My Ex-Boyfriend on Death Row. The following winter, I bumped into him at a local grocery store. “You’re not dead?” He raised an eyebrow. “Wishing me into the grave already?” 1 When I first saw Liam by the shelves, I thought my mind was playing a cruel trick on me. “What, don’t even recognize your own man anymore?” I ignored him. I bit my lip hard. Before I could even process what was happening, Liam naturally grabbed my right hand. He pulled me a couple of steps forward, his other hand hovering over the shelf as he turned to ask me, “Smooth or ribbed? Strawberry or mint?” His tone was so casual, it was as if we had never been apart. I pinched my thigh. Hard. It hurt. This wasn’t a dream! Finally snapping out of my shock, I violently shook off his hand. “Why are you here?!” “Where else would I be? Who was the one whining about being too sore to walk last night, demanding a piggyback ride out of the apartment?” He tapped his lower back. “You completely wrecked my back, and you’ll be the one crying about it later.” I froze again. Liam was talking about five years ago. Back then, we had just started dating and were completely in the honeymoon phase. If he kept me up all night, I’d stubbornly make him carry me on his back the next day. But those sweet days were years behind us. Why was Liam suddenly standing here, saying these bizarre, time-warped things? I still don’t know how I ended up letting him follow me home. Maybe it was because his transition back into my life felt so seamless. Everything he did felt so natural that it temporarily scrambled my own memories. It wasn’t until we walked through my front door and the faint scent of baby formula hit my nose that reality crashed over me. By then, Liam had already wrapped his arms around my waist from behind. His hands wandered, and he squeezed slightly, sounding confused. “Did these get bigger? Did those massages actually work?” Smack! I slapped his hands away, my face burning crimson. Liam wasn’t mad. He just chuckled, swept me off my feet, and threw me over his shoulder, heading straight for the bedroom. I was completely panicked. My only thought was: He absolutely cannot go in that bedroom. “Liam!” I screamed, thrashing wildly. “Put me down!” Sensing my genuine panic, he set me down. He looked at me standing defensively in front of the closed bedroom door. “What, you hiding a dog in there?” I was sweating from the nerves. Liam’s face darkened. “Move.” I let out a shaky breath. “Liam, we broke up.” “Say that again. I dare you.” I’d known him for eight years. I knew his temper inside and out. When his voice dropped to that dangerous, quiet timber, he was on the brink of exploding. I bit my lip and repeated it. “We broke up. Years ago. And based on the timeline… you should be dead right now.” Liam finally realized something was horribly wrong. He looked around. This wasn’t my cramped college apartment; the modern decor was entirely different. And looking at me, the youthful, naive glow of my early twenties was gone. His voice went hoarse. “What year is it?” “2022.” He grabbed me, pulling me flush against his chest. “Are you messing with me?” I just stared back at him. Slowly, his expression twisted into something haunted. Finally, he whispered, “Impossible. No matter what year it is, I would never, ever break up with you.” I lowered my eyes. “But I’m married.” The room fell into a suffocating silence. Through his bloodshot eyes, I could see the storm of emotions raging inside him. He used every ounce of his willpower to hold himself back, gritting his teeth as he asked, “Chloe… did you just calculate that I wouldn’t have the heart to hurt you?” “You’re dead, Liam.” “Fuck!” He kicked the wall, turned around, and stormed out. I waited until he was completely gone before I slowly slid down the bedroom door, curling into a tight ball on the floor. My mind was a chaotic mess. I never thought I’d see him again. And definitely not like this. The bedroom door opened from the inside. My nanny peeked out. “Chloe, was that…” I shook my head. She got the hint and didn’t pry. “Well, at least little Maya didn’t wake up.” I looked at my daughter, sleeping peacefully in her crib, and my heart rate slowly returned to normal. Whether Liam faked his death, time-traveled, or came back as a ghost—I didn’t care. I couldn’t risk letting him near Maya. And I never wanted her to know that her father was a convicted felon. 2 Maybe my words really got to him, because for days, he didn’t show up again. But he haunted my dreams. I dreamed of the high school bad boy in a leather jacket, slouching as he followed me home; I dreamed of the desperate Liam, eyes red after I rejected his first confession, yelling, “You don’t have a damn heart!”; And I dreamed of the idiot Liam who sprinted to my dorm at 3 A.M. on graduation night just to make sure my “yes” to being his girlfriend wasn’t a prank. All those beautiful memories, shattered by the echo of a firing squad. I’d wake up gasping, my pillow soaked in tears. On Monday, I was commuting to work in a daze when I encountered a creep on the subway. The train was packed, and I felt a hand grope my thigh. I whipped around to see a middle-aged guy giving me a greasy, unapologetic smirk, clearly betting I’d be too scared to make a scene. Just as I opened my mouth to scream at him, a heavy work boot shot out from nowhere and planted itself squarely into the guy’s ribs. “Where the fuck do you think your hands are going? You think you can touch what’s mine?” Then, I saw him. Liam’s mouth was curled into an arrogant smirk, but his eyes were absolute ice. The vein at his temple was throbbing—the exact look he always had right before he destroyed someone. The kick was brutal. The creep crumpled to the floor. It took the guy a solid minute to scramble up. He looked like he wanted to argue, but one look at Liam’s murderous aura had him muttering under his breath and bolting for the next car. Liam never had a good temper, especially when it came to me. Seeing him step forward to chase the guy, and noticing a passenger pulling out a phone to record, I panicked and grabbed his arm. “Don’t. Let him go.” He raised an eyebrow. “Scared? I’m right here.” I was scared because he was here! If the cops got involved, how the hell was I supposed to explain this? “Sorry, Officer, he didn’t do anything wrong, he’s just a dead inmate who resurrected to fight subway gropers.” We’d be on the national news. The current Liam still didn’t know how he supposedly died. And I had no intention of telling him. I just wanted a quiet life. And I wanted him to stay out of trouble. “You taught him a lesson, that’s enough. Besides, you don’t need to fight my battles anymore.” “I don’t? Fine. Let your ‘husband’ do it then.” Liam leaned against the subway doors, crossing his arms. “Since you’re so happily married, when do I get to meet the lucky guy?” Maybe it was my imagination, but he seemed almost amused. “He’s out of town on business,” I deflected. “He doesn’t have time.” “Perfect. I’ll just keep playing the role until he gets back.” He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Because on my timeline, sweetheart, we are very much still together.” I thought he was just talking trash. But the next evening, I walked into my apartment complex and saw a man in a security uniform leaning against the front gate. It was Liam. He strolled over with that signature swagger. “Temperature check, ma’am.” I didn’t offer my wrist. “What are you doing?” “Working, obviously.” Working, my ass! When I just glared at him, he smirked. “Miss, please cooperate with building security.” I ground my teeth and reluctantly held out my hand. He actually pulled out a thermometer gun and beeped my wrist. “98.6. perfectly normal. Have a good evening.” He was just going to let me go? I walked a few steps away, feeling completely unsettled. I couldn’t help but look back. Liam’s gaze was burning into my back. When our eyes met, his smirk widened into a full-blown grin. I practically sprinted to my building, feeling like I’d touched a hot stove. My heart was pounding. I had a sinking feeling that my secrets weren’t going to stay hidden for long. 3 The staff directory at the front gate had been updated. There was a new photo under the security guard section. Walking past it a few days later, I glanced at it. It was Liam—jaw clenched, looking annoyed at having his picture taken. But when I looked at the name underneath, I froze. “Ethan Miller.” I thought I misread it. I stepped closer. No, it clearly said Ethan Miller. “Excuse me, is this name tag wrong?” I asked a property manager walking by, pointing at Liam’s photo. She smiled. “Nope! That’s Ethan, our new hire. Good-looking kid, right?” Something clicked in my brain, and a chill ran down my spine. If Liam really had “time-traveled” from five years ago, with no knowledge of the future, why would he be using a fake name? I couldn’t shake the unease, but I tried to push it out of my mind. That night, just as I stepped out of the shower, the power went out. Maya, who had been playing in her crib, started screaming in the pitch black. The nanny had already gone home. Panicking, I called the front desk. “We’ll send security up to check your breaker right away, ma’am.” Liam worked the day shift. Surely it wouldn’t be him. When the knock came, I bounced Maya on my hip and opened the door. “Hi, the power just—” I stopped dead. I was staring right at Liam. Well, technically, we were staring at each other. All three of us. Liam didn’t say a word. His eyes were locked onto the baby in my arms. His voice was terrifyingly raspy when he finally pointed at her. “What is that?” “A b-baby,” I stammered. Liam let out a hollow, bitter laugh. “Chloe, I’ve only been ‘dead’ for a year.” The apartment was suffocatingly dark. Strangely enough, Maya stopped crying the second she saw him. With tears still clinging to her eyelashes, she stared at him with big, curious eyes. She even reached a chubby little hand out toward him, wanting to be held. The dark aura surrounding Liam softened just a fraction. “Whose is she?” he croaked. “I told you. I’m married.” “Married my f—” He caught himself before swearing in front of the baby. He let out a harsh exhale. “I’ll deal with you later.” He pushed past me with his toolbox. “Where’s the breaker box?” He was actually here to fix the electricity. Liam was incredibly handy; I knew that from college. Once, my roommate spilled water on my laptop. A repair shop quoted me $400 I didn’t have. Liam had just clamped a cigarette between his teeth, taken the whole thing apart, and fixed it for free. I’d been so nervous watching him. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” He had just side-eyed me. “If I break it, I’ll buy you a new one.” He fixed it perfectly. And my roommate stopped complaining about me dating a “dropout.” My mind had drifted so far I didn’t hear him calling my name. “What?” I blinked. “I said, step back. I’m covered in dust.” Only then did I realize that Maya had leaned over and was actively smacking Liam’s face, giggling uncontrollably. “Oh, sorry!” I quickly pulled her back. Liam clamped a flashlight between his teeth and went back to the wires, ignoring us. Maya, however, was furious at being pulled away. Her lower lip wobbled, and she started wailing. It was past her bedtime, and she was getting cranky. She rubbed her eyes and tugged at my shirt. I had no choice. I glanced at Liam—he was fully focused on the electrical panel. So, I sat on the edge of the couch in the dark, pulled down my top, and started nursing her. Maya happily kicked her little legs, finally settling down. A few minutes later, the lights blazed back to life. “It was a short circuit, tripped the main breaker. I just—” Liam turned around and stopped dead in his tracks. He stared at me, completely losing his train of thought. I hadn’t expected him to fix it that fast. My face flushed hot as lava. “I… she…” I stammered, afraid to make any sudden movements to cover myself. His voice dropped a full octave. “I’m gonna go wash my hands.” He bolted for the bathroom. I looked down at a blissfully fed Maya and sighed. Both of them were going to be the death of me. 4 Once Maya was asleep, it was just the two of us in the living room. Liam instinctively reached for his pockets for a cigarette, remembered where he was, and stopped. “I’m moving in tomorrow.” The sheer audacity of his tone threw me off. “No, you aren’t. And she’s not your kid.” “Do you think I don’t know how a paternity test works?” My heart skipped a beat. I wanted to deny it, but I was terrified he’d actually force a test. My hesitation was all the confirmation he needed. A triumphant smile spread across his face. “Chloe, I’m already missing five years of memories. Don’t play me.” I didn’t know who was playing who anymore. But letting him move in was impossible. I hadn’t even figured out how to face him, let alone live with him. With Maya in the picture, I couldn’t take risks. Desperate, I made a phone call. The next morning, Liam was waiting downstairs again. He was in regular clothes, looking as irritatingly handsome as ever. A couple of female residents were lingering nearby, clearly trying to flirt with him. Seeing me, he strode over. “I’ll give you a ride.” “No need,” I said, avoiding his gaze. “My husband is back.” Right on cue, a sleek black Mercedes pulled up to the curb. The door opened, and Oliver stepped out. He was dressed in an immaculate tailored suit. He walked right past Liam as if he were invisible and smiled at me. “Waiting long?” “No, I just got down.” Before getting in the car, I took a deep breath and turned to Liam. “I told you. I’m married. Please… just leave me alone.” I got in before he could react. Watching the rearview mirror, Liam’s figure grew smaller and smaller until he disappeared. “Regrets?” Oliver handed me a tissue. I realized my cheeks were wet. “No. Thank you for doing this, Oliver.” I told myself I was making the right choice. As we pulled up to my office building, Oliver stopped me before I got out. “Chloe, let’s get married for real.” I thought I misheard him. “Excuse me?” “Let’s make it official. Even with Maya.” Oliver wasn’t just my boss; he was my savior. When Liam vanished and I found out I was pregnant, my conservative family disowned me for refusing an abortion. Oliver had hired me, mentored me, and protected me from the vicious office gossip. We had a mutually beneficial arrangement: I acted as his fake girlfriend to keep his wealthy family from forcing him into blind dates, and he gave me a safe harbor. But I never expected this. “That guy this morning is the father, right?” Oliver asked calmly. “Since you clearly don’t want to get back together, and he won’t let it go, marrying me is the smartest move. I can provide for both of you.” I wasn’t a naive twenty-year-old anymore. I didn’t delude myself into thinking a billionaire CEO was swooning over a single mom. “Can I ask why?” “I’ve grown fond of you,” Oliver said smoothly. “And I adore Maya. Plus… due to a medical condition, I can’t have children of my own.” That, I hadn’t expected. “I’m sorry,” I said softly. He smiled. “Not your fault. Don’t give me an answer now. Just think about it.” I actually did think about it. Oliver was stable, wealthy, and kind. If he truly couldn’t have kids, he would treat Maya like his own. It was the logical, safe choice. When I got home that evening, Liam was at the gate again. He looked grim—probably having bought the “husband” lie. But that night, just after Maya fell asleep, my phone vibrated. An unknown number. I picked it up. No one spoke, just heavy breathing on the other end. I sat up in bed. I knew exactly who it was. Neither of us said a word. The silence stretched until he finally spoke. “Chloe… do you really not want me anymore?” “Are you drunk?” He ignored the question. “What do I do? I don’t think I have a home anymore.” That single sentence shattered all my defenses. Liam’s parents had messy divorces and abandoned him. He lived alone since high school. Nobody craved a family more than he did. Then, I heard a sharp intake of breath over the receiver. My chest tightened. Was he crying? Liam never cried. My throat went dry. “Where are you?” “Downstairs.” I looked out the window and saw him sitting on the curb under a streetlight. I knew I was weak. Because when he whispered, “I want to see you,” I heard myself say: “Come up.” 5 The moment I unlocked the door, it was like letting a starving wolf into the house. He pinned me against the wall and kissed me like a dying man gasping for air. Every instinct screamed at me to push him away, but Liam always knew exactly how to dismantle my logic. My mind went blank, leaving only muscle memory and desire. The living room was a mess. Lying in the moonlight, I could see the smug curve of his lips. “The husband thing was a lie, wasn’t it?” Looking at his triumphant face, I saw absolutely zero evidence that he had been crying. I realized I’d been played. Embarrassed and furious, I shoved his shoulder. “Do we have to talk about this right now?!” He laughed softly. “Nope.” Just before I drifted off to sleep, I felt him kiss my forehead. “I’m sorry, baby,” he whispered. When I woke up, I was alone in bed. Panic seized me when I saw Maya’s crib was empty. I bolted into the living room, only to stop dead in my tracks. Liam was sitting on the playmat, zooming a toy car through the air. Maya was reaching for it, shrieking with pure joy. The scene was so domestic, so overwhelmingly perfect, it knocked the breath out of me. Liam looked up and smiled. “Look, Maya, Mommy’s awake.” Maya babbled and crawled toward me as fast as her little limbs could carry her, demanding to be picked up. Once she was in my arms, Liam stood up and headed for the kitchen. “Her name is Maya?” “Yeah.” He paused for a fraction of a second, then seamlessly opened the fridge. “I’ll make us some breakfast.” It proved that once you gave Liam an inch, he would conquer the entire continent. Like a cockroach surviving a nuclear blast, he had successfully infiltrated my life. First, I found men’s underwear mixed in with my laundry. Then I found his socks in my drawers. Today, I found two of his jackets hanging in my closet. I threw the jackets at his chest. “I don’t recall asking you to move in.” He caught them with a grin. “Just leaving a few things for emergencies.” “We don’t have emergencies. Take them back.” He had been teaching Maya how to walk, bent over with his arms out like a protective hen. He stood up straight. “Look, Chloe. I told you, we never broke up. If someone hurt you during those five years I was ‘gone,’ give me a name and I’ll end them. But stop taking it out on a law-abiding citizen like me.” Law-abiding citizen? Please. While we were bickering, Maya tripped over her own feet and landed hard on her diaper-padded butt. Because Liam had been spoiling her rotten, she immediately felt slighted. Her lower lip jutted out, and she let out a theatrical wail. Liam scooped her up, cooing sympathetically. “Is Mommy being mean? Trying to kick Daddy out?” He shot me a dirty look. “Stop trying to destroy this family in front of the kid. Look how traumatized she is.” Me? Destroying the family?! That night, to punish me for trying to kick him out, he refused to let me sleep. “Chloe, we’ve only been together twice since I got back. For a man in his prime, this is basically starvation.” I wanted to cover my face. “Do you have no shame?” “Only with you.” He picked me up and carried me to the sofa. He didn’t turn on the lights, but in the pale moonlight, as he leaned over me, I saw it. Right over his left chest. A perfectly round, jagged scar. It looked exactly like a bullet wound. 6 Liam was hiding something massive. I knew that now. He used a fake name. He had a bullet hole near his heart. Things were pointing toward the worst-case scenario. Honestly, I preferred the delusion that he had just time-traveled. At least that was safe. But the next day at work, Oliver called me into his office. “Have you thought about my proposal?” I had almost forgotten. “Oliver, I think…” He cut me off. “You’re hesitating.” I was. Oliver tapped his pen against the desk, his eyes calculating. “Actually, there’s something I’m very curious about. Maybe you can enlighten me. How exactly does a dead man walk back out of a grave?” My blood ran ice cold. My mind went entirely blank. I forced a confused smile. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” “Relax, I’m just curious,” Oliver smiled smoothly. “But seriously, you should consider the marriage. Maya is young. If something… unfortunate were to happen, it would be a shame for you to face it alone.” I walked out of his office with my heart hammering against my ribs. That was a threat. If he hadn’t said that, I might not have suspected anything. But now, the pieces were clicking together in a terrifying way. Oliver was incredibly wealthy. He was handsome. Even if he couldn’t have biological children, women would line up to marry him. Why fixate on me? Why stoop to threatening me? His interest in me wasn’t about love. It was about Liam. That afternoon, I went to the bank and withdrew every cent of my savings. Before Liam had vanished years ago, he left me a massive sum of money. I never touched it because I didn’t know where it came from. Combined with my own savings, it was enough for Maya and me to disappear to a quiet town out of state. When Liam got home, I looked at him. “Liam, I’m quitting my job. I’m taking Maya and moving to the Midwest. Will you come with us?” The moment I said it, I knew I was damning myself. But I didn’t care. In the past, I had no choices. Today, I was willing to burn down my entire moral compass to keep him alive. Liam stared at me intently. He knew I knew. But he didn’t ask questions. He just cupped my face. “Chloe, you don’t have to give up anything for me.” “I want to,” I cried, the tears finally spilling over. “Let’s just live a normal life.” He pulled me in tight. So he remembered. He wasn’t missing five years of memories. He remembered everything. But he would never know how much that single promise—to live a normal life—meant to me. That night, the nightmares returned. I dreamed of the day two years ago when he said he had to leave for a while. Then, the news report that he had been executed for international drug smuggling. I jolted awake. The bed was empty. I crept into the dark living room. The balcony door was slightly ajar. Liam was on his phone, his voice a low whisper. “The shipment is with Hayes. Don’t worry. But Oliver knows something. Keep a tight tail on him.” A pause. Then Liam chuckled darkly. “Don’t worry about me. I’m harder to kill than that.” I stepped back in horror, my foot slamming into the coffee table. Liam hung up instantly and rushed in. “What happened?” “Don’t touch me!” I held my hands up. He froze. My voice was trembling with sobs. “Are you ever going to tell me the truth?” He clamped his jaw shut. “Tell me this, at least,” I begged. “Are you… are you going to die again?” His eyes softened. “No.” He closed the distance and wrapped his arms around me. “I’m staying right here. I promise.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “415141”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My best friend’s brother is such an arrogant jerk. The first time we met, I bumped into him fresh out of the shower. He literally threw a shirt over my head. My best friend tried to smooth things over: “This is my gorgeous older friend, pretty, right?” He glared at me coldly, his tone dripping with sarcasm: “Ugly.” Oh, so he’s an arrogant little brat? I thought. Watch me put him in his place. After a period of me showering him with attention, taking care of him, being overwhelmingly sweet, and treating him like an absolute king… I gave up. He was still just as arrogant, and he absolutely refused to call me “Miss Cece” with even a shred of respect. But exactly two days after I threw in the towel, he messaged me first for the very first time. Mr. Arrogant: Playing hard to get? Mr. Arrogant: Cece. 1 I went over to my best friend’s house to drop off some stuff and ran headfirst into a gorgeous guy fresh out of the shower. He was tall, with long legs, chiseled abs, and a pitifully small towel covering his crucial bits. Before I could even get a good look, a t-shirt was tossed directly over my head. My vision went dark, and I let out a delayed, startled shriek. My best friend, Chloe, ran out at the sound. I pointed at the guy who was now tightening his towel. “Who is this?!” Chloe blinked. “My brother.” Me: ??? Wait a second, wasn’t her brother a scrawny, awkward little kid? Chloe turned to the hot guy, trying to defuse the awkwardness. “This is my gorgeous older friend, pretty, right?” He glared at me coldly. “Ugly.” Then he turned around and walked into his room. Me: … Damn. He’s one of those cocky, arrogant guys. “How old is he again?” I asked. Chloe looked apologetic. “My brother… he’s twenty. His rebellious phase came a bit late.” I stared at Chloe, narrowing my eyes. “He’s a grown adult. Someone needs to teach him some manners.” Chloe flashed a knowing, wicked smile. She instantly air-dropped me his contact card. “Please. Fix him for me.” 2 His name was Holden Brooks. He was a junior at UCLA, and supposedly, a pretty popular guy on campus. That just made him more fun to mess with. I added his number and sent my first “friendly” text. Me: Hey little bro, got time to grab dinner? Holden: Who is this? Me: Your sister’s friend. The hot older woman who saw you fresh out of the shower the other day. He didn’t reply for twenty minutes. Me: ? [Message Not Delivered] Wait… did this little brat just block me?! I immediately texted Chloe: Your brother blocked me! Make him unblock me right now! Chloe: He doesn’t listen to me. You have to tell him yourself. Me: How am I supposed to tell him if I’m blocked? Chloe: You play League of Legends, right? He’s boosting a classmate in ranked tonight. I’ll give you my account login. God, I love my best friend. That night, I joined their lobby and turned on my mic. When a voice that clearly wasn’t Chloe’s came through, Holden’s classmate was stunned. “You aren’t Holden’s sister,” a soft-spoken college boy said. “Who are you?” I made my voice sugar-sweet. “I’m a good friend of Holden’s older sister…” “Oh, cool! Can you play Support, Miss?” “Of course.” “Just sit back then, we’ll carry you.” I almost cried. What an absolute angel of a boy. Holden was a menace in comparison. I decided to actively shift my attention to the nice kid. But then Holden locked in the ADC role. As the Support, I was forced to follow him around the map. Holden: “Support, go check that brush for enemies.” I happily trotted over. And immediately got jumped by three enemies hiding in the grass and died instantly. Holden: “Support, stop feeding them.” Me: ? Didn’t you literally just tell me to go in there?! Similar things happened multiple times. I strongly suspected Holden was doing it on purpose. By the end of the match, I essentially had zero impact. Even though we won, I was furious. Oh, so you want to play the carry? I thought. Fine. I’ll play a parasite. Game two, I instantly locked in Yuumi—a cat champion that literally attaches to another player and can’t be targeted. Holden immediately locked in Yasuo. Me: … For the entire game, the second I attached to Holden, he would use his dash abilities to sprint headfirst into the entire enemy team, drop me off in the middle of the crossfire to die, and stylishly dash away. I even heard a faint, suppressed laugh over his mic. I was fuming! Before long, we were losing badly. All our base turrets were gone. The soft-spoken boy was totally confused. “Holden, you’re a Challenger-tier Yasuo on your main account. How are we losing this badly on your smurf?” I scoffed into the mic. “Even Challenger players choke sometimes.” Suddenly, Holden’s character stopped right next to mine. “Get on.” “Why?” I snapped. “I’ll carry you.” Yeah right, I thought. He’s definitely just trying to drag me into the enemy fountain to die again. But I attached to his character anyway. Mostly because he still hadn’t unblocked my number. To my surprise, he actually started trying. He racked up double kills and triple kills, completely turning the game around and pushing into the enemy base. Of course, I still died a few times in the crossfire. The second the enemy team was wiped out and we were destroying their nexus, he walked his character directly into their laser turret, intentionally dying right beside my respawning body. “What are you doing?” I asked, confused. Holden didn’t answer, but the other guys in the lobby started laughing and teasing him. “Aww, dying together like a married couple.” My face flushed hot. Shut up, you brats. Know your place. 