My younger sister passed away suddenly. With trembling hands, I called my wife’s assistant. I wanted to withdraw an advance of eighty dollars from the family fund to buy my sister the simplest wooden coffin. On the other end of the line, the assistant let out a mocking laugh. “Mr. Lester, you again? The ten thousand you asked for was just approved last month, and now you’re asking for money again? Do you think Ms. Jackson’s money comes from a random printing press?” “My sister, she…” Before I could finish, my wife interrupted me. “Ross, even wasting money should have its limits. I’ve transferred three million to you in total. Was that still not enough to treat your sister?” My mind went blank. Three million? The funds her assistant approved were at most fifty dollars a month, and in my worst month, only four cents! My heart went completely cold, and I no longer wanted to explain. I numbly put down my phone and got into the Porsche that had been waiting for me outside my home for eight straight months. The woman in the Porsche gave me a faint smile. I gathered my courage and said, “You said that as long as I divorce her, you’ll give me a black card with no spending limit. Is that true?” She looked at me gently. “Of course it’s true, Ross.” She handed me a pitch-black card with no numbers on it. “The password is your birthday.” I took the card. Its icy touch gave my slightly trembling fingers a sense of reality. “I need to take care of my sister’s funeral first.” “I’ll go with you.” The woman gently held my hand, her tone firm. Twenty minutes later, I stood outside my wife Ruby’s office. Even the massive soundproof door couldn’t block the intimate moans echoing from inside. I didn’t hesitate. Taking a deep breath, I lifted my hand and knocked. “Come in.” Ruby’s voice carried a trace of irritation at being disturbed. I pushed the door open. Even though I had prepared myself mentally, the sight still stabbed my eyes. Her assistant, Nick Rogers, was scrambling to stand up from between her legs, pulling up his zipper while smoothing his wrinkled shirt. Ruby’s face was still flushed as she leisurely smoothed down her tight skirt. When she saw me, she frowned. In the past, I would throw a tantrum on every anniversary because she wouldn’t accompany me. This time, she probably thought the same. I steadied my emotions and handed over a document. “Sign it.” Ruby glanced at the cover and sneered, assuming it was another agreement asking for money. “How much do you want this time?” I didn’t speak or beg her to come home like before, so she unexpectedly added a few more words. “Today is our wedding anniversary. I forgot to prepare anything for you. Take this card and buy yourself something.” She tossed over a secondary card. I didn’t take it and simply repeated, “Sign it.” Impatience finally showed on her face. She picked up the document, flipped straight to the last page without reading a word, and signed her name, Ruby Jackson. It ended our ten-year marriage. Watching her finish, my heart felt hollow, yet at the same time, strangely relieved, as if a weight I had carried for years had finally been lifted. So she remembered that today was our anniversary. But she didn’t know that from today on, this date was no longer just our wedding anniversary. It was also the day when my sister Fiona died. Nick had assumed I came to ask for money again, and then he gave a contemptuous sneer. But when he caught the words “Divorce Agreement” on the document, that contempt instantly turned into uncontrollable joy.

I picked up the signed agreement and turned to leave. “I’ll see Ross out.” Nick quickly followed. Once outside the office, he dragged me into a corner of the hallway. His voice was full of flaunting and humiliation. “At least you know what’s good for you.” He pulled out a wad of crumpled bills from his pocket and slapped them hard into my face. “Take the money. Buy a coffin for your dead sister. Consider it my charity.” Dead sister… How dared he mention my sister? The anger I had been holding back finally exploded. I grabbed his collar and smashed my fist straight into his nose. “My sister was only two hundred dollars short of getting surgery!” “Two thousand! Your approvals dragged on for three months! Three whole months! Until she died, it was never approved!” “And in the end, only four cents hit the account! Did you hear that? Four cents!” I went mad, every punch thrown with all my strength. My sister was killed by him. Because the $200 never came through, I panicked and took on food delivery jobs to scrape together the surgery fee. It was him. He used the excuse that I was damaging Ruby’s image and had people lock me up. When I got out, all that awaited me was my sister’s cold corpse. The doctor said that before she died, she kept calling for her brother. She called and called, until her breathing slowly stopped. “Ah!” Nick let out a scream. Blood sprayed all over my faded leather jacket. Hearing the noise, the office door was violently pushed open. It was Ruby. Seeing us fighting against each other, she didn’t hesitate. She aimed straight at my lower back and kicked me hard. Because I had spent years testing medicine and equipment for her, I had a severe lumbar strain. She knew this better than anyone. The searing pain drained all my strength at once, and I collapsed into a curled heap on the floor. “Ross, what the hell are you doing?” Ruby didn’t even look at me. She rushed straight to Nick and wiped the blood from his face with deep concern. “Are you okay? Does it hurt?” I clutched my aching, weakened spine and laughed bitterly inside. The old Ruby would protect me even if I lost a single strand of hair. Now, for a man who wasn’t even scratched, she showed me no mercy. Seeing Nick’s miserable look, she turned around and raised her hand, delivering a loud slap straight across my face. She almost beat me into unconsciousness. My ears rang, and my mouth filled with the taste of blood. Her eyes were full of disappointment. “I gave you plenty of chances. You’re the one who didn’t cherish them.” “Nick, freeze all his funds and change every password to the villa.” “And Ross. Go to the ancestral hall and take thirty lashes of family punishment. Kneel for three days and three nights. When you’ve figured things out, come back and apologize to Nick.” After that, she supported the still-whimpering Nick and left without looking back. I lay on the icy floor and laughed out loud. Froze my funds? What funds did I even have left? The villa? In that villa, aside from a few old clothes she bought me in college, now washed to a pale white. I had nothing valuable. As for the ancestral hall… It was nothing more than a dark room used to punish me. All these years, stepping into her office without permission would earn me ten lashes. If I failed to book a dress that satisfied her, I’d get ten lashes. Even if I went to the hospital to see my critically ill sister, she would punish me with ten lashes, claiming she felt insecure when I stayed with other women… I clenched the warm black card in my pocket and used every ounce of strength to push myself up from the floor. With a leg that felt ready to give out, I hobbled step by step toward the Porsche waiting downstairs. I had money now. I would buy my sister the best coffin in the entire world.

The car door opened. Elsa saw the bruise on my face and the blood on my body, and her eyes immediately reddened. “No one will dare bully you again, not with me around.” Her voice was hoarse. I had once thought that no woman’s words could be trusted. But she took out from a storage box a watch I had lost in high school and a yellowed science notebook. “Do you remember? That girl who hid in the woods crying because she didn’t do well on the exams.” “It was you who comforted me and even gave me your notes, letting me regain confidence.” “This watch… I found it in the cafeteria. I wanted to return it to you, but you transferred to some other school. Then I never saw you again.” “Now, it’s back where it belongs.” Looking at the watch, my eyes suddenly burned. So there was still someone who really cared about me. I said, gripping her hand, “After I finish my sister’s funeral, we’ll get married.” The funeral for my sister was simple but solemn. I used the money Elsa had given me to choose the best grave and the finest shroud for her. Standing in front of the tombstone, I looked at her radiant smile in the photo, and my heart felt shattered. My phone vibrated. It was a screenshot sent by a former colleague who was still somewhat friendly. It was Ruby’s social media post. Beneath the Maldives sunset, Nick had his arm around her waist. Around his neck hung the anniversary necklace I had painstakingly saved for and given to Ruby last year. The caption, written by Nick, said, “Ms. Jackson has been too tired lately. I’ll take good care of her from now on.” In the photo album, there was also a picture of them shirtless, covered only by a thin sheet hiding their private parts. The background was a messy hotel bed. My heart had already shattered the moment my sister passed away. Now, even the last shred of feelings had been burned away. I opened Ruby’s chat with a blank expression, my fingers tapping on the screen. “Ruby, we’re done. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other.” After sending it, I blocked and deleted all her and Nick’s contact information. I want it to be all finished. Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in the Maldives, Ruby, flirting with Nick in the pool, suddenly felt a sharp pain in her chest and an inexplicable panic. She impatiently pushed away Nick, who was trying to get close again, and picked up her phone, almost instinctively opening the chat with me. She wanted to type something but saw a glaring red exclamation mark pop up on the screen. Ruby froze. “Ross had deleted me?” She couldn’t believe it and immediately called my number. “The number you dialed is switched off.” Panic overtook her. She immediately opened all social media platforms, even something that I had long stopped using. Without exception, everything had been blocked. For the first time, I had completely disappeared from her world in such an absolute way. Ruby’s face instantly darkened to an extreme. But she quickly found a reason to convince herself. “Surely it’s because I didn’t accompany him on our anniversary. He’s just jealous.” She muttered to herself, her gaze regaining that high-and-mighty confidence. “Playing hard to get? Amateurish.” She sneered, then expertly opened a luxury goods app and ordered a bunch of things I had once mentioned wanting, but she had never cared about. She also ordered a limited edition supercar I had dreamed of for a long time. “Book the earliest flight back home.” She commanded Nick beside her, a hint of uncontrollable irritation in her tone. She wanted to return and see me kneeling before her, begging for mercy.

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Seven years ago, a patient died during an emergency rescue I led. They said I didn’t do enough to save him. The family protested outside the hospital with signs, demanding justice. They were there every single day, blocking the entrance and yelling that I should pay with my life. My own father thought I was guilty. When he passed away, he didn’t even let me attend his funeral. The hospital stripped me of everything, and I spent seven years in prison. When I got out, I went north to the forest. I became a ranger. I finally found peace. Then Adrian Cross showed up and ruined everything. He was my ex-husband, and he’d done pretty well for himself. He ran a big hospital by then, and everyone knew his name. His team rolled into the ranger station during a heavy snowstorm, and their vehicles cut through the silent white landscape. Someone’s voice rang out across the clearing. “Dr. Wells, Mr. Cross has been thinking about you this whole time! He’s still wearing his wedding ring!” I saw him standing there in the crowd, looking perfect as always. Just seeing him made me feel sick. Because this man, who supposedly never stopped thinking about me, was the same person who rewrote the medical records seven years ago. He protected his precious first love and made me take the fall for everything.

Snow kept hammering against the window. I opened the door, and Adrian was standing outside in his coat. There wasn’t a single snowflake on him. “Victoria?” He sounded surprised, like he couldn’t believe it was really me. I didn’t answer. My hand grabbed onto the doorframe, and a rough piece of wood jabbed into my palm. It hurt like hell. “Mr. Cross, I heard you were bringing your team out here for winter medical rounds, so I thought I’d stop by and say hello.” Connor, one of the other rangers, squeezed past me from behind. He was rubbing his hands together against the cold and grinning like an idiot. “I’ll just be here for a minute.” My heart jumped, and something twisted in my chest. I didn’t have a choice. I walked outside. The second I stepped through the door, a woman with glasses headed straight for me. I recognized her immediately. She used to work under Rachel Green. I had no idea what she was doing in Adrian’s team back then. “You’re Dr. Wells, aren’t you? Mr. Cross talks about you all the time.” She smiled at me, but there was something pointed in her tone. “He always sayid you were incredible in the ER back in the day. I never thought I’d actually run into you out here.” Adrian cleared his throat suddenly, but his face stayed completely blank. “Why don’t you all wait outside? I need to talk to her alone.” Everyone took the hint and filed out of the cabin. Once they were gone, Adrian finally spoke. “Victoria, am… I too late?” I bit down hard on my lip. When I spoke, my voice came out barely above a whisper. “I wouldn’t dare ask you to come find me, Mr. Cross.” This was the first time I’d ever talked to him like he was a stranger. Adrian frowned and looked me up and down, then moved toward me. “You look… terrible. How’d you end up like this?” Terrible? Was he seriously asking me that right now? I sneered and stepped back without thinking. “Director Cross, if there’s nothing else, you should probably head back. I’ve got patrol rounds to do later.” I shoved my hands into my pockets to hide the chilblains covering them. I didn’t want to give him anything to mock me with. But he just looked at me with that supposedly loving gaze and said, “Vic, does it really have to be like this between us? Actually, there’s something you didn’t know back then…” Just as Adrian was about to step closer, a voice interrupted him. “Ad, didn’t you promise you’d come with me to my prenatal appointment today? How did you forget again?” Rachel had one hand resting on her slightly rounded belly, and she was pouting at Adrian like a spoiled kid. Then she turned to me with this smug look on her face. “Dr. Wells, how nice to see you here. It’s been forever since we last met each other, hasn’t it? Ad and I had plans for laster, so I got so worried that I had to track him down when I couldn’t find him earlier. I hope I’m not interrupting your little reunion.” She looped her arm through Adrian’s like it was the most natural thing in the world. So they already had a baby on the way. Then what the hell was he even doing here? Had he driven all this way just so I could see how happy he was now? I shouldn’t have been surprised. Back when I was the department head, he made me work as Rachel’s assistant just to give her more opportunities. And when the medical accident happened, he threw me under the bus without a second thought. Love like that needed an audience. It always did. I forced a smile, and just as I was about to say something, Rachel’s lackey from earlier piped up again. “Oh Honey, you don’t have to come all the way here. It’s freezing out here. You really need to be careful in your condition. Honestly, you should just stay home and rest. Don’t worry, I’ve got everything under control here.” What a fucking kiss-ass. I didn’t want to deal with any of their bullshit, so I turned around and started closing the door.

