The day my water broke, I lay dying on the freezing pavement, desperately dialing my husband’s number. On the other end of the line, he was throwing a lavish birthday bash for his first love. The background was filled with loud cheers and thumping music. He said, “Avery, drop the act. This little game of yours is getting old.” Then, he hung up. I died just like that, abandoned on a forgotten street corner. When I opened my eyes again, I was back in my sophomore year of high school. The handsome, arrogant boy stood before me, his face flushed as he blocked my path at the school gates, asking me to be his girlfriend. Looking at the face that I once loved to the bone—the same face that personally condemned me to hell—I let out a cold laugh. “Get lost! If I ever hear something so disgusting out of your mouth again, you’ll regret it!” 1 The students of Lincoln High were secretly gossiping: Avery Davis, the ultimate “simp” who had chased Hunter Kingston for an entire year, had finally changed her tune. During morning homeroom, she didn’t drop off his favorite iced coffee. During basketball practice, she wasn’t waiting on the sidelines with Gatorade and a towel. Even at the library, she stopped going early to save him a seat. “She chased him for a year, and she’s just giving up like that?” “She’s probably just throwing a tantrum, waiting for Hunter to coax her.” “I bet she moved on. I heard the star quarterback from the rival prep school is after her.” Bang! Hunter irritably slammed his AP English textbook onto his desk, his face dark. “It’s homeroom! If you want to gossip, get the hell out!” Just as the words left his mouth, I walked into the classroom. The noisy room instantly went dead silent. Dozens of eyes locked onto me like searchlights. I walked straight to my desk, looking straight ahead, pulled out my chair, and sat down. When I opened my backpack, there were two bottles of premium cold-brew coffee inside. The housekeeper must have packed two out of habit, forgetting that I told her last night I only needed one for myself from now on. Hunter’s best friend, Brody, poked Hunter’s arm and whispered, “Avery is about to cave. I told you she couldn’t last three days.” Hunter’s eyes shifted, turning to look at me. But I, right in front of him, shoved both bottles onto my desk partner’s desk. “Here, my treat.” My desk partner, Maya, looked shocked. She pointed a trembling finger at herself. “For me?” I nodded. Then I opened my textbook and started reading quietly. Maya leaned over, whispering curiously, “Avery, why are you actually studying? Didn’t you usually spend homeroom staring at Hunter?” I didn’t even lift my head. “I want to test back into the Honors Program next semester.” I had originally gotten into this high school with the second-highest test scores in the district. But just to be placed in the same regular-track class as Hunter, I intentionally left half my placement test blank, dropping from the AP track down to the remedial level. But now, I had no reason to stay here. The thought of the man sitting behind me—the man who would become my husband in nine years, yet would leave me to die on the streets while he rolled around in his first love’s bed… He caused the child carrying his bloodline to die in the cold night before ever seeing the light of this world. I could never forgive him! So, I was going to severe this toxic connection with my own hands. At noon, Maya and I lined up in the cafeteria. The cafeteria worker handed me my favorite roasted chicken and smiled. “What are you getting for Hunter today? We have that baked salmon he likes.” I paused. Thinking back to my high school days, my pursuit of Hunter was pathetic and obsessive. I stuffed his locker full of love letters. I hijacked the microphone during a pep rally to confess my love to him. Because of me, even the cafeteria staff knew his favorite foods. In the past, I was the girl who would smash her head against a brick wall and refuse to turn back. Looking back now, it was nothing but a joke. I shook my head. “I’m not getting him anything.” I paused, then added, “I’m never getting him anything ever again.” The worker’s hand froze mid-air with the tongs. I grabbed Maya and walked away, accidentally bumping into Hunter at the end of the line. Our eyes met. He looked stunned, but I was the first to look away, brushing past him without a backward glance. Maya muttered, “Avery, what is going on with you? Why are you suddenly freezing Hunter out?” I sat down at a table, mixing dressing into my salad. “Nothing. I just realized that the way I was acting before was incredibly lame.” 2 Once I stopped revolving my life around Hunter, I realized how much free time I actually had. I could chat with the girls about the latest Netflix shows and share my favorite strawberry milkshakes. I could dig out the moldy worksheets shoved in the back of my desk and fill them out one by one. During breaks, I could even go behind the bleachers to feed the stray cats. Youth without constant anxiety and obsession was actually beautiful. A few days later, the school’s basketball tournament kicked off. The homeroom teacher asked the whole class to go to the gym to cheer. I remembered my past life. I had organized a cheer squad for Hunter and practiced a high-difficulty routine. Because of a botched stunt, I fell from the top of the pyramid, scraping up my arms and bloodying my knees. But when Hunter won the game, his eyes were only on his bros and the trophy. He didn’t even spare a glance for me lying in the nurse’s office. So this time, I faked severe cramps, got a pass, and stayed in the empty classroom to memorize SAT vocabulary. I would never do something so absurdly stupid ever again. Maya came back at halftime, out of breath. “Avery, Hunter is totally off his game today. His eyes keep drifting to the bleachers like he’s looking for someone.” She gave me a sly look. “Do you think he’s looking for you?” “No.” I calmly wrote down another vocabulary word. During this phase, Hunter practically had ‘I hate Avery’ tattooed on his forehead. Me not being there was giving him peace and quiet. While we were talking, the classroom door was violently pushed open. Brody practically dragged Hunter inside, yelling at me, “Avery! Don’t you keep that imported athletic pain relief spray in your locker? Get it out! Hunter twisted his ankle!” I used to keep a fully stocked first-aid kit specifically for Hunter, filled with expensive topical treatments. I subconsciously glanced at Hunter’s swollen ankle. In my past life, he won this game flawlessly and never got hurt. It seemed my absence had already altered the trajectory of events. “Avery, what are you spacing out for?!” Brody shouted anxiously. I snapped back to reality, my tone ice-cold. “It expired. I threw it away.” With that, I grabbed my water bottle and walked out to the water fountain, not giving him a single extra glance. Why should I care? The pain of dying on the street in my past life was ten thousand times worse than his little sprain. Why on earth should my heart ache for him? Behind me, Brody gasped in shock, while Hunter’s gaze felt like a dagger, staring so intensely at my back it could have burned a hole through it. 3 Hunter took two days off for his ankle. When my mom found out, she insisted I take a pot of her homemade chicken stew over to his house. Our families were close friends, and she had watched Hunter grow up. In the eyes of the adults, checking on him was basic etiquette. Despite my repeated refusals, I couldn’t win against my mom’s threats, and she even had our driver make sure I walked through the Kingstons’ front gates. Reluctantly, I carried the thermos into that familiar, sprawling white mansion. The setting sun cast a warm, yet incredibly irritating orange glow over the manicured lawn. I knew this place too well. In my past life, I had lived here with him for two years. Every corner was filled with my humiliation— Crying silently over his cold shoulder, yet forcing a smile to deal with his family. My chest tightened as if it were being ripped apart. I forced myself to calm down, opened the thermos, and poured the delicious stew into a dog bowl on the porch for the neighborhood stray. Such good food was wasted on him. Once the dog licked the bowl clean, I turned to leave. Just then, a deep voice called out from behind me. “Avery.” Hunter hobbled out on his crutches, looking a bit ridiculous, fine sweat beading on his forehead. He gritted his teeth. “What kind of tantrum are you throwing now?” I looked back at this boy—still young, yet full of arrogance. I curled my lips into a cold smile. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He blocked my path, breathing heavily, his face alarmingly pale. It was obvious those few steps had cost him a lot of effort. “Why are you ignoring me?” He stared at me intensely, trying to find a trace of my former obsession on my face. He pointed at the empty thermos. “That was for me, wasn’t it? Why did you feed it to a dog? In the past, when I told you to leave me alone, you’d cry and force your way in. Now I’m actually hurt, and you don’t say a single word. What exactly are you…” “Isn’t this better?” I cut him off coldly. “You always thought I was annoying anyway.” Hunter choked on his words, taking a long moment before snapping back. “Yeah! I don’t like you clinging to me! I’m thrilled you’re staying away!” He let out a mocking laugh. “Avery, you better not be playing hard to get. You know I hate that crap!” Playing hard to get? In my past life, to get his attention, I had done plenty of childish, stupid things. Even though I eventually married him, I never had his heart, and I ended up dying a miserable death. In this lifetime, I wouldn’t waste another second on him. “You think way too highly of yourself. I don’t have time to play games with you.” I turned around, my voice completely flat. “My mom forced the driver to bring me here with that soup. Just pretend you drank it, and don’t cause trouble for me.” Hunter’s eyes filled with disbelief. “Did you just compare me to a dog?!” I shrugged. “If that’s how you want to interpret it, be my guest.” I carried the empty thermos back to the car, leaving him yelling furiously behind me. “I didn’t want your garbage soup anyway!” 4 From that day on, Hunter and I never spoke again. I threw myself into my studies, determined to make it back to the Honors Program. Once I was back in AP classes, I wouldn’t have to see him every day. And when it came time for college, I wouldn’t purposely tank my applications to stay in the same city as him. I was going to move far away and never cross paths with him again. But catching up on the AP curriculum was tough, so my mom hired a tutor for me. Out of a pool of Ivy League prospects, I picked a guy from my school—the valedictorian of the Honors Program, Rowan Hayes. During our first meeting, I was straightforward. “I need to boost my grades as fast as possible and get back into Honors.” He was just as concise. “Leave it to me.” I started spending a lot of time with Rowan. I’d go to his classroom during breaks to ask about practice problems, and after school, we’d sit at a cafe near campus to study. Before long, new gossip circulated the school. They said the “epic simp” had switched targets and was now harassing the untouchable academic god. A group of Hunter’s fangirls even cornered me behind the gym after school one day. “Avery, stay away from Rowan! A remedial class loser like you doesn’t deserve to breathe the same air as him.” The leader was a shot-put athlete, taller than me and aggressively glaring. I looked at them calmly. “Rowan is my hired tutor. I pay him, he teaches me. We have a strict employer-employee relationship.” “A tutor? Isn’t that just your excuse to hook up with him?” the girl sneered. “You couldn’t get Hunter, so you switched targets. You’re an embarrassment to girls everywhere!” “Yeah, disgusting. Don’t ruin Rowan’s future!” I was about to argue back when a long, slender hand suddenly grabbed my wrist and pulled me behind him. Rowan, wearing a simple white button-down, stood in front of me. His broad, athletic shoulders looked incredibly dependable. Seeing Rowan, the aggressive girls instantly dropped their act. “Rowan, don’t let her trick you. She’s a manipulative bitch trying to use you…” “She is my boss.” Rowan interrupted them coldly, his grip on my wrist tightening. “She pays my salary. Anyone who messes with my paycheck, I mess with them.” Dead silence. Rowan ignored them and pulled me away. Once we were a safe distance away, he turned around and looked me over carefully. “Did they hurt you?” I shook my head. He breathed a sigh of relief. “Good.” He looked down at me, suddenly nervous. “You… you’re not going to fire me over this, are you? I promise no one will bother you again.” He paused, then added, “If you’re not mad, I’ll do your classroom chores for you. How about it, Avery?” The clean, crisp scent of cedarwood on him made me space out for a second. I thought he was pretty amusing, so I nodded.

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Before I died, I made one last phone call. It was hung up by Ethan. He was currently holding another woman, cherishing her like a priceless treasure. That woman was already showing her pregnancy. My mother-in-law was calling her “sweetheart” with every breath, slipping a family heirloom bracelet onto her wrist. Ethan looked at her, his eyes filled with gentle indulgence. What a heartwarming, loving picture. Fortunately, their happiness was about to be shattered. Because the news of my death would soon reach them. 1 Floating in the air, I saw my body curled up in the snowy yard of my childhood home, confirming one thing—I was already dead. Maybe it takes a few days for the soul to dissipate. I comforted myself. The phone on the ground flashed a few times; it was Ethan calling. To be precise, it was him calling me back. The phone kept flashing until it shut down due to the cold protection feature. Ethan, it’s too late to call back now. I can no longer answer. 2 Originally, I had planned to die quietly. But at that moment, the snow fell so gently, and the creaking of the swing sounded too much like when Ethan used to push me high into the air when we were kids. I suddenly wanted to say a proper goodbye to him. He still didn’t know I had cancer. But when I called, he hung up immediately. I paused, then opened Mia’s Instagram. Sure enough. She had posted a new video. In the mansion Ethan had bought for her, Ethan and his mother surrounded her, pampering and protecting her. The caption read: Help, I’m being spoiled silly! (Crying laughing emoji) I put my phone down, not wanting to see the scene of Ethan showing affection to someone else anymore. My stomach knotted, and a sharp pain surged again. I fell to my knees, coughing up mouthfuls of blood. The pristine snow was instantly dyed a bright red. I struggled to get up and sat back on the swing. Seriously, I was just making myself miserable right before I died. Old people, old things, old scenery. He now holds a new love; why would he want to see these things that have long since faded away? So in the end, I didn’t say goodbye to him. 3 I looked around the small yard, which was full of memories. Dilapidated and desolate. Only the cold wind swept through. My grandparents had passed away long ago, and Ethan and I had moved away long ago too. No one took care of this place. Except for the swing I was sitting on, everything else was broken bricks and shattered tiles, nothing like it was when we were kids. The scenery is not what it used to be, and neither are the people. I laughed self-deprecatingly. The swing swayed back and forth. In the quiet yard, the only sound was the occasional rustle of snow sliding off the oak tree. In a daze, I heard my grandmother’s affectionate call: “Emma, Ethan, come eat roasted marshmallows!” Over the fire, the white marshmallows were roasted until they were fragrant, soft, and gooey. Ethan broke off a piece, blowing on it constantly because it was hot, dipped it in a small bowl of sparkling white sugar, and brought it to my mouth. “Quick, it’s best eaten while it’s hot.” The marshmallow was so good; I was so happy my eyes crinkled into crescents. Seeing me eat happily, the expectation in Ethan’s eyes turned into satisfaction. He was even happier than if he had eaten it himself, and patiently endured the heat to break off more pieces for me. The Ethan from back then was so good. He loved to spoil me the most. Every time he received snacks or toys from his parents, he would always bring them to me first. He held the snacks, looking proud. “Emma, give me a smile. Smile, and I’ll give it to you.” I wouldn’t humor him. I knew that no matter if I smiled or got angry, he would end up giving it to me anyway. If you had told me then that Ethan would one day protect another woman and let her slap me hard across the face… I probably would have cursed you out and called you crazy. 4 Ethan’s parents were busy with work, and my parents were busy getting divorced. So, we both became “left-behind” children, living with our grandparents. But because we had each other, we were never lonely. We dealt with the bad kids who called us “strays” together, walked home from school together, did our homework together, dozed off together on the desk, and then got woken up by a knock from my grandfather. In the winter when I was ten, I suddenly ran a high fever at night due to chickenpox. It happened that the older people in the town had all gone to a town hall meeting, and only Ethan was at my house keeping me company. Ignoring the risk of infection, Ethan braved the wind and snow, carrying me on his back in the middle of the night to the hospital in town. I was delirious with fever, whimpering miserably on his back. He just kept comforting me. “Emma, don’t be afraid. We’ll be at the hospital soon. Once we get to the hospital and you take your medicine, you won’t feel bad anymore…” He was only twelve at the time. The boy’s back was still very slender, but he gritted his teeth and carried me for miles, never letting go of my arms once. All around was a desolate, endless expanse of snow. I hugged his neck, listening to his voice, feeling incredibly safe. So please forgive me; no matter how much he hurt me later, I couldn’t just casually let go and walk away. 5 It had been a few days, and my body was still lying quietly in the snow. I worriedly thought that if I was accidentally discovered, it might scare someone to death. Sigh, I originally thought that death would end all troubles, but I really didn’t expect to still have to worry about my own funeral arrangements. I decided to go find Ethan and see if I could tell him in a dream that I was dead. Maybe after I was buried, my soul would be able to disappear. I had no choice; there was no one else I could turn to. At least his name was still on the same marriage certificate as mine. Asking Attorney Vance to come collect my body wasn’t asking too much, right? Before leaving, I took one last look at the snowy ground. When I was fifteen, it was right here that Ethan confessed his feelings to me. On the night of the first snow, he knocked on my window and mysteriously said he had something to show me. I groggily stepped out in my pajamas, only to be wrapped in a warm, oversized coat by Ethan. Then, he carefully led me out into the snow. In the middle of the yard, there was a giant heart stamped out by footprints, neat and perfect. The snow reflected the moonlight, clear and bright. At that time, Ethan had already grown into a handsome young man. He was blushing, hesitating to speak. It wasn’t until I yawned and gestured that I was going back to sleep that Ethan got anxious and blurted out: “Emma Davis, I like you!” I was so spoiled by him at the time that I arrogantly lifted my chin. “Did you really have to go out of your way to tell me something so obvious?” Ethan was stunned for a few seconds, then, both annoyed and laughing, came over to tickle me. I laughed and curled up into a ball, responding to him between breaths. “I like you too, Ethan.” I still remember how Ethan looked then. He was happy but restrained, only knowing to hold my hand. His eyes were bright, looking at me unblinkingly, as if to etch this moment into his heart. Snowflakes fell slowly like confetti, landing on his fine hair and long eyelashes. The boy’s eyes were full of light, holding only me. For us back then, those feelings were a mutual, unspoken understanding; there was truly no need to say it out loud. 6 I floated back to the house Ethan and I shared. But to my surprise, Mia was there too. Ethan looked a bit irritable, pacing around the room. Finally, he stopped on the balcony, lit a cigarette, and his expression was obscured by the drifting smoke. This was Mia’s first time in our house. She curiously rummaged through the photos on the wall, the coasters on the dining table, and the blankets on the sofa. She took a round, white disc out of my fridge, poked it playfully, and laughed. “Is this plastic? It’s hard as a rock. Why is it in the fridge? How weird.” Ethan turned around: “That’s a mochi. It gets very soft when you roast it, wait—” But it was too late. Mia had already casually tossed it into the trash can. With a thud. I clenched my fists. If I had known that after my death, Mia would brazenly enter my home and rummage through my things, I would have burned the place down before I left! Mia stuck her tongue out apologetically: “Ah, my hand slipped. Ethan, you won’t blame me, right?” Ethan looked at the mochi lying in the trash can and remained silent for a moment. “Forget it, it’s not worth much. Emma can just buy more when she gets back.” Mia had innocent eyes, and when she acted coy, she was sweet and cute. Shaking Ethan’s arm, it was always easy to make people soften. The last time I heard her act like this, she was still calling him “Mr. Vance.” 7 At that time, Ethan was already a well-known partner at his law firm, still very busy, and I hadn’t broken the habit of bringing him food. One day when I brought food, he was in a meeting, so I left the thermos and departed. When I got outside, I realized my car keys had fallen out in the firm, so I went back to get them. I don’t know when their meeting ended, but outside Ethan’s office, I heard a girl complaining petulantly: “Why is it always the same few dishes? I’m so sick of them. Can’t she change the menu?” I suddenly pushed the door open. Ethan and Mia were sitting at the desk, sharing and criticizing the dinner I had painstakingly prepared for him. My tone was a bit stiff: “Ethan stays up late a lot, so this is a dietary menu specifically for him. I apologize for not preparing a separate portion for Assistant Mia.” Mia stuck her tongue out, looking at Ethan with a pitiful expression. “I’m sorry, Mr. Vance. I won’t be a picky eater ever again.” Ethan didn’t seem to realize anything was wrong and even tapped Mia on the head in a slightly scolding, yet affectionate, manner. “Emma is mature and sensible, she wouldn’t make a fuss over such a trivial matter. You think everyone is as childish as you?” 8 It wasn’t always like this. In the past, Ethan never demanded that I be “mature and sensible.” From childhood to our teenage years, from the old house’s yard to the bustling city, he always said that little Emma just needed to be carefree and happy; he would take care of everything. Until the year I turned seventeen. That year, Ethan’s family suffered a sudden misfortune. His father committed suicide after a business failure, and his mother cried all day. Reality abruptly shattered our romantic, naive youth. Ethan started working several jobs, and the financial and mental burden left him breathless. During one of our rare meetings, unable to hide his exhaustion, he forced a smile. “Emma, you need to be a little better-behaved now. I’m not by your side, so you need to take good care of yourself.” I felt a deep ache for him and thought it was time I treated him well. So, I stopped asking him to prepare surprises for me, stopped asking him to call me in the morning to wake me up, stopped asking him to travel so far to spend my birthday with me, and stopped asking him to do so much for me. To help him pay off his debts, I also took on two jobs. I knew he wouldn’t accept my help, so every month, I secretly transferred my salary and the living expenses I saved up to his mother. I only kept a tiny bit for myself, living on plain bread, greens, and free soup, even dreaming about eating braised pork. I remember my shift at the boba shop ended very late. On the way back, I was followed. I ran all the way to my dorm and only cried once I was inside, clutching my racing heart. I didn’t even realize I had sprained my ankle, and I limped alone for months until it healed. I never told him any of this. But Ethan still felt very guilty, always apologizing for making little Emma suffer with him. I said it’s okay, Ethan, life is long, you can just treat me well later. Ethan’s eyes were red. He placed my hand on his chest and rubbed it gently over and over. “Emma, never ever leave me, okay? I’ll treat you well for the rest of my life, I promise.” When he said this, his expression was so earnest it was almost obsessive. I had to believe him. How could I not believe him? 9 We agreed it would be a lifetime. But in just ten years, everything has turned upside down; the world has changed completely. He gave all the indulgence and love he had for me in his youth to another arrogant, smiling girl. Actually, I should have noticed it earlier. He no longer called me “Little Emma,” no longer spent time coaxing me. When he praised me for being understanding and considerate, there was actually a hint of regret in his eyes. Regretting that those innocent, carefree youth days had dimmed under the grind of life. 10 In fact, when Mia first joined the law firm, back when their relationship was innocent and there was no need for suspicion, Ethan often mentioned her to me. “There’s a new girl, she’s so mischievous, I really don’t know what to do with her.” When he said this, it sounded like he was annoyed, but his eyes were smiling. “Emma, she really reminds me of you when you were little. I don’t even have the heart to punish her.” Even so, I didn’t doubt him. Until Mia repeatedly crossed the line and provoked me. When the power went out in her apartment, she called Ethan crying; after getting drunk at a networking event, she clung to Ethan and wouldn’t let go, forcing him to take care of her all night; at the celebration party, she boldly smeared frosting on Ethan’s face and kissed him, causing their colleagues to gather around and cheer… Because of her, Ethan and I fought countless times. I threatened him with divorce to make him fire Mia. Ethan rubbed his temples, his tone annoyed: “Emma, Mia is just acting childish. You were just as naive in the past; you should be the most understanding. Why are you so intolerant of her? Firing a young girl for such a reason, what is she supposed to do in the future?” His eyes held deep disappointment, as if he didn’t recognize me anymore. “Emma, how did you become so harsh?” 11 In our frequent arguments, our relationship grew increasingly strained. I became depressed, suffering from insomnia night after night. Every time I was so exhausted I wanted to leave, the young Ethan would appear in my memories. He stood tall and slender in the snow, his hands warm, looking at me with eyes so pure and deeply affectionate. Is he still my Ethan? How could my Ethan bear to treat me like this? I couldn’t bear to leave him, so I had to doubt myself. Was I really just being paranoid? Are they innocent? Should I be more magnanimous? But no matter how much we fought, Ethan refused to get a divorce, and I couldn’t make up my mind either. We just stayed entangled like that. Until this midsummer, when I went to the hospital to get my test results. Coming out, I ran into Ethan. The elevator lobby was crowded. He had one arm around Mia’s waist and the other protecting her belly, afraid someone might bump into her. That careful cherishing stung my eyes so badly they ached. Through the crowd, clutching my stomach cancer diagnosis, holding a phone that was only emitting a busy signal, under the scorching 100-degree sun, no matter how deeply I breathed, my teeth chattered uncontrollably. That was the first time I saw them together with my own eyes. All my self-comfort and lingering hope were shattered in that instant. 12 The moment Ethan saw me, only panic and shock remained. I abandoned the “understanding and considerate” facade I had maintained all these years. I slapped the face I had once loved so deeply and tearfully demanded: “Is this the ‘innocence’ you told me about?” Before I could get an answer, Mia rushed forward and slapped me hard, leaving me dazed for a few seconds. With her petite body, she fiercely shielded Ethan. “What right do you have to hit him!” When we were kids, Ethan and I got into a lot of fights. Everyone knew that hitting Ethan wasn’t a big deal, but if you hit me, Ethan would fight you like a madman. I had never been hit like that before. Consumed by fury, by the time I came to my senses, I was already undignifiedly brawling with Mia. There were onlookers everywhere. Ethan tried to separate us. During the scuffle, Mia fell to the ground, crying out in pain. Ethan instinctively pushed me away, then tightly shielded Mia behind him. His tone was agitated: “Emma, it’s all my fault, but Mia is pregnant with my child. You’ll hurt her like this… Stop making a scene, okay?” My heart felt as if it had been brutally pierced by a sharp blade. Because of that one incident, I could no longer get pregnant. I thought this was a shared scar between Ethan and me, a painful point we avoided mentioning. It turned out I was the only one stuck in place. He already had his own new world. A sharp cramp twisted my stomach. My lips were also busted, the taste of blood filling my mouth. I vaguely remembered how, in the past, if I even accidentally bit my tongue, Ethan’s heart would ache for hours. We were surrounded by onlookers; some were gossiping, others had their phones out recording. Mia was fiercely protected, leaving me standing there completely defenseless, surrounded by camera lenses and rumors. At least you can cry, I thought to myself. But I desperately held back my tears. Don’t cry. Don’t add to the joke. Thank goodness the hospital security guards arrived to separate us. And took me away from the most humiliating and miserable place in my life. 13 That evening, Ethan came to find me. I locked the door and refused to open it. He sat down outside. Through the door, he kept talking, regardless of whether I was listening or not. “Emma, that child was an accident. I drank too much that night and mistook Mia for you.” “She looks so much like you. I couldn’t help but take care of her… but I truly never intended to betray you.” “It’s just that… Mia is an innocent young girl. She’s pregnant with my child. If I don’t take responsibility, how can she survive…” “I’m sorry, Emma. Wait until the baby is born. You can beat me or curse me all you want.” “When the time comes, I’ll give Mia a sum of money and send her abroad.” “Let’s just pretend we adopted a child, okay? That way, my mom won’t pressure you anymore.” “Emma, I will never divorce you.” “I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you.” “Emma, wait for me.” … 14 Ethan came looking for me every day, and Mia wasn’t one to back down easily; she would always come and throw a massive tantrum. Perhaps the previous conflict had traumatized him, and he was afraid we would fight again. To ensure the baby’s safe delivery, he stopped coming to see me. Instead, he sent long messages every day, painting pictures of our future life together, trying to placate me. I drew all the curtains, hiding alone in the pitch-black room. Masochistically, I scrolled through Mia’s Instagram, looking at the public displays of affection she posted specifically for me to see. “Got leg cramps in the middle of the night. Thankfully, Mr. Vance massaged my legs all night.” “Finally got the limited-edition bag I’ve been obsessing over! Mr. Vance is the best!” “Some women are just bad luck, bringing misfortune to everyone around them. And they still wonder why their men leave them? Hilarious.” … Ethan was still eagerly sending me messages. “Emma, just wait a little longer for me.” He’s so funny. He seems to think he’s just going away for a while. And that I will wait for him right where I am, forever. Wait for what? Wait for the baby to be born, or wait for me to die? With the way I was living—drinking myself into a stupor, neglecting everything—my illness progressed incredibly fast. I probably wouldn’t make it to the baby’s one-month celebration. Looking back on this life. We had so many beautiful memories. But our last encounter was him protecting another woman and slapping me. 15 I floated around Ethan for these few days. I couldn’t visit him in a dream, but I saw that he had been looking for me constantly. He grew more and more anxious, not even staying with Mia anymore. He called my number every day, hoping to hear the connection tone. In the middle of the night, Ethan suddenly jolted awake. He muttered, “Emma, Emma… she must have gone back!” Ethan drove through the night, crossing the vast, snowy plains, traversing the small path where he used to carry me on his back, and finally arrived at our old house in the hometown at dawn. The yard was already crowded with people, all talking over each other: “So sad. How could someone die here…” “Still so young too…” “Coughing up so much blood, it must have been an agonizing death…” “She still has a phone in her hand. Who knows who she was calling…” 16 When Ethan hurriedly pushed through the crowd, he only saw my body, half-buried in the snow. His eyes instantly turned red. He tried desperately to pull me out, but the onlookers pulled him away. “Hey, buddy! What are you doing? We already called the police. The police said to protect the scene. You can’t go over there!” Ethan was held back tightly by several people, unable to move. From a few yards away, he stared at me blankly, his voice trembling: “Emma, don’t scare me… What did you do? Don’t scare me…” “Stop joking around with me. How could you…” That word “die” caught in Ethan’s throat repeatedly, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it. “Emma, wake up…” “I’ll push you on the swing. Get up, okay?” “Please, get up…” Floating in the air, I sadly watched Ethan’s desperate screams echo through the sky. Ethan, am I really that important to you?