3 After the gaming session, I realized I completely forgot to ask Holden to unblock me. Knowing it probably wouldn’t go through, I grumpily typed out an iMessage: You’re such an annoying brat, all you do is bully me. Delivered. I froze for two seconds. Just as I was about to unsend it, Holden replied: Oh. Me: … Me: But I have to admit, you carrying us for that comeback at the end was pretty hot. Holden: Oh. What was with the boring reactions? Me: Call me Miss Cece and let’s hear how it sounds. Holden didn’t reply for five minutes. My heart sank. Was he going to block me again? Me: Just kidding! If you don’t want to, you don’t have to. Just don’t block me! Two minutes later. Holden: Going to sleep. I stared at my phone and couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Listen here, little boy. Playing hard to get with me comes with a price. 4 For the next little while, I made it my mission to “harass” Holden over text whenever I was bored. It was mostly trivial stuff. Did you eat? Are you asleep? Do you miss me? He ignored the first two types of questions entirely, but he always replied to the last one instantly: No. Impossible. Keep dreaming. I couldn’t believe my first time genuinely pursuing a guy was hitting a brick wall built by a college kid. Frustrated, I went to Chloe for advice. She dragged me to a bar, complaining over her cocktails. “I don’t know what happened to him. Ever since his grades shot up and he got into UCLA, he’s been acting so weird and distant…” I listened patiently until I was decently buzzed. Chloe patted my shoulder. “I just texted Holden to come pick us up. I’m gonna head out early so you two can have some alone time. Don’t waste the opportunity!” Before I could even protest, she was gone. I was sitting there, bored out of my mind, when a guy approached me. “Let me get your number, gorgeous.” Not wanting to cause a scene, I gave him my Instagram. I could always block him later. But the guy was persistent. “Are you here alone? Wanna get out of here together?” I rubbed my temples in annoyance. When I looked up, I saw Holden walking in. “No thanks, my boyfriend is here to pick me up.” I smirked, pointing across the room. “That’s him.” The guy took the hint and scurried off. Holden walked up, looking down at me with an unreadable expression. In the dim lighting of the club, I couldn’t clearly see his eyes, but I could sense he was radiating anger. Was he mad that Chloe forced him to come? I muttered softly, “You really didn’t have to come if you didn’t want to…” Holden cut me off. “And then what? You’d just leave with some random guy?” Me: ? “No…” I was feeling lightheaded from the alcohol, so I stood up somewhat clumsily, intentionally swaying so I could lean against him. He suddenly grabbed my arm, practically marching me out of the bar. He opened the passenger door of his car and tossed me inside. Then he leaned in, his arms bracing on either side of me. His face was inches from mine. I could see the slight tremble of his eyelashes. My stupid heart started hammering against my ribs. In the heated, alcohol-scented tension, Holden’s words were ice-cold. “If you’re going to fish for other guys, don’t mess with me.” Me: ? Did he seriously think I was just playing him for fun? I was being completely genuine! The alcohol was hitting me hard, so I didn’t have the energy to argue. I just laid my head back and groaned. He drove me to my apartment building before noticing something was wrong. Holden: “Are you faking it?” Me: “I’m gonna throw up.” Holden: … Holden: “Do not throw up in my car.” Clearly, he loved his car more than me. He got out and hauled me onto the sidewalk. I leaned all my weight against him. “Why are you always so cold to me…” He didn’t say a word. I kept complaining. “Just take me to a hotel…” Holden went completely rigid. “Keep dreaming.” I whined, “But my apartment is on the fifth floor, and the elevator is broken… I can’t walk up…” Holden: … He was silent for a moment, then suddenly crouched down in front of me. “Get on.” Wait. Is he giving me a piggyback ride? “I want a princess carry!” I demanded. “I’m giving you three seconds.” I immediately jumped onto his back. Between the booze and the late hour, my senses were a bit blurry. I don’t remember the climb up the stairs very well. I just remember that Holden smelled incredible—like fresh rain and pine needles. He carried me inside and even poured me a glass of water. I purposely stumbled towards him. When he tried to step back, I let myself fall, forcing him to catch me. Teasing younger guys was honestly top-tier entertainment. I originally wanted to pretend I was too drunk so he’d have to stay the night, but decided against pushing my luck. Holden practically dragged me to my bed. When he wasn’t paying attention, I turned my head and lightly brushed my lips against his ear. He jolted like he’d been electrocuted. He shoved me back onto the mattress and practically sprinted out the front door, looking completely flustered. I lay there, stunned. He really just ran away? My buzz faded almost immediately. Annoyed, I sighed, threw on a jacket, and walked down to the corner bodega to grab two beers. When I walked out of the convenience store, popping the tab on a can, I saw a tall figure standing in the shadows outside my apartment building. The glowing red cherry of a cigarette faded as I approached. He took two steps forward, his handsome face catching the amber glow of the streetlamp. “Is playing drunk fun for you?” Holden asked. 5 …Busted. I immediately slipped back into character, stumbling toward him, slurring my words. “You’re still here…?” He just stared at me in absolute silence. It was excruciatingly awkward. But I had thick skin. I committed to the bit. I slumped against him like a wet noodle, mumbling nonsense. “Were you… worried about me?” I knew he wasn’t. “See, I knew you cared about me…” I was digging my own grave. “Do you… have a crush on your older sister?” What the hell was I even saying?! To my shock, Holden didn’t push me away. He stood there like a marble statue, letting me lean on him and act like a fool. I didn’t want to overthink whether he actually knew I was faking it. I looked up at him, putting on my best puppy-dog eyes. “I spent so much time doing my makeup today. Do you think I look pretty?” Holden’s eyes flickered. Suddenly, he reached out and pinched both of my cheeks. I was so surprised I froze, letting him squish my face into a weird shape. He stared down at me, letting out a very faint, breathy laugh. “Ugly.” The hallway light was broken, but his eyes were impossibly bright in the dark. It took me a second to process. Did he just call me ugly again?! I was determined to make him piggyback me upstairs again, so I doubled down on the drunk act. Holden watched me with an amused, patient expression. When I grabbed his arm to pull him, he used my momentum to spin me around, pinning my back against the brick wall of the building. The sudden, aggressive scent of his cologne and cigarette smoke overwhelmed me. I froze completely. Holden leaned in closer, stopping when our breaths were practically mingling. He narrowed his eyes, his tone impossible to read. “The drunk game ends here. Next time, call someone else to take you home.” Then he turned around and walked away without a second glance. Leaving me with a million questions. He did know I was faking! Then why didn’t he call me out when I was acting ridiculous? And what did he mean by “call someone else”? Did this little brat seriously think I was the kind of girl who just let anyone take her home? Before going to sleep, I was so mad I typed out a massive paragraph explaining myself in our chat. But right before hitting send, I deleted it all. Maybe I was being too aggressive. Maybe I made him misunderstand my intentions. Whatever. I needed to back off a bit so I didn’t scare the kid away. 6 For the next few days, the frequency of my “harassment” dropped significantly. The strategy of taking a step back to move forward actually worked. Holden replied to almost every text. Even though it was usually just “Oh,” “Yeah,” or “I’m busy.” I didn’t have much energy to focus on him anyway, because something incredibly dramatic happened in my own life. My first love, Tristan, suddenly reached out. Normally, I treat ex-boyfriends like they’re dead. I don’t look back. But Tristan refused to stay in the grave. Tristan was the longest relationship I’d ever had. His biggest selling point was his face. He was ridiculously good-looking. So good-looking, in fact, that a talent scout approached him on the street and signed him to an entertainment agency in LA. We had been together for two years by then. Once he signed the contract, his head got massive. He was obsessed with being a star and started picking fights with me over nothing. I knew he was looking for an excuse to dump me, so I beat him to the punch and broke up with him first. He agreed immediately. I was heartbroken for months. Now, a few years later, Tristan’s acting dreams had crashed and burned. He lost his agency contract and moved back home in disgrace. Finding out I was still single, he begged our mutual friends to set up a group dinner to “accidentally” run into me. That dinner was miserable. I left as early as I politely could. Only to find Tristan blocking my path outside my apartment building. He nervously rubbed the edge of his jacket. “Cece, after all these years, I still can’t forget you. After we broke up, I never liked anyone else.” Bullshit. His agency contract literally had a strict no-dating clause. Now he was trying to act like a romantic martyr? I looked at him coldly. “Sorry, I forgot about you a long time ago.” I turned toward the stairs without looking back. “Cece…” he called out softly. I glanced over my shoulder. Tristan was looking up at me, his hazel eyes looking tragically sad, his jawline as sharp as ever. I hated to admit it, but the guy was still stunning. So I offered him some genuine advice: “You should just go find a rich sugar mama. Don’t let a face like that go to waste.” 7 I thought my rejection was crystal clear, but Tristan was incredibly thick-skinned. He started “coincidentally” bumping into me everywhere. My marketing firm was doing field research that week, which meant I had to visit different retail locations every day. One of the locations was the coffee shop right off the UCLA campus. From the moment I arrived, I was on edge. I was terrified Tristan would show up and harass me, but I was equally terrified that Holden would see us together. I made an excuse to step out of the shop and walked down the main avenue, figuring I could hide for a bit. A few blocks down, I spotted Holden walking toward me. Speak of the devil. After dealing with Tristan’s constant stalking, I had done some serious self-reflection on how I had treated Holden. He probably hated seeing me around just as much as I hated seeing Tristan. I immediately spun around, pretending I didn’t see him. Footsteps approached from behind. Holden stopped right next to me. Since I couldn’t escape, I turned and held up my company lanyard. “I’m working. Market research on college demographics.” Holden gave a faint “Mhm.” “I wasn’t trying to follow you.” “Mhm.” “Okay, well, I’m gonna go…” “I’m a college student.” He suddenly leaned down, closing the distance between us. “Aren’t you going to survey me?” He was standing against the sunlight, casting a slight halo around his dark hair. When I met his eyes, my heart skipped a terrifyingly fast beat. I looked down at my clipboard. “Okay, let me just look at the questions…” “Cece, there you are! I’ve been looking everywhere.” Tristan’s voice hit me like a bucket of ice water. I snapped back to reality. Literally my worst nightmare. “Why are you here?!” I grabbed his arm, pulling him aside, hissing under my breath. “I am working!” He held up an iced latte, looking like a kicked puppy. “It’s hot out. I brought you a drink.” I glanced nervously at Holden. He was staring blankly at Tristan, his expression completely unreadable. Then he simply said, “I’m leaving,” put his hands in his pockets, and walked away. I completely snapped. I turned on Tristan and let him have it. “Do you understand that this is stalking?! I made myself perfectly clear. Do you want me to call the police?” “Cece, I didn’t mean to—” “Tristan, if you actually care about me, you would respect my boundaries instead of doing these creepy, self-serving stunts.” He stared at me for a long time before finally nodding. “Okay.” After Tristan left, my mood plummeted. Because it suddenly hit me: what I was doing to Holden was no different than what Tristan was doing to me. It was the same persistent, boundary-ignoring harassment disguised as affection. When I went back to the coffee shop, a barista handed me a fresh lemonade with a teasing smile. “A really tall, handsome guy asked me to give this to you.” I froze. It had to be Holden. After I drank it, I took a picture of the empty cup and texted it to him. Me: Thank you. This time, Holden replied instantly. Holden: Don’t mention it. Holden: Just didn’t want you to drop dead from the heat. Me: … Such an awkward, defensive kid. I stared at the chat screen, my mood instantly lifting. Maybe my presence wasn’t entirely annoying to him after all.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “415140”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

The Seventh Year Since I Left the Novel. I had a new love and a brand new life. But right on the eve of my wedding, the System came knocking on my door. “Host, after you left, your target went completely insane. He almost caused the pocket universe to collapse. “In order to maintain the stability of the novel’s world, I brought your target and your child over to you.” 1 I froze in place. It felt like a bomb had gone off in my head. “What do you mean you brought them over?!” The System hemmed and hawed for a long time before finally gritting its teeth. “I had no choice! If I didn’t take action, Dominic would have torn the entire world of the novel apart. “For the sake of our past partnership, just coax him and your daughter a little. I’ll give you extra rewards, and we’ll call it even, okay?” Okay? Hell no! But no matter how I screamed for the System in my mind, it played dead and didn’t say another word. “Willow, what’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?” A voice, as warm and gentle as a spring breeze, pulled me back to reality. My mind reeled as I looked at my gentle, handsome fiancé, Ethan. Uncontrollably, my thoughts drifted back to the years I spent trying to win Dominic’s heart. 2 I used to have congenital heart disease. Doctors said I wouldn’t live past twenty. And they were right. By the time I was nineteen, I was already experiencing severe heart failure. Right before the grim reaper’s scythe fell, the System found me. It tasked me with winning over the novel’s obsessive, second male lead—Dominic Vance—who was hopelessly in love with the female lead. As long as Dominic gave up on the female lead and married me, the mission would be a success. In return, I would get a perfectly healthy body. I was lucky. I arrived right when the female lead threw herself into the main hero’s arms. Dominic was heartbroken and devastated. During that time, I gave him all the patience and tenderness I could muster in my life. Slowly, I melted his icy exterior. The System used to whisper excitedly in my ear, “Host, Dominic’s affection for you has far surpassed his feelings for the female lead!” And in the second year of his skyrocketing affection, Dominic proposed. I completed the mission! I could have returned to my real world with a brand new, healthy body. But shortly after we got married, I found out I was pregnant. I had been an orphan in the real world. Feeling that tiny life growing inside me, I experienced the desire for a real family for the very first time. Besides, Dominic was truly wonderful to me back then. When he found out I was pregnant, he was so thrilled he didn’t sleep all night. He pressed his ear to my belly and mumbled to our unborn baby until dawn. I couldn’t bear to leave the happiness that was right in front of me. So, I stayed. I gave birth to our daughter, Chloe. Dominic’s parents had desperately wanted a grandson. Because of that, they never really cared for Chloe, and by extension, they didn’t care much for me. I didn’t mind. I thought as long as the three of us were together, everything would be fine. Chloe, on the other hand, loved going to her grandparents’ estate. She always said their house was big and beautiful, with so many maids to serve her and play with her. There, she could eat whatever junk food she wanted. She could play as late as she wanted, and no one ever disciplined her. “Plus, Grandma has so much beautiful jewelry. Not like you, Mom. You always wear the exact same necklace. It’s so embarrassing for Dad.” That was the first time I heard the word “embarrassing” come out of my daughter’s mouth. 3 The second time was when Chloe was five. News broke that the female lead, Lily Brooks, was getting a divorce. From that day on, Dominic started leaving early and coming home in the middle of the night. The third time I asked him where he was going so late, he shoved me away with a look of pure impatience. “Willow, are you ever going to stop? We’re married, what more do you want from me?” He didn’t control his strength, and I crashed hard into the corner of a cabinet. Dominic’s eyes flickered for a split second, but then his face went blank, and he walked out the door. He didn’t come back that night. At four in the morning, I received a photo from Lily. It was a picture of Dominic, sleeping soundly beside her. After that, the names Dominic and Lily began appearing together constantly. To help Lily secure her divorce smoothly, Dominic got into a physical fight with her husband. He pulled every string he had to hire a million-dollar celebrity divorce attorney. To cheer Lily up from her post-divorce depression, Dominic rented out a hilltop and set off fireworks with her all night. When Lily wanted to start a business, Dominic provided the funding, the manpower, and even hired top-tier designers from Europe to draft her company’s logo. My heart grew completely numb. I thought about leaving countless times. But I could never let go of Chloe. Until one night, she ate too much ice cream at her grandparents’ house and spiked a high fever. I rushed her to the emergency room. I called Dominic eight times. He hung up on me eight times. On the ninth ring, he finally answered. His voice was dripping with suppressed rage. “Willow, can you grow up? Can you stop acting like one of those clueless, desperate housewives whose only goal in life is to keep tabs on her husband the second he leaves the house?!” He hung up before I could say a word. The sentence, “Your daughter is running a 102-degree fever, please come to the hospital,” died in my throat. I looked at Chloe, sleeping fitfully in my arms. I lied to myself. I told myself he must just be really busy. Until a few minutes later. Around the corner of the hallway, a tall man walked into view, carrying a little boy slightly older than Chloe. Clinging tightly to his side was a petite woman with a flawless, bright face. It was Lily. She looked up at Dominic coquettishly. “I told you, Charlie just has a little tummy ache. It’s nothing serious. You’re being too overprotective.” Dominic looked down, his eyes brimming with absolute tenderness. “You can never be too careful when it comes to kids.” It was a complete 180 from the man screaming at me on the phone moments ago. The little boy in his arms, who looked so much like Lily, wrapped his arms around Dominic’s neck. “You’re the best, Daddy Dominic.” From a distance, they looked like the picture-perfect family. They never noticed me huddled in the corner with my sick child, looking like an absolute clown. 4 That night, Chloe cried until the early hours of the morning because she felt so awful. To make her comfortable, I patted her back and coaxed her, not sleeping a wink. The next morning, I went to grab her some breakfast. When I returned, I saw two familiar silhouettes standing by her hospital bed. Chloe was buried in Lily’s arms. “Aunt Lily, you smell so good and you’re so pretty! Not like my mom. She doesn’t brush her hair or change her clothes. “When I opened my eyes this morning, I thought I saw a ghost. It’s so embarrassing for me and Dad. “Aunt Lily, I love you so much. My dad loves you too. Why don’t you come live with us and be my mom?” Lily blushed and shot Dominic a shy glance. Dominic’s eyes never left Lily. They were filled with faint, doting affection. The fortress I had built entirely out of self-deception finally crumbled into dust. I turned around in silence. I tossed the packed breakfast into the nearest trash can. For the first time in six years, I contacted the System. “Send me back to my original world.” It was only then that I realized what a brilliant decision I had made when the System had asked if I wanted to trade my return ticket for endless wealth and power, and I chose to keep the ticket. 5 The System worked fast. It prepared the extraction protocol almost instantly. Right before pulling me out of the novel’s world, it asked me one last time. “Host, are you absolutely sure? Once you leave, you can never come back. Can you really bear to leave…” I knew exactly what it was hesitating to say. Never mind Dominic. I carried Chloe for ten agonizing months and almost died giving birth to her. The System knew perfectly well how much I had sacrificed for her over the years. But this was my own flesh and blood, the child I loved down to my marrow. And she viewed me as a stain. An embarrassment. The idea that children automatically love their parents was just my own wishful thinking. I didn’t belong here. This was Lily’s world. My lover and my child were just things that could belong to her the second she batted an eyelash. My supposed happiness was nothing but a fleeting illusion. Now, it was time to wake up. I told the System, “I’m sure. Pull me out.” 6 After returning to the real world, my body was perfectly healthy. I spent four years finishing my college degree, using the time to heal from the trauma of the novel. I spent another three years building a fairly successful career. And I met Ethan—a man whose eyes held nothing but me. I was happy and fulfilled. Only occasionally, in the dead of night, would I think of Dominic and Chloe. But now, the System was suddenly telling me it had dragged them into my world. I dug my nails into my palms to stop myself from screaming curses at the void. Ethan noticed something was wrong and gently pulled me into his arms. I prepared for the worst. I knew I couldn’t keep this from him. I had told Ethan all about my experience being trapped in a book before we even started dating. So when I told him that my ‘target’ from the novel was here, he didn’t look completely shocked. He even tried to joke about it. “Willow, do you think our world is a book too? Otherwise, how can fictional characters just cross over whenever they want?” I tried to smile, but my lips wouldn’t cooperate. Even though he was trying his hardest to hide it, the arms wrapped around me tightened involuntarily. After a long time, Ethan rested his chin on the top of my head. He asked softly, “Willow, you aren’t going to choose him, are you?” He sounded like a stray puppy left out in the rain. My heart melted completely, and I hugged him back tightly. “Of course not. I would never choose him over you. “Besides, the System said once this mess is sorted out, it will send them right back.” Ethan let out a quiet “Mhm.” On the walk home, he held my hand much tighter than usual. As if he was terrified I might slip through his fingers. I squeezed his hand back just as hard. But the moment we reached my front door, a chubby little figure in pigtails suddenly lunged forward and locked her arms around my waist in a death grip. “Mommy! You’re finally back! I missed you so much!” Behind her, a man stepped slowly out of the shadows. His bloodshot eyes were filled with aggression and overwhelming dominance. “Willow. Long time no see.” 7 Long time no see. I instinctively took half a step back. In doing so, I shoved the unfamiliar little girl away. That single motion seemed to enrage Dominic beyond belief. A flash of hostility crossed his eyes, and he reached out to grab me. “What are you hiding from?” Before he could touch me, another hand blocked him. It was Ethan. He stepped squarely between Dominic and me. The two men locked eyes. The tension in the air was explosive. “Willow, who the hell is this man?” “You must be Dominic. Nice to meet you.” They spoke at the exact same time. Ethan still had a polite, faint smile on his face. But Dominic’s eyes had narrowed to dangerous slits. It was a sign that he was about to lose his mind. Dominic was a lunatic. Before he could explode, I stepped sideways, placing myself between them. I gave Ethan’s fingertips a reassuring squeeze. Then, I looked at Dominic—and the girl who felt like a total stranger. It had been a few years. Dominic hadn’t changed much, though the obsession in his eyes was darker. But Chloe… she had aged two or three years. Time clearly flowed differently between the novel and reality. What shocked me was her appearance. She had gained a massive amount of weight. Her previously delicate, doll-like features were practically stretched out of shape by the fat. She wore a pair of thick, heavy prescription glasses over her nose. Pushed away by me, she stared in helpless confusion, biting her lip and crying silently. She was never like this before. Before, if she felt the slightest bit wronged, she would scream and throw a massive tantrum until I practically begged her to calm down. When did she ever learn to cry so quietly? My heart twisted inexplicably. But I simply lowered my eyes and broke eye contact. I kept my voice light. “Let me introduce you. Dominic, this is my fiancé. “Ethan, this is Dominic. “As you can see, Dominic, I am getting married. The Willow from your world is dead. Take Chloe and go back.” Dominic stared at me, unblinking. “I. Will. Not. Accept. This.” I wanted to tell him it didn’t matter if he accepted it; it was a finalized reality. But Chloe beat me to it, bursting into loud, wailing sobs. “Mommy, are you really throwing me away? The kids at school call me a bastard without a mother! Are you really going to make me a bastard?!” 8 She cried until her voice went hoarse, her chubby face covered in tears. Every single drop felt like boiling water splashing against my chest. It burned so much it hurt. I opened my mouth. “Please don’t leave me, Mommy! I’ll be good, I’ll be the best daughter for you and Dad! “I’ll never make you mad again! I’ll never get sick again! I ate so much so I could get super strong! Please don’t leave me, Mommy, please?!” My nose stung. She was, after all, a piece of my own flesh. Interrupted by her pleading, the cold words I was about to say were forced back down my throat. In the end, it was Ethan who opened the front door and said gently, “Let’s go inside to talk. It’s not good to make a scene out here for the neighbors to see.” I looked at him gratefully, met only with his soft, supportive profile. It was getting very late. I coaxed a endlessly sobbing Chloe until she finally cried herself to sleep, then quietly slipped out of the guest room. In the living room, the tension between the two men was thick enough to cut with a knife. Dominic had an unconcealed smirk of disdain on his face as he surveyed my apartment. “Willow, is this your house? It’s not even as big as our old bathroom. Are you sure this is the life you want?” I dropped the gentle mother persona I’d worn for Chloe. Seeing Ethan’s slightly shifting expression, I smiled at him. “Ethan, could you go wait in our room for a bit?” After a moment’s hesitation, Ethan nodded. He gently patted the top of my head. “Call me if you need me.” He was always like this. No matter what happened, he stood by me with unwavering gentleness, reminding me he had my back. Once Ethan was gone, Dominic let out another scoff. “Did you know I was coming? Is that why you hired some actor to put on a show for me? Do you really think I’d care about a loser like that?” I looked at the familiar arrogance and delusion in his eyes and gave a tired smile. “Dominic, you aren’t worth that kind of effort anymore.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “415139”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

