When I, Olivia Pierce, was suffering from morning sickness, vomiting and diarrhea during my pregnancy, my husband, Noah Sinclair, and the nanny, Sophia Caldwell, hid in the storage room, whispering sweetly to each other. Sophia was wearing my pajamas and spoke in a seductive tone. “Mr. Sinclair, I also want to have your baby.” Noah’s eyes darkened, his voice hoarse. “You’re still young. Pregnancy is too hard. I can’t bear it.” I silently booked an abortion and a plane ticket to Eldoria after hearing all this. After the abortion, I returned home, pale-faced. The moment I opened the door, I was greeted by a house full of gifts. Noah lovingly hung a diamond necklace worth tens of millions of dollars around my neck. “Sweetheart, you’ve worked hard with the pregnancy.” He gently helped me sit on the couch and expertly massaged my sore, swollen calves. “I always go with you to every checkup, but this time you insisted I didn’t need to. Look at you. You’re so pale from exhaustion.” Up until now, he still thought I went for a checkup. Noah and I were childhood sweethearts, from school to marriage. Since I got pregnant, he treated it like a battle. Instead of reading up on finance, he was studying pregnancy care in his study. My morning sickness was severe, so he taught himself to cook, trying everything to get me to eat. In three months, I lost more than 10 pounds, and Noah cried as he held me. “Just one child. After that, I’ll get a vasectomy!” Noah loved me deeply, to the point that if science allowed it, he would have carried the baby for me. But none of this stopped him from sending flirty text messages to Sophia one after another. His excuse for learning to cook was nothing more than a way to spend time alone with Sophia. Every night, after lulling me to sleep, he couldn’t wait to slip into the nanny’s room… The next morning, after taking a shower to hide all traces, he would curl up next to me for a cozy nap. He thought his actions were flawless, but I still saw the faint, ambiguous scratch marks on his back. That night, I sat in silence, feeling numb. The baby inside me seemed to sense my sadness and gave a gentle nudge in my palm. At that moment, I overheard Noah trying to calm Sophia. “Pregnancy is so tough. Once Olivia’s baby is born, I’ll have the child call you godmother.” In that instant, it felt as if the world stopped. Tears unknowingly rolled down my face, growing faster and faster. Shaking, I opened my phone and booked the abortion. I couldn’t let my child be born into a loveless home. That would be irresponsible to her.

“Baby, after our little one is born, how about the three of us go to Northfield to see the snow in winter, and climb mountains in spring?” Noah was daydreaming about our future while I slightly turned my head, pretending not to see the hickey on his neck. What Noah didn’t know was that the little life he was so excited about had already died due to his betrayal. “Mr. Sinclair and Mrs. Sinclair are so happy. I want to find someone just like Mr. Sinclair,” Sophia said, and Noah immediately shot a nervous glance at me. “Well, I’ll let him go to you then… Hmm!” Noah immediately covered my mouth, his teeth clenched in anger. “Stop talking nonsense.” He leaned in close. Looking into his eyes, I felt like I was back to the summer when I was 17, the first time Noah kissed me, his eyes full of nervousness and caution. “Olivia, I won’t be like my dad, looking for other women. “I love only you.” Noah’s dad had an affair that drove his mom to her death, and he hated his dad for it his whole life. Like father, like son. Noah had ended up becoming the very thing he despised the most. At dinner, Sophia handed Noah some juice and secretly brushed her palm against his. Unable to tolerate it anymore, I slapped her across the face. “Ah!” Sophia covered her face, tears falling one by one. “Olivia, what gives you the right to hit me?” She turned to Noah with a pitiful look, her eyes red, like a bunny. But Noah didn’t spare her a glance. Instead, he held my hand to his lips, blowing on it gently. “Did it hurt you? “Getting upset isn’t good for your health, especially since you’re pregnant.” Since I was little, my health had always been weak. My parents were busy with their business and didn’t have time for me. Noah had taken the small, fragile me home and cared for me with great attention. People joked that I was his burden, but Noah would always gently defend me. “She’s not a burden. She’s my rose.” Noah would pull the thorns from my body and then… drive them deep into my heart until it bled uncontrollably. Seeing herself ignored, Sophia wiped away her useless tears, and her cheeks were red and swollen. That night, after Noah tucked me in, he quietly went to Sophia’s room. After that, a series of soft noises reached my ears. In the dark, I opened my eyes and called my mentor. “Professor, I’m willing to go to Eldoria and join the secret research organization.” “Are you sure? Once you join, you won’t be able to contact the outside world for five years, and your identity will be erased.” “Yes, I’m sure.” My mentor hesitated slightly. “Then get ready. You leave in three days.” I wouldn’t disappear without a word. I would let Noah know that I knew about his affair before I “killed” myself. Just like how his mom died. I would make sure he lived forever in guilt.

The next day, I saw Sophia wearing a ruby necklace. Noah had said it was a birthday gift for me, but clearly, the birthday gift had turned into Noah’s apology to Sophia. Sophia smiled and played with her bracelet in front of me. “Did you know about me and Noah being together all along?” I looked at her without saying anything, and Sophia continued. “You should have some self-respect. Right now, Noah loves me.” I scoffed. “Then you should have Noah divorce me.” Sophia didn’t get angry. Instead, she laughed out loud. “You’ve just been around him longer than me. I have plenty of ways to steal him away.” Just then, Noah called, as usual. Even though there were many servants at home, he was still worried and wanted to hear my voice. But I didn’t answer, letting it ring. Half an hour later, he rushed back from work. “Baby, why didn’t you pick up my calls or reply to my messages? “I was really scared.” Noah looked pale, clearly shaken by the fear. Noah was really strange. He’d cancel million-dollar contracts just to check on me, but on his way home, he could still send flirtatious texts to Sophia. [Put on the white stockings and wait for me at home.] Sophia flaunted it in front of me. “Every corner of the house is filled with traces of our love. “Especially your bedroom. We’ve tried so many positions in there.” I looked at Noah, trying to suppress the pain and sadness in my heart, and said, word by word. “I aborted the baby.” Noah paused for a moment, then burst out laughing. When he laughed, two little dimples appeared on his cheeks. “Olivia, you’re hilarious!” He knew exactly how much I wanted to be pregnant. Because of my infertility, I had taken a lot of medicine and had countless injections. During that time, I gained a lot of weight from the hormones. I cried every night, afraid that Noah would find me unattractive. After hearing me, he gently kissed my forehead and said, “I will always love you, no matter how you change.” Sweet promises slipped from his lips so easily, and as I thought back on it, I realized he had probably already cheated on me back then. Because Noah was never good at sweet talk, but when he casually said that, someone had clearly been pestering him to say such things, and over time, it just came out naturally.

“Sweetheart, you’ve been so cold to me these past few days.” Noah complained, trying to snuggle up to me. But when I thought of his body being kissed and touched by Sophia, I felt sick and vomited. Without hesitation, Noah quickly caught my vomit in his hands. I hadn’t eaten much in the past few days, so all that came out was bile. “Ah!” The maid, Harper Turner, hurried over to take me to clean up, and Noah tried to follow, but Sophia grabbed him by the arm. When I finally came out, Noah’s concern was a little too late. “Do you need to go to the hospital?” Though he was trying to hold himself together, his voice was still breathless, his lips a bright red. Sophia stood by, blushing, and provocatively raised an eyebrow at me. My phone dinged, and I saw a message from Sophia. [He just kissed my lips until they were swollen and said it was so exciting.] Tears welled up in my eyes from the discomfort, and Noah’s face started to blur. I felt like I had never truly seen him.

The day I committed “suicide” happened to be my birthday. Noah bought every rose in the city, and the buildings around us had huge screens playing Happy Birthday on a loop. People on the internet snapped photos and sighed. Netizen 1: [Another day to cry over the beautiful love story of the heirs.] Netizen 2: [Word is, this is the president of Sinclair Group celebrating his wife’s birthday.] Netizen 3: [First wish for the afterlife. To be Mrs. Sinclair’s firstborn.] Because I had been suffering from the pregnancy, Noah decided to take me to the church to pray. He bought over 20 prayer slips in one go. The vendor joked, “Young man, don’t be too greedy.” Noah smiled lightly. “I don’t want anything for myself. This is for my wife and our unborn child.” The vendor gave him a thumbs up. “Good man!” I silently wrote something on a slip of paper. Noah leaned over to peek, so I quickly hid it. “Alright, alright, I won’t look,” he said, gently ruffling my hair, thinking I was just shy. After placing the papers down, we were about to leave the mountain. Noah’s phone dinged, and he glanced at it quickly before turning it off. What he didn’t know was that Sophia had sent me the same picture. A photo of her in lace, with a maid’s uniform. [Master, I accidentally broke your favorite vase. Want to punish me?] I glanced at Noah, who smiled a playful smile, clearly already having made up his mind. The next moment, his expression shifted to urgency. “Sweetheart, there’s an emergency at the company that I need to handle. “Can I have dinner with you tonight instead?” I coldly replied, “The company’s business is more important.” What Noah didn’t know was that I would never wait for him to have dinner with me again because I was going to die. Before leaving the church, I went to look at the more than 20 prayer papers Noah had left behind. [May Sophia be blessed with peace and joy.] [May Sophia encounter fewer misfortunes and only meet good people.] Out of all Noah’s prayer papers, every single one was about Sophia. There were only a few scattered ones for me and the child. My heart felt like it was being slowly ground by a dull knife, the pain so intense I almost couldn’t stand. A gentle breeze passed by, and the words on my paper flickered in and out of view. [May I never see Noah again in this life, even in death.]

I followed the road’s surveillance cameras and reached a steep cliff. Anyone who fell from here would be gone without a trace. In the salty air of the sea breeze, I sent Noah the evidence of his affair and the text messages Sophia had sent me. Normally, when I sent him a message, he would reply quickly. But 10 minutes passed, and there was no response. He was probably busy with Sophia… I stood up, left my phone and shoes behind, and staged the scene to look like a suicide. Then, I bypassed the cameras, got into a car sent by my mentor, and from that moment on, Olivia was gone. The world would never know her again. Before boarding the plane, I saw a news report on the big screen. [Mrs. Sinclair committed suicide. The Sinclair heir is suspected of dying for love.] The screen showed Noah kneeling at the edge of the cliff, calling my name.

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The day my family went bankrupt, my fiancée married the man she loved. I, Wyatt Anderson, didn’t say a thing. I simply married Ava Anderson, the woman who confessed her love to me and helped me through the tough times. After we married, I took care of her for seven years while she was paralyzed from the waist down. Then, on the day she stood up, I overheard her and her best friend, Olivia Carter, speaking in Lapine. “Ava, are you really going to spend your whole life with him? What if Dylan Montgomery gets hurt again?” Ava, peeling shrimp for our daughter, answered slowly, “Of course not! Dylan is special, and Wyatt’s not. How could I bear to make Dylan sad?” “I’m just like Mommy. I like handsome Uncle Dylan, but I hate ugly Daddy,” our daughter added in Lapine. What they didn’t know was that I understood Lapine. The fake love she had served me, I’d never take another look. Ava gently touched our daughter Sydney’s forehead, clearly pleased, and instinctively praised her in Lapine. “Sydney’s so well-behaved. Uncle Dylan and I are glad to hear that. “When you’re older, Uncle Dylan and I will have a pretty little sister for you. Then, you will have a companion at school.” Sydney clapped her hands excitedly, answering in clumsy Lapine. “Yay, that’s awesome! “I like Uncle Dylan and Mommy the most, and I like the pretty little sister Mommy’s going to have. If only we didn’t have this scary, mean Daddy. I don’t like him at all. He annoys me.” I froze, shocked. I couldn’t believe what I had just heard. Ava must have noticed my stare because she smiled and helped me with some lettuce, speaking gently, “Baby, what’s wrong?” I shook my head, my heart aching so much it felt like it was being torn apart. A suffocating feeling spread through my body. Ava must have forgotten that I was the first one to learn Lapine in this family. She must also have forgotten that I never eat lettuce. My expression darkened. Noticing my silence, Ava became nervous and unsure. She gently took my hand. “Baby, why do you look so upset all of a sudden?” I pulled my hand away and smiled awkwardly, trying to keep the facade up. “It’s nothing. I just can’t believe you forgot that I don’t like lettuce,” I said, pretending to act cute. “By the way, what were you saying just now? Speaking in Lapine?” Ava froze for a moment, clearly guilty, not daring to look at me. “Oh, it was nothing. It’s just that Olivia is jealous of how good our relationship is.” She quickly came up with an excuse and tried to shift the attention away. “I’m sorry, baby. I’ll remember from now on, and I won’t let you eat lettuce again. “You’re the best, and you should only have sweet things, never anything bitter.” She continued to comfort me in a soft voice while picking out the lettuce from my plate. Our daughter rolled her eyes at me and huffed, “Humph, so dramatic. It’s just lettuce. It’s not going to kill you. “You’re a man, and you’re still picky? How embarrassing.” Ava, who had been gentle just moments ago, immediately turned serious and scolded our daughter. “Sydney, don’t speak to your father like that! Apologize right now!” Our daughter reluctantly stuck out her tongue and mumbled, “Sorry!” Even Olivia, unable to stand it any longer, made a comment. “Alright, we get it. You two have a great relationship. No need to keep showing off. Why are you scolding the kid?” Ava shot her a proud look. “Ha, you’re just jealous that I have such a handsome, understanding husband. I’m going to show off as much as I want. After all, I’m the one who admires him. I’ll show off a thousand times a day if I want.” I set my fork down and looked at Ava quietly. She tried to look all loving, and when she noticed me looking at her, she quickly served me a bowl of soup, blowing on it before offering it to me. “Baby, do you want some soup? “Baby, you’ve worked so hard these seven years taking care of me and the kid. “Baby, I can finally stand up. You don’t need to worry anymore. I’ll love you with everything I’ve got from now on.” If I had heard these words in the past, they would have brought tears to my eyes. But now, all I felt was a deep, bitter sting and irony. She had fooled me so well that I almost convinced myself that the conversation in Lapine had been nothing but my imagination.

Without waiting for me to speak, Olivia glanced at her phone a few times before urging me again in Lapine. “Ava, stop dragging your feet. Hurry up! Dylan is calling for you in the group chat. It’s such an important day. Don’t make him wait anxiously.” Ava froze for a moment. She set down her soup bowl, pressed a kiss to my lips, and then reluctantly spoke up, “Honey, can you have the maid clean up the dishes and go to bed early? Please? Our friends are asking me to go out and hang out. Please, let me go, honey.” I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw her like this. “Sure, go ahead. “But you’d better not do anything to make me angry. “If I find out you did, I won’t hesitate to leave you.” She froze, panic and unease flashing in her eyes. But in the end, with her phone ringing nonstop, she picked it up, stood up, and started putting on her coat. As she walked out, she tried to reassure me with a serious tone. “Honey, don’t worry. I belong to you in life and death. “My husband is only you. “Sydney, listen to Daddy at home. Don’t make him angry. If you do, I’ll come back and punish you!” When the door finally shut behind her, cutting off all sound, I snapped back to reality. I let out a long sigh, my eyes starting to sting. Sydney shot me a look of disdain and cursed me in Lapine, thinking I wouldn’t understand. “Ugly freak, even crying. No wonder Mom doesn’t like you. “Useless.” I chuckled bitterly and wiped away a tear from my eye. I knew I should let go, but I just couldn’t. After seven years of love, any cold heart should have warmed up by now. I was just reluctant to accept it. Sydney was six this year. Since birth, she had never been apart from me. I’d given almost all my love to Ava and her. For seven years, I had been a husband and a father, but never really myself. Yet, like her mother, she had forgotten that it was me who taught her Lapine. For three straight days, Ava didn’t come home. But every day, she’d send me messages, gently letting me know her leg was recovering and that she’d been out having fun. I quietly read the messages, silently packing my things and planning to leave. On the seventh day of Ava’s absence, I dug up the agreement from my email’s trash folder, opened the link, and carefully signed my name. I had already walked 99 steps toward Ava and Sydney. This last step, I wanted to take for myself. I had just bought a flight ticket for three days later, ready to shut off my phone, when I saw Sydney, who hadn’t spoken to me in a week, glaring at me with a serious face. I didn’t rush to hug her like I usually did. I just stood up and calmly walked away. She got mad, stomping past me, muttering a curse in Lapine that I had taught her. “Ugly freak, always messing with my mom. “Who are you trying to scare with that plane ticket? If you’re so tough, just get out of my house for real.”

