. You can go rest for now.” She thought I still didn’t know she was pretending to be sick and naively believed that in seven days, she would use her illness as an excuse to apologize and beg for forgiveness, thinking everything would go back to normal. But what she didn’t realize was that the most crucial project she was responsible for had only seven days left to submit. This project involved a significant amount of money. If it wasn’t delivered on time or faced any issues, she would have to pay a huge penalty. If this were before, for the sake of the company’s stability and her future, I would have swallowed my frustration and quietly endured everything. But I was already exhausted. I didn’t want the company, and I didn’t want her. Right in front of me, Ruby subconsciously reached out to fix my tie but suddenly remembered she was just pretending to be sweet and awkwardly pulled her hand back. I glanced at my phone and reversed the transfer. I deleted the note [Dear Ruby Baby] in one go. After everything was done, I calmly looked at her and said, “Ruby, let’s get a divorce.”

Ruby froze for a moment, then blurted out, “You want to divorce me? Why?” As soon as she said it, she realized her mistake and quickly corrected herself, “Divorce? You’re joking, my husband is Jack. How could I have ever been married to you?” Watching her poor acting, I couldn’t be bothered to expose her lies or waste my breath arguing with her. I played along with her charade and lied, “It was me who tricked you into getting the certificate. Let’s go and divorce now.” Jack immediately grinned, urging, “It’s about time. Let’s go!” Ruby hesitated, frowned, and, ignoring the holes in my story, just wanted to brush it off. “Forget it, this is a bit strange. I’ll make my decision later.” I was confused. I thought, “Doesn’t she like Jack? I’m the one who proposed the divorce to give them space, so why isn’t she happy?” If this were before, I would have asked her why and mockingly questioned if she had ever loved me. But now, I couldn’t be bothered to guess what was on her mind. I just wanted to divorce her as soon as possible. I raised an eyebrow and teased, “You don’t want a divorce because you’re still attached to me, are you?” Jack immediately pulled on Ruby’s sleeve, looking pitiful. “Darling, am I not your favorite husband? How could you marry someone else?” Under the pressure from both of us, Ruby had no choice but to reluctantly agree. When the three of us arrived at the Courthouse and were just about to enter, Ruby suddenly shook her head as if something familiar triggered a memory. She took my hand with a smile. “This place feels so familiar… I remember now. “On Christmas Eve, we stood in line together to get our marriage license.” She knew that day was the happiest day of my life. So, she thought that by mentioning our happy memories, I would hesitate to get a divorce. After all, back then, every time she made me angry, she’d use this trick to win me back. But that day, not only did I overhear her pretending to have amnesia, but I also heard her talk about our marriage. “There’s nothing romantic about it. The reason I chose to marry him on the last day of the year is because I promised to marry him. “But, living the rest of my life with someone I don’t love, I just can’t accept it, so I kept delaying until the very last day when I finally made up my mind. “Anyway, marrying anyone would just be wasting time. He is in good condition and can help me. “He’s a good guy too, a perfect match for marriage…” I stood outside the door, hearing her compliment me, but my heart sank. I thought our relationship was built on love, but for her, it was all about using me. No wonder, after the company started improving, she began to value money and power so much, never letting me touch a single penny. She had always been wary of me. I drifted off for a moment, and Ruby tugged at my hand, asking if I remembered. In a marriage full of mutual distrust, I was exhausted. For me, cutting ties was the best choice. I shook my head, responding casually, “No, you probably just hit your head in the accident and developed a delusion.” Ruby’s smile froze instantly. Seeing her try so hard to please me while I remained indifferent, I realized she was now a patient, yet I couldn’t bring myself to be more understanding. She grew more and more upset, and without another word, she hooked her arm around Jack’s, intertwining their fingers. “Yes, it’s all fake. My husband is Jack. “Once we’re done here, I’m going to marry Jack!” She stomped her foot and walked happily into the Courthouse with Jack as if she were the one here to get married. I didn’t care to indulge her antics and walked in behind them. Once we finished the registration, we were quickly ushered into the mediation room. Ruby immediately sat on Jack’s lap, pulling out grapes she had bought on the way, peeling them, and feeding him one by one. She thought this would make me jealous. But ironically, it only reminded me of the cold, shy Ruby from before. Back then, she wouldn’t even hold my hand in public, saying it wasn’t proper to act affectionately in front of others. Now, she had completely changed. Being so open made everyone uncomfortable to look. Even the mediator couldn’t stand it. With my firm attitude, we quickly entered the divorce process. I kept a completely indifferent expression the whole time, which made Ruby furious. She sulked and gave me the cold shoulder as we rushed through the paperwork. Once we got the divorce certificate, I sighed in relief. The heavy cloud over my head had lifted a little. I hailed a cab to go home. Jack leaned over and saw that I had written our home address. He immediately exploded in anger. “Home? You’re divorced now. That’s no longer your home. “You need to pack your things and get out!” Ruby stood aside, smiling. “Yeah, kick the outsider out. Honey, you come live with me.” She kicked me out to make room for Jack. No normal man could accept that, and I definitely couldn’t have before. But now, I just nodded indifferently. “Alright, I’ll leave right away.” I booked a hotel on my phone in the car, and once I got home, I started packing my things. Things had gone too far to be controlled by Ruby anymore. She rarely softened, but now she pretended to regain some memory and held up our wedding photo, asking, “Matthew, when did we take this picture?” I didn’t even look up as I stuffed clothes into my suitcase, answering casually, “It’s fake. I photoshopped it.” That sentence really set Ruby off. She grabbed my luggage and threw everything outside the door. “Leave! Leave right now!” She slammed the door shut with a bang. I shook my head and said nothing, silently picking up the clothes from the floor, brushing off the dust, and packing them into my bag. Inside, Jack’s anxious voice came through. “This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have gone for that VP position. “Watching you two get divorced… it really hurts. Maybe I should talk to Matthew and clear things up.” Ruby collected herself and comforted him. “It’s not your fault. It’s Matthew being petty. He’s even arguing with a sick person. “Don’t worry about him. I’ll spend these seven days with you. After that, I’ll deal with things. “Matthew is easy to handle. I just have to wave my hand, and he’ll come back.” I walked into the elevator carrying my things. She was wrong. This time, it was over for good. There was no chance of reconciliation.

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My wife brought home the leftover cake from her lover and then had the nerve to say it was a special treat for me. If I hadn’t seen the transfer screenshot from her male assistant, Ethan Carter, I would’ve actually believed her. I, Alexander Reed, had only casually replied with: [Work comes first.] And I got blocked. Then Emma Westbrook called to scold me, “I’ve never met such a petty man!” I rubbed my aching stomach, thinking to myself, “Fine, let you two do whatever you want, but I won’t be part of it.” When Emma walked in, I was tossing the takeout box into the trash. I was just diagnosed with early-stage liver cancer, so the doctor had warned me to keep my diet light this month, but I couldn’t resist. Today was the fifth anniversary of my marriage to Emma. I left the hospital early, excited, and booked a hotel to celebrate with her. But after waiting all day and seeing Ethan’s smug post, followed by a phone call from Emma questioning me, I realized I probably would’ve still been at the hotel waiting for her if I hadn’t seen that. She walked in, saw the empty dining table, and immediately furrowed her brows. “No dinner today?” she asked. I casually nodded, keeping my eyes on my phone screen, and said, “You already ate outside, didn’t you?” In the past, no matter how late or tired I was, I’d always rush home and find ways to make her something nice to eat. Now, just seeing her frown made me feel like the sky was falling. Now, it was laughable how humble I was, but no amount of that got me the same love in return. Emma didn’t notice my change and directly pulled out a cake, placing it in front of me. She said she bought it, especially for me, since I’d mentioned wanting something sweet. But when I looked at the cake, I could tell it had been messed with. The top was uneven, and all the fruit had been picked off. I glanced at it, then continued to look down at my phone. Seeing how indifferent I was, she got upset. “Alexander, what’s with you? I brought this all the way for you, and you’re acting like this? Are you going to keep this up?” “I don’t want something others have touched. It grosses me out,” I said coldly. Her phone buzzed, and I didn’t need to guess who it was from. She looked at me, her eyes cold but with a hint of something like hidden pleasure. Then, she said impatiently, “Fine, fine, I’ll go get you a new one. You’re already so tired from work, and now you have to come home to your gloomy face. Just unbelievable!” She turned to leave. I remembered I had rushed out of the hospital and hadn’t picked up my medication yet, so I followed her, saying I’d go with her. She jumped up, practically hissing like a cat with its tail stepped on. “You’re coming with me to buy a cake too? Are you out of your mind? Trying to tie me by your side?” I sighed, explaining that I only wanted to stop by the pharmacy. She finally gave in, but not before ordering a blueberry cake. At the pharmacy, I got out of the car, and she looked surprised. Her tone softened a bit as she said, “Wait here, I’ll get the cake and then come back to pick you up.” With that, she sped off. Mud splashed all over me, and I wiped it off, irritated. I waited outside the pharmacy, the rain pouring harder and harder. My body was numb from the cold, but she still hadn’t come back. Thunder boomed, and I jumped. Just as I thought about taking a cab, the rain came down in sheets, soaking me completely. Remembering the doctor’s advice, I gritted my teeth through the pain and ran into a convenience store to buy an umbrella. But by then, it was too late. My stomach started to cramp badly, and I collapsed on the ground, hugging my knees. Thankfully, a kind stranger offered to drive me home. Otherwise, I’d have had to call an ambulance. As soon as I got home, dried off, and took my medication, Emma stormed in, slamming the door so hard it shook. “Why didn’t you say you were back? I spent an hour in the rain looking for you! Was that on purpose? Was it fun?”

