When I was three months pregnant, a video of Derek’s affair went viral. My parents were livid, and worse, consumed with guilt. After all, they were the ones who had pushed me into this marriage. “What are you going to do?” Mom asked, her face streaked with tears. “Will you… divorce him?” “No.” I clutched the ultrasound report until my knuckles turned white. My father’s business investments had collapsed this year, leaving us 30 million dollars in debt. So he cheated. So what? Why on earth would I divorce him? I was counting on that jerk to help pay off our debts! After that, I acted like nothing had happened. I went back to the house Derek and I shared. Even when Derek came home that night, I didn’t breathe a word about the video. I just handed him my pregnancy report, my face a mask of calm.. Derek studied my expression, his own devoid of any guilt or emotion. My arm had begun to ache from holding out the folder for so long before he finally took it. Then, as casually as if discussing the weather, he said, “Don’t worry. That girl was a little disobedient. I’ve already disciplined her.” A tremor ran through my hand. He hadn’t said he’d broken things off or cut ties. He’d said “disciplined,” with a mix of possessive indulgence and chilling indifference that turned my stomach. Disciplined her? How? Like in the video? With Derek, all beastial hunger, dragging her back, pinning her down as she giggled and writhed beneath him? “Getting brave, are we? Saying no to me now?” “You want to be disciplined, is that it?” Then, He flipped her over, his hand connecting with her skin in a sting that was part punishment, part perverse caress. A dull ache flared in my chest. Gagging, I shut down the memory hard. “I’m tired,” I said, my voice miraculously steady. “I’m going to my room. See Maria if you’re hungry.” I didn’t wait for a reply. I scrambled for the stairs, my sole focus on reaching the second floor. Derek didn’t stop me. He just let out a grunt from the couch. It wasn’t until my foot hit the first step that his voice cut through the silence again. “Willow, thank you.” My hand instantly clenched. Since I’d known Derek, he’d thanked me countless times. When we got married, he said, “Thank you for agreeing to be my wife.” When I got pregnant, he said, “Thank you for carrying our precious baby.” But I never imagined his “thank you” would, one day, be used for this. A suffocating pain seized my chest. I bit down hard on my lower lip, forcing out a calm, “You’re welcome.”

After that, for a long time, Derek and I settled into a tense peace. The video was never mentioned again. Derek would accompany me to my prenatal appointments. He showered me with gifts. He played the part of the doting husband to perfection, as if he were still the man who’d loved me madly. But I knew, with a cold, sinking certainty, that everything had shifted. It was there last night, when he suddenly caged me beneath him, his voice a low murmur against my skin. “The doctor said it’s safe… at four months.” Then his kisses came, thick and relentless. I used to crave them. Now, all I could smell was the lingering, sickening scent of another woman on his skin. My stomach, which had finally settled, twisted violently. I was so overwhelmed that I shoved him away, stumbling out of bed and rushing to the bathroom. The violent sound of my retching echoed through the room. Derek, who had followed me in, watched with a slight frown. “The doctor said morning sickness stops after three months. Why are you still throwing up?” My stomach was cramping, so I didn’t answer him. Derek instantly grew agitated. He paced impatiently in the bathroom, then grabbed his suit, his watch, barely bothering with his tie. He glanced at me, still retching, and muttered, “Got a contract to sign. Heading to the office.” Then, without a single word of comfort, or even asking if I was okay, he walked out. Watching his retreating back, listening to the toilet flush, tears welled up and streamed down my face. So, yes, something had definitely changed. The old Derek would have been half-dead with worry if I even shed a single tear. But now? His greatest act of affection was perhaps maintaining a sliver of decency, telling me he had a “contract to sign” before openly going to meet that other girl.

Derek still didn’t come home that night. And I, still alone, cried until dawn. This was my new normal since discovering his infidelity. I couldn’t sleep when he was home. I couldn’t sleep when he wasn’t. It wasn’t until the next morning, when I saw a spot of red on my underwear, that I snapped awake, crying hysterically as I rushed to the hospital. On the way, I called Derek several times. He didn’t pick up. This was his new habit, ever since I’d ‘tolerated’ his cheating. He’d reply to my SnapChat whenever he felt like it, or not at all. It was nothing like before, when I could send him a single emoji and he’d flood me with a dozen messages. He’d ask if I’d eaten, what my plans were for the day. My chest tightened again, filled with a familiar pang of bitterness and pain from the memories. I quickly pushed the thoughts away. I couldn’t afford to get upset. The doctor at my last prenatal check-up had warned me that my emotional stress was putting the baby at risk of miscarriage. I couldn’t lose this baby. This child was our only link now, Derek’s and mine. My family was counting on this baby to keep the money flowing from Derek. And I? I was counting on this child to give me some small comfort in this desperate marriage. But thinking of the baby only brought another wave of sadness. When I first found out I was pregnant, Derek had been ecstatic, and so was I. We were so excited for this baby to be born. How, in just five short months, had it become merely a tool to connect Derek and me? A searing pain erupted in my chest, and the tears I’d been holding back finally broke free. Especially when I arrived at my OB’s office and saw Derek gently assisting a girl at the blood draw station. A crushing wave of despair washed over me. In the hospital lobby, Derek tenderly stroked the girl’s hair. “Come on, sweetie. Just let the nurse draw some blood so we can see if it’s the flu.” The girl pouted playfully up at him. “No, I hate needles.” Derek’s lips curved into a soft smile. “You’re such a child.” Then he pulled her into a tight hug and kissed her cheek several times. This was the first time I’d seen Derek interact with her. From the video that had been sent to my family group chat, I’d always pictured her as wild and provocative. But now, in person, she seemed so innocent, even a little pure. She reminded me of myself at eighteen. As I stared, frozen in disbelief, Derek spotted me. Without a trace of panic, he released the girl and walked towards me. “What are you doing here?” I swallowed hard, trying to push past the bitter lump in my throat. I was about to say I was spotting and came for a check-up. But the next second, Derek cut me off. “Are you stalking me?” The words I’d been about to say died in my throat. Derek’s angry words continued. “Willow, I thought we had an understanding, a truce, that we wouldn’t make a scene. We agreed to coexist peacefully.” “But I never thought you’d stoop to something so disgusting.” A suffocating pain seized my chest again. I couldn’t believe I looked so monstrous in Derek’s eyes now. Seeing us arguing, the girl Derek had been with walked over. She tugged on Derek’s arm, then looked at me with an apologetic expression. “Oh, Willow, I’m so sorry. Derek’s been under a lot of stress with work lately. His temper’s a bit frayed.” Then she turned back to Derek. “Derek, don’t be mad at Willow. She’s definitely not stalking you. This is a hospital; she must be here for something important.” With that, the girl walked over and linked her arm through mine. “Willow, are you not feeling well? Derek told me last night you’re still having morning sickness at five months.” “Are you here because something’s wrong with the baby? Did you make an appointment? I’ll have Derek go with you to see the doctor, okay?” Her arm linked with mine felt like a poisonous snake coiling. I wanted to endure it, to suppress the pain in my chest, to smile politely and tell her “no thanks,” to thank her. To calmly explain to Derek that I was just here because of some spotting, a potential miscarriage. But it had been two months since I discovered Derek’s infidelity. I had suppressed too much, restrained too much. The pain had long since exceeded what I could bear. So, when she provoked me so brazenly, and Derek didn’t say a single word in my defense, I finally broke. I angrily yanked my arm away and took two steps back. “Why are you touching me? Are you trying to infect me with your flu? Don’t you know I’m pregnant? I can’t be around sickness!” I don’t know how it happened, but I barely used any force, yet the girl suddenly stumbled and fell to the ground. Seeing her fall, Derek instantly exploded. “Willow, what the hell are you doing? Why did you push Skylar?!” With that, Derek rushed over, roughly pushing me aside, and helped the girl up. Being shoved by Derek didn’t hurt physically, but it was suffocating. I tried to hold back again, but I couldn’t. “Derek, don’t forget I’m your wife! You’re openly cuddling with another woman in public! You don’t give me any respect, so why should I give you any?!” As I said this, my fingers, clutching my purse, trembled slightly. The girl standing beside Derek suddenly burst into tears. “I’m so sorry, Willow! I… I really didn’t mean to! I was just worried about you, that’s why I came over and held your arm!” “Please, I’m begging you, don’t argue with Derek! It’s my fault! Please, don’t be angry!” Then, the girl suddenly pushed Derek away. “Derek, you stay here with Willow. I… I’m leaving.” With that, she scurried out of the hospital. Derek’s face instantly turned ashen. He glared at me with pure hatred. “Willow, you are being absolutely ridiculous!” Then, he didn’t spare me another glance, and rushed after the girl. Watching his retreating back, tears streamed down my face. Ridiculous? So, he cheats, and if I dare to question it, I’m deemed ridiculous? My chest throbbed with a numb ache. Just then, the nurse called, asking why I hadn’t arrived for my appointment. I wiped my tears and walked towards the examination room. Thankfully, the results were good. The spotting was still due to a threatened miscarriage, but I only needed medication and bed rest at home; no hospitalization was required. As I left, the doctor reminded me to absolutely, absolutely avoid emotional agitation. If I kept stressing myself out, there was a high chance I could lose the baby. A dense, throbbing pain flared in my chest. Leaving the hospital, I hardened my resolve once more. I was done. Truly, truly done letting Derek yank my strings. My baby was all that mattered. But then, my father called that night. His voice, frayed with age, was thick with exhaustion. “Willow, honey… Could you ask Derek something? Ask him why he’s decided to stop covering the company’s interest payments next month.” I calmly told Dad I’d ask him that night. But the moment I hung up, I couldn’t hold back the sobs. I hadn’t realized Skylar, that girl, was that important. Important enough that merely a few harsh words from me that afternoon, and Derek was cutting off my father’s funds to manipulate me. A wave of disgust washed over me. But it was nothing compared to the crushing despair that followed. Despair for this broken, rotting marriage I was trapped in.

Two hours of tears led to one inevitable call. I asked Derek about the money for my dad. His answer was swift and cutting. “I’m a little short myself. Tell your dad to find a loan. Maybe I’ll pay next month.” My grip on the phone tightened. I swallowed hard, steadying my voice. “What will it take?” The line clicked onto speaker. “Apologize to Skylar. Now. I’m buying her a car tonight to make her happy. Make her happy for me, and I’ll have the cash for your dad.” Rage, pure and blinding, surged through me. I wanted to shriek at the humiliation. But then a sharp, twisting cramp seized my lower stomach, a visceral reminder that steadied me. Even though it hurt, really, really hurt, I still trembled as I spoke into the phone to the girl on the other end. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed you this afternoon. I shouldn’t have yelled at you this afternoon. I was wrong.” As I spoke, I gripped the phone so tightly, even biting my lip until it bled, just to keep my voice even. The moment my words faded, the girl’s sweet voice came through the phone. “Willow, don’t say that. You don’t need to apologize. I just lost my footing this afternoon.” “It’s all Derek’s fault. I was sick with the flu and felt bad, so I didn’t want to talk to him. But he thought I was angry and insisted you apologize to me.” “I’m not angry at all. I’m already so happy you’re willing to share Derek with me. Really, I’m not mad. Aren’t you pregnant? You should take care of yourself first.” Listening to the girl’s voice, tears streamed down my face. I dug my nails so hard into my flesh that it was the only thing stopping me from sobbing out loud. And the moment the girl finished, Derek took the phone back. Then, casually and lazily, he said to me, “Willow, see? Skylar is so compliant. In the future, you should learn from her. Don’t be so arrogant and look down on everyone all the time. I’ll have the finance department transfer your dad’s funds later tonight.” With that, Derek hung up. And listening to the dial tone, I finally couldn’t hold back the torment in my heart and burst into tears. Especially when, through my tear-filled eyes, I saw the high school graduation photo of Derek and me displayed in the room. The pain surging in my chest instantly felt like a thousand sharp blades piercing my heart. Derek and I were high school classmates. But, unfortunately, he was a scholarship student, and I came from money. Because our circles were different, our social lives different, even after being classmates for three years, I’d probably exchanged no more than ten sentences with him. And back then, I had a boyfriend. After high school, I went abroad, and my boyfriend and I broke up amicably due to the long distance. Then, I returned to the country. It was at my dad’s company that I ran into Derek. He was a vendor coming to discuss a partnership. Seeing me, Derek immediately called out my name. It took me a long time to remember who he was. But after that, Derek began to pursue me relentlessly. My dad was happy about it, saying Derek was self-made and capable, someone destined for great things. And I, too, felt a certain fondness for Derek. He was gentle and polite, witty and humorous, a top student from a renowned university, and he had even started his own company. Derek and I were together for two years when he told me he’d loved me for ten. I was swept away by the romance of it. So when he proposed a year later, I didn’t hesitate. Back then, I thought I was the luckiest woman alive to have found my perfect match. Then came our wedding night. Derek, drunk, slurred the words that shattered my reality. “Willow… why aren’t you like you were at eighteen?” In that moment, a cold dread seized me. But he never slipped again, treating me with the same devotion as before. I convinced myself I’d imagined it. It wasn’t until Derek’s cheating video surfaced, until I met that girl today. The clothes she wore were my favorite brand from eighteen. The mole by her eye was a near-perfect copy of mine. And in that moment, I understood everything. Derek never loved the woman I had become. He always loved the eighteen-year-old girl he could never have back then. My heart ached with suffocation, and that night, I developed a high fever. Maria tried to persuade me to go to the hospital several times, but I refused. I didn’t know who I was trying to spite, but all I knew was that there was a huge, empty space in my chest. It wasn’t until the middle of the night, when blood started gushing from my lower body, staining my pajamas and the sheets beneath me, that I panicked with terror. I started screaming hysterically for Maria. I started hysterically calling Derek. But Derek, like always, didn’t pick up. The blood kept coming. Then the contractions seized me-hard and wrong. That’s when the hysteria won. Sobbing, I managed to grab my phone and call my parents. I don’t know what I said on the phone. The only thought my mind could hold was that I was dying. And my baby was dying too. Everything after that was a fractured nightmare. The ambulance. My mom and dad, each gripping a hand, their voices trembling. “Willow, stay awake.” “Honey, please, don’t close your eyes.” I felt my lips move, but no sound came out. The next thing I knew, I was under the harsh lights of the ER. And there he was. Derek’s hair was wild, his shirt misbuttoned, collar askew. He was a storm of fury and panic, shoving towards the operating room doors. “Willow, don’t die! Please don’t die!” The words had barely left his mouth before my dad’s fist connected with his face. After that, everything went black. When I finally swam back to consciousness and my eyes fluttered open, my mother gasped. She rushed to my bedside, her face crumpling as she clutched my hand. “Willow, I promise you, you can divorce him. We’ll do it. Your father has a plan. We’ll sell the house, the cars. I don’t care if we have to live on the street, you are divorcing that man.” A wave of relief washed through me, so profound it could only escape as silent tears. “Okay.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “308330”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #后宫Harem #重生Reborn

