After my husband, Preston Vance, practically handed me over to his twin brother, I finally realized that in our three years of marriage, this untouchable, elite heir had never once felt anything for me. The woman he loved was my older cousin. “I don’t love you. The family wants a child, so just have one with Parker,” he’d said. Yet, when I stood in front of him holding a positive pregnancy test, his eyes grew red. “Did you actually fall in love with my brother?” I didn’t answer. Behind me, someone knocked on the bedroom door. A lazy, arrogant voice drifted in. “Open up, sister-in-law. It’s me, your ‘husband’.” 01 For three years of marriage, Preston was ascetic and untouchable, never laying a finger on me. He claimed that his dedication to a stoic, disciplined lifestyle meant he couldn’t break his vows. So, I took the initiative to sleep in separate rooms, giving him space. Until his wild, rebellious twin brother, Parker Vance, returned from abroad. I accidentally overheard a conversation between the two of them. “Parker, you take my place and consummate the marriage with Chloe.” Preston’s tone was indifferent, as if he were casually mentioning a stranger. The next second, a lazy, slightly thuggish voice rang out: “Did all that meditating fry your brain? She’s not my wife. Wait a minute, could it be…” He paused for a moment, a hint of schadenfreude creeping into his voice: “Are you impotent?” Preston didn’t get angry. He sat calmly in his armchair, turning a jade signet ring on his finger: “I just feel nothing for someone I don’t love.” That simple sentence nailed me to the spot. Snap. The expensive pen Parker had been toying with suddenly snapped in half. He bent down to pick it up as if nothing had happened, the corner of his mouth twitching up. “Oh? Is that so? If you don’t love her, who do you love?” Preston was silent for a moment. My heart rose into my throat. Until I heard him speak a name I was incredibly familiar with. “Serena Sterling.” My cousin, the one hailed as America’s sweetheart, who had abruptly announced her retirement from acting three years ago and immigrated overseas. Hearing that name, I couldn’t help but recall events from a long time ago. 02 Preston and I had known each other since we were kids. In middle school, he fell seriously ill and was sent to a private, secluded retreat to recover. We lost touch after that. We met again during our senior year of high school. He took the initiative to have someone bring me a letter. Opening the plain envelope, the boy’s elegant, sharp handwriting met my eyes. [It’s boring here.] Just four words. But for someone harboring a secret crush on Preston, it was like a spark lighting a prairie fire. I thought he was hinting for me to come visit him. So, as soon as school let out, I immediately packed my bags and went to the retreat to find him. When we met, Preston was dressed in simple, tailored clothes, his aura as cold and distant as ever. His gaze drifted behind me. “You came alone?” I didn’t notice the disappointment in his eyes. I sincerely pulled the letter from my pocket: “Didn’t you only write to me?” Preston froze, his brows furrowing slightly, but he quickly smoothed them out and turned to show me around the grounds. Ten minutes later, he brought me right back to the main entrance. “Alright, you’ve seen it. Go home.” I was caught completely off guard: “That’s it? Preston, can’t you…” “That’s enough,” he cut me off, rubbing his tired eyes. “My time for quiet reflection has arrived. I can’t keep you company.” “Oh…” I lowered my head in disappointment and turned to leave. But Preston spoke again. “Don’t come alone next time. It’s not appropriate for a man and a woman to be alone together.” Hearing the words “next time,” my disappointment vanished instantly. I even eagerly found an excuse for his coldness today. He was just being shy! So, the next time we met, I dragged Parker, who had just finished cello practice, along with me. On the drive up, he wore an incredibly annoyed expression on a face that was identical to Preston’s. “If you like him, just go by yourself! I don’t even like the guy…” Desperate for his help, I quickly tried to coax him: “Oh, come on! Tell me what kind of girl you like, and I’ll find one for you the second we get back down the mountain!” Parker stopped in his tracks, looked down at me, and then took three long strides up the steps, pulling away from me. The summer breeze carried his words to my ear. “I’m not telling you.” I scoffed and quickly chased after the boy in black carrying the cello case. “Fine, keep your secrets.” When we reached the entrance of the retreat, Preston was already waiting there. The moment he saw Parker beside me, his face darkened instantly. “Why did you bring him?” Before I could answer, Parker let out a cold sneer: “Got a problem with me being here?” Saying that, he bumped Preston’s shoulder with one hand in his pocket and walked right into the building. This trip was just as unpleasant. While Parker went to the bathroom, Preston stood next to me and said coldly: “Bring a girl next time.” I didn’t understand his logic: “Why? Are you sexist?” He was silent for a moment, then suddenly looked down at me: “Because I’m jealous. Is that a good enough reason?” I was hit so hard by his sudden, blunt confession that it took me a long time to recover. I thought my teenage crush had finally been reciprocated. I couldn’t wait to share it with my cousin, Serena Sterling, whom I was close with, and asked her to come with me next time. She didn’t refuse. That time, when Preston saw the two of us, his eyes lit up. At the time, I thought he was happy because I hadn’t brought a boy. Thinking back on it now, this giant iceberg only melted because he saw Serena. And I only discovered this truth after three years of marriage. I stood in the doorway of the study, my eyes involuntarily turning red. My heart felt like it was being pricked by needles, a dense, spreading pain. Preston… You clearly never liked me, did you? Then why did you marry me? 03 I sat on the sofa in a daze for a long time. Tears finally fell to the floor with a pat. I don’t know when Preston walked into the living room. He stood tall in the shadows, his quiet eyes exceptionally cold. After staring at me for a long time, he finally spoke in annoyance: “Are you done crying? If you’re done, I have some business to discuss with you.” I didn’t answer. I just haphazardly wiped the tears from my face, walked up to him, and stood on my tiptoes to kiss him. But the next second, he shoved me away violently. My waist hit the corner of the table hard. It hurt a lot. But not even a tenth as much as the disgust in Preston’s eyes brought me. “Didn’t I tell you on our wedding day? My disciplined lifestyle means I can’t break my vows. Have you lost your mind?” “What if my cousin was standing in front of you?” Preston froze. Whatever he was thinking, his ears turned red as he gripped the jade signet ring in his hand tightly. He was aroused. But in front of me, he was still pretending. “Chloe, you’re being unreasonable. What goes on between us has nothing to do with her.” I punctured his lie directly: “How does it have nothing to do with her? Isn’t she the one you love?” He froze again, a hint of panic flashing in his eyes. “You heard?” Before I could answer, he let out a sigh of relief. “Good. Then I’ll just lay my cards on the table. “I don’t love you. “The family wants a child, so just have one with Parker. “He looks exactly like me anyway. It shouldn’t be hard for you to accept.” Every word was like a sharp blade, grinding away my love for him. His casual tone also told me just how laughable my fifteen-year-long crush on him really was. I looked up to wipe away the tears that welled up again, only to lock eyes with Parker, who was leaning against the railing of the second-floor hallway. Ever since I married Preston, Parker had gone abroad to study music. This was the first time we had seen each other in three years. He still had the same sharp, arrogant, and untamed look in his eyes as before. And I was nothing but a mess. Preston followed my gaze and saw his brother. He said expressionlessly to the other man: “I’ve already talked to Chloe. You can stay here tonight.” With that, he turned and left. He didn’t even spare me a glance. Ignoring the fact that Parker was still there, I went crazy and smashed the antiques in the living room to pieces. Finally, drained of energy, I slumped to the floor, covered my face, and sobbed bitterly. Parker walked downstairs and crouched beside me. “Want to keep smashing? I’ll buy new ones for you.” I shook my head through my sobs, forcing a smile through the heartache: “I’m sorry. We finally get to see each other, and you have to witness this. Where are you staying tonight? I’ll have the driver take you.” He stared straight into my eyes, his gaze unreadable: “Didn’t my brother tell me to stay here?” I froze, staring blankly at him. It took me a long time to find my voice. “You… you’re serious?” It was absurd! How could Parker agree to such a thing?! “Can’t I be?” He raised an eyebrow, his tone incredibly serious. I was so startled I scrambled backward: “Of course you can’t! I’m your sister-in-law!” Parker suddenly dropped to one knee on the floor, advancing toward me with intense aggression: “And so what?” I was so terrified I scrambled up to run, but he caught up to me and scooped me up around the waist. “Parker Vance! Have you lost your fucking mind?!” “Tsk, such a dramatic reaction? You looked too sad, I was just messing with you.” I paused. Being scared by him like that, I actually forgot to cry. He had already returned to his usual careless demeanor, gently placing me on the sofa. “Rest for a bit. I’ll clean this up.” Saying that, he poured me a glass of water. I caught sight of the tablet next to the sofa. It was Preston’s. As if possessed by a ghost, I grabbed the tablet. I entered Serena Sterling’s birthday. The tablet unlocked successfully. I opened his messages. Sure enough, Serena was his only pinned contact. The two of them were chatting right now. … Serena: [Is this really going to work? What if Chloe doesn’t get pregnant?] Preston: [She has to.] Serena: [I’m so sorry. I really didn’t expect that my body wouldn’t be able to handle a miscarriage…] Preston: [It’s fine. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have proposed to Chloe just to spite you. Now my parents love her so much, it’s hard to get a divorce.] Serena: [Boohoo, then it is your fault! That night was your fault too! I told you to buy condoms! You insisted it would be fine! Now look what happened!] Preston: [Don’t be mad, baby. It’s my fault. When Chloe’s child is born, I’ll immediately swap it with ours.] Serena: [Then when are you going to marry me?] Preston: [Baby, can you wait a little longer? My parents won’t agree to a divorce for a few years.] Serena: [Fine. So annoying! Hurry over here, I’m waiting to take a shower with you~] … Reading their chat logs, my face turned pale. No wonder. No wonder Preston suddenly proposed to me three years ago. No wonder he suddenly wanted a child. It turned out, it was all for Serena. They… had been together all along. At the same time, my phone vibrated. It was Serena. Serena: [Hey Chloe! I’m back in the country today! When should we hang out?] I didn’t reply to her. Instead, I looked over at Parker, who was sweeping the floor. The words Preston had said not long ago popped into my head. “He looks exactly like me anyway. It shouldn’t be hard for you to accept.” The same? They were completely different. Preston would never clean up the trash on the floor for me. Noticing my gaze, Parker walked over, raising an eyebrow in confusion: “Why are you looking at me? Not feeling well?” This was different too. Preston would never take the initiative to care about me. The tears I had just managed to stop flowed out uncontrollably again. He panicked instantly, fumbling to wipe my tears. “No, what’s wrong, my little ancestor? Why are you crying again? Stop crying. When I’m done cleaning up, I’ll go beat up my brother, okay? “And, to be brutally honest, if worse comes to worst, you can just find another guy. Haven’t you seen plenty of couples in our circle who only look married on paper? “There’s no need to hang yourself on a moron like my brother.” With him caring so much, all the suppressed grievances in my heart exploded. “I know all the logic! But it hurts so much. I liked him for fifteen years, why is he treating me like this?” Parker gently raised his hand and used his thumb to wipe away the tears at the corner of my eyes: “I get it. Later, I’ll take you for a drive to clear your head, okay?” He used to coax me like this in the past. He knew I loved the feeling of a breeze brushing against my face, so whenever I was sad, he’d ride his motorcycle and take me for a spin. I’d sit on the back and vent to him about everything. A lot of it was about Preston. I sniffled and shook my head: “Let’s go next time. I bumped my back on the table corner earlier. My lower back hurts.” He paused, instinctively reaching out to lift my shirt to check. But he stopped the moment he touched the fabric. “Can I take a look? If it’s serious, I’ll take you to the hospital.” He looked up at me. I fell unexpectedly into his eyes full of heartache, and subconsciously nodded. The hem of my short-sleeved shirt was lifted. A bruise was clearly reflected in Parker’s eyes. His hand, resting on the edge of the sofa, clenched tightly into a fist as he stared at the bruise for a long time. I felt an inexplicable warmth in my face and was about to pull my shirt down. Parker, however, voluntarily let go, stood up, and found some soothing oil from the first-aid kit. “Lie on your stomach.” I looked at Parker warming up his palms. After hesitating for a moment, I obediently lay face down on the sofa. The floor-to-ceiling window across the room reflected Parker’s movements. Tall and long-legged, he knelt on one knee beside the sofa, leaning over to gently lift my shirt. The next second, warmth hit the left side of my lower back. It was so hot that my skin instantly tightened, and I instinctively turned to dodge it. Parker looked up, his dark eyes locking with mine in the reflection of the window. “Does it hurt?” His voice was very hoarse. It made my ears feel inexplicably hot. I abruptly lowered my head, burying my face between my arms, playing along with his words, my voice muffled: “Yeah, you… be a little gentler.” Parker paused for a moment, then suddenly chuckled softly. I was about to ask him what was so funny. The sensation of being touched returned to my lower back. This time, I endured it and didn’t flinch. I just quietly gripped the throw pillow under my head. Gripped it so hard my knuckles turned white. Burying my head in the pillow, I lost my sight, and my other senses began to heighten, playing tricks on me. I felt the skin he touched instantly tighten, then relax under his kneading. I heard his breathing; it seemed heavier than usual. I smelled the faint scent of soap in the air, barely there, yet distinctly obvious. And every time he pressed down, the knee resting beside me gently brushed against the side of my thigh. The air seemed to grow thin. I was having trouble breathing. Until my phone rang jarringly. I felt like I was pulled out of the water. I fumbled to answer the call. It was Preston. “Don’t let Parker keep you up too late. We have to go back to the main estate for dinner tomorrow.” I tried my best to calm my emotions: “Okay, I got it… Ah—” The end of my sentence suddenly pitched up. I don’t know what crazy idea got into Parker, but the hand pressing on my lower back suddenly pushed down hard. “That hurts!” I turned my head and glared at him. “Can you be a little gentler?!” Parker put on an extremely innocent expression, blinked twice, and said: “I didn’t do it on purpose.” “You—” “Chloe.” Preston’s voice sounded again, a hint of undetectable anger hidden in his tone. “What are you and my brother doing?” I quickly realized he misunderstood something. But I had no intention of explaining. Isn’t this exactly what Preston Vance wanted? I chuckled softly, deliberately adding a touch of flirtatiousness to my voice: “What does it matter to you what we’re doing?” As soon as the words left my mouth, Parker suddenly leaned down, his chin almost resting on my shoulder. I instantly stiffened. I felt his breath against my ear. It tickled. “Don’t ask too many questions, bro. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of my sister-in-law.” Saying that, his fingers moved slightly, tickling the sensitive spot on my waist. I cursed under my breath and reached out to grab his wandering hand, accidentally scratching his forearm in the process. “Hiss—” Parker chuckled low. “Scratching now? You’re that wild?” My face flushed with shame and anger: “Shut up! I don’t want to hear another word from you!” Parker smirked, nodding carelessly: “Okay, okay, okay, I’ll shut up.” Except, he didn’t spare my ticklish spot. Making it impossible for me to speak a complete sentence. Preston remained silent, listening to his brother and me messing around. Eventually, I didn’t even realize when he hung up the phone. 04 The next morning, Parker insisted on making me breakfast, claiming he had mastered five-star chef skills while abroad. In the kitchen, the broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted man was bustling about in a pink apron, occasionally turning to make funny faces at me sitting on the sofa. Preston had never done these things for me. In front of me, he only ever wore a cold expression. So, I had never mistaken one for the other. They were completely different. “Hey, Chloe! Come try your brother’s freshly made century egg and lean pork congee!” “Coming.” I held my still slightly aching lower back and shuffled over. He handed the spoon full of congee directly to my mouth: “Taste it.” My raised hand paused mid-air. Ultimately, I put it down. I quickly drank the congee from the spoon, took a step back, and created some distance between us. “Uh… it’s pretty good, just seems to be missing salt.” The eager smile on Parker’s face instantly froze. After a brief half-second of silence, he seemed to realize that his claim to being a “five-star chef” had suffered a major setback. He could only scratch his head awkwardly: “I think I forgot the salt…” I was just about to comfort him. When he suddenly made a finger heart at me: “Because my love for you needs no words~” Even though it was incredibly cheesy, I couldn’t control the rush of heat to my brain. Right then, Preston came back. He stood in the entryway, his figure tall and slender, the white jade prayer beads dangling by his side swaying slightly. His gaze towards me was quiet and dark. Finally, his eyes landed on the hand I had resting on my lower back. “Liked me for fifteen years, and you immediately turn around and get with someone else? Chloe, you’re really something.” Hearing his inexplicable sarcasm, I found it somewhat amusing. So amusing that I couldn’t help but snap back. “You’re not dead yet. Are you expecting me to play the grieving widow for three years?” Preston went silent, his thin lips pressed into a tight line. I knew he misunderstood Parker and me, but I didn’t explain. Instead, I chuckled and pounded my lower back, intentionally misleading him: “Besides, isn’t this what you wanted? If I actually get pregnant, do you think the baby will call you ‘Dad’ or ‘Uncle’?” I don’t know which word struck a nerve with Preston, but his face darkened, and the look in his eyes became exceptionally gloomy. Parker silently wrapped an arm around my waist, his clear, bright eyes curving slightly. He smirked carelessly and arrogantly: “Just call him ‘Dad.’ Anyway, according to my brother, we look exactly the same. In the future, you can see the kid on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and I’ll see the kid on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. We’ll alternate Sundays. How about that?” Preston lowered his eyes, his long eyelashes casting a shadow under his eyes, making it impossible to read his emotions. “Suit yourself.” He dropped that cold sentence and turned to go to the study. I patted Parker’s hand, which was still resting on my waist: “The act is over. You can take it back now.” To my surprise, he suddenly tightened his grip, pulling me tightly against his chest. I raised my hands against his chest to push him away, but it was useless. The only use was feeling his pectoral muscles. “I helped you put on a show; shouldn’t I get a little reward?” He lowered his head, his face very close to mine. I subconsciously held my breath and started to stutter: “Wh-what kind of reward?” “I’ll be your model. Draw a portrait for me.” I froze instantly and forced a dry laugh: “Pick something else. I haven’t painted in a long time…” Not since five years ago. Actually, There was one time. For Serena’s twenty-fifth birthday. She insisted on being my model, begging me to paint her beautifully, saying it was just to commemorate our family bond and friendship. I repeatedly refused. But she pouted and said pitifully: “Chloe, do you not see me as a good sister anymore?” I was momentarily speechless. Preston, who was sitting quietly beside me folding origami cranes, suddenly looked up at me, his tone as cold as ever: “It’s just a painting. What are you refusing for?” I pursed my lips and eventually agreed. And I set a condition: Do not post it online. Who knew that the very night I finished the painting, I’d be trending. Serena posted the painting on Twitter with the caption: [Thanks for the birthday gift, Chloe~ Love it~] I had hidden myself away for so long, only to be forcibly dragged back into the public eye by her. People immediately dug up my past, calling me a plagiarist and telling Serena to stay away from me. “I’m so sorry, Chloe. You painted it so beautifully, I really couldn’t resist posting it on Twitter. Boohoo,” Serena apologized, holding my hand and swinging it. I lowered my eyes, looking at her hand clasped over mine. For the first time, I spoke harshly to her. “I’m in a bad mood right now. Can you please get the hell away from me?” Serena stood frozen on the spot. I turned and went home. But the moment I opened the door, I was met with a barrage of curses from my father and stepmother. “Why do you have to go show off? Do you think being able to paint makes you special? If I had known you would bring me so much shame, I should have broken your hands back then!” “Chloe, your dad worked so hard to suppress that plagiarism scandal back then, and now you’re stirring up this kind of trouble again. Do you think our family has money to burn? You really don’t know the value of a dollar…” … Word by word, sentence by sentence, they beat down on my spine. Pressing me down until I bent over, bit by bit. The pride and liveliness of the former wealthy heiress were chipped away. It felt like I became completely quiet from that day on. When Preston saw me again, he even raised an eyebrow in rare surprise: “You’ve changed a lot.” I smiled: “I have no choice. I can’t keep bringing shame to the family like before.” Later, because of family obligations, I made up with Serena. Just without the enthusiasm I used to have. 06 Now that Parker brought up painting again, I subconsciously tried to avoid it. But he looked at me earnestly, his dark eyes seeming to hide the stars in the sky. “Chloe, you said you were going to be a great painter.” “But…” I blinked, suppressing the stinging in my eyes. “I’ve been nailed to the pillar of shame as a plagiarist…” “I don’t believe you plagiarized. “Back then, the designer who accused you of plagiarism vanished without a trace, but someone transferred three million dollars to him. “I don’t think that’s a coincidence. “Chloe, you did nothing wrong. “I found his address a few days ago. Want to go see him?” Hearing the certainty in his tone, I finally couldn’t hold back my tears. The grievances hidden for five years burst forth in that moment. So, someone did believe me. In the end. I agreed to paint a portrait for Parker. But not now. He said: “Wait until the day your name is cleared, and I’ll be the first one you paint.” 07 At noon, we went back to the main estate for lunch. Mrs. Vance brought up her desire for a grandchild again. My heart trembled, and I subconsciously looked at Parker, who was playing chess with Mr. Vance not far away. In front of the elders, he sat upright before the chessboard, lacking some of his usual laziness. Only his slender fingers resting on his thigh, holding a smooth black chess piece, gently rubbing it. As if possessed, I remembered the sensation of his slightly calloused fingertips accidentally brushing against my waist last night. Suddenly, he looked up, glancing in my direction, and gave a very subtle raise of one eyebrow. I suddenly snapped back to reality, my ears turning red, looking everywhere but at him. But I accidentally met Preston’s gaze watching me. If it were in the past, I would have happily stared right back at him, but now I subconsciously frowned and looked away. He instantly gripped his prayer beads tighter. 08 After lunch, Parker followed us back home. But he was stopped at the door by Preston as we entered. “Your house isn’t here.” Parker simply shoved past him, walked in, and stood beside me, curling his lips into an innocent smile: “I know! But I have to keep my sister-in-law company! Did you forget? You said it yourself yesterday, telling my sister-in-law to have a baby with me.” Preston fell silent. He just stared at me. And I obediently looped my arm through Parker’s and waved at him: “Go play outside. Don’t bother the two of us.” Two seconds later, Preston left. He slammed the door so hard it rattled. It rattled me so much I stood frozen in place for a moment. Was he angry? But wasn’t this what he wanted? After a brief moment of absentmindedness, Parker called me over, having booked flights for us to go abroad. I planned to meet Julian Smith, the designer who reported me for plagiarism, one more time. But when we got there, we found out that Julian Smith had died in a car accident a few days ago. They couldn’t save him. I stood at the hospital entrance for a long time, the cold foreign wind blowing against my face, stinging painfully. The next second, Parker turned sideways, standing in the wind’s path, shielding me from the breeze. “It’s okay. There must be another way.” I nodded, letting the wind blow my long hair into a mess. The moment my vision blurred, I felt like I was briefly separated from this world. Until a voice called out, “Mr. Vance.” Parker and I turned our heads and saw a middle-aged woman standing not far away. It was Julian Smith’s wife. I silently pulled my mask up higher. She jogged over and bowed to Parker, looking anxious but grateful as she blurted out: “You didn’t answer my calls, I thought you weren’t coming. You’re our family’s benefactor. Julian kept saying he wanted to see you one last time before he died, but he didn’t get to. He’s probably crying down there…” Parker stood there, a bit bewildered. But he quickly recovered. His gaze became cold and distant, and his posture lost some of its casualness. In a daze, I almost called out “Preston.” He looked so much like him… Julian Smith’s wife paused, carefully glancing at Parker, then said: “Since Julian passed away, we don’t have much money left. Living in a foreign country is really hard for me and the kids. Mr. Vance, could you perhaps give us another three million to help us out?” Parker lowered his eyes, staring at her coldly without saying a word. But the pressure was intense. She anxiously rubbed her hands together: “Mr. Vance, it’s okay if you don’t help us, but some things Julian left behind might end up in the hands of your wife, Chloe. It might get a bit ugly then.” Hearing my name, I froze, my heart growing colder inch by inch. Preston… what the hell did you do behind my back? “Money isn’t an issue,” Parker’s voice suddenly deepened, carrying a hint of displeasure. “But this is the last time. Give me the things, and I will destroy them myself.” “If you dare keep a backup, I won’t hesitate to send you down to keep Julian company.” “Of course, of course, but I need to see the money first.” Parker narrowed his eyes and let out a cold scoff: “Don’t try to reason with me. I don’t like killing people.” Perhaps remembering the power behind the Vance family, Julian Smith’s wife struggled for a moment before finally taking a step back: “Fine, I’ll give it to you now, but you absolutely cannot break your promise.” “Mhm.” After a few seconds of hesitation, she pulled out a USB drive. Parker plugged the USB drive directly into his phone and checked the files inside. They were phone recordings and chat logs. Suddenly, Julian Smith’s wife let out an “Huh”: “Mr. Vance, why aren’t you carrying your prayer beads today?” Parker’s fingers paused, then without even batting an eye, he said four words simply and flatly. “It’s cold. Hands freeze. “The three million will be transferred to your account tomorrow. Make sure you stay hidden abroad.” Dropping that sentence, Parker turned around swiftly and left. I hurried to follow him. Hearing that last sentence, Julian Smith’s wife’s mind was completely occupied by the money. Her doubts vanished, and she even enthusiastically saw us off. On the way back to the hotel, I listened to the recordings on the USB drive. In them, Preston told Julian Smith: “Three million. Don’t bother Serena Sterling ever again, or I don’t mind killing you.” In another, Serena told Julian Smith: “I’ve sent you all of Chloe’s drafts. Tweak them a little and publish them immediately. Make sure it causes a big scene.” … I sat on the bed, staring blankly. The recordings I had just heard echoed in my ears. My chest felt tight. Serena… why did you do this? Preston, how did I ever wrong you? It wasn’t until Parker knocked continuously on my door that I was pulled from my sorrowful thoughts. I opened the door. He stood outside with a worried look on his face, assessing me. Seeing I was fine, he let out a soft sigh of relief. “I thought you’d be hiding in your room crying.” I blinked my somewhat dry eyes and forced a bitter smile, saying nothing. Cry? I felt too awful. So awful that I couldn’t even cry anymore. “Don’t worry, I’m fine. You should go back to sleep. We have a flight to catch tomorrow.” Parker looked at me for a good while longer before taking a half step back and pointing behind him: “Is my brother really going back?” His words made me laugh: “Go back. Goodnight!” Only then did he turn around and leave, feeling reassured. But the next second, I suddenly grabbed the hem of his shirt. “Thank you.” He didn’t look back. “No need to thank me. A brother protecting his sister is just the way things should be.”