I thought I would be hurt again by her sarcasm, but at that moment, I felt strangely calm. Watching her run up the stairs, I spoke in Lapine. “Okay, I’ll leave.” As soon as the words left my mouth, she suddenly turned around. Her face froze as if she had seen a ghost. In a panic, she quickly opened her smartwatch and typed a message to her mom in Lapine. [Mom, Mom, something’s wrong. He understands Lapine.] Within seconds, a voice message came. It was Dylan’s voice, clearly filled with disdain. “Sydney, what nonsense are you talking about? Your dad’s family went bankrupt years ago. How could he possibly learn Lapine? “Behave yourself, and stop bothering me while I’m out with your mom. “I’ll bring you some snacks next time.” Sydney, her face tense, stared at me for a long moment. When she saw I wasn’t reacting, she shrugged off what I had just said and cheerfully replied to Dylan. “Okay, Uncle Dylan, enjoy your time with Mom! “I hope you and Mom have a baby sister for me soon.” Lately, I kept thinking about my past with Ava. After thinking about it, I forced myself to forget. The sounds of video games continued to come from Sydney’s room. I didn’t take the game console away like I usually did, nor did I urge her to go to sleep. I didn’t remind her about homework, either, since the teacher would check it tomorrow. Since she hated me so much, it was fine if I didn’t act like a father anymore. But for days, I couldn’t figure out why Ava’s acting was so convincing. At 2 a.m., I received another provocation from Dylan. [Wyatt, Ava has been messing with me nonstop these days. She’s really greedy. Are you not up to it? She even said you can’t turn her on at all.] Along with the message, there was a photo. Ava stood in front of him, and his hand was suggestively reaching into her collar, his eyes filled with desire that couldn’t be hidden. I tortured myself by looking at the photo over and over, my heart feeling as though it was being squeezed in someone’s hand, ready to burst. The pain was unbearable. Staring out at the pitiful moonlight, I remembered when the Anderson family went bankrupt, when my fiancée left me, and I had nothing. Ava had appeared like a goddess, helping me pay off debts and start over. Back then, I truly believed that Ava, who was paralyzed from the waist down, was my salvation in this life. For these seven years, she had shown me so much love. The world called her a woman who spoiled her husband to the extreme, someone who loved me to the core. I believed it too. That was why I set aside my pride and devoted myself to taking care of her, making meals for her, and doing everything for seven years. But the truth was, while she said she loved me, she had been entangled with her brother Dylan, who had no blood relation to her. It wasn’t until recently that I learned the painful truth. For all these years, she had secretly given all her true feelings to Dylan, hiding it from me.

I spent the entire day burning every trace of my existence. Whether it was clothes or photos, nothing was left behind. My flight was for tomorrow. After tomorrow, they would no longer be a part of my life. Ava still hadn’t come back, but from Dylan’s taunts, I could tell she was busy, really busy, trying new positions with him. As for Sydney, she completely ignored me. I did my duty as a father one last time, cooking a table full of her favorite dishes. But when she came home, she merely snorted, ordered takeout, and wouldn’t speak a single word to me. I sat by the cold food, watching as the night grew darker. In a daze, I heard faint sounds at the door. By the light of the moon, I saw Ava finally come back, along with her beloved Dylan. Ava’s cheeks were flushed, and she was sitting on Dylan’s lap, eagerly seeking a kiss. Her hand was sliding down to stir things up. Dylan held her head with one hand, deepening the kiss, while his other hand firmly supported her hips. They were all over each other the moment they came in, kissing urgently, undressing, and tangled up in breath. Ava quietly reminded him. “Dylan, don’t wake up my husband.” Dylan, with jealousy, pulled her close and bit her earlobe, his voice full of sorrow and complaint. “Ava, didn’t you say I’m the only one you love? “Didn’t you say it would be more exciting and satisfying to do it in front of Wyatt? “Didn’t you say Wyatt’s just a tool to protect our love? “Why do I have to care about him?” Dylan was so hurt. Ava’s heart ached. She kissed him softly, her hands lovingly caressing him, and whispered sweet words to soothe him. “Dylan, I said this just to make it more exciting.” Their passionate breaths grew louder, and my heart, already bleeding, was torn open again. I curled up on the couch, the nauseating scent filling the air as my heart turned to ash. I didn’t know how much time had passed, but when they moved from the kitchen to the living room, they noticed my presence. Ava’s breath quickened. She pressed her hand over Dylan’s mouth, hiding the lust in their eyes, and they embraced as they climbed upstairs. In the quiet of the deep night, all I could hear was her subdued warning. “Dylan, stop. If Wyatt finds out, with his temper, it’ll be all over. “He’s still Sydney’s dad. We can’t make things too awkward.” I didn’t know how much time had passed, but eventually, Ava came downstairs carefully and tucked me in. She still smelled like their heated moments together, and her open collar was covered with countless hickeys. I stiffened and pushed her hand away. She noticed something was off. “Baby, what’s wrong? Have you been upset because I haven’t been home the past few days?” I shook my head bitterly. “No. “Ava, I dreamed you were cheating on me.” She froze, panic flashing across her face. “Baby, what are you talking about? I swear to you, you’re the only one I’ll ever love!” At that moment, I felt disgusted beyond words. I turned my head stubbornly and curled up in bed, exhausted. “I’m a bit tired. I’m going to sleep.” I turned away, not wanting to look at her anymore. When I woke up, I’d be gone for good.

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I was doing laundry for my girlfriend when I noticed a small hole in her panties. It was a burn mark from a cigarette. But I had quit smoking over a year ago. There was a tiny hole on the lace trim of the panties, barely noticeable unless you looked closely. With my five years of smoking experience, I immediately recognized the yellowish circular burn mark that only a cigarette could make. My heart sank. I had quit smoking long ago, and my girlfriend never smoked. Who could explain this situation to me? I stood in the bathroom, holding the panties, unable to stop my mind from racing. The more I thought about it, the more unsettling it became. The more I thought, the more my face turned green with jealousy. Just then, my girlfriend sent me a message on SnapChat. “Babe, I have to work overtime again tonight. Don’t wait up for me~”

I had helped Chloe get a job through my connections at a private company as an HR assistant, hoping it would be an easy position for her. But lately, she had been working overtime frequently, coming home close to 10 PM every night. I hadn’t thought much of it before, assuming she was genuinely busy, but now… Something was definitely wrong. Absolutely fucking wrong. Suppressing my anger, I replied: “What time will you be done? I’ll come pick you up.” “Oh, don’t bother, honey. You know how it is, it’s the end of the year and we’re super busy. I’m not sure when I’ll finish here.” I immediately got dressed and drove to Chloe’s company. The lights were on in her office, and I could faintly hear people talking inside. Was she really working overtime? I didn’t rush in. Instead, I took out my phone and called Chloe. “I’m worried about you coming home alone. I’ll wait for you downstairs at your office.” “Didn’t I tell you not to come?” “It’s no trouble, baby. I’m already here at your office building.” Chloe’s voice on the other end clearly changed, becoming more flustered: “What? You really came? Why did you come here?” Why did I come? Of course, I came to see what you’re up to. I didn’t say much more to her and hung up the phone, then hid in the stairwell. A few minutes later, Chloe came out, followed by a man in a business suit. The two of them embraced as soon as they reached the elevator!

They kissed goodbye, reluctant to part. The man kept groping Chloe’s body while kissing her. It’s one thing to suspect, but it’s another to witness it with your own eyes. Rage consumed me, blood rushing to my head. I wanted to rush out and strangle these two cheaters right then and there. At that moment, I heard the man laughing: “Your boyfriend really cares about you, huh?” “Don’t mention him. He’s like a clingy leech, such a mood killer!” Chloe’s words were like a bucket of cold water poured over my head, temporarily suppressing my urge to confront them immediately. The man continued with his sleazy talk. “Why don’t you let him wait downstairs while we continue?” “What are you thinking? He could come up at any moment.” “We’ve done it before when he called you, remember? What are you afraid of?” “Oh, you’re so bad! I hate you~” Fuck, so I’ve been part of their little game all along? The desire to kill them grew even stronger… At that moment, I saw the man’s face clearly. It was him!

Chloe had posted photos of a company team-building event on her social media before, so I recognized him. This man was the company’s vice president, Greg Phillips. He looked decent enough, but knowing that his subordinate had a boyfriend and still doing such a shameless thing, he was nothing but a scumbag. Moreover, from the way he talked, he clearly enjoyed the thrill of fooling me, treating me like an idiot. Suddenly, I didn’t want to confront them face to face anymore. If I exposed everything now, we’d just have a big fight or maybe even a physical altercation, then Chloe and I would break up. That would be letting them off too easy. Before Chloe entered the elevator, I secretly took a photo of the two of them holding hands. I took the stairs down. Chloe was already waiting by the car. Pretending I knew nothing, I said: “I thought you’d be much longer, so I went to use the restroom on the first floor.” Maybe because I had ruined her plans, Chloe subtly rolled her eyes and said in an annoyed tone: “We finished early! Hurry up and open the door, I’m freezing!” On the way home, she pretended to be exhausted and closed her eyes to rest. That was fine by me. I didn’t want to talk to her either, afraid that if I opened my mouth, I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from asking her why she would do this to me. That night, while she was sleeping, I checked her phone. The more I saw, the angrier I became. Chloe had been fooling around with Greg Phillips for months. She joined the company in June, and by August, she was already flirting with Greg. Recently, they had finally taken the last step, using overtime as an excuse to openly have an affair in the office. While these two cheaters were having their fun, I was at home like an idiot, cooking and doing laundry for Chloe, worrying that she was working too hard, fearing for her safety on her way home, and dreaming about our future marriage. This is what she said about me to Greg in their messages: “I’m pretty, so of course he worships me. Isn’t that how it should be?” “He’s so easy to manipulate. He never suspects me and is always willing to spend money on me.” “Marriage? That’s not certain yet. Besides, my parents always want me to find someone richer.” She also said: “What’s so great about your boring wife? She’s old and dull.” “Why don’t you divorce her? If you divorce, I’ll break up with Lucas.”

I couldn’t believe these words came from the person sleeping next to me. But the thousands of chat messages, each like a whip lashing at me, were undeniable evidence. Chloe was right. Before today, I never doubted her, never questioned her schedule, never looked at her phone. That’s probably why she felt safe enough not to delete their chat history. Looking at the person sleeping beside me, I suddenly felt she was so dirty, disgustingly so. The next morning, while Chloe was doing her makeup, her phone rang. She answered naturally, speaking in a formal tone: “Hello, Mr. Phillips. What can I do for you?” “Yes, I understand. I’ll try to arrive early today to review that with you.” I asked her: “Something up at work?” “Yeah, the boss is urging me to get in early. Can’t be helped, it’s year-end and there’s so much to do. I’ll probably have to work overtime again today.” Looking at her brightly painted lips and tight-fitting skirt, I pretended to care and said: “Why don’t I help you find another job? I can’t bear to see you so exhausted.” “No!” Chloe exclaimed loudly. Then, realizing her reaction was a bit excessive, she laughed awkwardly and said: “I mean, I don’t think it’s necessary. I’m still young, it’s good to work hard. Besides, you already used your connections to get me this job, I have to consider your feelings too, right?” As she was leaving, she tried to kiss me. Just thinking about how she had been passionately kissing that scumbag last night with those same lips made my stomach churn. I quickly pretended to look for something to avoid her. Chloe and Greg had an agreement. When calling in my presence, she would address him as “Mr. Phillips.” When I wasn’t around, she’d call him darling, baby, hubby, and all sorts of pet names. Chloe even called him “daddy” in their messages. You can imagine how wild they must be in private. Greg was clearly deliberately calling in the morning when I was around. Maybe they got a thrill out of flirting behind my back. Damn it, if they love to play games so much, I’ll play along to the bitter end.

I investigated Greg’s background. It turned out this bastard not only had a wife but also two kids. His wife had quit her job after having children to focus on being a full-time mom and homemaker. His parents, both retired university professors, lived in the same community to help take care of the grandchildren. I paid someone to follow Greg for a while and discovered another of his secrets. This scumbag was still secretly involved with his married ex-girlfriend! Every time they met, they went straight to a hotel. Well, well, well. I couldn’t help but laugh at the irony. Keeping his family intact while fooling around outside, huh? To outsiders, Greg might seem like a life winner with a perfect family and successful career. But in reality? He was nothing but a shiny turd, a real piece of work. However, the more dirt Greg had on him, the better it was for me. I gathered all sorts of evidence and, with some effort, managed to get the contact information for him, his family members, his ex-girlfriend, and her husband. In this age of big data, no one truly has privacy. That day, Chloe lied to me again about working overtime. I coldly replied: “Alright, don’t forget to eat. I’d be heartbroken if you starved yourself.” “Mm-hmm, you too, babe. Be good and eat your dinner, okay?” In the evening, I drove to her company and used a new phone number I had prepared to send a text to Greg’s wife. “Does your husband always say he’s working overtime? You’d better be careful, don’t be fooled. Some people are all too happy to eat their own vomit.” She called back almost immediately. I didn’t answer. She had to resort to texting: “Who are you? What do you mean?” “He has an ex-girlfriend he dated for a long time, doesn’t he?” I said no more, ignoring all her subsequent messages. For a woman who has devoted all her energy to her family, planting even a small seed of doubt about her husband would be enough. I waited patiently in my car, and sure enough, Greg came rushing out of the building shortly after. He looked nervous, running towards the parking lot while frantically trying to explain something on the phone.

I laughed. The sight of this bastard fleeing in panic was truly amusing. Chloe followed behind with a constipated expression. When I saw her come out, I stepped on the gas and left. Although Greg’s wife was just a housewife, she was no pushover. Her parents owned a local business, and she had two older brothers. She had been pampered since childhood and was known for her fiery temper. Given that Greg was already in a murky situation with his ex-girlfriend, my anonymous tip-off would make it difficult for him if his wife decided to investigate. As a result, this scumbag had become notably more low-key recently. Not only did he return home on time every day after work, but he also stopped flirting with Chloe over SnapChat late at night. This infuriated Chloe. Like all mistresses aiming to replace the wife, Chloe looked down on Greg’s spouse. She sent Greg a message: “What’s so great about being controlled by that old tiger? She’s old and fierce. Am I not better than her?” Ha, how naive. For married men like Greg, especially those who are doing well in life, what they want is a stable family with a wife and kids at home, while having fun fooling around outside. Home is home, play is play, and they keep the two very separate. However, I needed to give Chloe a little push, or how else would the game continue? To provoke Chloe, I also did a complete 180 in my attitude towards her during this time. When we argued or had conflicts, I no longer gave in. I often made her so angry that her face turned red and her neck swelled. “Lucas, you’re yelling at me? You dare to yell at me?!” Yelling is the least of what I should do. Normally, I should slap you. “Was all your kindness in the past fake? Men are indeed bastards, once they get what they want, they stop cherishing it!” Me, not cherishing you? When you insult me, don’t you think about whether you deserve to be cherished? I let her rant, not even bothering to comfort her. I shrugged: “Think whatever you want.” Provoked by my attitude, Chloe’s desire for revenge grew stronger. She frantically messaged Greg late at night while I was asleep. She even threatened him, saying that if he dared to ignore her again, she would go directly to his wife. This scared Greg. Moreover, after being under his wife’s strict supervision for a while, Greg was indeed feeling frustrated. So the two of them came up with a plan: a business trip.

As soon as Chloe entered the door, she rushed straight to the bedroom to pack her clothes, unable to hide her excitement. “Honey, our company has arranged a sudden HR training. I have to go on a business trip tomorrow!” “Oh? For how many days?” “Just two days.” I pretended to ask her: “Baby, did you forget? Tomorrow is Saturday, and we had planned to have dinner with your parents.” Chloe was busy selecting clothes from a pile and didn’t even look up. “We can have dinner anytime, but I can’t miss this training opportunity!” I smirked inwardly, thinking this was the perfect chance I’d been waiting for. She and that adulterer were quite cunning, going to great lengths for their secret rendezvous. The adulterer, fearing his wife might inquire at the company, had actually arranged a real business trip for himself. But he would leave on Friday and return on Saturday. As for Chloe, she lied to me about a business trip, but actually planned to spend the entire weekend fooling around with her lover in a hotel. I found the hotel booking information in her phone’s text messages. With Greg’s every move now under his wife’s scrutiny, even booking a hotel room had to be done by Chloe herself. She had bought an extremely sexy lingerie set at some point and secretly stuffed it into her suitcase. She had never even worn this lingerie for me. The next day, Chloe refused to let me drive her to the train station, and I didn’t insist. While her words expressed reluctance to leave me, her heart had already run off, eager to meet her lover as soon as possible. After she left, I didn’t sit idle. I bought a few gifts and first went to visit Chloe’s parents.

Their home was less than a two hours’ drive from the city. Neither of her parents had proper jobs, and they had a son, Chloe’s brother, who was unemployed and spent all day playing video games. “Uncle, Auntie, Chloe doesn’t know I’m here today. Actually… I’m planning to propose to her.” Her mom and dad exchanged a glance, their smiles not particularly warm: “Lucas, you and Chloe have been dating for over a year, and it is indeed time to talk about marriage. But marriage is no small matter.” I quickly said: “I understand. Marriage needs to be discussed properly between both families. Don’t worry, Chloe is a wonderful girl, and my family will definitely show enough sincerity in marrying her.” Her father’s eyes scanned the gifts I had brought: “As parents, we don’t ask for much. We just hope our daughter can find an understanding family who values her and treats her well.” That sounds nice, but what do they mean by “understanding” and “valuing”? Isn’t it just about how much bride price the groom’s family can offer? Chloe’s parents had asked her more than once how much bride price my family could offer for the wedding. I had already inquired about this. In Chloe’s area, the usual bride price ranged from 66,000 to 88,000 yuan, which wasn’t considered excessive. But if it were just this amount, her parents wouldn’t be beating around the bush with me now. I smiled: “Uncle, you’re absolutely right. Please rest assured, the bride price from my family will definitely be more than others. I guarantee Chloe won’t lose out compared to anyone else.” Hearing my ambiguous response, her father cleared his throat. Her mother took the cue: “Lucas, my daughter has a bachelor’s degree and is beautiful. You probably don’t know, but even though I’ve told people Chloe has a boyfriend, matchmakers keep coming to our house one after another to introduce potential partners for her. Last month, our neighbor’s daughter got married, and her conditions were far inferior to Chloe’s, yet the groom’s family still gave a bride price of 200,000 yuan!” I slowly said: “Auntie, my family will offer a bride price of 500,000 yuan.” “H-how much?” “500,000 yuan.” “500,000 yuan!” Her mother was so shocked she almost jumped up. Her father, who was in the middle of drinking water, choked and started coughing repeatedly.

