I never forget a slight. If anyone dares to smear me, I’ll turn their entire family’s life into a living hell. When I was a kid, an old neighbor accused me of stealing cash from her kitchen drawer. So I went and ripped the roof off her house in the middle of the night. At work, a colleague spread rumors that I’d slept my way to the top. So I dug up hidden camera footage of her and our boss in the storage room and played it on loop at the company annual party. After that, no one dared to cross me anymore. Everyone called me a vindictive lunatic—until my family arranged a strategic marriage for me. Then came the night before the wedding, at the pre-wedding party. His so-called friend leaned all over him and sneered at me. “Margery, I heard your mom was some home-wrecker who clawed her way up. And you’re just a gold-digger who got dumped by your last sugar daddy before you latched onto Edwin, right?” Edwin Nelson’s friends burst out laughing, waiting to see me humiliated. I smashed a bottle and pressed the broken edge toward her mouth. “Edwin, you have so many friends. One less wouldn’t matter, right?” Edwin’s face darkened instantly. He shoved my hand away. “Margery, what’s wrong with you now?” “Hannah was just joking. Do you have to go this far?” His friends behind him joined in. “Yeah, Margery. Someone like Edwin marrying you is a blessing for you. Can’t you take a joke?” “Hannah’s been one of us since we were kids. And here you are trying to threaten her? Really shows how clueless you are.” My jaw dropped. Picking up a shard of glass from the floor, I twirled it between my fingers. “I’ve never had much of a sense of humor. I don’t get jokes.” “So anyone who jokes with me? I make them the joke.” My gaze landed on the challenge written all over Hannah’s face. “For example, if someone spread rumors that my mom was the other woman, I have every reason to believe her mom was the homewrecker.” “Which would make her an illegitimate child, kept in hiding. Am I right?” Hannah froze, her body stiff. Tears welled up instantly. Seeing her like this, Edwin grabbed my wrist. “Margery, apologize to Hannah right now!” “How dare you say such things? Hannah’s father died saving my dad. My family looks after her because we owe her that!” “If you keep spouting nonsense, I’ll make you leave.” Hannah hid behind him, putting on a pitiful act. “Edwin, don’t blame Margery… Maybe I said the wrong thing. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have joked like that.” Everyone around began pointing fingers at me. “Hannah already apologized, Margery. What more do you want?” “Besides, she’s not wrong—we’ve seen you getting out of different men’s cars more than once.” “Since you’re marrying Edwin, maybe you should clean up your act. Getting mad over a joke? If you can’t handle it, you shouldn’t have come tonight.” I almost found them entertaining. Before I came, my dad earnestly told me the Nelsons were important business partners and this marriage benefited both families. But I had known since I was little that tears and backing down are the most useless things in this world. The only way not to be pushed around was to be wilder and fiercer than they were. If anyone dared to mess with me, I would give it back tenfold. Slowly, I unclenched my palm and let the glass shard fall. “You’re right. Getting angry over something so small does mean I can’t take a joke.” Smug looks spread across their faces. Edwin’s expression softened slightly, and he was about to speak. I cut him off. “But… when it comes to playing games, I’m the best.” “You want to play? Fine. Let’s keep going.”

I glanced around at the crowd that was clearly enjoying the drama. Picking up a glass, I poured seven or eight different liquors into it. “Loser drinks this, then answers a truth question from the winner.” “If you dare lie—or refuse to answer—you drink three more.” One snorted mockingly, “Margery, we’ll play, but where’s the stake? No stakes, no fun.” I swirled the drink in my glass, my smile growing even deeper. Then I pulled out a black card and slapped it on the table. “Whoever makes me take a single sip tonight gets this card. No limit.” The room fell completely silent. Edwin’s face turned ashen. “Margery, are you quite finished? Does your family’s money give you the right to treat people like this?” I didn’t even glance his way, keeping my eyes locked on Hannah. “What’s the matter? Lost your nerve? You seemed so quick with the jokes earlier.” “Hannah, you’re up.” Hannah—eyes practically glued to the black card—shook the dice cup. I revealed my roll without bothering to look. Six sixes. The color drained from Hannah’s face. She’d lost. I didn’t wait a beat. “Truth: Did your mother marry your father before you were born, or after?” Hannah’s entire body trembled. “I—I pick dare!” I nodded and slid the glass of spirits toward her. “Too cowardly to tell the truth? Fine. Drink this, then call your mother and say it loud and clear: ‘Hannah’s mother is the other woman.’” Hannah shattered instantly. “Edwin! I don’t want to! I’m not playing anymore!” Pathetic. You thought you could go up against me? I tore your mask off in two moves. Finally, Edwin snapped. He shoved me back. “Margery, enough! Hannah’s a woman! How can you be so cruel?” I stared at him in disbelief. Edwin, you idiot—couldn’t even see through the most obvious act. “When she smeared my mother and insulted me, why didn’t you remember she was ‘a woman’ then?” I stepped closer, closing the space between us. “Edwin, you defend her so fiercely… people might start wondering if she’s your little secret.” “Is this what you call a friend? The kind you just… sleep with?” Edwin, completely provoked, raised his hand as if to strike. I didn’t move. Just lifted my chin and held his gaze. “Go on. Hit me.” “Let everyone see the Nelson heir raise his hand to his own fiancée—over some mistress’s daughter.” “Should I call your father right now and tell him tomorrow’s wedding is off?” I reached for my phone. Edwin lunged, snatched it from my hand, and hurled it to the floor. “Margery, you’re out of line!” “Tomorrow is our wedding. Tonight, you’d better think hard about your behavior. Don’t humiliate yourself at the altar.” Arm around a weeping Hannah, he stormed out. His friends trailed behind, throwing mocking glances and chuckles my way. Alone in the wreckage, I let a slow smile spread across my face. I was the one who would be humiliated? Fine. We would see who was really humiliated tomorrow.

Back home, I pulled out a backup phone and dialed a number. “Dig up everything on Hannah Robinson—and her father, the one who supposedly died saving Edwin Nelson’s dad.” “I want all the dirt on her family. The filthier, the better.” A low chuckle came from the other end. “Miss, it’s the night before your wedding. Playing this rough?” “Cut the crap.” “Get everything to my inbox before morning.” Hanging up, I stared at my cold reflection in the mirror. Edwin. Hannah. You thought this was over? You started this fire. Now I was going to burn your whole world down with it. The next day, the Nelson–Flynn wedding shook the entire city. My father whispered to me before we entered, “Margery, rein in that temper. Today’s your big day.” “If you don’t like Edwin, think of him as an accessory, not a partner. We control this arrangement.” I smiled faintly and said nothing. My temper had never been something I could just switch off. As soon as I stepped into the venue, my phone rang. I answered—and heard Hannah’s trembling, pitiful voice. Instantly sensing the play, I switched my phone to the main speakers. The entire hall of guests froze at what followed. Hannah’s voice came, weepy and soft. “Edwin, it’s all my fault… If you hadn’t comforted me last night, we wouldn’t have… ended up in bed together.” “But you’re getting married today. Your first time was with me…” “What if Margery finds out and ruins the wedding?” Then Edwin’s voice came, calm and reassuring. “It’s not your fault. If Margery hadn’t provoked everyone, this never would’ve happened.” “If there’s a child, keep it. I’ll take care of you both.” I strolled onto the stage and picked up the microphone. “My apologies, everyone. It seems my fiancé has some… unfinished business to settle before the ceremony begins.” Edwin’s parents turned pale with rage, shouting toward the back. “Edwin, you disgrace! Get out here now!” Edwin appeared moments later from the back lounge. His father, Logan Nelson, slapped him across the face. “You will apologize to Margery. If she doesn’t accept it by the end of today, you’re disowned.” When Edwin realized what had just played over the speakers, he glared at me with pure hatred. But under his father’s glare, he forced the words out. “I’m sorry, Margery.” ”What happened with Hannah was a mistake. I swear I’ll never see her again.” Resentment burned in his eyes. I smiled back, light and unbothered. You really thought you could play this game with me? You were still green. But this marriage alliance had clearly run its course. A tainted man wasn’t worth keeping. Just as I was about to speak, my phone buzzed with a photo. I tapped it open—and froze, all color draining from my face.

In the photo, my mother was bound with rope, hanging from the edge of a rooftop. My phone rang immediately. I answered in a panic. “Margery. Do you want your mother to live?” “Come to the rooftop terrace—alone. Try anything clever, and I’ll drop her off this building.” The call ended. I sprinted toward the roof. But the moment I pushed the door open, several figures slammed me to the ground. Hannah’s face appeared above me, twisted with malicious glee. “You love to play games, don’t you, Margery?” “You took everything from Edwin and me. Now it’s my turn.” “And I’ll make sure everyone sees you—pathetic and pleading—beneath a man who owns you body and soul.” Edwin’s friends closed in, their faces glowing with schadenfreude. “Where’s that famous sharp attitude now, Margery? Show us again.” “Brace yourself. After this, you’ll be running from us for the rest of your life.” Hannah crouched down and struck me sharply across the cheek. “Margery, I’m going to stream every second of this. Let your high‑society circle admire your… little humiliating secrets.” “Do you think your father will thank us when he sees you like this?or wish we’d just drowned you in the river instead?” Grinning wildly, she forced a handful of pills into my mouth. Heat rushed through me. My face flushed. She tapped my cheek excitedly. “Cat got your tongue, princess? Where’s that famous temper?” “Beg me. Now. Maybe I’ll tell them to be gentle.” She leaned close to my ear. “After we’re done with you… it’ll be your mother’s turn on stream.” “Do you think people will enjoy watching a mother–daughter… double feature?” I looked at my mother, bound and struggling desperately. Then my trembling body shook with something else—laughter. One of the men kicked me impatiently. “What’s so funny?” I was laughing because this was hilarious. Truly hilarious. Hannah still had no idea what would happen. Just then, the wedding march began playing from the floor below. “And now, let’s welcome the bride and groom with a round of applause!” The music played on. After the applause came a long, awkward silence. Minutes passed. Murmurs rose from downstairs. “The groom’s been waiting forever. Where’s the bride?” “No idea.she was just here. Did she get cold feet?” Then a sudden gasp came. “Look—the screens!” Across the city, major public screens began lighting up one after another. The sound of heavy, indecent panting filled the streets.