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I dated Liam Carter for seven years, until his first love, Serena Sterling, returned. When the earthquake hit, the chandelier came crashing down, and without a second of hesitation, he dove to save her first. I was hit, losing my memory. When I woke up, I looked at him and asked, “Who are you?” He looked at me and said, “I’m your brother.” I glanced at the guy standing next to him—his best friend—and told him: “Since you’re my brother, you have to help me pursue Julian Hayes.” He thought I was just playing hard to get, so he agreed. Until I pursued Julian all the way to the altar. Liam crashed the wedding reception like a rabid dog. I looked at him and said, “Brother, did you come to attend my wedding?” A wave of overwhelming grief washed over him, and he closed his eyes in agony. “Don’t call me brother. I’m not your brother. Aria, you belong to me. I forbid you from marrying anyone else.” 01 Liam broke his promise to accompany me to the awards ceremony. I was initially very disappointed, but thankfully, he called and told me to meet him at The Golden Lounge for a gathering. I thought he was throwing a celebration party for me. After all, I had just won the Best Actress award I had been dreaming of for years that night. It wasn’t until I arrived that I realized the party had absolutely nothing to do with me. It was a welcome-home party for Serena Sterling. She immediately came over and hugged me. “Aria, long time no see.” I nodded politely, pushed her away gently, and shifted my gaze to the man sitting on the sofa. I asked, “So, why did you break your promise today?” He paused mid-smoke, flicked his ash, and said nonchalantly, “Serena hasn’t been back in seven years. I just went to pick her up from the airport. Doesn’t the awards ceremony happen every year?” So, his broken promise was just to pick up Serena from the airport. A bitter mix of resentment and sorrow spread through my chest. Yes, the awards ceremony happens every year, but it took me seven years to finally hold that trophy. I wanted to share my joy with him the moment I received it. But the second I held the trophy in my hands… I searched the bustling crowd for his face, only to find him nowhere in sight. Do you know how disappointed I was? He didn’t care at all. On the scale in his heart, would I always weigh less than Serena Sterling? Even though I was the one who had stayed by his side for the past seven years. 02 Serena raised her glass to toast me. “I apologize on Liam’s behalf. It was all my fault that he missed your big moment. I’ll drink this as an apology.” I clearly saw the arrogance, triumph, and the joy of a victor hiding in her eyes. I didn’t take the glass. I scoffed, “He’s my boyfriend. What right do you have to apologize for him?” Serena’s hand, holding the glass, faltered slightly, looking a bit helpless. He was the first to stand up for her. “Don’t mind her, Serena. Aria, that’s enough. It’s such a small thing, why are you throwing a tantrum?” I turned to leave. Serena said pitifully, “Aria is mad. You should go after her. I don’t mind taking a little blame, just don’t let this ruin your relationship.” One of his friends couldn’t stand it anymore. “Talk to her nicely. She always compromises for you. This time, you’re the one in the wrong.” Liam crushed his cigarette in the ashtray, looking disdainful. “If she has a problem, she can stay out of my sight forever. Who knows why she always follows me around like a stray dog, refusing to leave even when I tell her to.” I quickened my pace to leave. He was right. In the past, I was almost always the one who compromised. He would just say a few sweet words casually, and my heart would soften. But this time, I didn’t want to anymore. 03 From that day on, Liam and I fell into a cold war, and I filled my life with work schedules. But news about him and Serena still found its way to me through every possible crack. The night of her welcome party, he spent over a million dollars displaying ads on all the high-rises in the city: 【Welcome home, Serena Sterling.】 He secured the role in renowned director Arthur Chen’s new movie, Ocean of Dreams, for Serena. That role was very likely meant to be mine. We were almost at the point of signing the contract, but the other party called two days ago to tell us they found a more suitable candidate. It turned out the more suitable candidate was Serena. She didn’t study acting; she studied piano. I have no idea why she suddenly came back wanting to be an actress. A role I had to struggle for eight years in the industry even to get an audition for, she took from me effortlessly with just one word from him. I originally thought that having reached my current position, I wouldn’t have roles stolen from me like when I first entered the industry. I never expected the one to deliver the crushing blow would be my boyfriend of seven years. It hurt so much I could barely breathe. My heart ached tremendously. He should know that all these years, acting was the thing I loved most besides him. I had poured so much of my blood, sweat, and tears into it. But he didn’t care. Or rather, because the other person was Serena Sterling, he felt he could hurt me without any hesitation. When my manager saw the news, she came to ask me about it. “What’s going on? Isn’t Liam Carter your boyfriend? Why is he stealing your role for someone else? Are you two fighting?” I stared at the words scrolling non-stop on the building outside: 【Welcome home, Serena Sterling.】 It stung my eyes, making them burn and ache. She came back, and he was so happy he wanted the whole world to know. I took out my phone and proactively sent him a message: 【I guess we’re broken up now, right?】 After all these years, I was tired too. I never thought I would be the one to say those words first. A heart that couldn’t be warmed after seven years should just stop trying. He didn’t reply. I laughed self-deprecatingly: “Maybe it is a breakup.” My manager patted my back to comfort me. “You’re just too stubborn. When you two were good, I told you to coax him for some resources, but you refused. Look now, as soon as she steps in, she gets a movie with a famous director.” “Forget it, if it’s over, it’s over. With your looks, it won’t be hard to find someone better.” “There’s a gala tonight. Maybe you’ll find someone suitable there.” 04 At the gala. When Liam made his entrance with Serena, many eyes turned to me, ready to watch the drama unfold. After all, my relationship with him was public knowledge. Usually, he would bring me to events like this. Serena stopped in front of me: “Aria, you look beautiful tonight. A lot of people are staring.” Liam’s eyes darkened. He glanced around and scoffed, “Not as beautiful as you.” I didn’t want to entertain their public display of affection, so I walked away. The gala was filled with prominent figures, including famous directors and producers. I wanted to exchange contact info with a few well-known directors in the industry, hoping they would think of me if they had suitable roles in the future. When I saw Director Chen, I still wanted to try and fight for a role in Ocean of Dreams. I loved that story of a shattered romance being pieced back together too much, and there were other roles yet to be cast. I walked over and had barely exchanged two sentences when Liam interrupted. “Don’t waste your breath. Serena doesn’t really like having acquaintances on set, so you won’t get a chance.” Didn’t like acquaintances? She wasn’t even in the industry. Wasn’t this clearly targeting me? I gripped my wine glass and took a large gulp. Trying hard to suppress the resentment in my heart and the urge to slap him across the face. The setting was inappropriate. I turned to leave, but Liam grabbed my arm. “Wait a minute. When you see Serena later, have a better attitude. She’s very upset because you ignored her.” I fought back the stinging in my eyes and said coldly, “Let go. I have no obligation to coddle her feelings.” He stubbornly held onto my hand, his face showing displeasure. Serena quickly hurried over, speaking to him in a reproachful tone: “I just went to the restroom for a second, and here you are bullying Aria again.” Suddenly, the ground began to shake violently. I don’t know who shouted, “It’s an earthquake!” The guests began to scatter and flee in panic. The chandelier above us swayed precariously. The moment it started to fall. The hand gripping my wrist let go. Liam didn’t hesitate for a second to grab Serena and roll out of the way. The chandelier crashed down onto my head, blood turning my vision red. In the face of life and death, a person’s first reaction is their truest. Between saving me and saving her, he didn’t even hesitate for a fraction of a second, even though he was holding my hand. It really hurt. In that moment, the intense pain radiating from my heart far surpassed the pain in my head. The excruciating headache plunged me into unconsciousness. 05 When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed. I opened my eyes to see a man wearing a white dress shirt. He had brown eyes, black hair, and was incredibly handsome. He looked like a noble Ragdoll cat. He was sitting with his legs crossed, reading a book. Hearing me stir, he looked over. When those alluring eyes met mine, I felt my heart racing. I blurted out: “Handsome, what’s your number?” He smiled. He looked even better. My heart beat faster. “Aria, stop messing around. Don’t we already have each other’s numbers?” “Aria, is that my name?” I realized my mind was completely blank. Aside from the handsome face in front of me, I knew absolutely nothing. The handsome man looked panicked. He immediately stood up: “Don’t wander off, I’m going to get the doctor.” After he left, another man walked in, holding a glass of water. He was also handsome, but his style was different from the first guy’s. He wore a sharp suit and had sharp, slightly brooding features. Looking at him, I felt an inexplicable sense of discomfort in my chest. Why were there so many handsome guys around me? His right palm was wrapped in bandages. He put down the water, looked down at me, and said faintly: “You’re awake?” I looked at Liam in confusion: “Who are you?” The corner of his mouth curved into a smirk, and no matter how I looked at it, that smile seemed to carry a hint of mockery. He said: “Why the sudden amnesia act? Don’t think this will get you back by my side.” “Do we know each other well? I really don’t remember anything, except that my name is Aria.” He leaned down slightly, closing the distance between us, and studied me for a moment: “If you want to act, I’ll play along.” He muttered something under his breath that I didn’t quite catch. “What?” He looked at me with zero seriousness and said: “I’m your brother.” The handsome guy returned with the doctor. He turned to leave. 06 The handsome guy said to my “brother”: “Liam, take good care of Aria. Stop running off to other people’s rooms. If you had waited any longer to treat Serena’s wound, it would have healed on its own.” He looked annoyed: “If you want to take care of her, you do it. Don’t you like hanging around her room anyway?” After my brother said that, he turned to leave the room. Before walking out, he glanced at me. Hurry up and leave so I can spend more time bonding with the handsome guy. Seeing me staring intently at him, he frowned, turned around, and left. Finally gone. Looking at him, I didn’t know why, but I felt extremely oppressed and suffocated. Could it be the natural sibling rivalry? After the doctor examined me, he said that apart from needing a dozen stitches on my head and some scrapes on my body, there were no other issues. I could be discharged after the stitches were removed in a few days. There were no blood clots in my brain. As for the amnesia, medical science doesn’t have a specific treatment for it yet. I just needed to stay in the hospital for one more day of observation, and then I could go home. They suggested taking me to places I used to live; maybe I would remember something one day. “Handsome, what’s your name? Tell me, so I can find you in my contacts.” “Julian Hayes.” My old phone was broken. The new phone did have Julian Hayes in the contacts. Strangely, Liam was pinned to the top. We must have a really good sibling relationship to put him there. Julian stayed with me all afternoon. Since I had just woken up, my head was still dizzy. I originally wanted to ask him about his interests, but I felt sleepy and dozed off. When I woke up again, Julian was gone, and Liam was there. I displayed a look of sheer disappointment. If I had known, I wouldn’t have slept. I should have seized the time to win over my crush. Liam stared at me, his brow furrowed, his tone dark: “What’s with that expression? Are you disappointed to see me?” “Brother, you and Julian are bros, right?” Otherwise, why would he take such good care of me? He paused for a moment: “What did you call me?” “You said you’re my brother. Since you’re my brother, you have to help me pursue Julian. My future happiness depends on you.” He took out a cigarette, looking frustrated and wanting a smoke. Perhaps remembering this was a hospital room, he eventually just rolled it between his fingers near his nose, inhaling the scent of tobacco. He lowered his voice. The fact that he couldn’t smoke seemed to make him unhappy. “Stop messing around. You’ll get yourself into trouble. Julian isn’t your type.” “He is. How could he not be? It was love at first sight for me.” I like tall, handsome guys with warm, beautiful smiles and dimples. He had it all. He let out a strange, low chuckle. Then he completely snapped the cigarette in his hand, scattering tobacco everywhere, and threw it into the trash can. “Fine, I’ll help you.” 07 When I was discharged, Liam asked Julian to drive me home. He had to accompany another girl named Serena Sterling to a film set. I walked up to Liam. Serena looked at me apologetically: “Aria, I’m so sorry. Liam has to come with me to the set. It’s my first time filming, and I’m really nervous.” I looked completely unbothered: “It’s fine. He wants to do it.” Anyone could see Liam was trying to pursue her. Why should I care? I turned to Liam, my face full of sincere joy: “Thank you. You really put a lot of thought into creating this opportunity for me to be alone with him.” His expression was dark and unpredictable as he gritted his teeth and said: “You’re welcome.” Just as I was about to get in the car, a swarm of reporters rushed out and surrounded us. I already knew I used to be in the entertainment industry and seemed to be doing quite well. But my manager said my schedules had been put on hold for a while to let me take a vacation. I could resume working once I felt better. The reporters’ microphones were practically shoved into my mouth. “Ms. Carter, regarding the earthquake that day when Mr. Carter saved Ms. Sterling first, what are your thoughts?” “Are Mr. Carter and Ms. Sterling dating? How long has it been? Do you know?” I didn’t understand why the media was so excited. And Liam—why was he glaring at me so intensely? His eyes were dark and unreadable, making me feel flustered. Even if I was his sister, I couldn’t morally blackmail him into saving me first. At most, he was just a bit disloyal. Was he afraid I would badmouth him in front of the media, making him look bad in front of the girl he liked? “Whoever he wants to save is his business. Whether they’re dating is something you should ask them, why ask me? It has nothing to do with me.” After hearing this, Liam clenched his jaw, looking like he wanted to punch someone. He silently mouthed at me, “Aria, you’re really something.” If you’re going to praise me, praise me. Why make it look like you want to hit me? He forcefully slammed the car door and left with Serena. I was trapped by the crowd, unable to move, trying to squeeze out and get into Julian’s car. “This is Mr. Hayes’s car. Is Ms. Carter getting a ride from Mr. Hayes?” “I came to pick her up from the hospital.” Julian arrived beside me, shielding me so I wouldn’t be knocked over by the media. “Surrounding a hospital like this will inconvenience other patients. I believe you media professionals wouldn’t be so lacking in basic decency.” Those two sentences forced the crowd to step back. When it comes to moral high-grounding, you’re the master, Julian. He knows exactly how to handle people. I love him even more now. 08 That evening, I dragged Julian into a co-op game lobby online, just as Liam came home. “Julian, I’ll play support, you play the carry.” “Okay.” I smiled brilliantly, following him around the whole game. If someone killed me, I complained to him. He chased them across the map to get revenge. “Julian, you’re so good at this game. Can you play with me more often? I want to rank up soon.” “Just call me Julian.” A shadow loomed over me. I looked up to see Liam blocking my view, his expression cold enough to freeze water. This guy never had a pleasant look on his face all day. So annoying. “Stop playing. I haven’t eaten.” I answered him dismissively: “It’s almost 7:30 and you haven’t eaten? I just saw some instant noodles in the cabinet. Go make yourself a bowl.” “I don’t eat instant noodles.” “Then order takeout.” He grabbed my phone, forcefully grabbed my shoulder, and pinned me against the sofa. “In the past, you would never let me eat instant noodles, saying it wasn’t nutritious. You wouldn’t let me eat takeout either, saying it wasn’t healthy. You would go out of your way to cook what I liked.” Wow, as a sister, I really played the role of a nagging mother. I saw my character in the game fall behind. I was about to die. I shoved Liam away and snatched my phone back. “Then stay hungry.” By the time the game finished, Julian said he had something to do and logged off. I looked at Liam clutching his stomach, leaning against the sofa, glaring at me fiercely yet with a hint of grievance. Like an abused wolfdog, his intimidating aura was much weaker. No, how could such a grown man feel so wronged just because he wasn’t fed? That look really didn’t suit him. But it wasn’t my problem. He wouldn’t starve to death. If he got hungry enough, he’d realize instant noodles might lack nutrition, but they fill the stomach. I got up, planning to go upstairs, shower, and sleep. “Aria, my stomach hurts.” Behind me, his aggrieved voice sounded. “Then order a delivery service to bring you some stomach medicine. I’m tired. I have a lunch date with Julian tomorrow.” Walking halfway, I turned to look at him. His eyes lit up. I said to him: “Thank you for telling him I like playing games. Later, can you also tell him what my favorite foods are?” He shivered on the sofa, lowered his eyes, and said to me in a hoarse voice: “I don’t know.” “Oh, well. I’ll just ask him myself. Getting to know each other might even improve our relationship.” He seemed to be in immense pain, his body curled up, the knuckles gripping the sofa turning white. 09 For lunch, I chose a private kitchen, which offered good privacy. We unexpectedly ran into Liam and Serena, who also came to this restaurant. Serena insisted we all eat together, saying it would be livelier. Liam didn’t object. As soon as she sat down, she pulled me into a conversation, showing her concern: “Aria, will that wound leave a scar on your head? They say hair never grows back where you get stitches.” I immediately reciprocated her concern. “I have plenty of hair, a little bald spot is fine. But you should be careful, sister. I just looked at you, and your part line is almost a finger wide. You should worry less and try not to lose any more hair.” Julian heard me and comforted me: “It won’t leave a scar. There are many techniques nowadays that can remove scars.” Liam, on the other hand, sat down and didn’t say a word. The waiter brought an iPad for us to order. I asked Julian: “Julian, what do you like to eat?” “Fish, no offal, I like spicy food. Nothing else special, anything’s fine.” “Then let’s get the signature sweet and sour fish, and a steamed fish head with diced hot peppers.” “You decide, I’ll pay.” “No way, I said I’m treating.” “Then I’ll treat next time.” I ordered a few of my favorites, then passed the iPad to Serena. She ordered while saying: “Aria, you and Julian seem to be getting along really well now. Isn’t that right, Liam?” Liam didn’t answer. I said: “Yeah, it feels like we’ve known each other forever. This might be that ‘imprinting’ thing. You feel especially dependent on the first person you see when you open your eyes.” Julian didn’t look too pleased. He commented: “You see me as your mother?” “How is that possible? You’re obviously a guy.” “Good.” Liam pushed his chair back, the sound grating. “Going out for a smoke.” Julian said he was going too. I sat for a while and felt like Serena and I really weren’t on the same wavelength. We had nothing to talk about, so I got up and went to the restroom to hide for a bit. At the corner, I saw Julian holding a cigarette, leaning against the hallway wall. He took a drag and tilted his head back to exhale the smoke. This was the first time I had seen him smoke. It was surprisingly sexy. He spoke: “Liam, you and Aria are broken up now, right?” Liam didn’t reply. The cigarette in his hand had burned down halfway. Only when it almost burned his fingers did he finally speak. “What do you mean by that?” “I want a straight answer from you. If you’re broken up, I’m going to pursue her.” Liam used his left hand to snuff out the cigarette butt, throwing it into the nearby trash can. He let out a low, cold laugh. His expression was indifferent, his tone arrogant. “If you don’t mind picking up my sloppy seconds, then go ahead.” Julian raised his hand and punched him right in the stomach: “It’s truly despicable how you insult a girl who dated you for seven years and poured her heart out to you.” Liam was hit hard and took a moment to recover before standing up and raising his hand to strike back: “Who the fuck are you to hit me?” But his hand was calmly caught by Julian: “Don’t make a scene. We still have to eat. If the media catches wind of this, it’ll look even worse. Since you personally admitted to breaking up with her, I’ll have her move out and stop contacting you.” After saying that, he shook off Liam’s hand, took the last drag of his cigarette, turned, and walked into the private room. 10 Having just heard two explosive pieces of news, I walked into the restroom feeling completely dazed. Liam wasn’t my brother; he was my ex-boyfriend. And Julian was actually planning to pursue me actively. It’s true what they say: the highest-level hunters often appear as prey. He was totally playing the long game. Liam saying he was my brother was clearly because he was afraid I’d keep pestering him and refuse to break up, which would interfere with his pursuit of Serena. No wonder every time I saw him, I instinctively felt uncomfortable. No wonder the media was so excited to ask me about their relationship that day. Turns out I was wearing a metaphorical green hat. No wonder Liam’s WeChat was pinned to the top. I must have really cared about every message he sent. The things in the mansion were all in pairs, looking like couple’s items. Turns out, they were couple’s items. Now, all these questions were answered. I washed my face to make myself look calmer before returning to the private room. They were all sitting in their original seats as if nothing had happened. When the food arrived, Liam barely touched it. Just as we finished eating and were getting up, he clutched his stomach and dropped to his knees on the floor. It must be his stomach pain flaring up again. Serena panicked, trying to pull him up and calling his name. I said: “Make a call. Call an ambulance.” Serena did as I suggested. I grabbed Julian and turned to leave, but my left hand was grabbed. I turned back to see Liam, kneeling on one knee, holding my hand. His face was as white as paper, his whole body trembling in pain. “You’re not going to accompany me to the hospital?” “Brother, no. You have Serena with you. I wouldn’t be much help if I went anyway. Julian and I have a movie to catch; it’s starting soon. We’ll be late if we delay.” While he was distracted, I pushed his hand away. I heard him whisper softly: “Before, if I was sick, you would be more anxious than anyone. Now you won’t even spare me a second glance.” Too bad for him, as he said, that was “before.” Now, I’ve forgotten. No matter how much pain he was in, I felt nothing. Like an outsider. 11 After the movie, as we were taking a walk, Julian was just about to hold my hand when his phone rang. I saw it was Liam calling. Julian didn’t answer, but Liam kept calling incessantly. When I finally answered, I heard him weakly say to me: “My stomach is bleeding.” I asked, slightly annoyed: “Is there anything else?” He was interrupting the progress of my romance. The other end of the line was silent for a long time: “Are you not coming to see me?” “There’s no need. I’m neither a doctor nor medicine. If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up.” He breathed heavily, clearly furious, and roared: “Aria, if you have any guts, never contact me again.” I heard the sound of something crashing to the ground through the phone. Serena was crying out anxiously: “Liam, you’re on an IV! How could you kick the IV pole? You’re bleeding everywhere! Nurse…” I hung up the phone. My head throbbed briefly, and blurry images flashed before my eyes. It seemed I was sick and on an IV, constantly dialing a number. When the person finally answered, they just said: “I’m busy. Don’t bother me unless it’s important.” I asked him tentatively: “I’m sick, my head is spinning. Can you come see me?” He didn’t show a shred of concern: “If you’re sick, find a doctor. Don’t look for me, you’re delaying my street racing.” I held my phone, crying sadly. Thinking back to this, I felt moisture on my face. “Why are you crying?” Julian looked at me nervously, a bit helplessly reaching out to wipe my face. I just said: “My head hurts.” “I’ll take you to the hospital.” “No need, it’ll pass in a moment.” He offered to massage my head to help relieve the pain. When I felt better, he drove me back to the mansion. He said: “Although it feels a bit like taking advantage of your vulnerability now since you have no memories, and your reliance on me might just be because I was the first person you saw, I want our relationship to go a step further. I want to pursue you. I tried a long time ago, but I want to try again. Can I?”