The rising starlet posted a photo of a diamond-encrusted car key. The caption read: “Finally received my third supercar gift. ❤️” Sharp-eyed netizens immediately recognized it. It was the serial number 001—a limited-edition custom Bugatti, rumored to have been purchased by Silas Thorne, the youngest tech billionaire in Silicon Valley. Fans went into a frenzy: [Is this an engagement gift?!] [Power couple goals! A beautiful star and a tech king. Silas is so generous.] I pulled an identical key out of my bag and tossed it onto the desk of the man currently leading a board meeting. “Did you buy two of these?” I asked. The man looked at me with a pouting face. “There’s only one custom-made in the world. And you’re still complaining that the color is too flashy.” 01 I’m Summer Miller, a mid-tier actress known more for my acting chops than my social media presence. To promote our new drama, The Dearest, the entire cast was invited to the most popular live-streamed variety show of the year. The first game segment: call your “dearest person” and invite them to the studio. This network was notorious for “eating people alive”—they didn’t care about privacy. They displayed our contact lists on a giant screen for the audience to choose. Bella Sterling, who was currently trending due to a leaked “secret romance,” was the first to take out her phone. The name at the top of her list was: “My Love Silas.” The live chat exploded: [OMFG, it’s really Silas Thorne! My ship is sailing!] [Our girl did it! Being the girlfriend of the richest man in Silicon Valley… talk about status!] [Call him! We want to hear his voice! We want to share the luck of the wealthy!] Bella looked at the chat, blushing. “Don’t be so direct, guys. He’s shy.” That sentence was basically a soft launch of her relationship with Silas. I looked at the screen, which was nearly covered by heart emojis, and frowned. The Silas Thorne they were talking about was sleeping next to me this morning. How did he become someone else’s fiancé? Last week, during a live stream, Bella “accidentally” showed off a flashy car key and gave a vague introduction. Netizens identified the car immediately and linked her to Silas. She had left the stream in a hurry, acting like a girl caught in a secret love affair. Then, a “insider” account called “Branch-and-Knowing” started posting “leaked” interactions between her and Silas from three years ago. Overnight, that account gained a million followers. I was so annoyed I deleted my own secret alt account. As for that car—it was my 26th birthday gift from Silas. I hated how high-profile it was, so it had been sitting in my underground garage for a year. Maybe it was all a coincidence. Bella never explicitly named Silas. And since she had to make a call now, she wouldn’t play a game that could be easily exposed… right? I watched the screen, waiting. My expression was caught by the cameras and misinterpreted by the audience: [Who’s the girl next to Bella? What’s with that face?] [That’s Summer Miller. Supposedly a “serious actress,” but she can’t even hide her jealousy.] [She’s definitely green with envy that Bella has a billionaire boyfriend. If she’s like this on a live show, imagine how she bullies Bella on set.] The host saw the traffic spiking and grinned. He walked over to Bella. “The fans are so excited. Bella, if we make this call, Mr. Thorne won’t be angry, will he?” Bella turned red, looking shy. “He won’t. He’s… very gentle.” The chat lost it: [??? Gentle? Who is she talking about?] [LMAO, first time I’ve heard the ruthless Silas Thorne described as ‘gentle.’] [Girl, you are my queen. I work at Thorne Tech—can you ask him if he’s physically incapable of smiling at meetings?] Her words were a silent confirmation. The host got even more excited. “Mr. Thorne is a busy man. Even though Thorne Tech is right next to the studio, he probably doesn’t have time to come, right?” Bella gave the host a playful nudge. “It’s the weekend, and he usually has board meetings. But if I call… he might find a way.” The production crew knew how to build suspense. They immediately cut to another guest. Everyone looked envious except for me. The host walked over to me specifically. “Summer, your contact list is quite interesting too. If we call someone you’d rather we didn’t… would you be nervous?” I held back an eye-roll. “Nervous? No. But isn’t it a privacy violation to show a guest’s contacts without consent?” The host’s face stiffened for a second. He laughed awkwardly. “It’s for the sake of fairness and reality.” “It seems Summer isn’t happy with our arrangement. This makes me even more curious about who we’ll find in her list.” My list was put on the big screen. Two names at the top caught everyone’s eye. [Holy sh*t. Sponsor A and Sponsor B?? I thought she was a serious actress? Is she just sleeping her way to the top?] [The industry is doomed. Even the ‘serious’ ones have sugar daddies.] [Don’t worry, we have Bella! She is the gold standard!] [Choose Sponsor A! When Silas Thorne arrives, he should clean up this industry!] I looked at the “Sponsor A” and “Sponsor B” labels and felt a headache coming on. I blamed Silas. When he found out I had my dad’s number saved as “Sponsor Dad,” he threw a fit for a whole day. “Babe, your dad raised you, but I’m responsible for your future. Don’t I deserve to be your sponsor too?” “Babe, I’m not jealous of your dad. But you won’t even drive the car I bought you. You’re still driving that old Mercedes.” “Babe, can we at least be on equal footing? Change my contact name.” “Honey? My Love? Hubby?” Eventually, he settled for “Sponsor B” just to be on the same list as my dad. 02 The host looked like he’d struck gold. He gave me a look of half-pity, half-scorn. “Summer, looking at the audience’s enthusiasm… if we call these two, our show might get banned for being too spicy.” I laughed. “I doubt that. It’s just that they’re busy men. They might not pick up.” The chat erupted: [She’s scared! Call them now!] [Who is Sponsor A? If he doesn’t show up, we’ll know it’s a scandal.] Bella leaned in, whispering “kindly” next to me. “Summer, if you’re scared, don’t do it. I don’t want this to ruin your career.” “I can tell the director to blur the names later.” “If things get bad, I’ll ask Silas to help you wipe the trending topics.” She seemed to forget she was wearing a mic. Her “whisper” was heard by everyone. The chat showered her with praise while she “realized” her mistake and apologized. “Please don’t judge Summer too hard. She’s a great actress. I hope everyone focuses on our drama The Dearest instead.” The host played along. “The audience has voted.” “Bella, please make your call.” Bella dialed “My Love Silas.” It was picked up after two rings. A deep, baritone voice answered: “Bella?” My heart skipped. The voice sounded about 80% like Silas, but… off. “I’m sorry, I’m in a meeting and can’t get away,” the voice said. Bella pouted. “You’re always so busy. I haven’t seen you in forever.” The voice chuckled. “Be good. I’ll have a surprise for you when you get back.” She hung up and looked at everyone apologetically. “He’s too busy. Can I call someone else?” The host was now completely subservient to her. “Of course! Who would you like to call?” Bella scrolled and stopped at “Charles Miller.” “I’ll call my dad. He should be free.” The host gasped. The chat was flooded with “WTF”s. [Bella is the daughter of Charles Miller?! The real estate tycoon?! Silas Thorne’s girlfriend and Charles Miller’s daughter? What kind of god-tier family is this?] [She’s a literal princess!] I was now certain Bella was building a “Golden Girl” persona. I didn’t know if Silas had a secret second girlfriend, but I knew for a fact that my dad only had one daughter—me! My parents were so sickeningly in love that I was an “accident.” There was zero chance of a second accident. But when she dialed, my dad actually picked up. “Bella? Why are you calling me?” Bella used her sweetest voice. “Dad, I’m on a variety show. I need my ‘dearest person.’ Can you come?” The other side hesitated for less than a second. “Of course.” Bella’s face glowed. The host was speechless. If Bella could bring these titans to the show, their ratings would hit the stratosphere. Then the host turned to me. I looked terrible. I’d known my dad’s voice for over twenty years. I couldn’t be mistaken. What was my dad hiding from my mom? “Bella is truly extraordinary,” the host flattered her, then shoved the mic in my face. “Summer, you look pale. Are you actually scared now?” “Everyone has chosen Sponsor A. We’re dialing. You can’t run.” The host didn’t even give me the phone. He dialed for me. The same voice that had just spoken to Bella appeared again. “Princess? What’s up?” My dad’s voice was natural and affectionate. The chat went insane: [Wait, that voice… why does it sound so familiar? Is Summer’s ‘sponsor’ Bella’s dad?] [The industry is so messy! I love it!] [I’m screen-recording this. This is history!] Despite the chaos in my head, I couldn’t interrogate my dad on live TV. I asked him to come to the show. He actually refused me. “It’s bad timing today, sweetie. I already promised someone else I’d go to their show.” “She called first. You know us businessmen value integrity. I can’t break my word.” “Next time, okay?” The host hung up before I could reply, acting as if he were protecting the audience from my “breakdown.” Two girls called the same man. He only said yes to Bella. The hierarchy was clear. I was being publicly humiliated. I glared at Bella. She didn’t look like my dad at all. Why would he reject his daughter for her? I was going to call my mom and snitch the second this show ended. Bella looked at me, her face pale and “fragile,” acting like a victim. The chat was full of pity for her: [Imagine finding out your dad has a mistress on your own show.] [Poor Bella. It’s okay, we love you. You have Silas.] The host looked at me with mockery. “Summer, your Sponsor A rejected you.” “Should we call Sponsor B?” “Do we even need to ask who he is?” I smirked, matched his mockery. “What a coincidence. His name is Silas Thorne, too.” [LOL, Summer is delusional!] [Silas just rejected Bella because he was busy. You think he’ll pick up for a mistress?] [Wait, let me guess. Is she going to claim Silas is her brother next because they have the same surname? Oh wait, they don’t.] 03 The call was placed. Two rings. Then, it was declined. The studio fell into a painful silence. [The ultimate face-slapping!] [Sponsor A at least picked up. Sponsor B just hung up on her. He probably guessed he was being recorded.] [Look at her face. This is the variety show moment of the decade!] The host waited for the chatter to peak before speaking. “Summer, two rejections. We have a penalty for that.” Before I could speak, Bella piped up. “We’re all girls here. Summer is already having a hard time. Let’s skip the penalty.” “When my dad gets here, I’ll ask him to give everyone a big bonus, okay?” The few people supporting me in the chat disappeared. Everyone was on Team Bella. Director-level people who usually praised my acting were now keeping their distance. The entertainment industry is a shark tank. One wrong move and you’re at the bottom. Bella Sterling was the “Princess of the Coast.” No one wanted to offend her. I had always been low-profile because I wanted people to judge my acting, not my family. The result: my acting was top-tier, but I couldn’t even prove who I was. Suddenly, “Sponsor B” called back. The studio went silent again. I answered. A deep, magnetic voice filled the room. “Princess, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hang up.” “My assistant had my phone. I’ve already docked his bonus for a week. Can you forgive us?” The voice was noble, yet it carried a hint of… desperation. [Wait… that voice… why does it sound so much like Silas?] [Don’t be ridiculous. Have you ever heard Silas Thorne sound so submissive?] [I bet Summer hired a voice actor. So calculated! I bet 100 bucks a Silas lookalike shows up later.] I was about to invite him when Bella laughed. “Summer, if you can’t find someone, don’t force it.” “Even if the voice is similar, won’t you get exposed when he shows up?” Usually, guests weren’t allowed to interrupt a call, but the host didn’t stop Bella. “Bella, you’re too kind. You don’t want to see Summer embarrassed.” “Summer, tell you what. Call someone else, and we’ll let you go.” The whole show reeked of “mean girl” energy. I checked the chat and sighed. Modern netizens were too easy to fool. Back in my college days, we would have Googled every detail and found the truth in minutes… Silas guessed I was recording. He chuckled. “Are they bullying my girl?” Bella cut in with a sweet voice. “Sir, we’re actually helping Summer.” “She’s building a persona for the audience, and it’s going to crash. I’m warning her for her own good. And I’m warning you not to be fooled by her face.” “Heh,” Silas’s voice turned ice-cold. He hung up immediately. I could picture him in his office, eyebrows raised in annoyance. The host was still trying to figure out what to do. I looked at my vibrating phone. “He’s coming,” I said simply. 04 The production crew wasn’t about to miss this. They started running promo banners: [CHARLES MILLER ARRIVES AT THE STUDIO] [WILL SUMMER MILLER’S SPONSOR SHOW UP?] Silas sent me a text: [Babe, I’m coming to slap their faces.] [Can I have a reward tonight?] I didn’t reply. I was too focused on the Dad-Bella situation. The host moved the show along. “We’ve prepared ingredient kits. Cook a meal for your dearest person.” I opened my kit. The network really was biased. Bella’s kit: Caviar, Wagyu beef, broccoli, lobster, abalone. Mine: Eggs, cabbage, and some Dungeness crab. Bella gasped. “The network is so thoughtful. They know exactly what my dad likes.” “This caviar brand is the only one he eats.” “I’ll definitely make a dinner my dad loves.” “Summer, does your Silas like cabbage?” “If you’ve never had the good stuff, I can share some ingredients with you.” I looked at that caviar. My stomach turned. Who told her my dad liked caviar? When it first became trendy, my dad bought a whole crate. It was salty and fishy. It couldn’t compare to a good home-cooked meal. Because we didn’t want to waste money, my dad and I were forced to finish the whole crate. Ever since then, we both hated the sight of it. “Summer, do you even know how to use caviar in a dish?” “Your ingredients are a bit sad. Should we just make a joint table?” “No thanks,” I said, my tone sharp. I didn’t want to see caviar. Not even a little bit. I walked to my station and started prepping. The chat was livid: [What a brat! Bella was being nice, and Summer is so rude.] [She’s probably jealous she’s never had caviar.] Bella was performing for the cameras, acting like a delicate princess who had never touched a stove. I, on the other hand, was cleaning the crab with professional speed. Did people think a girl raised by a self-made tycoon wouldn’t know her way around a kitchen? I made a full table of comfort food, including a specific soft-boiled egg with a secret soy-glaze. That was for Silas. Despite his billions, he had a “simple palate”—he loved that specific sauce. The studio doors flew open. The network president himself was leading a group of executives, escorting a man into the room. Someone gasped. “It’s Silas Thorne. Silas Thorne actually came.” Bella stopped searing her beef. She looked toward the door in disbelief. Silas was in a custom suit. His sharp, handsome features couldn’t hide the coldness he honed in the boardroom. But the moment his eyes landed on the stage, his aura shifted. [Wow, he’s looking at Bella! Did you see his eyes soften?] [The surprise he mentioned was coming here! So romantic!] [Summer said she invited him too. Let’s see if he even acknowledges her.] Silas walked toward the stage, leaving the network president in the dust. Everyone stopped what they were doing. The host was the first to recover. “Mr. Thorne! What a grand surprise.” “Bella, come greet your boyfriend.” The host pulled Bella and pushed her toward Silas. Bella “stumbled” gracefully and landed right against Silas’s chest. She looked up with stars in her eyes. “Silas… you came?” “Did you see the show? Are you here to defend me?” “Summer didn’t mean it. She doesn’t have your status; she didn’t know better.” She was playing both sides—acting generous while making me look like a bully. But Silas didn’t act like a gentleman. He pushed her away. His voice was freezing. “I am here to defend someone.” “But I heard someone was bullying my princess.” 05 Bella’s face went white. “Silas… did you change your mind?” “You said you’d take care of me…” Silas looked at her as if trying to remember who she was. The host tried to save the situation. “Mr. Thorne probably isn’t used to the cameras. Look, Bella made this for you.” “A princess like her, cooking with her own hands… you have to try it.” Silas seemed to remember something. He walked over to the cooking station with the host. “Seared Wagyu, caviar, lobster soup… Silas, I made this just for you,” Bella said, regaining her confidence and grabbing his sleeve. Wait. Didn’t she say she was making it for her dad? Now it’s for Silas? What’s my dad going to eat? Caviar? Silas looked at his sleeve with disgust and took off his blazer, tossing it onto the floor. “Burnt beef, cheap caviar, and wasted lobster?” “Miss Sterling, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you were trying to poison me.” Bella’s face went from white to red to purple. She looked ready to shatter. She looked at the chat for comfort, but the screen was blank. The audience was just as stunned as she was. Silas didn’t look at her again. He walked toward me with a look of pure adoration that made me cringe slightly. Has he been reading too many romance novels? Stop with the CEO tropes, Silas. It’s embarrassing. Regardless of my internal judgment, Silas took the mic from the host. “I’m very picky,” he said to the camera. “I only eat food made by one person.” “But my wife is a princess; she rarely cooks.” “Thank you for today. I’m a lucky man.” He looked at me, basically begging for a gold star. So this was his “slap.” I have to admit… it felt good. The chat finally woke up: [Silas Thorne’s sharp tongue is legendary, but using it on his girlfriend?] [Wait, did you guys miss it? Bella isn’t his girlfriend.] [So Summer wasn’t lying? Silas is here for her?] [This is confusing. Bella definitely knows him. She wouldn’t be this bold in front of a stranger.] [Bella has the car key. What does Summer have?] [Summer has the ‘exclusive’ look. Look at Silas’s eyes… he’s head over heels.] The audience was split. Silas was clearly here for me, but that nine-figure supercar key wasn’t something you could just fake. I was curious too. Where did she get the key? When Bella posted that photo, I checked my bag. My key was right there. It hadn’t moved. 06 “Babe, how was I?” Silas whispered in my ear. “Do I get a reward tonight?” His closeness made Bella snap. She walked over and pushed me aside, looking at Silas with tears. “Silas, you promised Silas Jr. that you’d take care of me!” “It’s only been a few months. Have you forgotten?” “I thought when you made that promise, it meant we were together.” “Seeing you like this… it hurts me.” She started sobbing. Silas didn’t wait for her to finish. He grabbed my hand and pulled me into his arms, his aura turning predatory. “Which hand did you use to push her?” “You have no class in front of the cameras. I can only imagine what you’re like in private.” The host was sweating. This was a live-stream disaster. I squeezed Silas’s hand, telling him to watch his image. I still had to work in this town. Bella was stunned. “Silas…” Silas sneered. “Silas Jr. went back to his ex months ago. Didn’t you know?” “Miss Sterling, he used me as a shield to dump you, and you actually believed it?” “Don’t act innocent. I know exactly what kind of person hangs out with my playboy cousin.” Silas Thorne never cared about anyone’s “face.” Bella looked like she was about to faint. The host tried to pivot. “Bella, Mr. Thorne… let’s resolve the misunderstandings later.” “Mr. Miller is on his way. Let’s keep things civil.” Bella wiped her tears, acting “strong,” and went back to her station to fiddle with her burnt beef. The chat was reeling: [Turns out I was the clown! I apologize to Summer.] [Bella played us. She got dumped by Silas’s cousin and tried to claim the big boss.] [But wait… Bella is still the Miller heiress. Our coastal princess.] [Is Silas Thorne really… a house husband? Look at him cleaning the station.] Silas had rolled up his sleeves and was cleaning up the mess I’d made while prepping. I was a good cook, but a messy one. Silas usually cleaned up after me at home, so it felt natural. I sat on a stool and watched him. Maybe getting married at 26 wasn’t a bad idea. Bella couldn’t take it. She stopped what she was doing and yelled at Silas. “Mr. Thorne, you say I’m a fake, but what about Summer Miller?” “If she knew you, she could have said so. She played vague to make people wonder.” “You don’t see girls like her in your circles, but we have plenty of them in Hollywood.” “She’s a ‘Sugar Baby’! She’s using her face and her acting to climb the ladder! It’s all for money!” The chat was confused again: [Is the princess losing her cool? Calling someone a sugar baby in front of her man?] [Summer’s acting is good. Maybe Silas is being played?] [I’m a Bella fan. She’s probably just worried Silas is being scammed. Her dad is Charles Miller, a philanthropist! He’ll set things straight when he gets here.] I looked back at her and smiled. “Bella, thank you for praising my acting.” Silas stopped cleaning. He narrowed his eyes. “Sugar baby? Do you know the market value of the Thorne Real Estate portfolio?” “It’s fine. I like being her sponsor.” Bella stomped her foot, pouting. She didn’t see Silas looking at me for approval again. “Babe, can the reward be a whole night?” I was tempted by his handsome, desperate face. I nodded. He started cleaning even faster. 07 The show was halfway through. All guests were present except for my dad. The host tentatively asked, “Bella, will Mr. Miller be joining us?” Bella regained her high-profile attitude. “My dad is at the station. The network president is bringing him up!” “The truth is about to come out!” She gave me a pointed look. The chat was buzzing again: [The final showdown!] [Bella’s backup is here! She’s been bullied so much today.] [Summer might have the billionaire boyfriend, but Bella has the tycoon dad. Let’s see who wins.] A middle-aged man in a sharp tailored blazer walked in. Silas immediately put down the towel. The tech king of Silicon Valley actually looked nervous. “Dad! You’re finally here! I’ve been bullied so much!” Bella ran off the stage and gave my dad a huge hug. My dad didn’t seem to notice me at first. He patted Bella’s shoulder. “Bella, don’t worry. I’m here. Who dared to bully my girl in public?” Bella acted bashful. “They didn’t really bully me. They just… mocked my status.” [Mr. Miller, defend your daughter! Don’t let the billionaire scare you!] My dad walked onto the stage, looking righteous. “Status? We live in a modern democracy! Are we still ranking people by bloodlines?!” Then his eyes landed on me. He froze. He looked between me and Silas. I stood up, blinking my big eyes. “Dad.” “Care to explain?” The chat went nuclear: [LMAO, Summer is really going for it! She called him Dad!] [I knew it! She’s going to claim he’s her dad now!] [The Miller family only has one daughter, and Bella already claimed him!] My dad stood there, his tanned face turning a shade of guilty red. “Princess… why are you here?” “What a… what a coincidence. Ha… Silas is here too. Haha.” Bella grabbed my dad’s arm. “Dad, it’s Summer Miller. She made me lose so much face.” My dad looked at Bella, confused. I chuckled. “Dad, where did this ‘secret daughter’ come from?” The host was lost. “Mr. Miller… both of them called you Dad. Do you have two daughters?” My dad didn’t answer. He slowly put on his reading glasses, took out his phone, and spent two minutes scrolling through the live chat history. The studio was silent for two minutes. Finally, he took off his glasses. “I didn’t realize what was happening when I walked in. I apologize for the confusion.” He gently removed Bella’s hand from his arm. “I, Charles Miller, have only ever had one daughter—Summer Miller.” “I am a loyal husband. I do not have children out of wedlock.” “As for Miss Sterling… her father saved my life years ago. I promised to look after her and gave her the title of ‘goddaughter’ as a formality.” “But that title wasn’t meant to be used like this.” “Using my name to bully people on live TV… I can only imagine what you do in private.” “As of now, I am revoking that title. You are no longer my goddaughter.” “Let the audience be my witness. Summer Miller is my only child.” My dad was a man of integrity. He couldn’t stand people using his name for malice. Bella had crossed his ultimate line. She lost all her strength and slumped to the floor. My dad turned to me, whispering. “Sweetie, please don’t tell your mom. I’ll do anything.” “Silas, help me out here?” They both looked at me with puppy-dog eyes. The host interrupted, trying to salvage something. “Mr. Miller… Bella made a whole table of food for you.” “High-end ingredients! Network-funded!” My dad, who hated waste, followed the host over. Bella saw a final chance. She scrambled up and followed them, hoping to win my dad back with her “effort.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “415138”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