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The shipwreck hurled me, Lydia Johnson, onto a lonely island. In the end, I survived like a castaway. It wasn’t until the eighteenth time the massive brown bear tore apart the shelter I had rebuilt with my own hands that something inside me finally snapped. At that moment, three years of bottled loneliness and despair erupted all at once. In a rage, I howled and rammed my stone spear into the bear’s belly. That was when I found that the beast was actually screaming in a human voice. I froze on the spot. The dialogue I had overheard last time I nearly died burst into my mind. “You feel sorry for her? She had it coming. She took Miss Juliet Johnson’s identity for twenty-six years. Of course President Owen had to stand up for the woman he truly loves.” “Her parents? Mr. and Mrs. Johnson already erased her from the household registry. The Johnson family has only one daughter now—Juliet.” “Her brother? He cut ties with her long ago. He’d rather she vanished without a trace.” The truth hit me with brutal clarity. There was no supernatural bear. Only a carefully staged deception—one meant to leave me wishing I were dead. *** When I was about to catch up to the “bear,” something pricked the back of my neck, sharp, like a needle. Darkness swallowed me instantly. Torrential rain beat me awake. When I opened my eyes, everything seemed to have reset to its primitive state. The storm beat down mercilessly, washing away what little body heat I had left. My limbs felt heavy, as if filled with lead. By the time I dragged myself back to the cave, fever had already set in. There were 1,096 tally marks carved into the rock wall—one for each day I had survived here. Three years. A bitter smile tugged at my lips. The fire inside me guttered out. I curled into myself, my body turning cold and rigid like a stone slowly losing its warmth. Then she appeared again. The girl. A hallucination born of my fractured mind. Every time my body reached its limit, she would show up. “Lydia, don’t die,” she urged. “I just saw your parents come looking for you. Go outside—go see.” I said nothing. I knew exactly what she was doing. Trying to lure me back into the rain. Trying to trick me toward another dead end. I had fallen for it too many times. She kept her distance, her tone growing impatient. “Fine. Your brother Andy Johnson came, but you must kneel and bow before he’ll show himself.” My fingers twitched. Then I shut my eyes. After three years, my knees wore armor-like calluses. “Your husband, Dunn Owen, brought the mango cupcakes you loved. He was here to bring you home!” The more frantic she grew, the calmer I became. Anyone force-fed ten mango cakes would loathe them forever. “You won’t even move! You’re so ungrateful! No wonder they discarded you!” Her shriek was a bayonet in my heart. My breath caught in my throat, a sour ache spreading through every limb. I could hold on no longer; my hands went limp and let go. I collapsed to the ground. As darkness swallowed me again, the girl rushed close, speaking to someone I could not see. “Looks like she’s dying… Mm… Mm.” But the instant those warm hands touched me, I opened my eyes and knocked her out. It was all fake. Even the hallucination was counterfeit. She was not the self who consoled me. She was one more link in the trap. She lay senseless, while I plucked the earpiece from her ear. “Flora, is she dead? Wake her up!” “Miss Juliet Johnson has landed. If she misses the show, we lose the bonus.” “Let’s steer her to the west stream this time. Dozens of piranhas are waiting!” I staggered unsteadily to my feet. The rain had stopped, but in the next second, the blood in my veins froze. “Today is Juliet’s birthday. Add a few electric eels to the stream!” It was Dunn, the man who had sworn at our wedding to protect me forever, now ordering my death to amuse my sister. I advanced towards the stream, kneeling at every step. Juliet gave a soft choke. “Dunnie… Though Lydia bullied me, today is also her birthday. Let’s leave, please.” Dunn’s voice was icy. “It’s because it’s her birthday that she needs to remember this lesson. What she owes you?she’ll pay every last bit.” My knees hit the sharp stones, leaving a trail of blood behind me, yet I felt no pain. For three years, each kowtow had been a prayer. That was my wish for them to find me. Hmph. How ridiculous. Recalling that earlier near-death moment, I began to feign. A blissful smile spread across my face. Half awake, half dreaming. The stream became my lost dining room; my family waved me to the table. I stepped in without hesitation. Piranhas tore fiercely into the flesh of my legs; electric eels left me completely paralyzed. I sank fully into the water. Through the haze, I heard a voice from hell. “Revive her. I haven’t finished watching this show yet.” That was exactly what I had waited for!

They carried me to a fully-equipped medical room. Shocked, the doctors and nurses tending to me didn’t have the heart to see my broken body. “Not one patch of unbroken skin… Mr. Owen must hate her to the bone.” “He wouldn’t even let us use anesthesia. Quick, start the transfusion!” But before the blood could reach my veins, Dunn burst in, cradling Juliet. Ignoring my mangled, blood-soaked form, he roughly shoved me off the bed onto the floor. “Juliet’s having a hypoglycemic episode. Give her blood now!” Dunn said, frantic. The doctor hesitated. “We only have one unit of plasma left, and Miss Johnson is severely anemic…” Dunn didn’t hesitate. “If Lydia hadn’t kept Juliet from eating all those years, do you think Juliet would have hypoglycemia?” “Besides, this woman is tough. Her life is hard to take. Three years have passed, and she’s still alive.” Yet Juliet looked panic-stricken. “Dunnie, I can’t take anything more from Lydia. When she wakes, she’ll hate me…” He spoke gently, each word a rusty saw across my heart, “Juliet, remember, everything Lydia ever possessed, the Johnson heiress title, her parents’ love, even Andy’s love and mine, did any of it ever truly belong to her?” “We are merely returning things to their rightful owner.” The sentence felt like a verdict. It was I who had stolen Juliet’s identity and lived the life of a pampered heiress for twenty-six years. Then, at the happiest moment of my life, it all came to a screeching halt. At the wedding, Dunn was kneeling to place the ring on my finger. Amid the blessings of all our guests, Juliet barged in. She wore a dress washed until it was pale, her voice trembling with careful restraint, yet it carried to every corner of the room. “Miss Johnson, can you give back the life you stole from me?” In that instant, my world was utterly overturned. Dunn was my last lifeline, and I clung to him tightly. We had sex desperately in bed, and he promised over and over, “Lydia, as childhood sweethearts, we’ve been in love for ten years. No matter who you are, I’ll never abandon you.’ But he broke that promise. Our parents held the grandest recognition ceremony for Juliet, and Andy showered her with hundreds of gifts. It was only right. They owed her that, after all. So I didn’t let the jeers and mockery get to me. I still had Dunn. But there were things I didn’t know. Dunn had repeatedly spent time with Juliet, making up for the childhood she’d missed. He’d even given her our memories. When I found out, he said impatiently, “Lydia, I’m helping you make it up to her.” Therefore, he missed the anniversary of our first date. And later, our wedding anniversary. On our birthday, I spent months learning to cook, prepared a feast, and bought Juliet twenty-seven birthday gifts. But they all kept it from me and took Juliet to Europe instead, renting a castle to celebrate her birthday. Now I’d say, “You don’t need to hide it from me. I could have just been an audience member down below, clapping for you guys.” But back then, I made a scene. And I dumped all my resentment on Dunn. His eyes filled with disappointment. “If you hadn’t targeted Juliet, why would we have needed to keep it from you?” I widened my eyes, explaining over and over, “I wasn’t targeting her. I even spent five months designing a dress for her!” But Dunn produced a recording and laughed at me. “You’re smart. Surveillance is erased, and the people you arranged are flawless.” “But Juliet, true to being Mom and Dad’s biological daughter, secretly recorded every time she met you.” I screamed hysterically, “I didn’t! That’s AI-generated!” He scoffed. “Tell me, does a girl who grew up in deep mountains even understand this kind of tech?” “I’m the one who taught her to use her smartphone and made her first social media post.” I was utterly desperate. Pain crushed my chest. My body seized, and blood spilled from my mouth. There was a voice roaring inside my mind. “So, Dunn, you used these technologies I don’t understand to build a prison on an island for me, to deceive and punish me?”

Dunn was taken aback and asked instinctively, “Why did Lydia vomit blood?” The doctor hesitated and stammered, “She has been suffering from malnutrition for a long time and endured so many injuries…” He seemed incredulous. “Didn’t I instruct you to deliver food regularly?” Dunn’s voice changed instantly, filled with anger. “Save her!” “If she dies, all of you will pay with your lives!” Juliet timidly spoke up, “Lydia must have been deliberately starving herself during that period, which damaged her stomach.” I remembered. At that time, I was like someone bewitched. Juliet, nurtured by money and love, transformed from a beautiful swan into a noble phoenix. She drew all of Dunn’s attention and affection. Meanwhile, I went mad with dieting, working out, and undergoing cosmetic procedures. I even went to clubs to learn flirting techniques. Finally, I put on those humiliating clothes, trampling on my once proud self. Yet all I got from Dunn was a glance of disgust. “Disgusting.” Though he lay in bed, he turned his back to me. I felt as if I had fallen into an icy abyss, staying awake until dawn. It seemed that Dunn remembered this incident and believed what Juliet had said. He hoarsely instructed, “Treat her stomach for the next couple of days.” Then I vomited blood again. The doctor finally realized something was wrong. He pried open my eyelids and said, “Mr. Owen… She… She seems to have lost the will to live…” Suddenly, there was a commotion around me. My soul felt like it was about to dissipate. But I was not willing to give up. So when I was transported back to Eldermere and taken to the operating room, my spirit regained control of my body. Without looking back, I held my breath and ran without hesitation. From the trash bin to the sewer, I suddenly felt the urge to visit my home in Sunscorch. But the moment I emerged from the sewer, my brother Andy, who had been with me for over twenty years, appeared in front of me. He crushed my hand with his foot, his gaze cold and indifferent. “You’ve been hiding for three years. Why show up today? Couldn’t you just stay in the sewer like a rat?” “Is it because Juliet ruined your wedding that you want to ruin hers today?” Before I could explain anything, he ordered his men to gag me and tie me up, dragging me to a basement. He then thoughtfully turned on the television for me. The screen was broadcasting a live stream of a once-in-a-century aerial wedding. Juliet, in a pure white wedding dress, was with Dunn in a hot air balloon. He promised her, “In this world, you’re my only love.” Under the bright blue sky, the diamond ring sparkled, and the couple shared a lingering kiss. At the same moment, thousands of pink balloons rose into the air, turning the scene into a fairy tale. I thought I wouldn’t feel heartbroken anymore. But the pain in my heart at this moment overshadowed all the injuries on my body. Andy laughed at me mercilessly. “Look at yourself now. You never belonged to our world.” He stared at my right hand and ordered the bodyguard, “This is the hand that poisoned Juliet, right? Break her hand.” The next second, I screamed in agony, the intense pain making me black out and fall to the ground. In my dazed consciousness, I remembered what he said. After Dunn refused to share a bed with me, I discovered I was pregnant. Overjoyed, I hired three caregivers to look after me. Everyone’s relationship with me improved because of the baby. Juliet even sent over a meal she had prepared for me. I treasured it and ate every bit, but then my stomach started to cramp. Lying on the hospital bed, I had the vomit tested for toxins. I showed them the report, but they all thought I was framing her again. Juliet cried pitifully, “Lydia, how could you be so cruel, using an innocent life to accuse me?” They forced me to admit my jealousy, to confess my schemes. They made me apologize to Juliet and pressured me to divorce Dunn. In grief, I refused it all. Everyone left without mercy, never looking back. They were all filled with resentment towards me.

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I was eating in the company break room. Suddenly, something hit my face hard. The pudding I had placed in the office fridge that morning somehow ended up on my face, splattering all over my lunch. Daisy Forrest, a colleague who was currently breastfeeding, was glaring at me furiously. She snapped, “Skye, who gave you permission to put that disgusting thing in the fridge? I told you — this fridge space is for my breast milk only. No other food is allowed.” “Don’t you know dairy spoils easily? If my breast milk gets contaminated and my baby gets sick, who’s going to be responsible?” I instantly felt my blood boil and decided to confront her head-on. Iris Bloom, another colleague, quickly grabbed my arm. “Don’t lose your temper. Her husband is Caspian Drake, CEO of Drake Group. Even Mr. Locke plays nice with her. You really want to mess with her and risk your job?” Her husband? CEO of Drake Group? I froze. Caspian was holding me close just this morning, not letting go. How was he suddenly Daisy’s husband? *** While I was stunned, Daisy obviously overheard Iris. A smug look crossed her face immediately. “Now you are afraid? That cheap dessert you picked up from some random corner shop? How dare you put it next to my breast milk?” Cheap? Caspian had trained under a world-renowned pastry chef. He woke up at 4 a.m. to make that dessert just for me. I pulled free from Iris’s grip and stood up to face Daisy. “Daisy, this is a shared fridge, not your private property. I can put whatever I want in here. It’s not your place to boss me around.” “Besides,” I added, “the company has a dedicated lactation room with its own fridge just for you, but you’re using it to store snacks and drinks.” ”Now you’re trying to hog the shared fridge. That’s just shameless.” Some coworkers nodded quietly, clearly fed up with Daisy for a long time. The intern, Anna Crane, even had tears welling up in her eyes. Last week, when Anna put her lunch in the fridge, Daisy threw the whole box at her head and screamed at her without mercy. I wanted to defend Anna back then, but the other colleagues stopped me. I wondered how everyone could put up with so much. It turned out Daisy used Caspian’s name to intimidate them all. Daisy showed no shame. In fact, she got even more arrogant. “So what? Listen up. Even the fridge in Mr. Locke’s office is mine. He never even dares to say no to me.” “What do you think you are, daring to challenge me here? Go ahead. Complain and see who ends up kicked out.” As soon as Daisy spoke, the murmuring colleagues immediately bowed their heads, too afraid to say a word. “What’s all this noise about?” a stern voice cut in. It was the boss, Zephyr Locke. “Iris, what happened?” Zephyr said. After hearing the gist of the situation, Zephyr frowned. He didn’t blame Daisy at all. Instead, he looked annoyed. “It’s not worth making a big scene over such a small matter.” “Skye, Daisy is breastfeeding right now. Someday, you’ll have a baby, too. Can’t you try to be a little more understanding?” “Why don’t you apologize to Daisy and pay her two thousand dollars? Then we can move on.” I nearly laughed in disbelief. “Apologize? Pay money? Mr. Locke, are you serious?” Zephyr’s face darkened. He gave a look to his assistant, Ethan. Ethan immediately pulled me aside and spoke in a friendly tone. “Skye, take my advice. Don’t be stubborn.You really can’t mess with Daisy.“ ” Her husband is Caspian, and Mr. Locke is counting on her connection to the Drake family.” I sneered, “How can you be so sure her husband is Caspian?” Ethan pulled out his phone and showed me Daisy’s Instagram. “Look. She’s been posting about it for a whole month.” The screen showed Daisy’s recent posts featuring luxury bags, jewelry, and other expensive items. Each post included a photo of two older people, captioned: “Another day being spoiled by the whole family. Grateful to have married the right person to know what it feels like to be truly valued.” Those two older people were Caspian’s parents. They were once power players in the business world, with connections everywhere. Without a second thought, I called Caspian. The phone rang for a long time, but he didn’t answer. Just then, I heard hurried footsteps behind me. I turned around. Daisy was grabbing her bag and rushing out. I looked at Iris in confusion. “What’s going on?” I asked. She whispered, “Daisy just got a call. Sounds like something happened to her child.”

