While I was being tortured by those monsters, my brother was busy shopping for clothes with my stand-in. I called him, hoping to hear his voice one last time. Instead, he told me, “If you want to die, just hurry up and do it. Stop bothering me.” A few days later, he sat in his office as the department’s genius forensic sketch artist, tasked with reconstructing the face of a headless corpse. He tore through dozens of sheets of paper, but in the end, the face he drew was mine. And for the first time in his life, my brother panicked. The police arrived quickly after the report came in, cordoning off the scene while curious onlookers gathered. From the distance, I saw my brother, Jason Locke, finally show up, casually late as always. I’d always been proud of him. He was the youngest and most talented forensic sketch artist in the department. With just a few vague details from a witness or a blurry surveillance image, he could bring a suspect’s face to life. Thanks to his sketches, countless cases had been solved, and suspects apprehended. Even victims who had been mutilated beyond recognition—Jason could draw them, too. But today, could he draw me? I doubted it. After all, they’d torn me apart. When they hacked off my arms and legs, I was still breathing. Even now, thinking back to that excruciating pain makes my body tremble. The forensic team carefully photographed my dismembered remains, placing each piece into evidence bags. Most of my body had been recovered—except for my head. The coroner’s preliminary report read, “The victim appears to be a male, approximately 17 years old, based on bone structure. Severe bruising, countless stab wounds, and multiple compound fractures indicate prolonged torture before death. The motive seems to be revenge.” Jason took one look at the remains, turned pale, and ran to the side to vomit. It turns out, even in death, he still found me disgusting. The investigation hit a dead end until a foam box suddenly fell from a nearby rooftop. Inside were the severed eyes, nose, mouth, and ears of a human. The police launched a manhunt, but the perpetrator wasn’t caught. The conclusion was clear: the killer was taunting them, brazenly watching from nearby. Back at the station, Jason got to work. With no leads on the suspect, he started with “me.” As always, he bowed slightly to the remains before beginning—a ritual of respect he performed before sketching any victim. “Such a young age… what a tragedy.” “Your family must be heartbroken.” My heart ached at his words. Really? Would you be heartbroken, Jason? Or would you finally feel free, knowing I’m gone? He put on his gloves with practiced precision, carefully arranging the severed eyes, nose, mouth, and ears in front of him. His movements were professional, even gentle. Once, I had longed for him to show me even a fraction of that tenderness—maybe a hug, a pat on the head. But that had always been a hopeless dream. He had never even smiled at me. Suddenly, his hands froze mid-motion. His fingers trembled as he flipped over the left ear. There was a large scar behind it, a burn mark I’d had since childhood. His knuckles turned white as he pressed his thumb against the ear, brushing away some dust. But the scar wasn’t there. He exhaled slowly, almost in relief, muttering to himself, “It couldn’t be him. He’s too stubborn to die.” But Jason, you’re wrong. I was stubborn, but even I couldn’t survive this. The scar wasn’t there because they had carved it off my skin. Every scar, every birthmark—they had stripped them all away. Jason’s skill was unmatched. It didn’t take long for him to sketch my face perfectly. But instead of relief, he looked disturbed. He stared at the drawing for a long moment before tearing it to shreds. Then, he picked up his pencil and started again. His eyelashes quivered as sweat beaded on his forehead. His grip on the pencil was so tight, his fingertips turned pale. By the time our uncle walked into the room, Jason had already crumpled a dozen failed sketches. Curious, our uncle picked one up and frowned. “Why are you drawing Alex?” Jason didn’t look up, his voice strained. “I don’t know. Every time I try to draw, his face just keeps coming to mind.” “Creepy,” our uncle muttered before tossing the sketch aside. Jason’s face darkened. Once again, I had made him unhappy. But don’t worry, Jason. From now on, I’ll never upset you again.

My uncle, the police chief, worked in the same department as my brother. I always liked Uncle Matt. He wasn’t like Jason—he was kind to me, always gentle. But Jason never let me get close to him. “You don’t deserve it,” he’d say. “You killed his little sister, Alex. How dare you stick to him like that?” “Don’t you think every time he looks at you, he remembers the sister you took from him?” “Murderer. That’s what you are.” So, even though I liked Uncle Matt, I tried my best not to bother him. But Uncle Matt always treated me well, no matter what. Like now, when Jason insulted me, Uncle Matt just sighed and shook his head. “Jason, don’t talk about your brother like that.” “Alex remembered it’s your birthday today. He even asked me to give you this gift.” Uncle Matt handed Jason a card and a neatly wrapped box. Jason didn’t even glance at it before tossing it straight into the trash. Uncle Matt quickly bent down to retrieve it. “You’re so stubborn,” he muttered. “Alex knows you hate him. That’s why he didn’t give it to you himself—he was afraid you wouldn’t accept it.” That’s right. Every year, I gave Jason a gift for his birthday, and every year, he would throw it away. Because Jason’s birthday was also the anniversary of our parents’ death. It happened on Jason’s 11th birthday. Mom and Dad had taken us out for dinner, and they’d bought a chocolate cake for the celebration. But I had thrown a tantrum, insisting I wanted a strawberry cake instead. So, they went across the street to exchange it. That’s when the car accident happened. I still remember Jason’s heart-wrenching cries, the way he screamed for them. I, on the other hand, didn’t shed a single tear. Jason called me a monster. He wouldn’t let me near our parents’ bodies. He screamed at me until his voice broke. “This is all your fault! You killed them!” “Why couldn’t you just let it go? Why couldn’t you have died instead?” His eyes burned with hatred. “Go ahead, Alex. Eat all the strawberry cake you want. Eat the whole damn world’s supply.” Back then, I finally cried. Big, heavy tears. Because he was right. It was my selfishness that killed them. I should’ve been the one to die. I wasn’t even allowed to attend their funeral—Jason wouldn’t let me. “You don’t deserve to be there,” he’d said. For the next ten years, my brother—who once loved me more than anyone else—never cared for me again. When he became an adult, Jason even adopted a boy my age, Chris, to take my place. All the love that used to be mine, he gave to Chris. When Chris grew his hair long, Jason called it stylish. When I did the same, I was “rebellious” and “unruly.” Chris moved into my old bedroom while I was sent to live in the basement. Uncle Matt placed a hand on Jason’s shoulder and said softly, “Jason, ten years is enough. You’ve hated Alex long enough.” “He’s your brother. You can’t treat him like this.” “I’m sure he feels guilty. He’s probably been carrying that guilt for years. I know it hasn’t been easy for him either.” Jason scoffed. “Guilty? Him?” “Uncle Matt, don’t you hate him? He killed your little sister. He’s a monster. If he hadn’t thrown that tantrum, they’d still be alive.” “Mom and Dad died right in front of him, and he didn’t shed a single tear.” Jason glanced at my corpse then, just for a second. Had he recognized me? But in the next moment, his face darkened, and he spat out, “I only wish that body was his.” “I hate him more than anything in the world.” Every time he talked about me, his voice was filled with venom. But now, he could finally be happy. His wish had come true. That body was mine. Just then, a fax came through on Jason’s computer. It read: “Do you like my gift, genius sketch artist? Guess who’ll be next.” Jason and Uncle Matt exchanged a glance, their faces pale. Jason immediately pulled out his phone and called Chris. “Chris, are you okay? You’re safe, right?” “Good. Don’t go anywhere for now, okay?” Chris was always his first priority. Jason, I wish you could’ve cared about me like that. But I know you hated me too much for that. Uncle Matt told Jason to call me as well, and reluctantly, he did. But my phone was off. I didn’t even know where it was. It had disappeared the day I died. Uncle Matt turned to look at my body, his face pale. “No… it can’t be…” I felt a surge of excitement. Were they about to figure it out? But Jason shook his head, his voice firm. “Impossible. There’s no way it’s him. He’s too stubborn to die.” “That reckless idiot. He called me the other day, whining about how mean I was to him.” “I don’t get it. Why can’t he just grow up and stop being so selfish? Why can’t he be more like Chris?” Jason hesitated for a moment before muttering, “Still, I can’t shake this bad feeling. Alex said he ordered a cake for me today and wanted me to come pick it up. But now I can’t reach him.” Uncle Matt sent me a text, his face filled with worry. “Alex, be good. Don’t run off anywhere for the next few days, okay?” “By the way, Jason loved your gift.” Uncle Matt, thank you. But it’s too late. The body lying behind you is mine. A few minutes later, Chris arrived. Jason’s face lit up instantly. He reached out and ruffled Chris’s hair, his touch so gentle it made me turn away. Even as a ghost, jealousy burned in my chest. Jason told Uncle Matt he wasn’t feeling well and left to take Chris out for cake. Uncle Matt reminded him, “Make sure Alex comes with you. He loves cake, too.” Uncle Matt was always so kind to me. But I won’t be able to join them. Before leaving, Jason left me a voicemail. “Alex, what’s your problem? Do you think disappearing like this is going to make me worry? You’re dreaming.” “Even if you died in a ditch somewhere, I wouldn’t blink.” “Call Uncle Matt back before tomorrow. He’s worried about you. You’re so selfish.” “Anyway, I’m off to eat cake with Chris.” I stood right in front of him, watching as his anger burned. A deep ache spread through my chest. Jason, you really know how to hurt me. You’ve told me to die so many times, and now I finally have. Ten years ago, my selfishness turned you into an orphan. I hope my death brings you peace.

Some invisible tether pulled my soul along as I followed them home. It was Jason’s birthday, but he spent his time carefully cutting a slice of cake for Chris. Chris was a snake. He treated me horribly when no one else was looking, but now he put on this fake, sweet act. “Jason, shouldn’t we try to find Alex? He loves cake too,” Chris said with a concerned expression that I knew was completely phony. The warmth in Jason’s gaze instantly disappeared, replaced by irritation. “Why are you bringing him up? Didn’t you hear him ignoring my calls earlier?” he snapped. “For all I care, he can stay gone for the rest of his life.” Jason’s voice softened as he turned back to Chris. “Chris, let’s just pretend he’s dead. From now on, you’re my only brother.” Chris gave him an obedient nod, but I could see the smug, calculating glint in his eyes. It was the same look he always had after framing me for something and watching Jason tear into me over it. The cake they ate was strawberry, but Jason wouldn’t even let me say the word “strawberry” around him. Chris took a bite and complained, “It’s not even good. Jason, you don’t even know what I like.” His tone was sharp, but Jason just chuckled, his expression soft. I envied Chris, the way he could throw tantrums and still be doted on. When you’re the favorite, you can get away with anything. I, on the other hand, could stay quiet and obedient and still never earn a shred of affection from Jason. Jason suddenly pulled a small necklace from his pocket, almost like a magician producing a trick. It was too small for Chris’s neck, so he fastened it around his wrist instead. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I couldn’t hold them back any longer. That necklace… It was the one Mom had put around my neck at my first birthday party. After she died, I used to take it out and look at it whenever I missed her. But Jason had ripped it from me, saying I wasn’t worthy of wearing it. I’d begged him to give it back so many times, and he’d always said, “I’ll give it to you when you’re dead.” And now, here it was, given so effortlessly to Chris. Well, Jason, I’m dead now. Does that mean you can give it back to me? The first autopsy report came out the next day, confirming what the coroner had already suspected. Jason slammed the paper down on his desk, cursing under his breath. “Whoever did this is a goddamn monster.” “By the way, has anyone come forward to claim the body yet?” he asked his assistant. When the assistant shook his head, Jason’s anger only grew. “Unbelievable. What kind of people abandon their own kid like this? When they show up, make sure I give them a piece of my mind.” The assistant nodded awkwardly. “We’ll probably have to do a DNA match,” Jason continued. “Go tell the lab to collect the samples.” Then, he picked up his pencil to resume the sketch he hadn’t finished the day before—my face. But before he could begin, his phone rang. Jason’s expression darkened as he listened to the person on the other end. A few moments later, Uncle Matt walked into the room, his face filled with concern. “Did you take Alex for cake yesterday?” he asked. Jason scowled. “Why do you even care about that useless brat?” he shot back. “Do you know what his teacher just told me? He’s been skipping school. Three days now!” “I bust my ass working to pay for his tuition, and this is how he repays me?” “He better not come back, because if he does, I’m going to teach him a lesson he’ll never forget.” Jason, I didn’t mean to skip school. But I didn’t have a choice. Uncle Matt wasn’t angry with me, though. He turned his frustration on Jason instead. “Jason, that’s enough!” he snapped. “Alex hasn’t been to school in three days, and you can’t reach him. Don’t you think you should be worried about where he is?” “What if something’s happened to him? Your parents left him in your care. Is this how you’re honoring their memory? What are you going to tell them when you meet them in heaven?” Uncle Matt’s voice cracked as his eyes grew red. Jason opened his mouth to argue but seemed to think better of it and stayed quiet. After Uncle Matt left, a second autopsy report arrived. Jason took it from the officer delivering it, but as he read, his face turned ghostly pale. I drifted closer to see what it said. There, printed in black and white, were the words: “A note was found in the victim’s stomach. It contained a single letter: K.”

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She didn’t care about the consequences—she gave me growth inhibitors without a second thought and even wrapped my chest tightly with bandages to keep me looking small. I thought my life was already miserable enough. But then, she pushed me into an even darker abyss. My mom abruptly ended the livestream, leaving the viewers on the other side confused. “What’s going on? Why did the stream suddenly cut off?” “I wasn’t done watching my sweet little angel!” She turned to me, her face cold and unforgiving, and slapped me hard across the face. “You clumsy idiot! You couldn’t even boil water without burning yourself. Do you want people to figure out what a mess you are with that miserable expression on your face?” Sweat beaded on my forehead as I bit down hard on my pale lips. The burning pain in my foot was unbearable, and my vision started to blur. I grabbed onto her hand, pleading, “Mom, my foot hurts. It really hurts.” She yanked her hand away, her expression indifferent. “You think I care? Do you know how much money I just lost because we had to stop the livestream?” Her voice was a blur of irritation in my ears as the pain overwhelmed me. I couldn’t hold on any longer and passed out. When I woke up, I was in the hospital. My mom was still there, holding up her phone, recording me lying on the hospital bed. She spoke to her audience in a concerned tone: “Sorry for cutting the stream earlier. Little Anna accidentally burned her foot with hot water and fainted. Poor thing is still lying here in the hospital bed…” As expected, the comment section quickly filled with messages of concern and sympathy. “My poor sweet Anna!” “She got burned? Will it leave a scar? She needs to rest and recover!” “Did Anna cry? Even a little splash of hot water makes me scream, let alone something like that!” Reading this, my mom leaned in and pinched the tender skin at my waist, hard. Tears welled up in my eyes instantly, spilling over as I tried to hold back a sob. The comment section exploded again: “Anna’s crying! My heart is breaking for her!” “Don’t cry, sweetie…” My mom sighed dramatically, putting on her best exhausted expression for the camera. “Anna needs to rest now, so we’ll end the livestream here today. Thank you all for your love and support!” She ended the stream and immediately dropped her act. The cold, calculating look returned to her eyes, but there was also a glimmer of satisfaction. She patted my head the way a loving mother might, but her words were anything but comforting. “Not bad, Anna. I didn’t expect this to work so well. Your little hospital stunt really brought in more fans. Good job.” I forced a weak smile, but it probably looked worse than crying. My parents divorced when I was young, and my mom got custody of me. When I was eleven, she stumbled upon a livestream where someone was selling homemade goods. She watched in awe as the influencer raked in money effortlessly. That night, she quit her job. Her new goal? To turn me into a “cooking prodigy” and make me the next viral sensation. At first, I frowned and resisted. But my mom knew how to get what she wanted. Her eyes would fill with tears, and she’d say things like: “Anna, do you have any idea how hard it’s been for me to raise you alone all these years? Do you know how much I’ve suffered?” “This is our big break! If I can make this work, I can finally turn our lives around. If you really care about your mom, you’ll listen to me… won’t you?”