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A reporter shoved a microphone in my face and asked, “When you turned twenty, the billionaire heir Tristan Vance set off fireworks all night for you. Have you two broken up? What do you think about the fireworks he set off for someone else tonight?” “I don’t really remember what happened when I was twenty,” I replied smoothly. From across the sea of cameras, Tristan Vance let out a mocking laugh. “Mia, it’s time you reined in that temper of yours.” I stared at him, my eyes filled with nothing but cold unfamiliarity. “Who are you?” He didn’t know it yet, but the night he lit up the Los Angeles sky for another woman… I had an accident on set. The stunt harness snapped, and I hit my head hard on the way down. I forgot him. I forgot the seven years we spent loving each other. 1 Tristan Vance proposed to me. But right after I said yes, he demanded I quit the entertainment industry immediately. The elite Vance dynasty didn’t like my identity as a Hollywood actress. To them, I was just a cheap entertainer. But I didn’t see acting as just a gig. It was my life’s work. Before I got together with him, I was a nobody playing background extras. It took me ten grueling years of blood, sweat, and tears to climb from being a nameless extra to an A-list, award-winning actress. I cared about my fans. I didn’t want to just abruptly announce my retirement and throw it all away. “I have a lot of unfinished contracts on my plate, and roles I still want to play,” I told him. “I can’t quit the industry right now.” Hearing my rejection, he turned around, took the diamond ring he had just proposed with, and casually shoved it into the hands of a newly signed rookie actress at my agency. “It’s yours,” he told her. At that moment, something suffocating lodged in my chest. My eyes burned with unshed tears. We had been together for seven years. When we first started dating, he was already the untouchable heir to a Manhattan empire, and I was just a D-list struggling actress. In the eyes of his wealthy friends, I was nothing but his kept woman, a trophy girlfriend after his money and resources. For seven years, I clawed my way to the top relying on my own merit. I became the youngest Best Actress winner and opened my own production studio. I did it all just so I could be worthy of standing beside him. I had waited seven years for that ring. And he casually handed it to a total stranger. 2 From that day on, we entered a bitter cold war. Behind the scenes, he started using his massive network to strip away my resources. He gave everything to that rookie, a girl named Chloe Jenkins. Whether it was brand endorsements, magazine covers, or the lead roles in upcoming blockbuster films—even the Best Actress-caliber script I was about to sign. He gave it all to Chloe. It wasn’t until an awards gala that I finally got a good look at the new girl’s face. She was the girl who had taken my ring that day. He was forcing my hand. He was trying to force me to yield and beg. Thinking about it made me want to laugh. I had worked so hard all these years specifically so I wouldn’t have to rely on his connections. Now, the people brave enough to actively sabotage my career were few and far between. The only person powerful enough to humiliate me like this was him. I took the initiative and texted him: [Where are you?] [The Midas Club. Come find me.] The Midas Club was an ultra-exclusive, members-only lounge where the elite rubbed elbows. He kept a permanent private VIP suite there. 3 When I arrived, he was drinking with a group of trust-fund socialites. Chloe Jenkins was there too, sitting right beside him, pouring his drinks. Liam Hayes had never liked me, and the moment I walked in, he started making sarcastic remarks. “Oh, look who it is. The great A-lister, Mia Miller,” Liam sneered. “The old flame and the new flame in the same room. Now this is a good show.” “Seven years together, only to have a rookie steal her thunder in a heartbeat. No wonder she’s throwing a fit.” “She actually thought Tristan couldn’t live without her. She overplayed her hand.” I didn’t want to listen to their gossip. To them, I had always been just a gold digger, and he was my sugar daddy. But hearing them compare me to Chloe felt like a dull knife sawing at my heart. I maintained my composure and looked at Tristan. “I want to talk to you in private.” He took a drag from his cigarette. Through the faint haze of smoke, he smiled. “Whatever you have to say, you can say it here. There are no outsiders.” Heh. He actually said there were no outsiders. He was publicly acknowledging his relationship with Chloe. Hearing him say that, Chloe’s face flushed with excitement. Her hand trembled as she poured his wine, overfilling the glass and spilling it onto his expensive slacks. Without hesitation, he let her lean in and wipe it off for him. Seeing this, my brow furrowed deeply. “Tristan, you’re trying to cut off all my paths. I still have a studio to run and payrolls to meet. Whatever issues we have between us, there is no need to drag innocent people down.” He contemptuously flicked his cigarette ash. “You’ve seen it for yourself. As long as I want to, I can create another female star just as famous as you at any moment. I told you to quit. Now that you’ve lost all your work, the problems you mentioned don’t exist anymore. Just be a good Mrs. Vance. Why do you insist on putting yourself on display for the public?” In his eyes, my hard work, my blood, and my sweat were utterly worthless. If I wanted to marry him, I had to quit, be a docile housewife, and play the role of the billionaire’s wife. The only focal point of my entire universe was supposed to be him. “I don’t want to. You should respect my choices, not expect me to just swallow whatever you force down my throat.” Tristan scoffed, picked up the crystal glass in front of him, and violently hurled it against the wall. “Mia Miller, if you insist on going against me, then get out!” The shattered glass scattered across the floor mirrored my own heart—pierced, bleeding, and fractured. Seven years. He was telling me to get out, right in front of another woman. I turned on my heel to leave. His chilling voice followed me. “Do you really think I can’t live without you? If you walk out that door right now, we are done.” I turned back in shock. I stared at him, digging my nails into my palms just to maintain a facade of calm. “Then we’re done.” He pulled Chloe closer and kissed her hard. “From today on, she is my girlfriend.” My vision blurred. Unable to watch a second longer, I practically sprinted out of the VIP suite. The moment the door closed behind me, the tears I had been holding back finally fell. I knew he was only doing this out of anger. He didn’t actually love her. Seven years ago, it was my acting that made him fall for me in the first place. Back then, I was playing a minor supporting role as a girl secretly in love with the male lead. One night, the male lead called me to his hotel room and tried to assault me. Tristan happened to be walking by. He saw what was happening, saved me, and beat the man within an inch of his life. After that, the actor was replaced and blacklisted from Hollywood. Later, Tristan started showing up on set constantly. At the wrap party, he confessed his feelings to me. Seeing my stunned expression, he looked at me with absolute adoration. He said he thought he had made his intentions obvious enough. He said he loved watching me act. He said I belonged on the silver screen. He said I was going to be a massive star one day. Now, I had achieved everything he said I would. And suddenly, he hated it. 4 After that night, Chloe Jenkins became Hollywood’s newest “It Girl.” Her momentum was unstoppable. Her face was plastered across every television screen, billboard, and subway station in the city. She dominated the trending topics online. While I, aside from one final scene left on an old contract, had absolutely no new scripts coming my way. On the night of Chloe’s twentieth birthday, Tristan lit up the Los Angeles sky with fireworks just for her. The headlines rolled in one after another: #BillionaireHeirSpendsMillionsOnCityWideFireworksForNewLove #WhoIsChloeJenkins #A-ListerMiaMillerAndHeirOver #ChloeJenkinsHomewreckerGetOutOfHollywood I looked out my window at the fireworks erupting in the empty night sky. It looked exactly like the love between Tristan and me. Brilliant, blinding, but impossible to hold onto. After all, on my twentieth birthday, he had set off fireworks over LA all night for me, too. All these years later, he was using the exact same playbook. Or maybe, he just knew it was the most effective way to hurt me. The things he gave to me, he could easily give to someone else. My agent saw the trending topics and came to check on me. “Are you and Mr. Vance really… over?” I looked down at my phone. The top comment under the trending hashtag was a tweet directly from Tristan. He wrote: [Mia and I had an amicable breakup. Chloe is not a homewrecker. She had nothing to do with it. Anyone who spreads rumors will be hearing from my lawyers.] I originally thought he was just trying to make me jealous. But seeing how fiercely he was defending her… Maybe he really did love her. Seven years was a long time. Maybe the novelty had simply worn off, and encountering a new, vibrant, obediently young woman had genuinely moved his heart. It wasn’t impossible. He certainly detached himself fast enough. But I was still hurting. Not wanting to worry anyone, I just said, “It’s over. Let’s just focus on filming.” Tonight was the absolute last scene of my final active contract. After this, it would all truly be over. But no one could have predicted what would happen next. We were filming a high-altitude wire stunt. Just as they were lowering me, the harness snapped. Thankfully, I wasn’t too high up, but on the way down, the back of my head slammed against a wooden prop table. A sharp spike of pain, the taste of copper in my mouth, and then the world violently spun out of focus. When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. Seeing my eyes open, my agent let out a massive sigh of relief. “Thank God, you’re finally awake.” She hesitated for a moment before adding, “Should we call Tristan? This might be the perfect excuse to soften up and reach out to him. If his heart aches seeing you like this, maybe you two can get back together.” I stared at her blankly. “Who is Tristan?” She looked at me like she had seen a ghost. Unable to speak for a solid minute, she finally panicked and ran out to find a doctor. After a barrage of tests, the doctor concluded that nothing was critically wrong. I just needed over a dozen stitches in my head and could have them removed once it healed. I was free to be discharged in the morning. As for the amnesia, the doctor couldn’t give a timeline for recovery, but said it was localized amnesia and wouldn’t affect my daily life. And it was true. Aside from forgetting a man named Tristan Vance, I remembered absolutely everything else. I even remembered that I was in the hospital because my stunt harness snapped on set. 5 The moment I walked out of the hospital, I was swarmed by paparazzi. They shoved microphones in my face, their expressions practically vibrating with excitement. “When you turned twenty, the billionaire heir Tristan Vance set off fireworks all night for you. Have you two broken up? What do you think about the fireworks he set off for his new girlfriend?” I had gathered a rough outline of the history between Tristan and me from my agent. To me, it sounded like a tragic love story about two strangers. I didn’t feel much of anything. By the end of her summary, I only felt a lingering sense of indignation. Who the hell acts that arrogant and controlling? Breaking up with him sounded like the best thing that ever happened to me. I kept my answer brief: “I don’t really remember what happened when I was twenty.” That was when Tristan appeared. Pushing through the sea of reporters, he let out a mocking laugh. “Mia, is this injury just your way of creating an excuse to step down gracefully? You need to rein in your temper. Give me a genuine apology, and it’s not impossible for us to get back together.” I stared at him, my eyes filled with cold unfamiliarity. “Who are you?” The smug smile on his face froze. He took a few long strides toward me, looking down at me from his towering height. “What kind of game are you playing now? Faking amnesia to make me panic so I’ll beg you to come back?” Hearing his tone, I easily guessed who he was. “Tristan Vance?” He raised an eyebrow. “Done pretending?” He wore a custom designer suit and looked like a million bucks, but garbage was still spilling out of his mouth. “I’m not taking your ‘graceful step down.’ We broke up, and that’s that. Don’t you have a new girlfriend anyway?” I shifted my gaze a few yards away, to where Chloe Jenkins was standing, digging her manicured nails into her palms. I was simply reminding him that his current girlfriend was watching his every move. He let out an angry laugh, reached out, and grabbed the nearest camera, smashing it onto the pavement. “What the hell are you filming?! Since you want to play it like this, I hope you don’t regret it.” He turned on his heel, walked over to Chloe, and grabbed her hand, raising it in the air. He stood opposite me, glaring coldly as he addressed the media. “Let’s make this perfectly clear. I broke up with her. My girlfriend right now is Chloe Jenkins.” I offered a polite, shallow smile. “I hope everyone remembers that in the future, please don’t ask me any questions regarding Mr. Vance. Direct them to his new girlfriend. After all, the fireworks were for her. Stop bothering the ex.” Without missing a beat, I pulled open the door to my waiting van and drove off without looking back. I was so incredibly thankful for the amnesia. Even with no memories of him, my heart instinctively felt a dull, heavy ache. I didn’t dare imagine how much of a mess I would have been if I had remembered everything. 6 All my work had completely dried up. Right as I was backed into a corner, a reality TV show reached out. Without hesitation, I signed the contract. It wasn’t until I arrived on set that I realized this reality show was a complete setup. Chloe was one of the other guests, and the entire show was engineered by the producers specifically to boost her popularity. Every other celebrity, no matter their status, was expected to step aside and pave the way for her. But I couldn’t afford to breach my contract. Under my current circumstances, the penalty fee would bankrupt me. Right before the cameras started rolling, Chloe purposefully bumped my shoulder. She looked at me, her smile arrogant and triumphant. “Mia, just so you know, I was the one who begged Tristan to give you a spot on this show. I heard you’ve been incredibly free lately, with zero jobs lined up and a wide-open schedule.” “Not as free as you, apparently, since you have so much time to worry about my business.” I refused to look at her petty, gloating face and sat down in the makeup chair. She immediately glared at the makeup artist. “My look needs a touch-up. Come do mine first.” The poor makeup artist stood frozen, caught in a terrible position. Chloe’s face turned icy. She was about to snap when she glanced behind me, her expression instantly morphing into a picture of perfect, fragile victimhood. “If Mia wants her makeup done first, let her,” she said softly. “My makeup isn’t that important anyway. I just thought my eyeliner looked a little smudged, but it’s fine.” A second later, Tristan walked into the room. “I said everything on this show prioritizes Chloe,” his voice was dangerously low. He glared at the makeup artist. “Go touch up her makeup right now, or are you looking to get fired?” So that’s why her face changed so fast. Her sugar daddy had arrived. I took the initiative to bail out the terrified makeup artist. “Go ahead. I can do my own.” I had clawed my way up from the bottom. Back in my extra days, I never had a dedicated makeup artist. I was used to doing it myself. I hadn’t done it in years since making it big, but I figured muscle memory would kick in. “Faking amnesia wasn’t enough, so now you’re pretending to be blind? You don’t even know how to say hello anymore?” Tristan sneered at me viciously. Hearing this, I stood up, casually reapplying my lipstick, and kept my voice impeccably polite and distant. “Mr. Vance. I’ll leave you two alone to enjoy your romance.” Calling him “Mr. Vance” made his expression darken instantly.

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My fiancé, Carter, was a prominent psychiatrist, but he fell in love with his patient, Audrey. I didn’t hesitate. I went straight to the hospital administration and reported their relationship. Carter was disciplined. Audrey, overwhelmed by her depression, committed suicide. And I became the target of Carter’s misplaced rage. He pushed me off a balcony. “Falling in love with Audrey was my mistake, but what gave you the right to kill her?!” I was reborn. I woke up to hear eighteen-year-old Carter sending a voice message to Audrey. He was clarifying our relationship, his tone dripping with affection. “Harper and I are just neighbors. You’re the one I like, my little rose.” Separated only by a door. I crumpled his cancer diagnosis report in my hand, the paper crinkling under my grip. 1 Carter and I grew up together. Our families were close. The adults used to joke about us getting married someday. Almost everyone assumed we were a couple, just waiting for one of us to make it official. During the winter break of our senior year of high school, Carter and I both got physicals. I was perfectly healthy. All my vitals were normal. But Carter’s blood work showed early-stage leukemia. The moment I got the report, I ran straight to his house and we looked at it together. Thanks to early intervention, the cancer hadn’t spread. He was in remission within a year. In my past life, I spent that year by his side through chemotherapy, missing my own college entrance exams. I retook the exams a year later, but I didn’t get into my dream university or my preferred major. Carter, however, having recovered, overperformed on his exams. He somehow managed to get into the most prestigious pre-med program in the state. And after graduating, he became a highly sought-after psychiatrist. This time, I absolutely refused to sacrifice my future and my youth to help a scumbag grow. I left his medical report on the console table by the front door of the Carter house. I also left the spare key I used to come and go as I pleased. Carter’s dad was always busy with business dinners, leaving early and coming home late. His mom loved playing bridge and socializing; she wouldn’t stop until she had played her fill for the day. As for when they would actually see that medical report? God only knew. 2 I went back home. Seeing my parents looking so much younger, happily discussing something, felt surreal. My dad saw me come in. He told me they were thinking about buying a new house. The house we lived in was assigned to my grandparents by their old company. By the time I was a senior in high school, three generations of our family had lived in it. In my past life, my parents had finally scraped together enough for a down payment on a new place. But because I refused to abandon Carter when he got sick, and because the Carter family couldn’t afford his medical bills, I begged my parents to use a portion of their down payment to help them out… This time, a genuine smile spread across my face as I enthusiastically replied at the dinner table: “That’s great! Are you thinking about the new development on the Southside?” My parents exchanged a surprised look. They had looked at several developments, and the one on the Southside was exactly the one they liked best. We currently lived on the Eastside. My school and my parents’ offices were all downtown. The commute was manageable. But… My mom asked with concern: “Will the move disrupt your studies?” I smiled sweetly. “Mom, for the second semester of senior year, I can just live in the dorms. It’s just…” My mom’s eyes paused. “…It’s just that I won’t be able to help you guys pack and move.” Hearing that, my mom visibly breathed a sigh of relief. After dinner, I went to my room to study. In reality, I kept my ears open, listening to my parents chat in the living room. My dad, while washing dishes, said to my mom: “Kids are so unpredictable. Weren’t you worried? But you tested the waters today, and she said it wouldn’t affect her, right?” My mom, still a bit anxious, replied: “I hope so. Moving further away… do you really think Harper is willing to leave Carter behind?” My dad was more optimistic. “Harper has always prioritized her future. Don’t worry, she knows what she’s doing.” 3 In my past life, after Carter and I started dating, my mom was always a bit skeptical of our relationship. I asked her why. “You’re always the one giving, and Carter is used to just taking. That kind of dynamic isn’t stable. Once…” Back then, I cut her off before she could finish. I was completely blinded by my love for him. I thought, we’ve known each other for over a decade; how could we not be stable? Until the day he stood me up when I was trying on wedding dresses. I went to the hospital to find him. I saw him lifting Audrey onto his desk, the two of them kissing passionately. Heh. There’s no such thing as an unbreakable bond in this world. I secretly took photos through the crack in the door. Then I immediately emailed them to all the hospital administrators. If Carter had cheated with anyone else, I might not have been so enraged, so desperate to see them both ruined. But the person he cheated with was Audrey. In my past life, Carter had inexplicably fallen in love with Audrey, a poor transfer student, during our senior year of high school. For her, Carter took the blame for their underage relationship, and his grades plummeted. Skipping class, getting called to the principal’s office, getting suspended for fighting… he committed every cardinal sin a high schooler could. And what did Audrey do? She turned Carter’s high school years upside down and nearly destroyed his future. But the moment Carter was diagnosed with cancer, she immediately cut ties with him. Later, I tried to track her down for Carter while he was battling cancer. But the Audrey I found was completely different from the gentle, resilient girl I remembered. She was involved with several wealthy heirs. Looking at Carter fighting for his life in his hospital bed, I couldn’t bring myself to tell him the ugly truth. … Years passed, and Carter and I were about to get married. And yet, they managed to find their way back to each other. My years of devotion to Carter were like a child I had raised with my own hands, only to watch it drown in the river of time. My heart bled. So, I wanted them to hurt more than I did. But when the scandal broke, I didn’t get to see Carter grovel or apologize. Audrey died. It was entirely unexpected. I had no idea her depression was real. I thought it was just another manipulation tactic to win Carter back. Just like in high school, when she played the pitiful poor student, yet I saw her casually getting into a Porsche parked on the corner. She was too good at playing the victim. But Carter blamed me for everything. He fought with me. “Falling in love with Audrey was my mistake, but what gave you the right to kill her?!” I fought back fiercely, refusing to back down. “Did I really kill her? Why don’t you admit that you were a terrible doctor and failed to cure her? “Carter, you have no professional ethics! Is sleeping with your patient your idea of treatment? “You had a fiancée, and she knew you were getting married. You two made the mistake first, why are you blaming me?!” Carter laughed and cried hysterically, on the verge of a mental breakdown. But that didn’t stop him from grabbing me with one hand and shoving me out the window. 4 The rapid sensation of falling from a high altitude. It perfectly matched the terror in my dream. I woke up screaming. My parents heard me and immediately rushed into my room to comfort me. “Harper, what’s wrong?” “Don’t be scared, it was just a nightmare.” Just a nightmare? I looked up, saw the concerned faces of my parents, and wiped the sweat from my forehead. “Mom, Dad, can we move as soon as possible?” My parents exchanged a look and quickly agreed. After being reborn, I had two simple goals. Wait for Carter to die. Make sure he dies far away from me. 5 Before the new semester started, I stayed locked in my room. When Carter texted or called, I looked at them but never replied. I muted any group chats involving him. Since his family lived right upstairs from mine, he came looking for me a few times. He either got the cold shoulder or was politely brushed off by my parents. Carter thought it was strange. In the past, I always made him the center of my universe, revolving my life around him. My sudden disappearance definitely threw him off. But his life was quickly filled by Audrey. On his social media, he actually started posting about going out to the suburbs early in the morning to pick vegetables, taking photos of the sunrise from a rusty produce truck, and sharing funny stories about selling vegetables at the farmer’s market… At such a crucial point in our senior year, he somehow had the free time to run from his downtown home all the way to the suburbs to help Audrey’s family. While all the other students were burning the midnight oil preparing for the SATs, he was bathing in the morning sun and sweating in the fields. I was staying up late, my eyes red, drowning in practice tests and textbooks, trying to scrape together every precious point. He was at the farmer’s market, haggling over pennies with customers. … Every word on his social media revealed a shift in his worldview. He now viewed the days of simply studying without worrying about livelihood as boring, dull, and suffocating. The simple buying and selling at the farmer’s market seemed vibrant, passionate, and full of life to him. I couldn’t tell for a moment. Was it Audrey’s charm, or had the cancer cells already reached his brain? He hid these posts from his parents and teachers, showing them unreservedly to his classmates and friends. His friends weren’t going to just watch him throw his life away. They tried to talk sense into him, but he ended up convincing them to buy a few extra pounds of vegetables before they left. They had no choice but to go to our teachers, Carter’s parents, and even me, hoping we could help talk him down. 6 My desk mate from high school, Mia, who used to be the biggest shipper of Carter and me. She called me, sounding like she was about to explode. “What is going on with you and Carter? Over winter break, he turns into a modern-day Romeo, picking vegetables all over the countryside!” I actually found it amusing. “Don’t laugh! Did you and Carter break up?” I told Mia about Carter confessing to Audrey. “Carter and I grew up next door to each other, so we seem a bit close, that’s all. He never confessed to me, and I never said I liked him. Mia, we were never together, so we can’t break up.” Mia paused for a second, then went into full rage mode. “Bullshit! What kind of scumbag is Carter?! He remembers your period schedule, brings you heating pads and ginger tea, and you call that just being neighbors?! “When we had to choose between the humanities and STEM tracks, Carter was better at STEM. But for you, he chose humanities, fought with the counselor in the office, and eventually, you compromised and went to the STEM track with him! “Every holiday, except maybe Memorial Day, when did you ever not get him a gift? And he used to give you gifts back too! “Aren’t you guys just missing a formal confession? How did it turn into this?” … I listened quietly as Mia listed all these moments. Finally, my heart clenched. Weren’t we just missing a formal confession? In my past life, I finally got that confession at Carter’s hospital bed. Carter saw me, exhausted, falling asleep by his bed. He couldn’t resist ruffling my hair. And he whispered those words. “Harper, I do like you.” Promises are so beautiful, probably because we were too young. I thought his love was unwavering. But in reality, it was just Carter’s pity or gratitude towards me. I pulled Carter back from the brink of death with all my might, yet he easily took my life because of Audrey’s death. Who was truly unwavering in their love? Wasn’t the answer obvious? “Mia, he’s just Carter. How is he more important than the SATs?” Mia’s family was wealthy. If she bombed the SATs, she could easily be sent abroad for college. So, she could ship us without any pressure. But I couldn’t. Mia was easygoing and didn’t dwell on it. “Let the scumbag rot. Once we get to college, Harper, you’ll have your pick of hot guys!” I laughed and brushed it off. I had already wasted too much on a relationship that wasn’t worth it. Now it was time for me to reclaim my own life. 7 That night, my family was having dinner. We suddenly heard loud shouting and the sound of things smashing from Carter’s apartment upstairs. My dad stood up. He and Carter’s dad used to be colleagues. Hearing the commotion, his first instinct was to go break up the fight. My mom frowned and told him to wait. My parents exchanged a look, inevitably resting their eyes on me. I said calmly: “Dad, they’re in the heat of the moment. You should go later.” My dad gave an “Mhm” and sat back down. My mom said softly: “Word around the neighborhood is that Carter has been running off to help a girl sell vegetables. Someone they know saw him and told his parents.” My dad picked up his chopsticks again. “Oh, so that’s what’s happening.” Since it didn’t concern our family, there was no need to get involved. But unexpectedly, after dinner. Carter’s mom knocked on our door, dragging a bruised and battered Carter behind her. My parents were stunned but couldn’t exactly refuse them entry. My mom was pulled down onto the sofa by Carter’s mom, forced to listen to her cry and complain. I thought she was just venting. But Carter’s mom pointed at Carter, who was standing stiffly in the living room, and scolded: “This boy has always prioritized Harper! It’s all because of that vegetable-selling girl leading him astray that he’s acting up at such a crucial time in his senior year, neglecting his studies to go to the suburbs and help her sell vegetables! “Our families have known each other for years, and I only accept Harper! I absolutely will not let that vegetable-selling girl ruin Carter’s future! “It’s Carter’s fault for letting Harper down. You bring Harper out here, and Carter must apologize to her!” Carter’s mom was rambling incoherently. But the underlying message was that she wanted to tie my relationship with Carter in a tight knot. My mom gently brushed her hand away. “You must be out of your mind with grief. “Who is this vegetable-selling girl? What is her relationship with Carter? “And how does any of this involve Harper?” My dad chimed in as well: “Harper hasn’t left the house all winter break, nor has she seen Carter. Carter, isn’t that right?” Being called out, Carter, with an icy, handsome face, said very proudly: “Mom, stop wasting your breath. I only like Audrey! I have nothing to do with Harper!” My mom chuckled softly. “Carter’s mom, you heard what Carter said, right? “Who Carter likes has nothing to do with Harper! “Apart from being classmates and neighbors, they have absolutely no relationship!” My dad’s tone hardened as well. “He’s a senior in high school, and he’s still focusing on relationships? I’m going to go ask Arthur what he thinks about all this.” Seeing Carter undermine her and my parents not buying into her drama, Carter’s mom stopped crying and hurriedly dragged Carter away. She had come here behind Arthur’s back. If he found out, the house would be turned upside down again. As my dad opened the door, he made sure to shout after them. “Don’t come back next time!” After closing the door, he complained to my mom. We needed to move as soon as possible. These neighbors, relying on years of acquaintance, actually dared to treat his own daughter as a backup plan right to his face. Her precious Carter was a treasure, and someone else’s daughter just had to accept him? What absolute garbage!