The moment I heard the child was in trouble, I fell silent. Daisy might be crazy and hateful, but the kid was innocent. Still, I needed to get to the bottom of the things mentioned in Daisy’s posts. So I kept texting Caspian, but by 3 P.M., he still hadn’t replied. Then, the work chat exploded with messages. I opened it and saw Daisy going ballistic again. She posted a photo showing a tiny red spot on her son’s cheek, and typed: “Skye, it’s your filthy stuff contaminating my breast milk that caused this rash on my son’s face.” “My son carries the Drake family bloodline. If anything happens to him, you and your whole family won’t be able to afford to pay for it. Just you wait. I won’t let go.” I looked at the photo and saw that the spot was so small that it was almost invisible. I couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief. I replied, “Daisy, I suggest you get yourself checked at a psych ward ASAP.” Almost immediately, Ethan messaged me. “Skye, get some flowers and gifts ready. You and Mr. Locke are going to visit Daisy’s son at the hospital, and you’ll cover the costs to show good faith.” There was no way I was spending money on gifts for someone smearing me. I texted back, “I’m not going.And I won’t pay a penny for something I didn’t do. ” Ethan replied, “Mr. Locke said if you don’t go, don’t expect to see your salary or bonuses again.” I snorted. Did they really think labor laws meant nothing? Besides, I didn’t care about that money. I replied, “Fine.” Right after, I suddenly remembered those photos on Daisy’s Instagram. I had to figure this out. I asked Ethan, “Is her husband at the hospital, too?” Ethan quickly answered, “Of course, he is.” “Mr. Locke only went because of that.” I was curious to see who Daisy’s husband really was. I messaged, “I’ll go, but I won’t buy flowers or gifts.” – At the hospital, I didn’t see Daisy’s husband anywhere. Zephyr looked even more disappointed than I was. When Daisy saw me, her eyes turned into poisoned knives. She ignored the flowers Zephyr offered and gave a look to the maid beside her. “Take the kid outside for some fresh air. Don’t let him get contaminated by dirty people.” Then she fixed a cold glare on me and ordered the two bodyguards at the door. “Hold her down.” Before I could react, my arms were tightly grabbed. I was frozen, unable to move. “Daisy, what are you trying to do?” I shouted. Zephyr stood silently nearby, lips moving but not uttering a word. Daisy stepped in front of me. “What am I doing? Teaching you a lesson.” Before she said more, she raised her hand and slapped me hard across the face. A burning pain exploded on my cheek. “I want you to remember this slap forever. Watch your mouth from now on. You talk big in the group chat, but in front of me, you’re nothing.” I slowly turned my head, locking my eyes on her face. “Daisy. You’re finished.” At that moment, my phone rang. The caller ID said honey. Daisy snatched the phone from my pocket. She looked at the screen, her eyes darting, then a sinister smile spread across her face. She beckoned to Ethan, who was stunned nearby. “Come here.”

Ethan walked over, clearly confused. Daisy whispered a few quick words in his ear. Instantly, Ethan’s eyes widened in shock and anxiety. Daisy’s glare turned sharp and intimidating. Ethan nervously glanced at me, then reluctantly nodded. He pressed the answer button and switched to speakerphone. At the same time, the bodyguards clamped a hand tightly over my mouth. “Honey,” came Caspian’s voice from the other end. “I was just in a board meeting and had my phone on silent. I saw your messages. Something about a colleague’s child? I honestly don’t know what’s going on—” “Your wife just went to take a shower,” Ethan interrupted loudly, following Daisy’s instructions. “Man, your wife’s amazing. She is very eager. She even says you can’t satisfy her as I do. Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of her for you.” Caspian abruptly hung up. Daisy laughed gleefully, “Heard that? It’s so funny. Even your man won’t want you. A bitch is a bitch.” I closed my eyes in despair. She was finished, completely finished. Caspian and I grew up together. I know him too well. He had definitely figured out my situation by now. If anyone hurt me, he’d go insane, ruining them utterly, bankrupting families, destroying lives. And he was definitely on his way to the hospital now. He had secretly installed a tracker on my phone—I’d just been pretending not to notice. After her laughter died down, Daisy told the bodyguards. “Alright, I’ve had enough fun. Strip her and toss her out.” “Stop. You dare!” I struggled desperately, scanning the room with fierce eyes. “I’m Caspian’s wife. Who here dares touch me?” I shouted. The room fell deathly silent. “Oh really? “ ”You’re Caspian’s wife? Skye, are you crazy? Dreaming in broad daylight,” Daisy sneered. “I’m the real Mrs. Drake,” I added. Zephyr leaned in with a serious tone. “Skye, stop making things up. Just apologize properly to Daisy. Maybe this will all blow over.” “Apologize?” Daisy cut him off sharply. “I’m not accepting that bitch’s apology. Today, I’m stripping her naked and tossing her out on the street so she knows what happens when she messes with me.” With that, the two bodyguards pinned me against the wall and began ripping at my coat and shirt collar. I struggled with all my might. But the strength gap was too great. In the midst of this chaotic moment, a voice rang out. “Stop!”

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On the day of the Empress Dowager’s birthday, my husband’s childhood sweetheart, Wendy Shaw, showed up half-naked, wailing that my brother had ruined her purity. The noble ladies pointed at our family and spat. “Miss Shaw is a candidate for imperial consort. I can’t believe Mr. Greenwood would do something so bold! He should be beaten to death!” I took out the Imperial Pardon Token that our family received after our father died on the battlefield and begged for mercy. In the end, the Emperor spared my brother’s life and even bestowed a marriage between him and Wendy. But the very next moment, my husband, Eric Jones, struck in public and broke both of my brother’s legs. He leaned close to my ear and sighed softly. “If His Majesty’s anger isn’t vented now, he might remember this later and exterminate the entire Greenwood family.” My brother and I swallowed the humiliation. But seven and a half months later, Wendy gave birth to an eight-pound baby boy. My brother cried out, blood in his tears, “I’ve said it a thousand times, I never even touched a single finger of hers!” He had repeated those words countless times on that day, yet no one believed him. They only mocked him for daring to act but not to admit it. Dragging his crippled legs, he picked up the child and tried to file a formal accusation before the throne, only to have his skull smashed from behind by Eric. I opened my mouth to scream, but his hand clamped around my throat. “Have you ever thought about how Wendy and the child will live if you and your brother take this to His Majesty?” His eyes were ruthless. He strangled me to death, even as I was heavily pregnant. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the very day of the birthday banquet. This time, I directly had my brother bound and locked inside a side hall. Yet Wendy still cried that someone had defiled her innocence. *** Wendy slammed her forehead against the dragon-carved pillar until blood streaked down her face. Sobbing, she collapsed into the arms of several noble ladies, trembling as if the world had ended. “I’ve lost my purity. I’ve shamed the Shaw ancestors, and I can no longer face His Majesty. Just let me die!” The ladies shot me vicious looks, their eyes sharp as knives. Each of them burned with righteous fury, as if they wished to spit on me where I stood. “The Greenwood family has grown too arrogant! Guarding the frontier and then returning to violate a maiden chosen for the imperial consort selection?” “They rely on their military merit to act lawlessly, as if even the Emperor were beneath them!” “They brag about strict discipline in the army, yet dare behave so wildly under the Son of Heaven’s gaze. Who knows how many women at the border he’s already ruined!” I glanced at the man who was standing right next to Wendy. It was my husband, Eric. I suppressed the sneer tugging at my lips and spoke calmly, my voice slow and cold. “Miss Shaw, I’d suggest you think about what you say very carefully. Was it really my brother who raped you?” Wendy’s body stiffened, but then she cried even harder. “I already belong to Adam. Why must you humiliate me like this, my lady? I… I might as well die!” She lunged for the pillar again, but the noble ladies hurriedly grabbed her and held her back. Eric walked over to me and dragged me to one side. “Laura Greenwood,” he said through clenched teeth, “your brother committed a beastly crime, yet instead of making him confess, you dare use your status to bully and interrogate Wendy? The honor your Greenwood men won with their blood on the battlefield has been completely ruined by you siblings!” I winced at the pain from his tight grip. But inside, I couldn’t help letting out a cold, silent laugh.

About an hour ago, I personally tied Adam up as if he were a prisoner of war and locked him in a side hall. How could he possibly have slipped out and violated Wendy? I lifted my gaze, fearless, and met Eric’s eyes. “Eric, are you certain it was my brother?” His expression turned vicious. He leaned close, spitting the words at my face. “I knocked that beast unconscious myself, tied him up, and saved Wendy. Do you think I wouldn’t recognize my own brother-in-law?” My heart skipped a beat at those words. Could it be that Adam had broken out of the side hall? “How long are you going to keep this up, Mrs. Jones?” one of the elder matron asked. “As the wife of a court official, instead of easing your husband’s burdens, you shield your scandalous, debauched brother. You are utterly unfit to be the mistress of the Jones household!” “Must Lord Jones twist the law for your sake? Must he protect that disgraceful brother of yours and drive Miss Shaw to her death before you’re satisfied?” Eric glared at me. “Stop embarrassing yourself, Laura!” I snorted and scanned everyone in the room, who thought they were on the side of justice. “Looks like you’re going to pin the blame on my brother no matter if Miss Shaw is raped or not today.” “What?” Tears streamed down Wendy’s cheeks as if she had suffered a huge grievance. She trembled as she took out a handkerchief covered in blood and threw it at my feet. Her voice broke, every word soaked in grievance. “I, Wendy, a sheltered maiden of good family, am I some shameless, wanton harlot who would willingly debase herself? If the Greenwood family refuses to acknowledge this, then I will die here today and never stain your noble name with my presence!” With that, she turned and rushed toward the pillar again. The noble ladies cried out in alarm, grabbing her and holding her fast. “Don’t do that, silly girl. It’s all that pervert from the Greenwood family’s fault! It’s already bad enough that you were raped; we can’t let you just kill yourself like that. We can’t let that bastard off that easily!” shouted the elderly woman. She then turned to me, “Miss Shaw is a candidate for imperial consort. One day she may bear heirs for the royal family! Your Greenwood household is only a minor marquisate. Do you really think you’re some prized treasure, that she would ruin her own reputation just to frame you?” Eric frowned and seized my wrist, putting on the guise of someone acting for my own good. “Stop this nonsense, Laura. Just admit that Adam’s behind all of this and make preparations for Adam and Wendy’s wedding. After that, you need to beg His Majesty for his forgiveness. His Majesty is benevolent. Perhaps he’ll spare Adam’s life. Otherwise, merely for defiling a consort candidate, extermination of the entire family would be considered lenient.” In my previous life, I was tricked by those same words. I believed my brother had truly committed a drunken mistake. Out of guilt, I handed over half the Northern Marquis’ Estate as betrothal gifts to the Shaw family, and treated Wendy like an honored ancestor. In the end, she gave birth to a bastard child after only seven and a half months, and destroyed my entire family. The memory made my stomach churn with nausea. I used all my strength to pull my arm out of Eric’s hand. “You want Wendy to marry into our family? No way!” I shouted. Eric’s face immediately darkened, his gaze turning vicious. Before he could lash out, a commotion rippled through the crowd. Wendy’s father, John Shaw, hurried in.