My brother, Zachary Wells, called me out of nowhere. I hadn’t heard from him in years. “Listen, Victoria, I’m warning you. Stop bothering Adrian! He’s about to be a father, so quit embarrassing yourself!” I froze. Rachel must’ve complained to him about me. Before I could even process that, Zachary kept going. “You didn’t even show up to Dad’s funeral, and Mom’s health is terrible. Adrian’s been taking care of everything for us these past few years! Don’t you dare cause any more trouble!” I was about to ask him how Mom was doing, but he hung up on me. Right. I went to prison for seven years and the whole family thought I was a disgrace to the Wells name. Before Dad died, he made it clear I wasn’t allowed at his funeral. He didn’t even want my name on his tombstone. Even Zachary and Mom, the two people who used to love me most, treated me like strangers by then. Thinking about Mom made my eyes start to burn. I wondered what they’d all think if they knew the truth. That Adrian and Rachel were the ones who destroyed my life. Adrian’s hand shot out and stopped me from closing the door. “Don’t be too hard on Zach,” he said quietly. “He’s in a tough spot.” “Mom’s been sick ever since Dad passed. Zach’s been handling everything on his own and taking care of her. It’s not easy for him.” He pushed his glasses up his nose and sighed. “Look, I know I didn’t handle things well back then. I’ve been trying to make it up to you all these years.” “If you need anything… I mean, if there’s anything I can do…” I didn’t let him finish. I slammed the door shut. Voices drifted through the gap, loud enough to hear. “Who does she think she is? Does she seriously still think she’s still the ‘Doctor Miracle’?” “The director came here himself and she can’t even be grateful.” “Stop it. If she doesn’t want to see me right now, we’ll go.” That was Adrian’s voice, calm as ever. “We’ve got plenty of time.”

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Just before the New Year, I finally regained my sight after having been blinded in an accident. Overjoyed, I ran without thinking, eager to share the news with my boyfriend and my best friend. But on my way to find them, I paused in my tracks when I noticed several nurses in the lobby looking at a viral poll online. “My best friend lost her parents overnight and became blind.” “For her, I gave up my job abroad and returned home to care for her with her boyfriend for three years.” “But I’ve fallen helplessly in love with her boyfriend. Over these three years, we’ve cautiously shared every kind of intimacy.” “I know deep down this can’t go on—I can’t betray my best friend—so I must leave.” “If this post gets over 100,000 votes supporting my decision to leave, I’ll spend one last New Year with the one I love before flying abroad, never to return.” The moment I saw the poster’s profile picture, I froze—it was a photo I had taken of my best friend myself, before I lost my sight. And the number of votes urging her to stay surpassed those for leaving by a full 10,000. *** I strained my eyes, wishing I could pierce right through the nurse’s phone screen. The poll results were split into two camps—blue and red. Blue supported the poster in staying to pursue true love. Red supported her going abroad and leaving this twisted relationship behind. My breath grew shallow, my mind a muddled haze. In that moment, I almost wished I were still that little blind girl who couldn’t see a thing. I had waited three long years for fate to restore the sight I’d lost—a miracle that should have filled me with joy now left me chilled to the bone. Willow Barnes’s profile picture was a snapshot I’d taken of her back when we were eighteen, leaning against the classroom window. She had kissed me over and over, and used that photo as her profile picture everywhere. “Sweetie, this avatar you took for me—I’m going to use it till I’m eighty!” But now, wearing that same picture, she was breaking my heart in ways I couldn’t bear. Tears fell suddenly onto the phone screen. The nurses all looked my way, launching into an animated discussion. “You think their love triangle is just as messy and tragic, don’t you?” “If it were you, would you want the poster to be with her best friend’s boyfriend, or go abroad?” “We all think the guy should choose the poster. Who’d want to spend their whole life with a blind person? That kind of future would be unbearable. That’s why we voted blue.” My hands, hanging at my sides, trembled uncontrollably. It was true—I was blind, dependent, nothing but a burden to Drystan Ashton. So he had chosen to leave me for someone better. Even though my sight had returned, what right did I have to ask him to come back to me? I couldn’t be that selfish. Fighting back the ache in my nose, I forced a smile and told the nurses, “Yes, you’re right. A guy shouldn’t be tied down for life to a blind person.” “True love deserves to be celebrated—I vote blue too.” I would let them have their happiness. After stepping out of the lobby, I soon saw Willow and Drystan hurrying toward me. My gaze fixed on their tightly entwined figures. Three years had passed—Drystan’s shoulders looked broader, more capable of offering security. Willow was more beautiful than ever, radiant with happiness. The wind was bitter and cold. Drystan wrapped his coat around Willow, the two of them looking like a match made in heaven. As they drew near, Willow made to pull away from his embrace. But Drystan held her firmly, wearing a wounded expression as he leaned down to kiss the corner of her mouth. After a passionate response, Willow glared at him, breathless. It was a silent reminder: She’s right here. Be careful. Don’t slip up. If my sight hadn’t returned, I would never have known that all this time—the casual kisses, the embraces, and surely more—had been happening right in front of me, as if I weren’t even there. I pushed the sorrow down and smiled brightly, speaking first, “Drystan, Willow, is that you? You came to pick me up?”

Willow linked her arm with mine and pressed a kiss to my cheek. “We wouldn’t let you come alone. We were worried.” “My office was swamped today, and Drystan had a situation at the lab,” she explained. “I’m so sorry you had to handle the hospital check-up by yourself.” Drystan’s question was directed at me, but his gaze lingered softly on Willow. “What did the doctor say, Athena? Any progress with your eyes?” I squeezed the report in my hand before tucking it back into my coat. “No change. The doctor said… it might stay this way for years.” A flicker of something—relief?—passed through Drystan’s eyes, and it cut deeper than any blade. Deep down, he didn’t want my eyesight to recover. Of course. My blindness had been convenient for them. He reached out to stroke my hair, the gesture now feeling rehearsed. “Don’t worry, Athena. Willow and I are here. We’re not going anywhere.” “A day, a year, a decade—we’ll wait. We’ll always be with you.” Once, those words would have shattered me with gratitude. Now, I watched the man who had just kissed my best friend tenderly vow his constancy to me, and felt only a hollow, sickening cold. Willow’s fingers brushed my cheek, her concern instant and sharp. “Athena, you’re crying. What’s wrong?” “Did someone say something to you at the hospital? Point them out. I’ll handle it.” Her protectiveness was so real, so fierce, it made the ache in my chest tighten. I shook my head, forcing a smile. “Just the wind. It’s nothing. Really.” She shrugged off her jacket and wrapped it around my shoulders. “It’s freezing. Wear this. Come on, let’s get what we need for dinner.” The fabric held no warmth. Drystan frowned, immediately shedding his own coat and draping it over Willow’s shoulders with practiced ease. She lifted her arms to accommodate him—a small, intimate dance they’d clearly perfected while I lived in the dark. Three days until New Year’s Eve. The supermarket was bustling. Willow kept my arm tucked in hers, her voice bright with plans for our eighteenth holiday together. “Make sure to pick up extra button mushrooms—they’re Athena’s absolute favorite.” “Drystan, did you remember the chicken thighs? I’m going to make her honey garlic chicken tonight!” He smiled at her, a look of pure fondness. “Already in the cart. She’s my girlfriend. I know what she likes.” The chill in my veins deepened. I had seen the cart before Willow spoke. It was already full—with Willow’s preferred cuts of meat, her favorite drinks and snacks. Her needs came first now. The man I’d loved for ten years was gone, his heart and attention wholly elsewhere. They chatted on, oblivious, mapping out the feast. Then, a wobble from a high shelf. Boxes teetered. Before my mind could process the danger, Drystan moved. As my hand instinctively reached for him, he was already there—but not for me. He wrapped his arms around Willow and pulled her to safety. “Willow, watch out!” My hand closed on empty air. The world tilted. A crushing weight slammed into my shoulder, and my head struck the sharp metal edge of the shelf. Pain, white and hot, erupted. Then, the warm, coppery trickle of blood down my temple, blurring the vision in one eye. Across the aisle, Drystan was cupping Willow’s face, his voice urgent. “Are you hurt? Did anything hit you?” Willow, breathless with shock, leaned into him. “I’m okay. You got me out just in time.” They had forgotten me. It was a store employee who helped me up, her voice alarmed. “Miss, your head—you’re bleeding badly. You need to go to the emergency room.” Only then did their heads turn. “Athena!” They rushed over, a united front of concern. “Why didn’t you move?” “Don’t be scared, we’ll take you to the hospital.” I shook my head, the movement making the world swim. “No hospital. Just… a clinic. Please. I don’t want to go back there.” I couldn’t let them find out. Not now. Reluctantly, they agreed. After a hurried trip to a local clinic for stitches and a bandage, they took me home. Now, I was not just the blind girl, but the scarred one too. A perfect picture of pitiful ruin.

The moment I stepped inside, a sharp pang pierced my chest. Beyond the ubiquitous corner guards and safety padding, the entire apartment was saturated with Willow’s presence. This was the tiny nest Drystan and I had scraped together to buy after graduation. But during my years of blindness, the walls had become a gallery of their intimate photographs. The balcony overflowed with hydrangeas—her favorite flower. All my own plants and flowers had long since withered and died. This wasn’t my home anymore. It felt more like I had stumbled into Drystan and Willow’s love nest. Drystan took my hand and led me to the sofa. “Athena, I couldn’t push you out of the way in time earlier, and you got hurt. Are you angry with me?” “I’m sorry. I failed to protect you.” I feigned a vacant stare ahead. “It’s okay, Drystan. I don’t blame you. The boxes weren’t secured properly.” He bent down and kissed the back of my hand, his relief palpable. “Good. Just sit tight. I’ll make us dinner.” I smiled and nodded. He and Willow went into the kitchen together. Their banter was playful, flirtatious, as they prepped the ingredients. Quietly, I pulled out my seldom-used phone and found Willow’s post. Right now, the votes supporting her staying with Drystan had reached 100,000. The likes supporting her going abroad stood at 90,000. I finished reading in silence, then booked a one-way ticket out of Riveraee. Only after switching off my phone did I notice the heated exchange coming from the kitchen. Drystan, sounding frantic, was pulling Willow toward the bedroom. Battling the turmoil inside, I quietly followed. Through the crack in the door, I saw Drystan shove his phone in front of Willow’s face. His voice trembled. “Willow, what is this post? You’re planning to leave me? Go abroad?” He had discovered her exit strategy. Willow’s eyes instantly welled up. She buried her face in her hands, sinking to the floor with a sob. “Athena’s eyes will recover eventually. How am I supposed to face her? How can I shamelessly tell her I’ve fallen in love with you?” “Drystan, you are Athena’s boyfriend. I’m just… the best friend who betrayed her, a secret she can’t ever know about.” “I can’t face her. Running away is my only choice. Please, don’t push me.” Drystan slowly knelt before her, gathering her into his arms. With a reverence that was tender, he kissed the tears from her cheeks. “Willow, don’t go. We’re in love. How can we just walk away?” “The doctor said it could be years before Athena’s sight returns. She’ll never know.” “And look—100,000 people online support us, support our love. Are you just going to ignore that?” The warmth drained from my fingertips. Maybe if I were still that blind girl, I could have lived in ignorance forever. I wouldn’t have had to lose my boyfriend and my best friend at the same time. But here I was, forced to watch them kiss, comfort each other, and plan a future—right in front of me. Willow clutched at Drystan’s shoulders, her voice choked with anguish. “Drystan, my conscience is eating me alive every second. Let fate decide. If, after the New Year, the votes for me leaving break 100,000… then I’m going. No matter what. Let me go. You belong to Athena, not to me.” Agony etched across Drystan’s face. He held her tighter, his own voice breaking. “Alright. I want you to be happy… even if the price is losing you.” The taste of salt filled my mouth. I covered it with my hand, turned, and silently walked away.