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In our past life, my sister was adopted by a wealthy family, and I was taken in by a school janitor. As it turned out, the wealthy family was plagued by toxic infighting. The parents were cold, the older brother was a ruthless bully, and she was eventually kicked out without a single penny. My adoptive family, on the other hand, was warm and loving. The billionaire heir even fell in love with me, the resilient, innocent poor girl. It was like a plot straight out of a teen romance movie. Consumed by hatred, my sister murdered me—and we were both sent back in time to the very day we were adopted. This time, she sprinted ahead and threw herself into the janitor’s arms. “Sister, this time, it’s my turn to be the main character,” she whispered to me. But what she didn’t know was that a true main character doesn’t rely on her background to win. 01 My sister and I were reborn on the exact day of our adoption at St. Jude’s Children’s Home. Two families stood in the director’s office: the Sterlings and the Millers. The three members of the Sterling family were dressed to the nines. The man wore a tailored suit, the woman was dripping in diamonds. Even their teenage son, Ashton, wore an elite prep school uniform paired with globally limited-edition designer sneakers. They were the most prominent family in Chicago. Mr. Sterling was a corporate titan whose empire contributed the most taxes in the city, while Mrs. Sterling was a socialite, constantly clinking glasses with A-list celebrities at charity galas. Their son, Ashton Sterling, was widely known as the untouchable prince of Chicago. In stark contrast, the Miller family standing next to them looked worn and exhausted. Both the husband and wife had the rough, calloused hands of manual laborers. They were likely wearing their Sunday best, but faded sweat stains still clung to the collars. According to the director, they both worked at Oakridge Prep, the most elite high school in the city. The husband was a janitor, and the wife was a cleaning lady. In our previous life, my sister Maya had chosen the Sterlings without a second thought. But right now, acting as if she were terrified of being left behind, she launched herself into the cleaning lady’s arms. “Mom! Take me with you! I want to be your daughter!” “From today on, my name is Maya Miller!” Amidst Maya’s excited cheers, I calmly walked over to the Sterling family. Just like that, our choices were made, and we were taken to our respective new homes. As we left the orphanage, I overheard the director muttering to herself. “How strange. Maya has always been the most competitive, picky girl here. In the past, if a prospective family even looked a bit middle-class, she wouldn’t give them the time of day.” “A real billionaire family finally shows up, and she doesn’t choose them? Why?” The director didn’t understand. But I did. 02 In our past life, Maya plotted and schemed to be adopted by the Sterlings, becoming Maya Sterling. She thought a life of luxury and princess-like pampering awaited her. Not to mention having Ashton, the prince of Chicago, as her older brother. To her, the wealthy heir and the adopted sister was a classic romance trope. Living under the same roof, she figured it would be incredibly easy to spark a forbidden romance. But Maya never expected that Ashton wouldn’t show an ounce of brotherly affection. Instead, he found her absolutely repulsive. “I despise social climbers more than anything in this world,” he had told her. “Don’t think I can’t see right through you. You manipulative little gold digger, the only thing you want is our family’s money.” At home, Ashton tormented her. At school, he led a gang of lackeys to brutally bully her. Even when Mr. and Mrs. Sterling found out, they only offered half-hearted scoldings. They had no real love for Maya. The only reason they adopted her was because a celebrity psychic told Mr. Sterling that adopting a daughter would bring him a decade of explosive financial luck. Between an adopted daughter and their biological son, the Sterlings naturally favored their own blood. While Ashton bullied Maya, he treated me—the girl adopted by the Millers—incredibly well. He watched me accept financial aid, ace every exam to become the top of the class, study all day, and help my mom scrub floors at night. I lived an exhausting life, but I never complained. “Harper Miller. This girl… she’s actually pretty interesting.” Just like a movie, the rebellious, arrogant rich boy fell in love with the unyielding, resilient poor girl. Later on, the Sterling parents passed away in an accident. When the inheritance was divided, Ashton and his legal team ruthlessly maneuvered Maya out of the estate. She was left with absolutely nothing. A few months later, Ashton married me. At our wedding, he publicly declared, “Harper, from now on, everything I own is yours.” Unfortunately, I never got to enjoy a dime of Ashton’s wealth. A few days later, driven insane by jealousy and despair, Maya ran me over with her car. Reborn into this life, my sister didn’t hesitate to choose the Millers. To her, even though they didn’t have billions, they lacked the toxic scheming of the rich. She believed she could enjoy the pure, unconditional love of a warm, happy family. She believed her new background would make the wealthy heir pity and protect her, ultimately leading to a fairy-tale wedding of the century. She smiled at me smugly. “Sister, this time, it’s my turn to play the female lead.” “It’s about time you tasted everything I suffered through.” 03 Maya’s prediction wasn’t wrong. In fact, Ashton’s bullying started even earlier than in our past life. In the school courtyard, my head was forcibly shoved into a freezing fountain. Around me, a group of teenage boys laughed viciously. Just as my lungs were about to burst from lack of oxygen, someone grabbed the back of my collar and yanked me up. Ashton smiled down at me brightly. “You want my family’s money? Sure thing.” “Drink all the water in that toilet bowl over there. I’ll give you ten grand a gulp. How about it?” His lackeys hooted and hollered in excitement. I stared at Ashton. This was the man who had gently told me he loved me in our past life. Right now, he was unleashing his unfiltered malice on me without a second thought. But Ashton wasn’t looking at me. His gaze drifted past me, focusing on something behind my back. I knew exactly what it was. Maya Miller was bending over, scrubbing the hallway floors. “Isn’t that Maya?” one of the boys asked. “Why is she still mopping the floors?” Another lackey chimed in to explain, “Her mom is the school’s cleaning lady. She goes to classes during the day and stays late to help her mom work.” A flicker of shock crossed Ashton’s eyes, quickly followed by a pang of heartache. He called out loudly to her, “Hey! It’s freezing out here. Stop scrubbing. No one’s going to check it anyway.” Maya straightened her back. Her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her delicate face wore a look of stubborn pride. She shook her head. “I can’t.” “If someone checks and finds the floor dirty, my mom will get a hundred dollars docked from her paycheck.” “I know a hundred dollars is nothing to a rich kid like you, but for my family, that’s our grocery budget for the whole week.” After finishing her speech, Maya bent back down and continued scrubbing. Honestly, her manipulation was painfully obvious. With an entire building of floors to mop, she deliberately chose to scrub right in front of Ashton. She even specifically let her hair down and angled her face perfectly to look as tragic and beautiful as possible. Unfortunately for me, Ashton fell for it hook, line, and sinker. Sure enough, Ashton walked over, grabbed Maya’s arm to pull her up, snatched the dirty rag from her hands, and threw it at one of his lackeys. “You guys. Finish mopping this for her.” He looked down at Maya’s hands, which were red from the cold water. Without hesitating, he draped his custom blazer over her shoulders. “It’s late. How are you getting home?” “I bike.” “You’re biking in this weather?” Ashton looked appalled. He spoke with undeniable authority. “Go wait in the lobby. I’m having my driver take you home.” Maya was escorted away under Ashton’s protective wing. Before she turned the corner, she didn’t forget to glance back at me, flashing a mocking, triumphant smirk at my soaked, pathetic state. A few moments later, the crowd dispersed, leaving me alone by the fountain. Struggling to stand, I used my sleeve to wipe the freezing water dripping from my hair. “Use this.” A cool, quiet voice spoke from behind me. I turned around to see our class president, Riley Brooks. She was a quiet, introverted girl who studied relentlessly and always wore long sleeves, regardless of the season. In my past life, when Maya was the one being bullied, Riley had tried to help her too. She handed Maya a towel and urged her to report Ashton’s bullying to the administration. But Maya had violently slapped Riley’s hand away. “What do you know?! He’s my brother!” Back then, Maya was still dreaming her delusional fantasy that she could make Ashton fall in love with her. After that, Riley stopped trying to help her and returned to being a silent loner. Later, right before graduation, Riley committed suicide. That was when everyone finally learned she grew up in agonizing poverty. Her grandmother was bedridden, and her father was a violent gambling addict who brutally abused her and tried to sell her off to pay his debts. Right now, she stood beside me, holding a clean towel. I stared at her for a second before taking it. She didn’t say a word. She just turned around to walk away. She probably figured someone like me—the spoiled Sterling heiress—had nothing to say to her. Just as she was about to disappear down the hall, I suddenly spoke up. “Hey, class prez!” Her footsteps faltered. I scratched my head awkwardly. “So… I just transferred here, and I don’t really know my way around.” “Where’s the cafeteria? Mind showing me?” 04 The cafeteria table was loaded with food: BBQ ribs, steamed eggs, garlic butter wings, roasted vegetables, and clam chowder. Oakridge Prep truly lived up to its reputation as the best private school in the state; the food was incredible. I scratched my head again. “Ah, I accidentally ordered way too much.” “Wasting food is a sin, and you probably haven’t had dinner yet, right? Want to help me finish this?” Riley remained silent for a moment before finally picking up a fork and taking small, hesitant bites. I looked at the wrists peeking out from her uniform sleeves. They were painfully thin, practically just bone. Honestly, girls like the class president were the ones who truly needed saving. But because they weren’t conventionally glamorous, and because they suffered in silence without crying for help, they were treated like invisible weeds in the background. They didn’t even qualify to be the female lead in a teen romance. In this life, I wasn’t just going to save myself. I was going to save her, too. Having made up my mind, I spoke up. “Ugh, AP Calculus is literally killing me. I don’t understand a single thing the teacher says.” “Riley, you’re a genius. How about you tutor me?” Riley sat there with a piece of rib halfway to her mouth, looking at me with an expression that screamed, Are we even friends? I didn’t give her a chance to refuse. I threw an arm around her shoulders and smiled brightly. “Awesome, it’s settled then! I’ll pay you top hourly rates!” 05 I handed Riley an envelope of cash, calling it an “advance payment for tutoring.” When she saw the stack of crisp hundred-dollar bills inside, she was too stunned to speak. Truthfully, whether in my past life or this one, the Sterlings never shortchanged their adopted daughter when it came to basic living expenses. To a rich kid like Ashton, this was pocket change. But for Riley, it was enough to buy her grandmother’s medicine and pay the hospital bills. It was even enough for her to rent a tiny apartment off-campus and finally escape her abusive father. After setting a time for our tutoring session the next day, I headed home. The massive luxury mansion was empty. Mr. Sterling was out schmoozing clients, and Mrs. Sterling was at a high-end spa. As for Ashton, he was likely having dinner at the Millers’ house. In our past life, Ashton had his driver take me home, and my adoptive parents enthusiastically invited him to stay for dinner. Then, just like a standard romance trope, that single dinner allowed the cold, lonely heir to experience the deep, fiery warmth of a working-class family. The Miller parents always had simple, rustic smiles plastered on their faces. Their cramped, run-down apartment was filled with the cozy smell of home-cooked food. It made Ashton yearn for that life, and it made him fall even harder for the innocent poor girl who grew up in that environment. Right now, even though he and Maya were probably eating a cheap, meatless dinner, they were likely incredibly happy. I slowly changed into a Hermes silk robe, washed my face with Chanel cleanser, and ate a bowl of premium bird’s nest soup prepared by the housekeeper, a cold smirk playing on my lips. No one knew that the Miller couple might be poor, but they were certainly not pure-hearted. They were deeply sexist and originally wanted to adopt a boy. But the orphanage didn’t have any healthy boys available at the time. So, they settled for the next best thing: adopting the prettiest girl they could find, strictly so they could marry her off to a rich man and secure their retirement. Seeing Ashton Sterling personally drop their daughter off, their blood must have boiled with greed. They instantly dragged their potential golden goose inside to butter him up. The “warmth” and “cozy family vibes”? It was all an act. After all, if they wanted to impress a billionaire’s son, that was the only currency they had. In my past life, when I told them I didn’t want to marry Ashton, my adoptive mother locked me in my room, and my adoptive father beat me half to death with a table leg and a leather belt. Maya thought she had chosen heaven in this life. She didn’t realize that a true heaven doesn’t exist. The Sterlings were a glamorous hell, and the Millers were an impoverished one. Who crawled out of hell alive all depended on their own strength. 06 In the following days, Ashton’s malice escalated. When I opened the lunchbox the housekeeper packed for me, it was filled to the brim with thumbtacks. Dead spiders were squeezed into my toothpaste and face wash. The designer dresses in my closet were ruined with cigarette burns. And every time I looked up in shock, I was met with Ashton’s cruel, mocking smile. He mouthed the words to me: Harper, you deserve it. Ashton expected me to cry. Instead, I calmly threw the thumbtacks in the trash, flushed the spiders down the toilet, and neatly folded the ruined dresses away. Seeing this, the smile vanished from Ashton’s face. He glared at me, his voice practically dripping with venom. “Let’s see how long you can keep up this act.” … Fortunately, even though I had to endure Ashton’s bullying this time around, I also had full access to the Sterlings’ resources. I no longer had to go to school during the day and be forced to scrub toilets for my adoptive mother at night. Instead, I had a housekeeper to cater to my needs, a private driver, and all the time in the world to focus on my studies. In my past life, if I wanted to buy SAT prep books, I had to hoard pennies for months, constantly terrified my adoptive father would find my stash and steal it to buy booze and lottery tickets. Now, my closet was overflowing with designer clothes, and my jewelry box was stuffed with Cartier and Van Cleef—all casually gifted to me by Mrs. Sterling without me spending a dime. On top of that, I received a $50,000 cash allowance every month and a credit card with a $100,000 limit. If I maxed it out, all I had to do was text the butler, and it would be reloaded within thirty minutes. The grinding, suffocating poverty of my past life had fallen entirely onto Maya’s shoulders. I watched her sleep through all her classes. Because she had to help her adoptive mom clean at night, she was severely sleep-deprived. Her grades began to plummet, and eventually, she started handing in blank tests. In my past life, I practically survived on black coffee. When I was too tired to keep my eyes open, I would stab my own thigh with a compass needle just to force myself to study. But Maya had lived her previous life as a pampered socialite. She didn’t have that kind of grit or willpower. Not to mention, she didn’t care about studying anyway. To her, becoming the fiancée of the Sterling heir was infinitely more valuable than getting accepted into an Ivy League. So, she poured all her energy into making Ashton love her more. She ignored lectures to secretly write a diary specifically meant for Ashton to “accidentally” find. She skipped dance rehearsals, sneaking out of school to go on joyrides and stargaze with him. And then, right before the school’s annual dance showcase… She sat outside the rehearsal studio, crying. I figured she had meticulously studied how heroines cry in movies—tilting her head up at a 45-degree angle, tears welling perfectly in her eyes, looking too stubbornly proud to let them fall. Naturally, Ashton just happened to walk by and see her. The moment he asked her what was wrong, the tears Maya had been holding back finally spilled over. She threw herself into his arms and wailed. “Ashton, I lost my spot in the showcase!” “Every other girl in class gets to go on stage. Harper is the only one who won’t let me perform…” Ashton already hated me to my core. Hearing this, he exploded. “Why?!” Maya bit her lip, trying desperately to stop crying but failing to suppress her sobs. “She said my mom is just a cleaning lady, and my dad is a security guard.” “She said I can’t even afford the costume, so I don’t deserve to be on stage.” Ashton’s face darkened with rage. He looked at the hyperventilating girl in his arms and said softly, “It’s just a costume, right? I’ll buy it for you.” Maya shook her head, radiating the pure, uncorrupted righteousness of an innocent poor girl. “No. They cost eight hundred dollars each. I can’t accept such an expensive gift from you.” Ashton was furious, yet his heart broke for her. “Who the hell does Harper think she is?!” he spat. Tears streamed down Maya’s face as she shook her head sadly. “She’s your sister. She’s the Sterling heiress.” “Your family donated half the buildings on this campus, and your dad is an honorary board member. Even if the teachers know she’s bullying me, what can they possibly do?” Maya failed to notice that at that exact moment, a local journalist visiting the school happened to be walking past them. Poking his head around the corner like a shark smelling blood, the reporter asked sharply, “Bullying? Who is being bullied?” 07 The situation blew up instantly. The school’s massive conference room was packed with people. The Principal, Vice Principal, Dean of Students, and our homeroom teacher were all there. There were also several reporters from different news outlets. Both sets of parents had arrived. The Millers stood protectively over a tear-streaked Maya in the corner, radiating grievance and righteous anger. Mr. and Mrs. Sterling initially hadn’t wanted to come when they got the call about me being in trouble. It wasn’t until they heard that the newly appointed State Superintendent of Education was present that they rushed over. Oakridge Prep was the most prestigious school in the state, and the Superintendent used it as a benchmark for educational standards. Mr. Sterling clearly had a prior relationship with the Superintendent. As soon as he walked in, he smoothly approached the man with a diplomatic smile. “All this fuss over a little disagreement, and it even dragged you down here, Superintendent.” “Honestly, it’s just kids having a petty argument…” But the Superintendent was notoriously strict and didn’t buy it for a second. “Mr. Sterling, bullying is never a ‘little disagreement.’” “I know Harper is your daughter, but every child in this room is a student, a sapling. I will not stand by and watch them grow crooked.” Hearing this, Mr. Sterling couldn’t push the issue further. He forced a polite smile. “Yes, of course. We aren’t entirely sure what happened either. Please, conduct a thorough investigation.” Returning to his wife’s side, the two exchanged a silent, cold look. I knew exactly what that look meant. If the bullying allegations were proven true, the Sterlings would instantly abandon their emotionally distant adopted daughter and cut all ties with me to save their reputation. If that was the parents’ attitude, Ashton’s was even worse. Standing next to a sobbing Maya, he murmured soft comforts to her before looking up to shoot me a gaze colder than ice. Seeing that everyone was present, the Principal turned to Maya. “Maya, why don’t you tell us what happened?” Maya looked up with red, swollen eyes, quietly repeating the same sob story she had fed Ashton. The reporters were already practically foaming at the mouth with righteous indignation. One reporter immediately spoke up. “We did some preliminary digging. Harper and Maya grew up in the same foster home and were once as close as sisters.” “Later, Harper was adopted by the billionaire Sterling family, while Maya’s adoptive parents are humble school employees.” “Does marrying into wealth give Harper the right to bully her former friend and strip her of her rightful opportunities?” Dead silence fell over the room. The reporters stared at me like hawks, the red recording lights on their cameras blinking relentlessly. No one wanted to miss the scoop of the year. After all, this was a massive social issue. In an era of extreme wealth inequality, a rich kid stealing educational opportunities from a poor, hardworking student was enough to spark statewide outrage. Not to mention the incredible dramatic irony of Maya and I being the two main characters in this story. In the suffocatingly quiet office, I suddenly burst out laughing. It was a sharp, jarring sound. The reporters looked at each other in confusion. “Mr. Reporter,” I said smoothly. “I read in a book once that journalists are supposed to cross-reference their sources and fact-check their information.” “What? Are you in such a rush to publish a viral headline that you’re just skipping basic journalistic integrity?” The reporter’s face instantly flushed bright red. I stood up and pointed coldly at Maya. “Right now, your only source of information is her. Everything you’ve heard is a completely one-sided story.” I looked at Maya’s pale, tearful face. I really did treat you like a sister once. But in our past life, you murdered me out of jealousy. In this life, you’re trying to frame me to climb the social ladder. If I completely destroy you right now, you brought it upon yourself. “Since the reporters are asking, I’ll tell you what I know.” “Maya is jealous of me. She thinks that since we started from the exact same place—and she believes she’s prettier and smarter than me—it’s completely unfair that I get to live a better life than her.” “Her jealousy turned into hatred. That’s why she fabricated this entire story to frame me.” As soon as the words left my mouth, Ashton aggressively stepped forward to defend her. “That’s a lie! She—” He wanted to say that Maya chose the poor Miller family on purpose. Therefore, she couldn’t possibly be a gold digger, and I was just twisting the truth. But before he could finish his sentence, the conference room doors were shoved open. A thin, quiet figure with short hair stood in the doorway. She looked like an unnoticeable weed. Our homeroom teacher recognized her instantly. “Riley? What are you doing here?” At this exact time in our past life, Riley Brooks had already taken her own life. But in this life, she survived. Step by step, she walked into the room and stood right beside me. She spoke quietly. “I’m here to testify.”