His face was livid, his whole body trembling with fury. He strode straight up to her and raised his hand. A loud, sharp slap rang out. The blow sent her sprawling to the ground, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth. “Why are you still alive, you embarrassing piece of shit? Guards! Take this whore away and strangle her to death! I don’t want her embarrassing the Shaw family!” Two servants of the Shaw family immediately walked forward. “That won’t be necessary, Father,” cried Wendy as she took off her silver hairpin and stabbed it at her own neck. The hall erupted at once. Some were gasping, some tried to stop Wendy, and others turned to me. “Mrs. Jones, are you just going to stand and watch all of this? If your brother hadn’t done something so vile, would Miss Shaw be driven to this? Where’s your conscience?” I watched the spectacle with cold eyes and said nothing. A ruthless look flashed in Wendy’s eyes as she pushed the hairpin into her neck. Blood gushed out instantly. All the noble ladies gasped. “Heavens above! The Greenwood family has driven someone to suicide!” Eric’s face completely changed. He rushed forward and took the hairpin from Wendy’s hand. “Quick! Summon the imperial doctor!” He quickly ripped off a piece of his clothes and pressed it against the bleeding wound on Wendy’s neck. Wendy was surrounded by people as she blinked weakly. Yet when her gaze brushed past me, there was no will to die in her eyes, only a faint, triumphant gleam, as if victory were already within reach. After Wendy’s wound was taken care of, Eric walked up to me. “You evil bitch!” he cursed angrily and slapped me hard across my face. The blow caused me to stumble and fall. My palms skidded across the cold, hard floor and immediately began to bleed. My left cheek was burning with pain, and my left ear was ringing as well. Eric pointed at me as he looked at me with cunning eyes. “How can you be so ruthless? Do you really want to force Wendy to her death? The Jones family has no place for such a ruthless woman like you! I’ll divorce you right now!” All the noble ladies nodded in agreement. They even began clapping and cheering. “You did the right thing, Mr. Jones! You should divorce this evil bitch!” I was bombarded with curses and insults. They all looked like they wanted to throw rotten eggs at me. I swallowed the blood in my mouth and ignored the scorching pain in my palm as I forced myself up from the ground. “Accusations require proof, Mr. Jones. Which one of you has actually seen my brother raping Wendy?” Everyone present looked at each other in a daze. Eric sneered. “Looks like you just don’t know when to give up!” He walked quickly to the corner of the hall and kicked a sack that was guarded by a couple of guards. He then bent down and untied the rope, reached in, felt around a little, and pulled out a Silver Cloud Circlet. He held the circlet high and turned to face the others. “Take a look, everyone! This Silver Cloud Circlet is something only a Marquis can wear! Of all the Marquises in the kingdom, only my brother-in-law, Adam Greenwood, is missing! The rest are all present!” Eric’s gaze was sharp as a knife. He threw the circlet, which still had a few strands of hair on it, towards me. “What else do you have to say, Laura?” My heart sank at the sight of the circlet. This circlet was indeed the one that Adam was wearing today. Could it be that someone had released Adam after I left? No, that was impossible! John cursed, “Are you still going to say it’s not your brother now that we have solid evidence?” I gritted my teeth and looked straight at Eric as I laughed sarcastically. “Well, that’s strange. My brother and I have only just gotten back to Impelia from the boarders. We might not have attended banquets often, but we’ve never caused any problems. Why was it that when I especially told my brother to stay by your side, Eric, to learn proper etiquette, such a thing happened? Who exactly is having an affair with Wendy and wants to frame my brother and family for it?” “That’s nonsense!” Eric shouted angrily. He was clearly in a panic. A couple of men held him back. Everyone present shook their heads at me. “You’ve really lost it! You are actually trying to frame your husband just to protect your brother!” “You really have no conscience! Looks like you want to drag the Jones family down with you!” “I really feel sorry for Eric to have married such a heartless woman!” A couple of kind elders came over and tried to calm me down. “Let’s not make things more complicated than they already are, Laura. Just apologize to Eric. We can still work something out.” I pushed their hands away and sneered. “Why should I apologize? I did nothing wrong!” Someone present mumbled, “Mr. Jones and Miss Shaw grew up together. If there really was something between them, would Eric have married her?” Everyone present felt the statement sounded a little weird, but soon, realization dawned on them. An elderly lady of the Jones family became anxious and grabbed my arm. “What’s gotten into you? All the men of the Greenwood family have died on the battlefield, and your brother’s the only man left! If His Majesty and Empress Dowager find out about this, what would they do to your brother?” I couldn’t help but recall what happened in my previous life. After Adam’s legs were crippled, all he could do was lie in bed all day. His wound became infected and began to rot. He used to be the most talented young general in the army, but ended up being a cripple who couldn’t even walk. I couldn’t forget the hopeless look in his eyes when he was nothing but skin and bones and wishing he were dead.

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My father commanded Ashford’s underworld, but the only person he answered to was my mother. He was down to a single leg, having lost the other when protecting her from a rival. The night I was born, fireworks lit up Ashford all night long. They made as if the heavens themselves were celebrating the little princess’s arrival. Good days lasted until I was five. That year, a woman looked so similar to my mom returned from abroad and moved into the Vaughn family’s mansion. The first time she saw me, she pinched my cheeks with a sneer of triumph curling her lips. “Little brat, your mother was nothing but my shadow. Your father married her because she looks like me. Now I’m back. You little bastard, and your mother? Just send yourselves out.” Crying, I ran upstairs and told Mom, who was using a knife to scrape off a tattoo that matched Dad’s. Blood covered the floor, but she just smiled. All night, the mansion echoed with the woman’s screams. But Mom held me, patting my back gently. “Lily, did you see the moon tonight? Is it brighter than usual?” I pressed my face to the window as a car approached. “Mom! Look! Dad’s back! He brought Marianne!” Marianne is my favorite doll. She has sapphire eyes as pretty as Mom’s necklace. The next second, it was tossed to the floor. Dad limped inside and soon came out carrying that woman. I shouted, but he didn’t look at me. He stomped on Marianne like it was just trash. By dawn, he returned, eyes bloodshot. I reached for him, hoping for a hug as usual. “Dad…” But he shoved me aside. I lost my balance and hit the floor. It hurt, but I couldn’t cry. Dad slapped Mom. “Iris, what are you doing?! Chloe nearly died! She’s just a little girl. Do you really have to go this far?!” Mom’s gaze was calm. “Sean Vaughn, remember who gave you everything? Now you finally have the nerve to question me?” Dad went pale. “I earned this! Chloe’s carrying my son! She can’t be hurt!” Somehow, Mom smiled. “You treasure her so much, and still dare to bring her here? Did you forget what I told you? If anyone so much as lays a finger on my daughter, I’ll wipe out their entire family.” She walked to him. “Sean, I ask you one last time. That woman called my daughter a bastard, should she be spared?” Dad froze in place. It was that single moment of hesitation that made Mom’s gaze turn ice-cold. She grabbed the knife and shoved it at Dad. “Either stab me now,” she said, “and go live your perfect life with your true love. Or kneel. Kneel and tell me you’ll spend your life at my feet.” I could feel his anger snap, and in a blur, he twisted the knife into Mom’s chest. “Iris, are you fucking done? Things aren’t the same anymore! I’m the boss of Ashford now! You’re still Mrs. Vaughn. That won’t change.” “But Chloe is different. She’s so innocent. She won’t take anything from you.” Mom smiled as if pain had never burst in her body. She yanked the knife out and pressed it to his throat. “Sean Vaughn,” she said, “I gave you the throne so you’d shine in public, not so you’d forget who you are.” “You carry the name Vaughn,” “But this city—” “Belongs to the Hales, the family I was born to.”

Dad’s eyes burned red. He shoved Mom aside, snatched the knife, and pressed it to her face. Mom always said her face was her greatest treasure. I could only throw my arms in front of her. “You’re a monster! You crushed my Marianne! You hit me! And you hit Mom!” “Iris, I just want Chloe’s son to be born safely! I left her ten years ago. I owe her.” “Get a hold of yourself and stop making a scene!” The door slammed shut behind him. A red bloom spread across my mother’s chest, but I didn’t dare touch it. “Mom… does it hurt?” She said nothing. Just looked at me for a long and deathly silence. “Lily, Dad has changed. He no longer deserves to be your father.” That night, I had a nightmare. In the dream, Dad was holding the aunt Chloe, smiling happily. A little boy stood beside them. Then Dad pointed at me, with a cruel voice. “This is your sister. And she’ll be your punching bag from now on. Hit her whenever you like.” I woke up in fright and ran downstairs crying to look for Mom. But Dad had moved Chloe into our house, our rooms. “What a rotten smell… It smells disgusting!” “Sean, these things aren’t good for the baby. I want it my way.” Then he called people in immediately. One by one, Mom’s belongings were thrown out. I lunged for her makeup box. Then Chloe stepped on the back of my hand and jabbed hard at my forehead. “You little bastard, I’m the one in charge here now. Once my son is born, you and your crazy mother will be thrown out of here.” She took out a handful of candy and waved it in front of me, then tossed them onto the floor one by one and crushed them under her high heels. “Want some? Kneel down and bark like a dog, and I might reward you with one.” Dad stood nearby, frowning. “Lily, Chloe’s joking. Come on, be polite and greet her.” Chloe grew smug when I stayed silent. “What, turned into a little mute? Your mother didn’t teach you manners, huh?” Dad said nothing. That was as good as agreeing. Then I saw Mom coming down the stairs. Slowly. Carrying a plate of fruits, a small knife stuck in it. “Chloe, don’t bother with the kid.” She offered the plate. Chloe thought Mom was giving in, so she grinned arrogantly. “So you know what’s good for you.” she said, reaching for the fruit. But in the next second, Mom suddenly pried her mouth open, drove the fruit knife inside, and twisted hard. Her blood gushing out like a red river. Mom wiped her hands with a silk scarf, then patted her face. “You want to teach my daughter?” “Just because you have that little thing in your belly?” “Oh, I’d really like to see if he is a treasure or just… a little bastard.” Mom held the knife and walked toward Chloe’s stomach. Then Dad went mad, shoving her like a man possessed. “Iris Hale, you crazy bitch! How dare you!”

Dad’s eyes were blazing. Anger pushed him to grab a vase and unhesitatingly smashed it down on Mom’s head. “Iris, I said if you hurt Chloe, I’ll make you regret.” Glass and blood spilled down her hair. Still not satisfied, he seized her by the hair and slammed her into the wall. Once. Twice. A blood mark bloomed on the wall. His face twisted—so savage that it even scared me. Mom didn’t scream. She didn’t even frown. Another heavy blow. As Mom slid down the wall, she kicked hard at his prosthetic leg. Then her smile came back, colored by her blood. “Sean Vaughn. I gave you a chance.” “Too bad. A dog will always be a dog.” Dad’s prosthetic flew off. Bracing himself against the cabinet, he glared at Mom viciously. Then his expression changed. His hand went to his waist. I tried to stop him. But he yanked me aside again. “Back to your room!” Thrown to the floor, I scraped a large patch of skin off my elbow. But I didn’t care. Because I saw a group of uncles closing in around Mom. They used to bow and call me Young Miss. Now they followed Dad’s orders and pinned her down. There was a sense of sadness flowing in Mom’s eyes that I couldn’t understand. “Sean Vaughn,” she said, “think carefully.” “Are you ready to throw everything away for a woman from nowhere and a child of unknown blood?” Dad’s chest heaved. “You forced me! Chloe can’t take any more shock! The doctor says she might miscarry!” “You’ll stay in the prayer hall. Whenever you figure it out and decide to apologize to Chloe, let me know.” They started to take Mom away. I rushed forward, wrapped my arms around Dad’s good leg, and bit down hard. I was Mom’s daughter. I wouldn’t watch her be bullied like this. A man reached for me. Mom’s voice turned to ice. “If you dare touch Lily, I guarantee you won’t last the night…” Dad went deadly pale. Then Chloe, lying on the floor, pointed at her mouth. And that look aroused some deep feelings inside Dad’s body. He turned back and grabbed me so hard. “You little bastard. Go repent with your mother!” Mom pulled me into her arms. She didn’t resist as they dragged us away. I wasn’t afraid. Because I heard her whisper— “Lily, don’t be afraid. Dawn is coming.”