When My Boyfriend’s Childhood Best Friend Became Single I waited for him at the diner all night. As the sky began to lighten, I finally received his text: “We’re not working out. Let’s break up.” 1 On the day of our two-year anniversary, I sat in the diner, watching the snow fall and stop, over and over. But that familiar silhouette never appeared outside the window. He stood me up. As dawn broke, I pushed open the diner doors and was immediately choked by a flurry of snow, coughing uncontrollably. Two text messages sat unread on my phone. One was from him: “We’re not working out. Let’s break up.” The other was from his childhood best friend, my roommate, Audrey: “Harper, I don’t think I want to give him to you anymore.” A thick layer of snow blanketed the ground. Every step left a deep footprint, only to be quickly buried by fresh snow. I looked up, feeling the freezing temperature as my breath plumed into white mist. This winter felt exceptionally cold. I met Liam in the summer. I was carrying two ice cream cones across the basketball court to find my roommate when a stray ball flew straight at me. At the last second, a strong arm yanked me into a warm chest. It happened so fast I only caught a glimpse of his sharp jawline. The ice cream hit the asphalt, melting rapidly in the heat. From a distance, my roommate Audrey’s voice rang out: “Harper—!” Then, a crisp, clear voice echoed right above my head: “Harper Ellis?” I looked up. That was my first time meeting him. Between his handsome features and the way his white t-shirt fluttered in the breeze, he had a fatal attraction to me. His name was Liam Wright. Audrey’s childhood best friend, the boy next door. Because of Audrey, I ended up seeing him a lot. Whenever we hung out, the three of us were usually together. Over time, we got to know each other. He only knew my name initially because Audrey constantly brought me up in front of him. In the winter of our sophomore year, Liam and I got together. He was the one who confessed, though it hardly counted as a real confession. That night, walking out of the library, I checked my phone. Half an hour earlier, Audrey had posted a photo on Instagram: “Hello, Carter.” It was a picture of a guy’s back. I knew who he was. A senior Audrey had been crushing on for ages. I put my phone away and kept walking, keeping my head down until I reached my dorm. Standing there in the freezing cold, wearing only a thin jacket, was Liam. He held a single rose in one hand and his phone in the other, his knuckles white from gripping it so tightly. I called out his name in surprise. He turned around, his eyes slightly red. Before I could say another word, he pulled me into a tight embrace, his voice hoarse. “Harper, let’s give us a try.” Truthfully, Audrey had been trying her hardest to set us up long before that. Otherwise, Liam wouldn’t have brought me along every time he asked her to hang out. Once, when she got drunk, she hugged my arm and whined: “Harper, please just date him. I’m begging you. Otherwise he’s always bothering me, it’s so annoying.” Right then, Liam pushed the door open and walked in. He was completely drenched. A torrential downpour was raging outside, but because of one phone call from Audrey, he had rushed over without a second thought. I don’t know if he heard what she said. I only watched him lean down, scoop the drunk Audrey into his arms, and let out a helpless sigh. “Audrey, stop messing around.” I grabbed Audrey’s purse and followed quietly behind them. I watched him carefully place her into the passenger seat and tuck a blanket around her. After standing there in a daze for a long time, Liam told me to get in the car. As the heater slowly warmed the interior, I kept my eyes lowered, my peripheral vision fixed on his long, clean fingers gripping the steering wheel. Did I agree to date Liam because I didn’t like him? No. I liked him a lot. I liked him so much that even knowing he only asked me out to get back at Audrey, I still said yes. 2 Liam’s social media was incredibly bare. He only had two posts. One was a picture of a stray cat, and the other was just a single line of text: One step away. The day after we got together, he made his third post: Harper Ellis. My girlfriend. Audrey quickly commented: Omg, wishing you guys the best! Liam and I had our first official date at the movies. We bought tickets for a cheesy new rom-com. Not long after we sat down, Audrey and her new boyfriend showed up and sat directly in the row in front of us. The movie was boring and cliché—just the usual plot of the main couple missing their timing and not ending up together. But Audrey bawled her eyes out. She always seemed to get moved to tears easily. I remember one night before Liam and I were dating. A guy was confessing his love to a girl outside our dorm building. He arranged candles into a heart, scattered rose petals on the ground, and played the guitar while saying “I love you.” The girl he was confessing to hadn’t even come downstairs yet, but Audrey, who was watching from the balcony, was streaming tears. She hugged me and cried about how touching it was, and how great that guy was. I patted her back gently, stayed silent for a moment, and asked quietly, “Isn’t Liam great too?” Her crying stopped instantly. She wiped her tears and sighed. “He’s great, but it’s just annoying. We grew up together, how could I ever like him that way? Besides, even if we don’t date, he’s always going to be good to me.” Her capacity to be moved seemed totally immune to Liam. Or maybe, as the saying goes, the one who is truly loved has nothing to fear. After the movie, we all went to dinner. At the table, Audrey and her boyfriend fed each other bites of food non-stop. Liam kept his head down, pushing a piece of lettuce around his plate. He barely ate a thing. Before we parted ways, Audrey mentioned they were going to a friend’s birthday party. Liam seemed to hold back for a long time before finally saying, “Don’t drink too much.” Audrey frowned in annoyance. Leaning against her boyfriend, she looked at me. “Harper, he’s so annoying. Tell him to stop acting like my dad.” Before I could say anything, Liam grabbed my wrist and pulled me away. The walk was silent. I thought of a million things to say, but finally stopped in front of a grocery store and looked at him. “Liam, let me make you some homemade spaghetti.” In my apartment, Liam ate the pasta politely, a faint smile on his lips. “You don’t look like someone who cooks.” “Honestly, I didn’t know how it would turn out either. This is the first time in my memory I’ve ever made spaghetti bolognese.” His smile deepened. “Really? It’s really good.” Looking at his handsome face, I felt my ears burn. His gloomy mood from the evening improved significantly. It was from that night on that he truly started stepping into his role as my boyfriend. Every morning, he would wait outside my dorm with breakfast, rain or shine. He walked me to class, bought me gifts for every holiday, took me out on weekends, and occasionally planned little surprises. Once, we hiked up a mountain to watch the sunrise. Sitting at the peak, smelling the pine trees as the first ray of sunlight broke the horizon, he suddenly leaned in and kissed my cheek. His eyes were incredibly gentle when he said, “Harper, I like you.” For a long time, I didn’t think it was possible for Liam to like me. After all, I had seen what he looked like when he liked Audrey. Audrey and I were total opposites. She was the bright, emotional, head-turning beauty. I wasn’t nearly as pretty, and I was quiet. Put simply, I was boring. But when Liam said I like you, I just felt a sudden pang of melancholy in my chest, and an urge to cry. It felt like I had waited years to hear those words, even though we hadn’t even been together for a year. Somehow, I always felt our quiet, peaceful happiness was just a fragile bubble. One day, it was going to pop. And Audrey was the needle. 3 Two months into her relationship, Audrey and her boyfriend started fighting constantly. It started with small things, like the shade of her lipstick, and escalated until it landed someone in the hospital. One time, Liam and I were out for dinner. It was a new restaurant offering half-price meals for couples, so I dragged him there. But right as the food arrived, Liam got a call from Audrey. By the time we rushed over, Audrey was sitting in a private karaoke room, drinking and crying. The reason? Her boyfriend was too busy lately, and they fought about not seeing each other enough. I originally thought once he comforted her, that would be the end of it. I didn’t realize that phone call was just the beginning. Audrey started complaining to him all the time. Her boyfriend wasn’t considerate enough, wasn’t gentle enough, his apologies weren’t sincere, he texted other girls. She always ended it with one sentence: “He’s nothing compared to you, Liam.” Her issues with her boyfriend snowballed, and the number of times she called Liam skyrocketed. It got to the point where I felt like the third wheel. I remember it was my birthday. It was pouring rain outside. Liam lit the candles on my cake and told me to make a wish. Just as I closed my eyes, a frantic ringtone shattered the silence. It took me a moment to realize it was the custom ringtone Liam had assigned to Audrey. He hadn’t changed it since we started dating. Audrey’s crying echoed loudly in the quiet room. Liam stood up so fast he knocked a ceramic plate onto the floor, shattering it. Through the speaker, Audrey sobbed that she had been dumped and left on the side of a highway in the middle of nowhere. The heater was on, but my fingertips went ice cold. Liam gently coaxed her over the phone: “Don’t panic. Send me your location.” Liam’s voice was always soft, but for some reason, he sounded exceptionally tender when he was comforting Audrey. Right as he opened the door to leave, I called his name. He seemed to finally remember I was still in the room. He looked uncomfortable. “The rain is too heavy, it’s not safe out there. I’m going to go find Audrey.” That was probably the one and only time I ever acted selfishly during our relationship. I grabbed his sleeve. “What if I don’t want you to go?” It had been too many times. Even treating her like a little sister, they had crossed the line. He gently pried my fingers off his sleeve. His voice was low. “I’m sorry, Harper. I can’t let anything happen to her.” Then came the sound of the door closing. On my twenty-first birthday, I sat alone in front of a melted cake for a long time. Eventually, my head started pounding so violently that I passed out. A waiter found me and called an ambulance. The headaches were a lingering side effect of a car crash I had years ago. After finishing my IV drip in the middle of the night, I pulled out my phone. I had called Liam repeatedly. No one answered. 4 Audrey was heartbroken and locked herself in her room for days. When Liam came to the hospital the next morning, he had faint dark circles under his eyes. He held my hand and apologized. I kept my eyes closed and pretended to be asleep. After I was discharged, Liam took meticulous care of me. He brought me meals, walked me to every class, and basically spent every free second he had by my side. I guess he was putting all his time into me to fix what he broke. Once during gym class, my period came early. The cramps were so bad I couldn’t stand. I don’t know who texted him, but Liam sprinted over, sweating, and carried me to the campus clinic. He prepared everything perfectly—heating pads, hot tea, painkillers. I knew he was trying hard to repair the crack in our relationship. Audrey was in a terrible mood, so she kept finding excuses to hang out with us. At first, it was just grabbing lunch together. Soon, she tagged along on every date. She would always loop her arm through mine confidently and say: “Harper, I’m not stealing Liam from you. I don’t even like him.” “I just see him as a brother. If I liked him, I wouldn’t have set you two up!” Sometimes, if Liam bought me a gift but didn’t get her one, she would get mad and pout: “Liam, you’re choosing a girl over your best friend.” “What? I’m the one who set you two up, and you forgot about me already?” “Liam, we grew up together.” For a long time, the three of us maintained this bizarre, delicate dynamic, right until Audrey started dating again. The guy was a junior from the business school. He was the total opposite of her ex. Her ex was flashy and passionate, but didn’t know how to compromise or take care of people. This new guy, with his clean-cut, quiet demeanor, put Audrey first in absolutely everything. I don’t know if Audrey noticed, but this guy was exactly like Liam. Or rather, he was exactly like the version of Liam who had absolutely zero boundaries when it came to her. The day Audrey announced her new relationship, Liam accidentally dropped the handmade ceramic mug I had given him for his birthday. It shattered. A shard sliced his index finger, leaving a deep cut. It was hard to say if the cut hurt because of Audrey, or because of the mug I made him. But because of Audrey’s new romance, the tension between Liam and me finally eased. One night, Liam and I were eating at a dive bar off-campus. Suddenly, a huge commotion broke out outside. I wasn’t naturally curious and hated crowds, and so did Liam. But the next second, a scream ripped through the air. It was Audrey. Without a second of hesitation, Liam bolted outside. I ran after him. The street in front of the bar was pure chaos. A massive brawl had broken out, and Audrey was right in the middle of it. Later, I saw someone raise a hand to hit Audrey. Liam grabbed a beer bottle and smashed it over the guy’s head. Everything descended into madness. Crying, glass shattering, screaming, and blood. So much blood. The last thing I heard before I lost consciousness was: “Someone passed out! Someone passed out—!” The person who passed out was me. Seeing that scene, my head had started throbbing with an agonizing pain. It was too much to bear, and I blacked out. When I opened my eyes again, I was in the hospital. Liam’s face was bruised purple, and his arm was bandaged. Seeing me awake, he called my name in a hoarse voice. “Harper.” I was never a crier. Even when I was deeply wronged, I would just grit my teeth and push through it. But for the first time, I couldn’t hold back the tears in front of Liam. I didn’t make a sound. The tears just rolled down my temples into the pillow. I had been so terrified. I had screamed his name, over and over, but in that moment, the only person in his eyes was Audrey. I couldn’t explain exactly why I was crying, but it felt like a dull knife was sawing at my heart. 5 Liam explained that Audrey’s friends had gotten into a dispute with another group, neither side backed down, and a fight broke out. Audrey wasn’t hurt, but she was a wreck. Her eyes were red and swollen when she came to see me at the hospital. During the fight, her new boyfriend hadn’t protected her; in fact, he was the first one to run away. After that, Audrey and her boyfriend were constantly on-and-off, with no clear end in sight. On the day Liam got the stitches removed from his arm, I stared at the jagged scar and asked, “Liam, does it hurt?” Maybe because my voice was so unnervingly calm, he panicked, pulling me into his arms. “I’m sorry, Harper. I grew up with her. I can’t just leave her alone.” “Harper, don’t mention breaking up. Please, never bring up breaking up, okay?” In the end, he was the one who brought it up. On our two-year anniversary. Audrey and her boyfriend had finally called it quits for good. It happened exactly one week before our anniversary. She was eerily calm about it this time. No crying, no screaming. She just sat with us at dinner and said flatly: “I broke up with him.” I had a very strange premonition then. Audrey regretted it. And reality proved my intuition right. So, when I was stood up on our anniversary, and I finally got the breakup text, I wasn’t that surprised. Just… tired. My eyes burned. I used to wonder why I fell so hard for Liam. I thought it was because the sunset was so beautiful that day at the basketball court, and his silhouette just perfectly caught my eye. I figured he would never know that the real first time I saw him was in the stairwell, the second day of freshman year. For some unknown reason, Audrey was sitting on the steps crying. Liam sat right beside her, coaxing her with endless, gentle patience. The evening light hit the side of his face, making his eyelashes glow. Staring at the text Liam sent me, I typed a single word: “Okay.” Thinking back on it, I was exactly like the catalyst side-character in a romance novel about childhood sweethearts. Once the main characters finally realized they were meant to be, it was time for me to gracefully exit stage left. After standing out in the snow, I caught a terrible fever. I had bizarre, fragmented dreams. A highway covered in blood from a car crash. A boy’s back as he rode a bicycle. A teenager in a white shirt whose face I could never clearly see. In the dream, a clear, somewhat lazy voice was rambling in my ear. I strained to listen and barely caught a few sentences: “Harper, how did your exam go?” “I’m here to see you, Harper!” “Harper Ellis, no taking it back!” “Harper. Harper… Harper…” When I opened my eyes to a blinding white ceiling, for a split second, I thought I was waking up from the car crash again. It was snowing outside the window, just like back then. During winter break of my junior year of high school, I was in a terrible car accident. When I woke up, I had lost a huge chunk of my memory. 6 Liam and I broke up on an ordinary snowy day. The next time I saw Audrey, she said, “Harper, thank you. You made me realize my true feelings.” “I’m so sorry, Harper. Liam only dated you to make me jealous.” “I was so stupid, trying so hard to push you two together. It’s all my fault. Please don’t hate me, okay?” As she said this, she clung intimately to Liam’s arm. It was the first time I had seen him since the breakup. The sunlight hit his newly cut black hair. I suddenly noticed that in just a few days, he had lost weight. His normally gentle features looked sharp and exhausted. My eyes swept over the watch on his left wrist. I looked up at him slightly and asked: “When we were on the mountain watching the sunrise, did you mean what you said?” Honestly, I didn’t even know what I was holding onto anymore. Was I hoping he really liked me? Did I still want to be with him? But when he looked at me so intently on that peak and said he liked me, I genuinely believed him. Two years is a long time. It’s just a shame it could never outlast their twenty. He pressed his lips together. The hand by his side clenched into a loose fist. His voice was as beautiful as ever: “It was my fault. Don’t blame Audrey. If you need anything to make up for it, just name it.” I pulled a faint, mocking smile, my vision blurring. “Can I ask you to marry me?” He froze. I turned around and started walking away slowly, throwing an insult over my shoulder: “Can’t do it, right? It’s fine. You’ve never kept a single promise you made to me anyway. What’s one more?” The watch on Liam’s wrist was very old. After it broke a few times, I bought him a brand new one. He accepted it but never wore it, claiming he just needed to fix the old one and was too used to it to switch. Thinking back on it now, it wasn’t the style of the watch he couldn’t let go of. It was the person who gave it to him. A thin layer of snow covered the sidewalk. I stood at an intersection, watching the cars rush by, suddenly having no idea where to go. As I stepped off the curb, a deafening screech of tires and crashing metal erupted right behind me. The next second, I was yanked backward into an embrace that smelled of pine. I don’t know how much time passed. The jarring noise had triggered flashes of my car crash, making my head pound in agony. As the pain slowly subsided, I clutched my head and looked up. I saw a face that looked remarkably like Liam’s, but older, sharper, and far more refined. The man wore a black overcoat lightly dusted with snow. He had an incredible jawline and striking brow bones. His long, clean fingers gripped a transparent umbrella, shielding me from the snow, while his other arm was wrapped tightly around my waist. His eyes were red-rimmed, and his voice was completely hoarse: “Long time no see, Harper.” His name was Caleb Wright. My… former math tutor. The summer before my senior year of high school, my dad brought home a college student to tutor me in math. His name was Caleb. Every Wednesday and Friday afternoon, he came over to help me study. Whenever my mom wasn’t home, he would sneak me a vanilla ice cream cone. I had to beg him for it, of course, because my health was poor and my mom banned cold sweets. Caleb refused at first, but couldn’t withstand my pleading. We compromised on half a cone as a reward for finishing my work. Though he went to college in a different city, he was only in my hometown that summer for fieldwork related to his thesis. Tutoring was just a way to make some extra cash. He didn’t just teach me math; he ended up tutoring me in almost every subject. You could say my entire academic revival started with him. As the pages of my textbooks flipped, the summer ended. I started my senior year, and he went back to his university. My once aggressively average math grades skyrocketed, eventually becoming my best subject. Actually, Caleb was the one who told me all of this. I had forgotten everything about him, and everything that happened during that time. Later, just to confirm, I asked my mom. She confirmed that he had indeed tutored me. And yes, I really did love vanilla ice cream. The hand holding the umbrella tightened its grip. His deep, dark eyes looked at me from beneath his eyelashes. He seemed to force the words out: “You don’t remember me?… It’s fine. As long as you’re okay. As long as you’re safe.” Looking at his suddenly dimmed eyes, and that face that looked so much like Liam’s, I felt a knot of complex emotions. I opened my mouth and called out, “Mr. Wright,” but he cut me off with a bitter smile. “You never used to call me Mr. Wright.” “What did I call you?” “Caleb.” 7 I used to attribute my feelings for Liam to perfect timing. The weather was nice, he appeared exactly when I needed him, and my heart skipped a beat. I couldn’t find any other reason, right up until he drained every last drop of my affection. But my reason for avoiding Caleb now was crystal clear: he had a face just like Liam’s. Technically speaking, Liam looked like him. I found out Caleb was Liam’s older cousin during winter break. Caleb and I had added each other on social media. Initially, I didn’t want to, but he looked down at me quietly and said softly: “We were tutor and student once. Not only did you forget me, but now you won’t even add me as a friend?” My heart gave an inexplicable tremble, and I agreed. After adding him, I glanced at his profile. It was mostly work-related articles. The only personal posts were a few photos of the exact same potted Gardenia plant. For some reason, it made me think of Liam’s profile. That photo of the cat and that single sentence. It was easy to guess the hidden meaning behind it. Audrey had once shown me a picture of the cat she and Liam co-parented—it was the exact same cat from his post. And “One step away” perfectly described the agonizing distance between best friends and lovers. A week after Caleb and I became online friends, he made a new post. It was very simple: They say seven years is a cycle. Beneath it was a comment: Cousin, did you find her? Congrats! My entire focus locked onto the word “Cousin.” So that’s why they looked so alike. Winter break vanished as quickly as a sparkler burning out. During that time, Caleb only sent me one message, right at the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve: “Merry Christmas, Harper.” I spun my phone in my hand, eventually turning it off. The next morning, I replied: “Merry Christmas, Caleb.” Once we returned to campus, everyone was busy with internships and final projects. Graduation was looming, which meant endless farewell dinners and parties. It was during this time I realized the name “Liam” no longer stirred a single ripple in my heart. Because of our overlapping social circles, it was inevitable that Liam, Audrey, and I would end up at the same party. And it was at that party I witnessed Liam and Audrey fight for the first time. It escalated into physical violence. Piecing together their screaming match, the reason was simple: Audrey felt Liam had changed. She constantly tested him to see if he still loved her. Her method of testing him was hanging out with her ex-boyfriend, threatening Liam that they were going to get back together. Coincidentally, both of her ex-boyfriends were at this party. Finally, Liam said flatly: “Go ahead and get back together with him then!” “Liam, I knew it! You don’t even love me anymore!” Audrey hysterically threw a beer bottle at him. A shard of glass grazed the corner of his eye, sending a stream of blood down his jaw. I stood quietly in the crowd, watching them go from arguing, to fighting, to breaking up. I avoided Liam’s gaze when he looked my way, pulling out my phone and scrolling aimlessly. Audrey probably didn’t understand that love is the one thing that cannot withstand constant testing. Liam drank heavily that night. When the party ended, I walked outside and saw Caleb. He was dressed in a sharp black suit, his expression totally entirely cold. Seeing me, his long legs stepped in my direction, but he was halted by Liam calling out, “Caleb.” Caleb looked at the heavily intoxicated Liam being held up by his friends. He frowned and said coldly: “If it’s not working, break up early!” His sharp gaze swept over the unusually quiet Audrey standing nearby, and then he walked straight toward me.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “415137”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