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My sister and I were both bound to a “Life Reversal” system. My sister chose the “Beauty System,” while I chose the “Genius System.” Unexpectedly, because she couldn’t secure true love from a man, my sister lost her beauty, ending up destitute and miserable. Meanwhile, I became the youngest fellow at the National Academy of Sciences, making groundbreaking contributions to cutting-edge physics. I was even pursued by the heir to a powerful New York dynasty—a man my sister had failed to win over. I had both fame and fortune. Consumed by jealousy, my sister ran me over with her car. When I opened my eyes again, we were both back on the day we were bound to the system. This time, my sister beat me to the punch and chose the Genius System. “Sister, this time, let me be the top genius in the academic world for you.” I looked at her triumphant smile and slowly curled my lips. She didn’t know that all of destiny’s gifts come with a hidden price. 01 It was only after Chloe ran me over with her car that I realized she had always regretted her choice. When we were sixteen, Chloe and I both received a binding system—a chance to reverse our lives. A mysterious voice told us we only had one chance to choose. “Do you want unparalleled beauty, or to become a high-IQ genius? You only get one choice in this life. Have you decided?” In our previous life, my sister chose the Beauty System. She firmly believed that beauty was the ultimate stepping stone into high society. But when she actually tried to use her beauty to climb higher and see the broader world, she realized that beauty was not a scarce resource. She was just treated as an after-dinner dessert by wealthy heirs, never able to win their true love. They were obsessed with her face, but it was only a fleeting infatuation. In the end, because she couldn’t secure true love, my sister lost all her beauty, was abandoned by her wealthy backers, and lived in abject poverty and agony. I, however, had bound the Genius Reversal System. I became the youngest fellow at the Academy and was pursued by Liam Sterling, the powerful New York heir my sister had never managed to win over. I had it all. After she killed me out of jealousy, we both returned to being sixteen. This time, before the mysterious voice could finish speaking, my sister shouted loudly: “I choose the Genius Reversal System!” The mysterious figure revealed half a face, smiling at my sister. “But, didn’t you just say you wanted unparalleled beauty? “The system is born from your inner desires. Do you truly want to become a genius?” My sister was greedy and eager: “Yes, yes, yes, I want to be a genius this time!” “Intelligence is way more important than beauty!” The mysterious figure pondered for a moment, then looked at me: “And what about you?” Seeing the mysterious figure actually asking for my opinion, my sister suddenly lunged forward and snatched the colorful orb from the figure’s right hand. The moment the orb touched her, it merged with her. My sister’s eyes filled with wild joy: “This is great! This time, the fame, the fortune, the chance to be pursued by Liam Sterling—it’s all mine!” The mysterious figure didn’t move; their smile only grew warmer. “You can only bind the Beauty Reversal System now.” After shoving the other orb into my hands, the figure slowly became transparent and gradually disappeared. “The gifts bestowed by destiny have been handed over to you. Please complete your tasks diligently, Hosts, and enjoy a happy life.” My sister focused all her attention on her newly bound system. She looked up and gave me a cold sneer: “You enjoyed so many benefits in your past life, Sister. It’s my turn this time.” I looked at her, slowly curling my lips, and didn’t say a word. Chloe still didn’t know that the so-called gifts bestowed by destiny were not without a price tag. Even with a machine to help you, you still have to put in the work. 02 Chloe began to enjoy the benefits brought by the system. At the very beginning, both our systems provided “cheat codes.” The Genius System enhanced Chloe’s memory and comprehension, making her studying twice as effective with half the effort. She joyfully showed off her photographic memory to the teachers and students. “How did Chloe suddenly get so smart?” “I’m so jealous.” Chloe floated on air, reveling in everyone’s praise. Catching a glimpse of me out of the corner of her eye, she covered her mouth and chuckled softly: “Actually, my sister studies really hard at home too, but she just can’t seem to get it. “Sigh, if she wanted, I could share my study methods with her, but she refuses to ask me.” Her deskmate, who was hoping to ask Chloe how to solve a problem, immediately agreed: “Oh, come on, Mia isn’t smart. Even if you taught her, it wouldn’t work. “You’re from the same mom, how come you’re so smart and Mia is so dumb?” Dumb? I looked at my math test, which scored a 95 out of 100. Honestly, my grades weren’t even bad now, but Chloe constantly reinforced this stereotype in her conversations, making people think I studied secretly at home and was jealous of her grades. During high school, everyone always has a filter for the “genius” students. Especially the type like Chloe, who doesn’t seem to study hard but still gets good grades. Intelligence is a scarce resource. Because it’s hard to attain, it makes people especially envious. Meanwhile, the boys in class started intentionally teasing me, trying to get my attention. The Beauty System was also revealing its power. Chloe and I originally looked very similar, but I was gradually starting to develop differently. I was growing taller, my waist was getting slimmer, my skin was fairer, and my features were becoming more beautiful. In a school where everyone went bare-faced, people began to notice my stunning beauty. “What’s the use of being pretty? A student’s main job is studying.” “Yeah, Mia is pretty, but Chloe is so smart! My goddess is still Chloe.” Chloe was incredibly smug about this. I watched coldly from the sidelines, never saying a word to her. She didn’t know that the Genius System didn’t make you smart for nothing. In my past life, she needed to win over others and gain the true love and affection of the “Child of Destiny”; And I also needed to put in double the effort, bury myself in my studies, to achieve academic results. But just being smart wasn’t enough. The people who make it to the top are never lacking in talent. In the end, what everyone was really competing on was who worked harder, who could endure the loneliness of not seeing immediate results. In this world, there are many beautiful people, and there are many smart people. But not everyone can achieve success. If you look glamorous in public, you have to put in double the effort behind the scenes. Destiny never rewards those who want something for nothing. 03 Chloe quickly secured the top spot in our grade. The people surrounding her were all top-tier students. But she noticed that I didn’t seem to be isolated by all the girls like she was in her past life. On the contrary, everyone still joked and laughed with me. She couldn’t understand why, even though we both possessed beauty, and I had been posted on the school’s confession page several times and recognized as the school’s “it girl,” I wasn’t facing jealousy from other girls. In reality, the reason she was hated in her past life wasn’t because she was beautiful. “Mia, I’m taking you out to karaoke after school, you in or not?” Jackson, the bad boy from the class next door, appeared at our classroom door again. Jackson’s family was wealthy. His dad was involved in both legitimate and shady businesses, and the biggest entertainment complex in town belonged to his family. With a background like that, even the teachers didn’t dare cross him. In my past life, Jackson had fiercely pursued Chloe. Chloe was very high-profile back then, frequently riding on the back of Jackson’s motorcycle, showing off around town. Like a heroine in a teen drama, while others were studying hard, she skipped class every day and bullied classmates, relying on Jackson’s power. So, even though she was impossibly pretty, many people still hated her. But I wasn’t going to follow her path. Jackson slammed both hands on my desk, looking down at me. He was good-looking, generous with his money, had many fangirls, but had a terrible temper. “Are you going or not? Give me an answer.” I shook my head: “No, I have to go home today.” This was the fourth time I had rejected him. He was clearly losing patience, a hint of anger in his eyes, and the way the people around him were looking at him made him even angrier. “Mia, don’t push your luck! “I like you right now, so don’t play hard to get with me.” Everyone watched the drama in silence, no one daring to speak up. After all, Jackson had just put a guy who offended him in the hospital with severe injuries last month. I lowered my eyes and pinched my thigh hard. Then I looked up, my eyes red, brimming with tears. “Jackson, how could you be so mean?” The anger boiling inside Jackson instantly deflated. He scratched his head, looking lost. “Oh, shit, I didn’t even say anything bad! “Don’t cry, okay? If you don’t want to go, you don’t have to.” I didn’t respond to him, just sniffled, wiped my tears, and ran out of the classroom. I had to run, otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to force out any more tears. I had to admit, beauty was sometimes a weapon. But it’s a double-edged sword. When not used properly, it only hurts yourself. Going head-to-head with Jackson was obviously unwise. Showing appropriate weakness was the only way to keep myself safe. Before I had a way to protect myself, my beautiful face was like a child holding a block of gold in a crowded market. But I didn’t plan to do what Chloe did and find a powerful man to protect me. Entrusting your life to a strange man, using beauty to tie them down, is clearly a decision that goes against human nature. No matter how beautiful a flower is, there will come a day when someone gets tired of looking at it. A canary in a gilded cage is destined never to fly high. What I wanted to do was be an eagle soaring freely. 04 I looked delicate, but I was actually a very fast runner. By the time Jackson came out looking for me, I was long gone. In an old, run-down storage room, I sat on a gym mat with exposed stuffing and pulled out the vocabulary notebook I had shoved into my bag during the chaos. Perfect. It was quiet, a great place to memorize vocabulary. As I wrote from memory, I set up my phone tripod to record a video of myself. I planned to post it online when I got home. In an era of highly developed internet economy, unparalleled beauty could quickly be monetized. I frequently posted videos of my daily study routine on TikTok, and I had already amassed six hundred thousand followers. My followers affectionately called me their “internet daughter,” and they loved watching me study. A pale, pretty girl, studying diligently and behaving perfectly—who wouldn’t want a daughter like that? Among a sea of beauty influencers, I quickly broke out. Ninety percent of my followers were women; I basically had an army of internet moms. Just as I suspected, the system’s collection of “affection value” wasn’t limited to men. The love from my internet moms counted as successful conquests. Once the beauty bestowed by the system was augmented by my “good student” persona, it was no longer aggressive or intimidating. Sometimes, looking in the mirror, I couldn’t help but marvel at how amazing my face was. My DMs were flooded with scouts and inquiries. They all said I should go to Hollywood to shine and become a big star. In my past life, Chloe had briefly entered the entertainment industry, but she was a flash in the pan, quickly hidden away by the men who desired her. Later, after she lost her beauty, gossip accounts often posted side-by-side comparison videos, lamenting the fading of a beauty. Fading my foot, she was only thirty-two at the time. In this life, I didn’t have high intelligence anymore. My brain was just average. Going into academia to compete wasn’t suitable for me. But I also didn’t plan on debuting this early. If a normal person works hard, they can still get into a good college. With the internet economy, I could use my beauty to quickly monetize. Selling your face isn’t a long-term plan. While my account was thriving, Chloe’s grades started to slip. She angrily asked the system: “Aren’t I a genius? Why am I still running into problems I can’t solve?” The system’s mechanical voice was rigid and cold: “I can only grant you intelligence. The host still needs to study on their own.” Chloe was never the type who could sit still. Making her study was worse than killing her. But after scoring second in her grade again, she had to start reading and studying. With the system’s boost, studying was very easy for her. She quickly returned to being number one in her grade. Our parents were very satisfied with this. Everyone loves a kid who loves to read, and my parents were especially obsessed with academic credentials. “Mia, can you learn from your sister? You only ranked in the seventies, while Chloe is always number one.” I tilted my head, looking at him, and smiled: “Dad, but I’ve improved from before too. “My homeroom teacher said my grades could get me into a pretty good college.” My mom frowned. In my past life, she didn’t like Chloe either, especially as Chloe grew more and more beautiful. She always felt Chloe wasn’t decent. In this life, that suspicion fell on me. “I heard you’ve been getting close to some shady boys? “Mia, don’t you dare go out and embarrass our family!” Chloe looked at me, gloating. After my parents finished venting, she walked over with a smile and pulled me to look in the mirror: “Sister, what’s the use of being beautiful? This time, the one Mom and Dad truly love is me.” I looked at her, sighing inwardly. Why, even after being reborn, was she still obsessed with these things? Actually, my parents didn’t love either of us. They only liked the child who could bring benefits to the family. In my past life, after I became a well-known scientist, my parents became the role models among our relatives and friends. Just for the sake of saving face, they frequently called me out of the lab to meet people. Not everyone is lucky enough to meet parents who love their children unconditionally. Sometimes, parents’ love also comes with a price. But that’s okay. In life, you have to accept imperfections. 05 Chloe told our parents about Jackson pursuing me. Lately, my mom had been watching me like a hawk. She wasn’t afraid of me doing anything to disgrace the family; she practically wanted to tie me up at home and not let me see anyone. “Don’t you dare do anything cheap. “There are plenty of opportunities for men in your life. If something happens to you, I won’t be able to save you. “Back in the day, a woman who messed around with men would have been thrown into the river in a pig basket!” My mom’s shrill voice rang in my ears. I just treated her like a supporting character in a brain-dead novel and ignored her. But today, I didn’t go straight home, because Jackson blocked me at the school gate. “Mia, your sister told me everything. You look down on me, don’t you?” Chloe understood Jackson very well. He was all brawn and no brains, quick-tempered, and cared deeply about his reputation. Knowing that I repeatedly rejected him because I looked down on him, Jackson furiously sought me out. He dragged me away from the school gate and angrily asked me what I meant. “You look down on me, huh? “I have plenty of ways to deal with you!” I looked at Jackson helplessly and sighed softly. I used the same old trick. “Are you going to bully me along with Chloe too?” Teenage boys are actually very easy to fool, even someone with no moral compass like Jackson. Before I had absolute certainty of winning, going head-to-head was incredibly stupid. I still had a beautiful life ahead of me. I couldn’t go down with a piece of trash. “Who’s bullying you?” I covered my face and started crying. No matter how Jackson asked, I wouldn’t speak. In the empty, deserted equipment room, there was only the sound of my crying. It gave Jackson a headache. — Chloe dragged Liam Sterling along, heading towards the equipment room under the pretext of discussing a project design. Jackson acted recklessly when his temper flared up. He took Mia away today, so she definitely wouldn’t have a good outcome. Not only did she call Liam, but she also called other classmates, and even called my parents in advance, saying her sister had left with a delinquent and she couldn’t stop her. A massive group of people marched towards the equipment room. Along the way, Chloe was all smiles, her steps light. It was as if she was about to see my reputation ruined in a matter of moments. Liam followed behind her, looking a bit impatient: “Why do we have to go to the equipment room to do problems?” Chloe whispered: “I think the equipment room has a better vibe.” Remembering that there were other classmates around, Liam didn’t say anything else. As she pulled open the door to the equipment room, Chloe saw my parents running over from a distance. She didn’t even look closely at what was happening inside before shouting: “Mom, don’t come over! Sister… I can’t believe she’s doing something so shameful!” Hearing this, my parents immediately started cursing about bringing shame to the family and pushed past the stunned classmates to go inside. Then they froze in the doorway. “Ms. Hayes, what are you doing here?” 06 Inside the equipment room, it wasn’t the scene of me and Jackson tangled up together like Chloe had imagined. Because there was a third person here. Jackson’s older sister, Ms. Hayes. A large table was set up on the spacious floor. Jackson and I were sitting on opposite sides, and Ms. Hayes was holding a test paper, currently explaining the key points for the exam. Seeing so many people standing in the doorway, she couldn’t help but be stunned. “Why are you all here? “Are these two the parents? What’s going on?” The atmosphere was incredibly awkward for a moment. The classmates who came with Chloe had all heard what she just said. But the scene in the room was clearly far from shameful. My parents were halfway through their curses; they couldn’t swallow them, nor could they spit them out. My dad almost rolled his eyes back in his head from choking on his words. “This, this, why is Ms. Hayes here with Mia?” Ms. Hayes’s eyes were calm, carrying a teacher’s unique sternness: “Mia had some questions she wanted to ask me. “I promised to answer them for her after class.” Hearing this, everyone turned to look at Chloe. One classmate couldn’t help but say: “Chloe, didn’t you see Ms. Hayes just now? Why would you say something like that?” “Yeah, you made me think Mia was doing something sketchy in there.” Liam, who was already somewhat impatient, looked even more displeased. “Chloe, I didn’t come here with you to watch sisters catfight.” “Liam!” Chloe mournfully called out his name, but unfortunately, her efforts were wasted. “I didn’t know my sister was here either. “I really saw wrong earlier. I only saw Jackson and my sister, and I thought…” She deliberately paused, saying ambiguously: “After all, everyone knows Jackson is pursuing my sister.” Hearing the word “pursuing,” my mom’s face contorted. If Ms. Hayes hadn’t been there, she probably would have started screaming at me. In her eyes, any conflict between a man and a woman could be blamed on the woman’s promiscuity. Living in the present, but with a mindset from the Qing Dynasty. My mom was a true relic of the past. If it weren’t for the lack of opportunity, I’d suggest sending her to a museum. She could vividly reenact the thoughts and feelings of an ordinary woman from the late 19th century. My mom didn’t say anything, but Jackson did. He was a jerk, but he wasn’t completely brainless. He immediately understood that he was being used by Chloe. “Chloe, stop faking it. Didn’t you tell me to come find Mia today?” Jackson let out a cold laugh: “I get it now. You set us up on purpose, didn’t you? “Do you think I’m like you? Young but full of schemes! Let me tell you! The relationship between me and Mia is pure friendship among classmates. We’re here today to study with my sister. “Study, do you understand? “Is your bladder connected to your tear ducts? Piss leaking from your eyes? You see everyone as a slut? Your mind is dirty, so everything looks dirty to you.” Unable to endure the strange looks from others after being ruthlessly blasted by Jackson, Chloe covered her face and ran away crying. My mom glared at me and hurried after her. When Jackson finished talking, Ms. Hayes apologetically chimed in: “Parents of Mia, please don’t mind him. My brother is in his rebellious teenage phase and refuses to be disciplined. He talks nonsense.” Saying that, she signaled Jackson with her eyes to apologize. Jackson grunted rebelliously. “Sorry, Mr. Miller. I just love telling the truth.” In front of the teacher and a bunch of classmates, what could my dad say? It was humiliating enough. He babbled a few polite phrases and followed my mom out. Before leaving, he told me to hurry home after studying. A few classmates awkwardly said goodbye and scattered in a panic. To ruin my reputation, Chloe had specifically brought along the notorious gossip from our class. I believed that gossip wouldn’t disappoint me. Chloe’s stunt would spread to every corner of the campus. 07 After Jackson was sent home by Ms. Hayes, she drove me home. During the evening rush hour, traffic was heavy. In the dim twilight, taillights merged into a beautiful river of red. Ms. Hayes asked me: “How were you so sure Chloe would bring people to the equipment room?” I smiled: “From the day she went to find Jackson, I had already started making arrangements.” Unlike what Chloe imagined, although I always rejected Jackson, I actually maintained a loose connection with him in private. I maintained him like a client, occasionally having ambiguous conversations with him. So, I easily found out the time Chloe and Jackson were meeting. From Jackson’s response to my messages, I guessed that Chloe wanted to set me up today. Knowing Chloe, the method she would come up with was nothing more than exposing the fact that Jackson and I were “dating” in front of everyone, making my parents disappointed in me, and forcing me down the path she took in her past life. In her past life, Jackson and Chloe had also been caught in the equipment room by a teacher. Chloe was taken home by our mom and severely disciplined. She had to promise to be a good role model for her sister before our mom agreed to let her go back to school. She wanted to repeat her old tricks, calling our parents to make me lose the chance to study. She not only wanted to possess the life I had in my past life, but she also wanted to destroy me. We were born from the same mother. We should have been the closest people in the world. But twin flowers taking root in the same soil do not necessarily share the same life force; instead, they might steal resources from each other to nourish themselves. Whether it was because Chloe killed me in my past life or because she wanted to destroy me in this life, I shouldn’t harbor any goodwill toward her. “Ms. Hayes, thank you so much for believing in me and playing along with this act.” When I saw Jackson’s figure at the school gate, I made a voice call to Ms. Hayes, which is why she rushed to the equipment room so quickly. While I was in the equipment room dealing with Jackson’s fake crying, Ms. Hayes got there first, pushing open the heavy doors of the equipment room with exam papers in hand. Ms. Hayes focused on driving. Her profile was like white jade. Behind her rimless glasses, her eyes were sharp, carrying the wisdom and calmness unique to highly educated women. “It wasn’t too much trouble for me to come here. To gain a connection, I was more than happy to do you a small favor. “Frankly speaking, this was also a test.” Ms. Hayes calmly analyzed her thoughts: “You said you could help me fight for the inheritance of the Hayes family. I also needed to know your capabilities. Just talking wouldn’t cut it. “I know my brother very well. He’s just a simple-minded guy with all brawn and no brains, who likes to rush into things. He’s not smart and doesn’t have any special skills, but he luckily incarnated as the only boy in my family, with a massive family business at his fingertips. “Destroying him is easy, but doing it without my parents noticing isn’t so easy. “However, you did well. I’m very satisfied. “Happy cooperation.” Yes, I was in a partnership with Ms. Hayes. Ms. Hayes had studied at a top business school abroad, but after returning, she was arranged by her family to be a high school teacher. She also had to carve out three days a week to go on blind dates with men of equal family standing, preparing for a marriage of convenience. Even so, the Ms. Hayes of my past life had painstakingly carved out her own path, becoming the head of the Hayes family. Even though she didn’t remember it, she and I had once been comrades who entrusted our backs to each other. The path might be different, but using the right methods, we could still reach the finish line. Sometimes I think life is like a game of cards. Everyone’s starting hand is different. How to arrange limited cards to maximize benefits is the key to winning. Whether it’s the Beauty System or the Genius System, they can both be combined with existing resources to achieve the ultimate goal. The most important thing isn’t the system or the cheat codes, it’s me.