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For the sake of her sick first love, Osborn Abraham, my wife, Leila Shaw, pretended to be poor for thirty years. When our son, Ward Altman, fell ill and required hospitalization, I, Peter Altman, I borrowed money from every relative and friend I knew. I was only two hundred yuan short of the surgery fee. No matter how much I begged, Leila simply said she had no money to give me. To cover the cost, my mother secretly sold the medicine she needed the most. She gave up her treatment—and died because of it. I handled my mother’s funeral alone. When I went to pick up my son from the hospital, I accidentally found the shopping receipts my wife had accumulated over the years in the closet. Custom-tailored suits, watches worth hundreds of millions, even a private jet… Clutching those receipts, I stormed up to Leila to demand an explanation, but my son Ward stopped me. “Dad, Osborn isn’t in good health. Mom is just taking good care of him. Why are you making a fuss?” I looked at the son whose life had just been bought with my mother’s death, and a piercing pain stabbed through my chest. Leila, standing beside him, said indifferently, “Osborn is well-educated. Of course he needs the best of everything.” “Unlike you. You are just a househusband throwing a tantrum over a few hundred dollars.” “See? I didn’t give you any money, and our son turned out fine anyway.” Fine. Since both mother and son thought this way, there was no reason for me to stay in this family any longer.

After throwing the receipts to the floor, I walked out the door. Leila chased after me and thrust a basket into my hands. “Our son has just recovered. Remember to buy some ribs.” “I’ve already given you this month’s grocery allowance. Don’t ask me for more.” Her face wore that same smile, as if nothing had happened, as if my sacrifices were nothing out of the ordinary. Thirty-five years ago, when Leila’s monthly salary was a hundred dollars, she had happily given me thirty to run the house. But now, her monthly salary had long since exceeded six figures, yet the money she gave me for groceries was still only thirty bucks. She said research at the school was expensive, that our child’s education cost a lot. But she never told me that she actually had so much money—money she had been giving to another man. I looked down at the basket and laughed bitterly. “I don’t feel like cooking tonight. You two can fend for yourselves.” Leila’s expression darkened instantly. “Pete, are you still making a fuss over those two hundred dollars?” “Fine, no ribs then. Just go back and stew a chicken for us. We’ll make do.” After thirty-five years of marriage, Leila had grown entitled and detached. But she wasn’t always like this. Thirty-five years ago, when we first got married, she had told me, “Pete, let’s work together to build the best life.” o what exactly was that “best life”? Was it spending all my savings to buy her books and supplements? Was it me standing on a stool all night, holding a basin to catch the dripping rainwater from the roof so she could study in peace? Before I even turned thirty, I developed severe joint pain. On rainy days, the pain was so excruciating I would foam at the mouth. When I asked Leila Shaw for some money to buy medicine, she only said, “People get like this when they get older. Just bear with it and it’ll pass.” All the while, she was spending two-thirds of her salary on medication for Osborn. I only learned the truth today. The irony felt unbearable. I lifted my eyes and said, “Leila, let’s get a divorce.” Leila was stunned. Then, she doubled over laughing, as if I had told the funniest joke in the world. “Pete, do you know what you’re saying?” “Divorce? That isn’t a word for someone like you.” “Fine. If you don’t want to cook, then don’t. Go buy something for us to eat.” She dug into her pocket, pulled out two crumpled ten-dollar notes, and stuffed them into my palm. “I remember you like that sesame cake. Buy yourself one. And pick up some pizza while you’re at it. Ward wants some.” Her tone was earnest. I couldn’t tell if it was because I had mentioned divorce, or if she actually felt a shred of guilt. In thirty-five years of marriage, this was the first time she had ever voluntarily given me extra money. I stood rooted in the doorway, the bills a dead weight in my hand. When I finally looked up, Leila was gone, the door sealed shut behind her. Trapped in the hall, I could only listen to the distant, muffled sound of Ward’s indignant protests from the other side. “Mom, you shouldn’t have given Dad anything.” “He only dares to make a scene because you indulge him.” “If you ask me, don’t give him a single cent. Let him spend his pension.” Leila fell silent for a moment before speaking slowly. “Your father’s pension has been going to Osborn for years.” “You know Osborn is a man of dignity. If he knew he had nothing left, that his pension was gone after the factory fired him, the shock would kill him.” It sounded like she really felt sorry for him. I gripped the handle of the patchwork basket until my knuckles turned white. Only then did I remember the past. That year, just after Leila had given birth to our daughter, Esther Altman, and was still recovering at home, I had received the news: I had been fired from the factory. Bearing the weight of a new family, I couldn’t accept it, so I planned to demand an explanation from the director. But Leila had gripped my hand, weeping, begging me not to go. She told me to think about our newborn child. To think about my own health. She said she had already finished graduate school, and once she recovered from childbirth, she would earn money to support both me and the baby. She asked me to stay home and take care of the family and our child. Yet it wasn’t me who had been fired all those years ago. It was Osborn! It was Leila Shaw who secretly manipulated everything, letting Osborn take my identity and continue working in my place. But the factory refused to keep his benefits or enroll him in a pension plan. It was Leila who transferred my pension to him month after month. For twenty-five years, I was a househusband with no income. For twenty-five years, I blamed myself. For twenty-five years, I resented myself. I never understood why I had been kicked out. It turned out that it was all orchestrated by the person I loved the most! The basket slipped from my fingers and hit the floor. I pulled out my phone and dialed my neighbor, Rex Trollpoe, a lawyer. “Rex, I’d like to ask about filing for a litigated divorce.”

When I returned from Rex’s house, Leila was sitting in the living room, her face livid as she watched TV. Under the bright lights of the house, I realized that though she was no longer young, she was still as graceful and beautiful as ever. Apart from her graying hair and the lines around her eyes, time seemed to have spared her. I recalled that just a month ago, I had seen Osborn’s posts on social media. He was in France. The man in the photos looked vibrant, nothing like someone approaching sixty. I had mentioned it to Leila with a tinge of envy. “Why is it that when people get older, they can travel and enjoy life, while we’re stuck in this tiny little world?” Leila had smiled at me. “Our son isn’t married yet. Let’s save more money first. Once he’s settled down, the two of us can travel together too.” That day, I had actually looked forward to it. I pictured Leila and me traveling hand in hand in our old age. I had worked even harder at odd jobs, scraping together every cent for Ward’s future, thinking I was building a dream for us. But I never could have imagined that the other half of Osborn’s photo, the part cropped out of the frame, had featured Leila in a flowing silk dress. They wore matching colors, looking like a couple who had walked through decades together. Meanwhile, I stood by the stove in our drafty apartment, choking on cooking fumes. All I could do was ask Ward, who was always impatient, what foreign countries were really like. When I came back, Leila turned off the TV and crossed her arms over her chest, clearly ready to lecture me. I knew she was angry that I hadn’t brought back dinner. If this had been in the past, I would have apologized immediately and cooked a full table of dishes to make up for being late. But not tonight. I pretended not to notice her expression, changed my shoes, and headed toward the bedroom. Leila’s rage spiraled instantly. She slammed the remote onto the coffee table with a crack and pointed a finger at my nose, ready to sold me. But she stopped when she saw the calmness on my face. “, if you’re unhappy about something, just say it. We’ve been together for so many years. You don’t have to beat around the bush.” Her surprise was genuine. She didn’t believe I would really be upset over two hundred dollars. Nor did she believe that, after discovering evidence of her affair, I would actually leave her. I laughed bitterly. “I’ve made myself clear, Leila. We are getting a divorce. It’s that simple.” Now that I brought it up again, Leila flew into a rage from humiliation. “Pete! Ward was right. I’ve been too lenient with you all these years!” “Divorce? What would you even do after a divorce? Can you even support yourself?” It was true. All these years, the meager earnings from my odd jobs had gone into supporting this house and our children. Even my pension had been used by her to please another man. I lifted my head and pointed at everything in the house. “Which thing in this house wasn’t bought with the money I earned from odd jobs?” “Leila, where has all your money gone over the years? Don’t you know that in your own heart?” As our quarrel continued, Ward burst out of his room wearing headphones. He pointed a finger at me. “That’s enough, Dad! Aren’t you just accusing Mom of cheating?” “Let’s get one thing straight: Osborn and Mom are just friends. Only someone as filthy-minded as you would think otherwise!” My fingers curled tight into white-knuckled fists before I even knew it. My gaze fixed on Ward, the very boy for whom my mother had traded her life, and the memory crashed over me. Before my mother died, she had pressed a wad of crumpled bills into my hand, money she had earned from collecting scrap metal. “Ward is growing up. Buy him good food. He needs to build his strength.” I could no longer hold back my emotions. I raised my hand and slapped my son across the face, tears streaming down as I shouted, “Do you even know that just because your mother refused to give me two hundred dollars… Your grandma sold the very medicine that was keeping her alive! She is dead!” Ward froze for an instant, then sneered with cold contempt. “Dad, that’s ridiculous. Just to get money from Mom, you’d even joke about Grandma’s death? Did you lose your mind?” At that moment, the calmness on Leila’s face disappeared as well. She wrenched open her wallet, pulled out two hundred dollars, and shoved it at me. “Alright, Pete. It’s just two hundred dollars. How long are you going to make a scene about it?” “I’ll give it to you, okay? Let’s drop this matter. We won’t bring it up again.” She turned to comfort Ward, as if she were truly a reasonable, understanding mother. I looked at the bills in my hand. Slowly, I shook my head. “This can’t be brushed aside. This… won’t pass.”