The top student and the campus heartthrob became famous celebrities. On a variety show, he sang a song, saying it was dedicated to the girl he had a crush on in high school. I was sitting in a dingy diner slurping noodles, smiling and shaking my head. It couldn’t possibly be me anyway. But the very next second, my phone rang. 1 Asher Hayes debuted at nineteen. In just five years, he had become a household name, an absolute superstar. While I was slurping noodles in a small, greasy diner, the wall-mounted TV was broadcasting his variety show. In the latest episode, he sang a song called “The Girl Next to Me” and said it was dedicated to his high school crush. It caused a massive sensation. The celebrity guests sitting around him started teasing him, urging him to say the girl’s name. Of course, he didn’t. I was a little dazed. The noodles on my chopsticks had gone cold. Because, I used to be his desk mate. But, it couldn’t possibly be me. I’m just an ordinary person. Or even, a pretty pathetic one. There is an insurmountable gulf between us. Being desk mates with a superstar like him in high school was already the absolute peak of my life. I buried my head and ate that bite of noodles. It was cold and tasted awful, making me want to throw up. Bad memories came flooding back. Memories of being shoved into a bathroom stall during my period and having freezing cold water dumped over my head. The girl who dumped that water on me later became a celebrity too. Now, she is highly praised by the media as Hollywood’s only “pure white lily.” In a recent interview, she choked up and said she was a victim of severe school bullying in high school. She claimed she had freezing water poured on her during her period, which caused her to develop severe depression that she still hasn’t recovered from. It trended number one on Twitter for a while. Many celebrities came forward to support her, posting tweets against school bullying. Oh, and that girl was also participating in that exact same variety show. When Asher was singing, she was sitting on the grass, clapping. Speaking of which, she used to be Asher’s desk mate too. When the crowd was cheering for Asher to say the girl’s name, she must have been expectantly waiting to hear her own name, right? I paid my bill and walked out of the diner. I completely forgot what I was just thinking about. It was so cold outside; I just wanted to go home and get warm. My phone suddenly started ringing. It was an unknown number. “Hello? Is this Ms. Quinn Foster? We are the production team for Autumn Encounters. Congratulations on becoming our special guest, earning the chance to record alongside numerous A-list celebrities…” I frowned. Autumn Encounters was exactly the variety show Asher was on. Because it was so popular recently, there had been several scam cases using the show’s name. I didn’t expect to run into one myself. “Hilarious. If you’re the director, then I’m an international pop star,” I sneered. It was already dark, and I was getting home a bit late. My older brother, Mason, wasn’t at ease, so he specifically waited for me downstairs. “On the phone?” “Ah, a scam call.” On the other end of the line, the person claiming to be the director was still trying hard to prove his identity when I ruthlessly hung up. “Just block it,” Mason said. He rubbed my head, took my backpack, and walked upstairs. Ever since I almost died that year, he had been terrified of losing me, protecting me like a fragile crystal ball that could shatter at any moment. As I walked upstairs, I complained to him about things at school. I had just started my Ph.D. program, and getting yelled at by my advisor every day was making me question my life choices. My phone rang again. Still an unknown number, but not the same one from just now. Mason got a bit annoyed: “Hang up and block it. Seriously, these scammers never stop.” But as I looked at the screen, for some reason, I felt this time was different. In the end, I answered it. “Hello?” I greeted hesitantly. The other end of the line was silent for two seconds. “Long time no see, Quinn.” 2 That familiar yet unfamiliar voice was like a gust of wind, blowing open a heavy door that had been sealed for a long time. Instantly, my adrenaline spiked. My heart beat wildly. I froze in place, my hands and feet going numb. “Why aren’t you saying anything? Calling you out of the blue… is this a bit too forward?” “Ah, no, no! Not at all!” Getting a call from Asher left me completely flustered. Even though we used to be classmates, we only sat in the same class together. We had absolutely no personal relationship. No matter how you looked at it, it was impossible for our paths to cross again. I let out a breath and tried my best to sound natural. “Mr. Superstar, why are you calling me?” Asher laughed. His voice sounded incredibly good. I paused. In my memory, had he ever laughed like that? It had been too long; I had forgotten. When he was my desk mate, it seemed like he was always just fast asleep on his desk. “I want to invite you to be a guest star and film the show with me. The director called you earlier, but you turned him down.” “I’m so sorry, I thought it was a scammer…” “It did sound a bit like a scam. Did it scare you?” “A… a little.” He laughed again, then smoothly changed the subject: “So, are you willing to come? Classmate Quinn.” I panicked. Filming a show, going on TV… for someone with social anxiety, it was terrifying. Moreover, showing up looking like a disheveled grad student to meet my wildly successful old classmate made me feel deeply inadequate. “Uh, I don’t think I can. Let’s just forget it…” “Why? Do you really not want to see me?” He sounded so sincere, almost humble. I quickly denied it: “Ah, no, it’s not that at all! How could it be? I just think it’s too sudden, and I haven’t thought it through.” “I see. Then, please think about it carefully. I really… really want to see you.” I was stunned. He paused for a moment and added: “There are other old classmates coming too. I really want to see all of you.” A memory, long lost in the sea of time, suddenly drilled into my mind. 3 One year, in the spring. An invitation card appeared on my desk. “It’s my birthday this Saturday. Come hang out at my place.” Seventeen-year-old Asher sat on his desk, speaking with a careless attitude. Asher came from a prominent, wealthy family. His friends were all rich or influential. That invitation should never have appeared on my desk. Seeing that I wasn’t speaking, Asher added, “Everyone in the class is coming. Anyway, do whatever you want.” He hopped off the desk indifferently and went to play basketball with his friends. Did I go later? Yes, I went. Carrying a cheap gift and wearing plain clothes, I walked to the outside of an extravagant estate I had never even seen before in my life. At the entrance, I finally realized that the other classmates attending the party had arrived in luxury cars, wearing expensive tailored clothes. This was a gathering for the elite. There was absolutely no one like me, a total commoner. So, halfway to the door, I turned around and left. I didn’t even wish Asher a happy birthday. But I figured he wouldn’t care, or even notice. Originally, it was just a passing invitation. We couldn’t even be considered friends. What happened after that day? I can’t remember clearly. It seemed… he never spoke to me again. But then again, he rarely spoke to me to begin with. A few days later, I transferred schools, and I never saw him again. The memory ended there. On the other end of the phone, Asher was still waiting for my answer. I hesitated for a moment, then nodded: “Okay, let me think about it first.” Mason had heard the entire conversation. As I pocketed my phone and walked upstairs, he asked, “Is that the super popular ‘Encounters’ show?” “Yeah.” “You’re not going to go, right?” “I won’t.” “Then I’m relieved.” My footsteps felt heavy as I walked up the stairs. But my heart felt as if it was tethered to something. After walking up seven steps, I stopped and gripped the handrail tightly. “No, Mason. I want to go.” Mason’s eyes widened: “Huh? Are you serious? Do you even know that Blair Kensington is on that show? Doesn’t she make you sick?” “I know.” My hands trembled slightly, but my heart grew firm once again. “But, Mason, I still want to go. And besides, I can’t be a turtle hiding in its shell forever.” 4 On the flight, I had a dream. In the dream, I went back to my high school classroom, napping on my desk. Someone leaned close to my ear and whispered softly, “Quinn, I like you.” I opened my eyes to hazy light and shadows. There was no one in front of me. Only the white curtains gently swaying in the breeze. “Quinn, wake up! We’re here!” Mason shook me vigorously. He picked me up like a kitten, holding bags in one hand and practically carrying me with the other. He insisted on coming with me, even calling up his frat brothers and telling them to protect me. If anyone dared to bully me, he and his boys were going to beat them to a pulp. After we got off the plane, the production team sent a private car to pick me up. After resting for a few hours, I was taken to the beach in the evening to participate in the shoot. The crew had built three giant cardboard houses resembling classrooms. In each room hid a guest star. For the sake of the show’s suspense, even I didn’t know who was hiding in the other two rooms. During filming, I hid behind the door, my palms sweating nervously. Soon, I heard familiar voices. Asher, Blair, and a few other well-known celebrities. I felt anxious. It had been so long. I didn’t know if I would look tense or come off like a country bumpkin. Outside, the host asked, “Who do you hope to see?” Blair seemed very excited. It looked like she didn’t know who was coming either. Soon, the first door opened. The host asked, “Do you still remember this old classmate’s name?” Asher paused for a moment and said, “Long time no see, Brody.” I couldn’t see, but hearing that name made me freeze. Brody Mitchell. Wasn’t he the delinquent in our class? If I remembered correctly, he was also Blair’s ultimate simp… I listened carefully. It was lively outside, and Blair was smiling, but she was obviously a bit nervous. She was probably afraid he would say something he shouldn’t. However, Brody was surprisingly cooperative, saying nothing but compliments about her. She gradually relaxed. After a while, another door opened. I heard Blair scream in surprise: “Riley!” The string in my mind suddenly pulled taut. Riley Jenkins was my dorm roommate in high school, and also Blair’s best friend. Back then, every time Blair bullied me, Riley helped her. Including the time they poured cold water on me. Why would they invite her? Did Blair invite her? Bad memories assaulted me again, making me slightly nauseous. After they chatted outside for a while, I heard Asher’s slightly urging voice: “Let’s open the last door first. There’s another classmate waiting inside for a long time.” The host finally signaled for me to come out. “Let’s welcome our third guest! Which old classmate could this be? Let’s build up the anticipation… one, two, three!” I took a deep breath, adjusted my posture, and pushed the door open. The temperature had dropped sharply recently, but to look good on camera, I only wore a white dress with a trench coat over it. The moment I opened the door, the wind picked up, making my dress flutter. Unexpectedly, it drew gasps of admiration from the onlookers. I looked up and immediately saw Asher. He was wearing a white button-down shirt, standing against the brilliant lights, smiling at me as if there was a galaxy between us. “Classmate Quinn, long time no see.” That lean, tall figure instantly pulled me back to my high school days. I seemed to see that teenage boy again, always wearing headphones, leaning against the window, lost in thought. I was dazed for a moment, then nodded slightly. Asher introduced me to everyone: “This is Quinn Foster, she was… the top student in our class.” He didn’t say I was his desk mate. Maybe it was to avoid gossip, or maybe he had just forgotten. I looked away and saw Blair. She stood to the side. For a split second, her face looked worse than if she had eaten a fly. Hollywood’s “only pure white lily” was a title voted on by fans. If she hadn’t claimed she was “bullied” in high school to harvest a wave of sympathy, she probably wouldn’t have won that title. Now that she saw me—her living “dark history”—her emotions must have been incredibly complicated. But she quickly covered it up, running over to hug me. “Oh my god! Quinn, it’s really you! I missed you so much!” I hugged her back, my face perfectly calm: “Nice to see you too, Blair.” 5 Old classmates reuniting, each with their own hidden agendas. We hugged each other, our smiles faker than flattering a boss at a corporate dinner. After exchanging pleasantries, the host asked the five of us to go on stage and take a group photo. There were so many people off-stage and several cameras pointing at us. I felt awkward. Riley suddenly held my hand and smiled at me. “Don’t be nervous.” I looked at her defensively, but found that her gaze was actually… very gentle and sincere. It was a complete 180 from the girl who used to stand next to Blair and relentlessly humiliate me. What was going on? I didn’t respond, silently pulling my hand back. After the photo shoot, we moved to the next segment. We sat around a fire pit, grilling food and chatting. This was supposed to be a heartwarming show, and in this segment, celebrities often dug up secrets buried deep in their hearts, which was what the audience loved to watch the most. I picked a spot and sat down. Surrounded by celebrities I knew or didn’t know, it felt quite novel. There was a bit of space next to me. I was about to scoot over to give the person beside me more room. Just then, Asher suddenly appeared. “I’ll sit here.” After saying that, he added an explanation: “I’m in charge of the barbecue tonight. It’s easier to operate from here.” The warm light of the bonfire outlined his flawless face. He looked like a descending god, so handsome it made people stare blankly. I suddenly remembered choosing seats in our sophomore year. It was an afternoon, with dust motes dancing in the rays of the setting sun. Asher walked straight to the empty seat next to me and sat down. I was secretly shocked at the time. What? The school heartthrob is sitting next to me? Just like now. However, back then, he didn’t even say hello to me. He just put his head on the desk and fell fast asleep. “Okay.” I nodded and squeezed to the side, leaving more space for him. While the others were chatting, Asher quietly flipped the food, brushed oil, and sprinkled seasoning. His movements were unhurried, like he was completing a piece of art. I felt a bit uncomfortable, so I held a piece of corn on the cob and buried my head in eating it. Until someone cued me. “What was Asher like in high school?” A female singer sitting next to me suddenly asked. I looked up. Asher was looking at me, a smile in his eyes. It made my heart skip a beat. I quickly turned my head and looked at the female singer: “Him? He was pretty much the same as he is now. He was the school heartthrob back then—handsome, good grades. He was the superstar of our school.” “Last time, Asher mentioned he had a crush on a female classmate in high school. Do you know her?” The gossip-hungry gazes of everyone present converged on me. Since Asher debuted, he had never revealed anything about his romantic life, so everyone was incredibly curious about this question. But how would I know who he liked? I shook my head like a rattle drum: “I really have no idea about that.” The female singer looked a bit disappointed. She relentlessly turned to Asher: “Give us a hint! Like, what was unique about that girl?” I held my corn, silently looking at him, inexplicably curious myself. Across the fire, Blair was also looking at him expectantly. But Asher just smiled faintly, patiently clipping a chicken wing: “Her? Everything about her was unique.” That was as good as saying nothing. The female singer pressed on: “If you had to use a flower to describe her, what would it be?” The implication of that question couldn’t be more obvious. Blair was known as the “pure white lily.” By asking this, the singer wanted to know if Asher’s crush was Blair. Because they were high school classmates and used to be desk mates, many people suspected the girl was Blair. But Asher shook his head. “She’s not a flower.” He unhurriedly continued what he was doing, not looking at anyone, and said, “Flowers are too fragile. They aren’t like her.” Blair froze, the light in her eyes gradually dimming. She knew Asher wasn’t talking about her. As for who it was, I didn’t know either. He said flowers were too fragile, not like her. So, he liked a tomboy? I thought for a long time but couldn’t figure out who in our class fit the bill. It must be someone I didn’t know. But to be crushed on by Asher and kept in his heart for so many years, she must have been very beautiful. The female singer asked again: “Did you ever confess to her?” I thought to myself, what a stupid question. He said it was a crush. If he confessed, would it still be called a crush? But Asher replied: “I did confess.” “But she didn’t hear me.” Soon, he looked up, smiling, and asked: “Who wants chicken wings?” A bunch of people swarmed over: “Me, me, me!” I was squeezed to the edge, my mind still replaying his words. I confessed, but she didn’t hear me. Looks like that girl had bad hearing. Looking at it this way, Asher was actually a bit pitiful. He finally managed to vocalize his love, but the person didn’t hear it, and they missed each other forever. To be kept deep in his heart and yearned for over so many years… It was quite enviable. I lowered my eyes, looking at the fire, feeling a momentary pang of loss. Since they couldn’t get anything more out of Asher, the topic naturally transitioned to Blair. The female singer asked me again: “What was Blair like in high school?” Blair looked at me, smiling, but the tension and threat in her eyes were practically overflowing. Of course, I wasn’t going to say that she rallied everyone to isolate me—they wouldn’t broadcast that anyway. I just smiled and said sweetly: “Blair was incredibly popular because she’s so pretty, right? She had an outgoing personality, was generous to her friends, and everyone loved her. Whenever there was a vote for class officers or student reps, she always got first place.” Riley and Brody, sitting on the other side, also chimed in: “Blair was everyone’s goddess.” Blair breathed a sigh of relief. However, she completely failed to realize that what I just said contradicted the “bullied victim” persona she had built up over the past few months. She had told too many lies; she couldn’t even remember what she had said before. Everyone talked and laughed, and time passed quickly. Around 10 PM, we headed back to the hotel to rest. Blair ran over and hooked her arm through mine, insisting on walking me back. With the cameras still rolling, she smiled sweetly, asking about my well-being like we were long-lost best friends. Once we reached the hotel entrance and the cameras retreated, she finally showed her true colors. “Quinn, I don’t know how the production team contacted you, and I don’t know why you agreed to come. But listen to me, watch what you say and do. If you accidentally say the wrong thing, get cyberbullied, face retaliation, and it ruins your normal life… don’t blame me for not warning you.” Her ability to flip her attitude faster than flipping a page in a book was truly comical. I couldn’t help but laugh. Mimicking her innocent persona in front of others, I said, “Thank you for the warning! You really treat me like a best friend, thinking of everything for me.” “Who is your best friend? Stop acting like a fake saint here, it’s disgusting!” She pushed me away in disgust and was about to curse more. Coincidentally, Mason came downstairs. A tall, muscular guy over six feet tall, walking toward her with cold eyes. “Little girl, what are you doing?” Blair backed up, swallowing the words she was about to say. She didn’t want to be at a disadvantage here. Pursing her lips, she whispered: “Quinn, that’s all I’m going to say. Keep yourself in line and don’t spout nonsense, for both our sakes.” After saying that, she glanced at Mason, quickly got into her luxury van, and left. 6 “Did she bully you?” “No.” “Let me tell you, if she ever dares to do anything to you…” “I’ll give her a left hook, then a right hook, and beat her until she doesn’t know what hit her!” “That’s my girl!” Mason proudly walked me back to my room, but there was an uninvited guest standing at the door. “Hi, Quinn.” Riley looked at me, looking like she had made a huge decision. I stopped and looked at her warily. She quickly explained: “I don’t mean anything bad. I just want to say two sentences and I’ll leave.” I remained silent. She bit her lip and said: “Quinn, I know you hate me. Back then… I did a lot of terrible things, and I hurt you deeply. Maybe, maybe you’ve already forgotten…” “No, I haven’t forgotten.” “Ah, right. How could you possibly forget.” She nervously gripped the hem of her shirt: “I haven’t forgotten either. Actually, all these years, I’ve felt terribly guilty. Every time I think of what I did in high school, I want to slap myself. Really, I’m so sorry…” I was a bit surprised. Was she repenting? I looked at her quietly. Riley pursed her lips, lowering her eyes guiltily. After a while, she looked up, her eyes suddenly becoming resolute: “Quinn, I know you won’t forgive me. But, I will make up for my mistakes. People who make mistakes must inevitably pay the price!” After saying that, she turned and ran away. I watched her back, unable to pinpoint my exact emotions. After a while, I turned to Mason: “She’s not going to jump into the ocean, is she?” Mason frowned: “Who cares about her? Don’t take it to heart. Get some rest.” “Okay.” I went inside, listened to my brother, and deadbolted the door. I leaned against the door, lost in thought. It was strange, wasn’t it? When she apologized to me, my heart was completely unruffled. It felt light, without a shred of relief. Probably because the apology came way too late, and I no longer needed it. My phone suddenly vibrated, startling me. It was actually Asher. “Did you get back safely?” he asked. This was our first time exchanging messages since we added each other on WhatsApp the day before yesterday. “Yes, I did.” I sent a little sun emoji. He replied with a little sun emoji too. So… cute. “Do you have time tomorrow morning? Let’s go for a walk together. The scenery here is beautiful.” Was he asking me out? The air suddenly grew thick. My heart was beating so fast it felt like it would fly out of my chest. He quickly sent another message: ” Filming was chaotic last night, I didn’t get to properly host you guys.” You guys? So, Brody and Riley were going too? What was I overthinking just now? I let out a soft breath and replied: “Sure.” “Great. See you tomorrow at 9 AM. Goodnight.” He sent a sticker of a sleeping moon, ending the conversation. My tense nerves relaxed, and only then did I realize my palms were drenched in sweat.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “415136”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My nephew, Leo, used a nail to draw on a car, and the owner demanded compensation. My mom said, “He’s just a kid! What does he know? Why did she park there anyway? She deserved it!” When I tried to tell them they needed to discipline him seriously, they kicked me out of the house. On New Year’s Day, my nephew flipped over a boiling hot pot, and his actions finally led to a horrific tragedy. 1 I had just finished up at work and was planning to go see a movie. My mom called me. “Chloe! You’re friends with that lawyer guy, right? Hurry up and bring him to the parking lot at our apartment complex! I need to sue someone!” I could feel a vein throbbing in my forehead. “What happened?” It was chaotic on my mom’s end of the line, like she was in the middle of a screaming match. “Leo scratched a car, and this woman has the nerve to demand a thousand dollars from us! It’s just a tiny scratch, how could it cost a thousand dollars? This is extortion!” I rushed home as fast as I could. A crowd had gathered in the parking lot. My mom was standing right in the center, hands on her hips, occupying the most prominent spot. Beside her stood my nine-year-old nephew, Leo, looking completely unbothered and sporting a cheeky grin. When Leo saw me, he rolled his eyes. I took a deep breath and swallowed my annoyance. I pulled out my phone and asked the car owner for her payment app handle. “Miss, I’m so sorry. My nephew misbehaved, and I apologize for wasting your time. It was a thousand dollars, right? I’ll transfer it to you now…” The car owner was a young woman in her twenties, and she had already been reduced to tears by my mother’s screaming. Seeing a reasonable person finally arrive, she hurriedly pulled up her QR code. “I’m really not trying to extort you. The scratch might be small, but it goes right across two different panels. I asked the auto body shop, and to blend the paint properly, it really will cost over a thousand dollars.” I nodded and typed $1,500 into the payment screen. “The extra money is for your trouble and lost time.” Just as I was about to enter my PIN, my mom lunged forward and grabbed my hand. Her grip was like an iron vise, clamping down so hard I couldn’t move. “You stupid girl, do you have too much money burning a hole in your pocket?!” She then turned to threaten the young woman again. “If you want money, we don’t have any! Go ahead and sue us! But let me tell you something right now—this old lady lives in this complex. If a little girl like you wants to start trouble, I have all the time in the world to make your life a living hell!” The young woman clearly backed down. She was afraid that getting involved with someone like my mom would bring her endless, inescapable trouble. Her eyes darted around nervously, clearly wanting to just drop the issue and leave. I forcefully yanked my hand free from my mom’s grip and quickly typed in my PIN. Ding— The transfer went through. The young woman looked incredibly relieved, gave me a quick, grateful smile, hopped into her car, and sped off. Smack. A heavy slap landed on the back of my hand. “Do you have too much money to burn?! I never see you being this generous at home! You ungrateful brat!” During our struggle just now, she had scratched the back of my hand. Now, with the added slap, my entire hand was swollen and throbbing. “Mom! Leo scratched someone’s car. It’s only right that we pay for the damages. Can we please just be reasonable for once?” I was exhausted. The onlookers in the crowd also started chiming in. “Mrs. Miller, your daughter is right. When a kid makes a mistake, you have to apologize and pay for it. That’s just how it works.” My mom snapped back sharply. “He’s just a kid! What does he know? Who told her to park her car there? She deserved to get it scratched!” People started voicing their disagreement. “You can’t say that. The woman parked her car perfectly within the lines of the parking space. How is that parking illegally? Even if she was parked illegally, you call the towing company or the police. You don’t go and vandalize the car! What kind of behavior is that?” … My mom was clearly in the wrong, and she couldn’t out-argue a whole crowd of people. Her face turned pale with anger. She shot me a vicious glare. “I’ll deal with you when we get home!” With that, she turned and stormed off. Leo stuck his tongue out at me and made a face, then hopped and skipped after my mom as if nothing had happened. Seeing me walking in the direction of our apartment, Leo spread his arms and blocked my path. “My house is that way. You’re not allowed to go any further!” I couldn’t be bothered to argue with him, so I changed direction and kept walking. Seeing this, he stomped his foot down hard on my white sneakers. “I said you can’t go! I told you to listen to me! I’ll stomp on you!” My brand-new shoes instantly had ugly, dirty footprints all over them. “Leo! Do you want a spanking?!” I was furious. I grabbed him by the collar. “Apologize to me, and then wipe my shoes clean!” Leo scratched my hand viciously. I gasped in pain and let go of his collar. “Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah…” He made another ugly face at me. He didn’t show an ounce of remorse. My mom pulled Leo into her arms and praised him, “Kids are smart when they’re playful!” My temples throbbed. “Mom, get it straight. What is being playful, and what is being malicious?!” 2 My mom exploded instantly. “What do you mean, malicious?! You never have a good word to say! He’s just a little boy, how could he have any bad intentions?” “He’s nine years old! He’s not going to be a kid forever! If you don’t discipline him now, when he enters the real world, he’s going to cause an even bigger disaster and suffer much worse consequences!” “I don’t want to hear your twisted logic! Every time you see him, all you do is scold him, always saying he’s doing this wrong or that wrong. There is no aunt in the world like you.” Every time I brought up the issue of Leo’s discipline, my mom always twisted it into me being biased against him. Seeing me silenced, a smug snort escaped from Leo’s nose. My temper flared up. I lifted my foot and started walking toward the apartment. “I paid for part of this house too. Why shouldn’t I go in?” Leo flew into a helpless rage. He threw himself onto the ground, kicking and screaming, throwing a massive tantrum. “Don’t let her go! Don’t let her go! My mom said she’s coming to steal our house! Steal our house!” My mom hurriedly tried to coax him. “Leo, my sweet grandson, Grandma won’t let her go, I won’t let her go!” After she finished, she looked a bit awkward. “Don’t take what a kid says to heart. Your sister-in-law didn’t mean it like that. Leo is throwing a fit, so why don’t you just leave for now?” In that moment, it would be a lie to say I wasn’t hurt. Since I was little, because I was a girl, my parents didn’t value me. They dumped me with my grandparents to be raised. They always said daughters would eventually marry into other families, and they would have to rely on their son to take care of them in their old age. So, I worked twice as hard, trying to win their approval. After starting my career, my salary kept increasing. Last year, I married Liam, who came from a good family, which finally made my parents happy. Meanwhile, my brother lounged around all day doing nothing. He had zero income all year and relied entirely on my parents. My parents’ food and expenses for the entire year were all paid for by me. But even so, in their eyes, I was still inferior to the “male heir.” After being hurt time and time again, even I get tired. I remained silent for a long time. I don’t know what I finally gave up on, but suddenly, my body and mind felt incredibly light. I didn’t want to deal with this anymore, and I didn’t care anymore. My mom seemed to sense something was different. She said in a slightly fawning tone, “Chloe, in a few days Mom will make your favorite pickled vegetable pancakes, and I’ll call you to come home.” Actually, I didn’t like pickled vegetable pancakes. When I was little, I was often hungry. The elderly neighbor, Mrs. Smith, would occasionally give me a pickled vegetable pancake to eat. My mom just assumed I was greedy and asked for them myself. I gave her one look and said flatly. “I don’t like pickled vegetables. I like king crab. If there’s no emergency in the future, you don’t need to call me to come over. I’m busy with work.” After saying that, I didn’t care what she thought, I just turned and left. The $40,000 I provided to buy this apartment could be considered compensation for my parents raising me for the first twenty years of my life. Didn’t they want to rely on their son for their old age? Then for the rest of their lives, I won’t be participating. After that unpleasant parting, I actually enjoyed a period of peace and quiet. The next time I heard news about Leo, it was that he had been beaten and sent to the hospital. My mom choked back sobs. “Leo got beaten up, he’s in the hospital!” Me: “Oh.” My mom wailed, “That goddamn monster, a six-foot-tall grown man! One slap, and the kid got a concussion.” Me: “…What did Leo do?” Over the phone, my mom hemmed and hawed, refusing to say. I was a bit curious, so I went to the hospital. 