“Principal, her private life is a mess! She just had an abortion! You should revoke her eligibility to speak!” It was the university’s Freshman Welcome Ceremony. I was supposed to give a speech as an outstanding student, but my mom, Veronica, snatched the microphone right out of my hand. Instantly, I became the laughingstock of the entire university. My boyfriend slapped me hard and broke up with me. Classmates scrawled “slut” all over my clothes. In despair, I jumped from the rooftop. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day before the Freshman Welcome Ceremony. I secretly swapped Veronica’s birth control pills for vitamin tablets. This time, I’d make sure she got a taste of public humiliation and ruin herself. Dinner table, the atmosphere was heavy. Veronica cut a piece of steak and placed it on my plate. “Eat more. The Freshman Welcome Ceremony is tomorrow. You need to be well-rested.” I silently pushed the steak to the side. “I don’t like it.” Veronica’s face darkened. “You’re going to be speaking on stage as the freshman representative in a few days. You *have* to be healthy, right?” Tiffany chimed in. “Anya, Veronica is just looking out for you.” “It’s such an honor to speak as the freshman representative.” Seeing my silence, Veronica’s voice shot up, practically a screech. “I’m talking to you! Are you deaf?” “Have you memorized your speech for tomorrow? Don’t you dare embarrass yourself on stage!” My dad, Robert, couldn’t stand it. He frowned. “Enough, let her eat in peace.” Veronica immediately turned her矛头 on Robert. “What do you know! I’m motivating her!” “She’s the focus of the entire university right now; she can’t afford to make a single mistake!” “Anya, I heard your university has an exchange student spot this year, chosen from the freshmen. The requirements are super high.” Tiffany brought it up, seemingly casually. Veronica, predictably, spoke up. “An exchange student? Which country?” “I think it’s the US. The tuition and living expenses for a year are hundreds of thousands of dollars, all covered by the university.” As soon as she heard “hundreds of thousands,” Veronica’s eyes lit up. A flicker of greed and calculation passed through them. Brenda gasped too. “Something that good? Then my daughter absolutely has to go!” “Her grades are so good, and she’s the freshman representative; there’s no way she won’t get it!” A hint of triumph crossed Veronica’s face, but then she frowned again. “Her? Look at her frail appearance; a strong gust of wind could probably knock her over.” “If she goes abroad, with no one to take care of her, what if she gets sick?” Tiffany immediately jumped in. “That’s right, Anya’s health isn’t great; she’s always had a delicate constitution since childhood.” “The competition for this spot is probably brutal, and Anya’s body might not be able to handle it.” I watched their coordinated act, a cold sneer forming in my heart. In my previous life, I burned the midnight oil for countless nights to get that exchange student spot. But because Veronica caused a huge scene at the university, I completely lost my eligibility. In the end, Tiffany actually got the replacement slot. This time, I wouldn’t let them succeed. “Mom, I don’t want to fight for that spot.” “It’s too much work. I just want to enjoy university.” Veronica froze. Brenda and Tiffany exchanged surprised glances. Veronica looked at me suspiciously. “Are you serious? You’re giving up such a good opportunity?” “Are you trying to pull some trick on me again?” “No, I just feel like my body truly isn’t up to it.” I deliberately showed weakness, shifting the focus to Tiffany. Watching the mother and daughter arrogantly scheming, a cold laugh echoed in my mind. This was just the first step. Let them fight over it themselves. The harder they fought, the harder they’d fall. Tiffany hurriedly waved her hands. “Anya, I didn’t mean that…” Veronica, however, cut her off, her eyes gleaming with cunning. “Since Anya isn’t going, we can’t let this opportunity go to waste.” “Tomorrow, we’ll go talk to Anya’s professor.” Brenda’s eyes lit up. “Will that work?” “Why wouldn’t it?” Veronica smiled. “She can go tell the professor that she’s not feeling well and wants to voluntarily give the opportunity to her cousin.” “The professor will see how thoughtful she is and will surely agree.” A flush crept up Tiffany’s cheeks, and she excitedly clenched her fists. Robert listened from the side, his brow furrowed. “What kind of nonsense is this? This is absurd!” Veronica glared at him. “You shut up! It’s not your place to speak in this house!” She looked at me, her voice commanding. “After your speech tomorrow, you’ll take us to your professor.” I nodded. “Got it, Mom.” Late that night, Veronica brought a glass of milk into my room. “Drink this milk. Don’t be nervous tomorrow.” It was exactly the same as in my previous life. Last time, after I drank the milk, I felt groggy every day. Veronica then had even more reason to claim I was frail. I took the glass and dutifully drank it all. “Thanks, Mom.” Veronica looked at me with satisfaction. After she left the room, I immediately went to the bathroom and vomited all the milk. Then, I walked into her bedroom. From the nightstand, I took out the bottle of birth control pills she always took. Skillfully, I removed the pills and replaced them with the vitamins I had prepared long ago. Mom, didn’t you always say I was your pride? This time, I’ll let you personally experience what it feels like to fall from grace to rock bottom.

On Freshman Welcome Ceremony day, the auditorium was packed. I took a deep breath, my heart filled with a profound stillness. It was my turn. I could clearly see Veronica, Brenda, and Tiffany sitting in the first row. Their gazes were like three sharp daggers, fixed firmly on me. “Distinguished faculty, staff, and my fellow students…” I began, my voice clear and steady. There was none of the nervousness or trembling from my previous life. A polite ripple of applause swept through the hall. My speech was about to end. Following the protocol, I bowed in thanks to all the faculty and students. The moment I straightened up, a figure suddenly darted from the audience. It was Veronica! She snatched the microphone from my hand so quickly that no one had time to react. The entire hall fell silent. All eyes focused on the stage, on Veronica. Unlike last time, I didn’t feel a chilling dread. Instead, my heart was pounding wildly. Not from fear, but from… excitement. The show, finally, was beginning. She held the microphone, her voice shrill and tearful. “Principal! Professors!” “Please, I beg you, revoke my daughter’s speaking eligibility!” Her words exploded like a bombshell in the auditorium. A wave of commotion erupted below the stage. I stood my ground, watching her performance with detached interest. “She doesn’t deserve it! She doesn’t deserve to stand here!” “She’s not at all what you see!” She cried frantically. “Her private life is a mess! She got herself pregnant at such a young age!” “To come to university, she just had an abortion a few days ago!” “Her body is still so weak; the doctor said she needs bed rest. I’m afraid she’ll collapse on stage if she stands for too long!” The entire hall fell into a deathly silence. Everyone’s gaze shifted from Veronica to me. I saw the Principal’s face turn ashen. The professors began to murmur amongst themselves, exchanging speculative glances. “No wonder she looks a bit pale; she just had surgery…” “I can’t believe it; such a good student, but her private life is so messy.” Tiffany, meanwhile, rushed to my side, her face full of feigned concern. “Anya, are you okay? You look so unwell.” “Quick, let’s go sit down and rest.” Her voice wasn’t loud, but it seemed to confirm Veronica’s words that I truly was frail. I shoved her hand away. I looked at the woman still performing on stage. My biological mother. She was still wailing. “I’m doing all this for her own good! How could a mother harm her own daughter?” “She’s just too strong-willed, but health is paramount!” “I was afraid she’d exhaust herself and wouldn’t be able to have children later, so I resorted to such a desperate measure!” What magnificent maternal love. To protect her daughter’s health, she didn’t hesitate to ruin her reputation in front of thousands of people. A dry, humorless laugh escaped my lips. Veronica turned, looking at me in shock. “What are you laughing at?” Step by step, I walked towards her. I took the microphone back from her hand. “Mom.” My voice wasn’t loud, but through the microphone, it clearly resonated throughout the entire auditorium. “Are you done?”

Veronica was stunned by my reaction. She stared blankly at me, unable to speak. I ignored her and turned to the university leadership. I bowed deeply. “I apologize, Principal, professors.” “I apologize for disrupting the Freshman Welcome Ceremony due to my personal matters.” My tone was calm. The Principal’s expression softened slightly. “Student, you…” I cut him off. “Regarding what my mother just said, I’d like to clarify a few things.” I turned, facing all the faculty and students. “First, I am not pregnant, nor have I had any surgery.” “Second, my private life is perfectly clean.” After speaking, I looked at Veronica. “Mom, you wanted to use this method to make the university believe I have an unsuitable character, thereby revoking my eligibility.” “And then, have my equally excellent and healthy cousin, Tiffany, take my place.” “Is that right?” The moment my words fell, Tiffany’s face drained of all color. Brenda also panicked, hastily waving her hands. “What are you babbling about, child! We didn’t!” Veronica’s face was a mask of fury. She hadn’t expected me to expose her in front of everyone. She trembled with rage, pointing at me. “You… you ungrateful wretch!” “I worked so hard to raise you, and this is how you slander me?” She started crying again, her acting utterly convincing. “How could I have given birth to such a monster!” “Every word I said is true! Do you dare go to the hospital for a check-up!” She was cornering me. Forcing me to prove my innocence against the filth she’d slung at me. In my previous life, that’s exactly how she pushed me to the brink of suicide. The university, to quell public opinion, advised me to withdraw. And she, only when I was driven to despair, offered a reluctant apology. “I only had good intentions. How was I to know they’d actually believe it?” I raised the microphone and spoke to everyone in the audience. “I can go to the hospital for a check-up to prove my innocence.” “However, before that, I’d like to ask everyone to watch a video.” Saying this, I took out my phone and connected it to the auditorium’s big screen. The screen showed Veronica, Brenda, and Tiffany, sitting on a sofa. “…It’s settled then! Tomorrow, Brenda, Tiffany and I will go to the university together!” “Once I say that, her spot will definitely be gone, hmph.” The auditorium fell into a deathly silence once more. Everyone watched the screen in astonishment. Veronica looked as if she’d been struck by lightning, frozen stiff. She pointed at me, utterly speechless. “You… you…” Tiffany had already crumpled to the floor, terrified. Brenda shrieked directly. “You recorded us! You actually secretly recorded us!” I turned off the video and put away my phone. “I just have a habit of documenting things.” I looked at Veronica. “Mom, now, do you still want me to go to the hospital for a check-up?” “Or, perhaps we should call the police first and let them determine whether such public defamation and false accusations constitute slander?” Veronica’s body almost swayed. All her pretense had been publicly torn to shreds by me. Whispers erupted from the audience. “Oh my god, is that her real mom?” “To get her niece the spot, she’d ruin her own daughter?” “That cousin isn’t any good either, too cunning.” I looked at Veronica’s face, feeling not a trace of satisfaction. Just then, several university security guards rushed onto the stage. “Madam, please leave immediately!” Veronica, being escorted out by the security guards, was still shouting at me. “I’m your mother! You can’t do this to me!” “You’ll regret this! You’ll definitely regret this!” Brenda and Tiffany were also led away from the scene. The farce finally concluded. I held my speech manuscript and walked off the stage. The moment I stepped out of the auditorium, someone blocked my path.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “307949”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #后宫Harem #重生Reborn

My husband’s first love got drunk and was taken away by five strange men for an entire night. To protect her, he started a vicious rumor, claiming I was the one with those men that night. Overnight, I became the target of everyone’s scorn. My unborn baby was called a bastard. I confronted my husband Callum, raw and hysterical. He didn’t even have the decency to care. “Luna isn’t married yet. If this gets out, she’ll be shamed.” I stared coldly at the man I’d loved for six years. The truth washed over me. He had never loved me. “What about me!” I stood before Callum, my eyes blazing red. He was cradling Luna Hayes, his voice soft and comforting. His gaze was tender, full of a devotion I never saw when he looked at me. Luna, in her white dress, shrank against him like a frightened bird. Callum finally turned. His eyes darted away, guilty. I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face. The moment I struck him, Luna threw her arms out to shield him. “How dare you hit Callum? He was just trying to help me! Do you have to be so petty?” Callum looked uncomfortable. He pushed Luna’s arms away and carefully pulled me into his embrace. “Don’t cry, Rayna. Luna is still unmarried. If that night gets out, her reputation will be ruined.” My heart froze. “And what about MY reputation?” “Do you even know what they’re calling me? A slut! Our child, a bastard!” Guilt flickered in Callum’s eyes, but he remained silent. Luna swayed dramatically. “This is all my fault. Rayna, I’ll go explain-” Callum immediately pulled her into an embrace. “Rayna,” he said hoarsely, “if I ignore the rumors, they can’t hurt you.” “But Luna… she’s innocent. She just made one drunken mistake. This would destroy her.” “What about our baby?” My voice broke. “Can you really condemn him to that shame?” “Callum,” Luna whispered, tears glistening just so, “I can’t let your child bear this shame. We must tell the truth. It’s my mistake to own.” Pain flashed in Callum’s eyes. “In three, four years… when he’s older, everyone will have forgotten.” Tears fell as I swallowed the sharp pain in my chest. “Is she worth this? Worth destroying your wife and child?” “What the hell am I to you?” Callum held me tightly. “I’m sorry, Rayna,” he rasped. “But Luna saved my life once. I can’t just abandon her now!” I beat my fists against his chest, thrashing in his grasp. His debt became my price to pay? Callum seemed impervious to the blows, holding me fast. “I won’t let you suffer for long,” he vowed. “Once Luna is safely married…” “I’ll tell everyone the truth. I’ll clear your name.” I stared at his determined expression. All the churning agony inside me suddenly cooled, hardening into a single, cold resolution. This baby… I couldn’t keep it.

Callum forced me to go home. Luna followed behind us. The moment I stepped into the living room, I noticed the changes. The sofa was dressed in new, pale pink covers. My plants were gone. A pair of feminine slippers sat neatly by the shoe cabinet. “After the incident,” Callum explained carefully, “Luna developed a trauma about hotels. I’m just letting her stay here temporarily.” “Once I find her a suitable place, she’ll move out.” I tugged my lips into something resembling a smile and said nothing, my face a carefully blank mask. My calmness seemed to frustrate him. At dinner, I watched numbly as he tried to win me over by serving me food. That night, I lay staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. Before long, the mattress dipped beside me. Callum wrapped his arms around me, his embrace an apology. I wanted no part of it. I pushed his hands away. His eyes reddened. “Rayna,” he pleaded, his voice humble, “please don’t push me away like this.” A clap of thunder shook the house. Beneath its roar, his plea sounded especially small. I looked at his red-rimmed eyes, my heart aching. Just as I was about to speak, frantic knocking interrupted us. “Help! Callum, save me!” His expression shifted instantly. He released me and rushed to open the door. Luna collapsed weakly into his arms, her face pale with terror. “I keep reliving that night,” she whispered. “Stay with me. I’m so scared.” “Okay. I’ll stay with you.” His hand gently patted her back. He glanced at me, apology written across his face. “Rayna, that night… it was storming like this. The thunder triggers her trauma. I have to stay with her tonight.” Before I could respond, he turned and carried her away. I slowly sank back onto the bed, closing my eyes against the hurt welling up inside. Callum, I’m scared of thunder too! You promised you’d stay with me through every storm. But for Luna, you forgot. I slowly stroked my belly. The tears I’d been holding back finally slid down my cheeks. I’m sorry, baby. I was so excited for you to be born. But your father changed his heart. He doesn’t deserve to be your dad. I hope you’ll be reborn into a happy family. The next morning, Callum served breakfast to both Luna and me before leaving for work. Not long after he left, his mother showed up at the house. The moment she walked in, she slapped me across the face. I was caught off guard. My cheek burned and swelled. Mrs. Reid stared at me coldly. Her eyes were full of disgust. “I thought you were just petty and small-minded. I didn’t know you were out sleeping around!” “A daughter-in-law like you-the Reid family can’t afford to keep you. You’ll divorce Callum tomorrow!” “And that bastard in your belly must be aborted! Even if you give birth, the Reid family will never acknowledge it!” I swallowed the metallic taste in my mouth. I looked at Mrs. Reid calmly. “Perfect. I don’t want to have Callum’s baby anyway.” “I’ll go to the hospital right now and get rid of it!” “Rayna, what are you talking about!” “I won’t divorce you! And you’re not allowed to abort the baby!” Callum rushed back, drenched in sweat. His face changed completely when he heard my words. “She’s pregnant with God knows whose bastard!” “What spell has she cast on you? Why can’t you leave this slut!” Mrs. Reid scolded him furiously. Callum held me close. Seeing I wasn’t seriously hurt, he slowly relaxed. Faced with his mother’s questioning, his eyes showed inner struggle. His mouth opened and closed several times. I watched him look so conflicted. A faint hope rose in my heart. Even if he just told the truth now, it would be something! “I love Rayna to my bones. So I don’t care about this.” “The baby in her belly-I’ll raise it as my own.” Hearing his words, I stood there stunned. The blood in my veins nearly stopped flowing. My heart felt like it had a huge hole torn through it, desolate and empty. For Luna’s sake, my husband personally nailed me to the pillar of shame. In that moment, I gave up completely. I felt no more love for the man beside me.