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On what should’ve been our wedding day, my girlfriend, Selena Martinez, kicked me out of the City Hall. Then she walked right back in with her childhood sweetheart. She didn’t even bother looking guilty about it. “Zach’s kid needs a father on paper. Give me a month to divorce him, then I’ll marry you.” Everyone figured I’d wait around like the pathetic simp I was. I mean, I’d already spent seven years waiting for her. But no. That same night, I said yes to the arranged marriage my family had set up overseas. Just like that, I was gone from her life. Three years later, I flew back with my wife, a powerful CEO, Lavinia Sterling, for a family ceremony. She got tied up with work last minute, so she asked the local office to send a driver for me. Didn’t expect to run into Selena after all this time. She took one look at me and said, “Okay, enough drama. Time to come home. Zach’s kid is about to start preschool and someone needs to do pickup.” *** I was walking through arrivals when I saw someone holding up a sign with my name on it. It was Selena. My ex who I hadn’t seen in three years. She had her childhood sweetheart, Zachary Ford, with her, plus a few of her friends, all of them scanning the crowd. One of them nudged Selena. “Hey, isn’t that your little simp Daniel?” Selena looked surprised for half a second, then played it cool. “What’d I tell you? Knew he’d come crawling back eventually.” Her friends all looked at me with teasing smiles. “Well, well, Daniel Montgomery. Ghosted everyone back then, but now that Selena’s loaded, I bet he’s kicking himself every single night!” “Seriously though, if you were gonna pretend to bump into us, you could’ve at least dressed up. What’s with the sweats?” “Wait, can you not even afford real clothes without Selena? Dude, that’s actually sad.” Back when we were together, I never showed up to see Selena without picking out the perfect outfit. Made sure I looked good for her every single time. Now? Why bother? My wife quit wearing business clothes when she got pregnant, so I started dressing for comfort too. These “sweats” they were ragging on? Lavinia had them custom made for me. But now, I realized something. They knew my name, sure. They just had no clue I was the VIP they were supposed to be picking up. When I didn’t say anything, one of my acquaintance from back then tried to smooth things over. “Hey Daniel, good to see you back. You know, Selena’s actually been looking for you this whole time. Asking around about you everywhere.” Selena’s smile went stiff for a second before she recovered, acting all casual. “Anyway, Zach’s kid starts preschool soon. You’ll handle pickup and dropoff.” Same old Selena. Still acting like the world revolved around her. Thing was, I wasn’t that pushover simp anymore. The one who used to put up with her crap. Seeing her again just pissed me off. I didn’t want to waste another second with these people. I was about to tell them who I actually was when Zachary jumped in. “Look, don’t blame Selena, okay? She’s trying to help you out here. You vanished for three years. Who knows what kind of mess you’ve been in?” He looked me up and down. “I mean, just look at you now. You’re obviously broke. Even if she wanted to hook you up with my personal assistant gig, you couldn’t handle it.” “But hey, watching my daughter? Nobody’s gonna judge you for that.” It’s been three years, and Zachary was still the same smug bastard. I couldn’t help but frown in disgust. Selena completely misread my expression and thought I was jealous or something. I could see the smirk in her eyes. “Come on, you clearly couldn’t make it out there. Stop being difficult. Just watch the kid. Quit throwing tantrums and know your place.” “We’ve still got the nanny’s room, so don’t worry about that.” Everyone around us started snickering. “See, Daniel? Selena’s looking out for you. She knows you’re struggling, so she’s got you set up with room and board.” “All you gotta do is babysit Zach’s kid. Way better than whatever sad life you’re living now, right? Hurry up and thank her.” Zachary glanced at his watch with obvious pretense. “Don’t worry, Daniel. If my daughter gives you any trouble, I’ll discipline her myself. I’ll make sure you’re treated well.” Selena let out a cold laugh and glanced my way. “What’s he got to complain about? He ran off over some petty issue years ago. Now he’s back because he couldn’t cut it out there. A little suffering will do him good.” My heart stopped for a second when I heard that. After all this time, she still thought marrying Zachary was just some minor issue? The Selena who used to love me was long gone. She wasn’t that girl anymore. The one who dragged me across half the city to find a doctor, crying the whole way even though she was the one covered in bruises. The one who had absolutely nothing but swore she’d love me forever. The successful woman who still wanted to come home and cook for me. Whatever. It was all ancient history now. Besides, my wife was already pregnant with our second kid.

I pushed those thoughts away. No point getting into it with them here. “You’re supposed to pick me up, right? Let’s go,” I said, my voice flat. Everyone fell silent for a moment. They all exchanged looks, then burst out laughing. Zachary sneered at me. “Pick YOU up? Yeah right.” He jabbed a finger at the sign. “Read it. We’re here for Lewis. You know who that is?” That was my fake name. Of course I knew. “He’s married to the Sterling family heiress. The guy backing Sterling Group.” “Ms. Sterling’s a total shark in business, but apparently she stayed single for years just waiting for this Lewis.” “Everyone in our circles knows that if you want to impress Ms. Sterling, you go through her husband first. She absolutely spoils him.” I couldn’t help but smile. Three years of marriage and Lavinia’s empire kept expanding. So did her reputation for being obsessed with spoiling me. Zachary never missed a chance to one-up me. He jumped right in, showing off. “Ms. Sterling bought a watch at Christie’s a few years back. Some piece called Eternal Love. Twenty million dollars. She gave it to her husband Lewis as a gift.” “Every guy on the planet wishes they were him.” Then, he froze for a beat and pointed straight at my wrist, his voice shrill. “That’s the one!” The whole group went quiet. Everyone stared at my watch. Selena grabbed my wrist and yanked it up to get a better look. Then she laughed. “Nice knockoff. Which waitress bought you this? Imagine giving someone a fake as a gift.” She sneered. “Trash.” I pulled my hand away and smiled, running my fingers over the watch face. That smile made something flicker in Selena’s eyes. She lunged forward, grabbed my wrist again, and ripped the watch right off. I wasn’t expecting that, so she got it before I could react. Zachary stepped up and took the watch from her, turning it over in his hands. “Actually pretty well made. Better than the fake I bought. Course, I’d never wear mine out in public. Too embarrassing.” He kept examining it. “Foreign knockoffs really are something else though. Feels expensive.” Then he looked up at me with a grin. “Wait. Unless you actually ARE Lewis? The legendary himself?” Everyone burst out laughing. I mean, to them, it was completely ridiculous. Lavinia Sterling was a world-famous financial genius. Cold. Ruthless. Cut-throat in business. And me? Three years ago, I was just some loser hanging around with this exact crowd. The same guy Selena had ditched at the City Hall. No way I was Lavinia’s husband. Zachary spun the watch around his finger. “Hey Daniel, sell me this watch. I’ll pay double.” Worried that he might break the watch, I tried to grab it. “Give it back. That’s from Lavinia—” Before I could finish, Selena’s palm cracked across my face. My head whipped to the side. I tasted copper. “Shut your mouth!”

Selena stared me down, pissed. “Daniel, what makes you think you can just drop Ms. Sterling’s name like that? You trying to get me fired or something?” Her friends all turned on me, looking at me like I was garbage. “Do you have any idea how hard we fought to land this airport pickup?” “Ms. Sterling acquired Selena’s company last year. We all work for her now. The only way Selena keeps her position is by keeping Ms. Sterling’s husband happy.” “And you’re here making up stories about you and Ms. Sterling? You gonna ruin everything for Selene!” I wiped the blood off my lip and slowly met Selena’s eyes. Something in my expression must’ve gotten to her. She frowned. For just a second, I caught a flicker of panic. Zachary saw the way she was looking at me, and his face twisted. He jabbed his finger in my direction. “You ungrateful bastard. Selena’s giving you another shot and this is how you repay her? Don’t push it!” “Look, I get it. You’re bitter. But trashing her reputation just to get back at her? That’s low.” Felt like I’d been transported back three years. Back then, no matter what I did, Zachary always managed to twist the story before Selena heard my side. Selena used to snap at Zachary whenever he screwed up. But then she’d turn around and tear into me instead. Just like now. She looked at me with pure disgust. “Pathetic,” she spat. But this time, she didn’t keep going like she usually did. After a pause, Selena pulled out a check for 200 grand and waved it in my face. “For old times’ sake, I’m not gonna make this difficult for you.” “Take the money. Buy yourself some decent clothes. If you don’t wanna do the whole nanny thing, I’ll hook you up with a real job in a few days.” “Don’t worry about it. Ever since Ms. Sterling bought out the company, this is pocket change to me.” The way she looked down at me made me sick. Guess things have been going pretty well for her lately. While everyone stared, I pushed her hand away and took my watch back from Zachary. “No thanks, Ms. Martinez. I don’t take handouts from strangers.” I smiled.

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The doctor said I was dying. Two weeks at most… My mate and husband Gavin paced in circles. He barked at the my son to ready the cart. “Two weeks is too long. Take her to the burial grounds now. I can’t wait…” “I want my wife to die quickly, let’s bury her alive!” He yanked me off the bed. “Mongrels are mongrels. Always causing trouble.” “You know Selina joins the pack tomorrow. Yet you refuse to die.” “You want everyone to say she was the mistress!” How ridiculous! He couldn’t wait for me to die so he could take his mistress home. He made me the laughingstock of the entire pack. I couldn’t fight back. I let the tears fall. Through blurred vision, I heard Gavin’s snarl. Contempt. Rage. Decades of disgust. Gavin never looked at me properly. Only when I served him would he sneer. “Just a mongrel.” Fifty years as his mate. I lost my family. My name. My life. Then I opened my eyes. I was *BACK* on my Mating Day… I chose to refuse the bond. He dropped to his knees and begged. “Please marry me, Alpha girl, I need you. I admire your strength!” — Outside the mating carriage, voices jeered. “Let us see the mongrel bride!” My body froze. My father was an alpha, but my mother was a witch, but I was definitely not a mongrel… I was Alpha blood girl! They couldn’t call me a mongrel just because my hair is red… My mother was a witch of the purest blood, and I was proud of that. Why did they call me a mongrel? That’s their ignorance! *Memories flashed like lightning.* The Moon Goddess gave me a SECOND CHANCE. This time, I won’t mate with Gavin. Then the door ripped open. “Just a cursed girl. Let them look.” I should have known his attitude long ago. He pretended to admire me, but in reality, he just wanted to cooperate with my father. He is an Alpha pf anpther pack… Young Gavin despised me. But before the bond, he was only cold. The old Gavin was cruel. He tormented me without restraint. Through the thin hood, our eyes met. In an instant, I knew. This Gavin was the one who threw me away. He made me live in fear. Sure enough, Gavin looked down at me. “I won’t dirty my hands. Take off the hood yourself.” I didn’t move. He kicked the carriage. “What’s wrong? Too ugly to show your face?” “If not for the Alpha King’s command, I’d rather mate a hooker than a cursed red-hair girl.” A pack member whispered. “She’s still alpha-blood. Don’t go too far. Just complete the bond.” Gavin laughed. “Alpha-blood? But her mother was a greedy witch! Don’t forget! We hate witches! You have no idea how much her father wanted to throw her out! Like trash!” Bullshit! I saw with my own eyes how he begged my father. It wasn’t what he said at all. He was lying! He destroyed everything I was proud of. In my past life, I removed the hood on our first night. He was stunned by my beauty. Then he mocked me. Said I looked barbaric with heavy makeup. Not elegant like the pure-blood werewolves. I explained through tears. “My mother is witch. Features are different. This makeup doesn’t suit me. I won’t wear it after the bond.” His response was harsher. “With that face, no amount of makeup can fix you. You’re a beast in clothes.” Back then, I was lost. Now, reborn, I faced his disgust with calm. “Then go mate the tavern girl. With a hooker.” Gavin froze. He ripped off my hood in disbelief. “What did you say?” The hood fell. My face was revealed. Gasps echoed through the crowd. Gavin looked shocked. He didn’t expect defiance from his bride. In my past life, I thought I wasn’t good enough. So I begged again and again. No matter how I debased myself, he only sneered. “Just a mongrel.” Even in public, he humiliated me. “An Alpha’s daughter doesn’t know how to serve her mate at meals?” “Truly raised in a pack of strays.” Every time we fucked, he made me to take birth control pills. “The pack can’t have mongrel blood.” “Your mother is an inferior witch, and I don’t want to give birth to a red-haired little girl.” “Good heavens, your red hair is so ugly!” He looked at me with disgust. As if touching me was filth. I wanted to say we didn’t have to fuck. He didn’t have to mate with me. But when I met those mocking eyes, all words died. Five years later, we still had no pup. Gavin adopted a boy from his own pack. But the pup looked just like him. Not just his face. His temper too. I suspect it was born to his mistress, but I have no proof. “It’s your fault! Everyone laughs at me for having a mongrel mother.” My so-called son screamed at me… “Get rid of that stupid bracelet! You look like a witch!” But I was actually a witch… I was both Alpha blood and the witch, and it was not my fault… He snatched the bracelet and threw it down. Stomped on it. My mother gave me that bracelet before I left. It was flattened. Broken. Silent. That pain stayed in my chest until I died. Gavin said I was illiterate. So I hired a tutor. I learned their language. Wrote perfectly. But he still laughed at my writing. Said nothing. Just sneered. I rode horses well. He called me crude. Made me drive the cart like a servant. But if I were in my own wolf pack, my father would train me to be the fiercest female warrior. I missed my father and my mother… Only at the end did I understand. Gavin never saw me as his mate. Never saw me as a person. But now I know. I stared at Gavin and spoke slowly. “I said, if you want the hooker in the brothel, go fuck her and marry her.” Gavin’s face darkened. “You threaten me?” “Fine. I’ll mate her. Watch me.” He mounted his horse and charged toward the brothel. But not before sneering at me. “A witch thinks she’s alpha-blood.” “When I mate the hooker in the brothel, you’ll be nothing but a breeder.” Calmly, I looked up and asked the question that haunted me. “Gavin, alliance mates always bond with royalty.” “If you never wanted me, why did you volunteer?”