3 When I got there, my mom grabbed my hand, crying and snotting all over it. “Hurry up and call your lawyer friend! We have to sue that goddamn son of a b***h until he’s bankrupt!” “If anything happens to Leo, I’ll fight him to the death!” “As his aunt, you have to get justice for him!” I calmly pulled my hand back. “First, tell me exactly what Leo did. I don’t believe someone would just hit him for no reason.” My mom mumbled, “Today at a restaurant, when a guy wasn’t looking, Leo peed in his beer bottle. The guy took a drink, thought it tasted weird, and Leo, that silly boy, laughed at him for drinking pee. The guy went crazy, jumped up, and hit the kid.” I was stunned. I asked in disbelief, “Did you not stop him?” My mom slapped her thigh, looking miserable. “How could I not try to stop him?! When Leo was getting hit, I risked my old life trying to grab him back!” I was furious. “I meant when he was peeing in the beer bottle! Why didn’t you stop him then?!” My mom looked completely unapologetic. “Why would I stop him?” I couldn’t believe my ears. “He peed in someone’s beer bottle! Pee!!! And you’re asking me why you should stop him?!” My mom’s expression hardened. “That guy wasn’t a good person anyway! He doesn’t own the restaurant, what right did he have to tell a kid not to run and jump around? Minding other people’s business, he deserved to drink pee.” My scalp tingled. I completely failed to comprehend her moral compass. Was she insane?! Seeing my reaction, my mom quickly said, “Go ask around, what kid isn’t mischievous like this? You can’t blame Leo for this! What are you standing there for? Hurry up and call your lawyer friend, ask him how much money we can get in compensation!” I felt my very soul trembling. “He deserved to get hit! Compensation my ass!” My mom got anxious. “What’s wrong with drinking a little boy’s pee? It’s not dirty! Some people even specially use little boys’ pee to boil tea eggs, it’s very nourishing.” I threw up right then and there. “Blegh!” It was too disgusting. Once I started throwing up, I couldn’t stop. My mom tried to help me up, but I swatted her hand away, backed away from her, and went to find a doctor to prescribe some medicine. The doctor suggested I take a test. After the test, I found out I was pregnant! No one could understand how wildly ecstatic I was in that moment. Having grown up starved for love, my greatest wish in life was to have my own family, a complete family. I quickly called my husband, Liam, who was away on a business trip. “Honey, I’m pregnant!” Liam was even more excited than I was. He gave me a ton of advice for pregnant women, told me to rest well, and promised over and over that he would finish his work as quickly as possible and come home to be with me. I nodded continuously, not caring that he couldn’t see me. During this time, my mom called me countless times. I didn’t answer a single one, just left the hospital and went straight home. What I didn’t expect was that my mom, unable to reach me, reached out her demonic claws to Liam instead. She opened her mouth and demanded that Liam, as the uncle, give her two thousand dollars for Leo’s “nutritional recovery.” I was furious and called her back immediately. “How can you be a mother like this? Do you think my husband’s family is your personal ATM? How could you even open your mouth to ask for two thousand dollars?” “You rotten girl, I wasted my time raising you! That day at the hospital, you left without saying a word, not a single word of concern for your nephew. Your heart has been eaten by dogs! Do you know how much Leo has suffered, and we haven’t gotten a single cent in medical bills?!” I felt a surge of vicious satisfaction. “That’s because he deserved to get hit! If you keep spoiling him like this, he’s going to suffer a lot more in the future.” My mom threatened me. “If you don’t care about Leo, I’ll go get the money from your husband. If he doesn’t give it to me, I’ll go make a scene at his workplace!” I was so angry I was grinding my teeth, tears shooting from my eyes. “If you have the guts, go right ahead and make a scene! Your daughter is pregnant now. If you cause me to divorce Liam over this, I’ll just move back into my maiden home with the baby. Don’t even try to kick me out; I paid for that apartment, so I own a piece of it. If you don’t let me live there, I’ll take you to court. We’ll see who has a harder time!” 4 My hand gripping the phone was shaking. I was genuinely afraid my mom would actually go cause a scene at Liam’s workplace. Some people have no shame, they don’t care about their reputation. If she did that, how would Liam ever show his face at work again? “You’re pregnant?” My mom was shocked. “That’s right.” After a long silence, she backed down. “Then come back home in a couple of days during the New Year holiday. I’ll make a little red blessing charm for the baby.” Giving a little red blessing charm to an unborn child is a tradition in my mom’s hometown. It symbolizes bringing peace and health to the baby. Even though I really didn’t want to see them, I truly wanted my unborn baby to receive the little red blessing charm, which represented good fortune. I emphasized, “I can come over, but I won’t be giving you any money.” My mom hung up the phone with a beep. Originally, we had agreed I would go pick up the charm on the afternoon of New Year’s Day. But Liam texted me early, saying he’d be home by the afternoon. So, I made a last-minute decision to go to my parents’ house in the morning, finish up quickly, and head home. Because of this, I eavesdropped on a shocking conspiracy at my parents’ house! On the morning of New Year’s Day, I went back to my parents’ house. After taking out my key and unlocking the door, I heard my mom and my sister-in-law, Jenna, talking through a slightly ajar bedroom door. Unlike their usual tone, this time, they kept their voices very low. Possessed by some strange urge, I crept closer and hid behind the door to eavesdrop. My Mom: “Dammit, that family refuses to pay! I heard that guy has been to prison, and when he goes crazy, he’ll hack people with a meat cleaver!” Sister-in-law: “Don’t mess with that guy. If he hurts Leo, we’ll regret it forever. Let Chloe’s husband pay for it; his family has money, might as well spend it. That ‘uncle’ title shouldn’t come for free.” My Mom: “I’m just afraid if we push too hard, he’ll divorce Chloe. What if Chloe comes running back here pregnant? Not only did we not get any money, but we’ll be stuck with that bad luck!” Sister-in-law: “I actually have an idea… it just depends on if you’re willing to be ruthless with your daughter.” My Mom: “Tell me.” Sister-in-law: “Give Chloe some abortion medicine. If she loses her own kid, she’ll definitely focus all her energy on raising her nephew. She’s still young, if she loses this one, she can always have another one later.” My Mom: “…” Sister-in-law: “In a couple of years, Leo will be in middle school, and there will be a lot of expenses. His dad is useless, we need to squeeze more out of the Hayes family. If Chloe has her own kid, why would she be willing to subsidize her maiden family? Only if her own seed is gone will she look at Leo and feel a connection. Who knows, she might even raise Leo like her own son.” My Mom: “…Alright, when Chloe comes over this afternoon, you boil her a bowl of saffron water. That stuff promotes blood circulation and removes blood stasis, it can cause a miscarriage. Later, if she asks about it, we can easily explain it away, just say we didn’t know the effects of that herb.” … I felt like a drowning fish. Even though I was surrounded by air, it felt thin, and breathing was difficult. I should thank my twenty-plus years of building willpower. It allowed me, in a state of out-of-body shock, to leave that hellhole silently, without making a single sound. Once I was out of the apartment complex, I practically ran, as if demons were chasing me. I quickly called Liam and burst into loud sobs. “Hurry home, hurry home.” Liam was frantic. “I’m almost home! Where are you? I’ll come pick you up.” When I saw him, I told him exactly what I had heard, not caring if he would be disgusted by my family. I was too broken! I knew my birth wasn’t welcomed, but I thought at least they still treated me like a human being! They didn’t. When they discussed eliminating my precious baby, it sounded as casual as talking about killing a chicken. The veins on Liam’s forehead bulged. He asked me if I wanted to vent this awful frustration. “Yes!” I nodded vigorously. “I don’t have a maiden family anymore. They’re gone. I only have enemies!” I let him hold me, crying uncontrollably. Liam moved quickly. Through some friends, he found a few experienced gamblers to get close to my brother, Richard, planning to set up a trap that would bankrupt him. 5 That afternoon, my mom called to complain. “We agreed you’d come home for lunch, where did you go? We made a whole table of food, and it’s all cold.” I could faintly hear Leo screaming in the background: “Don’t let her come to my house! If she dares to come, I’ll beat her out!” My emotions had stabilized. I played along with my mom. “I suddenly felt a little discomfort in my stomach, so I ran to the hospital. I can’t make it.” Her focus predictably shifted to my stomach. “Is there something wrong with the baby?” I fought down the surging hatred and, with infinite guilt toward my unborn child, said, “It’s not developing very well. I’m planning to find some time to abort it.” When I said those words, it felt like my heart was being stabbed a hundred times. I apologized to my baby over and over again in my mind. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, my precious baby. Please don’t blame Mommy for saying this. There are many ways to harm a pregnant woman. A push on the stairs, a trip on the street—both can be fatal. There’s a saying: “You can be a thief for a thousand days, but you can’t guard against a thief for a thousand days.” I had to use this lie to temporarily dispel their malicious intentions. My mom faked it perfectly. “Oh my, what a pity. Well, if that’s the case, you should go get the surgery done early. Waiting too long is bad for your health.” I tried my best to ignore the hint of joy in her voice and asked, “How’s my brother doing lately?” My mom sounded delighted. “Your brother went to play cards and won’t be back for lunch. He had a lucky streak today. He even called back earlier to say he won a few thousand dollars.” I smiled silently. “That’s good. Put Leo on the phone, I have a few words for him.” My mom didn’t suspect a thing and handed the phone over. “Leo, your aunt wants to talk to you.” “Hey!” Leo yelled. “If you have something to say, say it fast, if you have a fart, let it out!” Leo’s personality was incredibly egocentric. He wouldn’t even allow others to disobey him. If someone made him lose face, they really poked the hornet’s nest. I deliberately told him, “Auntie just wanted to advise you not to be so impulsive in the future. I ran into Mia from your class today. She heard you got slapped into the hospital and asked me if it was true. You see, your classmates care about you so much…” He violently spat out a curse: “You stupid b***h!” Then, the phone on the other end was heavily thrown. The sound of shattering plates and bowls echoed endlessly. My mom and sister-in-law’s panicked voices came through: “My sweet grandson, what are you doing?” “Quick, put the vase down, you can’t smash that, you can’t smash that…” I smiled and hung up the phone. Would a furious, humiliated Leo go looking for trouble with that big guy? Given his petty, vindictive nature, the answer was definitely yes. I waited to see him bring about his own destruction. That night, Liam and I had already fallen asleep when our phones suddenly started ringing jarringly. It wasn’t just my phone; even Liam’s phone wouldn’t stop ringing. My phone showed an incoming call from my mom, while his showed an unknown number. The relentless ringing seemed to foretell that something terrible had happened. We sat up, exchanged a glance, and he answered the unknown number. “Hello, who is this?” “Is this Mr. Hayes? This is the Spice Fire Hot Pot Restaurant! Someone in your family is severely injured, the ambulance is on its way right now. Please hurry over here immediately!” “What’s going on? Explain clearly.” “Beep, beep, beep—” The other side, perhaps because the scene was too chaotic or for some other reason, abruptly hung up. Seeing this, I answered my mom’s call and put it on speaker. “What happened? What exactly happened?” Judging from the previous phone call, something definitely happened over there, and it wasn’t a small thing. I just didn’t know who exactly was severely injured.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “415135”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

Just as Dominic and I were about to finalize our divorce, he got into a car accident and lost his memory. His mind is stuck eight years in the past. Eight years ago—back when he loved me most. 1 Dominic stared at me with a heavy, searching gaze. “Elena,” he asked, his voice low, “tell me the truth. Do you want this divorce because you’ve fallen for someone else?” I let out a tired sigh. Faced with his interrogation, I could only meet him with silence. He had forgotten. The one who had spent every waking hour scheming for a divorce wasn’t me. The one who had fallen for someone else wasn’t me either. It was him. But the Dominic sitting in that hospital bed couldn’t believe he was capable of such a thing. To him, the idea was a bad joke, a piece of nonsensical fiction. He sat there, eyes shifting from Caleb—his best friend standing beside me—back to me. He let out a cold, cynical laugh. “Are you two in this together? Is this some kind of twisted prank to mess with my head?” The accident had caused a hematoma that pressed against his nerves, resulting in transient retrograde amnesia. He had lost every single memory of the last eight years. Eight years ago, we had just graduated. I had stayed by his side while he built his startup from nothing, sharing every hardship. Back then, his world began and ended with me. If you had told the Dominic of eight years ago that he would eventually love another woman, he wouldn’t have believed you. To be honest, the Elena of eight years ago wouldn’t have believed it either. 2 Seraphina Brooks, who was sitting on the edge of his bed with tear-streaked cheeks, reached out to grab his hand. Dominic flinched away as if she were a hot coal. His brow furrowed with a suppressed, icy impatience. “Stay away from me,” he snapped, his tone freezing. Seraphina froze. She sat there as the tears began to roll down her face, one by one. Even in her state of “damsel in distress,” she didn’t forget to look up and shoot me a venomous glare, as if I were the mastermind behind her misery. Watching this scene, I felt a hysterical urge to laugh, but the sound wouldn’t come. Dominic and I truly had nothing left to say to one another. I stood at the far end of the room, keeping a physical distance from his bed. My face was a mask of cold indifference. “The divorce settlement was drafted by your own legal team, Dominic. Your lead counsel weighed every word. You reviewed it yourself before the accident.” I paused, letting out a breath. “Once you’re discharged, you can ask anyone around you. You’ll see that I’m not the one lying.” He looked up, his eyes locking onto mine. He looked like he had been physically struck by my coldness. For a moment, his face showed a rare flicker of vulnerability—a mixture of confusion and a silent, pleading desperation. He had spent the last several years being the golden boy of the tech world, arrogant and certain of everything. I hadn’t seen him look this lost in a very long time. But my heart was a stagnant pool of dead water. No amount of confusion on his part could ripple it now. I turned and walked out. 3 Dominic’s accident happened about a month ago, but he only woke up a few days ago. The board at Vance Tech had kept the news under a total media blackout, terrified of what it would do to the stock price. I suspect that if he hadn’t experienced “complications”—namely, forgetting the last decade—his chief of staff wouldn’t have called me at all. He crashed the night I finally agreed to the divorce. It wasn’t because he was distraught over losing me. It was because it was raining in the city, and he was speeding back from a conference in San Francisco, trying to make it home before midnight for Seraphina’s birthday. He hit a semi-truck that had blown a red light. Tragic, really. Almost poetic. His memory had reverted to a point before Seraphina Brooks even existed in his world. In his mind, there was only me. Dominic had always been a brilliant man—calculated, composed, and efficient. Even in this bizarre situation, he managed to grasp the basic facts of his current life with startling speed. But there was one thing he refused to accept. He could not believe he would stop loving me, choose Seraphina, and demand a divorce. His inner circle tried to convince him. They showed him photos, messages, and details of his life with Seraphina as “evidence.” He didn’t believe a word of it. He insisted on seeing me. That was why they called. They brought me into that hospital room like a piece of evidence in a cold case, a witness to a dead relationship. They wanted me to prove to him that it wasn’t eight years ago anymore. In the eight years he had deleted, we hadn’t been “happily ever after.” We had lived through a slow-motion car crash of resentment and hatred. How he chose to process that was his problem, not mine. 4 I didn’t see Dominic again until two weeks later. He must have snuck out of the hospital. He was leaning against my front door, still wearing his blue hospital scrubs under a thin jacket, his head wrapped in bandages. He looked disheveled and exhausted, sitting right there on the hallway floor. I hadn’t seen him look this unpolished in years. He was the “Man of the Year,” the titan of A-City, a man who lived in bespoke suits with creases sharp enough to cut paper. The older and more powerful he got, the more he hid his edge behind a mask of stoic professionalism. Everyone called him “Mr. Vance” with a bow in their voice. The last time I’d seen him look this raw was probably the day we graduated. He heard my footsteps and snapped his head up. I had just picked up our son, Leo, from school. Dominic’s eyes moved from me to the little boy at my side. His expression shifted instantly, his gaze becoming intensely focused. He was a smart man; he knew the timeline. Even without the memories, he had been told the facts: He was a success. We were married. He had cheated. I had asked for the divorce. I held Leo’s hand and stopped several feet away from him. My voice was like ice. “What are you doing here?” He swallowed hard. “He’s… he’s our son?” Leo wasn’t close to him. He stood by my leg, looking at Dominic with a quiet, detached curiosity. Then he looked up at me. “Mom, who is that?” I rubbed Leo’s head gently. “Go inside and start your homework, honey.” Leo looked at me, then back at the man on the floor. He gave a small nod and walked past him into the apartment, his backpack bouncing against his small frame. 5 Dominic’s eyes followed the boy until the door closed. Then he turned back to me, his brow knitted in a permanent frown. “I don’t understand, Elena. Since college, my only dream was to marry you and have a family. Now, that dream has come true, but…” He trailed off. I knew what he was going to say. Why was the reality so different from the dream? He had married me, yes. But I treated him like a stranger, and our son looked at him like he was a ghost. He tried to force himself to remember, but the injury wouldn’t allow it. He winced, clutching his temples as if his head were about to explode. When he looked up again, his eyes were full of a profound, hollow sadness—like a stray dog that had been kicked one too many times. “Elena, I really don’t get it,” he said, his voice cracking with pain. “How did we get to this point?” “I read the settlement. They said I dictated it myself. It’s cruel. It’s heartless. Why would I ever want to do that to you?” Why? Because the Dominic of eight years ago wanted nothing more than to marry me. But the Dominic of eight months ago wanted nothing more than to marry Seraphina Brooks. He wanted to give her the “official” title he thought she deserved. 6 Our story was a cliché. We were college sweethearts. He was the student body president, a star. I remember him filming a campus PSA about “Self-Respect and Values.” He was playing the role of a “jerk” who breaks a girl’s heart. I had wandered onto the set, not realizing they were filming. I saw a girl clinging to his arm, sobbing, “I’m pregnant, you can’t leave me, please!” He had looked down at her with a scowl and said, “Go to the clinic and handle it. Stop bothering me.” I was livid. I walked right up to him and smashed my half-eaten ice cream cone into his face. Then I grabbed the girl’s hand and said, “Honey, a guy like this isn’t worth a single tear.” The girl stopped crying and stared at me in shock. Dominic wiped the chocolate ice cream from his eyes, looking at me with a half-smirk. He turned to the bewildered film crew hiding in the bushes and said, “See? That’s the kind of values we’re trying to promote.” I turned bright red and apologized a thousand times. He was a good sport about it, waving it off with a laugh. Later, I took him to dinner to make up for it. After that, we were inseparable. Dominic was a perfect boyfriend back then. We had so many sweet memories. Even when we fought, he was always the first to apologize. I remember a hike we took during our junior year. We got into a huge argument over something stupid. He was so frustrated he just stomped ahead, leaving me behind. I couldn’t keep up and eventually lost sight of him. But after a few hundred yards, I found him leaning against a crooked oak tree, waiting. He was still fuming, but he muttered, “I’m still mad at you. I just didn’t want you to get lost.” When we graduated, most couples broke up. He held my hand and promised me we would make it. My parents had found me a great job back in our hometown, and my degree was from a top-tier school, but I chose to stay with him in the city. The early days of his startup were brutal. We lived in a basement apartment that never saw the sun. We shared one order of takeout noodles for dinner. He would always push the few pieces of chicken and greens to my side of the container. He told me he would never let me suffer forever. And he kept that promise. Everything got better. And then, he met Seraphina. Time changes hearts more easily than it changes seasons. The last eight years happened so fast I couldn’t keep up. And eventually, he stopped waiting for me to catch up. 7 I had heard Seraphina’s name long before I ever saw her face. If I recall correctly, it was seven years ago. He had just closed his Series A funding. He came home one night, buzzing with energy, telling me he’d hired someone extraordinary. “She’s an Ivy League grad, Elena. Brilliant, driven, and she sees the vision. She had offers from three Fortune 500 companies, but she chose us.” He was so genuinely happy. “She’s going to be my right hand.” I had smiled and watched him, saying nothing. I wondered if he’d forgotten that when he first started, everyone called him a fraud, and I was the one who kept him going. I never doubted him, even when he doubted himself. I never could have guessed that Seraphina Brooks would become a shadow over our lives for so long, a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from. 8 My first encounter with her was also seven years ago. Vance Tech didn’t have its own building yet; they were crammed into a small office in a tech park. It was a night of torrential rain, and I went to pick him up. Caleb, his co-founder, saw me and laughed. “Hey, Elena! Hang on a sec, Dominic’s in a meeting.” I nodded and looked through the glass of the conference room. There were about six people inside. Dominic was at the whiteboard, covered in complex formulas. The air was thick with tension; they were arguing over a technical algorithm. Then I saw Seraphina. She stood up, walked to the board with total composure, and added a single line to the equation. The room went dead silent. In that silence, I saw Dominic look down at her, and they shared a small, knowing smile. The chemistry was effortless. When Dominic came out and saw me, he looked surprised and happy. He looked at the rain lashing against the window. “It’s a monsoon out there. Why did you come out in this?” I didn’t answer him. My gaze moved past his shoulder to Seraphina. She was standing there, a polite smile on her lips, letting me look her over while she coolly observed me. It was that sixth sense only a woman has. Her presence was an invasion. I smiled back, keeping it subtle. “Hi. I’m Elena, Dominic’s girlfriend.” She smiled. “Seraphina. Dominic’s assistant.” Our first battle was fought in total silence. Dominic stood there, oblivious, worrying about me being out in the rain. He asked me what I wanted for dinner. Back then, I felt like I had won. 9 Of course, looking back, none of it mattered. Over the years, Seraphina and I traded blows. I won some; I lost some. Now, the tally doesn’t matter. It just feels pathetic. I reached a point where I was just… tired. I didn’t want to be the third person in their drama anymore. So, I asked for the divorce. The day I told him was a completely ordinary evening. I was standing on the balcony, watching the sunset fade behind the skyscrapers. I sent him a text: Dominic, let’s get a divorce. He didn’t reply for hours. He was busy. At midnight, he sent back a single character: ? I stared at the screen and didn’t reply. He called me later that night. We shared a heavy, mutual silence. He didn’t ask why. He didn’t try to save us. After a long time, he just said, “I’ll have the lawyers draft the papers.” I said “Okay” and hung up. For some reason, I thought about college. Back then, we had an 11 PM curfew at the dorms, and we would stay on the phone for hours, talking until the sun came up as if we’d never run out of things to say. Now, we had nothing. Shortly after that call, he crashed while rushing to Seraphina’s party. It felt like the universe was finally stepping in to settle the score. 