“Not only does your mom not want this baby. I don’t want it either.” After Mrs. Reid left in anger, I coldly pushed away Callum’s arms. “Rayna, do you hate me that much? You won’t even keep the product of our love?” “Yes. I hate you. You don’t deserve for me to have your baby!” I stared into his eyes. Each word came out deliberate and clear. Seeing my unwavering resolve, fury flashed in Callum’s eyes. His voice turned to ice. “You WILL have this baby! You’ll stay in this villa for now!” With those words, he stormed out. He couldn’t bear to see the pure hatred burning in my gaze. From that day on, I was his prisoner. He took away my phone. He sent people to guard me in the villa. I didn’t understand why he wouldn’t let me go. He clearly didn’t love me anymore. After living in the villa for a few days, Luna’s mother barged in with her entourage. The moment she entered, she mocked me. “Carrying a bastard in your belly. I don’t know how you still have the nerve to occupy the position of Mrs. Reid.” “My Luna is already pregnant with Callum’s baby. If you’re smart, you’ll leave on your own. Save everyone the embarrassment!” Luna was pregnant? I looked at Luna. Her eyes flickered and she hurried upstairs. Mrs. Hayes started ordering the servants around the moment she walked in. “My daughter is carrying Mr. Reid’s son. How can she stay in a guest room?” “Hurry up and throw out all of Rayna’s things. Let my daughter move into the master bedroom!” The villa servants had already heard all the gossip from outside. Plus Callum hadn’t come by in days. They clearly despised me. They all tried to please Mrs. Hayes. They roughly threw out everything of mine from the master bedroom. “Stop it right now!” When I saw my mother’s jade bracelet-her final gift to me-shatter, I screamed in rage. I grabbed a baseball bat from the corner. Like a madwoman, I started swinging at everyone. Mrs. Hayes got hit with the bat several times. She hopped around cursing. In the chaos, Callum rushed back. “What are you all doing?” The servants who were about to attack me all froze. They looked at him anxiously. Eyes red, I walked to where the broken bracelet lay. Carefully, I picked up the pieces. “Rayna…” Callum also saw the shattered bracelet. He knew how important it was to me. “Callum, my daughter is pregnant with your child. When will you marry her?” “And this promiscuous bitch-hurry up and kick her out.” Mrs. Hayes thought Callum was on her side. She kept pointing at me accusingly. “Shut up!” “I will NEVER divorce Rayna. I won’t marry Luna!” Callum’s eyes turned red with anger. Mrs. Hayes wanted to argue with Callum, but the security guards threw her out. “I’ll find the most professional person to repair the bracelet. Don’t cry!” Callum looked at me carefully. “Even if it’s repaired, it can never go back to what it was.” I looked down at the broken bracelet. My tone was loaded with meaning. “It will!” Callum held me tightly, murmuring. “In a few days, I’ll take Luna abroad for an abortion.” “After this is all over, we’ll definitely be as good as we were before!”

Over the next few days, he stayed at the villa with both Luna and me. He took care of us two pregnant women meticulously. Luna’s pregnancy symptoms were severe. Callum stayed by her side almost constantly, like a devoted husband. After being locked in the villa for over a month, I gradually softened my attitude toward Callum so I could get out and abort the baby as soon as possible. “You don’t need to keep me locked up anymore. I’ve thought it through.” “The baby is innocent. No matter what, I’ll have this child!” “Really?” Joy bloomed in Callum’s eyes. “I’ve never lied to you,” I said tonelessly. “I’m not starting now.” Callum pulled me into a crushing embrace. “In a couple days, I’ll take Luna abroad for the surgery.” “Once she’s recovered, I’ll come back. Then we’ll live a good life together!” I made a soft sound of agreement. My bowed head hiding the ice in my gaze. Two days later, Callum took Luna abroad. I sat quietly in the villa, waiting. I knew Mrs. Reid would come. She would never allow me to have this child. That afternoon, she arrived with bodyguards. “Grab this woman! Take her to the hospital!” “No need.” I stood, meeting her gaze directly. “I’ll go myself. “YOU are the one forcing me to abort Callum’s baby!” Mrs. Reid looked at me with utter contempt, as if I were filth. “You dare call that bastard in your belly Callum’s child? You’re shameless!” “He may be fooled by you, but I’m not!” “This bastard must die!” I switched off my phone’s recording function, giving Mrs. Reid a meaningful look. “I hope you won’t regret this.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “307948”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #后宫Harem #重生Reborn

My mom is an “illness influencer.” The catch? I’m the one with cancer. Every day, she goes live, forcing me to swallow a cocktail of pills on camera and perform my suffering for an audience. By monetizing my fake symptoms, she’s made a fortune. Then a local man offered her ten thousand dollars. He claimed to have a miracle cure and insisted on administering it to me in person. My mom agreed. Mom ended the live stream, wiped away her crocodile tears, and her eyes lit up as she counted the day’s earnings. Meanwhile, I was dizzy, seeing stars, a cold sweat breaking out all over my body from the pain. She didn’t even glance my way. “Lily, my little cash cow, you were wonderful today!” she crooned, leaning in for a kiss. A wave of nausea twisted my stomach, and I flinched back instinctively. Her smile dropped. Her eyes turned sharp and cold. She seized my arm, her fingers digging into the tender flesh. “Why are you pulling away? If it weren’t for me, you’d be dead in a ditch! What’s the big deal about pretending to be sick? It’s not like it’s actually killing you.” My arm was a canvas of old yellowing bruises and fresh purple ones. It started with her just making me act weak and frail on camera for sympathy. But when she saw how slow the money trickled in, she got her hands on some pills. She claimed they would just make me look tired, that they were harmless. But I knew better. After taking the pills, my vision would darken, my ears would ring, and my heart would pound like crazy. I tried spitting them out a few times, in secret. When she caught me, she dragged me by my hair, shoved my face into the toilet bowl, and forced me to retrieve the dissolving pills. “Spit it out, will you? Go on, spit it out again! I spent my money on these damn pills, how dare you waste them!” After that, I never tried again. Yesterday’s live stream went differently. The pills hit me harder than ever. My body wouldn’t stop twitching, and I vomited my entire dinner across the bedsheets. Mom panicked for a second, then instantly burst into tears for the camera. “My baby is getting worse! It’s a complication! Please, everyone, we need your help!” That stream set a new record for donations. That night, for the first time in ages, she bought me a little cupcake. The sickly-sweet frosting made my throat seize up, threatening to make me vomit again. “Lily, Mommy wants to talk to you about something.”  Her voice was soft, unnaturally so. Every time she spoke in that tone, I knew something worse was coming. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. “There’s a man, a local guy, who feels really bad for you. He wants to come over and see you, maybe bring you some food.” She watched my face closely. “He said his daughter had the same illness, and… she passed away. He wants to make up for his regrets through you.” A chill ran through me, and my teeth started to chatter. “No… Mom, I don’t want to see strangers.” She grabbed my hand, her grip terrifyingly strong. “Just for one visit! He said he’d give us ten thousand dollars just to see you! Ten thousand, Lily! We won’t have to stream for half a year!” Her eyes were bloodshot, like a demon’s. “But Mom, you said that last time… and the time before that…” My voice was barely a whisper. Last week, to film a “critical condition” video, she somehow got an oxygen mask and strapped it to my face, almost suffocating me for real. After it was over, she also said we could take a break. But the very next day, because there was a live stream challenge, she gave me double the pills. “This time it’s for real!” She impatiently flung my hand away, then forced herself to calm down and coaxed me. “Lily, just help Mommy this one last time. Once we get the money, Mommy will take you to the amusement park, and buy you the prettiest dresses, okay?” An amusement park. I’d only ever seen it in other kids’ photos. I watched as she pulled another strip of white pills from her pocket. “Here, take your medicine first. Later, your face will look worse, it’ll seem more realistic.”

I took the pills anyway. Because she said if I didn’t cooperate, she’d abandon me under a bridge and let the rats bite me. She said it, and she’d do it. The pills took effect quickly, and cold sweat soaked through my pajamas. Mom changed me into an old, faded outfit, even deliberately tearing a few small holes in it. She adjusted the lighting several times to make my face look even worse. The doorbell rang. My heart lurched, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Mom rushed to open the door, her voice instantly turning humble and sorrowful. “Mr. Jenkins? Please come in, my child’s not doing well today.” A tall shadow loomed over me. It was a man in a leather jacket, carrying a fruit basket. He reeked of stale cigarette smoke, making me want to throw up even more. He walked closer, looking down at me with a complex expression that sent shivers down my spine. “Poor thing, so young.” He sighed, his voice rough. He reached out, as if to touch my forehead. I squeezed my eyes shut, stiff with fear. Mom quickly stepped in. “Sir, she’s shy with strangers, and the doctor said to avoid too much contact, for fear of infection.” The man pulled his hand back, saying nothing. He sat on the sofa and started chatting with Mom. It sounded like Mom was complaining, talking about how expensive medical bills were, and how hard it was for her alone. I curled up in the corner of the sofa, trying to fight off waves of dizziness and nausea that grew stronger with each passing moment. Their voices sounded like they were coming from very far away. “So, Mr. Jenkins, given the situation…” Mom probed. The man was silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke. “My daughter was just like this before she passed.” Mom immediately started to sob. “The money, I can give it,” the man interrupted her crying. “But, I need to make sure this money is actually used for the child’s treatment.” “Of course! Of course!” Mom quickly assured him. The man stood up, walked over to me, and looked down at me from above. “Tell you what, why don’t you give the child a bit of this miracle cure I brought, right now, and I’ll observe the effect. If the child’s face brightens up a bit, I’ll transfer the money immediately.” Mom froze. “Now? Mr. Jenkins, the child just took her medicine and is sleeping, maybe we shouldn’t disturb her?” The man’s tone was uncompromising. “Just a little, I’ll watch you give it to her.” Mom hesitated. She was afraid that if I drank it, I might throw up on the spot, or show other symptoms, and expose everything. But the lure of ten thousand dollars was too great. She gritted her teeth and took a small glass bottle from the man. “Lily, come on, open up, have some good stuff.” She helped me sit up and brought the bottle to my mouth. The liquid gave off an indescribably strange smell. I clamped my mouth shut, shaking my head furiously. “The child isn’t cooperating, is she?” the man’s voice turned cold. Mom panicked, pinching my waist hard, and hissed. “Open your mouth!” The pain made me gasp, and my mouth sprang open. The viscous liquid immediately poured in. The taste was indescribably disgusting, and I instinctively wanted to spit it out. But Mom clamped her hand over my mouth, forcing me to swallow. A burning sensation spread from my throat all the way to my stomach, followed by violent cramping. I arched my back abruptly, retching uncontrollably, and my vision went black. “See! I told you it would work! The child is reacting!”

Mom tried to help me sit up, but I couldn’t control myself. I lunged forward suddenly and threw up with a loud retch. Blood splattered all over the floor and onto the man’s pants. “Lily! What’s wrong? Don’t scare Mommy!” She knelt over me, patting my back. But all I felt was the world spinning, then it went completely black. Before losing consciousness, the last thing I heard was my mom’s choked, yet incredibly practiced, shout into her phone. “Everyone! Something’s happened! My child is spitting blood! Please, help us, save my child!” When I woke up again, my throat felt like it was on fire, and I had no strength in my body. “Lily? Are you awake?” Mom’s face leaned close, her eyes swollen and red, as if she’d been crying for a long time. She grabbed my hand-the one not hooked up to an IV-and pressed it against her face, her voice softer than I’d ever heard it. “You scared Mommy so much, you really scared Mommy…It’s all Mommy’s fault, Mommy didn’t know that damn bastard’s medicine was poisoned!” As she spoke, real tears fell, hot against the back of my hand. “Mommy will never do that again, we won’t stream anymore. When you’re better, Mommy will take you away from here, we’ll go to the amusement park, and I’ll buy you lots of pretty dresses, okay?” She promised again and again, her voice so sincere that I almost believed her. I looked at her, unable to speak, just blinked softly. During these few days in the hospital, she had indeed reined herself in. She stopped mentioning live streaming, carefully fed me porridge, and slept curled up in the bedside chair at night. I thought the gates of hell had finally closed. Until that afternoon, she took a phone call. Her voice started low, then gradually rose. “You said you brought the wrong thing? Ten thousand? No way, my child just barely survived.” I kept my eyes closed, but my heart sank little by little. After she hung up, she sat by the bed for a long time, so long I thought she’d fallen asleep. Then, her cold hand grasped mine. “Lily.” “Mr. Jenkins, he just called. He said he made a mistake, that the last thing he gave us was for someone else. This time, it’s the real miracle cure.” I abruptly opened my eyes, staring at her in horror. She avoided my gaze, her voice even lower. “He said if you go to his house and try the medicine just once, he’ll give us thirty thousand dollars. Thirty thousand, Lily! That’s enough for us to leave here and start a new life!” I tried to pull my hand away with all my might, but she held me in an iron grip. “No! I won’t go, he’ll kill me…” My voice was hoarse, tinged with tears. “He won’t! This time he definitely won’t!” She promised urgently, but her eyes flickered. “He guaranteed it! And Mommy will go with you, I’ll be right there watching!” “You said that last time too…” I reminded her despairingly. Her face instantly darkened, reverting to impatience and cruelty. She abruptly let go of my hand and stood up. “Lily! I’m telling you, you’re going whether you want to or not! Do you think staying in the hospital is free? Where am I supposed to get the money? Do you want us both to sleep on the streets?!” She paced the room twice, then sat back down, lowering her voice to threaten me. “If you don’t listen, I’ll leave you here in the hospital, and you can pay the medical bills yourself! See if those doctors and nurses won’t kick you out!” I knew she would do it. From the moment she pressed my face into the toilet to film a video, I knew. In the end, she dragged me out of the hospital bed.

That man’s house was in a very old apartment building. When he opened the door, he reeked of cigarette smoke. Seeing me, he grinned. “You’re here, come on in.” My mom pushed me forward, forcing me into the apartment. “The child does look pretty weak.” He reached out and squeezed my arm hard. It hurt, and I flinched. “Mr. Jenkins, about the money…” My mom rubbed her hands together, a flattering smile plastered on her face. The man ignored her, just staring at me, his expression growing increasingly unsettling. “Stop faking it,” he suddenly said, his voice hoarse and unpleasant. Both my mom and I froze. “Faking it? What are you talking about?” My mom’s voice trembled slightly. The man scoffed, pulled out his phone from his pocket, swiped a few times, and the screen clearly showed a screenshot of my mom’s live stream. “You can fool those idiots online, but you can’t fool me.” In a sudden, brutal motion, he grabbed a fistful of my hair and dragged me into the center of the living room. “Look at this pale face! Took the wrong medicine, did you? I know real sickness when I see it!” I screamed, thrashing against his grip. “Let go of my daughter!” My mom rushed forward, trying to pull him away. He threw his elbow back, a sharp, vicious blow that connected with her chest and sent her stumbling. She crashed against the wall, clutching her chest, struggling to breathe for a long moment. The man released my hair but gripped my neck, pressing me down hard onto the cold concrete floor. “Ten thousand dollars just to watch a show? I’m paying money to play for real!” I trembled, trying to run. He wasn’t some benevolent stranger trying to make up for regrets; he was a psycho. “No! Please! We don’t want the money! Let us go!” My mom finally caught her breath and cried out, begging for mercy. The man laughed, released my neck, and started unbuckling his belt. “Another ten thousand.” He looked at my mom, his eyes wild. “You help me hold her down, and I’ll give you the money when we’re done.” My mom’s face instantly turned as white as paper. She looked at the man, then at me, trembling on the floor. Then, she avoided my gaze and slowly walked over. Her voice was soft, yet it cut like a knife. “Be good, just bear with it, it’ll be over soon. Forty thousand is enough for us to live on for a long time…” She reached out and pressed down on my shoulders. The man let out a triumphant laugh, his rough hands tearing at my clothes. I don’t know where I found the strength, but I suddenly lifted my leg and kicked him with all my might. The man was caught off guard. My kick landed hard in his stomach. With a sharp yelp, he fell backward onto the floor. “You little bitch! How dare you!” Enraged, he scrambled to his feet and lunged for me. In that split second, I sprang up and stumbled toward the door. My mother moved on instinct to block my path, but I shoved her with all my strength, sending her stumbling back against the wall. Behind me, the man’s curses and my mother’s frantic shouts tangled together. I couldn’t let him catch me. I ran like crazy toward the outside. Only when I saw a woman walking her dog up ahead did I finally break, sobbing. “Help me! Please, help! Someone’s trying to kill me!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “307947”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn #狼人Werewolf #惊悚Thriller