Thre came a familiar laugh: “No one else wanted you. I was doing your father a favor.” “He’s so pathetic. He has to cater to your feelings and pretend to love you. But you’re just a stain on his reputation, a stain he wants to get rid of!” “I did him a huge favor, so he agreed to cooperate with me.” The words slapped me across the face. Gavin glanced at me. His eyes said I deserved it. Tears welled up. I turned to leave. Then I nearly collided with a woman. “Gavin, it’s your Mating Day. What are you doing?” Gavin’s eyes lit up. His voice softened. “The alpha-blood rejected me. Said I’m too low-ranked.” “Selina, since you’re here, why don’t you bond with me instead? Although you’re a hooker, I bet your wolf is definitely much stronger than hers!” Were you kidding me? Did he really want to marry a hooker? I guessed right… My tears dried instantly. My mind raced. I’d been his mate for decades. I knew him too well. His movements. His expressions. The gossip around us. In seconds, I pieced it together. Selina and Gavin had a past. But her family fell from grace. She ended up in the brothel. He wanted to use me to marry Selina. He’s an alpha, and he was afraid that someone in the wolf pack would object, so he wanted to marry Selina openly and legitimately. The person he originally wanted to marry wasn’t me at all… He needed a excuse… That’s me… A cursed descendant of a witch, a woman of noble lineage who has no fertility. So he could marry Selena, so he could have two wives, so he could openly tell the wolves how useless I was, that he married Selena, a hooker, for procreation, for an heir. In my last life, I dreamed of a happy bond. But the day after our ceremony, Selina moved into the pack house. Now I understand. Gavin mated me to free Selina from the brothel. Gavin circled Selina. His eyes never left her. Memories surged. Every insult finally made sense. Every time he degraded me, he was praising her. He humiliated me for how boring I was in bed, he humiliated my mother and my hair, and my witch blood. I blamed myself. Never thought to question them. Seeing my pale face, Selina touched her hair and smiled. She grabbed Gavin’s hand and swayed it. She coaxed him like a child. “Gavin, it’s your Mating Day. Don’t be angry.” Then she turned to me and bowed slightly. “Forgive him, Freya. He’s just blunt. He means no harm.” “I’ll make sure he completes the bond. Just be gentle with him tonight.” Gavin didn’t move. She pouted. Pulled him off the horse. Pinched his arm. “Did you forget our agreement? Go.” At her reminder, Gavin looked at me meaningfully. He walked over and bowed mockingly. “Let’s go, witch-blood. Skip the ritual. I’ll bond with you now. Satisfied?” In my past life, he never bowed once. In this life, Selina made him do it with one sentence. The absurdity swallowed me whole. I couldn’t hold back. Tears fell. “Are you done?” Gavin muttered under his breath. Selina glared at him. I wiped my tears. Stared at him without blinking. “Gavin, I am a Alpha’s daughter.” “I came for an alliance. Not to be humiliated. I told you I was an Alpha princess, and you didn’t believe me, but don’t forget what you promised my father!” “If you want to marry the hooker, tell the Alpha King yourself. Refuse his command and alliance.” Selina’s face went white. She bit her lip.

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I watched my eight-year-old son die on the execution platform. My mate Kael’s last words weren’t for us. They were for Seraphina—the Alpha King’s Luna Queen. “Your Majesty, please take care of Seraphina!” Then the silver chains tore me apart too. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day it all began. *** My mate—Alpha Kael and Luna Queen Seraphina were childhood sweethearts. This was a thorn in the Alpha King’s heart. Even after Kael mated me, the two remained as close as ever. When Seraphina was punished to kneel, Kael held an umbrella over her for a day and night. When Kael was injured, Seraphina knelt to dress his wounds herself. I knew the Alpha King’s rage could destroy entire packs. I warned him many times, but Kael thought I was petty and jealous. Every time he visited the palace, he’d lock me in the shed. Later, the Alpha King took a new mate and demoted Seraphina. Seraphina refused to eat or drink. She even requested to be sent to the outer pack. At the Council meeting, Kael publicly denounced the Alpha King for abandoning his first mate. The Alpha King was enraged. He ordered our entire pack executed. On the execution platform, I begged Kael to apologize to the King and save our pup’s life. Kael ignored me. He continued his defiance until death. “Your Majesty, my pack’s death means nothing!” “I only beg you treat Luna Queen Seraphina well!” “Seraphina is delicate, she’s cried since childhood. Please take care of her, Your Majesty! I die without regret!” I watched helplessly as my eight-year-old pup was ripped apart. Then I was torn apart too. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day Seraphina was punished. …… “Elara, don’t stop me!” “Seraphina is being punished—the King must have misunderstood her!” “You know her personality. She’d rather die than defend herself.” “If I don’t help her, who will stand by her side?” Kael shoved me hard. I fell to the ground, my forehead hitting the stone steps. Blood everywhere. I was dazed for a moment, then realized—I’d been reborn. The Moon Goddess must have seen how unjustly I died and given me another chance. Before I could get up, Kael looked at me strangely. “Elara, even if you fake unconsciousness, I won’t stay.” “A little bump—what’s the big deal?” “Seraphina would never be so dramatic.” Thinking of Seraphina, Kael’s eyes softened. She was stubborn since childhood. Right now, suffering punishment, she must be gritting her teeth to hold back tears. His heart ached at the thought. He mounted his motorcycle. I scrambled up and blocked his path, blood covering my face, looking ghastly. “Kael, Seraphina is the Alpha King’s mate now! Their relationship is none of your business!” I glared at him. Looking at his face now, I felt no warmth from our early days. Only hatred. At the execution ground in my past life, I’d knelt to him. I’d even smashed my forehead bloody. Just begging him to submit to the Alpha King. The King was merciful. If Kael had just backed down, he would have spared our young pup. But Kael ignored me. He kept provoking the King’s authority. To him, our pup and I weren’t worth a single strand of Seraphina’s hair. I could never forget Ash’s screams and pain before death. This time, I would protect Ash. As for Kael—if he wanted death, I’d help him get there. “Kael, I know you and Seraphina were childhood sweethearts!” “After all these years, you still haven’t let her go?” “Seraphina is the country’s Luna Queen now!” “Your obsession with her—where does that leave the Alpha King?!” The moment I finished speaking, Kael’s face changed. Pack members watching nearby began whispering, pointing at Kael. “Elara, how dare you slander Seraphina?!” Kael’s eyes were bloodshot. His hand gripped the handlebars, veins bulging. I saw the murderous intent in his eyes. If we weren’t in front of so many witnesses, his wheels would have already crushed me into pulp. Ten years as mates. He’d never once truly seen me as his mate. The pain spread through my chest. Tears blurred my vision. Heartbreak and hatred intertwined. But I held back the tears and dropped to my knees in front of him. “If you must go, then drive over my corpse!”

“Mom!!” Ash ran out too, kneeling beside me, looking at Kael with tearful eyes. “Dad, don’t you love me and Mom anymore?” Ash’s small body curled into my arms. My nose stung. Tears I’d held back finally fell. Seeing Ash, Kael’s tense body relaxed slightly. The coldness in his eyes softened with reluctance. “Ash, Dad loves you and your mom, of course.” “But right now, Aunt Seraphina is in trouble. Dad has to help her.” Ash frowned in confusion, tears still on his face. “But Dad, doesn’t Aunt Seraphina have her own mate? Why does she need Mom’s mate to help her?” Kael’s face paled. The surrounding pack members echoed the sentiment. “Alpha Kael, you have a devoted mate and smart pup. What more could you want?” “The King is merciful and treats Luna Queen Seraphina well. This is probably just a small punishment. You don’t need to worry so much.” “What do you know?!” Kael suddenly exploded with rage, glaring at the well-meaning pack members. “What about Seraphina’s pain?!” I laughed coldly. All these years, Seraphina’s act of being gentle and yielding—only Kael believed it. Kael turned to look at me, his eyes full of disappointment. “Elara, I’ve been mated to you for ten years. Is this how you raised our pup?” “I’ll settle this with you when I return!” Before he finished speaking, Kael gunned the engine. The motorcycle roared and leaped directly over me and Ash’s heads. The wheels grazed my hair as they passed. For that instant, I truly thought I’d die under his wheels. Ash fainted from shock in my arms. “Kael!” I turned, screaming at him with a voice like torn flesh. “If you insist on this, then give me rejection papers! Let me and Ash go!” The engine noise faded into the distance. From start to finish, Kael never looked back once. I pulled at my cracked lips and laughed bitterly. The last thread of hope in my heart died with that engine sound. Only hatred remained. Kael, since you’re seeking death, this time, my pup and I won’t accompany you. Ash and I knelt there in misery. Rain poured down, washing away the blood on my forehead. I looked up at the foggy sky. Right now, Kael was probably holding an umbrella over Seraphina, shielding her from the storm. His umbrella had never once tilted toward me and our pup. I sighed softly. My handmaid Ember ran out with an umbrella, covering me from the rain. “Madam, you’re weak. Please take the young master inside!” “I’ll notify you the moment the Alpha returns!” I shook my head. I only handed Ash to Ember and had her take him back. I continued kneeling at the gate. After today, everyone in the territory would know—the Silver Moon Luna knelt in the rain all day to stop her mate from going to the palace. This time, I’d make Kael the target of everyone’s scorn! I don’t know how long passed. A sliver of light broke through the eastern sky. The rain gradually stopped. Kael’s figure appeared in my view. He glanced at me once. His tired face showed impatience slowly covered by guilt. He bent down, pulling my arm to help me up. “Elara, I was too impulsive today. I didn’t consider you and Ash.” “Don’t be angry, okay?” I pulled at my cracked lips. Looking at him, my eyes were calm as still water. I used my last bit of strength to say: “Kael, let’s reject the bond.”

When I opened my eyes again, Kael was beside me. Seeing me awake, joy flashed in his eyes. “Elara, you’re finally awake!” “Don’t be so willful again. Do you know you had a fever all day?” “I was worried sick!” He gripped my hand and brought over a bowl of medicine, gently feeding it to me. “You know Seraphina’s father saved my life.” “Before he died, he made me promise to take care of Seraphina.” “She’s alone in the palace, struggling at every turn. If I don’t help her, she’ll truly have no one.” “You’ve always been kind and understanding. Why are you so stubborn about this?” He frowned slightly, as if every word was sincere. If I hadn’t lived through this once, I might have believed him. “Seraphina asked me to thank you yesterday. She praised your generosity!” Kael said with a smile. But those words stabbed into my heart like a sharp needle. Could Kael really not hear that this was a challenge? I slowly closed my eyes, no longer listening to anything he said. After that, I stayed home to recover while secretly tallying my dowry and assets, transferring them out of the pack. A few days later, Kael was sent to the southern border to fight rogues. The house was quiet for over a month before Kael returned injured. At that time, I was having tea with several pack officials’ mates. The moment I heard the news, I brought everyone to his study to check on him. “Quickly, get the premium healing herbs from my vault!” “I hope he’s not badly hurt and everything is fine!” “Otherwise I don’t know how I’ll go on!” My expression was anxious, tears on my face. Reaching the study door, I took a deep breath and pushed it open. “Kael, are you alright?!” My voice stopped abruptly. In the study, on the couch, Kael wore only underclothes, half-reclining. Luna Seraphina, dressed in men’s clothes, knelt at the couch examining his leg wound, carefully applying medicine. Her eyes were red with distress. “Seraphina, it’s just a minor injury. Nothing serious.” Kael held Seraphina’s hand tenderly. The two gazed at each other deeply, as if no one else existed. All of this fell into my and the officials’ mates’ eyes. “The Luna Queen and a pack commander, so improperly dressed… What a scandal!” Seraphina looked mortified. Kael’s gaze cut toward us like a knife. “Get out!” I turned hurriedly and closed the study door. Tears streamed down my face. My lips trembled. “Sisters, today isn’t convenient. Please go home. I’ll visit to apologize another day.” Everyone consoled me briefly before leaving. After they left, the tears on my face vanished instantly. Everyone I’d invited today was a notorious gossip. And several had mates who worked in the Council—upright officials who spoke truth to power. Rumors on one side. Petitions on the other. Let’s see if Kael could withstand both attacks for Seraphina’s sake. Back in my room, I told Ember to fetch a silver blade. Ember looked terrified. “Don’t worry. I survived this far. I won’t die easily.” Ember brought the blade. I dismissed everyone and held it to my throat. Timing it carefully, I pressed the blade against my neck.