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While tidying up my son, Eden Gilbert’s room, I chanced upon his blood donation record, clearly listing his blood type as Type B. Yet both my husband, Carl Gilbert, and I, Eve Bronte, had Type O blood. How could we have a child with Type B blood? I took the record to Carl. He was usually polite, but this time he flew into a rage on the spot. “Eden is already in college! What else do you want? Are you being paranoid? Have you lost your mind?” I insisted on doing a paternity test. But he slapped me hard twice, stormed out, and locked the door from the outside. Listening to the sound of the lock turning, I suddenly laughed. Eighteen years of marriage, with all my heart and soul given, and it turned out to be all in vain. Calmly, I picked up my phone and called Carl’s competing company. “I agree to transfer the patent to you.” After hanging up the phone, a sense of desolation filled my heart. Over the years, so many leading companies had tried to woo me with attractive offers. Yet I had turned them all down for Carl and Eden, content to be the unsung person behind Gilbert Group. I had given Gilbert Group a patent worth tens of billions, yet I hadn’t received a single cent in dividends. Now, looking back, it seemed incredibly foolish. I sat on the sofa until three a.m. Carl didn’t come home until late at night. In the darkness, neither of us spoke. In those eighteen years, we had had good times. During his early entrepreneurial days, I stayed up with him to revise plans, dozing off on his shoulder when tired. He always said to me, “Eve, once the company grows, I’ll give you the best.” Later, the company did thrive. He became so busy that he was rarely seen at home, always collapsing into bed right after he got home. Whenever I complained about my loneliness, he said, “Don’t you have Eden with you?” When I wanted to attend a concert, he said, “Let the secretary accompany you. I really can’t spare the time.” Gradually, I stopped asking for anything. I thought this was how marriage worked. From passion to calmness, from love to something that felt more like family obligation. Now, thinking back, I suddenly realized this whole family thing seemed to only work for me. To him, our love had long turned into something else. When dawn broke, I went to the kitchen, only to meet Carl, who hadn’t cooked for a long time. “Morning.” He looked back at me with dark circles under his eyes. “I made breakfast.” On the dining table were milk, toasted bread, and slightly burnt fried eggs. He also sat down, and neither of us mentioned what had happened the day before. “Eden is coming back next week.” Holding the cup, my hand paused for a moment. “Mm.” His voice lowered. “Eve, don’t read too much into it, okay? I promise I’ll spend more time with you and Eden.” I looked up at him. I had seen this face for eighteen years, from youthful to mature. I used to be able to tell whether his smile was genuine or fake, whether he was happy or troubled. Now, I couldn’t see through it anymore. Without looking up, I responded softly, “When will we run the paternity test?” The tenderness on his face froze for a moment and slowly faded. “Do you really have to do this?” His knife and fork clattered onto the plate, making a crisp sound. I suddenly remembered when Eden was young, everyone said he looked like Carl, but no one ever said he looked like me. I stood on the balcony, watching his car drive out of the garage before going to the study. A divorce agreement and a property division agreement were on the table. I had a hundred percent interest in the patent that had supported Gilbert Group until now. But after so much time, Carl seemed to have already taken it as his own. My phone rang. It was my mother, Sera Bronte. “Eve, are you feeling better today?” Her voice was cheerful. “By the way, your sister is coming back next week. Carl knew you were not in a good mood, so he bought the ticket for Molly.” “He has arranged a director position for her in Gilbert Group. It’s been a long time since you two sisters have seen each other. Next week, let’s have a family dinner together.”

Molly Bronte. The name made my eyelids twitch. She was back, arranged by Carl. I had worked so hard for the company for years without even a title, yet she was given a director position as soon as she returned from abroad. Scattered memories suddenly flooded my mind. When had Carl and Molly become so close? I pursed my lips and kept my voice calm. “What time? I’ll cook.” “Oh, no, dear. We’ll bring the dishes. You just rest well,” my mother paused. “Eve, listen to me. Be affectionate towards Carl at night. You know men. They are just too proud.” I didn’t want to continue the conversation, so I mumbled a few words and hung up the phone. Then I booked an expedited service with a paternity testing center outside the state. After doing that, I went to Eden’s room to collect his hair. Once I sent the hair to the testing center, I messaged a private detective to investigate Carl’s financial transactions. Twelve hours later, the report from the testing center arrived in my email. I sat in the study for a long time before opening the file. I went straight to the last page. “Eve Bronte is excluded as the biological mother of Eden Gilbert based on DNA analysis.” Although I already knew the truth in my heart, my hands still trembled uncontrollably when I saw it in black and white. It had been eighteen years. I felt short of breath, and the world around me seemed to spin. I closed the file, stood up, and walked to the window. Outside the window was Merybridge in autumn, with the sycamore leaves beginning to turn yellow. In the distance, the Ferris wheel in the amusement park slowly rotated. I seemed to see the happy times when we were a family of three. Once, I thought they would be the two people I would protect with my whole life. My phone vibrated. It was the preliminary report from the detective. Several screenshots of bank statements and a few transfer records. A monthly remittance from Carl’s personal account to an overseas account, which had continued for at least ten years. And the account holder of that overseas account was Molly. The amount was no small sum, enough for a person to live a very comfortable life abroad. On the last page, the detective added a line. [Ms. Molly Bronte owns a property overseas, purchased nineteen years ago, paid in full.] The year I was found to be pregnant was the same year Molly went abroad. A sudden suspicion flashed through my mind. *** As expected, my parents arrived on the weekend, laden with bags of food. Molly followed behind them, dressed in a beige suit and carrying an exquisite gift box. “Eve,” she said with a smile, walking over to hug me. But I slightly sidestepped to avoid her. Her smile froze for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure. “It’s been a long time. I’ve brought you a gift.” The dining table was filled with dishes. My mother bustled around, while my father, Oliver Bronte, and Carl chatted about company matters in the living room. Molly naturally took the seat next to Carl. I frowned but said nothing. During the meal, as Molly reached for a dish, a jade bracelet caught my eye on her wrist. I was transfixed. I had seen that bracelet two years ago at an auction. It exhibited exceptional translucency with a vivid, uniform emerald-green hue throughout. I really loved it, but I didn’t have the heart to buy it, considering the price. Carl had said at the time, “If you like it, bid for it. Money is not a problem.” I replied, “It’s too expensive. Forget it.” When I asked about it later, he said it had already been sold to someone else. Now, it was on Molly’s wrist. “Eve, what are you looking at?” Molly noticed my gaze and smiled, turning her wrist. “Isn’t this bracelet beautiful? Carl gave it to me. He said it suits me.” Carl, who was sipping soup, choked and looked up at me. “It’s a welcome gift for Molly’s new job.” “Right, right,” my mother quickly intervened, smoothing things over. “We’re all family. What’s the harm in giving a gift? Eve, you’re not that stingy, are you?” I didn’t speak, just focusing my gaze on Carl. He avoided my gaze. Molly smiled again, her voice gentle. “Eve, don’t misunderstand. I just think some things look better when worn by the right person. Like this bracelet, doesn’t it look more transparent on my hand than in the auction house?” As she spoke, her eyes were on Carl. I was all too familiar with that look. It was tinged with triumph, with the possessiveness a woman had when looking at her man. After the meal, Molly volunteered to wash the dishes. Carl got up to help, and the two of them went into the kitchen, one after the other. I sat in the living room, listening to the sound of water and whispers coming from the kitchen. I couldn’t make out the words, but Molly’s occasional laughter was so obvious. My mother sat beside me. “Eve, look how sensible Molly is, even offering to help. She’s come back this time to support Carl wholeheartedly. You should stop frowning all the time and talk to her more.” My father also spoke up. “It’s never easy for Carl to have built the company to this size. You should be glad that he has a family’s assistance. As Molly’s big sister, you should be more magnanimous.” I turned to look at my father. “Dad, Carl is your son-in-law, and Molly is your adopted daughter. Don’t you think they’re getting a bit too close?” My father’s face darkened. “What nonsense are you talking about? Molly grew up under our watchful eyes, just like you. What’s wrong with her helping her brother-in-law?” “Just like me?” I repeated softly. “What if I tell you that Eden might not be my biological child?” My parents were stunned. My mother recovered first, grabbing my hand fiercely. “Eve! You can’t just say things like that! How could Eden not be your child? Are you just overthinking again?” My father slapped the table. “Enough! You really are insane! Carl was right. You should see a doctor!” Their reactions extinguished the last flicker of hope in my heart. In their eyes, only people like Carl, who could bring them direct benefits, mattered. But they didn’t know that Carl had become who he was today only because of me. That evening, after everyone had left, I said to Carl. “Next week, I’m going to stay at the old house for a few days to sort out some old things.” He didn’t ask further and nodded. “Need a drive?” “Nope.”