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I was the principal pianist for the symphony orchestra, but on the eve of a major performance, I suddenly forgot every single technique I knew. At that exact moment, my young assistant beside me received a system prompt: [Congratulations to the host. Successfully plundered Piano Talent (Max Level).] Amidst the gasps and sighs of the crowd, I plummeted into the mud, while she climbed to the clouds. I begged my assistant to return my talent, but she heartlessly pushed me off the building. When I opened my eyes again, the doorbell rang. I looked at the young woman applying for the assistant position in front of me and revealed a playful smile. 1 I was reborn on the day I was selected as the pianist for the Philharmonic Orchestra. Outside the window, a fierce rainstorm raged, while hearty and impassioned piano notes poured from my fingertips. Unwillingness, anger, hatred… “Ding dong.” The doorbell rang, incongruous and abrupt, interrupting my performance. She was here. “System, is Harper the piano genius we’re looking for?” “Yes, host. As long as you gain enough affinity, you can plunder her talent.” “Great! I want to be the principal musician of the future exhibition!” Through the thin door, the conversation between Chloe and the system came through clearly. I curled my lips in a cold sneer and raised my hand to tuck a stray hair behind my ear. In this life, things probably wouldn’t go as they wished. 2 “Miss Harper, I’m here to apply for the assistant position.” Seeing me open the door, Chloe’s face flushed slightly with excitement. She tugged at her hem somewhat nervously, appearing both innocent and shy. In my previous life, she used this harmless facade to deceive me. I concealed the fierce light in my eyes and, meeting her expectant gaze, chuckled and shook my head: “I’m sorry, I don’t need an assistant.” “How… how can that be!” This answer was completely unexpected for her. The smile on Chloe’s lips froze instantly. Her face looked terrible, and the fingertips gripping the recruitment flyer turned slightly pale. “Please, Miss Harper, I really need this job…” She lowered her head, revealing a back soaked by the rain. Her whole person seemed fragile and pitiful. But I felt that I, who fell from the eighteenth floor with my brains splattered, was even more pitiful. “Who is it?” From behind, a large hand domineeringly wrapped around my waist. A man’s lazy and hoarse voice sounded in my ear. Seeing Chloe blush under his aggressive scrutiny, I leaned into Ethan’s embrace and smiled even more delightfully. In my previous life, he always said that the people around me had impure motives, and I didn’t think much of it. Until the day I was pushed downstairs, I heard Chloe’s hysterical roar: “I already have your talent, why does he still love you!” “The position of Mrs. Sterling belongs to me!” … “What’s wrong, do you know her?” “No, I don’t.” My thoughts returning, I pinched Ethan’s chin and pecked him on the lips. Realizing she was being ignored, Chloe, with tears in her eyes, looked helplessly at the man. “Sir, I’m here to apply for the assistant position, but Miss Harper doesn’t seem to like me very much…” The little white flower stood in the rain, hesitating to speak, shedding tears, looking utterly pitiful. But no one paid attention to her. Ethan passionately squeezed my waist, urging in a hoarse voice: “I’m tired, hurry up.” “Miss, take care on your way out. I won’t see you out.” With a smile on my lips, I ruthlessly slammed the door shut. The last thing in my line of sight was Chloe trembling with anger. Her small face was ashen, and the gaze she directed at me was filled with greed. “System, I must get Harper’s talent, and everything else she has!” 3 Sitting behind the door, I clung to Ethan’s neck and kissed him absentmindedly. How should I play Chloe to death? Disguise it as a car accident… slash her throat… or drown her? “You’re brushing me off.” Ethan dissatisfiedly nipped at my lip and ground his teeth. I pushed him away in pain and coldly pulled back my clothes. “From now on, don’t casually interfere in my business.” “Just helping you swat away an annoying fly, your business is my business.” Under his resentful gaze, I paced to the familiar Steinway Fibonacci piano. Taking a seat, raising my hands, the passionate melody soared once more. After my talent was taken in my previous life, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t play a complete note. This was the piano I loved above all else! The feeling of having it back now was truly… incomparable! I suppressed the surging joy in my chest, followed by an even more intense hatred. After a piece was finished, Ethan tenderly bowed his head and kissed my fingertips. His eyes were full of admiration and infatuation. “Don’t come looking for me recently, I’m going to the orchestra, very busy.” “Harper, what’s more important, the piano or me?” “…What do you think?” I seriously withdrew my hand and, following the melody in my mind, played another piece. The sound of the piano echoed melodiously in the room, and in a good mood, I practiced continuously for three hours before stopping. Tomorrow was the first day reporting to the orchestra. This time, I would surpass my former peak. 4 “Harper, I’ve arranged an assistant for you… She’s a kid who just graduated from music school, got some talent.” As soon as I entered the theater’s concert hall, the orchestra director came over to notify me. After speaking, he waved gently to the distance. A bad premonition welled up in my heart, and I raised an eyebrow and turned around. “Teacher Harper, I just came to the theater to try my luck, I didn’t expect… please guide me from now on!” Sure enough, Chloe walked over timidly, politely bowing deeply to everyone. The look in her eyes when she saw me was full of sincerity and admiration. Perhaps afraid of my refusal, she hurriedly added with feigned clumsiness: “I can endure hardship, I hope Teacher Harper won’t dislike me.” Hearing these unpretentious words, the orchestra members immediately had a favorable impression of Chloe. Everyone smiled and told her not to be so polite. “Chloe, don’t be afraid, Harper is very easy to talk to.” “Yes, we are all a family here.” Seeing my silence, the director secretly winked, urging me. It was as if my not accepting her kindly would be making things difficult for her, making me the bad guy. But I deliberately wouldn’t let them have their way. “No thanks, I don’t need an assistant.” I smiled gently, but firmly refused to her face. Then I ignored everyone’s expressions and walked towards the piano in the corner. The scene instantly fell silent. The orchestra conductor, who had been watching from the sidelines, walked over. He was about thirty years old and looked gentle and refined. “Harper, I think this kid is pretty good.” “I think she’s just mediocre.” Being abruptly contradicted by me, he froze awkwardly. Seeing this, Chloe immediately bit her lower lip in embarrassment, forcing a smile. “It’s okay, thank you everyone for the welcome… It’s my poor aptitude that doesn’t make me fit to be an assistant, everyone shouldn’t make things difficult for Teacher Harper.” “I will figure out a way for my mom’s illness, if not, I can work at a bar.” As she spoke, tears kept falling from the corners of her eyes. It made everyone feel a little sympathetic. Before the director could comfort her, I opened the score, looked up, and replied: “Yeah, your aptitude is indeed a bit lacking.” In my previous life, I taught her hand-in-hand through wind and rain for three years, and in the end, she was still a piece of trash. 5 “Obviously she’s a newcomer herself, isn’t she a bit too arrogant.” “Bullying Chloe because she’s easy to talk to, pure-hearted.” In the crowd, I didn’t know who muttered a few words softly. I lowered my eyes, bowing my head and mockingly curled the corners of my lips. Obviously they were trying to force someone on me, and didn’t allow me to refuse. If I didn’t need to use the orchestra’s name to participate in the international music competition three months later, I would be too lazy to play with them. Not getting the title of International Piano Master in my previous life was my regret. In this life, I don’t want any regrets. I fondly stroked the keys beneath my hands, ignoring them and started to play. Dense music like raindrops sounded, echoing continuously in the empty theater. The scales vibrated, exploded, leaped. “Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3?!” The originally frowning conductor suddenly looked up in astonishment. Several seasoned members of the orchestra also gathered around. “Harper’s piano level is much higher than during the qualification exam.” “To be able to interpret Rach 3 like this… is one of the few in today’s piano world.” “She’s a bit too genius!” Amidst the low praises of everyone, Chloe, who was left out in the cold, clenched her fists, full of jealousy. She opened her mouth to say something, but found that no one was paying attention to her. It wasn’t until the piano lid closed that everyone came back to their senses. The director cleared his throat, still deciding to smooth things over: “Harper, since she’s already recruited, and there are so many performances, I think you still need a practice assistant.” “No, this isn’t a garbage shelter, whatever waste you have, please resolve it yourself.” I restrained the smile on my lips and seriously scanned Chloe a few times. It wasn’t until I had sufficiently admired her livid face that I walked in a happy mood to the lounge. Speaking like this was a bit excessive. But who said I wanted to be a good person? “Sorry, Chloe, you…” Seeing me leave with a firm attitude, the director had no choice but to refuse Chloe, but was interrupted by a man’s refined voice. “If Harper doesn’t want her, I’ll take her, Chloe can learn from me, I think she’s quite pleasing to the eye.” “Thank you conductor, I will definitely work hard and not embarrass you!” The orchestra conductor… seems to have been married for a few years. Thinking of that good deed I almost ran into in the stairwell in my previous life, I playfully rubbed my fingertips. But this Chloe is quite hard to chase away. But what I have is patience. Watching her slowly climb to the clouds and then fall hard seems more fun than killing her directly. And this kind of embarrassment in the eyes of a small person is really interesting. 6 “Bravo!” “Encore…” The piano solo ended, and thunderous applause erupted from the audience. I bowed deeply and walked off the stage flamboyantly, swaying my mermaid skirt. In the corner, Chloe resentfully kicked the instrument at her feet. “System, I’ve been working hard for a month already. Harper still doesn’t seem to like me very much, is there any other way to strip her of her talent?” “Host, you can accumulate others’ affinity to improve your luck. When your luck surpasses hers, you can snatch the talent.” As I passed by her, I heard her conspiracy with the system again. Chloe pretended to be friendly, raised her little face, and smiled at me. I completely ignored her, chatted with someone beside me, and walked away. “What are you pretending for, if I had this kind of talent, I could play this well too!” Talent? In my previous life, after having my talent, Chloe was also a piece of trash. If everything in the world only depended on talent, then what would my more than ten years of hard work amount to. 7 After the performance, the orchestra held a networking banquet in the side hall of the theater. I sat in a box on the second floor, quietly observing Chloe, who was holding a violin downstairs, ready to act. What is she doing with a violin? She clearly doesn’t know how to play the violin. “Today’s solo was outstanding.” The door was pushed open, and Ethan walked in with large strides. His face was cold, his eyes dark and deep, looking domineering and aloof. All the performances of the Philharmonic Orchestra received sponsorship from the Sterling family, so he had unrestricted access here. “Genius, your favorite irises.” With a smile on his lips, he stuffed the flowers into my arms. Seeing me satisfied, he took off his black scarf and gently wrapped it around my neck a few times. “It’s ugly, is Mr. Sterling very free lately?” “After signing the contract, I took a plane back, fortunately I didn’t miss it.” I leaned lazily in his arms to rest, but suddenly the melodious sound of a violin performance came from downstairs. Chloe, dressed in an elegant white dress, stood in the performance area, eyes closed, playing the violin intoxicatingly. She was like a pure and delicate dodder flower, stumbling into a luxurious banquet. This strong contrast immediately drew the onlookers of the celebrities. “What do you think of her level?” Ethan buried his head and kissed my collarbone again and again, paying no attention to the commotion outside. Hearing the question, he obediently looked up, panting low, his voice very hoarse. “Far inferior to you.” The sound of the violin was far inferior to mine, but objectively speaking, it was very good. Chloe studied vocal music at the music academy, not orchestral music. In her previous life, she had never played the violin. The scene before me made me have a guess in my heart. I pushed Ethan away and immediately dialed the phone: “Check Chloe’s interpersonal relationships in the orchestra, especially the violinists.” After doing odd jobs around the orchestra conductor for a month, Chloe must have gained the affinity of many people. If high affinity can strip talent… “Miss, a week ago, Chloe saved a person from a drunken homeless man at the door of the theater, named Mia.” I lowered my eyes and recalled carefully. Mia, the violinist in the second tier of the orchestra. “Investigate the homeless man’s identity and financial movements, and send the results directly to Mia.” “Yes.” Hanging up the phone, I threw my head back and drank the red wine in my hand in one gulp. Wantonly stripping others’ precious talent, destroying others’ lives. Chloe, you really deserve to die! When the wine in the bottle bottomed out, the sound of the violin stopped. The celebrities applauded enthusiastically and asked about the performer’s identity one after another. Chloe ran off the stage shyly, but accidentally bumped into the man in the corner. He was slender, his white shirt worn loosely, revealing a small patch of fair collarbone. The man’s face was full of gloomy ruthlessness, with a trace of paranoia. My dad’s illegitimate son, Liam. With red wine splashed on his expensive white shirt, she panicked and started shedding tears. I lay on the railing, yawned, got up, and left. “Boring act, let’s go home, Mr. Sterling.” “Okay, there’s a new dish from French cuisine, I’ll go home and make it for you.” “I’m going to practice the piano tonight, I don’t have time to accompany you.” “It’s okay, you practice yours, I’ll leave after I finish making food for you.” “…Okay.” 8 The next day, the director suddenly summoned the orchestra members for a meeting. I pushed open the door of the conference room with coffee, but saw Chloe in the corner. When everyone saw me, they looked at each other with unclear meanings and began to whisper. After that piano solo, I became famous overnight. In the domestic music world, it can be said that my reputation soared, and my limelight was unparalleled for a time. Under many gazes, I sat down and drank coffee to myself. “Everyone, there are personnel changes in the orchestra. Mia from the second team resigned and left the orchestra due to personal reasons.” “Let’s welcome the new violinist—Chloe.” Sitting in the main seat, the director crossed his hands and smiled when he announced. He looked very satisfied. As Chloe walked out of the corner shyly, the scene erupted in enthusiastic cheers. “Harper, won’t you welcome the newcomer?” Seeing me indifferent, the orchestra conductor, wanting to support Chloe, called me out in front of everyone. I raised an eyebrow and immediately smiled generously in response. “Of course I welcome her.” The game has just begun, welcome to the venue. Chloe sat down uneasily and carefully glanced at me: “I don’t have any talent, I’m just a little diligent, I still have a lot to learn from everyone in the future!” Many people praised her, with occasional coaxing laughter. Of course, there were also people who secretly mocked me. “What diligence, Chloe just started practicing the violin not long ago, to be able to enter the orchestra in such a short time is definitely relying on talent!” “Slap in the face, someone even said Chloe’s aptitude is not good.” “Chloe work hard, you will definitely surpass those who look down on you soon.” Sitting on the edge, Chloe restrainedly shook her head, but the eyes she secretly cast at me were full of pride. I drank coffee calmly, occasionally lowering my head to tap on my phone. When the director announced the end of the meeting, it was unknowingly lunchtime. I stretched, got up, and threw the bottomed-out coffee cup into the trash can. “Trash is trash, sure enough, it still has to stay in the trash can.” “Harper, didn’t we say that everyone is going to Chloe’s welcome party at noon?” Seeing me walk back to the lounge, the orchestra director frowned and stopped me. His eyes were filled with deep disapproval, probably having a lot of opinions about my trash can remark. I curled my lips into a shallow smile and bypassed him. “Lunchtime is my personal freedom, there’s a distinguished guest in the lounge, please excuse me.” “Harper, you have to change this temper of yours…” “Bang!” 9 “Harper, is what you said true?” Seeing me enter, the woman sitting in the lounge stood up abruptly. Her face was haggard, her eyes covered in red bloodshot. I nodded, took out the violin from behind me, and placed it in her trembling hands. “Mia, try playing it.” Under my serious and encouraging gaze, Mia bit her lower lip. Taking a few deep breaths, she turned her head and clamped the violin on her shoulder, lightly resting the bow… What flowed out were still broken notes. Mia let go, fell to the ground, covered her face, and cried bitterly: “I can’t play the violin anymore, I’ve learned the violin for twenty years, I can’t play the violin anymore…” The sound insulation of the lounge was very good, no one outside could hear the commotion inside. I sat quietly to the side, waiting for her to vent her emotions. The person on the ground cried loudly for a few minutes before calming down. “At the banquet last night, Chloe played Paganini’s ‘Witches’ Dance’, this is the piece you perform best.” To show friendliness, I symbolically handed over a handkerchief. Mia got up from the ground and wiped the tear stains off her face with her bare hands. She clenched her teeth, a touch of ruthlessness revealing in her eyes: “Thank you, I won’t let that bitch go.” “I look forward to it.” After reaching a consensus, a smile finally appeared on Mia’s lips, and her pale little face was no longer decadent. Before leaving, she stopped, turned back to look at me, and seemed extremely serious. “Harper, you are the pianist with the highest talent I have ever seen.” “But you have to be careful, that bitch has a lot of schemes and a lot of backing behind her.”

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I was photographed getting into a car with the world’s biggest superstar, and the internet immediately tried to burn me alive. The “it-girl” of the moment was the first to twist the knife: “Some people are just so desperate for fame, they’ll crawl into any man’s bed.” The superstar in question almost lost his mind. He didn’t wait for his PR team. He logged onto X in the middle of the night. “Holy shit, I’m her literal brother!” “I’m begging you, stop poking the bear. I’m the one who’s going to get a lecture from our mom when we get home. Are you guys going to pay my medical bills?!” 1 The day after those photos went viral, my manager was still tearing her hair out, trying to find a way to spin the damage. Meanwhile, I had to show up for the filming of a high-stakes reality show. My manager had worked herself to the bone—and probably promised away her firstborn—to get me this slot. The cast was stacked with A-listers and icons. Compared to them, I was just a one-hit-wonder from a sleeper-hit drama. I was basically an extra in my own life. The second the cameras turned on, eagle-eyed viewers started dissecting my outfit. They realized I was wearing the exact same brand of hoodie, joggers, and sneakers as the global superstar, Leo Brooks. Then came the clip from the day before: me, standing on a curb, flagging down a car. Leo’s SUV pulled over, I slid into the passenger seat like I owned the place, and then—according to the edited narrative—I was “kicked out” and left on the sidewalk. The internet came for my throat. [I’ve never seen a pick-me girl this delusional. Flagging down his car on the street? Really?] [Shameless. Absolutely disgusting. Everyone thinks they can ride his coattails.] [Look at that hoodie. It’s probably a knockoff. There’s no way she can actually afford the real thing.] I ignored it all. I let the comments slide off me like water. Until the first game started. The host told us we had to call someone in the industry and ask to borrow $100,000. If they said yes, we passed. I was genuinely stuck. Leo was the only person I knew well enough to ask for that kind of money… but he had just sent me cash for a new designer bag a few days ago. I wasn’t sure if his “sibling generosity” had a daily limit. While I was agonizing over the choice, the “it-girl” next to me, Sierra Vance, had already dialed. “Hello?” A deep, velvet-smooth voice echoed through the speakers. It was the kind of voice that belonged in a sold-out arena. I knew that voice. It was the voice that told me to do the dishes every other Tuesday. 2 “What’s up?” the voice asked. “Hey… big brother,” Sierra said, her voice dropping into a sugary, coquettish pout. “What are you doing? Can I… borrow a hundred thousand dollars?” She followed it up with a shy, breathless giggle. She looked exactly like a girl talking to a guy she was head-over-heels for. Her face was flushed, her voice was soft. The live chat exploded. [NO WAY. I know that voice anywhere. LEO BROOKS?!] [Omg my heart just stopped. He sounds so hot even over the phone.] [To the people under a rock: Sierra and Leo have been close for a long time. They’re basically the industry’s power couple. Unlike certain people who just stage car-raids, Sierra is the real deal.] Wait. Brother? Since when did I have a sister I didn’t know about? The transfer went through instantly. Sierra showed the confirmation on her screen, and the crowd went wild. The other guests were practically bowing to her. Leo Brooks was notoriously cold and unapproachable. People spent years trying to get a “follow back” from him, yet Sierra could call him and get six figures in seconds. “Oh, it’s nothing,” Sierra said, blushing as everyone teased her. “Leo’s mom actually told him he needed to take better care of me…” The chat: [MEET THE PARENTS?!] [The ship has officially sailed!] In the middle of all the “aww-ing,” I raised my hand. I couldn’t help it. “Why did you call him ‘big brother’?” I asked. The chat went silent for a microsecond. […] […] [Don’t mind her, she’s just a child. Go play in the sandbox.] [I call my boyfriend ‘Daddy’ or ‘Big Brother’ all the time. Is this girl literally living in the 1800s?] [LMAO, what a dumb question.] Sierra saw the comments defending her and looked at me with a gaze that said, You poor, pathetic thing. I sighed. Fine. I dialed Leo’s number. The second he picked up, he sounded annoyed. “What now?” I remembered there were millions of people watching, so I tried to be polite. I pitched my voice high and sweet. “Big brother, can I borrow a hundred thousand dollars?” “…” Leo’s voice turned suspicious. “I know scammers use AI to mimic voices now. Is this a prank? Or is this another scammer trying to hit the same target twice?” I was speechless. “It’s really for a hundred thousand.” Leo: “Don’t believe you. Get lost.” He hung up. Great. I tried to be nice, and he treated me like a telemarketer. In my head, I was already planning the ten different ways I was going to roast him when I got home. The chat was a riot. [Help! Who does she think she is, calling the King and expecting a handout?] [I’ve never heard Leo sound that annoyed. She must have been harassing him privately for months.] [Savage! Leo is a legend!] 3 The game ended. I was the only one who failed. The host looked awkward. It wasn’t great for the show’s vibe to punish only one person so harshly. “It’s okay, it’s okay,” Sierra said, stepping in to play the “good girl.” “Harper probably just saw me succeed and wanted to try her luck. It’s hard being yelled at like that. Everyone, don’t be too mean to her.” “Aria, if you need it, I can just wire you the money myself?” I almost laughed. What a perfect “sweetheart” performance. At that moment, my phone buzzed. It was Leo calling back. “Are you actually Harper?” Me: “Heh.” Leo: “Fine…” The next second, I turned my screen to the camera. It showed a bank transfer for one million dollars. 4 The room went silent for exactly two seconds. The host was stunned but quickly found a way out. “A-and Harper passes too! Moving on to the next segment!” Sierra crossed her arms, a sneer tugging at her lips. “Photoshop is getting really fast these days,” she muttered. The chat caught it and turned instantly. [Holy shit, Sierra is right! I didn’t even think of that!] [It’s definitely fake. She almost had us. What a loser.] [She probably faked Leo’s voice too. The audacity.] [One million dollars with one phone call? I’ll believe she’s the Queen of England before I believe that. LOL.] Sierra saw the tide turning back to her and lifted her chin. “Maybe you should focus on Photoshopping yourself out of that ‘car-crash’ video from yesterday first?” That was a low blow. She was determined to keep me buried under the scandal. I was honestly more curious about her claim that my mom told my brother to “take care of her.” Was that actually true? I couldn’t be bothered to deal with her passive-aggressive energy. She wasn’t even a tenth as annoying as my brother. I shrugged. “Oh? Are you only bringing that up because you’ve never actually been allowed in his car?” “Don’t worry. Next time I’m ‘climbing into his car,’ I’ll let you sit in the trunk.” Sierra turned bright red. “You… you have no shame! I am nothing like you!” I looked at her with pity. “Yeah. You’ll probably never get a ride from him in your life.” The chat went nuclear: [The nerve! Does she really think she’s proud of being a stalker?] [The ego on this girl! Does she even know who Sierra is to Leo?] Fine, fine. You’re all like fireworks—one spark and you blow up. 5 Sierra was beyond humiliated. She decided to go for the kill. “I’m going to call Leo right now and tell him exactly what kind of person you are. He’ll stay miles away from you!” I highly doubt that, I thought. We live in the same house. The director, smelling a ratings goldmine, scurried over. “Uh, Sierra? Since you and Mr. Brooks are so… close… do you think you could ask him to join the show as a guest for a few days?” “We’ve tried reaching out to his team, but he’s always ‘too busy’.” “It would be such an honor for the show…” Sierra looked at me triumphantly, then put on a “troubled” face for the cameras. “I don’t know, Director… he really is very busy…” But the chat was already pushing her. [OMG is it actually possible?! PLEASE! I need to see Leo!] [Sierra said they’re close. It’s just one phone call away.] [Sierra, bring the King! Show this girl what a real connection looks like!] Sierra couldn’t stand being doubted. She caved. “I’ll see… but I’m sure it won’t be a problem!” She called him. This was the third call my brother had received in thirty minutes. 6 “Join a reality show? Tell the director to talk to my manager. I’m busy.” Leo’s voice was like velvet—deep, resonant, and currently dripping with irritation. Sierra didn’t notice. She kept whining. “Just come for me? Come see the fun? There’s this really annoying girl on the cast who keeps bullying me and trying to use your name. I hate her.” Leo: “???” Leo: “If you don’t like her, don’t talk to her. I’m hanging up.” His voice was steady, but I knew that tone. He was on the edge of a breakdown. Before he could hang up, I leaned toward Sierra’s phone and spoke. “Just come.” Sierra looked like she was about to explode. She covered the mic. “Who told you to talk?!” Then she went back to being sweet. “Bye, Leo!” But Leo didn’t hang up. There was a pause. “Harper?” His usually calm voice actually sounded shocked. “Why the hell are you on a reality show? Do you know Sierra? She was just complaining about some ‘annoying girl’ who bullies her…” The silence stretched for a few more seconds. Then he spoke again, a hint of realization dawning on him. “Wait. Is the annoying girl… you?” Me: “Bingo! But there’s no prize!” Leo let out an exasperated laugh. “Fine. If you’re on that show, I’m booking a flight.” 7 Thanks, bro. That was the second time I hit the trending list that day. #LeoBrooksGuestAppearance #LeoBrooksJoinsRealityShow #HowMuchDoesLeoLoveSierra Wait… #LeoBrooksSaysHarperIsAnnoying ??? The trending topics were taking a weird turn. The chat: [Leo Brooks, I’m crying. He’s so in love.] [He was going to say no until he heard Sierra was being bullied!] [I ship them so hard.] I couldn’t even imagine their faces when they found out I was his literal sister. Sierra looked down at me like I was a bug under her designer shoe. “Just so you know,” she said, “my relationship with Leo is something you could never understand.” She actually believed he was coming “just for her.” She warned me: “When Leo gets here, you better watch your mouth. Don’t you dare try to get close to him. He’s here for me, understand?” I dragged out my voice in a mocking imitation: “He’s~ here~ for~ you~” Sierra looked like she wanted to scream. 8 When Leo finally arrived, Sierra was dressed to the nines, waiting at the gate. I was wearing a plain oversized tee and leggings. Sierra laughed when she saw me, looking at me with pure condescension. The cameras panned to the entrance. Leo Brooks stepped out of the SUV, wearing a baseball cap and a mask. Even covered up, his presence was staggering. He was doing his “cool and aloof” act, walking like the sidewalk was a runway. Then, he looked up. He saw me standing there, arms crossed, watching his little performance. Leo actually stumbled. He almost rolled his ankle. I burst out laughing. Sierra rushed over to steady him. “What happened? Are you okay?” Leo looked at me with a complicated expression and waved her off. Sierra took “waving off” as “I’m fine,” but she didn’t let go of his arm. She leaned in, trying to rest her head on his shoulder. I watched the disaster unfold. My brother was frantically shooting me “save me” eyes. I cleared my throat. “He’s waving because he wants you to let go.” Sierra froze. The bluntness of it hit her like a brick. She scowled, about to snap, then suddenly laughed. “Oh, you’re just jealous, aren’t you?” I looked at Leo and gave him a look that said: I can’t save you from this. Leo coughed and pulled his arm away, creating some distance. Sierra looked devastated. Like a kicked puppy. But she immediately turned her glare on me, blaming me for “ruining the moment.” 9 The other guests and the crew finally caught up and tried to greet Leo. He didn’t say a word to them. He just grabbed my arm and dragged me away. He had sent me a dozen texts that I ignored, and he was ready to interrogate me. He led me to a corner with no cameras. “Since when are you in show business? Why didn’t you say anything?” I had been scouted right after I got back from studying abroad. I just wanted to see what my brother’s work life was actually like. Leo wasn’t a big tech guy. He didn’t spend much time on social media, so he had no idea about the “car-stalking” scandal or the fact that I’d gone viral for being “hated.” I put on a pained face. “I didn’t realize you worked so hard out here, Leo.” He immediately forgot he was mad. He stood up a little straighter, adjusted his collar, and cleared his throat. “Tsk. It’s not that hard. I mean, it’s a lot of work, but I do it for the family…” I cut him off. “Must be exhausting wearing those 2-inch height-boosters in your shoes all day. No wonder you almost tripped earlier.” Leo let out a literal screech. “HARPER! I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!” For a man, height is a matter of national security. We ended up in a scuffle. I poked his forehead. “Seriously, what is the deal with Sierra Vance? She thinks you’re in love with her. Don’t you see it?” Leo sighed. “It’s complicated.” “When you were abroad, Mom was lonely. She wanted to help someone, and she chose to sponsor a student from a rough background. That happened to be Sierra.” “She was a drama major. When she graduated and wanted to enter the industry, Mom told me to ‘keep an eye on her.’ That’s literally it.” Mystery solved. A gust of wind blew by. Leo, who had a lingering cold, started coughing. I rolled my eyes, but I reached out and patted his back to help him catch his breath. It was a perfectly normal sibling moment. But that was the exact moment Sierra burst through the door, livestream running on her phone. “Leo!” she screamed, then saw us. She lunged forward and shoved me away from him. “Get away from him!” Leo was baffled. “What are you doing? This is my—” I caught my brother’s eye and shook my head slightly. The chat saw it all. [OMG she’s already moving in! Sierra, protect our King!] [Get that homewrecker away from him!] [Harper, get off the show!] Leo caught a glimpse of the comments. His chest started heaving with rage—and pure confusion. He didn’t understand why everyone was being so toxic to his sister. Mom had always taught him to protect his sister, and I had always been taught to… well, tolerate him. I wasn’t ready to reveal the relationship yet. First, I wanted to see if Sierra was actually worth the sponsorship money my mom was giving her. Spoiler: She wasn’t. 10 Sierra acted like I didn’t exist. She turned to Leo, beaming. “Leo, I remember your family has a place in the city. The production ends in a few days and we have some free time. Can I come over? I really miss your mom.” She was doing this in front of millions of viewers to “prove” her intimacy with the Brooks family. I chimed in. “Sounds fun. Can I come too?” Sierra put on a pained face. “Oh… I don’t know. You and Leo aren’t that close, and you’ve never met his mother. It might be a bit awkward to just crash, don’t you think?” I almost laughed. “I’ve been there once or twice. Right, big brother?” Leo, being a little shit, played along. “Yeah. Once or twice.” Sierra tried to act cute and grab Leo’s arm again. Leo’s expression went cold. “Sierra,” he said firmly. “Know your place.” 11 The final day of filming arrived. We were set to head to the city. Leo went ahead to the estate. Sierra and I were left in the courtyard. She suddenly started a livestream. She was being all sneaky about it. “Shh, guys, don’t take screenshots yet! I promised I’d show you Leo’s family home. We’re in the front courtyard now!” I stepped in front of her camera, blocking the lens. “Recording on private property without permission… isn’t that illegal?” Sierra, caught red-handed, hid her phone behind her back. “None of your business!” Then she got her confidence back. “You’re only here because I let you tag along. You’d never see a place like this in your entire life otherwise!” I sighed and checked her stream. The comments were all: [Exactly! She should keep her mouth shut and be grateful.] [I can’t even look at her face.] The viewership was peaking. I looked at Sierra and let a small smile touch my lips. 12 A fluffy head popped out from around the corner. It was our family’s Shiba Inu, Mochi. I was about to go over and give him some love when Sierra beat me to it. “Aww! This is Leo’s dog, Mochi! He loves me so much!” She started making “pspsps” noises at him. Mochi looked over. His eyes lit up, his ears went back, and he charged like a rocket. Sierra crouched down, arms open… and then watched as Mochi dodged her and slammed directly into my chest. “Aww, baby! Did you miss me? Do you want a treat?” Mochi’s tail was a literal propeller as he licked my face. Sierra stood up, looking both furious and embarrassed. “I guess he just likes anyone today.” “Yeah,” I said, mimicking her tone. “Unlike some people, whom dogs don’t like at all.” Sierra glared at me. “You!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “421037”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