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I transmigrated into a billionaire romance novel as the middle-aged housekeeper, Mrs. Miller. The ascetic, old-money billionaire heir was supposed to have a steamy one-night stand with the female lead after being drugged. Instead, he pushed her away and slipped into my maid’s quarters. His deep voice brushed against my ear as he let out a low chuckle: “I must say, Mrs. Miller… you’re aging like fine wine.” 01 On my one-hundred-and-twentieth day working as the billionaire’s housekeeper, the rain was pouring outside. I had just finished cleaning the forty-thousand-square-foot mega-mansion when CEO Carter Sterling walked in, carrying the female lead, Emma Hayes, in his arms. Thomas, the butler, practically shoved me out of the way, looking shocked and overjoyed: “This is the very first time I’ve seen the Young Master bring a girl home!” I couldn’t hold it back. A loud, bubbling snort escaped my throat. “Sorry, first time being a housekeeper. I’m still getting the hang of the cliches.” Carter didn’t hear me. With a dark expression, he ordered me to bandage Emma’s wounds. I observed her for a solid minute and finally found a one-millimeter scratch on her finger. If I didn’t hurry up, it was going to heal on its own. The second my alcohol swab touched it, Emma cried out in pain. Carter snapped at me: “Mrs. Miller, why are you so clumsy?!” Hilarious. Being clumsy is part of my base salary. Being smart costs extra. Carter ended up applying the ointment himself. I stood to the side, staring blankly at the floor. He suddenly looked up. “Mrs. Miller, bring her a set of your clean clothes.” Huh? I pointed a finger at myself. “Me?” “Who else?” Carter sneered. “Is there any other woman in this mansion?” Emma smiled shyly and buried her face in his chest. “All these years… have you been saving yourself for me?” … Okay, fine. I’m just a prop to them, aren’t I? Emma held my clothes, sounding utterly bewildered: “Mrs. Miller, aren’t your clothes a bit… formal?” I winked at her. “Trust me. No man in this world can resist a woman in uniform.” It was the standard-issue uniform I received after my domestic service training. It was stiff, thick, and fully modest. Brand new, too! I hadn’t even worn it yet! At 3:00 AM, I was sleeping soundly when I was yanked out of bed and ordered to brew an organic herbal detox tea for Emma. I really wanted to die. But I felt like someone else in this house deserved to die more. Emma walked out wearing Carter’s oversized white dress shirt, her bare legs practically glowing in the dim light. “Thank you for your hard work, Mrs. Miller. I’m so sorry to trouble you with brewing tea this late.” My face was deadpan. “It’s not hard work. It’s just a hard life.” Her cheeks flushed pink. “Mrs. Miller, your clothes got… they got torn. I’ll buy you a new set next time.” My jaw dropped. As expected of a dominant CEO. He had so much relentless energy he could rip a heavy fleece jacket with his bare hands. After serving Emma her tea, I went back to my maid’s quarters, expertly pulled out my phone, and opened TikTok. A young guy was dancing on a livestream, his waist rolling in a way that made my blood pump. I had been watching him for three months, but he never showed his face. Hearing the notification that I sent a tip, he drawled lazily into the mic: “Thanks for the pennies, Cougar Mrs. Miller.” 02 I couldn’t figure it out. I had simply fallen asleep during my 8 AM college lecture. How did I wake up inside a trashy romance novel? In the book, the description of the housekeeper was exactly one sentence long: Mrs. Miller was from the countryside; her sallow face was constantly covered in a layer of dust, radiating the honest, simple vibe of the working class. After washing my face, I looked at the pale, clear-skinned girl in the mirror and rolled my eyes. Did the author have major mommy issues? I wasn’t even thirty yet! I opened my door to walk out when—SMASH!—a vase shattered right at my feet. Carter was clenching his fists, his eyes practically murderous. “If she doesn’t wake up, I’ll bury all of you with her!” My face was full of question marks. Was Emma attacked by armed robbers? Did she catch a terminal illness? Thomas the butler whispered, “Miss Emma couldn’t sleep last night, so she took a sleeping pill. She’s just sleeping soundly right now.” “???” Damn it, am I just a punching bag to them? Emma takes a nap, and we all get death threats. “Mrs. Miller, what is that look in your eyes? Are you trying to rebel?!” Carter suddenly shot a freezing glare at me. “No, no, no. How could I dare?” I put on my most sincere tone: “I just think it’s pointless for you to yell at me, considering I’m utterly defenseless.” You’re only bullying me because I’m an easy target. Carter stood guard in the bedroom to watch Emma sleep, while I diligently mopped the floors downstairs. In my free time, I sent a private message to harass my favorite streamer. [Auntie tipped you twenty bucks. When are you going to call Auntie ‘baby’?] [You know Auntie has been single since birth.] A long time later, the streamer, whose username was just a string of random characters, replied. [Are you sober?] My face flushed. I remembered whining to him all night yesterday, cursing out this stupid CEO and this broken novel. Since I’ve known him, I’ve treated him as my one-way emotional dumping ground. Even though he wasn’t exactly warm, he never blocked me. Heh, he definitely has a soft spot for me. I let out a long breath and typed: [Auntie never drinks. I just get drunk on your sweet dimples~] Streamer: […] Before I could flirt any further, a new message popped up in the mansion’s staff group chat. Carter: [Emma is awake. Keep your mouths shut. If anyone startles her, I’ll bury you.] [Mrs. Miller, go build a swing set in the garden. Make sure it’s decorated beautifully.] [And prepare dinner.] Carter forwarded a picture of a 15-course Michelin-star tasting menu and tagged me. [Just make these. It’ll be enough.] … You couldn’t mine a lunatic this pure from a gold mine. I held my temper, thought about my lucrative salary, and slowly typed an “OK” emoji. Other girls transmigrate into novels and get hugged and kissed. I just spend all day typing “OK” and “Received” in a corporate group chat. This life is unbearable! While I was digging dirt in the yard, before the swing was even finished, the atmosphere in the mansion suddenly grew tense. Thomas looked deeply worried. “Young Master Sebastian Vance is coming over. The Master must be so stressed.” I recalled the plot. Sebastian Vance was the ascetic, old-money heir of the elite circle—and also Emma’s ultimate “white knight.” He had just returned from studying abroad. At a banquet, he would be drugged, share a wild night of passion with Emma, and become hopelessly addicted to her, kicking off a melodramatic love triangle. 03 When I read the novel, I thought it was thrilling and exciting. But now, as the housekeeper staring at the massive banquet menu on my phone, I was dead silent. What kind of cheapskate billionaire is this?! Can’t you hire a few extra maids?! I poured my blood, sweat, and tears into the kitchen and finally managed to scrape together nine dishes and a soup. I braced myself and served the food. Carter had his arm around Emma, glaring defensively at the man across the table. The legendary ascetic heir twirled a string of wooden sandalwood beads in his hand. He looked up lazily, our eyes meeting from across the room. I was momentarily blinded by those gorgeous, striking eyes. The novel never mentioned Sebastian was this good-looking. His face was so flawless he looked like he stepped out of an anime. Carter sneered: “Eat up. These are Mrs. Miller’s specialties. You won’t find delicacies like this overseas.” Sebastian lazily took a bite of the scrambled eggs with tomatoes. His expression instantly froze. Help! I suddenly remembered I might have mistaken the salt for sugar and dumped two giant spoonfuls in! Meeting my panicked gaze, he paused, then critiqued: “Not bad. “These tomatoes… taste very much like tomatoes.” Carter reached his chopsticks toward the eggs too. Great. Wonderful. My anxiety can finally rest in peace. Because this psycho CEO is definitely going to execute me now. In the blink of an eye, a massive CRASH echoed through the room— Sebastian flipped the dining table! He declared, full of possessive rage: “What I like, no one else is allowed to touch!” Huh? Wait… Have the elite old-money heirs evolved to this level of melodrama now? What a beautiful mental state. He’s a hundred years ahead of my time. But thankfully, Carter was so enraged by Sebastian that he lost his appetite and completely forgot to torture me. Emma’s eyes filled with tears: “Sebastian… are you still mad at me for leaving all those years ago?” Sebastian leaned bonelessly against the doorframe, lazily spinning his beads. A cold, detached smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Do you even deserve my anger?” Seeing Emma get bullied, the CEO instantly exploded into a rage, raising his fists to fight. Sebastian dodged, and the two men tackled each other to the floor. Emma cried like her heart was breaking: “Stop fighting! Stop it! “Don’t fight anymore!” … Damn it. Looking at the mess on the floor, I was so annoyed. I was going to have to clean this up all afternoon. Both men ended up with bruised faces. Emma held the first-aid kit, hesitating, not knowing who to treat first. Carter stared at Emma like a hungry wolf. Sebastian turned to me and curved his lips into a smile. “Mrs. Miller, it hurts.” His voice was soft, whining like a little kitten. While Emma watched with a wounded expression, I roughly bandaged Sebastian’s cuts. He spun his beads with a profound, mysterious look, while wincing in pain: “Mrs. Miller cooks and heals wounds. Truly a jack of all trades.” So sarcastic. No wonder you couldn’t get the girl. Other guys are having their second kid, and you’re still just the backup plan. 04 Thank goodness, for the evening banquet, Carter finally hired a professional catering team. Glasses clinked, and fancy dresses rustled. Sebastian didn’t seem to like these kinds of scenes. Frowning, he stayed alone in a dimly lit corner. When no one was looking, I swiped a cupcake and a glass of red wine, planning to sneak back to my maid’s room to enjoy them in peace. A hand clamped down on my arm. “Good appetite, Mrs. Miller?” Sebastian raised an eyebrow at me. “Hehehehe. “Getting older, you know? Just craving something sweet. “Please don’t tell the boss, Young Master Sebastian.” Otherwise, that psycho would get mad and bury me alive again. Sebastian frowned. “Are you afraid of him?” “No, I just respect my profession.” Sebastian suddenly burst out laughing. His voice was deep, melodic, and incredibly magnetic. He grabbed a larger plate and loaded it up with barbecue, desserts, and fruit from the buffet. Finally, he handed it to me with a smile. “Eat up. These are actually pretty good.” What a great guy. I sincerely blessed him: “I’m sure you will have a wonderfully magical night tonight!” I sat in my room, eating barbecue and drinking wine. The noise outside gradually quieted down. I was hugging the wine bottle, drunk and about to fall asleep, when my door handle suddenly clicked open. Sebastian stumbled in, his steps unsteady. His pale cheeks were flushed an unnatural red, and his eyes were hazy as he pinned me against my dresser. One look and I knew he had been drugged. In a daze, he lowered his head to kiss me. I jumped three feet in the air and shoved his burning hot arms away. “You’re sleeping with the wrong person!” I grabbed his shoulders and shook him hard. “Wake up! I’m Mrs. Miller!” “Mrs. Miller?” He mumbled to himself. His beautiful eyes seemed to regain clarity for a split second before curving into a crescent shape. He drawled out lazily: “I must say, Mrs. Miller… you’re aging like fine wine.” … You must be really starving! “Don’t move. Let me hug you for a second. Just a second.” He pulled me into his arms. His breathing was heavy and ragged, yet his tone remained unhurried and calm. The hard, burning heat pressing against my waist was impossible to ignore. I stood stiffly, letting him hug me. My gaze drifted downward, catching sight of a red mole on his collarbone. That mole looked so familiar… The streamer with the abs who I had been harassing for months seemed to have one just like it… Noticing my stare, Sebastian casually reached up and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt, grabbed my hand, and pressed it against his chest. He leaned in close to my ear, his smile dripping with seductive charm. “Single since birth? “Want me to call you baby? “Hmm? Cat got your tongue?” … Some people are alive, but they are already dead. The skin beneath my palm was burning hot. As someone who had been single for twenty years, I couldn’t help but touch it again, and again. I was thoroughly satisfied. I embarrassingly sniffled. “Can I… touch the abs too?” … “Go ahead.” The drugged man was exceptionally generous. But the moment my hand pressed against his abs, he nearly crushed the wooden beads in his hand. I don’t know what happened, but things quickly spiraled out of control… By the time I realized what I was doing, I had already pinned Sebastian—who was weakly protesting “No”—onto my bed. “Your mouth says no, but your body is very honest. “The ascetic heir likes dancing provocatively, huh?” I mimicked his teasing tone. Sebastian’s face turned as red as a boiled lobster. Just as he lost his self-control and lowered his head to kiss me, I slapped his hand away. I reluctantly patted his head. “Be a good boy. Auntie never takes advantage of people in a vulnerable state. “How could my smoky, exhausted scent ever be worthy of your milky, sweet scent?” With that, I rolled over, wrapped myself in the blanket, and pretended to sleep. My heart was pounding out of my chest. That was a close call. I almost forgot this was a novel. Based on my extensive reading experience, once the plot reaches the end of the novel, I should be able to transmigrate back home. The ending meant the male and female leads surviving all their trials and getting happily married. And in the plot, Sebastian belonged to the female lead too. 05 When I woke up, beside me was Sebastian, clutching the blanket with a deeply unsatisfied expression on his face. I suddenly remembered something very important. “You’re the elite billionaire heir? Does that mean you’re insanely rich?!” Sebastian looked at me, a smirk pulling at the corner of his lips. “You’re just figuring that out now? “Speak. What do you want? I’ll satisfy your wildest dreams.” Awesome, awesome. Money is great. I pressed my palms together and asked sincerely: “Can you refund the twenty bucks I tipped you? “Auntie is begging you!” The veins on Sebastian’s forehead throbbed. “Call yourself Auntie one more time and see what happens.” He glared at me in annoyance. “Over twenty bucks? You really aim high, don’t you.” I hopped out of bed, thrilled. Thomas the butler saw me and immediately started scolding me. “Why are you up so late? Hurry up and make breakfast! The Master and Miss Emma are about to wake up.” … So annoying. Why do I have to cook again? Sebastian walked up behind me and scoffed. “How did you manage to fake it before?” I rubbed my nose. “I hoarded two boxes of microwave meal prep kits. But I ran out. “I was planning to buy more, but the price went up. It wasn’t worth it…” Sebastian stared at me for two seconds, then let out a resigned sigh. “Go distract the butler. I’ll cook.” Thank you, you wonderful man. Sebastian rolled up his sleeves and expertly fried some eggs. The apron strings cinched his waist, making it look incredibly narrow. When he bent over, the sliver of skin exposed above his waistband was blindingly white. Truly a high-quality male who belongs in the kitchen as much as he belongs in bed. I put on a show of carrying the breakfast out to the flirting male and female leads. Seeing Sebastian walk over, Emma hurriedly slipped out of the CEO’s embrace, looking panicked. “Sebastian, where did you sleep last night? “The butler told me you came out of Mrs. Miller’s room this morning!” She cast a suspicious look back and forth between me and Sebastian. I secretly pinched Sebastian’s back, warning him not to say anything stupid. “I did go to Mrs. Miller’s room.” Sebastian glanced at me, enunciating every word slowly: “Mainly because I just… love caring for the elderly.” … So filial. I’m dying of his filial piety. The crazy part was, Emma actually believed it. Carter wasn’t interested in any of this. He just critically evaluated the breakfast. “The food Mrs. Miller made today feels like it’s missing a little something.” Yeah. It’s missing that artificial MSG flavor. Looks like Carter really enjoyed those microwave meal kits.