The old house was where I lived before I got married. Over the years, my parents had moved to a new community, leaving this place vacant. I rummaged through the attic for old belongings. In an old leather trunk, I found things that Molly hadn’t taken with her back then. Several diaries, some photos, and a small iron box. I opened the box, revealing a stack of letters. The topmost envelope was already yellowed, addressed to “Dear Carl.” The handwriting was elegant, unmistakably Molly’s. I pulled out the letter and unfolded it. “Dear Carl, you came to see Eve again today. The way you smiled at her made my heart ache. I know I shouldn’t feel this way, but I really fancy you.” There was another letter below. “Dear Carl, I heard you’re getting married. Eve is so lucky and happy. If only I had met you first, would things be different?” My hands began to tremble as I continued to flip through the letters. The last item was not a letter but a photograph. In the photo, Molly stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Carl under a cherry blossom tree, her head slightly leaning on his shoulder, her hand resting on her stomach. On the back of the photo was a small line of text: [The unloved one is always the outsider.] I held the photo, my fingertips cold. So it had been that early, and I had been a fool, kept in the dark for so many years. Then where had my real child gone? I took out my phone, took a deep breath, and sent a message to the detective. [Help me check the birth records and surveillance from Merybridge Maternity Hospital on June 21st, eighteen years ago, 3:00 PM.] [Also, look into Molly’s records abroad eighteen years ago, focusing on whether she has any childbirth records.] At that moment, my phone vibrated. It was a notification from the home smart app. [Abnormal movement detected in the house security camera.] I furrowed my brow. At this hour, Carl should have been at the company, and the maid had taken the day off. I tapped on the app, and the live feed loaded. The living room camera was aimed at the sofa area, where Molly appeared. Carl was lounging on the sofa, his tie loosely hanging around his neck. Molly had changed into a somewhat sheer silk strapless dress that clung softly to her body. She sat on Carl’s lap, her fingers slowly unbuttoning the top two buttons of his shirt. Instead of pushing her away, Carl raised his hand, sliding it down her hair and finally resting it on her waist, giving it a gentle squeeze. Carl’s breathing had noticeably become heavier. The light fell on them, entwined so closely that they seemed inseparable. I watched the screen, feeling a chill in my stomach and a wave of nausea rising, clogging my throat. “Carl, dear,” her voice was so soft it seemed to drip with moisture, “do you realize how much it hurts every time Eden calls me ‘Aunt’? He should be calling me…” “Molly!” Carl interrupted her sharply, turning his face away to avoid her touch. But his hand, still gripping her wrist, did not let go. At that moment, it felt as if something inside me shattered completely. The subsequent scenes were too intimate to bear. The recording ended. I closed the app and tossed my phone aside. My stomach churned so violently that I had to rush to the bathroom sink and retched. But nothing came out, only a burning pain that spread from my chest throughout my body. My phone vibrated incessantly on the bed. It took me a while to compose myself before I went back to check. Messages from the detective kept pouring in. [Ms. Bronte, found it.] [Molly Bronte entered Gullspit in July eighteen years ago and gave birth to a full-term baby boy at a private hospital in Witchfen in August. The blood type was recorded as B.] [We’ve retrieved the records from the Merybridge Maternity Hospital on the day of your childbirth. Between three and five in the afternoon, two baby girls were born. The hospital has since closed down, and the records are lost.] [But when Molly went to Gullspit again in November of that year, she was accompanied by a baby girl about five months old.] [She currently works illegally in a local restaurant. According to the restaurant owner and neighbors, she lives in poverty, is very reclusive, and often has unexplained bruises on her body. Molly collects most of her wages through an intermediary every month.] Photos were attached at the end. One showed a back alley with a thin figure carrying an enormous garbage bag. Another showed a corner of the restaurant, where she was huddled on a stool, eating cold leftovers with a blank expression on her face. The most recent one was a close-up of her arm, covered in bruises. She was so far away, doing the hardest work and getting beaten, while the money she earned was handed over to the woman who had stolen everything from her. An overwhelming wave of hatred engulfed me in an instant. I stood up, and my vision went black for a few seconds. I steadied myself against the wall, digging my fingernails into my palm. The pain brought me back to my senses. I cried for a long time until my tears ran dry, leaving only a burning ache in my chest. I sent all the information, including the surveillance footage, to my lawyer and then called the rival company of Gilbert Group. “I’ll sign the patent authorization tomorrow, but I have one condition: Gilbert Group must go bankrupt.” There was a low chuckle from the other end, and a cool male voice came through, affirmative in tone. “No problem.” After hanging up, I looked at all the evidence on my phone. I thought, “Carl, I can raise you as high as I want, and I can bring you down just as hard!”

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The day I accompanied my fiancé for our premarital checkup, his nominal sister, Verna Carllyle, a doctor in that hospital, strode into the corridor and let out a shrill, deliberate yell, “Chloe Kent partied with five men at a nightclub just last night. She’s even kept by an old geezer! She’s carrying a severe infection—discharge, inflammation, the whole mess, yet she still has the audacity to show up for a premarital checkup?” Pregnant women waiting in line gasped in shock, their ultrasound reports slipping from trembling hands and scattering across the floor. Without hesitation, they scrambled to put distance between themselves and me. In my past life, I had been on the verge of confronting Verna, but my fiancé, Ivan Tracy, dragged me away in a hurry. “Verna’s just throwing a childish tantrum. Don’t let her words get to you. You’re marrying me, and my trust in you is all that matters.” However, word of the incident soon leaked online. The backlash was so vicious that my parents were literally angered to death, and I myself was hounded to my last breath by radical netizens. When I opened my eyes once more, I found myself right back on the day of the checkup, with Verna’s venomous voice still ringing in my ears. “I fixed you up with that repair surgery just last month, and you’ve already ruined it again this time? With a private life this sordid, do you really think you deserve to marry Ivan?” Ivan shot Verna a helpless look. “Verna, that’s enough. Hurry up with the checkup. Chloe and I have a marriage license to collect afterward.” A cold sneer tugged at my lips as I stepped back. “Marriage license? When did I ever agree to marry you?” Ivan froze in place, then reached out to drag me towards the exit. “Chloe, what’s gotten into you? Today’s the day we get our license. Don’t be so childish.” Verna ripped off her face mask, jabbing a finger at me as she shrieked. “People may see you as the respectable heiress of the Kent family, but they have no idea how filthy you really are behind closed doors!” “Everyone in this hospital has heard about your sordid escapades! It’s only because Ivan’s got a heart of gold that he’s willing to take you in, you slut!” My mind went blank for a split second, and then it hit me—I had gone back in time. Meanwhile, disgusted murmurs rippled through the crowd around me. “Girls these days have no shame at all. They put on such innocent faces, but they’re nothing but cheap whores underneath. Who knows how much they charge for a night?” In my past life, shame had overwhelmed me completely. After Ivan pulled me away, I had made no attempt to defend myself, making myself seem guilty. This time, however, a cold laugh escaped my lips. “Everyone in the hospital knows? Are you from the obstetrics and gynecology department… or the STD clinic?” I retorted. “My checkup hasn’t even started yet, so how is your mouth spouting results like a diagnostic machine?” Verna froze, clearly caught off guard. She’d never expected the mild, meek me to talk back, let alone in front of such a crowd. Ivan frowned and reached out to grab my arm. “Chloe, you’re Verna’s future sister-in-law. With so many people watching, show her some respect.” I dodged nimbly to the side, brushing off my sleeve with a look of disgust. “Respect? Did she show me any respect when she made up such horrible lies about me?” “And what about you, Ivan?” I turned to Ivan, my gaze cold as ice as I stared at the man I’d once loved with all my heart. “When your fiancée is publicly humiliated, your first instinct is to tell me to stay quiet, all to protect this nominal sister who shares no blood with you?” Ivan’s patience wore thin. “Verna was originally the one my mother approved of as my wife. Now she’s acting as my sister just to avoid gossip.” “She meant no harm. It’s just a girl venting her frustration. Besides, if you haven’t done any of it, you have nothing to fear. Just get the checkup, and everything will be cleared up.” “Hurry up. We have real business to do later.” He was still clinging to his delusion of getting his way. In my past life, he’d used this exact line about proving my innocence to coax me into the examination room. What followed was Verna producing a fake STD report. Ivan had then put on a show of heartbreak, claiming he didn’t care about my “past” before pressuring me to sign a prenuptial agreement. The document forced me to transfer all my assets into his name for management. After my death, he’d wasted no time using my wealth to hold a grand wedding with Verna. Now that Ivan defended her, Verna’s arrogance swelled. “Chloe, you’re scared to get checked because you know you’re guilty, aren’t you?” “Everyone, look! This is the woman who seduces old men! She’s diseased, and she intends to hurt more!” The crowd of patients and their families swelled. Some even pulled out their phones to record the commotion. Ivan squirmed under my gaze, forcing an awkward smile. “Chloe, we…” I cut him off coldly, shifting my focus to Verna. “Who ever said I’m your sister-in-law?” “Verna, you’re an intern in this hospital’s obstetrics and gynecology department, aren’t you?” Verna’s expression flickered. “You… What are you up to?” Without hesitation, I dialed the police. “Nothing, just a friendly reminder that public defamation is a criminal offense.” “Tell me, when the police arrive, do you think your internship will still be intact?”

Ivan’s face drained of color instantly. He lunged forward, trying to knock the phone out of my hand. “Since when have you become so confrontational, Chloe? Family matters shouldn’t be dragged into public. Why call the police over something so trivial?” “Verna was only looking out for your health. Instead of being grateful, you’re threatening her future?” I stepped back quickly, avoiding his spit. “Family matters? Are we married? Am I part of her family?” “If we’re not family, what right does she have to slander me in front of everyone?” Ivan’s hand froze mid-air, caught off guard by my retort. Verna, however, was too impulsive to hold back. She shrieked, “Fine, call the police! Even they can’t change the fact that you’re a tramp!” Murmurs of disapproval rippled through the crowd. “She looks decent enough, but she’s shameless, and she’s here bullying an intern like that.” “Her reputation’s already in the gutter, and she still has the nerve to kick up a fuss. That man’s pitiful, almost becoming a cuckold.” Tears welled up in Verna’s eyes on cue. “Ivan, did I do something wrong? I shouldn’t have said it in public. I should’ve helped Chloe cover it up…” “But I’m a doctor. It’s what I do. I can’t stand by and let her deceive you into marriage, putting you at risk of catching some nasty bug!” Feeling sorry for her, he pulled her into a hug, patting her back gently. “Verna, sweetie, come on. I know you meant well.” When he turned to me, his gaze had turned icy. “Chloe, apologize to Verna.” “Apologize, and we’ll drop this. No more premarital checkup. I’ll trust you.” “And we’ll go get the marriage certificate right away.” Their hypocrisy made me snort softly. How had I been so blind in my past life? I’d actually believed their so-called “deep sibling bond.” I stepped forward and grabbed the collar of Verna’s uniform. “You claim I’m rotten and oozing pus, that I’ve had repair surgeries. Where’s the evidence?” “Where are the medical records? The surgical notes? Did you see it with your own eyes?” Verna gasped for air, struggling to push me away. She then fumbled in her pocket, pulled out a crumpled piece of paper, and waved it wildly. “Everyone, look! This is the proof! Chloe’s had repeated intimate repair surgeries!” “She got a postoperative infection with pus discharge, and they even had to remove foreign objects during surgery! She’s completely ruined down there!”

The crowd erupted into chaos instantly. Some even hurled rags at me. They jabbed me with mops, shoving me roughly in an attempt to drive me out. “That’s revolting! Foreign objects? You filthy creature, get out of here!” “Don’t you see there are pregnant women here? What if you infect them with some disease?” Ivan wore a look of heart-wrenching sorrow, reaching out as if to cover the paper. Yet he deliberately let the key details peek through for the onlookers to spot. “Chloe, I know you played wild in the past, but I don’t mind. I mean it. As long as you turn over a new leaf, that’s all that matters.” Ignoring the slanderous shouts, I snatched the paper from Verna’s hand. Panic flashed across Verna’s face immediately. “You can’t destroy the evidence! I’m telling you, there are backups in the system! Tearing it up won’t do a thing!” I held the paper high and moved closer to the camera of a passerby who was live-streaming. “Everyone, take a good look at this so-called ‘evidence’ from Dr. Carllyle.” “It claims I underwent intimate repair surgery and foreign object removal last Friday.” As my words fell, a murmur swept through the crowd. Ivan buried his face in his hands, his expression agony-stricken. “Chloe, stop reading… I know you’re doing this to get back at me, but there’s no need to broadcast such things. I told you. I don’t mind…” A cold laugh cut off his dramatic act. “Ivan, why don’t you tell everyone where we were last Friday?” Ivan froze, his eyes darting away nervously. “That day… I was working overtime at the company. Who knows where you were fooling around?” Typical Ivan, lying through his teeth to protect his nominal sister. I pulled out my phone and opened a video without hesitation. On screen, Ivan and I sat on a plane cruising in the air. The background carried the flight attendant’s announcements of the time and destination. “Excuse me, Dr. Carllyle, how exactly did you perform surgery on me while I was on a flight to the Maldives for vacation?” “Or does your scalpel have the power to stretch in the air and operate remotely?” Verna’s face blanched completely. She stumbled over her words for a moment before sputtering. “Well… Maybe I mixed up the date! But I did perform the surgery. I could never forget a patient like you!” Ivan rushed to back her up. “Verna sees dozens of patients every day. Mixing up dates is only normal.” “Chloe, don’t fixate on this tiny discrepancy. The truth is, you did have…” I cut him off, pointing to the surgeon’s signature at the bottom of the paper. “The operating doctor’s signature here is Chief Bell’s.” “Verna, didn’t you just claim you performed the surgery?” “Now you can not only operate remotely but also forge the chief’s signature?” At that moment, a stern, furious voice boomed from the back of the crowd. “Who dares to forge my signature?”