Vincent’s sweetheart got into a severe car accident in the remote desert. I advised him to have her treated at the nearest hospital. But the girl eventually died from massive blood loss. Afterward, Vincent didn’t blame me. He poured his heart and soul into the corporation. Three years later, I suffered a severe hemorrhage during childbirth. He stepped in and stopped the doctors from saving me, dooming both me and our baby. “Stella, this is your retribution. How does it feel to bleed to death?” All for that girl, he had hated me this much. Reborn in this lifetime, when the news of the girl’s car accident reaches the corporation, I choose to simply do nothing. Let it rot. I quietly watch as Vincent deploys private medical jets, forces all 5,000 corporate employees to donate blood, and dispatches hundreds of luxury cars to clear the highways, kicking off a “deeply moving” extreme rescue mission. 1 “We must transfer Chloe back to New York for the surgery! “The Sterling family has money! Even the Grim Reaper has to wait in line! You useless fools, figure it out! If anything happens to Chloe, you’re all fired from Sterling Corp!” Upon receiving the news of Chloe Adams’s car accident, Vincent Sterling was pacing like a madman, erupting in fury in the middle of the office. Everyone’s expressions were complicated as they turned to look at me. “Manager Vance—” As the head of Crisis Management for Sterling Corp, it was indeed my turn to speak. “This is a matter of life and death. Aside from the victim’s closest loved ones, no one else has the right to make suggestions. I respect all of Mr. Sterling’s decisions, and I will absolutely obey and cooperate.” Vincent stared at me in shock, momentarily stunned. “This is madness!” VP Carter couldn’t take it anymore. He slammed his hand on the table and stood up, pointing at me angrily. “Stella! That is incredibly irresponsible of you! A rescue mission spanning over 2,000 miles, with such high difficulty and tight timing—do you have any idea how many resources that will consume? “If this affects our upcoming IPO, can you bear the consequences?” I smiled faintly. “Mr. Carter, you can’t shift the blame onto me like that. Ultimately, the decision-making power rests in Mr. Sterling’s hands.” I quietly stepped back into the crowd. Without me mediating in the middle, the unilateral opposition from the others only triggered Vincent’s rebelliousness. “Just do it! I will take full responsibility for everything!” he declared boldly. In the end, he overruled all objections, unlocking all the corporation’s resources, connections, and funds. He didn’t care about the cost; he only wanted Chloe safe. Watching Vincent’s determined and arrogant figure as he left, I lowered my head to hide the mocking glint in my eyes. In my previous life, after fully understanding Chloe’s injuries, I specifically consulted specialists and objectively analyzed the pros and cons of local treatment versus a transfer to New York for Vincent. He gritted his teeth and asked, “Stella, what would you choose?” At that time, the company was in the critical observation period for its IPO. Transferring her back to New York required a massive investment, and more importantly, there was a high risk of complications during the journey. I advised that Chloe be hospitalized and treated locally. My calm, objective analysis left Vincent speechless. He stared at me for a full thirty seconds, his expression incredibly complex, before finally saying, “Fine, I will trust you this once.” To honor that trust, I immediately arranged for two teams of specialists to fly out overnight to assist locally. But despite calculating everything, I didn’t anticipate that Chloe had Rh-negative blood. The local blood bank ran dry, and ultimately, Chloe died of excessive blood loss on the operating table. Ridden with guilt, I tried to resign, but Vincent fiercely grabbed my neck. “You think you can just walk away? Not a chance!” Then, he suddenly kissed me. “Stella, don’t leave. Don’t leave me all alone.” I hugged him, crying and apologizing. After that, Vincent seemed like a changed man—steady, reserved, and entirely focused on his career. A year later, Sterling Corp successfully went public, and that very day, Vincent proposed to me. It wasn’t until I suffered a massive hemorrhage during labor and he coldly refused to authorize my emergency treatment that I realized this marriage was nothing but a scam, a conspiracy! In the delivery room, he had held me, crying bitterly, deeply telling me to be strong and hold on. Yet, as I slowly lost consciousness, he whispered into my ear with twisted satisfaction: “Stella, can you finally feel the despair Chloe felt when she bled to death on that operating table? “If it weren’t for you, I would have risked everything to save Chloe! “You used the IPO to pressure me? Heh, for Chloe, I would have gladly become penniless!” It turned out he had never forgotten Chloe’s death. He had endured the humiliation, harboring a deep-seated hatred for me all along. 2 With Chloe’s life hanging by a thread, Vincent issued order after order, all deployed within a short ten minutes. Chairman Sterling’s private medical jet, carrying a team of twenty top-tier professors and emergency specialists, had already taken off. To ensure Chloe’s swift transport from the plane to the hospital, Vincent leveraged all his corporate partners and wealthy socialite friends to assemble hundreds of luxury cars. When the time came, the convoy of luxury cars would carve out a life-saving corridor, grand and earth-shattering. It was bound to become a legendary tale of devotion. By the time Mrs. Sterling found out about Vincent’s absurd actions, the news had just reached the company that Chloe had Rh-negative blood and would need nearly ten thousand milliliters of blood for the surgery. I was urgently summoned to the CEO’s office by the Sterling family. As soon as I pushed the door open, Mrs. Sterling accused me of ignoring the company’s best interests and failing my duties. She conveniently ignored the fact that this was entirely Vincent’s dictatorship. This was the typical Sterling family dynamic—she dragged me into it because she was afraid of creating a rift with her precious, rebellious son. Chairman Sterling, his face livid, sternly ordered me, “Forget the chartered flight, call those cars back immediately! This is absolute madness!” I glanced at Vincent. Having just been reprimanded by his parents, his face was clouded with gloom, though a hint of rebellious defiance still lingered in his eyes. “Manager Vance, what do you think?” He lifted his eyelids, spinning an expensive fountain pen erratically between his fingers. Heh, trying to use me as a scapegoat again? I continued to embrace the chaos, putting on a look of absolute loyalty: “Mr. Sterling, rest assured, as long as you give the word, I will walk through fire and water for you.” As a veteran of the PR department, as long as I didn’t have to take the blame, I could say all the pretty words in the world. I would never be as stupid as I was in my past life. “You—you—” Mrs. Sterling was so angry her eyes rolled back. Her assistant hastily fed her heart medication. “I really raised an ungrateful snake—” Mrs. Sterling pointed at me with bitter hatred. How laughable! To repay their supposed kindness, I had given up my dream of becoming a top surgeon to help Vincent manage the company. And what did I get in return? When Vincent explicitly refused to save me, I had used all my remaining strength to grab her hand, my eyes full of pleading for her to save my life. But she peeled my fingers off one by one, hypocritically advising me, “Stella, this is between you two. Vincent wouldn’t harm you.” I still remembered, in my past life, the moment Chloe had her accident, I immediately reported it to her: “Mrs. Sterling, you’d better come to the office. I’m worried Mr. Sterling might—” She had smiled and encouraged me: “Stella, I believe in you. I know you’ll watch over Vincent for me and keep him from doing anything foolish.” Just then, a phone call came in. After Vincent answered, his face changed drastically. He shot up from his chair. “Enough! The top priority right now is to collect a massive amount of Rh-negative blood. Gather your teams and get to the hospital—the nurses are already waiting!” I pursed my lips. “Mr. Sterling, such a massive and rare blood supply isn’t something we can gather in a moment’s notice—” Vincent paced frantically. “I knew it! You never genuinely wanted to save Chloe! If it were you—” “Mr. Sterling!” I raised my voice, cutting off his accusation. I pulled out a document I had prepared in advance and said smoothly, “I understand your concerns. To ensure I don’t interfere with Miss Adams’s treatment, I voluntarily resign.” Then, I handed Mrs. Sterling a ledger, speaking with emotional detachment, “This is the itemized list of your financial sponsorship since I was 12. I’ve adjusted for inflation, multiplied it by five, and I am returning it all to you.” Mrs. Sterling stared in shock as I added, “Oh, and of course, I included the interest.” Who would have thought that the ledger I used in my past life to remember their kindness would now become my ultimate weapon to cut ties with the Sterlings. In this life, they wouldn’t use gratitude to chain me down ever again. Vincent was furious. He shoved past me and stormed out, raising his voice: “Trying to provoke me? I’ll show you exactly what kind of power I have to save Chloe! “Get out! Get the hell out of here!” Naturally, I got the hell out. As soon as I returned to the main office floor, the company was in an uproar. Panic was spreading. The HR Director had just ordered all employees downstairs to donate blood. Until blood types were confirmed, no one was allowed to leave the building. The storm was brewing, and everything was progressing toward the absolute worst-case scenario I had envisioned. As I headed downstairs, I bumped into a few pregnant employees discussing how to avoid the blood drive in the stairwell. “What is the company thinking? I actually have that rare blood type, and I’m terrified,” one of them said. My footsteps faltered, but ultimately, I turned and walked away. The tragic experience of my past life taught me one thing: let go of the savior complex, respect the fates of others, and never carry someone else’s karma. 3 When I got home, I collapsed into the bathtub, feeling a surreal, dreamlike detachment. I dozed off, only to be suddenly jolted awake by a nightmare. By the time the city lights flickered on outside, a former colleague called. She told me Chloe had been successfully admitted for surgery, while the rest of them were still stuck doing miserable overtime. She complained endlessly on the phone: “Stella, the highway from the airport to First General Hospital was barricaded by hundreds of luxury cars today. People are posting videos everywhere, trying to guess what kind of VIP is arrogant enough to do this. “Everyone in our department is working our fingers to the bone trying to report and take down those videos. Sigh, nobody is sleeping tonight.” After hanging up, I scrolled through my phone for a while. Indeed, I couldn’t find any news related to it. Right now, Vincent was entirely focused on staying by Chloe’s side. The company was being managed by Chairman Sterling, who was undoubtedly spending a fortune to silence the media and clean up the mess. I stood up, walked to my desk, and looked at the investigation report on Chloe in my drawer. A cold smirk touched my lips. In my previous life, I had suggested a local surgery partly out of consideration for the company’s IPO. The other reason was that my investigation revealed Chloe was not the innocent, hardworking girl she portrayed herself to be. She went to the Mojave Desert simply to accompany a prominent fashion photographer looking for “thrills.” That photographer was notoriously vile. He didn’t just sleep around with models; he was a well-known predator in the industry. Because he had won international awards, his connections were vast, attracting countless ambitious women willing to throw themselves at him. After the car crash, he only suffered minor injuries. Seeing Chloe’s gruesome state, he got scared and fled the scene immediately. On one side was a young, devoted billionaire CEO. On the other was a notorious playboy. Yet Chloe hadn’t hesitated to choose the latter, proving she was an incredibly ambitious woman who wanted fame and was willing to climb at any cost. In my past life, her death wiped her slate clean. I didn’t see the need to drag a dead woman’s name through the mud, and though Vincent was depressed for a while, he quickly recovered. So I never brought it up and secretly destroyed the report. Before I died, my biggest regret was that I had worked a hundred times harder than a normal person to crawl my way out of the mountains… Only to become collateral damage for a vain, lying woman, sacrificed on the altar of their dirty love story. I hated it. A coward like Vincent, who stepped on my blood to find his own peace of mind—what right did he have to achieve success and glory? A notification sound broke my train of thought. I took a deep breath, reined in my emotions, and unlocked the screen. It was a message from Vincent. “Chloe is awake. The lead surgeon said it’s a miracle! Anyone else would have absolutely died today! “This is a monumental triumph! Stella, look closely—this is the true power of my Sterling Corporation!” In the voice memo, he laughed triumphantly, arrogant to the extreme. A domineering, cliché line suddenly popped into my head: I command you not to die, do you hear me! The devoted, overbearing billionaire, personified. [Congratulations, Mr. Sterling. With your profound love, Miss Adams will surely be deeply moved.] I replied with a smile. How wonderful. A medical miracle. Since it’s a miracle, it naturally shouldn’t be forgotten in the dust. Three days later, Chloe woke up. Having survived a near-death experience and learning of everything Vincent had done, she couldn’t wait to show off on all her social media accounts. The attached photos were incredibly shocking. For example: renowned medical professors and specialists, pulled off their own operating tables, rushing onto private jets. A massive fleet of luxury cars forcibly slicing a “corridor of life” named “Chloe” through the city’s gridlocked traffic. Thousands of corporate employees donating blood overnight, none daring to be absent. United will, boundless love. Across a grid of nine photos, there was a short, simple caption: [My dear, you are truly amazing!] To let everyone know just how miraculous her survival was, Chloe thoughtfully attached a picture of her medical diagnosis. It detailed just how severe the car crash was—massive ruptures to her gallbladder, spleen, and kidneys. An ordinary person would have died a thousand times over. [You guys don’t know this, but the doctor said I used over 7,000 milliliters of blood. It’s like replacing all the blood in my body twice over! Sob, I’m so moved.] With the subject herself stepping up to spill the details, the incident exploded instantly. The shockwave was no less than dropping a nuclear bomb. Chloe was immediately crowned “The Golden Blood Girl,” rocketing to the top of the trending lists, overshadowing A-list celebrities, and soaking up unprecedented limelight. The “dear” she mentioned was dubbed “The Mad Billionaire” by netizens. Various influencers and marketing accounts jumped in to comment. Chloe was famous now, but it was infamous fame. The internet was outraged. Netizens actively provided clues, determined to unmask who “The Mad Billionaire” really was. By the time Vincent realized something was wrong and ordered the entire company to report the posts, it was already too late to turn the tide. 4 Three days later, Mrs. Sterling showed up at my door with expensive gifts. “Oh Stella, you really are something, still holding a grudge against me,” she said with faux reproach, affectionately grabbing my hand. It was as if the current public relations nightmare hadn’t affected her at all. But she didn’t know that she couldn’t hide the anxiety in her eyes and the exhaustion on her face. Even the silver at her temples had multiplied. I pulled my hand away and smiled faintly. “Mrs. Sterling, just get straight to the point. I imagine you don’t have time for small talk.” A flash of displeasure crossed her eyes, but she suppressed it, shedding a tear instead. “Stella, that woman has evil intentions. She’s trying to ruin us! My Vincent is so pure and innocent; he’s been terribly deceived by her.” As the CEO of a company on the verge of an IPO, completely failing to foresee how this rescue mission would decimate the corporate image—he truly was “pure” and “innocent.” After cursing Chloe, she softened her tone, hinting that as long as I was willing to help, she would acknowledge me as her daughter-in-law. I flatly refused. Out of options, Mrs. Sterling settled for the next best thing: “Then you must return to the company to handle the fallout! Even if you resign, you have to work your notice period for another month until we find a replacement!” She was using corporate policy against me, and she was right. Besides, I never said I wouldn’t go back. With Sterling Corp in a state of emergency, if I, the head of Crisis Management, just walked away, no one in the industry would ever dare hire me again. Plus, I wanted a front-row seat to see exactly how Vincent’s life would end in this lifetime. … Back at the office, complaints echoed everywhere. The situation was worse than I had imagined. It was absolute chaos, both internally and externally. First, Sterling Corp had been summoned by regulatory authorities and ordered to quell the internet storm immediately to minimize negative social impact. Partnering companies were rapidly cutting ties. Vincent’s wealthy friends, whose luxury cars had dragged them onto the trending lists, were being scolded by their families and wanted nothing more than to stab Vincent in the back. Internally, minor shareholders led by VP Carter, seeing their IPO dreams going up in smoke, were not only plotting to oust Vincent but also demanding the Sterling family compensate them for their losses. Yet, amidst all this, Vincent pulled a disappearing act, staying at the hospital to play the devoted boyfriend with his true love. The company’s accounts were bleeding. Initially, to save Chloe, resources, connections, and cash had been burned recklessly. Now, the shareholders refused to invest another dime. You can’t make bricks without clay. Mrs. Sterling really overestimated my abilities. However, a job is a job, and being broke just requires a different strategy. I believed transparency was better than suppression. Now was the time to respond to the public’s doubts with utter sincerity. So, I proposed to Chairman Sterling and the shareholders that we hold a direct press conference. We would disclose the truth behind the rescue mission to the public, preventing malicious actors from spinning the narrative online. “This rescue was indeed a massive overreach, especially regarding the disruption of public traffic and the hoarding of medical resources,” I said sternly. “But in the face of life and death, it can be understood. As long as Mr. Sterling shows the right attitude—reflects, apologizes, and takes accountability—it is possible to salvage the corporate image.” Ultimately, the board approved this plan. After the meeting, I went to First General Hospital. On Chloe’s social media accounts, the braggy photos and texts were still up. Engagement was through the roof, and shares were increasing exponentially. Everyone at the company knew she was Vincent’s precious treasure, so no one dared touch her. It had to be me stepping in to negotiate. Just as I reached outside her hospital room, I heard Chloe’s suppressed, angry voice: “Derek, you bastard, you almost got me killed, do you know that?!” A man chuckled sleazily. “If I hadn’t run, would your boyfriend have gone to such extreme lengths to save you? Honestly, you should be thanking me.” Derek? That scumbag photographer was inside? I lowered my hand and stood quietly by the door. “I can’t do anything to you, but our partnership is over!” “Chloe, you’re practically an A-lister right now, while the Sterling family can barely protect themselves. Are you really going to settle? My resources can guarantee you reach the next level.” Chloe hesitated. “But Vincent told me that as long as I delete the posts, this will blow over quickly, and it won’t affect Sterling Corp.” Derek laughed meaningfully. “The rougher the seas, the richer the catch. Deleting those posts means cutting off your own path. Think about it—without this rescue, who the hell would even know the name Chloe Adams?” As their negotiation neared its end, he threw out the ultimate bait: an exclusive ticket into the international elite fashion circle. To Chloe, a model, this was an irresistible temptation. She grew instantly excited. “Are you sure I can go?” Derek tossed an invitation directly to her. In the end, Derek swaggered out of the room, a victorious smirk plastered on his face. I shook my head and abandoned the idea of negotiating with Chloe. I just wondered if Vincent’s love was enough to make her give up her wild ambitions. As soon as I got downstairs, my phone rang frantically. My heart skipped a beat, a sudden, inexplicable dread washing over me. “Manager Vance, get back here right now! A female employee from Marketing 2 miscarried because she donated too much blood!” My subordinate reported like a machine gun over the phone, “Now her in-laws are downstairs pulling up protest banners. That family is completely unhinged.” Vincent really outdid himself. Not only did he dare to take a pregnant woman’s blood, but he also took an excessive amount. It was beyond reckless! 5 Just as I walked out the hospital’s main entrance, I saw Vincent walking toward me carrying takeout bags. “I heard you went back to the office? Since you’re willing to make amends, I’ll let your previous behavior slide,” he said, looking at me out of the corner of his eye, acting high and mighty. Vincent would never know just how pathetic and laughable he looked to me right now. I didn’t bother arguing. There was no point. He was just a stupid, pitiful man. Of course, the version of me from my past life was even more pitiful. “Stella! Didn’t my dad say you should come to me if there was an issue?!” He immediately got unhappy, pulling a long face and grabbing my arm. I shook off his hand and said coldly, “Vincent, it looks like your luck has really run out. I don’t need to come to you anymore. You better start preparing your apologies!” Right now, even God himself couldn’t save Sterling Corp! Once I got into my car, I immediately called the employee, Rachel. “Manager Vance, I never thought this would happen, sob… Mr. Sterling said he’d pay 10,000 dollars for every milliliter, so I thought it would be fine if I—” Rachel cried as she explained the situation. I asked her if she knew her mother-in-law was protesting at the company. She timidly replied that she was too weak right now and couldn’t control her mother-in-law. Then, in a panic, she hung up the phone. My eyes darkened. It was hopeless; that family was going to bleed Sterling Corp dry. When I got to the office, I immediately invited Rachel’s mother-in-law into a conference room to negotiate. The shrewd woman’s eyes darted around. She opened her mouth and demanded ten million dollars, not a penny less. “It was six months along! It was a baby boy, my precious golden grandson! These godless capitalists, they treat the lives of poor people like trash!” Rachel’s husband stood next to her, filming the entire thing on his phone, looking incredibly arrogant. “Hurry up and pay the money, or I’m posting this video everywhere! I’ll let everyone know your boss is ‘The Mad Billionaire’!” But where would the company find that kind of money? Rachel’s family was roasting the Sterlings over an open fire. Mrs. Sterling practically got on her knees, but it was useless. In the end, Chairman Sterling had no choice but to swallow his pride and sell his private jet overnight at a massive loss. He had bought it for two hundred million, but only managed to sell it for forty million. After giving Rachel’s family ten million, only thirty million was left. Vincent was called back to the office and violently cursed out by Chairman Sterling. He looked utterly defeated. The difference was, this time, the rebellion and defiance were entirely gone from his eyes. Thinking about it made me want to laugh out loud! How glorious was it when he deployed that private jet to race against death just days ago? Within days, it was a total disaster. Vincent’s eyes were bloodshot. He no longer cared about keeping up appearances. “You’re very proud of yourself, aren’t you? Watching me make a joke of myself?” I shook my head. “It’s just an airplane. Human life is more important than anything.” Vincent looked even more miserable. “Stella, you—” I raised an eyebrow. “I thought—” He looked at me with immense complexity, but his mouth seemed glued shut. He couldn’t force out another word. Finally starting to panic, are we? No, it’s still too early for that. A cold smirk escaped my lips, and I turned and walked away. My mood was terrible right now—not because of Vincent, but because of the six-month-old dead fetus. I sat on the steps in front of the corporate building, quietly mourning the unborn child. Then, someone patted my shoulder. It was Jessica, the pregnant employee who had said she had the rare blood type in the stairwell that day. “Manager Vance, you’ve been working so hard lately. Rachel’s mother-in-law must be really tough to deal with.” “I was just thinking, if I had stopped Mr. Sterling that day, Rachel might not—” My chest felt suffocatingly tight. I had promised myself I wouldn’t interfere in others’ karma, but whose head did this sin fall on? “How could anyone blame you? If you had stopped him, wouldn’t Miss Adams have died?” Jessica said. “Sigh, honestly, it was the money that pushed her. She called her family before she gave blood that day. When they heard how much money was on the line, her mother-in-law encouraged her to donate as much as possible. “Look at me—I didn’t try to make that money, and I’m perfectly fine, aren’t I? Don’t overthink it.” After greeting me, Jessica left. But I tossed and turned all night, only falling asleep after drinking. The next day, I suddenly overheard colleagues gossiping. They were saying how pitiful Rachel was—her in-laws used her to extort ten million dollars, and then immediately filed for divorce. Still recovering from the miscarriage, she had already been sent back to her maiden home. I stood frozen in place for a long time, unable to move. 6 Chloe’s social media posts showing off the rescue mission were still up, and the situation was escalating rapidly. Vincent’s confident promise that Chloe would cooperate with PR now looked like an absolute joke. The entire company was secretly laughing at him. He poured out his true love, but Chloe only cared about generating hype for herself, completely ignoring whether Sterling Corp lived or died. Meanwhile, online, the calls to investigate “The Mad Billionaire’s” background were growing louder and more aggressive. Sterling Corp was forced to make a decision. The shareholders urged me to finalize preparations for the press conference. It was a desperate last resort. But no one anticipated that Mrs. Sterling, unable to bear seeing her precious son bow his head and admit fault, would accept an exclusive live interview with a major media outlet the day before the press conference. She threw all the blame directly onto me. She sobbed during the broadcast, claiming that I had single-handedly orchestrated the entire rescue operation and that Vincent was an innocent victim. “Stella was sponsored by our family through college. She has always been obsessed with my son. A girl from her impoverished background dreams of marrying into a family like ours.” The host asked in confusion, “If that’s the case, wouldn’t it have been better to just let Chloe die in the desert? Why go through all the trouble to save her?” Mrs. Sterling scoffed coldly. “Go ask anyone in the industry how capable Stella is at Crisis Management. Do you really think she didn’t foresee the consequences? “She did it on purpose! She knew my son loved Chloe, so she egged him on, manipulating him into risking everything to save her. She wanted to destroy my son! “My son’s only mistake was trusting Stella too much and loving Chloe too deeply!” The host looked at her in disbelief, flashing an awkward smile at the camera. The live chat was exploding with comments: [Is this Mad Billionaire even a legal adult?!] [Didn’t a bunch of doctors analyze that medical chart? Without Mad Billionaire’s unlimited funds, Chloe would have been 100% dead! Thank God Stella didn’t tell him not to save her.] [Right? Otherwise, I can’t even imagine how vicious this mother-son duo would be behaving right now.] [Holy shit, working at Sterling Corp sounds terrifying. You make a basic salary, but the capitalists expect you to pay with your life.] Mrs. Sterling had no idea that the more she talked, the worse she made it look. She was still desperately trying to slander me to wash Vincent clean. “A person with no professional ethics like her is a cancer to the corporate world! We have already fired her, and I hope the industry thinks twice before hiring her!” The live chat suddenly unified, entirely filled with: [Corporate employees are humans too! Boycott Sterling Corp immediately!] Just then, a highly visible, furious long comment cut through the uniform chat: [SHE IS FULL OF S**T! Vincent Sterling forced the entire company to take blood tests! He privately interrogated anyone with Rh-negative blood, implying they’d be fired if they didn’t donate! You think Manager Vance manipulated him into doing that?! What a joke!] An internal Sterling Corp employee had appeared. Netizens immediately clamored for her to spill more tea. Mrs. Sterling faded entirely into the background. My eye twitched. I had a sneaking suspicion this person might be Rachel. [I am the unlucky pregnant employee who donated blood. I lost my baby, and my husband divorced me. [My child didn’t have to die. But I wasn’t as lucky as his girlfriend. I didn’t have top-tier doctors to protect me, and I didn’t have thousands of people forced to bleed for me.] Rachel grew increasingly agitated: [Vincent Sterling never treated us employees like human beings! We’re the ones forced to take the blame, and we’re the ones getting literally bled dry! [The most disgusting part is that his girlfriend used our blood to show off and build her brand! Their so-called ‘love story’ makes me sick!] Mrs. Sterling’s meticulously planned whitewashing campaign was completely obliterated by Rachel’s raw outburst. By the end of the broadcast, Sterling Corp’s reputation had plummeted into the abyss. I stood alone on my balcony for a long time. I never expected Rachel to speak up for me, even if it was fueled by her own anger and motives. [Thank you.] I didn’t dare call; I just sent a text message. Rachel didn’t reply. Vincent’s identity was fully exposed. Soon enough, paparazzi staked out the hospital and caught him discharging Chloe. Faced with aggressive reporters shoving microphones in his face, the usually arrogant Vincent lost his temper. He roared at the cameras: “Chloe is my girlfriend! I have the money and the power to save her! Why shouldn’t I?! “What does that woman’s miscarriage have to do with me?! Didn’t I pay her?! Get out of my way!” The moment that video dropped, it was like kicking a hornet’s nest. The IPO plans were officially dead. And thanks to the mother-son duo’s spectacular blunders, the employees’ hearts turned to ice. People resigned in droves every single day. No matter how hard HR tried, they couldn’t attract a single candidate for an interview.

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I frequently dreamed of a strange man. We would lose ourselves in passion, doing things too explicit to describe. But every time I woke up, I couldn’t remember his name. Six months later, I finally found him. Good news: He’s just as handsome as he was in my dreams. Bad news: He’s my fake boyfriend’s older brother. 01 Cole Harrington was taking me back to his hometown to meet his parents. When he told me, it was a command, not a discussion. “Dress up. Make it sexy.” I said, “It’s winter. Sexy means freezing.” “You got a problem with that? Then let’s break up.” He was careless and arrogant. He knew I wouldn’t agree to break up. I fell silent for a moment. “I don’t have money for new clothes.” “Knew it.” He wired me five thousand dollars, then waved me off impatiently. “Take the cash. I’m gaming. Don’t bother me.” I lowered my eyes and walked away, acting like a pushover. The young master hopped on a Discord call with his frat-bro friends. “Yeah, I’m bringing her back. I refuse to believe Lexi won’t get jealous this time.” “I only got with this girl to piss Lexi off. You think I’d actually fall for her?” “Taking her home? Gotta make the act convincing. Lexi and I dated for four years and never met the parents. I’m taking this one home after a month. That’ll sting enough, right? Don’t worry, my older brother calls the shots in my house. And her—” Cole played with his phone, letting out a dismissive scoff. “She’s exactly the kind of woman my brother hates the most.” 02 A month ago, Cole suddenly set his sights on me and asked me out. The whole campus knew the wealthy heir had just broken up with his first love. Asking me out now meant I was a rebound. A toy. There was absolutely no genuine affection. But I still said yes. I desperately needed money. To save up for my mom’s surgery, I had been working multiple jobs. But recently, her condition had worsened. She couldn’t wait any longer. Right at that moment, Cole tossed me an olive branch. The Harrington family owned a massive, publicly-traded conglomerate, currently run by his older brother. Hanging around a trust-fund kid like Cole who loved racing supercars—even just picking up the crumbs—would be enough to cover the medical bills. But Cole didn’t know that. He thought I was hopelessly, madly in love with him. 03 Cole booked first-class tickets. As soon as we boarded the flight, he put on his heavy noise-canceling headphones, forbidding me from disturbing him. I was happy for the peace and quiet and quickly fell asleep. Suddenly, a strange sensation washed over me. I was nestled in a man’s embrace, my skin burning hot. Again? How many times this month? Doesn’t he ever get enough? He gently stroked my swollen, kissed lips and asked, “You look beautiful today. Where are you going?” “To my boyfriend’s house.” “You have a boyfriend?” I said stubbornly, “Yeah.” He went silent for a long time. I lifted my gaze and met the dark storm brewing in his eyes. He was an incredibly striking man. His features were a bit cold, but his body was practically perfect—lean muscle, broad shoulders, narrow waist. If he wasn’t, I wouldn’t have kept sinking into these dreams. “Break up with him, okay?” His voice was clean and deep, carrying a hint of coaxing. “No.” “Why? What am I not doing right?” You’re doing great, a little too great actually. But— “Who spends their life devoted to a man in a dream? When I wake up, I have nothing.” I didn’t know if that sentence stung him, but he didn’t say anything else. … The turbulence of the plane’s descent jolted me awake, pulling me from the dream. Cole was looking at me, frowning. “Sydney, are you hot?” I wiped a thin layer of sweat from my forehead. “I’m okay.” I had that dream again. About six months ago, this man appeared out of nowhere and invaded my dreams. At first, the dreams were pretty normal. Until one time, I realized he not only perfectly matched my type, but his body was flawless. So, I started getting handsy. From then on, the dreams went wildly out of control… I didn’t know who he was. Every time I asked his name, I would forget it completely the moment I woke up. Only the sensations from the dream remained, as clear as if they had actually happened. I secretly saw a doctor. The doctor said it was just a dream. I was young, hormones were high, it was normal. Makes sense. After all, I had never even held a man’s hand in real life. Cole found me boring, and I was just using him. So we tacitly maintained a delicate distance. “Your face is red,” Cole noted. It was just me blushing, but he hadn’t seen it before. I calmly touched my cheek. “It’s a little warm.” “First time on a plane, huh?” “Yeah. First time. Thanks.” I was so honest that it choked back whatever mocking words Cole was about to say. A moment later. He inexplicably reached up and adjusted the overhead AC vent for me. Even he froze for a few seconds after doing it. “Thanks.” I didn’t pay it much mind, just looked out the window. 04 After landing and grabbing our luggage, Cole walked off to the side to make a call. “Did you guys invite Lexi? Cool. See you in a few days. The girlfriend? I’ll dump her after I see Lexi.” Seeing me approach, Cole quickly hung up. “Sydney, I need to warn you about something.” “Hm?” “At my house, my parents are easygoing. But watch out for my older brother.” “Why? Does he eat people?” Cole gave me another weird look. Before, when I talked to him, I just said “mhm” and “oh,” playing the obedient girlfriend. Now that I almost had enough money, my desire to act was plummeting. “…My brother has a bad temper. He’s very dominant. What he says goes, both at home and at the company. Even my parents are a little scared of him now. Just keep your head down when you see him.” As unruly as Cole was, the mere mention of his older brother brought a look of fear and reverence to his face. “Got it.” I really couldn’t care less about his family dynamics. But Cole looked even more confused. “Aren’t you happy to be coming home with me?” “I’m ecstatic,” I said with a deadpan face. Cole: “…” A chauffeur picked us up and drove us to the Harrington estate. Just as Cole said, his parents were quite friendly and asked me all sorts of caring questions. Until right before dinner. Nathaniel Harrington came home. Cole’s arrogance vanished completely. He stood up straight like a schoolboy and greeted him obediently, “Nathaniel.” “Mhm. Rough flight?” It was a lukewarm, apathetic voice. It had the smooth, cold texture of jade. It was so familiar my scalp tingled. I turned my head and my eyes widened in shock. It was him. The man from my dreams. 05 “Nathaniel, this is my girlfriend, Sydney Kensington.” Nathaniel’s gaze swept across my face. “Welcome.” He looked exactly like he did in my dreams. The sharp jawline, the slightly hooded eyes that made him look cold and ruthless. He first loosened his tie and took a sip of water. A drop of water rolled down his Adam’s apple and slipped under his collar, dampening the fabric to reveal the faint outline of his chest. Only then did he sit down at the dining table. Everyone’s voices instinctively lowered. Cole was acting so well-behaved he seemed like a different person. During the meal, the conversation occasionally turned to me. “Sydney, Cole mentioned you’ve never dated anyone before?” “Yes, Mrs. Harrington. Cole… is my first boyfriend.” “Oh my. For a girl as pretty as you not to have dated, that’s quite rare.” I nervously swallowed hard, my peripheral vision darting toward Nathaniel. He was cutting his steak, acting as if he hadn’t heard a thing. Right. He probably didn’t know me. It was just my own one-sided dream. As for why I dreamed of him? Probably my subconscious. Maybe I had caught a fleeting glimpse of Nathaniel’s photo in some financial magazine, and it manifested in my dreams. I adjusted my mindset and responded positively. “Mrs. Harrington, this is my first relationship. I’m incredibly lucky to have met Cole. He’s a star on campus, and I’ve looked up to him since freshman year.” “Our Cole can be a bit rebellious, but he’s good at heart. Sydney, I hear you’re an honors student. Please take good care of him.” “I will. I really care about Cole.” No, what I care about is the fat red envelope of cash you’re about to give me. Suddenly, I felt a gaze land on me. I instinctively looked back. Nathaniel was replying to a work message on his phone. He wasn’t looking at me at all. Just now… was that my imagination? 06 After staying at the Harrington estate for a few days, I got used to it. Nathaniel was rarely home. When we occasionally bumped into each other, he just gave me a polite, distant nod. I grew more and more certain that the dreams were mine alone. The day to meet Lexi was approaching. Cole wasn’t satisfied with the clothes I brought, so he had someone buy me a new outfit. A slip dress. Something you’d only wear in the summer. He made me put it on to take a few photos with him. The fabric was paper-thin. Even with the estate’s central heating, I was shivering. But Cole didn’t notice. He was determined to take the perfect photo to make his first love jealous. The next day, I caught a cold and spiked a fever. Did Cole care? Of course not. He was busy going out drinking with his buddies. As he was leaving, I heard him complaining on the phone: “Of course she gets sick right now. If she embarrasses me in front of Lexi in a few days, I swear… Do you guys have any other girls around? I need a backup…” I was burning up, feverish and groggy, blurring the line between dreams and reality. My throat was agonizingly sore. I got out of bed to get a glass of water. The study door across the hall was wide open. When I looked up, I actually saw Nathaniel. 07 At this hour, Cole was out partying, and his parents were out running errands. Nathaniel should have been at the office. Why was he home? There was only one possibility—I was dreaming again. If it’s a dream, that makes things easy. I stumbled in and threw myself aggrievedly into his arms. “I feel awful.” He stiffened for a moment, then asked, “Did you take medicine?” “Yeah.” “Go back and rest.” But I clung to him, refusing to let go. “I met someone who looks exactly like you.” “…Did you?” “But I know he isn’t you.” “How do you know?” “Because you’re a dream. The moment I see the mole on your collarbone, I know I’m dreaming.” With practiced ease, I unbuttoned his dress shirt. I was far too familiar with this mole. In my dreams, I had bitten it countless times. I sat on his lap, tracing the mole with my finger. “Nathaniel” suddenly stopped me. “Didn’t you say you really liked him?” “What?” “You said you really liked Cole.” “How do you know about Co—” My brain exploded. All the romantic tension cooled in an instant. I pinched my own thigh hard. It hurt. This wasn’t a dream. This was reality. The man I was currently pinning down was the real Nathaniel Harrington. “Sydney.” He called my name in a low voice, the end of the word sending a shiver down my spine. “I asked you in dreams for six months, and I finally remembered your name.” That sentence froze me in place again. What did he mean? He was dreaming too…? My CPU was short-circuiting. I was still straddling him, wearing only my pajamas. His shirt was disheveled, and his eyes were dark and bottomless. Right at that moment. A knock came at the door. “Nathaniel, have you seen my girlfriend?” Cole? Why was he back? “Nathaniel, are you in there? I swear I just heard Sydney’s voice.” Dead silence. “No one? I’m coming in.” Cole turned the handle… 08 Cole stepped into the room. “Nathaniel, you’re here.” Nathaniel asked, “Why are you back?” “I just felt bad leaving her alone when she’s sick. Anyway, Nathaniel, I just checked the bedroom and didn’t see Sydney. Have you seen her?” “No,” Nathaniel lowered his eyes. At this very moment. I was crouched under the massive mahogany desk, pressed right against Nathaniel’s suit pants, not daring to make a single sound. “Maybe she went to the bathroom. I’ll wait here for a bit.” Cole plopped down on the sofa and pulled out his phone to play a game. Before the match even loaded, he suddenly frowned. “Nathaniel, why does it smell so good in your study?” “I lit an incense candle.” “Aren’t you the one who hates that stuff the most? Did the sun rise in the west today?” Cole still didn’t suspect anything. But he stood up and started looking for the incense. He was about to walk behind the desk. Nathaniel reached out and stopped him. “Get out.” “Huh?” “I’ll wire you ten grand. Take Niki to the groomers. The dog smells.” “That’s the housekeeper’s job!” “Are you going or not?” Nathaniel raised a pair of eyes that brooked no argument. “You can keep the change.” “On it! I’ll make sure she’s squeaky clean!” Cole headed downstairs to find the dog. Once the house was quiet again, I crawled out from under the desk. Holding my dizzy head, I cut straight to the chase: “Have you been having the exact same dreams as me?” “It appears so.” “How is that possible… Do the timelines match up?” Nathaniel adjusted his rimless glasses. “The first time, on August 10th, you treated me like an emotional dumping ground and ranted about a lot of nonsense.” “The second time…” “The sixth time, you said: ‘You up? Let me see those abs.’” Me: … “The seventh time, in September, the relationship took a turning point, and we—” “Okay! You don’t need to say anymore!” It was definitely shared dreaming. The information overload, combined with my fever, made my vision swim. I almost fainted. Nathaniel caught me. “Don’t think about it right now. Get some rest.” He picked me up to carry me back to the bedroom. But halfway there, we ran into the housekeeper. The housekeeper slowly widened her eyes, forgetting to even say hello. “Sir, is that… Ms. Kensington in your arms?” 09 I tried desperately to cover my face. Nathaniel said calmly, “You know what to do.” His tone was polite and even, but it carried the murderous aura of silencing a witness. The housekeeper quickly scurried away. “Oh my, I’m getting old. My eyesight is terrible. I can’t see a thing…” Nathaniel placed me on the bed and pulled up the covers. “Martha is trustworthy. She won’t gossip. Just focus on getting better.” I was truly exhausted and had no energy to argue with him. That evening, Cole returned from washing the dog. He tossed a box of medicine onto my nightstand. “We’re going to that party the day after tomorrow. Don’t embarrass me.” I thought he was going to leave after that. But he suddenly sniffed the air twice. “Wait a minute. That smell is so familiar…” Crap. Am I busted? 10 I gripped my water glass tightly, my mind going blank. Cole, being as oblivious as he was, didn’t connect the dots. “My brother’s study had the exact same scent. It actually smells pretty good.” I secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Then, I heard him mutter, “My brother went on a business trip. I’m finally free for a few days.” “A business trip?” “Yeah. Left right after lunch.” He was probably hiding from me. Nathaniel didn’t come home until the day of the party. When he saw me, he still just gave a faint nod. As if nothing had happened. The day of the party arrived. I had recovered from my cold and went with Cole to his high school reunion. With Cole’s personality, he was the center of attention wherever he went. By extension, I was also in the spotlight. Cole’s buddy slung an arm around his neck and whispered, “This is the girl you brought to make Lexi mad? Bro, are you blind? This girl is way hotter than Lexi!” “You’re the blind one. She doesn’t even compare to Lexi.” “Did you warn her? Lexi’s going to target her tonight.” “No need to tell her,” Cole said lazily. “The more Lexi targets her, the more it proves Lexi isn’t over me.” I sat nearby and heard every word clearly. Cole turned to clink glasses with someone. “We’re drinking until we drop tonight!” Someone joked, “Young master, you sure you wanna drink? Aren’t you afraid your brother will beat you up?” “My brother can’t babysit me today. He went on a blind date.” My mind, which had been wandering, suddenly snapped into focus. Who was Nathaniel Harrington? The current head of the Harrington Group. Powerful and handsome. Everyone was incredibly curious about his gossip. Cole was happy to share: “He’s a chronic bachelor. I don’t know how they convinced him to go on a blind date this year. Probably because she’s pretty, and I heard she comes from a prestigious family.” “Tsk. Looks like I’m getting a sister-in-law soon.” The loud music suddenly made me feel incredibly irritable. Just then, the VIP room door opened. “Lexi’s here!” “Welcome, Prom Queen!” 11 Cole’s first love was very pretty. But she was highly hostile toward me. Surrounded by her clique, she made passive-aggressive comments meant to put me down. The atmosphere was tense, so I volunteered to wash the fruit knives to get away. At the same time, I was calculating something else. Cole spent money like water. I never explicitly asked him for money. Just by collecting the scraps he threw my way, I had finally saved enough for the surgery. It was time to break up. How should I bring it up? As I was pondering, Lexi and her squad surrounded me from behind. She dropped her goddess persona, acting like a total mean girl. “Did you roll your eyes at me just now?” “No.” “Liar! We all saw it!” “You’re overthinking it,” I said lazily, wiping down a fruit knife. “I can’t even be bothered to look at you. Why would I roll my eyes at you?” Lexi grew even more furious. Several girls lunged forward to tear at my dress. “Look at this dress, Cole definitely bought it! His taste is terrible!” “Today, we’re going to teach you who you messed with!” I was incredibly annoyed. Before they could ruin my dress, I reached out and grabbed Lexi by the hair. With a swift spin, I shoved her head right under the faucet. Let her wash her hair and cool down. The clique didn’t expect me to be so strong and all took a step back. I said coldly, “Just looking at you proves Cole’s taste is indeed terrible.” “You—glug glug—” Lexi was cursing quite colorfully, but I didn’t care. I was helping her rinse her mouth. “If you’re pissed off, go yell at Cole. Taking it out on me proves nothing. Only brainless, insecure girls like you would treat a trash man like a prize.” Lexi stopped cursing and started wailing. The bathroom was close to our VIP room. Cole and the guys rushed over upon hearing the noise. Lexi finally broke free from me. Looking like a drowned rat, she ran crying into Cole’s arms. “Your girlfriend bullied me!” “No way, Sydney isn’t like that…” Cole said instinctively. Lexi cried even louder. “Cole! Harrington! Didn’t you just see it? she shoved my head into the sink!” The clique finally snapped out of their shock: “Yeah, we all saw it.” “She bullied your ex-girlfriend and you’re not doing anything? Are you even a man!” Unable to withstand the provocation, Cole immediately looked at me sternly. “Sydney, apologize to her.” 12 Apologize? That’s hilarious. Spinning the fruit knife in my hand, I walked steadily toward Cole. No one dared to make a sound. Under my intimidating glare, Cole kept backing up. Until he tripped over the sofa and fell into it. I planted one foot right between his legs on the sofa cushion. A fraction of an inch more, and my black velvet stiletto would have crushed his most prized possession. “Time to settle the score, fuckboy.” The flat edge of the fruit knife brushed against Cole’s face. He flinched, seemingly startled by the cold metal. “You used me to make your ex jealous. I’ll let that slide. Luckily, all I wanted was your money, so you couldn’t break my heart. We’re even.” “But as of right now, we are broken up. Please don’t ever show your face in front of me again.” Cole froze, then suddenly reached out and grabbed my ankle. “What do you mean, all you wanted was money?” “It means exactly what it sounds like. Did you skip English class?” “Sydney Kensington, you don’t like me?” “I don’t. In fact, I find you incredibly annoying.” Under the dim lighting, Cole actually looked lost. “Impossible. How could you not like me? You’re always so obedient—” I stabbed the fruit knife down. Cole was petrified. A long moment later, he realized the knife was just stabbed into the sofa cushion next to him. “Even coming home with you this time was just for your family’s money. Stop flattering yourself—” Just as I finished speaking, I suddenly felt the atmosphere shift behind me. I turned around. Nathaniel stood in the doorway. He heard everything.

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