Looking at my mom, I swallowed back the words I wanted to say. And just like that, my high-achieving, soon-to-be middle school self was pulled out of school by my mom, who was absolutely thrilled about her decision. My mind felt hazy. I vaguely remember a doctor standing nearby. “Ma’am, your child is stable now,” the doctor said. “There are other patients waiting for this bed. If you keep occupying it unnecessarily, someone else won’t get the treatment they need…” She was politely trying to convince my mom to discharge me. But my mom wasn’t having it. She planted her hands on her hips, pointed a finger at the doctor, and started yelling. “What the hell is that supposed to mean? Are you seriously kicking a patient out of the hospital? Where’s your compassion? Did you lose your humanity along with your medical ethics?” The doctor frowned at her nonsense but eventually walked away, clearly unwilling to argue further. As soon as the doctor left, my mom smirked, looking smug and victorious. The area around my hospital bed was crowded with fruit baskets and flower arrangements—all sent by my “fans.” She grabbed a plum from one of the baskets and popped it into her mouth. “Pretty nice, huh? Just lying there while I’m out here killing myself for you. Do you know how hard it is for me? Pretending to be you, thanking fans, entertaining visitors? My back’s practically broken!” Then her tone softened as she reached out to stroke my hair. “But it’s all for you, sweetheart. Everything I do is for you. The money we’re earning? It’s all going to be spent on you. You’ll remember how much I’ve done for you, won’t you?” I lowered my gaze, my eyes dull and lifeless. This wasn’t what I wanted. I didn’t want fans. I didn’t want attention. I just wanted to live a quiet, normal life. As the hype around my injury finally died down, my mom declared it was time to “get back to work.” The hospital staff, probably relieved to see us go, cheerfully sent us off. The moment we got home, my mom tossed a cookbook at me. “Learn this recipe,” she ordered. “Don’t even think about sleeping tonight if you don’t get it right.” I caught the book out of habit. This was nothing new to me. But when I flipped it open, my eyes widened in shock. The recipe was for sweet and sour fish, a dish that requires years of knife skills and precise temperature control to perfect. “Mom, can I learn something else instead?” I asked, my voice trembling. She glared at me, her eyes sharp and unyielding. “Your fans love this stuff. They’re the reason we’re making money. If they want sweet and sour fish, you’ll make sweet and sour fish. Stop complaining!” I clenched the recipe tightly in my hands. If they told me to die, would I have to do that too? That night, I felt like I was losing my mind. Every word in the recipe burned itself into my brain. I moved like a machine, repeating the same motions over and over again. Chopping onions, ginger, and garlic. Scaling fish. Ten, twenty, thirty fish… My hands turned pale from soaking in water for so long. The sharp edges of the fish scales left cuts all over my fingers, blood dripping down onto the cutting board. But I couldn’t stop. My mom stood right next to me, watching my every move like a hawk.

She let out a loud yawn. “You’re so useless. You’re the reason your poor mother can’t get any sleep. God, I’m exhausted…” Her words startled me, and my knife slipped, slicing into my hand. She rushed over immediately, grabbing my hand to inspect the wound. “What were you thinking?! If you cut yourself, how are you supposed to go live tomorrow?” she snapped, her tone sharp but filled with urgency. Then, without hesitation, she brought my bleeding finger to her mouth, sucking on it to stop the bleeding. The night dragged on endlessly. By the time the sky started to lighten, my mom was already setting up the camera. She dabbed a thick layer of foundation on my face, carefully covering the dark circles under my eyes. Then, with a sharp slap to my back, she barked, “Stand up straight! Stop looking like you’re about to keel over!” I forced my heavy eyelids open and plastered on the familiar smile I had perfected over the years. “Hi, everyone! Good morning! Today, I’ll be making sweet and sour fish,” I said cheerfully into the camera. The chat lit up immediately with comments. “What? Anna’s making sweet and sour fish today? That dish is so hard—I’ve tried it a dozen times and still can’t get it right!” Standing off-camera, my mom shot me a warning look, her lips silently mouthing instructions. As I scaled the fish, I responded to the comment with a practiced tone of humility. “Actually, I’m not very good at it either. I just glanced at the recipe last night and thought I’d give it a try today.” By this point, after a sleepless night of chopping, slicing, and practicing, I had the steps down perfectly. But I knew I couldn’t make it look too easy. My mom’s sharp eyes monitored my every move, her lips twitching in a silent threat to keep me in line. An hour and a half later, I finally finished the dish. The comments exploded in praise. “Is Anna secretly a culinary prodigy? She only read the recipe once and made this? Incredible!” “Ugh, when I compare her to my son, I feel like crying. All he knows how to do is eat!” My mom’s face lit up as the compliments poured in. She leaned closer to the screen, practically whispering to herself. “Come on, send gifts. Keep sending gifts…” It was as if the viewers could hear her thoughts. “Let’s encourage Anna! Sending her a few flowers…” One gift turned into two, then ten, then dozens. The money kept rolling in, and my mom’s grin grew wider with every notification. Just as she was basking in her success, one comment popped up on the screen, catching her attention: “I’ve been following Anna for three years now. She’s really grown up into a young lady. Her body’s developing so well…” My mom’s smile froze, her brows furrowing slightly. More comments followed. “True, it’s like watching her grow up before our eyes.” “Yeah, she’s turning into a real beauty…” I felt my face drain of color, my chest tightening in silent panic. Please, just stop. When the livestream finally ended, my mom seemed pleased with the money we’d made, but her expression was darker than usual. She walked toward me with purpose, and I instinctively stepped back, my voice barely audible. “Mom…” She didn’t say a word. Instead, she grabbed the hem of my shirt and yanked it up, exposing my torso to the cold air. I froze, my entire body trembling.

“You didn’t follow my instructions?” I shook my head frantically. “Mom, that waist binder—it was too tight. I couldn’t breathe, so I took it off last night…” Before I could finish explaining, she slapped me hard again. Her eyes burned with anger. “You’re already refusing to listen to me? What will you do in the future?” My mom had decided that I was going to be a “child cooking prodigy” on social media. And for that to work, I had to look the part—I had to stay small, young. She grabbed a roll of bandages and began wrapping them tightly around my chest, layer after suffocating layer, as if she were trying to crush the life out of me. When she was done, she stepped back, looking pleased with the flat result. But then, as if noticing something else, she stood back and measured my height with her hand. “No, no. This won’t do.” She turned and started rummaging frantically through a drawer, eventually pulling out a syringe. Her grin was sharp and menacing as she advanced toward me, backing me into a corner. I sank to the floor, powerless. I didn’t want to stop growing. I didn’t want to be trapped in the body of a child forever. But my protests were useless. My eyes stared blankly as she plunged the growth inhibitor into my arm without hesitation. Every day, I lived as “Anna’s Cooking Adventures,” the account my mom had created for me. My life revolved around kitchen grease and smoke, spending late nights in the kitchen perfecting recipes. I had no freedom. But my mom’s efforts weren’t in vain. My videos caused a sensation online, gaining more and more attention. I became the “perfect child” everyone envied. Comments flooded beneath each video: “With a daughter like this, I could die happy!” “Can we trade kids? I’ll take Anna!” “Anna is officially my future daughter-in-law. Calling dibs now!” “How dare you compete with me? Anna belongs to my family!” As my popularity skyrocketed, a cooking competition show for kids reached out to my mom. When she got the offer, she was ecstatic. She made several announcement videos thanking my fans. “Anna’s going to be on a cooking show! Thank you all for your love and support!” The comments rolled in like a tidal wave: “What? My daughter is going to be on TV? Of course we’ll watch!” “Which channel? I’ll tune in immediately!” That year, I was fifteen. But I found myself standing among a group of eight- and nine-year-olds, competing against them as if I belonged. The night before the show, my mom wasn’t taking any chances. She added even more layers of bandages around my chest and injected me with another round of growth inhibitors. Under the watchful eyes of the audience, I stood out. Among the younger children, my skills and experience shone, and I advanced easily to the finals. The show became a massive hit. The unique concept and drama captivated viewers, and soon, everyone was debating the final rankings. My fans were relentless, clashing with the other contestants’ supporters online. But I had the largest following by far. To most people, my victory was already a foregone conclusion—the other kids were just there to fill the stage. When the night of the finals arrived, I stood under the spotlight, with the audience cheering my name. But during the most critical step of the competition, I lost control of the heat. The dish burned.

And so, despite being the favorite to win, I ended up in last place. “Anna just had a little slip-up this time! She’s been amazing in her livestreams and videos before.” “No one’s perfect. It’s normal for Anna to make mistakes now and then!” My fans rushed to console me, but my mom wasn’t having any of it. The moment the competition ended, she stormed backstage, clearly looking for me. Panic surged through me. If she caught me, I knew I wouldn’t escape unscathed. For the first time, I defied her—I ran. She chased after me, her voice echoing with curses. “You little brat! Just wait until I catch you. You’ll regret this!” As she was about to grab me, a figure suddenly stepped in front of me. My eyes lit up with hope. I collided into the man’s chest, and he immediately crouched to check on me. His voice was deep but gentle. “Are you okay?” My mom, trying to suppress her fury, called out in a cold tone, “Anna, come here.” But I clung tightly to the man’s shirt, my tear-filled eyes pleading with him as I shook my head. Understanding my silent request, the man stood up and positioned himself between me and my mom, blocking her view of me. My mom, now livid, snapped, “Who the hell are you? This is my child. How I handle her is none of your business!” A few onlookers started whispering nearby, and one of them muttered something just loud enough for my mom to hear. “That’s Mr. Thompson—the show’s main investor.” Instantly, my mom’s expression shifted. Her anger vanished, replaced by a forced, ingratiating smile. “Oh, Mr. Thompson! My apologies, I didn’t recognize you! Haha, silly me! So… what did you think of Anna’s performance? Wasn’t she great?” I didn’t catch the rest of what she said because Mr. Thompson gave a subtle signal, and the person who had been whispering earlier gently took my hand and led me away. Around the corner, I turned back just in time to see Mr. Thompson handing my mom a bank card. I didn’t understand what it meant, but after a while, the person escorting me told me it was time to go home. I didn’t want to go back. I sat outside the studio for hours, watching the sky grow darker and darker. But eventually, I gave in to reality and headed home. When I got there, I was surprised—my mom didn’t yell at me or hit me. For the first time, I felt a flicker of hope. Maybe it was because of that man? But then, she handed me a card. Written on it was the address and room number of a hotel.

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My wife buried my daughter alive. All because her “first love’s” son stabbed my daughter with a knife, and I slapped him in anger. To retaliate, my wife broke my daughter’s leg, threw her off the seventh floor, and then buried her alive in the backyard. When I confronted her in despair, she screamed hysterically, “He’s just a child! How could you be so cruel? Do you even realize you knocked out one of his teeth with that slap?” Later, after I found my daughter’s body, she cried and begged me not to divorce her. But I could never love her again. My daughter was killed by her own mother. She took her last breath inside a dark, suffocating box, alone. And I was miles away, on a business trip, completely unaware that the little girl I cherished more than anything in this world had already left me forever. Late that night, after finally wrapping up work, I picked up my phone to call her. But as soon as I unlocked my phone, I saw several missed calls from her. There were also multiple voice messages. My heart immediately sank. A wave of fear surged through me. I quickly called her back, but no one answered. I told myself not to overthink it, to stay calm. But when I opened her voice messages, her trembling, tear-filled voice pierced through the silence: “Daddy, why aren’t you back yet? Daddy, I don’t feel good. Please come save me.” “Daddy, I can’t breathe… Daddy…” “Daddy…” Her voice grew weaker with each message, and my chest felt like it was being crushed. I called my wife, Jessica, in a panic, but she kept rejecting my calls. Frustrated, I opened her social media account and saw her post: she was having dinner with her “first love.” Unbelievable. If Jessica hadn’t promised to take good care of my daughter, I would never have left her at home while I went on this business trip. Little did I know, leaving her behind was the worst decision I had ever made. The hour-and-a-half plane ride back felt like an eternity. I prayed desperately for time to move faster, terrified that every passing second might take my daughter further away from me. When I finally arrived home, I burst through the door, only to find Jessica tucking her “first love’s” son, Ethan, into bed. She looked startled when she saw me, her expression guilty and uneasy. “Why are you back so soon?” she asked, feigning nonchalance. Her demeanor sent a wave of panic through me. “Where’s my daughter? Where’s Lily?” I demanded. Jessica swallowed hard, her voice rising defensively. “She’s been asleep for hours. And honestly, Ethan is your stepson now, and I’m your wife. Why is that little brat the only person you ever care about?” I glared at her, my eyes burning red, and her insolent tone faltered. She immediately stopped talking. Frantically, I searched every room in the house, but Lily was nowhere to be found. Her desperate cries for help echoed in my mind, fueling my growing desperation. “Jessica, where is she? What did you do to her?” I shouted. At that moment, Ethan rubbed his eyes and sat up in bed, yawning. “Why are you making such a big deal about that brat?” he muttered. “Last time you slapped me, Jessica said she’d teach her a lesson to make me feel better. So this is all your fault.” His childish tone carried an innocent cruelty that made my blood boil. I turned to Jessica, disbelief and fury coursing through me. “All this because I slapped him? You used my daughter to ‘make him feel better’?” Jessica, realizing the truth was out, dropped her pretense. She crossed her arms and sneered. “Well, you shouldn’t have hit Ethan. He’s just a kid, and now he’s missing a tooth because of you.” “So yeah, I taught Lily a lesson. She’s my daughter; I can do whatever I want with her. And if you keep making a scene, you’ll never see that little brat again. I can’t believe she had the nerve to tattle on me to you.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Jessica was Lily’s mother, yet she was defending someone else’s son while treating her own daughter like trash. My vision turned red with rage. I grabbed Ethan by the collar and snatched a fruit knife from the coffee table, pressing it against his neck. “Tell me where Lily is,” I growled, “or I’ll make sure he’s buried next to her.” Jessica screamed in terror, begging me to put Ethan down. Finally, she broke under the pressure and pointed toward the backyard. “She wouldn’t stop crying, so I locked her in a box. Now put Ethan down, or I swear to God—” Her words blurred as I turned toward the window. The backyard was quiet, illuminated by the soft glow of the porch light. But there was no box in sight. Then my eyes landed on a freshly dug mound of dirt. A chilling realization gripped me. “You buried her alive in that box,” I said through clenched teeth. Jessica opened her mouth, but I didn’t wait for her response. There wasn’t time to waste. Saving Lily was all that mattered now.

When I clawed through the foul-smelling dirt with my bare hands, what came into view was a box, tightly locked. My fingers trembled as I fumbled with the latch, and when I finally managed to pry it open, my worst nightmare unfolded before me. My daughter—once so full of life—lay inside, her pupils dilated, her tiny face pale and bluish. I couldn’t believe it. Just days ago, she was fine, smiling, laughing. And now, she was gone. Carefully, I lifted her lifeless body from the box. Her once-bright face would never smile at me again. At the hospital, the doctor shook his head regretfully. “She passed away several hours ago. It seems an asthma attack was the cause.” I sat there, trembling, unable to process the words. Flashes of her face—a face so full of life—filled my mind. She was only five years old, taken from this world by the very person who should have loved her the most: her own mother. It was all because of Jessica. I called her over and over, my fury building with each rejection. Finally, after ignoring me for what felt like an eternity, she answered. Before I could say a word, her irritated voice snapped through the receiver. “Gavin, what the hell is wrong with you? Calling me nonstop—don’t you realize I’m busy calming Ethan down?” “It’s your fault he’s so upset. If he has nightmares tonight, I’ll make sure you pay for it.” Then the line went dead. I stared at the phone in silence, the dial tone echoing in my ears. At that moment, I realized the truth I’d been too afraid to admit until now: Jessica never loved our daughter. What kind of mother would call her own child a “brat”? Jessica, a doctor of all things, had betrayed everything her profession stood for. Knowing full well that Lily had asthma, she trapped her in a dark, airless box, leaving her to suffocate to death. Rage burned through me, threatening to consume me whole. Guilt and grief crushed me like a mountain, making it impossible to breathe. Memories of the day I left for my business trip replayed in my mind, sharp and vivid. Lily had grabbed my hand, her tiny fingers clutching mine tightly as she looked up at me with tear-filled eyes. “Daddy, do you really have to go? Can’t you take me with you?” She hugged her little stuffed bear, her innocent face full of hope. I’d crouched down to her level, holding her close, hesitating as her words gnawed at my heart. But Jessica had quickly swooped in, pulling Lily into her arms. “Lily, Mommy’s here to take care of you. Let Daddy focus on work so he can buy you all those pretty clothes and new toys, okay?” “Gavin, don’t worry. I’ll take good care of her,” Jessica had reassured me with a smile. Despite an uneasy feeling deep in my gut, I left. I convinced myself it was safer for Lily to stay home with her mother than to travel with me. After all, Jessica was her mom. But now, staring at my daughter’s lifeless body, I realized just how wrong I had been. Jessica didn’t just fail to protect Lily—she sacrificed her. All because I slapped Ethan, the son of her first love. And why did I slap him? Because Ethan had stabbed Lily with a knife. Jessica didn’t care. She buried our daughter alive just to “defend” her ex’s precious son. I had been such a fool to believe her promises, to think she wanted to make things right. Sitting in the hospital waiting room, I broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. I had failed my daughter. I had handed her over to Jessica. I had sent her to her death.