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I had a child with Ethan Vance. But he never gave me a ring, never made it official. I had calculated every move to get close to him, purely for revenge. When our child turned three, I initiated the separation. “You don’t want the kid anymore?” he asked. I shook my head. “I’ll come back and visit him.” After a long silence, the usually aloof and cold man suddenly asked in a soft voice, “What about me?” 1 “Did you see the news? The CEO of Vance Corporation secretly has a kid!” “When did he get married? Who’s the baby mama?” “I heard it was an unplanned pregnancy. He’s single and hasn’t married her.” “Seriously? Why?” “What do you mean why? If he doesn’t want to marry her, it just means he doesn’t love her. Right, Luna?” Several gossiping colleagues turned to look at me. I froze for a second, then forced a stiff smile. “Yeah, probably.” The chatter continued. None of them knew that I was the woman Ethan Vance didn’t want to marry. 2 Late at night, our son, Leo, was already asleep. The mattress dipped beside me. Ethan was home. I instinctively reached out to wrap my arms around his waist. “Why are you back so late?” He paused slightly, gently taking my hand. It was a soft gesture, yet it subtly evaded my embrace. “Work’s been busy.” I shifted closer, resting my chin on his chest, and murmured, “Leo was fussy tonight. It took forever to get him to sleep.” “Tired?” “Not really. I’m fine.” Ethan looked at me, his voice dropping an octave lower than before. “Move down.” In the moonlight, his narrow, aloof eyes gave the false impression of tenderness. The strap of my nightgown slipped off my shoulder as I moved. Seeing me shake my head, he didn’t say another word. His chest heaved once before he grabbed my arms and smoothly rolled me onto my back. 3 Every bit of impatience and heat Ethan showed in bed was drawn out by me. Thinking about it, maybe that counted as a twisted kind of devotion. That night, like always, was a blur of unbearable intimacy. Four years ago tonight, the first time we were together, we were just as entangled. Except that time, the lights were off, the room smelled of alcohol, and he held me impossibly tight, mumbling groggily, “Don’t go.” In that moment, I realized who he thought I was—Maya Sterling, the woman he had broken up with before she went abroad. The grip on my waist tightened. I snapped back to reality. Ethan’s kisses trailed down my collarbone. “What are you thinking about?” He rarely kissed me on the lips; in the heat of the moment, his kisses mostly fell on my collarbone or by my ear. I closed my eyes gently. There was so much I wanted to say, so much I wanted to ask—like what we even were to each other right now. In the end, all I could manage was a breathless whisper of his name. “Ethan.” “Yeah.” “Who am I to you?” After a long pause, Ethan let out a soft chuckle, his voice incredibly husky. “Luna, it seems you really aren’t tired.” “…” The moonlight was dim as I let myself drown in the sensation. 4 The first time I met Ethan was during the summer of my freshman year of college. My father was a mid-level executive at Vance Corporation. That day, he took me along to visit the Vance family home. While the adults were in the study, I sat awkwardly in the living room, bored out of my mind. Just as the silence was becoming unbearable, Ethan came home. The teenager wore a black t-shirt, revealing a hint of his collarbone. His skin was pale, the veins on his arms slightly raised. He radiated an effortless, arrogant youthfulness. The moonlight you see in your youth is always the brightest. To this day, I still don’t understand why I fell for him. Maybe the weather was just really nice that day. Because of our fathers’ connection, I started hanging out with Ethan. And I watched as Maya bravely pursued him. I watched them get together, fight, break up, and finally, I watched him get blackout drunk one night. After a night of reckless abandon, he sat in silence for a long time, then lowered his head to apologize, asking me what I wanted. Wrapped in the bedsheets, my mind was a complete blank. It was consensual. It could have just been a one-night stand. Ethan later offered me enough financial compensation to live comfortably for several lifetimes. But I lied to him. I still can’t tell if I was just stupid, obsessive, or maybe a little sick in the head. I lied and told him I was on the pill. I stayed quiet until I was four months pregnant and the baby was fully formed before I went to find him. Could Ethan not see what I was doing? He knew exactly what was going on. He didn’t see a woman desperately in love; he saw a woman scheming for money and status. My calculated deception turned me into a joke in his eyes. Now, I guess I’m just reaping what I sowed. 5 I woke up late the next day. The space beside me was freezing cold. He was always like this. No matter how entangled we were at night, he always left in silence when dawn broke. In the living room, Leo was playing with his blocks by himself. The little guy was growing up fast. He was almost three, and his eyes and facial structure looked exactly like Ethan’s. They say love extends even to the crows on the roof. I couldn’t help but pat his head. The little guy said in his sweet, milky voice, “Mommy, stop messing around.” He probably picked up that tone from Ethan. Before, when Ethan worked from home, I would wrap my arms around his neck, and he would say in that same exasperated tone, Stop messing around. I grabbed a quick bite to eat. Not long after I got to the office, I heard a commotion in the hallway. I didn’t expect to run into Ethan here. Dressed in a sharp suit, tall and imposing, with striking features, he was walking toward the conference room, surrounded by assistants and managers. As he passed by in the corridor, his gaze swept over me without a single second of hesitation, looking at me as if I were a complete stranger. I lowered my eyes, a bitter taste in my mouth, wondering if the intimacy of last night had just been a dream. 6 The commotion in the hallway faded. My colleague, Sarah, sighed beside me. “He’s so handsome. I wonder which lucky girl snagged him.” The rumors of his out-of-wedlock child were still circulating; she was obviously referring to the mystery woman trending online. “Though, a woman without a wedding ring… it’s kind of pitiful.” Pitiful? I never felt pitiful, and I certainly never regretted it. But people always crave a happy ending. So I let myself fall deeper into the abyss time and time again, counting the days, wondering how much longer I could hold on. I mocked myself and said lightly, “I guess it takes two to tango.” As evening approached, a notification popped up on my phone: [Downstairs.] Tomorrow was New Year’s Eve, and the streets were bustling with people rushing home. Over the years, I had learned to navigate around the heavy issues, ignoring his coldness. In the car, I smiled and asked, “What’s for dinner tonight?” “Are you cooking?” I used to cook often, but it always ended in disaster. “Are you judging my cooking?” The corner of Ethan’s mouth twitched up for a second. He was about to say something when his phone rang. The voice on the other end was faint. He frowned and said, “Got it.” As he hung up, he turned to me. “I have something to take care of later.” The implication was clear: he wouldn’t be back for dinner. I froze for a moment. “But it’s New Year’s Eve. I wanted to spend it with you.” A car honked loudly outside, and Ethan didn’t catch what I said. “What?” The car pulled up to our driveway. Knowing he had business to attend to, I didn’t want to be unreasonable. I swallowed the words I was about to say. “Drive safe. Come home early.” His phone rang again, but Ethan didn’t answer immediately. His dark, unreadable eyes fixed on me. “Tell the nanny to put Leo to bed. Don’t stay up late.” 7 I actually wanted to ask if he was going to be out late. But the car had already turned around in the driveway and disappeared from sight. At 10 PM, Leo and the nanny had already gone upstairs to sleep. Fireworks were going off outside, and I watched them in silence. To say I wasn’t disappointed would be a lie. I didn’t go to bed right away; an inexplicable sense of unease washed over me. Until my phone lit up. It was a photo from my best friend. Even over the distant, crisp sound of firecrackers, all my senses were focused on the cold screen. The background of the photo was a hospital. Ethan had his suit jacket draped over his arm. Beside him stood a girl with her arm in a sling. He was tall, she was petite; it looked like a romantic scene from a movie. The sight stung my eyes, and they involuntarily grew blurry. So, the “business” he had to take care of was keeping Maya company. 8 The sound of the door unlocking echoed just as the clock struck midnight. When Ethan saw me, the exhaustion in his eyes visibly paused for a second. “Why are you still awake?” My knees had gone numb from sitting so long. I slowly stood up. “I thought you weren’t coming back.” Ethan loosened his tie, his tone casual. “Where else would I go?” The atmosphere was so painfully normal that I couldn’t find a single opening to hurl the accusations lodged in my throat. I didn’t even have the right to accuse him. He glanced at the cold dinner on the table. “You made this?” I shook my head. Maybe I should have pretended I didn’t care, like I always did, but the person he was with was Maya. And I knew Ethan had loved her. The anxiety gnawed at my nerves. I tried to hold it in, but I couldn’t stop myself from asking, “Where were you?” “Maya was in a car accident. I had to go check on her.” He had always been straightforward. He wouldn’t even bother lying to me. How long had it been since I heard the name Maya from his lips? It was like a hook, brutally tearing open the secret I had desperately tried to bury, cruelly reminding me exactly who I had to thank for my place in his life. “Did it have to be you?” Ethan paused midway through pouring a glass of water. “She doesn’t have many friends in the States.” I’d heard about that. Maya grew up in an orphanage. She was fiercely independent. After graduation, she got a chance to work abroad, so she broke up with Ethan without a second thought. Returning years later, it made sense that her old friends had drifted apart. Right now, listening to his somewhat patient explanation, I didn’t feel any better. My fingertips were pale from gripping the counter. I felt so pathetic, panicking over a single name. “Ethan,” I looked up at the man beside me, my voice low, “if I hadn’t lied to you back then, would you have ever loved…” Ethan set his glass down with a thud, cutting me off. “Have you forgotten? You chose this path.” 9 His eyes were desolate and cold. I had seen that look before. The day I brought him the ultrasound results. In his penthouse office, it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Only the sound of our breathing filled the room. Ethan looked down at the paper for a moment, then let out a mocking laugh. “Luna, was it really necessary?” He said, “Going through all this trouble… was it really necessary?” Yeah. Was it? At the crossroads of life, I chose the most extreme path, even completely derailing Ethan’s life. Now, I actually had the audacity to ask him if he would have loved me. The silence between us was deafening. From upstairs, the sound of Leo crying from the nursery drifted down, then faded—the nanny must have gone to check on him. I hurriedly wiped the corner of my eye. “I’m sleeping in Leo’s room tonight.” As I turned to leave, Ethan suddenly grabbed my wrist, pinning me against the edge of the table. He hadn’t eaten dinner, and he looked inexplicably irritable. “What’s your problem? Throwing a fit over this?” As soon as the words left his mouth, I felt a moment of speechlessness. Why had I spent hours agonizing over what he and Maya were doing, agonizing over whether he was coming home, when I didn’t even have the right to question him if he didn’t? The thought was agonizing, yet here I was, throwing a tantrum at him. In that instant, a realization hit me—Ethan never believed I had genuine feelings for him. Whatever. I slumped my shoulders. “I’m not throwing a fit. Leo was crying, I just wanted to go comfort him.” Ethan stared at me, the hostility in his eyes growing more pronounced. His lips parted, but all he said was, “Don’t bother. I’ll go.” The warmth on my wrist vanished. Watching his retreating back, a wave of powerlessness washed over me. From the moment I got pregnant, Ethan had never let me worry about taking care of the baby. He managed perfectly well on his own. It seemed that even if I left, his life would go on just fine. Realizing this, I stood frozen for a long time. 10 That night, I slept in the guest room. It was quiet outside the door. Ethan didn’t come looking for me. Enduring my chaotic thoughts, I finally managed to fall asleep just before dawn. Usually, by the time I woke up, Ethan had already left for the office. But as soon as I came downstairs, I saw him feeding Leo breakfast. The morning sun streamed in. Leo’s cheeks were stuffed with food, his eyes crinkling into happy little crescents when he saw me. “Mommy, you’re awake!” Leo’s middle name was Felix, a name I chose, meaning lucky and successful. Thinking about the thoughts of leaving I had last night, I realized the only one who would truly be hurt was the child. I still feel guilty towards him; because of my own selfish desires, I brought him into this world but couldn’t give him a happy, complete family. Ethan glanced at me indifferently, then said to the boy beside him, “Sit properly.” Leo was very obedient, but a few minutes later, he started fussing about going to the amusement park. “Daddy, please?” His tone was sweet and childish. Ethan didn’t answer immediately. “Do you want to go?” The oatmeal was lukewarm. I paused with the spoon in my hand, taking a few seconds to realize the question was directed at me. In the past, it wasn’t like Ethan and I never fought. But every time, I was the one who swallowed my pride to break the ice. Sometimes I’d sleep in the guest room out of spite, but in the middle of the night, I couldn’t help myself and would sneak into the master bedroom, shamelessly burrowing into his arms. Ethan was a light sleeper; the slightest noise would wake him. He would habitually wrap his arm around my waist. It was pathetic, really, but it was those cruel, tiny details of tenderness that kept me clinging to him all this time. Now, hearing him initiate conversation, if I didn’t take this out, I knew he wouldn’t try to coax me again. I smiled. “Sure.” 11 Breakfast ended with Leo’s cheers, and Ethan stood up to head to the office. Only then did I notice he was wearing a charcoal gray suit today. “You forgot your tie.” Ethan hesitated for a moment, then said, “Forgot.” Because of his job, there were things I was more attentive to than he was. In the past, if I woke up before he left, I would act like a dutiful wife and insist on tying his tie, even if I always did a terrible job. I sighed inwardly. “Wait a second.” I hurried to the walk-in closet, taking a few minutes to grab one. When I came back downstairs, Ethan was leaning against the entryway, lost in thought. He was an incredibly good-looking man, but there was an untouchable, aloof aura about him. I only came up to his chin. It was probably too much effort for him to watch me struggling to reach up, so he hesitated for a few seconds before slowly leaning down. Even though we had been intimately intertwined countless times, I still felt a flutter of nervousness. As my fingertips brushed against his neck, his Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, and he gently looked away. The tie was still a bit crooked. I moved to untie it. “Maybe you shouldn’t wear one after all.” Ethan didn’t seem to care, not even glancing at it. He checked the time and said it was fine. The sound of the door closing echoed. I listened to the engine fade away, feeling like something was off, but I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was. The amusement park trip discussed at breakfast was scheduled for next week. Leo was noticeably in a great mood, humming nursery rhymes while playing with his puzzles. I played with him for a bit, gave the nanny a few instructions, and then got ready for work. I work at a media conglomerate. After years of steady work, I had climbed the ranks to become the managing editor of local news, but overtime was still a frequent reality. Leo started a cognitive development class a few months ago. If I got off work early, I’d pick him up; otherwise, Ethan usually went. That day, I had to work an hour of overtime. I texted Ethan to ask if he’d picked Leo up. My phone was silent for fifteen minutes before it lit up. Ethan replied with a simple “Yeah.” Scrolling up, our chat history was a sea of green text bubbles—me asking, him answering, flat and dull. I stared at the messages, lost in thought, until a call from my best friend came through. 12 Sarah had made a bit of a name for herself in the entertainment industry. When she managed to snap a photo of Ethan and Maya together, she happened to be shooting a scene at the hospital. Her first priority upon returning today was to drag me out. I already knew what she was going to say. “Drinking coffee at this hour? Don’t expect to sleep tonight,” I joked. Sarah tossed her bag onto the chair. “Perfect. We need the time to figure out exactly how your brain broke over these last few years.” “Maya is officially moving back next month. Don’t tell me you just found out.” I stayed silent. Sarah looked at me and let out an unprompted sigh. “Luna, this isn’t how you love someone. Have you ever thought about what you’re going to do if they get back together? Having a child for him, and ending up with no official status—is it worth it?” She asked if it was worth it. Ethan asked if it was necessary. Right now, I suddenly felt like I didn’t even recognize myself. There is no curse more twisted than love. If I used youth and ignorance as an excuse for all this, would that be too superficial? “Sarah, I’ve already come this far.” If that day really comes, I’ll just have to accept it. “Yes, you’ve come this far. But is this the only result you wanted from all your relentless persistence?” Just as she finished speaking, my phone rang. I thought it was Ethan, but it was my direct supervisor. There had been a meeting today. The director mentioned selecting an employee to transfer to the headquarters, and I hadn’t expressed an opinion at the time. The woman on the phone sounded persuasive. “Moving to headquarters offers a lot of room for promotion. After thinking it over, I believe you’re a great fit for this opportunity. Please consider it.” The sky was darkening, the moon hidden behind the clouds. Through the glass window, under a streetlamp in the distance, stood a familiar figure. Maya was smiling and teasing the child in Ethan’s arms. I didn’t know what she said, but Leo shyly turned his head and buried his face in his father’s neck. In that brief moment, I inexplicably felt that a family of three should look exactly like that. Sarah’s words, “Is this the only result you wanted from all your relentless persistence?” echoed endlessly in my mind. Was this the result I wanted? Is it too late to admit I made a mistake? Maybe I shouldn’t have stubbornly ignored my friends’ advice and kept the baby. Maybe I shouldn’t have left the lights off that night. I shouldn’t have eavesdropped like a thief, stealing glimpses of the smile he only ever had for Maya. And then obsessively tried to make him mine. I thought if I just kept banging my head against a brick wall, eventually I’d break through and see the light. I never realized that in this world, there are some feelings that won’t offer you even a shred of pity, let alone a way out. “Luna? Are you listening?” The voice from the receiver called my name repeatedly. I snapped back to reality. The space under the streetlamp was now empty. I blinked my dry, stinging eyes. “Okay, I’ll consider it.” “Great. I’m having dinner with some business partners later. You should come along, it’ll be good for networking.” “…” 13 Sarah had a shoot to get to later, so we parted ways at the intersection. Before leaving, she told me to think things over carefully. In this massive city, the neon lights flickered in solitary isolation, amidst the chaotic symphony of car horns. Letting the wind rush past my ears, I finally gathered my emotions and headed to the dinner location. On the way, I received a text. Ethan: [Are you home?] I pursed my lips and typed: [I have plans tonight.] After a moment, I added: Are you home? He replied quickly this time: [Yeah, I have a business dinner later.] Actually, both he and I were quite busy with work. We rarely went out of our way to track each other’s schedules. The car arrived at the destination. Entering the restaurant, there was a mix of men and women at the table. I chatted with the director for a bit. Sitting next to me was an intern from my department. “Luna, I’ve been here for a while and still haven’t gotten your contact info.” I understood his intent and remained as approachable as ever. “Scan my QR code.” He tapped his phone against mine. With a ‘ding,’ a notification popped up at the top of my screen. Ethan: [Where are you?] Before I could react, the door to the private room opened. A man appeared in the doorway, the screen of the phone in his hand still glowing. Since Ethan took over Vance Corp, the company’s profits had skyrocketed, and his capabilities were obvious to everyone. Naturally, his status in these circles was highly respected. In this kind of setting, he appeared even more reserved. He cast a brief, cool glance at me and took a seat opposite me. The laughter and flattery continued. “Luna, I added you. Remember to accept.” The intern’s voice wasn’t particularly loud or quiet. I offered a polite smile and nodded, feeling a gaze sweep over me from my peripheral vision. The people at the table weren’t just business partners; there were also executives from headquarters. The director had drank quite a bit and pulled me up to toast. “Mr. King, regarding the upcoming personnel transfer, please look out for our team members.” The man named Mr. King smiled genially. “Of course.” He looked at me. “I heard Luna isn’t married yet. Do you have a boyfriend?” I froze, instinctively looking across the table. Ethan was looking down, listening to the person next to him. Everything happening here seemed to have nothing to do with him. Hearing this, the director answered for me. “Not yet, but our Luna has plenty of suitors at the company.” Mr. King chuckled heartily. “I can see that. I happen to know quite a few excellent single young men. Maybe I could set up some blind dates. Luna, would you let me play matchmaker?” I blinked slowly. I had never had any binding relationship with that man to begin with. I had no reason to feel guilty. “Sure.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “416069”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

While recording a reality show, I was forced by the producers to call my ex-boyfriend for “entertainment value.” I assumed he had blocked me ages ago, but the voice that came through the line was groggy with sleep: “Want to get back together?” The fans exploded. I exploded. I just had to bite the bullet and ask: “Can you lend me a hundred grand?” Later, he pinned me against a wall. He said, “Let’s get back together, okay? I have a lot of hundred grand, I’ll give them all to you.” 1 After being a D-list actress for three years, my new, aggressive manager finally snagged me a spot on a popular reality show. Because everything was scripted, the recording process was going smoothly. But to create a viral moment, the host suddenly introduced a new game. Every guest had to call the very first contact in their personal phone and ask to borrow a hundred thousand dollars, without mentioning we were on a show. This wasn’t in the script. I didn’t think much of it at first, but when I saw my phone handed to me, my eyes went wide. Oh no!! I suddenly remembered, the first contact in my phone was Carter Hayes!!! When we broke up years ago, I never deleted his number!! I frantically signaled my manager with my eyes, but she didn’t seem to get it. She just gave me a cheerful, silent cheer. I lost all hope. After the previous guest made their call and successfully borrowed the money, it was my turn. My phone screen was mirrored onto the giant stage monitor. The phone number was blurred out, but the contact name wasn’t. With my screen mirrored, I couldn’t try any tricks. I had to bite the bullet, unlock my phone, and dial that first contact in front of everyone. Thank goodness I hadn’t saved him as “Carter Hayes,” but rather with an affectionate nickname: “My Little Cheese Mouse.” As long as Carter didn’t pick up, my cover wouldn’t be blown! My hands trembled slightly. I prayed to every god listening, hoping Carter had blocked me or changed his number! But maybe I didn’t give the gods enough notice, because they clearly didn’t hear me. The call not only went through, but it was answered. My heart stopped for a second. “Hello?” Carter’s slightly hoarse voice echoed through the entire studio. My mind went completely blank. The host, loving the drama, mouthed to the camera: “It’s a guy!” “Mia?” On the other end, Carter sounded like he had just woken up. His voice was raspy, sending shivers down my spine. I held my breath, not daring to answer. “Speak.” Carter’s voice held a hint of impatience, but then it softened. “Why are you calling me?” I still didn’t dare to speak, casting a desperate glance at my manager off-stage. Her face looked just as panicked as mine. She threw her hands up, giving me an exasperated look that clearly said: “You broke up and didn’t block or delete his number???” “Want to get back together?” When I remained silent, Carter suddenly asked. A small gasp swept through the live audience. The audience leaned in, hungry for gossip. Terrified that Carter would say something else revealing, I forced myself to speak: “Um, can you lend me a hundred thousand dollars?” There was a pause of about three seconds on the other end. “You called me… just to borrow money?” Carter’s tone was full of disbelief. I looked at the people in the studio, wanting to cry. “I’ll pay you back right away. Actually, I’m…” “Beep, beep, beep—” Carter didn’t give me any face. He just hung up. The atmosphere in the studio turned a bit awkward. No one spoke; they just looked at each other in uneasy silence. My eyes involuntarily teared up. It was so humiliating. But I understood. When we broke up, I chose the most hurtful way to end things with Carter. The fact that he even answered my call today was more than generous. Seeing the awkward silence, the host quickly changed the subject to liven things up and moved on to mirror the third guest’s phone. As I kept my head down, quietly trying to disconnect my phone from the screen, a bank notification suddenly popped up. “Carter Hayes has initiated a transfer of $100,000.00 to your account ending in 0215 on 08-07-2022. Please verify…” I was stunned. My brain short-circuited, and I accidentally tapped the notification. And then, everyone in the studio saw the transfer record through the giant screen. The studio erupted. A hundred thousand!!! He actually just sent me a hundred grand!! I was so shocked my mind went completely blank. Even the host forgot his professional composure, murmuring, “This Carter Hayes… is it the Carter Hayes we all know?” My scalp prickled. I immediately denied it three times! Over the past few years, Carter’s career in the entertainment industry had skyrocketed. He had a massive fanbase. If it came out that we used to date, my career would be buried so deep it would hit the Earth’s core. My manager must have communicated with the head director, so the host quickly recovered via his earpiece, changed the subject, and moved on to the next segment. After recording the show, my legs felt like jelly. My manager immediately threw a jacket over my head and rushed me out through a VIP exit. Once in the car, I was still dazed. My manager told the driver to go, then furiously scolded me: “Mia, what were you thinking?? You broke up and didn’t delete his contact info??” After a five-minute bombardment, I looked at her with a face more tragic than if I were crying: “Valerie, am I really going to be canceled to the Earth’s core this time?” Seeing me like this, Valerie was exasperated. She poked my forehead, angry but helpless: “Mia, I swear I owed you something in a past life!” Valerie started making calls to clean up my mess. She ordered the company’s PR team to get ready, monitor the online narrative constantly, and handle any rumors regarding me and Carter immediately, keeping the fallout to an absolute minimum. But despite her full preparation, the news leaked anyway. Before I even got home, I was trending on Twitter. [Trending] Washed-up D-lister Mia & A-lister Carter Hayes [Hot] Carter Hayes Mia Getting Back Together [Viral] Did Carter Hayes really date Mia? … In an instant, my Instagram was flooded with a massive influx of Carter’s fans. It crashed. Many comments were vile, cursing me for clout-chasing. I watched the screen, slowly falling silent. Valerie sighed, took away my phone, and offered a few words of comfort. I smiled calmly: “Valerie, I’m fine. Give me the phone, I need to wire the money back to Carter.” Compared to what happened years ago, these comments were nothing. My emotional state was actually quite stable. After Valerie handed me the phone, I transferred the money back to Carter. After returning it, I blocked and deleted his contact info. Valerie was right. When you break up, you should completely die in the other person’s world. I should have deleted his info a long time ago. 2 After turning off my phone, I slept at home for two days straight. Two days later, my manager dragged me out of bed. “Get up, I got you a new role.” Valerie shoved several thick scripts into my arms. I was still half-asleep, my brain lagging. “What role?” I asked blankly. Valerie paused for a moment, then said: “A period drama. You’re the third female lead, but you have scenes with the male lead. Prepare well, Mia, this might be your last chance to make a comeback…” I stared at the scripts in my arms, my eyes out of focus, Valerie’s words echoing in my mind. “Your last chance to make a comeback…” “I’ll take it!” I suddenly raised my voice, fully awake, scaring Valerie. “I’ll take it!” I repeated, filled with determination. I remembered the promise I made to Carter years ago. We promised to work hard and meet at the top. Even though we broke up and he’s already standing at the top, I need to work hard too! At the very least, I can’t disappoint the manager who never gave up on me! 3 Valerie was very pleased with my sudden surge of motivation. I spent the entire night reading through the scripts. Then, I proactively told Valerie I needed to learn horseback riding. The third female lead had quite a few riding scenes. Nowadays, many actors use stunt doubles for riding scenes, or just sit on a mechanical horse. I asked around, and the director did indeed plan to use a stunt double for my riding scenes. Since I decided to take my career seriously, I wanted to do it perfectly. Step one: learn to ride a horse. Valerie signed me up at an equestrian club, saying she was going all out this time, even paying out of pocket for a top-tier coach. I was moved to tears, swearing that she would be my manager for life! 4 When it was time for my scheduled lesson, I arrived at the club, changed into my gear, and followed my coach to the arena proudly. Then, I deflated. I covered my face with one hand and peered through my fingers at Carter, who was galloping freely around the arena. I wanted to smash my head against a wall. What the hell?! I can run into him at a horseback riding lesson?! Since when is the world this small?! I was acting sketchy, afraid Carter would recognize me, so I spaced out during the coach’s pre-ride instructions. The consequence of spacing out was… when I got on the horse, I panicked and spooked the animal. Thankfully, the coach immediately calmed the horse down, but my legs were shaking like leaves. I couldn’t continue. Seeing this, the coach told me to dismount and rest. With my legs trembling, I leaned against the wall and slowly walked towards the lounge. I heard footsteps behind me. I instinctively looked back. It was Carter. Carter stopped right beside me. He was wearing his equestrian gear, holding a riding crop. His back was straight, and he looked at me with cold eyes. This was the first time we were face-to-face in three years. My mind instantly went blank. Carter just stared at me. After a long while, he let out a scoff. “Mia, flirting with me and then blocking me? You really are getting bolder.” His face had a half-smile, but I knew that was his reaction when he was extremely angry. My legs gave out, and I almost fell. I wanted to explain, but Carter was already walking away, leaving only one sentence behind— “Then you better mentally prepare yourself. I’m going to settle all our old and new scores together.” 5 Since that day, I specifically scheduled my lessons to avoid Carter’s time slot. So, until I finished my lessons, we never bumped into each other again. I only found out Carter was the male lead of this drama an hour before the opening ceremony, after I had my makeup done. “Valerie, I’m dropping this drama!” After snapping back to reality, I refused on the spot. But my manager just gave me a flat look: “You’ve already signed the contract. There’s no backing out now.” My scalp tingled. I suppressed my anxiety and tried to reason with her: “Valerie, you know why I desperately want to avoid Carter, I…” “I took it exactly because I know.” Valerie interrupted me. “Mia, the entertainment industry is only so big. Carter is at the peak of his career right now. Do you really think it’s possible to completely avoid him? Instead of hiding, why not face it openly? You guys are already broken up. What exactly are you afraid of?” I looked at Valerie, speechless. There are some things I couldn’t tell her. After a long silence, I let out a long sigh: “I understand.” Valerie was right. Deep down, I understood too. I just couldn’t get past my own mental block. With a heart full of anxiety, I arrived on set and immediately spotted Carter in the crowd. He already had his makeup and costume on. Dressed in a white period robe, he looked a bit aloof as he stood there talking with the director. Carter’s looks were handsome and rugged. Plus, he kept himself in great shape—tall, broad shoulders, narrow waist. He was perfectly suited for period costumes. He had a very “flawless, unparalleled gentleman” vibe. As if sensing me looking at him, Carter turned my way. Our eyes locked for several seconds before I realized what was happening and quickly looked away. It wasn’t until the opening ceremony ended and shooting officially began that we finally interacted. Because one of us was in Unit A and the other in Unit B. Perhaps it had been too long since I last acted. Even though I had my lines memorized perfectly, my condition was terrible. I couldn’t get into character. The director gradually lost patience, and I got scolded several times. Fortunately, I didn’t have many scenes on the first day. After wrapping up, I went back to the hotel to review the script. Seeing me suddenly become so dedicated, Valerie was very pleased. She offered some encouragement and left to handle other things, leaving me alone in the hotel booked by the production crew. My career had been completely stalled for the past few years, so I didn’t have the face to keep an assistant. Two years ago, Valerie reassigned my assistant to another artist. Now that my career was recovering, I hadn’t found a suitable assistant yet, so I was currently managing everything myself. Being alone for a long time, I felt it was okay. I was used to doing everything myself. After dinner, I stayed in my room alone, trying to find the right feeling for the script. Around 11 PM, someone knocked on the door. I still had a sheet mask on my face and my script in my hand. When I looked through the peephole and saw who was outside, I almost dropped the mask in shock. It was actually Carter!! I ripped off the mask, feeling a sudden surge of panic. After a moment of panic, I tried hard to calm down. It’s fine. As long as I don’t open the door or make a sound, he can’t do anything to me!! I took a few deep breaths and steadied myself. After knocking a few more times and getting no response, Carter gradually lost patience. I became increasingly relaxed. Good, lose patience. Then you’ll leave. Through the peephole, I saw Carter pull out his phone. The next moment, my ringtone echoed through the room. Me: “…” I sprinted over in terror, grabbed my phone, and hung up. It was an unsaved, unknown number. The other party called again. I hung up again and frantically switched my phone to silent. The next moment, a text came through— [Stop playing dead. Open the door.] Me: “???” Is this Carter’s phone number? Did he change his number? Before I had time to think, Carter started knocking again, and louder this time. There were a lot of crew members staying at this hotel. I really didn’t want any more rumors spreading about my relationship with Carter. I reluctantly opened the door but didn’t let him in. I cautiously peeked my head out and looked around. My room was right at a corner, so other people couldn’t see us. I breathed a slight sigh of relief. “What do you want?” I asked in a hushed voice. Carter looked like he had just taken a shower. His dark hair was still slightly damp. He leaned down slightly to meet my eyes: “Are you sure you want to talk to me out here?” I pursed my lips and reluctantly let him in. The first thing Carter said when he walked in was: “I heard you had dozens of takes today and got scolded by the director multiple times?” Me: “…” So, three years after our breakup, Carter had become so petty that he specifically came to my door to mock me?! I suppressed my anger: “Yes, are you satisfied? If you’re satisfied, hurry up and leave!” But Carter acted as if he didn’t hear me. He looked around the room, picked up the script I had carelessly tossed on the bed, and started flipping through it. “Which part are you struggling with emotionally?” he asked, scanning the script page by page. “What are you trying to do?” I asked grumpily. “Help you run lines, what else?” Carter looked up at me, his face showing no signs of holding a grudge. But I didn’t dare trust him. I know my place. Three years ago, if I were in his shoes after what I did, let alone never speaking to me again, seeking revenge would be entirely possible. Coupled with his remark at the equestrian club that he wanted to settle our “old and new scores together”… It’s hard for anyone to believe he genuinely came to help me run lines out of the goodness of his heart. I stepped forward, snatched the script from his hands, threw it aside, and pointed to the door: “Get out. I don’t need your help with my lines. I can do it myself.” Compared to my emotional fluctuations, Carter seemed very calm. “Mia, your career has been dead for three years. This is your only chance to make a comeback. Do you really want to let your pride get in the way? Do you think the director won’t replace you if you can’t get into character tomorrow?” Carter’s tone was neither light nor heavy, but it instantly brought tears to my eyes. He was right, and I knew it. That’s why I was so hard on myself. “Alright, stop crying. Your tears are useless against me now.” Carter picked the script back up, not looking at me. “Wipe your tears, and don’t think I have some hidden agenda. If I really wanted to kick you while you’re down, you wouldn’t even have been able to attend the opening ceremony this afternoon.” Carter looked up at me, a cold smirk on his lips: “Mia, you’re too weak right now. Taking revenge on you wouldn’t give me any satisfaction at all.” I pursed my lips, fiercely wiped away my tears, took the script, flipped a few pages, and handed it back to Carter: “Here. I’m stuck on this part.” Forget it. I have nothing left to lose now, and nothing to fear. Why not use free labor? Not to mention, Carter’s acting skills were actually quite good. He had won several awards over the past two years and gradually secured his place in the film industry. With Carter helping me analyze the emotions in the script, my shooting the next day went very smoothly. Almost every scene was done in one take, and the director even praised me. In the evening, Carter came again, still to help me run lines. “Although this character is the third female lead, her persona is very likable. She’s single-mindedly focused on her career. Audiences have really liked this type in recent years. As long as you act well, you’ll definitely gain a wave of attention. Your manager has a good eye,” Carter evaluated objectively. “I understand.” I nodded. When I hit rock bottom, my manager never gave up on me. So even just for her sake, I had to climb back up. After that, Carter basically came to help me run lines every day, except when he had night shoots. Actually, I had fully immersed myself in the character by then and didn’t need to run lines anymore. Carter probably knew that too. But he didn’t mention it, and I didn’t either. I greedily clung to this tiny bit of warmth. The filming went smoothly, and soon it was time for my scenes with Carter. This drama tells the story of the male lead, a young master from a prominent family, traveling abroad. His entire family is wiped out overnight. To uncover the truth behind his family’s destruction, he carefully schemes, not hesitating to use the second female lead and ally with the third female lead, ultimately finding love and staying together with the female lead. In the show, he seeks the truth, seeks justice for his family, and seeks to wipe out his enemy’s entire family, making them pay in blood. And I play the younger sister of the second female lead. My mother (a concubine) was falsely accused of adultery by the second female lead’s mother and humiliated to death. I also seek justice. In the drama, we hit it off immediately and plan a major undertaking together. Probably because we ran lines almost every day, my scenes with Carter went exceptionally smoothly. Every take satisfied the director. Especially during our horseback riding scenes, we didn’t use stunt doubles at all. This meant there were fewer restrictions on camera angles, allowing every expression to be perfectly captured. Carter even managed to mount the horse single-handedly, doing it cleanly and stylishly, drawing cheers from the director. The filming went so well that the director was in a great mood. In the evening, he wrapped up early and treated the crew to dinner so we could relax. During the dinner, the director got a bit drunk. He held his glass, found me in a corner, and said to me: “To be honest, I really didn’t want you at first. Even though I only care about acting skills and not internet traffic, you haven’t acted in three years. It was your manager who came to me time and time again, asking me to give you an audition.” The director clinked his glass against mine and continued: “You didn’t disappoint me. I’m very satisfied. Mia, I’ll cast you in my next drama too.” Hearing the director’s words, my eyes welled up with tears, and my nose stung. I sniffled, filled my glass to the brim, and toasted the director: “Director Lee, thank you. To you!” When the dinner ended, the director had to be carried out; he was blackout drunk. I was pretty drunk myself. Everyone drank quite a bit. The other main actors were taken away by their managers or assistants first. In the end, only Carter and I were left. “Let’s go,” Carter said to me, picking up my bag. “I can… I can carry it myself.” I don’t act crazy when I’m drunk; conversely, I’m very quiet and well-behaved. I took my bag from Carter’s hand and stumbled out of the restaurant. It was already late at night. I stood outside the restaurant, my head spinning. My manager didn’t come today, and my new assistant wasn’t starting until tomorrow. So there was no one waiting for me outside. I felt incredibly dizzy. I squatted down, holding onto a pillar by the door, and pulled out my phone to call an Uber back to the hotel. But our shooting location was in a rather remote area. There were simply no cars available at this hour. “Stop looking. Let’s go together.” I don’t know when, but Carter was standing right beside me, one hand in his pocket, looking down at me. My reaction time was slow. I thought about it for a few seconds, then nodded. Carter’s RV was very comfortable. I sat in my seat, drowsy. But I tried hard to stay awake. “If you want to sleep, just sleep. I’ll wake you when we get there.” Carter leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes, and said to me. “Carter, when are you… going to take revenge on me?” As the alcohol hit harder, I sat up slightly and leaned forward to ask. Carter was like a sword dangling over my neck right now. The higher I climbed, the more terrified I was of falling back to the bottom. Especially after hearing what the director said tonight, I felt incredibly sad. Sad for my own uselessness, which forced my manager to beg so humbly. I was terrified of falling back down and disappointing my manager again. Hearing this, Carter opened his eyes. He sat up and looked at me. “You want me to take revenge on you that badly?” His expression was freezing as he asked me. I nodded, then shook my head. If he took revenge on me, I would consider it paying him back. Except, I’d feel sorry for my manager. Carter leaned towards me and pinched my cheek, not too hard, not too soft: “You want me to take revenge however I want?” He gradually increased his grip, pinching my cheek until it hurt. I wanted to break free, but he pinned my hands down. “Carter, it hurts.” My tears fell on command. Carter’s jaw tightened. He pursed his lips and let me go. “Don’t cry in front of me, Mia. I don’t fall for that anymore.” Carter leaned back into his seat. I sniffled a few times, trying to negotiate with Carter. “When you decide to take revenge on me, can you just target me? I don’t want to drag my manager down anymore…” “You sure know how to think of others!” Carter seemed enraged. He scoffed, pinched my chin again, and sneered, “Then why didn’t you think of me more back then? I begged you so much. Mia, were you just relying on the fact that I loved you to do whatever you wanted?” I was speechless, tears streaming down my face. Back then, to force Carter to break up with me, I said the most hurtful things and did the most hurtful things. So I don’t complain about anything that’s happening today. What’s more, he hasn’t even done the things that hurt me yet. “I told you, I don’t fall for this anymore. Don’t cry!” Carter wiped away the tears at the corners of my eyes with his somewhat rough fingertips, looking a bit frustrated. I wanted to stop crying too, but I just couldn’t control it. The alcohol was wreaking havoc in my brain, making me cry even harder. I didn’t want to break up either. It felt like scraping bone and cutting out my heart. But I had to. If I didn’t, I would only drag him down. Carter’s eyes grew a bit misty. He lowered his voice, his tone almost breaking: “Mia, shouldn’t I be the one crying?”

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I loved ’em and left ’em with a rugged construction worker, only to wake up and realize I was living in a romance novel. In the future, he becomes a ruthless, all-powerful business magnate, while my family goes bankrupt and I become the target of his revenge. Terrified of that miserable ending, I gritted my teeth and knocked on his apartment door in the dead of night. Right now, he’s just a struggling construction worker. Aside from a body full of lean, chiseled muscle, he has absolutely nothing. “I have amnesia!” I lunged forward, throwing my arms around his waist, sobbing and acting spoiled. “Hubby, the only thing I remember about you is how capable you are.” I paused, then added, “Capable in every way.” 1 Late at night, the door to the cheap rental apartment clicked open. I poked my head out from under the blankets, still half-asleep, and murmured in a soft, sweet voice: “Hubby, you’re home.” The man paused halfway through taking off his shirt but didn’t say a word. I let out a soft hum and continued to act spoiled: “You worked so hard today, hubby.” The man still ignored me. Soon, the sound of splashing water came from the bathroom. I woke up a bit more and checked the time. It was already past midnight. Right now, Liam is working from dawn till dusk, doing grueling manual labor day in and day out. But in the future, he will seize an opportunity, risk his meager life savings on a massive gamble, and successfully build a business empire from scratch. And the very first thing he will do… is destroy me. “Move over.” He came out vigorously towel-drying his hair, lifted the blanket, and slid into bed. There was no way I was letting this opportunity slip by. “No,” I said, immediately clinging to him. “I want to sleep holding my hubby.” The man didn’t speak. But his breathing grew noticeably heavier, and the hand gripping my waist tightened its hold. Just as I was drifting off to sleep, my head resting comfortably on his broad chest, I heard him mutter through gritted teeth: “Chloe Davis, if you dare lie to me again this time, I will kill you.” 2 I have amnesia. Or rather, I was faking it. After living a smooth, privileged life as a wealthy heiress for over two decades, the most wicked thing I ever did was pretend to be poor and sleep with my dad’s designated driver. Well, not his regular driver. Just Liam, who happened to be working a side gig driving my dad home that night. At that time, he was practically radiating testosterone. A simple white wife-beater clung to his dark, sun-kissed skin, making his tight, muscular physique look incredibly sexy. Maybe it was the alcohol, but my heart skipped a beat. In the middle of the night, I squatted by his door, sobbing pitifully: “I didn’t want to embrace the evils of capitalism either! But my dad gambles, my mom is sick, and my little brother is still in school. I have no other choice.” Liam looked like a tough guy, but even tough guys have a soft spot. It only took a few sentences for me to completely win him over. “It’s okay. I make three thousand a month. That’s enough for one person, I’ll give you fifteen hundred. “If you ever need help, or need someone to do heavy lifting, just call me. It’s not easy being out here on your own.” It’s true what they say: if you’re going to coax a man, do it in the middle of the night. Liam took me into his heart, and I tricked Liam into his bed. “Hey,” I said, taking his hand. “I just realized your hands are so big. It makes me feel so safe.” Liam froze. “I sleep alone. I never feel safe.” 3 A woman with a slight buzz and a good act can make any man weep. After we hooked up and I woke up the next morning, I saw a debit card and a piece of paper with his phone number left on the nightstand. Suddenly, a wave of guilt washed over me. This man handed over his bank card after sleeping together just once. If he ever gets married, he’s going to be completely whipped by his wife. But… at least he didn’t recognize my Valentino heels. “Hello? Chloe Davis, where the hell are you? Are you out fooling around with some random guy again? “The usual spot tonight. Get here now. We need to interrogate you.” The call ended. I was left alone in the massive hotel bed. As I got dressed, I stared at the debit card and the piece of paper, sighing heavily. A guy who makes three thousand a month actually spent a thousand bucks on a hotel room just for one night. Before leaving, I searched his phone number on social media. I found a profile. The name was simply “Liam.” I quickly typed out a friend request and sent it off. 4 “What happened last night?” My friends started interrogating me the second I arrived. I answered casually, “I was out fooling around with a guy.” “Who’s gonna believe that?” One of them started teasing me: “Everyone knows that the first thing Ethan did when he got back to the States was go see his little childhood sweetheart, instead of you, his actual fiancée. Chloe, shouldn’t we go over there tonight and slap him across the face?” “Who he sees is none of my business.” I impatiently poured myself a drink, too lazy to engage with their teasing. After all, no one would believe that I used to be madly in love with Ethan, and now I simply don’t care about him anymore. A few drinks later, my phone screen kept lighting up. Ethan sent me a message saying our parents had arranged a dinner tomorrow, and I had to be there. I didn’t reply. Instead, I checked my friend requests. Liam still hadn’t accepted it. Tsk. A wave of heat rushed through me. My mind was filled with the explicit memories from the night before. “I’m leaving.” I vaguely remembered him mentioning where he lived. So, I decided to just show up. 5 Before going over, I changed my outfit. I swapped out all my obviously expensive designer clothes for low-key, basic pieces. I took off my heavy makeup and tried to look like an innocent college girl. Liam lived in a notorious low-income housing complex in the city. I wandered around for a while, getting a bit dizzy in the maze of buildings. But thankfully, I finally found it: Apartment 13-1. Bang— The soundproofing here was terrible. The door next to his opened and closed, and I could hear a woman’s overly sweet voice. Fighting down my discomfort, I knocked on his door again. “Well, well, look at this pretty little thing. Who are you looking for?” A drunk man stumbled out of the elevator. “Looking for the guy named Liam? Damn, he gets all the luck… why don’t you let me have some fun too?” Saying that, he reached out to grab me. I immediately started regretting my drunken decision tonight. But the next second, the man was kicked hard away. “Don’t act crazy around here. Get lost.” Then, Liam suddenly appeared and shielded me behind him. The drunk man scrambled away in fear. I looked at Liam’s broad, muscular back and instinctively wanted to reach out and touch it. “Don’t touch,” Liam said, grabbing my wrist and looking down at me. “I just got back from the construction site. I’m covered in dirt.” 6 His rental apartment was tiny and rundown, but it was kept incredibly clean. The bed wasn’t big, but the blanket he slept under seemed to be saturated with his scent. “Have you eaten?” Liam came out of the shower, his hair still dripping wet. I nodded: “I ate already.” He just said, “Hmm.” It seemed like we had run out of things to say. Only then did I belatedly realize that I had acted impulsively. After all, after last night, he and I were nothing more than a one-night stand. “So… why did you come looking for me?” When Liam asked this, even he seemed to feel the awkwardness. With our kind of “relationship,” what else could a meetup possibly mean? I subconsciously swallowed hard. The man was still wearing just a simple tank top and shorts. The AC in the rental apartment was barely working, and the heat was making my mouth feel dry. I didn’t know what to say. My brain seemed to have completely shut down. After a long pause, Liam tossed a card to me again. “If you’re short on tuition or living expenses, just use it. “Next time you come looking for me, tell me in advance. I’ll come down and get you. It’s not safe around here, especially for someone as pretty as you.” 7 This guy really had something about him. I slowly swallowed again, looking down at the card he had tossed over. I asked: “Why are you giving me money again?” Liam tilted his head slightly: “Aren’t you short on cash?” A faint blush seemed to appear on his ears. Then, he added: “I was afraid you’d think I was taking advantage of you, that you’d think I was cheap.” That statement was very interesting. “Think you’re cheap?” I looked up, staring straight into his eyes, and asked word by word: “I haven’t even had the chance to ‘take advantage’ of you yet, how could I think you’re cheap?” The atmosphere instantly shifted. Liam took a deep breath and started to walk away: “I’ll sleep outside.” I wasn’t about to let him go. “Liam,” I said, hugging his muscular arm, pressing my body against his. I looked at him with an innocent expression and asked, “Did I say I wanted you to leave?” “Were you just thinking about…” I leaned in close to his ear and whispered those two explicit words. The next second, I was lifted entirely off the ground. Liam tossed me onto the bed, pulled off his tank top, his voice thick with desire: “Well, you can’t leave now either.” 8 I was woken up by a phone call the next afternoon. I answered groggily: “Hello?” No one spoke on the other end. I said ‘hello’ again: “Speak, or I’m hanging up.” “Chloe Davis.” A familiar yet distant voice. Oh, it’s him. Ethan’s tone was icy: “I don’t care where you are. Right now, immediately, get your ass home for dinner.” Oh right. Today was the day I had to have dinner with his family. “Whatever stupid engagement this is, I’m breaking it off sooner or later.” After hanging up, I got out of bed. Liam was already gone. After all, we had been at it until the early hours of the morning, and he still had to wake up bright and early to haul cement. But there was breakfast waiting for me in the microwave. And a message from him on my phone: [You’re too skinny. Eat breakfast before you leave.] My face flushed red, and I decided to just ignore his message. 9 I didn’t expect Ethan to be sitting right in my living room. As soon as I walked in, I bumped right into him. “Dressing so innocently, who are you trying to fool?” He held a cup of coffee, his tone freezing cold: “Staying out all night.” I was long past the point of being provoked by his toxic words. I just shamelessly replied: “He likes it when I look innocent.” But somehow, that sentence set him off. Ethan slammed his coffee cup down: “Do you have any sense of shame at all?” Smash. Coffee splattered all over my legs. It should have been scalding hot, but I only felt a chilling coldness. I remembered when I was a kid, I liked Ethan so much that even when he read my love letters out loud to other people, I didn’t feel embarrassed. But now, looking at him being so fierce and full of possessiveness, I felt incredibly embarrassed. “I know you never liked me from the start. There’s no need to keep picking fights.” I lowered my eyes, losing all desire to even get angry: “Don’t worry, I’ll break off the engagement sooner or later. I’ll let you be with your little green tea.” 10 I still had to go to the dinner. At least until the engagement was officially broken, I had to keep up appearances. After getting dressed up, I looked at my perfectly applied makeup and expensive outfit in the mirror, and suddenly missed Liam very much. I missed Liam gently stroking my white dress last night. I missed Liam tossing me his debit card. And I missed Liam being both wild and careful in bed. “You need to study hard, otherwise you’ll end up doing manual labor like me, and no one will want you.” After we were done, he would also share some of his deeper thoughts with me. “Take the money and use it. I don’t have much of an education. When I have time, I can teach you a few words of English.” That night, I lied to him and said I was a student at the prestigious A University. I inexplicably started to panic that I had lied to him. What would he do? If he knew that several months of his salary wouldn’t even be enough to buy that one white dress I wore. “Stop spacing out. Put a smile on your face. We’re almost there.” Ethan suddenly spoke up coldly. I was used to it. I looked down and noticed a few strands of hair on the passenger seat, and asked casually: “Is your little childhood sweetheart that wild? She likes doing it in the car?” The car slammed to a sudden halt. Ethan pulled over to the side of the road, unable to contain his anger: “Get the hell out.” I couldn’t have asked for anything better. I opened the door and started to walk away. But this guy started acting crazy again. “Chloe Davis!” There were a few construction sites nearby. It was very desolate. I didn’t notice, and just kept walking in my high heels. Then Ethan grabbed me and slammed me against the car. “What exactly do you want?!” He roared at me. I was just about to roar back. But right at that moment, I saw Liam standing a few feet away behind Ethan. He was looking right at me, past Ethan. I’m dead. 11 “Are you done acting crazy? We’re almost there, so stop it.” The car slowly started moving again, and Ethan warned me once more. “I know.” I rolled up the car window, as if that would make me forget Liam standing ten meters away staring at me just moments ago. The moment I saw him, all my fiery anger extinguished. My mind was filled with only one thought: Escape. I didn’t even know where to escape to, I just kept my head down and walked back to the car: “I’m not fighting anymore. Let’s go. Hurry up and let’s go.” Ethan obviously noticed my strange behavior. In the rearview mirror, he met the gaze of Liam standing over there. He was working at the construction site right next to us. His white tank top was filthy. He was covered in muscle, his cargo pants tucked into his boots. “You like that kind of vulgar man? Your college education was a complete waste.” Ethan’s sarcasm was blatant. But I was in no mood to argue with him. I just kept staring at the chat with “Liam” on my phone. But I couldn’t bring myself to type a single word. 12 At the dinner table, I was unusually silent. But in the eyes of the elders, I was being very “well-behaved.” “Ethan just got back, he needs time to adjust. He should take Chloe out more often. You kids are so playful, it’ll be good for you to relax together.” Ethan’s father had always liked me. When I used to be madly in love with Ethan, he often helped me out, doing a lot of things to try and push us together. It’s just a pity that none of it worked, and instead made Ethan hate me even more. After all, his father completely despised Ethan’s little childhood sweetheart. “Chloe? Did you hear me? Are you free?” My father also nodded at me. But today, I felt exceptionally frustrated. Even though everyone in our circle knew that Ethan had spent the night at his childhood sweetheart’s house as soon as he returned, the elders all pretended to be blind. They called it “maintaining appearances.” Ethan’s father liked me and hated the childhood sweetheart because he thought she was petty, unlike me, who could handle the big stage. It was simply because I was “suitable” for Ethan. “I don’t have time.” Everyone looked over at me. I deliberately avoided Ethan’s gaze, just stared at my dad, and said word by word: “Dad, since everyone is here today, and Ethan is back, we’re all grown up now. I have some things I want to say from the bottom of my heart. “I, Chloe Davis, have grown up well. My family spent a lot of resources on me. My academic and professional performance is top-notch. I haven’t disappointed the expectations of my elders. “So today, I want to use my own identity to say something. I and Ethan are both adults. Marriage is not a game. That childhood engagement of ours, shouldn’t we reconsider it?” 13 My phone was blowing up. Aside from a few calls from my mom at the beginning, the rest, without exception, were all from Ethan. I couldn’t understand why he was reacting so strongly. “Where are you?” When I finally answered, his tone was aggressive. I didn’t speak. I just pulled out the white dress I wore yesterday, and while taking off my makeup, I listened to him roar: “Chloe Davis, first you pick a fight, then you want to break off the engagement. Are you done throwing a tantrum?! “Think about it. If Mia and I were going to happen, it would have happened a long time ago. She and I have no possibility now. Why are you listening to rumors? “Our families joining forces is a power move. Are you really going to run off with that construction worker? Are you doing charity work?!” I finished taking off my makeup. I washed my face. Looking at my clean, pretty face in the mirror, I felt a lot more free. “Are you done talking?” I slowly dried my hands with a tissue, speaking unhurriedly: “Ethan, you’ve said so much, but you completely missed the point.” “It has nothing to do with your little childhood sweetheart, it has nothing to do with money, and it definitely has nothing to do with other people’s rumors. I just don’t like you anymore. Not even a little bit.” I hung up the phone.

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After awakening to the fact that I was the evil supporting character in a novel, I decided to just slack off entirely. I took my seven-year-old stepson on a parenting reality TV show. While the other moms meticulously prepared nutritious meals for their kids, each one proving to be gentle, virtuous, and capable… I stayed up playing video games until the middle of the night, then slept straight through until noon. Uh, well, it wasn’t exactly straight through. I was woken up by the kid twice in between. The first time, it was because he had finished making breakfast. The second time, it was because he had finished making lunch. He was waking me up to eat breakfast and lunch. And then, our mother-son duo inexplicably went completely viral. The top comment from netizens read: “To take care of his clueless, immature mother, this poor kid is stressing his little heart out at such a young age, hahahaha~” 1 “I don’t want your snacks, and I don’t want your milk! Stop bothering me!” The little boy, looking as handsome as a character straight out of an anime, yelled impatiently, giving me a sudden, splitting headache. The snacks and milk I was holding were swatted onto the floor by his small hands. After the pain subsided, my mind was suddenly clearer than it had ever been. A flood of dusty memories rushed in. I suddenly realized: I had transmigrated as the evil supporting female character in a novel. The female lead, Stella, was laser-focused on her career. I, the vicious supporting woman, had used every trick in the book to marry Harrison, a billionaire CEO who already had a son. Half a year into the marriage, Harrison showed no desire to actually be a husband. Stella appeared, and he immediately demanded a divorce. My stepson, Noah, became their ultimate wingman, and the three of them lived happily ever after as a perfect family. Meanwhile, driven mad by jealousy, I clung to Harrison, framed Stella, and abused my stepson, ultimately meeting a tragic and gruesome end. Knowing all this, I felt completely sick to my stomach. I wanted to divorce him right then and there, far away from the male lead, the female lead, and the stepson. But after our wedding, Harrison had gone on a business trip and hadn’t returned. And before I awakened to the truth, I had signed a contract for a parenting reality show to “bond” with Noah. Right now, Noah and I were already on the set. Breaking the contract meant paying a massive penalty fee. Asking me for money is worse than asking for my life. I decided to just slack off and coast through the filming before dealing with anything else. 2 The kid who had just yelled at me and knocked the food to the floor was Noah. He was a very handsome little guy. Dark, bright eyes, long eyelashes, and flawless skin. Wearing a high-quality, oversized hoodie and black joggers, he looked both adorable and cool. It was just a pity his temper was as rotten as his father’s. Actually, I was the one who begged his dad to let him participate in this show. I told him it was to build a mother-son bond. Harrison married me just to have a hands-off approach to parenting. Seeing me take the initiative, he used his parental authority to force Noah to agree. Because of this, Noah had been giving me the cold shoulder with an icy expression the entire trip. Yet, I had shamelessly fawned over him, offering water, offering snacks, acting like an overbearing nanny. That desperate attempt to bond was the “me” before I woke up. Now, I had an epiphany. I just thought about how this kid acted like a little iceberg in front of me. But later, when he met the female lead, Stella, he’d instantly turn into an obedient, sweet-talking little lapdog. Never mind that he was just a stepson; even if he were my biological son, I wouldn’t have the energy to serve him right now. “Oh, you said you don’t want it? Fine, I won’t bother you then,” I said, swiftly gathering all the snacks from the floor and tossing them back into my bag. Then, I dug out my absolute favorite lime-flavored potato chips and started crunching away. Nothing in the world is difficult, as long as you’re willing to give up. Noah let out a soft hmph, looking as if he didn’t believe me at all. 3 Before my awakening, I was a foolish, love-struck idiot. Relying on a face blessed by the heavens, I signed with Harrison’s entertainment company and then spent all my time revolving around him, completely ignoring my career. Several times, just to “accidentally” bump into him, I ditched work and ran off from film sets. I caused a massive uproar in the industry. And got cursed out terribly by netizens. So when I appeared on the livestream just now, the chat was entirely filled with people bashing me. “Ugh, this brainless woman actually showed up. Go die!” “How dare something so disgusting share the screen with our goddess Stella? Is she even worthy?” “Did you see the little cutie, Noah, next to her? This woman is practically begging to be a stepmom. Word is, this little cutie has a crazy powerful background. As for how this airhead managed to climb the social ladder… hehe, those who know, know.” With this background exposed, combined with my excessive fawning over Noah on the trip… The comment section labeled me a shameless gold digger, a simp, a toad lusting after swan meat. And because Noah had ignored me the entire time, and the only time he acknowledged me was to lose his temper… The netizens praised him for being a clear-headed little savage. I sighed inwardly. Couldn’t these people see I had already turned over a new leaf and become a new person? I grabbed a carton of milk, tore off the straw wrapper, and stabbed it in forcefully. Noah turned to look at me, his little mouth curling down in a dismissive pout. A look that said: “No matter how much you suck up to me, it’s useless. I won’t drink the milk you give me.” After inserting the straw, I didn’t even ask him; I just started drinking it myself. The handsome little boy’s face froze. He probably assumed I would, like before, desperately try to play the loving mother and offer him the milk to drink. After all, since the day I met him, I had been exactly what the netizens called me: a simp, constantly trying to please him and his dad. But who would have thought, I just drank it myself. The netizens lost their minds. “What the heck? What’s wrong with this woman? Is she playing hard to get? Using tactics on a seven-year-old?” Me: “…” You’re overthinking it, okay? 4 We arrived at the filming location, a secluded countryside resort. The guests were staying in a three-story house. The other guests hadn’t arrived yet. Noah and I sat on a large sofa. He played with his Rubik’s cube, I played on my phone, and my snacking never stopped. I had been so busy hovering around Noah before we left that I hadn’t eaten breakfast. Right now, I finished the chips and started gnawing on some beef jerky. After the jerky, I ate some cookies. Dried fruit, pistachios… I went through all of them. Noah sneaked glances at me several times, his little face visibly growing darker and darker. When I picked up the straw to poke a hole in his favorite—and the only remaining—yogurt smoothie in the bag, he couldn’t stay calm anymore. He jumped up: “If you eat everything, what am I going to eat?!” “Oh no, Noah fell for it.” “This woman must be so smug. She’ll probably give him all the snacks now, and Noah will naturally start liking her. Ugh, so disappointed.” “Noah isn’t wrong! It’s this evil woman who’s too toxic. Who could resist tempting a seven-year-old like that? Even a nineteen-year-old baby like me couldn’t resist.” I stuck the straw into the smoothie and said to Noah, “You said you didn’t want my food.” Noah’s face flushed red, his pale little chin lifting: “But I want it now. Give me the yogurt smoothie.” “Too late.” Noah: “You’re an adult, and I’m a kid. Shouldn’t you give the smoothie to me?” “It’s my first time being a human too, why should I give in to you?” Noah’s face grew redder, but his damn childish pride wouldn’t let him concede. He blurted out: “But I’m your son! You said it yourself, you’d treat me like your own son!” “Oh, that was before. Now that I’m married to your dad, I’ve realized our personalities just clash. I’m planning to divorce him, so you won’t be my son much longer.” After saying that, I bit the straw and started gulping down the yogurt. Noah: “You said it, no taking it back! I’m calling my dad right now to tell him you want a divorce!” He even gave me a provocative little glare. Kids these days are too smart, maturing way too early. He had seen me acting pathetic in front of his dad way too many times. In fact, the last time, just to see his dad, I stupidly threatened to jump off a building. Therefore, even a kid like him knew I loved his dad to death. So when I said I wanted a divorce, Noah thought I was just trying to scare him. I swallowed a mouthful of smoothie and nodded like a chicken pecking at grain: “Mhm, mhm, go ahead, call him.” Noah, who hadn’t expected me to answer so readily: “…” The bullet screen also fell into a rare silence. After a long while, a comment finally popped up: “It doesn’t seem like she’s playing hard to get, or lying about wanting a divorce.” “Talking about divorce on a show, is she for real? Can she really bear to give up the wealthy marriage she simped so hard for? Did she finally drain the water from her brain?” “But talking about divorce right in front of the kid, isn’t that a bit harsh?” “So what? She’s just a stepmom, and Noah doesn’t even like her. If she brings up divorce, Noah will be thrilled.” “Anyway, I just don’t like her.” Footsteps sounded outside the house. The bullet screen exploded. But not a single comment was about me or Noah anymore. Now, the entire screen was frantically spamming Stella. “Ahhhhh, the goddess has arrived!” “The goddess is so beautiful, the baby is so handsome!” “Stella is awesome! Such a small body holds so much power, truly our treasure.” “Finally caught my treasure Stella, uwu, Stella is so pretty [frantically licking the screen.jpg].” A slender Stella, wearing a large backpack, pulling a giant suitcase with one hand, and holding a cute five-year-old boy with the other, walked in. 5 Stella smiled and greeted us. After putting down her bags, she carefully lifted the little boy onto the sofa and made sure he was seated comfortably. Stella was the only single guest this season. The kid she brought was handpicked by the director from ordinary families. His name was Toby, good-looking, smart, known in kindergarten as a “little prodigy.” Stella unzipped her backpack, took out a pack of yogurt smoothies, and walked over to Noah, who was still in a staring contest with me. She smiled gently: “Noah, I brought your favorite yogurt smoothies, here you go.” She acted very familiar with Noah, which didn’t surprise me. Her actions matched the plot perfectly. If I hadn’t awakened, I would have exploded by now. Before coming to this show, I had received an anonymous envelope. Inside were photos of Stella sitting in Harrison’s car, and Harrison hugging Stella. Stella was an actress under Harrison’s company, a top-tier A-lister. On the surface, the two of them didn’t seem to have any private interactions. Suddenly receiving such photos, I couldn’t quite believe they had an ambiguous relationship. But arriving at the show and seeing how familiar Stella was with Noah… You have to understand, Noah was usually too shy to let strangers know he loved those yogurt smoothies. I hadn’t looked closely before, but I instantly believed the contents of those photos. I concluded they definitely had something going on. And so, my descent into the blackened, doomed supporting female character began. I forcibly commanded Noah not to drink the smoothie she gave him. But the more I stopped him, the more he wanted to drink it. It caused a huge, unpleasant scene. And the audience cursed me into oblivion. But now, I was awake. Stella was interacting with Noah. I quickly moved out of frame, retreated to the side to continue drinking my smoothie and looking at my phone. The bullet screen was full of praise for Stella. “Stella is truly an angel. She’s so gentle. I watched the stream on the way here and knew Noah wanted a smoothie, so she comforted little Noah the moment she arrived.” “Speaking of which, if Noah’s stepmom wasn’t that brainless woman, but our gentle Stella, the picture would definitely be so much more harmonious and beautiful. I kind of want to ship the mother-son bond between Stella and Noah.” Me: “…” Saying something so morally bankrupt right in front of a legally married spouse, hoping the “other woman” takes over… who’s the real brainless one here? I frustratedly started playing a game on my phone. 6 I had moved out of the way. But something heavy landed in my lap. Stella had tossed the pack of smoothies into my lap. Me: “?” “Noah is too shy to take it, can you hold it for him and give it to him later?” Stella still had a smile, and her tone was still very gentle, but her eyes were noticeably a bit cold. I looked at Noah in confusion. Noah glared at me. Me: “?” This little brat, why is he suddenly not playing by the rules? Stella winked at me playfully: “Maya, you’re an adult, you can’t be so immature and snatch a child’s food again. Even if you’re craving it, hold it in for now. You can buy some when the show is over.” “Stella’s lecture is spot on. This woman is so greedy, even snatching a child’s snacks.” “Exactly, is she a pig?” “Why even mention that woman? Isn’t it better to just admire our goddess Stella?” Me: “…” I picked up the yogurt smoothies. Decisively and cleanly shoved them into Noah’s hands: “Hold on to them, they’re all yours. When you run out in the future, just tell her, I believe she’ll be very happy to keep buying them for you.” Stella’s eyes lit up, and she affectionately put a hand on Noah’s shoulder, looking incredibly maternal: “Of course, Noah, as long as you want to drink it, just tell Auntie Stella, Auntie Stella will buy it all for you.” Me: “…” I got up and walked out of the house. If I can’t afford to offend you, I can at least hide, right? 