I had been stationed at a medical outpost on the edge of the western desert for eight years. In the eighth year, just when I thought our long-distance relationship, stretched across over a thousand miles, was finally about to end, my transfer request was rejected again. The reason was always the same: “Key medical personnel in remote areas, transfer temporarily deferred.” With red-rimmed eyes, I dialed Ethan’s number, but a little girl answered the phone. “Are you looking for my daddy?” the little girl’s voice was soft and sweet. “Daddy is blow-drying Mommy’s hair. They’re going out for dinner soon.” Daddy? That word hit me like a bucket of ice water, freezing me to the core. I thought it had to be a wrong number. After all, everyone knew how deeply Ethan loved me. He came out to the desert to see me almost every month. Even if he could only stay for one weekend, he said it was worth it. He once said, “Sarah, when you come back, we’ll get married.” Sarah POV Through every harsh day when sandstorms raged, and through every lonely late night under a single lamp, I relied on that promise to hold on. So how could Ethan Bennett, who had always been waiting for me to return for our wedding, possibly have built a family with another woman and had a child? I was about to hang up when a deep, gentle voice suddenly sounded. “Emma, stop playing with the phone. We’re going out for dinner.” That male voice, so familiar it felt carved into my bones, came through the phone without warning. It was Ethan! In an instant, my whole body went stiff, and my mind went completely blank. Ethan was actually married, and he even had a child? I was just about to question him when I suddenly heard another woman’s voice follow, “Ethan, I heard Sarah’s approval document for her transfer back was rejected by you again?” At those words, my breathing stopped, and my eyes widened in disbelief. The person speaking was none other than her good friend, Mia Collins. Over the phone, Ethan gave a faint “Mm.” His casual response was like a sharp blade stabbing fiercely into my heart. “You can’t keep rejecting her applications forever,” Mia said with a sigh. “She’s already twenty-eight. If she stays there any longer, she’ll be past her prime. What good man with a decent background would want her in the future?” “Let’s talk about it next year,” Ethan said in a cold and calm tone. “If she comes back now, with her qualifications, this year’s promotion spot for attending surgeon might not be yours anymore.” Mia sounded a little hesitant. “But if you won’t let her transfer back for the sake of my promotion, won’t that be a little unfair to her?” “It’s fine. She’s soft-hearted and won’t mind,” Ethan paused, then said as if it were perfectly natural, “Besides, the desert also needs good doctors. She’s treating patients there too, so there’s no real difference.” The call ended without warning right there. My hand trembled uncontrollably as I held the phone, unable to believe everything I had just heard. Treating patients there too… What a convenient excuse. So there was no real difference. So it turned out that the biggest thing keeping me away all these eight years was Ethan. The same man who kept saying he loved me and couldn’t wait for me to come back so we could get married. And even in the year when I had the best chance of going back, he rejected my application again, just so Mia wouldn’t miss out on her promotion. I felt as if all the blood in my body had frozen, as if my whole heart had been cut into countless pieces by a blade, and my body shook like a sieve. I suddenly remembered that back then, when the medical team selected someone to support a remote area, the person originally chosen was Mia. Mia was her parents’ only child, and at the time, her mother happened to be seriously ill, so she nearly broke down when she learned she was about to be sent to the frontier. I looked at my friend’s pale face, then looked at Ethan, who was my boyfriend at the time. I remembered the flash of pain that crossed Ethan’s eyes then. Back then, I naively thought that the pain in Ethan’s eyes was sympathy for Mia’s situation. So my heart softened, and I volunteered to stand up and say, “I’ll go. I’m in good health, and I adapt well.” Ethan did not object to it, and he did not try to make me stay. He even expressed support. He held my hand, his gaze complicated, and only after a long time did he say, “Sarah, don’t worry. Once you’ve stayed there for a full year, I’ll find a way to transfer you back. I’ll let you suffer for this one year first, and I’ll wait for you to return.” Mia hugged me even harder and cried until she could not speak. “Sarah, thank you. You’re the best friend I’ll ever have in my life! When you come back, I’ll definitely be your bridesmaid!” But now, the man who said he would wait for me to return and the woman who said she would be my bridesmaid were together! My best friend had married the man I had spent my entire youth loving, and they even had a child! They had kept me in the dark and deceived me for a full eight years! How absurd, and how shameless! After returning to my dorm, I dragged a metal box out from under the bed. Inside were all the things Ethan had sent me over the past eight years, neatly stacked. There was a thick pile of letters, each one written in his handwriting, and every signature at the end was always “waiting for you.” Yet now, looking at those words again and at his caring lines in the letters, I only found them painfully ironic. There were also scarves, books, and other things he had sent me… I had once treasured every single item like a precious gift, and they had been the warmth and motivation that supported me through this harsh environment. But now their existence seemed to silently mock my stupidity and ridiculousness all these years. If not for that phone call, I might still have no idea that my best friend and the man I loved most had betrayed me long ago. My eyes were red, tears blurred my vision, and my heart felt as if it were being twisted by a knife, hurting so badly that even my breathing trembled. I never wanted to see these things again, so I threw them all into the fire pit one by one. I let everything I had once treasured be swallowed by the flames and burn to ashes. Just then, the station supervisor knocked on my door, his expression grave. “I just received news that your mother is critically ill and is being resuscitated at the hospital. They said you must go back as soon as possible no matter what!”

Sarah POV My mother was critically ill and being resuscitated? Hearing that shocking news, my vision went black, and I had to hold on to the doorframe to steady myself. But my transfer order had just been rejected, and leaving my post without permission would have serious consequences. I was so anxious that I paced in circles, and with no other choice, I went to the phone booth again and dialed the number I knew by heart once more. This time, Ethan himself answered the phone. “Ethan!” I begged with a choked voice. “My mom is critically ill and being resuscitated. Please help me find a way, okay? Let me go back and see my mom…” Back then, my parents had disagreed with my application to go far away to the western desert, but with Ethan’s support, I had stubbornly gone ahead and broken their hearts. At the time, I thought I was only going there for one short year and would not be separated from them for long. Unexpectedly, once I came here, it lasted eight years. For a full eight years, I could not go back to visit my parents. If I could go back, I would apologize to Mom and Dad in person and stay by their side properly. However, the other end of the phone was silent for a few seconds. Then Ethan refused me in his usual calm tone. “I already know about your mother’s condition. I’ll help you contact the best doctors, so just stay there.” “No!” I said in a panicked rush. “Ethan, my mom isn’t just sick. She’s being resuscitated! This might be the last time I get to see her…” “I know,” Ethan interrupted me with a hint of displeasure. “But under the current circumstances, even if you come back, it won’t help. The station needs you more.” My expression froze, as if I had heard something inside my chest shatter completely. I never imagined that at the critical moment when my mother was critically ill and being resuscitated, he would still be so heartless. Over the phone, Ethan said softly again, “Sarah, I want you to come back as soon as possible more than anyone. I’ll definitely transfer you back next year. But the prerequisite is that you don’t abandon your work without permission.” He wanted me to go back as soon as possible more than anyone? It was as if I had heard the biggest joke in the world, because the person who least wanted me to go back was clearly him, wasn’t it? Next year, and next year again… Over all these years, he had used eight next years to give me hope again and again, trapping me in this desert like I was a fool and spinning me in circles with his lies. Now that things had come to this, did he think I would still believe in some so-called next year? “Ethan,” I said with my nerves stretched tight, hearing myself ask him in an unusually calm voice, “what exactly am I to you?” After a brief silence, his slightly impatient voice came through. “Sarah, stop making trouble. Be good and follow the arrangements. After your transfer request is approved next year, I’ll personally go there and bring you back.” I was just about to speak when I suddenly heard a childish voice. “Daddy, you promised to take Mommy and me to the aquarium. When are we leaving?” “We’re going now.” The busy tone sounded, and the call was hung up. I stood frozen in place, endless cold sinking deep into my bones. My mother was on the brink of life and death in the emergency room, and he would not even let me go back to see her for the last time, while he himself was going to accompany Mia and their child to the aquarium? Was this the man I had loved for ten years? Was this my best friend? Endless disappointment turned into blade after blade, piercing my heart over and over. At that moment, I could not care about anything else, and a wild thought began to grow in my mind. I could not just sit there and wait helplessly. I had to go back and see my mother one last time! I turned and went to the station supervisor’s office, placing an application form on his desk. The station supervisor adjusted his glasses, looked it over, and stood up in shock. “Application to join the international peacekeeping medical team? Sarah, are you kidding me? Do you know what kind of place that is? It’s a conflict zone, the language is different, and there are infectious diseases! Once you go, it’s at least two years, and…” “Supervisor, I heard that team members who voluntarily sign up for the peacekeeping medical team get a half-month family visit leave before departure, and they also receive assistance with urgent family matters. Is that true?” “Yes, that rule exists, but…” “No buts.” I raised my head, my eyes slightly red, but my gaze was resolute. “My mother is critically ill. This is the only way I can get back to see her as soon as possible. Please approve it.” The station supervisor knew about her relationship with Ethan and hesitated. “Then have you discussed this with Director Bennett?” “My affairs,” I said coldly and firmly, “have nothing to do with him from now on.” That afternoon, the approval document stamped with a red seal came down. Along with it came a special emergency family visit leave slip and a bus ticket for the fastest route to the provincial train station. That evening, she boarded the bus leaving the station.

Sarah POV After two straight days of bumpy travel, I finally arrived in New York. On this journey, I had barely closed my eyes, and I was still wearing the old coat I had put on when I left the station. It was covered in travel dust, and my hair was a little messy. But I could not care about any of that. I did not even have time to go home and drop off my luggage. As soon as I got off the bus, I dragged my suitcase straight to the hospital. However, the moment I stepped into the hospital, my steps suddenly stopped. At the end of my line of sight, a familiar figure appeared before my eyes. The man stood tall and straight, wearing a well-tailored dark coat. His bearing was noble and gentle, and even among the bustling crowd, he was still the kind of person people noticed at a glance. It was Ethan. He was holding a little girl about five or six years old in his arms. The child lay weakly against his shoulder, her small face flushed with an abnormal redness, and she looked very unwell. And the woman standing beside him was none other than Mia. They were talking to a doctor in a white coat, and Mia reached out from time to time to touch the child’s forehead, her face full of worry, while Ethan tilted his head slightly and comforted her in a low voice. What a warm and harmonious scene for a family of three. I froze in place. Even though I had already known all of this from that phone call, and even though I had kept telling myself along the way to stay calm, not to care, and that it was not worth it. But when this scene truly crashed into my eyes, I still felt as if someone had stabbed me hard in the chest. Just then, Ethan seemed to sense something, and his gaze swept over casually. The moment our eyes met, his expression first turned shocked, then quickly became angry. “Sarah?” The words almost burst out of him, his tone full of disbelief. I withdrew my gaze, did not want to deal with him, and turned to leave. But I had just taken one step when Ethan stuffed the child into Mia’s arms, strode after me, and blocked my path in just a few steps. “Why are you here?” He looked me up and down, his gaze sweeping over my travel-worn appearance and the suitcase beside me. Instead of showing even a word of concern, he furrowed his brows. “Did you run back on your own?” His voice was very low and carried obvious anger. “Sarah Lane, do you know what kind of issue it is to leave your post without permission? Do you know you’ll be punished? This is absolutely reckless!” “I didn’t…” I had just tried to say that I had come back with approval, but Ethan cut me off and grabbed my arm with so much force that it hurt. “Come on. I’ll take you to the station and buy you the earliest ticket back. After you go back, write a proper self-criticism and accept the punishment!” He dragged me outside, his steps fast and urgent. He pulled me so hard that I stumbled and almost tripped. “Daddy!” Suddenly, from not far behind us, the child cried noisily, her voice full of tears. “Daddy, I want Daddy to hold me…” Ethan’s movements clearly paused. That word, Daddy, was like a needle stabbing into my eardrum. My face turned even uglier, and I forcefully shook off his hand, my voice as cold as ice. “Ethan, I don’t need you managing my affairs. If you have time to worry about whether I’ll be disciplined, you should go take care of your own daughter first!” Ethan froze, and a trace of guilt flashed quickly through his eyes. “Sarah, it’s not what you saw. I…” He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but Mia, who was walking over with the child in her arms, interrupted him. “Ethan.” Mia stopped in front of us, and when she looked at me, surprise and complicated emotions intertwined in her eyes. “Sarah, when did you come back? Why didn’t you tell us in advance? Ethan and I could have gone to pick you up.” Looking at her hypocritical face, my stomach churned, and I felt utterly disgusted. But I was anxious to see her mother now, and for the moment, I had neither the time nor the energy to settle accounts with them. Without saying a word, I pressed my lips together coldly, turned, and walked away. “Sarah!” Ethan instinctively stepped forward to chase after me. “Ethan.” Mia grabbed his sleeve with one hand and said anxiously and worriedly, “Emma has a high fever and feels awful right now. She keeps crying for you to hold her. Let’s take Emma to see the doctor first, okay?” The child lay on Mia’s shoulder, whimpering in discomfort, and called to him weakly, “Daddy… hold me…” Ethan stopped in his tracks. He looked back at his listless daughter, then looked at me. A few seconds later, he took the child. “Okay. Daddy will take you to the doctor.” When I had walked some distance away and could not help looking back, the three of them were already gone from the lobby. I could not help tugging my lips in a mocking smile. It turned out that whether he cared or not was so obvious, yet I only understood it today. All these years, I had truly been blind to love a man like that for so long.

Sarah POV I found my mother’s ward, and the moment I pushed open the door, my fingers were trembling. On the hospital bed, my mother lay with her eyes closed, her face sallow, and monitoring equipment surrounded the bedside. My father sat beside her, with far more white hair at his temples than I remembered, and he looked utterly exhausted. Hearing the door open, my father looked up. When he saw that the person standing in the doorway was the daughter he had not seen in eight years, my father froze for a long while, and his eyes instantly reddened. “Sarah?” My mother also slowly opened her eyes, her cloudy gaze focusing on my face. Her lips trembled a few times, and tears slid down from the corners of her eyes. “Sarah, I thought I wouldn’t get to see you before I died.” “Mom, please don’t say that.” I threw myself to the bedside and held my mother’s thin, bony hand. My throat felt as if something had blocked it, and for a long time, I could not speak. My father wiped his eyes and stood up. “I’ll go call the doctor.” The doctor came quickly, flipped through the medical record, and looked at the monitoring data, his expression not relaxed. “Ms. Lane, your mother’s condition… to be honest, it isn’t very optimistic.” My heart tightened. “Doctor, didn’t my mom already make it through resuscitation?” “She did make it through resuscitation,” the doctor sighed. “But your mother’s heart disease has been recurring again and again for so many years, and each time, her condition gets worse than the last. This time is especially serious. Although her vital signs are stable for now, she still needs continued observation, and whether she can completely get out of danger is still hard to say.” It had been recurring again and again for so many years, and her condition had gotten worse each time? I felt a chill rush up from the soles of my feet, and my whole body felt as if it had fallen into an ice cellar. I knew my mother’s heart was not good. All these years, every time I spoke with Ethan on the phone, I would ask about my parents’ health. Ethan always answered her, “Don’t worry. They’re both in good health.” “Your mom has been in good spirits recently.” “Everything is being watched over by me. Don’t worry.” He had never mentioned a single word about my mother’s heart disease recurring again and again, or that her condition was getting worse year by year! I had never doubted what he said, but he had even lied to me about something like this! I stood where I was, my hands ice-cold, my fingertips trembling. “Sarah?” My mother’s voice pulled back my thoughts. “Come here and let me take a good look at you.” I suppressed the surging emotions and sat back down beside the bed. My mother held my hand and carefully studied my face, her eyes full of heartache. “You’ve lost weight. You must have suffered a lot over there.” “It wasn’t hard, Mom. I’m doing fine.” “Silly girl, I know you don’t like to complain.” My mother caught her breath and said weakly, “My body is getting worse year by year, and I probably don’t have many years left. I only have one wish now, and that is to see you get married.” She tightened her grip on my hand. “Since you’re back this time, pick a date and marry Ethan. You two have been together for so many years, and he has been waiting for you all this time. It hasn’t been easy for him.” A sharp pain twisted at the tip of my heart, as if it were being cut back and forth by a dull knife. I lowered my lashes and shook my head bitterly. “Mom, this marriage… I won’t go through with it.” My mother froze, and my father also looked stunned. “Everything was fine, so why are you suddenly saying you won’t get married?” My mother grew anxious and struggled to sit up. “Did something happen? Did you and Ethan fight?” I opened my mouth, but I did not know how to say it. How was I supposed to tell my mother that the man everyone thought was waiting for me to come back and marry him had already had a wife and child long ago? How was I supposed to tell my mother that the future son-in-law our whole family trusted had not only hidden his marriage and child from me, but had also hidden my mother’s illness from me and deceived me again and again? In everyone’s eyes, once I returned, I should marry Ethan. After all, everyone knew about our relationship of so many years, everyone knew he was waiting for me, and everyone thought we were a match made in heaven. But what was the truth? He had turned my eight years of trust and deep love into a complete joke. But I could not say these things. If I said them, my mother would worry. If I said them, my mother might become so angry that her condition would worsen. I took a deep breath and forced out a smile. “Mom, we didn’t fight. I have something else going on.” She paused, then made up an excuse. “I’ve applied for an opportunity to study abroad, and the higher-ups have already approved it. I only have half a month to come back and stay with you, and after half a month, I have to leave.” “Study abroad?” Mom and Dad looked at each other, both stunned. “Mm.” I nodded. “So the wedding can only be put on hold for now.” As soon as I finished speaking, the ward door was suddenly shoved open. I turned back and saw Ethan stride in, his face terrifyingly dark. “Who’s going abroad? Going to what country?”