10 I think he was surprised I finally asked. We had been entangled in this mess for so long. In the moment I said it, I think he felt a sense of relief. Dominic is a man burdened by a twisted sense of responsibility. Even though he loved Seraphina, he would never have been the one to walk away first. The day I decided was nothing special. Leo’s teacher had called me to the school because he’d gotten into a fight. When I arrived, Leo was standing against the wall next to a larger boy. The other boy’s father was already there—a massive, aggressive man. He sneered at me as I walked in. “How do you raise a kid like this? Look what he did to my son…” Leo looked up at me. He was covered in dirt and grass, his face smudged. He looked at me with a stubborn, silent defiance. I knelt down and started wiping the dirt from his cheek with my thumb. “Why were you fighting?” I whispered. He pressed his lips together. The other father, seeing me ignore him, stepped forward and shoved my shoulder. I wasn’t prepared. I pitched forward, nearly hitting the floor. Before I could even steady myself, Leo let out a low, animal-like growl and lunged at the man, biting his leg with everything he had. The office descended into chaos. By the time we left, the streetlights were on. We were both a mess. I held his small hand and pointed at a shop window. “Do you want some ice cream?” He looked at his shoes and nodded. Kids are easy to soothe. By the time we got to the car, he seemed better. But right before we reached the apartment, he looked at me. “Mom? Where’s Dad?” His eyes were red. He rarely cried; he was a stubborn kid. But seeing me get pushed by that man had broken him. He had burst into tears in the office after the bite. I knew what he was thinking. He wished his dad was there. If his dad had been there, his mom wouldn’t have been bullied, she wouldn’t have had to apologize to a jerk, and the teacher wouldn’t have yelled at her. I gripped the steering wheel, unable to find the words. In the six years Leo had been alive, Dominic hadn’t spent a cumulative two weeks actually being a father. In that moment, I felt a bone-deep exhaustion. I realized it was over. I looked at the Dominic sitting in my living room—the one who thought it was still eight years ago. “There are a thousand ways for you to find out the truth, Dominic. You just don’t want to believe it.” 11 Dominic stayed at my door. The autumn air was turning cold. He wasn’t fully recovered, and he had lost weight. He sat there in his thin scrubs, stubborn and unmoving. I watched him through the window. It was almost funny. How many times had I waited outside his office like that? His secretary would eventually come out and “kindly” ask me to leave. “Mrs. Vance, he’s in a meeting, and you don’t have an appointment.” Eventually, I had to call his office just to schedule a time to talk to my own husband. And then, I stopped calling altogether. I looked away and left him out there in the cold. After I finished helping Leo with his homework, I looked again. He had collapsed on the steps. He’d fainted. I sighed and called his assistant. Not out of pity, but because I didn’t want a dead billionaire on my doorstep. That would be a legal nightmare. The ambulance came. Not long after they left, Dominic’s mother showed up. I could lock Dominic and Seraphina out, but I couldn’t ignore his mother. Back when he was starting out, I was the “perfect” daughter-in-law. Dominic wasn’t making much money then. Every time we visited her, she would hold my hand and look at me with such warmth. “You’re a good girl, Elena. You’ve suffered with him. Our family is lucky to have you. If he ever treats you wrong, you come to me.” But once Vance Tech became a billion-dollar empire, she changed. She told me with a thin, polite smile, “Elena, it’s not that I don’t care for you. It’s just that… Seraphina is a better fit for Dominic’s new life. Surely you understand a mother’s concern?” Seraphina. Yes, she had the pedigree, the Ivy League degree, and the look. Birds of a feather. I didn’t blame his mother for her coldness, but I couldn’t sit and have tea with her either. She was uncomfortable too. She skipped the small talk. “Elena, you’re a good person. I know the divorce is in progress. But Dominic’s condition… the doctors say he shouldn’t be stressed. He only recognizes you right now.” “He fainted again. I want you to look after him when he’s discharged. It won’t be forever. Just until he gets his memories back.” Her “request” was perfectly polished, right up until the threat at the end. “You know,” she added, “we weren’t planning on fighting you for custody of Leo.” Of course they weren’t. She was waiting for Seraphina to give her a “better” grandchild with “better” genes. But now, she was using Leo to keep me in line. I clenched my jaw so hard it ached. These years had taught me one thing: no matter how much you’re hurting, you smile. So I smiled. “I’ll take care of him.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “415134”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

I kicked my boyfriend to the curb right after graduation. Who would have thought he’d end up becoming a mega-famous, award-winning movie star? When a reporter asked him in an interview if he had ever been in love, he didn’t hold back at all. “Yes. In college.” The reporter, clearly surprised, quickly followed up, “And… what happened between you two?” Liam paused. His eyes darkened. Just as the reporter was about to nervously change the subject, he spoke. “She dumped me.” His tone was dripping with resentment. “And… what was the reason for the breakup?” The reporter seemed to forget she was on the job and started asking personal questions. “She said I’m blood type B, and she’s blood type B, so she was afraid we’d give birth to a 2B [idiot].” 1 It was painfully obvious Liam was grinding his teeth as he said it, his face like a thundercloud. The reporter’s expression was indescribable; I swear I thought he was going to burst out laughing the very next second. Suddenly, my phone lagged, and Twitter completely crashed. [WHO IS SHE?! WHO EXACTLY IS SHE?!] [I need to know what kind of fairy goddess actually dumped Liam Hayes.] [LMAO afraid of having a 2B baby???] [The ultimate 2B.] [With a face like his, I’d sell my kidney to provide for him!] [Why does our movie star actually sound… wronged?] [Wouldn’t you feel wronged getting dumped for THAT reason?] [You gotta admit, the ex-girlfriend has a great sense of humor.] In no time, everyone was speculating about who could have possibly dumped me. What I didn’t expect was that people actually started pointing fingers at me, simply because Liam and I went to the same university. [I have a feeling it’s Chloe! They went to the same college, but more importantly, their visuals are a perfect match! My biggest regret is that we’ve never seen these two gorgeous people in the same frame!!] However, it wasn’t just Liam’s fans; my fans rushed to the comment sections to control the narrative. [Our queen shines on her own!] [They don’t even know each other, but thanks to this friend for praising our girl’s looks. You won’t regret stanning her!] Suddenly, a newly registered account started blowing up out of nowhere. The account posted a bunch of photos—campus pictures of the currently trending starlet, Mia, and Liam. In almost every photo, Mia was looking at Liam with eyes full of love, while Liam was usually photographed from behind so you couldn’t see his face. Mia was smiling gently, looking exactly like someone in love. Instantly, the internet thought they had found the truth. [I knew it! Our sweet, beautiful Mia is exactly the kind of perfect girl even a movie star would fall for!] [Girl, please. Does she even deserve him?] [Get out of here, keep our boy’s name out of your mouth.] [Is that even possible? He’s been in the industry for so long, and we’ve never even seen them interact.] [That’s because you don’t get it. It’s called keeping a low profile.] There are always starlets trying to piggyback off a famous actor’s clout. Usually, Liam’s studio would issue a denial immediately, but this time, there was absolute silence. This made people think the relationship was actually confirmed. Even Liam’s fans lost a bit of confidence when denying the rumors. Does he really like that starlet? Her vibe, her looks… they don’t match him at all. But soon enough, Liam’s studio released a statement clarifying that they had no idea those photos existed and requested the original poster delete them immediately. Liam himself also posted on Twitter. “Don’t know her.” Three short words completely destroyed Mia’s credibility. Now, Liam’s fans had their confidence back. [The clarification might be late, but it never fails to arrive.] [LMAO I’m dying. He literally doesn’t even know who she is.] [Just another clout-chaser. It’s because our boy is too excellent, every dog wants a bite.] [Why are you being so sarcastic up there??? Our Mia never said she liked Liam.] [Then why didn’t she clarify things herself?] The internet was in an uproar, but I turned a deaf ear to it all. I was busy building my brand. I had recently signed on for a travel reality show. I was just thinking about how I wanted to travel the world, so this fell right into my lap. There were six guests in total. When I saw Ethan chatting with me familiarly, I couldn’t help but frown. I didn’t know him well at all. 2 Ethan and I had co-starred in a drama once, playing a couple. Our sweet interactions garnered quite a few shippers, but my agent never told me we were supposed to push a “showmance” for this reality show. I remembered that Ethan’s career had been pretty stagnant lately; he was kind of a B-lister. He probably wanted to use this show to generate some buzz. If seeing Ethan made me uncomfortable, then seeing Liam made me want to flee the country immediately. What kind of sick joke was this? “Chloe, it’s been a long time.” As soon as Liam arrived, he wore a polite smile and greeted me. I looked at his outstretched hand, not wanting to show weakness. I offered a slight smile and lightly squeezed his fingertips. “Long time no see.” He took that as an invitation to stand right next to me, making my heart race with anxiety. Honestly, I still felt a bit guilty about how we broke up. Under the setting sun, he stubbornly held my hand, his eyes filled with unwillingness and hurt… [Do they know each other? Why do they seem so familiar with each other??] [They’ve both been in the industry for years and haven’t co-starred in a single project. Or did I miss some detail??] [Is Liam looking at her a little too intensely?] [They went to the same college, so it’s possible they knew each other back then, but they’re definitely not close now.] Clearly, only the last explanation sounded plausible. I originally thought this would be a relaxing, fun getaway. Little did I know, not only did I have to deal with those two, but they threw in someone else I absolutely did not want to see: Mia. And she was obviously here for Liam. It wasn’t that I disliked Mia because of Liam; I just genuinely disliked her as a person. Talking to her always felt fake and insincere. It was exhausting. Sure enough, Mia kept sneaking glances in Liam’s direction. After she finished greeting everyone else, she walked toward us, her eyes curving into a smile. I had to admit, she was pretty. “Liam, long time no see!” “Mhm.” Liam gave a slight nod, a polite but distant response. [Are you telling me they don’t know each other? Is Liam two-faced or something?] [LMAO, when a dog comes begging for attention, of course you have to humor it a little.] [Dogs are innocent, don’t insult them.] I didn’t know why, but even though Liam was standing behind me to my right and I couldn’t see his face, I felt like his gaze was constantly lingering on me. “Hi, Chloe!” Mia was being very polite right now. Was I judging her too harshly? Suddenly, my hand resting by my side was lightly bumped. A sharp chill startled my nerves. I turned my head to find Liam looking at his phone, acting as if nothing happened. It was probably an accident. His hands had always been like that—freezing cold all year round, impossible to warm up no matter how hard you tried. He used to always cling to me, begging me to hold his hand, saying he was cold. “All six guests have arrived. We will be taking a flight at 8 AM tomorrow to City F. For now, please feel free to rest and have dinner. A gentle reminder: tonight’s dinner must be arranged by the guests themselves.” “I’ll do it. I know how to cook,” Ethan spoke up. Everyone quickly thanked him. Feeling bad about letting him do all the work alone, Mia immediately offered to help prep the ingredients. Hmm… this little girl is actually quite proactive and considerate. 3 Liam was quiet and didn’t say much, fitting perfectly with his aloof persona. I knew very well he could never be like he was before—chattering endlessly, sharing every detail of his life and his day with me. I would never again get to eat the meals he cooked, the steak he seared, or the ribs he braised. Ethan cooked a whole table of food. His culinary skills weren’t masterful, but it felt very homey. Liam sat next to me, which surprised me. I thought he would want to stay as far away from me as possible. [Is it just me, or is the vibe between them super weird?] [Even though you didn’t say which two, I think I know exactly who you mean.] [Could Liam’s first love actually be…] I have a heavy palate and love spicy food. Liam was the exact opposite; his palate was incredibly bland. To him, my food tasted like chewing wax. Back in the day, I once tried to make him eat a relatively mild piece of spicy buckwheat noodle. Probably because I was the one feeding it to him, he obediently swallowed it. Almost the very next second, tears sprang to his eyes from the spice. Drinking three glasses of water didn’t help. It was only then that I found out he had stomach issues and couldn’t eat spicy food. He held onto me, suffering in my arms for a long time. He was quiet and very well-behaved. “Chloe, you like spicy food too?” Ethan noticed me reaching for a dish and smiled. “I love spicy food too. We have quite a bit in common.” Any goodwill I had for him cooking instantly vanished. There are millions of people who eat spicy food; forcing a connection like this was painfully obvious. Since we were playing the showmance game, I couldn’t just brush him off. I looked at him with feigned surprise. “Really? Then we definitely need to get hot pot together sometime if we have the chance.” I wore a relaxed, joyful smile. Even I couldn’t tell I was faking it. [OMG!! My ship is sailing!!] [So sweet~ I feel like Chloe wants to eat with Ethan, that’s why she said that!!] [It’s definitely mutual!] [Holy crap, what is he doing?!] [Stop him! Oh my god! Has Liam lost his mind?!] “Does Liam eat spicy food too?” Ethan asked, trying to act friendly. But I instinctively looked at Liam. I watched him slowly pick up a piece of spicy shrimp, put it in his mouth, and swallow. His face was completely blank. He had a whole pile of shrimp shells on his plate. He had been eating spicy crawfish?! He mechanically, almost numbly, placed a peeled shrimp into his mouth. “Are you crazy?!” I suddenly snapped. I snatched the shrimp he was about to eat, ripped off my plastic glove, and pinched his cheek. “Spit it out!” My tone was harsh. I must have yelled at him, because the corners of his eyes suddenly turned red. He obediently opened his mouth and spit out the unchewed shrimp. Everyone looked at us, totally bewildered. I finally realized I had lost my composure. I adjusted my attitude and explained to them. “He can’t eat spicy food, and he has a bad stomach.” As I spoke, I poured a glass of water and pushed it in front of Liam. He obediently drank it. [I think I know something…] [It’s hard to accept, but…] [Even if it’s true, they’ve been broken up for ages. Let our queen shine alone, okay?] [Yeah, anyone with eyes can see Liam did that on purpose. Chloe was just worried he’d end up in the hospital.] [Ugh, I was so scared! Thank god Chloe stopped him!!] After that, Liam behaved himself and didn’t cause any more trouble. The others clearly noticed something was up, but I had nothing to explain. Who hasn’t had a college romance? While I was out on the balcony smoking, Liam came out too, claiming he needed some fresh air. He coughed lightly. I couldn’t help but frown. I stubbed out the cigarette I had just lit, only to see a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on his lips. Was he just laughing? [Chloe actually put out her cigarette for him?!] [Can these two just get married already??] [Welcome to “The Actor’s Scheming.”] Liam seemed really unwell. His face was pale, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead. Tsk. This is what he gets for recklessly eating spicy food! Serves him right! “Where’s your medicine?” Ugh, so annoying! I was just worried he’d ruin the mood for everyone else! Exactly! “Didn’t bring it…” he rasped weakly, as if those three words took all his energy. This guy never knew how to take care of himself, and now he was suffering. “I’ll have the production team take you to the hospital.” “No.” I ignored him. “It hurts…” He couldn’t help but groan as his stomach cramped. “Drink some hot water,” I said coldly, fighting the urge to hug him. “My hands are cold.” “Drink hot water.” Liam pressed his lips together and stopped talking. He clearly wasn’t in a good mood. [ “Drink hot water.” ] [Look how wronged he looks! But I seriously want to laugh, hahaha.] [Chloe, just comfort him a little!] [I don’t think she has any intention of getting back together.] [But she put out her cigarette for him!] It’s common knowledge that I have a pretty heavy smoking habit. I’ve been criticized for it plenty of times. Now, without a cigarette, I felt an itch. I really wanted a smoke. Before, because of Liam, I actually managed to quit smoking. During that time, whenever I wanted a cigarette, I would kiss him instead. Because compared to cigarettes, he was far more addictive. Even though he had a stoic face, he still sat next to me on the plane. [ “I’m very wronged, but I can’t be without my wife.” ] [Are you the tapeworm in Liam’s stomach or something?] Let me tell you, Liam has a lot of issues. He gets carsick, airsick, has stomach problems, and… he’s afraid of ghosts. He wanted to get back together, but I didn’t. If we did, people would definitely say I dumped him when he was a nobody and only came crawling back now that he’s at the top of the A-list. “Chloe, I feel dizzy.” Liam said weakly, turning to look at me. His eyes were full of vulnerability and discomfort. “Oh,” I replied dismissively, forcing myself not to look into his eyes. [Wifey, dizzy, lean.] [You guys really understand Liam.] [I wasn’t going to laugh, but seeing Chloe roll her eyes broke me.] “Chloe, can I rest on your shoulder for a bit? I’ll be very quiet, and I won’t drool.” It was obvious that speaking was painful for him right now. His voice was much softer than usual. Liam just kept looking at me, stubborn and persistent, exactly like he was in college. “Tsk.” I felt a surge of annoyance in my chest. I couldn’t help clicking my tongue and giving him an exasperated look. [The moment I heard that “tsk,” I knew she was going to cave.] [10/10 for capitalizing on a moment of weakness.] [Liam fans need to chill. My wife is just too kind!] I glanced at him, didn’t say a word, and closed my eyes to rest. He knew that meant a tacit “yes,” and gently rested his head on my shoulder. [AHHHHH I’M DEAD!!!] [Liam fans are so hypocritical. When it’s our girl doing it, it’s unacceptable, but when it’s Chloe, it’s fine?? So toxic.] [Did you forget to brush your teeth before coming online to spew garbage?] [Pestering a guy vs. a guy pestering you—how is that the same?] [Stop making excuses, you hypocrites!] [Yeah, I feel so bad for our precious Mia.] [LOL, Mia is cheap and goes with anyone. Does she really think she’s high-class?] Liam was genuinely suffering. His slightly furrowed brow revealed his pain, his eyelashes fluttered, and his lips were pale. It was very different from before. 4 In the past, whenever he was hurt or sick, he never told me and never let it show. He tried to be “mature” and make me feel sorry for him. I told him countless times not to hold it in, to just tell me. But he never learned. He was still the same. He had to wait until I got angry before he’d weakly lean in and say he wouldn’t do it again, but he never actually changed. So this time, when he showed weakness and told me he was in pain, I actually felt a slight sense of relief. When we arrived in City F, we quickly received our first mission: “Visit famous local landmarks or trending attractions.” [OMG!! The Roberto Safari Park!!] [If you go to City F and don’t go to the Alpha Horror Theme Park, you’re missing out!!] The production team stated they would not provide transportation or cover entertainment costs. We had to figure it out ourselves. “Please split into pairs and begin your journey!” Split into pairs? I have to say, this director knows exactly how to drive engagement. Given how entangled Liam and I look right now, I can only imagine what the internet is saying about us. Liam stayed glued to my side. Ethan and Mia subconsciously looked our way, but seeing us together, they didn’t bother inviting us to join them. Everyone seemed to accept our relationship as a given and didn’t want to intrude. I originally wanted to just go to the closest attraction, but I glanced at Liam and saw him staring at the Horror Park on the map, seemingly deep in thought. I highly doubted he actually wanted to go there, because he’s terrified of ghosts. I didn’t want to seem like a dictator, plus we were on a live broadcast, so I made a show of asking for his opinion. “Any ideas, Liam?” “I kind of want to go here, is that okay? If it’s not, that’s totally fine. I’ll do whatever you want.” I felt three metaphorical dark lines drop down my forehead. If you put it like that, how can I say no? [Ding dong! Your white lotus tea has arrived! Please sign for it!] [Liam really understands the art of being a white lotus.] [ “If it’s not okay, that’s totally fine.” ] [I can’t. This guy named Hayes is so manipulative. My wife can’t even say no. So annoying. He loves making things difficult for people, huh?] I shot him a look. “Fine, let’s go to the Horror Park.” I originally planned to take a taxi, but he didn’t seem keen on the idea. “I get carsick and feel awful. Can we take the bus? Of course, if it’s not okay, that’s totally fine.” [Damn it, don’t stop me. Let me go strangle this little white lotus!] [ “If it’s not okay, that’s totally fine.” ] [As long as your skin is thick enough, you can get close to your wife.] We ended up taking the bus. After nodding a good morning to the driver, we stood there waiting for our stop. There were quite a few people, so it was a bit crowded. Liam stumbled slightly and ended up pressed right against me. He stayed plastered to me until we got off. I noticed his ears were completely red the entire time. It was actually kind of cute. [He got what he wanted.] [He got what he wanted +1] When we arrived at the haunted house, we saw a crowd gathered around a small table, seemingly doing some sort of promotion. “Couples who participate and take a promotional photo get 90% off and a free movie ticket!” The bold French text on the billboard looked incredibly enticing. “Chloe…” [He’s making his move! He’s making his move! He’s starting again!] [Can Chloe withstand the white lotus attack this time?? Let’s keep watching…] “Get lost.” [Hahahaha, instantly interrupting the white lotus casting her spell.] “But… we don’t have enough money…” Liam looked completely innocent, as if he were just thoughtfully reminding us of our current financial situation. I looked at the single bill the production team had given us, then looked at the price for two people at the haunted house… Plus, we still needed bus fare to get back… [He succeeded!] I caved again. “But… if we don’t hold hands, won’t they suspect we aren’t a couple?” He gestured for me to look at the other couples signing up. Every single one of them was either holding hands or linking arms, and occasionally sharing a kiss. Liam got his wish and slipped his hand into mine. It was freezing, bone-chillingly cold. I couldn’t help but squeeze it tighter, wanting to warm it up a bit. [She’s gone soft!] [Wifey just cares about the money!!] [The haunted house is the most expensive attraction. Plus, honestly, I’ve been there, it’s pretty boring.] [Are we here to watch the haunted house? We’re here to watch a certain couple act all lovey-dovey!] [Watch your wording up there. We’re watching a white lotus try to win back his wife.] He held my hand tightly, a faint smile playing on his lips, quietly following me. But when everything went pitch black around us, he couldn’t help but press closer to me, his hand trembling slightly. “Don’t be scared. I’m here.” I comfortingly rubbed the back of his hand with my thumb. [I thought Liam wanted to wait for Chloe to get scared so she’d hide in his arms. I was wrong.] [LOL, he’s scared but still insists on going to a haunted house??] [Liam: For my wife, this sacrifice is nothing.] [Wifey, sob, scared, hug.] [Shut up up there!] Honestly, the haunted house in City F wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be. In fact, it was a bit boring. But Liam was terrified, which slowed me down considerably. Suddenly, a bloody head flew out in the darkness, followed by an actor lunging out with witch-like claws, screaming “RAWR!” The next second, I was enveloped in a tight embrace. 5 Liam was trembling, his hot breath puffing against my neck, tickling me. His breathing was heavy, and his heart was hammering against my chest. I stiffened, thinking the cameras probably couldn’t see us in the dark, so I reached up and stroked his back. “There, there… don’t be scared.” [Does she think we can’t see them?] [All we can see is night vision green.] [That still doesn’t stop the pink bubbles from popping out between them. Hiss…] [Liam doesn’t look like he’s faking it.] [??? What are you talking about?? He was never faking it.] We hugged for about three minutes before continuing. We finally made it out and got our movie tickets. He stared at the movie tickets over and over, then solemnly and carefully tucked them into his shirt pocket. Then, he reverted back to his sickly, lethargic state. “Chloe, I feel so sick. I don’t want to get back on a bus just yet. Can we walk around for a bit? If that’s not okay, that’s totally fine.” This was the third time I had heard this line today. It was a nightmare! [ “If that’s not okay, that’s totally fine.” ] [They’re so cute, what do I do?!] [I’ve already created a fan page. You won’t regret stanning them.] [What? Are you still frowning over the lack of content for the ship you’re currently sailing? Then come ship the “White Thirst” (Liam/Chloe) ship! The stars themselves are force-feeding us the romance!] Since the tickets were 90% off, we actually had quite a bit of money left. Liam followed happily behind me, holding a bunch of snacks. For some reason, seeing him happy made a sliver of joy rise in my own chest. When I realized my lips were curving upward, I knew I was falling for him all over again. “I want this one too!” “No potatoes. They cause gas. Did you forget about your stomach issues?” I said coldly. “Oh. Okay.” His tone was thick with disappointment, but my scolding seemed to make him incredibly smug. His mood improved significantly for the rest of the day. [This dog just wants to see if his wife still cares about him.] [Oh~ A new trick to stay glued to your wife every day.] [He got what he wanted! He got what he wanted! (?O?)] I thought Liam would behave himself, but not long after we got back to the villa, he started acting up again. “Chloe, I was really terrified today. Thank you for the hug.” He looked incredibly pure and innocent, but his words were a bombshell. I could feel the curious, shocked stares of the other four guests sweeping back and forth between us. “Ha… haha… you’re welcome.” [I feel like Chloe’s fist is going to land on Liam’s face any second now.] [Liam: Yeah, my wife hugged me today. Did she hug you? No, she didn’t!] [Liam might as well just write the word “Show-off” on his forehead.] For the next two days, I mostly ignored him, but he kept trying to stick to my side. [LMAO, played too hard, now the wife is gone.] [Look how wronged our little milk boy looks.] [That nickname is so gross.] He caught a fish and excitedly ran over to me. “Chloe, I caught a fish.” “Mhm.” I replied flatly. “Chloe, look at the flower basket I wove!” “Mhm.” Despite my repeated coldness, his enthusiasm never waned. Eventually, my heart softened again. 