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The day after I came back, an old classmate practically dragged me to a reunion. That was where I ran into my first love, Nina Zane, the woman I hadn’t seen in five years. In front of everyone, she pulled out a diamond ring and proposed to me. The private room erupted. Everyone thought I would say yes without hesitation. After all, back then, I had been the one who always gave in. The one who lingered, who refused to let go, who cast aside every shred of pride until she finally chose me. They all seemed to have forgotten. At our graduation ceremony, Nina had stood up for another man and, in front of the entire class, accused me of plagiarizing my thesis. In the end, the school revoked my diploma and had me escorted out of the ceremony in front of everyone. After that day, I left the country alone. Now that I was back, her best friend, Mira, came to me and said, “After you left, Nina went back and pulled strings through her family to get your diploma reinstated!” “Whatever happened in the past, she never stopped loving you. She’s been waiting for you this whole time. She said that as long as there’s still a little love left in your heart, you’ll always be the most important man in her life.” “Alexander Ford! I’m talking to you! Are you even listening?” “You know better than anyone how much Nina hates her family. She didn’t take a single cent from them when she started her business. But for your diploma, she still swallowed her pride and went to her father.” No sooner had I sat down than Mira, Nina’s best friend, scooted over and launched into a breathless stream of words. There was impatience in her expression, mixed with a trace of urgency. Around us, our former classmates all turned to look. Some were curious. Others barely bothered to hide their mockery. To my own surprise, hearing the name ‘Nina Zane’ again after five years felt oddly distant. Time had already worn away the fierce love I once felt for her. Five years ago, I left the country without a word. Back home, almost no one knew that I had already built a life of my own. Whether Mira was asking for herself or on someone else’s behalf no longer mattered to me. I held my tongue for a moment, then said quietly. “Nina and I have been over for a long time. So everything you’re telling me today… means nothing to me.” It wasn’t just Mira. Everyone at the table froze, staring at me in disbelief, utterly unprepared for that answer. After all, I had once loved her with a kind of reckless, blazing devotion for three whole years. Enough to create such a stir that almost reached the ears of the school administration. Every morning, no matter the weather, I showed up with breakfast in my hands. When her stomach acted up, I ran through a blizzard from pharmacy to pharmacy just to find her medicine. Whenever another guy made a move on her, I appeared instantly, as if staking a claim. When she dreamed of starting a business but had no capital, I drained everything I had: every gift, every living expense, even the coming-of-age present my parents gave me at eighteen. And in the shadows no one ever saw, I spent an entire semester surviving on nothing but plain buns and water. That was how I loved her. Eventually, after all that persistence, Nina agreed to give me a chance. Like any caring girlfriend, she asked if I was tired. When people mocked me as a ‘Simp’ or a ‘Boy toy’, she never hesitated to step in and defend me. When she closed her first deal, she told me about the future she dreamed of for us. I truly believed she was the one I would spend my life with. That illusion lasted— until my senior year, when John Rowe entered our lives. He was Nina’s childhood friend, the boy who had grown up at her side. After returning to the country, he transferred into my class. At first, I didn’t think much of it. I even made an effort to be friendly with him. But slowly, things began to change. Nina no longer came to see me whenever she had a free moment. Sometimes, when I asked her out, she would brush me off with one excuse after another. Little by little, I was no longer part of her spare time. On my birthday, she stood me up again. She said she had to rush to a neighboring city for work. Something didn’t sit right with me, so I went to her company in secret. And I saw John Rowe. He stood at the center of the room, surrounded by staff. Someone even called out, half-joking, ‘The boss’s boyfriend.’ And they all knew that I was the one she was actually with. What cut the deepest was this: Nina, the woman who had sworn she was miles away on business, was standing right there in the office. And when that title fell on him, when they so casually named him hers, she said nothing. She let it happen. As if that place beside her had never belonged to me at all. She only stood there and smiled. It felt as though a blade had been driven straight through my chest. When Nina finally noticed me, there wasn’t even a trace of guilt on her face, nothing you’d expect from someone who had just betrayed another. She only asked calmly, “Why are you here?” Just two words, spoken as if I were nothing more than a stranger who had wandered in by mistake. She was my first love. The woman I had once imagined growing old beside. I didn’t want confrontation. I didn’t want to tear anything apart. So I simply pointed at John and asked, my voice steady, “So this is your ‘business trip’? Celebrating with him here in the office?” There was no anger. No blame. Just a quiet question, laid bare. Nina frowned at once, irritation flickering across her face. “John’s coming to intern at the company. I was just throwing him a welcome party.” She exhaled sharply, impatience edging into her voice. “Can you stop overthinking everything? You’re suffocating me.” Her words pinned me in place. I had never imagined that the woman who had called me “honey” only days ago would cut me down so ruthlessly, in front of everyone. Perhaps she realized she’d crossed a line. Panic flickered across her face, and she hurried to backtrack. “Alex, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.” I clenched my fist and looked straight into her eyes. “Then what did you mean?” “And why did you lie to me about going on a trip today?” She reached for my hand. “I didn’t lie,” she said at once. “I really was going to go. But the partner changed the schedule at the last minute. I just… I didn’t get the chance to tell you.” Her tone was intimate, effortless. Just like that, much of the resentment in my chest eased. But still, I couldn’t shake that phrase, ‘the boss’s boyfriend’. “Then why are your employees calling him that?” I asked. “It’s just them messing around!” She said, “Aww, you’re such a jealous baby. Everyone here knows you’re the only one for me.” She squeezed my hand lightly as she spoke, as if to soothe me. “Honey, don’t be upset, okay? It’s your birthday. Let me take you out somewhere nice tonight.” I was about to tell her not to joke like that again when John suddenly rushed over. “Mr. Ford, I’m so sorry,” he said in a fluster, “I didn’t mean to upset you. If it really bothers you, I… I can leave. I won’t intern here anymore. I don’t want you two arguing because of me.” As he spoke, his head dropped, inch by inch, humble to the point of performance. The others were quick to draw their conclusions: I was the one abusing my position. No one said a word, but every gaze shifted toward Nina. Seeing John like that, she let go of my hand and went to him. She comforted him softly, her movements slow and unhurried. That night, she didn’t stand me up. She really did take me out to dinner. Yet everything I ate tasted flat and dull. Because even with her sitting right beside me, every word she spoke, every casual remark, every passing thought, was about John. “John and I grew up together. He’s like a little brother to me.” “His parents came to me, asking for help with an internship. That’s why I brought him into the company.” “I didn’t tell you because I was afraid you’d read too much into it.” “If there were really something between us, we’d have been together a long time ago. Why would we wait until now?” “Alex, I know how good you are to me. You’re the only one in my heart.” She sounded sincere. Convincing enough that I couldn’t bring myself to push any further. All I did was nod. She reached into her bag and took out a pair of matching rings. After sliding the woman’s ring onto her own finger, she lifted my hand and eased the other one onto mine. “Alex,” she said softly, “this is all I can afford right now. I know it’s cheap. I wish I could give you something better.” “But trust me, once I make real money, I’ll bring the most expensive ring in the world in front of you.” Looking at the girl in my arms and the ring on my hand, for the first time that night, the unease in my heart finally faded. But in the end— She broke that promise. ***

From that day on, Nina no longer bothered to hide it. She came and went with John openly, without restraint. Before long, rumors swept through the campus, that she had dumped me and chosen him instead. I hadn’t even figured out where the gossip started when John came to me himself. The humility he once put on was gone. He stood there with his chin lifted, his gaze sharp and contemptuous, as if the victory were already his. “Alexander Ford, do you know what a truly pathetic man looks like?” His lips curled. “Just a simp like you.” “Nina chose me. So do yourself a favor and walk away.” I tightened my fist, refusing to give his taunts the dignity of a response. But his gaze was steady, self-assured, already triumphant. “If you insist on fooling yourself,” he said calmly, “Then I’ll be the one to drag you back to reality.” After he left, I told Nina everything at once. I never imagined she wouldn’t believe me. Over the phone, her voice was tight with impatience. “Alex, I’ve already explained this. There’s nothing between John and me. Why do you always jump to conclusions?” “I’ve known him since we were kids. I know exactly what kind of person he is. Why are you making things up about him like this?” “Making things up?” My voice rose before I could stop it. “Nina, is that really how you see me?” Silence fell on the other end of the line. It stretched on, heavy and uncomfortable, until she finally spoke. “If you really can’t stand it, then once John’s internship is over, I’ll let him leave.” Her tone was weary, edged with impatience. “But Alex, work is already giving me a headache. I don’t need you to help me, but can you at least stop making things harder right now? I’m exhausted.” “You should focus on your paper anyway. Maybe we shouldn’t see each other for a while. We both need some space. We can talk after your graduation ceremony.” Then came the empty beep on the other end, and the line fell silent. The dead tone in my ear seeped straight into my bones, leaving me cold all over. She would rather believe that I was smearing John than accept that he had actually said those things to my face. That was the first time I felt Nina wasn’t worth it. And it was the first time I shut her out. Nina meant what she said. For the next month, I didn’t reach out to her once. She didn’t contact me either. Even when we happened to cross paths on campus, she treated me as if I didn’t exist. Until the day of the graduation ceremony. I was just about to take my gown from my advisor when the department dean suddenly called me over. In front of the entire crowd, students and faculty alike, he asked, without preamble, “Alexander Ford, your thesis is identical to John Rowe’s. Which one of you copied the other?” I stared at him, stunned. “That’s impossible,” I said, “I wrote my paper myself.” John hurried over at once, his face etched with urgency. “Professor, I didn’t copy anyone,” he said at once. “Every word of that thesis was written by me.” “If you don’t believe me, ask Nina. She can vouch for me.” All eyes turned to Nina. Mine did too. She didn’t look back. By then, if I still hadn’t understood what was happening, I would’ve been beyond saving. I had always kept my drafts and files in the shared cloud drive Nina and I used together. So who had handed my thesis to John was painfully clear. The dean’s gaze settled on her. Nina took a slow, steadying breath. “Professor,” she said, “John is interning at my company right now. I’ve seen him stay late, working on his thesis.” With her testimony, the verdict was all but decided. Under everyone’s scornful stares, I walked up to her and asked, word by word, “Nina, are you telling them that I plagiarized John Rowe?” I saw hesitation flicker in her eyes, followed by a quiet struggle. But after a long wait, all I heard was. “All I know is that John wrote his paper himself.” A laugh slipped out of me. So this was the woman I had loved with everything I had for four full years. If I could, I would’ve booked myself an appointment with an eye doctor right then and there, to cure myself of the blindness that had lasted far too long. Seeing the way I laughed, a flicker of hesitation, almost pity, passed across Nina’s face. She was just about to speak when John cut in. “Alex, you may be Nina’s boyfriend, but that doesn’t give you the right to force her to lie for you.” His voice trembled, controlled, practiced. “I know you don’t like me. You’ve bullied me for a long time. You even made me send you exam answers.” “And when I refused,” he went on, “you hired street thugs to come after me.” As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeves, exposing a mess of bruises. “If Nina hadn’t shown up that day, those guys might’ve really hurt me.” For a moment, I honestly wondered if something was wrong with my ears. I understood every single word he said. But put together, none of it made sense. Bullying? Forcing him? Hiring thugs? “John Rowe, if you’re delusional, go see a doctor,” I said coldly. “Don’t drag me into your fantasies.” Before he could answer, Nina snapped, “Enough!” She turned to me. The guilt that had flickered in her eyes moments ago was gone, replaced by pure anger, even disgust. “The thugs already confessed,” she said sharply. “You paid them to go after John.” “Alexander Ford, I never imagined your heart could be this vicious,” she said, “John hasn’t even stepped out into the real world yet, and you’re already putting him through something like this.” I stood there, frozen. After a long moment, I finally spoke, my voice low and steady. “So, Nina… you’d rather believe John Rowe and a handful of street thugs than believe me. Is that it?” She fell silent. Only after a long pause did she answer, “I only believe what I’ve seen with my own eyes.” My heart sank as the last trace of warmth drained away. Around me, all I could hear were the sounds of contempt. Whispers, sneers, barely concealed ridicule. The department dean cut in sharply, his voice filled with anger. “I never imagined there would be a student of such poor character in my department,” he snapped. “You clearly do not meet the requirements for graduation. You will not be attending today’s ceremony.” “As for disciplinary action, that will be decided after I report this incident to the university. Now, leave!” I didn’t respond. I didn’t even seem to hear him. I just stood there, motionless, locking eyes with Nina. She turned away, her voice flat and cold. “Alex, just go back. Don’t make a scene and embarrass yourself. And don’t disrupt everyone else’s graduation.” “As for us,” she added without looking at me, “we’ll talk in private.” I stood there, humiliation burning through me, my voice trembling despite myself. “Nina… are you sure you won’t regret this?” She didn’t answer. She took John with her and walked away, never once looking back. From that day on, I became the laughingstock of the entire school. Even the people who had once called me a friend started keeping their distance, as if I were contagious. I bought a one-way ticket and left the country to join my parents. Before boarding, I slipped the ring off my finger and mailed it back to Nina, no note, no explanation. I pulled myself out of those memories. I looked at Mira and the others. “If this is all you wanted to say,” I said calmly, “then I’ll be going.” Mira hurried to block my path, panic edging into her voice. “Alex, wait. Nina’s on her way. Let her tell you herself.” I frowned. “There’s nothing left between us to talk about.” “And besides…” “I’m already married.” The words landed like a stone. The entire room fell into a dead, suffocating silence. ***