“Lucas, are you serious? Is this what your parents think too?” I suppressed the mockery in my eyes: “Yes, I’ve discussed it with my parents, and they agree.” I showed the elderly couple a fake chat log I had prepared. Her mother’s face instantly lit up with joy: “Oh my, look at me! Lucas has been here for so long, and I forgot to pour him some tea!” I stopped her. “Auntie, I’m not finished yet. The apartment I’m living in now was bought outright by my parents. I’ll add Chloe’s name to it later. Once Chloe marries me, I want to give her complete security.” Upon hearing this, both of them were so happy they didn’t know what to say. “What are you standing there for? Go get some fruit for Lucas!” I could hear the sound of video games coming from the bedroom, which I knew was Chloe’s good-for-nothing brother, Ryan. “Uncle, Auntie, I was thinking it’s not good for Ryan to stay at home all the time.” Her father shook his head: “This useless boy, he turns down every job we find for him. He says the easy ones don’t pay enough, and the well-paying ones are too tiring. He just stays at home all day, making us angry!” “A friend of mine has started a company and needs a driver. It’s just driving clients around, with a monthly salary of nearly 10,000 yuan. Should I ask about it for Ryan? The job is easy, pays well, and offers flexible hours. What do you think?” Hearing this, her parents excitedly gripped my hands and wouldn’t let go. “Really, Lucas? If you can make this happen, you’ll be solving a big problem for our family!” Her mother was even more excited, raising her voice by several octaves: “I’ve always told his father that Lucas wouldn’t let us down! Entrusting Chloe to him is absolutely the right choice! What a reliable, good boy!” Heh, that’s not what you said when you called Chloe to come back for arranged dates, is it? It doesn’t matter. Life is a stage, and it’s all about acting skills. Then Chloe’s parents strongly insisted that I stay for dinner, but I politely declined. Today’s schedule was very tight, and I still had important business to attend to.

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My business partner secretly sabotaged my company, pushing me to the brink of ruin. Meanwhile, my wife, who should have been my closest ally, stood by and watched coldly. I hit rock bottom, exhausted and broken. My cash flow dried up, and years of hard work were destroyed in an instant. To my shock, I saw my wife embracing my business partner intimately at the company. I begged her to help me find a way out, but she replied with annoyance: “I’m not interested in what you’re saying. Your problems are such a headache!” But what they were trampling underfoot was my last hope. In the end, that hope was crushed beyond repair. As I wept over my ruined business, I saw my partner’s latest social media update: “Enjoying a thrilling night with a married woman. So exciting!” I instantly recognized the alluring figure in the glamorous dress as my wife. That night, I called a number I hadn’t dialed in years: “Dad, I’m giving up on my entrepreneurial dream. I’ve booked a flight home in ten days to take over the family business.”

Emily stormed into our home, shouting angrily: “You’re the only one moping around here! Why do I have to come home in broad daylight to see your miserable face?” “So your business failed, is it really that bad? If you can’t handle this little setback, are you even a man?” “Mark didn’t intentionally put you in a difficult position. Do you have to cut ties with him over this small matter?” I laughed bitterly, overwhelmed with grief and anger. Since she came in, she hadn’t even glanced at me or offered a single word of comfort. Instead, she was berating me for distancing myself from Mark, as if she felt sorry for him. He had deliberately manipulated the contract, causing me to fall from the top to rock bottom. Not only that, but he had also left me with nothing. My entrepreneurial dream could never be realized now! Seeing my grim expression, she finally approached me, halfheartedly glancing at my haggard face, and softened her tone: “Honey, if the business failed, just start over. Once you recover, you can keep working hard!” “Didn’t you always want to become a business tycoon? You need to pull yourself together!” I laughed coldly inside. This was the woman I had loved and cherished for seven years, yet at this moment, she seemed like a complete stranger! I coldly observed her. Emily was wearing an elegant suit and high heels. Apart from her new smartphone, she hadn’t brought anything else. It seemed she had only come to check on me briefly, with no intention of staying to keep me company. Emily felt uncomfortable under my gaze and realized something. “Honey, you’re just facing a small problem that you can solve on your own. I have a party to attend tomorrow, so I won’t be staying here with you tonight.” A small problem? If she cared about me even a little, she would have noticed my utter despair when my career collapsed. But she didn’t. She was too busy entangling with Mark, leaving me to struggle in pain. While I was running around trying to save the company, she was putting on sexy lingerie to enjoy the thrill of an affair with Mark. My heart turned cold, and I asked disappointedly: “So, you just came to check on me? Did you want to see if I was dead yet?” Emily’s face darkened, and she snapped: “Jack, what are you talking about? What do you mean by checking if you’re dead? We’ve been married for seven years, is this how you see me?” I smirked sarcastically. “Since you’ve seen me, you can go now.” Emily didn’t leave. Instead, she raised her phone to my face. “When you offended all your business friends, Mark’s wife happened to get the news and came over. I was at the company working overtime with Mark, discussing the next project plan.” “His wife misunderstood our relationship. You need to quickly record a video to clarify things and explain to her.” She said this with a completely natural expression, as if she and Mark were truly innocent. “What do you want me to explain?” Emily looked a bit embarrassed but still had to say it. “Well, when his wife came late at night, Mark and I were working on a new idea. Anyway, just explain that it was business-related material, that’s all!” As soon as she finished speaking, I suddenly remembered Mark’s social media post mentioning his plans to spend a sweet night with a married woman. I immediately understood. They had been caught in the act of having an affair by Mark’s wife. How dare she ask me to help her clear things up! Seeing Emily’s now unfamiliar face, I could no longer contain my emotions. I let out a hysterical roar and swatted the phone out of her hand.

Even now, I couldn’t believe Emily had really cheated on me. We had been married for seven years. I was afraid she might suffer even the slightest hardship with me, so I spoiled her rotten. She used to be an ordinary employee at the company. Seeing her struggling and often being excluded by colleagues, I asked Mark to make her my assistant. At first, Mark disagreed, but when I offered to deduct her salary from my own wages, he finally agreed. I didn’t lack money; I started my business just to realize my own value. But my parents, in an attempt to force me to return home and take over the family business, cut off my financial support. Later, I gave up an arranged marriage to marry Emily, which caused another rift with my parents. I haven’t been in contact with them for three years now. To give Emily a better life, I worked day and night. When I got home, I would do the housework, truly treating her like a queen. But now, she had betrayed me. During my bankruptcy and downfall, she was having an affair with Mark in the company office, and now she wanted me to explain it away for her. Why should I? What right did she have to treat me like this? Anger rushed to my head, and at this moment, I could no longer control myself. I exposed her on the spot. “Emily, do you take me for a fool? Don’t think I don’t know about your dirty business with Mark!” Emily was stunned, then picked up her handbag and hit me hard on the head with it. “Jack, you’ve grown some nerve! How dare you point your finger at me and speak to me in such a loud voice!” I had already suffered a heavy blow in the business world during the day, and I was physically and mentally exhausted. I felt dizzy and sick. She hit my head so hard that I felt like I was about to pass out. Even though I tried to maintain my composure, the pain in my heart still came like a flood. I was in so much pain that I could barely breathe, gritting my teeth hard. “You knew about us, yet you still called that old woman over! You deliberately wanted to embarrass me, didn’t you?” “You useless piece of trash, why didn’t you just die from bankruptcy today!” “Mark is from a rich family. It’s your honor that he’s interested in your wife! Do you think he gave you so many business opportunities because of your few lousy business ideas?” “Hurry up and record that clarification video for me. If Mark isn’t happy at home, don’t think you’ll have an easy time at home either!” I was hit so hard that I felt dizzy, my heart aching as if it was about to break. Using my good hand, I grabbed Emily’s arm tightly and threw her to the side. I had never been as angry as I was at this moment, my voice almost tearing my throat: “Emily, you’re just Mark’s used-up plaything! You have a husband, and he has a wife. You two doing such shameless things, how can you face me?” “Now you want me to clarify things for him? What should I clarify? That you two are having an affair?” Emily fell to the ground, looking at me in disbelief. I had never spoken a harsh word to her before, and she didn’t expect that I actually had a temper. She became furious with embarrassment and pointed at me angrily: “Jack, you can insult me, but you have no right to insult Mark!” She waved her new smartphone and the clothes she was wearing. “If it weren’t for Mark, could I live such a good life? Your little income is barely enough to make ends meet. How could I hold my head high in front of my friends?” “When I first met you, you dressed decently and were willing to spend money on me. I thought you were quite rich, but it turns out it was all for show! Did you trick me into marrying you just to make me suffer and struggle with you?” “Jack, you deceived me first by pretending to be rich! Why should I, Emily, have to live a hard life with you? I haven’t asked for a divorce for the sake of our child, you should be grateful for that!” She stood up in front of me, looking down at me arrogantly and smugly: “But you need to understand something! From now on, when Mark and I are intimate, you stay far away. Don’t interfere with our good times!” “I really don’t want to look at you for another second now. Seeing your pathetic face makes me angry!” At this moment, Emily’s phone rang. She picked it up and looked at it, a smile involuntarily appearing on her face. When she turned to look at me again, her expression darkened: “Record the clarification video yourself and send it to me. Mark needs me for something urgent, I have to go!” With that, she slammed the door and left. I was shaking with anger, waves of pain washing over my heart. I got up, wanting to chase after Emily and argue with her, but as soon as I stood up, I fell heavily to the ground. I buried my head in my knees, letting out bursts of painful cries. Seven years of marriage, I had given her my heart and soul, but she had stabbed me in the back! She not only trampled on my true feelings but also on my dignity! In her heart, I was just a lowly, humble piece of trash, while Mark was her beloved! I laughed coldly. So every time she stayed late at the office under the pretext of discussing plans for me, she was actually having an affair with Mark in the office! No wonder she always made excuses about being tired and wouldn’t let me touch her. Even when she agreed once after my repeated begging, it was just perfunctory. But when she was having an affair with Mark, she played so uninhibitedly, so shamelessly! I punched the ground hard, gritting my teeth, tasting blood in my mouth. I really wanted to rush to the company right now and beat this pair of scoundrels to death, then jump from the top of the building! But I couldn’t. I still have an adorable son. He’s only six years old. I can’t let him become an orphan at such a young age. Thinking of the son I had raised single-handedly, tears streamed down my face. He was so sweet and sensible. I lay back on the sofa. I need to get out of this predicament quickly, then take my son away from here.

After staying at home for seven days, Emily never showed her face again. Except for urging me a few times to record a clarification video for her, she didn’t say a single word of concern for me. The last bit of hope in my heart was wiped away. I decided to pull myself together and start looking for new opportunities. In two more days, I would take my son and leave this place. When I returned home, Emily wasn’t there. My mother-in-law had been helping to look after my son these past few days. When she saw me come back, she gave me a disgusted look. “It’s just a business failure, yet you’ve been staying at home for seven days. What a pathetic man!” I ignored her. When I first got together with Emily, she was quite satisfied with me. Later, to marry Emily, I had a falling out with my family, and my parents cut off my financial support. But I had always been working hard, trying my best to give Emily the best life, and I was always respectful to my mother-in-law. I don’t know when it started, but they changed, becoming more and more disdainful of me. Thinking about it now, it probably started when Emily got involved with Mark. She suddenly started spending money lavishly. I was too trusting of her and our relationship. I should have noticed her affair earlier. But it’s too late to say anything now. Seeing me with a gloomy face, my mother-in-law snorted coldly. “Comparisons really do make people miserable!” My heart skipped a beat. Did she know about Emily’s affair? Remembering that Emily often took our son to stay at her parents’ house, I realized my mother-in-law had been covering for their affair all along! Poor son of mine, ending up with such a mother and grandmother. My son, hearing my voice, rushed out from the bedroom. Then he said disappointedly: “Oh, it’s just Dad. I thought Mom had finally come back!” “Grandma, when will Mom and Uncle Mark come back? I can’t wait to get my gifts!” I turned my head to look at my mother-in-law. Her face became unnatural, and she guiltily turned away. During these few days while I was at home, Emily had been fooling around with Mark the whole time. But I didn’t want to say these things in front of my son. Children are innocent. I picked up my son and asked softly: “What gift does my baby want? Dad will buy it for you!” But my son pouted: “I don’t want anything from you! You’re so poor, what good gifts could you buy? Uncle Mark always brings me limited edition toys from abroad!” My heart turned cold, and I gently put my son down. He ran to my mother-in-law’s side and continued to ask when Emily would come back. Then my son pointed at me, using the same disdainful tone as my mother-in-law: “Grandma, didn’t you say Uncle Mark is my real dad? Why does this dad still come back?” “What real dad?” I looked at my son in disbelief. What did he just say? The son I had raised single-handedly actually despised me and wanted to acknowledge Mark as his father? Wasn’t he closest to me? After staying with his grandmother for just a few days, he was ready to accept an impostor as his father! What did he mean by Mark being his real dad? “Uncle Mark and I both had blood tests. Grandma said the paternity test report shows Uncle Mark is my real dad.” Hearing this, I couldn’t help but laugh, and then as I laughed, tears started falling. My heart suddenly ached sharply, and I laughed at myself for being a complete fool! Looking at my son’s face that increasingly resembled Mark’s, I understood everything at once. I had been raising someone else’s son for six years! I silently went back to the bedroom, packed all my things into a suitcase, and left this home without looking back. I sent a message to my lawyer, asking him to handle the divorce case fully. Emily was the one at fault, and I would make sure she got nothing! Then I sent the evidence of her affair with Mark to Mark’s wife. On the day I called my parents, they resumed their financial support for me. I checked into a hotel and turned off my phone to get a good night’s sleep. The next day, I set off on my journey home.

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My ex-husband died in a tragic accident at sea, and I was branded as a widow-maker. Even my grandfather issued a statement severing ties with me. In my despair and loneliness, I nearly lost my life. The icy sea water chilled me to the bone, but Lucas Lee saved me and gave me love. On our wedding night, I was shocked to realize he was my ex-husband’s brother, but it was too late to change my mind. After three years of trying, I finally got pregnant. He rushed back from across the ocean overnight to celebrate with me. In my fifth month of pregnancy, he conspired with his cousin: “Brother Lucas, can you really keep your promise and switch our babies?” “Of course. From then on, our child will inherit the Gray family’s vast fortune.” “What about your child with her?” “That bastard is lucky to be alive. Two layers of protection couldn’t stop it!” “Send it to an orphanage. Stella Gray is just my brother’s leftovers! The child she bears doesn’t deserve to be in my sight!” Is that so? Then neither the child nor the man needs to stay.