7 There were no official tasks for the show today; it was mainly to show the guests departing and arriving, just some daily life stuff. For those of us who arrived early, the crew had arranged meals. Except for me, who didn’t follow the plot and instead spent the day happily playing games. Noah spent the whole day with Stella, Toby, and the others. By the time all the guests had arrived, it was already evening. Room assignments were drawn. My group with Noah and Stella’s group were in adjacent rooms. Each room had two beds. After playing games for half the day, I washed up, lay down on the bed, and continued playing. At 10:30 PM, Noah came back to the room. I didn’t stop my hands or look up as I asked: “Why are you back?” According to the plot, after Stella bailed him out and gave him the smoothies, he fell in love with the gentle and beautiful female lead. He loved sticking to Stella all day long, dreaming of having her as his mom. And since I, the supporting character, didn’t go and ruin things today or forcefully drag him back… He should have completely forgotten about me and just slept over there. Why did he voluntarily come running back? 8 After I asked, Noah didn’t make a sound for a good while. I stole a glance up from my game. I saw the little brat standing in front of my bed, his small fists clenched, his handsome little face frozen in a scowl, glaring at me with hatred. I was speechless: “What’s wrong with you? Who owes you money?” The little guy seemed to have a belly full of resentment. The moment I asked, he angrily shouted a string of complaints: “Why didn’t you come looking for me?! My bed is in here! Why would I sleep anywhere else?!” Me: “…” The little brat was yelling and questioning, his eyes turning red like he was about to cry, but he tried hard to hold it back: “You were never like this before! Toby is so immature, I had to play with him all day.” “I thought you would come looking for me, but look at you! All you care about now is your stupid game!” “Why did you let me drink a stranger’s smoothie?! Weren’t you afraid I’d get poisoned?!” My mouth twitched: “It’s not that serious.” Noah: “The teachers taught us not to eat things from strangers! You’re supposed to be my stepmom, and you didn’t even stop it! How can you call yourself my stepmom?!” Me: “Didn’t I tell you—” The little brat cut me off: “Anyway, before you get a divorce, you’re my stepmom!” After yelling, he huffed and trotted off to take a shower. Me: “???” I felt completely baffled. Why did this kid suddenly change his tune? Wasn’t he disgusted by the idea of me being his stepmom before? I felt like I must have missed something. I paused the game, opened my phone, and reviewed the footage. I saw that Noah hadn’t drunk a single bottle of the yogurt Stella gave him all day. He played with Rubik’s cubes and games with Toby, but you could tell his mind wasn’t on it. Stella tried hard to talk to him, but he gave her the cold shoulder, completely ignoring the food and drinks she offered. Just before coming back, he returned the smoothies and snacks to Stella, politely declining: “Thank you for your kindness, but our teacher said kids shouldn’t eat things from strangers.” Stella’s face froze on the spot, and it took her a few seconds to recover her gentle demeanor: “Noah, I’m very good friends with your dad, I’m not a stranger.” Noah instantly turned into a little adult, saying very calmly and seriously: “My dad said that married men shouldn’t be friends with single women.” “You might have been friends in the past, but now he’s married, so you can’t be his friend anymore.” “Otherwise, my stepmom will be unhappy, and if my stepmom is unhappy, my dad will spank me.” “Thank you again for looking after me today. Goodnight, I’m going back to my room.” Noah even politely bowed to Stella to say goodbye. It must have been because Stella’s expression looked so terrible at that moment that even the cameraman couldn’t bear it and turned the lens away, so I didn’t get to enjoy her wonderful reaction. I have to say, Noah’s actions completely changed the tone in the comment section. “Such a well-raised baby, so awesome.” “Damn, after hearing what Noah said, I just realized I’ve wasted ten years drinking boba. I’m not even as smart as a kid. I almost shipped the ‘other woman’ [self-reflection.jpg].” “Even though I’ve never seen him, and don’t even know who Noah’s dad is, I’m already madly in love with this man.” Let alone them, even I was blown away by this unseen, cool side of Noah in the video. But I was still very confused. Shouldn’t Noah be working against me at every turn, only getting along with Stella like a real mother and son? But why did it suddenly change? Could it be because I didn’t turn evil and cause trouble? Isn’t the rebellious teenage phase supposed to start in the teens? What, it starts at seven now? Just because I didn’t stop him, and instead fully supported him going to Stella, he got rebellious and decided to stick to me instead??? With this butterfly effect, the subsequent plot would probably change completely too…

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Just three months into dating, he proposed to me. What a coincidence, I was also planning to bleed him dry. After all, marrying me was going to cost him half his life. 01 On May 20th, Valentine’s Day, Arthur and I went to get our marriage license. Just before the clerk stamped our certificate, Arthur pulled up his Venmo QR code: “The marriage license fee is $9. If we split it, it’s $4.50 each.” I nodded and smoothly scanned the code to pay him. The people around us stared in absolute shock and disdain. Taking advantage of the moment Arthur stepped aside to take a phone call, the clerk whispered to me: “Girl, are you really sure you want me to stamp this?” She looked at Arthur’s retreating back with an expression that said a thousand words. It made sense. In this day and age, a man like Arthur, who insisted on splitting the cost of a marriage license down to the penny, was a rare breed. I thanked her for her concern and smiled, nodding: “My boyfriend just really likes going fifty-fifty. He treats me very well.” As we took our marriage certificate and walked away, I could still hear the clerk’s frustrated voice fading in the distance: “Another severely brainwashed, love-struck fool! “What does she even see in him, besides his decent face?” What she didn’t know was that I wasn’t just after Arthur’s face. I was after his life. 02 My family, my entire bloodline, had been cursed for generations. Everyone in my clan was doomed to die before turning thirty. After a century of hardship, we finally found a way to break the curse—Life Borrowing. However, borrowing life ultimately defied the laws of nature. Therefore, we usually only borrowed life from individuals who had committed heinous, unforgivable crimes. People who had committed grave evils were no longer protected by the laws of the universe. But truly evil people aren’t easy to come across every day. So, we had to find a loophole: borrowing just a little bit of lifespan first to survive our impending death dates. Arthur was my loophole. I met Arthur at a singles mixer. He was handsome and dressed well, but no one paid him any attention. I was curious, but my friend just scoffed: “Him? He’s a notorious cheapskate. He uses ‘going Dutch’ as an excuse to take advantage of people. On a first date, he told a girl she lived too far away and demanded she pay for half his gas money. “The stories about him are endless. Who would want to be the sucker to date a guy like that?” My eyes lit up. To borrow life from an ordinary person, you need to establish a strong karmic connection with them. Arthur’s habit of taking advantage of others was exactly what I needed. So, I took the initiative and reached out to him. A month later, we made our relationship official. During that month, aside from his obsession with money, Arthur was actually a decent boyfriend. Arthur claimed he firmly believed in splitting everything 50/50. So, we split the bill for every dinner and movie. If he bought me a coffee, I had to drink half and save the rest for him. For a gift, he gave me a $30 plush toy, but I had to pay him back $15. When it was my turn to give him a gift, he personally picked out a pair of $5,000 limited-edition sneakers. I paid the bill without batting an eye, while he conveniently pretended to forget about his “50/50” rule. Through continuous testing, Arthur became extremely satisfied with me. I was a naive, sweet girl from a wealthy family, utterly blinded by love. And I was very satisfied with him too—strong, healthy, and with a long lifespan. But this karmic connection still wasn’t enough. So, I casually let slip the true extent of my family’s wealth. Aside from tens of millions in cash, I also owned several properties. After visiting one of my mansions just once, Arthur became even more attentive. Three months into our relationship, he proposed to me. I covered my mouth, crying tears of joy. This time, I would finally be able to borrow a significant chunk of lifespan. That night, after transferring half the cost of a box of condoms to Arthur, we consummated our love for the first time in my mansion. The next morning, I received a text from my mom. [This one looks much stronger than the last one. How was it?] [Good stamina, decent brain. Might as well have a kid with him while you’re at it.] 03 I had two years left until my thirtieth birthday. My mom was worried, on one hand, that I wouldn’t have enough time to borrow life. On the other hand, she really wanted a grandchild. Knowing that I was satisfied with Arthur in every aspect, she was overjoyed. She urged me and Arthur to get married as soon as possible. Meanwhile, when Arthur’s parents found out I was an only child from a wealthy, single-parent household, the way they looked at me changed too. It was a mix of greed and contempt. The day after his successful proposal, Arthur took me to meet his parents. “It’s such a waste for a widow and an orphan girl to be sitting on so much money and property. “Arthur, as long as you get that marriage license with Chloe, all of that will belong to our family.” Arthur’s mother, Brenda, discussed her plans with Arthur in an excited tone: “She listens to everything you say right now. If she hesitates about getting the license, just threaten to break up with her. “Even better, get her pregnant as soon as possible!” They were fully intending to swallow my family’s wealth whole and leave me with nothing. Separated only by a thin wall, I turned off the hidden surveillance app I had installed on Arthur’s phone and took off my Bluetooth earbud. I smiled a deep, meaningful smile. What a pity. We’ll see who ends up swallowing who. … Arthur, following his mother’s advice, brought up marriage with me. We hit it off immediately, skipped the engagement party, and went straight to get our license. After getting the certificate, I quietly rolled up my sleeve. On my porcelain-white wrist, there was a red line resembling a birthmark. At that moment, the red line was creeping forward, eerily and slowly. It didn’t stop until it had grown about two inches. This red line was my lifeline, representing my remaining lifespan. The longer the red line, the longer I had to live. Since Arthur had become my husband, borrowing a bit of his life was no big deal. My lifespan had now increased from less than two years to ten years. Satisfied, I rolled my sleeve back down. Ordinary people couldn’t see the red line. In Arthur’s eyes, I was just scratching my arm. He waved his phone and smiled: “Baby, my mom says eating out isn’t clean. She wants to cook a big celebratory dinner for us herself.” I immediately expressed my excitement and anticipation. But when we arrived at the Arthur family home, there were only three dishes on the dining table. A plate of wilted, soggy greens, a plate of unscaled, muddy-looking fish, and a plate of suspicious, mushy meat. I understood immediately: this was a hostile banquet. 04 Brenda had completely dropped the enthusiastic facade she had before we got our license, treating me with cold indifference: “You’re here. Grab a seat yourself. Do you really think you’re some high-class princess who needs a formal invitation?” She was giving me a hard time right out of the gate, establishing her dominance as the mother-in-law before I even had the chance to call her “Mom.” Brenda was truly impatient. I was compliant and agreeable with Arthur because that was necessary. After all, he was about to give half his life to me. But there was no way I was going to put up with this old hag. I stood frozen in place, looking at Arthur with innocent confusion: “Didn’t you say your mom used to work as a cleaner? Why does she act like a Broadway quick-change artist?” Arthur was stunned, looking at me, not understanding what I meant. I continued with feigned innocence: “Otherwise, how could she change her face so quickly?” Brenda’s expression darkened drastically. “You little tramp…” She pointed her finger right at my nose, ready to start cursing, but Arthur stopped her. Arthur apologetically pressed me down into a chair: “Chloe, my mom just sees you as her own daughter, so she’s being casual. Please don’t take it to heart.” After saying that, he shot his mother a warning look. Reluctantly, with a sour face, Brenda scooped a bowl of rice for me. I decided to play along and let it go for now. After dinner, Arthur and Brenda went to the kitchen to wash the dishes. I didn’t know what they talked about. But when they came out, Brenda had a smile plastered on her face. She brought out a fruit platter, handed me a piece of pineapple on a fork, and said: “Chloe, dear, Auntie was just a little overwhelmed earlier, please don’t mind me.” I took the fork and considerately expressed my understanding. Brenda’s face lit up, and she spoke bluntly: “Since you and Arthur both enjoy living a 50/50 lifestyle, us elders won’t object. “But regarding your house and assets after marriage… shouldn’t we redistribute them?” I raised an eyebrow. So they wanted to start by securing my assets first. The house the Arthur family currently lived in was a rental. What houses and assets did they have to distribute? They were just testing me. Using this excuse to coax my personal wealth into their hands first. The next step would be my family’s wealth. 05 When it came to Arthur, I naturally had to play the part of the devoted, love-struck fool perfectly. I smiled and nodded: “You’re absolutely right. I didn’t think this through thoroughly enough. “However…” The joy on Brenda’s face froze. “However what? If you don’t agree, then I’ll just tell Arthur to divorce you! A divorced woman like you will have a hard time finding anyone else to marry!” Before I could even finish my sentence, Brenda launched into a barrage of threats. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I said pitifully: “Arthur and I have our license, but we haven’t had a wedding ceremony yet. Shouldn’t we wait until after the wedding?” Getting the confirmation she wanted, Arthur conveniently made his appearance. He played the good cop, comforting me until I was docile and agreeable. Brenda was grinning from ear to ear: “I’ll go pick out an auspicious date for you right now!” The wedding was set for a month later. Using the excuse of taking care of me, Arthur’s entire family ended their lease on their small apartment and moved into my mansion. Perhaps afraid I would back out before the wedding, his family treated me like royalty, catering to my every whim. But behind my back, they held me in utter contempt. “My son is amazing. He didn’t even have to pay for the wedding; the bride’s side is covering it. We didn’t spend a single cent to marry a rich girl. “This Chloe is so shameless, clinging to Arthur like a desperate leech.” Brenda revealed her true colors: “Son, work hard. Let’s try to get her pregnant right after the wedding so I can have a big, healthy grandson. This first child absolutely must be a boy.” “Your mother is right. If she gets pregnant with a girl, she has to abort it. It’ll ruin our family’s feng shui,” Arthur’s father chimed in. “If Chloe can’t produce a son, you can just find another woman on the outside to give us one. With all her money, there will be plenty of women lining up to give us a grandson.” Arthur nodded in deep agreement. These calculating conversations were broadcast to me via the hidden surveillance cameras inside the mansion. I couldn’t help but sigh; this family was truly garbage. If I really were a naive, love-struck fool, I would have been swallowed whole by the Arthur family. Fortunately, they were the ones about to be swallowed. As long as Arthur made that vow at the wedding, I could borrow half his lifespan. As for Arthur’s parents… My mom wrapped her arm around my shoulder and sneered: “Let them jump around a little longer. After the wedding, I’ll deal with them personally.” I silently pitied Arthur’s parents. It wasn’t easy to make my mom angry enough to want to kill. My mom’s eyes possessed the ability to see the aura of fortune above ordinary people’s heads. Originally, I hadn’t planned on actually marrying Arthur. I just wanted him to take a bit more advantage of me so I could borrow a little more lifespan. For someone destined to live a long life, losing a little lifespan was insignificant. But when my mom met Arthur’s parents, she discovered something terrifying— Above Arthur’s parents’ heads, a massive, dark, rolling cloud was brewing. These two were burdened with immense karmic debt involving human lives. They were exactly the kind of heinous individuals we had been desperately searching for. So, borrowing all their lifespan wouldn’t be excessive at all. 06 The day of the wedding arrived quickly. Sticking to his “50/50” principle, Arthur had proposed before the wedding that neither side should provide a dowry or bride price. “Baby, after we’re married, both our families’ assets will belong to us. Why bother with all those superficial formalities?” After making love, Arthur cradled my face and coaxed me. I groggily kissed his handsome face: “I’ll listen to whatever you say, hubby.” Anyway, everything would eventually return to my hands. On the day of the wedding, the Arthur family invited every distant relative they could find. Brenda fluttered through the crowd of relatives like a social butterfly. Learning that Arthur was marrying the only daughter of a wealthy family without even paying a bride price, the relatives were filled with envy, praising Brenda for raising such a successful son. “That’s because my Arthur has charm. My daughter-in-law was willing to pay out of her own pocket just to marry into our family.” Brenda put on airs, showing off to everyone. When I appeared in my wedding dress, the Arthur family relatives looked at me with disdain. “This new bride has no self-respect. I heard she chased Arthur so hard he couldn’t get rid of her.” “If she didn’t have a bit of money, Arthur probably wouldn’t even look at her.” I didn’t know what kind of exaggerated stories Brenda had been spinning. But the whispers that reached my ears were full of such contempt. I ignored them completely, my smile wider than a Cheshire cat’s. Thinking about my impending, massively increased lifespan, I trembled with excitement. Finally, it was time for the vows. The officiant was one of our own people. He specifically mentioned that Arthur and I bonded over his “50/50” rule. Arthur’s face flashed with momentary discomfort. However, the Arthur family relatives in the audience were all praising Arthur for being capable and smart. Arthur’s back instantly straightened. He even took the microphone and declared shamelessly: “50/50 is the modern lifestyle for young people. “Chloe and I have discussed it, and we will continue our 50/50 lifestyle after marriage.” The officiant took the opportunity to joke: “Everything is 50/50, does that include your life?” Under my expectant gaze, Arthur nodded without hesitation. He opened his mouth to answer: “Of cour—” “Hold on!” A woman’s voice abruptly interrupted. I turned toward the sound, annoyed… 07 A strange, middle-aged woman stood up. She frowned, sizing me up. Her gaze made me very uncomfortable. My heart skipped a beat. This wasn’t some cliché “stopping the wedding” soap opera plot, was it? Looking at this woman, she was plain-looking and quite old. No matter how cheap Arthur was, he wouldn’t stoop that low, would he? Arthur looked displeased that the wedding was interrupted. He furrowed his brows, thinking for a long time but couldn’t remember who the woman was. So he asked suspiciously: “Who are you? What do you want?” The middle-aged woman’s gaze finally shifted to Arthur: “I advise you not to make that vow. Otherwise, you’ll regret it.” She warned Arthur with a serious tone. Completely disregarding my face as the bride. My mom and I exchanged a look, both of us surprised. This middle-aged woman seemed to know something. My mom immediately stood up and said angrily: “Arthur, what is the meaning of this? My daughter finally gets to have her wedding, and you allow someone to cause a scene like this?” Arthur frantically waved his hands in explanation: “Mom, you misunderstand. I don’t even know her.” Then he quickly yelled for security: “Where did this crazy woman come from, disrupting someone’s wedding? Get her out of here quickly!” Being kicked out by the host in front of so many people, the middle-aged woman’s face flushed with embarrassment. She turned red, pointed at Arthur, and sneered: “Good advice is wasted on a doomed ghost.” This sentence made Arthur’s face change drastically. He couldn’t hold back anymore, his face darkening as he prepared to step off the stage. Security finally arrived, apologizing profusely as they shoved the middle-aged woman out. Before leaving, the middle-aged woman kept her eyes fixed on me. The wariness in her eyes was glaringly obvious. I pretended not to notice and looked away. But from the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of Arthur’s parents looking quite unsettled. Something was wrong. Their son’s wedding was being disrupted, yet given their personalities, they shouldn’t just be watching. Especially Brenda, she should have been jumping up and screaming by now. I suppressed the doubts in my heart and focused my attention back on the wedding. Arthur put his smile back on, ready to continue the ceremony. The red line on my arm was faintly burning. As long as Arthur finished his vow, an abundance of life force would pour into my body. Nothing comes faster than life force voluntarily offered by the person being borrowed from. “Wait, wait!” The ceremony was interrupted again. I cursed silently, forcing down the irritation bubbling inside me. When I looked up, my expression was back to normal. This time, it was Brenda. She piled on a fake smile and said to the officiant: “We’ve been delayed for so long, everyone must be hungry. Let’s skip the ceremony and move straight to the next part.” The officiant looked at me, caught in a difficult position. With things at this point, insisting on continuing would raise suspicion. I swallowed the heartache of missing this opportunity and smiled magnanimously: “Mom is right, let’s do as Mom says.” The suspicion on Brenda’s face didn’t fade with my response. 08 It wasn’t until nightfall that my doubts were finally answered. Inside the guest room of the mansion. Brenda’s expression was grave: “Arthur, you don’t know, but Auntie Sue actually has some mystical abilities. “What she said today wasn’t just nonsense. “There’s something off about this Chloe.” Arthur tiredly rubbed his temples, his tone slightly impatient: “Forget it, Mom. What era are we living in? Why do you still believe in all this superstitious nonsense? “If there’s nothing else, I’m heading back. It’s been a long day, and I’m exhausted. I still have to go take care of Chloe.” At the mention of me, Brenda’s face twisted. “That little bitch. Just ordering my son around. Just wait until I show her who’s boss!” But she was still uneasy, pulling at Arthur: “My heart is racing. Don’t go to her room tonight. I’ll go ask Auntie Sue about this tomorrow.” Arthur hesitated, but ultimately followed Brenda’s advice. He didn’t even enter the room, just called me saying Brenda was suddenly feeling unwell. He said he needed to go to the pharmacy to buy some medicine and told me to go to sleep first. I considerately gave him a few reminders and hung up the phone. Then I quietly went to my mom’s room. “Since the Arthur family is getting suspicious, we’ll dispel their suspicions.” My mom made the final call. So, the next day. Before Brenda even had time to leave the house, she was stopped by my mom. “In-law, perfect timing. Today I need the newlyweds to accompany me to the temple to fulfill a vow. Why don’t you come along with us?” My mom invited her warmly. Brenda rolled her eyes, then agreed readily. Shenshan Temple was a famously efficacious temple in our area. It was said to house many powerful, ascetic monks. This was exactly why Brenda was willing to come along. If my identity was truly suspect, the monks at the temple would be more than capable of subduing me. Thinking about Brenda and Arthur’s conversation, I couldn’t help but want to laugh. I’m not some demon or monster; why would I be afraid of enlightened monks? Brenda kept a close eye on me, instantly finding an excuse to criticize me. Right in front of my mom, she started scolding: “Chloe, why are you so ill-mannered? This is a sacred Buddhist site, you must be respectful! Keep your mouth shut and don’t make a sound!” I covered my mouth, nodding as if embarrassed. Finally winning a round against me, Brenda was so smug her tail was practically wagging in the air. She even smugly lectured my mom, saying I needed to be properly disciplined to learn my lesson. Seeing my mom’s fists clenching in anger, I quickly pulled her away. Today’s mission wasn’t finished yet. … After we wandered around the temple, making circle after circle… Brenda finally let go of her suspicions. She deliberately fell a few steps behind us, whispering to Arthur to confirm: “No problem. I secretly tested the peach wood and talismans on Chloe. The master also took a look and said there’s nothing wrong.” Arthur also breathed a sigh of relief. Walking ahead, my mom and I exchanged a knowing smile. Since the Arthur family has no problem, it’s time for us to start making problems.

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The moment I realized I was the villainess in a “Billionaire CEO” novel, I had already been married to the tycoon for two years. According to the plot, I had exactly six months left before I was forced to step down and make room for the real lead. Those six months were supposed to be my descent into madness—a half-year of me sabotaging myself just to push the hero and heroine closer together before I met my miserable end. 1 I woke up early. Following my routine, I prepared my dear husband’s favorite club sandwich and a cup of hand-ground pour-over coffee. I tied his silk tie, fastened his cufflinks, and saw him out the door. Standing at the threshold, watching the tail lights of his car disappear, a bolt of lightning suddenly struck my brain. Everything I had “forgotten”—the memories of my past life and the plot of this world—came rushing back. It was an epiphany. A total awakening. Here’s the deal: 25 years ago, I was reborn into this world with memories of my previous life. At first, I didn’t realize I was in a book. Not until a man smiled so wide his eyes disappeared and said, “Sweetie, you have a name now. We’re calling you Araminta. Ar-a-minta. A mix of Arthur and Minnie. What do you think?” Arthur Montgomery was the man in front of me—my father. Minnie was, obviously, my mother. Araminta. Arthur + Minnie. A bit cringe, if I’m honest. The name sounded familiar, but I didn’t overthink it. Boring, “sentimental” names like that are common. Then he added, “My daughter is so beautiful. Yesterday, old man Sterling wanted to set her up with his son, Preston. Hmph. In his dreams.” Then a gentle female voice drifted in. “Actually, I think little ‘Pressy’ is quite sweet. Our families have known each other for generations. At least we wouldn’t have to worry about her being mistreated.” “He wouldn’t dare! If anyone touches my daughter, I’ll take them down with me!” … I stopped listening after that. My mind was stuck on two names. Sterling. Preston. Preston Sterling. Preston Sterling?! Preston Sterling!!! In that moment, I finally knew where the familiarity came from. He was the male lead of the book I had read right before I died. It was a classic “Billionaire’s Sweet Secret” novel. In that book, Preston Sterling was the CEO—cold, ruthless, and never smiled. The “Sweet Secret” was Sunny Vance, a bubbly, warm-hearted secretary. As a corporate newbie, she faced endless setbacks, yet remained relentlessly optimistic. Her pure-hearted resilience caught the CEO’s eye. He went from being annoyed to intrigued, and eventually, deeply in love. But for a grand romance to be “epic,” it needs obstacles. Araminta Montgomery was that obstacle. Araminta and Preston were childhood sweethearts. They were engaged as toddlers and married the moment they hit the legal age. Araminta loved Preston, but Preston’s feelings for her were based on duty, not desire. Before Sunny Vance, Preston didn’t know what love was. His career and his marriage were just boxes to be checked. Then Sunny appeared like a ray of sunlight, breaking the still waters of his life. Of course, they remained “pure.” Despite the romantic tension, they never crossed moral lines. That was where Araminta came in. As the wife, she quickly noticed her husband’s change. She played detective, found Sunny, and began a campaign of bullying and harassment. Her actions didn’t hurt Sunny. Instead, they forced Preston to realize his true feelings. To that, I just wanted to say: “Good job, past me. Real smart.” After I made a scene for the thousandth time, Preston grew to loathe me and demanded a divorce. The book-version of me refused. I went off the deep end and hired thugs to kidnap Sunny, intending to ruin her. That was the final straw. Preston used his corporate power to crush the Montgomery family, then gave me a taste of my own medicine by tossing me to the same street thugs I’d hired. I died silently in the gutter. Preston and Sunny lived happily ever after. They even had twins. Happy ending! Happy ending my ass! When I realized I was in this book, I had one goal: Protect my life, stay away from Preston Sterling! And I did exactly that… Until I was three. Before the age of three, I made my hatred for Preston clear. If I saw him, I cried. If he got close, I bit him. If I had milk in my mouth, I spit it on him. If I had a full bladder, I waited until he held me. Preston learned to dodge me on sight. I was relieved. I figured if I kept this up, we’d be strangers for life. But the “Plot” had other plans. On my 3rd birthday, pop. Something hit my brain. I completely forgot I was in a book. All that was left in my head was Preston Sterling’s gorgeous face. For the next 22 years, I became his #1 fangirl. I chased him everywhere. He seemed to tolerate it, never pushing me away. That fueled my delusion. We walked down the aisle. We entered the sanctuary of marriage. No, the tomb! Standing outside the villa now, I pinched my thigh so hard I nearly cried. Dammit. Beauty really is a trap. I walked back inside. The club sandwich and steaming coffee were still on the table. Untouched. Come to think of it, for the last four days, Preston had stopped eating the breakfast I made. His excuse: “It’s too early. I’m not hungry.” I hadn’t thought much of it. I kept making it anyway, thinking, Maybe he’ll be hungry today? What if he’s starving and there’s nothing to eat? But now, with my memory back, I knew the real reason. He wasn’t “not hungry.” He was saving room for the breakfast Sunny Vance brought him to the office. Sunny told him coffee on an empty stomach was bad. Sunny said sandwiches were too cold and “corporate.” Sunny said, “I love bagels and lox, and I made some homemade oatmeal. Try it, Mr. Sterling!” Ache. I rubbed my chest. It actually hurt. What now? 2 Sitting at the table, eating the sandwich I’d made for him, I felt like I was chewing on cardboard. The universe really is a jerk. If I had remembered the book, I would never have chased him. Knowing he was destined to love someone else and still pinning for him? That’s just pathetic. If I had just “arrived” in this body this second, I’d file for divorce immediately and cut ties with him and his drama. But it’s been 22 years. I’ve “simped” for this man for 22 years. I really did love him. Preston was special to me. I always thought he loved me back. Maybe not as deeply as I loved him, but I thought I was the only one. The “unique” one. That’s why I was able to chase him for so long. And now the “Script” tells me he doesn’t love me and has a soulmate? What’s the endgame? To kill me? The housekeeper opened the door and walked in. Seeing me, she asked, “Ma’am, what would you like for lunch? I’m going to the store.” Something clicked. I stood up. “Maria, make some of Preston’s favorite dishes. I’m dropping lunch off at his office.” “You got it.” “Get it ready. I have to run an errand first.” I drove my red sports car out of the driveway and headed straight to the hospital. My period was a week late. Usually, I wouldn’t worry—I’ve never been regular. But with my memory back, I remembered a specific plot point. In the original story, Araminta had a baby, but she didn’t know it. She went to the office to find Preston and saw Sunny tying his tie. Actually, it was innocent. Sunny had accidentally spilled coffee on him, and Preston—who had spent his life having Araminta tie his ties—didn’t know how to do it himself. Sunny was just helping. But book-Araminta didn’t know that. She went nuclear. She grabbed Sunny by the hair and raised her hand to strike. Preston didn’t let her. He grabbed Araminta and shoved her away. That shove caused a miscarriage. The loss of the baby turned Araminta’s hatred for Sunny into an obsession. Preston felt a flicker of guilt, so he transferred Sunny out of the secretarial pool to another department. But that “separation” wasn’t for Araminta’s sake. It was to make their “forbidden love” grow stronger. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, after all. I drove steadily toward the clinic. Preston and I had been married for two years. We always used protection. We had a silent agreement not to rush into parenthood. I didn’t know what he was thinking. For me, I just wanted a few more years of “us.” I arrived at the hospital. Numbly, I registered at the OBGYN department. Then came the waiting, the doctor, the tests, the results. Two hours. My mind was a blank void for two hours. The doctor looked at the chart. “The results are in. You’re definitely pregnant.” My heart gave a small tremor. I instinctively touched my stomach. A tiny life was actually in there. A child. Mine and Preston’s. It was an unexpected joy, but right now, all I felt was lost. “Do you plan on keeping the baby?” the doctor asked. I snapped my head up. Keeping it? What kind of question was that? But… it was a question. Because I hesitated. It wasn’t until I reached the hospital exit that I snapped out of my daze. Looking at the crowds passing by, I took a deep breath and got into my car. 22 years of history. Two years of marriage. And now a baby. I wasn’t going to let a “plot” sentence my life to death. Preston, please. Don’t let me down. When I got home, Maria had the lunch packed. “It’s so rare to see a couple as in love as you two,” she said, smiling. “It’s enough to make me jealous.” In the past, I would have beamed with pride. Now, I couldn’t even force the corners of my mouth to move. The drive to Sterling Corp took thirty minutes. I arrived exactly at noon. The receptionist knew me. No appointment needed. I took the private elevator straight to the 32nd floor. The first person I saw was Ethan, Preston’s executive assistant. The moment he saw me, his face stiffened. A flash of panic crossed his eyes before he smoothed it over. “Mrs. Sterling! What brings you here?” I gave a tight smile. “Where’s Preston?” “The CEO is in his office. Let me go tell him—” I grabbed his arm. “No need. I’ll surprise him.” I didn’t come here often, but I knew the way. I walked to the heavy double doors of the executive suite and pushed them open quietly. The office had beautiful lighting. At high noon, the sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling glass, bathing the room in warmth. In the glow of the light, I saw them. A man and a woman sitting at the desk. Between them were two cute, matching bento boxes. They were sitting incredibly close, eating and chatting. The girl said something, a bright smile on her face. The man looked up, listening intently. Maybe it was the sunlight, but the man looked exceptionally gentle. A kind of gentleness I had never seen from him before. Terrified that I was misreading the scene, I pulled out my phone and hit the camera app. Click! I “tsked” softly. Dammit, I forgot to silence the shutter. I ruined the moment. The two of them looked up, completely startled. For a few seconds, they just stared at me, frozen. Seeing that look on Preston’s face actually gave me a bit of pleasure. I couldn’t help it. I let out a short laugh. Preston’s brows furrowed. He looked at me with a face that screamed “annoyed.” Ah, Preston. You really know how to hurt a girl. Sunny Vance turned pale and jumped to her feet. She moved too fast, knocking over the container of soup. “Ah!” The hot liquid splashed onto her legs. She cried out in pain. Preston reacted instantly. He stood up and pulled her back away from the spill, his hands steady on her shoulders. I turned and walked away. I didn’t want to see the rest. I’m a woman of dignity. I wasn’t going to do something “untidy” like the version of me in the book. Ethan was standing behind me, looking like he wanted to crawl into a hole. I shoved the lunch bag into his arms. “You eat it.” Ethan looked terrified. I didn’t leave the building. Instead, I walked over to the secretarial pool. As soon as I walked in, several secretaries stood up. They all knew who I was. “Which one of you is Sloane?” I asked. A woman with a sharp, glamorous look stood up, looking nervous. “That’s me, Mrs. Sterling. Is there something you need?” I pulled a business card from my bag and handed it to her. “I’m very interested in the ‘files’ you have. Call me.” Sloane looked stunned. By the time I walked out of the secretarial bay, Preston was already standing there. I smoothed my expression and walked past him as if he were a ghost. He wasn’t going to let me go that easily. He grabbed my wrist. “What are you doing here?” he asked. “Let go,” I said. Maybe my tone was too cold—I’d never spoken to him like that before. Preston’s grip tightened. “Ara, don’t start.” I took a long, slow breath. “Preston, let go. I don’t want to talk to you right now. Don’t be a jerk.” Preston’s face darkened. His eyes were smoldering with frustration. I didn’t back down. I looked him dead in the eye. Araminta Montgomery was never a “sweet” girl. I only acted that way because I loved him. Now, I realized there was no point. I wrenched my hand free and walked out of the building without looking back. 3 I didn’t go home. I checked into a high-end hotel. Sloane didn’t disappoint me. She contacted me within ninety minutes. In the original book, Sloane was a minor character—a bit of a “mean girl” who was very confident in her looks. That confidence made her arrogant. When Sunny Vance caught Preston’s eye, Sloane was consumed by jealousy. A woman’s intuition is a terrifying thing. Sloane was the first to realize there was something going on between Preston and the new girl. Driven by spite, she had documented every intimate, ambiguous moment between them. In the book, those photos eventually landed in Araminta’s hands and acted as the catalyst for her “villainous” breakdown. I wasn’t interested in the breakdown. But I loved the evidence. I paid Sloane a generous “consulting fee” for everything she had. She was thorough. She didn’t just have photos; she had videos. I spent nearly two hours staring at those files until my eyes burned and my stomach growled. I rubbed my temples. I didn’t have an appetite, but thinking about the “little seed” in my belly, I ordered room service. Starving a baby felt like a form of domestic abuse. Just as I hung up with the kitchen, my phone rang. Preston. 7:27 PM. The exact time he usually walked through the front door. I didn’t answer. I declined the call. He didn’t call back. That was so Preston. After hanging up on him, I called my lawyer, Mr. Harrison. “Ms. Montgomery? How can I help you?” “I need you to draft a divorce settlement. I want it on my desk tomorrow morning.” The line went silent. It felt like an eternity before he found his voice. “I… I’m sorry? Who is getting divorced?” I almost laughed. Did he think I was filing for someone else? “Me. Preston and me.” This time, Harrison reacted quickly. “Understood. How are we handling the assets?” “I keep what’s mine. He keeps what’s his. I don’t want anything from our joint holdings.” Preston and I both had our own family wealth, but our joint investments were massive. Dividing them properly would take months. “So… you’re walking away with nothing from the marriage?” … I didn’t like the phrase “walking away with nothing.” “Fine. He keeps nothing from the joint assets. I take them all.” Preston could afford it. He had that much pride, at least. “Got it. I’ll have the draft to you in an hour.” Harrison was efficient. He sent the draft in thirty minutes. I was impressed. I hadn’t even finished my dinner yet. I decided I’d give him a massive bonus at the end of the year. After dinner, I went down to the business center to print the settlement and the photos. As I opened the door to head back to the elevators, a shadow fell over me. I jumped, looking up. Preston. His brows were knit tight, his face grim. I let out a breath and glared at him. “You trying to give me a heart attack?” I wasn’t surprised he found me. Preston was a man of immense responsibility. As long as I was “his responsibility,” he wouldn’t just leave me unaccounted for. “Why didn’t you come home?” he asked, his voice low. “Since you’re here, fine,” I said. “Go inside. We need to talk.” I made a move to leave. “Where are you going?” “To print some things.” “I’ll go with you.” I pushed him back. “No. Wait here.” Preston frowned, but he let me go. In the elevator, I let out a shaky breath. I looked at my trembling hands and hissed, “Get it together.” When I got back to the room, Preston was sitting stiffly on the sofa. He was always like this—perfectly poised, like a machine without emotions. But after looking at those photos this afternoon, I knew better. I looked at him and looked away. The divorce papers were in duplicate. I signed my name and slid them across the coffee table toward him. Preston looked at the documents, and his entire body flinched. He looked up at me, his eyes wide with disbelief. “Divorce? You want to divorce me?” I nodded. “Yes.” Preston’s gaze was heavy. I met it calmly. He slammed the papers back onto the table. “Why?” I pulled out the printed photos and tossed them in front of him. The top photo showed him and Sunny standing on the rooftop, looking out at the city. The angle was perfect—it caught them looking into each other’s eyes, sharing a private smile. Preston flipped through the photos, one by one. His expression remained calm, his hand steady. I let out a dry laugh. Compared to my internal turmoil, his composure was insulting. “You’re stalking me?” He looked up, his eyes showing a flash of cold irritation. I laughed in his face. “So, your first reaction is to blame me? Classic Preston. You really have a talent for avoiding the point.” “But let me clarify: I didn’t stalk you. Someone else took these and I bought them. Does that work for you? Do you want to sue me for privacy violations? If so, go ahead. I’m ready.” Preston’s brow deepened. “That’s not what I meant. Sunny and I have a strictly professional relationship. Nothing has happened. If you’re throwing a tantrum because of her, it’s unnecessary.” “Ha!” I let out a sharp, cold bark of a laugh. “I know, I know. Nothing ‘happened.’ No hand-holding, no hugging, no kissing, no sleeping together.” “But so what? Do you think I’m so pathetic that I have to wait until I’m caught in a public humiliation before I fight back?” “I’m sorry, but my standards are a little higher than that.” Preston’s eyes turned icy. He stood up and stepped into my space. “Araminta, what are you doing? I told you there is nothing between us. What more do you want?” I stepped back, my jaw set. “Are you deaf? I want a divorce. I can’t live with a man who is a ‘work in progress’ toward cheating.” Preston looked frustrated. He growled, “Araminta, stop this. Pack your things and come home. I’ll pretend this never happened.” My temper flared. “Pretend it never happened? Why should I be the one pretending? You’re the one being shameless, and you’re trying to gaslight me? Divorce. Divorce. I want a divorce. Right now.” “Shut up!” Preston raised his voice. It startled me. His eyes were burning with rage. “Araminta, don’t say those words again. You’re not a child. You need to be responsible for what you say.” That word triggered something in me. Responsible? How dare he use that word with me? Without thinking, I grabbed my purse and swung it at him. I lunged forward, grabbed one of the photos, and slapped it against his chest. It was the photo of him eating the bagel Sunny bought for him, holding a cup of juice. The date on the photo was the day before yesterday. “I wake up an hour early every morning to grind your coffee and make your sandwiches. I haven’t slept in for years because I wanted to make sure you were taken care of. I feed you the best food, and then some girl tosses you a scrap and you act like it’s a five-course meal. You ungrateful jerk.” My chest heaved. I was shaking with fury. “You want to talk about responsibility, Preston? You aren’t even worthy of the word.” 4 That was probably the first time Preston had ever been spoken to like that. He looked like he wanted to throttle me. I didn’t care. I felt a wave of relief. Preston stared at me for a long time. Through gritted teeth, he asked, “You’re sure about the divorce?” I shoved the papers and a pen at his face. My resolve was the only answer he needed. Preston’s expression shifted through a dozen emotions before he finally signed. He pressed so hard the pen nearly tore through the paper. He didn’t even look at the terms. I raised an eyebrow. I suddenly felt like I’d lost out—if I’d known he wouldn’t read it, I should have demanded more cash. Preston stood up, radiating fury, and stormed out of the room. “Bring your ID and the marriage license!” I yelled at his back. “I’ll see you at the courthouse tomorrow morning!” He paused for a split second, then kept walking. “So rude,” I muttered. The next morning, I woke up as soon as the sun hit the window. 6:00 AM. The time made me angry. Years of routine had wired my biological clock. No alarm, no wake-up call—I just woke up. It was another reminder that I’d wasted my best years on a dog. Preston Sterling, you dog! I pulled the covers over my head, trying to go back to sleep, but it was useless. I spent an hour tossing and turning before finally dragging myself out of bed. After a quick breakfast and packing my bags, I headed to the courthouse. I waited for Preston. I waited for two hours. My patience evaporated. He never showed. I was fuming. Preston Sterling, you absolute dog!! I drove straight to his office. Ethan looked like a nervous wreck when he saw me. “Mrs. Sterling, the CEO is in a meeting. Would you like to wait in his office?” I didn’t argue. I marched straight in. I hadn’t been sitting for five minutes before there was a knock, and Sunny Vance tiptoed in. She was exactly the “sweetheart” type. Her features weren’t breathtaking, but everything about her was soft and pleasing to the eye. The ultimate “damsel” aesthetic. I could see why a man would want to protect her. “Ma’am, here is your coffee.” Ma’am? I tilted my head. “You don’t know who I am?” Sunny opened her big, watery eyes. “You’re Mr. Sterling’s wife.” I smiled. “Oh, so you do know. That’s interesting. Everyone in this building calls me Mrs. Sterling, but you call me ‘ma’am.’ Why is that? Do you have a problem acknowledging my status as his wife?” Sunny panicked and started waving her hands, forgetting she was holding a cup of hot coffee. Splash. The scalding liquid poured over her hand. She shrieked in pain, her face turning white. I stood up slowly and grabbed Preston’s blazer, which was draped over his chair, and wiped my hands with it. “Soup yesterday, coffee today. Is your life themed around liquids?” “With how clumsy you are, you would have been fired ten times over at my company. Preston must really love you to keep you around. How romantic.” Sunny looked like I’d slapped her. She glared at me with “brave” eyes. “Ms. Montgomery, Mr. Sterling and I have a strictly professional relationship. I admit I was clumsy today, but there is nothing inappropriate between us. Please don’t slander me.” I tossed Preston’s blazer onto the floor like a piece of trash. “Professional? Let me tell you what professional looks like. Every other secretary in this building keeps at least an arm’s length from Preston. They don’t bring him breakfast. They don’t make him lunch. They don’t sit shoulder-to-shoulder with him to eat.” “And look at you. Every woman in this department wears a professional suit, heels, and a full face of makeup. You’re in a hoodie and sneakers with a bare face. What, is there a special dress code just for you? Or are you just special?” Sunny’s face went through several shades of red and white. She opened her mouth to argue, but I looked past her. “Did you catch all that, Preston?” Sunny spun around. The moment she saw Preston, she immediately put on a look of “strong but wounded.” “Mr. Sterling…” Preston looked furious as he walked toward her. Sunny looked at him with pleading eyes. But he didn’t even look at her. He walked straight to me. He grabbed my hand. “What happened?” Only then did I feel the stinging pain. I looked down and saw a red splotch on the back of my hand where the coffee had splashed. Seeing him act so concerned made me feel exhausted. I pulled my hand away. “None of your business.” Preston’s face darkened. “What the hell happened here?” Sunny bit her lip, tears brimming in her eyes. “Mr. Sterling, it was my fault. I accidentally spilled the coffee.” Preston finally looked at Sunny’s trembling, red hand. He frowned. “Fine. Go get that taken care of.” “Ethan, go buy some burn cream.” “Yes, sir. Right away.” Sunny gave Preston one last look before turning and hurrying out of the room. I let out a soft snort. “Bravo. A regular Romeo and Juliet scene. Am I the evil villain keeping you apart?” Preston glared at me. “Araminta, making a scene at the hotel wasn’t enough? You have to bring it to the office too?” Despite my preparation, his words still felt like a knife. I looked at him blankly. “What, are you heartbroken because I bullied your little girlfriend? Too bad. I’m still Mrs. Sterling, which means I have every right to put a ‘pick-me’ girl in her place.” “If you’re so worried about her, you shouldn’t have stood me up. I waited at the courthouse for two hours. Where were you? No show, no call. Do you think only your time is valuable? Everyone’s time is money, Preston. Be a man for once.” Preston’s face grew darker. “The courthouse? Why were you at the courthouse?” I stared at him in disbelief. “Why? To go sightseeing? No! For the divorce!” “Did you think we signed those papers yesterday for fun?” That finally seemed to get through to him. I felt dizzy, my vision blurring as my knees began to buckle. “Ara.” Preston caught me. I slumped into his arms, shaking my head. The vertigo passed as quickly as it came. But the scent of his cologne—the scent I used to love—made me want to vomit. I pushed him away and gagged. “Ara.” He tried to step forward, but I barked, “Stay back! Don’t touch me. You make me sick.” Preston froze. After a long silence, he growled, “Are you done? What is this really about?” I felt a surge of overwhelming emotion—probably the pregnancy. I looked at him with burning eyes. “Divorce. I want a divorce. Now. Immediately.” Preston had been looking at me with fire in his eyes, but when I turned to face him, he froze. He stared at me, then slowly stepped closer and reached out. He touched my face. I jerked away. He looked lost. “You’re crying.” I froze. I hadn’t realized I was crying. How embarrassing. He said, “Araminta, we need to talk.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “416064”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