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My fiancée’s childhood friend, James Anderson, sabotaged my wedding. Three times. The first time, he flew back from abroad and took my bride away right in the middle of the ceremony. He gave me this pathetic look and said, “Evelyn’s mom wasn’t doing well at the care facility. She wants to see her, so I had to take her there immediately.” The second time, he got drunk and sneaked into our reception. He knocked over the champagne tower, and the surprise I’d spent ages planning for the wedding—he tore it to pieces and threw it in the basement. When he sobered up, he begged, “Matthew, this is all my fault. Take it out on me, hit me!” Now the third time. We moved the wedding to my fiancée’s estate in the countryside. He deliberately gave me the wrong address. I drove straight into a cemetery on the outskirts of town. Evelyn Watson always tried to smooth things over. “James has been looking after my mom ever since she got sick. He’s given up so much for me… and I ended up marrying you. He’s just hurt. He’s not trying to mess with you on purpose.” But she had no idea. Because this time, her wedding was about to become a funeral. *** When I got out of the car and saw nothing but gravestones, I realized James had screwed me over again. He knew I wasn’t familiar with Evelyn’s family estate, so he gave me the wrong location. The groom’s car ended up at a cemetery on the outskirts. I stood there in my white suit, staring at rows of graves. Inside the car were all the relatives and friends I’d picked up from the city for the wedding. I could hear them whispering. “This is the third time they’ve tried to hold this wedding! She clearly doesn’t want to marry him.” “No kidding. And the groom doesn’t even know where the ceremony is—it’s ridiculous.” “A wedding at a cemetery? With whom? Ghosts?” My hands tightened on the steering wheel. The white suit I was wearing, the boutonnière on my chest—they felt like a joke. Last night, Evelyn lay in my arms and swore to me—promised me—that this time James would not cause any trouble. And now? I was a laughingstock again. Another failed wedding. Three hours later, Evelyn finally texted me back. “Sorry, James said he was just pulling a prank. Don’t get upset over something so petty. I’ll send you the estate address again.” She used to reply instantly. But ever since her childhood friend came back, her replies had been fewer and slower. Evelyn’s mother, Alice Watson, was in the back seat. She heard Evelyn’s voice message. Her face went dark. She clutched her chest and said through gritted teeth, “Matthew… Has Evelyn been treating you like this all along?” Mrs. Watson hadn’t been well. She’s spent the last few years at a treatment facility abroad. She missed the first two weddings. This time, to attend her daughter’s wedding, she flew back specially and asked me to bring her secretly, to surprise Evelyn. She called Evelyn. The phone kept getting hung up immediately. When it finally connected, Evelyn ripped into me. “Matthew, I already sent you the address! What more do you want? He’ll never have the right to stand by my side. But you married me. Can’t you just be the bigger person here? Don’t forget, he’s the one who’s been taking care of my mom overseas all these years.” Then, over the phone, I heard James’s voice, all choked up. “Evelyn, I can’t let you go. I can’t live without you.” “Mmm—ahh!” Evelyn suddenly let out a high, intimate moan. Along with it came the unmistakable wet sounds of bodies colliding. Anyone could tell what that meant. The call was cut off. Mrs. Watson panted heavily with rage. “Scoundrels! Scoundrels!” My face went pale. My nails dug into my palms until they bled. I didn’t even feel it. Evelyn and I had never had sex. She’d told me she wanted to save her first time for her husband, not her boyfriend. So no matter what, she refused to let me touch her, and I endured it for her sake. And now? After seven years of dating, on the very day of our wedding, I heard her having sex with her childhood sweetheart. After a moment, I laughed bitterly and turned to Mrs. Watson. “Mrs. Watson, I don’t want to go through with this wedding.” I couldn’t take her betrayal. I didn’t want to keep swallowing it. But the next second, Mrs. Watson’s face suddenly turned purple. She clutched her chest and collapsed stiffly onto the seat, her body trembling violently. Her heart condition had been triggered by anger.

I rushed out of the car and climbed into the back seat, frantically asking Mrs. Watson where her medication was. When I finally found it and fed it to her, there was still no improvement. Someone noticed something was wrong and came over to ask what was happening. The moment they saw Mrs. Watson’s condition, they panicked. “Call 911! She needs an ambulance now!” “This is an acute heart attack. She has to get to a hospital fast. The medicine won’t help anymore” But when I called emergency services, they told me the nearest major hospital was at least 45 miles away. And Mrs. Watson only had a few minutes. Our only option was a small local clinic. But those weren’t marked on any map, and none of us knew this area—hell, we were in a cemetery. There wasn’t even a living soul around to ask for directions. I called Evelyn again. She hung up immediately. I texted her. Nothing. I couldn’t unlock Mrs. Watson’s phone. I didn’t have anyone else’s number. I was desperate, trying to do something—anything—but I felt completely helpless. All I could do was watch Mrs. Watson’s face turn darker purple, her breathing getting weaker and weaker. I took photos of her, sent them to Evelyn over and over, hoping for a response. Finally, she replied. It was a photo of her, naked, covered in hickeys, eyes closed, lying in bed next to James. I couldn’t breathe. My hands were shaking. Her own mother was dying, and she was still hooking up with her man? A second later, she unsent the photo. But Mrs. Watson, in her final moments, had already seen it. Her eyes widened, and her last faint breath ceased. I ended up taking Mrs. Watson’s body to the hospital morgue. The local doctor showed up late, sighed, and told me, “There was a clinic less than three miles away from where you were. A retired cardiologist—used to be a department head at a major hospital—opened it after he retired. If you’d known and gotten her there in time, she would’ve had a very good chance of surviving.” I froze. It felt like an invisible hand was squeezing my heart. Then Evelyn called. Her voice was ice cold. “Matthew, what’s your problem? Just because James pulled a little prank on you, you’re going to curse my mom like this? Don’t forget—she raised you too. That’s just cruel.” I was an orphan. The Watson family sponsored me my whole life. Mrs. Watson was always good to me. I never forgot that. That was why, even after everything Evelyn had put me through, I still forgave her. But now Mrs. Watson was gone. All I felt was the pain of losing someone I loved. “She’s really gone, Evelyn. If you don’t believe me, come to the hospital and see for yourself.” Her voice shot up. “Matthew, I’m seriously pissed off now! You’re still throwing a tantrum and won’t come to the estate? Everyone’s waiting for you, and you just don’t show up—fine, whatever, let them laugh at me. But now you keep cursing my mom, saying she’s dead? How sick are you?” I didn’t bother arguing. I just sent her a photo of the death certificate. Not long after, Evelyn showed up at the hospital entrance. James was right there with her. The first thing she did? Slapped me across the face. Before I could even react, she held up her phone. On the screen was a photo of an older woman who looked a lot like Mrs. Watson, smiling happily at some overseas care facility. “James told me—my mom is still at the treatment facility abroad. She’s flying back the day after tomorrow!” “Matthew, don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing. This is revenge.” “Today is our wedding day! You didn’t show up, yet drove all the guests to the hospital. Do you even know what you’re doing?” Her words cut through me like a knife. James had tricked the entire wedding party into driving to some remote cemetery, and she called it “a little prank.” Mrs. Watson died because she didn’t get help in time, I brought her body to the hospital, kept her in the morgue, and Evelyn called me disgusting. I let out a cold laugh. “You don’t even remember what your own mother looks like anymore? If you really think nothing happened, come with me to the morgue and see for yourself.” My tone must have finally shaken her. She started to realize something was off. That was when she noticed how wrecked I looked. My suit was filthy, and it smelled bad. The smell was from Mrs. Watson throwing up on me in her final moments. Evelyn wrinkled her nose and pinched it shut. “What’s that stench? You’re disgusting! I don’t believe my mom’s dead. James wouldn’t lie to me. Take me to see her—now.” Just as I turned to lead her inside, James bowed deeply. “Matthew, I’ll apologize, okay? Just stop lying. I’ve been the one taking care of her overseas. You’re telling me something happened to her? How is that even possible? If you just don’t want me around Evelyn anymore, fine—I’ll leave!”

A look of sudden realization crossed Evelyn’s face, followed immediately by a trace of impatience. “So that’s what this is about. You messed up our wedding today—it wasn’t James’s fault. If you don’t apologize to him publicly, the wedding’s off.” I just watched her go after James, completely unmoved. She still didn’t get it. There was no “next time” for us. That night, after leaving the hospital, I posted on my private social media that Mrs. Watson had passed away from a heart attack. When I turned my phone on the next morning, I had hundreds of missed calls from Evelyn. Countless messages. She still thought I was so desperate to get back at James that I’d stoop to making up lies about Mrs. Watson’s death. She kept threatening me, demanding I take the post down. I replied with one cold sentence. [Evelyn, we’re done.] Her response came faster than any message she’d ever sent me. Her voice had a tremor she couldn’t quite hide. “Matthew, you can’t just break up with me. Seven years—you’re throwing away seven years just like that? I won’t accept it.” “I’m not asking for your permission, Evelyn. I’m telling you how it is. I’ll handle the funeral. After that, we’re done.” My voice was flat, “Right now, all I need from you is the address of that countryside estate.” Moving the wedding to her childhood estate had been Evelyn’s idea. She said she wanted to get married at the house she grew up in—said her mother had done the same, on that same lawn, and she wanted her mom to see her walk down the aisle there. Yet in the end, Mrs. Watson had been killed because of her, and I had become the laughingstock of the town. Evelyn let out a relieved breath and laughed softly into the phone. “Oh, so that’s your game? You just wanted me to give you the address? Look, if you apologize to James nicely, we can still have the ceremony.” I laughed bitterly. “What ceremony? Marrying a woman who spent our wedding day in bed with her childhood friend while her own mother was dying? I can’t do that.” Evelyn snapped. “Matthew! I’ve had it with you. My mom is fine—she’s getting treatment overseas. If you keep spreading these lies about her, I swear—” The call ended badly. A few minutes later, she sent a long message. [James has loved me for years. He’s taken care of my mom all this time. He’s always had this one dream—to be my groom, just once. I’ve been hesitating because I didn’t want to hurt you. But after the way you’ve acted? I’ve made up my mind. I’m saying yes. The day after tomorrow, he’s going to be my groom.] I didn’t reply. I just laughed at myself. Didn’t he already have his wedding night with her? But she didn’t know what I’d found while going through Mrs. Watson’s belongings. James had only lasted about a week overseas before he got kicked out of the country for harassing a nurse. He hadn’t been taking care of Mrs. Watson at all these past few years. I had. I’d been wiring money every month to a professional agency that sent caretakers to look after her. On my way to the police station, James called. He was gloating. “You think you can compete with me? Please. I’ve always been the one she cares about most. She even gave me her first time. Day after tomorrow, I’m the groom. You’ll never mean as much to her as I do.” “So what? I don’t want something that’s been tainted.” My voice stayed cold. “You’ll regret saying that.” He hung up, clearly pissed. At the station, I handed over Mrs. Watson’s death certificate and asked them to look up Evelyn’s estate address. They found it easily. As I was thanking them and turning to leave, the officer stopped me. “You said you’re Evelyn’s husband? But according to our records, she’s already married. Her husband is listed as James Anderson. They registered as husband and wife three months ago.”

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