Sarah POV My expression instantly turned cold, and my voice held no warmth at all. “This is my business. It has nothing to do with you.” Ethan’s brows were tightly knitted. “How does it have nothing to do with me? You were transferred from our hospital to the western desert, and you can’t come back without approval. But what did you do?” His tone was stern. “You have no sense of responsibility. You left your post without permission and snuck back here, and now you’re making up some excuse about going abroad? Sarah, do you know how terrible an impact this will cause?” Listening to his series of questions and accusations, I sneered in my heart. So after all these years, it turned out that in his heart, I was this kind of irresponsible person. He did not even have the most basic trust in me. Ethan stopped looking at me and turned toward my parents by the hospital bed, his tone easing a little yet still heavy. “Sarah snuck back this time. If she’s found out, the consequences will be unimaginable. I have to send her back immediately, and I hope you can understand.” My mother’s face went pale, and my father froze too, looking at me in disbelief. “Sarah, did you really sneak back?” “No.” I frowned and explained to my parents, “I came back with approval.” I took the leave slip out of my coat pocket and handed it over. Ethan reached out first and snatched the paper. Without even looking at it, he tore the leave slip into scraps in his hand the next second. “Sarah!” He flung the scraps into the air and said darkly, “You actually dare to forge a leave slip. That makes your offense even worse!” Seeing the family visit leave slip I had only gotten by joining the international peacekeeping medical team be torn apart without hesitation by him, I was so angry that my whole body shook. “Ethan, what right do you have to tear up my leave slip? Are you insane?” Ethan’s eyes grew even darker, and without giving me any chance to argue, he grabbed my arm with one hand, his grip so strong it felt like he was going to crush my bones. “Come on. You’re coming back with me right now. I’ll help you fight for a lighter punishment as much as possible!” “Let go of me!” I struggled desperately, but he was too strong, and I was dragged two staggering steps toward the door. Just then, my mother’s urgent cry came from behind me. “Sarah!” I turned back and saw my mother anxiously struggling to sit up from the bed, her face pale, gasping for breath, and reaching out as if she wanted to grab something. “Sarah.” Before the words fell, my mother’s body went limp, and she collapsed straight back onto the bed, closing her eyes. The monitor suddenly let out a piercing alarm. “Mom!” I did not know where the strength came from, but I suddenly shook off Ethan’s hand and threw myself to the bedside. My father was also terrified and shouted with a trembling voice, “Wake up!” “Mom! Mom, don’t scare me!” I frantically pressed the call button at the head of the bed, my voice hoarse and broken. “Doctor! Doctor, hurry! Someone come quickly!” The doctor soon rushed over, checked my mother’s condition, and looked grave. “The patient’s condition is critical. She must be resuscitated immediately.” “Then resuscitate her!” I was so anxious that tears fell straight down. “What are you standing there for? Hurry!” But the doctor did not move. He stood there, his gaze passing over me and turning toward Ethan, who stood at the door. I followed his gaze and instantly understood. This was Ethan’s hospital. Here, his power was greater than the sky. Ethan met my eyes, his expression calm and his tone flat. “Sarah, as long as you’re willing to honestly go back to the desert with me and accept the punishment, I’ll immediately arrange for people to resuscitate your mother, use the best imported medicine, and guarantee her safety.” My breathing stopped, and all the blood in my body seemed to freeze at that moment. I looked in disbelief at the man before me, the man I had loved for a full ten years and once thought I would spend my whole life with. To keep Mia from losing her promotion spot, he was actually using my mother’s life to force me back to that desert? All my disappointment, anger, and sorrow broke through my chest like a flood. But as I looked at my mother’s pale face on the hospital bed, unconscious and unmoving, every second of delay meant another degree of danger for her. So at that moment, I could not explode, and I could not go against him. The most important thing right now was to save my mother first, because nothing mattered more than her safety. I clenched my hands tightly, my nails digging into my palms, desperately holding back all my emotions. “Fine.” I heard my own voice, barely forced out of my throat. “I’ll go back with you.” Only then did Ethan smile in satisfaction. “If you had listened this obediently earlier, she wouldn’t have passed out from anger again.” Hearing that sentence, I felt cold all over. I thought, it’s fine. Once I return, the supervisor can prove she came back with approval.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “449018”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

On the day my physical therapist husband, Ethan, got promoted, I received a photo from a coworker. In the therapy room, Ethan was holding his ex-girlfriend’s waist. They were staring into each other’s eyes, and he was leaning over her, pinning her down on the table. I printed that photo out and placed it on the nightstand. Late that night, Ethan came home smelling of sweet orange blossom cologne. He froze when he saw the photo on the nightstand, but quickly recovered and started explaining. “Avery, you know this is just my job.” “The area where she feels pain is very sensitive. I had to find the exact angle to apply pressure. This photo is just a bad camera angle.” I pulled the blanket tighter around myself. “Okay. Go to sleep. You still have to do her pelvic alignment therapy tomorrow.” He looked surprised. “You don’t mind?” I shook my head. He just couldn’t let go of his first love. It was fine. I happened to have one of my own, too. Seeing that I had nothing more to say, Ethan went to take a shower. The posture in that photo didn’t look like physical therapy at all. It looked like an embrace. The photo was sent to me by Mia, a nurse in the physical therapy department. We had interned at the hospital together. She had only attached one sentence. “Avery, I’m not trying to stir up drama, but Dr. Ethan has been doing this every single day for the past six months.” After his shower, Ethan walked over, sat on the edge of the bed, and reached out to ruffle my hair. “Avery, Chloe’s lower back injury is serious. Ordinary physical therapy doesn’t work for her. I have to get close to find the right trigger points.” “I was just treating a patient.” I turned my head to avoid his hand and stared at the ceiling. “I know.” “She’s a prima ballerina. Her rehearsals have been intense lately, and her lower back muscles are spasming again. I don’t trust any other therapist to handle it.” “I know.” “You know my skills. I’m the best in the department.” I finally turned my head and offered a faint smile. “I know, Dr. Ethan. You’re a saint.” He continued to justify himself. “She and I broke up a long time ago. We’re just regular friends now.” I didn’t reply. I knew exactly how deep their history ran. Since Chloe returned to the country two years ago, she had never truly left his life. She strained a muscle during rehearsal, her old injuries flared up, she couldn’t sleep and needed him to come over for a massage. On the night we went to the courthouse to sign our marriage license, she sent a Snapchat at 11 PM. “My back is locked up again! I can’t move! It hurts so bad!” Ethan had just taken off his coat. After reading the message, he didn’t say a word and tied his sneakers back on. I stopped him. “Does it have to be tonight?” “She’s alone in her apartment. No one is there to take care of her.” I sat on the edge of the bed and lowered my head. He leaned down and tucked the blanket around me. “I’ll be back soon. I’ll take you to get our courthouse wedding photos tomorrow morning.” He didn’t return until three in the morning. There was a trace of orange blossom massage oil on his collar. He explained that it “rubbed off while massaging her.” I didn’t throw a tantrum. I didn’t argue. I just remembered the date. Every time Chloe was brought up, he would always say, “She’s my patient. It’s my job.” The more fragile she acted, the more patient he became. The more demanding she was, the harder it was for him to say no. Everyone said they had never truly broken up. I, his legal wife, felt like a mere prop in their love story. Ethan wanted to say something more, but his phone buzzed. He glanced at it, his expression changing slightly, and silenced it. “It’s probably her. She gets anxious before big shows.” I closed my eyes. “Answer it. In case she can’t sleep again tonight and ruins her rehearsal tomorrow.” He didn’t answer. He placed his phone face down on the nightstand, turned around, and pulled me into his arms. “Don’t overthink it, babe. She and I are ancient history.” I didn’t hug him back. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my lower abdomen, as if someone had pinched me from the inside. I frowned but didn’t say a word. Even if I told him, he wouldn’t care right now anyway.

At six-thirty the next morning, Chloe’s call came in right on time. “Ethan, I can’t do the rehearsal. I seriously can’t even lift my back.” Ethan’s voice carried a hint of helpless indulgence. “Chloe, you’ve been dancing ballet for over a decade. You’re not a rookie.” Chloe whimpered over the line. “Would it kill you to comfort me a little?” He was silent for two seconds, his tone softening. “Fine. I’ll head over after my morning rounds. I’ll put a pain patch on you first.” Chloe immediately pushed further. “After that, you have to buy me breakfast and help me stretch my legs.” Ethan let out a low chuckle. “Maybe I should just apply to be your dance company’s full-time doctor.” “Oh, I wish! Do you dare? Will your wife mind, though?” The bathroom door was ajar, and I heard every single word. He hung up, turned around, and froze when he saw me standing there. “She’s just really stressed before the show.” My face was expressionless. “You really take great care of her.” “Maybe you should apply for that full-time gig.” He frowned. “Avery.” Another wave of sharp pain shot up from deep inside my abdomen. I grabbed the doorframe, my voice hoarse. “Move.” I rushed into the bathroom, kneeling by the toilet and dry-heaving. Nothing came up, but cold sweat kept pouring down my face. Ethan stood at the door. He didn’t come closer, only frowning. “Did you skip dinner again last night?” I gasped for air. “My stomach… it hurts.” He took one look at my pale face and spoke in a cold, detached tone. “Lower back strain can compress the sciatic nerve, causing referred pain in the abdomen. It’s normal.” “You’ve been staying up late editing videos lately. Your posture is terrible. That’s why you’re hurting.” I froze, my fingers gripping the edge of the sink tightly. “It’s not my back.” He acted like he didn’t hear me. He grabbed a tissue and wiped the doorknob. “You never say anything when you’re uncomfortable. You only play the victim when the pain becomes unbearable. It’s exhausting, Avery.” He glanced down at his watch. “I have to do Chloe’s physical therapy this morning, and I have a consultation this afternoon. I can’t stay.” “There are painkillers in the medicine cabinet. Take two.” He paused before adding, “Make sure to turn on the exhaust fan when you’re done. Don’t leave a smell for others.” The moment the door slammed shut, another wave of intense pain hit me. I couldn’t even stand straight. A metallic taste rose in my throat. I leaned against the wall for a long time, suddenly feeling a deep sense of irony. He had all the patience in the world to find the perfect angle for every inch of Chloe’s spine, but he found my pain “exhausting” and unseemly. So, his medical ethics were reserved only for certain people. He grabbed his bag and left without looking back. I wiped my face, ordered an Uber by myself, and went to the hospital.

When the doctor handed me the ultrasound report, her face was grave. “The embryo is implanted very low, right near your previous scar. Continuing this pregnancy carries a massive risk.” I stared at the blurry shadow on the screen, unable to speak for a long time. The doctor’s tone softened. “In this situation, it’s best to make a decision with a family member. Should we contact your husband?” I opened my mouth, only to realize that the only name I could call was Ethan. My parents had passed away early. When I finally got married to Ethan, I thought I finally had a family. But now, when the doctor asked for family, I was holding the paper with freezing fingers. Leaving the clinic, I stood on the steps and called Ethan. No answer. I sent him a text. “I have an emergency. Come home now.” I took a cab back. When I walked in, a pair of pink ballet flats was kicked off at the entryway. In the living room, Chloe was curled up on our sofa, one leg resting on the coffee table, her ankle wrapped in an elastic bandage. Ethan was kneeling in front of her, his fingers gently tracing her foot, massaging it with professional care. “Did you twist it again during rehearsal?” he asked. “I didn’t land cleanly,” Chloe said, frowning, her voice dropping into a soft whine. “Ethan, am I going to be out for another two weeks?” “The fascia is tight. Don’t rush back to the stage.” He pinched her ankle. “Does this hurt?” “Yes,” Chloe whispered, her eyes curved as she looked at him. “But it doesn’t hurt when you’re here.” “I’m here,” he said. Those two words. Since we got married, I had almost never heard him say them to me. Another wave of pain hit my abdomen. I gripped the entryway cabinet, my knuckles turning white. Only then did Ethan look up and see me. “Where have you been? You look pale.” I opened my mouth to say “I went to the hospital,” but Chloe spoke first with a sigh. “Avery, please don’t misunderstand! My ankle was so swollen I couldn’t walk. Ethan was worried about me taking an Uber alone, so he brought me here to treat it.” I didn’t look at her. I only looked at Ethan. “I need to talk to you.” Before he could answer, Chloe suddenly let out a sharp gasp. “Ethan, my toes are going numb.” He immediately looked down to check her ankle joint again, his voice softening even more. “Don’t move. The ligament is still loose. Give it a minute.” I stood there, clutching my purse strap. I tried again. “Ethan, can you please take me to the hospital?” Chloe grabbed his wrist at that exact moment. “Did I break a bone? Why is it hurting more and more?” Ethan frowned as he examined her foot, not even looking up. “Avery, if you’re not feeling well, go lie down for a bit. I’ll come check on you once I’m done here.” “No need.” I turned and walked back to the bedroom, shoving the ultrasound report into the very bottom drawer of my vanity. That night, Ethan knocked on my door. “The guest room is too damp. Let Chloe sleep in our bed tonight. You can crash in the guest room for one night.” I opened the door. Chloe had already walked into our master bedroom with a glass of warm water. She sat directly on the edge of my bed, reaching into the nightstand drawer to look for pain patches. The very bottom drawer held my ultrasound report. I pressed my hand against the drawer. “Don’t touch that. I’ll get it for you.” But Chloe’s fingers had already brushed against something else in another compartment. A box of unopened birth control pills. She raised an eyebrow and smiled. “You guys have been married for so long, and you’re still using these?” She shot Ethan a meaningful look. “Didn’t you use to hate these? You always said you never wanted kids in this lifetime.” Ethan’s face shifted. “That’s enough.” “Did I say something wrong?” Chloe’s smile didn’t fade. “You said it yourself. If you ever have a child, it would only be with me.” The room fell dead silent. I looked at Ethan. He avoided my gaze. So, all these years, he wasn’t being considerate by not pressuring me to have kids. He had already made the decision for me. My abdomen seized with another sharp pain. Clutching the edge of the cabinet, cold sweat beaded on my forehead. I pulled the ultrasound report out from the drawer and walked toward the door. “Avery, where are you going?” he called out from behind. I didn’t look back. Where else could I go? To take care of a child he never planned to have, and never deserved to know about.

By the time I reached the hospital, I couldn’t even stand straight from the pain. The ER doctor looked at my ultrasound and blood test results, her face darkening. “There’s a high probability of an ectopic pregnancy rupture. You could bleed out at any moment. We need to admit you immediately and prepare for emergency surgery!” I leaned against the chair in the examination room, my back soaked in cold sweat. “Where is your family?” the doctor asked. “This kind of surgery requires emergency consent and someone to stay with you.” I was silent for a long time. Finally, I dialed Ethan’s number. It rang for a long time before he picked up. In the background, I could hear Chloe’s whiny, tearful voice. “Ethan, my foot is swelling up again. Come look at it…” Ethan’s voice instantly softened. “Don’t move, babe. I’m coming.” I spoke into the receiver. “Ethan, come to the Medical Center.” His voice grew cold. “If you’re really not feeling well, just let the doctors handle it. What good is me going there?” “The doctor said I need next of kin to sign the consent form.” My voice was so quiet I could barely hear myself. “I don’t have any other family. I can only call you.” The other end went silent for two seconds. Then, a frustrated sigh came through the speaker. “Avery, stop doing this. I know you’re an orphan and grew up in a foster home, and I get that you have abandonment issues. But you can’t use that to guilt-trip me every single time.” Those words felt like a needle stabbing straight into my eardrum. I doubled over in pain, my vision going black. The call was disconnected. I stared at the dark screen, my legs giving out. He knew exactly how alone I was in this world, yet he used that very vulnerability as an excuse to push me away. I braced myself against the wall, stood up, and scrolled through my contacts to a number I hadn’t dialed in years. He picked up on the first ring. “Avery?” My voice trembled with pain. “Can you come to the hospital?” There was a brief silence, followed by the sound of a chair scraping back. “Text me the address. I’m on my way.” … That evening, Ethan took Chloe to a college reunion party. After a few rounds of drinks, someone started a game of Truth or Dare, and the bottle spun and pointed at Ethan. “Ethan, be honest. If Chloe hadn’t gone abroad back then, would you two have been married by now?” The room went quiet for a second, followed by a chorus of suggestive laughter. Chloe leaned against his side, lowering her head with a smile. “Stop teasing, guys. Ethan’s been married for three years.” Despite her words, her hand slid over his. Ethan didn’t pull away. Someone yelled, “You’re holding hands and telling us to stop teasing? Answer the question, Dr. Ethan!” He raised his glass. “Next question.” The laughter grew louder. Chloe took his phone, wanting to take a selfie. Her finger paused over the passcode screen. It was still her birthday. “You never changed the passcode,” she whispered, her eyes curving as she leaned against his shoulder for a photo. “My back is still stiff. Block the angle for me.” Ethan frowned slightly but still turned his body to block the camera light for her. Someone asked if they could post the picture on Instagram. He said casually, “Go ahead. My wife doesn’t check my social media anyway.” He paused, then added, “She’s been in a weird mood lately. Always complaining about not feeling well.” The laughter slowly died down. A female colleague in the corner, Sarah, suddenly looked up. “Are you saying Avery is faking it?” “Obviously.” Sarah’s expression changed. “But yesterday, I was at the Medical Center, and I saw Avery being rushed into the ER. A man was supporting her.” “The doctor said it was an ectopic pregnancy rupture. She was hemorrhaging. The guy who signed the consent form wasn’t you.”

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I had just announced our engagement dinner to my coworkers in the work group when Ethan’s childhood best friend, Vicky, dropped a bombshell in the chat. “Chloe. How dare you ask Ethan for $8 million for the wedding?” “Ethan’s parents had to sell their family home just to satisfy your greed. Aren’t you afraid of killing them?” In less than ten minutes, everyone at the office branded me as a gold-digger. I was shaking with rage. The total budget for Ethan’s and my wedding was only twenty-eight thousand dollars. I went to confront Vicky, but she immediately started playing the victim, crying in the group chat. “I’m so sorry, everyone. I shouldn’t have mentioned the $8 million at work. I didn’t think about Chloe’s reputation.” Overnight, I became public enemy number one. The internet tore me to pieces. Ethan never said a single word to defend me. My dad was harassed and bullied at his construction site. He fell from a scaffold and never woke up. In the end, consumed by depression, I jumped from the roof of our apartment building. But then, I woke up. I had been reborn. This time, I didn’t argue with Vicky. Instead, I took screenshots and screen recordings of every single message she sent. Then, I tagged Vicky in the chat: “Please show everyone the evidence that I demanded $8 million.” “If you can’t, my lawyer will see you in court.”

The moment I sent that message, the chaotic group chat went dead silent for a few seconds. Vicky was quick to reply. “Chloe, is there any need to be so hostile? I just couldn’t bear to watch this happen.” “Ethan is such a sweet guy. Look how far you’ve pushed him.” I stared at the screen. My fingers were steady, showing none of the panic of someone who had just died a horrific death. “Stop changing the subject.” “An eight-million-dollar demand, selling the house, and draining his elderly parents.” “Give me proof for these three claims.” Some coworkers started chiming in. “But seriously, eight million is insane. Chloe, did you really ask for that much?” “Trying to hit the jackpot in one go, huh?” “Ethan is too nice. He’s probably too embarrassed to say anything.” I ignored them and messaged my best friend, Mia, directly. “Someone is spreading rumors in the company chat, calling me a gold-digger. I’ve already recorded everything.” She replied instantly. “Don’t argue with them. Just keep saving every piece of cyberbullying.” I turned back to the work group and pressed Vicky. “Vicky, I’ll give you ten minutes.” “If you can’t produce a bank transfer of eight million, a house sales contract, or a prenuptial agreement signed by me, I am calling the police for defamation.” Vicky replied with a crying emoji. “I’m not the bad guy here. I just feel bad for Ethan.” “If you’re going to be this heartless, how do you expect to live with Ethan’s family in the future?” Finally, Ethan showed up. He sent only one line. “Chloe, stop making a scene. Everyone is watching.” My heart went cold, aching with a familiar pain. “Ethan, did I ever ask your family for eight million dollars?” The chat went silent again. Ethan didn’t reply. But Vicky jumped right back in. “Don’t force him! He’s caught in the middle and it’s already so hard for him! If you really love him, can’t you save him some dignity?” I laughed. What a disgusting pair. I uploaded a screenshot of my chat with Ethan’s mother, Jennifer, directly into the group. It clearly showed our conversation: The total wedding cost was exactly twenty-eight thousand dollars. Jennifer had even replied with a smiley face: “Chloe, you are so sensible. I love you.” Some coworkers immediately started changing their tunes. “Wait, the wedding only cost twenty-eight thousand?” “Then where did the eight million come from?” “Did Vicky get her facts wrong?” Vicky went silent. Ethan went silent too. But very quickly, the screenshots of our internal company chat were leaked to social media. Strangers who knew nothing about the truth started calling me a gold-digger on Twitter. Mia sent me a voice note. “Chloe, the rumor is spreading fast on social media. Make sure you back up all the chat logs.” I logged onto the company network, exported the chat history, and submitted it to an online notary for digital evidence preservation. Just as I finished, my manager, Marcus Vance, messaged me. “Come to the conference room. Now.”

Three people were waiting for me inside. Marcus, the HR Director Rachel Hughes, and Ethan. Vicky was nowhere to be seen. She was crying her eyes out online, but in reality, she was hiding safely in the shadows. Rachel closed the door and spoke in a gentle, patronizing tone. “Chloe, please sit.” “We’ve seen what happened. The company understands your frustration.” “But this is a personal matter, and it’s already affecting the team’s productivity.” “For next week’s client presentation, we think it’s best if you step back temporarily.” I looked up at her. “The liar gets to keep working, while the victim gets kicked off the project?” Marcus frowned. “Chloe, don’t make it sound so ugly.” “The company isn’t punishing you. We are protecting you.” I fired back. “Protecting me by taking my name off the project?” “Or protecting Vicky so she can keep spreading lies in the company chat?” Marcus’s face darkened. Ethan finally spoke. “Chloe, can you please grow up? Vicky just has a hot temper. She didn’t mean any harm.” I looked at him and let out a cold laugh. “And what about you? Did you mean any harm? Why didn’t you explain to everyone that I never asked for eight million dollars?” Ethan avoided my eyes. “Can’t we talk about this in private? There’s no need to corner me in the work chat.” I nodded. “Fine. Let’s make it clear right now. Did I take your money?” Rachel coughed. “Chloe, there’s no need to discuss these details at work.” “Yes, there is.” I looked directly at her. “The rumor started in the company chat.” Rachel’s expression hardened. “Are you saying you don’t trust the company?” I smiled. “Oh, I know this company all too well.” In my past life, the company was preparing for a funding round. They didn’t want the scandal of an “employee demanding a multi-million dollar for wedding” to trend on social media. They suspended me and forced me to write a public apology online. They made me sign a statement admitting that “my personal relationship issues had brought negative publicity to the company.” I had signed it back then. That piece of paper was later posted online by Vicky. It became the ultimate “proof” of my guilt, showing that I had admitted to my mistakes because I was guilty. This time, I wouldn’t sign a single dirty piece of paper. I pulled out a printed formal request for an internal investigation from my bag. Marcus spoke up. “Don’t turn a small issue into a massive scandal.” I didn’t back down. “It is already a massive scandal.” Suddenly, Rachel’s phone buzzed. She glanced at it, and her face turned pale. “Chloe, did you offend some influencer?” She handed her phone to me. On TikTok, a drama channel had already uploaded a video. The title was eye-catching and disgusting: “Tech Manager Demands $8 Million For Her Wedding; Groom’s Parents Forced to Sell Family Home.” The comment section was a toxic mess. “Another gold-digger.” “The guy needs to run fast.” “Someone expose her company. Don’t let clients support a woman like this.” Staring at those words, a strange sense of calm washed over me. I sent the video link to Mia. As I walked out of the conference room, Ethan chased after me. He lowered his voice, hissing. “Chloe, have you had enough?” “How are my parents supposed to face the world now because of you?” “They didn’t sell their house, so why can’t they face the world?” Ethan froze, his face turning pale.

At 7 PM, I got back to my apartment. There was a paper bag sitting at my doorstep. There was no return address. It only had a handwritten note: “An $8 million bride, but only worth $80 a night.” I didn’t touch it. I pulled out my phone and recorded it first. In my past life, I had been so hysterical that I tore the package to shreds and threw it away. Later, when I called the police, they asked for evidence, and all I could do was sob. This time, I called the building management and asked them to pull the security footage. The bag had been delivered by a courier wearing a face mask. The sender’s number was blocked. I posted a formal update in the company WhatsApp group: “An offensive package was left at my doorstep. I have contacted the police and secured the building’s security footage. I will prosecute anyone involved.” As soon as that message went out, several coworkers who had been mocking me immediately deleted their previous comments. Too late. I had already screenshotted everything. When Mia arrived at my apartment, she was carrying her laptop. She opened it and her fingers flew across the keyboard. “I tracked the social media source. It was Vicky who leaked the company chat screenshots to those gossip accounts.” Suddenly, my phone rang. It was my mom. “Chloe, your dad got into a fight with someone on his way home from work today.” I bolted upright. “Is he okay? Where is he?” My mom quickly explained. “He’s fine, he’s at home. It’s just… some people at the construction site gates were saying nasty things. They said you demanded eight million dollars and were driving Ethan’s parents to suicide. Your dad couldn’t stand it and got into a fight with them.” My fists clenched tightly, my nails digging into my palms. My dad had been an honest, hard-working safety officer his entire life. He hated being slandered more than anything. In my past life, under the crushing weight of the rumors, he had been distracted at work, fell from the scaffolding, and died. In this life, I would never let anything happen to him. “Mom, listen to me. Don’t let Dad go to the site tomorrow. I’ve booked a full medical checkup for him.” My mom panicked. “Chloe, what on earth is going to happen?” “Someone is trying to ruin me, and they are targeting you and Dad too.” Silence fell over the line for a few seconds. Then, my mom’s voice started to tremble. “Chloe, don’t be scared. I understand.” I immediately called Robert, the manager at my dad’s construction site. Robert had worked with my dad for over a decade. After hearing what happened, he cursed loudly over the phone. “What kind of sick bastard would do this? Don’t worry, Chloe. I’ll approve your dad’s paid leave for tomorrow.” “We have cameras at the main gate. I’ll have the security team pull the footage and see who was harassing him today.” After hanging up, I contacted the local mail distribution center near my parents’ house. I instructed them to hold any anonymous packages addressed to my parents, telling my mom to only open them while recording a video. At midnight, Ethan sent me a text. “Chloe, my mom has been crying all night. Are you happy now that things have gotten this out of hand?” I replied: “Why is she crying? Because her lies got exposed?” He didn’t reply. But ten minutes later, Vicky posted a photo on her Snapchat story. It was Ethan’s mother sitting on the sofa, wiping away tears. The caption read: “She told me that as long as her son is happy, she doesn’t care if she has to sell the family home.” Mia sneered beside me. “She’s really putting on a show.” I saved the photo and sent it to a friend who worked as a real estate agent. “Can you do me a favor and check if the Cooper family’s house has had any recent listing or transaction records?” The next morning at 9 AM, Rachel sent me an email. The company had decided to suspend me from all client-facing communications. My project was temporarily handed over to Vicky. I laughed out loud. The person who started the rumors was taking over my project.

At noon, Vicky finally posted her “evidence.” Three images. The first was a fake “prenuptial demand.” It stated: The bride, Chloe Davis, demands the groom, Ethan Cooper, pay $8 million for the wedding. If he refuses, the wedding is off. My signature at the bottom was a shaky, forged mess. The second was a fake bank receipt. Sender: Jennifer Cooper. Receiver: Chloe Davis. Amount: $8,000,000.00. The third was a fake home sales contract. The sellers listed were Ethan’s parents. Vicky sent a voice note in the WhatsApp work group. “I really didn’t want to post these. But Chloe kept pushing me.” “I just want everyone to know how hard it is for Ethan’s family.” The chat erupted instantly. “The eight million is real?!” “This is terrifying. She was scheming even before the wedding.” Looking at those three images, I almost laughed. The background of the desk in the photo of the fake agreement showed Vicky’s signature pink mousepad. In my past life, I had pointed this out in a panic. But back then, no one believed me. This time, I didn’t try to argue in the chat. I simply typed: “Received.” “To everyone in this chat, please do not delete these messages.” “I will be submitting these for forensic analysis.” After sending that, I saved the high-resolution images and uploaded them to a secure digital evidence platform. Mia was already on the move. She contacted the bank’s customer service through official means to verify the format of the receipt. My real estate friend also messaged me back: “The Cooper house has no transaction history. It wasn’t even listed on the market.” Just as I stepped out of the office building, an unknown number sent me a text. It was a photo of my dad’s identification and his construction site address. Below it was a single line: “Call off the wedding now, or your family’s personal info goes public.”

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During the category 4 hurricane evacuation, my mother completely ignored my broken leg. She pushed me off the rescue boat with her own hands, forcing me to give up my spot for my sister. “Mom, my leg is broken. I want to go with you…” “Stop being so dramatic!” “You’re the older one. You should let Chloe go first!” “You’re a grown girl, why are you being so selfish? Do you really have to fight with Chloe at a time like this?” I never showed up at the shelter. When others urged her to call me, she just sneered. “She’s just throwing a tantrum to make me worry!” “I always knew Hazel was an ungrateful brat! She’s doing this on purpose, ignoring my Snapchat messages and calls!” “If you’re so brave, don’t you dare ever call me again!” But, Mom, I wasn’t throwing a tantrum. I just didn’t have the chance to answer anymore. The hurricane howled, carrying a torrential downpour that quickly flooded the first floor of our house. The crowd of evacuees huddled on the second-floor balcony, everyone desperately trying to get onto the rescue boat. My jeans were soaked in blood. Just minutes ago, when we were running downstairs, my half-sister Chloe had shoved me from behind, sending me tumbling down the steps. I grit my teeth, trying to stand by putting all my weight on my uninjured leg. But the moment I managed to crawl onto the boat, a cold, firm hand gripped my shoulder. I looked up. It was my mother, Eleanor. Without a single word, she violently shoved me off the deck. “Hazel, get off! Get off right now! Give your spot to Chloe!” Her voice was frantic, but there wasn’t a shred of warmth in it. I crashed onto the wet ground. A sharp, blinding pain shot up my spine. My injured leg went completely numb. Our neighbor, Mrs. Gable, gasped in horror and tried to stop her. “Eleanor, Hazel’s leg is badly hurt! Let her stay on the boat! Let her go!” But Eleanor didn’t hesitate. “She’s fine. Hazel is tough. Besides, she’s practically an adult. She can wait for the next boat.” She said it so casually, her voice dripping with impatience. My heart sank into a cold abyss. My vision blurred. After pushing me away, Eleanor turned around and pulled Chloe into a tight embrace on the boat. Chloe wrapped her arms around Eleanor’s waist, tears streaming down her face, refusing to let go. “Mom, please, I want to go with you too…” my voice cracked, muffled by the rain. Eleanor looked down at me, her eyes freezing cold. “You are the older sister, Hazel. You should let Chloe have this. Why are you still trying to compete with her at a time like this?” “But my leg is broken! Mom…” “Enough! Stop being so dramatic. Be responsible for once. Your leg isn’t going to fall off. Can’t you just wait for the next trip?” She gently patted Chloe’s back, soothing her like a precious baby. It was a gentle touch she had never, not once, given to me. The rescue boat’s engine roared to life. As I watched their silhouettes fade into the grey sheet of rain, my chest felt completely hollow. Mrs. Gable’s voice cut through the wind. “Ever since you divorced her father, Hazel lived with Grandma Martha. She barely comes visit you. How can you be so cruel to her?” Eleanor sighed, her voice laced with irritation. “Just looking at her face makes my stomach turn. She ruins my mood.” I stood there alone. Rain mixed with tears flowed down my cheeks. The entire world suddenly felt incredibly distant and freezing cold.

After they were evacuated, they were taken to the local high school gymnasium, which was serving as a temporary red cross shelter. The voice from the emergency radio broadcast drew everyone’s attention: “Latest update—water levels in the southeast district are rising rapidly. Debris has blocked the main roads, making it extremely difficult for rescue teams to enter…” An anxious chatter broke out in the gym. Hearing this, Mrs. Gable immediately rushed to Eleanor’s side. She lowered her voice, her eyes wide with panic. “Eleanor, did you hear that? The water is rising too fast in the southeast! Our neighborhood is right in that zone. You need to contact Hazel right now to see if she made it out!” Eleanor merely frowned. There was no panic on her face. She just waved her hand dismissively. “She’ll be fine. Hazel knows how to swim. Nothing will happen to her.” Her tone was so indifferent, as if she were talking about a complete stranger rather than her own daughter. Mrs. Gable snapped, grabbing Eleanor’s arm. “Her leg was ruined! Aren’t you worried at all? It looked broken! How is she supposed to swim like that? What if something terrible happens to her?” Eleanor let out a soft, mocking laugh. “Broken? She probably just bruised it. Kids these days are so fragile.” She rolled her eyes. “Back in my day, we went through much worse and still went to work the next day. Kids today can’t handle a single scratch.” Right at that moment, Chloe let out a tiny sneeze. Eleanor’s face instantly changed, as if an emergency button had been pressed. She immediately bent down, frantically feeling Chloe’s forehead. “Oh my god, sweetheart, did you sneeze? Are you catching a cold? Are you cold? Does your head hurt?” Her voice was trembling with anxiety, her face pale. She became a completely different person. She stood up abruptly, pulling Chloe toward the medical corner. “Come on, we can’t wait. We need to see the shelter doctor right now. A cold could turn into pneumonia!” She held Chloe’s hand tightly, walking slowly to match her pace, terrified that her precious daughter might experience the slightest discomfort. All her anxiety, care, and love were poured onto Chloe. And that was a kind of warmth I had never experienced in my entire life.

By nightfall, the shelter was brightly lit. People began to settle down on their cots, trying to get some sleep. Yet, there was still no word from me. Mrs. Gable couldn’t take it anymore. “Eleanor… maybe you should call Hazel again? It’s so late. What if she’s stranded?” Eleanor sighed in annoyance and pulled out her phone. Every movement she made showed her frustration, as if I were nothing but an annoying chore. “You guys just spoil Hazel too much. She’s definitely throwing a tantrum, hiding somewhere just to make me feel guilty,” she muttered through gritted teeth, her eyes filled with resentment. She dialed my number. But all she got was a long, endless ringing. No one picked up. Her expression darkened instantly. “See? I told you! She’s doing this on purpose. What an ungrateful brat. She has zero consideration for me! Always talking back, always trying to steal Chloe’s spotlight. She’s practically an adult and still behaves so selfishly. She is completely ruined.” Mrs. Gable wanted to say something, but Eleanor had already lost her patience. She aggressively locked her phone and threw it into her bag, as if cutting off her very last connection to me. “I am not playing her games! You think I’m going to call her again? No way! If she wants to play dead, she can go ahead and never call me again!” Just then, Chloe gently tugged at her sleeve, looking terrified. “Mom, it’s so dark here. I can’t sleep.” In an instant, the rage on Eleanor’s face vanished, replaced by a soft, loving smile. She knelt down and whispered tenderly, “Don’t worry, sweetie. Mommy is right here. I’ll stay with you.” She stroked Chloe’s hair, hummed a soft lullaby, acting as if there was nothing more important in the world than putting her younger daughter to sleep. Meanwhile, her other daughter was left alone in the freezing storm, clinging to life. My safety, my life, meant absolutely nothing to her. Her eyes only saw Chloe. Her heart only held Chloe. My existence was nothing more than an inconvenient burden.

The next morning, Grandma Martha arrived at the shelter, her face pale with worry. The moment she saw Eleanor, she didn’t even bother with a greeting. She went straight to the point. “Where is Hazel? Why is only Chloe here? Why didn’t you bring Hazel with you?” Eleanor rolled her eyes, her voice dripping with annoyance. “Look at how you spoiled her! She is throwing the most ridiculous tantrum right now. Who knows where she ran off to? She won’t even answer her phone. She’s doing this just to spite me!” Grandma Martha’s face fell, her voice shaking with repressed anger. “Hazel is not that kind of girl. She would never play games during a natural disaster. Think, Eleanor! Where could she be? Why aren’t you out there looking for her?” “Look for her? I called her last night, and she ignored me! How is that my fault?” Eleanor sneered. “She’s old enough to walk. Was I supposed to carry her onto the boat? I had Chloe to protect! I couldn’t just abandon Chloe for her. You’ve coddled her since she was a baby, and now she’s turned into this selfish, stubborn brat!” Grandma Martha’s hands trembled, her voice cracking. “I coddled her? That’s because you never wanted her! You dumped her on my doorstep. When have you ever acted like a real mother to her? And now you’re blaming me?” Eleanor looked defensive, her voice rising. “I let you raise her because you insisted! Besides, how can you say I don’t love her? She’s just difficult and always goes against me!” Just then, a police officer in a high-visibility jacket walked into the gym. He scanned the crowd, his face grave, and walked straight toward Eleanor. “Excuse me, are you Hazel Vance’s family?” Eleanor frowned, turning to Grandma Martha with a smug look. “See? I told you she was fine. She probably got herself brought here by the cops just to make a scene.” She turned to the officer, her voice filled with condescension. “What did she do this time? She always loves making a scene to get attention. Did you find her? Was she fighting with someone? Or did she cause some trouble? Just tell me what kind of embarrassing stunt she pulled this time.” She shook her head, sighing dramatically, ready to lecture me. However, the officer didn’t smile. He looked down, silent for a painful moment, before speaking in a low, heavy voice. “Ma’am, I am so sorry for your loss… We recovered Hazel Vance’s body.”

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Five years after a car accident left me paralyzed, I signed my organ donor registry form. As my heart began to fail, I called my mother, wanting to hear her voice one last time. “Chloe, why don’t you just die already? Stop ruining everyone’s lives!” “You shouldn’t even be drawing breath in this world!” When she slammed the phone down, I smiled. Because I was finally going to die, just as she wished. But when my cold corpse ended up on her operating table, she completely lost her mind. Today was my birthday. I sat alone in my wheelchair in my cramped basement apartment. Just like every other year, there was no one else here. It was just like my mother always said—my birth was a disgusting mistake. I didn’t deserve to celebrate. Staring into the pitch-black room, a crushing weight pressed down on my chest. It felt like something was expanding inside me, stealing my air. Ever since the accident paralyzed me, I had signed up to be an organ donor. Knowing my time was short, I had already notified the donor registry staff. As the suffocating pain intensified, I knew it was finally ending. It was an agonizing sensation I’d never felt before. It felt as though an invisible hand was squeezing my heart to pieces. Every breath felt like inhaling frozen needles, piercing my lungs. Yet, in that final moment, I didn’t know if I felt sad or incredibly relieved. Tragic, painful memories flashed before my eyes like a broken film reel. The feeling in my limbs was slipping away completely. With the last bit of strength in my fingers, I picked up my phone. I slid my thumb across the screen and dialed that all-too-familiar number. I knew this would be my last connection to the living world. The call connected. My heart skipped a painful beat. “Chloe, what is wrong with you? Why are you calling to annoy me again?” Eleanor’s voice crackled through the speaker, dripping with absolute disgust. “Mom… I think… I’m dying,” I whispered. My voice trembled, yet I sounded strangely at peace. Her tone didn’t soften for a second. “Chloe, what kind of sick game are you playing now? Are you not tired of lying to get attention?” “It’s real this time…” My breath hitched. The last word took every ounce of energy left in my body. “Fine! Do us all a favor and just die already! Stop being a curse on everyone!” “You shouldn’t even be drawing breath in this world!” “Beep. Beep. Beep.” The line went dead. In the final second of my life, a smile touched my lips. I finally did what she wanted. I died. Shortly after my soul detached from my body, the paramedics arrived. My lifeless body slumped in the wheelchair looked horrifying in the dark, empty basement. They bowed their heads to my corpse, covered me with a white sheet bearing the red cross, and wheeled me into the ambulance. I thought my soul would finally drift away into the afterlife. But a powerful, invisible force dragged me along, keeping me tethered to my physical body. Organ donors are sent to different hospitals depending on which facility needs the match immediately. As the streets outside the ambulance window grew familiar, my ghostly heart tightened. The ambulance pulled up to Westside General Hospital. This was a place I had visited in my nightmares a thousand times. This was where my mother, Dr. Eleanor Thorne, worked. It was the only place I knew I could ever find her. People bustled through the busy hallways. My invisible spirit floated past the doctors and nurses. And then, I saw her. The woman I couldn’t forget even in death. She was laughing. She looked happier than I had ever seen her. Beside her, another surgeon was prepping for a procedure. “Eleanor, you’re so lucky. You finally found a matching liver for Maya.” A few young nurses nearby chimed in. “I heard the donor is the exact same age as Maya. What a tragedy for the donor’s family. They must be devastated.” “Dr. Thorne loves Maya so much. She spent a fortune to bump her up on the priority list. Maya is so lucky to have a mother like you.” A nurse said while organizing the surgical instruments. “Every mother loves her child. It’s only natural to want them to be healthy,” Eleanor replied, her lips curving into a warm, gentle smile. “Every mother loves her child.” I let out a bitter, silent laugh. Even as a ghost, I could feel a stinging pain where my heart used to be. “But Mom… wasn’t I your daughter too?” Eleanor pulled out her phone and sent a Snapchat to Maya. The contact name was saved as “My Precious Angel.” As she swiped back to her main chat screen, my eyes caught another contact name. Saved right below “My Precious Angel” was “The Mistake.” That was me.

Her phone rang. The screen displayed “My Love.” Eleanor picked up the call and stepped out of the office, telling the staff to double-check everything. I followed the medical team into the operating room. Under the harsh, sterile white lights, I looked down at my own corpse. They began preparing me for the extraction. Seeing the nurses work, it finally clicked. My liver was going to Maya. I couldn’t escape that name in life, and now, I couldn’t escape it in death. Maya was the daughter of Eleanor’s high school sweetheart, Richard Vance. Back then, Richard came from a poor, troubled family. My grandparents were completely against Eleanor marrying him. My dad, Arthur, loved Eleanor deeply. He did everything to win over her family—paying off her brother’s college debt and buying them expensive gifts. Eventually, my grandparents forced Eleanor to marry my dad. Even though my dad treated Eleanor like a queen, she never loved him. My early childhood with my dad was the only happy time of my life. But then, the factory explosion happened. My dad died on the job. Eleanor didn’t hesitate. She divorced his memory, packed her bags, and left. But to my surprise, she took me with her. I used to think she kept me because she loved me. Only later did I realize the sick truth: she kept me because she wanted to make sure I was miserable. She projected all her hatred for my father onto me. She forbade me from ever contacting my dad’s side of the family. I was so desperate to make her happy that I obeyed. I never reached out to my grandparents, terrified of making her angry. Looking down at the cold metal table, I watched the surgeons make the first incision on my chest. Surprisingly, I felt a strange sense of peace. My mind drifted back to my childhood. I remembered my dad always greeting me with a big, warm hug. Meanwhile, Eleanor would stand in the corner, staring at me with icy eyes. Whenever I tried to grab her hand, hoping for a tiny bit of warmth, she would violently push me away. “Mom, why do you hate me so much?” I had asked her once with childlike innocence. She never answered. She just stared at me, her eyes filled with dark resentment. Now, I finally understood. Her heart was consumed by hatred. Hatred for my dad, and hatred for me. She poured all that poison onto me, leaving me to grow up isolated and helpless. And her hatred only grew a hundred times worse after Maya entered our lives. My legs became paralyzed during my freshman year of college. That day, Eleanor had taken Maya shopping for designer clothes. I was dragged along just to carry their heavy bags. While crossing the street, a speeding SUV came barreling toward me. The impact sent me flying. I crashed onto the asphalt yards away. The pain was blinding, and then my vision started to fade. Through the haze, I saw Eleanor and Maya slowly walking over. Maya looked at the bloody shopping bags on the ground, frowning in disgust. “Ugh, my new clothes are ruined! I can’t wear these now.” Eleanor gave me a look of pure revulsion. Then, she turned to Maya, her voice instantly turning sweet. “It’s okay, sweetie. I’ll buy you new ones.” “Honestly, Chloe, you are such a curse. Bringing you out was a mistake.” Those were the last words I heard before I blacked out. After the accident, I wasn’t kept in the hospital for long. The initial scans didn’t show any major spinal fractures. But soon, my legs began to lose sensation. Sometimes, I even lost control of my bladder. When I realized something was seriously wrong, I begged my mother to take me to a specialist. But she didn’t hesitate to scream in my face. “You useless leech! You just want to drain every penny I have, don’t you? You’re a liar! Just like your pathetic father!” She ripped my self-esteem to shreds. Maya stood right behind her, arms crossed, watching the show with a smirk. The stress made me lose control, and I wet myself right there in the living room. Maya let out a dramatic shriek, pinching her nose in disgust. In my most vulnerable moment, Maya’s scream felt like a knife slicing through my soul. Her face was twisted in mockery. Tears streamed down my face. No one comforted me. No one even came near me. Eleanor glared at me, her face pale with disgust. “This is repulsive! Mom, kick her out! She’s disgusting!” Maya yelled. Eleanor raised her hand and slapped me hard across the face. “Clean this mess up right now!” Choking on my tears and shame, I dragged my useless legs across the floor to clean up my own waste. Later, Eleanor claimed a massive settlement from the driver’s insurance. But she only threw $500 at me and forced me to move out. That $500 was barely enough to rent a damp, converted garage studio at the edge of town. And that was where I spent the hardest years of my life.

To me back then, $500 was everything. But that money didn’t bring me any warmth. It was just a brutal reminder that I was completely unwanted in this world. Fortunately, my landlord, Mrs. Gable, took pity on me. She lowered my rent from $300 to $100 a month. As the days crawled by, my condition worsened. I lost all control over my bodily functions. Every time it happened, I felt an overwhelming wave of shame and despair. I tried calling Eleanor, begging her to help me get medical care. But her response crushed the last bit of hope I had left. She told me, “You’re a leech. You brought this on yourself. You deserve it!” In my darkest moments, I wanted to die. I wondered if she would feel even a shred of regret or sadness if I was gone. But then I realized she would probably throw a party. She would finally be free of me. I tried my best to keep my dignity. I kept my tiny garage room spotlessly clean. But no matter how much I scrubbed, the heavy scent of decay and despair never left my mind. While I fought for my life in that freezing room, Eleanor and Maya lived in luxury. They lived in the spacious house my father had left behind. Maya’s room was overflowing with expensive makeup and designer clothes. I, on the other hand, wore rags and used a squeaky, second-hand manual wheelchair. Eleanor treated Maya like a fragile princess. I was treated like trash. Every time I thought about it, my heart felt like it was being pierced by needles. I remember once, about six months after my dad died. I saw Maya running around our front yard, her laughter ringing out so happily. I tried to talk to her. I thought if I made friends with her, maybe Mom would love me a little more. “Maya, do you want to play with me?” I asked, trying to sound cheerful. Maya stopped and looked at me with pure disdain. “Why would I play with a dirty rat like you? You don’t belong here.” But everything she owned, the very ground she stood on, was paid for by my dad. As my health deteriorated, I started fainting frequently. Once, I collapsed near the sidewalk and a kind stranger called 911. When the hospital contacted Eleanor, she didn’t show a single ounce of worry. Instead, she coldly told the doctor: “Why are you wasting your time saving her? She should have died a long time ago.” The doctor stared at her in utter disbelief. I lay on the hospital bed, my tears blurring the bright ceiling lights. I had prayed so hard for just a drop of love from her. But I finally knew it was impossible. During my final days, I never tried to call her again. I knew her heart only belonged to Maya. I was just a stain she wanted to scrub away. Signing that organ donor form was my final choice. I wanted to believe that a part of me could go on living, doing something good for someone else. How ironic that my liver was destined for Maya. I was so envious of her. It felt like the entire universe existed just to serve her happiness, while my life was just a sacrificial offering. I watched the surgeons carefully extract my liver and place it in the cooler to transport it to Maya’s operating room. Eleanor didn’t participate in the extraction, but she was the lead surgeon for Maya’s transplant. When the container holding my liver was handed to her, Eleanor knit her brows. She froze for a few seconds, staring at the organ container. Maybe mothers and daughters really do have a subconscious connection. But the feeling quickly passed. She threw herself into the surgery. I could tell she was incredibly nervous. When the transplant was finally completed, she let out a long sigh of relief. She wiped the sweat from her forehead, changed her scrubs, and prepared to head to Maya’s recovery room. Right then, her phone buzzed. It was Mrs. Gable. I suddenly remembered I hadn’t paid this month’s rent. “Hello, is this Chloe’s mother? Chloe hasn’t paid her rent this month. I went to check on her, but the door was locked and no one answered. I’m really worried…” Mrs. Gable’s voice was gentle and filled with concern. “Enough! What does her rent have to do with me? If she didn’t pay, throw her trash out and kick her onto the street! Stop calling me with her drama!” Eleanor snapped. Mrs. Gable tried to speak, but Eleanor hung up without giving her a chance. “Useless brat,” Eleanor muttered under her breath. She unlocked her phone and sent me a text—the first text she had initiated in years. “You worthless parasite, if you’re going to die, do it quickly. Don’t ruin my life. Pay your rent now. If your landlord calls me again, I’m cutting you off completely. You can starve on the streets for all I care!” She had completely forgotten that she hadn’t sent me a single dime in over two years. She tossed her phone onto her desk. Outside the office, a couple of nurses were gossiping. “Hey, did you hear? The liver donor for Dr. Thorne’s daughter was a paralyzed girl. She lived all alone in a converted garage. It’s so tragic. How could her parents be so heartless?” “Maybe she was an orphan. Poor girl.” Eleanor froze. Her head snapped up. She stood still for a moment, then shook her head, trying to dismiss the thought. She reached for her phone again. Underneath it lay a copy of the organ donor registry sheet that had been sent over with the organ. Her eyes accidentally grazed the bottom of the page. When she saw the signature, her face drained of color…

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My family was dirt poor. To pay for my college tuition, I worked on a construction site, but I ended up getting beaten black and blue after pissing off the foreman. To keep my parents from worrying, I went to a local Urgent Care clinic alone. But there, I saw my parents—dressed in high-end luxury brands—holding another boy, waiting to get registered. “Doctor! Our precious Ryan just cut his finger with a fruit knife! Please save him!” With that, my dad threw a stack of cash at me. “Get lost, you filthy beggar. Don’t ruin Ryan’s sight.” The boy in their arms looked at me with pure disgust, like I was piece of trash. I looked at their expensive designer clothes, and then at the luxury Rolls-Royce parked right outside the clinic. Then I looked at my own dirty, torn clothes. My throat tightened. With a broken heart, I walked straight to the Army recruiting office. I never planned to see them again. Maybe I looked too pathetic, because my parents didn’t even recognize me. I stood there, frozen, staring at the expensive designer suit on the boy in my parents’ arms. Then I looked at my own shirt. It was old, didn’t fit, and had been patched up for three years because I couldn’t bear to throw it away. My heart ached. I remembered my dad giving me this shirt for my birthday three years ago. To buy it, he worked from dawn to dusk, even fainting on the construction site a few times. I saw how hard they worked, so I grew up fast. I never caused trouble. Even when I was bullied at school or mocked at work, I kept it to myself and licked my wounds in secret. Even when the girl I liked confessed to me, I smiled and rejected her out of insecurity. I knew my family couldn’t afford any mistakes. Every step of my life had to be carefully calculated. But now, I realized my parents weren’t poor at all. The only poor one was me. They gave that boy infinite luxury, yet they wouldn’t even give me the tuition deposit I needed to change my life. Tears streaming down my face, I walked out of the clinic like a ghost. People on the street avoided me, terrified I would get too close. Of course. If my own parents treated me like trash, why would strangers be any different? I went back to our rented shack. I washed off the dirt with cold water, patched my torn clothes with old rags I found, and lay on the hard wooden bed, nursing my hurts. After what felt like hours, my parents’ voices came from outside. “Ethan, come out quick!” “Look what we brought you!” My body was in pain, my lips pale. I was running a fever. I forced myself to stand and walked out. My parents were back in their cheap, dirty worker clothes. In my mom’s hands was a jacket. “We got lucky today! Your dad and I found this jacket. It just has a little stain on it. We’ll wash it and it’ll be good as new. Try it on!” My mom handed me the jacket, completely ignoring how sick I looked. So, the clothes I had been wearing all these years were just hand-me-downs from their wealthy son? What I cherished as treasure was just someone else’s trash. “And these white sneakers. Consider them your reward for getting into NYU.” My dad pulled out a pair of shoes from behind his back, smiling. Yeah. Those were Ryan’s too. He loved white sneakers. The last pair my parents brought home was also white. Maybe because I was too quiet, my mom handed the jacket to my dad and looked at me closely. She finally realized something was wrong. “Ethan, why are your lips so pale? Do you have a fever?” “Go lie down, honey. I’ll get you some medicine right now.” My dad immediately looked panicked and carried me to my room. Actually, my parents used to be good to me. I remember once, I went to the mountains to harvest wild herbs to sell. I fell off a small cliff and passed out. My dad climbed down a thirty-foot cliff with no safety gear to save me. My mom walked fifteen miles in the dark to the next town to find a doctor. But these same parents had lied to me for years. The poor parents and the billionaire parents were the exact same people. How pathetic. My mom mixed some medicine and fed it to me. She asked anxiously why I was suddenly sick. I looked into her worried eyes, forced a smile, and said, “I got hurt at the construction site and went to the clinic. But three rich people kicked me out.” “I came home and got a fever.”

Panic flashed across their faces, but they masked it in a split second. Guilt filled their eyes, and my mom’s eyes turned red. “Ethan, it’s our fault. We made you suffer so much.” “We… we failed you.” My mom started sobbing, and my dad comforted her with red eyes. In the past, I would have comforted them like a mature adult, telling them that once I graduated from college, we would have a better life. But now, I just sat there in silence. Even if I graduated and worked for ten years, I probably couldn’t even afford one tire of that Rolls-Royce. Seeing that I wasn’t comforting them, they stopped acting. My dad cleared his throat, put on a warm smile, and took over my usual role. “Well, we might be poor, but we have a great son. Ethan got into NYU! Once he graduates, our family will be set.” He was going to be disappointed. Even if I worked for ten years, I couldn’t afford that lifestyle. My mom wiped her tears and smiled. “I can’t wait to live the good life.” Hearing this, I bit my lip and finally asked, “Mom, Dad, I still don’t have enough for the enrollment deposit. I’m short $800.” “Can you… help me out?” My heart pounded. This was the first time I had ever asked them for money. I had saved enough from my construction job, but my coworkers stole it, and the police couldn’t find them. College was my only ticket out. I couldn’t lose it. For something this important, they would surely give me the money, right? I looked at them with hope. Hesitation flashed across my dad’s face, but it quickly disappeared. He sighed. “Ethan, can you find another way? Maybe borrow it from a classmate?” “You know our situation. Your mom’s surgery cost us a fortune, and we’re still in debt. We really don’t have $800.” My mom’s eyes went red again. She lowered her head. “It’s all my fault. I’m dragging this family down. If Ethan can’t go to college because of me, I’d rather just die!” Her words felt like a bucket of ice water poured over my head. My entire body went numb. I looked at the white sneakers on the floor. Those shoes alone probably cost more than $800. In that moment, I realized Ryan wasn’t just stepping on those shoes—he was stepping on me. They knew how much college meant to me, yet they were so stingy. I forced a smile and looked down. “Okay. I’ll ask a classmate.” I climbed back into bed and pulled up the blanket. My parents exchanged a look. Finally, my mom walked over, forced a smile, and said, “Son, don’t be sad. Today is your birthday! We’ll make you a great dinner tonight.” My dad walked over too, grabbing my hand. “You’ve been wanting that smoked brisket, right? I’ll slice it up for you tonight.” I nodded. Their faces lit up with joy. Just then, my dad’s phone rang. He suddenly looked very tense. I glanced at the screen. The caller ID said: “Baby Boy”. It must be Ryan. Must be nice to have a phone. I didn’t even have one. “Ethan, get some rest. We’ll take this call outside.” My parents, who were just showing me so much love, walked out together. To make sure I didn’t overhear, they went all the way to the yard. But they forgot one thing in their rush—I had excellent hearing. I could hear them perfectly from this distance. I peeked through the door crack. My dad frowned, keeping his voice low. “Didn’t we tell you to text us? What if your brother finds out?” Ryan’s whiny voice came through the receiver: “Dad, Mom, I cut my finger today. It hurts so much~” “Can you guys come home and stay with me tonight?” My parents looked at each other, then back at our front door, hesitating. Ryan’s voice dropped. “I guess I’m just not as important as Ethan. ‘Sniff’…” My parents immediately panicked. “Of course not! Your brother can’t even compare to a single hair on your head.” “Yeah, sweetie. You’re our favorite.” Hearing this, Ryan cheered up. “I knew you loved me most! I’ll be waiting at home!” He hung up. My parents headed back inside. I quietly climbed back into bed. Maybe because of the cold, I started coughing. Hearing me, they rushed in with worried faces and patted my back. That evening, they made a feast, including the smoked brisket I loved. But they were dressed up, ready to go out. “Ethan, we just got a call for a quick gig. We can make $200 tonight.” “That means you’ll only need $600 for school. We’re sorry we can’t spend your birthday night with you.” I coughed, nodded, and smiled as I ate a piece of brisket. My parents looked relieved, walked out, and gently shut the door. I chewed the dry, salty meat, my smile turning into tears that dripped into my bowl. What was I expecting? I was never their favorite child. Under the cover of night, I walked over to our neighbor’s house and borrowed his phone to call the military recruiter who had been trying to reach me. “Sergeant Carter, if I join the Army’s Closed Training Program… will my college tuition really be fully covered?”

Hearing this, Sergeant Carter was thrilled. He told me that not only was tuition free, but room and board were covered too. It was just tougher than regular college. But I had suffered my whole life. What was a little more hard work? After hanging up, I went home and slept. I had a strong immune system, so I was mostly recovered by the next morning. My parents came back, holding a small cake. But a slice was missing, like someone had already eaten from it. “Ethan, we couldn’t get you a cake yesterday, so we got you this today!” “And here is the $200 we made last night. Take it. Don’t worry, we’ll get the rest of your tuition.” They handed me the cake and the money, but I pushed them away. “I don’t really like cake. Too sweet.” “As for tuition… I borrowed it from a friend. You don’t have to worry.” They were stunned for a moment, but didn’t push. They left the money on my nightstand for pocket money. “We met a very generous boss. We’re going to work for him for the next two weeks. Take care of yourself, Ethan.” “Oh, and watch out for scammers. If anyone tells you weird things, don’t believe them. When we get back, we have a huge surprise for you.” Then, they rushed off. Two weeks? That was exactly when I was scheduled to leave. A week later, fully recovered, I used the advance money Sergeant Carter sent me to get my military physical at the hospital. But when I got back, the yard was a mess. My few cherished belongings were scattered all over the dirt. Ryan was sitting in the yard, surrounded by several bulky bodyguards, looking at me with utter contempt. Just like he did at the clinic. I stood there, frozen. “You don’t know me, do you? I’m your brother. Our parents are actually the richest family in this city.” “But they don’t like you. That’s why they raised you like a beggar~” His words felt like glass shards grinding into my heart. “Look at this trash you cherish. It’s all stuff I threw away. My dog’s collar is worth more than all of this combined.” “I never understood how someone with such a trashy life could smile so much. Every time I see your face, I want to rip that smile off.” I did smile a lot. I smiled at my parents, at my school bullies, at the cruel foreman. Because life was hard, and smiling was my only defense. My eyes burned, and my fists clenched to stop my body from shaking. “Why? I’m their biological son. Why would they do this to me?” Ryan smirked, laughing in my face. “Why? Because they don’t love you. You were just a mistake. They wanted to drown you when you were born, but our grandparents wouldn’t let them. That’s the only reason you’re alive.” “But once they had me, grandparents finally let them dump you in the slums. I guess I’m just too lovable~” “Anyway, I’m here because the family inheritance is being decided soon. I don’t want anyone getting any funny ideas, so I’m here to warn you.” My mind went blank. I stumbled backward. So, I was abandoned by everyone from the very beginning. With a hollow chest, I forced out: “Don’t worry. I won’t fight you for the inheritance.” “You couldn’t even if you tried. Mom and Dad love me, not you.” With that, Ryan threw a few hundred-dollar bills on the ground and swaggered away with his guards. I didn’t touch the money. I just silently packed up my ruined things. Once I was done, I left the house I had lived in for eighteen years and checked into the military academy early. A week later, my parents finally returned. They were dressed in high-end luxury clothes, carrying countless expensive gifts. “Ethan, come out! We have great news!” “Actually, we are…” My dad stopped mid-sentence. The only thing waiting for them was a silent, empty house.

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The night before Prom, our class Snapchat group chat suddenly blew up. “Oh my god! Ashton, Why’d you switch your Prom partner to Hailey? Weren’t you supposed to dance the opening waltz with Chloe?” Ashton replied casually, “So I changed it. What’s the big deal? It’s not like she’ll get mad.” “She’s easy. She can just come tomorrow and be Hailey’s and my personal photographer.” My mind went completely blank. I was still clutching the designer tie I had specially bought for Ashton. I exited the group chat and threw the tie straight into the trash can, and blocked him on everything. Then I scrolled to the bottom of my contacts to find the one guy in school nobody dared to mess with—Ryder, the top-tier F4 racer. “Ryder, do you need a date for Prom tomorrow night?” **Chapter 1** Ashton’s words felt like cold knives cutting my heart to pieces. In Santa Monica High, everyone knew I was basically Ashton Miller’s “exclusive shadow.” To match his Prom suit, I had ordered a custom-made couture gown in the exact same color palette three months in advance. And now, he just changed his mind. Without even telling me to my face. Someone in the group chat asked him. “Aren’t you afraid Chloe will find someone else? You literally have to bring a date tomorrow.” Ashton replied with a mocking sneer. “No way. Chloe has been following me around since ninth grade. She’s head over heels for me.” “Giving her a spot as our photographer is doing her a favor. She’ll show up tomorrow with her camera, guaranteed.” The chat quickly filled with guys hyping him up, sending “Bro is a legend” texts. Then, someone else chimed in. “Don’t be so sure, man. What if Chloe actually finds someone else?” “She’s pretty popular in school too, you know. Plenty of guys want to ask her out.” Another text popped up immediately: “Did you guys forget about Ryder?” “He’s always had a thing for Chloe.” “He’s a US F4 racer. Half the girls in school are lining up to get his attention. You sure Chloe won’t give him a chance?” Ashton paused for a few seconds before typing back, his tone noticeably colder. “Bullshit.” “Ryder is nothing.” “Chloe would never look at him.” “She only cares about me. Just last week, she canceled all her plans just because she didn’t see me for a single day.” “In her world, I’m the only one who matters.” “Don’t worry. Tomorrow night, she’ll be there, happily taking pictures of me.” After that, the group chat went quiet. A long moment passed before someone cautiously typed. “Bro, that’s kind of messed up to do to Chloe.” “You should have at least told her first.” Ashton let out an annoyed “ugh” before replying. “Annoying. I’ll deal with it later.” The chat quickly went back to joking around. “To be honest, Chloe is a bit plain compared to Hailey.” “Ashton is living the dream.” … Those teasing words felt like they were crushing me. I scrolled to the very bottom of my contacts. Ryder—the resident bad boy of Santa Monica High, a rising star in the US F4 racing circuit, and the guy Ashton had unilaterally declared his arch-nemesis for the past three years. The phone rang twice before he picked up. “Chloe? Wow, you finally decided to call me. What’s up?” I spoke flatly. “Ryder, do you still need a date for Prom tomorrow?” On the other end of the line, I heard the sharp screech of car brakes. After two seconds of dead silence, Ryder’s voice came through: “For you… I’m always free.” I hung up and threw myself onto my bed. **Chapter 2** Staring at the ceiling, my thoughts began to drift. How could someone change so quickly? From ninth grade to twelfth grade, we spent four whole years together. We stayed up late studying for the SATs, and just a few months ago, he was excitedly planning our first dance at Prom. Back then, he said he wanted the entire school to envy him that night. But now, when the finish line we had both waited for was right in front of us, he suddenly let go of my hand and ran toward someone else. If he wanted to change dates, why couldn’t he just tell me? Was I really that insignificant to him? If he found me so annoying, what about his late-night promises when he whispered about our future? Were those all lies? Or was it just because the night was too dark for him to see who was actually standing by his side? I hugged my knees tightly, hiding myself in the dark, and let the tears flow. Honestly, it wasn’t like I couldn’t live without him. And I definitely wasn’t “head over heels” for him like he claimed. Every time our opinions differed, he would throw a temper tantrum. He only smiled when I went along with whatever he wanted. So, while I quietly kept up with my own life goals, I constantly made compromises for him. Ashton wasn’t wrong about one thing—I had built my future plans around him. As long as it didn’t cross my boundaries or hurt my self-respect, I was willing to compromise for the sake of love. But that didn’t mean I would let him walk all over me. I unlocked my phone, opened the meticulously planned “Prom Itinerary” and our reservation for two at the rooftop restaurant, and tapped **[Cancel All]** without hesitation. He made his choice, and I have my pride. From now on, we go our separate ways. Right after I washed my face, Ashton tried to FaceTime me. “Chloe, pick up! I need to see you!” When I didn’t answer, he sent several more FaceTime requests before finally texting. “We’re at our usual spot. Everyone is waiting for you. Hurry up, get an Uber.” But I didn’t want to go. “Tired. Staying in.” The moment I sent it, a reply popped up. “Are you sick? I’ll come over.” “No. Don’t come.” Just as I replied with a frown, Hailey sent me a Snapchat message. “I’m so sorry, Chloe. I was the one who begged Ashton to let me come. I didn’t know it would make you upset. I’m leaving right now.” “As long as you come, I don’t mind whatever happens to me.” Before I could even reply, people started spamming my name in the group chat. “Chloe, what is your problem? You can’t stand Ashton having other friends? Your jealousy is getting ridiculous.” “You’re just jealous because Hailey is prettier than you.” I froze, instinctively wanting to explain, when a message from Ashton popped up. “Chloe, I was the one who invited Hailey. If you’re mad, take it out on me. Why are you making Hailey feel bad?” “Whatever. Stay home if you want. We’re having more fun without you anyway.” Right after, they sent a bunch of photos of them partying. Someone added sarcastically: “It’s so much more fun when certain people aren’t here.” What a bunch of psychos. I immediately left the group chat and blocked Ashton’s Snapchat. In the past, no matter how much we fought, I always accommodated him. Now, out of sight, out of mind. **Chapter 3** Honestly, when Hailey first transferred to our school, she was actually my friend. Back then, Ashton even warned me, saying Hailey seemed shady and that I shouldn’t get too close to her. To help her feel included, I brought her into my friend group and even put in a lot of effort to help her get along with Ashton. But during the Homecoming pep rally, Hailey took off her nerdy black-rimmed glasses and showed up in a stunning red dress. After that night, Ashton never told me to stay away from her again. He and Hailey got closer and closer. He even took the initiative to add her to our core group chat. By the time I realized what was happening, my old friends had all turned into Hailey’s personal bodyguards. Ashton treated Hailey way too well. Once, Ashton and I had a massive fight over it and didn’t speak for three months. I told him, “If you like Hailey, I’ll step aside.” But Ashton got so panicked his eyes went red, and he held me tight, apologizing. “You’re the only one I care about.” “Hailey comes from a broken home and gets bullied at school. I just felt bad for her and wanted to help her out.” I believed him. But Ashton was just treating me like a fool. Their interactions became more and more frequent, using the word “friends” as a pathetic cover-up. Until last night, when he officially replaced me as his Prom partner with Hailey. Making me look like a complete idiot! By the time I snapped out of my thoughts, the sun had already set. My mom had come home at some point, and she smiled as she looked at me. “Did you fight with Ashton again? He said you blocked him.” “He wants you to unblock him.” I gave a vague answer and walked out the door. Our school counselor, Mr. Davis, had asked us to come in for one final check on our college enrollment portal before the system shut down. When I arrived, there was an empty seat next to Ashton. Usually, that was my spot, but Hailey sat right down in it. Ashton didn’t say anything. Instead, he naturally took Hailey’s designer handbag and set it on his lap. He kept glancing over at me. He was waiting for me to bow my head and apologize. Too bad for him, he was dead wrong this time. I turned around and sat down right next to Ryder, far away from them. “Make sure you double-check everything, guys. The college portal closes tonight, and once it’s locked, there’s no going back,” Mr. Davis yelled from the front of the classroom. Seeing me sit next to him, Ryder stopped spinning his car keys. “Well, look who finally decided to talk to me.” “Aren’t you afraid your precious Ashton will get jealous?” I didn’t offer a long explanation. My voice was calm. “I’m done with him.” Suddenly, someone tapped my shoulder. “Chloe, don’t you have anything to say to me?” I ignored him. But Ashton grabbed my arm and dragged me out into the hallway. “Chloe, are you serious right now?” “You’re throwing a tantrum and blocking me over this?” “I’m warning you, unblock me right now, or don’t ever bother texting me again.” I forced myself to look at him for a few seconds. “Okay. I wasn’t planning on texting you ever again anyway.” Ashton’s face instantly turned incredibly pale. “Fine! Don’t come crying back to me later!” I turned to walk away, but he suddenly grabbed my hand again, his eyes filled with a desperate seriousness. “Stop acting like a child. Go check your enrollment portal again, make sure you didn’t make any mistakes…” He wanted to say more, but Hailey walked up and interrupted him. “Ashton, I don’t really understand this part of the form. Can you help me look at it?” “Sure, let me see.” Ashton immediately looked down at Hailey’s tablet. I let out a sarcastic laugh and walked away. By the time he looked up to say something else, I was already back inside the classroom. “Chloe, make sure you double-check it! Carefully!” **Chapter 4** Actually, when I was checking the portal earlier, I saw the enrollment changes Ashton had made. He had secretly logged into our shared portal and changed the college preferences we had agreed on. He changed his to a school in the same city as Hailey’s. He probably thought that as long as he didn’t tell me, I would just submissively change my choice to match his, like I always did. What a joke. Since he didn’t want to bring it up, I played dumb. After all, he thought I was obsessed with him, and I found explaining things to him too exhausting. Luckily, I finally opened my eyes. Back in the classroom, Ryder saw my terrible expression but didn’t pry. He just told me to focus on getting ready for Prom tonight. That evening, I showed up at Prom as Ryder’s date. The moment we walked into the decorated venue, almost every eye in the room locked onto us. Right ahead of us stood Ashton, his face dark. I treated him like thin air, walking right past him without a second glance. When I walked past the hallway near the restrooms, I ran into Ashton and one of his friends. “Ashton, you need to tell Chloe about changing your college choice. Are you really okay with her going to a different state alone?” “Look how close she’s getting with Ryder now.” Ashton let out a dismissive snort. “What she does has nothing to do with me.” “Besides, she definitely changed her college choice already. She’s just using Ryder to make me jealous. It’s so annoying.” I froze, stepping out of the shadows and running straight into them. Ashton told his friend to leave and cornered me against the wall. “Going to Prom with Ryder without telling me? You’re really trying to test my patience, aren’t you, Chloe?” “You think this petty little stunt is going to make me jealous?” He grabbed my wrist, his voice arrogant. “Fine, I’ll let it slide. Can we make up now?” “Did you check your college portal?” Then, he added with a slight hesitation in his voice. “Did you… change yours to match mine?” I kept my mouth shut, and the silence became painfully awkward. As we stood there, Hailey walked over. “Ashton, the guys out there are teasing me. Come help me.” Then, she acted as if she had just noticed me, her voice dripping with fake surprise. “Oh, Chloe, are you here alone?” “Please don’t misunderstand, I only asked Ashton to be my date because I didn’t have one, and I’ve been looking forward to Prom for so long.” I was too exhausted to play along with her drama. Taking advantage of Ashton’s distraction, I slipped away. But before I could run off, Hailey reached out and blocked my path. **Chapter 5** “I’m so sorry, Chloe. Did I make you upset?” “I’ll leave. I just don’t want you and Ashton to fight because of me. He’s been in such a bad mood these past few days because of you, and it hurts me to see him like this.” “As long as he’s happy, I’ll do anything.” With tears welling up in her eyes, she looked like she was about to drop to her knees and beg. “What are you doing? Hailey, get up!” Ashton shoved me aside, pulling Hailey into his arms with an expression of pure worry. “Chloe, can you stop acting crazy every time you see Hailey?” “We’re going to be in the same city for the next four years. Why do you have to be so incredibly petty?” I stared at him, finding the whole thing hysterical. “Do you honestly think the way you two act is how ‘just friends’ behave?” He froze for a second, then sneered. “Oh, so you’re finally dropping the act?” “Weren’t you the one who said she was pitiful and told me to look out for her? You were the one who brought her into our circle!” I stared at his face—a face I had looked at for over ten years—and realized he looked like a total stranger. “If you love playing savior so much, why don’t you guys just date!” I turned and walked away, completely ignoring Ashton’s furious shouts behind me. “If you walk away now, don’t you ever come back!” I didn’t even look back. During the interactive game segment of Prom, the spotlight suddenly landed on Ashton and Hailey. The screen above the stage flashed the words: *“Truth or Dare / Take a Shot.”* The crowd started chanting and cheering. Hailey looked at Ashton, seemingly flustered. His friends shouted from the crowd: “Hailey, everyone is watching! If Ashton rejects the dare, you have to down three shots of tequila!” With all the cheering and whistling around them, Hailey’s face flushed red. She tried to explain, looking like she was on the verge of tears. Ashton stood there, completely still. “Ashton doesn’t want to do it. I’ll just take the shots,” Hailey said, closing her eyes and reaching for the cup. Suddenly, a hand reached out and stopped her. “You have a severe alcohol allergy. Do you want to end up in the ER?” Ashton muttered. “But what else can I do? I don’t want to ruin the vibe for everyone.” Looking at Hailey’s tearful face, Ashton lifted her chin. “You couldn’t have picked anyone else besides me?” “No.” Hailey, overcoming her shyness, grabbed Ashton’s lapels, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him. This time, Ashton didn’t pull away. Instead, he wrapped his hand around her waist and deepened the kiss. The cheers and whistles from the crowd grew deafening, but my heart felt like it had been dropped into a boiling pot of oil, burning with a searing ache. Even though I had told myself I didn’t care anymore, seeing this still hurt. Ten years of friendship and feelings can’t be ripped out without drawing blood. When I finally got home, a small pebble suddenly hit my bedroom window. It was our secret signal. For a split second, I wished I had amnesia. I leaned out the window. Standing down there was Ashton, the same guy who had just been passionately kissing Hailey at Prom. He spoke with a pleading tone. “Chloe, stop playing games. Go change your college commitment.” **Chapter 6** When I walked downstairs, I could smell the alcohol on Ashton. He was slurring his words, looking completely different from his usual arrogant self. Why couldn’t he have acted this desperate earlier? Thank God he didn’t. “Chloe, we promised we’d go to the same college.” “You’ve never been away from me. You cry if you don’t see me for a single day. I don’t want you to cry, so I’m letting you follow me…” I knew I should have slapped his face and walked away like a badass. But my feet felt glued to the driveway. I took a deep breath and shoved him away. “Let go of me.” A flash of pure panic crossed his eyes, but he quickly masked it with a clueless expression. Ashton, you are such a disappointment. Why are you still so cowardly and dishonest? “It’s almost midnight, Chloe. We need to fix this first.” He grabbed my hand, trying to use my face to unlock my phone. “Be good. The school I chose is really good. Once this is done, you can throw whatever tantrum you want.” I stood frozen. “So even now, you refuse to tell me the truth?” “You didn’t just change your Prom date. You changed the college we decided on together, too.” “Is there even a point? You already know everything anyway.” I was crazy to be wasting my time out here. I forcefully pushed him, sending him falling onto the grass. I ignored him as he screamed my name desperately from behind. “Chloe, you’re going to regret this!” Even now, he was still trying to threaten me. I turned around and waved my phone at him. “The portal is closed. It’s too late.” The expression on Ashton’s face was priceless. I went back to my room and threw myself into the darkness. One last time. I would let myself cry for him one last time. But just as the sky was turning gray, my bedroom door was pushed open by my mom. “What is going on with you two? Ashton has been waiting downstairs since dawn.”

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At noon, my online boyfriend sent me a mirror selfie from the gym. Eight-pack abs, broad shoulders, a narrow waist—the sexual tension was practically dripping off the screen. [Babe, I had a great workout today.] [Don’t you think I deserve a little reward?] I was just about to text back: [I’ll reward you with phone sex twice tonight.] But then, my eyes caught the logo printed on the gym wall behind him. Apex Tech. My heart instantly skipped a beat. Because… I worked at Apex Tech. And that gym looked exactly like our private corporate gym… I froze on the spot. No way. Was this a joke? The mature daddy I’d been having phone sex with for the past two years actually worked at the same company as me? I zoomed in on the photo. Bigger, bigger, and bigger. The logo was clear as day. [Apex Tech] It was definitely my office building. Our company gym was strictly VIP, accessible only to internal employees. My online boyfriend was actually my coworker? OMG! [Babe, why the silence?] Another photo of his abs popped up on my screen. He had casually pulled up his gym tank top. His rock-hard chest and the sharp lines of his V-taper were perfectly reflected in the mirror. The testosterone was practically suffocating. The texts kept rolling in. [I know you love this.] [Why aren’t you replying to me, huh?] [PayPal Transfer: $50,000] My brain was short-circuiting. I knew my online boyfriend lived in the same city. But I never, in my wildest dreams, expected us to be under the same roof. Talk about a twisted stroke of fate! After quickly drooling over his abs for a second, I decided to probe. “Hey babe, where do you work?” “Is it by any chance Apex Tech?” I typed the words out, then deleted them. Over and over. I didn’t know what to say. If I asked, he would definitely ask where I worked. He’d find out I was at Apex Tech, too. And then he would want to meet up. What would I do then? The mere thought of face-to-face interaction with someone I’d been dirty-talking with for two years made me want to curl up and die of embarrassment. Before I could even process this, another text popped up: [Why are you ignoring me? Is my body not doing it for you anymore? Or do you need more shopping money?] Another picture of his abs. [PayPal Transfer: $100,000] [PayPal Transfer: $100,000] To keep him from sensing my panic, I quickly replied: [Just grabbed lunch, sorry! missed your texts.] [The abs… look amazing.] Only then did the text onslaught stop. [Good. Now, where’s my reward?] I didn’t dare reply. I stood up from my cubicle and walked over to the elevators, heading straight to the gym on the fifth floor. There were plenty of guys lifting weights, but which one was him? I forced myself to calm down and organize my thoughts. Right now, I needed to figure out three things: First, who the hell is my online boyfriend? Second, is he actually a decent guy in real life? Third, if I do find him, do I confess, keep the online relationship going, or break it off? I mean, sexting a coworker is a HR nightmare. Just thinking about it made my skin crawl. Looking back at our two-year history, we had actually kept our privacy top-notch. We never traded face pics. Even during our FaceTime sessions, we never showed our faces, only our bodies. My boyfriend would only send me photos of his chest and abs whenever I begged for them. Based on that alone, it was almost impossible to identify him. I couldn’t exactly go around the office ripping guys’ shirts open to compare their ab patterns with my Snapchat archive.

Back at my desk, I looked at my male coworkers. I shuddered. We battled each other in meetings every single day like mortal enemies. If my online boyfriend turned out to be one of them, I would literally die on the spot. I scrolled through our chat history, desperately looking for clues. And I actually found something. Last month, he was struggling to choose a watch. [I’m out shopping with a friend. Want to buy a watch.] [Which one looks better? Which do you prefer? I’ll get you one too.] He had sent a few photos, and I had picked out the Rolex Daytona. To protect my identity, I had politely declined his offer to buy me one. [Whatever you choose is the best,] I had said. He bought it right then and there. So all I had to do was look around the office and see who was wearing that exact Rolex Daytona. I took a few laps around the office, secretly staring at every guy’s wrist, but I couldn’t find a single match. I messaged my boyfriend: [Are you wearing your new watch today?] He replied instantly with a photo. It showed a man’s dress shirt sleeve rolled up slightly, revealing a strong, tanned forearm. On his wrist, the Rolex gleamed with a cold, low-key luxury. Just the way he rested his hand exuded the quiet confidence of a powerful, mature man. Ah, so he had his sleeves rolled up. No wonder. But why hadn’t I spotted him? While I was lost in thought, a message popped up on my work WhatsApp from my boss, Julian Vance: [Chloe, there are some issues with the proposal. Come to my office right now!] When I walked into the corner office, Julian was smiling into his phone, on a call. “Yeah babe, I miss you too. Just come to the office tomorrow to see me.” “Oh, by the way, Ethan is coming over tomorrow. You can hitch a ride with him.” “Come on, I just don’t want you driving all that way by yourself, it’s not safe~” “Alright, alright, have it your way. Drive safe. See you tomorrow.” “Talk to you later. Kiss kiss~” I awkwardly looked away. Yikes. Major cringe. Who knew our tough CEO, Julian, had such a clingy, lovesick side? Julian hung up, cleared his throat, and offered me a professional smile. “Chloe, the investors looked at the proposal this morning. They’re mostly satisfied, but they had a few notes. I’ve marked them here. Make the edits based on their feedback.” “Sure, Julian.” I turned to leave, but my eyes caught his wrist. He was wearing a Rolex. The exact Daytona model I had picked out! In an instant, it felt like lightning had struck my brain. I froze. Seeing that I hadn’t left, Julian looked up. “Yes? Anything else?” His voice snapped me out of my shock. I took a deep breath, trying to act casual. I pointed at his wrist. “Nice watch, Julian.” Julian smiled, his hazel eyes crinkling at the corners. “Thanks. My girl helped me pick it out. It is nice, isn’t it?” Me: “……” Julian grinned. “Why? Do you like it?” I quickly masked my horror, waving my hand dismissively. “Oh, no. Just making conversation.” With that, I practically bolted out of his office. A wild, terrifying thought screamed in my head: Julian is my online boyfriend! But if I was his girlfriend… then who the hell was the “babe” he was just sweet-talking on the phone? Was Julian cheating on his girlfriend with me? Holy shit! And why was Julian so different online versus offline? Online, he was this dominant, mature, daddy-type protector. Offline, he was a gossipy, clingy millennial!

I was a complete zombie for the rest of the day. I didn’t even reply to my online boyfriend’s messages. Somehow, I managed to finish editing the proposal and dragged myself home, feeling absolutely hollow. My phone was buzzing like crazy with notifications from him. [Babe, what are you doing? I miss you.] [It’s been a while since we had phone sex. Tonight?] [Are you there?] [PayPal Transfer: $100,000] [Buy yourself something nice.] [Why are you ignoring me?] [You’re acting weird today.] [Still no reply? Did I do something wrong?] … My hands shook as I typed out a reply. [Are you keeping secrets from me?] He replied within seconds: [I’ve never lied to you about anything.] [Babe, is there some kind of misunderstanding?] [No.] I tried to calm my racing mind. If my online boyfriend really was Julian, my next step was to figure out if he was cheating on his actual girlfriend. And who exactly was the “babe” he was hosting tomorrow. What if I was overreacting? What if it was all a misunderstanding? Another text came in: [Help me pick an outfit.] He sent a photo of several designer suits lined up. [I trust your taste.] I intentionally chose a navy blue Tom Ford suit. It was distinct enough that I’d easily spot it. Deep down, I was desperately hoping. If Julian didn’t wear that suit tomorrow, it meant he wasn’t my online boyfriend. Then I wouldn’t have to worry about whether my digital lover was a cheating scumbag. The next morning, I walked into Julian’s office with the updated proposal. Julian was sitting on the leather sofa, sipping tea. And he was wearing the exact navy blue Tom Ford suit I had picked out last night. “Julian, here’s the final draft.” Julian nodded with a smile. “Thanks, Chloe.” “The lead investor is coming this afternoon. Get ready to present.” “Will do.” I stared at his suit and asked, trying to sound nonchalant: “I’ve never seen you in this suit before, Julian. It looks great on you.” Julian smiled. “Really? Just bought it yesterday.” My heart sank. That confirmed it. Julian was my online boyfriend. Sitting at my desk, I couldn’t focus. I kept staring at his glass-walled office. Julian had said his “babe” was coming today. I wanted to see who she was with my own eyes. If it was what I feared, then this relationship had to end immediately. Half an hour later, a stunning, well-dressed girl walked straight into Julian’s office. I grabbed my mug and pretended to go to the breakroom. As I passed his office, their laughter drifted through the cracked door. “I missed you so much! This suit looks incredible on you. Navy blue is definitely your color.” Julian’s voice was incredibly tender. “I’m glad you like it. I wore it just for you. Aren’t I meeting your parents tonight? I was worried they wouldn’t approve of me.” “Are you kidding? If I love you, my parents will love you too.” Hearing those words felt like a physical blow to my chest. So, the reason he had asked me to choose an outfit was to impress his real girlfriend’s parents. What was I, then? A dirty little online secret? A side chick? My stomach churned. I pulled out my phone and typed out a text to my online boyfriend with trembling fingers: [You are a piece of trash. We are done.] I blocked and deleted his contact immediately.

Julian walked out of his office, hand-in-hand with his girlfriend, waving her goodbye. He didn’t look sad at all. I felt like the biggest clown on earth. Thinking about all our late-night chats, a wave of bitterness washed over me. My only saving grace was that I had used a burner Snapchat account and never revealed my real name or face. Otherwise, I’d have to resign and flee the country. I took a deep breath. No guy was worth losing my career over. I was a professional. I wasn’t going to quit a great job over some online drama. In the afternoon, Julian messaged me. [Chloe, the investor is here. He reviewed the proposal and likes it. Come in and present your pitch.] I put on my best professional face, stood tall, and walked in. “Chloe, this is our lead investor, who also happens to be my best friend, Ethan Cross. Don’t be nervous. Just pitch your ideas to him.” I completely ignored Julian and looked at the man sitting on the sofa. My eyes locked with Ethan’s. Unlike Julian’s warm, approachable vibe, this man exuded pure wealth and power. He had a cold, untouchable aura. He wore a tailored black V-neck suit over a fitted black mock-neck sweater. The sweater clung to his incredibly broad chest, hinting at a powerful build that was teasingly concealed by his jacket. It was enough to make any girl’s imagination run wild. His long, pale fingers picked up a glass of water, and he took a slow sip. I was completely intimidated by his presence and swallowed hard. At Julian’s prompting, I began my presentation. Once I got into work mode, my confidence returned. I was articulate and poised. By the time I finished, Julian was clapping. “Excellent job, Chloe! Ethan, what do you think?” Both Julian and I looked at Ethan. But Ethan’s eyes weren’t on the papers—they were locked onto my collarbone. Suddenly, he said, “Miss Miller, that’s a beautiful necklace.” I looked down. My blouse had a slightly wide neckline, and my crystal pendant necklace was fully visible. Panic seized me. When I bought this necklace, I had sent a close-up photo of it to my online boyfriend. [Look at my new necklace! Isn’t it pretty?] The photo had been a close-up of my collarbone and neck. My online boyfriend had replied: [You’d look beautiful wearing anything.] Now that the necklace was on display, would Julian recognize it? I shot a quick glance at Julian, but he didn’t seem to notice anything. He was just eagerly waiting for Ethan’s feedback. Of course. Julian had a real girlfriend. To him, I was just a fun online distraction. Why would he remember a detail like that? Only a fool like me would treasure every single memory. I awkwardly covered my collarbone with my hand. “Thanks. Just a cheap piece of jewelry.” Julian sat down next to Ethan and took a sip of his coffee. “So, what’s the verdict?” Julian stared at Ethan, but Ethan kept his eyes on me. After a long pause, he slowly murmured: “It’s perfect.” Hearing this, Julian happily slapped Ethan’s shoulder. “Ethan, you’re a lifesaver! I knew I could count on you.” I let out a quiet sigh of relief. All those sleepless nights working on this proposal had finally paid off. Ethan brushed Julian’s hand off his shoulder with a look of mild annoyance, then looked back at me with a faint, rare smile. “Credit goes to Miss Miller. She’s incredibly talented.” Even though it was our first meeting, I felt an odd sensation. The intensity in Ethan’s gaze made my ears burn. Julian looked shocked. “Whoa, hold on. Did the ice king just pay someone a compliment?” “Well, to be fair, Chloe is amazing. Anyone would praise her.” “But you? Complimenting a girl? That’s a first. Did the sun rise from the west today?” “Oh, wait. I forgot about your girlfriend—actually, ex-girlfriend. She dumped you, didn’t she? My bad, big mouth.” My ears instantly perked up. Ooh, tea! The legendary billionaire investor, Ethan Cross, got dumped? Who on earth would be dumb enough to dump a guy like him? The next second, Ethan shot a dark, brooding glance in my direction. I quickly looked down, suddenly feeling inexplicably guilty. Ethan looked away, took a sip of his tea, and said coldly to Julian: “Keep talking, and I’ll pull my funding.” Julian immediately held his hands up in surrender. “Alright, alright! My bad. You really can’t take a joke, can you?” Trying to calm my racing heart, I quickly excused myself. “Julian, Mr. Cross, if that’s all, I’ll head back to my desk.” I practically fled the room. Back at my desk, Julian sent me another message on WhatsApp. [Chloe, are you free tonight? Mr. Cross still has a few questions about the proposal. He wants to discuss it over dinner. Our treat.] I replied coldly: [Not interested.] [If you go, I’ll double your year-end bonus.] Hey, nobody turns down free money. I replied instantly. [Deal. Send me the address.] Locking my phone, I thought about Julian meeting his girlfriend’s parents tonight. A pang of sadness hit me, but I shook it off. Well, Chloe, I thought to myself, unlucky in love, lucky in career.

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Ever since I can remember, I knew I was just a replacement for my dead sister. The day before I started elementary school, my parents took me to buy a backpack. My mom smiled warmly and asked me, “Sienna, which one do you want? The blue one or the red one?” I pointed at the blue one. Instantly, her smile vanished. She grabbed my shoulders, her grip painfully tight, and screamed hysterically in my face. “Why didn’t you choose red?! Gemma only ever chose red!” Seeing my mom having another episode, my dad slapped me hard across the face. My nose bled. The blood was red, too. From that day on, I only ever chose red things. I only dared to want what Gemma would have liked. Once, while playing with my classmates, some playdough got stuck in my hair. The teacher kindly helped me cut the tangled piece out. But when my mom came to pick me up, she lost her mind. “Gemma had long hair! You are not my daughter!” She kicked me out of the car. I ran after it, crying, chasing the car for half an hour before I finally made it home. To avoid triggering my mom, I started mimicking Gemma in every single way. This lasted until the college application season. I scored a perfect 1600 on my SATs and got accepted into Harvard, but my mom demanded that I enroll in the local community college down the street instead. “Gemma was accepted into this college before she died! You have to go!” My high school counselor called to reason with her, but my mom snapped at him, shutting him down instantly. “If Gemma hadn’t died, Sienna wouldn’t even have been born!” Looking at her hysterical face, I suddenly felt like everything was so pointless. Since I had to copy my sister in every way, then I shouldn’t miss out on her final act either. She drowned when she was eighteen. Maybe I should do the same.

When the admission package from the community college arrived, a few local reporters showed up at our door. The moment my mom opened the door, microphones and camera lenses were shoved into her face. “Are you the mother of the genius student, Sienna? Was choosing a community college really Sienna’s own decision?” “Don’t you think it’s unfair to sacrifice Sienna’s future to make up for your late daughter’s regrets?” Hearing their questions, my mom snapped. She violently pushed the reporters out and slammed the door. Then, she dragged me to Gemma’s memorial corner and forced me to my knees. “Sienna! Did you call those reporters on purpose?!” “We are letting you go to the school your sister never got to attend! How is that unfair to you?!” The wooden hanger struck my back. I bit my lower lip so hard it bled. My dad was so angry he smashed a coffee mug on the floor. “Just to rebel against us, you cheated your way to a perfect SAT score?!” “Gemma would never do something so dishonest!” Hearing my dad’s words, I felt so hopeless I wanted to laugh. Back in middle school, my brain finally clicked, and I brought home a straight-A report card for the first time. What welcomed me was a brutal beating. “Gemma was always an average student. How could you possibly get top grades? You must have cheated!” To be just like Gemma and avoid triggering them, I learned how to control my grades. I intentionally tanked my GPAs and practice tests. But on the final SAT, the most important turning point of my life, I chose to show my real strength. I never expected that instead of being proud, they would forcibly change my college applications and accuse me of cheating. “I didn’t cheat,” I said. “Just because Gemma couldn’t get top scores doesn’t mean I can’t.” I straightened my back and stood up to them for the first time in my life. Shocked by my defiance, my mom gasped. She stood there, pointing a trembling finger at me, stuttering, “You… you…” for a long time. Finally, she locked me inside Gemma’s old room and went outside to chase down the reporters. “I want to report Sienna! She cheated on her exams! I want a full investigation!” Hearing my mom’s righteous voice through the door, tears of laughter streamed down my face. In the darkness, my sister’s portrait seemed to stare down at me. When I was little and forced to kneel here alone to reflect on my “mistakes,” I would always be terrified of her picture and cry. But now, I looked straight into Gemma’s eyes and whispered, “I really envy you. You’ve been gone for twenty years, and they still love you so much.” “If I die, will they love me like this too?” The portrait remained silent, her carefree smile frozen in time. She had a deep dimple on her right cheek when she smiled. I didn’t. Because of that, my mom never allowed me to smile in front of her. Gemma was naturally hyperactive and loved running wild outside. To force me outside, my mom tore up my sketchbooks and snapped my drawing pencils. She wouldn’t let me back into the house until it was pitch black. Even on my birthdays, I could only celebrate Gemma’s birthday. The cake was always mango-flavored because it was Gemma’s favorite, even though I was severely allergic to mangoes. When it was time to blow out the candles, Gemma’s portrait was placed right across from me. My only allowed wish was to pray that Gemma was doing well in heaven. I had been my sister’s shadow for eighteen years. I didn’t even know who the real me was anymore. How could they ever love me? I don’t know how long I sat in the dark. Suddenly, the door clicked open. My dad stood in the doorway, blocking the light from the hallway. He looked incredibly exhausted. “Sienna, go apologize to your mother.”

“Ever since your sister passed away, your mom’s mental state hasn’t been stable,” my dad said. “She’s getting old. You need to be more understanding.” I didn’t argue. I walked out numbly. Like I had done a thousand times before, I spoke my lines: “Mom, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have talked back to you. I shouldn’t have gotten those high scores.” My mom turned to look at me, but her eyes were glassy and unfocused. She was having another episode. She was seeing Gemma again. “My sweet Gemma, what are you talking about?” “Come, sit down and eat. Mom made all your favorite foods.” She pulled me to the dining table and kept piling food onto my plate. This was a treatment I never received when she was lucid. Most of the time, I had to sit the furthest away from the dishes. My parents would sit on either side of Gemma’s framed photo. The thickest cut of the steak, the extra cherry on the pie, and the perfectly golden center of the cinnamon roll—those were always reserved for Gemma. I only got to taste them when my mom was confused. After dinner, my mom led me to Gemma’s room. She made me lie down on Gemma’s soft, queen-sized bed. She carefully tucked me in and sat by the bedside, gently patting my back. “Sleep tight, sweetie. Mom is right here watching over you.” I heard this was Gemma’s habit when she was little. She was terrified of the dark and couldn’t fall asleep alone. She needed my mom to stay with her every night. When I was six, a violent thunderstorm kept me awake. Clutching my pillow, I ran to Gemma’s room to find my mom. But my mom shoved me out of the house into the cold night. “You’re so young, yet you’re already trying to steal your sister’s spotlight! I don’t have such an ungrateful daughter!” I cried until my voice went completely hoarse. My mom didn’t let me back inside until dawn. Now, feeling this rare, borrowed maternal love, I began to count down in my head. Five, four, three, two… The moment I hit one, my mom’s eyes snapped back to reality. The warmth in her eyes instantly turned into pure hatred. “Why are you in Gemma’s bed?!” “Are you trying to steal the last piece of her left in this world?! Get out!” She dragged me off the bed. Practically on instinct, I scrambled out of the room before she could throw her slippers at me. I retreated to my bedroom, which was actually a modified utility closet. Compared to Gemma’s cozy room, this place was incredibly depressing. It got zero sunlight, and it was so damp and cold that I suffered from chronic eczema. Once, when the itching became unbearable, I begged my parents to move to a bigger house. I told them I didn’t want a big room like Gemma’s. I just wanted a small bedroom that got some sunlight. Our family could easily afford it. But my dad just slapped me. My mom’s hand shook with rage as she pointed at me. “This house is the only place your sister ever lived! If we move, she won’t be able to find her way home!” “How can you be so selfish?!” So, I had to retreat back into my tiny, cramped closet. Even this closet didn’t fully belong to me. Two-thirds of the space was packed with Gemma’s old things. Her old keyboard, her dolls, her roller skates. They were covered in thick layers of dust, but I wasn’t even allowed to touch them. Because they “preserved” Gemma’s scent. I wasn’t allowed to ruin it. After calming my mom down, my dad did something rare. He walked into my room. “The school board checked. You didn’t cheat. We misjudged you.” I didn’t say anything. I just stared at him quietly. “Sienna, your sister died the day before she was supposed to leave for college. That is the pain of your mother’s life.” “Even if you are a genius, you must go to that community college. This is your destiny. You have to accept it.” In the dim light, I let out a soft laugh. “I accept it.” Watching his relieved back as he walked away, I added silently in my heart: And I will surely follow my sister’s destiny, and drown the day before college starts.

To celebrate Gemma’s “new beginning,” my parents decided to throw a massive graduation party for “her.” And I was required to attend as her stand-in. My mom took it very seriously. She dug up some clothes that matched the style Gemma used to wear. Styles from twenty years ago, long outdated. They were cheap clothes my mom had bought from thrift stores or received as hand-me-downs from relatives. Some of the collars were stretched out, and the sleeves were fraying. They all smelled like stale mildew. When I was forced to wear them to school as a kid, my classmates would laugh at me behind my back. Now, I put them on without a word. Seeing me in those clothes, my mom’s eyes welled with tears. I knew she was looking at Gemma through me again. That loving gaze of hers had never once truly landed on me. “Don’t smile too much later, but keep your manners sweet,” she instructed. “Your sister was closest to your Uncle and Aunt Clara. Make sure you talk to them more.” She went over the details one by one, terrified I would make a mistake. If I didn’t act like Gemma, their beautiful dream would shatter. She had no idea that after eighteen years of acting, Gemma’s behavior was already carved into my bones. I knew Gemma better than anyone else did. At the party, every relative who saw me gasped. “Sienna looks so much like Gemma…” “Twenty years flew by so fast. Gemma used to wear clothes just like this when she greeted us.” “Yeah, she’s just like Gemma. Smart, sweet, and always knowing exactly what to say.” Everyone was using me to reminisce about Gemma. It had been like this since I was a little girl. “Sienna likes red too, and she wears her hair in the same pigtails Gemma did.” “Sienna can’t sit still either, just like Gemma. Always wanting to run wild outside.” In the beginning, I would silently scream in my head: No! I’m nothing like my sister! I hate red! I hate long hair! I just want to stay inside, read my books, and paint. I don’t want to go outside! But as the years went on, the lines blurred. What color did I actually like? What did I enjoy doing in my free time? What kind of food did I prefer? If Gemma had never existed, and I was my parents’ first child… What would my name have been? “Sienna!” A young male voice called out from behind me. I turned around in shock. It was Aunt Clara’s son. My cousin, Zach. He was three years older than me and was the only person present who had never met Gemma. And he was the only one who never called me “Gemma.” He insisted on calling me “Sienna.” Ever since he left for college out of state three years ago, we hadn’t seen each other. “Long time no see, Sienna.” He reached out and ruffled my hair, just like he used to do when we were kids. Then, he handed me a gift box. “This is your graduation present.” I took it numbly and opened it. Inside was a complete set of expensive, professional art supplies. Zach rubbed the back of his neck, looking a bit embarrassed. “I remembered you loved drawing when you were little. I hope you can still use these.” He then handed me another shopping bag. “This is from my mom.” “You’re going to college soon, so she picked out a couple of outfits suitable for a young girl.” “Hope you like them.” I looked down into the bag. Inside was a light blue sundress and a simple white t-shirt. Very basic, but my eyes welled up instantly. The fake, “Gemma-like” smile was still plastered on my face. What would the perfect “Sienna” say right now? What would she do? My mind went completely blank. I realized I didn’t even need to wait until the day before college to drown. The real Sienna had died a long time ago. The person standing here was just a cheap, broken copy of Gemma.

I stood there like a frozen robot. Seeing my silence, Zach started to panic. “What’s wrong? Do you not like them?” He looked at me, then glanced over at Aunt Clara. “If you don’t like them, we can go exchange them for something else after dinner.” I sniffed, shaking my head with a smile. “No, I love them. Thank you, Zach.” Noticing the redness in my eyes, Zach sighed softly. “Sienna, my mom told me about what’s been going on.” He patted my shoulder. “Your mom’s mental health is… really bad. You’ve had to suffer so much just to keep her happy.” “Once you start college, focus on your grades. You can apply for grad school later. Your life is just starting, Sienna. I know you’re going to have an amazing future.” Hearing Zach’s words, I could barely keep my smile from cracking. Did I really have a future? Could I really shed Gemma’s shadow and just live as myself? I got my answer that very night. As soon as we got home, my mom grabbed the art supplies Zach had given me and threw them right out the window. The paint bottles shattered on the concrete driveway below. They looked like splatters of colorful blood from someone who had just jumped. I rushed to the window, but before I could react, my mom pulled the blue dress out of the shopping bag. She flicked a lighter, and the flame instantly licked the fabric. The fire illuminated her twisted face. “Who allowed you to accept these?!” “Gemma never had things like this! What are you trying to prove by bringing them into this house?!” Recalling my cousin’s words, something inside me finally snapped. “Gemma is dead! She’s dead!” “I am Sienna! I am a living, breathing human being! I have my own tastes! I have my own life to live!” “She died at eighteen! I’ve played her ghost for eighteen years! Isn’t that enough?!” My answer was a stinging slap that cut through the air. The force knocked me to the ground, my back crashing into the memorial table. Gemma’s portrait fell with a loud crash, the glass shattering. Her hollow eyes stared straight into mine. My mom pointed a shaking finger at me, her voice trembling. “How dare you… how dare you…” “If Gemma hadn’t died, you wouldn’t even have a life to live!” “My daughter never got to have a future! What makes you think you deserve one?!” Even though I had always known she didn’t love me, hearing those words out loud made my heart shatter into a million pieces. I lay on the floor, my palm sliced open by the shards of Gemma’s frame. Blood pooled under my hand. My mom sank to her knees, crying hysterically as she cradled Gemma’s portrait in her arms. “My Gemma… my sweet Gemma…” “Does it hurt? Mommy will find a better place for you.” She walked right past me, carrying the portrait, without giving me a single glance. My dad grabbed his jacket and rushed out after her. The front door slammed shut. I closed my eyes. I’m sorry, Zach, I thought. That beautiful future you talked about… I won’t be able to see it. The hem of the burnt dress was charred black, looking like a withered flower. I pulled it over my head, put it on, and looked at the wide-open window. At this moment, I suddenly changed my mind. I didn’t want to drown like Gemma anymore. In my final moment, I wanted to end it as Sienna. This was the only tiny rebellion I had left. I climbed onto the windowsill and took one last look at this house. Then, I closed my eyes and let myself fall backward into the night.

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Before we got married, Ethan Carter insisted on buying two apartments right next to each other. I asked him why he had to take on an extra mortgage. He said, “Your parents are getting older, so it’ll be convenient whether they come over to take care of you in the future or you want to take care of them.” I believed him. For those two apartments, I put in all my savings. But before we registered our marriage, when we went to file the property records, the staff member looked at the documents and frowned. “Miss, are you sure the apartment next door is also for your parents to live in?” “But the pre-registered owner is named Mia Hayes, do you know her?” I froze. Mia Hayes was my best friend. Ethan quickly pulled me aside and coaxed me in a low voice. “She just broke up and has nowhere to stay, so she’s only borrowing the place for a few days, don’t be so petty.” The next second, Mia posted on Ins. [Thank you to him for finally giving me a home.] I stared at that line for a long time, then turned around and put my documents back into my bag. That day, I did not go to the city clerk’s office, and I simply canceled the wedding.

Ethan chased after me. “Listen to me, I’ll handle Mia’s side, and we just need to change the owner, it’s a five-minute thing.” I raised my hand and called an Uber, then immediately got inside. He bent down and leaned against the car window. “If you leave like this, how am I supposed to explain it to our parents?” I glanced at him. “You can explain it to Mia.” I opened the SnapChat of our wedding planner, Claire, and sent one sentence: The wedding is paused. Claire replied almost instantly with a voice message. “Miss Harris, why is it suddenly paused?” “Your fiancé was still discussing the new plan last night.” “What new plan?” “You don’t know?” Claire’s tone was a little hesitant. “Mr. Carter said he wanted to add a special memory video at the wedding and make a photo wall.” My fingertips froze. “What photo wall?” A few seconds later, Claire sent over a picture. I opened the full-size image, and my whole body stiffened in the seat. The most eye-catching spot on the so-called wedding photo wall was not me and Ethan. It was Mia. She was wearing a white dress and standing by the ocean, smiling brightly. And Ethan stood beside her, gazing at her with endless tenderness, looking so romantic and relaxed. I stared at the screen and suddenly found it so absurd that I wanted to laugh. “Who picked these photos?” Claire’s side went quiet for a moment. “Mr. Carter sent them over.” “He said Miss Hayes is your best friend and that you two are close, so putting her photos at the wedding would also count as witnessing your friendship.” “He also said Miss Hayes hasn’t been doing well lately, and he wanted to use this chance to cheer her up a little.” I held my phone and slowly lowered my eyes. The details of wedding planning over the past few months suddenly surfaced one by one. For the flowers I chose, Ethan said Mia was allergic to pollen, so they were later changed to artificial flowers. For the wedding music I picked, Ethan said Mia thought it was tacky, then turned around and changed it to an obscure French song. Every single time, he told me in a tone that made it sound completely natural. “Mia understands these things, and she’s also doing it for our wedding, so don’t be so sensitive.” It turned out that in this wedding that was supposed to belong to me, I had already been pushed to the side. “Miss Harris?” “Are you listening?” “I am.” I closed my eyes for a moment. “The wedding is canceled, and none of this is needed anymore.” Claire sucked in a sharp breath. “But the penalty fee is not a small amount, do you want to discuss it with Mr. Carter again?” “There’s no need to discuss it, and I’ll pay the penalty according to the contract.” “Okay, Miss Harris, then I’ll need you to come to the studio when you have time to sign.” “Okay.” After hanging up, my phone lit up again, and it was a message from Ethan: “Don’t tell your parents yet, I’ll explain the apartment situation to you tonight.” I did not reply and went straight to my parents’ house.

When I pushed open the front door, my dad was wearing reading glasses and tending to his potted orchid on the balcony. My mom was making soup in the kitchen, and when she heard movement, she poked her head out. “Olivia?” “Aren’t you supposed to be getting your marriage license with Ethan today?” “Why are you back so early?” I did not rush to answer and only walked to the dining table and sat down. “We didn’t get it.” “I also canceled the wedding, and I’m planning to return those two apartments.” My dad quickly walked over, and my mom also wiped her hands and ran out of the kitchen. “What happened?” “Did you two have a fight?” My mom was so anxious that her face changed. I pushed a document envelope toward them. “When we went to the property transaction center today to file the records, the staff told me that for the apartment Ethan bought next door, the pre-filled owner was Mia Hayes.” “Mia Hayes?” “That friend of yours?” My dad frowned. I nodded. “Yes.” The air fell silent at that moment. My mom stood frozen in place, her lips moving, but she could not speak for a long while. My dad grabbed the document envelope from the table. “That bastard!” “Back then, he swore up and down that he was buying it for us to retire in, and that was why we agreed to let you put in your savings!” “What is this supposed to be?” “Using our Harris family’s money to support another woman?” He turned to get his phone. “I’m calling Attorney Lewis right now, and this apartment must be returned!” “He has to spit out every cent!” Just then, the doorbell suddenly rang. Ethan’s anxious face appeared outside the door. He was still holding a bouquet of roses. “Olivia, let’s go back and talk about this.” “Can you let me in?” “This really isn’t as serious as you think, so don’t act on impulse.” I did not move. My mom walked over with a cold face and pressed the call button. “Ethan, how do you still have the nerve to come here?” Ethan froze for a second, and the expression on his face instantly turned awkward. “Mrs. Harris… you’re here too.” “Did Olivia say something to you?” “She told us everything.” My mom stared at the screen, her voice as cold as ice. “I only have one question for you.” “For the apartment you said you bought for us two old people to live in, why is someone else’s name on it?” Ethan became guilty. “Mrs. Harris, that’s a misunderstanding.” “Mia really has been going through a hard time recently, and I was just helping her as a friend…” “A friend?” My mom sneered. “You took my daughter’s money to help your friend settle down, do you think the Harris family runs a charity?” “Mrs. Harris, please listen to me explain…” Ethan still wanted to say something, but my mom directly cut off the call. The screen went black. I looked at the dark screen and thought of the night I decided to take out my savings. My dad had once advised me to keep some money for myself, saying that a woman only has confidence when she has money in her own hands. At the time, Ethan held my hand tightly and swore while looking into my parents’ eyes. “Mr. and Mrs. Harris, please don’t worry, I will never make Olivia regret this.” Looking back now, that vow was only laughable. I sat at the dining table and admitted my stupidity in front of my parents for the first time. “Dad, Mom, I’m sorry.” “I regret it.” My mom hugged me, and her tears fell onto my shoulder. “Silly girl, what do you have to be sorry for?” “It’s a good thing you saw him clearly before you got the license.”

The next morning, my parents and I showed up on time at the sales office of Meadowbrook Residences. The customer service woman at the front desk was very polite. “Miss Harris, you previously made an appointment for a consultation about canceling the purchase, and we’ve already pulled up the purchase files on our side.” I stared at the words on the screen. [Client request: Miss Hayes prefers quiet and needs to be close to the east-side elevator, but must avoid the equipment room.] [Follow-up record: Already took Miss Hayes on-site to measure the balcony dimensions.] The date was from six months ago, the month when we had just started looking at apartments. I sat on the sofa and felt all the blood in my body rushing to the top of my head. So even the part about her having just broken up and having nowhere to stay was fake. As early as six months ago, Ethan had already brought Mia here to choose an apartment. “Olivia…” My mom held my hand, her eyes full of heartache. I patted the back of her hand to signal that I was fine. “Excuse me,” I looked at the customer service rep, “if I request to cancel one of the apartments now, what is the process?” The customer service rep looked troubled. “Miss Harris, because you received a ten percent discount for purchasing both apartments together, if you cancel only one apartment separately, the price of the other apartment will need to be recalculated at the original price.” “Also, the loan plan will need to be approved again, and the penalty fee is about five percent of the total price.” I nodded. No matter how much I lost, I could only accept this result now. “Then cancel it.” Just then, the glass door of the sales office was pushed open. Ethan ran in, out of breath. “Olivia!” He strode up to us, glanced at the page on the customer service computer, and his face instantly changed. “You really came to cancel the purchase?” “Olivia, an apartment isn’t a joke, how can you be this impulsive?” He once again used that gentle voice. “The penalty is so high, and canceling isn’t worth it.” “Come back with me first, and let’s talk properly, okay?” I looked up at him. That face was clearly so familiar, but at that moment, I only felt he was a stranger. “If an apartment isn’t a joke, then is marriage a joke?” I stood up and looked him straight in the eyes. “You brought her here to view the apartment six months ago, Ethan, how long exactly were you planning to hide her next door to me?” Ethan’s eyes dodged for a moment. “That was because… because she understands renovations, and I only asked her to come help with references!” “Is that so?” “Olivia.” Suddenly, a soft female voice came from behind Ethan. Mia stood there in an off-white knit sweater, her eyes red. She looked at me, her voice full of grievance. “You really misunderstood.” “I really just had nowhere to go, and Ethan kindly took me in.” She walked forward and tried to take my hand. “Please don’t ruin your relationship of so many years because of me, okay?” I stepped sideways to avoid her. Before I could speak, the customer service rep beside us froze first. “Huh?” “Miss Hayes, how do you have time to come over today?” The customer service rep flipped through the notebook in her hands and smiled warmly. “You came last week to choose curtain measurements, and you also said you wanted to change the master bedroom wall color to dusty pink before move-in, and we’ve already confirmed with the engineering department that it can be changed.” The surroundings instantly went quiet. The grievance on Mia’s face instantly froze, and all the color drained from it. I looked up at her. “Aren’t you just staying temporarily?” “Why are you already renovating my apartment?” Mia bit her lip and could not squeeze out a single word for a long while. “Please,” I turned to look at the customer service rep, my tone calm, “help me cancel the apartment.”

Because of Ethan’s repeated obstruction, the apartment cancellation was not settled for the time being. To keep my parents from worrying, I asked them to go home first. Then I took an Uber to the wedding studio by myself. When Claire saw me, she froze for a moment, then quickly revealed a professional smile. “Miss Harris, please sit.” She handed me a thick file, and the cover said “Wedding Schedule Confirmation Form.” I opened the first page, and my gaze stopped. In the upper right corner of the document, several words were printed boldly: Miss Hayes Confirmed Version. “Sorry, I took the wrong one.” Claire quickly pulled the document back, looking a little embarrassed. “This was the draft left from when Mr. Carter and Miss Hayes came to communicate before.” I pressed down on the document and did not let her take it away. “Do they often come together to communicate?” Claire hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Actually… every time they came to go over the schedule, Miss Hayes basically made the decisions.” She glanced at me, and her voice lowered. “Our team even thought in private that Miss Hayes was the bride.” “After all, every time you came, you were only responsible for looking at the budget details.” I felt as if my heart had been viciously squeezed by something. So in other people’s eyes, I had long since become a side character who was responsible for paying the bill. I picked up the pen on the table and flipped to the last page of the cancellation agreement. “Has the penalty been calculated?” “It has been calculated, and aside from the deposit being deducted, you still need to pay an additional twenty thousand for material losses.” I signed my name and paid without hesitation. Just as I walked into the studio lobby, I ran straight into Ethan, who had hurried over. When he saw the cancellation agreement in my hand, his eyes turned red. “Olivia Harris!” “Have you made enough of a scene?” He rushed over and tried to snatch the document from my hand. “The wedding invitations have already been sent out, and all the relatives and friends have been notified, so if you cancel the wedding now, are you trying to embarrass both families?” I looked at his sanctimonious face and suddenly felt disgusted. Then I took out my phone and notified the friends and family in the wedding SnapChat group. [Everyone, I’m sorry to inform you that Ethan and I are officially canceling our wedding, and I apologize for the trouble.] Ethan’s eyes widened, and he reached out to snatch my phone. “Are you crazy?” “Unsend it!” “Unsend it now!”

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