After three years of trying, I finally got pregnant. I had taken so many fertility drugs. Lucas was worried about me and said it didn’t matter if we couldn’t have a child. Little did I know that while I was desperately trying to conceive, he was doing everything he could to prevent it. The day after I found out I was pregnant, Lucas was overjoyed. He even rushed back home overnight to celebrate with me. He had a scratch on his arm that he claimed was from a stray cat, telling me not to worry. Now everything made sense. A month ago, Lucas brought his pregnant cousin Chloe back home. He said Chloe was further along than me and had more experience. My mother-in-law had even thrown Chloe a birthday party at our house. At the time, Chloe was Mrs. Lee’s precious goddaughter, while I had to stand and massage Mrs. Lee’s shoulders. Pregnancy brain made me stupid for three years. I even treated Chloe like a sister and took care of her. I clenched my jaw and fists, a mix of anger and despair nearly suffocating me. I tried to calm myself, steadying my trembling body as I carefully returned to our bedroom. “Stella seems to be asleep. Lucas, I want you,” I heard Chloe say outside. “Chloe, you’re pregnant!” Lucas protested. “You asked me to help you yesterday!” Chloe retorted. Their conversation continued, accompanied by the sound of rustling fabric. Tears instantly filled my eyes. I covered my mouth as if it could stop my body from shaking. What did I mean to him? A wave of nausea hit me. I rushed to the toilet and vomited uncontrollably, as if trying to expel all the blood and tears from my body. I sat back against the wall, gasping for air. Hot tears had already filled my eyes, ready to burst forth. Which pain was worse – being betrayed by my husband or losing him? I had experienced both, yet couldn’t compare. I thought of my late husband, Marcus. You must think I deserve this, right? You said I was heartless and arrogant. But in this marriage, I’ve suffered for so long. I dialed the number for a private hospital. “Ms. Gray, terminating a five-month pregnancy can cause severe damage. You may never be able to conceive again,” the doctor warned. “It doesn’t matter. I’ve made up my mind,” I replied firmly. A child should be born into a loving, happy family. If not, it’s better not to come into this world at all. The lawyer answered quickly, promising to prepare the divorce papers as soon as possible. Of course, that woman had to leave immediately too. Drowsiness overtook me. When I woke up, I found Lucas holding me, his hand resting on my swollen belly. This familiar, warm gesture was just like before. In the past, I would have turned and nestled into his chest, thinking I was embracing love. For a moment, I was confused, but then I smelled a woman’s perfume on him and vomited again. It caught him off guard, even getting on his clothes. Lucas woke up startled but didn’t get angry. Instead, he quickly grabbed a towel to wipe my face and body. He frowned with concern, looking just like before. As always. My heart ached. But it was all fake – his acting was too good. I felt sick again and rushed to the bathroom. He followed urgently, saying, “This little troublemaker! Stella, are you okay? Should we go to the hospital?” My stomach churned again. The physical and emotional pain was overwhelming. My eyes were bloodshot, tears pooling but not falling. How could I have fallen for this deep façade before? If he didn’t love me, why didn’t he just say so? I couldn’t show any signs of suspicion. I had to play along: “There are too many people in the house. The baby and I find it noisy. Can you ask Mrs. Zhang to take Chloe to stay somewhere else?” Lucas indeed showed some impatience. My heart was in my throat. If he had revealed his true face earlier, I wouldn’t have had to keep up this act. But after some thought, he compromised: “Alright, you and the baby are the most important. But Mrs. Liu needs to stay to take care of you. I’d be worried otherwise.” The words I had prepared got stuck in my throat. If I hadn’t found out, how long would he have kept up this charade? Outside the room, I could hear Lucas and Chloe arguing. Chloe even pushed open the door: “Sister-in-law is so clever. Even while pregnant, she can manipulate Lucas into kicking me out!” “Of course, sister-in-law’s baby is precious. Mine is just a bastard without a father!” “They say the grass is always greener, but for Lucas, it’s the opposite.” I clenched my fists, feeling a lump in my throat. Lucas’s face darkened: “Chloe, don’t be unreasonable!” Chloe immediately fell to the ground, clutching her belly and crying: “If you kick me out, where can I go? I can bear the mistreatment, but should my baby suffer too?” Lucas’s face turned grim. Finally, he turned to me: “How about we move to your hillside mansion? The scenery is nice there too.” Unexpectedly, in the end, I was the one who had to leave our marital home. I packed up with Mrs. Liu and left the place where we had lived for four years – three years of getting to know and loving each other, four years of marriage. In these seven years together, can you tell me when your heart changed? As I was packing and moving out, Chloe was happily moving her things into our master bedroom. I’m sure Lucas saw it, but he didn’t stop her. A knot formed in my chest. He made the mistake, yet I found myself reflecting on my own actions. What made this woman so worthy of his care that he would ignore me? Women in love are foolishly worthy of scolding, including myself.

When we moved to the hillside mansion, Lucas didn’t come with us. “Chloe has it tough. I’m going to help her move her old things over. I’ve called the moving company for you,” he said. Every little thing felt like a dull knife cutting into my flesh, breaking my heart. The hillside mansion was where I lived before marriage. As soon as I entered, I saw the large decorative painting Lucas had made. It depicted a newly developed tourist area with cherry blossoms in full bloom. He said he wanted to capture my most beautiful moment. The floor-to-ceiling glass cabinets along the walls were filled with rare items he had collected for me from around the world. Now, they all seemed painfully out of place. “Mrs. Liu, please find someone to lock all of these in the small room,” I instructed. After finishing unpacking, the doorbell rang. It wasn’t Lucas. “Sister-in-law, this place is much more comfortable than your marital home. You must have been wanting to move out for a while!” Chloe said as she entered. I ignored her and continued eating my dinner, though it now tasted like sawdust. “What’s wrong?” Lucas asked as he came in carrying bags. Before I could speak, Chloe quickly said, “Lucas, you were worried she’d be hungry, but she didn’t even wait for you to start eating. Sister-in-law even thanked me. If it weren’t for me, who knows how long she would have stayed in that small house.” I was completely stunned. Then I saw Lucas’s face turn from red to black. The marital home was Lucas’s first major purchase after his career took off. It was proof of his hard work. He hated when people looked down on him. I tried to find words to explain, but Lucas grabbed me forcefully: “Come on, let’s go out to eat!” His grip was strong, and I couldn’t break free. Despite my pregnant belly and slippers, he dragged me out, ignoring my cries of pain until he shoved me into the backseat of the car. He believed Chloe. He was furious. What was left for me to explain? The red marks on my wrist were glaring, bringing a numb pain that spread to my heart. Suddenly, a violent crash rang out, forcing the car to stop. That’s when I realized I was bleeding. The pain intensified. But I heard Chloe cry out: “Lucas, it hurts! Ah! My baby!” Lucas’s forehead was bleeding too. The panic in his voice was real: “Stella, are you okay? Let me help you out!” How could this be? How could he care about me? “Lucas, save me,” Chloe’s words snapped Lucas out of his daze. He swiftly and efficiently carried Chloe out, hailed a cab to the hospital, and never looked back. Though my body was in pain, a smile crept onto my face. Don’t be so conceited, Stella Gray. A kind passerby, unable to bear the sight, took me to the hospital. The concerned doctor frowned and asked, “Where’s your husband?” Coincidentally, a nurse changing shifts was chatting: “Did you see that? If you want a husband, find one like Mr. Lee just now. We told him his wife and child were fine, but he still insisted on having them admitted. He didn’t even care about the blood on his own head.” “Ms. Gray, you need surgery to save the pregnancy. We can’t delay any longer,” the doctor’s words brought my attention back. My body, numb with pain, along with my heart, finally calmed down completely. “No need. I don’t want this child anymore,” I replied.

The surgery was quick. By the time I was settled in the hospital room, my phone was still ringing non-stop. I simply put it on silent. My lower abdomen still had a slight curve, but only I knew the child was gone. I touched my belly, feeling incredibly sad. When Lucas found me, he was extremely anxious. Seeing me touch my belly, he let out a sigh of relief. He instinctively reached out to touch my abdomen, like a caring father. The pain below felt like a knife cutting through me. I avoided his touch: “The baby is gone.” The relieved smile on Lucas’s face froze, which seemed particularly ironic to me. He rushed into the doctor’s office, questioning and angry, then returned dejected. “I’m sorry,” he said. I saw his eyes were slightly red, but I only admired his acting skills. It was too real, real enough to fool even himself. After he left, I called my grandfather to tell him about the miscarriage and my plans for divorce. Grandfather was silent for a while, but finally agreed to my request for a leave of absence from work. As soon as I hung up, Mrs. Lee entered the hospital room and slapped me across the face: “You bring bad luck! Why don’t you just die!” “It’s fortunate Lucas and Chloe are okay, or you’d have to pay with your life!” My already weak body felt even worse. I gritted my teeth and sat up, glaring at her angrily. Mrs. Lee was about to strike again, but Lucas rushed in and stopped her raised hand, scolding her: “Mom! What are you doing?” “The baby is gone. It’s all my fault!” he exclaimed. His protection and acting were like needles to me. Each time it happened, another needle stabbed me. The pain made it hard to breathe. Mrs. Lee grabbed him and berated him outside: “She was your brother’s woman. I’ve tolerated her for too long!” “Do you really want to spend the rest of your life with her?” Lucas, reminded of his brother, immediately filled with hatred: “Of course not. Once I get the Gray family’s assets, I’ll divorce her!” After acting for so long, he seemed a bit reluctant to leave now. No, that’s not it. Lucas said he was working overtime at the company for several days in a row, but he was actually taking care of Chloe. She was completely unharmed, yet she clung to Lucas, asking him to push her wheelchair around the hospital garden. She would look towards the window of my hospital room, and sometimes I could catch her challenging gaze. Chloe had provoked me several times without getting a response. Just before I was to be discharged, she couldn’t resist coming to find me: “Some people can even tolerate their husband’s infidelity.” Who could tolerate that? I sneered, not responding. Should I still try to fight for him? The pain below and my body full of wounds were the answer. “Stella Gray, you think you’re so great just because you have some money? Just you wait!” Chloe huffed as she left. I received a notification of a credit card charge – a $200,000 jewelry purchase. Only then did I remember I was still supporting my mother-in-law. I informed the bank and had the card reported lost and replaced. Coincidentally, the lawyer told me that the analysis of our respective assets was complete, and the divorce agreement could be given to me within three days. Three days. Alright, just three more days. I was just feeling happy about leaving soon when Mrs. Lee’s text message made me feel like I’d fallen into an ice pit. “We’re hosting Chloe’s birthday party at home tomorrow. As her sister-in-law, you can’t be absent.” “It’s not too much to ask you to contribute some money as her sister-in-law, right? $500,000. Remember to transfer it to me.” “Be there at 5 PM sharp. You wouldn’t want tomorrow’s guests to know you brought bad luck to your husband and then married his brother, would you?” Mrs. Lee had been holding this over me for three years. Marcus’s death was already a wound in my heart. The deceased are gone, and I didn’t want to discuss it further with his family.

When Lucas came to pick me up, the doctor refused to discharge me: “Postpartum recovery is crucial. Your husband should understand this.” Lucas showed no concern: “She’s not that delicate.” My bleeding hadn’t stopped, and hearing this from outside the door, I felt my heart grow cold. Once, when I accidentally cut my finger while peeling an apple, he caught my gasp over the phone. He immediately stopped work and rushed home, carefully bandaging my finger: “A wife is meant to be pampered.” How many years has it been since then? On the way back to the family home, I spoke up: “Your mother asked me for $500,000 yesterday. I haven’t given it to her yet.” Lucas had always been unwilling to lose face in front of me. He cleared his throat awkwardly: “I’ll give it to her later.” I nodded and closed my eyes, pretending to doze off. The old house was adorned with red roses, transforming the once simple courtyard into something resembling a wedding venue. Chloe wore a white tulle dress, holding pink roses. When she saw Lucas, a beautiful blush spread across her face. “That must be Lucas’s wife. Why does she have such a gloomy face at her sister-in-law’s birthday? She’s so pale, it’s creepy.” “I heard she had a miscarriage and is still in postpartum recovery. How could she look well?” “Ugh, and she still came? Is she afraid Lucas will dislike her and prefer Chloe?” The coldness in my heart intensified. Unable to hide the pain in my abdomen, I found a place to sit and rest. As soon as I sat down, Mrs. Lee called me over, surrounded by the gossiping women from earlier: “I’ve found a folk remedy that will help you get pregnant again quickly.” The women around her inquired curiously. “From 5:30 until the end of the party, you’ll wash dishes in the kitchen. The more dishes you wash, the more sincere your heart. I’ve bought plenty of extra dishes just for this.” Chloe and Mrs. Lee’s faces showed mocking smiles. From start to finish, it was just a ploy to humiliate me. I bit my lip hard enough to taste blood. The humiliation was unbearable. As I turned to leave, Mrs. Lee suddenly spoke: “Did you all know about Stella’s ex-husband?” I stopped in my tracks, clenching my fists. The pain in my palms reminded me to remember this humiliation. The kitchen was full of servants preparing for the birthday party. They weren’t surprised to see me and collectively sneered. The sink was already piled high with dishes. They pushed me to wash in a basin on the floor. People clearing tables threw oil-stained dishes directly into my basin, splashing dirty water onto my head, face, and clothes. Seeing my miserable state, Chloe covered her mouth and laughed loudly: “Remember to be sincere!” When Lucas passed by with a friend, his friend frowned: “Isn’t that your wife?” I didn’t look up, my hands busy non-stop. I only heard him say: “No, you’re mistaken.” The winter water was freezing, and the pain below persisted. At that moment, I froze. Those words echoed around me like a spell. My heart sank to the depths. Two tears fell straight down, indistinguishable from the oily water. “Hurry up and wash! You’ll be in trouble if you don’t finish!” The curses shattered what was left of my dignity. At the banquet, Lucas presented a gift to Chloe. Chloe blushed shyly, embracing Lucas as if he were her whole world. I stared at the perfect couple, lost in thought. When he proposed, Lucas promised to protect me for life. In our first year of marriage, Mrs. Lee treated me like her own daughter. In our second year, when Mrs. Lee gave me a hard time, he firmly shielded me. In our fourth year of marriage, another woman was carrying his child. My heart turned to ashes, no longer stirred by anything. As the guests began to leave, there were fewer and fewer dishes. Lucas rushed to the kitchen and helped me up. My hands were red from the cold, but I still had the strength to slap him. He didn’t dodge. The sound was crisp. He even held my hand to his chest: “Why are your hands so cold!” That moment of warmth couldn’t thaw my heart. I held my head high, not letting tears fall, and laughed softly: “Lucas, you’re so contradictory.”

I thought I was strong enough, but the moment I finished speaking, tears streamed down my face. As my emotions erupted, Lucas panicked like a child. He held me tightly in his arms, begging softly: “I was wrong, I was wrong. Stella, Stella, let’s start over.” He no longer wanted to deceive himself. He no longer wanted to act. His wife was innocent. Before I could push him away, Chloe appeared and forcefully separated us. She was hysterical, her eyes brimming with tears, as if she were the wronged wife catching her husband in the act: “Lucas, what about us? What about our child?” “Have you forgotten? You never liked her. You dated her, married her, only because she’s the Gray family’s daughter!” “You love me! We’ve been in love for eight years!” “Back then, you saved her only because…!” “Enough, Chloe, you’ve gone mad. I’m calling the driver to take you home right now!” Lucas rushed over to cover her mouth. Shame, anger, fear – for the first time, I saw so many emotions on Lucas’s face. What was there to hide? I already knew all of this. But I never expected that I was the other woman. At this point, I lost all strength. Seven whole years. I never imagined I had fallen into an elaborately designed trap. A man from humble beginnings marrying into wealth for money, abandoning his loyal wife. How cliché. I admit I married the wrong person. I loved the wrong person, and I’ll change that. My heart ached intensely. Marriage is a gamble, and I had lost completely. Lucas finally got Chloe into the car and locked her inside. The driver took Chloe away.

In the instant Lucas turned to run back to me, I saw the hatred in Chloe’s eyes. “Stella, Chloe was talking nonsense. Don’t take it to heart.” “Everything she said was a lie.” “I’ve neglected you too much. For your birthday, how about we go on vacation to England?” Lucas reached for my hand as he spoke, but I dodged, barely managing to stand. The disgust on my face was undisguised. When he looked at me, his breath stopped for a moment. At that moment, Attorney Zhou called: “The agreement has been delivered to your home.” My body, which had been on the verge of collapse from exhaustion, found new strength. I smiled sweetly, suppressing my disgust to hold his hand that I had just avoided: “The Starry Sky development agreement is ready. Let’s go home and sign it.” The Starry Sky development had been Lucas’s passion project for the past year. He wouldn’t suspect anything. Perhaps my acting was convincing, as Lucas’s face showed joy at being accepted by me. Lucas silently reflected on his actions. He vowed to prepare a grand birthday trip for me and fulfill all the promises he had once made. This vision of the future made him sign two documents without noticing anything amiss. The moment the divorce agreement was signed, I was free. From that moment, the Gray family, including its assets, had no connection to Lucas Lee. Lucas finally noticed the changes in the hillside mansion. He suddenly felt uneasy: “Stella, where’s the painting I made for you?” “I sent it for touch-ups.” He reminded me – those things should have been burned long ago. If he could act, so could I. Lucas’s phone kept ringing. After silencing it, his expression turned sour. He spoke up: “Chloe might have some issues. I’ll go check on her and come right back.” I nodded. Lucas thought I was jealous: “If you don’t like it, I won’t go.” I sneered and turned back to the bedroom. Behind me, Chloe’s distinctive ringtone sounded, clear and persistent. Then, the door opened, and he left. Stella Gray, it’s all over now. A tear fell, and my heart ached. I sent the divorce agreement to my grandfather. The rest would need his help to tie up loose ends. I quickly packed my bags and headed to the airport. On his way to find Chloe, Lucas had already planned what to say to her. Five million dollars was all he could give her. Using half of his savings for a new life seemed fair to both of them. Lucas also contacted an overseas travel agency to prepare a grand birthday trip for me. But Chloe clearly wasn’t satisfied. She cried and made a scene. Her emotional outburst even led her to the hospital. Lucas couldn’t make it home, but not wanting me to worry, he called me. He called again and again, but no one answered. For some reason, he felt an overwhelming sense of unease at that moment. He quickly sent his assistant to the hillside mansion. “Mr. Lee, it’s not good. Mrs. Lee is gone!”

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At the press conference, David Blackwell, my husband, was about to announce his love for someone else when Ella Carter, the new assistant, suddenly stepped onto the stage holding a little girl. “Sweetie, Daddy’s calling you up here!” she said. The crowd instantly erupted in excitement, bombarding David with questions about his new romance. David didn’t deny it. Instead, he affectionately pulled the little girl into his arms and even put on the company’s newest, multi-million-dollar jewelry collection for her. “Yes, we have a child,” he confirmed. Seeing me, Victoria Hayes, standing frozen, the reporters were only too eager to stir the pot. “Ms. Hayes, you’ve been with Mr. Blackwell for so long. On such an important day, shouldn’t you say something?” I smiled faintly, then tossed the jewelry design I’d worked a year on to the new assistant. “Good things come in pairs,” I said. “Consider this the gift for your daughter.” When I gave the designs to Ella Carter, everyone paused for a moment before bursting into laughter. “Only Ms. Hayes could be so generous with something so valuable. These designs were your entire year’s work!” “Ms. Hayes, you spoil Mr. Blackwell’s daughter so much. Why not just be her godmother?” Ella, hearing this, tilted her chin up and shot me a smug look. David, on the other hand, clenched his jaw, his deep, cold eyes fixed on me. Seeing him so uncomfortable only amused me. We’d been married for ten years. Yet, he’d always avoided officially announcing our marriage, using the company’s interests as an excuse. He never drove me to or from work, leaving me to take the bus every day. At the office, he kept a strict line between us, refusing to let me call him honey. I was only allowed to address him as Mr. Blackwell. I never complained, quietly staying in this hidden marriage for a decade, supporting him as we built the company from the ground up. It wasn’t until yesterday, when I won the design competition with my new jewelry line worth millions, bringing in numerous partnerships for the company, that he finally agreed to officially announce me as his wife at today’s press conference. I couldn’t believe it. After all these years, he was finally going to recognize me publicly. I’d stayed up all night out of excitement. The next day, I woke up early to get ready. I even spent half a year’s salary on a new dress, hoping to look perfect beside David. But in the end, the woman standing next to him wasn’t me. I was the punchline of the joke. If this had happened before, I would’ve been furious, screaming at him. But now, I just stood there, calmly watching the family of three on stage. “Wishing you all a lifetime of happiness,” I said, my voice steady. David’s eyes turned icy. He opened his mouth and was about to say something when he was interrupted by the little girl’s crying. Ella tugged at David’s sleeve. “David, I think Hannah’s scared and crying…” At her words, David shot me a cold glance and spat, “Look at what you’ve done.” He waved his hand dismissively, shoving me aside as he scooped up Hannah and took Ella’s hand, leaving the stage without looking back. The push threw me off balance. My high heels twisted, and I fell hard, my head hitting the champagne tower. The glasses shattered on me, the cold champagne soaking my dress, and a sharp pain ran through my back. Yet David didn’t even glance back. Watching his indifferent back, I couldn’t help but feel a bitter sense of irony. He was kinder to a stranger than to his wife and daughter. Hannah Carter was only crying from being startled, and David was clearly rattled. But when our own daughter had a high fever, delirious and on the brink of death, he did nothing. Once upon a time, David and I had a five-year-old daughter. That year, while I was away on business, I asked David to take care of her since she had a high fever. He promised he would. But instead of staying with her, he went out for business meetings, leaving our daughter alone at home, burning with fever for hours. By the time I rushed back, it was too late. She had passed away. We fought terribly that day. Later, he knelt in front of me, crying and apologizing. I softened because of our shared history, and I forgave him. I was foolish back then, but not anymore. I turned around and left the venue, not like before when I stayed behind to let David clean up the mess. After leaving the venue, I took a taxi home, planning to disinfect and bandage my wounds with iodine and gauze. As soon as I walked in, I saw Ella and Hannah sitting on the couch, laughing. Hannah was holding my daughter’s favorite teddy bear. When Ella saw me, she smiled. “Victoria, you’re back! Hannah said she wanted to come see your place, so David brought us here. He even told us to treat it like our own home!” She then pulled out a set of design blueprints and started playing with them in front of me, clearly showing off. “I heard these are your precious blueprints, and the necklace Hannah’s wearing is the one you designed for your daughter, right? “I only brought it up, and David just handed everything over to us. “Victoria, if you know what’s good for you, just leave already! Don’t wait until you get dumped and end up embarrassed!” Before, I would have been furious at her provocation. But now, I just gave her a cold glance and turned to head upstairs. I was in a hurry to clean my wound and had no time for her petty games. But Ella blocked my path. The next moment, she ripped the necklace off Hannah’s neck and slapped her across the face. Hannah’s face turned red, and she burst into tears as she was scared out of her mind. Ella held Hannah in her arms and deliberately shouted. “Victoria, I know you’re angry with me because of the press conference. If you have a problem, come at me! But Hannah’s just a child!” I almost wanted to laugh. This was one of her usual tricks. Before I could react, David rushed over. His face darkened when he saw Hannah’s swollen face, and he slapped me across the cheek. “Victoria, you’ve gone too far! How could you hurt an innocent child? “Hannah is Ella’s niece! They were just joking around earlier, trying to lighten the mood. Why do you have to make such a big deal out of it?” Pathetic acting, but David bought it. If this had happened before, I would have been furious and jealous of how biased he was toward Ella. But now, I felt nothing, just calm and not a trace of sadness. I picked up the necklace from the floor, handed it back to Ella, and smiled faintly. “You were just trying to lighten the mood, and I should be grateful, not angry. How could I possibly hold it against you? “To show my appreciation, I even booked a five-star restaurant for us.” I pulled out my phone and showed them the reservation. This was the restaurant I had originally booked to celebrate after announcing things with David, but now there was no need. Seeing that I wasn’t lying, David went silent for a moment, then awkwardly said, “I’ll transfer you the money for the meal.” I waved my hand, refusing his offer. David’s tone softened a bit. “Victoria, you’ve really changed. Don’t worry. I’ll make it up to you after we announce everything.” But he didn’t realize that when a woman suddenly became more understanding, it was not because she was weaker. It was because she no longer loved him. This time, I was determined to be the one who walked away first.

After that, David took Ella and Hannah to the restaurant. I went upstairs to treat my wounds. When I took off my high heels, my ankles were swollen and red. My heels were covered in blisters, some of which had burst and were oozing blood. When the iodine touched the wounds, I couldn’t help but suck in a breath. It really hurt. I never liked high heels, but David did, especially watching me wear them. Over the years, I forced myself to wear them just to please him. Even though my feet were constantly bleeding, I endured it willingly. Looking back now, I realize how foolish I was. After treating my wounds, I slipped on some comfortable slippers and threw the high heels into the trash. Compared to the painful high heels, I much preferred the comfort of slippers. This time, I wasn’t going to cater to anyone. I wanted to live for myself. With that thought in mind, I quickly took out my phone and sent a message to a major company that had been showing interest in me. I wrote: [I’ve agreed to the collaboration.] The reply came instantly: [Victoria, you’ve finally made up your mind. Set the reporting date. We’ll be ready whenever you are.] This big company was the leading enterprise in Larkhaven, and their CEO had always been impressed by my business skills and design ability. He often extended offers to me, and their salary and benefits were very attractive. But I turned them all down. It was because David needed me. Most of the company’s operations depended on me, and all their new products relied on my design blueprints. I gave up my future, willingly staying by David’s side, working like a dog for him. But once the company grew stronger, he kicked me to the curb without a second thought. It was then that I realized that true feelings didn’t always get reciprocated. When it came to the matter with my daughter, I forgave him because of what he had once done for me. But this time, I didn’t owe him anything. We were completely done. Thinking of this, I replied to the company: [I’ll report tomorrow.] With that, I bought the earliest flight for tomorrow and began packing my bags. As I was packing, I realized I couldn’t even fill a suitcase with my things. The closet was full of David’s suits and ties, while my clothes consisted of a few faded and worn-out skirts. The only thing of value was the gold bracelet he had given me. Although it was an old style from more than a decade ago, I treasured it. It was a gift from David, bought with his first earnings. Back then, in his twenties, he smiled brightly as he put the bracelet on me, promising he would love me forever and saying that one day, when he had money, he would buy me a whole collection of jewelry. But once he did have money, he never bought me anything nice again. On our seventh anniversary, I couldn’t help but ask him for a set of jewelry. He got angry, scolding me for being wasteful and not understanding how hard he worked to make money. After that, to correct my spending habits, he set a strict budget for me. Any expense over two hundred dollars had to be approved by the finance department. The man I once loved suddenly became a stranger. When did everything change? Maybe it was when Ella appeared. Once Ella showed up, David’s heart quietly drifted away. He restricted every penny I spent down to the cent. But when it came to Ella, he was generous. When Ella said, “I want this,” he didn’t hesitate to buy her a diamond necklace worth millions. He was always very clear about the boundaries between us, never allowing me to interact with him too much at the office. But with Ella, he let her casually call him David. Not only that, he even took Ella out to eat and watch movies during work hours… As I was thinking, the bracelet slipped from my hand and fell to the floor. I picked it up and saw that the surface was scratched, revealing black marks inside. The bracelet was fake. I couldn’t help but laugh. This relationship was a mistake from the start, yet I foolishly held on for all these years! At least now, it wasn’t too late to wake up. I threw the bracelet into the trash and cut up all the photos I had with David. Just then, my phone rang. It was an Instagram update from Ella. In the photo, David was holding Hannah, allowing her oil-covered hands to rub all over his expensive suit while looking at her with doting eyes. Ella was leaning against him, smiling as she fed him a steak covered in her saliva, and he ate it without a hint of disgust. It was so ironic. He had always been a clean freak. Once, when our daughter had made him coffee and accidentally spilled it on his leather shoes, he yelled at her for an hour and locked her in the basement all day, not letting her eat or drink anything. That was when her health started to decline, making her weak and prone to illness. And when I once mistakenly drank from his cup, he smashed it in front of me, glaring at me with disgust. “How disgusting!” But he only had a problem with our hygiene. He found both my daughter and me disgusting. I let out a cold laugh and gave a like. That only made my resolve to leave stronger, so I quickened my pace. Once I finished, I went to bed and went to sleep. I hadn’t been asleep long when I was woken up by a knock on the door. I didn’t even have to guess. It was David. David hated the trouble of entering the passcode, so he had gotten into the habit of asking me to open the door for him. Before, he never even needed to knock. All he had to do was shout, and I would run to open the door for him. But now, I just turned over and continued sleeping. I was just about to drift into sleep when, the next second, David angrily kicked the door open, flipped the light on with a loud snap, and shouted, “Victoria, are you deaf? You’re clearly awake, why didn’t you get up to open the door for me!”

The sudden burst of light snapped me awake. I had been sleeping so deeply that I hadn’t heard the knock at all. Seeing David’s dark expression, I was a little surprised. Did he actually come back this time? Every time he went on a date with Ella, he would always make up an excuse to stay at her place. Either he’d say Ella was scared of thunder and couldn’t sleep alone or that she was just a young girl who needed him to look after her for safety. But once, when our five-year-old daughter said she was scared of the dark and wanted David to come back to keep her company, he’d said she was being melodramatic. He claimed it was good for her to face her fears and, when I wasn’t paying attention, locked her in a small, dark room, giving her a fear of enclosed spaces. Back then, I used to feel so upset about David’s bias and double standards, and I would get into huge arguments with him. But now, no matter what he did, I didn’t care anymore. I gave a faint “Hmm,” pulled the blanket over my head, and went back to sleep. David froze for a moment, then furrowed his brows in displeasure. “Don’t play around. I’m really tired. Get up and run a bath for me. And wash my clothes too.” He tossed his jacket at me. The collar was covered with lipstick stains and smelled strongly of Ella’s perfume. It was disgusting. If this had been before, I wouldn’t have needed him to say anything. I would’ve eagerly gotten up to serve him. But now, he just seemed like a nuisance. I tossed the jacket back at him. “You’re not disabled, you can wash it yourself.” David was stunned for a second, then pulled a gift box out of his pocket and threw it at me. “I know you’re upset about what happened today, so here, this is for you.” Inside was a pair of silver earrings. But he forgot that I was allergic to silver, and I didn’t even have ear piercings. What was even more ridiculous was that these earrings were things Ella had discarded. I had seen them on her Instagram before. I let out a cold laugh and tossed the earrings in the trash. “If someone else doesn’t want it, I don’t either.” David’s patience finally ran out, and his face darkened even more. “Victoria, have I spoiled you too much?” The drowsiness hit me hard, and I yawned. “I’m tired, nothing else. I’m going back to sleep.” Seeing my indifferent attitude, David gritted his teeth and said, “Fine! You’re pushing me away, don’t regret it!” David turned to leave, but I called out to him. “Wait.” He smiled, thinking I was just playing hard to get. The next moment, I took out a pen and paper from the drawer and handed them to him. “Sign this.” David’s eyes immediately turned cold. “You stopped me just to have me sign some meaningless contract?” I smirked. “Maybe you should read it properly before speaking?” After looking at the document, David froze for a moment, then snapped the pen in his hand.

“Divorce Agreement? You want a divorce from me?” David narrowed his eyes and looked at me coldly. “Victoria, there’s a limit to how jealous you can be.” I responded indifferently, “I’m serious.” David’s face darkened as he slammed the divorce papers onto the table. “I won’t sign.” I spoke calmly, “If you don’t sign, I can still leave. It’s just a matter of time.” Unable to argue with me, David gritted his teeth in frustration. He snorted and stormed off, deliberately stomping his feet as he left. I knew what he was trying to do. He wanted me to chase after him. In the past, whenever he got angry, I would rush to apologize. But now? Who cared about him? I had more important things to do, like sleeping. The sound of footsteps outside gradually faded, and I quickly drifted into a deep sleep. The next morning, I woke up naturally. As expected, David hadn’t come home the night before. He must have been really upset yesterday. After breakfast, I took a taxi to the office and submitted my resignation letter to HR. Once that was done, I took out my phone and sent a message to our business partner. When we signed the deal, their only request was for me to be the point of contact. Now that I was leaving, I needed to inform them. After taking care of that, I turned to leave. Just as I stepped outside, I ran into David and Ella. So, he really did go to Ella last night. They were standing close to each other, chatting and laughing. “David, I’m really sorry about Hannah yesterday. She’s always been a handful, and with her parents both gone, I only asked you to act as her father to make her happy. Victoria wouldn’t mind, would she?” David scoffed. “What’s there for her to mind? She’s a mother herself now. She should learn to be more understanding.” I found it amusing. He wanted me to be understanding? Then why didn’t he apply the same to our own daughter when he cared about other people’s kids? When they saw me, both Ella and David fell silent. The air between us froze instantly. Soon, some colleagues broke the awkwardness with teasing. They crowded around me, complimenting Ella and David. “Wow, Ella, you and Mr. Blackwell kept it a secret so well, you even have a daughter now!” “So when are you two having a second child? You’d make a perfect pair of a son and a daughter!” Ella chuckled softly, casting a shy glance at David. David didn’t object, letting them tease without saying a word. But when my daughter and I came to the company to find him before, and she called him “Daddy,” he angrily slapped her ten times and told her to avoid causing trouble. Later, rumors spread about me and David, and he even fired the gossiping employees on the spot. Yet now, with everyone teasing him, he didn’t say a word, showing no care for appearances. What a hypocrite! As I thought about this, Ella had already swayed her hips over to me. “Victoria, why are you only just getting to the office now? It’s already eleven. You’ve been with the company so long, you should set an example.” David immediately grew cold. “Victoria, what’s with your attitude? “If you don’t want to work, just give your position to Ella. In terms of ability, she’s far above you.” I almost laughed out loud. David knew full well that the company depended on me for everything. Ella couldn’t even print a document, yet he said she was more capable than me. I knew exactly what he was trying to do, humiliate me and pressure me into giving in. But I was in a rush to catch a flight and didn’t have time for their workplace games. “It’s not that complicated. I’ve already resigned, and I can give up the position right now.” Ella pretended to try to convince me to stay. “Victoria, this isn’t the time to act on impulse. Your age is showing. After you quit, where are you going to find such a good job? You might even struggle to get a job as a janitor. “Besides, the company’s new product is about to launch. Leaving now would be such a loss.” Her words only made David angrier. He snapped coldly, “Ella, don’t try to convince her! Let her go. The company will be fine without her! “Just one thing, Victoria. Once the new product launches, the company is going to soar. Don’t come crying to me when you regret this.” It was hard to say who would end up regretting it. They had no idea that I was the only one in the company who held the core technology. Without me, they couldn’t even get the samples ready. If he wanted to list it, maybe in his next life. I sneered. “You probably won’t even make it that far.” David furrowed his brows in confusion. “What do you mean?” At that moment, his phone rang. It was a call from our partner. David immediately smiled, his eyes full of smugness. “The partner must be calling to discuss the new product launch. Now, you’ll regret it, but it’s too late.” To provoke me, he even put the call on speaker. But in the next second, the partner’s words burst his bubble. “Why haven’t the latest samples been delivered yet? If you don’t send them over today, your company will be facing a three-hundred-million-dollar penalty for breach of contract!”

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As a CEO, my wife is incredibly wealthy, yet she’s always worried I’m after her inheritance. She keeps a tight rein on our finances, allowing my daughter and me just $200 a month for spending money. However, when her first love came back to the country, she didn’t hesitate to shower him with a luxury car and a mansion, worth millions, to welcome him. Later, when my daughter had a sudden heart attack, the only thing that could save her was a $10,000 surgery. Instead, I was accused of being ambitious and was thrown out of the company by security. I watched as my daughter passed away in the operating room, while my wife boarded a plane for a joyful world tour with her first love. After I finished arranging my daughter’s funeral, my wife returned from her trip, as indifferent as ever. She said: “Hey, didn’t you and our daughter always want to go to the amusement park? I’ll take you next week.” But she didn’t know that the moment our daughter died on that operating table, I was ready to end our marriage.

I was packing up my daughter’s belongings when my wife, Adeline, who had just returned from her world tour, casually walked back into our home. “Declan, can you massage my shoulders? The trip really wore me out.” Hearing this, I, who once cherished her dearly, remained silent and continued packing. Seeing I ignored her, Adeline frowned, then suddenly laughed as if something amusing had crossed her mind. “Are you still jealous about Jasper and I traveling together?” Jasper was her childhood friend. Adeline had left our daughter, who was gravely ill, to travel the world with this friend, letting our daughter die on a cold operating table. Thinking about my daughter’s eyes slowly losing their warmth felt like a dagger through my heart. Before I could speak, Jasper walked in, feigning innocence: “Oh, Declan, it’s all my fault for dragging Adeline on the trip.” “But don’t worry, it was just a trip, nothing more.” He spoke lightly, yet they wore matching outfits and rings, looking like a genuine couple in public. Meanwhile, the wedding ring Adeline and I shared had long been discarded by her. Seeing I still wouldn’t speak, Adeline sighed, looking helpless. “Alright, don’t be mad. I’ll send an extra $500 this month for Anna to get something nice.” “Just remember, I’m doing this for you. No need to thank me.” But looking at the transaction on my phone, I felt nothing but mockery. She spent millions on a world tour with Jasper, buying luxury brands, where a single bag costs thousands. Yet now, giving me $500 felt as if she was doing me a huge favor. Jasper stood by, trying to suppress his laughter, sarcastically saying: “Declan, $500 is quite a bit. You should thank Adeline.” “Let me tell you, kids should be raised modestly, so they won’t be materialistic when they grow up!” As absurd as it was, Adeline believed it. To prevent our daughter from being materialistic, she strictly controlled our expenses, giving only $200 monthly. I used to argue because I wanted a better life for our daughter, but now she’s gone. Arguing means nothing. With this thought, I returned the money and said calmly: “No need, I don’t want it.” Adeline’s smile froze, then she helplessly said: “Declan, I already apologized. What more do you want?” Before I could speak, Jasper’s mocking voice came from the side, “I think he just thinks $500 is too little, right?” “Declan, not to be harsh, but with your greedy attitude, how can you be a good example for Anna?” He lectured me condescendingly. Hearing this, Adeline also looked at me with disappointment. “Declan, we’ve been married a few years, and you’re already this greedy?” “In a few more years, are you planning to take over the shares and inheritance from Adeline’s family?” Listening to Adeline’s accusation, I couldn’t help but laugh at myself. After all this time, this is how she sees me. But my silence, to her, seemed like guilt. The next moment, Adeline spoke with irritation: “Looks like Jasper was right, you’re not a fit father.” “I’m doing this to teach our daughter resilience.” “If you keep this up, and Anna turns out materialistic and greedy like you, can we still call this a family?” Looking at her seriousness, I found it ironic. Her so-called resilience was scolding me for asking for a little extra for groceries, accusing me of eyeing her inheritance. Even when our daughter scored high and wanted a small cake, she’d point at her, scolding: “So materialistic at a young age, you’ll grow up to be a gold-digger!” “Your dad will spoil you rotten someday!” Thinking of this, I was about to tell her about our daughter. “Adeline, our daughter is already…” But before I could finish, Jasper suddenly cried out in pain at the door. The next moment, Adeline didn’t even bother continuing to lecture me, she rushed to Jasper’s side. “Jasper, what happened?” Jasper feigned nonchalance, waving it off: “Adeline, I’m fine. Maybe the long flight triggered my old back pain.” “I’m okay, don’t let me delay your time with family.” Hearing this, Adeline shook her head. “Your health comes first. I’ll take you to the hospital now.” Just before leaving, Adeline seemed to remember something, turned to me, and sighed seriously. “Declan, let’s both calm down first.” “When I get back, we can discuss taking our daughter out next week.” But she didn’t know our daughter was gone, and I had no intention of waiting for her anymore.

After gathering my thoughts, I took my resignation letter and went straight to the company to resign. On the way, colleagues pointed and whispered. “Isn’t that Declan? How can he still show his face here?” “Yeah, asking CEO Adeline for $10,000 last month and got thrown out by security.” “With his salary, how many years would he need to earn $10,000?” “Ignore this clown, let’s go…” Hearing these, I laughed at myself. For years, Adeline never announced our relationship, even arranged for me to be just a regular employee to avoid suspicion. I’ve worked hard, even drank myself sick to secure big deals for the company. All I wanted was to become better, to make her acknowledge me and our daughter. But my promotion applications were repeatedly rejected by her. I sought her out for an explanation. She smiled, clinging to my arm, sweetly said: “Declan, this is all to train you, so you can be a better husband and father!” “Besides, I earn enough for us. Do you think I can’t support you and our daughter, or are you trying to climb into the company’s upper ranks to seize power?” I was left speechless, thinking she had her reasons. But on the day Jasper returned, she sent dozens of luxury cars to the airport, the cannon salute was deafening. That night, Jasper parachuted into the company, appointed as Vice President. I realized then, love or lack thereof, the difference was obvious. Given this, there’s no need to continue this ridiculous marriage. I submitted my resignation. Stepping out of the company, I expected to feel heavy-hearted, but I only felt relief. For years, like a bird with clipped wings, I’ve been trapped in a cage, oppressed. Now, I see freedom ahead. I visited my daughter’s grave, placed her favorite toys by her small tombstone. Stayed with her until nightfall, then dragged my tired body home. To my surprise, opening the door, Adeline was unexpectedly home waiting. “Do you know what time it is? I thought you’d learned to stay out all night.” On the couch, Adeline frowned, arms crossed, displeased. Her expression was a signal for me to comfort her. But I found it odd that while Jasper’s minor injuries would keep her by his side, she wasn’t with him at the hospital today. Not my concern, so I didn’t ask. I calmly asked: “What’s up?” My cold tone made Adeline’s face stiffen. No matter what happened before, I always greeted her with a smile. But since she returned from her trip, I’ve been different. No arguments, no fuss, even my gaze lost warmth. This made her uneasy, quickly saying: “Are you still mad about me going with Jasper? I told you, it was just to relax.” “Didn’t our daughter always say she wanted to go to the beach? Once I’m less busy, I’ll take you and her, okay?” “Is something the matter?” Adeline’s expression shifted, caught off guard by the icy tone. In the past, no matter what happened, I always greeted her with a smile. But ever since she returned from her trip, I’ve changed. I no longer argue or make a fuss, and even my gaze towards her has grown cold. This unsettled her, prompting her to say hurriedly, “Are you still upset about me going out with Jasper? I told you, it was just a break to clear my mind.” “Our daughter has always wanted to go to the beach, right? Once things settle down, I’ll take you both. How about that?” Her attempt at reconciliation felt more like a condescending gesture. To her, my daughter and I were like pets—amusing when she was in a good mood, and pushed aside when she wasn’t. Suddenly, Adeline seemed to remember something and looked at me curiously. “Wait, where’s our daughter? I haven’t seen her since I got back.” “Did you send her to your mom?” I stared at her in disbelief. She had been back for two days and was only now asking about our daughter? It was clear she didn’t truly care about our daughter or this family. Before I could respond, Jasper emerged from the bathroom wearing my bathrobe.

Seeing me, Jasper was unfazed and acted as if he owned the place, warmly inviting me in: “Declan, come on in, make yourself comfortable.” I was momentarily speechless, looking questioningly at Adeline on the sofa. “Why is he here?” Sensing my expression, Adeline awkwardly explained, “Jasper hasn’t been well, so I brought him here to look after him. Don’t overthink it.” I suddenly understood. No wonder Adeline was home tonight—it was all for Jasper. She seemed relieved, adding, “It’s a good thing you sent our daughter to your mom’s beforehand. Otherwise, it would’ve been inconvenient with so many people here.” I found it ironic. She hadn’t even noticed our daughter’s absence, her mind solely occupied with Jasper. Jasper feigned remorse, saying, “It’s all my fault for disrupting your married life, Declan. I’m just here temporarily. You aren’t upset, right?” But his eyes were filled with smugness and a challenge. Adeline, anxious to avoid conflict, quickly interjected, “Declan, don’t worry. Jasper and I agreed he’d sleep on the sofa. He won’t disturb us.” But the next moment, I saw pity in her eyes for him. How could she bear to let Jasper sleep on a cold sofa? If I hadn’t come back suddenly, she would have cradled him in her arms. Thinking of this, I said, “Since his back is bad, he shouldn’t sleep on the sofa. He should sleep in the master bedroom.” Jasper’s face lit up with delight at my words. “Really? Declan, you’re so generous.” Adeline also breathed a sigh of relief. “Declan, I’m glad you see it this way. I was worried you’d be jealous of Jasper and make a scene.” She thought I had matured and wouldn’t argue over such trivial matters. I was leaving anyway, so why should it matter to me where he stays? As Adeline joyfully led Jasper into the master bedroom, I quietly packed my bags, ready to stay at a hotel. But as I reached the door, Adeline emerged from the bedroom and stopped me. “Declan, it’s late. Where are you going?” I smiled faintly. “To give you and Jasper some space, of course.” Upon hearing this, Adeline’s expression turned grim, and she gritted her teeth. “What do you mean by that, Declan?” “I already explained. It’s because of Jasper’s back pain that I brought him here temporarily. You’re the one who agreed to let him stay in the master bedroom. What are you doing now?” “Don’t you have any sympathy?” Her words were endless, but I found them amusing. I used to argue with her about Jasper, and she’d call me immature and unreasonable. Now that I was mature and didn’t argue, she was unhappy again. Jasper pretended to sob. “I knew Declan was still mad at me. It’s all my fault. I should just suffer on the street.” His poor acting fooled Adeline, who then shielded Jasper. “Jasper, you’re staying here today. I’d like to see who dares to kick you out!” Crossing her arms, she coldly said to me: “You’ve grown bold. Go ahead, leave if you dare!” She assumed I loved her too much to really leave. But from the moment our daughter died, my love for her vanished. I would never forgive her. I chuckled coldly, grabbed my suitcase, and left. Adeline stared at my back in disbelief, unable to comprehend. It wasn’t until I got in the elevator that I heard her shout, “Go on! If you leave, don’t come back!” But she didn’t realize I truly wouldn’t return. She had lost me forever. At the hotel, I slept peacefully. The next morning, I woke up to dozens of missed calls—all from Adeline. The last call was half an hour ago. I was surprised she hadn’t slept all night. She used to tell me to be more tolerant and not argue with Jasper. When did she become so petty? When I opened the door, Adeline sat tiredly in a chair. Seeing me, her eyes immediately welled up. “Just because I let Jasper stay with us, you’re leaving and quitting your job?”

I didn’t answer directly, but asked, frowning: “How did you know I was here?” Adeline’s voice was hoarse. “I checked your bank transactions.” I suddenly remembered that not long after we married, Adeline took control of our finances, monitoring my and our daughter’s expenses closely. Even the bank cards were under her name. Looks like I won’t be needing that card anymore. But I was puzzled. Shouldn’t she be at home taking care of Jasper? Why was she here? Adeline, unusually gentle, took my hand. “I know you’re still mad about last night.” “So this morning, after Jasper felt a bit better, I sent him away. Don’t worry, he slept on the sofa.” I looked at her in disbelief. She never used to explain these things. Whenever I argued with her about them, she’d call me petty and narrow-minded. But now, without me asking, she kept talking in my ear. I felt annoyed and pushed her away, expressionless. “Are you done? I need to go to an interview.” Recently, I’d sent out many resumes and received offers from several big companies. But just as I was about to leave, Adeline, tearful, grabbed me, her voice trembling: “Declan, must you be so heartless?” “Jasper and I grew up together. I just want him to be well. Is that wrong?” “Besides, haven’t I been good to you and our daughter?” “Haven’t I paid for everything you and our daughter needed all these years?” “Do you think this is fair to me?” Her confident words felt ironic. She only gave us 200 dollars a month, barely enough for basic needs, let alone school or commuting… To feed our daughter, I worked three part-time jobs after work. Yet, I couldn’t gather the ten thousand dollars for surgery and watched as our daughter died on the operating table. Tearfully, Adeline softly said: “Declan, stop this, come home with our daughter. Let’s live happily as a family, okay?” Her pitiful look only amused me. Why should I act like her obedient dog, doing whatever she says? Seeing my stern face, she reluctantly offered: “Then… I’ll raise your and our daughter’s allowance to 500 a month!” “Didn’t our daughter want to go to the beach? Let’s go today, okay?” “Look, I even bought her the swimsuit she always wanted.” She finished, looking at me expectantly. She thought her offer was tempting enough that I couldn’t refuse. I sneered coldly, “You want to take our daughter to the beach?” “Then come with me.” Adeline had no idea what was coming. She thought I’d forgiven her. As she followed me to the car, she joked: “We’ve been together so long, and you still have surprises for me?” “Alright, I’ll humor you and check it out.” But when I drove to our daughter’s grave, Adeline looked confused. “Declan, weren’t we going to your mom’s to see our daughter?” “Why did you bring me here?” I gave a bitter chuckle, “You want to take our daughter to the beach, right?” “Then follow me.” Adeline had no idea what was coming. She thought I’d forgiven her. Even as she got into the car with me, she joked with a playful smile: “We’ve been together for so long, and you’re still planning surprises for me?” “Alright, I’ll humor you and come along.” But when I drove to our daughter’s grave, Adeline looked puzzled. “Declan, weren’t you taking me to your mom’s to see our daughter?” “Why did you bring me here?” The moment Adeline saw our daughter’s photo on the tombstone, the swimsuit she had bought slipped from her hands.

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I had a fever of 39 degrees and asked my wife to take me to the hospital. She dismissed it as a waste of money and told me to just tough it out. I was writhing in pain on the floor when I overheard her on the phone, speaking warmly to someone she cherished deeply. “I got the latest model of the watch. Make sure to wear it for our date today.” “Of course, I have to give you something special. After all, you’re the heir to Lin Corporation. I can’t let you feel wronged.” My heart sank with despair. After a brief pause, I asked my wife for a divorce. She looked irritated. “You want a divorce over something so trivial? Do you even realize how much you earn monthly? What are you trying to do?” “If you want to divorce, fine. But all the marital assets must go to me.” I nodded in agreement. After all, what are marital assets compared to the fact that I’ve only been away for three years, and someone has already usurped my rightful place as the true heir of the Lin family? “It’s just a fever. Drink some warm water, and you’ll be fine. Going to the hospital is just a waste of money.” “Besides, the salary you gave me last month was too little. Our daily expenses are barely covered. If we go to the hospital, we’ll really be out of money next month.” My wife, Phoebe, sighed and gently adjusted the covers for me. In the past, seeing her troubled and concerned expression might have convinced me. But her recent phone call is still echoing in my mind. I looked at her without speaking. Assuming I believed her as usual, Phoebe patted my hair. “You stay home and rest. I’ll go out to buy groceries and make you a nice dinner tonight.” With that, she left without waiting for my response. Before leaving, she sprayed on some perfume and checked her reflection to ensure her makeup and outfit were perfect. Clearly, she wasn’t going grocery shopping but rather on a date. I sat in silence for two minutes, then got up and followed her in a cab. Soon, I saw Phoebe’s car parked in front of a restaurant. She got out and leapt onto the back of a waiting man with a smile. Their natural interaction showed this wasn’t their first meeting. I sat in the car, wrapped in a thick blanket, yet feeling colder than ever. All my lingering doubts were finally answered. No wonder she always complained about the lack of living expenses. No wonder she was hot and cold towards me, even though I tried so hard to please her. No wonder I often saw receipts for men’s gifts in her bag, but never received any myself. … Turns out, in her heart, my place had already been taken by another man. I felt a complex mix of emotions. I paid the cab fare and walked into the restaurant. Phoebe and I had come a long way, and I didn’t want to separate over a misunderstanding. I needed to understand her position. As I entered, I saw Phoebe feeding the man milk tea, using the same straw he had used without hesitation. But I remembered she had a cleanliness obsession and even found my worn clothes dirty. I clenched my fist, intending to step forward when Phoebe spotted me first. “Declan, what are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be resting at home since you’re unwell?” Her expression was tense for a moment but quickly returned to normal. I stepped forward, glancing at the sumptuous meal on the table and the bill next to her. Two people, a meal costing nearly ten thousand. The card used was our joint one. The man beside her wore a brand-new watch on his wrist, and even the cheapest model of this brand costs over fifty thousand. I didn’t respond to her. I just gave a bitter laugh. “No wonder you didn’t want to take me to the hospital. Turns out all the money went here.” Phoebe got flustered, her usual gentle demeanor vanishing as she glared at me. “What are you sneering about? Orion is a friend who has helped me a lot. This is just a way to repay him.” “Instead, why are you, sick and all, following me here for no reason?” Before I could speak, Orion sneered, deliberately showing off his watch to me. “So you’re Phoebe’s useless boyfriend?” “You’re useless, making Phoebe suffer so much. If it were me, I’d be too ashamed to ask such questions and would only blame myself for not giving Phoebe a good life.” I looked him up and down, sneering without a word. “What are you looking at?” He felt uneasy, getting angry, and kicked at me. I quickly stepped back. Orion wasn’t quick enough and kicked the table leg instead. He yelled, and Phoebe immediately supported him, checking his foot without hesitation. “Why is it bleeding?” She frowned and glared at me, “Declan, look at what you’ve done. Apologize to Orion!” I laughed out of frustration. It was just a scratch, yet she made it sound serious. But I’d had a fever for two days, and she only lightly told me to bear it. Knowing what I was thinking, Phoebe snapped, “Can you compare to Orion? He’s the heir to Lin Corporation, someone special, and you’re rough and unrefined. Why are you being so dramatic?” I froze. Heir to Lin Corporation? Before I could react, Orion thought I was scared and raised his eyebrows smugly. “I advise you to listen to Phoebe. Apologize to me now, and maybe I’ll spare you.” “Otherwise…” “Otherwise, what?” I chuckled. As soon as I spoke, Phoebe slapped me hard. Her voice was cold, “Otherwise, we’ll divorce.” I was stunned, ignoring my ringing ears, staring at Phoebe. For a moment, she felt so unfamiliar. Three years ago, after we registered our marriage, she tore up our marriage certificate. I was shocked, but she told me tearing it meant we could never divorce. The person who once insisted on never divorcing now mentioned it first to make me apologize to another man. “I won’t apologize.” I looked at Orion, who was smug, and let out a self-deprecating laugh. “Do you remember? Our marriage certificate was torn.” “Tear it and replace it. Declan, did you really think tearing the certificate meant we couldn’t divorce? How naive are you?” They exchanged a glance and laughed in unison. The laughter was sharp and piercing. I clenched my fists, my voice dry. “Fine, let’s divorce.” “Alright, let’s go to the County Clerk’s Office tomorrow and make it official.” “But don’t forget, we signed a prenuptial agreement. No matter the reason, if we divorce, you’ll have to leave with nothing.” Phoebe replied swiftly. She didn’t seem surprised that I agreed to the divorce. There was even a glimmer of joy in her expression. For a moment, I couldn’t help but wonder if everything she’d done recently, even me following her today, was all part of her plan for our divorce. She’d wanted to divorce me for a long time. And I was just a fool being played. I said nothing, turned, and left. Outside the hotel, I picked up my phone and dialed. “Mom and Dad, I’ll listen to you. I’m coming home to take over the family business.”

When I initially refused an arranged marriage to be with Phoebe, who had saved me, my parents were strongly opposed. They believed that since I would eventually carry the Lin family legacy, I needed a wife who could support me. But Phoebe came from a poor background, hadn’t attended college, and had parents who favored sons over daughters. She didn’t meet the requirements for the Lin family matriarch. They even thought that without money, Phoebe and I wouldn’t last three years. I argued with them, and in the end, we signed a challenge agreement. If Phoebe and I stayed married for three years, they would drop their prejudices and accept her. Just this past New Year, I was smug. But who would have thought it was all wishful thinking? Our marriage ended today. Dad was surprised, “There’s only a week left until three years. You’re giving up now?” Hearing his disbelief, I laughed bitterly. “Stop pretending. You already knew, didn’t you? That person, you sent him, didn’t you?” When Orion claimed to be the heir of Lin Corporation, I suspected my parents were involved. But to my surprise, Dad sounded even more confused. “Pretending? What person?” “Your mom and I are vacationing abroad. We finally have some time off. How could we be involved in your affairs?” I felt puzzled, “Then, do you have a secret son, or did you adopt another child?” “You brat, what secret son, what child!” “I would if I could, but your mom wouldn’t agree. Otherwise, I’d have cut ties with you.” Dad said angrily. I knew he was just venting, so I quickly reassured him. When he heard I wanted to take over the company, he was soon all smiles. But I grew even more confused. Dad had no reason to lie to me. If Orion wasn’t sent by them and wasn’t an adopted child, then what was the deal with the heir of Lin Corporation? My head hurt, and considering my fever, I decided not to think further. “Foolish boy, what nonsense about illegitimate children? You’re my son!” “If it weren’t for your mom’s objections, I’d have cut ties with you long ago,” my dad fumed. I knew he was just venting, so I quickly reassured him. When he heard I was going to take over the company, his mood lifted instantly. Yet, I was more confused. My dad had no reason to lie. If Orion wasn’t someone my parents sent or adopted, then how was he involved with the Lin Corporation as an heir? Feeling a headache coming on, and still feverish, I decided to stop thinking about it for the moment. I returned to the home I hadn’t seen in three years. Thanks to the care of the family doctor and housekeeper, I was mostly recovered by the next day. Remembering I needed to finalize my divorce with Phoebe, I went back to my apartment to collect some documents. As soon as I entered, I heard laughter from the living room. My slippers were missing from the shoe cabinet, replaced by a pair of men’s sneakers. I recognized them as Orion’s. “Orion, you’re incredible. I didn’t expect someone like you to be into gaming,” Phoebe applauded him, then her tone shifted. “But Declan is hopeless. He’s so bad at games that playing with him ruins my appetite.” I found it ironic. Phoebe had always complained about my earnings, prompting me to work tirelessly, even sacrificing sleep. Phoebe, full of energy at home, always insisted I play games with her after work. Wanting to please her, I found time to play, despite her earlier claims that winning didn’t matter, just having fun. Now she was criticizing me for being bad at it. I chuckled and walked into the living room. Orion, wearing my pajamas, sat cross-legged on one side of the sofa, while Phoebe, in matching pajamas, lay with her head on his lap, looking cozy. Upon seeing me, Phoebe hesitated, seemingly wanting to sit up. But quickly, as if remembering our impending divorce, she remained where she was. “You didn’t come home last night? Where were you?” “Probably clearing the path for us. Didn’t expect this loser to be so considerate,” Orion sneered. I glanced at him, ignored the comment, and headed to my room to pack my belongings. Phoebe didn’t seem to mind him calling me a loser and continued enjoying herself with him. Their laughter echoed through the door. I planned to pack my things, finalize the divorce, and leave. But barely two minutes later, Phoebe walked in. I didn’t look up, continuing my task. “You still have this?” Phoebe suddenly spoke. I looked up to see her holding an envelope. After she once helped cover my medical bills, I tried to repay her. But she put the money in an envelope and handed it back with a smile. “I don’t like being repaid. I prefer to be remembered forever.” She got her wish. Since then, I hadn’t forgotten her. Even after marriage, I never touched that money. No matter how broke I was, I wouldn’t use it. “Take it. Once we finalize the divorce, we’ll be completely done.” I said calmly. Phoebe frowned. After a few seconds of thought, she gently said, “We don’t have to get divorced. If you can accept my relationship with Orion, I won’t divorce you.” I was taken aback. Then I laughed and asked, “He doesn’t want to marry you?” “What nonsense are you spouting?” Phoebe was visibly upset and embarrassed. “He dreams of marrying me.” Yet, her face paled a bit, and her tone softened. But there was a hint of disappointment. “But in Orion’s circle, that’s not common. Marriage is usually for alliances.” “Declan, it’s not that I don’t like you. I’m just considering my future.” “With your current salary, you can’t even buy me a house. I’m tired of living in a rental, seeing a future that’s so predictable. I don’t want this life anymore.” Seeing her impatience, I couldn’t help but ask. “You’re giving up on me just for money? Do these three years mean nothing to you?” “What if I told you Orion’s a fake, and I’m the real heir of the Lin family?” Phoebe laughed dismissively. “Stop being ridiculous.” She looked at me with disdain. “Declan, I thought we might stay together because of some feelings. But now you’re lying and slandering Orion.” I didn’t explain. I just found it amusing. We were together for three years, yet she chose to believe another man over me. “I’ve printed the divorce agreement.” “Let’s part ways.” I handed her the divorce papers. For some reason, Phoebe seemed upset but still took the papers, immediately checking the asset division clauses. “You drafted this before. If there are no issues, sign it,” I said. Phoebe had drawn up this prenuptial agreement before our marriage, specifically noting that I would leave with nothing upon divorce. Sadly, I thought it was a joke at the time. After checking, Phoebe signed both copies. I left one with her, took my suitcase, and prepared to leave. “Wait.” After taking a couple of steps, Phoebe suddenly came forward and grabbed my suitcase. I looked at her, puzzled. Phoebe waved the agreement. “Declan, don’t forget. It says you leave with nothing, so nothing here is yours.” I laughed out of frustration. “These are my clothes and personal items, not assets.” “How are they not? Didn’t money buy these things?” Phoebe sneered. “Strictly following the contract, you should strip, not even keep your underwear, unless you pay for them…” I didn’t want to argue, so I took out my phone and transferred money to her. Most of my clothes were cheap, bought from street vendors. They weren’t worth much. But I never kept money on me. Seeing I really transferred the money, she was surprised. “Where did you get the money?” “Declan, are you hiding money from me?” This time I didn’t feel sad about her distrust. I ignored her and left with my suitcase. I had returned home. Why would I need to hide money? All the money would rightfully end up in my pocket. I focused on the family business. Hearing I was home, Mom and Dad were so happy they took a few extra days for their honeymoon. I joined the company. My parents wanted me to take a high position immediately, but I refused. After all, I’d been gone for three years. Even if everyone listened to me because I’m their son, they might not respect me. So I started from the bottom, hiding my identity. Thinking about Orion claiming he’s the Lin heir, I looked into him. But everyone seemed tight-lipped. Eventually, I pieced it together. But I didn’t tell Phoebe. During this time, she posted a lot on social media, and Orion was in every post. They traveled together, dined together, exchanged gifts. Once, she posted a picture on the beach with Orion, dressed lightly. Orion commented inappropriately. Phoebe just replied with a coy emoji. I realized there was no need to say more. Phoebe’s heart was entirely set on Orion, and there was no point in trying. I focused on work. One day after work, I had nothing to do. Since my parents were returning the next day, I wanted to leave a good impression, so I cleaned the executive office. Halfway through, a loud voice came from behind. “Hey, isn’t this Declan, the loser?” I turned to see Orion standing at the door, with Phoebe holding his arm, looking cozy. “Why are you here?” Phoebe looked at me disdainfully, her eyes scanning the cloth in my hand. I wanted to ask the same. Lin Corporation’s security is strict. How did they get in? Before I could speak, Orion laughed exaggeratedly. “Wow, couldn’t find a job so you’re cleaning at Lin Corporation? You know, if you want a good job, I could help. Cleaning is beneath you.” His words were full of sarcasm. Phoebe looked at me with even more disdain. “Declan, I didn’t expect you’d end up like this.” “Orion, help him out. He’s my ex, and I don’t want others gossiping.” Phoebe said softly to Orion. Her attitude towards me was completely different. Orion was pleased and smiled proudly. “Sure, I’m not one to hold grudges. Since you asked for him, I’ll let the past go.” His words dripped with sarcasm. Phoebe’s face showed even more displeasure. “Declan, I didn’t think you’d fall so far.” Orion was pleased and smiled smugly. “But if you want my help, you’ll have to show some sincerity. Declan, kneel down and apologize, and I’ll consider transferring you.” I couldn’t help but laugh at his arrogance. “What are you laughing at?” Orion frowned. I replied, “You claim to be the heir to the Lin Corporation, but your name isn’t on the executive list. If you don’t believe me, check it yourself. The Lin Corporation’s executive list is publicly available.” Phoebe’s eyes filled with doubt, as if she was considering verifying it. Orion’s expression flickered with unease but quickly returned to normal. “It’s just to avoid suspicion.” “Regardless of whether my name is on the list, I’m still my dad’s son.” Hearing this, Phoebe seemed to agree and nodded, dismissing her doubts. “Enough, Declan. Orion is kindly offering to help you. Don’t be ungrateful.” “Kindly?” I sneered, “More like a wolf in sheep’s clothing.” Perhaps because I exposed him, a flash of malice crossed Orion’s eyes. Angrily, he grabbed a vase next to him, intending to throw it at me. I immediately recognized it as my dad’s prized antique, which he had spent millions on at an auction. “You’d better put that down, that’s…” Before I could finish, Orion smashed the vase at my feet with a vicious throw. “So what if I threw it? It’s my dad’s stuff. I can do whatever I want with it!” Phoebe gently traced a finger along his chest. “Don’t get upset. Declan’s just a poor soul without parents and doesn’t understand much. Don’t bother with him.” When Phoebe and I were together, I had spun a tale about being from an orphanage, and she promised to keep it a secret forever. But now, she just revealed it. Orion sneered, “No wonder he’s so uncultured. But we don’t take just anyone at Lin Corporation.” He gestured to the security guards nearby. After giving them instructions, the guards nodded and were about to throw me out. “Stop! I’m the real heir to the Lin Corporation!” I said coldly. As soon as I spoke, a guard struck me hard with a baton. The strong electric shock made my whole body ache, and I couldn’t help but scream. “Come on, we’ve seen the real young master countless times over the past three years. You’re just a newbie. If you’re the young master, then I’m the chairman.” The guards laughed loudly, and Phoebe looked at me with even more disdain. Orion insulted me while dragging me toward the stairs. Just then, my dad’s deep voice suddenly boomed from behind. “Are you out of your mind? Let’s see who dares touch my son!” I struggled to turn around and saw my dad looking in my direction, his face stern. Behind him were a dozen people, and I recognized that most of the company’s executives were there. Orion froze at first, then quickly let go of me and stepped forward with a smile. “Dad, you’re back. Weren’t you supposed to return from your honeymoon tomorrow? Why didn’t you…” Before he could finish, my dad slapped him hard across the face. The slap was loud, and he was immediately stunned. “Who do you think you are? You dare to hit my son and then claim you’re related to me?!”

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On our wedding anniversary, my husband invited Cora to our home for a rendezvous. They stayed together until late into the night. Cora caught a cold, but my husband redirected his frustration at me. He locked me out on the balcony all night and then shoved me into the freezer as if to punish me. I was trapped for three full days. After I died, my soul drifted away from my body. I watched Cora place my corpse into boiling water until it was beyond recognition. Then, she had the crematorium staff take me away to an abandoned factory. When my husband saw my pitiful state, he called Cora to remind her to stay safe. A colleague reminded him not to forget about me. He sneered, “Cora is delicate, so of course I should care for her. As for Adeline, she’s too tough to die so easily.” But he had no idea that the decayed body in front of him was mine. As a top mortician, he couldn’t even recognize my face. 0 Cora was the one who sent me to the crematorium. Before they took me in, she looked at my disfigured body and sneered, “Adeline, since you love Asher so much, I’ll let him send you off.” So, after my death, I saw Asher for the first time. He frowned at my body and then took out his phone to call Cora. “Cora, I’ve received a highly decomposed body here, so I’ll be home late. Also, with all these homicide cases lately, make sure to lock the doors and windows. Don’t go out at night.” His tone was tender and affectionate. Sadly, in five years of marriage, I never experienced that. On the other end, Cora responded coyly. “Come back soon, I’ll be worried about you.” They exchanged a few more words, and before hanging up, Cora hinted, “Asher, you’ll make sure today’s client looks beautiful, won’t you?” She meant something deeper, but unfortunately, Asher didn’t catch on. After all, in his heart, Cora was the delicate flower needing protection. But it was this delicate flower who, after my death, placed my body into boiling water until I was unrecognizable before bringing me here. Seven days ago was my fifth wedding anniversary with Asher. I prepared a candlelight dinner at home, waiting for Asher to return. Instead, he came back with Cora. Seeing my mood drop, he impatiently scolded, “Cora just came back from abroad all alone. Can’t you be a bit more understanding?” But wasn’t she alone abroad too? Before I could say anything, Asher pushed me onto the balcony. Maybe he was afraid I’d interrupt them, so he locked the door from the inside. The candlelight dinner I prepared became their feast. I froze on the balcony all night. The next day, Cora claimed she caught a cold. Unusually, Asher got angry at me, which ultimately led to my demise. While Asher and I argued, Cora pressed against his arm, trying to mediate, “Asher, Adeline surely didn’t mean it. It’s all my fault for being so delicate.” I was furious at Cora’s behavior and pointed to the door, telling her to leave. Asher, however, was enraged. He dragged me by the hair to the freezer and shoved me in. Before the light faded, the last thing I heard him say was, “Adeline, you’re worthless. Just cool off in there.” I struggled inside, banging and shouting. But the freezer door wouldn’t open from the inside. I begged until my fingers bled, but Asher never let me out. I died from suffocation and cold. Afterward, Cora soaked me in boiling water, leaving me unrecognizable. It wasn’t until today that she sent me to the crematorium. 0

After calling Cora, Asher’s colleague Gideon teased, “Asher, you’re so concerned about your first love. Doesn’t your wife mind?” Asher walked over to my body and replied, “Cora is delicate. Of course, I care about her. As for Adeline, she’s too tough to die easily.” Hearing that, my heart ached. I wondered how Asher would feel once he realized the decayed body lying before him was the same Adeline he thought was too tough to die. All I knew was that I felt deeply hurt. I had loved Asher for so many years, yet in his heart, I couldn’t even compare to a single word from Cora. After the preparations were done, Asher and Gideon stood solemnly by my body and bowed deeply. It was the first time I saw Asher at work, and the first time I realized he was gentler with corpses than he ever was with me. I had deceived myself into thinking he was just naturally cold. Turns out it was just because he didn’t love me. I felt so unwilling! But Asher was already absorbed in his work. Even when Gideon couldn’t stand the smell and stepped out for air, Asher didn’t stop. Soon, he restored my legs, body, and arms. When only my head was left, Asher took a deep breath and stood up to stretch his stiff muscles. He leaned against the hallway wall, lost in thought. Gideon asked, “Got to you?” Asher didn’t answer. As he put on his mask to return to work, he said, “Just seems a little tragic.” For someone who sees corpses daily to find my situation tragic, I chuckled, anticipating his next reaction. Asher meticulously filled, pressed, and reshaped. My face slowly took form. His skills were truly impressive. My face, once unrecognizable, began to resemble its former self. When he finished, Asher examined my face closely. After a moment, he turned to Gideon, “Doesn’t this face look familiar to you?” Gideon glanced over and exclaimed, “You know, it does look a bit like…” He stopped mid-sentence, staring at Asher, “Don’t get mad, but it looks a bit like… like your wife.” 0

After he spoke, he watched Asher intently, but Asher just frowned and stood up. “Must be a coincidence. Adeline’s worthless. Who would go to such lengths to kill her?” Gideon couldn’t respond, so he agreed, “It must be a coincidence. Your wife hardly ever leaves the house. How could anything happen to her?” They covered my body with a white cloth and called for it to be taken for cremation. Perhaps the resemblance disturbed Asher. After my body left, he followed shortly after. Several times, his car almost hit the guardrail. Eventually, he pulled over and called Cora. “Cora, Adeline… she’s at home, right?” Cora pretended to be jealous, huffing, “Why do you always ask about Adeline? You afraid I’ll eat her or something?” As Asher anxiously explained, she laughed, “I’m just teasing. Adeline’s your wife. You’re supposed to care about her. Why would I be jealous?” “Don’t worry, she was with me just now. She’s probably out shopping.” Cora lied effortlessly. Trusting her completely, Asher was reassured. After a few sweet words, he hung up and headed to the mall. Watching him walk, I recalled wanting that unique ring before our wedding. Asher berated me in public. “It’s just a gimmick meant to fool idiots like you.” The salesperson’s expression was unpleasant, and I felt humiliated under their gazes, like a cold splash of water on a chilly spring day. That was my first hint that I might just be a substitute for Cora. Asher didn’t love me. But I loved him from the moment he stood in front of me. So I swallowed my pride, smoothed things over, and bought a simple wedding band. Why was he here now? Was he finally feeling guilty after my death? Trying to make amends this way? I followed Asher to the store. Maybe it left a strong impression, because the clerk remembered him. “Mr. Asher, are you picking a gift for your wife?” 0

Asher didn’t deny it. But when the clerk showed him the latest styles, he suddenly said, “I want that ring you can only buy once.” The clerk seemed genuinely happy for me. She handed Asher that ring and said, “Your wife wanted this last time. She’ll be thrilled to receive it.” “By the way, Mr. Asher, we can engrave the ring. Would you like that?” My heart pounded. Though Asher caused my death, I had loved him for so long. I needed to know if he had even the slightest affection for me, just a tiny bit. “Engrave Cola.” When Asher’s words came, my heart shattered completely. The clerk thought it was my initials and cheerfully went to engrave it. Asher waited with an indifferent expression. But I was truly dead. My body and heart were gone. Yet for some reason, I was still bound to Asher, unable to leave. How cruel of fate, to have me killed by them, then watch their love unfold even in death. Is this my punishment for being blind and giving my heart to the wrong person? As soon as Asher spoke, my heart, which had been anxiously suspended, shattered into pieces. The shop assistant mistakenly thought it was my name and eagerly went to have it engraved. Meanwhile, Asher waited with a detached demeanor. I was the only one truly gone—my life ended, and my spirit crushed. Yet, inexplicably, I remained bound to Asher, unable to leave. How cruel the universe is, to let me be harmed by them, and even in death, force me to witness their affection. Is this my punishment for misplacing my trust and heart in the wrong person? After the engraving was done, Asher casually picked up a necklace, paid, and left. When we returned home, Cora feigned worry, “Asher, Adeline still hasn’t come back. Do you think something might have happened?” Perhaps surprised I wasn’t home, Asher paused momentarily before relaxing. “She’s probably just being stubborn. Don’t worry about her. She has no family here; she’ll come back eventually.” I was shocked by Asher’s words. Only now did I realize my journey for love, crossing mountains and seas, was just a gamble to him, certain I wouldn’t leave. No wonder! No wonder he dared to openly bring Cora home, convinced that I couldn’t survive without him. Cora blamed herself, “I shouldn’t have come here. Otherwise, Adeline wouldn’t be upset, affecting your relationship.” Her self-reproachful expression made Asher feel incredibly tender towards her, comforting her with an arm around her shoulders, “It’s not your fault. I never had feelings for her. I only married her because she seemed suitable for daily life.” Cora wanted to continue, but Asher cut her off. “Let’s not talk about these unlucky things. I got you a birthday gift. Come see if you like it?” Asher spoke as if I were the misfortune, completely forgetting that Cora had broken up with him initially because she despised his job. I couldn’t help but laugh at myself, watching as Cora easily got the ring I had desperately desired. When she put it on, it was a bit tight, and her touched expression froze. “Asher, did you get the wrong size? This isn’t my size?” Asher felt a bit frustrated. The shop assistant assumed the ring was for me and used my size. Asher, concerned about his pride, couldn’t admit it was for someone else. He had to swallow this bitter pill. Their unhappiness lightened the weight in my chest. Even in death, Asher was my unresolved issue. In the end, to maintain appearances, Cora placed the ring, meant for her ring finger, on her pinky and forced a smile, “Maybe I’ve gained weight recently. A different finger works.” Their awkwardness dissipated. To make it up to her, Asher went to the kitchen to cook, while Cora stormed into the room and stomped on the newly bought ring, her face dark. “Adeline, you bothered me alive, and now in death, you won’t let me be. Didn’t you care most about Asher? I’ll show you how he becomes mine.” I saw her take out a small bottle from a locked drawer, piecing together her words… A sense of foreboding arose. “Cora, dinner’s ready!” Asher’s voice called out, and Cora, clutching the bottle, went to the living room. “Asher, I have some fine wine. Let’s have a drink.” She suggested gently, and Asher suspected nothing, continuing to bring dishes to the table. I saw Cora pour the contents of the bottle into the wine behind his back. As they drank, their figures became suggestive. After a few sips, Asher’s eyes turned hazy, and he kept murmuring, “Cora… Cora…” They say you speak the truth when drunk. Asher really never had me in his heart. The next moment, Cora coaxed him into our room, half-undressed on the wedding bed I had chosen. I closed my eyes, not wanting to see, but the sounds still reached my ears. My hatred reached its peak. I hated the injustice of fate, hated Asher’s heartlessness, hated Cora’s malice, and hated myself more for being unable to avenge myself. I curled up in the living room, head buried, when suddenly there was a knock at the door late at night. Asher opened the door, and the person outside said with a sorrowful expression, “Professor Asher, my condolences.” Before he could speak, they handed him an urn and a peace amulet necklace. It was the one I had spent a month’s salary on to get for Asher when he first started his job. Because of Cora’s one remark about it being ugly, he had thrown it away, and I had later picked it up again. “We found this among the deceased’s belongings yesterday. I remember Adeline treasured it. Professor Asher, is this right?”

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After finishing the SAT, I got into a car accident on my way to pick up my Harvard acceptance letter. My parents gave up on saving me and donated my corneas to my sister. I died on the operating table, while my sister regained her sight. She and my handsome, rich boyfriend went on to live a perfect life. But what they didn’t know was that I was reborn into another person’s body. This time, it was my sister lying on my operating table, wanting to look exactly like me so she could attend Harvard in my place. “Dr. Reed, the surgery is about to begin.” 1 Pain. Excruciating pain. Every inch of my body ached. My eyelids were covered in blood, and my eardrums were ringing. I could only hear the chaotic sounds of people screaming about a car accident. Through my blood-soaked vision, I vaguely saw someone rush over and hold me, shouting my name and begging me to wake up, screaming at others to call 91 Who are you? I tried to open my mouth, but only blood spilled out. I don’t know how much time passed, but the smell of antiseptic stimulated my brain. I heard my usually indifferent parents coldly tell the doctor, “Don’t bother saving her.” Save me… I wanted to raise my arm, beg them to save me. I got into Harvard, I would be rich, I would give them so much money if they just saved me. But my arm was broken, the pain was intense, and I had no strength left in my body. My consciousness began to blur, and my soul gradually sank into a dark quagmire. I struggled, the feeling of weightlessness making me panic. In the thick, seemingly impenetrable darkness, I heard my dad and mom announce to many people that they would donate my body, giving my useful organs to those who needed them more. How ironic. Would those people moved by their “great love” know that they gave their adopted daughter’s corneas to their biological daughter – my dear sister? Would they know that my sister would take my place, go to Harvard, and be with my boyfriend? Just because I was adopted, did I deserve to be beaten and scolded since childhood, using my efforts and my future to pave the way for their daughter? Just because I was adopted, did I deserve to die?! I hated them! I hated them so much! My soul felt like it was being split in two, one half being dragged down to hell, the other half desperately struggling to survive. I couldn’t die. I had to live. I had to live! In this intense emotional state, my consciousness once again fell into chaos… “Dr. Reed? Dr. Reed?” I suddenly woke up from my nightmare, cold sweat beading on my forehead. “Dr. Reed, are you alright? Another nightmare?” Although I had been reborn into this body for two months, I still frequently dreamed of the day of the accident. The fear of death enveloped me like a nightmare. I pinched the bridge of my nose where my glasses had left a mark and looked up. Nurse Emma was holding a medical record, looking at me with concern. “I’m fine, Emma. Don’t worry.” “Dr. Reed, are you sure? If you’re not feeling well, maybe Dr. Johnson should take over the next surgery.” Emma frowned, clearly not believing me. “You haven’t rested properly for days. No matter how busy work is, you need to take care of yourself.” I took the handkerchief from the desk and wiped the cold sweat from my forehead. “I’m really fine, Emma. Go prepare for the surgery.” Seeing Emma’s worried expression, I felt a warmth in my heart. “It’s okay, don’t worry about me. I know my own body.” I smiled, “Go prepare for the surgery. I’ll be there soon.” Emma nodded and left with the medical record. I got up and walked to the window, looking down at the city’s night view. Bright lights, bustling nightlife – this kind of luxury was what my dear sister had pursued all her life, even going so far as to have surgery to look like me and steal my identity. Thinking about this, a cold glint flashed in my eyes. Natalie, you won’t be so lucky this time. The window reflected a face with an indifferent expression. Looking at this face, I felt a moment of disorientation. Dr. Reed, since fate has given me a chance to be reborn as you, I will definitely make them pay. “Dr. Reed, the surgery is about to start.” I nodded. “I’m coming.” Natalie, Mom, Dad, I wonder how you’ll feel when you see me again. I’m quite curious. 2 Dr. Olivia Reed was a top plastic surgeon at a private cosmetic surgery clinic. It was said that the faces she created were more beautiful than those done by ordinary plastic surgeons, with a special kind of beauty. Natalie had heard of Dr. Reed’s reputation and insisted on coming to this private clinic for her surgery. I put on my gloves, looking at Dr. Reed’s hands. They were long and slender, and without gloves, you could see they were white and delicate, with beautiful knuckles – not at all like hands that wielded a scalpel. Unlike my hands from my previous life, which were covered in calluses from years of hard work. Natalie, these hands are about to operate on you. Are you happy? I coldly looked at Natalie lying on the operating table. Don’t worry, I’ll make you exceptionally beautiful. Whether you can handle this kind of beauty is your problem. “Dr. Reed, the surgery is starting.” “Mm.” Looking at the photo Natalie had provided, which was placed nearby, I felt strangely calm. Remembering the three of them in my office made me sick to my stomach. Natalie had thrown a tantrum in my office, “Why do I have to look like that bitch? I don’t want to!” They at least knew enough to be embarrassed, scolding Natalie in a low voice. “Behave yourself!” Natalie looked defiant after being scolded but didn’t say anything else. I looked at her bright eyes. These were originally my corneas. Sister, are you comfortable with my corneas? “Dr. Reed, we want her to look exactly like this photo. It has to be identical. Is that possible?” Emily Sanders asked haughtily. “We’ve heard you’re the best, that’s why we came to you! I must say, you charge almost twice as much as other clinics for a single surgery. Since we’re paying this much, we expect to see results, you understand?” I smiled politely, but the smile didn’t reach my eyes. “Mrs. Sanders, I’m the top surgeon at our clinic. If I say I can do it, I’ll definitely make sure you and Natalie are satisfied.” I picked up the photo on the desk. The girl in it had a ponytail and a youthful face. If it weren’t for this family, I should have been enjoying my college life… “Well, if Dr. Reed says so, then I’m relieved. Natalie, let’s go.” “Take care!” The surgery proceeded step by step. Not only did I have to give Natalie a perfect face, but I also had to make her even more stunning than the girl in the photo. Three hours later, the surgery was over. I tiredly left the operating room, almost collapsing when I sat down in my office. I stared blankly at the ceiling, silently calculating how long it would take for problems to appear on Natalie’s face. Yes, although Dr. Reed was indeed the star surgeon of this plastic surgery clinic, she almost never accepted full-face reconstructions like Natalie had requested. This type of surgery not only had a long recovery period but also carried extreme risks. Moreover, to “satisfy” Natalie’s demands, I had made quite extensive changes to her face. If my calculations were correct, within two years at most, Natalie’s face would start showing problems. Without regular corrective surgeries, there would be virtually no chance of recovery. Natalie, you have two years. Are you ready? 3 Natalie stayed in the hospital for nearly a month. Almost every day, I saw her using my phone to contact Jack. Jack Thompson, my boyfriend. We had once promised to go to Harvard together. But now, it seems that was nothing but a bubble, not worth mentioning. “Ms. Sanders,” I said as I entered the room. Seeing me come in, Natalie hurriedly hid the phone behind her back and said angrily, “Why don’t you knock before entering? Is this how you behave?” I smiled politely, “I’m sorry, Ms. Sanders, but our hospital policy allows plastic surgeons to enter patient rooms without knocking. It’s mainly to prevent certain emergency situations.” “Please understand.” “What kind of stupid rule is that? Call your hospital director, I can’t believe I have to put up with this from a mere plastic surgeon!” Natalie had always had a bad temper and particularly liked to take my things. I used to think my parents spoiled her because they felt sorry for her poor eyesight, but now I realize they probably just disliked me for no particular reason. Hating someone doesn’t require a reason. They can even let that person die. Listening to her unreasonable complaints, my head throbbed. It looks like I’ll be causing trouble for Dr. Johnson again today. Unexpectedly, George Sanders walked in at that moment. “Natalie, are you being unreasonable again? Dr. Reed performed your surgery, how can you throw a tantrum? Apologize to Dr. Reed right now!” George Sanders was always smooth in his dealings with people. As soon as he entered, he sized up the situation and realized Natalie was throwing another tantrum. He immediately scolded Natalie, effectively cutting off any response I might have had. “Dad, she came in without knocking!” “Enough, stop being unreasonable!” I stood to the side with my arms crossed, coldly watching the father-daughter act, my heart aching. You see, George Sanders would defend his daughter, but only Natalie. He would never defend me. He would only slap me across the face when I was accused of stealing from classmates, unable to defend myself, calling me a bitch and a thief. I often wondered how a father could treat two daughters so differently. They even let Natalie replace everything about me, effortlessly obtaining what she shouldn’t have. So what was I? Wasn’t I their daughter too? “Dr. Reed, I’m so sorry. We’ve been too lenient at home, spoiling her. I’ll have a good talk with her later.” “It’s alright, I understand. Young girls are often pampered at home.” Just not me. “I’m glad you understand. So, when can we remove the bandages from Natalie’s face?” “That’s actually why I came today. Ms. Sanders, I’ve checked your records, and you’re recovering well. We can remove the bandages tomorrow, and then you can go home. Just take good care of yourself at home after that.” I turned to George Sanders, “Mr. Sanders, when you check out tomorrow, Nurse Emma will give you and Mrs. Sanders a booklet with important instructions. Please pay close attention to them.” Hearing that Natalie could be discharged tomorrow, George Sanders’ face wrinkled with a smile. Knowing him, a month of hospital fees must have cost him quite a bit. “Great, great. Thank you so much, Dr. Reed.” “You’re welcome. If you need anything, just press the call button for Nurse Emma. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going now.” “Take care, Dr. Reed!” Walking out of the room, I looked through the window and saw Natalie holding George Sanders’ hand, acting coy. I suddenly smiled. The game is about to begin. 4 The day Natalie was discharged was quite spectacular. When she removed her bandages, everyone in the room was shocked. Even the doctors and nurses, who were used to seeing artificial beauties, were stunned for a moment. Only I remained calm. It was exactly as I had expected. This face was truly perfect. In Dr. Olivia Reed’s professional career, this was perhaps her most flawless work.

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