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When I reached the hospital, my in-laws were already at death’s door. The doctor said the snake was extremely rare, and the hospital had no antidote. Only my wife’s company did. I called Laura again and again. Every call was rejected. On the hundredth attempt, she finally answered. “It’s Lucas’s birthday tonight,” she said impatiently. “I’ll stay with him for the night. Stop being like this.” My mind raced with the faces in the ER. I swallowed my anger and forced the words out. “Your parents and sister too, were bitten by a snake.” “The hospital doesn’t have the serum, only your company does. Just bring it here, please.” Before I could finish, Laura cut me off. Her tone was mocking and cold, full of sharp edges. “One vial costs over a hundred grand. Ethan, have you and your family no shame?” “Your whole family gets bitten, and do you have any idea how much it costs to save them all? I’m not a fool.” “Go figure that out yourself.” She hung up and blocked me. I slumped into a hospital chair, stunned. My head felt heavy from being pressed by those words, which I never thought I would hear from her mouth. Then a message from the Vacheron Constantin assistant, she told me the watch my parents prepared for my birthday had been collected by my wife. No need to guess. It was already on Lucas Reed’s wrist. This was not the first time. Taking my things and handing them to her haunting-crush like it was nothing. Every time I protested, she just laughed. “You’re married. Who’s even gonna notice an expensive watch on you? Give it to Lucas. He’s busy with deals.” “Don’t be so petty. Lucas is like my own brother. If you love me, then you have to accept it.” She put Lucas above everything, this man was her world. Watches, cars, houses—she gave them all. It was as if she’d take out her own heart and stamp his name on it. And me—her true husband— couldn’t even get a few doses of life-saving medicine. Ridiculous. I was typing to the assistant when Laura posted online: “The most handsome watch, for the one I love most. Tonight belongs to us.” Lucas posted right after: “I’ll be the knight who protects his princess forever. Your medicine didn’t just save my family—it saved my heart.” In the photo, they were leaning so close together, grinning like the world was theirs. My watch is on Lucas’s wrist. The antidote I begged for was in his hand. He smiled like a champion—and yes, he always was. I was seething with anger, almost collapsing. How can she be this heartless? She threw fortunes at Lucas to please him. while leaving her own family to die. The doctor walked out of the ER. I ran toward him. “Please, give me more time! I’ll get the cure!” But he shook his head and took off his mask. “It’s too late. I’m sorry.”

My nose burned. The pain rushed up all at once. Just hours ago, they were still talking and laughing. Now they lay cold in a hospital morgue, lifeless and silent. And their daughter was still out there, celebrating with joy, pretending nothing had happened. How disgusting. I swallowed my tears and messaged the sales assistant. “I never had anyone pick up the watch. Someone must have taken it under my name. Please report this to the police immediately.” The doctor said the snake was almost extinct here, and that was why the hospital had no antidote. What a coincidence. A rare snake inside their tent. Five people bitten. Five deaths. The police took it quite seriously. The investigation moved fast. It didn’t take long to uncover the truth—someone had bought venomous snakes in bulk online and released them. The suspects were actually Lucas Reed’s parents. The family she had rushed to save. The very people who wiped out hers. I wondered how she’d look when the truth finally caught up with her. The officer explained gently, “Sir, we’ve confirmed the situation. But the suspects are currently hospitalized and can’t be questioned yet.” I replied flatly, “They were bitten too. But their poison’s already been neutralized.” “They can take the questioning, just go ahead.” He gave me a puzzled look, clearly wondering how I knew. But seeing how drained I looked, he didn’t ask more. “Rest assured,” he said. “We’ll find out what really happened.” After they left, I started to prepare a lawsuit. Then a sudden call cut in. It’s Laura. She sounded furious. “Ethan, are you picking a fight on purpose?” “I’m your wife. What’s wrong with me picking up a watch for you?” “How can you call the police?”—were you bitten too? Or did you lose your mind?” The accusations came fast and sharp, one after another. She didn’t spare a second to care how I was feeling at the moment. I replied calmly. “It’s indeed a problem. Because I never saw the watch.” “You said you picked it up. Fine. Then tell me—where is it now?” Silence, a long silence. We stayed like that for a while. Then her tone softened. “We are a couple, what’s yours is mine anyway.” “Lucas wanted a limited-edition watch. There’s only one of this edition in the country.” “And it happened to be his birthday. I just wanted him to be happy.” “It looks perfect on him. Giving brings joy. Don’t be so petty.” The shamelessness was breathtaking. I snapped back without hesitation. “You actually have the nerve to say that? Why didn’t you pay for it yourself?” “How useless you are?” Laura froze for a moment, disbelief cracking her voice. “You dare say that again?” “Are you crazy?” I almost laughed out. I used to guard her pride as if it were my inborn duty and choose every word carefully. Now I see it clearly—she was just utterly shameless. I didn’t give her a chance to argue. “If you have a tiny little bit of conscience,” I said coldly, “come to the hospital now.” “Come and see what you’ve done.” “They’re already dead!” she shouted. “What difference would it make if I go?” “It’s a good day—don’t screw it!” Then she added, casually, “Don’t cremate your parents yet. See if you can send the bodies to my company, we need cadavers for research.” “Oh—and Lucas’s parents had an accident. He’s not doing well; I’m going to stay with him.” Then she hung up. I found it so ridiculous that I lost my voice. So she thought the dead were my family. I had originally planned to lay her parents to rest as soon as possible. Since it was what she wanted, I ordered five industrial freezers. I took the bodies out of the morgue and shipped them straight to her company..

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Late at night, I had just finished a ten-hour surgery when my phone buzzed frantically in the locker. It was a new intern in our department. She tagged everyone in the hospital group chat. “Getting married tomorrow! Everyone has to come celebrate! No gifts needed — my husband’s covering everything!” Exhausted, I replied out of politeness. “Sorry, I have plans tomorrow. Congratulations!” The next second, she messaged me directly. “Dr. Clarke, don’t be ungrateful. My fiancé is a major investor in this hospital. You really think a broke doctor like you can afford to make an enemy of him?” “I even saved you a spot helping with reception. Isn’t this exactly the kind of upscale event where a washed-up woman like you might actually meet someone?” A moment later, she posted her wedding photos in the hospital group chat. When I saw my husband kissing her in one of the pictures, I laughed. So the man who married into my family and owed everything to us had the nerve to keep a mistress — and actually planned to marry her. I replied directly in the group chat. “Fine. I’ll give you a gift you won’t forget.” I turned off my phone and headed straight home. The house was a mess. I’d left in a rush that morning, and the shoes by the door were still lying sideways. My husband, Ethan Walker, hadn’t come home either. Too busy with wedding preparations to remember he had a wife. He’d clawed his way up from nothing, all thanks to my family, the Clarkes. Step by step, he became what people now called a promising young investor. My long-term neglect had apparently made him forget where he came from. He actually believed he was someone important now. I let out a cold laugh and dialed the family attorney. “Freeze all assets under Ethan’s name immediately. Cancel every card I authorized for him.” “Also, have a special package prepared and delivered to the wedding venue by morning.” I didn’t sleep that night, but I wasn’t tired. Just a strange, cold clarity. Just as I was heading out in the morning, a text from Ethan came through. “Honey, you must be exhausted with all those surgeries lately. When I get back from my trip, I’ll make it up to you.” “I’ve even got a surprise lined up for you.” Playing the devoted husband, same as always. I typed back. “Great. And when you see me, I’ll have a big surprise for you too.” At the venue, the new intern — Abigail Mitchell — stood in her wedding dress, beaming as she greeted colleagues from the hospital. “Oh, really, no gifts necessary. My fiancé’s taken care of everything.” “He’s the lead investor in our hospital, so going forward, he’ll be looking out for everyone here.” Someone spotted me and shifted into a snide register immediately. “Well, look who it is. The untouchable Dr. Clarke. What brings you to Abigail’s wedding?” A nurse beside her jumped in. “I heard Dr. Clarke’s past thirty and still on her own. Maybe she heard Abigail’s fiancé is a major investor and came to work the room.” “Dr. Clarke, you always acted like you were above all of us. Guess you’re just like the rest of us after all.” I ignored them. Instead, I wheeled over a gift box — prepared by the household staff — that stood taller than a person and placed it directly in front of Abigail. Hanging from the top of the box was a dog collar. Her face went pale instantly. “Charlotte Clarke! What is your problem? I was generous enough to invite you, and you show up with a dog collar? Who exactly are you calling a dog?” I replied evenly. “I have a male dog at home. He marks territory everywhere — might’ve gotten to you without you knowing. I figured the collar might come in handy someday.” Abigail snapped. “Charlotte! Say that again! Who’s the dog? You came here just to start something, didn’t you?” “You’re just a woman who got left behind. You see me young, happy, marrying well — and you can’t handle it.” “My fiancé is on his way. One word from him and you’re done at that hospital.” I took a slow step back to stay out of range. Then I nodded toward the gift box. “Alright. Time to open your present.” I tore off the wrapping in front of everyone. Inside was a large custom display board. “To the bitch and the dog — may you haunt each other forever. To the cheater and the mistress — may you never be apart. And may karma collect from you both.”