6 [Couldn’t she have held out for two more days?] [I knew it.] [Who can resist a well-behaved, handsome Liam Hayes who is 6’2″ with a six-pack?] When we were buying ice cream, he was quick to pay. Seeing I was about to pay him back, he said, “I already paid. If you wouldn’t mind taking me off your block list, you can just Venmo me.” [Is Liam holding a masterclass? I’ll listen on my knees!!!] [+1 Our goddess is really hard to pursue.] He watched happily as I unblocked him on my phone. His contact name was still saved as “Good Boy Liam.” I expressionlessly changed the contact name to his actual name, completely unaware that the camera was right behind my shoulder, capturing the entire process. [Liam actually calls her “Sister” in private!! AHHHH so sweet so sweet!!!] [Real couples are definitely the best to ship.] [Calling her “Sister” is hitting me right in the feels!!! What kind of perfect, obedient boy is this?!] [Look at Liam’s goofy face. I’m embarrassed to say I’ve been a fan of his for four years.] [You don’t sound embarrassed at all. You actually sound kind of proud.] Under Liam’s relentless “harassment,” our relationship grew closer and closer. I slowly started agreeing to talk to him on the phone at night, started reporting my schedule to him. We were just waiting for the right moment to officially announce we were back together. One day, my agent called me early in the morning, saying I was trending. I thought the promotional photos for my new drama were just too stunning and had set a new trend. I only found out after opening Twitter that it was all thanks to Liam. The top comment on the post: Liam Hayes: [WOW!!! Wifey looks so beautiful!! Love you the most, Wifey!!!] This idiot! Very quickly, his alt account was dug up. @ChloesGoodBoyLiam, one of the head admins of our couple fan page, was actually Liam himself??? [HAHAHA Liam’s public unmasking.] [He definitely forgot to switch accounts HAHAHAHA.] [Is it possible he did it on purpose? Is a fan page admin account really that easy to find? Think about it, really think about it.] The #1 trending topic: “Chloe and Liam Suspected to be Married!! Actor Publicly Calls Her Wifey!!” gave me a headache. Just then, Liam called me.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “415133”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My son was ruined by his grandmother. By sixteen, he refused to study and spent every waking moment hooked on League of Legends. I finally forced the issue with my husband and asked my son who he’d live with if we divorced. “Dad, obviously,” he sneered, without looking up from his screen. “Why would I live with you? You nag me 24/7 about nothing. You’re exhausting.” He actually smiled, then added, “As soon as you’re gone, Auntie Melissa can move in. She’s a thousand times better than you, a million times better. Just divorce already, don’t chicken out!” I nodded, feeling the last bit of attachment break. “Fine. I hope you don’t regret it.” 1 Back when Leo was just starting elementary school, I was swamped starting my own consulting firm. My mother-in-law, Martha, took him back to her quiet town to help us out. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I decided to step back, become a full-time stay-at-home mom, and bring Martha and Leo to live with us. I never imagined those few years would completely warp Leo’s character. His grandma spoiled him rotten, and now, at sixteen, he had zero self-discipline and felt entitled to everything. This wasn’t the first time my son had compared me to this “Auntie Melissa.” The first time I heard him say that, it felt like my heart was being twisted in my chest. I thought all those years of sacrifice, of stepping back from my career, were wasted. The woman he loved so much was Melissa Jenkins. She was my husband Mark’s college sweetheart. Mark had been hopelessly in love with her back in the day, but she had used him as a backup plan. She was obsessed with a “golden boy” from their class and actually moved to London just to chase him. Years later, she returned, penniless, with her looks fading, and suddenly realized my husband was the perfect “safety net.” She’d been working her way into our lives ever since. For the past few months, she’d been at our house every single day, rain or shine. She bought Leo a new smartphone, an iPad, a gaming console. She knew I limited Leo’s sweets, so she always had chocolate and premium candy bar stuffed in her purse for him. The day we finalized the divorce, Mark and I walked out of the courthouse with the papers. He’s usually pretty spineless, but he looked at me and asked, “We can still be friends, right? Want to come back to the house for a drink?” I gave him a long, hard look. “Sure. Why not?” I wanted to see the reality he had created. As soon as I opened the door, I heard laughter. My son was sitting close to Melissa on the couch, two massive KFC buckets between them. A sixteen-year-old in a growth spurt, and he’s eating this for lunch? I felt my temple throb. But I forced a casual smile, walked over, grabbed a handful of fries from their bucket, and ate them deliberately. Leo looked at me, a confused glint in his eye, which he quickly replaced with defiance. “Aren’t you going to yell at me? I’m eating ‘junk food,’ remember?” He emphasized the words, smugly taking a massive bite of his burger while watching for my reaction. I didn’t even bother to roll my eyes. “Nope. When you were my son, I cared about your health. I limited the junk because I know you’re self-conscious about your height and you have no self-control. But now you’re her problem.” I smiled sweetly. “Not my circus, not my monkey.” He was stunned. He hadn’t expected that. For a second, a flicker of hurt crossed his face, but he quickly covered it with a cold smirk and turned back to Melissa, laughing loudly at something she said, pretending I was a stranger. I didn’t care. From the moment he said, “Auntie Melissa is a million times better than you, why haven’t you divorced yet?” to the moment he stood there while Mark screamed at me, “Your low-class family raised a useless daughter, you don’t deserve this house!” I was done. As of today, he wasn’t my son. When he saw I wasn’t engaging, his booming laughter gradually faded to a whisper. Melissa shot me a cool glance, then addressed me directly. “Since you’re here… I also have a son, Tyler. He’s fifteen. I’m bringing him over tomorrow to live here and go to school with Leo. You don’t have a problem with that, do you?” She would never have dared to speak to me like that before. I deliberately took my time wiping the grease off my fingers, smiling. “Are you asking me? You’re the lady of the house now. You make the rules.” Her eyes widened in surprise, and then her face immediately filled with the smug satisfaction of a woman who had won. “Then it’s settled. Leo, you’re the older brother, you have to take good care of Tyler, okay?” My son cheered. “Awesome! Finally, someone to play CoD with!” I sneered internally. You idiot. Once her biological son arrives, your easy life is over. How did I raise such a fool? I must not have taken enough prenatal vitamins. 2 When our family’s finances first turned around years ago, I had bought the adjacent apartment. The plan was to bring my parents over when they got older, so they could live right next door and I could take care of them. That wasn’t happening now. During the divorce settlement, I hadn’t pushed for much, but I fought for that adjacent unit. It was mine. After the courthouse and the KFC “lunch,” I went back to my new apartment. As I was about to close the door, Mark caught it, looking hesitant. “Melissa and I… we haven’t actually, you know, ‘done it’ yet. I didn’t cheat on you during the marriage. If you hadn’t been so stubborn about the divorce—” “You didn’t cheat? I saw you kissing her in your office, and she looked like she was trying to suck the soul out of your body. What was that? A commercial shoot?” I sneered, slamming the door in his face. If he truly respected me, or this marriage, he would have rejected her the moment she started trying to worm her way in. But Mark enjoyed it. He loved having his college “goddess” worshiping him. He let her humiliate me and turned our home into a war zone. So I gave him the divorce. Now he could enjoy her without the guilt. What was the problem? I didn’t see a problem. I locked the door, shutting out those toxic people. The world was finally quiet. I pulled out my phone and listed the apartment on Zillow. My parents had only stayed here a few times, so it was basically new. Those few times were enough. My son was constantly screaming at my parents, actually calling them “old geezers” to their faces. My parents, bless them, didn’t have the heart to get angry at a child, but I refused to let them be treated that way. I was the one who stopped them from moving in. I had actually slapped the little brat for it back then, but Melissa had held me back, saying he was just a child, and I shouldn’t take it seriously. I should have slapped her too. The memory made my blood boil. I suddenly remembered that my son’s debit card was still linked to my bank account. I was transferring $500 a month to him… Not anymore. My thumb swiped across the screen. Unlinked. Cancelled. Instant relief. When I woke up the next morning, I saw an offer on Zillow. Some investor wanted to buy the place, cash, and close fast. I got dressed up before leaving. In the past, I was so busy serving my husband and son that I didn’t even have time to look in the mirror. Now, I had nothing but time. I sat at my vanity, did a full skincare routine, applied light makeup, and spent time on my hair and picking a dress. I stared at myself for a long time. My features were good. With some concealer and foundation, the exhaustion was gone, and I looked elegant, nothing like the tired, disheveled housewife I had become. My figure still needed work, though. I picked up my phone and booked a $1,000 personal training package. Now that I wasn’t spending money on that little brat, I had plenty of disposable income for myself. I hummed as I walked downstairs, and bumped into Melissa and her biological son, Tyler, on the sidewalk. One look and you knew they were related. Melissa raised him exactly the same way Martha raised Leo—one glance and you wanted to slap him. Tyler was kicking and screaming on the pavement, refusing to let go of a bike rack. Melissa was trying to cajole him. “Forget that bike! Martha and I have money now, I’ll buy you a brand new, custom-ordered mountain bike, the latest model!” She finally convinced him. I watched from the shadows as Tyler went back a minute later and used a key to scratch the bike that had caused the tantrum. He absolutely ruined the paint job. By the way, that bike belonged to my little brat. He had worked odd jobs for me for six months just to save up for it, and he loved it. No matter. Melissa has money now. She’ll buy him a new one. It was her son who broke it, after all. I went to meet the buyer and handle the closing. When I got back, the investor had already sent a crew to change the locks, but they called me to the adjacent unit. My new front door had been hacked and keyed. I assumed it was Tyler, but when the building manager pulled the surveillance footage, I saw my son’s face, filled with rage, gouging my door with a metal tool. My numb, distant heart felt another sharp twist. 3 I didn’t need to ask to know what happened. My son discovered his bike was ruined. Melissa probably mentioned, casually, that she had seen me downstairs early that morning… This wasn’t her first time using that tactic. I didn’t go confront them. I called the cops and gave them the video footage. When the police arrived to take my son in for vandalism, Martha and Melissa both rushed over to shield him. Martha glared at me, screaming, “Is this what a mother does? You’re sending your own son to the police station?” I crossed my arms. “Why not? What, should I wait until he moves from vandalism to assault? Or arson?” My son was staring at me coldly. “You’re a real piece of work. Just ruthless. I hope you don’t regret it.” Then he turned to the cop, shouting furiously, “I want to file a counter-complaint! She’s mad my dad dumped her for a younger model, so she ruined my bike this morning!” My jaw almost dropped. Melissa’s eyes were darting around, looking nervous. I almost laughed out loud at the absurdity. I calmly addressed the cop. “Here’s the deal. If I’m the one who ruined his bike, I’ll pay him ten times what it’s worth. But if I didn’t, he has to pay me ten times what it costs to replace my door.” The little brat froze. He instinctively looked at Melissa. I smiled sweetly at her, waiting. Melissa panicked. “Let’s not do that. We’re all family here. Don’t say things you don’t mean. Mark will just pay for the door.” I smirked coldly. Before I could speak, the little brat snapped, “Melissa, stop! If you give an inch, she takes a mile! Don’t protect her!” He actually called her Melissa. I wasn’t surprised. He’d already accepted the enemy. Melissa, however, looked annoyed when he used her name, not happy. Her expression went dark. The fool didn’t notice; he was too busy glaring at me. Martha was starting to get suspicious, looking back and forth between me and Melissa. Melissa bit her lip, then adopted a meek tone. “Since there aren’t any other cameras down there, it’s just your word against ours. There’s no way to prove anything.” I smiled sweetly. “All you need to do is agree to the ten times compensation. If I can’t prove it, I lose.” Melissa’s pupils constricted. She glanced at me, and I deliberately shifted my gaze away as if I were nervous. She took the bait. A smug smile touched her lips. “Fine. But Leo is furious, and as his mother figure, I don’t want him to feel cheated.” I smiled internally, ignoring her pathetic attempt to hurt me by calling herself his “mother figure.” “So, it’s a deal?” I casually pulled out my phone and tapped on the video I had already prepared. You should have seen Melissa’s face. It was priceless. The video on my phone clearly showed Tyler, Melissa’s biological son, smirking as he scratched Leo’s bike, and then using a key on my door while muttering, “This is all going to be mine eventually anyway, loser.” My son watched the video, stunned, his mouth hanging open. Then he furiously slammed his bag onto the ground and screamed a profanity at Tyler. The cop had to interject. “Hey! Cut that out! What’s with the language? You parents need to be watching what your kids are doing.” Martha was about to open her mouth to blame me—I could see it. I wasn’t letting her get away with it again. She wasn’t my family anymore. I addressed the cop directly. “I apologize, officer. The boy is raised without any discipline. I’ve tried to correct him, but my mother-in-law here fought me every step of the way, insisted on raising him herself, and brought him back a complete brat. When I finally brought him back to try and fix him, you can see the result. My home was turned into a battlefield and I was forced into a divorce.” I affected a weary, sad sigh. “I’m sorry you have to see this family drama.” The cop gave me a sympathetic look. Martha looked like a fish on land, her eyes wide, but she couldn’t say a single word. “The compensation goes to my account. You know the number. Don’t make me call your father.” I smiled coldly at my son, whose face was purple with rage. I ignored the rest of them and casually walked away. I didn’t care what the neighbors watching the drama were thinking. 4 My week was fantastic. I received the ten-times compensation, paid out of the brat’s savings and allowance, and the apartment closing went smoothly. When I told my parents I was selling, they hesitated. “What about Leo? If you aren’t there to watch him, won’t his stepmother treat him badly?” I smiled. “What happens to him isn’t my concern anymore.” I wasn’t being dramatic. The hurt ran too deep. I had dedicated my life to him, and for what? To be abused? Melissa only spent a year grooming him, and she had already eclipsed the decade of devotion I’d given him. It was time to move on. As I was happily packing up, Martha suddenly showed up with the little brat in tow. “I heard you sold the other apartment. You must have over a million dollars in cash now. Leo needs to get married one day. I found a great house in a gated community, I think you should buy it for him as a wedding gift.” My eyes widened in genuine disbelief. “Are you serious? Are you telling me that a mother is legally obligated to buy a house for a useless, ungrateful son who doesn’t even want to study? I don’t have that obligation. Do you want to see the court’s decision? The judge ruled I only have to pay $500 a month in child support until he’s eighteen.” My son looked at me in disbelief, which immediately turned to disgust. “I am not your son from this day on. If you won’t buy me a house, don’t ever expect me to support you when you’re old!” I chuckled. “I haven’t considered you my son for a while now, you call Melissa ‘Mom’ anyway, don’t you? Ask Melissa to buy you a house. And I never expected you to support me. You treat your grandparents like dirt, and they adore you. I can already see what my old age would look like with you in charge. Buy you a house? I’d rather buy a dog and buy it a golden doghouse.” My son was left speechless, his face bright red. He turned to his grandmother and screamed, “Why did you bring me here to talk to this bitch? She isn’t my mom, I don’t have a mom like her!” He actually called me that. The vein in my temple throbbed. Melissa appeared from around the corner, a smile on her face. “Leo is still a child, don’t take it personally.” Martha screamed at me, “You’re the mother! You’re actually holding a grudge against your own child? How can you show your face?” I smiled sweetly. “He’s calling me a bitch now. Eventually, he’ll start calling you one too. When that happens, remember, don’t take it personally.” I slammed the door. I put my hands over my eyes, taking a deep breath. It still hurt. It’s impossible to remain indifferent when someone you once loved more than life itself abuses you like that. But I wasn’t going to take it anymore. I knew Melissa was the one filling his head with this nonsense. Martha wasn’t smart enough to come up with the “wedding gift” plan on her own. They wanted a wedding gift? Fine. I’ll give them what they want. I called Mark. “Your mom just came by, demanding I buy Leo a wedding gift in a gated community. What’s your take?” Mark was confused. “Leo is sixteen. Isn’t that a little early?” I smirked. “Mark, you know Melissa brought her own son, Tyler. Tyler is also going to grow up and need a house. When the time comes, who gets your money? Tyler isn’t your son. Leo is your only heir.” I knew Mark well. He was obsessed with his legacy. He hesitated, then said, “Maybe I should buy something in Leo’s name, just in case?” “That’s your decision. Oh, and Mark, I’d suggest you keep this from Melissa. You know how she gets.” … I finished packing and moved into a new apartment across town, then immediately started looking for a job. I didn’t have much experience, but I was motivated. I eventually landed an executive assistant position. I hadn’t worked in years, and I was determined to succeed. I put in the hours, got along with my colleagues, and my boss, the CEO, seemed to like me. The following weekend, I was working overtime. My boss, Mr. Harris, a senior executive in his fifties, felt bad, and invited me to his house for lunch. When I arrived at his upscale community, I ran into Melissa and my son walking out of Mr. Harris’s neighbor’s house. “Melissa, you’re the best! You convinced Dad to buy me such an amazing place.” The little brat was hugging Melissa, beaming, and actually kissed her cheek. It was a scene of perfect mother-son affection. I was stunned. Mark had bought Leo the house, but Melissa had managed to take all the credit? I couldn’t tell if she was genuinely happy or just acting. Then my son saw me. His face immediately darkened. He smirked smugly. “Didn’t you say you wouldn’t give me money for a house? My mom bought me one.” I smiled sweetly. “That’s wonderful. You should make sure you’re extra good to her.” He sneered. “Obviously. But what about you? You have no kids, nobody is going to care about you when you’re old. You’re going to die alone in your house.” I shrugged. “I’m okay with that. I was actually thinking of getting a dog. I’ll let the dog take care of me.” My son’s face shifted. He probably felt I was implying something, but he couldn’t think of a comeback. He just glared at me darkly. I ignored him and walked into Mr. Harris’s house. As I walked in the door, I glanced back and saw Melissa and my son staring at me with a strange, ominous look. The lunch with Mr. Harris and his wife was lovely. Mrs. Harris actually said, “You haven’t worked in years? You have fantastic business acumen. What a waste to have been a stay-at-home mom.” I smiled sweetly. “Well, isn’t that why they say behind every successful man is a supportive woman? But I’m glad to have a chance to succeed on my own.” They both laughed. I was thinking about the house Melissa and my son were in. I was curious. It looked like Melissa was genuinely excited, not just pretending. If it were an act, she was a world-class actress. Was there something else going on I didn’t know about? 5 I remembered they were coming from the house next to Harris’s, so I casually asked Mrs. Harris, “I noticed the adjacent house seems to be occupied. Do you know the neighbors?” Mrs. Harris said, “The investors who owned it sold it just a few days ago. We haven’t met them yet.” What a coincidence. My heart skipped a beat. I showed her a picture of Melissa. “Was it this woman who bought it?” “Yes, that’s her.” “Did she buy it alone?” “No, she had a boy with her.” I showed her a picture of my son. “This boy?” Mrs. Harris shook her head. “No, the boy was younger and… not as well-behaved. The boy down there was actually quite handsome.” I showed her Tyler’s photo. Mrs. Harris’s face immediately darkened. “Yes, that’s him. So rude. He came over here asking for snacks and just made a mess, didn’t even say thank you.” He left a memorable impression. I was confused. Was the house in Melissa’s name? Mark bought it for Leo, but Melissa had gone with Tyler to finalize everything? My son was being played, and he was thanking her for it. Just then, my phone rang. It was Martha, my ex-mother-in-law. Melissa and Mark were hosting an engagement party, and they wanted me to come. She probably expected me to refuse, so I immediately agreed. “Sure. I’ll be there. Can I sit at the family table? I am family, after all.” Martha was speechless. “If you have the balls to show up, I’ll find a seat for you.” Oh, I had the balls. I had a wonderful gift for them. … The day of the engagement party, I woke up early and spent time on myself. I looked great. When I arrived, many guests didn’t even recognize me. I realized how much I had changed. housewife, housewife… when you’re dedicated to serving your husband and son and you’re not taking care of yourself, what else are you going to be? Now that I wasn’t serving anyone, I was an elegant, successful woman. I felt pretty good about myself. Melissa and Mark began their rounds, greeting guests. Mark looked revitalized, and my son was right beside them, looking closer to Melissa than to his own grandmother. Someone commented, “Melissa is a fantastic stepmother. I used to think the ‘evil stepmother’ cliché was true, but she proves it wrong.” The person realized I was sitting right there and blushed. I smiled. “It’s fine. If she’s treating my son well, I’m thrilled.” They continued chatting with me. Then Martha walked over, a fake smile on her face. “Thrilled? You are the mother. How can you have the audacity to be so detached from your own child?” The happy family scene Martha was trying to project immediately shattered. Martha was looking for a fight; she’d probably spent all night coming up with insults. “Hmph, you actually have the nerve to show your face here. You refused to buy your own son a wedding gift, claiming you didn’t have to. But Melissa? The moment she heard, she bought him one immediately.” I looked shocked. “She bought it with her own money? Mark, I didn’t think you’d do that. You make so much money, and you let your new wife buy a house for your son?” Martha was immediately speechless. Melissa looked panicked, not smug. She waved her hand. “Let’s not talk about that on such a happy day. Elena, let me buy you a drink.” I took the glass from her hand, smiling sweetly. “Oh, no need to be polite. It was so generous of you to buy my son a house. How much did it cost? I can reimburse you for some of it.” Melissa was stunned. Before she could speak, Tyler, her biological son, was screaming from across the room. “What? Mom, you didn’t buy me a house, you bought one for him? I’m your son!” I was enjoying this. Go on, Tyler. Melissa’s face was turning purple. Mark was annoyed. “She didn’t buy it. I did. It came from my account. Right, Melissa?” Melissa blushed. “Yes, Mark bought it. I just went with him to help with the paperwork.” But Tyler wasn’t backing down. “Why did you buy him a house? You promised you’d make Mark buy me one, and I’d call him ‘Dad’!” The room went silent. Melissa froze. She furiously slapped Tyler. “What are you talking about? I never said that!” Mark looked awkward. I knew his finances; he was successful, but a gated community house in this city was a massive expense. He wouldn’t have much left, and even if he did, he wouldn’t be thrilled about buying a house for Melissa’s son. Melissa tried to recover with a tight smile. “It’s fine. I can buy my own son a house one day. Let’s not bring this up again. Engagement toast, everyone!” Everyone was ready to move past it, but I wasn’t letting them. I chuckled softly, comforting Tyler. “Tyler, don’t be mad. Leo doesn’t actually have a house. They’re both just sixteen, they can’t own property.” My son exploded. He screamed at me, “You’re full of shit! Dad and Mom bought it, and it’s mine! I won’t let you lie about them!” I deliberately rolled my eyes to provoke him. “I don’t believe you. If you can show me the deed, I’ll apologize. What do you say?” Hearing that I would apologize, my son’s eyes flashed with triumph. He snarled, “Wait right here,” and ran back toward the master bedroom to grab the deed. Melissa panicked. She grabbed my son, screaming, “Don’t go! This is so embarrassing! She’s your mother, give her some respect!” I sneered. “No need. He doesn’t have it.” My son was furious. He broke free from Melissa’s grasp, ran back, and slammed the folder onto the table. “Look at this! The deed!” I looked down, smiled, and then it confirmed my suspicions. I sighed. “You poor child. Have you ever seen a deed that doesn’t have the official seal from the recording office?” Everyone froze. Mark was the first to react. He snatched the deed and examined it closely. Then, his face twisted in rage, and he glared at Melissa. Melissa desperately grabbed Mark’s arm. “We’ll talk later, I can explain!” Mark hesitated, looking at me. I sneered. “Your family genes are pathetic. How could you possibly win against someone like her? It’s not my fault. Your whole family is just too stupid.” I ran before they could redirect their rage at me. Martha was screaming behind me, “The deed… the deed needs an official seal?” And my son’s voice, broken and confused: “Mom… Melissa, what’s going on? Is there a mistake?” I didn’t have the patience to listen. I needed to get a DNA test for my son. I didn’t believe he was mine.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “415132”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel