My once-downtrodden bodyguard was getting married. But the whole city wasn’t focused on his wedding; they were buzzing about me, his notoriously arrogant ex-employer. Ten years ago, I paid a million dollars to rescue him from his creditors who were on the verge of killing him. I kept him by my side, ordering him around as I pleased. Everyone pitied Liam, saying he’d be stuck with a she-devil like me for life. But a year ago, I suddenly set him free, telling him to go as far away as possible and never look back. A year later, he reappeared as a newly minted billionaire investor, his arm linked with the beautiful childhood friend he always spoke of. The media swarmed him with questions: “Mr. Liam, what price did you pay to escape the clutches of that she-devil?” Liam paused, then smiled. “Perhaps she had a change of heart. I don’t really remember.” The crowd buzzed with speculation, and one brave reporter dared to approach me for an interview. I painstakingly applied enough makeup to look presentable. I raised my phone, connected with the reporter, and feigned nonchalance: “Congratulations on your marriage, Liam. Glad to finally get rid of a good-for-nothing like you.” “I sent you fifty thousand as a wedding gift. Consider it payment for your ten years of youth.” Liam’s face instantly darkened. “I don’t need it. Don’t insult me with your dirty money!” The call abruptly ended. I let out a bitter laugh and shook my head. What Liam didn’t know was that his “dirty money” was my last inheritance.

The last expression Liam left me with was one of intense disgust. I should have been used to his attitude toward me by now. But seeing it again, a bitter ache still twisted in my heart. His bride was truly beautiful, just as gorgeous as he’d always raved about. No wonder he’d kept her in his heart for so many years. Five years ago, he accompanied me to my twentieth birthday party. He suddenly half-knelt, begging me for half a day off. “Scarlett, I just need half a day off. Melody collapsed while working her stall outside, and I have to go take care of her!” In an instant, all the guests stared at us, their gazes filled with curiosity. My face burned crimson, all the way to my earlobes. Liam, too, was sweating nervously. Everyone knew that Scarlett, the eldest daughter of the Campbell family, was moody and unpredictable, yet she inexplicably cared most about her poor bodyguard. And to hear another woman’s name from his lips, especially in front of everyone? My anger surged to my head. I raised my hand and slapped him, hard. Liam turned his face, and I scoffed coldly: “You want to protect her, but have you ever considered that your duty is to protect *me*?” “What kind of life do I live? If anything happened to me, could you afford the consequences?” At my words, the usually stoic man’s eyes reddened. His chest heaved, but in the end, He gritted his teeth, nodded, and apologized. “I’m sorry, Scarlett. I didn’t think it through.” That very night, I arranged for Melody’s stall to be destroyed and bribed the neighboring vendors, making it impossible for her to earn a living there. The next day, Liam’s low-hanging bangs couldn’t hide his bloodshot eyes. I think that’s when he started to hate me. The more he cared about others, the more my heart ached with jealousy. Three years ago, I accidentally noticed that despite the exorbitant salary I paid him, He still wore worn-out, holey shirts, living frugally as always. When I asked him why, he just looked down and said it was to build a future for someone important to him. I secretly rejoiced, and when I told my friends, they all insisted that the person in Liam’s heart must be me. “He’s been by your side for so many years! He must know he’s not good enough for you, so he’s saving up to marry you later!” My heart swelled with joy, and I rushed home, eager to confess my feelings to Liam. But instead, I saw massive bank transfer receipts scattered in his room. Each note read: “To my dearest Melody.” That’s when I finally understood. Liam’s heart. It had never paused for me, not even for a second. And the one he wished to marry would never be me. Later, I gave him his freedom, and he was so overjoyed he didn’t even say goodbye. The next day, he picked up his meager bag and walked out of the Campbell estate’s gates. He never looked back. In his room, he left behind everything I had given him over the past ten years. Even the good-luck charm I’d spent a month embroidering for him was tossed into a corner. Less than a year after we parted, he completely shed the humble, obedient facade he wore around me. He became a ruthless and skilled businessman. He even donated a hundred million dollars to medical charity to bless his fiancée. I turned off the TV, shaking my head with a wry smile. Scarlett, isn’t this what you wanted? Why wallow in self-pity? “Patient in Room 4, prepare for your medication!” The nurse’s shout pulled me back to reality, and I quickly responded. “Alright.” I painstakingly pulled the thick IV needle from my arm, watching the blood flow back into the tube. I was long past being surprised by it.

Watching the nurse hastily change my medication, the cold solution seeping into my veins felt like a piercing ache deep in my bones. The nurse advised me, “Your condition has worsened recently. You really should call your family to come look after you.” I was silent for a moment, then shook my head. “I can manage on my own.” The nurse noticed my forced bravery, and a flicker of pity crossed her eyes. “The hospital recently received a grant specifically for high-risk patients. I’ve applied for you, and someone will come to process the paperwork shortly.” Seeing the nurse’s kindness and concern, a warmth spread through my heart. It had been so long since anyone cared for me like this. If I were still the arrogant, overbearing Scarlett of the past, Such charity would have been a profound insult. That Scarlett had everything she wanted and never put anyone in her eyes. But now, times had changed. Every unknown tomorrow was a luxury I couldn’t afford… I thanked her, my lips pale. Suddenly, a commotion erupted outside the door, as if many people were exclaiming in surprise. The nurse looked up at the commotion, her expression growing excited. “The donor is here! They said they want to check on the patients.” I was confused. “What donor?” The nurse’s expression turned to one of awe. “Haven’t you seen the news? It’s Mr. Liam, the incredibly devoted fiancé! He donated a hundred million dollars to our hospital for his fiancée!” Her words hit me like a bolt from the blue. Liam was the one who donated to me? He would soon discover me in this pathetic, half-dead state, lying here in such a mess? Almost instinctively, I struggled, trying to hide. The nurse quickly grabbed me. “Ma’am, you’re still on IV! You can’t move around like that! You’ll start bleeding!” I didn’t care about bleeding; my mind was consumed by the single thought of hiding! The woman who had been arrogant and overbearing in front of that man for ten years was now a pathetic wreck. I could almost imagine the triumphant look on Liam’s face. He would be so happy that I was finally getting my just deserts. The next second, a tall man, surrounded by a group of bodyguards, stepped into the ward. “Mr. Liam, please take your time.” “Okay.” Just one word, and my heart lurched. My entire body froze, as if nailed in place. I stiffly raised my head and met a pair of trembling eyes. I heard his voice, filled with disbelief: “What are you doing here?” I remained silent, quietly retreating to my bed. After Liam saw the name Scarlett Campbell on the bed, A trace of mockery instantly flashed in his eyes. “A year apart, and you’ve found a new trick? Is playing games fun?” My heart trembled, and my eyes welled up, almost imperceptibly. The nurse, bewildered, looked at Liam. “Mr. Liam, what do you mean? Ms. Campbell has genuinely been ill and receiving treatment here…” Liam scoffed, cutting her off, his voice full of coldness. “Alright, how much did she pay you to play along? I don’t have time for your games.” He stared at me, as if I were a pathetic joke. “You can act however you want in front of me, but if you cause trouble for Melody, I will retaliate.” I looked at the conviction on his face, silently mocking myself. I knew this was how it would be. So why, when he first appeared, did I still hold onto such unrealistic hope? When I was still the imperious Ms. Campbell, I always enjoyed playing pranks on him. I’d pretend my leg was injured, pouting for him to carry me to the car. Or I’d fake period cramps, whining for him to rub my stomach. Each time, he would sigh in resignation, patiently doing as I asked. His eyelashes would curl, and the sunlight would fall on his brows; I would stare in a daze. Those were my happiest times. But now that I think about it, he was probably filled with nothing but disgust. He just couldn’t say anything, forced by my overwhelming power, cursing me silently in his head. After crying wolf so many times, he naturally wouldn’t believe me anymore. It’s fine. Maybe I don’t need him to. I forced a smile, still trying to be tough: “Why are you so conceited? Even if I were acting, it would never be for you.” The next second, Liam’s eyes widened, his breathing becoming ragged. He scoffed mockingly. “I should have known you, you manipulative, vicious woman, never tell the truth!” “You love to act, don’t you? I’ll play along to your heart’s content!” He turned to the nurse, sneering: “Unplug all her machines, don’t waste any medicine on her, get rid of her bed, and kick her out immediately!” The nurse looked stunned and quickly explained: “Mr. Liam, Ms. Campbell is truly ill… If we kick her out, she could die…” Liam narrowed his eyes, full of suspicion. “How much did she pay you to protect her like this?” He waved his hand, and a bodyguard respectfully pulled out several thick wads of cash. Then he flung them at me, the red bills scattering across the floor. “Is this enough money for you to turn on her?”

The nurse was too terrified to breathe. I reassured her and told her to step outside. I turned back to the furious man before me. His clothes were perfectly coordinated, his hair meticulously styled. Even his leather shoes were the finest handcrafted alligator leather from Italy. He looked utterly different from the disheveled man who had been by my side. It seemed that woman had taken very good care of him. I felt a quiet sense of relief, but my words remained sharp. “So what if you have a few dirty bucks? Who do you think would want your money?” Liam’s breathing became ragged again, as expected. A flicker of something—was it disappointment?—passed through his eyes, almost imperceptibly. I didn’t dwell on it, just bent down with difficulty to pick up the scattered bills. “Even if I don’t want your money, who would turn down free cash?” My last money, meant for my funeral, I gave to him as a wedding gift. I desperately needed money to save my life. If this hospital wouldn’t take me, there were others… I gritted my teeth, clutching handfuls of cash, when a gleaming leather shoe suddenly crushed down on my hand. “How dare you, Scarlett? What right do you have to speak to me like that?” In an instant, I was drenched in cold sweat from the pain. A searing ache, like my bones were shattering, blurred my vision. I instantly lost all strength and collapsed to the floor. Before completely losing consciousness, I actually saw a look of panic in Liam’s eyes. How could he possibly be worried about me? I gave a self-mocking laugh, then heard the urgent shout of the attending physician. “Quick, get her on a ventilator! Now! The patient’s brain oxygen levels are critically low; don’t exacerbate her condition!” I felt my body grow so light, as if I were floating. Flashes of fragmented memories with Liam flickered before my eyes. Ten years ago, a fifteen-year-old Liam and I met at an underground fight club. I was only there out of curiosity, but my gaze was drawn to the boy in the corner, his head bleeding profusely. He was covered in bruises, his face battered. Even so, his eyes held a tenacious spirit. When he met my gaze, there was no fear in his eyes. He simply looked at me and said, “Miss, do you want to choose me?” At the underground fight club, if a customer picked a fighter, and they won, they would receive a huge prize. Here, life and death held no meaning, only the brutal fight for money. I looked at the fighters clashing in the ring in the distance, unable to imagine what fate awaited this frail boy. A flicker of compassion stirred in my heart; I didn’t want him to be hurt. So I mustered my courage and extended my hand to him: “Do you want money? Then come protect me. I’ll pay you, and you won’t get hurt anymore.” The boy’s originally murky, lifeless eyes slowly brightened. “What… what do you mean?” “I mean… I’ll hire you as my bodyguard, to stay by my side always.” I turned to my Dad, begging him to let me buy Liam. But the fight club owner refused. In his eyes, Every fighter was a cash cow; as long as customers placed bets, it was an endless stream of money. Why would he let him go so easily? But I didn’t care. I threw a tantrum, stomping my feet until Dad agreed to pay his ransom of a million dollars to buy him out. After that, Liam became like my constant shadow. Wherever I went, I brought him along. If someone bullied me, he would instantly shield me. If I clashed with others, he would fight relentlessly to win. With my knight by my side, I couldn’t control the flutter in my heart. I once saw him carefully keep the good-luck charm I’d embroidered for him. I also saw him tend to the gardenia bush I’d abandoned until it bloomed. I thought it was a secret shared love, a mutual crush. But it wasn’t until I heard another girl’s name from his lips That it hit me like a bolt from the blue, and I couldn’t accept it. Perhaps that’s when Liam and I began to drift further and further apart. As my consciousness drifted, I seemed to hear that voice that filled me with disgust. “Scarlett! Scarlett! Wake up, please!”

I struggled to open my eyes, unable to stop myself from coughing. What met my gaze, besides the stark white walls, was an anxious face. It was Melody! Seeing her, I instinctively recoiled. Melody’s expression looked hurt, and her eyelashes lowered. “Scarlett, no matter how much you hate me, you should at least drink this medicine, right?” “I know you’re upset with me, but I just want you to get better. If only you get better…” Before she could finish, she covered her face and began to cry. The next second, a man rushed to my side with hurried footsteps. Liam’s angry eyes blazed, and he picked up the bowl of medicine, splashing it all over my head. “Scarlett, is this how you treat your savior? When you fainted just now, it was Melody who selflessly saved you!” A chilling cold swept through my body, but the cold inside was far worse. How much did Liam love her to defend her so fiercely, without even knowing the truth? I turned my head, without a word, without a fuss, and Liam froze. Before, if he had dared to treat me like this, I would have caused an uproar. I would have punished him severely. In his world, I was the sky, the boss who could never be defied. But now, I was like a defeated dog, stripped of my former pride. Melody quickly pulled Liam back, gently admonishing him: “Liam, Scarlett is still sick, don’t treat her like that.” Liam’s eyes instantly softened with affection, and he squeezed her hand back. “Melody, you’re too kind. You don’t owe her anything after how she treated you!” The three of us fell into an awkward silence. Back then, Melody had cried, saying she was leaving. Liam had knelt outside my bedroom door for a day and a night. Begging me to let him go see Melody off just once. “Scarlett, I’m begging you. Melody is like a little sister I’ve known since childhood; I wouldn’t be alive if she hadn’t brought me food. Just let me see her off, just this once!” I hardened my heart, sleeping soundly in my lavish bed, refusing to open the door or agree. The next morning, I opened my door to see a haggard Liam, his face covered in stubble. The light in his eyes was completely gone. He stayed by my side like a hollow shell. Later, when I finally let him go, he didn’t hesitate to go abroad to find Melody. Now, next to Melody, his eyes shone with happiness. I looked at Liam coldly, speaking clearly and forcefully: “I don’t need anyone’s help. If you want to put on a show of compassion, you’ve come to the wrong person!” Liam bent down and gripped my chin tightly. “I think you’re not sick at all! You’re just faking it for sympathy! The test results will be out soon, let’s see how long you can keep up this act!” I gave a bitter laugh. Even if I were dying right in front of him, he still wouldn’t believe I was sick. “Sick or not, I don’t need your pity or charity. Let me go!” I tried to shake off his hand, struggling to stand up and leave. But before I could take a step, I fell heavily to the ground again. Liam watched my struggle, arms crossed, his face full of mockery. The next second, his assistant rushed in, pushing the door open, and reported in a low voice. “Mr. Liam, Ms. Campbell’s test results are in.” Liam leaned forward expectantly. “What’s the result?” The assistant’s face flushed with concern, and he stammered: “Brain cancer. Stage three, advanced.”

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It had been three years since Everet and I broke up, and then I received his wedding invitation. I went, sitting at the head table. My friends at the table just laughed, their words laced with mockery. “If you hadn’t been the one to break it off back then, you’d be the one in the wedding dress today.” I just smiled, saying nothing. Chloe, Everet’s new bride, deliberately walked over to me, raising her glass. “Thank you for stepping aside and giving me such a wonderful man.” I drained the wine glass in one gulp, revealing the hideous scar that marred the side of my face. “I wish you both happiness!” My love for Everet had been completely consumed by that fire years ago. Everet’s gaze drifted over me, subtle yet persistent. The tension in the room was palpable, and sensing it, others quickly tried to lighten the mood. “Chloe doesn’t seem to be in the best spirits today!” Everet chuckled, drawing Chloe closer into his embrace, his eyes dropping to her belly with a tenderness that stung. “My apologies, my wife is pregnant. Please forgive us.” A wave of gasps and congratulations rippled through the guests. I sat motionless in my chair, my hand instinctively caressing my own stomach. There had once been a life there, too. Chloe, nestled in Everet’s arms, looked at me, her smile laced with a venomous triumph. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Everet’s just *so* invested in this baby.” “The day we found out our good news, he already had names picked out for our child.” My friends at the table turned envious eyes towards her. “Wow, that’s just too sweet! What names did he choose? We want to hear if he put some real thought into them.” Chloe beamed, happily sharing with everyone. “If it’s a boy, he’ll be Arthur. If it’s a girl, Daphne.” The wine glass in my hand froze. My heart lurched. Those were the names Everet and I had picked out together. He had spent a whole week poring over baby name books, even asking everyone for suggestions. But those carefully chosen names never found a home, because my baby was gone. While I was lost in thought, Everet had already taken Chloe’s hand and moved on to the next table. My friends, seeing my despondent look, mistook it for sadness. One of them patted my hand. “Don’t be upset. You pushed him away yourself. You have no one to blame but yourself for not cherishing what you had.” My phone rang, a perfectly timed escape. I excused myself to take the call, heading for the restroom. To them, it must have looked like I was running away. The moment I stepped out, a large hand clamped around my wrist, pulling me into a small, private room nearby. A familiar scent hit me, and my body recognized him even before my eyes could register his face. “You came back for me?” Everet’s arrogant words grated on my ears, and all I felt was a bitter amusement. “You invited me, so I came, of course.” I pulled his invitation from my bag, opened it, and held my name up to his face. A flicker of surprise crossed Everet’s face as he saw his own invitation. He slowly released his grip on my shoulder, his gaze falling on the scar etched across my cheek. “Have you been well these past few years?” I nodded. “Of course.” At my firm affirmation, a shadow of disappointment passed over Everet’s eyes. “I thought you…” I knew the unspoken words. “I did die once.” The old Cassidy had burned away in that asylum fire. Sensing my cold demeanor, a hint of guilt flickered in Everet’s eyes. “I went back for you that year…” I cut him off before he could finish. “It doesn’t matter anymore.” “Everet, it doesn’t matter.” Everet opened his mouth, wanting to explain, to plead his case. I pointed to his suit, a well-meaning reminder. “Don’t forget, you’re the groom today.” “Isn’t this exactly what you fought so hard for back then?” Everet clenched his fists, rendered speechless. The silence that fell between us was unnerving. “Husband?” Chloe’s voice echoed down the hall, shattering the fragile silence.

Everet pulled my wrist, practically shoving me behind the door. He then opened the door and stepped out. Chloe looked at him, her eyes narrowing suspiciously as she peered towards the room. Everet moved, blocking her view. “I had a bit too much to drink just now. I came in here to clear my head.” “Let’s go back. We shouldn’t keep the guests waiting.” Chloe still looked a little suspicious, but she said nothing, letting Everet put his arm around her as they walked back. Hidden behind the door, I heard everything. A bitter laugh escaped me. At that moment, I was just like Chloe, hiding behind a door once upon a time. I stepped out, not heading towards the banquet hall, but towards the exit. As I turned, I bumped right into someone. “Can’t you watch where you’re going, young lady?” The familiar voice made my apology catch in my throat, unable to go down or come up. I looked up, and a familiar face stared back at me. It was my mom, Eleanor. Years had passed, but she looked almost exactly the same. My breath hitched. She recognized me too. But there was no joy in her eyes, only pure disgust. “Who gave you permission to show up here?” Though I was used to it, my heart still gave an uncontrollable shudder. “Mom.” That word hadn’t left my lips in three years. Saying it again felt foreign. “Don’t call me that! I don’t have a repulsive daughter like you!” She cut me off, her face a mask of irritation, as if being associated with me was an insult. “Now get out of here before I have someone escort you off the premises.” After her warning, she muttered “disgraceful” and walked away. Watching her retreating back, I whispered softly: You must be so disappointed I’m not dead, right? The cold draft in the hallway bit at my face, a sharp sting. I shivered, wrapping my arms around myself, and left the venue. Back in my small apartment, I was alone. The full-length mirror reflected my face, and that jagged scar. That day in the fire, my own mother had locked the only exit from the outside. I was trapped under a fallen beam, unable to move. It had left a terrifying scar across my back as well. Actually, my mother and I had a very good relationship at first. She was a renowned photographer, and she hoped I would follow in her footsteps. I lived up to her expectations, achieving some success in the photography world. Until Chloe appeared. She was cornered in an alley by loan sharks. Pitying her, I paid off all her debts, even sponsored her education and covered all her expenses. When I noticed her interest in photography, I even introduced her to Mom, who, exceptionally, took her on as an apprentice. My own photography career was thriving. And Everet, my boyfriend of many years, proposed to me. For a time, I was at the peak of my life. Everyone said I had it all – a successful career and a loving relationship. Even I thought my life was perfect. But things slowly began to spiral out of my control. Mom and Everet started mentioning Chloe more and more. Everet would pick me up from work, but always took a detour to get Chloe first. When we ordered food, he knew all of Chloe’s likes and dislikes, her allergies and preferences, without even asking. It wasn’t until he took Chloe on a trip that even *I*, in my blind stupidity, started to realize something was off. When I confronted him, he just laughed, calling me paranoid. “Don’t be silly, you treat Chloe like a sister, so naturally, I do too.” But the strange feeling in my gut never faded. Sensing my doubt, Everet’s kiss landed on my lips. “Cassidy, let’s have a baby.”

Just that one sentence, and I believed him. I convinced myself that all of Everet’s actions were just normal behavior for someone treating a younger sister. Then, on my birthday, I suddenly started hemorrhaging in the middle of the night and was rushed to the hospital. I clung to life for an entire night, barely making it. But my baby was gone. When I opened my eyes, Everet wasn’t there. Instead, his and Chloe’s voices drifted from the bathroom. “Everet, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it.” “I didn’t know pregnant women shouldn’t have turtle soup. I just wanted to make Cassidy stronger, I didn’t mean to…” Chloe’s self-reproaching words were cut short by Everet. He comforted Chloe softly, his voice impossibly gentle. “It’s not your fault, she brought it on herself.” “She drank the turtle soup, not you. You had nothing to do with it.” Then, the sounds of heavy breathing, unmistakably male and female, drifted from the bathroom. The sounds stabbed deeply into my eardrums. I lay in the hospital bed, tears streaming from my eyes. Suddenly, I felt like laughing. That soup? Everet had brought it to me earlier that day. I’d seen the broken shells in it and asked him, confused, “Everet, what is this?” Seeing my hesitation, his tone had hardened. “It’s soup I bought just for you. Don’t be silly, drink all of it.” Turns out those broken shells were from a turtle. He knew it was turtle soup. Why didn’t he tell me? Perhaps he didn’t want that child either. My phone rang in the silent room, pulling me from my thoughts. Snapping out of my memories, I saw a work assignment for an on-site photoshoot tomorrow. I typed back “Okay.” The next day, I arrived at the outdoor photoshoot location with my department’s crew. To my surprise, the person in charge of the partner studio was Chloe. “I can’t believe *you* actually got into photography.” “Well, I guess with how you look now, you wouldn’t make it on a runway anyway.” Without Everet by her side, Chloe dropped her facade, revealing her true self. Her eyes were filled with undisguised hostility. I focused on my work, having no desire to engage with her. Chloe, unbothered by my indifference, watched me with even greater smugness. “Look at these models, their skin is so smooth, it’s just enviable.” “Cassidy, you lost three years ago, and you’re going to lose again today.” The next second, Chloe screamed, and a sharp tug sent me plummeting into the icy river. Everet, arriving late, saw both Chloe and me struggling in the water. Without a moment’s hesitation, he dove in. To my shock, he went for *me* first, even though I was further away. Seeing this, Chloe’s face twisted in fury. Everet held me, his voice soft as he comforted me. I just found it amusing. Three years ago, during the fire, Everet had stepped right over my trapped body, pinned beneath a fallen beam, to save Chloe. He hadn’t even spared me a glance. The cold river water engulfed my mouth and nose, my throat, and vocal cords constricting. The pressure of the water crushed my chest, a dull ache spreading through me. Darkness enveloped me, and I passed out. When I opened my eyes again, I was in a hospital bed. My mother, Eleanor, walked in and immediately slapped me across the face. Pointing her finger, she unleashed a torrent of abuse. “You wretched girl! You’ve ruined Chloe’s baby!” “Chloe’s still in surgery fighting for her life! How could you ever take responsibility for this?” Mom’s hateful words blurred, taking me back three years. Three years ago, when I discovered Chloe’s award-winning photographs were actually stolen from me, I publicly challenged her right there at the awards ceremony. I demanded that my own submissions be displayed. But when my intimate photos were projected onto the huge screen, a bucket of ice water couldn’t have shocked me more.

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I was the woman everyone in New York envied, but my husband, Derek, only had eyes for his first love, Vanessa. The day Vanessa returned to the country, he handed me a divorce agreement, demanding I leave with absolutely nothing. He threatened to bankrupt my entire family if I dared to utter a single word about it. I signed the papers, then turned around and launched a live stream called “My Ex-Husband’s Secret Auction.” 【First item: His and his first love’s ‘pure friendship’ — the uncensored video.】 It was snapped up at a high price by a rival company. 【Second item: Evidence of his bribery of officials and market manipulation.】 Now under continuous investigation by FBI agents. 【Third item: The true identity of his illegitimate brother…】 The live stream audience soared past 100 million, and Derek Corp.’s stock plummeted. Derek and his family rushed to my apartment, falling to their knees, begging me to stop the broadcast. I smiled brightly into the camera: “Ladies and gentlemen, the grand finale is here:” “Derek isn’t Arthur Derek’s biological son – the DNA test results, starting bid, the entire Derek Group!”

Today marked our third wedding anniversary. I had personally prepared a slow-cooked gourmet meal, his favorite, simmering for a full six hours. On the dining table, red wine, candlelight, roses – everything was perfect. Except for his prolonged absence. At ten o’clock that night, a pop-up on my phone announced entertainment news. #Award-winning Actress Vanessa Returns Home, picked up by mysterious luxury car at the airport# In the photo, that limited-edition Aston Martin’s license plate was Derek’s birthday. My heart, at that moment, died. At half past eleven, the lock clicked. Derek was back. He carried an unfamiliar perfume scent, nothing I ever wore. It was Vanessa’s favorite ‘Desert Rose’ perfume. He didn’t even glance at the meticulously set dining table, instead, he strode over and slapped a document onto my face. The cold paper sliced across my cheek, a sharp, searing pain. “Stella, we’re getting a divorce.” I stared at him, at this man I had loved for three years, my throat tight. “Why?” He tugged at his tie, his eyes filled with annoyance and impatience. “Vanessa’s back.” His tone was flat, as if stating the most normal thing in the world. I took a deep breath, gesturing to the elaborate spread on the table. “Derek, we’ve been married for three years. What did these three years even mean to you?” He finally chuckled, a laugh dripping with mockery and disdain. “Stella, don’t sicken me.” “You were nothing more than an accessory my grandfather forced on me back then.” “Now, I don’t need this accessory anymore.” An accessory. So, all my efforts these past three years, all my gentle consideration, in his eyes, had just been a decoration. I clenched my fists, my nails digging deep into my palms. “What if I don’t agree?” He stepped closer, leaning in, his voice dropping, laced with bone-chilling coldness. “Stella, I advise you to be smart about this.” “You won’t take anything with you, you’ll walk away with absolutely nothing.” “Dare to utter a single word outside, and your parents’ company will vanish from New York tomorrow.” I looked at his face so close to mine, those thin lips I had kissed countless times. Now, they were spitting out the most venomous threats. The last flicker of warmth in my heart extinguished. I picked up the pen from the table, flipped to the last page of the agreement, and calmly signed “Stella.” Not a single tremor. He seemed pleased with my compliance, grabbed the agreement, and turned to leave. He didn’t even spare me another glance. The moment the door closed, I stood up. I dumped the cold, untouched meal, along with that ridiculous pretense of deep affection, into the trash. Then, I dialed a number. “Leo, the plan can begin.” Half an hour later, my study was brightly lit. I applied my most exquisite makeup, my red lips like blood. I opened the camera and started a live stream. The title of the live stream read just one line: “My Ex-Husband’s Secret Auction.” 2 The moment the live stream began, there were only a few hundred viewers online. The chat scrolled sparsely, filled with mockery and doubt. “Who is this? Desperate for fame?” “Ex-husband? New tactic to piggyback on Mr. Derek’s popularity?” “She looks decent, but her brain doesn’t seem to be working right.” I ignored the malicious conjectures. Facing the camera, I offered a perfectly poised, gentle smile – the kind fitting for the former Mrs. Derek. “Hello everyone, and welcome to my ex-husband’s secret auction.” “I am Stella, Mr. Derek’s legal ex-wife. The divorce papers were just signed, the ink barely dry.” With that one sentence, the live stream instantly fell silent. Then, the chat exploded, scrolling like mad. “WTF? Ex-wife? Mr. Derek got divorced?” “Seriously? Wasn’t today their wedding anniversary?” I adjusted my posture, maintaining my smile. “To celebrate my new beginning, and to thank my ex-husband for his three years of ‘care,’ I’ve decided to host this auction.” “Now, let’s introduce our first item.” I projected my phone screen onto the camera. “Proof of Mr. Derek’s pure friendship with Ms. Vanessa.” “Starting bid, one million.” Saying this, I played a ten-second video. The scene was a presidential suite in a five-star hotel. Derek and Vanessa, disheveled, entwined on the sofa, their gasps and moans unmistakably intimate. Though heavily pixelated, their faces were crystal clear. The live stream erupted. Online viewers surged from hundreds to hundreds of thousands, then millions, still climbing frantically. #DerekCheatsOnStellaWithVanessa# trended at lightning speed, rocketing to the top of the trending topics. A user with the ID “Mason” began flooding the live stream with gifts. Rockets, carnivals – one after another, the screen was consumed by special effects. Mason, Derek’s arch-rival, heir to Mason Corp. He typed directly into the comment section: “Ten million, send me the video.” My smile deepened. “Deal.” “Mr. Mason, thank you for your generosity.” “The video has been sent to your DMs. Enjoy your evening.” No sooner had I spoken than Mason Corp.’s official social media updated. A high-definition screenshot from the video, taken from a cunning angle. It perfectly captured the moment Derek pinned Vanessa beneath him. The caption read: “Mr. Derek, quite the stamina. @DerekCorp” The next second, my phone buzzed frantically. Calls from Derek and Vanessa came flooding in. I glanced at them, muted my phone, and hung up on all of them. Facing the camera, I held up my phone, showing the screen full of missed calls. “It seems my ex-husband is quite anxious.” A text message popped up, from Derek. His tone was furious, almost bursting through the screen. “Stella, you’re insane! Stop this immediately!” I chuckled softly, displaying this text message to the millions watching my live stream. “Insane?” “No.” “I’m perfectly sane.” 3 Derek Corp.’s PR team was quick to react. In less than ten minutes, the trending topic was removed. In its place were new hashtags: #VideoIsAISynthesis#, #StellaMaliciouslySpreadingRumors#. Countless trolls flooded my live stream, spewing the most vile insults. “Bitch, if you can’t have him, you’ll ruin him?” “Looks photoshopped, what can’t AI do these days?” “So desperate for money, disgusting!” Vanessa’s fans were especially aggressive, nearly massacring my live stream. I looked at the offensive comments, not angry, but amused. “It seems Mr. Derek doesn’t find this level of excitement enough.” “Then, let’s proceed to the second item for auction.” I displayed a list of documents on screen. “Some of Derek Corp.’s recent commercial secrets.” “Including, but not limited to, transfer records of a thirty-million bribe to Deputy Chief Miller from Northside District.” “An on-site recording of bid-rigging for the Southside land development project.” “And a complete set of evidence for malicious manipulation of Zephyr Tech’s stock price in the secondary market.” “Bundled for auction, starting bid, fifty million.” The moment I spoke, the entire live stream fell into a ten-second silence. If the first item was merely a scandalous affair. Then this second item was criminal evidence that could send the entire Derek family to prison. The online viewership instantly surpassed fifty million. The chat was no longer insults but a screen full of shock and question marks. “????? I didn’t mishear, did I?” “Is this woman crazy, or does she really have something?” “If it’s true, the Derek family is doomed!” I didn’t give them much time to react, immediately playing a recording. It was the voice of Arthur Derek, chairman of Derek Corp. “Mr. Miller, don’t worry about that land. You’ll get your share once it’s done.” “Thirty million, deposit it into your son’s overseas account first.” The voice in the recording was crystal clear, and it was indeed the highly-regarded Deputy Chief Miller, known for his integrity. The live stream went completely wild. Just then, a user with the ID “BladeRunner” entered the live stream. They didn’t send any gifts, just typed a single line on the public chat. “Following up.” I understood immediately. This was the FBI, or someone from a related department. They were watching. I looked into the camera, a knowing smile playing on my lips. “Since a mysterious netizen is so interested in this item.” “Then I’ve decided, this item, I won’t sell it.” “I’ll give it for free, to the person who needs it most.” Under the gaze of billions of viewers, I opened the official whistleblowing website. Clicked on “Real-name Report.” Then, I compiled all the recordings, documents, and transfer records I possessed. Bundled them into an encrypted file, and clicked “Upload.” The progress bar jumped from 1% to 100%. “Upload successful.” After doing all this, I finally picked up my phone, which was ringing again, almost exploding. It was Derek. I pressed answer and put it on speaker. On the other end, his voice was distorted with panic, almost screaming. “Stella! What exactly are you trying to do!” “You’re destroying the Derek family!” Into the phone, and to the millions of viewers watching the live stream, I whispered: “Don’t rush, Mr. Derek.” “This is just the beginning.”

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My boyfriend of three years, Fitzgerald, asked me to be his nude model. But as I shyly took off my clothes, I realized he was live-streaming it to the entire campus. He did it just to humiliate me in front of everyone, all because I had snatched Chloe’s title as the campus queen. Unable to bear the insult, I ran to the rooftop, ready to jump. But Fitzgerald knelt down and begged me: “I messed up! I’ll spend my whole life making it up to you!” I choked back tears and forgave him. Yet, in the blink of an eye, he was selling my private shower photos online. That was the moment I finally understood how utterly absurd my devotion these past few years had been. I called Professor Dawson: “I’ve made up my mind. I’m joining the research institute.” I stood in the shadows of the bar. I watched Fitzgerald gulp down a drink, then lean in, pressing his lips to a woman’s. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and soon they were entangled. My hand clenched around the undelivered takeout order, my heart suddenly tightening in my chest. Just then, someone nudged his arm and asked: “Big spender tonight, huh? And I hear you’re blowing all that money from his pathetic girlfriend. Aren’t you afraid she’ll find out?” “She probably scrapes by with a hundred or two a day. You’ve blown what she earns in years, just tonight.” Fitzgerald scoffed, his finger still hooked under the woman’s chin: “So what if she finds out? She was so tough when she stole Chloe’s campus queen title, she deserves a lesson. Besides, those shower photos of hers have been everywhere. Where’s she gonna go without me now?” “Pulling her back on the rooftop that day? That was just because I didn’t want her dying on campus and causing trouble for you.” The person next to him chuckled: “So why did you stay with her for so long?” “She insisted on clinging to me.” He flicked his cigarette ash. “Who says no to a free maid? But honestly, she’s so poor. Last time, I even saw her underwear drying, and it had a hole in it.” I didn’t hear the rest of what he said. My grip on the takeout bag tightened until my knuckles turned white. “That person looks a bit like your girlfriend, actually.” Fitzgerald’s head snapped up, a flicker of panic in his eyes before he remembered something: “No way! She gave me all her money. She’s probably riding her bicycle delivering takeout right now. How could she have any extra cash to get into a place like this? Keep the party going! We’re not going home until we’ve spent all her money!” It was already dawn by the time I returned to my dingy apartment, renting for $600 a month on the outskirts of the city. I felt too drained to shower, picking up my misshapen bra and underwear. To support him through the city’s best music school, I worked three jobs a day. Mornings, I sold pastries at a breakfast shop. At noon, I washed dishes at a restaurant, my hands chapped and bleeding from the dish soap. The pain made it hard to hold my forks, so I’d wrap my fingers in bandages and keep washing. In the evenings, I delivered takeout. Last month, he told me his teacher recommended private lessons that cost $12,000. I gritted my teeth and pulled out all my savings. Every dollar he carelessly tossed around last night was stained with the skin peeled from my hands. I sank to the floor, defeated, tears streaming down my face. Fitzgerald, you truly are heartless.

Lying in bed, I stared with open eyes until morning, still unable to understand why he was doing this to me. Was it really just because I’d taken Chloe’s campus queen title all those years ago? But back then, I was humiliated by the entire school, cornered in the bathroom and called a bitch, pushed to the brink of jumping off the roof. I’d already paid the price! Why, why was he still doing this to me? Just then, I heard the door open. Fitzgerald was back. He had changed into his faded t-shirt. Seeing me, he walked over, asking casually: “Where did you go today?” I replied dully: “Delivering takeout.” Noticing my face, peeling from sunburn, he suddenly pulled my hand to his. “Aria. Just wait a little longer. After I win the competition next month and sign with a company, I promise I’ll give you a good life. I’ll buy you a big house, buy you that ring you love most. You won’t have to work so hard anymore.” If this were before, I would have found hope in all my hardships. But now, I just felt a wave of nausea. I yanked my hand back, looking up at him. I caught a fleeting glimpse of disgust in his eyes, and my heart twinged with a slight pain. I asked scornfully: “What’s wrong? Do you think my hands are too dirty, too disgusting?” Hearing my words, Fitzgerald’s face instantly changed, first surprise, then utter panic: “Aria, who told you that? How could I ever find them disgusting? These are proof of everything you’ve sacrificed for me.” “Seeing these only makes me care for you more.” Turning away, I said nothing else. After I turned off the light, Fitzgerald gently wrapped his arms around me from behind, his voice tender: “Your birthday is in two days. I’ve prepared a surprise for you. Don’t worry, it’ll be your favorite.” Celebrating my birthday felt like something from three years ago. Back then, I was young and naive. My ex-boyfriend, Noah, said he wanted me to be his nude model. Because I liked him, I thought about it and agreed. But as I, blushing furiously, took off my clothes, I realized he was live-streaming it to the entire campus. Countless people were recording videos and taking screenshots. He did it just to humiliate me in front of the whole school, all because I had taken the campus queen title from Chloe, the girl he liked. Walking through school, countless people pointed and whispered about me. I didn’t even have the courage to look people in the eye. Completely desperate, I ran upstairs, wanting to jump from the rooftop. That’s when Fitzgerald appeared, took me away, and promised to love me forever. That same day, my parents found out about what happened at school. They couldn’t reach me by phone, afraid something terrible had happened, so they rushed from our hometown through a torrential downpour to the school. The rain was particularly heavy that day. They got into a car accident on the highway, and both of them died. From that day on, I never celebrated my birthday again, and I became even more dependent on Fitzgerald, wanting to give him nothing but the best. Staring at the mold stains on the wall, I counted the days. Two more weeks, and I would leave this city. I had messaged Professor Dawson that night. He was my parents’ closest friend, treating me like his own daughter. He had long wanted me to go abroad and start a new life. Before, I’d refused for Fitzgerald’s sake, but tonight, I’d said yes. I figured two weeks was enough time to say a final goodbye to this place. “Okay,” I whispered in response.

Fitzgerald seemed to sense my coldness, thinking I was upset because he came home late. But then he remembered the surprise he’d prepared for me. He was sure I’d love it. He held me tightly and fell into a deep sleep. On my birthday, Fitzgerald took me to a beautifully decorated restaurant. However, the moment he pushed open the private room door, I froze. The room was filled with people, mostly former classmates. Even more suffocating was seeing Chloe there, with Noah by her side. Fitzgerald nudged my back: “I called everyone here because I want you to know that all the past nonsense is over. We can start fresh.” Immediately, a classmate chimed in: “He’s right, Aria. It’s been years, don’t take it to heart anymore!” “Look how devoted Fitzgerald is to you.” Hearing those familiar voices, my body trembled uncontrollably. I grabbed my bag, wanting to leave, but Fitzgerald’s hand clamped tightly around my wrist. He lowered his voice and said: “Just give me a little credit, please? Just this once?” I looked up and saw him staring intently at Chloe and Noah, a flicker of jealousy in his eyes. I instantly understood. He was just using this gathering to prove something to Chloe, to make her think she’d chosen the wrong person back then. And I was merely a tool for him to try and make Chloe regret her choice. I was about to leave when Noah stood up and looked at me: “Don’t be in such a hurry to leave. I even brought you a present.” As he spoke, the large screen on the wall suddenly lit up. The screen displayed images of me undressing in the art studio three years ago, photos scrolling one by one. The private room instantly fell silent, and everyone’s gaze turned to me. My blood ran cold. Tears streamed uncontrollably down my face. I didn’t understand why they kept doing this to me. Watching them stare at me as if I were a joke, I suddenly understood. Some people are so miserable they can’t stand to see anyone else breathe. My body trembled as I tried to stand up and leave. Chloe suddenly rose from her seat and quickly approached me, saying with a wronged expression: “I’m so sorry, Aria, I really am. I didn’t know Noah would do something like this.” “He just wanted to lighten the mood. Please don’t take it to heart, forgive him, okay?” I forcefully shook her hand away. She staggered back two steps, then fell to the floor. I was about to say something when Fitzgerald rushed over, sweeping Chloe into his arms and glaring at me: “What are you doing! She already apologized for her boyfriend, what more do you want?” “You resort to violence over a small matter! How can you be so vicious now?” I pointed at them like a madwoman, my hand shaking uncontrollably: “A ‘small matter’? You keep turning my photos into a joke, again and again!” “How dare you treat me like this!” “What terrible thing did I do to deserve being bullied like this, over and over again! My parents are dead, everything’s already like this, and you still won’t leave me alone!” My last words were practically a scream. He froze, taken aback by my outburst, then his face darkened. “Don’t be ridiculous. Why keep bringing up the past? I think you just can’t stand to see Chloe do well.” Before I could say anything more, Chloe suddenly clutched her stomach and cried out in pain. Noah immediately panicked: “What’s wrong? Did you hurt yourself when you fell?” Fitzgerald also grew tense. He scooped Chloe up, not even sparing me a glance, and rushed out of the restaurant. Everyone else in the room scattered. Someone passing by me even whispered: “No wonder her parents died, she’s truly disgusting.” I stood alone in the empty private room, took a deep breath, and walked out of the restaurant. As I reached the roadside, a drunk man bumped into me. I fell to the ground, and a sudden, sharp pain tore through my lower abdomen. A gush of blood quickly flowed from my lower body, staining my skirt crimson. I realized what was happening, fumbling with trembling hands for my phone in my bag to call Fitzgerald. The call connected, but before I could speak, Fitzgerald roared: “Stop making a fuss every day! Chloe isn’t feeling well right now, we can talk about whatever it is when I get back.” I tried calling again, but it wouldn’t go through. I knew he’d blocked my number again. It was always like this. Whenever something displeased him, he would just block me. The pain in my lower abdomen intensified, and my vision blurred.

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On the day I was supposed to marry Serena Sterling, her adopted brother threatened to jump from a building, claiming he’d take his own life. Serena, still in her wedding gown, abandoned me at the altar, rushing to his side. Faced with the mocking stares of a ballroom full of guests, I made a public marriage proposal, “Whoever walks up here right now, I’ll marry them!” Three years later, Serena returned to the Sterling family, her adopted brother Blake by her side. I was sitting comfortably on a leather armchair, holding our child, sipping coffee, and watching the news. Serena stared at the baby in my arms, her teeth gritted. “Who is this bastard child?” I took a slow sip of my coffee, a cool smile playing on my lips. “Why, he’s the Sterling family’s rightful heir, of course.” Blake Sterling stared at me, his face a mask of shock. “Alex, even if Serena ditched you at the altar back then, she still let you keep the title of husband, allowing you to enjoy wealth in the Sterling family. How can you be so shameless, bringing an illegitimate child into this house?” My gaze swept over him. “Blake, you’re an adopted member of the Sterling family, yet you openly pursue your own sister. If we’re talking about shamelessness, who could possibly outdo you two?” Blake immediately whined, looking at Serena. “Serena, we’ve been careful to keep a low profile these past three years. But he has a child that’s already this old! This is a clear betrayal of you!” At the word “betrayal,” Serena furiously raised her hand and slapped me across the face. “You scum! You bring a bastard into this house and then dare to slander Blake and me? Get out of the Sterling family!” A sharp sting. I was stunned for a second. Three years ago, Serena left with Blake, abandoning me alone at the wedding to face everyone’s ridicule. In a fit of rage, I publicly announced I’d marry anyone who stepped forward. It was Victoria, Serena’s aunt, who walked onto the stage and completed the ceremony with me. Victoria was a powerhouse in the business world. Since marrying her, everyone treated me with profound respect. After we adopted the baby, Victoria treated him as her own, prioritizing us both above all else. Today, Serena dared to lay a hand on me. If Victoria found out, she would never let it go easily. To prevent things from getting worse, and for the baby’s sake. I said coldly, “If you two leave now, I can pretend none of this happened.” But they didn’t appreciate it at all. Instead, Blake grabbed my collar. “Serena, he’s just feeling guilty! He wants to kick us out so he can use this child to seize control of the Sterling family’s assets.” Serena spat, “Shameless! So this was your plan. I’ll never let you get away with it.” I pulled free from Blake’s grip, my face cold. “The moment you two abandoned the wedding, Grandpa Sterling disowned you from the family. The Sterling family has nothing to do with you anymore.” Blake scoffed lightly. “That was just Grandpa Sterling’s anger talking. Serena is the Sterling family’s only granddaughter; there’s no way he’d actually disown her.” Serena’s face also lit up with smugness. “Grandpa Sterling always said everything in the Sterling family would eventually be mine.” I shielded the baby, my voice cold. “But from now on, it won’t be. The child beside me also carries Sterling blood.” I thought my words were clear enough. But Serena glared at me, her eyes furious. “You bitch! So you are trying to pass off this bastard as a Sterling heir! Today, I’m going to make you regret this!” Another, harder slap landed on my face. Shielding the baby, I stumbled and fell to the floor. Looking at their twisted, menacing faces, hearing the baby’s cries, my heart filled with terror. Fearing they would harm the baby, I quickly cried out, “This child isn’t a bastard, he’s—”

But before I could finish, Serena leaned down and shoved the spilled coffee and broken pieces from the floor into my mouth. “Blake and I worked tirelessly for three years, while you’ve been living in luxury here with a bastard child!” “I’ll make you drink it all!” Choking, I couldn’t make a sound. The shards cut my mouth, filling it with blood. I tried to raise a hand to resist, but Blake stomped on my hand with his dress shoe. Pain shot through my hand, but I couldn’t scream. After forcing all the debris into my mouth, Serena spat, then finally stood up. Blake’s shoe tip moved towards the child I was shielding. Terror gripped me. I desperately clutched his ankle. Victoria couldn’t have children of her own. This child was the orphan of one of her old friends. We adopted him out of compassion, cherishing him ever since. Blake’s face was full of mockery. “Alex, you look like a pathetic stray dog protecting its pup, so miserable.” Serena frowned, staring at the baby. “If word gets out that I was betrayed, how can I ever show my face in this circle again? Blake, teach him a lesson!” I shook my head frantically, spitting out the filth and blood in my mouth. I managed to gasp, “This child… he’s Victoria’s…” Serena paused, then burst into laughter. “Alex, you can’t even make up a convincing lie! Everyone in town knows Victoria isn’t interested in men and decided years ago she wasn’t having kids.” “Now I’m the only direct bloodline left in the Sterling family. Otherwise, why would Grandpa Sterling have been so desperate for me to marry and carry on the family name?” Blake chimed in, “Serena is the only heir. Grandpa Sterling even froze her credit cards just to force her back.” “Your lie is laughable. You’re still trying to drag Victoria into your ridiculous stories even after being exposed.” Serena and Blake had run off three years ago, vanishing without a trace. Grandpa Sterling was truly disappointed in her, which was why he froze her cards and cut off all financial support, intending to completely disinherit her. But now, they were clearly beyond reason. To avoid provoking them further, I didn’t argue. I just repeated, “I’m not lying. This child really is Victoria’s.” “If you don’t believe me, I can call her right now.” I shielded the baby with one hand, reaching for my phone on the coffee table with the other. As long as I contacted Victoria, the baby and I would be saved. She would rush here immediately. But just as my fingers brushed the phone, Serena snatched it away and smashed it to the floor. The screen shattered, and my heart sank into a dark abyss. Serena grabbed my chin. “Victoria has an unpredictable temper, a veritable titan in the business world, feared by everyone.” “If she knew I couldn’t even handle this kind of ‘family scandal,’ she’d definitely think I’m incompetent. How would she ever entrust the family business to me in the future?” “Alex, you were trying to pull a fast one by calling her, weren’t you?” I shook my head frantically. “No, this child is—” Before I could finish, Blake kicked me in the stomach. “Serena, why waste words on this guy? Just get rid of this bastard and go explain things to Grandpa Sterling.” The blow to my abdomen, combined with the baby’s startled cries, filled me with an unprecedented terror. I pleaded, “Please, I beg you, spare the baby…” Blake pulled out his phone and pointed it at me. “Now, get on your knees, bark like a dog twice, and say you’re a pathetic excuse for a man. Then I’ll let the baby go.”

To protect the baby, I swallowed my pride, knelt, and did as he demanded. Blake bent down, looking triumphant. “Alex, when I begged you to give up the engagement all those years ago, did you ever imagine you’d see this day?” Back then, Blake had come to me, claiming he and Serena were deeply in love, asking me to voluntarily break off the engagement. The Sterling-Sterling alliance was an arrangement decided by our elders, involving significant business interests. If I were to back out, the blame would fall entirely on my family, and we’d face severe repercussions. So, I refused his request. I hadn’t expected him to hold a grudge until now. I had no mind for old grievances at the moment. I just begged, “Please, call an ambulance. The baby needs to be checked…” Serena kicked me in the back. “Alex, you’re truly despicable! You’ll do anything for this bastard!” I collapsed to the floor, my abdomen hitting the cold, hard surface, burning with pain. “You said… you’d let the baby go…” Blake’s tone was dismissive. “I said I’d let him go, but Serena didn’t, did she?” “You used this bastard, parading him around with the Sterling name. You think I’d let you off? No way!” Serena kicked my abdomen again. A fresh wave of agony swept over me, and I curled up on the ground. Feeling the baby’s cries growing weaker in my arms, I looked up in despair, my eyes burning with hatred. “Serena, Blake, you will regret this!” Blake stood beside Serena, his gaze sinister. “Serena, he still refuses to admit his mistake. Looks like he hasn’t been taught enough of a lesson!” Serena scoffed. “Oh, I’d like to see who regrets what!” “Blake, find some rope.” Blake understood immediately and quickly returned with a long rope. I dragged my body backward, my eyes wide with terror. “What are you trying to do?” Their excited faces were my only answer. They threw the baby onto the ground, tied my hands and feet with the rope, and then dragged me from the living room out the door, leaving a long trail mark on the floor. At the edge of the swimming pool, Serena kicked me into the water. My limbs were bound, I couldn’t move, and I sank in despair. The pool water covered my mouth and nose, and a sense of suffocation washed over me. Just as I thought I was about to die, Serena pulled the rope, dragging me out of the water. “Alex, do you admit your mistake? Do you dare to betray me again?” I gasped for air, but then I heard the baby’s cries, left in the room, growing fainter. Though I knew the baby’s chances of survival were slim, I wouldn’t give up the last shred of hope. I pleaded again, “I admit my mistake, I won’t ever dare again. Please, spare the baby.” “The baby needs medical attention, please, I beg you…” Serena spat, “You pathetic wretch, still thinking about that bastard! Looks like you have no remorse!” “Today, I will not let this bastard leave the Sterling family alive!” With that, she raised her foot again, intending to kick me back into the pool. I closed my eyes in despair, my heart filled with the fear of drowning. Just then, the front door of the Sterling family mansion burst open. Victoria rushed in, her face etched with anxiety, and shouted furiously, “Stop!”

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I got a second chance at life. This time, Grandpa wanted me to choose one of the Thompson sisters for a family alliance. No one expected me to pick Victoria, Chloe Thompson’s older sister. Everyone knew I’d been obsessed with Chloe since childhood. I’d gone to desperate lengths to make her my wife. I forced a bitter laugh, remembering the last life. On our wedding day, Chloe ran off with Leo, the young man our family had taken in. She declared she’d only marry him, abandoning me at the altar. I stood there in my long-awaited tuxedo, utterly humiliated. Only then did I realize her agreement to the engagement was just a twisted plan to get revenge on me at the wedding. After being reborn, I started avoiding her at all costs. Later, when I held her sister close, my lips swollen from kissing, Chloe–who’d always looked down on me–suddenly lost it. Once the wedding date was set, I started preparing everything needed for the ceremony. I never expected to run into Chloe and her friends at the mall. “He follows you everywhere, your man’s got you on a pretty tight leash, huh?” Her friend teased her with a playful grin, making Chloe frown. “He is not my man. Say that again, and I’ll stitch your mouth shut.” Chloe spotted me from afar and marched over, annoyance etched on her face. “Liam, seriously, what is your problem? Why are you following me everywhere?” “You forced our families to tie us down, and now everyone knows you’re marrying a Thompson. Are you happy now?” I stayed silent for a moment, my expression calm. “I’m not trying to tie you to me. You’re mistaken.” Her emotions flared, and she gripped my wrist tightly, a dull ache spreading through my hand. “Then why are you here? Isn’t it just to track me?” I pulled my hand away, instinctively rubbing my reddened wrist, and explained, “I’m here to pick up some things for the wedding. I didn’t expect to see you.” Her friends noticed the tension between us and immediately gathered around. “Wedding stuff? Chloe, you’re so lucky, your fiancé handles everything, you don’t have to lift a finger.” Chloe shot a fierce glare at her friend, ignoring the comment. “Liam, don’t think that just because our families are merging, you can get me this way.” “You’ll get my person, but never my heart. I despise manipulative, toxic men like you.” Her eyes were cold, her voice thick with suppressed anger. But I felt nothing. I just wanted to escape this drama. I looked up, meeting her gaze calmly. “Who said I want your heart? Don’t flatter yourself. And I’m not marrying you.” At my words, Chloe’s face instantly fell. “What are you even talking about? You used every trick in the book to force me to marry you before, and now that you’ve finally succeeded, you’re saying I’m not the one you’re marrying…” Her friend nudged her shoulder. “Chloe, can’t you see? He’s just playing hard to get, saying things to spite you.” “He’s personally out here picking out wedding decorations, and you’re still being sarcastic. Do you think Liam would be happy?” Chloe’s expression softened slightly. She stared at me, her face a mix of emotions, before finally managing a sentence. “I’ll be there for the wedding on time, but I stand by what I said: don’t think I’ll ever like you.” Suddenly, something dropped behind us. Chloe and I turned simultaneously, seeing Leo standing there, dressed in casual clothes, a look of shock on his face. He was the young man our family had taken in. He had poor health and was a frequent patient at the hospital. My mother pitied his difficult living situation and brought him to live with us. Now, he looked like a delicate young man, with clear eyes framed by fluttering eyelashes. Chloe immediately let go of me and darted over to him. “Leo, let me explain! It’s not what you think!” Leo turned and walked away, not giving her a chance to explain. The group dispersed, following Leo’s exit. As Chloe left, she spat a threat at me. “If Leo gets sick because of this, I swear I’ll make you pay.” I let out a self-deprecating laugh, wondering for a second if the Chloe I grew up with had been swapped out for someone else.

After that whole ordeal, I lost my interest in shopping and went home early. It wasn’t until evening that Chloe brought Leo back. She carried bags overflowing with items, and the driver following her carried several more boxes. The boxes contained expensive fruits and imported snacks. It was clear Chloe had bought a lot to appease Leo. They walked in just as I was lounging on the couch, watching TV. I deliberately didn’t look her way, but she approached me anyway. At first, she didn’t speak, just pursed her lips, seemingly waiting for my reaction. But I kept my eyes on the TV, not even sparing her a glance. “Liam, you clearly saw me bring in all these things. Why didn’t you help me?” I casually glanced at her. “Why should I help you? Those weren’t bought for me. What does it have to do with me?” Her face darkened. “If you want them, just say so. People will laugh at me if they know Chloe’s fiancé has to beg for these things.” Chloe wasn’t listening to what I’d said at the mall, and I was too tired to keep repeating myself. She’d understand that I wasn’t marrying her on the wedding day itself. Chloe picked up a punnet of blueberries and tossed it near me. With too much force, the box bounced on the couch before falling to the floor. “Here, a treat for you. Don’t say I mistreat you.” I looked down at the blueberries but felt no desire to pick them up. To do so would be like a pathetic dog begging for her crumbs of attention. I didn’t need that kind of charity. I curled my lips into a cold sneer. “You’re certainly making yourself at home here, aren’t you? Don’t you have any manners as a guest? Don’t shame the Thompson family’s reputation.” We had grown up together, always familiar with each other’s homes, but I had never spoken such humiliating words before. Chloe’s face flushed crimson, her eyes glaring at me as if they could kill. Mom and Dad weren’t back yet, and the housekeepers were busy with their own tasks. The living room was just me, Chloe, and Leo. Chloe acted as if I didn’t exist, pressing Leo against the wall and brushing a feather-light kiss on him. She murmured, “Leo, if anything ever upsets you, just tell me. Don’t let it ruin your health.” Leo’s clear voice reached my ears. “I know. I knew you were the best to me.” With Leo’s response, they continued their intimate display, lost in their own world, making me feel a flush of discomfort. I switched off the TV, walked around the couch, deliberately keeping my distance as I headed for the stairs, planning to go to my room. As I reached the middle of the staircase, Chloe’s eyes suddenly snapped open, startled, as if she’d just remembered someone else was there. She instinctively pushed Leo away. Leo didn’t notice her strange behavior, just reluctantly ended the kiss. Then Leo looked up at me, his eyes full of defiance and disdain, as if to challenge me. Back in my room, I received a message from Leo. [Liam, Chloe might be giving you a wedding, but the title of Chloe’s husband can only be mine.] [Liam, whatever fate you met in your last life, you’ll meet again in this one. You can’t beat me.]

My heart sank when I saw that message. So, I wasn’t the only one who’d been reborn. In my last life, after Chloe accepted the engagement, I thought my sincerity had finally moved her. After all, I’d chased her for over ten years; even a stone should have warmed up by then. But she’d only accepted the alliance to humiliate me terribly at the wedding. In front of all the guests, she clutched Leo’s hand tightly. She announced to everyone that she couldn’t marry me, that Leo was the only one she loved, and she would marry no one else. I was utterly humiliated, left alone in my tuxedo, lost in a storm of despair. Everyone around me knew how much I loved her, how I’d neglected my health, making myself so sick that I was close to death. All of it just to soften my parents’ hearts and secure an alliance with the Thompson family. I had debased myself, shamed myself and my parents, only to be met with Chloe’s revenge. She resented me for using my family’s power to force the engagement, tearing her and Leo apart. I also passed away from my illness, a pain I vowed never to experience a second time. So, after being reborn, I gave up on Chloe and chose her older sister, Victoria. But I never expected my engagement to Victoria to proceed so smoothly this time. There were no obstacles; I just had to wait for next month’s wedding to arrive. In my previous life, Victoria had worked overseas and remained single her whole life. Everyone assumed she had some hidden condition. Even Grandpa, hearing my decision to marry Victoria, had double-checked with me. Was I truly set on marrying Victoria? I nodded. Even if she did have a hidden condition, so what? If I had to choose between them, a respectful, peaceful life was far better than a life scarred by heartbreak. The next day, I went to the jewelry store to pick up Victoria’s and my wedding rings. But the staff told me Chloe had already taken them. This jewelry store was part of the Thompson Group, so if Chloe wanted them, the staff couldn’t stop her. Out of so many couple’s rings, she just had to take my wedding rings. A sudden fury surged through me. Those rings were my own design. Since childhood, I’d dreamed of wearing my own design with the person I loved on my wedding day. I used to think Chloe would be the one wearing the female ring. But now, with a different fiancée, I’d torn up the old design. The final version, the one that was made, was specifically designed for Victoria. And Chloe had just snatched it from me. Just as I was about to call Chloe to demand an explanation, I saw a new post on Leo’s Ins feed. [A one-of-a-kind ring, from my darling you.] The picture showed him and Chloe wearing my designed rings. The comments section was full of blessings for them. Unknowingly, my eyes welled up. Even if the alliance had caused Chloe distress, I had stopped in time, giving her freedom. Why did she have to keep chasing me to humiliate me, even letting Leo steal my wedding rings? I couldn’t wait another second. I didn’t want to bicker with Chloe over the phone. So, I hailed a cab and headed straight for Chloe’s office.

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When I was dying of late-stage cancer, I fell in love with a “blind” massage therapist. Then I got pregnant. For my baby, I gave up chemo. I worked myself to the bone, saving every dollar for him and our child. I even signed a cornea-donation form—my final gift—so he could “see the world” after I was gone. But then, in the hospital director’s office, I saw a photo of him surfing—eyes bright, locked on the waves. “This is my son,” Director Vance said. I froze. “Your son… isn’t blind?” “Blind?” Vance laughed. “Of course not. He just has this weird hobby—loves role-playing. I heard he’s been pretending to be a blind massage therapist lately.” I looked down at my swollen belly. And I made up my mind. “Dr. Vance,” I said calmly, “sign me up for the new-drug trial. But under one condition—I want to play a role-playing game too.” Leaving the hospital, I finally heard Asher’s voice message. “Hey babe, pulling a double at the parlor tonight. That’s an extra twenty bucks toward your necklace.” Before, I’d have replied with a sixty-second voice memo, all honey and heartbeat. Now, my voice turned to ash before it could leave my throat. In that photo I’d just seen, he wore his half of a matching set with another woman. It’s an eight-figure custom design. A wave of bitter pain washed through me, seeping into my bones. Ding! Another voice message. “Why aren’t you answering? You don’t want it?” My fingers trembled, hitting the wrong icon. His reply was instant. “Why did you just send a period?” I stared at the screen. A sound escaped me-half laugh, half sob. He could see. He had always been able to see. Snowflakes needled my face. I threw open every door down the street. Finally, in a private booth, I found Asher, surrounded by people. A burst of laughter hit me first. “Asher, when are you going to reveal the truth?” He tilted his head back, draining half his glass. And for the first time, I truly saw those eyes. Cold, Sharp. Just as beautiful as they had been in my dreams. He used to sigh, saying that restoring his sight would take a cornea donor and a fortune in surgery. I had actually considered it. Donating my corneas to him after I died. I’d even researched what every part of my body was worth on the market. Surely, I could piece together a million. Giving him back the light was my last, desperate purpose. So tell me, Asher. What’s the price for three years of genuine love? At the table, his voice was flat, bored. “I’ll come clean whenever. I’m tired of her. She’s the one who can’t move on.” The girl from the photo lunged, planting a wet kiss on his cheek. Grinning, she went for the velvet box in his pocket. He caught her wrist. “That’s a five-dollar trinket. Yours is being delivered from the high-end boutique.” The room erupted. “Cheap girls get cheap prizes!” She pouted, all playful venom. “Asher, promise me one thing. When we get engaged, we invite that old hag to watch.” Asher took a drag of his cigarette. The ember glowed, then faded. He said nothing. “Don’t tell me you actually fell for it, Asher,” someone sneered. “That woman was devoted! Her mother’s entire life savings went to him. That’s the seed money for his ‘struggling blind masseur’ act.” In the roar of laughter, the world dissolved. I was falling. My mother’s last words, whispered through morphine, surfaced like a curse. “He’s an orphan. No family, no prospects. My darling…I’m just afraid he’ll break your heart.” But she still left the money to Asher. “My daughter is marrying you. This is her gift.” That day, Asher looked at the shop deed, face averted, hands trembling.

I thought he was too moved to speak. The truth was, he was fighting not to laugh. Every sacrifice my mother made, every piece of myself I broke off and gave, was just loose change in the ashtray of his decadent life. The girl tilted her head, her smile sweet. “Don’t laugh at Asher, guys. I’m the one who didn’t want to have a baby, so I told Asher to keep that one. If it’s a boy, he can buy it for two hundred thousand. I hear she’s stingy and materialistic. If it’s a girl? Just give her some child support.” Every word was a knife, stabbing into my chest. How I yearned for Asher to refute even one sentence. He only looked away. Then, a cackle cut the air. “Nicole, your prank target is so pathetic! Her old man got on his knees for ten grand, begging me to take his land! What a dirt poor? I nearly choked trying not to laugh!” The girl giggled, falling into Asher’s arms. Asher’s expression wasn’t good, as if he thought I had embarrassed him. But all I could see was my father’s hunched back, walking twenty miles through rough terrain. He finally placed the money in my hands. Every crumpled bill, every coin he’d saved for a lifetime. It was all meant for a surgery to make a blind man see. Mud crusted his clothes, but his eyes were bright. “My daughter is so beautiful… her husband must at least get a glimpse of her.” I watched the scene calmly. Inside, my world had already shattered. Ding. A new message from Dr. Vance. Attached was the confidentiality agreement, along with a text. “Hailey, I advise you to reconsider. The pain from this trial is unsustainable. Our attrition rate for male participants is nearly forty percent.” I signed my name directly. No. Nothing in any lab could ever hurt more than this. It was like I had planned to die in winter, only to be dragged back to life by excruciating pain. Back in my cramped apartment, I moved through the agony.I packed every trace of Asher into black bags and dragged them to the trash. I even cut up that precious scrapbook, my album of wishes. During bungee jumping, he held my trembling body. After fainting during diving, he nervously gave me CPR. When fear locked my joints at the plane’s edge, his laugh was the push that sent me falling. I thought those life-and-death firsts were shared treasures. To him, they were just items to check off a list. Asher came home, his blind cane tapping a deliberate, loud rhythm against the floor. He complained softly, “Why didn’t you come to pick me up?” In the past, I’d always rushed to meet with apologies and comfort. But not today. “Still pinching cents on gas? So cheap.” The word hung in the air. I couldn’t believe my ears. I was the one who saved on painkillers. Who stitched baby clothes by hand. Who, believing him an orphan, had never stinted on giving him everything. Even that was a lie. The silence turned suffocating. Asher’s mask slipped. Then, from my numb fingers, a small bottle slipped. It spun once, hollow and frantic, and stopped at his feet. My heart hammered against my ribs. If he took off his dark glasses, he would see the glaring ANTI-CANCER label on the bottle. Perhaps, he would feel a sliver of regret. All those nights I’d burned my eyes red, translating mountains of text to save pennies for a man who needed none of it. And he had always, always, pretended not to see. He began to bend down. His phone rang. Asher’s lips suddenly curved into a smile. He hurriedly tossed a box to me. “Your birthday gift. I need to take a client call.” I looked at the velvet box, feeling utterly hollow for the first time. As I walked into the room to get my medicine, I heard Asher’s soft chuckle on the phone. “It’s fine, her illness isn’t contagious. She should be fine by now; she’s just being dramatic.” “I secretly swapped out her medication, and nothing happened, did it?”

My head reeled. So that’s why I’ve been failing so fast. A wave of nausea twisted my insides. I scrambled to the bathroom, throwing up violently. Asher dropped his phone, his fists pounding on the door. “Hailey! Is it the morning sickness?” His voice was all false urgency. I didn’t answer. My eyes were fixed on the vivid, thread-like streaks of red swirling in the water. Then I calmly flushed them away. When I came out, I brushed away his hand as he reached to hug me. “I’m fine.” Asher’s smile stiffened. My odd behavior all evening was clearly irritating him. Upon seeing the unopened gift box, his anger reached its peak. He suddenly slammed his hand on the table. “I bought it for you, why haven’t you looked at it?” Did he expect me to be grateful for a fake? I slowly said, “I like it.” Before the words were fully out, a nosebleed gushed out without warning, and my vision began to blur. “Asher…” But he had already turned away, coldly muttering that an unsophisticated hick wouldn’t appreciate quality. Then he grabbed his blind cane and slammed the door shut as he left. I collapsed heavily to the floor. Warm blood continuously spilled from my nose and lips, quickly pooling around me. Outside the window, there was a sudden bang, bright as day. In a haze of agonizing pain, the words “Princess Nicole” illuminated my utterly pathetic state. My eyes glazed over as I watched. So beautiful. My phone vibrated madly. My bank account balance plummeted from $40,000 to zero. I laughed, a shaky, hysterical laugh. Asher was punishing me in the cruelest way possible. But he didn’t know that money was always meant for him. I had foolishly fantasized. How touched he would be when he received this inheritance. But in the end, all my desperate efforts were just part of a grand romantic gesture he made for someone else. My phone suddenly rang. I instinctively answered it. But then, abruptly, a woman’s intimate moans came from the other end. “I love you.” I heard Asher’s voice. Those words he had never spoken to me. I listened to every second. Let each sound carve into me. But there was no pain left to feel, only a brittle, weightless calm. Asher didn’t return for the next few days. But his “client’s” Instagram did. Feed after feed of desert climbs, skydiving over canyons. So, calluses on his hands weren’t from massaging after all. Everything that had touched me was a lie. Nicole’s hands were tightly clasped with his, his name tattooed on her chest, her eyes full of sweet devotion. Asher only sent me a few cold, clipped voice messages. “Do you know you were wrong yet?” “Did you put on the necklace?” “Send me a picture.” I knew he was waiting for me to humbly admit my fault and beg him to come home, just like before. But I never would again. Just then, Dr. Vance called. “What’s the check-up date?” My gaze swept over the Vance family’s newly announced engagement date, and I instantly sobered. “December 28th. Let’s make it that day.” But on the morning of that day, Asher appeared at my door, looking awkward. “Come with me somewhere.” At the charity gala, elegantly dressed people mingled, and glasses clinked. Only we wore faded, worn-out clothes. He seemed oblivious, gently coaxing me. “Hailey, these are all friends from the disability assistance association. You’re pregnant and it’s hard work, so I applied for a donation.” Even through his dark glasses, I could see the expectation in his eyes. He was waiting for me to react as I always had. My eyes red, throwing myself into his arms, saying, “You’re so good.” But I merely gave a faint “Mm.” Asher paused. Nicole intimately linked her arm through mine. “Hailey, you are elegant, you’re even beautiful pregnant… but your outfit is a bit shabby.” Just as I was about to pull away, Asher casually interjected, mediating. “Hailey, the neighbors said you dress really tacky and low-class. Nicole has good taste; why don’t you go change?”

Someone nearby snickered. “Hailey, you’re not married yet, are you? Maybe if you dressed up a bit, a man would marry you! When you collect the donation, remember to say you’re a single mother-to-be!” Their words cut deep, each one a slap across my face. But Asher’s silence was louder than any slap. Nicole yanked me into the dressing room, casually pointing to a dress. “This one’s reserved especially for you, Hailey, two thousand nine hundred. You’re not trying to freeload, are you?” Under her malicious torment. I slowly pulled out a wad of small bills, tens, fifties, barely enough to make up the amount. Nicole gasped dramatically, “You didn’t actually smash your piggy bank, did you?” I calmly nodded. “I did.” Asher’s face instantly changed. That piggy bank was something we bought when we first got together. I told him that once we saved enough money, I’d take him to Switzerland to treat his eyes. He paused then, a soft laugh escaping him. “When I can see, I’ll take you to the Alps to see your favorite snow.” At the time, I smiled, saying nothing. Because I knew my life wouldn’t last until that day. I just wanted Asher to regain his sight and watch our child grow up with his own eyes. But now, only disappointment and lies remained. Asher tightly gripped my hand, his voice hoarse. “We’re not going to see the snow mountains anymore?” I laughed casually. “No, I don’t like snow anymore… This winter, it’s just too cold.” Asher’s expression grew darker. “Hailey, you’re not comfortable. I’ll take you to change.” Asher glanced at Nicole, then confidently released my hand. Watching their silent, synchronized interaction, I finally understood. That was the impassable divide between us. As I was changing into the gown, Nicole’s voice grew chilling. “Were the fireworks pretty?” “It was just a game for my amusement, but you actually went and got pregnant, clinging to my man.” “Do you know how disgusted Asher is by you? He said he pretended to be blind because he couldn’t stand the sight of your torn underwear; it made him sick.” Seeing my calm expression, a flicker of surprise crossed her eyes. Then she sneered, wiggling the tip of her shoe. “The necklace you gave him? It wasn’t thrown away. It’s stuck to the bottom of my shoe.” “Are all you people from the gutter so pathetic? The second you farmer father heard ‘charity,’ he came crawling. So embarrassing.” My mind went numb. My father had lived with dignity. How dare she insult him so! By the time I reacted, my hand was already gripping her collar. “Give me back the necklace… Apologize to my dad!” She let out a sharp, theatrical cry. Then, with a vicious smile, she swung the entire cash box into my chest. A searing pain erupted from my chest. I fell backward, banknotes fluttering like snow. The door burst open, and gasps of alarm filled the room. I realized I was half-naked, exposed to countless malicious eyes. The room erupted in mocking laughter. “She’s all bones. Probably lies there like a dead fish.” Asher’s hand shot out, then froze in mid-air. “Hailey? What happened?” He He began groping blindly, his voice rising in panic. I laughed, a bitter, desperate sound, tears streaming down my face. I was laughing at his performance. He clung to his blind man’s costume so fiercely, he let my dignity be torn to shreds at his feet. Nicole offered a fake apology. “Oh dear, I’m so sorry, I forgot to lock the door.” Before her words faded, her foot hooked under the chain of my mother’s necklace and kicked it into the fire. That necklace was my mother’s dying gift. Now it vanished into ash. Something in me detonated. I lunged at her like a mad woman. But just then, the door crashed open. A hunched figure stumbled into the chaos.

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My sister, Selene, and I fought for ten long years over Lucian, the Alpha heir of the Shadowhowl Pack. In my first life, I won. For seven brutal years, I gave him six sons. After I delivered the seventh, he pushed me off a cliff at my weakest moment. As I fell, his icy voice echoed. “Your only value was breeding strong heirs. Seven is enough. You can disappear now.” I died consumed by hatred. In my second life, I simply walked away. I thrust the engagement ring into Selene’s hands. “Go on, Selene. You’re the one Lucian truly wants.” Five years later, our mother’s loyal physician risked her life to bring back a bruised and battered Selene. Selene wailed, “Aria! Lucian never love me! He only used me as a sex toy! He beat me every single night.” Soon after, Selene died. Then I opened my eyes again, reborn. This was my third life. Lucian arrived once more, proposal in hand. Selene and I exchanged bewildered glances. That bastard Lucian, who does he actually want to marry? My mother, Evelyn, looked at the nameless engagement agreement, just as confused as we were. She asked, “Is Lucian marrying Aria?” Mom thought of me first because Lucian and I had been childhood sweethearts. Lucian hadn’t found his true mate yet. His father, Marcus, the Alpha of the Shadowhowl Pack, wanted him to marry into our family as soon as possible. I was still reeling when Lucian nodded, answering my mother. “Yes, I’m marrying Aria.” I quickly refused. “No, I’m not marrying him.” The nightmare of my first life was still searingly clear in my mind. For eight years, Lucian wove a fantasy for me, saying he loved children and wanted the pack to flourish. He allowed no recovery, no respite. Six pregnancies in seven years. The pack toasted my fertility, envying the “perfect love” between Lucian and me. Until the eight winter arrived. After giving birth to my seventh child, I suffered a severe hemorrhage because my body was too weak. As the healers fought to save me, Lucian waved them away. He leaned in close, forcing wolfsbane poison down my throat. “Aria, I don’t love you. This marriage was your doing, not mine. Now that seven children are enough. My breeding tool has served its purpose. Go die.” Rage simmered within me. I fought through the excruciating pain tearing through my insides, weeping and desperate for an answer. Lucian hesitated, then said, “Fine, I’ll tell you. The one I truly love is-” But I died before I could hear him finish. The agony of my first life made my whole body tremble, yet my mind was clearer than ever. I refused again. “Mom, I’m not marrying him.” Mom knew. She’d watched me trail after Lucian since we were kids. I’d waited an entire month, sick with dread, the first time he went on a rogue patrol. When he came back bleeding, I didn’t sleep for two weeks, tending to him. Mom stared at me, her confusion plain. “Aria, didn’t you used to say you absolutely had to marry Lucian?” I shook my head firmly. “That was a child’s vow, Mom. I didn’t know better then. I’ll find my real mate someday.” Mom’s face was etched with shock. She then turned to Lucian, apologizing. “Lucian, Aria is unwilling, and I can’t force her. How about Selene? She likes you too.” Selene, who had been silent until now, flinched and shook her head vigorously. “Mom, I’m not marrying him either.” Mom scolded her. “What’s wrong with you?” Selene glanced at me, stammering, “I… I’ll also marry my true mate someday. And he’ll be here to propose soon.”

Mom could only offer an awkward, apologetic laugh. “Lucian, I’m so sorry. I can’t force my daughters. Perhaps you should seek an alliance with another family.” Lucian, probably feeling his pride wounded, had kept a calm facade until now, but his expression finally tightened. He blurted out. “No! My father, Alpha Marcus, insisted I marry one of your daughters!” He then slammed the engagement agreement onto the table and turned to leave. As he walked away, he left us with a single chilling threat. “You have three days to decide. If you can’t make up your minds, I’ll just pick one of you myself!” After Lucian left, Mom, frantic, nudged us both. “If you two don’t want to marry Lucian, then hurry up and find your own mates!” Selene and I just stared at each other, utterly bewildered. For years, we’d been locked in a bitter struggle over Lucian, barely giving any other man a second glance. How were we supposed to know where our mates were? Mom noticed our unusual behavior, her brows furrowed. “Didn’t you two just say you’d already found your mates?” Seeing we couldn’t keep it a secret any longer, we finally told Mom everything about our rebirths. At first, Mom didn’t believe us, but as we recounted the details so vividly, she eventually accepted it. She concluded that the Moon Goddess must have given us a second chance, allowing us to be reborn. Then, Mom frowned. “So, who does Lucian actually love?” She asked.”If he already has someone in mind, why is he so determined to marry one of you?” I shook my head, feeling lost and guilty. “I died too quickly in my last life; I didn’t hear him finish.” I looked at Selene. She looked equally helpless. “I have no idea either. Lucian never spoke a word of it to me.” After hours of frantic brainstorming and chaotic discussions, we finally decided to split up and uncover the truth. Mom would help us search for our true mates. Selene would scout all the females in the pack, looking for anyone connected to Lucian. And I, knowing him best, would go to read his intentions directly. When I saw Lucian again, he was painting in his study. I saw a portrait of a woman, but it was only her back. Her face was missing. I leaned closer to ask. “Who is this woman you’re painting?” He calmly put down his brush. “Can’t you tell? Of course, I’m painting you.” A pang shot through my heart. I remembered how much Lucian loved to paint in my first life. He used to tell me he couldn’t capture my beauty on canvas because it was beyond any brushstroke, that I was too perfect in his heart. Now I know it was just another lie. I looked closely at the painting and noticed a small mole on the right side of the woman’s neck. I didn’t have one. I asked him directly, “Lucian, this isn’t me. I don’t have a mole on my right neck.” Lucian froze for a moment. When he recovered, he finally looked up at me, asking, “Aria, do you really want to know who she is?”

I took a deep breath, waiting for Lucian’s answer. But he just chuckled. “Silly girl, it really is you. That’s not a mole on her neck; it’s just a smudge of paint.” I was speechless for a moment. He continued, “We grew up together. I’ve always treated you better than any other girl.” His words made my heart soften slightly. He really had been good to me once. During the pack’s warrior training, he always personally taught me combat techniques. When I was sick, he would personally bring the medicine to my lips. And because I hated the bitter taste, he always had a candy ready for me afterward. Even in my first life, the wedding he gave me was legendary. The entire hall was a sea of ten thousand lilies, simply because my scent was lily. Such a kind person… I still don’t understand when he had changed. The sudden ache in my throat pulled me back to reality. I rubbed my nose, my voice muffled. “Lucian, if you truly wanted to marry me, why didn’t you write my name on the engagement agreement?” Lucian paused slightly, then continued. “Aria, everyone in the pack knows you and Selene have been fighting over me for years. I didn’t write your name to spare her feelings; she’s your sister, after all. I never thought you’d misunderstand me because of it and refuse out of spite.” The truth was, both Lucian and I knew Selene didn’t really care for Lucian. What she loved was the thrill of competing with me. When we were little, it was about toys, clothes, and our parents’ affection. As we grew up, she started going after anyone I showed interest in. My moment of distraction made Lucian think I was wavering. He didn’t miss a beat. “So, Aria, I’ve made up my mind. It’s always been you I wanted to marry. We’ll get officially engaged in three days. Once we’re married, I’ll make you your favorite cinnamon apple pie every day. How does that sound?” I looked at his sincere expression, fighting back tears, and choked out, “Okay, I’ll give you one more chance. But let’s skip the engagement ceremony. Selene would be heartbroken if she knew. Just come and marry me directly in three days.” Lucian let out a long sigh of relief, his face showing the expression of someone who had lost something precious and then found it again. Back home, Selene and Mom, Evelyn, were stunned when they heard the full story. Selene, uncharacteristically, didn’t argue with me. Instead, she slapped me. “Aria, snap out of it! You’re still going to marry a man like that? Haven’t you suffered enough in your first life?!” For the first time, I didn’t get angry with Selene. Instead, I calmly ran my hand over the wedding dress. “Marrying him is a must. But the bride won’t be me…”

Selene froze, her brows furrowed slightly. She asked uneasily, “You’re not trying to make me marry him, are you? I’ve never wanted to hurt you. If you dare to trick me, I’ll seriously get mad.” I rolled my eyes at her. “What are you thinking? In my last life, I thought Lucian liked you, which is why I let you marry him. Why would I ever hurt you like that again?” Selene finally let out a sigh of relief and continued, “So you mean, just find some Omega or a low-ranking female from the pack to be a stand-in bride?” I shook my head again. “Lucian is too arrogant and proud for that; he’d never marry a woman of low status. Besides, I don’t want to harm an innocent woman.” Selene frustratedly asked, “Then what do you want to do? Who else is there to marry?!” I looked up at Mom, Evelyn, and said softly, “Mom.” Mom gasped, stepping back two paces, waving her hands frantically. “Oh, no, not me! I’m old enough to be Lucian’s mother!” I couldn’t help but laugh despite myself. “I just want you to help with something. I think I know who Lucian truly loves.” Actually, I hadn’t realized it at first. Lucian had played his role perfectly; anyone listening would have believed he was genuinely in love with me. But his last sentence gave him away. I didn’t like cinnamon apple pie at all. In fact, I’d always hated the smell; it was stuffy and old-fashioned. However, he did remind me that there was indeed someone in the pack who absolutely loved cinnamon apple pie. And before coming home, I had specifically confirmed that person did have a small mole on the right side of her neck. So I made up my mind. Instead of openly defying Lucian, it was better to pretend to agree first. I leaned closer to Mom’s ear and whispered my plan. She immediately rushed out to prepare. Selene leaned on the table, laughing self-deprecatingly. “Aria, we fought over Lucian for so many years, only to lose to that woman. Are you really okay with that?” I smiled calmly. “Of course, there’s a part of me that’s not okay. But right now, I want revenge for both of us, for the suffering of our past two lives!” Selene wrapped her arm around mine-it was the first time she’d been so affectionate with me. “Alright, Aria. No more fighting between us. This time, we’re in this together. Let’s watch their downfall.” Lucian, wasn’t she the one you loved most, the one you most wanted to marry? I couldn’t wait to see how Lucian would react when she was actually delivered to him. The day before Lucian was supposed to marry me, Mom brought home two men. I recognized them. They were the twin sons of Alpha Rhys from the neighboring Wildthorn Pack. Mom excitedly told us, “My girls, I’ve finally found your true mates!” “What’s more, they are also heirs to a powerful werewolf pack. Their status, position, and strength are no less than that of that bastard Lucian!” Selene and I were speechless for a moment. Mom continued. “You two need to start dating these twins immediately! It would be best if they mark you tonight. Otherwise, other girls will snatch them up!” Selene and I looked at the tall, handsome twin brothers with golden curly hair in front of us and simultaneously agreed. On the spot, we signed engagement agreements with the twins. Holding the agreement, a huge weight finally lifted from my heart. I took Selene’s hand. “Come on, let’s go. Now, we’ll help Lucian prepare for his wedding. This time, I’m going to completely ruin his reputation!” The next day, Selene and Mom placed the thick white veil over the head of Lucian’s new bride. I smirked, a sarcastic smile playing on my lips. Lucian, this life, you’re finally marrying the one you truly desired, but the one you couldn’t publicly have…

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After I was kidnapped, my family was practically *relieved*. The kidnappers had gotten the wrong person; my older brother, Lucas, the one they *meant* to snatch, had escaped. When the police rescued me, blood was seeping from almost every pore, but I didn’t cry, didn’t make a sound. I was diagnosed with emotional apathy. No emotions. I could no longer feel sad about anything happening around me. I felt freer than I had ever been. But later, they all regretted it. They cried, begging me to go back to my old self. When I was discharged from the hospital and returned home, the house was empty. Even the furniture had been moved out. Unable to reach anyone, I called our housekeeper, Martha, only to find out they had moved. I went to the new address. My family was already seated at the dining table, ready for dinner. Seeing me walk in, everyone at the table looked a little uncomfortable. “Why didn’t anyone tell me you were moving?” “Oh, Lucas has been having nightmares lately, dreaming of being kidnapped. I thought maybe the old house wasn’t good for him, so we found a new place.” Mrs. Davis said, as casually as if discussing what was for dinner. “You’re back just in time. Sit down and eat with us.” The table was laden with all of Lucas’s favorite dishes. My face was covered with thick bandages, and I limped when I walked. No one seemed to notice or care. The old me would have been devastated. But now? I felt nothing. My emotions were gone. Seeing me calmly sit down, Lucas suddenly leaned over. “I’ve been so scared these past few days, I didn’t even dare to go out, so I couldn’t visit you. Mom and Dad were worried I’d get kidnapped too, so they stayed home with me. You don’t blame me, do you?” Before I could say a word, Mr. Davis quickly jumped in. “Come on, Hymen, it’s not that serious. You two are brothers; you should cut each other some slack.” I didn’t know how to react. *I* was the one who was kidnapped. Lucas laughed heartily. “Hehe, I just didn’t want him to overthink it! Hymen has always been so independent, much braver than me. I really envy people with courage.” He said, picking up a shrimp and placing it in my bowl. I silently put down my fork. I’m allergic to shrimp. No one at the table remembered. *No one.*

My name is Hymen. My older brother’s name is Lucas. No doubt about it, we’re biological brothers. An old fortune teller once told my parents that I had a difficult fate and shouldn’t be raised by them. So, they sent me away to live with my distant grandparents in a remote town. All those years, they barely visited me. They only brought me back after my grandparents passed away. I came home filled with hope, but I quickly realized this house wasn’t for me. The day I was kidnapped, Lucas insisted on taking a deserted alley. After a few steps, he claimed he needed to find a restroom and told me to wait right there for him. After that, I lost consciousness. I’ll never forget those memories. “Damn it, a worthless piece of trash.” The kidnapper’s fists landed on me, blow after blow, venting their rage. They had mistaken me for Lucas, they had kidnapped the wrong person. My family refused to pay my ransom, so they wouldn’t get a single dime. I was starved for three days, tortured for three days. My throat was raw, I couldn’t even scream anymore. When the police burst in, the kidnappers were about to strip me. Blood blurred my vision, but I still strained to open my eyes, looking behind them. No one. No one from my family had come. I wanted to cry, but no tears would fall. The doctor said I had Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, manifesting as a loss of emotions, medically known as emotional apathy. The hospital room was empty. After the investigating police officers left, no one else came. At the dinner table, they treated me like I was invisible. The three of them chatted and laughed, a picture of a happy family. In the past, I would always try to join their conversations, but today I did nothing. “I’m finished.” I casually grabbed a napkin from the table to wipe my hands. “Which room am I staying in?” Mrs. Davis paused, then collected herself. “The other rooms haven’t been tidied up yet.” Lucas interjected, “Hymen, don’t blame Mom and Dad. They’ve been so busy with everything lately, they just can’t keep up.” He sounded like he was protecting our parents, but he was really hinting that I was being inconsiderate – something he’d done countless times. I simply asked, “Did I say I blamed them?” I gently put down the napkin, my voice flat. “Then I’ll just pick an unoccupied room. You all enjoy your dinner.” I slowly walked upstairs, their voices drifting up to me. “Who did he inherit that prickly attitude from? Don’t take it to heart. Come on, Lucas, you haven’t had any of my special stew yet!” Lucas’s voice was calm, “My brother might just be scared.” Mrs. Davis disagreed, “What’s he scared about? He’s back home safe and sound, isn’t he?” I closed my bedroom door, shutting out their conversation.

Chloe came home that evening. She wasn’t Mr. and Mrs. Davis’s biological child; she was adopted, and Lucas and I called her sister. I once dreamed of having an older sister who would stand up for me. And Chloe did fit my image of a good sister, except she always protected Lucas. Towards me, this sudden interloper who seemed to take some of his spotlight, she was openly hostile. From the moment she walked in, Chloe hadn’t spared me a single glance, practically writing “unwelcome” on her face. How could I have been so naive before? Even with her attitude, I always wanted to get close, to care for her, to give her all kinds of gifts. I envied Lucas; I envied him for receiving all the family’s love. But with those emotions gone, everyone’s actions seemed deliberate and utterly uninteresting in my eyes. I felt a little hungry. Chloe, noticing I hadn’t initiated conversation, actually looked at me twice. “Hey, your stuff. I don’t want it.” She held out a beautifully wrapped gift bag. I recognized it; it was the birthday gift I had chosen for her. A piece of jewelry I had personally polished and crafted. I had given her many things, and every single one had been publicly returned. She and Lucas both seemed to enjoy the process of trampling my dignity. “Got it.” My attention wasn’t on her at all. The food was all served, but I had no appetite. A table full of seafood. Nothing I could eat. Just looking at it made my wounds throb faintly. Chloe, however, was stunned. Usually, I’d beg her to accept the gift. This time, I was surprisingly direct. Was I playing another trick, trying to get the family’s attention? “Sister, what did he give you?” Lucas asked, but his hand was already quicker, tearing open the gift. “Oh, what beautiful jewelry! He must have put a lot of thought into this, Chloe. You should keep it.” Chloe pursed her lips. Keep it? That would mean she accepted *me*. This was the person who made Lucas feel insecure, the one who caused him to cry countless nights. “I won’t accept anything from him. Take it back.” She looked at me, her tone brooking no refusal. My stomach ached with hunger. Faced with a table of inedible seafood, I just wanted to go out and eat something else. As I started to rise, Chloe, thinking I was trying to avoid the situation, grabbed my wrist. “Take your stuff away.” Lucas looked on, clearly enjoying the spectacle. In the past, I would have cried. “Just throw it away.” “What?” Seeing that no one moved, I picked up the jewelry and tossed it into the trash can. “I said, throw away what you don’t want. I’m leaving.” Everyone at the table fell silent. This version of me was too unfamiliar. I ignored them and simply left the table. Chloe felt a strange pang. Watching that annoying figure slowly disappear, it felt like something had quietly spun out of control. Lucas glanced at Chloe, his hand, still holding a fork, clenched abruptly.

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Everyone was scrambling to sell their accounts for the mobile game that was about to shut down. Only I stayed up all night, saying goodbye to each NPC in the game. My friends all laughed, calling me crazy for treating a bunch of data like real people. But then, monsters suddenly descended upon the world. The game’s NPCs became terrifying realities. Everyone was panicking, running for their lives. Only I was in my backyard, casually fishing and enjoying a barbecue. Terrifying realities? What terrifying realities? They were all my best friends. Eldoria Online, a globally popular game, announced it would shut down in one day. As soon as the news broke, everyone rushed to sell their accounts. My roommate, Leo, urged me to sell mine quickly too. “Even a little money is better than nothing,” he’d said. But I didn’t want to sell. For me, what that account meant to me, personally, was far more valuable than money. I politely declined Leo’s suggestion to sell our accounts together and logged in alone. I figured if the game was closing, I should at least give it a proper farewell. After all, this game had been with me through the hardest five years of my life. As usual, I logged on, harvested my garden vegetables, and tidied up my in-game yard. Then, I started visiting each character one by one. I went to the main city and spent all the gold in my account. I bought the old messenger his favorite pastries. I brought Professor Miller the paper and pens he wanted. I bought new shoes for the homeless man by the city gates. I brought something for every single game character. Watching them smile and say, “Thank you, noble hero,” filled me with satisfaction. I smiled back. “Goodbye for now. We might not see each other again, so please, take good care of yourselves.” I whispered to the characters on the screen. My roommate, Leo, scoffed dismissively: “I swear you’ve lost your mind. They’re just data. Once the servers shut down, they’re deleted with one click.” “Take care of yourselves? You actually think they’re real people? You’re out of your mind.” I lowered my eyes, my voice soft but firm as I retorted: “How you see it is your business.” “I consider them my friends. Please don’t insult them.” He snorted. “Alright, alright, ‘friends,’ hahahaha. You really need to see a shrink.” “Calling screen data your friends? How desperate for affection must you be?” “I told you before, something’s not right with him. We should tell the teacher to send him to a mental hospital.” As he spoke, he reached for my phone: “Stop being crazy. Just link your account with mine and sell them.” I pushed him away. “I said no. Leo, I’ll do what I want. Mind your own business.” “Besides, friends are people who provide good emotional support, and they give that to me. Why can’t they be my friends?” As we argued, the clock silently ticked past midnight. I frantically glanced at my phone, only to find the game had been forcibly logged off and shut down. Evelyn! I hadn’t visited Evelyn yet! It was all Leo’s fault, just one more to go. She’s so delicate; disappearing without saying goodbye would probably upset her for ages. But now, no matter how anxious I was, it was too late. Eldoria Online had officially shut down.

On the first day after Eldoria Online shut down, a fierce wind swept outside. A convenience store’s awning on the roadside was ripped up, base and all, flying several meters away. The frantic clerk tried to stop it but was pushed back by the strong gusts. The news repeatedly broadcasted reports of this global storm. Experts took turns analyzing it, but there was no definitive explanation. Some even speculated it was the end of the world. I looked at the dwindling food supply in our dorm and felt a surge of panic. The wind wouldn’t stop, making it impossible to go out. My remaining supplies would only last until tonight. Leo, however, was completely unconcerned: “See? I told you to sell your account with me.” “I made a fortune, eighty thousand bucks! Once the money clears, I can order takeout even if delivery costs a hundred. You just wait to starve!” I didn’t bother arguing with him. He hadn’t even considered that with the game shut down, no one would pay big money for an account; it was probably a scam. I got up to go to the bathroom and wash up when a mechanical system voice suddenly sounded: “Eldoria Online dungeon upload successful. Fantasy dungeon initiated. First mission: Find Ellie’s favorite thing!” “Time limit: 24 hours. Failure will result in annihilation.” “Ellie?” “What the hell is that sound? A mission? Who’s the crazy person talking?” Leo and I spoke at the same time, but our questions were completely different. Ellie was a character in Eldoria Online, the village elder’s granddaughter in the starting zone. She usually loved playing hide-and-seek in the grass by the stream near the village entrance, a really cute kid. But this must just be a coincidence, right? Same name. *Knock, knock, knock.* The dorm door suddenly rattled. Leo walked over and opened it: “Who is it?!” “Mark? What happened to you?” I leaned in to look. Mark was covered in blood, weakly clinging to the wall: “Help, help me!” He stammered the words, and before we could react, he collapsed to the floor. Behind him emerged a small girl with two pigtails, holding a lollipop, her big eyes blinking. She squinted at us and grinned: “Big brother, did you find Ellie’s favorite thing?” Leo jumped back in fright: “Where did this kid come from? You scared me! Kid, where are your parents?” I stared at the girl’s face, finding it increasingly familiar. Wasn’t this Ellie from Eldoria Online? Her clothes and appearance were identical to the game model. How could someone look exactly like a game character? Unconsciously, I shifted a step to the side—a habitual movement when I was thinking. But a sudden chill pierced my calf, making me flinch. What was that? So cold. I looked down. It was Mark! I knelt down and touched him. Mark, at some point, had stopped breathing. His whole body was ice-cold, like he’d just been pulled from an ice cave. I scrambled back onto the floor, stunned: “Dead! Someone’s dead!” “Dead? Are you losing your mind?” Leo turned back to glare at me, annoyed. At the same moment, computers, TVs, phones—every electronic device worldwide—suddenly switched to the same screen. “Experts have confirmed that this anomaly originates from a fantasy game: Eldoria Online.” “Urgent broadcast: We are seeking information from anyone familiar with this game!” “Remember, if you encounter anyone who strongly resembles a character from the game, do not stop! Do not look, do not listen, evacuate immediately!” “If you unfortunately encounter one, please answer any questions they ask with extreme caution. A wrong answer will lead to death!” “Repeat: All citizens must answer any questions posed by these characters with extreme caution!!!” “Now broadcasting character game screenshots.”

“No, no way. It’s a joke, right? Game characters actually came to life?” Leo stared back and forth between the computer screen and Ellie’s face, utterly disbelieving. Ellie still smiled at us, looking just like a normal kid. “Brother, did you find Ellie’s favorite thing? It’s getting late, Ellie needs to go home. Hurry and tell Ellie!” My hands trembled, not from fear or nervousness, but from excitement! I thought I’d never see my friends again, the ones who’d been with me for five years. A game shutting down is sad and helpless. No matter how much you don’t want it to, if the developers decide, everything you poured your heart and soul into—the people, the things, the account—can disappear overnight. And you’re powerless to stop it. The moment I saw the shutdown announcement, my blood ran cold. My mind was consumed by uncontrollable panic. I couldn’t imagine how I’d live without them. But now, they were back. Even if it was in this terrifying form that spread panic among the public, I felt overjoyed! “Ellie’s favorite thing? Who the hell knows? She’s just a starter zone guide. Her storyline is less than one percent of the game.” Leo’s eyes darted around. He suddenly grabbed me and shoved me forward forcefully. “Ask him! He knows! He found it!” *Slam!* He shut the dorm door, leaving me and Ellie locked outside. Through the transparent window on the door, he smirked at me triumphantly: “I’m not dying. You can die first, you monster.” “Besides, didn’t you love studying character lore? Now’s your chance to shine, good luck!” His eyebrows were raised, showing the arrogant swagger of a spoiled rich kid. He was utterly vicious. Just like he used to be, telling classmates I was crazy for treating screen characters as real people, leading everyone to ostracize me. It made my teeth itch with hatred. Fine, Leo, you treat me this way, don’t blame me. I looked at Ellie: “Ellie, I know what your favorite thing is, but after I tell you, you have to go ask that big brother over there. That big brother also wants to answer your question.” Ellie tilted her head: “That big brother also wants to play with me? Okay! You tell me first, and after you do, I’ll go find him!” Leo instantly panicked, pounding on the metal door and cursing: “Alex, you bastard! You’re trying to get me killed! Why don’t you just answer it yourself?” “Damn it! Damn it!” I ignored him, leaned close to Ellie’s ear, and whispered so only we could hear: “Our little Ellie loves big machetes.” A flash of insight sparked in Ellie’s eyes. She giggled: “Brother knows so much.” Leo’s pounding on the door grew louder: “What did you say?! Tell me! Alex, you can’t just leave me to die! We’re roommates!” “But… that’s the wrong answer!” What?! Wrong answer? How could that be? I was stunned, and Leo froze too.

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