In my past life, my stepsister and I were getting married at the same time. My father gave us a choice between two arranged marriages: the son of a billionaire tycoon, or a coarse, newly wealthy thug. She decisively chose the billionaire’s son, leaving me to marry the thug. But as it turned out, after she married into the billionaire family, her husband worked constantly and never came home, merely giving her a $50 million monthly allowance. Claiming she couldn’t endure the “cold violence” and emotional neglect, she rebelled against the family and demanded a divorce. Meanwhile, my thug husband came home on time every single day, and we were practically inseparable. So, when we were both reborn, she jumped the gun, chose the thug first, and forced me to marry the billionaire’s son. I was stunned. My husband never comes home, AND I get $50 million a month in fun money? How is that not the absolute dream? Why on earth would anyone choose an uneducated, suffocatingly controlling brute? 1 “Brad Miller!” Chloe’s voice rang out, trembling with excitement. “Mom, Dad, I’ve made my choice. It’s Brad Miller! “What’s the point of having so much money? When looking for a man, you need someone who loves you, cherishes you, and prioritizes his family!” After declaring this, she didn’t forget to shoot me a mocking, triumphant glare over her shoulder. It was that single look. That look told me she had been reborn, too. In our previous life, after she married the billionaire, she used to look at Brad and me—always joined at the hip—and make those exact same passive-aggressive comments. I pursed my lips, fighting with everything I had to suppress the massive grin threatening to break across my face. For a woman, marriage brings three great joys: A husband who never comes home, an unlimited bank account, and zero in-laws to serve. With a setup this perfect, I could wake up laughing in my sleep. My stepmother frowned in confusion. “Chloe, you misspoke, right? You meant Ethan Vance, not Brad Miller!” Chloe shook her head frantically. “No, I meant it. I want the self-made man, Brad Miller. “He might not be as wealthy as Ethan Vance, but he’s gentle and considerate! He has high emotional intelligence, and he’s strong and healthy. “I want him, Mom. I want him!” My stepmother quickly tried to intervene. “Silly girl, what nonsense are you sprouting? Brad Miller has no education, and his temper is notoriously volatile. You’ll suffer if you go with him.” Chloe clung to her mother’s arm, whining sweetly. “Mom, he’ll be incredibly gentle and loving after we get married, trust me. I wouldn’t gamble with the rest of my life!” My stepmother hesitated, clearly disapproving, but seeing Chloe so resolute, she finally caved. “Alright, alright. You’re my only precious daughter. If it makes you happy, we’ll do it your way.” Chloe happily kissed her mother’s cheek. Then, she looked at me with insufferable smugness. “Sister, congratulations on marrying the billionaire. You’ll have endless wealth and glory to enjoy for the rest of your life.” For the first time ever, I felt her words were music to my ears. I flashed a bright, toothy smile, as radiant as the sun. “Sister, if you’re going to speak such sweet words, you should speak them more often.” Chloe sneered, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Laugh while you can. Once you marry him, you’ll understand what it truly means to be a living widow. “So what if he has money? What’s the point of marriage if not to be with a man who dotes on you? “When the time comes and you can’t take it anymore, don’t even think about divorce. You’ll just waste your youth away in that empty mansion.” I tried my best to dial back my smile, but anticipating my glorious future, I still let out a genuine, happy laugh. Forget giving me $50 million a month to do absolutely nothing. For that kind of money, I’d gladly help him take care of his mistresses’ postpartum recovery! I’d have money, absolute freedom, and no one breathing down my neck to start a family. How is this life any different from being a literal god? 2 Just as Chloe wished, the matter was settled exactly like that. No one bothered to ask for my opinion, not even my biological father. But I was already completely numb to it. Ever since my father cheated on my mother with my stepmother while they were still married, leading to my mother’s passing, I knew he was morally bankrupt and utterly blind. … The very next day, Brad Miller arrived with expensive gifts to formally propose. He had decent enough features, but there was a feral, aggressive glint in his eyes that screamed he wasn’t someone to be messed with. Because he lacked formal education, he spoke bluntly and crudely. Especially during lunch; he smacked his lips, drank soup straight from the serving spoon, and sprayed food everywhere when he talked. The way he looked at Chloe was filled with undisguised lust. After a few drinks, he even took the liberty of wrapping his arm around her waist and giving it a few strokes. Instantly, a suspicious blush spread across Chloe’s face, her eyes practically sparkling with affection. She was turned on. My parents’ faces darkened. Their disgust was practically spilling out of their eyes. They simply couldn’t understand why their perfectly raised daughter was so eager to throw her life away. I kept my head down, sipping my soup, hiding a mocking smirk. The reason was incredibly simple. In her past life, she had married the billionaire and suffered three years as a “living widow.” The billionaire was an absolute workaholic. He worked non-stop, flying all over the world, day in and day out. Aside from the $50 million monthly allowance, there was zero companionship. You could count the number of times they ate dinner together on one hand. Let alone any kind of marital intimacy. Brad Miller, on the other hand, might be crude, but he was built like a tank. Thick chest hair peeked out from his unbuttoned shirt. One look and you knew he had physical stamina to spare. How could she not love that! Brad had too much to drink, and Chloe personally helped him up to her bedroom. It was quite a while before she came back down. Her clothes were slightly rumpled, and there was a fresh hickey on her neck. She really couldn’t wait, could she? My stepmother’s face was grim. “Chloe, Brad Miller is no good. He really isn’t!” Chloe, looking thoroughly satisfied, replied, “Mom, you don’t understand. He’s very good. He’s really good!” My father frowned, echoing the disapproval. “He’s just an uneducated brute. Ethan Vance is infinitely better. I’ve met him; his refinement, his manners, the way he handles himself—” Before he could finish, Chloe cut him off. “Dad, you don’t know what you’re talking about! Brad is perfect!” She shot me a hostile glare. “Sister, don’t tell me you’re plotting to steal him? Let me tell you, don’t even think about it!” The smile on my lips was harder to suppress than the recoil of an AK-47. “Don’t worry! I absolutely will not fight you for Brad Miller. He is all yours!” To prevent her from getting suspicious, I raised my hand and swore an oath. “The man I love is Ethan Vance. I fell in love with him at first sight. In this life, it’s him or no one!” Chloe looked suspicious. “Really? He’s a total workaholic. All he does is work, work, work. You’d be lucky to see him once a month!” I spouted nonsense effortlessly: “Of course! “He’s a man! He should prioritize his career. Plus, he has so many employees relying on him, he has to work hard for them! “If he doesn’t have time, I have time! When the time comes, I’ll just go get a job at his company. Then we can be together day and night.” 3 “You like me that much?” A cool, detached male voice, tinged with a hint of surprise, suddenly rang out. I turned my head toward the sound. Ethan Vance stood in the doorway, dressed in a sharp, high-end black suit, flanked by four bodyguards carrying piles of lavish gifts. With the sun at his back, he looked as if he were glowing. He was devastatingly handsome. I knew he was handsome in my past life, but I didn’t realize he was this handsome. I swallowed hard, glanced at Chloe who was glaring at me like a hawk, and had no choice but to nod. “Yes, very much.” The corners of Ethan’s lips lifted slightly, and his gaze softened. “Good. I understand.” I gave an awkward but polite smile. How did I forget that he also came on this exact day in our past life? He came straight from the airport to propose. Back then, he was as cold as a block of ice. Facing Chloe, his expression didn’t change at all; he looked at her like a stranger. But then again, my sister hadn’t been very nice with her words back then. She complained that he arrived too late, that he wasn’t happy enough, and that he didn’t respect her. She even nitpicked the gifts, saying he didn’t pick them out himself and that it was too half-hearted. A woman who acts that entitled is naturally going to be thoroughly unlikable to a real, powerful CEO. “Mr. Vance! It must have been a tiring journey, please, come sit!” My father’s smile was incredibly sycophantic. “You mentioned before that you wouldn’t arrive until the evening, which is why I didn’t personally go to pick you up. I’m truly sorry.” My stepmother also personally brewed tea and brought it over, her posture submissive and ingratiating. Ethan leaned back against the sofa, looking relaxed and confident. It was as if this was his home turf, his presence commanding the room. “Yes, I resolved the business matters early, so I took the private jet back.” He turned his head to look at me. “You can plan the wedding however you like. Money is no object. “I’ll set aside a day at the end of the month to finalize everything. “How does that sound?” Although phrased as a question, his commanding aura made it impossible to refuse. In my past life, Chloe had taken full control of the planning. She threw a billion-dollar “wedding of the century” that shocked the entire city, inviting every major power player and aristocrat in our circle. It caused my father’s company stock to surge. This time? In your dreams! “Since you’re so busy, there’s really no need for a massive wedding. We can just go get our marriage license and be done with it.” Hearing this, a flash of astonishment crossed Ethan’s usually cool, composed eyes. My father immediately interjected, refusing flat out: “No, absolutely not! The wedding must be a grand affair!” I pretended to be perfectly innocent and naive. “But Ethan’s work is so demanding. A wedding is just a formality anyway. “It’s a waste of time and an extravagant waste of money. It’s really unnecessary. “I’d much prefer to just simply get our marriage certificate and have a quiet dinner together in the evening. That’s more than enough for me.” 4 “Alright, we’ll do it your way.” Ethan looked at me with a newfound gentleness, his tone full of approval. “When the time comes, I’ll clear a whole day to spend with you.” I put on a shy expression, a convenient blush rising to my cheeks. His lips curved upwards; he was clearly in a good mood. “I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I bought you a variety of designer bags. Do you have a preferred style?” It seemed my performance just now had thoroughly pleased him, prompting him to actively ask about my preferences. I answered happily: “I’m just thrilled to receive any gift from you! I’m not picky at all! Thank you.” He looked at me with even greater satisfaction. Who could reject a girl who isn’t greedy and is easy to please? He sat for another five minutes before standing up to leave. “The billionaire is truly generous. Everything is a limited edition,” my stepmother sighed with regret as she unwrapped the gifts. Such a phenomenal man should have belonged to her daughter. The endless wealth and luxury would have been guaranteed. Chloe snorted coldly, her face full of disdain. “What’s the use of having money if you only see him a few times a year? It’s just being a living widow. “Brad has money and no demanding job. He can stay by my side every single day. That’s better than anything.” Hearing this, my stepmother nodded in agreement, finding logic in her words. Even if she disagreed, it was too late to back out now. After all, they had all seen how satisfied Ethan was with me. My father then turned his anger toward me. “You unlucky jinx! Who told you to say you didn’t want a wedding? “Call him right now. Tell him you changed your mind, that the wedding must be a massive event. I need everyone to know I am the father-in-law of a billionaire! “Do you have any idea how many contracts I could sign, how much money I could make?!” From the corner of my eye, I glanced at my stepmother and Chloe, who were busy dividing up the gifts. With a half-smile, I said, “Sure. I’ll tell him later that we need a grand wedding so everyone knows how well I’m doing and that I married a billionaire.” Chloe was an incredibly vain person; she always needed to be one step above me in everything. Hearing this, she immediately threw a fit. “Dad, you really shouldn’t let her have a wedding. If she does, no one will pay attention to mine!” My stepmother chimed in to agree: “Yes, exactly. And the fact that you’re the billionaire’s father-in-law will be public knowledge sooner or later. There’s no need to rush it right this second.” My father, blinded by his doting on them, hesitated for a moment before agreeing. Chloe shot me a smug, triumphant smile. The corners of my mouth lifted in a mocking sneer. Brad Miller might be easy to manipulate, but his family is full of absolute monsters. Once she marries into that house, she’s in for a world of pain. 5 Just like in our past life, Chloe’s wedding was a lavish, over-the-top affair. But the scale still paled in comparison to the wedding she had with Ethan. The gap between a true billionaire and a newly rich thug was significant. Brad simply didn’t have the deep pockets required for a billion-dollar aristocratic wedding. Consequently, Chloe had to fork over thirty million of her own money just to barely meet her expectations. Only then did the wedding look luxurious enough. However, Brad’s mother and sister looked furious, feeling that she was incredibly wasteful and arrogant. Those women were the type to find fault even when you were perfectly polite. Now that she had actually given them a reason, they were definitely not going to let it go. And Brad, while a total mama’s boy, was also completely hands-off. He didn’t care about anything. Chloe was completely oblivious to all this, smugly showing off to me. “A woman needs a romantic, beautiful wedding, right? Otherwise, isn’t her life a complete waste? “So what if you found a rich man? Just holding onto his money while living like a widow? “Tsk, tsk, tsk. Sister, I truly pity you!” I immediately began to spout absolute nonsense with a straight face. “Tell me about it. Sister, I am so jealous of you. You and your husband will be joined at the hip.” She proudly lifted her chin, arrogant and domineering. “Glad you know it. This time, you will be crushed beneath my feet!” I smirked mockingly, watching as she eagerly rushed to the stage to exchange rings. Before the officiant even had the chance to announce the kiss… Brad already had his arms around Chloe, kissing her passionately, their lips locked tight. If the officiant hadn’t reacted quickly, Brad’s hand would have been straight down her wedding dress. And she had her arms wrapped around his neck, kissing him back with equal fervor! The guests below watched in stunned silence. My father and stepmother’s faces flushed beet red with embarrassment. The persona they had carefully crafted for Chloe was that of a pure, innocent, refined heiress. Hah. To pretend to be pure, one must actually be pure. … Right after the wedding ended, I received a call from Ethan. “What kind of wedding do you want?” His voice was cool, laced with a hint of exhaustion. I asked in confusion, “What do you mean? Didn’t we agree not to have a wedding?” Fearing he might regret it, I quickly added: “Your work is so demanding. A wedding is really unnecessary. It’s exhausting and pointless.” I spoke with absolute, unwavering certainty. A wedding feels like being a performing monkey in a circus. Having experienced it once in my past life, I absolutely refused to do it again. Besides, a wedding would only serve to make my father’s company insanely rich. That was absolutely out of the question. “Are you sure you don’t want a wedding?” Ethan asked again. I blurted out: “Yes, I don’t want one! Where did you hear that I did?” “My secretary attended your sister’s wedding. She said she heard you say you were jealous of her.” Me: “…” 6 Ethan’s voice carried a hint of apology. “I’ve made you suffer a grievance regarding this. How would you like me to make it up to you?” I froze for a second, then a massive, toothy grin spread across my face. How much money does a billionaire’s “make-up” gift equal? This torrential downpour of wealth was finally hitting me! I licked my lips. My standard monthly allowance was $50 million. Asking for a small target of $100 million shouldn’t be too much, right? But outwardly, I spoke with fake humility: “It’s fine. You work so hard just for our family. I already feel bad enough that I can’t help you. “As long as you eat your meals on time, and message me when you’re free, I’ll be completely satisfied.” If he doesn’t eat on time and his health deteriorates, how many months of that $50 million allowance would I lose? Just texting me occasionally to let me know he’s not dead is enough. I was waiting for him to politely decline, anticipating a few rounds of back-and-forth before stating my actual request. Instead, he spoke slowly. “Since you want to keep me company so badly, why don’t you come to work with me from now on?” Me: “…” He looked down at me: “Tomorrow is the end of the month. I’ll pick you up in the morning, we’ll go to City Hall to get our marriage license first. “Then I’ll take you to the company, and we can work together.” I’m getting $50 million a month, why the hell would I go to work?! If I save up for three or four years, I’ll have enough cash to just buy out my father’s company outright. Wouldn’t that be infinitely easier? I tactfully declined: “I’m really clumsy. I’m afraid I’ll interfere with your work.” He replied with confident authority: “Don’t underestimate me, and don’t underestimate yourself!” Hearing this, an inexplicable emotion welled up in my chest. When my mother was still alive, she told me that a person’s life has infinite possibilities. She taught me to read, to study, and to distinguish right from wrong. But later, when my father cheated on her, everyone blamed my mother, saying she was too domineering and too smart, not a proper submissive wife. My mother fell into a deep depression and eventually left this world. Before she died, she told me that this world is unfair to girls, and that living a plain, ordinary life was the best way to protect myself. I listened to my mother’s advice. I stopped striving for first place. When interacting with friends, I started playing dumb, and I did indeed feel their goodwill. 7 Ethan was very punctual. He appeared at my door exactly at 9:00 AM. Gold-rimmed glasses, a black suit, holding a bouquet of vibrant red roses, with a Maybach waiting behind him. His voice was deep and gentle: “Evelyn, good morning.” In that moment, he looked exactly like the male lead straight out of a romance novel. I swallowed hard and said demurely, “Good morning.” He had thoughtfully prepared bread and coffee for me. He was driving this time. His driving was very steady, but he simultaneously took three international calls, four company calls, and three calls from board members. He didn’t pause his work until we stepped into City Hall to take our photos. The life of a CEO is just that busy and unglamorous. Handsome people always look good in ID photos, which unfortunately made me look a bit subpar in comparison. “Do you want to take a photo to post on Instagram?” Ethan asked, noticing me staring at our marriage certificate. I was just about to say no need. When I saw him pull out his phone, take a quick picture, and post it to his own Instagram. The efficiency of a CEO is truly something else. So, I was obligated to post one too. For the sake of my $50 million allowance, I carefully crafted a caption. First time showing off my love, still getting the hang of it. He looked at me with deep satisfaction. Finally, he brought up the topic of my living expenses. “From now on, I’ll give you a $50 million monthly allowance. Buy whatever you want.” I suppressed my intense excitement, eagerly waiting for his next sentence. He looked at me and cleared his throat softly: “My promise to take you to work with me still stands. “We’re heading to the company now to get your onboarding sorted.” If offending my golden goose means losing my $50 million, what choice do I have? I smiled and nodded: “Sounds great!” … Although I already knew Ethan was incredibly wealthy and powerful. But when I saw his corporate campus, I was still mildly shocked. His office occupied an entire floor, complete with a garden, a swimming pool, and a helipad. I casually complimented: “These flowers are beautiful!” Ethan nodded: “I have a villa in the western suburbs with a massive greenhouse perfect for growing flowers. I’ll transfer the deed to you.” Instantly, my eyes lit up. Sure enough, hanging out with a billionaire means you get even more! So, while shadowing his executive assistant, I was as pumped as if I’d been injected with chicken blood. However, there wasn’t much actual hands-on work. It mostly involved typing up documents, pouring coffee, and attending banquets with him. The previous assistant was male, and the entire executive assistant team that interacted with Ethan was entirely male. This was truly a bizarre corporate culture. In my past life, Chloe had stormed into his office several times, convinced he was having an affair with a female employee. When she couldn’t find any evidence, she started claiming he was gay. She spoke with such conviction back then that even I had my doubts. But watching him work, with that intense focus and the literal sparkle in his eyes… He truly, genuinely just loved working! 8 On our wedding night, Ethan worked overtime until past 1:00 AM. Meanwhile, I was in the adjacent room, eating crawfish, chugging soda, and watching movies, happy as a clam. When he finished his work, he looked apologetic: “Sorry, I got caught up in work and forgot I promised to spend the whole day with you.” I smiled brightly, shoving a crawfish into my mouth. “It’s fine, I’m having a great time eating. Are you done? Do you want to join me for a bit?” It was only after I spoke that I realized there were only a few crawfish left. The table was covered in a mountain of shells. Feeling a bit awkward, I reached out to clear the mess, but he rolled up his white dress shirt sleeves and put on plastic gloves over his long, elegant fingers. He began to slowly and methodically peel the crawfish. And placed the meat into my bowl. I was shocked and quickly said: “No, no, it’s fine, I can do it myself!” He chuckled softly: “I’m quite good at peeling them. “When I was a kid, I always peeled crawfish for my mom. If I was too slow, she’d scold me. “I need to practice, otherwise I won’t be able to keep up with how fast you and my mom eat, and I’ll get scolded again.” In that moment, he didn’t seem like a domineering CEO at all, but rather like the sweet boy next door. After he finished peeling the crawfish, he even cleaned up the garbage and took the trash bag downstairs to throw away. Didn’t Chloe say in my past life that he was incredibly aloof and hard to get along with? That he’d only come home once every few weeks and wouldn’t speak a single word during dinner? But I felt he was incredibly approachable and easy to get along with! Especially when it came time to sleep at night; I felt a bit awkward and shy. He very naturally wrapped his arm around my waist. Incredibly gentle. … The more time we spent together, the more I realized Ethan was an absolute treasure. He didn’t smoke, he didn’t drink, he was rigorous at work, and he treated his subordinates with respect and consideration. More importantly, once he found out I had a Master’s degree in Finance, he started assigning me to project teams. Originally, I just wanted to be a benchwarmer and kill time. But he would dedicate half an hour every day to explain things to me, and he arranged for me to attend various top-tier economic salons. Before I could even fully digest all the information, he had me participating in executive board meetings. I felt incredibly unqualified and tried to decline: “I’m just a secretary, and I’ve only been here half a month. It’s not appropriate!” He handed me a thick file, with all the key points highlighted. “Stop hiding your potential. Show them what you’re truly capable of.” I pretended to be clueless: “Huh? What capability?” Ethan chuckled: “I also graduated from A University with a degree in Finance. Do you think I don’t know the caliber of their graduate students? “Your major course grades were top ten in your class, but your overall GPA always hovered around thirtieth. Your grade manipulation was too obvious. “It took my previous executive assistant three years to learn my working habits. You analyzed and perfected a system for them in one week.” I looked at him in stunned silence. I thought I had hidden it so well, but he had seen right through me from the very beginning. “Don’t bury your talent. You have infinite possibilities.” After saying that, as he brushed past me, he patted my shoulder. “I’ll be waiting for you in the conference room.” 9 In my past life, I listened to my mother’s advice and lived a plain, peaceful life. But I wasn’t happy. So I pushed open the conference room doors, met the intense gazes of everyone inside. I stood at the podium and spoke with confidence and eloquence. Life rarely gives us do-overs, but heaven gave me this chance. I won’t waste it again! When the meeting ended, Ethan was the first to applaud. From the approval and admiration in his eyes, I knew I had done well. From then on, I was no longer responsible for serving tea, pouring water, or printing documents. I began managing projects and became a team lead. Just as I was busy working at full throttle, I received a call from my stepmother demanding I come home for dinner. This was a first in both my lifetimes. As soon as I walked through the door, I heard Chloe’s angry, venomous cursing. “That old hag is completely insane! She wakes me up at 4:30 every morning to cook for the whole family! “And her sister is a little bitch too! Always spending my husband’s money and instigating fights between me and that old hag. “Brad is usually fine, but whenever something happens, he’s never around!” Her summary was incredibly accurate. To bring them to heel in my past life, I had to expend a massive amount of effort. For example, when making breakfast in the morning, I would wake the entire household up. Not even the dog got to sleep. When the sister spent money to stir up trouble, I would play the weak, pitiful victim, perfectly executing the “innocent white flower” routine, manipulating the situation flawlessly. Within a week, the entire Miller household was completely subdued and quiet. But Chloe was spoiled and used to having everything go her way. The moment things got slightly difficult, she threw a tantrum. At most, in two months, Brad’s patience will run out. When that time comes, her “true love” will be gone, leaving behind nothing but trivial, endless domestic warfare. And Brad is not nearly as agreeable as Ethan. If she tries to bring up divorce, she’ll lose a layer of skin trying to escape. “They are so shameless! I’m going over there right now to let them know the Davis family is not to be messed with!” My stepmother’s face was red with anger. The moment she saw me, she immediately directed her fury at me. “You ungrateful wretch! I raised you for nothing! You get married and don’t even come home! “Your sister is being bullied like this, and you act like nothing is wrong. What’s the use of you marrying a billionaire? You’re completely useless.” Her words were incredibly harsh. My father sat on the sofa, not even lifting an eyelid. Chloe looked at me with pure mockery. This was the standard routine in this house. However, I was no longer the person I used to be. I smirked, “Stepmother, you misspoke, didn’t you? The useless one is your daughter. “She chose her husband herself. She can’t handle her mother-in-law, she can’t control her sister-in-law. It’s all her own incompetence, which means you failed to raise her right. “Instead of blaming her and reflecting on yourself, what does any of this have to do with me?” 10 The living room fell dead silent for a few seconds. Then, my father’s furious roar erupted. “Evelyn Davis, who taught you to speak like that?! Apologize to your mother and sister right now!” I smiled slightly, a mix of mockery and contempt. “Why should I apologize? What did I say wrong? “If anyone needs to apologize, it’s you! I am your biological daughter, and you just sat there, watching her bully and insult me without saying a single word! “Tsk, tsk, tsk. Being a father like this, you really are pathetic.” My father’s face instantly turned stark white with rage, the veins on his forehead bulging. “You animal! You dare speak to your father like that?!” Saying that, he raised his hand and swung a harsh slap toward me. I immediately grabbed Chloe, who was standing nearby enjoying the show, and yanked her right in front of me. I used her to block the slap! My father’s strike was so forceful it sent her stumbling, her head smashing hard against the glass coffee table. “Ahhhhh—” Chloe’s agonizing scream echoed through the entire mansion. “You animal! Who told you to dodge?! I am going to beat you to death today!” My father, his eyes bloodshot, charged forward like a madman, intent on killing me. My stepmother also blocked my path of escape, glaring at me with sheer hatred. They were like vicious wolves and tigers. Just as I braced myself to take the beating, prepared to go to the hospital for an injury report and then call the police… The main doors were pushed open, and Ethan descended like a god. His furious voice boomed. “If there is even a single scratch on Evelyn, you will all pay with your lives!” If it were any other day, I would have thought that line was incredibly cliché and melodramatic. Today, it sounded like the music of heaven. The man who, a second ago, wanted to murder me, instantly replaced his fury with a fawning, sycophantic smile. “Son-in-law, please don’t misunderstand, we were just joking around!” I immediately backhanded him across the face. “Yes, we are just joking around.” My father’s face flushed bright red, his eyes spitting fire, but he forced a stiff, awkward smile onto his face. Ethan’s voice was like ice, chilling to the bone. “You better be!” My father groveled: “Of course we are. Son-in-law, aren’t you usually very busy with work? How do you have time to visit today?” Ethan completely ignored him, anxiously looking me up and down. “Are you hurt anywhere?” I shook my head: “No, you arrived just in time.” Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief. He took my hand and strode out the door. It wasn’t until we were in his car that I finally snapped back to reality. I asked curiously, “Why did you suddenly show up here?” He handed me a file. “The client moved the launch time up to midnight. There are still a few data points on the project that need confirmation. I couldn’t reach you on your phone, so I came looking for you.” Me: “…” The man riding in on a white horse might be Prince Charming. Or it might be your boss.

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