I froze, holding my water glass, completely stunned. She blocked my number, and now she’s blaming me for not contacting her. I had waited for two hours, just walked through the door, and she said she’d been trying to reach me for an hour. I didn’t have the energy to call out her little game. I darkened my expression and said coldly, “If you want me to contact you, you should at least unblock me first.” She bit her lip, clearly holding back her anger. She placed a cake, soaked from the rain and without a box, in front of me. “It’s too late, the box is gone. It was hard enough to find a place that still had it,” she explained. I stared at the cake, feeling nothing but exhaustion. I was numb to her pathetic excuses. Just then, my phone lit up. Ethan had posted an update, a picture of a blueberry cake, with a caption that was so sweet that it was sickening. I wanted to sneer, but I realized I didn’t even have the energy for that. Countless words swirled in my mind, but in the end, I just said, “Thanks, but throw it away.” Her face turned pale in an instant, and her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. “Are you crazy? I went through all that trouble to get this for you, and you just want me to throw it away?” She shouted. “You think I’m playing around with you? It’s just a bonus for the staff, and you’re making such a big deal out of it? I’m the boss, don’t I have a say in this? And about you cursing me out in private, I haven’t even dealt with that yet!” Her voice grew louder and more agitated. I rubbed my aching head, soaked from the rain, and had no energy to explain myself. “It’s not what you think. I don’t have the time or the energy for that. Back then, I…” Before I could finish, she interrupted me angrily. “Enough! Don’t even start! It’s always the same. You’re in your thirties, acting jealous like you’re still in your twenties. There are so many handsome guys in the world, can you keep up with all of them? This is insane!” Her words stabbed deep into my heart. In the past, I’d argue over every little thing, begging her to love only me. But now, I’d woken up. What was the point of questioning love between adults? I sighed, “If that’s how you feel, I can’t do anything about it.” With that, I stood up and headed for the bedroom. She ignored me, tossing the cake into the trash as she began scrolling through her phone, occasionally letting out a suppressed laugh. She went to the bathroom to make a call. I took the opportunity to tidy up the bedding and prepared to move to the guest room. I almost ran into her as I stepped out the door. She looked at me impatiently, glaring at the bedding in my hands, and finally snapped, “What’s this supposed to mean? You want to sleep in a separate bed? “I didn’t complain about the smell of alcohol on you, and now you’re making a scene? I can’t even stand the sight of you anymore!” She spat, her voice full of venom. “If you can’t sleep tonight, don’t come to me!” I didn’t respond. I just walked straight into the guest room and locked the door behind me. In the past, when she came home late, I couldn’t sleep, and my phone would blow up with messages. Then, the next day, she’d hand me a bottle of sleeping pills. Now, I sleep soundly without taking any pills. Those obstacles I thought I couldn’t overcome? They weren’t that hard to get past. I found a reliable divorce lawyer and was ready to start a new chapter in my life. Meanwhile, Emma’s company account was busy posting a celebration video. In the video, she stood next to Ethan, looking every bit the perfect couple. The necklace she wore was a wedding anniversary gift I gave her last year. This year’s gift? I returned it, along with all those unrealistic hopes.

I was about to shut down my phone when Emma’s call came in unexpectedly, her voice full of excitement. “I sent you the address. I’ll pick you up in a bit. There’s a surprise!” I smiled with a touch of sarcasm. I’d had enough of her surprises to last a lifetime. Before I could even respond, she hung up with a sharp click. It was strange. Before the divorce, she at least knew enough to pull me out of her blacklist. After finishing my medicine, Emma’s car was already screeching to a stop downstairs. I got her message and, still in my loungewear, headed out. The moment I got in the car, Emma’s smile froze when she saw my scruffy face as she’d just tasted something awful. “Aren’t you going to shave or change your clothes? You’re going out like this? Do you want to embarrass me on purpose?” She scolded, her tone sharp with annoyance. At that moment, Ethan, in the front seat, leaned over, looking immaculate in a formal suit, his face full of innocence. “Ah, sorry, Alexander. I forgot to let you know… I couldn’t get through to you on the phone.” I shrugged and smiled. “It’s fine. I mean, I’m a guy. My image isn’t something I’m relying on women to fix.” I glanced at Ethan and added, “Besides, with such an efficient secretary, Ms. Westbrook’s reputation is already well taken care of.” Emma was stunned into silence for a moment. I couldn’t be bothered to engage with her and simply took a seat in the back. Throughout the ride, Ethan chattered non-stop about the birthday party, about how impressive Emma was, his tone full of bragging and subtle provocation. I ignored him completely, treating him like air. When we arrived at the hotel, Ethan naturally moved closer to Emma while I trailed behind them. At the elevator, the company’s people were already waiting. The moment they saw Emma and Ethan, the atmosphere turned noticeably tense. James Donovan, a colleague, quickly stepped forward to smooth things over. Seeing me enter, James greeted me warmly, “Hey, Alexander! You finally made it! We couldn’t have pulled off this project without you! The whole company owes you one today!” I felt a warm glow in my chest and waved my hand with a smile. “James, you’re too kind. No need to go that far. It feels weird. By the time I get back from my overseas trip, maybe I’ll have some new title, still not even close to being decided though.” I smiled back, fully aware he was just trying to help me out. But as soon as those words left my mouth, Emma’s face darkened. She spun around to stare at me. “What do you mean, overseas? You’re going abroad? How come I didn’t know? Did I agree to this?” Her look made me feel like I was a complete stranger to her. I gave a faint smile and didn’t explain. In my mind, I thought, “This marriage is definitely over.”

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By the fifth year of being with Ethan Taylor, he said he was tired of me. Then one day, he brought home a young, beautiful college girl. That’s when I finally gave up completely. I left behind a bank card, booked a midnight flight, and left Kingston without looking back. Our mutual friends all bet I’d be crawling back in no time. Ethan seemed equally confident, casually telling his friends: “She’ll be back within a week, like a dog clinging to my pant leg, begging me to take her back.” But a week passed. Then another. Half a month went by. And I stayed silent. For the first time, Ethan grew restless. He showed up unannounced, his face dark with irritation. “Are you done with this tantrum yet? I don’t have time to play games with you—” Before he could finish, the man sitting beside me chuckled lightly. “Mr. Taylor,” he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm, “a woman isn’t someone you coax like a child. You cherish her. If you truly love her, you wouldn’t even dare to let her get upset.” Ethan’s face flushed red with anger. “She’s my girlfriend. That’s none of your business!” The man leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. “And she’s my fiancée. Jealous, are you?”

In our fifth year together, it was Ethan’s 30th birthday—his big milestone. I had secretly bought plane tickets to take him to my hometown to meet my father and discuss our marriage. But unfortunately, I arrived a few minutes late to his birthday party. And what greeted me was the sound of his laughter, mocking me with his friends: “Marry Sophia? Are you kidding? I’m already sick of her.” Ethan downed his drink, laughing like it was the funniest joke in the world. “I’ve been keeping her around for five years—she’s long past her expiration date. There are so many younger, prettier girls out there waiting for my attention.” His friends chimed in, laughing along: “Exactly! With your looks and money, Ethan, Sophia should be grateful you’ve kept her this long. Without you, who knows where she’d be—probably stuck in some backwoods nowhere.” Another added, “But to be fair, Sophia’s got her charms. She’s got that unique beauty, you know?” “Yeah, her face is stunning, and her body’s perfect. Remember that black dress she wore to your gala? Had all of us drooling, man.” One of them laughed and said, “But seriously, Ethan, you used to treat her like a queen. Are you really treating her like a dog now?” Ethan’s response was cold, emotionless. “Call her, and she’ll come. Tell her to leave, and she’s gone. What do you think?” The room erupted in laughter. I stood outside the private room, frozen. I didn’t dare go in. Instead, I made up an excuse, called Ethan, and told him I wasn’t feeling well and was heading home. He didn’t even bother replying before hanging up. That night, I made my decision.

For the next few days, Ethan didn’t come home. But unlike before, I didn’t call or text to ask where he was or who he was with. I just quietly went about my life. In a small city like Kingston, though, news traveled fast. I didn’t have to ask to hear what he was up to. Ethan was chasing after a 19-year-old dance major from the arts academy. She was young, vibrant, and beautiful, and he was smitten. He pursued her loudly and extravagantly, showering her with gifts: a house, jewelry, a car—anything she wanted. The girl, of course, was dazzled by the attention. Within a week, they’d already checked into a hotel together. But what I didn’t expect was for Ethan to bring her home. The girl strutted in like she owned the place, wasting no time ordering me around: “Make me a honey-lemon tea. Oh, and don’t forget the ice.” I didn’t respond, just sat at the dining table quietly eating my dinner. Ethan wrapped an arm around her, sitting across from me. His gaze was cold as he said, “Sophia, are you deaf? Do you really think you’re the lady of this house? I’ve never acknowledged you as such.” I gripped my chopsticks tightly, trying to steady my trembling hands. He wasn’t wrong. In the five years we’d been together, I had given everything without ever asking for a title, for acknowledgment. Back when I was in high school, my father had fallen from a construction site and broken his leg. The contractor, heartless and cruel, offered only $300 in compensation to make us go away. Faced with impossible medical bills and my father lying helpless in a hospital bed, I had nowhere else to turn. That’s when I met Ethan Taylor, the developer overseeing the construction project. He not only took on all my father’s medical expenses but also brought me out of my small mountain town and into the bustling capital for school. Over the years, my admiration for him grew into a love even I didn’t notice at first. But Ethan never saw me the same way. For him, I was just a fleeting responsibility—something he soon grew tired of. I bit my lip and nodded, forcing a smile. “You’re right, Mr. Taylor. I’ve overstepped. I’ve been fortunate to have your care all these years.” Ethan raised an eyebrow, surprised by my sudden compliance. After a pause, he said, “Well, I wouldn’t call it care. But you’ve been with me long enough. I suppose it’s time we…” “Part ways,” I interrupted, my voice steady. “Now that you’ve found someone you truly care about, it’s best we go our separate ways. You wouldn’t want such a young, sweet girl to suffer because of me.” “She deserves a proper place in your life.” I smiled politely and excused myself to pack my things. But the moment I turned around, tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. Five years. In all that time, Ethan had never once acknowledged me in front of his friends, never once promised me a future. That night, I booked a flight out of Kingston. I left behind nothing but a bank card. The bank card was originally given to me by Ethan Taylor, so I returned it to him untouched. Not only that, but I also transferred back every penny he had ever paid for my father’s medical bills and my tuition fees, line by line, according to the receipts. Before leaving, I took off the jade bracelet from my wrist and left it on the vanity. The bracelet was a gift from Ethan for my 18th birthday—a coming-of-age present. I had once promised him I’d never take it off unless the day came when we would never see each other again. My flight was booked for 3 a.m., heading to Southport, my hometown.

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Everyone in Westbridge knew that the heir to the Pierce family, Steven Pierce, kept a girl by his side. Quiet, gentle, and obedient—but tragically, she was mute. On New Year’s Eve, one of Steven’s friends teased him: “I heard your dad’s been pressuring you to settle down. You’re not seriously thinking of bringing her home, are you?” Steven leaned back lazily, a smug, careless smile on his face. “Are you kidding? Would you marry a mute?” Hearing this, the wall I had desperately built around my heart finally collapsed. The bitter chill of winter had blanketed the streets with snow. Carrying a large bag of groceries, I hurried home. The housekeeper had left early to spend New Year’s with her family, and Steven hated restaurant food. So, naturally, I was the one left to prepare dinner. As I stepped into the house, the sound of raucous laughter hit me like a wave. There were people drinking, smoking, playing cards, and chatting loudly in the living room. Steven was in the middle of it all, surrounded by his friends. Someone said something that made him laugh as he playfully kicked one of the guys. I glanced down at the bag of groceries by my feet, then scribbled a note on a piece of paper and handed it to Steven. “Are they staying for dinner too?” That was when the group finally noticed my presence, though none of them acknowledged me. I couldn’t blame them. Steven Pierce was the golden boy of Westbridge—wealthy, connected, and practically untouchable. His friends were all the same: trust-fund kids with billions to their name. And me? I was just a poor, mute girl who had no business being in that world. Steven unfolded the note and frowned. “You don’t want to cook?” I shook my head quickly, pressing my lips together. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to cook—I just hadn’t expected so many people. I wasn’t sure if there’d be enough food. Steven crumpled the note and tossed it into the trash, his expression cold. “Then why ask?” The room, once filled with noise, suddenly fell silent, as if everyone was waiting to see how the mute girl would react. I bit my lip, unwilling to let strangers watch me squirm, and turned to retreat into the kitchen. As I tied my apron, the laughter resumed in the living room. Someone’s voice rang out, loud and mocking: “Man, she really is as obedient as they say.” Another voice chimed in, laughing: “Haha, look at Steven’s setup. If he kept me around, I’d behave better than a dog!” I recognized the voice—it belonged to Andrew Yates, Steven’s closest friend and one of the most notorious troublemakers in Westbridge. “What good would keeping you do? You can’t cook or clean, and God knows what other weird habits you have.” “Well, I can talk.” The room erupted in laughter. The mocking grew louder, each comment sharper than the last. I gripped the knife in my hand, my knuckles turning white as a dull ache spread through my chest. Steven’s voice eventually cut through the noise. “Alright, cut it out,” he said, laughing lightly. “Don’t get carried away.” But he didn’t defend me. He didn’t explain our relationship. His silence was an unspoken agreement. And yet, he knew. He knew I wasn’t with him for his money.

Two years ago, on this very day, the smell of roasted sweet potatoes filled the streets. I had been arguing with an old vendor who had overcharged me ten dollars. The man couldn’t read or understand sign language, and I was growing increasingly flustered. I had only brought twenty dollars with me, and it was already gone. That was when Steven happened to walk by. Perhaps I looked too pitiful, because he casually pulled a hundred-dollar bill from his pocket and handed it to the vendor. “I’ll pay for her. Keep the change.” I froze, turning to get a better look at the man beside me. He was tall, his features sharp and chiseled, with an air of quiet indifference. His long lashes cast faint shadows over his eyes, which were utterly devoid of emotion. Had he… forgotten me? As he turned to leave, I panicked and grabbed his wrist. When his watch slipped into view, my heart raced—I was certain it was him. Steven pulled his hand back with a look of annoyance, letting out a mocking laugh. “What? A hundred bucks isn’t enough?” I stood there, stunned, before finally managing to compose myself. I signed slowly: “No, it’s just… don’t you remember me? You saved me once.” A flicker of surprise crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant. After a pause, he said indifferently, “I’ve saved a lot of people. I don’t remember them all.” Relief washed over me. After five years, I had finally found him. To him, it might have been an insignificant moment, not even worth remembering. But to me, it had been a beacon of hope in the darkest time of my life. I still remembered the day he pulled me out of the river, the words he had said to me: “Sometimes, the most important things don’t come from your mouth, but from your eyes. Don’t lose hope. As long as you’re alive, things can change.” The sun had been shining so brightly that day, the water warm and gentle. It felt like the universe had aligned just for me. So when Steven asked me if I wanted to go with him, I didn’t hesitate. I said yes. Because I believed in him. I trusted him completely.

Three hours had passed before I realized it. I stretched my aching back and carried the prepared dishes to the dining table one by one. Steven Pierce glanced at me and said casually, “Annie, go buy a few cases of wine.” I looked out the window; it was already dark, and the snow was still falling heavily, blanketing the streets in thick, fluffy layers. Was he really asking me to go out in this weather to haul back several cases of wine by myself? I stood frozen in place, hesitant, while Steven sat down with his friends. He didn’t even bother saving me a seat. Noticing my hesitation, he shot me an impatient look. “What are you waiting for?” Around me, a few of the guys started laughing, their voices dripping with mockery. “She hasn’t said no, has she? Probably just trying to figure out how to sign it in that secret language of hers.” “Yeah, c’mon, Steven, translate for us. What’s she saying?” That familiar wave of humiliation began to creep up on me. I started signing, but before I could finish, Steven waved me off with a dismissive glance. “Annoying.” My hands froze mid-air. That word. That single word. It wasn’t the first time he’d said it to me. Steven Pierce. The man who had once pulled me out of the depths of despair when even I couldn’t stand myself. The same man who was now shoving me back down. I felt my eyes sting with tears, but I didn’t want to break down in front of his friends. Grabbing the keys, I turned and ran out the door. At the convenience store, I bought the last few cases of wine they had, hailed a cab, and rushed back. I carried the cases upstairs, one by one, terrified of doing anything to upset him. Inside, the party was still in full swing. No one noticed me as I lugged the last box into the hallway, gasping for air. Outside, fireworks exploded in the night sky, brilliant and dazzling. As the echoes faded, I overheard voices from upstairs. It was Steven and his closest friend, Andrew Yates. At first, I didn’t pay much attention and continued climbing the stairs. “Hey, I heard your dad’s been pushing you to settle down. You’re not actually thinking of bringing her home, are you?” Andrew didn’t name me, but I knew exactly who he was talking about. Everyone in Westbridge knew I was the mute girl Steven had been keeping around for two years. For some reason, on that last flight of stairs, I stopped. From the gap in the staircase, I could see Steven lean back, his expression calm and indifferent. “Are you kidding me?” he said, a lazy smile playing on his lips. “Would you marry a mute?” “When I find someone better, I’ll send her packing. Back to wherever the hell she came from.” Andrew laughed. “Makes sense. She’s basically just a hundred-dollar maid you’re keeping around for fun, right?” At that moment, the last wall I’d built around my heart crumbled. The bitterness, sadness, confusion, and self-doubt all came crashing down at once. I tried to hold back the tears, but they burned hot behind my eyes, threatening to spill over. And in that moment of silence, the laughter from the room above seemed to mock me. Look at you. No matter how good you are to him, what does it matter? You’re nothing but a mute girl for others to ridicule.

I dropped the wine where I stood and walked straight past the crowd into the bedroom. It wasn’t long before the door opened behind me. “You’re not eating dinner?” Steven’s voice was sharp, almost mocking. I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. By the time I’d carried in the third case of wine, most of the dishes on the table had already been picked clean. What was I supposed to eat? The plates? I didn’t bother signing or writing anything down for him this time. I just continued packing my things, ignoring him completely. That was when he noticed the duffel bag I’d left on the floor. He kicked it hard, his tone turning harsh. “Annie, are you seriously throwing a tantrum right now?” A tantrum? Me? Maybe he’d gotten so used to me being quiet and obedient, always bending to his will, that even packing a bag felt like rebellion to him. I let out a bitter chuckle but didn’t respond. Let him think whatever he wanted. After all, what could a mute girl say to change his mind? When I didn’t answer, his expression darkened. He turned sharply and stormed back to the living room. I didn’t have much to pack. Most of the clothes and things in the apartment were things Steven had bought for me—expensive, designer items, many of them still with the tags on. If I was going to leave, I wanted to go back to being the person I was before I met him. I didn’t want to owe him anything. I shoved a few simple pieces of clothing and toiletries into a cheap woven bag and headed out. By the time I reached the living room, his friends had already left. Steven was sitting alone on the couch, leaning back lazily with a cigarette between his fingers. The sharp click of the lighter cut through the silence, and the smell of smoke mixed with the stale scent of beer. He exhaled a slow plume of smoke, his voice low. “Are you really leaving?” His words sent a sharp pang through my chest. He’d treated me like this—dismissed me, humiliated me—and yet he had the nerve to ask why I was leaving? My grip on the bag tightened as I mouthed the word silently, incapable of making a sound: “Yes.” “Is it because I asked you to cook and buy some wine?” How could he think that? I’d spent two years of my life caring for him, putting up with him. Did he really think this was about one bad night? I wanted so badly to ask him. What had happened to the Steven who had saved me? The one who had been kind and warm, like a ray of sunshine in my darkest moment? But people like him don’t change. They reveal who they really are when you let them. Steven waited for a moment, then gave a cold, careless laugh. “You know, Annie, once you walk out that door, I’m not coming after you.” Exactly. That’s why I had to leave. Because I knew he wouldn’t. If two hearts aren’t in the same place, dragging things out would only waste time—and make us a bigger joke in the end. I loosened my clenched fist and placed the keys gently on the entryway table. Then, I signed a single word: “Whatever.” As the clock neared midnight, I stepped outside, the icy wind cutting through the air like a blade. The streets were lined with red lanterns, glowing softly against the dark night. For a moment, I found myself lost in thought. I had spent the last few years imagining what it would be like to curl up on the couch with Steven Pierce, watching the New Year’s Eve special together. But fantasy has a way of being very different from reality. When I first moved in with Steven, he told me he liked his women quiet, obedient, and unassuming. So I tried my best to match his preferences, shaping my personality to fit his expectations. All I wanted was to stay by his side a little longer. That’s how I spent two years with him. Two years of being the perfect, compliant version of myself.

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I, Ava Lancaster, went to pick up my car at the wash only to find a box of condoms and two pieces of paper stuck under the wiper. I was furious, my face burning. When I looked at the papers, I felt like I was going to throw up. One was a close-up photo of a man’s private parts, and the other was a WhatsApp QR code. The message that came with it read: [Hey, rich lady, take a look at me. I’m young and capable.] I sneered and immediately sent his contact info to every loan shark platform I could find. I thought, “You want to play, huh? Let’s see how many lives you’ve got to risk!” After work, I happily went to the car wash to pick up my car. But when I got in, I found these things under the wiper. Frowning, I used a stick to carefully remove the box of condoms, but when I did, the contents slowly leaked out of the box, carrying a strange smell with them. “Ugh. ” I turned away, gagging. What the hell was this? Pinching my nose, I used the stick to open the two pieces of paper. When I saw what was on them, I dropped the stick in shock. I snapped a photo in anger, planning to go to the car wash and demand an explanation. I came here often. The one who washed my car was a young girl named Isabella Mason, the boss’ daughter. She was good at her job and always greeted me warmly. In casual chats, I learned that she was only about 17 or 18 and had dropped out of school early. I felt sorry for her, so I decided to support her business, bringing my car here every few days. Over time, we became regulars, and she called me Ava while I called her Isabella. Besides her, there were occasionally one or two men around, probably her dad, Henry Mason, and her brother, Luke Mason. The place was small, and when I showed up, a few cars were already waiting. Isabella was still wearing her black work uniform, smiling as she chatted with customers while washing cars. When she saw me, she smiled and said, “Ava, your car is parked outside, just like usual. You only need to pay me 30 bucks.” Her smile was contagious, but I couldn’t bring myself to smile. I pursed my lips. “Got a minute? I need to talk to you about something. Let’s find somewhere quiet.” She must have noticed how serious my expression was because she quickly called her brother, Luke, to help her with the car washing. Luke, clearly not wanting to get up, groaned and reluctantly dragged himself out of the lounge chair. “What a waste of time. You want me to help with something so simple? Pathetic!”

I frowned, confused. How could someone as nice as Isabella have such a brother? Isabella shot me an apologetic glance, then gently tugged at Luke’s shirt, speaking quietly, “Luke, stop. Ava needs to talk to me.” Luke looked at me. Then his eyes slowly wandered up and down my body, eventually stopping at my chest. He smiled and rubbed his chin, giving me a lecherous look that made my stomach turn. I glared at him, furious. “If you keep looking at me like that, I’ll take your eyes out!” I had a bad temper, and I wasn’t about to let this slide. The tension between us grew thick, and other people nearby started to notice and gather around. Isabella quickly stepped in front of me. Luke gave me a dismissive glance, then rolled his eyes. “You’re wearing this to make us look, aren’t you? Isn’t this all to attract men?” I felt a wave of anger rush to my chest as I glanced at my outfit, a short-sleeve top and a long skirt. Isabella turned bright red, almost in tears, and grabbed Luke’s sleeve. “Luke, stop! Ava is one of our regulars!” Luke didn’t show an ounce of remorse. Instead, he shoved Isabella to the ground with one arm and pointed at her, cursing. “You good-for-nothing, shut up! Crying like a baby, did your mom die or something? You want me to beat you to death? So what if she’s a regular? Who knows how she got that car? Looks like she’s selling herself to afford it!” With that, he pretended to raise his arm, and Isabella instinctively shielded her head, trembling on the ground, crying softly. I furrowed my brows, so angry that I almost wanted to twist his head off and kick it like a ball. Around us, people started whispering, “This guy’s got no shame! He’s hitting his own sister and cursing his own mother to death!” “Ugh, when did we have such scumbags among men?” Someone spat on the ground. Luke heard them, and his face turned gloomy and angry. He slammed his water gun on the ground and yelled at the crowd, “You sons of bitches! What the hell are you talking about?” He got even more worked up, swearing nonstop, and practically cursed out everyone in the store. Isabella quickly tried to calm him down, warning that if he kept it up, they’d lose all their customers. But he just waved her off and slapped Isabella across the face. “Shut the hell up! This is my damn store! Who the hell are you, a loser, to talk back? I’ll do whatever I want!” Most people didn’t want to get involved and decided to leave. They drove off with grumpy faces. Isabella hurried after them, apologizing profusely. In the end, only a few of us were left standing there. “Ugh, just two or three people? Get to work, or what, you gonna sit at home doing nothing?” he spat, waving his hand before storming off to the back room to play on his phone. He slouched on a chair, scrolling through some questionable videos, drooling all over himself. Isabella wiped her tears and silently picked up the water gun, getting back to work. I felt a little bad for her, but I didn’t say anything. I knew that in a family like hers unless she helped herself, no one else could pull her out. Isabella quickly pulled herself together, smiling as she asked, “Ava, you were about to talk to me about something earlier, but I couldn’t leave. If you still want to, go ahead and say it now.” I nodded and gently asked, “Isabella, did anyone suspicious come by the store today?”

“No, not at all,” she replied right away. I nodded, already pretty sure about the answer. If she hadn’t seen anyone suspicious, then it had to be someone she knew. I glanced over at Luke, then took out my phone and showed her a photo. “I found these in the car when I picked it up earlier. Do you know who left them there?” I stared at her, watching her reaction. She froze for a second, instinctively looking toward Luke. Then she looked away, her eyes shifting nervously, and after a long pause, she muttered, “I don’t know, but I’ll wash your car again right away, Ava. Please don’t be mad.” She gave me a pleading look, and I didn’t say anything more. I just nodded and stood by, watching her work. The water from the gun soaked her through, her clothes completely drenched. Her eyes earlier had already given it away. It was Luke who did it. As for why she was covering for him, I could guess. She probably didn’t want to make a scene and mess with the business. Confronting someone like Luke head-on was definitely risky, so I thought for a while before coming up with a better way to get back at him. I posted his QR code on a bunch of different platforms. Study abroad, insurance, renting houses, loans, male infertility treatment, funeral services. Not long after, Luke’s angry voice echoed from the back. “You bastard, who the hell’s dying in my family? Get the hell away from me! “I told you, don’t post any funeral stuff, you dumbasses!” He hung up, only for the phone to ring again a moment later. “Study abroad? You think I’m paying for that? Get the hell out!” Watching him rage like that, I finally felt some satisfaction. A while later, there was some noise at the door. A middle-aged woman was carrying a drunken man inside. The man was mumbling nonsense as they stumbled in. Isabella rushed forward. “Mom, you just got out of the hospital, and your wound isn’t even healed yet! How can you be carrying Dad like this? Put him down now, or your wound will tear open again!” I understood immediately. Isabella’s mother had just been discharged from the hospital, but her father was one of those unreliable men, drunk again and needing his sick wife to drag him back. Chloe smiled and patted her daughter’s head. “The wound’s healed, sweetie. I know I was in the hospital for a while, and you had to take care of the car wash shop on your own. You must be exhausted. Now that I’m back, I’ll help you out.” Isabella’s eyes glistened with tears. She shook her head and said, “Mom, just focus on taking care of yourself.” Chloe Mason sighed, “I’m getting old, not as useful anymore. I’m in and out of the hospital, dragging the family down. And it’s wearing you out.” Earlier, I had been wondering why Isabella put up with her brother’s bullying and didn’t leave her family. Now, I understood, it was because of her mother. I pretended to play with my phone, but I was secretly keeping an eye on them. Henry was holding a bottle of liquor in his right hand, stumbling along with Isabella’s support. As they passed me, Henry shoved Isabella aside. “Who’s this gorgeous lady? Heh, let me touch.”

I was startled and quickly stepped back. But he came at me even more aggressively, grinning maliciously. “This girl’s got some spunk. Running away? Let me show you how I catch you!” At that moment, Luke whistled at me and cheered. “Dad, nice job! This girl’s got a lot to offer.” The whole family acted like they were out of their minds. It was broad daylight, and they dared to act like this! I looked around. The few customers who had been waiting had already left. Panicked, I ran toward my car, hoping to drive off quickly. Suddenly, someone grabbed me from behind. The sickening feeling made my whole body tremble. Luke’s voice was in my ear. “Dad! Come here, I’ve got her.” A sharp pang of fear gripped my chest, and tears instantly filled my eyes. I struggled desperately to break free, but it was useless. Soon, my body’s instinct to protect itself kicked in, and I lost all strength. My body went stiff, and I felt completely helpless, unable to resist. I immediately looked at Isabella and Chloe, crying out for help. They were frozen in place, clearly terrified by what was happening. Henry, clearly pleased with himself, stumbled toward us, praising Luke for his good work. I was frozen in fear, panic flooding my mind. I kept screaming and struggling. “Let go of me! What you’re doing is illegal!” Luke and his dad exchanged a look, then chuckled, “Illegal? We’re not doing anything serious. A few days in jail, and we’ll be out. “And you’re not even resisting. Deep down, you’re probably enjoying this, huh? Playing hard to get,” they mocked. Each word hit me like a slap to the face. I cursed them in my mind. “To hell with enjoying it. I’m terrified, which is why my body’s frozen like this!”

Just then, a loud thud sounded, and Henry fell in front of me. Isabella had rushed up and shoved him to the ground. I seized the moment and broke free from Luke’s grip. Luke didn’t hesitate. He raised his arm and slapped Isabella across the face with all his might. “You damn troublemaker, trying to ruin everything! You think I won’t kill you?” Isabella covered her face and shouted at me, “Ava, run!” I scrambled to my feet and quickly bolted toward my car. Luke tried to stop me, but Isabella held him back, and I could hear them arguing behind me. Once I got into the car, I shifted into gear, my fingers trembling. In the rearview mirror, I saw Isabella desperately grabbing Luke’s leg. Luke kicked her several times, and she fell to the ground like a beaten dog. But she didn’t let go of his leg. My heart surged with warmth for her. As I drove onto the street, my whole body continued to shake uncontrollably. I gripped the steering wheel tight and swore to myself, “I will make them pay for this.” I instinctively drove to the police station, wanting to file a report. But in the end, I stopped in my tracks. “What could I report? Attempted assault? Or would they just charge him with indecent exposure? What punishment would he get? A fine of a few hundred dollars? A few days in detention?” I thought about the condoms and disgusting images in the car. Luke clearly wasn’t doing this for the first time. Even if I reported it now, they’d still find ways to harass other girls. Because we wore nice clothes, we were labeled as sluts. Because I bought the car I liked, they’d spread rumors that I made my money in the wrong way. Because I got a management position, they’d maliciously slander me, claiming I slept around to get ahead. I thought, “Is this really fair? These men’s perverted actions seem to have little consequence, so even their punishments are mild and meaningless. That’s not what I want. I want him to fear me, to never dare to do something like this again.” Standing in the elevator, I thought again about Isabella’s bloodied face in the rearview mirror. I wondered what had happened to her in the end. Maybe I could help her escape from that family if she was willing. A man in the elevator spoke, breaking my thoughts. He was on the phone, his tone furious. “I almost passed out today! Damn it, I drove my sister’s pink car to the car wash, and some idiot shoved a condom in the car! Only picking on young girls, huh? “Don’t let me find out who did it, or I’ll kill that bastard! “The guy at the car wash isn’t any better either. His sister’s been beaten up and is covered in bruises, but he’s still working, playing on his phone. “What kind of world is this? I’m done with it.” Looks like he was another victim of the same kind. The elevator doors opened, and the man walked out. Watching his back as he left, I got an idea of how to get back at them.

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My fiancée, Mia Larson, wanted to travel abroad with her bestie, so I stayed up all night for a whole week to make a super-detailed travel guide for her. Concerned about her safety, I asked her to tell me what she had done every day. Two days after she left, I happened to see the Instagram her childhood sweetheart, Lucas Stewart, posted. In the picture, he and Mia were embracing on a street in Isonia, holding marriage licenses, with deep affection in their eyes as they looked at each other. He posted: [After our 15-year relationship, we finally got married! Sweetheart, thank you for trusting me. We’ll never be apart!] It turned out that the “best friend” she always mentioned was Lucas! No wonder every time I proposed to her, she always said she needed some time. So, she was waiting for the person she truly loved. In that case, I decided to end our relationship so that she could be with her beloved. As my taut body suddenly went limp, I collapsed weakly onto the cold floor. I didn’t know how long I had been lost in thought before I calmed down, took out my phone, and decisively canceled the venue I had arranged to propose to her. A pang of bitterness welled up inside me. This was my fourth time proposing to Mia. The first three times, she always found excuses to turn me down. Although I was frustrated, Mia would always act coy and evade the issue. Back then, I felt so soft-hearted towards her that whenever she acted cute, I couldn’t bear to upset her. But now it seemed that I was so infatuated with her that even after being rejected three times, I still eagerly wanted to propose to her for the fourth time. After hanging up the phone, I got up, walked to the desk, and opened the drawer. Then, without hesitation, I took out the engagement ring and threw it into the trash bin. After that, I sent a message to my friends in the group chat, telling them to come out and that I’d treat them to some drinks. They had come up with quite a few ideas for my proposal this time. Although it had been canceled, I still needed to repay them. We went to a popular bar. As soon as we met, my friends all tried to comfort me. One said, “Zane, you two should talk this through. Don’t do anything rash.” Another said, “Although Mia did go too far this time, is there any misunderstanding?” They all tried to persuade me, not believing for a second that I would break up with Mia. After all, they knew how deeply I had loved her, and marrying her had been my greatest wish. I raised a glass of wine and drained it, then let out a relieved smile and explained to them, “No misunderstanding, guys. Mia and I are about to break up. Today, let’s celebrate my upcoming single life and my escape from this terrible relationship.” Upon hearing this, everyone didn’t take it seriously and stopped persuading me. They all raised their glasses, drained them in one go, and then smilingly caught up on recent events. As everyone became tipsy, my phone rang. It was Mia calling. Stunned, I answered it. Mia asked, “Zane, where are you? My dad’s leg has been hurting really badly these past few days. Take a few days off from work and take care of him.” I let out a scornful laugh. As expected, Mia only ever contacted me when she needed help. As an only child, she had always left all her family matters, big or small, for me to handle. When I was in love with her, I helped her willingly. But now, why should I bear her responsibility? I replied, “I’m not available. Turn to someone else.” Everyone present gaped at me in astonishment. I had never spoken a harsh word to Mia before, but now I was laying it all out on the line, right to her face. Mia was completely infuriated by my words. “Zane, do you even know what you’re saying? I’m outside right now, and you know that. Who else am I supposed to call but you?” Her shrill voice left my friends at a loss, and they all started to meditate. One said, “Zane, maybe you should help her.” “Yeah, are you out of your mind? How dare you talk to her like that?” one of my friends whispered in my ear. They thought Mia and I were fighting. Hearing the voices of my friends, Mia roared impatiently, “Did you go out drinking? How many times have I told you not to drink? I hate men who drink! They reek of alcohol and smell terrible!” I picked up my glass, took a sip, and said nonchalantly, “Are you done? If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up.” Then, without a moment’s hesitation, I ended the call. As I looked up, all my friends stared at me in disbelief, astonished by my attitude. I broke the awkward silence and raised my glass, urging them to drink. “What are you all waiting for? Cheers, to my newfound single life!” They were a bit slow to catch on, but once they realized what was happening, they all raised their glasses. It was the first time I truly enjoyed drinking since I had been with Mia.

To prepare thoroughly for the marriage proposal, I took a week off from work. Now that the proposal had been canceled, I decided to go on a road trip. It was the perfect opportunity to clear my head and change my mood. Once I had this idea, I prepared immediately and set off by car. Along the way, I climbed mountains to watch the sunrise and stood by the seaside, gazing at the sunset that painted the sea a tangerine hue. I deleted all my Instagram posts filled with Mia’s photos and uploaded fresh pictures of the beautiful sunset instead. After visiting five cities, I returned home. At that time, I still immersed myself in the memories of the trip, not noticing Mia on the sofa. I was only pulled back to reality when she spoke, “Zane! You’ve really got some nerve now! Instead of taking care of my dad, you went off for a trip! You really have some guts!” With that, she picked up a cushion from the sofa and threw it at me. I picked it up, put it back in its place, and without replying, turned around and went to take a shower in the bathroom. But Mia stormed over and blocked my way, demanding, “Aren’t you going to give me an explanation?” After taking off my jacket, I looked at her in surprise and asked, “What’s there to explain? Your dad is unrelated to me. It’s none of my business.” After draping my jacket over the rack, I sidestepped her. Mia watched with a mocking look on her face as I did that, and then she asked with a hint of amusement, “Did you see Lucas’s post on Instagram? Are you jealous?” She sneered, “Look at you. Can’t you be a little more generous? That marriage license is fake. Lucas just did that to deceive his parents. Otherwise, they would keep pressuring him to find a girlfriend. As his good friend, I just did him a favor.” After Mia explained to me, she looked at me with a petulant expression, waiting for me to apologize for having wronged her due to the misunderstanding. But now, I didn’t care about whether it was true or not as I didn’t love her anymore. “Well,” I casually responded without turning my head and walked straight into the bathroom. Mia’s shouting was completely drowned out by the sound of the running water. I couldn’t hear a word of it. When I finished my shower and returned to the bedroom, Mia was still awake, seeming to be waiting for me. As soon as I entered the room, she spoke to me irritably, “You not going to take care of my dad the other day really hurt his feelings. Tomorrow, you should go and apologize to him, with the latest massage chair as a gift.” Her words made me laugh in frustration. Was he angry just because I didn’t go to take care of him? In that case, he was pretty narrow-minded. I dried my damp hair with a towel and said coldly, “No, I’m not going. I have an important project at work tomorrow.” Mia frowned and looked at me in surprise. “No? My dad is upset, and I’ve even thought of a way for you to make it right. And you refused to visit him?” She folded her arms across her chest and huffed in frustration. “Is the project more important than me? If you don’t go, my dad will never agree to our marriage!” I glanced at her and said indifferently, “Well, let’s drop the idea of getting married.” Mia looked at me in disbelief. “Do you even know what you’re saying?” “Yeah, I’m perfectly clear-headed right now.” Mia’s eyes were filled with disbelief. Seeming speechless with anger, she just cursed and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

I lay in bed, unable to sleep. Bored, I scrolled through Instagram and happened to see a new post from Lucas: [Indeed, people in love do have a special connection. I was thinking of her, and here she came!] In the picture, Mia was snuggled affectionately in Lucas’s arms, with several noticeable red marks on her neck. In the past, I would definitely storm to Lucas’s place with the photo, hysterically demanding an explanation from Mia. But now, looking at the photo, I felt absolutely nothing but disgust. I just liked the photo and commented: [You two are such a perfect match.] After putting down my phone, I suddenly felt sleepy and soon fell asleep. The next day, I was woken up by my alarm clock. After getting up, I washed up and got changed, ready to head out to have breakfast with a colleague before work. Before I could leave, Mia returned, carrying a load of breakfast. “I bought breakfast, all your favorite food. Come on over and eat before you go to work.” After Mia placed the breakfast on the table, I still didn’t budge. Unexpectedly, she came over and tried to hold my hand, but I dodged as if I’d been electrified. It felt strange—I wasn’t used to it. She had never been this nice to me before. Mia frowned, as if complaining, “If you hadn’t ignored me last night, would I have left?” She continued to explain, “And as for the photo you liked, Lucas posted it because of an emergency. His parents suddenly dropped by. I had nowhere else to go, so I ended up at his place.” After hearing her explanation, I stared at the breakfast on the table and suddenly realized Mia was feeling guilty about that post. Then I said nonchalantly, “Oh, it’s fine. You don’t need to explain such a trivial matter to me.” She asked with a hint of confusion, “Are you not upset now?” I chuckled, “Of course not. Didn’t you say you just did him a favor?” Upon hearing this, Mia unconsciously let out a sigh of relief. She then took out her phone and began typing away with a smile. So preoccupied was she that she didn’t even notice when I left without eating the breakfast she had bought. Seeing that, I couldn’t help but chuckle softly. Mia, who had never bought me breakfast, just did this to test my attitude towards Lucas’ post. She had never truly cared about me after all. I let out a soft sigh, then pushed the matter out of my mind and went to have breakfast with my colleague before heading to the company. Today, the office was unusually abuzz with people eagerly signing up for the overseas project. The project was of exceptional importance, and the one chosen would receive a substantial bonus. Everyone had a strong interest in it, including me. Unexpectedly, when I put down my briefcase, just about to sign up, the manager, Jason Cooper, came to me. “Zane, with your capabilities, you’re more than qualified for this project. I really want you to take it on. Nevertheless, it’s an overseas project and may take five to six years. I wonder if you’re…” Before Jason could finish, I interrupted him, “I’m in. Thank you, Jason, for trusting me with such an important project. I’m honored to take it on.” Jason was my senior in college, and we were close. In private, I called him Jason. He really valued my abilities, so he assigned quite a few projects to me. But back then, if I took on too many projects, I’d have to work overtime. Worried that I couldn’t take care of Mia, I turned down his offer repeatedly. Jason was taken aback by my decisive agreement, but once he came back to reality, he happily patted me on the shoulder and said, “Go for it!” I smiled and nodded in response, and then I got the project materials and started to read them. Extremely determined to secure this project, I often worked late into the night and was so exhausted that I just slept in the office. During this time, Mia called me a few times, but I didn’t feel like explaining things to her. So I just told her I was working overtime in another city. A week later, my proposal was met with great satisfaction from Jason, and I was immediately chosen to take on the project. At that moment, the tension in my entire body suddenly eased. After work, I decided to go home. The apartment was filled with memories of Mia and me, and since I was about to leave the country, I decided to sell it.

By the time I got home, it was already evening. The living room lights were all on, and Mia was lying on the sofa, typing away on her phone with a smile. The moment she saw me, her smile vanished. She put down her phone, sat up, and gave me a cold glance. “Finally, you came back.” I casually placed my briefcase on the sofa. “I came back after finishing my work. Besides, this is my place.” I gave Mia a steady look, then turned to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Mia, surprisingly, came into the kitchen. She spoke softly, “Zane, I’m hungry too. Please prepare more.” I ignored her but prepared more anyway. Perhaps sensing my lack of enthusiasm, Mia started a conversation with me. I had fantasized about this countless times before. I would be so delighted to have my beloved help out in the kitchen. But Mia, with her prideful air, said, “Are you even a man? You want your girlfriend to help out in the kitchen? How utterly disappointing.” I just gave an awkward smile when I heard that and never brought it up again. But later, I saw Mia in the kitchen, busy cooking, many times in Lucas’ Instagram posts, which savagely wrenched my heart. Now, the scene I had fantasized about countless times had come true, but all I felt was irony. I didn’t respond to a single word Mia said. Finally, her rare patience wore thin. She clicked her tongue and said, “Zane! I’ve already explained it to you. Lucas and I were just putting on a show! What else do you want? Don’t think I don’t know you’ve been deliberately staying away these past few days. So who are you putting on this sullen face for now?” Mia glared at me, puffing out her cheeks. I leisurely served some food onto a plate and said indifferently, “I’m not angry and don’t care about what you and Lucas did.” Then, I carried my plate to the dining table and began eating, paying no further attention to her. Mia followed behind and slammed her plate down on the table with a sharp, crisp sound. I couldn’t help but scoff inwardly. In the past, I wouldn’t have let her serve herself food. I would have probably served some food on her plate and placed it on the table, just to please her. She just needed to eat. But now she seemed angry because I didn’t serve her food. Whatever, it was none of my business anymore.

As I didn’t try to appease her this time, Mia gave me the cold shoulder. I didn’t feel like going home, so I just stayed in a hotel. After all, there were only a few days left before I left the country. That evening after work, I was thinking about going to a very popular restaurant nearby for dinner. Then my mom called, inviting me to join a family gathering. Considering that I would be leaving the country for several years, I agreed. When I drove to the restaurant and entered the private room, my relatives were already there. Mia was sitting in front of my mom, looking quite aggrieved. Then my mom gave me a stern look and called me over. She gave me a light slap on the back and said indignantly, “How could you upset Mia? Girls need to be coddled. What do you mean by ignoring her? If it weren’t for Mia complaining to me, how long were you planning to keep her in the cold?” My relatives all widened their eyes in disbelief upon hearing my mom’s words because they all knew that I had loved Mia more than anything and could even sacrifice my life for her. Mia complained to my mom not because she cared about me. She could tolerate me arguing with her frantically, but she couldn’t stand that I was so calm that I had given her the cold shoulder for a week. Seeing me being scolded, Mia put on her usual proud and defiant expression, certain that I would soothe her anger flatteringly. But she was wrong. I just pulled out a chair beside me and sat down. My mom sighed and urged me, “Soothe Mia’s anger, and let’s set your wedding date today.” The relatives, hearing this, nodded in agreement and also tried to persuade me. My mom continued, “Otherwise, when you go abroad in a few days, are you going to have Mia wait for you?” Upon hearing that I was going abroad, the relatives became even more eager in their persuasion. One said, “Yeah, Zane, you and Mia have been together for so many years. It’s time to settle your wedding plans.” Another said, “Otherwise, what should Mia do when you go abroad?”

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After finding out that I was a yoga teacher, my college roommates encouraged me to start a class and teach them. I agreed, charging 10 dollars per class and teaching four classes a week. But then, one day, they suddenly stopped showing up. I tried asking around, but no one would tell me what was going on. That’s when I found out my good friend, Emma Parker, had started her own yoga class, and everyone had switched to her instead. She only charged eight dollars per class. The thing is, Emma had only taken a few of my classes and wasn’t really qualified to be teaching yoga. Sure enough, she ended up injuring a student in class by being too rough with the support techniques and causing the student to break her leg. Today, not a single person showed up for my class. The dance studio, usually packed, was completely empty. I felt a wave of disappointment, thinking, “Was there some kind of school event I didn’t know about?” I packed up the mats and props and headed back to my dorm. But when I got back, I found out they’d already done yoga. I just stood there in the doorway, dumbfounded. “You didn’t come to my class, so where did you practice?” “The yoga studios outside the school usually charge over 100 dollars per class. Isn’t 10 dollars much cheaper?” I thought to myself. But no one said anything. They just glanced at me and went back to whatever they were doing. I felt really embarrassed. I turned to my roommate, Lily Woods, grabbing her shoulder. “Lily, what happened? Did I do something wrong?” She turned away, glared at me angrily, and shrugged my hand off forcefully. “Enough! I considered you a friend, but you totally screwed me over!” she shouted. I was completely confused and said, “I didn’t do anything!” Lily stepped forward, tilted her head back, and snapped, “You didn’t do anything? Then tell me how much a yoga teacher charges per class outside.” “You’ve asked the right person,” I thought. My family ran a chain of yoga studios, with both my mom and aunt being certified Iyengar instructors. I had been practicing professionally with them for years. By the time I was in high school, I was already a qualified advanced yoga instructor. So, I explained to Lily right away, “A yoga teacher teaching a corporate group of 15 at a studio can make 300 dollars per class!” “That’s complete bullshit!” she snapped, pushing me away furiously. “We’ve done our research, and the most a yoga teacher makes per class is 100 dollars!” I thought, “How is that possible? Where did she get this rumor from?” I panicked, with my heart racing. “My family…” “Your family what? Stop lying! We checked everything. The ‘Serenity Yoga’ you’re talking about isn’t even yours! The owner of that chain is someone named Parker!” Lily didn’t give me a chance to explain and turned to leave. I wanted to say that the legal representative of Serenity Yoga was actually my grandma!

Watching Lily storm off, I felt upset. But I knew she wasn’t a bad person. She was straightforward and cheerful. Maybe she was also a bit naive, which had made her used as a pawn for others before, not just once or twice. So, I was sure she wasn’t the one spreading that rumor. Who did this? I glanced over at my good friend Emma’s desk, where a few newly bought, unfamiliar yoga books were sitting. A thought popped into my head. Just then, Emma walked in after finishing up her wash. As soon as she saw me, there was a fleeting look of guilt and greed in her eyes—something hard to explain. But she quickly put on her usual smile and said, “Hey, sweetie, when did you get back?” I just stared at her, not saying a word. She came over and took my hands. “What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?” Considering she was my best friend, but at the same time might be the one spreading the rumor, my tears suddenly started to fall. I was overwhelmed with hurt. “Emma, are you the one…” Before I could finish, a group of classmates rushed into the room. It was Belle Dassler who showed up with the other classmates. She shouted angrily, “Sophia Johnson! You money-grubber! You’re even scheming against your own classmates!” “Exactly! Are you some wild child raised without a sense of responsibility?” I was so scared that I kept backing away. Emma quickly ducked behind a classmate for cover. Belle’s face came right up to mine as she viciously demanded, “Sophia Johnson! You promised us you’d get us in touch with the factory and get us those yoga mats at the cheapest price. Don’t you have any shame?” Hearing her words, I was trembling with anger. “The factory sold them to us at the wholesale price of 68 dollars and even threw in yoga bricks and stretch bands!” Belle threw two yoga bricks at my face. “Who the hell wants your crappy yoga bricks? Take them back!” “That’s right! Giving away gifts? They were clearly just the leftovers!” Blood immediately started gushing from my nose. Fear flashed across the faces of my classmates, but it vanished just as quickly. I grabbed some tissues and held them to my nose, sniffling, “I have the chat logs with the factory owner. You can take a look.” “Pfft! Chat logs can be faked! You’re both in on it! Who would believe you?” Belle pointed at me and cursed, “Don’t give me that pity act! Refund the money for the yoga mats, now!” “Exactly! We want a refund!” “Give us back the extra charges for the classes too!”

I couldn’t hold back my tears. “Fine, whatever. I’ll refund them! But if I do, I won’t have any friends like you anymore!” “Who the hell wants to be your friend, you Ebenezer Scrooge!” “Haha, that’s right. Let’s call her Sophia Scrooge!” My nose was still bleeding, and I felt a little dizzy. “Give… give me back the yoga bricks and stretch bands I gave you as gifts…” Belle snickered, “You deceived us, and that’s payment enough.” “You guys are going too far. You know how much yoga mats cost in the market,” I cried, grabbing a few more tissues. “Then how did Emma find our yoga mats for 38 dollars?” Hearing this, my heart sank. I stopped crying instantly. I looked up and saw Emma, my best friend, standing behind the others. She quickly gave me a glance and then stepped forward, pulling everyone apart. “Alright, let’s calm down. I think that even if Sophia didn’t handle things right, she did help us practice before. We should be grateful to her.” “Pfft! You think we should thank her? No way! She charged us way too much!” “Totally! We’re all students with limited means, but she took advantage of us. She’s really despicable!” Emma stood in front of me, almost like she was defending me. “Didn’t she get punished already? Look, she’s bleeding.” “Serves her right!” “Okay, we’ll cut you some slack because of Emma, but you better refund the money today!” Belle tilted her head and said to me. The group of them left my dorm in a huff. Someone turned back and asked Emma, “Emma, what time will you teach us tomorrow?” Emma quickly glanced at me, then whispered, “I’ll post it on Facebook later. Please wait for a moment.” Then she hurried out of the dorm. Lily, who had been silent the whole time, clenched her fists tightly. She seemed to have made up her mind and walked toward me. She handed me a warm towel. “Sophia… No matter whether what you did before was right or wrong, I should’ve helped you just now. I didn’t know they’d hurt you.” I pushed the towel away, and it seemed that my movement made Lily look disappointed. I forced a small smile and explained, “Thank you for your kindness, but these are all evidence. I can’t wipe it off.” “I’m sorry, Sophia. I’ll keep an eye on them from now on. If anyone dares to hurt you again, I’ll fight back.” Her words were the only warm comfort I had the whole night. I shook my head at her. “Don’t worry. I’m fine.” Then, I gathered up all the blood-soaked tissues, didn’t change my clothes, and called my mom. “Mom, please call the police for me. I got beaten.”

Lily wanted to accompany me to the police station, but I refused. She nervously said, “Sophia, maybe I misunderstood you. Just now, I didn’t see any guilt in your eyes—only fear and disappointment.” “Of course not. I didn’t do anything wrong, so why should I feel guilty?” She nodded repeatedly. “Exactly. It’s actually Emma—her eyes were darting around, like she was hiding something.” I gave a helpless smile. She finally had a smart moment. She grabbed my wrist and said, “Sophia! She’s lying, right? I’m sorry for what I said to you earlier. I was so angry when I heard her talk about you, and I didn’t think clearly at the time.” I gently patted her hand. “It’s okay, just take care of yourself.” When she heard that, a small smile finally appeared on her face, but then a look of confusion crossed her face. “Take care of myself? What do you mean?” “I mean, don’t follow Emma exactly in her class.” “Got it!” My mom called me back at that moment. “Sophia, come downstairs. I’m at the east gate of your school. We’ll head straight to the police station.” Holding all the evidence, I rushed downstairs. As I was heading down, I passed by Belle’s dorm and she happened to see me. She shouted, “Are you out of your mind? What are you doing out so late?” Then Emma started shouting too. “Don’t let her get away! She’s trying to get out of paying the refund! Let’s bring her back!” By the time I reached the second floor, I could already hear heavy footsteps behind me, like they were chasing a thief. “Damn it, Sophia Johnson! Give us the refund!” “Refund the money! Don’t let her get away!” When I finally reached the door on the first floor, I didn’t stop—I kept running. My mom’s car was parked at the east gate of my school. I jumped in as quickly as I could and slammed the door shut. I looked back and saw those girls yelling at me, frantic and furious. Emma was panting from running, glaring at me with pure hatred. I suddenly felt a cold shiver run down my spine. Emma was a student from a poor background. One time, she casually said to me, “This world is so unfair. Some people have to walk miles to get to school, while others are born into families with cars.” I really wanted to comfort her at that moment, but then she said something that left me speechless. “All rich people should die!”

Emma was really good at pretending. I suddenly realized that from the very beginning, she wasn’t actually interested in learning yoga. At first, she complained that the classes were so tiring and everyone’s necks were about to break. Then she mentioned that yoga seemed really relaxing, and since I was good at it, I could teach them. I thought it would be fun for a group of college girls to get together and chat. So, I agreed. I figured it would just be a few people from my dorm practicing together. But then she went ahead and booked a dance studio. She actually gathered more than ten people for the class. She also told everyone not to let me work for free and that I should get paid for my time. She looked at me with those innocent big eyes and asked, “Babe, how much should we charge per person per class?” I glanced around at everyone, and the number of people was about the same as the smallest class size I usually had for my corporate courses. So, I thought, maybe I could cut the price in half and charge 150 dollars in total—just 10 dollars per person per class. For my corporate classes, each one lasted an hour. But for my classmates, every class I held was at least an hour and a half. I paid close attention to each person’s physical condition and adjusted my approach accordingly. My principle was never to pursue immediate results. I would never push anyone into a pose that looked impressive but wasn’t suitable for their body. My goal was for my students to gradually heal and improve their bodies—aligning the pelvis, realigning the lumbar spine, and restoring the natural curve of the cervical spine. Emma seemed incredibly flexible. But true practitioners understood that a stiff body often indicated better potential. It meant the joints were tight, and the ligaments had enough elasticity, which ultimately protected the body from injury. While it might look a bit clumsy, it was actually a good thing. Emma was the complete opposite. She could do advanced poses right from the first class. However, after observing closely, I noticed that her pelvis was severely tilted forward, and her knees hyperextended quite a lot. If she wasn’t careful, it could easily lead to fractures, which is a common issue in yoga practice. But when I thought about it, I realized she didn’t really take my advice seriously. In fact, she even seemed to think I was jealous of her. The classmates all praised her natural talent. They said things like, “Emma, you’re really made for yoga.” Some even remarked, “Look at Sophia! She’s been practicing for years and still can’t do the splits as easily as you.”

The classmates who had praised Emma before were all pretty eager for quick success. It seemed that it was exactly these irresponsible compliments that made her overestimate her own abilities, leading her to do things that hurt me. I’m afraid if they kept practicing yoga following her, it wouldn’t be long before they got hurt. “We’ve arrived, sweetie,” my mom gently patted my shoulder, snapping me out of my thoughts. The police, after receiving my mom’s call, had us go to the station to file a report right away. There were photos to be taken and evidence to be collected, and we had to contact the hospital for an injury check the next day. By 10:30 PM, I was finally allowed to leave. My mom then took me to the hospital for a quick check-up. The doctor said nothing serious, just some swelling and bruising on my nose. Only then did my mom feel relieved enough to take me home. “If it heals up, you won’t be able to get it checked tomorrow.” “Mom, there’s no way it’ll heal that fast.” She smiled and gave me a playful look. “I was just joking, see? You smiled.” I hugged her, feeling like a little kid again. She asked me what had happened as we walked home. I told her everything but still felt really angry. She put her arm around my shoulder and said, “People having differences in wealth shouldn’t be friends.” I stopped in my tracks and said, “Mom, I don’t agree with that. Throughout history, so many people have…” She interrupted me, “No, I’m actually not talking about financial differences, but the differences up here.” She tapped my head. I got it. Emma was short-sighted, focusing only on the small gains in front of her. She couldn’t even imagine that if she had just focused on her practice, I could’ve easily gotten her a spot at my mom’s company. Just then, my phone started ringing with a bunch of messages asking for refunds. I handed my phone to my mom. She smiled and asked, “So, what’s your plan?” “I want to refund everyone. That way, I can avoid any further entanglements and stop people from gossiping about it.” “You’re so smart! This way, even if they come back asking for your help again, they won’t have a leg to stand on.” Exactly. Thirty-eight dollars for a yoga mat and two dollars for a pair of yoga blocks—what kind of decent material could those possibly be made of? The yoga industry had already steered clear of these items. They had a strong, unpleasant smell. If left out in the sun, people would be breathing in that toxic air while practicing, which was a direct health risk. I sent a message to everyone. [I’ll refund you all, and I’ll even give you an extra 100 dollars each, but you need to return the yoga blocks and stretch bands I gave you.] Belle was the first to reply.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295777”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #校园School #励志Inspiring #重生Reborn