Three years after the crash that supposedly stole my memory, I faced Nathan again at a Sotheby’s auction. He was bidding on jewels for his wife. I was there to reclaim what was mine. Time had left him haggard. I, on the other hand, was gleaming. My radiance clearly unnerved him. When his target lot appeared, he finally cracked. “Scarlett,” he said, his voice strained, “I lied to you after the accident. I was your real fiancé.” I traced the substantial diamond on my ring finger, a subtle smile gracing my lips. After all, who ever said the amnesia was real? All eyes at the auction were fixed on a single jade bangle. Its only flaw lay hidden on the inner surface: a web of hairline cracks, meticulously sealed with a delicate gold inlay. Nathan’s pupils constricted. His gaze darted to me, a flicker of panic in his eyes. Of course he recognized it. After all, those hairline fractures were his doing. That was three years ago. It was also the twentieth year of my love for Nathan. Since childhood, I had trailed after him, offering my very best for nothing more than a fleeting smile. At first, he paid me little mind, but he grew accustomed to my presence. When he was eighteen, someone confessed their feelings to him. As he gently refused them, his eyes found mine across the room. A knowing smile played on his lips, as if he’d seen right through my childish crush from the very beginning. He leaned in then, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. “The truth is… you’re the one I’ve been waiting for.” My cheeks flushed crimson. When I tried to pull away, he cupped my face, his kisses trailing softly from my forehead, to the tip of my nose, and finally, meeting my lips. Our secret didn’t stay hidden from Grandpa Anderson for long. He took charge, formally arranging our engagement. From that day on, I had every right to stay by Nathan’s side. Sadly, that was precisely when he began to change. Nathan’s gaze drifted to the scar on my shoulder, now masked by an intricate rose tattoo. His eyes welled with a pained tenderness as he asked cautiously, “Scarlett… is that from the accident?” I offered a cool smile, my expression as detached as if I were regarding a stranger. Just then, an overly sweet voice sliced through the tension. “Nathan, I’ve absolutely fallen for this bangle. You’ll get it for me, won’t you? Look, it’s so reminiscent of…” The words died in Tiffany’s throat the moment her eyes landed on me. The triumphant smile that had been blooming on her face vanished, replaced by a ghastly pallor and features twisted with sheer jealousy. But she composed herself in an instant, clinging to Nathan’s arm. As if to flaunt her victory, she declared. “Scarlett, long time no see. Nathan and I are married now. You’re not upset, are you?” The next second, a look of wicked glee crossed her face, and she clapped a hand over her mouth, giggling. “Oh, I forgot. Scarlett doesn’t even remember anything from back then. How could she be upset?” I swirled the wine in my glass, watching them with serene elegance. Three years had changed Tiffany a lot. I remembered the first time I saw her. She was a timid girl, fresh from the countryside, wary of everything. She was Nathan’s junior at university, and after graduation, she became his assistant. At first, Nathan took extra care of her, and I didn’t think much of it. I was utterly convinced that the love between Nathan and me was so strong, it couldn’t possibly make room for anyone else. So, the first time I walked in on Nathan gently kissing away Tiffany’s tears, my mind went blank. He saw me. In a panic, he shoved Tiffany aside, his words tumbling out in a stammer. “Scar, Tiff was upset about a work mistake. I was just comforting her.” I struggled to suppress the sharp pangs in my chest, forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace. If only I had known, that was only the beginning.

After that day, Tiffany and Nathan became inseparable. Nathan claimed she was his assistant who needed to learn the ropes. At the convenience store near our office, I stood behind them in line. Tiffany, utterly oblivious to anyone else, clung to his sleeve like a kitten seeking shelter in his embrace. During meetings, she’d sit beside him, file in hand, while their fingers secretly intertwined beneath the table. Even the dinner plans we had made would be canceled at the last moment because she had, as he put it, “a bit of a headache.” That day, I stood in the pouring rain, drenched the entire night. When I stumbled back to the mansion, soaked and miserable, he merely glanced up. His voice, tinged with irritation, dismissed me. “Scar, don’t overthink it. She’s far from home, alone, and it’s not easy for her. I’m just trying to look out for her.” I nodded, my heart twisting painfully, my throat tightening. “I know.” But only I knew that I spent that day curled under the showerhead, hiding every sob within the drumming water. I came down with a high fever that very night. Nathan finally panicked. He rushed to the hospital, pulling me into a tight embrace, his voice low and laced with profound heartache. “Scarlett, what have you done to yourself?” I groggily opened my eyes, feeling the familiar scent of cedar wood from his body brush past my nose. For a moment, I almost believed we were back to how things used to be. Just then, Nathan’s phone rang. Tiffany’s whiny, tearful voice drifted from the other end. “Nathan, it’s so dark at home. I’m scared. Can you come stay with me?” The arms holding me stiffened instantly. My fingers instinctively tightened around his sleeve, but in the very next second, his body shifted away, letting me slide slowly from his embrace. He took a deep breath, ruffled my hair with false tenderness, and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Scar,” he said, his voice calm yet unbearably cruel, “you have a caregiver here at the hospital.” “Tiff gets scared. She can’t sleep alone. It’s pathetic, I know.” “I’ll go for a bit. I’ll be back soon.” With that, he decisively pulled his hand from mine and left without a backward glance. He never came back that night. Then a new message flashed on my phone: “He doesn’t care about you at all! He doesn’t love you! He’s happiest when he’s with me! You old hag, why don’t you just disappear?!” Attached was a video of them half-dressed, limbs entangled. A hot rush of blood surged to my head. Fueled by the high fever, the world spun, and I nearly lost consciousness. When I woke up the next day, Tiffany was standing by my hospital bed. She made a point of showing off the hickeys on her neck, hher face glowing with triumph as if the victory was already hers. “Scarlett, you have no idea how fierce Nathan gets when he’s with me. I doubt he ever showed you that side, did he?” I’d been spoiled and cherished by both our families since childhood, never one to swallow an insult. The moment the words left her mouth, I snatched the flower basket from the bedside table and hurled it straight at her. Nathan walked in at that exact moment. Tiffany immediately crumpled to the floor, weeping fake tears in Nathan’s arms. “Nathan, I only came here out of concern for Scarlett, but I never expected her to go crazy and try to hit me the moment she saw me…” I was about to speak when I heard a sharp smack. A crisp slap landed on my face. “Scarlett! How did you become so malicious?! You’ve truly disappointed me!” I stared, utterly disbelieving, at Nathan. That was the first time he had ever laid a hand on me.

After that day, Nathan and Tiffany grew even closer, inseparable. And while I lay in my hospital bed, Tiffany secretly filmed me throwing the flower basket and posted the clip online. Overnight, I became the target of a massive online hate campaign. I was branded a spoiled, mentally unstable heiress. Even at the company, colleagues I saw daily began whispering behind my back. “Do you think Scarlett really had a mental breakdown?” “I heard she’s been obsessed with Mr. Anderson for years. She’s harassing Tiffany now that he’s moved on.” Things escalated. On the street, self-appointed vigilantes would rush me, yanking my hair, hitting and kicking me without mercy. “That’s her! The rich heiress from online who bullies poor Tiff! And a homewrecker too!” The moment the word “homewrecker” was shouted, more people would swarm. They pinned me to the ground. Slap after slap rained down until my face was bruised and swollen beyond recognition. Someone even suggested stripping me naked. Countless hands tore at my clothes, nails digging into my flesh. I desperately clutched the few remaining scraps of fabric, pleading in vain. But no one listened. The police arrived belatedly, only when I was barely conscious. They casually took me from the scene and dropped me back at the mansion. Facing everyone’s misunderstandings and accusations, Nathan merely gave me a cold, dismissive look, his brows furrowed in annoyance. “Scarlett, is this your new way of fighting for attention?” “I told you already, there’s nothing between Tiff and me. You really need to calm down for a while!” No sooner had he finished speaking than he stormed out of the mansion without a backward glance. After this incident, when Nathan and I returned to the family estate, the relatives’ gazes were filled with blatant disdain. They all said I had brought nothing but shame upon both the Anderson and Blackwood families. Grandpa Anderson had already passed away by then. Every time Nathan and I returned, we’d go to pay our respects at his mausoleum. But this time, Tiffany came along. In previous years, only direct relatives from the Anderson and Blackwood families were allowed into the mausoleum. Yet, Nathan, breaking all tradition, permitted Tiffany to enter. When faced with his relatives’ confusion, Nathan didn’t hesitate to defend Tiffany. “Even though Tiff isn’t an Anderson by blood, she’s more sensible, respectful, and dignified than some self-proclaimed high-society women.” “If she genuinely respects Grandpa, why shouldn’t she be allowed to pay her respects?” The moment he finished speaking, all eyes swivelled to me. Disgusted, mocking, scrutinizing stares. I felt like I was being publicly nailed to a pillar of shame. Unable to bear their gazes any longer, I lowered my head and fled, escaping to Grandpa Anderson’s memorial. My nose stung, thinking of the boundless love Grandpa Anderson had once shown me. Just then, Tiffany walked in. She smirked at me, then at Grandpa Anderson’s memorial plaque, resentment and jealousy practically oozing from her. “Scarlett, with your reputation, you’re not still delusional enough to think you’ll marry into the Anderson family, are you?” “If it weren’t for that old geezer, setting up that ridiculous engagement between you two, I’d be married to Nathan right now!” Before I could react, she grabbed the memorial plaque and the urn, smashing them violently to the floor. The plaque and urn shattered, splitting into countless pieces. I stared, stunned, for a moment before lunging at her, tackling her. “Are you insane?! This is the grandfather Nathan and I both loved and respected!” “So what!” She was utterly defiant. “Not only am I going to kick this dead old man out of the mausoleum, but I’m going to steal everything from you and make you leave the Anderson family!” No sooner had she spoken than Nathan, alerted by the commotion, burst in. Tiffany conveniently collapsed to the floor, crying fake tears. “Nathan, I just saw Scarlett’s bangle and thought it was pretty, I only wanted to borrow it. But she attacked me with Grandpa’s urn and plaque, saying she’d kick me out of the Anderson family…” Smack! Tiffany had barely finished speaking when Nathan’s palm connected with my face. He glared at me, his eyes filled with disgust. “Scarlett, you’ve truly disappointed me. All the love Grandpa gave you was wasted.” “You were meant to be Grandpa’s chosen daughter-in-law, and now you’ve desecrated the Anderson family mausoleum. You’ll be punished by family law!” “That’s not what happened! Nathan, let me explain!” But Nathan wouldn’t listen. He ordered his men to throw me into the Anderson family’s private, freezing cellar, where they whipped me repeatedly with barbed leather straps. When my body was a mass of cuts and bruises, my blood staining the murky water, he had a bucket full of leeches unleashed. The writhing leeches instantly covered my body, biting and tearing at my flesh. I screamed until my throat was raw, but no one offered a shred of pity. The Anderson relatives watched, shaking their heads in disdain. “Destroying the old man’s ashes? She deserves this!” When I was on the verge of death, Nathan finally ordered them to pull me out. For a fleeting moment, a flicker of pain crossed his eyes as he looked at me. But it vanished without a trace the instant Tiffany sobbed and clung to his arm. “Scarlett, I just wanted to see your bangle. How could you do this to Grandpa? You’re making Nathan so sad!” I glared at her hatefully, but I had no strength left to argue. Hearing Tiffany mention the bangle again, implying it was the cause of Grandpa Anderson’s ashes being scattered, Nathan’s fury ignited. He waved his hand. The mausoleum guards and his bodyguards instantly swarmed me, pinning me forcefully to the ground. I understood his intention in an instant. “No! Please don’t! Nathan! This is the only relic my grandmother left me, my most precious possession! Throw me back in the cellar if you want! Just don’t take my bangle! I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!” I screamed and pleaded, but Nathan was unmoved. Despite my desperate struggles, he stubbornly reached for my arm, tearing the bangle off my wrist with brute force. The pain ripped a scream from my throat. Nathan held my bangle, his eyes filled with hatred as he stared at me. “Scarlett, you’d hurt the grandfather who loved you for so long, all for this dead object? Do you have any conscience?!” “Today, I’m going to punish you. I’ll make you feel the pain I’m feeling right now!” With that, he savagely hurled the bangle to the ground. The jade bangle instantly shattered into countless pieces. The severe injuries to my body and the profound trauma to my soul made me let out a despairing wail, then I passed out.

I woke up in the Anderson family’s dog kennel. Everyone believed I was responsible for Grandpa Anderson’s ashes being scattered, so they unanimously refused to let me stay anywhere inside the Anderson family estate. Nathan couldn’t argue with them and had no choice but to put me in the dog kennel temporarily. When I woke, I heard the hushed whispers of Tiffany and Nathan outside. She was pouting, whining to Nathan. “Nathan, why did you smash that bangle? What a waste, I really liked it…” “Enough!” Nathan snapped, cutting Tiffany off impatiently. “Understand your place. Such an expensive bangle isn’t something you’re worthy of wearing.” “I punished Scarlett because she made a mistake. Don’t you dare think you can take advantage of this to claim her bangle.” With that, Nathan walked away without looking back. Tiffany stood there alone, her eyes filled with venomous resentment. A sharp ache in my chest brought me fully to my senses. Never in my life had I endured such humiliation. I forced myself to stand, my body screaming in protest, and made my way to the garage. Finding my car, I sped out without a backward glance. I completely missed Tiffany standing at the estate gate, a cold smirk on her face as she watched me leave. At the same time, a Lamborghini, moving like lightning, roared out of the estate, hot on my heels. It was raining heavily. I drove on, my heart heavy with injustice. Nathan’s Lamborghini quickly caught up. He rolled down his window, yelling at me to pull over. But I didn’t listen. I pressed the accelerator like a madwoman, desperate to escape Nathan. Unexpectedly, I saw a ‘Road Closed’ construction sign directly ahead. Panicked, I slammed on the brakes. But there was no response. The brakes, I realized with a jolt, had been tampered with. Terror consumed me as I watched my sports car veer off the road, crashing violently into the deep construction pit. My last memory was the searing pain as the airbag slammed into me. When I next awoke, Nathan was by my bedside. His chin was covered in dark stubble, his eyes sunken, heavy with dark circles – he looked utterly ravaged. Seeing me wake, a long-lost expression of relief finally appeared on his face. He reached for my hand, his lips parting to speak, but I spoke first. “Who are you?” He froze, his eyes darting toward the doctor. The doctor explained that the severe impact might have caused amnesia. In that moment of confusion… Nathan hesitated, his gaze uncertain. I pressed him again. “Are you my boyfriend?” This time, Nathan’s demeanor shifted from concern. He gently took Tiffany’s hand, who was standing beside him, and spoke to me in a voice utterly alien. “Little girl, you’ve got the wrong person.” “I’m not your boyfriend. I’m her boyfriend.” In that instant, an intense pain spread through my chest, almost suffocating me. Despite it, I forced a smile, holding back tears, and softly asked him, “Really? Will I still be able to wait for my boyfriend to come back then?” Nathan hesitated, his voice thick with an emotion he couldn’t voice. “You will. He definitely will.” Then he took Tiffany’s hand and fled the room as if escaping a burning building. The moment they disappeared, I could no longer hold back. I clutched the fabric over my aching chest, my body shaking with suppressed, anguished sobs. And the reason I did all this? Because while I lay unconscious, I had uncovered a devastating secret… Now, in the Sotheby’s auction hall, Nathan’s sorrow-filled eyes remained fixed on the jade bangle displayed under the glass, his gaze heavy with palpable pain. He never noticed Tiffany beside him, her face equally contorted with bitter jealousy as she stared at the same heirloom. She shot me an icy glare before possessively linking her arm through Nathan’s, her expression one of absolute triumph. “Don’t think I’m unaware, Scarlett,” she sneered. “Both the Blackwoods and Andersons disowned you after you smashed that funeral urn!” “I’d love to see what you plan to use against me for this bangle today.” I watched her furious display and offered a lazy, unconcerned smile. Who said I had any intention of competing?

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “307946”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn #狼人Werewolf #惊悚Thriller

My father was a narcotics officer who died in the line of duty. From a young age, I dreamed of becoming a police officer, just like him. When I found out I could apply to the police academy, I immediately called my mom to share the good news. But Mom was furious. “You? A police officer?! Don’t disgrace your father’s legacy! Get out!” Disappointed, I walked home, only to be surrounded by drug addicts in a dark alley. “Heard your dad, David Miller, was a drug enforcement expert? Made it so hard for us to even get a hit?” Their sharp knife plunged into my lower back. I collapsed and died. Before I lost consciousness, my mom’s last words echoed in my mind. Mom, did I really disgrace Dad’s legacy…? It was the dead of night when the police received a public report: a large amount of blood was found in a dark alley on the south side of the city, but no body. The caller thought it was just a drunk brawl and quickly reported it, hoping the police would find the injured person and get them to a hospital. Officers rushed to the scene, only to find that the heavy rain that night had already washed away most of the blood, leaving scattered, indistinct stains! There wasn’t a single trace of an injured person nearby. They immediately launched a carpet search and found dismembered remains in a nearby abandoned factory. In the morgue, the lights flickered on. “What’s the status on this case?” A calm, steady female voice broke the silence. A woman in a sharp forensic uniform entered, accompanied by two young officers. This was my mom, Sarah Smith, the city’s top forensic pathologist. “Dr. Smith, the victim’s situation is quite gruesome. Perhaps you should prepare yourself mentally…” Mom waved her hand. “What kind of body haven’t I seen? Just start the autopsy. Let’s solve this case as soon as possible!” Indeed, Mom had been in the field for nearly twenty years. She’d seen it all: bloated bodies, headless corpses, dismembered remains, even bodies encased in concrete or the fluids of decomposition. As a forensic pathologist, she was a true professional. But Mom, did you ever consider that the body on that autopsy table would be your least cared-for daughter? I floated in mid-air, watching Mom’s actions with a detached calm. The moment she unzipped the body bag, Mom’s brows furrowed. It wasn’t just because of the chaotic mess of shredded flesh and broken bones inside, but because the most crucial part was missing. “Where’s the head? What happened to it?” “Well… Dr. Smith, we searched the entire abandoned factory, but couldn’t find it. Most likely, the perpetrator took it.” “Never mind! Let’s just start the autopsy.” Mom put on her gloves and began her professional sorting. Bone fragments, flesh, pieces of fingers… Everything she could identify was meticulously laid out. “The victim is female, with narrow growth plates that haven’t fully fused, suggesting an age between eighteen and twenty-three. Height is between 5’5″ and 5’7″, likely still a student.” “Based on the vitality of the cuts, the culprits likely live-fractured the child’s phalanges, radius, ulna, humerus, tibia, and femur, then dismembered her limbs. As if that wasn’t enough, they used other blunt objects. The ribs and vertebrae are almost entirely shattered…” Mom professionally reported her findings. Officer Ben, tasked with taking notes, had already turned deathly pale. Just listening to the description made him almost vomit! It was even harder to imagine the pain and despair the victim must have endured through all of it! Mom suddenly turned her head. “Were any weapons found at the scene?” “Uh, yes, yes, there were.” Officer Ben quickly handed a set of photos to Mom. It showed a rusty saw covered in blood and a large, blood-stained sledgehammer with bits of flesh stuck to it. The dull saw, used to savagely hack off each finger, each joint… The pain such a weapon would inflict on a living person was beyond words!

Mom’s brows were tightly furrowed. “This wasn’t a random act, was it? What kind of hatred could they have harbored for this child?” Normally, even in revenge killings, the brutality wouldn’t reach this level. Officer Ben replied respectfully, “Dr. Smith, the homicide unit’s preliminary investigation has ruled out robbery and random acts. It’s almost certainly a revenge killing. Detective Hayes and his team are currently sweeping the city for recent missing person reports.” “Understood.” Mom meticulously pieced the remains together, hoping to find some useful information to help solve the case. But it was all in vain. Even teeth, which could identify someone even after disfigurement, had been taken by the criminals along with the head. With only a body so severely damaged, almost pulverized, and completely stripped of clothing, finding the true identity seemed an impossible task! I floated in the air, partly relieved, partly emotional. Thank goodness Mom didn’t realize it was me. Otherwise, she’d probably just call me useless again… Mom let out a deep sigh. “What a poor child! What kind of generational hatred could lead to such brutality against a child…” Tears seemed to glisten in Mom’s eyes. Mom, meticulously piecing together every bone fragment. Mom, trying to find every single piece of useful information. Mom, showing sympathy for a complete stranger, a headless female corpse. It was all so foreign to me. I knew Mom didn’t like me. When I was in elementary school, I had a fever one rainy night. She took me to the emergency room by herself. Mom had wanted Dad, who was working late nights, to get some rest, so she didn’t wake him up. But Mom didn’t know that Dad received an urgent mission notification shortly after. He rushed to the scene without even washing his face. That same rainy night, Dad died in a shootout with a drug lord. Dad’s body was also handled by Mom. I was too young then to understand what death meant, what it felt like. Thinking back now, even Mom wouldn’t have wanted to personally process her own husband’s body, right? It was all my fault, unluckily enough, for getting such a high fever that night. It was normal for Mom to resent me. If I hadn’t been sick, Mom would have desperately stopped Dad from going on that mission. If he hadn’t gone, he wouldn’t have died. It was all my fault… I looked down at Mom. She still hadn’t recognized that the body on the autopsy table was mine. I glanced at the body again – fragmented and filthy. Covered in what looked like mud or blood, every piece of flesh appeared gray and black, no different from leftover food dumped down a drain. Even if it were me, I wouldn’t have been able to recognize myself. No wonder Mom couldn’t. In the quiet morgue, a phone suddenly rang. Mom stopped her work, frowning as she looked at Officer Ben and Officer Taylor. The two young officers shook their heads vigorously. “Dr. Smith, we didn’t bring anything in when we came!” Mom then realized it was her own phone ringing. She pulled off her gloves to check. It was Aunt Carol calling. “Hello, I’m busy…” “Oh, Sarah, I don’t know, have you seen Chloe? I can’t reach her on her phone…” “Chloe?” Hearing my name, Mom’s brows furrowed. “I don’t know! I chewed her out yesterday. She probably ran off to a friend’s place to spend the night. Just leave her be!” Aunt Carol sounded anxious. “Why did you yell at her again? I heard Chloe got into a really good university and plans to major in criminal justice! She was so happy yesterday!” “Criminal justice, my foot! Someone like her should just study business, make honest money, and stay out of trouble! Becoming a police officer would be an insult to the profession!” Mom’s tone was as sharp as ever.

Aunt Carol was silent for a moment. “It’s always been Chloe’s dream. I thought, since she finally got her acceptance letter, I’d invite her over for a big dinner. I bought so much seafood…” Mom was furious. “I forbid her from going down that path! If she insists, she can disown me as her mother! She can go die for all I care!” With that, Mom hung up. She seemed to forget that others were present, her chest heaving with anger as she stood beside the autopsy table, silent for a long time. I’m sorry, Mom. I won’t go down that path. Please don’t be angry; it’s not good for your health. I wanted to say that, but all I could do was float in the air and watch everything unfold. I wanted to cry, but a spirit has no tears. By then, Mom had mostly reassembled the body, but she couldn’t account for my ten fingers. Her brows were tightly knit as she instructed Officer Ben to record. “The victim’s right ring finger and pinky are missing. Have the officers at the scene search again. If they can’t find them…” My heart clenched. When I was little, I was mischievous and went to play with a police dog. It bit through the flesh of those two fingers, leaving terrible scars. That police dog, through no fault of its own, was forced into early retirement because of me. Mom never stopped scolding me for that incident. Had she forgotten? No! It was better if Mom didn’t remember! I didn’t want Mom to know that she had personally processed both my father’s and my own bodies! Officer Ben saluted. “Understood! If they’re not found, it suggests those two fingers have distinct identifying features!” Mom nodded. “Exactly. To identify the victim, we need to look for individuals with old hand injuries or tattoos!” She cut off a small piece of flesh. “Get a DNA test. Compare it against the database. Find the immediate family as soon as possible!” Hearing Mom say that, my heart tightened. If they tested the DNA, wouldn’t my identity be exposed quickly?! Mom! Don’t test the DNA! Mom! Let this case go! Don’t investigate any further! I screamed silently, but Mom couldn’t hear a single word. Mom worked for over ten hours in the morgue. She arrived at dawn, and by the time she left, darkness had fallen again. “Dr. Smith, thank you for your hard work.” Mom nodded. Just as she was about to head home for some rest, she saw Aunt Carol waiting anxiously at the police station entrance. “Sarah, Chloe has been missing for a day and a night now! I asked her classmates, and none of them have seen her! I’ve checked around her school; no sign of her! What should I do?!” Mom seemed annoyed, her brows deeply furrowed. “She’s playing these little games, isn’t she? Trying to force me to agree to her studying that major? No way! Someone on the fringes of society like her should just follow the law, that’s good enough! Dreaming of upholding justice?!” Aunt Carol was almost in tears. “We can talk about her major later! Right now, her safety is more important! I just came here and heard about a major case! A girl who just turned eighteen was dismembered, wasn’t she?! Aren’t you worried Chloe might have run into those people?” Mom, instead, grew angry. “Don’t pry into cases that haven’t been announced! Chloe is eighteen; she can take care of herself! If something happened to her, she only has herself to blame for her bad luck! Knowing how dangerous it is out there, why would she run off?!” Aunt Carol was stunned. “I’m not meddling. I… I’m just afraid something happened to Chloe!” Mom’s gaze was dismissive. “If she can’t even recognize danger and protect herself, what kind of police officer would she be? She might as well switch careers now!”

“Sarah! Listen to yourself! Chloe lost her father when she was little; she’s already suffered enough! Instead of falling into despair, she became even more ambitious, and you constantly tear her down! Are you even human?!” Aunt Carol screamed, tears streaming down her face. “I’m telling you, you’d better pray the victim in this case isn’t Chloe! Otherwise, you’ll have nowhere to run from your regret!” My heart skipped a beat. Had Aunt Carol discovered something? But looking at her expression, she didn’t seem to know the truth. It was more like she was deliberately trying to provoke Mom. Sure enough, Mom’s face instantly changed. “Impossible! Don’t I know my own daughter?! The body in there absolutely cannot be Chloe!” Aunt Carol gritted her teeth. “If it really is Chloe, don’t even think about claiming her body! You never cared for her anyway. She’ll go back to the Miller family!” Mom also raised her voice in retaliation. “Fine! Take her! Do you think I care?! I’ve been sick of that jinx for years!” Aunt Carol was trembling with rage. “You heartless Sarah! If you don’t want Chloe, I do! Such a sensible child, she suffered so much by your side! You cold-blooded monster! I’m truly ashamed of you!” My soul hovered in mid-air, lost and helpless. I knew Aunt Carol was always good to me. After Dad died, Mom rarely paid attention to me. Beyond making sure I was fed, she didn’t care about anything else. I still remember my first set of bras, my first feminine hygiene products—they were all from Aunt Carol. I wanted to study hard to prepare for a career in law enforcement, but Mom didn’t support me. In the end, it was Aunt Carol who secretly encouraged me. From daily necessities like food and clothing to study materials, smartphones, tablets, and computers, Aunt Carol almost always paid for them out of her own pocket. To Aunt Carol, I was practically her own daughter. Aunt Carol, now fuming as she walked out of the police station, sent me a trembling text message. I floated over, peering at it. ‘Chloe, it’s not safe outside right now. No matter how angry you are with your mom, you have to come home! If you don’t want to come home, come to Aunt Carol’s. I’ll support you going to college and help you with tuition! We don’t need your mom. My place will always be your home, sweetie, be good.’ I blinked, feeling a surge of emotion. Aunt Carol had also lost her only brother that rainy night years ago. Yet, she didn’t hate me like Mom did. Instead, she poured all the love she had for her brother onto me. I’m sorry, Carol. I’m afraid I’m destined to disappoint you. Perhaps because my body was still in the police station, I could only follow Aunt Carol for a short distance before I couldn’t go any further, watching her leave. When I floated back into the police station, I found Mom slumped in a chair. Officer Ben saw her and couldn’t help but advise, “Dr. Smith, you’ve been working for twenty hours. You should really go home and rest!” Mom shook her head. “No, I’m just… I can’t let this case go… I’ll rest here for a bit, then go back and look for more clues on the body.” “Oh… alright.” I watched Mom’s swaying body, marveling at her dedication while also wishing she would get some proper rest. … “The DNA results are in!” A shout echoed, and everyone in the police station was instantly re-energized! Even I couldn’t help but feel a pang of anxiety! Mom, who had been staying at the police station for two nights, rushed to the records room. “The database? Have we checked it? Have we identified the victim?” “Still comparing. It’s taking a while, don’t rush!” Everyone crowded around the computer, nervously watching the progress bar crawl forward. 75%… 88%… 95%… 100%! Everyone held their breath, waiting for the final result.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “307945”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic

My wife called me petty for not trusting her “guy friends.” “Stop acting insecure,” she snapped. Tristan just smirked at me and said, “Relax. She’s safe with us.” But when I found her wrapped in Tristan’s arm again， and five men drinking around her like she was their prize. I stopped being the quiet husband. And this time, I’m taking everything back. My wife has a ton of guy friends. I kept telling her to keep her distance. But she’d just say, “Why are you so petty? They’re all like brothers from the old neighborhood!” Fine. I immediately called my female friend who’d just returned from overseas. My wife wasn’t happy about that. My wife stayed out all night again. I scrolled through SnapChat and saw a new video posted by Tristan Hayes, one of my wife’s guy friends. My wife was in a crowd of men, glass in hand, beaming. I didn’t feel a flicker of anger. I turned off my phone, didn’t call her incessantly like I used to. I slept straight through till morning. The next day, my wife came home with breakfast, her heavy, smudged makeup still on. She looked at me, trying to be sweet, and started to explain. “Darling, I’m so sorry. Tristan just got back, so everyone gathered for a reunion. It got super late, and I didn’t want to disturb your sleep, so I just stayed at a hotel with them. But don’t worry, honey, I didn’t share a bed with any of them this time.” She specifically emphasized that she hadn’t slept in the same bed as Tristan. Last time she stayed out, we had a huge fight. I was furious that she was a married woman, yet she had absolutely no boundaries. Out drinking with guys every other night. But my wife cried, calling me petty. She swore they were all like brothers from the old neighborhood, her “best guy friends.” Just thinking about her “best guy friends” made my blood boil. Tristan Hayes was the one I resented most. Tristan was Mira’s childhood sweetheart, they’d grown up together. In today’s terms, Tristan was Mira’s closest male confidant, her male bestie. But to me, their relationship had no boundaries whatsoever. More than once, I’d seen a drunk Mira snuggled into Tristan’s arms, playfully whining. They even shared the same drinking glass, completely unbothered. At first, My wife would patiently explain things to me. She’d reassure me, give me peace of mind. But as time went on, she grew increasingly impatient. She’d just throw one line at me. “Tristan and I have absolutely nothing going on. If something was going to happen between us, it would have happened already. You wouldn’t even be my husband.” Of course, her guy friends all chimed in to “reason” with me. “We grew up together, we’ve always treated Mira like our little sister, so don’t take it the wrong way, alright?” “We’re just like family.” Family? What kind of brother and sister sit on each other’s laps and feed each other? It made my stomach churn. I told my wife countless times that I was uncomfortable. I didn’t like her going out with them at night. Later, I don’t know how it reached her guy friends’ ears. Suddenly, her “good brothers” started making snide, passive-aggressive remarks about me. “Oh, Mira, don’t drink anymore. Your husband will blame us for getting you drunk.” “Dude, Mira’s all yours now. We wouldn’t dare take her home anymore.” They said all these things right to my face. Gradually, they all started to think I was petty, Not a “real” man at all. My relationship with my wife also started to cool. Snapping back to reality. My wife handed me a freshly made coffee. She wrapped her arms around me from behind. “Husband, are you still mad? Don’t be mad, please! They’re just friends to me. You’re way more important.” I didn’t say anything. “Don’t be mad. Let’s go on a trip next week! Just the two of us, a romantic getaway. Haven’t you always wanted to go hiking? I’ll go with you.” I’m an outdoor enthusiast, I love hiking. I’d tried to get Mira to go with me before, but she had absolutely no interest in it. Her friends even laughed at me when they found out. “Hiking? Is that what old people do?” “Our Princess Mira can’t get a tan on a mountain!” Gradually, I stopped bringing it up. Now, my wife was actually suggesting it herself. A flicker of hope ignited inside me. Seeing my expression soften, my wife beamed. She immediately promised she’d arrange everything for the hiking trip. 0

My wife had been well-behaved these past few days. She hadn’t gone out to parties at night. But today, I saw Tristan post his hiking photos. It was the exact mountain I wanted to climb! And in the corner of one picture, I spotted a pair of hands. The ring on one hand was unmistakably Mira’s. I grabbed my phone and confronted my wife with the photo. “You went hiking with him?” Her face immediately flushed with embarrassment and panic. “I was just scouting out the trail! I mean, I’m going with you in a few days, right?” It was the first I’d ever heard of needing to “scout” a hiking trail. Didn’t her friends call hiking “old people’s entertainment”? Why were they all so enthusiastic when my wife said she was going hiking? “I asked you to go before, and you refused. But now you’re all over it with Tristan? Mira Harrington, how can I not overthink this?” Seeing me get angry, My wife’s own temper flared. “I told you I was just scouting the trail! If you’re so bothered, let’s go right now! You want to hike, right? We’ll go together right now!” She pulled my hand, dragging me toward the door. I yanked my hand away. “No need.” I walked into the bedroom and started packing my suitcase. My wife stared at me, shocked. “What are you doing?” I kept packing, not looking up at her. “My mom’s sick. I’m going home to see her.” I’d married Mira right after college. Since she was an only child and couldn’t leave her parents, I’d moved a thousand miles to settle in her city. But I was an only child too. Now my mom was sick, and I couldn’t even be there for her immediately. Mira froze for a moment. I saw several emotions flash across her face. A silent, suffocating tension filled the air. “Why didn’t you tell me? Honey, I’m sad that Mom’s sick too. Do you need me to come back with you?” I bent down, packed the last item, and closed my suitcase. “No need.” Anyone who truly wanted to go wouldn’t ask. That night, I took a direct flight to City B. Counting the time, it had been two years since I’d gone home to see my parents. Looking at my mother in her hospital bed, an unexpected wave of guilt washed over me. “Cole? Why are you here? Where’s Mira?” “Mom, I came to see you. Mira… she’s pretty busy with work.” My mother didn’t have many wishes, only that our family life would be harmonious. “Good, good. It’s nothing serious, you don’t need to worry about me. You didn’t have to come. What a waste of your time!” I spent the next few days taking care of my mom. Mira, on the other hand, was checking in on me constantly. Every day, she’d ask when I was coming back. After my mother recovered, she urged me to return to City A. So I told my wife the date of my return. The day I landed at City A airport, A luxury sedan pulled up in front of me. My wife sat in the passenger seat, shouting, “Honey, over here!” I looked closer; the driver was Tristan Hayes. My wife naturally got out to greet me. Tristan gave me an insolent smirk. “Cole Sterling, you can handle your own bags, right? I won’t bother getting out.” I didn’t reply, just put my suitcase in the trunk myself. My wife linked her arm through mine affectionately. “Honey, you’re finally back! Tristan heard you were returning and offered to pick you up himself!” I opened the back passenger door, expecting my wife to join me, but she casually opened the front passenger door and got back into the front. Tristan, with a cheeky grin, casually put his hand on Mira’s shoulder, then glanced at me and immediately explained, “Cole, seriously, I just wasn’t comfortable with Mira coming to pick you up alone.” What a pathetic man, always relying on his woman. He’s totally beneath me. My wife’s face showed a hint of awkwardness. She quickly changed the subject, opening her phone to show me a group chat. “Honey, Tristan really did offer to pick you up, okay? Don’t misunderstand. I’ve been so good these past few days, waiting for you at home every single day.” That group chat had all their old neighborhood friends in it. Everyone but me. I pressed my lips together. “It’s fine.” 0

I ignored the barely perceptible challenge in Tristan’s eyes. He always said he was afraid I’d misunderstand. Yet he constantly did things that made me misunderstand. How many nights had she stayed out? How many times had she been drunk somewhere else? Ever since news of my fight with my wife got out, Tristan’s overtly inappropriate touching of my wife had turned into subtle, sneaky touching. Normally, what had just happened would have infuriated me. But now, I didn’t care anymore. I couldn’t be bothered with the two of them in the front, with their complete lack of boundaries. “Can you wait a few minutes? I’m waiting for a friend.” A stunning woman walked toward us. Chloe Vance, clicking in her heels and dragging a suitcase, hurried toward me, waving as she ran. “Cole! There you are, I finally found you!” Chloe pouted playfully at me. “You’re so inconsiderate, not waiting for me! Do you know how long I dragged this suitcase around looking for you?” Chloe opened the car door and slid onto the seat beside me, intimately linking her arm through mine. “This is my first time in City A. I don’t know anyone, so you’ll have to take responsibility for me!” This scene made Mira Harrington and Tristan Hayes freeze simultaneously. They didn’t understand what stunt I was pulling. Mira immediately became alert, her brows furrowed so deeply it looked like she was trying to pinch something between them. “Honey, is this who you were waiting for?” Before I could reply, Chloe introduced herself to both of them boldly. “Hi everyone, I’m Chloe Vance, and Cole and I grew up together!” “Grew up together?” Mira’s tone was sharp. “Yep! We’re best buddies, right, Cole?” Chloe hooked her arm over my shoulder, saying it to Mira without a care in the world. I glanced out of the corner of my eye at Mira, who was in the passenger seat. Mira was completely stumped. In contrast, Chloe chattered away with me the whole ride. “Oh my gosh, Cole, it’s so beautiful! Look!” “Cole, do you remember when we were kids…” “Cole…” Compared to us, the front of the car was eerily quiet. It wasn’t that Tristan wasn’t talking. Normally, whenever we went out, Tristan was the most talkative person there. He’d always pull Mira into conversation, going on and on. From childhood anecdotes to the latest gossip from their old neighborhood. He’d always talk about things I couldn’t possibly join in on. But now, Tristan was still trying to start conversations, but Mira’s responses were always terse. After dropping Chloe off at her hotel, Mira immediately told Tristan to pull over. Then she opened the car door and joined me in the back seat. Her face was black with fury. “Why did you move to the back?” Mira snorted. “What, I’m not allowed to sit here? What exactly is that woman to you?” I closed my eyes, feigning sleep, deliberately avoiding the question. “I’m really tired. Let’s just go home.” 0

Mira walked into the house without a word. I’d just finished changing my shoes when I saw her sitting on the sofa, arms crossed, her face a mile long. I pretended not to notice and started unpacking my luggage. After a while, She finally spoke. “What exactly is your relationship with that Chloe Vance?” She stared at me intently, desperate for my answer. “I told you, she’s a buddy!” “A buddy? You’re calling a woman your ‘buddy’? That woman was clearly all over you! Were you seeing her the whole time you were home? Were you two together all those days?” Her questions came like a machine gun, and the more she talked, the angrier she got. She stood up and threw a cushion at me. I dodged it, ignoring her rage. I said calmly, “She’s a good person. As a friend, what does it matter if she’s a man or a woman?” “Of course it matters! You’re married! How can you be calling another woman your ‘buddy’?” I retorted, “Oh, really? Aren’t you married, and you’re still calling all those men from your old neighborhood ‘buddies’?” Mira was so shocked she couldn’t speak. I’d never seen so many expressions cross her face at once. Shock, shame, and regret. Finally, after a long pause, she squeezed out a sentence through gritted teeth. “They’re different! I grew up with them, I know everything about them…” I cut her off directly, mimicking her usual words. “Chloe and I are childhood friends too! What’s so different about that? Can’t you trust me?” Mira was completely stumped. For days, she gave me the silent treatment around the house. I simply pretended not to notice. That weekend, We went to Mrs. Harrington’s parents’ house for dinner, as usual. At the dinner table, Mrs. Harrington noticed the tension in the air between Mira and me. “Mira, Cole moved away from his hometown for you; you can’t keep acting like a spoiled princess.” Then she looked at me kindly. “Cole, Mira’s been spoiled since she was little, she can be a bit delicate. Don’t take it too seriously. Married couples have their ups and downs, but they always work it out. You have to be more understanding.” Mira, as if begging for peace, clasped my hand. “Husband…” She was about to speak when someone interrupted her. “Mira, why didn’t you tell me you were coming for dinner?” Tristan Hayes had arrived. Tristan immediately hooked his arm around Mira’s neck. Mira awkwardly pushed his hand away, glancing at me with a hint of embarrassment. Tristan noticed me standing there and let out a dismissive “tsk.” He said casually, “Oh, Cole’s here too!” As he spoke, a whole group of people came in behind Tristan. These were all Mira’s “guy friends.” “Mira, you’re here! Why didn’t you invite us to hang out?” “It’s rare for everyone from our old neighborhood to be together like this.” Mira’s face indeed lit up with anticipation. Mira looked at me, pleadingly, hoping I would agree. The other guys also looked at me, As if they were practically glaring daggers at me if I didn’t agree. Even though Mira and I had been married for three years, I still wasn’t close to any of them. They were always somewhat distant toward me. And, of course, I couldn’t integrate into their circle. They couldn’t relax when I was around. “Husband, how about you come hang out with us?” Mira affectionately linked her arm through mine, asking sweetly. For a moment, the entire room fell silent. Everyone was looking at me. Some of the guys exchanged glances. Everyone was waiting for my answer. They didn’t want me there, but they desperately wanted Mira. Since that was the case, I’d give them what they wanted. I wiped my mouth and replied coolly, “Okay.” They stopped talking. The atmosphere was incredibly strange. A few minutes later, Mira cautiously spoke, “Then I’ll… be back early.” Then she added, “You don’t have to come pick me up later; they’ll take me home. I’ll definitely be home early this time.” She gave me a reassuring promise. But I just smiled, quietly eating my dinner. Mira stood up and left with them. Before they even walked out the door, I heard someone say, “Did Cole change his mind? He’s actually letting Mira go out with us?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “307944”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #后宫Harem

Sloane cut my salary and gave the money to her assistant Aiden, then told me I was “too emotional” for questioning it. When I reminded her I’d built the company with her, she didn’t even look up. “Stop acting entitled,” she said. Aiden smirked and added, “Maybe you should step aside.” That was the moment I understood they expected me to obey forever. So I placed my resignation on her desk and watched her smile collapse. My fiancée Sloane, the CEO, told me the company wasn’t doing well and cut my salary in half. But then I saw her assistant Aiden bragging on Instagram. “The boss not only gave me a raise but also bought me a luxury car because she was worried I’d be tired from work. She’s so thoughtful!” In the photo, he and my fiancée were standing in front of a newly purchased million-dollar luxury car, looking blissfully happy. I pondered for two seconds, then hit the like button. That evening, Sloane called an emergency meeting. Using the excuse that I was disrupting the company’s atmosphere, she withheld my entire month’s salary and gave it to her assistant as compensation for emotional distress. Everyone looked at me sympathetically, thinking I would go crazy and make a scene. But I just calmly packed up my things from my desk and handed my resignation letter to her. “Docking my salary isn’t enough for bullying a colleague? I’ll resign voluntarily.” As soon as I finished speaking, Sloane’s assistant Aiden quickly chimed in. “Dane, how can you resign over such a small matter?” “You’ve been with the company for so long, and Sloane has always been so good to you. If you resign at this critical moment, how will everyone view Sloane?” “Sloane, please come and talk Dane out of it!” Sloane might have wanted to persuade me earlier. But after hearing Aiden’s words, her anger grew. She snorted coldly: “Why should I persuade him? If he wants to leave, let him leave. I have nothing to hide, I’m not afraid of what anyone might say.” Then, without hesitation, she signed my resignation letter and threw it in my face. The onlooking colleagues were dumbfounded. A colleague who was close to me quickly whispered, urging me to apologize and not to act on impulse. Almost everyone present knew that I had helped Sloane build this company from scratch. When the company was short on money, I worked tirelessly to secure investments. When projects couldn’t be completed, I led the team in pulling all-nighters to get the work done. I had poured countless hours and emotions into every aspect of the business. Now that the company had completed its financing and was about to go public, anyone in their right mind wouldn’t leave at this time. But I remained calm, picking up the resignation letter from the ground. “I’ll leave after I finish handing over my work.” “No need for a handover, just get out now,” Sloane said coldly, pointing at the door. Seeing this, I said nothing more. After saying goodbye to a few people, I picked up my things and left. Before I left, I looked back at Sloane one last time. I clearly saw a flash of complexity in her cold, calm eyes. Of course, I knew why. She didn’t think I would leave. We had fallen out before, but after leaving for a short while, I would always regret it and go back to her as if nothing had happened, apologizing and continuing to work as usual. But perhaps she didn’t know that this time was different from before. My patience with her had finally run out. I walked to the parking garage. I found my old car that I had been driving for ten years, with several patches of paint worn off. Next to it was parked a brand new top-of-the-line Porsche, the one Sloane had just given to Aiden today. There were many empty spaces in the garage, yet he chose to park right here. I understood. This was his way of taunting me. These weren’t just two cars; they were more like the two of us. I had been with Sloane for ten years, yet I wasn’t as valued as Aiden who had only joined ten months ago. I laughed self-mockingly and got into my car. Just then, a text message came through. I opened it to see a transfer from my friend. This morning when Sloane said the company wasn’t doing well and wanted to cut my salary, I was worried she was under too much pressure. I immediately contacted a friend and borrowed fifty thousand dollars. I had originally planned to give it to her, but then I inadvertently saw Aiden’s Instagram post about Sloane buying him a new car. At that moment, I was surprisingly calm, feeling neither sad nor jealous to the point of madness. Perhaps it was because it had happened too many times. Aiden had been recruited into the company by Sloane as an exception. His work ability was a complete mess, but Sloane, who had always been serious and meticulous about work, could tolerate his mistakes time and time again. From small things like serving plain water to clients during meetings while getting milk tea for herself, to big mistakes like sending the bottom-line price list to partners instead of the quote list, causing the company to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars. When I questioned Aiden about these issues, Sloane would unhesitatingly stand in front of him to protect him. She would look at me with impatience. “Aiden just graduated, isn’t it normal to make some mistakes? Why are you being so harsh on a newcomer?” Over time, Aiden became increasingly arrogant, to the point where he didn’t take me seriously at all. Soon after, I left the parking garage. As I was waiting for the barrier to rise, my car suddenly jolted. Realizing I had been rear-ended, I got out of the car, only to see Sloane and Aiden getting out of the car behind, hand in hand. “I’m so sorry… Oh, Dane, it’s you?” Aiden immediately walked up, looking distressed at his dented car front. “But why did you brake so suddenly? I didn’t have time to react.” “What a shame, Sloane just gave me this new car,” he added. Sloane also looked at me with a gloomy face and said coldly, “Did you do this on purpose? Did you know Aiden was behind you and deliberately brake to get revenge?” I almost laughed at her accusation. It was always like this.

She would push all the blame onto me without distinguishing right from wrong. Before I could say anything, Aiden’s eyes slowly turned red. “Sloane, don’t blame Dane,” he said. “Dane just resigned because of me, it’s normal for him to be angry with me.” “After all, it’s all my fault.” As he spoke, he clenched his fist and hit his forehead hard, as if in frustration. But just before his fist touched his forehead, he deliberately loosened his grip. Sloane couldn’t see through this act. Her eyes filled with concern as she gently rubbed his forehead, saying lovingly, “It has nothing to do with you. Don’t take everything on yourself.” After saying this, she glared at me angrily. Seeming to get more upset the more she thought about it, she poked my forehead hard. “Dane, can’t you learn from Aiden and take some responsibility?” “He knows how to be humble. You’ve been working for so many years, why are you still so childish and arrogant?” I stumbled back a couple of steps from her push. After regaining my balance, I found it somewhat amusing. Over the past year, it had been Aiden constantly stealing my achievements and scheming to pin blame on me. Now suddenly he was humble and responsible, while I was childish and arrogant. Knowing that talking further would be a waste of breath, I couldn’t be bothered to say anything more. I turned around, preparing to leave. “Wait a moment,” Sloane suddenly stopped me. I thought she was going to scold me again and defend Aiden, but to my surprise, she pulled me aside. She spoke earnestly. “Dane, I admit my attitude towards you today was indeed too harsh.” “But it’s because I have high expectations for you, that’s why I’m so strict with you.” Hearing her gentle words, I was still a bit confused. However, I soon understood her intentions. Sloane smiled lightly at me and patted my shoulder. “I’ll withdraw your resignation letter. Just come to work as usual, but find a time to apologize to Aiden in front of everyone.” “Also, you’re fully responsible for this rear-end collision. I’ll deduct the compensation from your salary later.” I realized what was happening. I let out a sneer and looked up at Aiden. He had probably already known what Sloane was going to say. His face was full of smugness as he winked at me provocatively. I sneered again. “No need.” “As for who’s responsible for the rear-end collision, we can check the surveillance footage. If that’s not enough, you can call the police.” “I have things to do, I’m leaving now.” With that, I left directly. Sloane was fuming behind me: “I’ve already given you a chance, don’t regret it!” Regret? I won’t regret it. I got back in my car and sent a message to my friend. “I’ve resigned. I can start working at your company tomorrow.” My friend called back in less than half a second, his tone excited: “Are you serious?” He sounded a bit unsure: “Do you want to discuss it with Sloane again?” My friend and Sloane had started their businesses around the same time. Compared to Sloane who started from scratch, my friend had more resources and could offer more attractive benefits. My friend was in desperate need of excellent technical talent, so he promised me higher shares and profits to get me to help them out. He even made an exception and offered to let me work part-time after learning about my relationship with Sloane. But for Sloane’s sake, I had refused without hesitation. When I was at my lowest point, lying in the snow almost freezing to death, it was Sloane who dragged me into a police station and saved my life. I was very grateful to her, so I gave up everything and devoted myself wholeheartedly to the business, doing everything I could to help Sloane’s company grow step by step. But now it seemed that she didn’t care at all. Moreover, after so many years, I had more than repaid her kindness. I didn’t need to keep compromising myself anymore. “No need, I can make my own decisions,” I replied. After chatting with my friend for a bit more and confirming the time to sign the contract, I drove home first to get the documents needed for signing. I thought Sloane wouldn’t be back until late at night as usual. But to my surprise, she walked into the living room not long after, talking happily on the phone with Aiden. Seeing me, her face immediately darkened. She deliberately rolled her eyes at me before pushing open the bedroom door. I knew she was waiting for me to coax her. Every time we had an unpleasant encounter at the company, I would always find ways to apologize to her and beg for her forgiveness. Even when she was the one at fault, I would still have to swallow my pride and admit I was wrong. Before, I thought I should do this, whether it was to repay her kindness or to maintain our relationship, I should pamper her. But now I just found it boring. I focused on looking for things in the drawer. After a while, she came out of the room with a gloomy face. “Has Aiden’s car been fixed? Have you fixed your car?” she asked. I knew this was her signal of giving me a chance to make up. In the past, I would have thought she had forgiven me and would have rushed to please her. But now, I didn’t even look up as I replied indifferently, “It’s just an old car, not worth fixing.” Sloane frowned. “What do you mean by that?” I looked up at her in confusion, not understanding what she was unsatisfied with now. This car had been scratched many times before. When I said I wanted to fix it, she would say the same thing I just said. I thought she was going to get angry again, but to my surprise, she let out a sigh. “Aiden has indeed been doing well at work lately, so I gave him a car to keep him motivated.” “You’re my boyfriend, and when we get married, won’t the company be yours too? Why do you have to be so calculative about salary with him?” “Dane, everything I do is for the company. I don’t want other colleagues to think I’m favoring you.” Realizing she was actually trying to explain to me, I was a bit surprised. She had never bothered to explain these things to me before. But I knew clearly that these were just excuses.

In the company, all the colleagues knew how Sloane treated me and Aiden differently. Projects that I had worked on for three days straight, she would suddenly hand over to Aiden on a whim. He would just make a PowerPoint presentation, and it would become Aiden’s achievement. Clients that I had negotiated with for days and were about to sign contracts, she would take Aiden to have one meal with them under my name, and the contracts would become Aiden’s accomplishment. There were countless such incidents. Over time, other colleagues only felt that Sloane favored Aiden more. Some even thought Sloane didn’t like me, and because of this, I endured quite a bit of side-eye and bullying in the company. She saw it but pretended not to notice. I didn’t want to explain. Anyway, even if I did, she would say I was making excuses. “Oh,” I responded indifferently. “You don’t need to tell me these things. I have nothing to do with the company anymore. Do whatever you think is best.” Sloane didn’t say anything. Finally, she let out a sigh. She walked up to me, stood on her tiptoes, and wrapped her arms around my neck, her breath warm against my skin. “Actually, I have my own selfish reasons. I want you to take a break for a while and think about our wedding.” “When are you planning to propose to me?” she asked with a coy smile. But I had already proposed many times before, and each time, she had rejected me. Every time we had a fight, she would use marriage to coax me. Sometimes, I felt like I wasn’t her boyfriend, but more like a dog she was toying with. I didn’t say anything. Sloane then scratched under my chin like she was teasing a dog. “Don’t be angry anymore, can you smile for me?” she said. As she spoke, she deliberately kissed my Adam’s apple, as if trying to please me. She rarely took the initiative to be intimate with me. In the past, I would probably have been very happy. After her advances, I would have taken control, only to be pushed away by her, laughing as she called me dirty-minded. Thinking about it now, I really found it quite boring. I pulled her arms away and wiped my throat with a wet wipe. Sloane stood there as if struck by lightning, dumbfounded. “You’re disgusted by me?” she asked. “I have to go out later, I’m going to change clothes now,” I said flatly. I turned around, ready to go back to the bedroom. Sloane tried to follow, but I closed the door without hesitation and locked it. “Fine! Don’t regret it!” Sloane seemed to have really gotten angry this time. After throwing out these harsh words, she kicked the door hard and stormed off. When I came out of the bedroom, the living room was already empty. Sloane had sent a message in the company group chat saying she was treating everyone to dinner and asked who wanted to join. Everyone remained silent. Only Aiden sent three “excited” emojis in a row. I knew Sloane was deliberately trying to make me jealous. This had happened many times before. Every time it was like this – other colleagues were unwilling to participate, and only Aiden would enthusiastically respond. In the past, I would have already been jealous and followed them, only to be mocked by them. Now, I couldn’t be bothered. I went directly to my friend’s place to sign the contract. My friend was very happy and specially arranged a celebration dinner for me. After three rounds of drinks, I went to the restroom. As I was walking, I heard familiar voices from a nearby private room. I instinctively stopped. Through the slightly open door, I saw Sloane nestled in Aiden’s arms. I don’t know what they said, but Sloane was laughing uncontrollably. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Aiden quickly lowered his head and kissed her lips. Sloane was stunned for a moment but didn’t push him away. “Sloane, when are you going to break up with Dane?” Aiden asked. “I can’t wait to be with you. Do you know how upset I am every day seeing you with him?” Aiden said with a grieved expression. Sloane moved her lips, seeming to want to say something. Finally, she hugged Aiden back, gently patting his back like comforting a child. “Wait a little longer,” she said. “It won’t be too long.” The two of them cuddling intimately looked exactly like a couple. I sneered and didn’t watch any further. Back in the private room, after a few more drinks, we called it a night. As we were entering the underground parking garage together, my friend suddenly pulled me in front of a top-of-the-line Porsche and asked if I liked it. I nodded, not quite understanding. Thinking it was his new car, I was about to compliment him when my friend suddenly shoved a set of car keys into my hand. “It’s for you,” he said. He winked at me. “I’ve been wanting to replace that old car of yours for a long time. It’s in such bad shape. Now that you’ve joined us, it’s time for an upgrade.” I was about to refuse, but he seemed to already know what I was going to say and went straight to the point: “I heard Sloane gave a car to that new guy in your company. With his terrible skills, he can drive a luxury car, so of course you can’t be worse off than him.” “You know, I’ve seen the stuff that new guy of yours produces. The style is different every time, obviously copied from somewhere. I don’t know how he’s managed to stay in the company…” Perhaps it was because of the alcohol, but my friend spoke without any filter, complaining non-stop about Aiden. I remained silent. What he said was right. All those things were actually done by me and other colleagues in the team. Almost every time, just as we were about to finish, Sloane would demand that we hand it over to Aiden. That’s why Aiden’s style was always different. Even my friend, who wasn’t in the company, could see through this. Yet Sloane somehow couldn’t understand. I thanked my friend and chatted with him for a bit more before heading home. As I opened the door, I saw Sloane already sitting on the living room couch. “Where have you been?” she asked. She seemed to be in a good mood, her tone much lighter. The scene of her and Aiden embracing in the hotel flashed before my eyes again. I felt a wave of nausea.

“Had dinner with a friend,” I said flatly, walking straight towards the bedroom. After just a couple of steps, Sloane suddenly blocked my way, frowning. “You’ve been drinking?” “Didn’t we agree that you wouldn’t drink when I’m not around?” I couldn’t help but sneer. The implication was that I could only drink when I was helping her entertain clients. I didn’t say anything. Sloane, however, seemed to think of something and suddenly smiled, looking somewhat smug. “You’re still upset about me going out with Aiden, aren’t you? If you didn’t want me to go out alone with him, you could have just said so. Was it necessary to drink so much?” “You’re overthinking it. My drinking has nothing to do with you,” I said. I felt tired and sat down on a chair. “But I do have something I want to tell you.” “What is it?” Probably thinking I was going to apologize, Sloane’s tone became even more smug. “Let me tell you in advance, it’s too late to apologize to me now. I’m very angry about what happened this afternoon.” “Don’t think a simple apology will make me forgive you.” As she spoke, she rolled her eyes at me. I pretended not to see it and said, “I…” Before I could finish, her phone rang. Sloane looked down at it. I noticed the caller ID was Aiden. “Wait a moment, I need to take this call,” she said. With that, Sloane had no intention of paying any more attention to me and was about to answer the phone. I looked at her cold and resolute back, and calmly spoke up. “Let’s break up, Sloane.” As soon as I said this, Sloane’s body seemed to freeze for a moment. “You want to break up with me over such a small matter?” Sloane looked at me in disbelief. After a moment, she said impatiently, “Why have you become so petty? It was just a dinner with Aiden, is it really that serious? Forget it, I have something to do. You calm down first, and we’ll talk later.” With that, she prepared to answer Aiden’s call again. It had always been like this. Whenever we had a disagreement, she would tell me to calm down on my own. This was often the beginning of our cold war. But almost every time, I would be the one to brainwash myself, convincing myself to accept Sloane’s perspective, then take the initiative to make up with her and apologize. At first, it was because I liked her and didn’t want her to feel wronged. Later, I couldn’t let go of our years of feelings, always thinking that if I endured a little more, things would get better after we got through this conflict. But year after year passed, nine years went by, and things never got better. Sloane answered Aiden’s call, smiling as she greeted him and was about to go back to the bedroom. I strode forward and took her phone. Without hesitation, I hung up. Sloane was a bit angry: “What are you doing?” “Let’s talk about us first. You’ll have plenty of chances to talk to him in the future,” I said, handing the phone back to her. Since I had already decided to leave, it was best to cut ties cleanly. I had no inclination for self-torture. “What is there to talk about? You really want to break up with me over this little thing?” Sloane snorted coldly, looking at me after sending Aiden a message. “I really don’t know what’s gotten into you. Do you realize what breaking up with me means right now?” “You have nothing now, you’re no longer good enough for me. Do you know how many people have advised me to leave you? But I’ve always considered our feelings and tolerated you time and time again. I’ve already compromised so much, what else are you unsatisfied with?” Sloane’s demeanor was imperious. Yes. Her net worth now far exceeded mine, and she had reminded me more than once that our relationship was unequal, that she was with me only out of consideration for our years of history. In the past, I had treated her words as playful banter between us. It wasn’t until recently that I realized she was serious. In her eyes, there was no reason for us to break up. It was about benefits, old feelings, charity, but never love. I was about to speak when she seemed to think of something else. She interrupted me and sneered, “Alright, I get it. I’ll restore your position in the company and give you some shares. Is that enough?” “No need,” I said. I found it somewhat amusing and shook my head. “It’s not because of that.” “Then what is it?” Sloane asked, puzzled. I didn’t hide it from her anymore and said calmly, “Let’s be frank. I heard everything you and Aiden said in the hotel today.” Sloane’s face froze. “You followed me?” “It was just a coincidence,” I said. But Sloane clearly didn’t believe me, looking at me suspiciously. In the past, I probably would have tried to prove myself to her, but now, I didn’t care at all what she thought. I went straight to the point: “Since you want to break up too, we’re on the same page. Let’s just end it.” “I won’t take anything under your name. Let’s part on good terms.” Now that everything was out in the open, I thought Sloane would agree readily, but to my surprise, she hesitated. “Dane, think it through. You’re not young anymore. If you break up with me now, with your conditions, you might not find a partner as good as me.” “What I said at the hotel was just out of anger. If you can apologize to me, I don’t necessarily want to break up with you.” “I’m not completely without feelings for you, you…”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “307943”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #后宫Harem

Three months before my wedding, my fiancée posted a baby bump photo on her Ins. It was her with my adopted brother. The caption read: [Legally welcoming our little one!] My adopted brother, Noah, commented with a celebratory emoji. My mom liked it. [Once the baby is born, I’ll take care of them. You two can enjoy your time together.] I couldn’t help but hit reply with a question mark. The next second, Chloe’s furious texts flooded my phone. “He’s just stepping up as the father figure for a bit, to give the baby a stable start. Once the baby is here, things will go back to normal between us, and I’ll be yours again.” “Don’t be so petty. My mom also said we should wait until your career is stable before getting legally married—having the wedding first, then doing the paperwork later, isn’t that good enough?” I calmly hummed in response, then deleted every single post related to Chloe on my Ins. I updated my status: “Need a bride. Any takers?” Chloe Davis was the first to reply. [Leo Hayes, are you insane? I’m just temporarily with Noah, do you really have to make this public knowledge?] [Who are you posting this for? I’m warning you, don’t make things difficult for Noah!] My adopted brother, Noah Hayes, quickly followed: [Chloe just wants to give the baby a legal identity. I won’t steal her from you. When you two eventually marry, my child can even call you Dad.] My mom, Brenda Hayes, scolded me for being ungrateful: [You get a child without all the hard work. Noah is helping you so much; you should be thankful.] Below, a flurry of Chloe’s friends joined in the mockery: [They’re practically brothers anyway, right? Who cares who she marries? Noah can have her on weekdays, and you get the weekends!] Everyone was joking, laughing. I stared at the screen for a long time, my eyes burning. Tears eventually blurred my vision, hitting the phone screen. They were the ones who messed up, yet they were acting so righteous, pointing fingers at me. It was ridiculous. These people weren’t worth my tears. I wiped the wetness from my face with a harsh gesture. Amidst the chaotic comments, one stood out: Mia Sterling asked, “Is the bride spot still open?” Mia was my childhood friend. After college, I stayed local, while she went abroad for her master’s. Once Chloe and I started dating, Mia had intentionally kept her distance. We hadn’t seen each other in years. While I was still reeling, her call came through. “Leo, I’ve always liked you.” “You know how much I despise your adopted brother; I would never get involved with him. All these years, I’ve focused on my career, my relationship history is clean, and I have no messy social connections.” As soon as she finished speaking, a document popped up on my phone—it was an agreement to transfer all her assets. “This is all my sincerity,” her voice was a little shaky. “Would you consider me?” A lump formed in my throat. I suddenly remembered a time in elementary school when our teacher gave her two of her favorite chocolates as a reward. She was so tempted, swallowing secretly, but she didn’t keep a single one. She put both into my pocket. She’d always been like that, pouring her heart out, giving me her best. I took a deep breath. “I will.” Love had left me scarred. I’d planned to live alone. But Grandma’s dying wish was to see me have my own family, with someone who genuinely loved me. Chloe didn’t deserve that, but Mia would be the best choice. Her voice trembled with surprise. “I’ll finish up work as fast as I can. I’ll be back in two weeks to marry you.” “Leo, you won’t change your mind this time, right?” The vulnerability in her tone reminded me of our childhood promise—I’d once laughed and said I’d be her groom when we grew up. “No,” I whispered. “Mia, let’s pinky swear.”

After hanging up, my mom, Brenda, pushed open my bedroom door. “Where are those sapphire cufflinks your dad left you before he passed?” I remained silent, not answering. Mom frowned, annoyed. “What’s with that attitude? Noah just thinks they’re exquisite and wants to borrow them for his formal wear. Hand them over. Don’t be so petty!” My adopted brother, Noah, clung to Mom’s arm, looking forlorn. “Never mind, Mom. Leo never saw me as a real brother. If he doesn’t want to, then he doesn’t have to. I won’t force him.” “He dares not to recognize you! Those cufflinks belonged to my husband, they’re your father’s. Today, I’m making the decision to give them to you.” Mom hugged Noah, glaring at me sternly. “If you don’t hand them over now, don’t blame me for having someone search your room.” I stared at her, stunned, then curved my lips into a smile that was uglier than a cry. The gentle, understanding mother I remembered had long become unrecognizable. But, I was about to leave this place forever. Unwilling to engage in another meaningless argument, I silently retrieved the velvet box containing the cufflinks from the back of my drawer and handed it over. Mom nodded, satisfied. “That’s right. Noah is your brother; you should naturally take care of him more.” After she left, Noah fastened the cufflinks onto his shirt right in front of me, raising an eyebrow. “Bro, don’t blame Mom for being biased. Honestly, these cufflinks look better on me.” “Just like Chloe is a better fit for me as a girlfriend.” “What’s mine, no one can ever take away.” I watched Noah’s smug expression, saying nothing. With people like him, the more you engage, the more they cling. I grabbed my backpack and walked straight to the stairs, ignoring him completely. “Ah! Why did you push me… ” Noah suddenly darted in front of me, pretending I’d shoved him, stumbling backward. Though I loathed him, I instinctively reached out to grab him—twenty-some steps was no small fall. “Leo, don’t you dare lay a hand on him!” Chloe rushed up, violently swatting away my hand reaching for Noah. My hand slammed hard against the metal railing with a dull thud, instantly swelling and bruising. The sharp pain made me break out in a cold sweat. “Chloe, good thing you came…” Noah cowered in Chloe’s arms, trembling with teary eyes. “Don’t worry, I’m here.” Chloe gently patted his back, then shot me a cold glare. “You know he’s fragile, yet you’d be so cruel?” I looked down at my rapidly swelling hand, then back at Noah, carefully shielded by Chloe. The irony felt like ice water splashed on my face. This woman, who had sworn to love me forever and was supposed to marry me in three months, how had she become so utterly unrecognizable?

After comforting Noah, Chloe turned to me, her expression grim. “I know you’re upset that I hid my marriage and pregnancy with him from you. You can vent your anger at me, since I didn’t tell you upfront.” “But you can’t hurt Noah. He’s already weak and pitiful enough.” “He only asked for a chance to be a father, is that so wrong? Why should he suffer your anger?” She pointed a finger at me. “You will apologize to Noah today!” I struggled to control my trembling body, rasping, “What did I do wrong? What exactly did I do wrong?” Chloe stared at my bloodshot eyes, momentarily stunned. “It’s okay, Chloe,” Noah interjected, tugging her sleeve, his voice filled with feigned sobs. “Even though I almost fell down the stairs… I don’t blame Leo. He doesn’t have to apologize.” “You and Leo are still getting married. I don’t want you fighting because of me.” Chloe sighed, her voice laced with pity. “Noah, your thoughtfulness sometimes breaks my heart.” Her gaze hardened as she looked at me again. “Ultimately, you’re just jealous of Noah, can’t stand to see him doing better than you.” “Today, for his sake, I’ll let the apology slide.” “But if you ever dare to harm him again, I will make you pay.” She lifted Noah into her arms, and as she left, she threw a remark filled with disappointment at me: “You’re nothing compared to Noah.” The silent living room was empty except for me. I stared blankly at the withered leaves falling outside the window, finally unable to stop myself from crouching down, burying my face in my hands. This was the last time I’d cry for Chloe. That afternoon, Chloe updated her Ins. It was a nine-picture grid, showing off various meticulously decorated corners of what she called a bridal home. The caption read: “Every room, every piece of furniture, every decoration here was chosen and arranged by me, all to give my baby a warm and happy home.” The comments section quickly filled with well wishes. “Congrats, Chloe, on your impending bundle of joy!” “So, Chloe and Leo are having a shotgun wedding! Congrats, congrats!” “Leo, you’re so lucky to have such a wonderful partner like Chloe!” “I’ll cancel a hundred-million-dollar deal if I have to, but I won’t miss the wedding in three months!” Just as the blessings poured in, Noah suddenly commented to clarify: “Everyone, please don’t misunderstand. This isn’t Chloe’s bridal home, this is my house.” The comments section fell into an awkward silence. I broke the deadlock, replying: “Three’s a crowd. I’m out. Wishing you two happiness.” After sending that, I didn’t bother with the reactions. I just deleted Chloe and Noah from my friends list. Minutes later, Chloe’s call came in. “Leo, are you done causing trouble?” My tone was calm. “I’m not causing trouble.” She exploded. “What you wrote on my Ins was practically slandering Noah! Are you only happy if you brand him as the third wheel? If you keep this up, our engagement is off!” Listening to her cold accusations, my heart was like stagnant water, completely still. “Chloe, why do you think I’d still want something that’s been used by someone else?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “307942”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #后宫Harem

Sloane said she couldn’t come to dinner with me. But an hour later, she walked into the same restaurant, standing right beside him. She tried to sit next to me like nothing was wrong. Aiden gave me a quiet, satisfied smile, as if he’d already won. Sloane kept sending excuses and half-apologies, expecting me to melt the way I always did. But I didn’t. That night, I finally stopped being predictable— and decided to walk away from her for good. I sat at the table, watching the food grow cold, much like my heart. Today was my birthday, but it was also the birthday of Aiden, Sloane’s childhood friend. I opened Aiden’s Instagram and saw a new post. “Grateful to have you by my side every birthday. Let’s keep celebrating together for years to come!” The photo showed two hands making a heart shape in front of a cake. One of them was Sloane’s, wearing the necklace I had given her. I liked the post, then put down my phone and dumped all of Sloane’s favorite dishes I had prepared into the trash. I went out to a restaurant to order my own favorites and celebrate my birthday alone. From now on, I would make each of my birthdays special – for myself. Halfway through my meal, Sloane called. Her voice held a hint of anxiety: “Grant, did you see Aiden’s Instagram post?” “I did.” “I’ll be back after celebrating with him. I’ll spend next year’s birthday with you, okay? Don’t be upset!” In the past, I would have thrown a fit, but not anymore. I simply replied, “Okay.” The next morning, around 7 AM, I was woken up by my phone ringing. It rang three times before cutting off. I checked – it was Sloane. She used to be too lazy to use her key, so she’d always call me to let her in, ringing three times before hanging up. No matter what I was doing, I would rush to open the door for her. Today, I didn’t. I tossed my phone aside and went back to sleep. The spare key was under the shoe rack by the door. She knew that. I had been up until 3 AM packing, and my head was still fuzzy. My phone rang a few more times, but I couldn’t be bothered to look. Some time later, I vaguely heard someone unlocking the door and coming in. The door slammed against the wall loudly, followed by my bedroom door being flung open and Sloane’s angry voice. “Grant, why didn’t you open the door for me? I called several times! You know I hate using keys!” I opened my eyes and looked at her impassively. “Too tired. Didn’t hear it.” Sloane opened her mouth, then closed it. Finally, she said, “I’m hungry. Get up and make me a sandwich. I didn’t sleep all night, and I need to catch up on some rest after I eat.” In the past, I would have jumped up to make her breakfast. But now, I just said flatly, “I’m tired too. Why don’t you go downstairs and buy something?” Sloane was furious but tried to control herself. “Are you still mad about me not being here for your birthday yesterday?” “No, you’re overthinking it.” Sloane didn’t believe me. She continued, “Aiden is like a brother to me. His parents passed away when he was young. If I don’t celebrate his birthday with him, who will? Don’t be so petty, or I’ll really get angry!” “You’re right. You should celebrate with him. I’m not upset.” I got up to go to the bathroom. Sloane grabbed my hand and reluctantly pulled out a red string bracelet from her pocket. “Here, don’t be mad. This is your birthday gift. See? I remembered.” Looking at the cheap red string with its dangling metal charm, which seemed so carelessly chosen, and thinking of the expensive watch Aiden had shown off on Instagram, I couldn’t help but smile bitterly. I had thought Sloane’s recent frugality was to save up for my birthday gift. Apparently, I had been deluding myself. I shook my wrist, showing the watch my mom had sent me a few days ago. “Thanks, but I already have a watch. It’s not convenient to wear this. You keep it.” Sloane snapped, “You say you’re not angry, but you used to be happy with whatever I gave you. Are you getting picky now?” Sloane’s salary wasn’t high. Her birthday gifts to me were always cheap, costing a few dollars or tens of dollars at most. Sometimes she even forgot to give me anything. But I never minded. For her birthdays, I always prepared thoughtful gifts. Just a week ago, for her birthday, I had given her a gold necklace. I was tired. I didn’t have the energy to argue anymore. I took the red string and put it in my pocket. “Thank you.” I changed my clothes and opened the door. Sloane called out anxiously, “Where are you going?” “To play basketball with friends.” Since getting together with Sloane, all my free time belonged to her. I accompanied her everywhere, took care of her, and had no time left for myself. That wouldn’t be the case anymore. I needed to live for myself now.

After an exhilarating game with my friends, we sat on the benches by the court, drinking water. My friends joked, “We thought you’d forgotten about us since you got a girlfriend. We were about to stop inviting you out.” I apologized and promised, “I’m sorry, guys. It won’t happen again. Count me in for any future plans.” “That’s more like it! Come on, let’s go to the internet cafe and play some games.” When I was with Sloane, I couldn’t fit into her Instagram world, but I had slowly distanced myself from my own friends for her sake. I revolved my life around her, prioritizing her above all else. Looking back, I realized how foolish I had been. When I got home, it was almost midnight. I opened the bedroom door to find Sloane sitting on the bed. She frowned and said, “Grant, why are you back so late? I had to order takeout for lunch and dinner. It was awful.” I opened the closet to get some clean clothes. “I ate at restaurants today too. The food was pretty good, not worse than home-cooked meals.” Sloane stared at me in surprise. “You used to say you’d cook for me every day and that I shouldn’t eat takeout because it’s unhygienic!” “I was wrong. Living in this society, if you can’t cook, you have to get used to takeout food.” A flash of anger crossed Sloane’s eyes. “You say you’re not angry, but you’ve been out all day without a single call or message, and you didn’t come home to cook for me!” I replied calmly, “I’m not angry. I was just hanging out with friends. My phone died, so I couldn’t call.” Seeing my attitude, Sloane suddenly threw off the covers and got out of bed angrily. She grabbed me as I was about to leave, her voice shrill. “Can’t you be more understanding? I’ve told you we’re just like siblings! What are you still upset about? Grant, my patience has limits!” I shook off her hand. “I’m really not upset. I’m tired. I’ll sleep in the guest room tonight.” With that, I took my clothes and went to the bathroom to shower, ignoring Sloane’s calls from inside the bedroom. That night, I slept soundly for the first time in a long while. Sloane was a restless sleeper, kicking off the covers several times a night. When we slept together, I never got a full night’s rest, having to get up multiple times to cover her. Early the next morning, Sloane sat in the living room with her arms crossed, her face dark with anger. I knew she was waiting for me to apologize first and make her happy. In the past, whenever she was unhappy, I would beg for her forgiveness, even if I didn’t think I had done anything wrong. Then she would list a bunch of conditions, and only after I had fulfilled them all would she reluctantly forgive me. This had been the pattern for years, and I was tired of it. I ignored her, got ready, and left. I had important things to do today.

I went to the office to submit my resignation letter. My manager was surprised and tried to persuade me to stay, but I insisted on leaving. I had originally taken this job to be close to Sloane, to take care of her. But now, that was no longer necessary. Last night, I had a video call with my parents, telling them I was planning to quit my job and return home. I saw the tears of joy in my mom’s eyes. My dad’s health hasn’t been good lately, and he’s been struggling to run the small supermarket by himself. When I say “home,” it’s not some remote village, but a coastal city. Sloane had always refused to go back with me, saying she wasn’t used to the food there. So I left my parents to find work here with her. That evening, I met up with my friends for dinner and told them the news. They all agreed that going back was the right decision, as my parents’ health was more important. After a few drinks, someone suddenly asked, “What about Sloane? Is she willing to go back with you now?” I was silent for a moment, then smiled bitterly. “No, we’ll probably break up.” I used to think I could build a home here with Sloane, and then bring my parents over later. But now that home was gone, and I was returning to the one with my parents – the one that would never abandon me. When I got back home, I saw Sloane wearing a white dress, her black hair flowing loose, face perfectly made up, video chatting with Aiden on her phone. Aiden’s voice came through the speaker: “Snow, you look absolutely gorgeous. Even in a simple white dress, you look like a fairy!” Sloane giggled, covering her face coyly. “Really? You’re still such a sweet talker.” I stood there silently. This “simple” white dress had cost me a month’s salary when I bought it for her. Sloane turned around, still smiling, but her face fell when she saw me. She quickly told Aiden, “I have to go now. I’ll be there soon. Have a snack while you wait.” Sloane could be all smiles and care for Aiden, but she couldn’t even spare a smile for me. She looked at me with disgust, then walked past me to put on her shoes and leave. She was starting her cold treatment again. In the years we’ve been together, she often gave me the silent treatment over issues related to Aiden. Each time, I would be anxious, trying everything to please her. This time, I wasn’t nervous. I just took the groceries I had bought and went to the kitchen to make myself a late-night snack. I had been drinking with my friends earlier and hadn’t eaten much, so I was a bit hungry now. Over the next few days, I was busy handing over my work and packing my belongings. My things in the house were gradually disappearing, but Sloane didn’t notice.

Today, Sloane went out again to meet Aiden. I sat at the dining table, scrolling through my phone while eating. Aiden had posted on Instagram: “Whenever I feel lonely, you’re always there for me. I’m so grateful!” The photo showed Sloane and Aiden with their heads together, making peace signs at the camera. Sloane’s girlfriends were all commenting, admiring their relationship. They had always thought Sloane should be with Aiden, and that I was the third wheel interfering in their relationship. Looking at that Instagram post, I suddenly felt that Sloane’s friends weren’t wrong – they did look more like a couple. In the past, after enduring silently for a long time, I would gently remind Sloane to keep some distance from Aiden to avoid misunderstandings. Her friends would then mock me for being too controlling, saying I was suffocating Sloane and not giving her any freedom to have friends. Sloane never defended me. Instead, she joined them in criticizing me, telling me not to restrict her and to give her more freedom. Sloane had commented: “You’re always there for me too!” I exited Instagram without a ripple in my heart and got up to clear the table. Thunder rumbled outside. It was about to rain. I went to the balcony to bring in the laundry, and large raindrops began hitting the windows. In the past, whenever it rained, I would anxiously call Sloane to ask where she was and rush out with an umbrella to pick her up, afraid she might get even slightly wet. She and her friends would then laugh at me for being like an old woman, worrying too much and ruining their fun. I showered early and lay in bed scrolling through short videos, eventually falling asleep without realizing it. The sound of Sloane forcefully pushing open my bedroom door woke me up. Seeing that I was sleeping, she angrily questioned me. “Grant, it’s pouring outside, and your girlfriend isn’t home yet. Aren’t you worried at all? If it were my friends’ boyfriends, they’d be calling non-stop asking where they are and rushing out with umbrellas to pick them up! What about you?!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “307941”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #后宫Harem