I sat in the hospital all night. It wasn’t until the sun rose the next morning that I finally moved, my body stiff and aching. My daughter was gone. The only thing left for me to do was give her a proper burial. But just as I was about to leave, the doctor called me back. In the waiting room, he held my daughter’s death report in one hand, hesitating as he glanced at me. “There’s something you should know about your daughter’s injuries,” he said cautiously. A heavy weight pressed against my chest. My voice came out hoarse and broken. “What do you mean? What injuries?” The doctor sighed, clearly troubled. “Your daughter didn’t just have knife wounds. Her body was covered in bruises, all caused by external force. And I suspect there may have been internal damage as well…” I didn’t hear the rest of what he said. The words knife wounds and bruises echoed in my mind, stabbing into me like daggers. In that moment, it felt like I’d fallen into a frozen abyss. How much pain had she endured before she died? A memory suddenly surfaced—before I left for my business trip, I had hidden a small camera inside her stuffed bear. I’d done it out of worry, wanting to keep an eye on her while I was away. That bear had been her favorite, the one she always hugged tightly to her chest. My hands trembled as I removed the memory card from the bear and inserted it into my laptop. At first, the footage was normal. My daughter was smiling, clutching her bear, and waving goodbye to me. But as soon as I left, Jessica’s entire demeanor shifted. Her face turned cold, and she shoved Lily to the floor without a second thought. Her sharp movements made it clear—this wasn’t the first time. I watched as my daughter, so small and obedient, picked herself up and quietly retreated to her room. My chest tightened, guilt tearing me apart. How could I have been so blind? How could I have left her in Jessica’s care, never realizing how cruel her own mother was behind my back? Suddenly, Lily’s cries pulled me out of my thoughts. “Mommy, I’m sorry! Please don’t hit me! I won’t say I’m hungry anymore!” “Shut up, you little brat!” Jessica snapped. “Cry again, and I’ll throw you out the window. Believe me, I will.” The next thing I heard was Lily’s muffled sobbing. Jessica wasn’t done. She grabbed Lily roughly by the arm, dragging her out of the room and shoving her into the car. Inside the car sat Jessica’s first love, Mark Hayes, and his son, Ethan. “Why did you bring that little nuisance along?” Mark complained. “You know her dad’s just going to lose it again. Last time he hit Ethan just because the kid scratched her with a knife. A knife! And all over one stupid tooth.” I clenched my fists as I watched, rage boiling inside me. Scratched her with a knife? Lily’s hand had needed stitches—several of them. Jessica smiled apologetically, trying to calm him down. “Don’t be mad, Mark. Gavin loves that little girl too much, so I thought I’d bring her along to help you blow off some steam. You can do whatever you want with her.” “I just didn’t want things to escalate between you two again. You know how impulsive that orphan is—he doesn’t think before he acts.” Mark laughed, satisfied. “Ah, you always know how to please me, Jess.” He pulled her closer by the waist. And then, as if their casual cruelty wasn’t enough, they came up with a plan to “teach Lily a lesson.” Their method? Tying a rope around her waist and dangling her off the seventh floor of the building. The camera shook as the footage captured the horrifying scene. Lily’s screams filled the air. “Daddy! Mommy! Help me!” But no one helped her. When they finally pulled her back up, she had fainted from terror. Ethan, however, wasn’t done. He grabbed her by the hair, climbed on top of her, and said in the most innocent tone imaginable, “Jessica, I saw on TV that people get buried alive sometimes. The sound they make is so funny. Can I bury her in the ground?” For a moment, Jessica hesitated. But then she smiled, indulgent and sweet. “Sure, honey. Go ahead.” How could she? I watched in horror as they stuffed my crying daughter into a box and carried her to the backyard. The sounds of laughter mixed with Lily’s desperate cries for help. The camera caught everything—her fear, her pain, her hopelessness. Tears streamed down my face as I stared at the screen, my body trembling. In her final moments, my daughter must have felt nothing but despair. She must have called me again and again, hoping I would save her. But I wasn’t there. I couldn’t save her.

When the video ended, my mind went completely blank. How naive I had been. I never imagined Jessica would go so far as to toss our daughter off the seventh floor just to please Mark Hayes. Such cruelty. Such inhumanity. How could people like them even dare to call themselves parents? Furious, I stormed back home. When I opened the door, I found the three of them—Jessica, Mark, and his son Ethan—standing in the kitchen, happily making dumplings together. They laughed at some joke, their heads leaning close to one another, the picture of a harmonious “family.” My daughter had died a horrific death, and yet Jessica had the audacity to stand here joking and laughing with another man. She didn’t even notice I’d come home. The rage inside me erupted. I marched over to Mark, grabbed his head, and slammed his face into a bowl of flour. Then I punched him square in the jaw. “Keep making your damn dumplings!” I shouted. Ethan saw his father being beaten and tried to intervene, but I slapped him so hard he stumbled backward. My bloodshot eyes burned with fury as I turned my fists on both father and son. Jessica stood frozen in shock. It took her a moment to react, and then she screamed, “Gavin, are you insane?! How dare you lay a hand on Mark!” But her voice was nothing more than noise to me at that point. Mark cried out in pain as I pummeled him relentlessly. His smug face swelled up like a pig’s head. Grabbing a handful of his hair, I slammed his head against the floor, over and over, until his body went limp. Just as I turned my attention to Ethan, Jessica grabbed a ceramic bowl and smashed it against the back of my head. The sharp, searing pain made me pause as blood trickled down my forehead. I blinked, slowly turning to look at her. I had almost forgotten—there was still one more guilty party in this house. A twisted smile spread across my face as something dark and primal awoke inside me. Jessica backed away in fear, but I lunged at her, pinning her to the floor. I slapped her hard across the face, the sound echoing through the room. “Lily was your daughter! Your own flesh and blood! Why did you do this to her? Why?!” I roared, my voice breaking with anguish. Even now, I couldn’t understand how Jessica could be so heartless, so monstrous toward her own child. Jessica sobbed and wailed beneath me. “I didn’t do anything! She wouldn’t listen, so I disciplined her. What’s wrong with that?” “She’s my daughter! I can do whatever I want with her!” I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. “She was your daughter, Jessica! How could you turn her into a punching bag for someone else? She was only five years old, and now she’s dead because of you!” “All because I slapped Ethan, you took your revenge on Lily? You let her die for that?” Jessica’s expression twisted into hysteria as she screamed back at me. “What else was I supposed to do?! Ethan is just a child! How could you be so cruel and knock out one of his teeth?” “And besides,” she continued, her tone turning venomous, “Mark said it was fine to lock Lily in the box for a few hours. But now look at you—storming in here like a lunatic and beating us up. When you end up in jail, just wait and see what I’ll do to that little brat of yours.” “She was just a lying little parasite! Always twisting the truth and tattling. So what if she’s dead? It’s not a big deal. Just bury her and be done with it!” Her words shattered whatever was left of my spirit. Even now, Jessica refused to acknowledge Lily’s death. She continued to defend Mark and his son, as if their lives were worth more than our daughter’s. In that moment, I realized everything—my trust, my love, my family—had been nothing more than a cruel joke. Lily and I had both been nothing more than pawns in their twisted little game.

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My boyfriend, David Huber, was diagnosed with a terminal illness. I worked three jobs to help him, but one day, I accidentally overheard a conversation between him and his doctor. “You’re letting Ella Jefferson and Alyssa Lyons get too close, aren’t you worried she’ll find out you’re faking it? And that you plan to run back to Thalwell and marry Ella?” the doctor asked. David’s voice sounded weak. “Ella’s family went bankrupt. If I don’t marry her, she’ll be sold off as a mistress. But I’ve always loved only Alyssa. “I’ve already proposed to Alyssa,” he continued, “Before I leave, I’ll give her an unforgettable wedding and enough money to live comfortably for the rest of her life. So keep your mouth shut. I’ll handle everything.” I felt a chill run through me. I raised my hand and listed the wedding ring for sale on a secondhand platform. If this marriage was destined to be incomplete and short-lived, then I’d rather not keep it. Their conversation pierced my heart like a needle. I touched the money I had saved up from working, and all the hope I had vanished. Ever since David’s diagnosis, I’d been working triple shifts to raise money for his treatment, only to find out it was all a lie. Thalwell’s heir didn’t need my money. This was just his excuse to leave me. But why not tell me the truth? Why keep this from me? Before I could come to an answer, the nurse came to change David’s bandages. “Ms. Lyons, you’re here to see your boyfriend? He’s looking better lately. I suppose even the heavens don’t want to break up a couple in love,” the nurse remarked. I smiled awkwardly, but bitterness flooded my chest. David had always been so kind to me. Even lying in a hospital bed, he would make little things to cheer me up, telling me more than once, “Alyssa, my illness can’t be cured. You should keep the money for yourself. Don’t waste it on me.” I naively thought he was just trying not to burden me, and worked even harder to save more, hoping I could make him live even one more day. Everyone around us was moved by our love, sighing at the fact that we couldn’t end up together. But who could have guessed? All of this was just an act David put on to leave me. I opened the door for the nurse, only to see a woman lying in the other bed. It was Ella, resting with noise-canceling headphones on. When she saw us, the doctor subtly woke her up. Ella awkwardly took off her headphones, apologizing. “Alyssa, don’t misunderstand. I noticed you weren’t at the hospital last night, so I came to help take care of David. He’s in bad shape, and he needs someone by his side.” Ella had started appearing in David’s social circle a week before his cancer diagnosis. At the time, I thought of David’s friends as my friends, and I treated her like a sister. Now I realized perhaps that was when they had already planned this whole escape. The day before, when David proposed to me, I couldn’t sleep, imagining how our future would be. We’d have a beautiful life together, raise a child full of love… but the next day, David told me he only had one month left to live. My dream was shattered before I even woke up. Ella needed him, and he immediately went to her side. Meanwhile, I had to endure the despair of losing my loved one alone. I fought back tears and smiled awkwardly. “How could I misunderstand? Since you’re here, I’ll go back to work. Please take care of David for me.” I turned to leave, but David grabbed my hand, asking helplessly, “Alyssa, aren’t you staying longer? I really miss you. Don’t you want to make more memories with me?” He looked at me pleadingly. I trembled as I pulled my hand away and gently touched his face. “Don’t say things like that. We still have countless months to be together, right?” David didn’t answer right away. He just kissed my palm over and over. Was he so unwilling to even lie to me?

Ella couldn’t hold back anymore, noticing we were still lingering. She spoke up, “David, don’t you have an appointment for an examination soon? Shouldn’t we get going?” She even winked at the doctor standing nearby. “Oh, right,” David reluctantly pulled away from me, looking impatiently at the doctor. “How come I didn’t know about this?” “Oh, David, you’ve been through so much with your treatments. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of these things for you,” Ella said, affectionately linking her arm with David’s and helping him get up. David was half-dragged, half-assisted by Ella and the doctor toward the door. He turned back one last time, anxiously asking me, “Alyssa, aren’t you coming with me for the check-up?” I wiped my hands discreetly and smiled, reassuring him, “You’re in good hands with Ella and the doctor. I still have some work to finish. I’ll head off now.” As I turned to leave, walking in the opposite direction, the tears I’d been holding back streamed down my face. Years of love had deeply embedded themselves in my heart, and now, it felt like I was digging out pieces of myself, piece by piece. I could hear David struggling behind me, but when I looked back, I saw him quietly letting Ella smooth his hair. I felt rooted to the spot, unable to move. I stood there, torturing myself by watching them laugh together, disappearing from my sight. Was this really all just to help Ella avoid being sold off to another man? Was their relationship really just friendship? The answer seemed clear. David must have spent so much time, energy, and money on that wedding ring for me. When I returned to my rented apartment just three hours later, I noticed that the ring had already attracted a lot of attention. A kind girl told me that the value of the ring was far higher than the five thousand dollars I had listed it for. If I didn’t want to lose too much, I could have it appraised at a high-end jewelry store. I played with the ring, my mind drifting back to the time when David had given it to me. “Alyssa, I made this ring myself. But the stone, I had it set by someone else,” David had said, holding my right hand gently. He carefully ran his fingers over the simple band with the dark green gem on my finger. I remembered what he’d said. “Alyssa, I know you’ve had a hard time with me these years. But I promise you, one day I’ll make sure you live a good life.” His eyes, sparkling like a puppy’s, gazed at me earnestly, making those words seem more believable. The next day, I took the ring to a high-end mall in the city center. Everything in the store was priced so high I could lose everything I owned just by walking in. The staff at the jewelry counter examined the ring. “The stone is really valuable. From the color and quality, I’d say it’s worth around 300 thousand dollars.” I stood by the counter, feeling awkward as I waited for the appraiser. Despite preparing myself, I was still shocked by the price. Three hundred thousand dollars, more than I had earned from three jobs combined. I had the staff remove the stone and sold it to them on the spot, keeping only the plain band. As expected of a high-end store, the money was transferred to my account immediately. As I was preparing to leave, I saw Ella at another counter, browsing jewelry and talking on the phone. “David, you got that 300 thousand dollars stone for Alyssa. How about buying me some jewelry too?” Ella’s voice was sweet and playful. I couldn’t hear David’s reply, but I saw Ella hang up the phone and proceed to buy all the jewelry she had picked out, happily swiping her card. “Got everything, thanks, Mr. Huber,” she cooed as she sent him a voice message, her voice dripping with affection. “All for two million dollars.” I felt a bitterness rise in my chest. When I was with David, spending two hundred dollars at once felt extravagant. Now, Ella was spending two million as if it were nothing. Without thinking, I walked back to the staff and handed them the cash in my pocket. “Can you ask that lady over there if she’d be interested in buying my stone? I think it would suit her.” The staff took the stone over to Ella. She immediately commented, “Oh, can you set this stone into a ring for me? I’ll take it. I’ll come pick it up in a few days.” Ella, the well-mannered young lady, could easily recognize the value of the stone at a glance. I couldn’t help but imagine how David would react when he saw that same stone on Ella’s finger.

After leaving the jewelry store, I impulsively ordered a lot of food. The dishes I usually loved now felt stuck in my throat, hard to swallow. I kept stuffing food into my mouth. The day I first met David, I had just watched my last relative get cremated. I wandered aimlessly down the street, holding the urn when suddenly, a teddy bear blocked my way. “You look so sad. My hugs have magical powers. They can bring you luck. Want to try?” Without thinking, I buried my face in the teddy bear’s chest. Feeling the rhythmic pats on my back, I couldn’t hold back my tears, and I cried out loud. When I finally calmed down, the costume was soaked with my tears. “Such a lovely girl should smile more. It looks better on you.” David took off the headpiece, revealing his handsome face. We exchanged contact details, and over time, our feelings grew uncontrollably strong. “Alyssa, the moment I saw you in that teddy bear costume, I couldn’t take my eyes off you,” David said, his face and ears turning bright red, yet he stared at me intently. “I like you! Will you give me a chance to be your future support?” Years later, he truly kept his promise. But it didn’t change the fact that in his heart, Ella might have always come before me. Memories rushed back, and tears poured from my eyes. “Do you want a hug? Mom and Dad always say that hugging me makes them feel full of strength!” A little girl in overalls was trying to stand on her tiptoes, using her chubby little hand to wipe away my tears. I choked, my tears flowing harder. “Yes, I need it.” The child in my arms patted my back, just like the teddy bear did back then. Yeah, no one was irreplaceable, and no one must depend on anyone else. I should be my own future support. In the days that followed, we were both busy. David was making calls to arrange our wedding, while Ella was updating David’s situation on Instagram every day. [David ate only a little today.] But in the picture, David didn’t look thin at all. A hand with bright red nails was feeding him soup. And I, with only a few belongings, set off on my journey alone. While David was drafting the invitations, I was at the beach, enjoying the sun and replying to his messages. [I don’t know which invitation style to choose. Ask Ella.] Ella was a great excuse. Whenever David asked me something, I just said: [Ask Ella’s opinion,] and he’d reply with clingy lines like: [Alyssa, I love you,] and [Alyssa, I’m looking forward to that day] before logging off to find Ella. I was looking forward to it too because I couldn’t wait either. On the wedding day, David still didn’t forget to apply some foundation to look more like a sick patient. He eagerly prepared everything, from the high-end wedding dress shipped from abroad to the smallest details like what kind of side dishes to have, everything was carefully planned by him. But when the day arrived, the bride couldn’t be found. The makeup artist and the wedding procession returned empty-handed from our rented apartment. “Mr. Huber, the landlord said Ms. Lyons moved out half a month ago.” David refused to give up, calling me again and again, but each time, no one answered. “Has anyone reached Alyssa yet? Aiden, check her itinerary. I need to know where she went!” He anxiously searched for any news about me while also making arrangements for the guests who had been waiting for a long time. Soon, his assistant, Aiden Malone, found my whereabouts. “Mr. Huber, Ms. Lyons left half a month ago. She’s been changing cities every couple of days. I guess… she’s traveling.” David quickly grabbed the tablet to check my booking information, muttering to himself, “How is this possible? Alyssa can’t just leave me. She accepted my proposal. She promised me…” Just then, Ella walked up to David in a form-fitting mermaid dress, gently comforting him, “Maybe Alyssa doesn’t want to see her lover leave, David. Don’t be too sad.” It was at that moment that David noticed the gem on Ella’s hand. He let the tablet drop, grabbed Ella’s right hand tightly, and glared at her with barely controlled rage in his tone. “Why is this gem on your hand?!”

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On Christmas, my husband’s sister, Evelyn Johnson, and her family asked if they could hitch a ride with me back to their hometown. Without hesitation, I agreed. On the day of the trip, there were five of them, and my car couldn’t fit everyone. Evelyn shamelessly said, “I’ll buy you a bus ticket for the ride back, and my husband can drive the car. Otherwise, we can’t fit everyone in. “We’re family. You can’t make us split up just because you’re an outsider.” I refused, but they simply tried to take my car anyway. So, I called the police. “I need to report a car theft.” This year, my husband, Keith Harding, had his holiday early, so he went home ahead of me. I was stuck working overtime and wouldn’t be heading back until Christmas. Evelyn’s family was also heading home for the holiday and decided to hitch a ride with me. Since they were family, I agreed right away and double-checked with Evelyn, confirming that there would only be four people in total. But when the day came, Evelyn showed up with a colleague tagging along. I looked at the number of people and hesitated. “Evelyn, my car can only fit four people. Five won’t work.” Evelyn didn’t seem concerned. “Oh, it’ll be fine. Your car looks big enough, and we’ll squeeze in. We’ll just hold the two kids,” she said. But it wasn’t about squeezing in. It was about safety and rules. I explained, “Evelyn, my car isn’t allowed to carry that many people. We could get fined for overloading it.” Evelyn’s face soured, and she snapped, “What’s your problem, Cynthia Morgan? Are you worried about saving a few bucks?” I quickly denied, “Evelyn, you’re misunderstanding. I’m just saying it’ll be uncomfortable for all of us with an overloaded car, especially on Christmas.” But Evelyn wasn’t listening. The group just pushed open the car doors and started piling in. Her kids, who were both in elementary school, had grown so fast. Her son was even a bit chubby, and there was no way he could fit. Reluctantly, I tried to find another solution. “Evelyn, there really isn’t enough space. “How about I order another car for you guys? That way, we won’t be cramped.” Evelyn’s colleague suddenly objected, “Taxis are so expensive during the holidays! I can’t afford that.” I was a bit speechless. “I’ll pay for the ride, so let’s not make a fuss.” Just as I was about to book a taxi, Evelyn grabbed my phone out of my hands and refused. “No, I need to talk to my colleague on the way. Let’s keep things as they are.” I was getting irritated. Why were they making this so difficult? But I kept my cool and suggested, “How about your husband take another car?” Evelyn shot that down immediately. “No, he has to stay with me. And my kids need to stay with us too. I can’t let them go separately.” I couldn’t take it anymore. “Ugh, what do you want from me? Are we going home or not? Are we going to have Christmas dinner or not?” Evelyn thought for a moment, then handed my phone back and pulled me aside. “Hey, why don’t you just order a taxi for yourself? We’ll take your car. My husband can drive it.” I was livid, my voice sharp with anger. “Are you serious, Evelyn? You’re saying my own car isn’t good enough for me to drive, and I have to pay for my own ride home?” Evelyn didn’t see the issue. Instead, she pulled out 50 dollars from her bag and handed it to me. “So this whole thing is about money? Here, take fifty bucks, buy a bus ticket, and we’ll use your car.” I was so mad, I almost laughed. How shameless could they be? Since they were acting like this, I wasn’t going to let them get away with it. I tore off the mask and said, “Fine, you want to do this? Get out of my car. Take a bus home. You’re not riding with me anymore.”

When Evelyn and her family heard me, instead of feeling guilty, they turned around and blamed me. “Cynthia, what’s wrong with you? We’re family, and you want to separate us? You’re all alone, just take the bus by yourself,” Evelyn said. How could she even say that? I shot back, “Evelyn, get this straight. This is my car.” Evelyn rolled her eyes. “When you marry someone, you marry everything that comes with them. You married my brother, so everything you have is ours now.” Her husband, Bobby Johnson, chimed in, “Exactly, Cynthia, your car is our family’s car. You’re the only one going back, so just take the bus. We’ll look out for each other.” They were so bold about taking my car and kicking me out of it. It was unbelievable. My anger flared, and I snapped, “My car is mine, and it’s got nothing to do with you! Don’t flatter yourselves. “Anyway, my car can only fit four people, so you can sit or not, it’s up to you.” With that, I slammed the car door shut and was about to leave. But Evelyn blocked the door with her hand, and in the process, she somehow managed to pinch her hand badly. She cried out in pain and ran straight to her husband. Her entire family turned on me, pointing fingers. “Cynthia, what did you do? You hurt Evelyn!” Seeing her hurt, I did feel a little guilty, so I apologized. “Sorry, Evelyn. I didn’t notice your hand when you put it there.” But instead of being grateful, Evelyn turned on me, spitting out, “Cynthia, you’ve been married to my brother for how long, and you still don’t respect me?” Then she grabbed me and pulled at me. “Get out. We’re taking this car.” She really had no shame. I shoved her away. “Evelyn, stop overstepping.” The two kids, seeing the struggle, rushed over and kicked me. “Don’t hurt our mom!” Though they were just kids, their kicks were surprisingly strong, and one hit me hard enough to leave me in pain. I couldn’t take it anymore and shouted at them, “You two uneducated brats, how dare you lay hands on me?” Bobby immediately stepped in, blocking the kids and pulling me out of the car, shouting, “Cynthia, what the hell is your problem?!” I put my hands on my hips and shot back, “If you can’t control your own kids, then it’s up to me to teach them some manners. They’re already learning to hit people at such a young age.” Evelyn stood by, clapping and cheering them on. “Good job! These are my kids, after all. See? Your aunt deserved it. She has no respect.” After hearing their mom’s encouragement, the kids got even bolder. They grabbed me and said, “Get up. Let Dad drive the car.” They were so strong for their size, and I refused to let go of the car, shouting, “Is there no law anymore? This is my car!” Evelyn jumped in to help, and together with the kids, they pulled me out of the car. She shoved me so hard that I landed on the ground, hurting all over. I couldn’t get up. Seizing the chance, the whole group hopped into my car, started it up, and sped off, leaving me sitting there, stunned and in pain.

I stood there, watching my car drive off into the distance, my face burning with anger. Slowly, I managed to get up, feeling pain all over my body. I couldn’t swallow the humiliation, so I dialed the police. “Hello, I need to report a theft. Someone took my car. The license plate is…” The police immediately intercepted the car at a highway exit. Evelyn was completely stunned when they stopped her. After the police explained the situation, she glanced at me, who was standing there with a cold expression. Evelyn’s anger flared up, and in front of the officers, she lunged at me, shouting, “Cynthia, you bitch, how dare you call the police? Don’t you have any conscience? I’ll beat you to death!” Thankfully, the police pulled her away in time. I hid behind the officers and said, “Officers, you saw it, right? They didn’t just steal my car. They tried to hit me.” The police gave Evelyn’s group a stern reprimand. “What do you think you’re doing? You’re trying to hit her right in front of us?” That was enough to calm Evelyn down. She quickly started explaining, “You misunderstood, this is my brother’s wife. We’re all family. Don’t listen to her. She’s just being unreasonable. We’re in a rush to get home. Please let us go.” The police asked, “Is that true?” I nodded and added, “Yes, they’re relatives, but they did steal my car. They dragged me out of the car and even tried to hit me.” I rolled up my sleeves and showed them the bruises on my arms and neck. We were all taken to the police station for questioning. Even though they were family, I refused to forgive them and demanded compensation. When Evelyn heard that, she exploded. “What do you mean compensation? Your money is the same as my brother’s money. If I pay you, I’m just moving it from one pocket to the other!” But I stood firm. “So what? You deserve it. You stole my car and even hit me. “If you don’t pay, you’ll be going to jail.” Evelyn gritted her teeth and hissed. “You bitch, you wait. I’ll pay today, but you’ll regret this. Let’s see if my brother still wants you.” I scoffed, “Pay up.” I was certain that my husband, Keith, would stand by me. We’ve always had a strong relationship since we got married. Evelyn’s colleagues kept complaining, “Why does it always cause so many problems when I take your car? I’m not paying for this. Don’t drag me into your family drama.” Evelyn didn’t have much to say and reluctantly handed me 20 thousand dollars. Once we left the police station, I rushed to get my car back and head home. But Evelyn stood by, glaring at me. I shot her a warning glance. “If you touch me again, the compensation won’t just be this amount.” With that, I got into my car and drove off, leaving them all behind, stomping their feet in frustration. The delay on the road had eaten up a lot of time, and by the time I got home, it was already dark. I knocked and entered, only to find my husband, Keith, waiting for me with a dark face. The moment he saw me, he started questioning, “I’ve been calling you non-stop. Why didn’t you answer?” I pulled out my phone and realized it was completely dead. I was exhausted from the day, so I pouted and hugged him. “My phone died. You have no idea how hard it’s been for me today.” Instead of comforting me, my husband shoved me away and scolded, “Tell me, what good did you do today?”

I was completely stunned, and after a moment of thinking, I realized he must be talking about what happened with Evelyn. At that moment, his mother, Marie Harding, came out of the kitchen and shot me a cold look. I quickly explained, “Evelyn’s family had a lot of people. The car was too small, but they insisted on taking mine and made me take the bus. So, I had no choice but to come back on my own.” Marie wasn’t buying it. She angrily scolded, “Evelyn, you’ve really gotten bold! How dare you treat Evelyn like that?” She then turned to my husband, Keith, and lectured him. “Keith, you’d better handle your wife. If I did something like this years ago, your dad would’ve slapped me.” Even Marie couldn’t be this unreasonable. This wasn’t even my fault! I protested, “It was Evelyn who started bullying me. “They even left bruises on me!” I added. Just then, the door creaked open, and Evelyn and her family walked in. Without a word, Evelyn slapped me across the face and yelled in front of everyone, “Cynthia, you had the nerve to call the police on us and demand compensation. Let’s see if I don’t teach you a lesson today!” I slapped Evelyn right back, firing back. “You were in the wrong first! I was just trying to get my car back.” Evelyn looked at my husband with teary eyes. “Keith, look at her! You just let her bully me, and you’re not going to do anything? “She’s only been in the family for a short time and already called the cops on me. She even made me pay her 20 thousand dollars!” She held up her hand, which had been caught in the car door, and complained, “Look, my hand’s like this now. And she still says I’m bullying her! “See? My hand is black and blue.” Keith looked at her hand with pity in his eyes. I defended myself. “She did it to herself! I was closing the door, and she insisted on sticking her hand in, then tried to pull me out of the car!” But Keith, instead of standing by me, raised his hand and slapped me hard across the face. The pain was immediate and sharp, and I covered my reddening cheek, staring at Keith in disbelief. “You hit me?” I asked, my voice trembling. Keith didn’t look guilty at all. He simply ordered, “Apologize to her, and give her the 20 thousand dollars back.” All the frustration inside me boiled over, and I couldn’t hold back my tears. I cried out, “They were in the wrong from the start! It was my car, and they forced me out, making me take the bus home. Why should I just let that go? “I only called the cops to protect my rights! Why do I have to apologize? Keith, I’m your wife. Don’t turn your back on me like this.” Evelyn looked all innocent. “It’s because we’re family. How could we go home separately? She’s an outsider, so it’s totally normal for her to take the bus. “As for family, Keith and I are family. We’ve been together for decades, and you’ve only just married him. Of course, he’s closer to me.” My anger flared, and with a cry in my voice, I shouted, “Evelyn, you’re shameless! Get this straight. It’s my car, not yours!” Keith, instead of defending me, snapped back, “The car is yours, but we’re married now. That car belongs to our family. What’s the problem if I want my sister to use it? “Cynthia, I didn’t expect you to be so cold-hearted. You don’t care about family at all, and you called the cops on Evelyn. Fine, here’s the deal. apologize to her, transfer the car to Evelyn’s name, and we’ll consider it done.” Evelyn didn’t say a word but looked at me with a smug grin. I stood my ground. “No, I won’t. Why should I?” Keith, usually so gentle, now pointed at me with a warning in his eyes. “If you don’t apologize, you won’t be having Christmas dinner tonight.” Looking at the veins bulging on his forehead and the fire in his eyes, I suddenly felt a chill in my heart. But I wasn’t going to just take this. I walked over, flipped the table, and declared, “Then no one eats.”

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On our tenth wedding anniversary, my husband, Noah Bennett dragged me, despite my thalassophobia, to go freediving and “accidentally” ran into his childhood sweetheart, Ruby Fraser. When a massive sea creature appeared, Noah ripped away my oxygen tank. He abandoned me with my foot trapped in the coral reef, choosing to save Ruby instead. After being rescued, I begged Noah, an avid gamer, to keep the noise down as I was having a nervous breakdown. Instead, I was forced to listen to their passionate lovemaking next door all night long. Noah blamed me for being immature, while my own mother, Ashley Ford, advised me to learn to tolerate it. Little did anyone know that I had already accepted my professor, Edward Langley’s offer to study abroad that night. Noah, you wouldn’t be able to catch up to me. My feet throbbed with excruciating pain as the coral had torn through my ankles, leaving them bleeding badly. I hunched over, my hands trembling as I desperately tried to free myself from the coral branches. Even with my broken nails, I couldn’t make any progress. Yet I remembered Noah insisted on bandaging even the slightest bruise whenever I got hurt. “Please, Noah, help me!” I begged. As I waved my arms frantically, seawater rushed into my mouth while I tried to call for help. With only one lung, I was on the verge of suffocation and quickly pulled my breathing mask back on like it was my lifeline. “Noah, I think I’m running low on oxygen,” Ruby said sweetly, her fingers trailing suggestively across Noah’s muscular chest beneath his diving suit. Noah gently took Ruby’s hand in his. “Zoe, switch tanks with Ruby,” he ordered. The color drained from my face as my bloodied hands instinctively clutched the oxygen tank on my back. How could you do this to me? I shook my head frantically. Fear crept over me like an invisible net, squeezing the breath from my lungs. The deep blue water surrounding me seemed to close in as the feeling of suffocation wrapped around my throat like an invisible hand. Dizzy and lightheaded, I gave up trying to free my feet and hunched over the coral, taking deep breaths through my mask. The underwater current shifted suddenly. Small fish darted away as a large, dark shadow slowly approached from the distance. “Oh my God! What is that monster? Grab the oxygen tanks, and let’s get out of here!” someone screamed in panic. Noah was freaking out, too, swimming frantically towards me. “You should have given them to us earlier! Are you trying to get us killed?” he shouted as he roughly yanked the oxygen tank off my back, causing me to stumble and sink toward the ocean floor. My foot got caught on something, leaving me hanging upside down. The combination of weightlessness, suffocation, and pain was unbearable. I felt like I was dying! In the last second, before losing consciousness, I desperately grabbed the edge of Noah’s clothes. A sharp pain shot through my chest as my body swayed from the impact. Did he… just kick me? Through my fading vision, I saw Noah clutching Ruby with one arm and gripping the oxygen tank with the other, his fins moving at lightning speed. I had given Ruby one of my lungs, let him force me to get an IUD, and now he kicked me and left me to die?

The massive sea creature finally revealed itself before my eyes. It was a giant octopus! Its eight enormous tentacles swayed as it glided past me, not even sparing me a glance. The octopus’ slimy secretions splashed onto my skin, releasing a nauseating stench of decay. I tried to console myself with the small mercy that octopuses weren’t known to eat humans, though it felt like cold comfort in my despair. I let my body go limp as the seawater flooded into my lungs. As death approached, my most bitter memory played over and over in my mind. It had been an ordinary evening, with me lying anxiously on the cold operating table. Ruby lay unconscious on the bed next to mine. During this surgery, one of my lungs would be transplanted into Ruby. Noah had promised that if I saved his cousin, he would get a vasectomy and commit to our child-free lifestyle. Though he had agreed to this before marriage, he only backed out because of pressure from his parents. On the operating table, I naively thought that I should make some sacrifice for Noah, even if I didn’t want kids. I spoke up, “Doctor, I have a low tolerance for anesthesia. Noah must have told you about this.” The lead surgeon, a middle-aged man in his fifties, just frowned and silently signaled the anesthesiologist to increase the dosage. I froze. Hadn’t Noah mentioned it? As the anesthesia started to kick in, I drifted in and out of consciousness. However, I could still hear the clinking of surgical instruments. The harsh fluorescent lights above were blinding, and through the haze, I felt them cutting into my stomach. Sharp, stinging pain shot through my nerves, making me cry out. I heard the medical staff whispering among themselves. “What’s going on? Why is she still conscious?” a female nurse asked. The lead surgeon lowered his voice, “Her husband never said she was this resistant to anesthesia! We shouldn’t even be doing this surgery!” “What do we do now? We’ve already cut her open!” “Keep going. Actually… her husband slipped me some cash and said his wife had a high pain tolerance.” An eerie silence fell over the operating room after those words. Tears welled up in my eyes as I felt the cold surgical instruments moving through my organs. The pain was unbearable, with every cell in my body screaming in agony. My limbs twitched helplessly as I lay there, unable to speak. At this point, I had no choice but to let the doctors finish the surgery. It was either that or die. The torture-like procedure seemed endless, and in my hazy state, I watched as they removed my blood-soaked lungs. Finally, it was over, and I felt a wave of relief wash over me. By the time they started stitching, I must have been too numb to feel anything anymore. “Can we start closing her up now?” asked the squeamish nurse, her voice trembling. “Yes, we’ll do the IUD insertion after the sutures.” IUD? Wasn’t that for sterilization? He promised he would get a vasectomy instead! My heart sank, and the tears I’d held back streamed uncontrollably down my face. My body started to move slightly in protest. No! Please stop! I told him about my uterine fibroids! An IUD was dangerous for me! The two doctors forcefully spread my legs and inserted the IUD through my body into my uterus. The combination of rage and unbearable pain made me pass out. When I regained consciousness, it was dawn. I struggled to open my eyes, feeling like every bone in my body was broken, consumed by pain. In the morning light, the man I had loved for years was leaning over the adjacent bed, his arms braced on either side. He placed a tender, lingering kiss on Ruby’s forehead. Ruby’s sleeping profile suddenly matched the lock screen I had glimpsed on Noah’s phone. It wasn’t just some random picture from the internet! The girl on Noah’s phone was Ruby all along!

I smirked bitterly as the cold ocean water surrounded me. Suddenly, a hand grabbed my waist and pulled me up from the water. I instinctively wrapped my arms around my rescuer’s neck, staring into his worried eyes. Oliver Reed? What was he doing here? We were both PhD students under the same advisor. Before I could speak, his lips crashed into mine. He was giving me rescue breaths, and I froze in shock. My conservative upbringing made me want to push him away, but he pinched my side hard to keep me still. Too weak to resist, I let him carry me back to shore. I collapsed on the beach, coughing and gasping for air, feeling half-dead. My anger and disappointment peaked when Noah approached with his fake concern and that smug smile. I slapped him across the face hard. Ruby jumped to his defense. “What’s wrong with you? He’s your husband! How could you treat him like that?” I said, “Oh, so you remember he’s my husband? Funny, that didn’t stop you from throwing yourself at him, you cheap homewrecker.” The three of them stood there stunned, shocked to hear such crude words from my mouth. Noah’s guilty eyes darted between me and Oliver, finally fixating on Oliver’s mouth. His face contorted with rage. “You’ve got some nerve! Here I was feeling bad, and you’re cheating on me? You slut! You whore!” Following Noah’s gaze to Oliver’s mouth, everything suddenly clicked into place. During our struggle earlier, I had accidentally bitten Oliver’s lip. Oliver, ever the gentleman, furrowed his brows in disgust. He spoke calmly but firmly, “What kind of monster tries to feed his wife to the fish?” Then, with a knowing smirk, he added, “By the way, you can’t afford this brand of diving equipment on your salary.” He was right. I had paid for all our diving gear and even covered most of our daily expenses. Noah’s face and neck flushed red with shame. He stood there speechless momentarily before shaking off Ruby’s hand to hug me. He tried to sound casual, “Let’s put this behind us, okay? How about we go get some dinner?” With false cheerfulness, he added, “You’ve been looking forward to that seafood feast!” What a joke! Me? Looking forward to it? I was allergic to seafood, but he insisted on going! He just told me to order something else at the restaurant! Ignoring him completely, I turned to Oliver. “Let’s go eat together. Thank you for saving my life!” Oliver smiled warmly, “I’d love to!” Noah stood frozen in place, his face darkening with anger.

The famous seafood restaurant’s large wooden table was loaded with abalone, crab, sea cucumber, and more delicacies. Noah was focused on picking the crab meat, carefully placing the tender white flesh onto my plate. “Zoe, I was wrong before. Can you forgive me?” Noah asked. I remained silent, staring blankly at the crab meat on my plate. I told him about my seafood allergy when we were dating, but he had forgotten. I had even reminded him again before this trip. His first formal apology should have meant something, but I couldn’t find any joy. “She’s allergic!” a voice called out. “Waiter, bring some pasta and a light salad!” the same voice commanded. Oliver whisked away my plate and replaced it with a portion of pasta from the waiter. “You just had surgery, and you’ve had a rough day. You need something gentle on your stomach,” he said softly. “Thank you,” I gave him a grateful look. How ironic that my boyfriend of nearly 10 years knew me less than a senior classmate I’d only known for just over a year. “Ungrateful bitch,” Noah muttered under his breath as he dumped the plate on the ground, where several stray dogs immediately scrambled for the food. My heart sank even further as I watched Noah peel off the crab roe and feed it directly to Ruby’s waiting mouth. Ruby made a show of it, deliberately running her tongue across Noah’s fingers in a suggestive way. I turned away in disgust, the warm pasta in front of me now tasting like cardboard. In the past, Noah would always eat whatever I was having. He never complained and never chose differently. His answer was always the same. “Whatever Zoe loves, I love it too.  Because I love Zoe.” Now I realized it had all been an act. My chest felt heavy with emotion as tears began to blur my vision, dropping into my pasta. Under the table, where no one could see, Oliver discreetly slipped two tissues into my palm. Noah was too busy flirting with Ruby, constantly calling her “baby” and “sweetheart” loud enough for everyone to hear.

After enduring the long dinner, a new problem arose when we returned to the hotel. Ruby looked at Noah with teary eyes. “Please, I’m broke. Can’t you let me stay with you? Pretty please?” Her mascara was starting to run from the fake tears. Noah shifted uncomfortably, his beady eyes darting around. “But… my wife might not like that!” Wouldn’t I like it? It was as if he couldn’t afford to pay for his mistress’ room. I turned to head to my pre-booked double room. I was absolutely exhausted. Ruby yanked my arm, her sharp acrylic nails leaving scratches on my bare skin. “Hey! What do you think you’re doing? This is Noah’s room!” I shot Noah a tired look, hoping he’d show some decency. He scratched his head and said, “Why don’t you… let Ruby have the room? Don’t worry, she’s just like a sister to me!” Great. Just great, Noah! I’d had enough of this drama. Without another word, I headed to the front desk to book a single room. “Hold on, Zoe! Let’s exchange WhatsApp. I’ll pay you back another day,” Ruby said with a sweet smile, though her eyes gleamed triumphantly. I took a deep breath to calm my irritation before adding her contact. Money matters were not something to mess around with. The receptionist informed me that the only available single room was next door, freshly cleaned after the previous guest had left. I nodded in agreement. Once I got to my room, I collapsed onto the bed. I thought I would spend the night crying and tossing in bed after everything that happened. Instead, I fell into a deep sleep. “Oh yes… Noah, you’re still such a beast in bed!” “Scream louder, baby! I love hearing you moan like the little minx you are!” “She’s nothing like that nerdy bookworm who just lay there like a corpse! It’s no fun in bed!” The noises from next door jolted me awake. As I listened to Noah’s words, everything became crystal clear. He was nothing but a complete fraud! He had performance issues, and I wasn’t interested in putting on a show… Did I want to spend my life with someone like him? After so many years of marriage, my desire for divorce had only grown stronger with each passing day. Unable to sleep, I mindlessly scrolled through Instagram on my phone. The first post I saw was Ruby flaunting herself in a bikini on the beach. In the comments, Noah wrote: [Wait for me to bump into you! My love!] All the bitterness I’d been bottling up inside finally reached its breaking point when I saw that post. Like a fish out of water, I clutched at my collar, struggling to breathe through the pain. So, even our annual honeymoon trips have been part of your shopping list. What a fool I had been, covering all our expenses because I worried about your self-esteem over not having an income. Without hesitation, I got up to pack my bags and booked a red-eye flight. I quickly told Edward: [Professor Langley, I’ve decided to pursue further studies abroad.] Noah, you wouldn’t be able to catch up to me.

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I crossed over, becoming the sister of the CEO, Matthew Campbell, Lois Campbell. Right now, I was holding the eight-million-dollar necklace Kathryn Barnes, his fiancée, gave me, feeling quite pleased with myself. But the next moment, my hopeless brother suddenly brought back a woman from the slums, Nancy Decker, and claimed that they were truly in love. “I object!” I immediately shouted, standing up. My dad froze for a second just as he was about to explode, and everyone in the room turned to look at me. “Matthew, how could you do this!” I quickly walked over to them, gazing at their tightly intertwined hands, and spoke with a pained expression, “Such an important matter, and you didn’t even give us a heads-up. You had to bring it up in front of both families? “Dad always taught us to be considerate and know our place. Look at you now, acting like you’re forcing everyone’s hand. What kind of example is this!” As I spoke, my dad’s expression softened, and he looked at me with a hint of approval, nodding slightly. Matthew was shocked that I, usually so clueless, could say something like that to educate him. He stood frozen, his face turning red with embarrassment. I sighed and, with my hands behind my back, continued seriously, “And on top of that, you chose such an informal occasion, not only embarrassing yourself but also showing a lack of respect for the lady beside you!” Matthew, the mighty CEO, went from confident to deeply ashamed. He looked down and mumbled. “I… I didn’t consider this properly. I’m sorry.” With that, the two of them awkwardly left the house hand in hand. I turned around, put on my sweetest smile, and obediently sat next to Kathryn, Matthew’s fiancée. “Kathryn, don’t mind them. Please continue telling me about your studies in Virelia.” Kathryn smiled shyly and continued talking with me. Meanwhile, my dad had taken Kathryn’s father aside, likely discussing something important.

I thought after yesterday’s incident, Matthew would have learned his lesson. But to my surprise, early this morning, that slum girl showed up again in our living room. If I wasn’t mistaken, she was even holding… a dirty duck?! I widened my eyes, quickly hurrying down from the second floor in my slippers, and rushed to stop her. “No!” The stupid duck seemed to be especially out to get me, immediately jumping onto my exclusive lounge chair and leaving big, messy prints all over the cushion! Damn it, I was too late. I stood there, glaring at it, my fists tightening with anger. That chair was made from royal-grade fabric, specially brought back from Havendale by my dad. I only allowed myself an hour to sit on it each day just to avoid wrinkling it. And now it smelled like a disgusting duck! “Quack.” Suddenly, a devilish sound completely shattered my hope. It actually… dared to poop on it! I was going to kill it! Seeing the murderous look in my eyes, Nancy quickly shielded the duck in her arms, staring at me with caution. I forced myself to hold back my anger, gritting my teeth, and said, “Ms. Decker, do you have any idea how expensive the thing it just ruined is?” Nancy straightened her neck, unashamed, and replied, “Sorry! I’ll work to pay you back. You can yell at me, but please don’t hurt it!” I was stunned. How could anyone be so shameless, even when apologizing? I rubbed my forehead, feeling both furious and absurdly amused. Just as I was about to argue with her more, the doorbell suddenly rang.

Today, the butler was out with my parents, so I had to open the door myself. As soon as I opened it, I saw Kathryn coming toward me with a whole entourage in tow. Yes, an entourage. And each of them was carrying bags of finely packaged clothes and accessories. The scene was overwhelming. Kathryn took my hand gently and said in a soft voice, “Lois, I was in such a rush yesterday that I could only bring you a necklace. “I feel bad about it, so today I had someone buy a few more little gifts. Think of them as a welcome present from me.” I casually glanced at the bags, all international luxury brands, and limited edition ones at that! Things people couldn’t even buy with money! Suddenly, my eyes sparkled, and I eagerly ran over to inspect each item. After running about two hundred yards, I thought the line of gifts had finally come to an end. But then, a sharp turn revealed an endless line of bags and packages behind! I was stunned, my gaze darting toward Kathryn, who smiled shyly and covered her mouth. “I didn’t know which brand you liked, so I just had them buy some of everything.” I thought, “Wow! You’re so generous!” I rushed up and hugged Kathryn, but I moved to tears. Kathryn, however, noticed Nancy standing nearby, looking on longingly. She politely said, “Ms. Decker, if you like any of these, feel free to choose something.”

Nancy scoffed, rolling her eyes disdainfully. “I don’t want any of these! “You people are too wasteful. I can’t stand the hypocrisy of the rich! “Everything you do is extravagant, living in luxury. You don’t understand the struggles of ordinary people, so stop pretending to be so kind!” Kathryn, raised with manners, was stunned by this outburst. She’d never been spoken to like this before, and she didn’t know how to respond. But I was different. I crossed over from another world. “If you don’t like it, then don’t stay in my house! Shameless! “Also, Kathryn only offered you clothes because you look so poorly dressed. What’s so fake about that?!” Nancy sneered at me, “Tch, kindness? Don’t kid yourself. I can’t afford them. “You rich heirs have everything handed to you, high and mighty, never knowing what it’s like to struggle. But we poor people have our dignity!” I thought, “Not know what it’s like to struggle?” I reached into my bag and pulled out a stack of donation certificates, slapping them onto her face. “These are from five years ago, after the floods. I donated a million dollars. “This is from last year’s Luminor earthquake. I donated five million dollars. This one is from a platform’s program to provide supplies for girls in need, I’ve personally donated to over ten thousand girls.” I proceeded to explain each event, showing that my donations weren’t just for show. I thoroughly researched and carefully considered each one before donating based on the specific situation. “Moreover, these funds were all from my own pocket. I worked hard for every penny, and never once asked my parents for a cent.” I stared her down, my voice firm. “And what about you? What have you contributed to the people, to the country?!” Nancy was gradually losing ground, her face shifting in color like a painter’s palette. She pointed at me, her voice faltering. “You… you rich people, it’s easy for you to do surface-level work, acting all fake!” With that, Nancy shot us an angry glare and stormed out of the house.

I rolled my eyes and then turned around with a sweet smile and said, “Kathryn, stay for dinner today! I’ll make you some soup!” Kathryn, looking a little confused, nodded dazedly. “Ah… okay.” I glanced at that damned duck and couldn’t help but show a victorious grin. An hour later… “Lois, I didn’t expect you could cook! This is even better than the three-star Michelin chef at my family’s place. You’re amazing!” Kathryn took a bite and nodded furiously, her eyes sparkling as she looked at me. I looked down in embarrassment and chuckled, “Kathryn, it’s just a simple home-cooked meal. I thought you wouldn’t like it.” We were enjoying the meal when suddenly, the door was kicked open with a loud bang. The sound startled me, and I almost dropped my fork. I glanced at the door frame, wincing in pain. This door was worth millions of dollars! Matthew was at it again, full of that unshakable arrogance! “Kathryn, I’ve put up with everything you’ve done in the past, but this time, you’ve gone too far!” Matthew stormed in with cold eyes, locking them onto Kathryn. I immediately put down my fork and cast an ambiguous glance at Nancy, who was standing behind him. The person I had a conflict with was me, but she went and told Matthew about Kathryn’s situation. How typical! She knew exactly how to pick the easy target.

Noticing the sharp look in my eyes, Nancy hurriedly tugged at Matthew’s shirt and hid behind him with a pitiful look. “Matthew, I didn’t…” Kathryn’s face turned pale as she hurried to explain. Matthew sneered, “I leave for half a day, and you’ve already bullied Nancy like this. Now you’re pretending to be innocent? Nice tricks.” I was immediately accused, and Kathryn’s eyes filled with tears as she helplessly looked at me. Remembering all the glittering luxury items scattered around the house, I quickly spoke up, “Matthew, how do you know it was Kathryn who bullied her?” Matthew furrowed his brows in irritation and replied matter-of-factly, “Nancy told me herself. Can it be wrong? Clearly, Kathryn was using her position to bully her, and Nancy was so scared she cried!” I sneered and quickly pulled up the morning’s surveillance footage on my phone, showing him the evidence. The footage was crystal clear, with multiple angles, and even the voices were perfectly restored. Nancy’s eyes flickered nervously, and she muttered under her breath, “This footage… it has sound?” I thought, “Oh, so she thought she could falsely accuse someone as long as there was no sound, huh?” I exaggeratedly covered my mouth and smiled, giving her a pointed side-eye. “Well, well, well. Didn’t you say our family is rich? But we wouldn’t be so desperate as to use a silent surveillance system, would we?” Seeing Nancy’s face drain of color, I held up the phone again and pushed the screen into Matthew’s face. “See? She started the argument herself and even cried. Ridiculous!” Despite the overwhelming evidence, Matthew still stood in front of Nancy, his expression cold and unyielding. “Nancy’s not good with words. You all were too aggressive, and that’s why she only managed to retort a few times. She’s alone and weak. Why do you have to pick a fight with her?” I thought, “Okay, so all my efforts of digging up surveillance footage and explaining things were pointless, huh?” I glared at him fiercely and decided to throw in the towel. “Right, right, Nancy is the kindest. I apologize. Are you satisfied now?” “Since you know you’re wrong, then…” Matthew didn’t finish his sentence before Nancy screamed, “Lois, where’s my duck?!” She finally noticed! I leaned back in my chair, content, and exaggeratedly burped, gesturing at the pile of bones on the table. Nancy was on the verge of fainting from anger. “It wasn’t for eating! It’s my pet!!” “Oops, sorry. I didn’t mean to. You won’t blame me, will you?” I stood up, sincerely bowed, and innocently blinked my eyes at her. Nancy, however, suddenly buried her face in her hands and collapsed into Matthew’s arms, crying uncontrollably. Matthew’s face, which had just softened, immediately turned as cold as ice. “Lois, I see now that our father has spoiled you too much! You’re capable of anything!” Nancy wiped away her tears, sobbing as she spoke. “I’ve never had parents. My grandparents raised me. This duck has been with me since I was little. It’s like family to me.” She looked at me through tearful eyes, her face drenched in sadness. “Ms. Campbell, I know you dislike me, but why did you have to hurt it? It’s innocent!” After she finished speaking, Matthew looked at her with heartache, then shot me a look filled with hatred as if I had killed a living person instead of just a duck… Before I could say anything, Matthew suddenly took the initiative. “Kathryn, you must have encouraged my sister to do these things. Why are you so evil?” I thought, “What does she have to do with this??” “I will never marry you. So, you can just forget it!” He then picked up the crying Nancy and marched out the door, not giving Kathryn a chance to explain herself. That was the first time I saw Kathryn, who was always so graceful and elegant, appear so lost and distraught.

On the way back from dropping Kathryn off, I couldn’t help but ask, “Kathryn, now that Matthew is treating you like this, do you still want to marry him?” “I… I don’t know,” Kathryn replied, her gaze drifting out the window, her eyes filled with rare confusion. “But if I don’t marry him, who else could I marry?” She whispered this, her voice as soft as a falling feather. “Do you like him?” Kathryn furrowed her brows and slowly shook her head. “Like? Actually, I don’t really know him, so it’s hard to say I like him. But since I was little, everyone around me has told me Matthew is the best person to marry. They say marrying him is the best choice. Even my parents always say so…” I thought, “Here it comes again. I know Matthew isn’t that great! But the male lead halo really is powerful…” Unfortunately, Kathryn didn’t hear my internal complaints and continued on her own path. “From childhood, I’ve never made my parents angry. So I think if I don’t marry Matthew, they’ll be really disappointed in me.” At this point, a fleeting look of pain flashed across her eyes. “You won’t disappoint them.” I quickly grabbed Kathryn’s soft hand, looking at her seriously. “Your looks, your background, both are top-tier. You’re calm, kind, and fluent in eight languages. You even earned your PhD in engineering from Virelia at a young age. “You’re so outstanding, how could they possibly be disappointed in you?” Kathryn paused, her eyes seeming to light up with a spark. “Really? Even if I can’t marry him… it doesn’t matter?” I nodded firmly. “Of course. You’re already an amazing person. Whether you marry someone or not won’t change your own perfection. “If you don’t like him, then call off the engagement. Your parents will surely understand. “So, Kathryn, be brave and follow your heart.”

Kathryn stayed silent for a long time that day and didn’t say anything more as I dropped her off. In the following days, I didn’t see her again. On Monday, I arrived at the office as usual. I was already dreading work, but things were about to get worse. Nancy was standing beside Matthew, wearing the Campbell Group uniform, nervously holding some documents. We ended up taking the same elevator together. I decided to turn a blind eye and ignored both of them. Of course, they didn’t seem to care much about me either. “Mr. Campbell, I don’t understand these materials…” Nancy shook her head, acting distressed, as she looked at the papers in her hands. Matthew let out a deep, amused laugh, replying indulgently, “Well, silly… Come to my office later. I’ll teach you.” In the blink of an eye, they were sticking close to each other like magnets. A tight knot formed in my chest, and I closed my eyes with a pale face… Those few seconds felt more unbearable than a math class. The crisp sound of the elevator arriving at the floor was a small relief. As the elevator slowly opened, I couldn’t wait to rush out, sprinting straight back to my private office at full speed. Sara Hale, my assistant, stood in the hallway, looking bewildered. “Ms. Campbell, there are still five minutes until the workday officially starts. You usually like to live on the edge, barely making it on time.” I propped myself against the door, catching my breath and weakly waving my hand. “It’s not that… I… There was… a ghost behind me.” Sara, confused, turned around to glance behind her. “A ghost… in broad daylight?” When she saw Matthew and Nancy, she immediately clamped her mouth shut, her expression understanding. never underestimated Nancy’s ability to stir up trouble. As expected, she didn’t disappoint me. “Ms. Campbell, Matthew asked me to bring you a cup of coffee… Ah!” Before I could even raise my head, Nancy used her signature move. She tripped, spilling the entire coffee pot all over my desk. If it was just a cup, it wouldn’t have been such a big deal. But Who the hell brings an entire pot of coffee to someone’s desk?! Given the angle of her fall, she managed to splash it evenly. Documents and my computer were all drenched. If I hadn’t ducked, I would’ve ended up taking a coffee bath myself! With a loud thud, Nancy elegantly collapsed onto the floor. Hearing the noise, Matthew rushed in and immediately scooped Nancy up into his arms. “Lois, how dare you hit her?!”

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My roommate, Joan Bryan, was short, ugly, and messy. She never showered, and her voice was unbearable. But she was incredibly confident and relentlessly pursued the school’s heartthrob every day, making herself the laughingstock of the whole school. After Shawn Caldwell rejected her for the fiftieth time, she was, as usual, mocked by the other roommates. But she just said, “I was once a beautiful mermaid. I traded my beauty and voice for these legs with a witch, and this is what I became. But we’re destined to be together. No matter how I look, he will love me and be with me!” Chapter 1 As soon as she finished speaking, the room went silent. No one dared to argue with her anymore, thinking she had lost her mind. Although everyone had the right to pursue the one they loved, she really didn’t deserve Shawn in any way. Sometimes, I thought she didn’t look human at all but more like a sea creature, a blobfish. The fact that she could say such ridiculous things had to be the result of being rejected so many times, her obsession growing deeper and twisting her mind. She was such a poor thing. But one day, when I returned to the dorm after work, I found her kneeling on the floor, crying. Pearls were rolling around on the ground. I looked more closely and saw that those pearls were falling from her eyes! Tears turning into pearls… Could she really be a mermaid?!! Chapter 2 In that instant, my entire worldview seemed to collapse. I stared in disbelief, too shocked to even blink. The fear crept in, and I instinctively took a step back. I had only wanted to run away, but then I saw the pearls rolling across the floor. Each pearl was large and round, shimmering with a colorful glow. They poured from her palms like they were free, spilling out in a constant stream, rolling wildly across the floor. I couldn’t move. My legs felt like they were made of lead, and no matter what, I couldn’t make myself move. The flickering light from the pearls kept flashing in my eyes, making it impossible to look away. It felt like the pearls were crying babies, reaching out to me with their tiny arms. The light of the pearls reflected in my eyes. I swallowed hard and couldn’t help but ask her, “Joan, where did you get all these beautiful pearls?” Chapter 3 As soon as I spoke, she quickly stood up. Her already ugly face, distorted by crying, looked even worse. Her lips were twisted downward, her red eyes were bloodshot, and at that moment, she looked more like a toad than a person. Though it was rude, I couldn’t help but feel a wave of disgust in my stomach when I saw her like this. Her eyes were red and swollen with tears, which slowly slid down her face, turning into pearls as they fell. The pearls sparkled with a dazzling light, hitting the floor with a sharp “pop” before rolling into the corner. I instinctively reached out to pick one up, but I stopped myself, embarrassed. I thought, “Damn it, why did I suddenly feel that Joan had this strange kind of charm?” She rubbed her eyes furiously, then glared at me with those bloodshot eyes, staring as if she could burn a hole through me. Suddenly, she reached out with her hands, claws-like, and grabbed my arms tightly. “Please, please, Teresa Santana, you have to help me! Only you can help me!” she begged, her hoarse voice sounding even more unpleasant than usual. Her desperate gaze was crazed and sickly, making my skin crawl. I froze, horrified, trying to pull my arms free, the struggle sending sharp pains through my arms. Chapter 4 She held onto me tightly, refusing to let go no matter what. Her small body had surprisingly strong strength, and she kept pleading with me, saying frantic words of desperation. As she spoke, she started crying again, tears falling like a string of pearls. Seeing those pearls, I suddenly had a flash of realization, almost forgetting the situation we were in. Without thinking, I stretched my hand toward her eyes and finally caught one of the pearls. I gripped it tightly, not wanting to let go. The smooth, round texture of the pearl sent a jolt through my heart. It felt like this was something that was meant for me. In that instant, I seemed to overcome my fear, steadying my thoughts. I gazed at her, my eyes burning with intensity, and asked. “What do you want me to do for you?” She was overjoyed, crouching down to gather a handful of pearls and placing them in front of me. “You like them? From now on, all of these are yours, as long as you help me!” I stared at the pile of pearls, swallowing hard, unable to resist the urge to reach out and take them. “How do you want me to help you?” “Teresa, I want to swap bodies with you. If you agree, I’ll give you all my pearls from now on. Please, I beg you, agree to this!” Her voice grew more excited as she sized up my face, her eyes starting to sparkle even brighter. “Teresa, you’re so beautiful. With your looks, he’ll definitely like you. I’m too ugly. He never notices me. I can’t stand the look of disgust he gives me. I want to use your body to go after him!” Her gaze was intense, full of longing for Shawn, almost burning with desire. “Teresa, you have to help me! I’ll give you anything you want, anything at all!” I reached out and grabbed her wrist, holding the hand full of pearls. I smiled and replied. “Alright, Joan, I promise. “I don’t want anything else. Just give me all of your pearls.” “Okay, everything now and in the future, they’re all yours!!” Chapter 5 My mind was clouded by greed, and without thinking twice, I agreed to her. I figured these pearls must be worth a lot of money. With these pearls, with money, I wouldn’t have to work multiple part-time jobs every day, running around, struggling to make ends meet. She handed me two pills. I took one and swallowed it immediately. She watched me swallow it before she popped one into her mouth as well. The moment I swallowed the pill, everything went dark. My ears rang, and a sharp pain hit my head. In an instant, I opened my eyes again, only to see my hands looking like clawed fingers. At that moment, I realized I had become her. I looked at her, now in my form, smiling smugly, and she did the same. Now, I had truly gained something on both fronts. Because I had always hated the way I looked. Chapter 6 I was born into a poor family, but my mother was extraordinary. When she was younger, she was the star performer in a dance troupe. She was beautiful and talented. She could sing and dance. Someone like her, so stunning and talented, ended up marrying my dad, a complete scumbag. She was the kind of person who believed in love wholeheartedly, sacrificing everything for him. I remember the most precious thing to my mother was her hair. It was beautiful, like seaweed, and many people envied it. She herself was very proud of it. But when she lost all her hair because of illness, and instead of comforting her, my dad called her ugly. Afterward, she left, leaving me with a face that resembled hers and a father who only knew how to drink and gamble. So, I grew up learning to survive in the cracks of life. In such a family, beauty was actually my curse. In sixth grade, I was sexually harassed by the old bachelor next door. He grabbed me and touched me all over. After I stomped on his foot hard, I broke free and ran to my dad, crying to tell him. But instead of comforting me, he said I was just like my mom, with a pretty face, and I would only attract men, called me a slut. I was still young, weak, and timid, but somehow, I found the courage to pick up a beer bottle lying on the ground and smash it on his head. He collapsed to the ground, blood pouring from his head. My eyes were red, and I wasn’t sure whether it was anger or the sight of blood that did it. My mind went blank, but my mouth didn’t stop. “Don’t talk about my mom like that! Don’t talk about my mom!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, repeating the same words over and over. It wasn’t until he lay motionless on the floor that I finally regained my senses. I searched through his filthy pockets, grabbed his broken phone, and called 91

Since then, everyone in the neighborhood knew I was crazy. At such a young age, I sent my own father to the hospital and called the police to have our neighbor of over a decade arrested. After that, no one dared to bother me again, and no one dared to approach me. Even my bastard father didn’t dare say a single bad word about my mother in front of me. Chapter 7 But it seemed like I just had bad luck. Even after all that, I still ended up in these kinds of situations. Maybe it was because of how I grew up, but I had always been a solitary person. I was fierce and strange, constantly giving off a vibe that kept everyone at a distance. I was never popular. In middle school, I was the target of malicious jokes from the boys in my class. Of course, I didn’t tolerate it. During class, I flipped their desks over without a second thought. In high school, someone spread rumors about me. When I found him, I didn’t hold back. I shoved him to the ground and left deep scratches on his face. I always handled things with a heavy hand, sharply and directly. Yet even then, I couldn’t avoid such problems. Sometimes, I felt like my appearance was a curse. I thought, “Though I knew being beautiful wasn’t a crime, I was scared. Mom, I don’t want to be coveted by people like Dad. I fear I’ll fall into the same trap as you did and end up dying with regrets. I’m sorry, Mom. I never cherished your last keepsake. I even traded it away. But I believe you wouldn’t blame me.” Chapter 8 After Joan and I swapped bodies, we both lived the lives we always dreamed of. My face finally brought me some benefits. She used my body to relentlessly pursue Shawn, the school’s heartthrob, and I was sure she’d succeed soon. Meanwhile, thanks to her pearls, I earned a small fortune. Her pearls, big, full, and beautifully colored, were highly sought after. I sold just a few of them and made a lot of money. With that money, I bought an LV bag, Gucci perfume, a Chanel necklace, a Bvlgari bracelet, and other luxury items. I was a bit puzzled. With all these pearls, why didn’t Joan sell them and use the money to get plastic surgery? Was it because her base wasn’t good enough? But it turned out the designer clothes she wore were all real. I remembered Joan, the one who knew fake from real, had once told me they were all fake. But none of that mattered because one thing was certain. Everything I wore now was real. With her body, no matter how I dressed, it didn’t look great but felt like wasting good things. But I didn’t care. After all, I bought these things for my own happiness. Chapter 9 I walked through school in her body, and people would always give me sideways glances. I could always hear chattering behind me, but I didn’t care at all. I was as happy as I could be. One day, as I was heading back to the dorm after class, a group of girls suddenly grabbed me and dragged me into an alley. The leader was wearing thick black eyeshadow, her face full of piercings, and her hair dyed in rainbow colors. She looked fierce and very alternative. She grabbed my collar and glared down at me, threatening me with venom in her voice. “Ugly bitch, stop harassing Shawn every damn day. You’re not even worthy of licking his shoes. I’ve been annoyed by you for days!” This was such a hassle. I sighed helplessly. Living in her body was not easy. I looked up and met her gaze, unafraid, and said, “I told you. I’ve stopped bothering with him. Don’t you see? He’s nothing. Do you like him that much?” The group was stunned by my response. They all stared wide-eyed at each other, not knowing what to say. The leader wasn’t happy with my cocky attitude. She scowled and snapped, “Stop pretending. Everyone knows you threw away your dignity just to chase after Shawn! And what makes you think you can look down on him? Who do you think you are…” I really didn’t feel like listening to her talk any longer. Before she could finish, I spat directly in her face. She got splashed by my spit, opened her eyes, and her face turned red with anger. After cursing a few times, she raised her hand to hit me. I casually swung my LV bag in front of her, threatening her nonchalantly, “Go ahead and hit me. If you break it, don’t worry about the cost. This bag’s worth just a few hundred thousand dollars.” They were taken aback and questioned, “Someone like you can afford such an expensive bag?” I answered arrogantly and smugly, “Just because I’m not pretty doesn’t mean I don’t have money. Everything I’m wearing and carrying, you’ll never be able to afford in your whole life.”

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On the first day of our marriage, my husband’s father, Henry Bailey, asked me to hand over my salary to him every month. I refused without hesitation, not saying another word. However, my husband, Kayden Bailey, stepped in to persuade me. He said, “My dad has always been in charge of the family, so it’s only right that he manages our income. If you need anything, just ask Dad, and he’ll give you the money.” My husband’s mother, Emma Bailey, immediately lashed out, “Why are you even talking to her? We don’t keep freeloaders in this family. If she doesn’t pay up, she can leave!” How ridiculous. Who exactly should be leaving? Don’t they have any self-awareness? The meal wasn’t even finished when Henry, furious, slammed his fork down. The atmosphere suddenly became tense. “Kayden, I really must have been blind to think the woman you insisted on marrying was someone with no respect for elders or basic manners! “If you don’t handle her now, you’ll regret it later!” Henry’s scolding echoed throughout the room. Kayden, clearly overwhelmed by his father’s anger, looked even more anxious. He turned to me with pleading eyes, but I continued eating my pie expressionlessly, though I was boiling with rage inside. Who could have guessed that my usually gentle husband would have such unreasonable parents? We had just been married for a day, and already, his whole family was ganging up on me to hand my salary over to Henry for safekeeping. This was absolutely absurd! My own parents never even suggested such a thing. What did they think they were? Without any hesitation, I refused. “No way!” But to my disappointment, Kayden didn’t take my side. Instead, he tried to calm me down. “Jasmine, please don’t be mad. My parents are just looking out for us. Keeping our money with them is a form of security. “You know we both tend to spend too freely and can’t save. When we need money, we can just ask them for it.” Seeing that I wasn’t responding, he paused, then continued, “My dad has always managed the family, so our income should be under his care. “If you need anything, just ask my dad, and he’ll give you the money.” His words were like pouring gasoline on a fire, and my anger only grew. I mimicked Henry’s earlier action and forcefully threw my fork down, the clatter ringing loudly through the room. I didn’t even care to look at their expressions. I directly confronted Kayden. “What did you say before we got married? “You swore to me and promised my parents that I would be in charge of our finances, and we would make all decisions together. You said your parents would never interfere with our life. “Didn’t you say all of that yourself? Was that all a lie?” I glared at Kayden, but his eyes darted nervously, avoiding mine. The truth was, I didn’t even care about managing our finances. My salary was enough for me to live on, and with the support from my parents, I never intended to ask Kayden to hand over his salary. But now, he and his parents were conspiring to control my finances. Emma, at this point, tore off her gentle façade. She no longer acted kind or friendly, and instead, she started yelling at me. “Who do you think you are? Do you think you can control my son’s money? My son is a master’s graduate, earning two or three thousand dollars a month! Why should you be in charge of that? Just because you’ve got a big mouth? “You tramp, your intentions aren’t so simple, are they? Don’t you know what the proper behavior for a woman is? Now that you’re married to my son. This family is your world! “Do you want to challenge that? In this house, you’re going to follow the rules!” Emma’s words made me see her true colors. The gentle, kind woman who had treated me so well the day before our wedding had now shown her true, vicious side.

Kayden’s face was flushed with embarrassment as he gently tugged at Emma’s sleeve, speaking in a low voice, “Mom, please, just stop. Jasmine is new here, I’ll explain the family rules to her later.” I thought, “Rules?” I raised my head, glancing at the man I had just married, and a cold laugh formed in my chest. How had I been so blind to marry him? My parents had opposed me marrying Kayden at first, but I had been so swept up in love that I couldn’t hear their concerns. Kayden’s parents seemed so humble. They had even visited my family, promising my parents that they would treat me like their own daughter. They played their part so well, and I, naively believing it was love, thought I would have a happy life once I married into their family. But now, it was all a façade, a ploy to get me to marry Kayden. Kayden came from a small town. Henry was a middle-school teacher at a third-rate school, and Emma was a housewife, just scraping by. Meanwhile, I had been raised as the only child in a well-off family in the provincial capital. My father was an executive at a Fortune 500 company, and my mother worked as a civil servant. My parents were giving them so much face by having me marry into their family. It was so obvious. My parents gifted me two million dollars in cash as a wedding gift, bought me a house worth over four million dollars, the one I was living in now, and even gave me two cars, both valued over 50 thousand dollars. Kayden and I each drove one to work. At yesterday’s wedding, my husband’s parents were treated like royalty. The Bailey family’s relatives and friends surrounded them, singing their praises. If people didn’t know the truth, they’d think it was Kayden and Emma who were getting married. I could tell that this was the first time they’d been so flattered. But just one day after the wedding, they started showing their true colors. I tried to calm myself and asked coldly, “Kayden, is this your attitude? Do you think I should hand over my salary to your father?” Kayden looked at me, clearly uncomfortable, his lips trembling as he stammered, “I… I… “Jasmine, listen, I’ll explain everything to you later,” he hurriedly said. Before I could respond, Henry said, his face flushed with anger. “What do you mean your money? Since you’ve married Kayden, everything you have belongs to us now. “Don’t just talk about your salary. Even your wedding gift belongs to us! You should hand it over to me respectfully!” Henry’s shameless remarks left me stunned. How could someone who had been a teacher for decades say something like that? Not only were they after my salary, but they had also set their sights on my wedding gift. The fire inside me blazed as I raised my trembling hands and clapped slowly, mocking them. “I didn’t expect you to be such good schemers! I thought you were a humble, decent family. Now it’s clear you’re just a bunch of wolves in sheep’s clothing!” “What did you say? Who’s a wolf?” Henry roared.

Emma was about to explode, but I ignored her. “Regardless of what happens, neither my salary nor my wedding gift has anything to do with the Bailey family. It’s all mine, and if you’re jealous, go earn your own!” Before they could interrupt, I turned back to Kayden and said, each word cutting through the air. “Think carefully about what happened today. I’m giving you time and an opportunity. Figure out how we’ll live from now on. If you can’t figure it out, we’ll head straight to the courthouse and file for divorce!” Seeing that I wasn’t joking, Kayden panicked. He grabbed my hand and apologized desperately. “Jasmine, I’m sorry. I didn’t handle things well at home. Give me some time, and I’ll talk to my parents.” Emma saw that Kayden’s attitude was shifting and immediately stormed over in anger. “Why are you wasting your time talking to her? We don’t keep freeloaders in this house. If she doesn’t pay up, she can leave!” “Mom, please, just stop talking!” Kayden pleaded. Kayden’s demeanor was tense as he tried to hold me back with one hand while using the other to restrain Emma from continuing her tirade. But the more he tried to pacify her, the more Emma resisted, her voice rising like a storm. “She’s five months pregnant! I don’t believe she’ll leave you! “Don’t let her fool you. If she dares to divorce, with a second marriage and carrying a child from our family, no one else will want her, she’ll be stuck with this used label forever!” I should’ve been angry, but instead, I couldn’t help but let out a small laugh. Back when Kayden and I were dating in college, he had confided in me about his family situation. His mother, Emma, was also his father’s second wife. She had concealed her past marriage when she married Henry. At first, Henry had no idea. However, since Emma was still somewhat attractive, the two quickly became involved. When Henry found out that Emma had a son from her previous marriage, it was already too late. Emma was pregnant with Kayden by then. She came with her family to confront Henry, who was furious. At first, he refused to marry her, but, as a teacher, he was afraid it would ruin his reputation. Eventually, they married, albeit with lingering resentment. This conflict had never truly been resolved between Henry and Emma. I smirked as I recalled those. “Used goods? You’re calling me that, but let’s be honest, Emma, you’re the used goods here, no doubt about it. “Right, Henry? You’re a proud teacher, but you ended up marrying someone like her. I feel sorry for you.” I deliberately glanced at Henry, my words sharp. The room’s atmosphere shifted immediately. Henry’s face turned from red to black, then to a deep shade of blue. Emma, on the other hand, went berserk, lunging at me and grabbing my hair. Fortunately, Kayden was quick to intervene. Otherwise, I might not have been able to defend myself. In the end, Henry showed signs of losing composure, and, wanting to avoid further embarrassment, he stormed out after yelling a few harsh words. Emma collapsed onto the floor, sobbing in Kayden’s arms. She lamented how hard she had worked raising him, how difficult it had been, only to have her son’s wife insult her now. She wept and even made exaggerated gestures to bang her head against the wall, playing the victim. Kayden, with pity in his eyes, grabbed her and tried to calm her down. As for me, the entire situation felt suffocating. The atmosphere in this house was toxic, and I couldn’t stand to be there for another second. I quickly packed a few clothes and left for my parent’s house. Before I left, I caught Kayden’s gaze. His eyes held a mixture of disappointment and confusion. He didn’t try to stop me from leaving, but I could see he was frustrated. I couldn’t believe it. He was upset with me! It was a weekend, and my parents were both at home. They were surprised to see me walking through the door alone in the middle of the afternoon. “Have you eaten? What happened?” My mother, knowing me well, immediately recognized something was off. I had never faced any real hardship in my life, and as soon as I saw my parents, I couldn’t hold back the tears. They fell uncontrollably as I recounted everything that had happened. “Such a shameless family!” My dad, sitting on the couch, quietly smoked his cigarette. My mom, shaking with anger, slapped the table and scolded me, “Jasmine Arnold, you’re our only daughter! We told you from the start not to get involved with Kayden, but you wouldn’t listen! You even got pregnant before marriage. You nearly drove your father and me insane. Now you see the consequences, don’t you?” My parents had strongly opposed me dating Kayden. I had been too blinded by love to listen to their warnings. All I knew was that Kayden was reliable and kind-hearted. He always took my feelings into consideration. He was the kind of person who, even if he had only 10 dollars left in his pocket, would spend nine of it on me. I was convinced that no one else would love me as much as he did. In the end, my persistence wore my parents down, and they reluctantly accepted him. Looking back, I wished I could slap myself for not listening to their advice. Why didn’t I pay attention to their warnings back then? “Well, what’s the use in talking about it now?” My dad pressed out his cigarette, his voice low and serious as he said, “Jasmine, the Baileys, your husband’s parents, are traditional and care deeply about their reputation, and they are unpredictable and calculating. You’re no match for them. “Then there’s Kayden. He’s a good person, but being honest doesn’t mean he can’t do bad things. “You should see by now that, in Kayden’s heart, you’ll never be more important than his parents. This is just the beginning. Anytime family issues come up, he’ll always choose them over you. Your relationship doesn’t stand a chance when compared to family ties. How long do you think you can hold on?” After I heard my dad’s words, my emotions slowly settled.

I didn’t know what the future would hold, but Kayden’s attitude today was already clear. Maybe I wasn’t that important to him after all. I thought about it, my eyes welling up with tears again. But what about the baby inside me? Was I really going to let him grow up without a father? Besides, this was about Kayden’s parents, not him. Our years of love couldn’t have been fake, could they? I helplessly glanced at my parents sitting beside me, trying to comfort me, but I still couldn’t make up my mind. Suddenly, the doorbell rang, and in came Kayden, disheveled and anxious. I had expected him to stay home and work things out with his parents, not to come running after me so soon. That meant, deep down, he really did care about me. A wave of the anger I had been holding back for so long suddenly started to fade. I thought about the five years we had spent together and how we had just gotten married. I hadn’t even had a chance to experience the happiness I’d imagined for our married life. After all we had been through, maybe I shouldn’t give up so easily. At the very least, I would never be able to let it go. Kayden rushed in, greeted my parents briefly, and then sat down next to me. “Jasmine, we’re family. Can you please not hold this against me? “I messed up. I didn’t communicate well. Actually, my parents didn’t mean any harm. Once you get to know them, you’ll see they’re really kind-hearted.” “Today, you shouldn’t have been so unreasonable with my mom.” None of us spoke, waiting for Kayden to finish. But the more I heard, the more upset I became. So, his parents were good people, and I was just a petty, unforgiving person? I turned my head and saw my mom holding back a sigh, rolling her eyes. She was about to speak when my dad raised his hand to stop her. Then he glanced at Kayden, his tone calm yet authoritative, a presence he had earned from decades of leadership experience. “Kayden, it’s normal for young couples to have disagreements. But you two just got married. This should be the sweetest time for you both. And Jasmine is pregnant, so, morally and logically, this shouldn’t have happened.” “Right.” Kayden nodded repeatedly in response to my dad. He was always cautious around him. Not only was my dad, but also his superior’s superior at work. Without my dad, how could Kayden have gotten into such a big company right after graduation, earning two to three thousand dollars a month with no experience? Kayden’s attitude was always respectful, but my dad didn’t soften, continuing, “I have only one precious daughter. I’ve said this before. If anyone causes her even the slightest harm, I will make them pay ten times over, no matter who they are.” When my dad said this, his eyes were full of determination. Kayden visibly shook. In the past, I had thought Kayden’s caution around my parents was simply due to his sincerity and humility. But now, it only irritated me. “I was wrong this time. I didn’t take care of Jasmine properly. I came here to apologize. “I’ll talk to my parents and make sure this doesn’t happen again. I promise I won’t make Jasmine angry anymore.” Kayden was the same as before our marriage; whenever he was questioned, he would promise to treat me better over and over. But now, his promises didn’t seem to mean much. “What are you going to do about it next?”

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The project my wife had been waiting for three years is about to breach the deadline, and she promised me that if it was completed by the end of the year, she would promote me to vice president. But after I worked tirelessly to finish it, she promoted the male assistant, who had been with the company for less than three months, to vice president instead. “Your abilities are impressive, but if it weren’t for him negotiating, the project would have failed long ago.” Everyone thought I would be jealous of the assistant. But instead of getting angry, I smiled and handed over my shares to the assistant. “You’re right. By the way, from now on, you’ll be the company’s new shareholder.” After all, no one knew that the reason the project had been allowed to be delayed again and again was because the client was my father. Without my connections, the so-called big project would be nothing but a house of cards, and my wife would be unable to repay the loans, doomed to a life worse than death. When I tossed the share transfer document to my wife’s assistant, Ethan Bennett, everyone in the company was stunned. For three whole years, many had worked hard on this project, pushing their bodies to the limit. Though I didn’t have many shares, once the project went live and the company went public, those shares could potentially skyrocket tenfold or even a hundredfold. And I, Daniel Parker, so nonchalantly, gave them up. These shares were worth far more than a vice president position. Everyone’s eyes were glued to the share transfer document, except for my wife, Ave Parker, whose face turned ashen. Her carefully applied makeup couldn’t hide the anger. “Daniel! If you’re unhappy with my decision, you could’ve just said so directly! “There’s no need for this behavior, disrupting the company’s atmosphere!” I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. Disrupting the company’s atmosphere? She sure knew how to put a label on things. Ever since she hired Ethan, I had become a villain in her eyes. No matter what I said or did, I was always wrong. Now, I had just handed Ethan a huge opportunity, why wasn’t she happy about it? What on earth was going through her mind? I was truly at a loss. Meanwhile, Ethan was clutching the share transfer document tightly, his greed flashing in his eyes before he quickly hid it. Then, he lifted his head, feigning a look of deep concern. “Daniel, are you upset because you weren’t chosen as vice president and think Mrs. Parker is biased? “Please don’t misunderstand. Mrs. Parker doesn’t think you’re incapable. “It’s just that she heard you’re allergic to alcohol, and as vice president, you’d need to attend social events and drink. She was worried it might harm your health. “Everyone knows how hard you’ve worked on this project, and I, as a newcomer, definitely can’t accept these shares. Please take them back.” Although Ethan’s words sounded nice, he showed no sign of handing over the document. Clearly, he wasn’t willing to part with such a juicy prize. As for what he said, it was laughable. Only Ave and I knew about my alcohol allergy. This was clearly a story they had already agreed on! And the idea that because I couldn’t drink, they would let a newcomer with less than three months on the job take the vice president position? Anyone with half a brain would know there was something fishy going on here. But I couldn’t be bothered to argue anymore. Instead, I patted Ethan on the shoulder, speaking earnestly, “Ethan, no, Mr. Bennett, I’m truly grateful for how you’ve considered my well-being. “Having someone as thoughtful as you in the company makes me feel at ease.” I even squeezed his shoulder to show my recognition and approval. At this, Ave finally smiled in satisfaction. “That’s more like it. “Of course, I won’t treat you poorly, such an experienced employee. “Later, at Ethan’s celebration dinner, I know you can’t drink, and I didn’t want to drag you into it, but since you’ve shown such understanding, you can come, too.” Seeing her act like she was doing me some huge favor, I nearly laughed in disbelief. She took the vice president position without a word and now she was acting all nice, thinking she could send me off with a dinner? I smiled with a fake grin and declined. “No need. I don’t eat with jerks. It’s too much of a stomach-turner.” Ave’s smile instantly froze. She slammed the table and yelled, “Daniel! Do you really think you’re that impressive? “If it wasn’t for Ethan’s negotiating skills, this project would have long since been overdue and we’d have been held accountable. What do you think you had to do with it? “Do you want me to fire you?” I looked at her furious expression, feeling no emotion at all, even suppressing a laugh. If she hadn’t insisted on promoting Ethan, causing errors in the data, and pushing the task back over and over, we wouldn’t have reached this point. It was Ethan’s fault. I ended up cleaning up his mess, and now it was being presented as his accomplishment. Her ability to distort the facts was nothing short of brilliant. With that thought, I pulled out the resignation letter I had prepared earlier, slamming it down on the table. “Alright, remember to sign it.” I turned and walked out. Just as I was about to hail a cab downstairs, a red sports car suddenly screeched to a stop in front of me. The window rolled down slowly, revealing Ethan’s smug face. Before I could react, he threw his coffee at me on purpose. The cold wind of winter mixed with ice cubes from the drink, soaking my clothes, making it feel like a thousand needles stabbing me. Ethan looked at me in my miserable state, no longer the humble figure he once was. His face twisted into a sneer. “Look at you freezing and waiting for the bus, Daniel. If you were vice president, it would be so embarrassing to let that get out. “Then again, not everyone has my great drinking skills to drag the client on like this. “Alright, enough talk. I’m heading to the celebration dinner. It’s almost the end of the year, so you can take your time finding a new job.” After saying that, he slammed on the gas and drove off. But as Ethan’s car disappeared, I couldn’t help but smile coldly. No one knew that the project had been allowed to be delayed this long not because of Ethan’s so-called business negotiation skills. Even with his drinking ability, the client wouldn’t be dumb enough to ignore the losses in the billions of dollars. The only reason was one thing. With that thought, I immediately called the client. “Dad, I’ve resigned. The project you gave to Ave’s company can be canceled now.”

There was a brief silence on the other end of the phone. Then, my dad’s excited shout was deafening. “You’re finally coming around! “I’ve already paved the way for you, but you chose to turn down a position at a global Fortune 500 company and insisted on starting a business at that unreliable little company!” I listened to my dad’s furious rant and awkwardly rubbed my nose. Yes, the reason Ave’s project had been allowed to be delayed repeatedly was because of my dad. The project’s client was actually my father. My dad was the head of the Valora region in his group. Initially, Ave’s company, due to its lack of technical and financial advantages, was on the verge of being eliminated from the market and going bankrupt. I watched Ave every day, troubled and anxious, barely eating or sleeping, and I couldn’t bear it. Unable to watch her hard work go to waste, I proactively asked my dad for help. That was how I managed to secure the project that saved Ave’s company. It was thanks to the group’s investment that Ave’s previously unknown company started getting noticed by clients. Seeing Ave’s company grow and seeing her smile again, I also felt satisfied, working tirelessly. I thought we were building our dreams together, heading toward success. I never imagined that in the end, due to a male assistant who had only been with the company for less than three months, I would be completely discarded. “To keep that project, my bonus is being deducted! “To keep this project moving, I’ve been negotiating with headquarters every day, coming up with all sorts of excuses!” My dad continued to complain on the phone. I couldn’t help but chuckle bitterly. My dad had worked so hard to help me. Though he complained about Ave’s unreliable company, he had always secretly been helping me. He even sacrificed his own bonus just to secure the project for me. And here I was, like a fool, being played by Ave and Ethan. “Alright, alright, I got it, Dad. You’ve worked hard. “Just cancel the project. I don’t want anything to do with them anymore.” My dad quickly agreed. He added, “I’ll introduce you to some of my old friends when you’re back. They’re all industry elites and in the future…” My dad began rambling about my future. I listened, gradually calming down. Ave’s small company didn’t have enough capital, and to keep the project afloat, she had borrowed a significant amount of money. Without my connections, that so-called big project was nothing but a house of cards. She would be unable to repay the loans when the project was invalidated, and she would never recover from it. But right now, I didn’t need to explain it to her. I thought, “When disaster strikes, they will naturally realize who the real power behind this is.” With that thought, I hung up and began packing my things, preparing to sever ties with Ave completely. When I got home, I opened the wardrobe and as I was rummaging through the drawers, a photo album hidden in the corner fell out. In the photo, Ave was youthful and innocent, wearing a high school uniform, and smiling brightly. And standing next to her was a tall, thin boy whose features, surprisingly, resembled Ethan’s! I froze, flipping through the album. At the back of the album was a stack of love letters, with delicate handwriting. The recipient was Ethan. I suddenly understood why, on one occasion, I was just looking for socks in the drawer, and Ave had gone into a furious fit, pushing me out and not letting me in for the entire day. She was afraid I would discover her secret! No wonder, with Ave’s bad temper, every assistant, regardless of their education or ability, was fired after only a few weeks of being yelled at. But Ethan, the rookie, had been promoted and paid generously, advancing fast. It turned out he was her first love from school! Well, that explained everything. I sneered and closed the album, grabbing my nearly empty suitcase and leaving the cold, lifeless home. I sent my luggage home via courier, then called my dad to come pick me up. While waiting for the car, I saw a street vendor selling roasted chestnuts and thought it wouldn’t hurt to grab a quick bite since I hadn’t eaten all morning. But the next second, I ran into Ave and Ethan. At that moment, Ave, with a slightly drunken smile, looked at me smugly. “Hey, weren’t you so confident at the company earlier? Now you’re just standing here, waiting to beg for my forgiveness?” Hearing this, I was speechless. She really had a vivid imagination! I was the one who was unlucky. If I had known, I would’ve just taken a cab and left instead of indulging in my craving. Ethan looked at the roasted chestnuts in my hand with a hint of disdain, then said sarcastically, “Hey, Ave, look at Daniel here, waiting outside in the freezing cold, buying you your favorite roasted chestnuts! “Why not let him go back to the company? After all, Daniel’s got the experience. I can just assist Daniel from now on. “It’s hard to find work at the end of the year. How’s Daniel going to explain being unemployed to his family?” Ave, full of herself, responded, “Fine! But someone like Ethan, such a genius, shouldn’t just assist you. From now on, Daniel, you’ll be running errands for Ethan!” With that, Ave grabbed the roasted chestnut from my hand and took a bite. I was furious, but I snatched the chestnut back and threw it straight into the trash. “Such a self-righteous fool! If someone like you eats this, it’d be a waste of food!” Ave immediately flew into a rage, pointing at my nose and shouting, “You! Who do you think you’re talking to? “Daniel! I want a divorce!” This again. Whenever we had a disagreement, if she couldn’t justify her actions, she would throw out the divorce card to force me into submission. But now… I immediately started laughing and pulled out the divorce agreement I had prepared earlier. “Great! I’ve been waiting for you to sign it!”

“Divorce agreement… You had it prepared already!” Ave’s eyes immediately widened in disbelief. Seeing this, Ethan nearly couldn’t hold back his laughter from the side. After all, he was eager to be together with Ave. With me out of the way, he lost one less competitor. Naturally, he was delighted. But in an attempt to impress Ave, Ethan still pretended to be sincere as he said, “Hey, Daniel, I understand that being humiliated in front of so many people at the company made you feel embarrassed and upset. That’s normal. “But you and Ave just got married, how can you let a divorce be a way of taking out your frustration?” Upon hearing that, I looked at his expression, and a wave of disgust washed over me. I thought, “This guy acts so well. Back at the office, he’d stick to Ave like glue all the time, and now he’s pretending to be the voice of reason.” I pointed toward the nearby courier station. “Fine. I’ve packed my things. Hurry up and sign it. No need to waste our time.” Only then did Ave seem to realize I was serious. But the next moment, she suddenly seemed to remember something and sneered coldly, “Daniel, don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to! “You just see the company expanding now and want to take some of my money, right?” Ave had a smug expression as if she had already seen through all the schemes. “I’ll tell you, the house and the company, everything was notarized before we even got our marriage certificate! “You won’t be getting a single penny from me! “If you want to divorce, go ahead!” Looking at her haughty demeanor, I suddenly understood. No wonder when we were getting our certificate, I wanted to do it on our anniversary and share it on social media, but Ave kept delaying. It turned out, behind my back, that she had already had her assets notarized! What a clever move, cutting at the root! Realizing I wouldn’t be taking anything with me, Ethan could barely hold back his laughter from the side, though he still made an effort to put on a concerned expression. “Yeah, Daniel, even if you’re considering your feelings, at least think about your future. “Now, if you divorce Ave, you won’t have anything left. “Ave is now a rising star in the industry. She has the attention of the industry leader, and her project is about to take off. “With that kind of network, Ave could easily blacklist you with a single word!” I looked at Ethan’s hypocritical face, and my stomach churned. He talked so much, but all he really wanted was to keep me around so he could continue exploiting me. After all, he was just a fraud. Without me managing the work, he would be exposed as the worthless vice president in no time. Then the company’s profits would drop, and Ave wouldn’t be able to protect him. Upon hearing that, Ave crossed her arms, lifted her chin, and looked down at me with a smug expression. “Exactly. I think some people just get too full of themselves after being in the company for so long. “You can’t even handle the projects, and Ethan manages them easily with a meal. “When the client gives their approval, not only will we receive 200 million dollars in funding… “The company might even go public! “Now, do you still think the company can’t go on without you?” She sneered arrogantly as if I were nothing more than a dispensable man. Looking at her self-satisfied expression, I couldn’t help but mock her inwardly. I thought, “She is completely fooled by Ethan’s sweet talk. She’s waiting for a huge investment and IPO? Wait for the company to collapse!” With that thought, I spoke in a cold tone, enunciating every word. I said, “Without my connection, just the fact that you’ve been delaying progress by relying on Ethan, causing delays, and breaking agreements for six months, is enough for Ascend Group to legally cancel the partnership and even seek damages! “And Ascend Group is the industry leader. If their investment credibility is harmed, forget about an IPO… “You might not even be able to get any orders in this industry anymore!” But in response to my warning, Ave merely laughed dismissively, “Your connection? Are you really going to praise yourself so much?” She pointed at me and said with a sharp tone, “You’re just an unemployed bum, who probably can’t even get through the doors of their company. “Why would such a large listed group listen to you?” Before Ave could finish her sentence, a black Maybach slowly pulled up at the gate of the community. Ethan immediately recognized it, exclaiming in shock, “Oh my! That’s the car of Ascend Group’s Valora region head!” Upon hearing Ethan’s words, Ave immediately stood straighter, a smug grin spreading across her face as she looked at me. “Did you see that? “For this project, even the head of Valora region from the industry leader came all the way to my house!” She lifted her chin, her tone dripping with arrogance as if she could already see her bright future ahead. What she didn’t know was that the person inside the car was none other than my father. “Oh, once the company goes public, I’ll be financially free. Then I’ll buy a big villa with Ethan, get some sports cars, and travel abroad, eating at all the nice restaurants! “As for you…” Ave glanced at me. She added with disdain in her voice, “Just wait for unemployment benefits and live on welfare for the rest of your life!” She said that then adjusted her hair, standing respectfully as she prepared to greet the guest. “Mr. Parker, about our collaboration…” But before she could finish, the person in the car ignored her outstretched hand and walked straight to me, pulling me into a hug. “You brat, it’s been a year, and you’ve lost so much weight! “Your mom’s going to say I’m a bad father when she sees you like this…”

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