The room went dead silent. Abigail was shaking. “Charlotte! You’re out of your mind! You’re jealous I’m marrying someone like Mr. Walker, so you pull this cheap stunt for attention!” I rubbed my temple like her shrieking was giving me a headache. “Abigail, are you absolutely sure you want to marry him?” She lifted her chin. “Obviously. My fiancé Ethan is the hospital’s biggest investor — worth a fortune. You’re a doctor on a salary. He generates that in a month.” “Once I marry him, I’ll be in a different league entirely. Someone you all have to look up to.” Her sycophants immediately joined in. “Abigail was born for this. Not like some people, still chasing validation at her age.” “Dr. Clarke, after a stunt like this, how are you going to show your face at work?” “Offend an investor’s wife? Might as well start updating your résumé.” Absolutely ridiculous. Chasing validation? If they only knew I was the one who built that man from scratch. Becoming a doctor had been my only ambition growing up. The year I graduated from medical school, my father gave me a hospital — so I could practice medicine in a place I loved, without the politics. Ethan? An investor? He was someone I’d taken a chance on. Someone I could just as easily take back. Abigail, mistaking my silence for retreat, grinned wider. She pulled out her phone, dialed, and put it on speaker. “Honey, where are you? Some woman is making a scene at our wedding — that Charlotte from my department. She crashed the ceremony and brought a display board trashing us!” Ethan’s panicked voice crackled through. “What? Charlotte? Stay calm, baby, I’m almost there. Don’t make it worse!” She hung up, smug. “Hear that? My man’s on his way. You’re finished, Charlotte. Not just fired — I’ll make sure no hospital in this city touches you.” Our colleagues whispered. “She’s really done it this time.” “Dr. Clarke’s usually so sharp — what got into her?” Abigail turned back to me, savoring it. “Charlotte, I’ll give you one chance. Since we’re colleagues — apologize, take that board down, and I’ll ask my fiancé to go easy on you.” I stepped forward, eyes steady on hers. “Apologize to you?” “You’re not worth it.” I pulled a framed photo from my bag and held it up in front of her face. “Look closely. That billionaire you’re about to marry is my legal husband.” “You’re just the other woman playing dress-up.”

The photo frame hit Abigail’s hands and clattered to the floor. She froze for a second — then broke into exaggerated laughter. “Charlotte, have you completely lost it? You’re so desperate you photoshopped a fake wedding picture and convinced yourself my fiancé belongs to you?” She picked up the photo, didn’t even look at it, and tore it in half. “I’ve heard rumors about some of the women on staff here being unstable — now I know it’s you.” “You found out my fiancé is a major investor and just couldn’t control yourself. What are you going to do next — throw yourself at him the second he walks in?” She turned to the crowd, playing it to the room. “Everyone, take a look! A senior doctor in my department, fabricating lies, claiming my fiancé is hers. Has anyone ever heard anything more pathetic?” One of her loyal followers stepped up immediately. “Dr. Clarke, I’ve worked beside you for years. I never realized you were capable of this.” “Mr. Walker is completely out of your league. Just leave before you embarrass yourself any further.” Voices joined in from all sides. People started pushing me toward the exit. “Get out! Don’t ruin Abigail’s day!” I stumbled backward, my lower back catching the sharp corner of a table. After ten hours of surgery, my body had nothing left in reserve. Black spots crowded my vision. I gripped the wall and stayed on my feet. Abigail picked up a glass of champagne and threw it in my face. “Apologize. If you beg nicely, I might still let you help with reception.” And then someone unexpected walked through the door.

“Charlotte? What is going on here?” I turned around. It was my mentor, Dr. Callan Carter — one of the most respected surgeons in the country. I crossed the room toward him, ignoring the champagne still dripping down my face. “Dr. Carter. I didn’t know you’d be here.” He was the person I respected most in the world. Years ago, when I went abroad for my fellowship, he wrote my letter of recommendation. He wasn’t just a mentor — he was the closest thing to a second father I’d ever had. He took my hand and sighed. “I heard one of the junior residents was getting married. Thought I’d stop in.” His gaze moved across the display board, then landed on Abigail — face twisted, eyes burning with fury. His brow furrowed. Abigail rushed over immediately, tears already forming. “Dr. Carter, please — you have to hear me out. She’s been bullying me just because she has seniority!” Callan Carter had always made a point of protecting younger staff. “Charlotte, what is this? Whatever the conflict, a wedding isn’t the place.” Before I could say anything, Abigail got there first. “Dr. Carter, she’s completely out of line! She’s fixated on my fiancé and crashed my wedding to humiliate me in front of everyone! She brought a dog collar and that disgusting sign!” The colleagues around her piled on, twisting every detail. Dr. Carter’s expression fell as he looked at me. Disappointed. “Charlotte. You’re a senior physician. You set the standard for the younger staff. This is beneath you.” “Apologize. Take that board down. Right now.” My chest tightened. Even the person I respected most — without knowing any of the truth — had taken her side. She’d played the victim and he’d walked straight into it. Then Abigail stepped forward and swung a bottle directly at my head. “Ever hear that what goes around comes around, Dr. Clarke? You try to ruin someone’s happiness, it has a way of finding you.” “I’m three months pregnant with Ethan’s child, by the way. Even if you’re still holding out hope — that door is closed.” Colleagues grabbed my arms and forced my head down. Glass from the bottle opened a cut on my cheek. And I laughed. Because honestly — what was more absurd than this? I pulled out my phone through the blood and sent a quick text to the household staff. Abigail stopped at my laughter. I pushed her off and stood up straight. I looked around the room. Then my eyes settled on her stomach. “Since you want this child so badly. Since you want to be Mrs. Walker so badly…” “Let me give you one more gift.” Her expression shifted. “What are you doing?” Seconds later, the hotel’s main screen lit up. Abigail’s face drained. And Ethan — who had just walked in — stood frozen, staring at the screen.

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The man I called my uncle, Jayden Lloyd, was drugged with an aphrodisiac. In his haze, I became his only way out. After a night of reckless intimacy, we woke up. My grandfather demanded that he marry me, since we were not related by blood. Jayden believed a forced marriage would destroy his love. In a drunken spiral, he threw himself onto the railway tracks. I tried to save him, ending up losing both of my legs. With his eyes red and swollen, Jayden finally agreed to the marriage. However, on our wedding night, he dumped me in the basement of a nightclub. I was tied to a bed. He sat not far away and watched with open amusement. After round after round of humiliation, I found my chance to set the window drapes on fire. The flames consumed the entire club, including Jayden and me. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day Jayden was drugged. Uncle Jayden, this time, I chose to let you have your love. *** The man pressed against me suddenly tightened his grip around my waist, and the sharp pain jolted me awake. The moment I opened my eyes, I met my uncle Jayden Lloyd’s bloodshot gaze, thick with a desire so deep that it seemed bottomless. Instinctively, I looked around. None of the revolting sex toys were in sight. I took a careful breath. Even the heavy, obscene scent that had once filled the air was gone. Jayden increased the pressure of his hand. “Did you not understand what I said? Take your clothes off.” Only then did it hit me that I had reborned to the very night he was drugged. He was so close that my mind blurred, dragged back to my previous life?to the men who had once piled on top of me. One of them had pressed his foul-smelling lips against my neck. Another had yanked my clothes apart, letting out a leering laugh. I forced myself to stop thinking about it and opened my mouth, biting down hard on Jayden’s arm. “Get off me!” Jayden cried out. The pain snapped him partially back to his senses. When he saw my crooked neckline, something flickered in his eyes, an instant of awkward restraint, only to be replaced by disgust the next second. “Winifred, you are disgusting.” “Do not think that sleeping with me means I will ever like you,” he added coldly. My heart clenched in pain. Thinking about how I had died so horribly in my previous life, I wanted nothing more than to rush into the kitchen and stab him. But I could not. Grandpa adored him, and I could not destroy myself for his sake all over again. I swallowed my revulsion and spoke evenly. “Where is your girlfriend? I will go get her.” Jayden froze for a moment. “How did you know I have a girlfriend?” “Is this really the time to ask that?” I looked straight at him. He studied me for two full seconds, suspicion filling his eyes. Finally, he gave me an address. “I want to see her within half an hour.” I nodded and drove as fast as I could. When I returned with his girlfriend, only twenty minutes had passed. Yvonne Juniper stepped out of the car with unsteady legs, her eyes rimmed red. “Jayden, I do not know how I offended her,” she complained in a soft, aggrieved tone as she clung to him. “She drove the entire way like a maniac. I was scared to death.” The sharp, biting voice she had used to mock me in the car was nowhere to be found. When Yvonne noticed Jayden’s flushed face, she paused slightly, fake surprise flashing across her eyes. “Jayden, are you okay? Do you feel unwell anywhere? I can go to the hospital with you?” she said anxiously. Before she could finish, Jayden pulled her inside. The door slammed shut in front of me. At last, my heart settled. This time, the twisted bond between Jayden and me would not continue.

Yvonne had been my classmate. She came from a poor family, and often could not even bring herself to buy expensive organic vegetables. I often lied and said I had ordered too much food, so she would join me for meals. During Christmas, she complained about being alone, so I brought her home with me. Even though we had maids who cooked, she still got up early to help. Every evening, Yvonne asked each of us about our preferences and planned dinner accordingly. I truly believed I had found a friend for life. But later, everything changed. The emerald pendant Jayden had given me suddenly went missing. I searched the entire villa and eventually found shattered pieces in the kitchen. That pendant had been a gift from Jayden. I had treasured it beyond measure. I had only told Yvonne where I kept the emerald pendant, as well as about my feelings for Jayden, feelings that now seemed cheap and disgraceful. When I confronted her, she stood outside my house in thin clothing and said, “I just did it by accident.” Blinded by anger, I had people throw all her belongings out, even though she had nowhere to go. She got up from the ground and limped away, step by step. At the doorway, she ran into Jayden. Seeing how weak she looked, Jayden felt a surge of pity. I had been angry, yet I had also been afraid that Jayden would learn about my feelings for him and grow distant from me. In the end, I could only let her scheme succeed. What I had not expected was for them to become lovers. Yvonne sent me intimate photos again and again. I told Jayden about the things Yvonne had done in the past, but he refused to believe me. “You only care about marriage alliances. You have no idea what true love is!” Jayden shouted at me in fury. The situation turned ugly. Jayden eventually moved out of the house altogether. Tonight, Grandpa asked me to deliver some documents to Jayden. When I arrived at his place, I ran into him while he was under the influence of drugs. But after remembering the provocative look in Yvonne’s eyes before she entered earlier, I finally understood. This had all been a trap she had set. For a girl from a poor background who wanted to marry into a wealthy family, drugging the target was the most direct method. In my previous life, I had ruined everything. This time, I was going to watch Jayden walk straight into it himself.

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After I returned to the company from a six-month business trip, the lunch my housekeeper brought me had been stolen seven days in a row. Today, I saw my husband’s newly hired assistant trying to take my lunch again. I grabbed it back without hesitation. But I didn’t expect her to start cursing at me. “Who the hell are you? I can have you fired with a single word.” I didn’t respond. She shoved me without warning. “Listen up, this company belongs to my husband. You should be honored that I like your food.” “Better learn your place. Go buy me some snacks now.” I nearly laughed at how absurd she sounded. I’ve never seen such a self-righteous person. I immediately called my husband, Chris Green. “Chris, is your new wife so poor she can’t even afford a meal?” I had just hung up when the assistant grabbed my collar and started shouting insults. “Everyone knows that here. Gifts from home or takeouts, you have to offer me a share first!” “This lunch of yours is obviously homemade. You should be honored, not so petty!” I was so furious I almost laughed. I’ve never seen such a shameless person. As she spoke, she reached out again to snatch the lunch box from my hands. Her tone grew even more arrogant. “You must be new, right? You don’t know who I am?” “Let me tell you, Mr. Green is my husband. This whole company belongs to me. Who do you think you are, daring to offend me?” “Let go.” My voice turned cold. It was ridiculous. How could Chris allow such a parasite to grow inside his own company? She was actually stealing employees’ lunches? How did she even get hired? My calmness made her angrier. Her grip on my collar tightened as she shoved me against the wall. “Let go? You don’t understand human language? I’m eating this lunch today, and if you know what’s good for you…” Before she could finish, I grabbed her arm and applied a bit of force. She screamed. “You fucking dare touch me?” Her face twisted in pain. “I’m Mr. Green’s wife. Touch me, and he will make sure you’ll be kicked out of Shorecity!” The employees gathered around when they saw this. I naturally assumed they were being exploited too and had come to confront this assistant with me. But instead, their faces were full of flattery. “Karen helps us handle so much work every day. What’s wrong with eating your lunch?” “Exactly. Newcomers who don’t know the rules do need some lessons.” “Everyone knows Karen under Mr. Green. Offering her things is an unspoken rule here.” “What’s wrong with you? Karen eating your lunch means she thinks highly of you. This newcomer really doesn’t know her place.” With people backing her up, Karen didn’t forget to threaten me even while baring her teeth in pain. “Did you hear that? Everyone in the company knows this. Hurry up and apologize, then respectfully hand over the food. Otherwise, you’ll be kicked out!” I scanned those bootlicking faces and felt confused. I’d only been gone for half a year. How had Chris let the company’s culture rot like this? He had always been strict. Once, a department manager was scolded so badly that he resigned on the spot just for having an employee pick up takeout for him. It seemed this assistant had been abusing her power while Chris was away. I looked at Karen’s smug face and sneered. “So what if I don’t give you my lunch?” As soon as she heard that, Karen raised her hand and slapped me. There was a sharp crack. Half my face instantly burned and went numb. I reacted quickly, grabbed her wrist, and slammed her against the wall. Her head hit the wall and she screamed in pain. “How dare you! You actually hit me?” I sidestepped, lifted my leg, and kicked into her knee. With just a bit of force, she staggered and dropped to her knees. That completely enraged her. “Someone come here! Teach this crazy woman a lesson!” Several burly men in black suits rushed over. Karen pointed at me and shouted, “It’s her! She dared to defy me. Break her legs if you have to!” The bodyguards reached out to grab me. I frowned and stopped them. “Stop! You’re Chris’s people? You don’t even recognize me anymore?” They paused, clearly finding me familiar. Hesitation showed on their faces. I shook free of their hands. “I’m Chris’s legal wife. Don’t you know who you should be listening to?” Before I could finish speaking, Karen suddenly laughed. “Legal wife? What the fuck are you talking about? Everyone in the company knows I’m with Chris!” She pointed at the two bodyguards and said, “They were personally assigned by Chris to protect me. Who the hell are you?” The bodyguards exchanged a look, as if they had thought of something. They reached for me again. “Mr. Green gave instructions. Karen’s safety comes first. Anyone who interferes with her doesn’t deserve mercy.” Someone suddenly kicked me hard in the back. I stumbled forward and fell to the ground. The food spilled everywhere from the lunch box. Before I could push myself up, the two bodyguards pinned my shoulders from either side. Their knees pressed hard into my back. Looking down at me, Karen said, “How dare you pretend to be Chris’s wife? Today I’ll show you who really runs things here!” She raised her hand and slapped me again and again. The sound echoed down the hallway, mixed with the sharp intakes of breath from the surrounding employees. Half my face quickly swelled. Blood seeped from the corner of my mouth, and the metallic taste filled my mouth. “Stubborn, huh?” The slapping continued. “Do you know you were wrong yet?” I was pinned down and couldn’t move. I could only grit my teeth. “Keep hitting her. Beat her until she gives in.” With the order given, the bodyguards continued to beat me. “Stop hitting my mommy!”

I jerked my head to the side and saw Elsa being dragged by Eric. Her small body struggled desperately forward. “Elsa!” I wanted to tell her not to come over. But the moment I opened my mouth, the taste of blood surged up my throat. “They’re bad people! They’re bullying my mommy!” Karen was startled by the sudden disturbance. The viciousness in her eyes deepened. “Where did this little brat come from? You dare meddle in my business?” Elsa had never been shouted at like this before. She trembled in fear, yet still craned her neck and shouted back, “You’re a bad person. You stole our food and hit my mommy!” “You’re asking for it!” Being talked back to by a child humiliated her even further. She lifted her foot and kicked toward her. Eric reacted quickly and shielded Elsa behind him. He took the blow himself and bent over with a muffled groan. “This is Mr. Green’s daughter. How dare you?” “Mr. Green’s daughter?” Karen laughed as if she had heard the biggest joke. She reached out to grab Elsa. “I think she’s just some bastard. How dare you pretend to be Mr. Green’s child? Get lost!” Elsa was frightened by her ferocious expression and burst into tears. She clung tightly to my arm and refused to let go. “Let go of my mommy! If you hit my mommy again, I’ll ask Daddy to fire you!” “You still dare to mention Chris?” Karen raised her hand and swung it toward Elsa’s face. “Get away from her!” I suddenly threw off the bodyguards pinning me down. They hadn’t expected me to still have the strength to fight back. They stumbled back a couple of steps. As I lunged forward, Karen’s hand had already landed on Elsa’s arm. It didn’t hit her face, but it shoved her so hard she staggered. “Elsa!” I pulled my daughter into my arms. The wounds on my back screamed in pain, but I held her tightly and refused to let go. She was shaking all over, but she still asked me carefully, “Mommy, does it hurt? They’re bad people. I’ll tell Daddy!” “You little bastard! How dare you bite me?” Elsa had left teeth marks on Karen while struggling. Karen was livid, her face twisted as she kicked toward the back of my knee. “So ill-mannered! You got it from your mother?” Holding Elsa, I twisted aside to dodge. My knee buckled and I nearly collapsed. “Karen.” I looked up. Half my face was swollen and numb. “If you touch my daughter again today, I’ll make sure you get serious punishment.” She was startled by the viciousness in my eyes. Then she sneered. “You think you can scare me? Useless trash who got beaten to the ground still dares to threaten me? I think you’ve been beaten stupid!” As she spoke, she reached out again to grab Elsa. “Where did this bastard come from? Get her out of here!” I shot to my feet and shielded Elsa tightly in my arms. Veins bulged on my forehead. “She is Chris’s daughter. Don’t you dare touch her again!” Karen burst out laughing. “Chris’s daughter? How come I’ve never heard he has such a bastard?” She stepped closer, her gaze sweeping over the trembling Elsa. “Since you failed to educate her properly, I’ll teach her how to behave for you.” “Drag her away. Teach her some manners!” The bodyguards hesitated for a moment. In the end, they still reached toward Elsa in my arms. Seeing this, Eric stomped his feet in panic and rushed forward to stop them. Another bodyguard roughly pinned his shoulder. “Stay down!” Eric stumbled into the wall and let out a painful groan. He still roared, “You can’t touch Elsa! Mr. Green won’t let you off!” Karen stepped on the hand I was using to protect Elsa and ground it under her heel. “I make the rules here! Today I’m not only going to slap the kid, but also make you watch her cry!” She shouted at the bodyguards, “What are you standing around for? Do it!” My daughter was on the verge of tears. “Mommy…” At that moment, hurried footsteps sounded from outside the door. “What’s all this noise about?”

It was Chris. He strode quickly to Karen’s side, his face full of concern. “What happened? Are you hurt?” Karen shook her head. She looked aggrieved. “I was just caring about the employees. I was curious about what she was eating. I didn’t expect her to say I wasn’t worthy of knowing…” Chris turned to look at me and frowned. “Rachel, can’t you stop making trouble for me?” He spoke with clear impatience in his voice. “You’ve only been back from a six-month business trip for one day and you’re already causing trouble. Do you think the company is too peaceful, so you have to stir things up before you’re satisfied?” My arms tightened around Elsa. “She was the one who stole…” “Enough.” He raised his hand and cut me off. “I don’t care who’s at fault. The whole company is watching a joke right now.” “Look at yourself. You’re fighting like a shrew, and you even brought your kid here to make things worse. You’re not ashamed, but I am.” “Daddy, that’s not…” Elsa tried to explain, but he silenced her with a glare. “This isn’t your place to speak.” Chris’s gaze fell back on me. “You’re nothing but trouble. You’ve always been this way. I’m already exhausted dealing with company matters. Can’t you behave yourself for once?” He pointed at the red mark on Karen’s arm. “Karen is a high-priced talent I hired. And you went straight to using violence. If anything happened to her, could you afford the consequences?” “Chris, can you get your facts straight? She stole my lunch and even called Elsa a bastard…” I clenched my fists. My heart went completely cold. “It’s just food. You should be honored that she wanted your lunch.” Chris let out a mocking laugh. “I know you were the one making a scene first.” “Rachel, no matter what you do, you still reek of small-time thinking. No wonder you’ll never amount to anything.” Small-time thinking? I laughed. He had stayed in a position of power for too long and had forgotten what kind of charity case he used to be. Elsa was shaking as she cried. “Daddy, how can you say that about Mommy…” “Don’t call me Daddy!” Chris shouted coldly. “I don’t want a daughter as ill-mannered as you. Leave now. Stop being an eyesore here!” I looked at the man in front of me, who felt utterly unfamiliar. My heart finally turned to ice. After I went on my business trip, Chris said he was busy with work and sent Elsa to stay with my parents. In just half a year, he had not only forgotten me. He was even this heartless to our own daughter. “Chris, you really are something.” Looking at the impatience written all over Chris’s face, I suddenly laughed. I said, picking Elsa up. “Fine. Since I’m such an eyesore to you, I quit.” Chris raised an eyebrow, as if he had heard a joke. “You think quitting will solve the problem? Rachel, do you think this is child’s play?” “Not just that.” I stared straight into his eyes and spoke slowly, word by word. “Chris, we’re getting a divorce.” The moment those words fell, the surroundings went completely silent. Even the smugness on Karen’s face froze for a split second as she looked at Chris. She seemed to realize, in shock, that I really was Chris’s wife. I thought he would at least hesitate. He didn’t. He only frowned and said, “Fine. If that’s what you want.” He noticed Karen’s gaze and reached out to straighten her collar. “Yeah, she is my wife, well, she was. From now on, I only want you.” Then he looked back at me. “You can resign, but you’ll have to pay the breach-of-contract penalty. And Karen was frightened today. So you still have to pay the compensation for emotional distress.” He seemed to think of something and then said, “Well, you can just transfer that riverside villa you own in Shorecity to Karen’s name. That will cover both amounts.” Karen’s eyes lit up instantly. She might not know the villa’s exact value, but the words “Shorecity riverside” alone were enough to make her excited. She immediately hooked her arm around Chris’s and looked at me provocatively. “Chris, you’re the best!” I raised an eyebrow and turned to my housekeeper. “Eric, call my father’s assistant. Tell him to bring over the property deed for the Riverplex villa. The sooner, the better.” Eric froze for a moment, then nodded. “Alright.” There was a hint of coldness in the way he looked at Chris. “Seems you really don’t know who you’re living off. Your good days are probably coming to an end.” Chris’s expression shifted slightly. He clearly hadn’t expected me to agree so readily. That villa was my premarital property, worth nearly a hundred million. He had assumed I would argue or feel heartache. He hadn’t expected this. His tone tightened. “Rachel, stop pretending to be generous here! Do you think I don’t know that villa is your only…” I smiled. Whether it was my only property would become clear soon enough. They waited for about ten minutes. When no one showed up, impatience crept in. “Rachel, did you even ask anyone to deliver the property deed? Are you deliberately stalling so you can call the police?” Karen immediately chimed in. “I don’t think she has it. Maybe that villa was mortgaged long ago. She’s just putting on a brave front here!” She stepped closer. “Doesn’t that make sense? A gold digger like you, dumped by her husband, probably won’t even have money for food tomorrow.” The employees around us started whispering again. Some were sympathetic. Some were contemptuous. Most were watching the spectacle with schadenfreude. “Stop wasting our time.” Chris took out his phone. “Since you refuse to compensate, let’s call the police. Let them judge what punishment someone who disrupts company order and assaults others should receive.” I stood there holding Elsa. I didn’t even lift my eyelids. “What’s the rush? They’re on their way.” “Still acting tough?” Karen sneered and reached out to grab my phone. “I think you’re just playing us. Today I’ll make sure you…” At that moment, a fleet of black Rolls-Royces pulled up neatly in front of the company. Several men in suits stepped out and opened the doors respectfully. When Elsa saw who it was, her eyes lit up. “Grandpa!”

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